Space Exploration Technologies broke ground on a new launch site for its Falcon Heavy rocket at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Falcon Heavy, the most powerful launch vehicle envisioned since Saturn V, is slated to make its inaugural flight from Vandy in 2013. “We’re really super excited . . . about the fact that the Falcon Heavy will first launch from Vandenberg,” said Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, at last week’s ground-breaking ceremony at Space Launch Complex-4 East, reported the Santa Ynez Valley News. The Air Force used SLC-4E from 1964 to 2005 to launch Titan rockets. According to the newspaper, SpaceX is set to invest upwards of $30 million rebuilding the site. The company will construct a 30,000 square-foot vehicle-integration building, while retaining the complex’s existing concrete pad. SpaceX asserts that Falcon Heavy will lift double the space shuttle’s payload for one-tenth of the cost. (Includes SpaceX release)
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.