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Clean up spacing around commas and other punctuation fixes, replaced: ,com| → .com|

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{{Short description|US DoD space access program}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

The '''Space Test Program''' ('''STP''') is the primary provider of [[spaceflight]] for the [[United States Department of Defense]] (DoD) [[Outline of space science|space science]] and [[technology]] community. STP is managed by a group within the [[Advanced Systems and Development Directorate]], a directorate of the [[Space and Missile Systems Center]] of the [[United States Space Force]]. STP provides spaceflight via the [[International Space Station]] (ISS), piggybacks, secondary payloads and dedicated launch services.

== Past activities ==
{{Missing information|section|activities prior to 2001|date=August 2023}}

STP has actually been in existence for 50 years as of 2019, with several thousand launches it has been responsible for. For example, the initial experiments that led to the modern [[Global Positioning System]] (GPS) satellite constellation were STP-launched projects.

=== 2001 ===
During August 2001, STP conducted two successful activities using the [[Space Shuttle]] and ISS. [[STS-105]] delivered and successfully deployed the [[Materials International Space Station Experiment]] (MISSE) externally on the ISS. MISSE was a passive materials exposure experiment, was the first external experiment on ISS. In addition, STS-105 retrieved and returned MACE II (Middeck Active Control Experiment II) from the ISS. MACE II was the first internal experiment on ISS and was operated for nearly a year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://history.nasa.gov/presrep01/pages/dod.html|title=2001 Aeronautics and Space Report of the President|publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

On 30 September 2001, STP and [[NASA]] launched the ''Kodiak Star'' mission on an [[Athena I]] [[launch vehicle]]. This was the first orbital launch out of [[Kodiak Island]], [[Alaska]]. In addition to NASA's [[STARSHINE|Starshine III]] spacecraft, this mission included three small DoD spacecraft which tested a variety of new space technologies.<ref>[http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/payload/missions/kodiakstar/ NASA: ''Kodiak Star'' 2001] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324103736/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/payload/missions/kodiakstar/|date=2012-03-24}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

STP and the [[Air Force Research Laboratory]]'s (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate developed a secondary payload adapter ring for the [[National Security Space Launch|Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle]] (EELV), which can host up to six {{cvt|180|kg}} [[Small satellite|microsatellites]]. STP also worked closely with NASA and the [[United States Navy]] on the Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer / Indian Ocean Meteorology and Oceanography Imager project.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

In December 2001, [[STS-108]] hosted the Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Localized Exhaust (SIMPLEX) experiment. SIMPLEX observed ionospheric disturbances created by the Space Shuttle engine burns via ground radar sites and supported plume technology, plume signature, and space weather modeling.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

=== 2002 ===
SIMPLEX flew again on [[STS-110]] in April 2002.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}} STP also worked to obtain a 1-year radio frequency license extension for the Picosat experiment launched on the ''Kodiak Star'' mission, in September 2001.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

=== 2003 ===
On 6 January 2003, STP and the [[Naval Research Laboratory]] (NRL) launched the [[Coriolis (satellite)|Coriolis]] satellite, a risk-reduction effort for [[NPOESS]], aboard a [[Titan 23G|Titan II]] launch vehicle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ipo.noaa.gov/Projects/windsat.html|title=WINDSAT Project Description|publisher=NOAA|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051109195905/http://www.ipo.noaa.gov/Projects/windsat.html|archive-date=2005-11-09}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

=== 2007 ===
On 9 March 2007, six satellites were launched into [[low Earth Orbit]] (LEO) on a shared [[Atlas V]] launch vehicle on the '''STP-1''' mission.<ref name="GSP">{{cite web |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sat/stp.htm|title=Space Test Program (STP) Payloads|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|date=2 November 2021|access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref> The satellites were:
* [[Orbital Express]]: ASTRO and NextSat, ([[DARPA]])
* [[MidSTAR-1]], ([[United States Naval Academy]])
* [[FalconSat3]], ([[United States Air Force Academy]])
* [[STPSat 1]], USAF's Space Test Program
* [[CFESat]], ([[Los Alamos National Laboratory]])

The satellites shared the launcher through use of an [[EELV Secondary Payload Adapter|Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Secondary Payload Adapter]] ([[EELV Secondary Payload Adapter|ESPA]]).<ref>
{{cite web|url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/data/assets/12474.pdf|title=Atlas V Multiple and Secondary Payload Carriers|publisher=Lockheed Martin}}{{dead link|date=January 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> [[United Launch Alliance]] provided a video feed of the launch.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A77p4v5dWGE|title=Atlas V launch|publisher=YouTube}}</ref>

=== 2008 ===
The [[C/NOFS]] (Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System) satellite, which was launched on 16 April 2008, was operated by the Space Test Program.

=== 2010 ===
The third [[Minotaur IV]], known as [[STP-S26]], was successfully launched in November 2010. This was the 26th small launch vehicle mission in STP's 40-year history of flying DoD space experiments,<ref name="spacenews">{{cite web|last1=Brinton|first1=Turner|title=Air Force's STP-S26 Mission Loaded with New Technologies|url=http://spacenews.com/air-forces-stp-s26-mission-loaded-new-technologies/ |publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=8 December 2016}}</ref> STP-S26 launched at 01:45 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on 20 November 2010 from the [[Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska|Kodiak Launch Complex]]. The launch facility contractor was [[Pacific Spaceport Complex – Alaska|Alaska Aerospace Corporation]] (AAC). The payloads were released in a {{cvt|650|km}} orbit, before the [[Hydrazine]] Auxiliary Propulsion System ([[Hydrazine Auxiliary Propulsion System|HAPS]]) upper stage, by [[Orbital Sciences Corporation]], was demonstrated by deploying two ballast payloads into a {{cvt|1200|km}} orbit. The payload included the '''STPSat-2''' spacecraft.<ref name=STPSat-2-and-3>{{cite web|title=STPSat-2 Experimental Satellite|url=http://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/stpsat2experimentals/|access-date=19 December 2017}}</ref> STPSat-2 had 3 three experimental payloads:
SPEX (Space Phenomenology Experiment) consisting of two payloads to evaluate sensor compatibility for the space environment, and
ODTML (Ocean Data Telemetry MicroSatLink) a two-way data relay from terrestrial (ocean or land) sensors to users.<ref>[https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/stpsat-2.htm STPSat-2]</ref>

=== 2013 ===
[[STPSat 3]] is a copy{{clarify|date=July 2020}} of the [[STPSat-2]] satellite, adapted to carry six experiments, including a module designed to host various space situational awareness sensors and a pair of space environment sensors. STPSat 3 launched on 19 November 2013, on the [[ORS-3]] [[Minotaur 1]] launch, along with 28 CubeSats.<ref name=ORS-3>spaceflightinsider.com: [https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/ors-3-and-minotaur-1-launch-tiny-cubesats-full-of-big-promise/ ORS-3 and Minotaur 1 launch tiny CubeSats full of big promise]</ref> STPSat-3 carries five payloads, including "Integrated Miniaturized Electrostatic Analyzer Reflight (iMESA-R), Joint Component Research (J-CORE), Strip Sensor Unit (SSU), Small Wind and Temperature Spectrometer (SWATS), and TSI Calibration Transfer Experiment (TCTE)". It also carries a de-orbit module.<ref name=STPSat-2-and-3/>

=== 2014 ===
As announced on 14 October 2014, the [[United States Department of Defense]] awarded [[Sierra Nevada Corporation]]'s Space Systems (previously known as [[SpaceDev]]) with a contract to develop and build a next-generation science and technology demonstration satellite, known as STPSat-5, for their Space Test Program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airforce-technology.com/news/newsus-dod-awards-stpsat-5-satellite-production-contract-to-sierra-nevada-4406168|title=US DoD awards STPSat-5 satellite production contract to Sierra Nevada|date=October 16, 2014|website=airforce-technology.com|access-date=October 16, 2014}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|reason=domain on WP:BLACKLIST|date=June 2016}}

=== 2019 ===
[[File:STP-2 Payload stack.png|thumb|STP-2 payload stack.]]
The '''STP-2''' (DoD Space Test Program) payload launched aboard a [[SpaceX]] [[Falcon Heavy]] on 25 June 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/06/spacex-falcon-heavys-stp-2-mission/ |title=SpaceX ready for most-challenging flight with Falcon Heavy's STP-2 mission|date=24 June 2019 |publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|access-date=2019-06-25}}</ref>{{clarify|the entire or orbit ballet of four engine burns to deploy satellites into three different orbits with multiple orbital planes should be explicated here. Complicated mission, pushed to limits of a Falcon Heavy, and would not have been energetically possible with a Falcon 9 LV|date=July 2019}}

Included was [[COSMIC-2]], a cluster of six satellites, with a mass of {{cvt|277.8|kg}} each.<ref name="fbo">{{cite web|url=https://www.fbo.gov/utils/view?id=36de6af7670d2636c8c195173dd500e1|title=Mission Requirements Document (MRD) FA8818-12-R-0026 T.O. SM-2.4}}</ref> The primary role of the COSMIC-2 [[satellite constellation]] is to provide [[radio occultation]] data with an average latency of 45 minutes. The six satellites were placed on an orbit with an inclination of 24° to 28.5° {{which|date=July 2019}} with plans for them to move eventually to six separate orbital planes with 60° separation between them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=30544.0;attach=615933|title=NARLabs-FORMOSAT-7-COSMIC-2-Mission|publisher=NARLabs}}</ref> The payload stack was integrated using an [[ESPA ring]]. Two ESPA Grande rings were used to mount the six COSMIC-2 satellites beneath the upper payload adapter hosting the DSX payload and avionics modules.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/dsx.htm|title=DSX (Cygnus)|publisher=Gunter's Space Page}}</ref>

STP-2 also deployed a number of CubeSats as [[secondary payload]]s,<ref name="fbo"/> including E-TBEx, PSAT, TEPCE, and [[Educational Launch of Nanosatellites|ELaNa 15]] CubeSats.<ref>[https://www.spacex.com/stp-2 STP-2]</ref> [[LightSail 2]]<ref name='PSO'>{{cite web|url=http://sail.planetary.org|title=Lightsail|publisher=Planetary Society|access-date=21 April 2015}}</ref> is carried by the Prox-1 nanosatellite.<ref name='PSO'/> Other satellites and payloads included Oculus-ASR nanosatellite,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/oculus-asr.htm|title=Oculus-ASR|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|access-date=2016-03-15}}</ref> [[Green Propellant Infusion Mission|GPIM]],<ref name='About'>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/tdm/green/|title=About Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM)|access-date=2014-02-26|year=2014|publisher=NASA}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref name='Ball 2014'>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballaerospace.com/page.jsp?page=281|title=Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) |access-date=2014-02-26|year=2014|publisher=Ball Aerospace}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballaerospace.com/file/media/D2082%20GPIM%20TU_313.pdf|title=The Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM)|access-date=2014-02-26|date=March 2013|publisher=Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220162042/http://www.ballaerospace.com/file/media/D2082%20GPIM%20TU_313.pdf|archive-date=2015-12-20}}</ref> and the [[Deep Space Atomic Clock]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4567|title=Deep Space Atomic Clock|work=Jet Propulsion Laboratory|publisher=NASA|date=27 April 2015|access-date=2015-10-28}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

The '''STPSat-4''' satellite was launched on 2 November 2019 onboard the [[Cygnus NG-12]] mission and was subsequently deployed to orbit from the [[ISS]] on 29 January 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/stationreport/2020/01/29/iss-daily-summary-report-1292020/ |title=ISS Daily Summary Report – 1/29/2020 |first=Bill |last=Kater |publisher=NASA |date=29 January 2020 |access-date=2 February 2020}}</ref> The satellite hosted a variety of experimental technologies, including: iMESA-R, a [[USAF]] mission to measure plasma densities and energies; MATRS, a modular solar array that partially failed to deploy; NISTEx, an inferometric star tracker; NTE, a passive retroreflector.<ref>{{cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/stpsat-4.htm |title=STPSat 4 |access-date=19 August 2023 |work=Gunter's Space Page}}</ref> The satellite decayed from orbit on 4 October 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/stpsat-4.htm |title=STPSat 4 |work=Gunter's Space Page |date=2 November 2019 |access-date=4 November 2019}}</ref>

=== 2021 ===
(SpaceX had bid a [[Falcon Heavy]] in December 2016 for this launch.<ref name=SN-ULA/>)
The '''STP-3''' mission was originally scheduled to be launched on a [[United Launch Alliance|ULA]] [[Atlas V|Atlas V 551]] [[launch vehicle]] in 2020.<ref name=SN-ULA>{{cite web|last=Swarts|first=Phillip |url=https://spacenews.com/ula-wins-competition-for-191-million-air-force-launch/|title=ULA wins competition for US$191 million Air Force launch|publisher=SpaceNews|date=29 June 2017|access-date=1 February 2018}}</ref><ref name=GSP-STPsat-6>{{cite web|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/stpsat-6.htm|title=STPSat 6|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|date=5 December 2021|access-date=7 December 2021}}</ref> It was launched on 7 December 2021 at 10:19 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]].<ref name="SFN20211205">{{cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/12/05/fuel-leak-at-launch-pad-delays-atlas-5-launch/|title=Fuel leak at launch pad delays Atlas 5 mission|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=5 December 2021|access-date=6 December 2021}}</ref>

STP-3 includes the '''STPSat-6''' satellite with the Space and Atmospheric Burst Reporting System-3 (SABRS-3) for [[National Nuclear Security Administration]] (NNSA), [[Laser Communications Relay Demonstration]] (LCRD) payload for NASA, and seven secondary payloads for the [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]]. STPSat-6 is destined for an orbit slightly above the geostationary orbit.<ref name=GSP-STPsat-6/>

=== 2023 ===
{{anchor|STP-27VPD}}The '''STP-27VPD''' mission was launched on [[LauncherOne]]'s first mission from [[Spaceport Cornwall]] (and last mission overall) on 9 January 2023. The launch resulted in a failure, with the rocket and all its payloads being destroyed in-flight.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grush |first=Lauren |date=2023-01-09 |title=Virgin Orbit Rocket Suffers Failure During First UK Flight - BNN Bloomberg |url=https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/virgin-orbit-rocket-suffers-failure-during-first-uk-flight-1.1867841 |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=BNN Bloomberg |archive-date=10 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230110203750/https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/virgin-orbit-rocket-suffers-failure-during-first-uk-flight-1.1867841 |url-status=live }}</ref> The mission consisted of two pairs of cubesats from both British and American agencies.<ref>{{cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sat/stp.htm |title=Space Test Program (STP) Payloads |access-date=18 December 2023 |work=Gunter's Space Page}}</ref> The CIRCE 1 and 2 cubesats were developed by the [[Defence Science and Technology Laboratory|DSTL]] and the [[United States Naval Research Laboratory|NRL]] using 6U platforms provided by Blue Canyon Technologies, and they would've flown in formation to study short-timescale dynamics in the ionosphere.<ref>{{cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/circe.htm |title=CIRCE 1, 2 |access-date=18 December 2023 |work=Gunter's Space Page}}</ref> The Prometheus 2A and 2B cubesats have been built by In-Space Missions for the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|UK Ministry of Defence]] and the [[National Reconnaissance Office|NRO]] and they would've provided a test platform for monitoring radio signals.<ref>{{cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/prometheus-2_dstl.htm |title=Prometheus 2 |access-date=18 December 2023 |work=Gunter's Space Page}}</ref>

{{anchor|STP-CR2301}}The '''STP-CR2301''' mission was successfully launched on a [[Falcon 9 Block 5]] rocket on 12 June 2023 as part of the Transporter-8 rideshare mission.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Portals/3/Documents/PRESS%20RELEASES/Space%20Systems%20Command%20successfully%20launches%20three%20satellites%20for%20U.S.%20Space%20Force%20from%20California%20on%20SpaceX%20Transporter-8%20mission.pdf?ver=RQhDURoh56TzAW1rmViykg%3D%3D |title=Space Systems Command successfully launches three satellites for U.S. Space Force from California on SpaceX Transporter-8 mission |date=12 June 2023 |work=Space Systems Command}}</ref> The mission consisted of two Modular Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (MISR) cubesats to demonstrate two-way communications with ground devices and the XVI cubesat to test the capacity of the Link-16 network to communicate to space.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.spacearchive.info/news-2023-06-10-ssc.htm |title=Space Systems Command, Spaceflight Inc. Prepare for Launch of Experimental Satellites |date=10 June 2023 |work=Space Systems Command}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sat/stp.htm List of all Space Test Program Missions]

{{Falcon rocket launches}}

[[Category:Space agencies]]
[[Category:United States Air Force]]
[[Category:Military space program of the United States]]

Space Test Program - Revision history

imported>BD2412: Clean up spacing around commas and other punctuation fixes, replaced: ,com| → .com|