Vandenberg Air Force Base has stood at the birth of the Space Age as the launch site for many American missiles and rockets, supporting military missions and voyages of exploration. The first polar orbiting satellite, Discoverer I, was launched here in 1959. The Discoverer series was the public name of the now declassified Corona Program, America’s first photo reconnaissance satellite effort. The site has also hosted crew training and test flights for many of America’s Intermediate-Range and Intercontinental Ballistic Missile systems. From 1957 to the present day, Vandenberg has been an integral part of America’s space and defense programs.

Photo: Joe Page

Photo: Joe Page

Vandenberg AFB, California · USA