By Ventura Breeze –
U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) has urged the Department of the Air Force and U.S. Space Force to carefully evaluate the community, environmental, and operational impacts of a proposed super-heavy rocket launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
In a letter to Air Force Secretary Troy Meink and Space Force Chief General Chance Saltzman, Carbajal acknowledged Vandenberg’s importance to national security and the Central Coast economy. However, he stressed that increased launch activity has already created significant noise and environmental pressures.
“Vehicles launched from Vandenberg travel south along the coast, and sonic booms affect communities far downrange,” Carbajal wrote. “A super-heavy vehicle would likely increase both the severity and geographic reach of those impacts.”
He also highlighted concerns about the base’s unique ecosystem, which supports hundreds of plant and animal species, including 17 federally listed as threatened or endangered. “Vandenberg has been a responsible steward of this land. As more of the base is developed, it is vital these species receive full protection under federal law,” he added.
Carbajal requested written responses within 30 days regarding noise mitigation, environmental protections, and operational impacts. He also asked that the Air Force and Space Force provide ongoing updates to his office and the community as planning progresses.
The Congressman emphasized that while super-heavy launch vehicles offer advantages for civil, commercial, and national security space missions, “advancements in space technology must not impose undue burdens on nearby communities or come at the expense of the local environment. We must work to find a balance and compromise.”
As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, Carbajal has long worked to address space launch noise and its effects on local residents. In December 2025, he secured language in the annual defense policy bill requiring commercial space launch services to study noise and explore potential mitigation technologies. Earlier in 2025, he introduced the Space Launch Noise Mitigation Study Act, requiring the Air Force to assess launch impacts and make recommendations to protect neighboring communities.
Vandenberg has seen a significant increase in launches, from a few per year to 66 in 2025, a pace expected to continue growing. While the base has implemented noise-monitoring measures, adjusted trajectories, and shifted non-critical launches to daytime hours, Carbajal warned that super-heavy vehicles could overwhelm these efforts.
He also raised operational concerns, noting that the proposed site is near essential infrastructure, including the boat dock, and that regular super-heavy launches could disrupt other base operations.
The Congressman’s letter underlines the need for careful, community-centered planning as Vandenberg moves forward with its heavy/super-heavy launch capabilities.
