Firefly Aerospace · Vandenberg SFB, California, United States
Launch Pads
—
Annual Launches
3-6
Max Payload (LEO)
—
Established
2021
Space Launch Complex 2 West (SLC-2W) at Vandenberg Space Force Base is operated by Firefly Aerospace for its Alpha small launch vehicle. The pad was historically used for Delta II launches. Firefly Aerospace achieved its first successful orbital launch of Alpha from this site in 2022, establishing the company as a viable small-launch provider.
| Region | North America |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 34.7561° N, -120.6231° E |
| Ownership | Private |
| Parent Entity | Firefly Aerospace, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLY) |
| Regulatory Regime | U.S. Space Force Western Range + FAA-AST Part 450 vehicle license |
| Latitude Advantage | 34.8°N — Western Range southward Pacific corridor gives Firefly Alpha direct access to polar and SSO inclinations that East Coast small-launch competitors cannot match. |
| Azimuth Range | 147°–201° (SSO/polar; mid-inclination LEO) |
| Employees | Not separately disclosed (Firefly total ~750 across all sites) |
| Website | https://fireflyspace.com/ |
Anchor Tenants
Active Users
Strategic Value
Firefly's primary West Coast pad — sole pure-SSO small launcher with a successful orbital track record currently flying out of Vandenberg, positioning Firefly for responsive-space and Earth-observation customer demand.
Recent Activity
Continued Alpha cadence through 2024–2025 with DoD Tactically Responsive Space ('VICTUS') missions; Firefly completed NASDAQ IPO in 2025 (ticker FLY).
2026
Alpha cadence ramp toward 6+ flights/year
2027
Firefly MLV (Medium Launch Vehicle) first flight from SLC-2W