Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Preliminary Draft Environmental Impact Statement Construction and Operation of Space Launch Complex 7. Volume 2. Appendices

Book excerpt: The Department of the Air Force is proposing to construct and operate Space Launch Complex 7 (SLC-7) at Vandenberg AFB to launch Department of Defense satellites beginning in 1994 into polar orbit aboard Titan Centaur expendable space launch vehicles. The proposed location of SLC-7 is near Cypress Ridge on South Vandenberg, approximately one mile south of SLC-6, the Vandenberg AFB launch site for the Space Shuttle. The proposed action includes the construction of the launch complex and support facilities, the extension of roads and utilities on Vandenberg AFB, and the launching of the Titan Centaur. In addition, existing launch support facilities constructed for other space launch systems at Vandenberg AFB (i.e., Space Shuttle) are proposed to be used and/or modified as required to support the new launch complex. The satellites proposed to launch aboard the Titan Centaur from SLC-7 require polar orbits. Vandenberg AFB is the only existing U.S. government launch site that can launch satellites into polar orbits without over flying populated land masses.