Growing threats against U.S. satellites help shape decisions at an increasingly busy Vandenberg Space Force Base, where the military continues to create the spaceport of the future and recently received a big financial boost for a new payload processing facility.  

More than 200 people attended the State of Vandenberg presentation Friday at the Pacific Coast Club in Lompoc. The Santa Maria Valley and Lompoc Valley chambers of commerce organize the annual luncheon to provide a review of base activity and forecast of future plans. 

“I think you’re going to walk away with a great appreciation for what an amazing year that we’ve had,” Col. Mark Shoemaker, Space Launch Delta 30 commander, said, adding that there is “no shortage of challenges ahead.”

The United States remains in an “era of great competition” from nations such as China and Russia.

“That is driving the way we spend our time, talents and money so we’re ready now to meet the needs of a significantly different type of strategic competition than we’ve been in,” Col. Shoemaker said.

China last year launched 60 rockets to add intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance satellites in orbit to monitor the U.S. military and its allies.

“They continue to do aggressive moves in space with some of their satellites,” said Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, commander of U.S. Space Force-Space, which is based at Vandenberg. “A little while back, we watched them take a satellite, grapple it with another satellite and then move that satellite to a different orbit.”

China claimed the operation was aimed at mitigating space debris.

“I’m not sure they can do that for all the debris, so there’s probably another purpose for that satellite and probably put our satellites at risk,” Schiess added.

As Vandenberg’s launch activity ramps up with 50 missions forecast in 2024, Congress recently approved $80 million for a new payload processing facility to ready satellites for flight, Shoemaker said.

The funding will be in addition to hundreds of millions of dollars for water, power, communication and road improvements planned amid increased launch activity for the “spaceport of the future.”

In addition to SpaceX and Firefly Aerospace, Vandenberg is expected to see additional missions from new rockets, including the United Launch Alliance Vulcan vehicle.

As the commander of the primary unit, Shoemaker oversees $8.4 billion in assets, a $280 million budget and an installation encompassing 118,000 acres.

The wide-ranging presentation also revealed that the massive makeover for the base gas station should be complete by the end of the month. 

The station closed abruptly seven months ago amid leaking pipes that prompted an unplanned $2 million project to resolve the problem.

“We’re days away,” he said, prompting applause from the audience.

They’re also working to create an entertainment venue such as Topgolf for younger military members. 

“When people leave here, I want them angry that they’re leaving here because they’re going to go to a base that doesn’t have something this cool,” Shoemaker said. 

Another project will expand 5G capability across the base to help ensure cellphone access along the 46 miles of coastline at Vandenberg, where service remains spotty or even non-existent.

“To me, that’s a safety issue,” Shoemaker said, adding that there might be residual benefits for the Lompoc Valley. 

Vandenberg also will expand its use of renewable energy by adding a battery storage facility to capture the power generated by the base solar farm for use when the sun has set, he added.

During the event, Shoemaker recognized the Village Dirtbags, a mountain bike club that provides bicycles for children of deployed military members stationed at the base each Christmas. 

Shoemaker estimated that the group has given away more than 2,000 top-quality bicycles and helmets over 18 years as he presented members with the Community Service Award.

He noted the importance of the partnership between the base and its neighboring communities. 

“The volunteerism and just the immense outreach that we get from all of you to take care of our people is just amazing and fantastic,” Shoemaker said.