NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Camp Cooke

Vandenberg Air Force Base (IATA: VBG, ICAO: KVBG) is a United States military installation with a spaceport, in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. As of the 2000 census, the base population was 6,151. An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter alphabetic code designating many airports around the world. ... The ICAO airport code (IPA pronunciation: ) is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... Lompoc (pronounced Lom poke) is a city located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... The term above mean sea level (AMSL) refers to the elevation (on the ground) or altitude (in the air) of any object, relative to the average sea level. ... A foot (plural: feet) is any of several old units of distance or length, measuring around a quarter to a third of a meter. ... metre or meter, see meter (disambiguation) A metre or meter[1] (symbol: m) is a unit of length and the current base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Runway 13R/31L of El Dorado International Airport, BogotÃ¡, D.C. Aerial picture of a runway of Chennai International Airport, Tamil Nadu A runway is a strip of land on an airport, on which aircraft can take off and land. ... A human foot - Enlarge to view legend For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). ... metre or meter, see meter (disambiguation) A metre or meter[1] (symbol: m) is a unit of length and the current base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). ... An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter alphabetic code designating many airports around the world. ... The ICAO airport code (IPA pronunciation: ) is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... A spaceport is a site for launching spacecraft, by analogy with airport for aircraft. ... Santa Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, just west of Ventura County. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area Ranked 3rd - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 kmÂ²) - Width 250 miles (400 km) - Length 770 miles (1,240 km) - % water 4. ... The 22nd United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ...

Vandenberg is home to the 30th Space Wing and the Western Launch and Test Range (WLTR), and is responsible for satellite launches for military and commercial organizations, as well as testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles, including the Minuteman III and Peacekeeper ICBMs. The Western Launch and Test Range (WLTR) is a space launch range located at Vandenberg Air Force Base. ... A Minuteman III missile after a test launch. ... The LGM-30 Minuteman is a United States nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). ... Test launch of a Peacekeeper ICBM by the 576 Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA (USAF) The LG-118A Peacekeeper was a land-based ICBM deployed by the United States starting in 1986. ...

History

The base was originally established in 1941 as the US Army's Camp Cooke. The facility served as a training center for armored and infantry troops through World War II and again in the Korean War. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Combatants Allies: Soviet Union United States United Kingdom and others Axis Powers: Germany Japan Italy and others Commanders Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry S. Truman Winston Churchill Adolf Hitler Hideki Tojo Benito Mussolini Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000,000 Total dead: 50,000,000 Military... Combatants Western Allied/UN combatants: South Korea United States United Kingdom Communist combatants: North Korea Peoples Republic of China Soviet Union Commanders Douglas MacArthur, Jeong Il-Gwon Kim Il-sung, Peng Dehuai Strength Note: All figures may vary according to source. ...

The base was transferred to the US Air Force in 1957 and began its transformation into a space and ballistic missile test facility. One year later, Cooke Air Force base was renamed in honor of General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, the second chief of staff of the Air Force, who was an early advocate of space and missile operations. The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hoyt Sanford Vandenberg (January 24, 1899–April 2, 1954) was an U.S. Air Force officer and director of the Central Intelligence Group. ...

Between March 1, 1966 and December 20, 1968, the Air Force also purchased approximately 15,000 acres from the Sudden Ranch property, located south of the installation's original boundaries through the law of eminent domain. This acquisition enlarged the base to its current 98,000 acres (about 400 square kilometre) of which only 15% is developed. Its relatively remote location and proximity to the coast offers an excellent location to safely conduct test firings of strategic missile weapon systems (Atlas, Titan I, Titan II, Minuteman I/II/III and MX/Peacekeeper), as well as launch satellites into polar orbit without overflying populated areas after liftoff. March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... December 20 is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... Eminent domain (US), compulsory purchase (United Kingdom, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland), compulsory acquisition (Australia) or expropriation (Canada, South Africa) in common law legal systems is the lawful power of the state to expropriate private property without the owners consent, either for its own use or on behalf of...

On December 16, 1958, Vandenberg AFB launched the first Thor ballistic missile and boosted the world's first polar-orbiting satellite, Discoverer I, aboard a Thor/Agena booster combination on February 28, 1959. Both launches occurred from Space Launch Complex 10, which has since been preserved and maintained as an example of a 1950s era launch complex technology. SLC-10 is also classified as a National Historic Landmark. The 1950s were the decade that traditionally speaking, spanned the years 1950 through 1959. ... USS Constitution. ...

Vandenberg is still the only military installation in the United States that launches unmanned government and commercial satellites into polar orbit. It is also the only site from which ICBMs are launched toward the Kwajalein Atoll to verify weapon system performance.

The base is operated by Air Force Space Command's (AFSPC) 30th Space Wing. Its mission is to: Air Force Space Command emblem Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) is a major command of the United States Air Force with headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, USA. It was created on September 1, 1982. ...

Space Shuttle

In 1972, Vandenberg was selected as the West Coast Space Shuttle launch and landing site. Space Launch Complex 6 (SLC-6, pronounced as "Slick Six"), originally built for the abandoned Manned Orbiting Laboratory project, was extensively modified for shuttle operations. Over $4 billion dollars were spent on the new space shuttle modifications. The original Mobile Service Tower (MST) was lowered in height and two new flame ducts were added for the shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters. Additional modifications or improvement included liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen storage tanks, a payload preparation room, payload changeout room, a new launch tower with escape system for the shuttle crewmembers, sound suppression system and water reclamation area and a Shuttle Assembly Building were added to the original complex. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... Manned Orbiting Laboratory early 1960 conceptual drawing that did not use the Gemini spacecraft. ...

There was talk about Vandenberg getting their own shuttle fleet early on in the program, and the Space Shuttle Discovery was only months away from being officially handed over to the United States Air Force when the Challenger disaster happened. Discovery prior to docking with the International Space Station. ... The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ...

SLC-6 was nearly ready for its first Shuttle launch, targeted for October 15, 1986 (STS-62A) when the Challenger disaster grounded the program and set in motion a chain of events that led to the cancellation of all West Coast Shuttle flights. The launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission 51L/STS-33, the 25th of the STS (Space Transportation System) program, began at an estimated time of 16:38:00. ...

Had the space shuttle program been successful at SLC-6, the West Coast operation would have contrasted with that at the Kennedy Space Center by creating the orbiter stack directly on the launch pad, rather than assembling it and then moving it. Three movable buildings on rails, the Launch Tower, Mobile Service Building and Payload Changeout Room were used to assemble the Shuttle orbiter, external tank and SRBs. These buildings were designed to protect the shuttle "stack" from high winds in the area and were used during a series of "fit tests" utilizing the space shuttle Enterprise in 1985. Merritt Island and Kennedy Space Center The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the NASA space vehicle launch facility (spaceport) at Cape Canaveral on Merritt Island in Florida, United States. ...

Since the demise of the shuttle program at Vandenberg, SLC-6 has once again been reconfigured to support polar-orbit satellite launches by the new Delta IV family of launch vehicles, utilizing a Common Core Booster for class sizes all the way up to and including the Delta IV (Heavy) launcher. As it is currently configured, the 132-acre launch site features structures similar to Boeing's Delta IV SLC-37 launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., with a Fixed Umbilical Tower, Mobile Service Tower, Fixed Pad Erector, Launch Control Center and Operations Building, and a Horizontal Integration Facility. SLC-6 also features a Mobile Assembly Shelter that protects the rocket from adverse weather. Delta EELV family of launch vehicles (US Govt) Delta rocket (sometimes retroactively called Delta I) Delta II rocket Delta III rocket Delta IV rocket The Delta family of expendable launch vehicles has been a mainstay of the United States space launch capability since 1960. ... Delta EELV family of launch vehicles (US Govt) Delta rocket (sometimes retroactively called Delta I) Delta II rocket Delta III rocket Delta IV rocket The Delta family of expendable launch vehicles has been a mainstay of the United States space launch capability since 1960. ...

The first of the Delta IV launch vehicles to fly from SLC-6 successfully lifted off at 8:33 p.m. PDT on June 27, 2006 when a Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) rocket lofted NROL-22, a classified satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office, into orbit. The payload was successfully deployed approximately 54 minutes later. June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) is a department of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) which designs, builds and operates the reconnaissance satellites of the United States government. ...

Download high resolution version (1447x1800, 2667 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1447x1800, 2667 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Space and Missile Heritage Center

The Space and Missile Heritage Center preserves and displays artifacts and memorabilia to interpret the evolution of missile and spacelift activity at Vandenberg from the beginning of the Cold War through current non-classified developments in military, commercial, and scientific space endeavors. The Cold War (Russian: Ð¥Ð¾Ð»Ð¾Ð´Ð½Ð°Ñ Ð²Ð¾Ð¹Ð½Ð° Kholodnaya Voina) was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ...

The initial display area is made up of two exhibits, the "Chronology of the Cold War" and the "Evolution of Technology". The exhibits incorporate a combination of launch complex models, launch consoles, rocket engines, re-entry vehicles, audiovisual and computer displays as well as hands-on interaction where appropriate. The Center will evolve in stages from these initial exhibit areas as restorations of additional facilities are completed.

The Center is located at Space Launch Complex 10, site of the first IRBM tests of the Thor (rocket) and Discoverer (aka CORONA spy satellite) series of launches. It is Vandenberg's only National Historic Landmark that is open for regularly scheduled tours through the 30th Space Wing's Public Affairs office. An intermediate-range ballistic missile, or IRBM, is a ballistic missile with a range of 2750-5500 km or 1719-3437 miles. ... Thor-Ablestar Thor was the United Statess first operational ballistic missile. ... Diagram of J-1 type stereo / panoramic reciprocating Corona reconnaissance satellite camera system used on KH-4A missions from 1963 to 1969. ... The corona is the luminous plasma atmosphere of the Sun extending millions of kilometres into space, most easily seen during a total solar eclipse, but also observable in a coronagraph. ... KH-4B Corona satellite Lacrosse radar spy satellite under construction A spy satellite (officially referred to as a reconnaissance satellite or recon sat) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. ...

Mission

Vandenberg's location on the northern Pacific Ocean makes it possible to easily launch satellites into polar orbit, unlike the Kennedy Space Center. This, along with its location relative to the jet stream, makes Vandenberg a good site to launch reconnaissance satellites. A satellite in a polar orbit passes above or nearly above both poles of the planet (or other celestial body) on each revolution. ... Merritt Island and Kennedy Space Center The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the NASA space vehicle launch facility (spaceport) at Cape Canaveral on Merritt Island in Florida, United States. ... Jet streams are fast flowing, relatively narrow air currents found in the atmosphere at around 12 km above the surface of the Earth, just under the tropopause. ...

Vandenberg is also used for the launch of non-military satellites in polar orbits. The space probe "Clementine" was also launched there, using a "recycled" Titan II ICBM. Clementine was a joint space project between the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO, previously the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization, or SDIO) and NASA. The objective of the mission was to test sensors and spacecraft components under extended exposure to the space environment and to make scientific observations of the Moon... Titan II launch vehicle launching Gemini 11 (Sept. ...

Geography

Vandenberg AFB is located at 34°45′4″N, 120°29′52″W¹. The following is a list of sources used in the creation of encyclopedia articles on various geographic topics and locations, such as cities, counties, states, and countries. ...

According to the United States Census Bureau, the base has a total area of 57.3 km² (22.1 mi²). 57.1 km² (22.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.32%) is water. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an Imperial unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, 1,609. ...

Much of the base is rugged, mountainous, and undeveloped; predominant groundcover includes chaparral with coastal sage scrub and oak woodland. Because of its protected nature — none of the backcountry areas are open to the public or to any kind of development — the base contains some of the highest quality coastal habitat remaining in southern or central California and is home to numerous threatened or endangered species. The western terminus of the Santa Ynez Mountains is on the base, and is dominated by Tranquillion Peak, which rises 2,297 ft above sea level. An optical tracking station is located at the top of the peak, which overlooks the various space launch complexes. Chaparral is a shrubland biome found primarily in California, USA, that is shaped by a Mediterranean climate (mild, wet winters and hot dry summers) and wildfire. ... Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of California and northern Baja California. ... Species See List of Quercus species The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of trees and shrubs in the genus Quercus, and some related genera, notably Cyclobalanopsis and Lithocarpus. ... The Santa Ynez Mountains are a portion of the Transverse Ranges, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges of the west coast of North America, and are one of the northernmost mountain ranges in Southern California. ...

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 6,151 people, 1,707 households, and 1,601 families residing in the base. The population density was 107.7/km² (278.8/mi²). There were 1,992 housing units at an average density of 34.9/km² (90.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the base was 72.26% White, 11.74% African American, 0.54% Native American, 3.90% Asian, 0.65% Pacific Islander, 4.96% from other races, and 5.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.10% of the population. An artistâ€™s impression showing one of the Block 5D-2 spacecraft in orbit. ... 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The following is a list of sources used in the creation of encyclopedia articles on various geographic topics and locations, such as cities, counties, states, and countries. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...

There are 1,707 households, out of which 71.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 87.2% were married couples living together, 3.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 6.2% were non-families. 5.4% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.44. A marriage is a relationship between or among individuals, usually recognized by civil authority and/or bound by the religious beliefs of the participants. ...

In the base, the population was spread out with 38.0% under the age of 18, 15.2% from 18 to 24, 44.7% from 25 to 44, 1.9% from 45 to 64, and 0.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 109.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.2 males.

The median income for a household in the base was $39,444, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $27,352 versus $22,283 for females. The per capita income for the base was $13,570. About 6.0% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

Vandenberg supports a population greater than 18,000 composed of military, family members, government contractors, and civilian employees.

The majority of the workforce that doesn't live on base resides in the immediate northern Santa Barbara county communities of Lompoc, Vandenberg Village, Santa Ynez, Orcutt or Santa Maria. A small percentage commute from as far south as Santa Barbara and Isla Vista to as far north as the Five Cities area near San Luis Obispo, which are all roughly an hour's drive along U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1 to the base's five access gates. Lompoc (pronounced Lom poke) is a city located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... Santa Ynez is a census-designated place located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... Orcutt is a census-designated place located in Santa Barbara County, California. ... Santa Maria is the largest city in Santa Barbara County, California. ... Santa Barbara is a city in California, United States. ... Isla Vista is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. ... The city of San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (also SLO) is the county seat of San Luis Obispo County, California, USA. Luis is pronounced as Lewis. ... Highway 101 redirects here. ... State Route 1, often called Highway 1, is a state highway that runs along a large length of the Pacific coast of California. ...

Launch sites

A Delta II rocket launches from Cape Canaveral carrying a GPS satellite The Boeing IDS Delta II family of launch vehicles has been in service since 1989. ... Vandenburg Air Force Bases Space Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3) was the first launch platform for the Atlas rocket system. ... Launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, 7:43:00 a. ... Vandenburg Air Force Bases Space Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3) was the first launch platform for the Atlas rocket system. ... Envelope Length 21. ... The Titan IV family (including the IVA and IVB) of space boosters are used by the US Air Force. ... Delta IV evolution (US Govt) The Delta IV is a family of rockets built by Boeing IDS in a purpose-built facility in Decatur, Alabama. ... The Minotaur Rocket is an American solid fuel rocket designed to launch small satellites. ...

Vandenberg in fiction

In the computer game Deus Ex, Vandenberg is the headquarters of X-51, a group of ex-Majestic 12 scientists and US military soldiers. This article is about computer and video games. ... Deus Ex (commonly abbreviated DX) is a first-person shooter/role-playing computer game developed by Ion Storm Inc. ... for Marvel Comics robotic hero, see Machine Man. ... Majestic 12 is an organisation in the video game Deus Ex. ... The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ...

In the 2000 made-for-television movie Rocket's Red Glare, starring Robert Wagner and Marilu Henner, Vandenberg was the launch location of a restored Mercury Redstone rocket. The movie included several USAF members playing themselves as launch technicians. This article is about the year 2000. ... Robert John Wagner (born February 10, 1930) is a popular American actor. ... Mary Lucy Denise Pudlowski, commonly known as Marilu Henner, (April 6, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois, USA) is an American actress and producer. ... First launched in 1953, the American Redstone rocket was a direct descendant of the German V-2. ... The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ...

Vandenberg was the launch site of the American space shuttle in the James Bond film Moonraker. Moonraker is a 1979 James Bond film based on the Moonraker book by Ian Fleming starring Roger Moore. ...

Vandenberg has also been featured in episodes of the television series Lassie, The Bionic Woman ("Fembots from Las Vegas" filmed in and around the mothballed Manned Orbiting Laboratory-era SLC-6), The Fall Guy, and as the base where the Scoop Mission Control from The Andromeda Strain is located. Lassie filming on location in Florida photo courtesy State Archive of Florida Lassie, a Rough Collie, is the worlds most famous dog [1] and a fictional character who has starred in (or, more properly, in variations been the subject of) many movies, TV shows, and books from 1938 through... Part of The Bionic series The Bionic Woman was a television series which spun off from The Six Million Dollar Man. ... Manned Orbiting Laboratory early 1960 conceptual drawing that did not use the Gemini spacecraft. ... Screenshots of The Fall Guy The Fall Guy was an American television series produced for ABC, it ran from 1981 to 1986 and starred Lee Majors, Heather Thomas and Douglas Barr. ... This article is about the 1971 film. ...

In the movie, Terminator 3, Vandenberg was mentioned as one of the bases that were annexed by Skynet. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (commonly abbreviated T3) is a 2003 movie directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes, and Kristanna Loken. ... Skynet is the fictional computer network created by Cyberdyne Systems Corporation for Strategic Air Command-North American Aerospace Defense Command featured as the never-seen villain of The Terminator film series. ...

Contents