I understand the need for rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base for defense purposes, but the recent increases and proposed further increases in the number of launches for commercial purposes are a serious problem in my view.
A recent article noted that of Vandenberg launches “roughly 15 percent carry satellite payloads with immediate and obvious national security applications. The rest appear to be more commercial in scope.”
Effect on Structures: I live in an old redwood farmhouse near Jalama Road that was built in 1910. The house is right under the flight path of the rockets, and it rattles loudly during both the launches and sonic booms. After every launch, my pictures are crooked on the walls. On one occasion, a large and historical family painting from the 1800s fell off the wall and ripped irreparably. Also, new cracks seem to be appearing in the plaster of the walls.