Space Shuttle launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base...

[Dave.B]

Leaving aside any recent problems that NASA are having with the Shuttle program, whatever happened to the plans proposed in the late 70s/early 80s to launch shuttles from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California?

I have a book called "Space Shuttle" by Christopher Chant dated 1984 that shows 7 projected launches (all Discovery) from VAFB up to STS-63.

Does anyone know how far this plan was progressed?

[KebabMeister]

I hadn't heard about that.  Perhaps the cost of transporting all the equipment from Florida to California was simply too expensive?

[Dave.B]

Well, I've done some research.

It turns out that NASA did actually build a workable launch facility at Vandenberg, and even went as far as using Enterprise (the first test Shuttle) for fit checks before mothballing the facility in the early 80's.

Interest was renewed in 1986 when Discovery was transported there for further fit checks, but I guess it was just not cost effective. Launches from KSC have a 900mph advantage over VAFB due to the Earth's rotation which meant a Shuttle could only launch from VAFB with half the payload available at KSC. Thy can't launch eastwards from VAFB as the Shuttle would abort over the continental USA, so VAFB was proposed for Polar orbits which weren't feasible from KSC.

http://www.ktb.net/~billmeco/Slc6a.html

See above.