Vandenberg Launch Schedule
Upcoming launches out of Vandenberg AFB, California
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 11-9
SpaceX | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
April 25, 2025
Firefly Alpha | FLTA006 (Message in a Booster)
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
April 27, 2025
Status: To Be Confirmed
Mission:
Sixth flight of the Firefly Alpha small satellite launcher, launching the demonstration mission for Lockheed Martin's new LM400 satellite bus, which will carry a communications payload. The satellite bus is customizable to support different missions, including remote sensing, communications, imagery and radar Earth observations. It can also support different kinds of orbits and launch configurations.
Low Earth Orbit
Falcon 9 Block 5 | TRACERS
SpaceX | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD May, 2025
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
NASA's Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) mission, consisting of two identical satellites that will orbit Earth in tandem (one following the other), will help understand magnetic re-connection and its effects in Earth’s atmosphere. Magnetic re-connection occurs when activity from the Sun interacts with Earth’s magnetic field. By understanding this process, scientists will be able to better understand and prepare for impacts of solar activity on Earth.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Minotaur IV | EWS OD-1
Orbital ATK | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD May, 2025
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
The Electro-Optical/Infrared Weather System (EWS) Operational Demonstration-1 (OD-1) is a weather satellite for the United States Space Force. It is a prototype satellite made by General Atomics that will be place in LEO for a three-year demonstration mission of new EO/IR sensor technologies to various US military branches, and to act as a stop-gap for Defense Department needs for weather data.
Sun-Synchronous OrbitFalcon 9 Block 5 | NAOS
SpaceX | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD June, 2025
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
NAOS (National Advanced Optical System) is the space component of Luxembourg's governmental dual-use observation satellite system LUXEOSys (Luxembourg Earth Observation System). Its purpose is to provide high resolution images to national and international governmental and military organizations such as NATO. The 800 kg satellite is built by OHB Italia and is equipped with a very high-resolution optical camera with a ground reolution of 50 cm in an around 450 km high sun-synchronous orbit. It will have a operational life time of 7 years.
Sun-Synchronous OrbitFalcon 9 Block 5 | Transporter 14 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
SpaceX | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD June, 2025
Firefly Alpha | TacSat
Firefly Aerospace | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD June, 2025
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
First of up to 25 launches of Low Earth Orbit technology demonstration satellites to be built and operated by Lockheed Martin. TacSat is an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance spacecraft with a mission to prove specialized sensing and communications capabilities on orbit. The satellite will participate in exercises that highlight cross-domain kill-web connectivity, enabling timely execution of tactical space missions. TacSat will host a proven Lockheed Martin infrared sensor on board that brings previously developed technology to space for the first time. This sensor produces high quality imagery and it can interface with federated Battle Management Command & Control (BMC2) combat systems to provide joint forces with a comprehensive view of threats. The satellite will also feature Lockheed Martin’s first 5G.MIL® payload on orbit. This provides cellular-like networking for military space assets, making satellite constellations more resilient. It also helps enable seamless connectivity with tools in the air, at sea and on land. Launch operation will also again demonstrate responsive space pre-launch operation capabilities.
Low Earth OrbitFalcon 9 Block 5 | SDA Tranche 1 Transport Layer B
SpaceX | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD September, 2025
Minotaur IV | STP-S29A
Orbital ATK | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD September, 2025
Status: To Be Determined
Mission:
STP-S29A is a mission under the U.S. Department of Defense's Space Test Program (STP) that will deliver technology demonstrations to orbit and contribute to future space system development, with this launch delivering up to 200 kg of STP cubesats to Low Earth Orbit. The main payload will be STPSat-7, an ESPA class satellite based on the Aegis Aerospace M-1 satellite bus used on the STPSat-4 mission for hosting research and technology demonstration payloads for the Department of Defense (DoD). One of the payload is U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Lightsheet Anomaly Resolution and Debris Observation (LARADO) instrument, used to detect and characterize lethal non-trackable orbital debris with lasers in orbit.
Low Earth OrbitFalcon 9 Block 5 | Transporter 15 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
SpaceX | United States of AmericaVandenberg SFB, CA, USA
TBD October, 2025
Falcon 9
NROL-145
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USATenth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office to…
Long March 6A
Shiyan 27 01-06
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaA group of 6 Chinese satellites reported to be for "space environment probing and other related technological testing". Actual usage not known.
Minotaur IV
NROL-174
Space Launch Complex 8 - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAClassified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office.
New Shepard
NS-31
West Texas Suborbital Launch Site/ Corn Ranch - Corn Ranch, Van Horn, TX, USANS-31 is the 11th crewed flight for the New Shepard program and the 31st in its history.
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 6-73
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 12-17
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USAA batch of 21 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Falcon 9
NROL-192
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USANinth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office to…
Long March 3
TJSW-17
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaChinese classified satellite claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.
Soyuz 2.1a
Soyuz MS-27
31/6 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of KazakhstanSoyuz MS-27 will carry two cosmonauts and one astronaut to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome i…
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 11-11
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAA batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
