That’s the question being asked after the U.S. Space Force announced a plan over the holidays to develop a new launch site at the Santa Barbara County base capable of hosting “heavy” and “super-heavy” rockets that will deliver massive payloads into orbit, and beyond.

Update: A launch alert from the Vandenberg Space Force Base indicates the mission is now being targeted for lift off from 7:10 to 11:10 a.m. PT Wednesday, Dec. 17. Want to see a rocket launch from Southern California before Christmas? You may have to wake ...

One of the nation’s behemoth rockets could find a home at Vandenberg Space Force Base as the military asks aerospace companies for their interest in developing a brand-new facility so that the biggest class of rockets can blast off from the West Coast.

SpaceX completed 167 orbital launches in 2025 using Falcon 9 rockets, setting a new annual record and accounting for about 85% of U.S. launches

In addition to five Starship-Super Heavy launches—three of which reached their targeted near-orbital altitudes and are included in the global tally—SpaceX launched 165 Falcon 9 rockets in 2025, surpassing its 2024 record of 134 Falcon 9 and two Falcon Heavy flights. No Falcon Heavy rockets flew in 2025.