Space Launch Complex 6

Electrical Modernizations Are a Prelude to Lift Off

Space Launch Complex 6, known as SLC-6, is nestled between the rolling hills and the Pacific Ocean at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Central California. The historic site was originally developed for rocket launches in the 1960s and it went on to serve as the Western U.S. launch site for Air Force space shuttles.

In the early 2000s, SLC-6 was extensively modified to become the launch pad for Delta IV rockets, which generally carry satellites for weather, Earth observation, and reconnaissance. Despite the modifications, much of the original infrastructure at SLC-6 was left intact.

In 2019, Precision was charged with upgrading the facility’s electrical systems and related components. As general contractor, Precision retrofitted and replaced outdated electrical equipment and infrastructure throughout the SLC-6 campus and modernized switching stations, SCADA equipment, miles of 12-kV cables, and 10 substations serving multiple launch facilities. These upgrades allowed for proper interface among electrical systems, and a safer and more reliable launch facility overall.