An environmental analysis of a planned boost in the Falcon 9 rocket launch cadence at Vandenberg Space Force Base has been released with four public meetings planned in June to spell out details and collect public comments.  

The release comes as SpaceX marked its 20th launch of 2025 from the West Coast on Tuesday morning. The rocket carried 24 Starlink satellites into orbit after departing at 9:57 a.m. from Space Launch Complex-4.

The draft environmental document assesses plans to use Space Launch Complex-6 to boost the number of liftoffs from Vandenberg, analyzing potential impacts to air quality, noise and 13 other resource areas.

“The purpose of the proposed action is to increase the space launch mission capability of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other federal and commercial customers, and to enhance the resilience and capacity of the nation’s space launch infrastructure, while promoting a robust and competitive national space industry,” according to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

The document’s release came five months after the scoping meetings held in Lompoc, Santa Barbara and Ventura to gather suggestions about areas to assess. 

In addition to the Falcon 9 flights, SLC-6 would see SpaceX Falcon Heavy rockets to carry larger satellites into orbit. Falcon Heavy employs three first-stage boosters standing side by side to make the vehicle more powerful. 

The proposal includes adding two landing zones near SLC-6 to accommodate separate first-stage booster returns once they have finished their chores for Falcon Heavy.

With the second launch facility plus a boost in the pace at SLC-4, SpaceX expects to conduct 100 Falcon missions a year from Vandenberg, according to the proposal. 

Falcon Heavy, which has not flown from VSFB, would launch a maximum of five times per year from SLC-6.

SpaceX would continue to land up to 12 first-stage boosters per year at SLC-4. In addition, up to 12 missions each year would utilize the new landing zones at SLC-6. 

Under the proposed action the Air Force would authorize SpaceX to modify the existing Horizontal Integration Facility near SLC-6 to support launch operations at the site, construct a road with rails between the launch pad and the HIF to move launch vehicles to the pad, and bolt two new landing zones adjacent to SLC-6 to support landing of first stage Falcon boosters launching from SLC-6.

The Draft EIS also analyzed an alternative that would skip the HIF modifications and instead allow SpaceX to construct a new approximately 62,000-square-foot hangar north of the launch pad at SLC-6 to support Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy integration and processing. This also would include adding a road with rails to transport the launch vehicles to the pad. 

The document also assessed the “no action” alternative which would skip using SLC-6 for Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy launches and not increase liftoffs from SLC-4.

The 45-day public comment period on the Draft EIS runs through July 7.

The Draft EIS can be found online with hard copies available in libraries  in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Santa Maria, Ventura, Ojai, Oxnard and Vandenberg SFB.

The Department of the Air Force will holding three in-person public hearings and a virtual public hearing to provide the public with the opportunity to learn more about the proposal and provide input.

In-person public hearings will occur from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on:

• June 10 at Four Points by Sheraton/Ventura Harbor Resort, 1050 Schooner Drive, Ventura 

• June 11 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara

• June 12 at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1201 North H St., Lompoc

In-person public hearings will begin at 5 p.m., starting with an open-house information session to allow attendees to view informational posters, speak with project representatives, and sign-up to provide an oral comment. 

Written comments can also be submitted at the in-person public hearings. A Spanish interpreter will be available as needed.

The public hearing sessions will be called to order at 5:30 p.m. with the formal oral comment segment at 6 p.m. Speakers will have up to three minutes for their comment. 

Additionally, a virtual public hearing will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 18 with the Zoom link to be provided later. 

Written comments also can be submitted via an online form, available here, or through regular mail sent to ATTN: VSFB Falcon Launch EIS,  c/o ManTech International Corporation, 420 Stevens Avenue, Suite 100, Solana Beach, CA 92075.

Documents and details about the process can be found on the website www.vsfbfalconlauncheis.com/.

Meanwhile, Vandenberg’s 21st Falcon launch of the year could occur as soon as Friday, according to notices warning pilots about planned missions.