The Department of Defense Space Test Program: Come fly with us

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program (STP) was created in 1965 to provide flight opportunities for all DoD research and development activities in an economic and efficient manner. STP predominantly flies payloads that have gone through the Space Experiments Review Board (SERB) process, however the program does have the ability to fly other government-sponsored payloads on a reimbursable basis or as a rideshare opportunity. STP is a small, level-of-effort program that is charged with flying multiple space missions on a shoestring budget. The program is adept at getting the most out of a mission as possible and rarely flies the typical one-spacecraft-per-launch-vehicle mission. The Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Secondary Payload Adaptor (ESPA) was developed and flown under the direction of STP. The same payload interface requirements and environments defined for ESPA are now being applied to other multi-payload adaptors (MPAs) for other launch vehicles. STP is working to fly ESPAs and other MPAs on a wide range of launch vehicles to take maximum advantage of each launch vehicle's capacity. The program also recognizes the increasing demand to fly CubeSats and has committed to flying multiple CubeSats on missions where technically feasible. STP also realizes that expensive expendable launch vehicle (LV) missions are not always practical or realistic. STP has at its disposal an arsenal of tools and techniques to get payloads access to space, be it on a free-flying spacecraft, the International Space Station (ISS), a high altitude balloon, or a sounding rocket. Space access is a challenge and can seem unattainable, but with STP's 40 years of experience it can be achieved.