Recent Activity
Continued Alpha cadence through 2024–2025 with DoD Tactically Responsive Space ('VICTUS') missions; Firefly completed NASDAQ IPO in 2025 (ticker FLY).
Investor Brief
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.
Ownership
Parent Entity
Regulatory Regime
Anchor Tenants
Latitude Advantage
Launch Azimuth Range
Employees
Country
🇺🇸United States
Region
North America
Established
2,021
Launches / Year
36
Years Active
5
Strategic Position
34.7561° N, 120.6231° W
Azimuth: 147°–201° (SSO/polar; mid-inclination LEO)
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.
Future Milestones
- 2026
Alpha cadence ramp toward 6+ flights/year
- 2027
Firefly MLV (Medium Launch Vehicle) first flight from SLC-2W
About
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.
Key Features
Former Delta II launch pad repurposed for Firefly Alpha operations
Supports Firefly Alpha small launch vehicle for LEO and SSO missions
West Coast location ideal for polar and sun-synchronous orbits
Firefly plans to also launch its larger MLV (Medium Launch Vehicle) from here
Part of Vandenberg SFB's growing commercial launch portfolio
Rockets That Launch Here
Companies Operating Here
Orbit Types
Notable Launches
Alpha Flight 2 'To The Black' (2022) — First successful Firefly Alpha orbital launch
Alpha Flight 3 'Fly The Lightning' (2023) — Successful DoD mission
Alpha Flight 4 (2024) — Continued successful launch cadence
Historic Delta II GPS and Earth observation missions from same pad