Vandenberg Space Force Base Space Launch Complex 10, Military launch pad in Santa Barbara County, United States

Space Launch Complex 10 is a rocket launch facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base featuring concrete platforms and technical equipment positioned directly on the California coast for polar orbit satellite operations. The infrastructure includes a launch tower, fuel storage systems, and control buildings that have served multiple mission types over several decades.

The facility was established in 1958 as a launch site for the Thor missile program, marking a new chapter in American space and military capabilities. Over the decades, it was repeatedly upgraded and adapted for different satellite types and mission requirements.

The complex is not a museum but a preserved Cold War launch site, nicknamed "Slick Ten". Its blockhouse still holds the original electrical equipment used in later launches, and SLC-10W keeps the pipes and storage tanks for the liquid fuel. Visitors see the two pads and the prefabricated blockhouse as they were left after the last Thor launch in 1980.

Public visits to SLC-10 are possible but must be arranged in advance; the complex is on active Vandenberg Space Force Base property and is undergoing an eight-year restoration. Arrange the visit through the base before travelling, and expect some areas to be closed off by the restoration work.

The site's coastal location allows satellites to reach polar orbits without flying over populated areas during their ascent phase. This geographic advantage made it strategically valuable for American space programs throughout the Cold War era.