SpaceX launches Crew-12 on Falcon 9, lands first booster at new LZ ...
SpaceX opened February 13 with a dual milestone at Cape Canaveral, featuring a successful Crew-12 astronaut launch.
www.teslarati.comI don’t have live access to up-to-the-minute feeds right now, but I can share the latest context I have about SpaceX Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg and where things stood recently.
Key points about Landing Zone 4
- Identity and purpose: Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) is SpaceX’s dedicated landing area at Space Launch Complex 4 (SLC-4) on Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. It serves as the ground-based return site for Falcon 9 first stages after certain missions.[2][8]
- Operational history: LZ-4 has been used as a landing zone for multiple Falcon 9 recoveries, with several successful landings recorded since its initial use in 2018. The site is paired with a separate launch pad at SLC-4, allowing a coordinated launch-and-landing workflow.[3][2]
- Current state and relevance: As of the latest compiled summaries, LZ-4 remains a central piece of SpaceX’s West Coast operations at Vandenberg, complementing the launch infrastructure there. There hasn’t been widespread reporting of major changes to its status since mid-2020s summaries.[2][3]
Recent related developments you might be looking for
- If you’re after the most recent activity (recent launches, landings, or changes to the pad’s configuration), Spaceflight Now and other SpaceX-focused outlets have covered individual launch events from SLC-4 that include the LZ-4 recovery phase when applicable.[3]
- For broader context, Wikipedia’s consolidated pages on SLC-4 and LZ-4 compile the pad’s operational history and its role in SpaceX’s launch/landing cadence at Vandenberg.[8][2]
How I can help next
- I can pull the latest news items and assemble a concise timeline of recent Falcon 9 landings at LZ-4, including dates and outcomes, if you’d like.
- I can also compare LZ-4’s capabilities and usage with other SpaceX landing zones (e.g., LZ-1/2 on the Cape) to give you a quick sense of where LZ-4 fits in SpaceX’s global recovery strategy.
Would you like me to summarize the most recent confirmed LZ-4 landings and provide a quick timeline, or would you prefer a side-by-side comparison with other SpaceX landing zones? If you want the freshest details, tell me the exact date range you care about (e.g., last 12 months, since 2024, etc.).
Citations:
- SpaceX Landing Zone 4 overview and status: space-related entries noting LZ-4 as the dedicated landing area at SLC-4, Vandenberg.[8][2]
- Notable LZ-4 operations and landings: Spaceflight Now and related mission logs reporting Falcon 9 landings at SLC-4/LZ-4 in various years.[3]