Overview
- The 4th Space Launch Squadron was officially reactivated during a ceremony at the Boathouse at South Vandenberg on Friday, July 31, 2026, when Lt. Col. Kyle Rowland assumed command and Col. James T. Horne III uncased the unit colors.
- Under Rowland’s leadership the squadron is tasked to spearhead Western Range modernization focused on dynamic range management, remote launch operations, digital safety protocols, and automation.
- Space Launch Delta 30 frames the reactivation as a step toward a multi-user 'Spaceport of the Future' designed to support faster turnaround and a larger, more diverse manifest of launches.
- Vandenberg leaders say the expected rise in launch activity will create local demand for housing, schools, and services, and Rowland emphasized outreach and education to integrate the base with the Central Coast community.
- The 4th SLS returns an experienced launch unit first formed in 1994 that has managed Titan IV, Delta IV and Atlas V missions and that was previously deactivated during past reorganizations before 2026.