VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. -- VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. --The Crucible Innovation Lab was unveiled as a brand new creative center Nov. 22, 2024. This new makerspace is designed to be a collaborative environment where Vandenberg members can come together to brainstorm, innovate, and bring ideas to life. The Crucible offers individuals the tools, resources, and space needed to turn their concepts into a reality.
"Our goal is for Team Vandenberg to utilize the space to develop local solutions to their own mission needs instead of being forced to wait for a solution to come," said U.S. Space Force Maj. Bryan Davis, Space Launch Delta 30 spaceport innovation chief.
The Crucible’s mission is to promote innovation and execute projects that will introduce future-focused solutions. The center offers 3D Printing, CNC, power tools, circuitry, high-powered PCs for 3D modeling, VR, coding, software development, and more. Access to the broader AFWERX and SPACEWERX network as well as other local makerspaces from the Navy or universities are also available. With this plethora of brand-new, stellar equipment and well-crafted working areas, it makes an ideal environment for collaboration and accelerates the development of next-generation technology, inventions, and ideas.
"We are very proud of the work that our unit pathfinders put in to make this a reality and are thankful for the support we received from the Digital Transformation Office, 30 CONS, and 30 CES, which was essential in reinvigorating this facility into a fully functional collaboration zone and prototyping laboratory," said Davis. "This space will allow us to continue to invest in our base’s four strategic objectives, the space mission, supporting our mission partners, quality of life, and innovation and digital transformation, in a way that empowers units to develop their own internal solutions, saving time and resources across the board and improving our own efficiency and effectiveness."
With The Crucible now open, the potential for futuristic innovation at Vandenberg has never been greater. It is more than just a physical space; it is a catalyst for change, collaboration, and the future of Air and Space Force innovation. The Crucible is located at Building 10363. They are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.