Minotaur IV | STP-S29A
Minotaur IV launched the STP-S29A mission for Northrop Grumman Space Systems from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on Apr 7, 2026 (UTC).
Launch pad
Space Launch Complex 8 · Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
Minotaur IV | STP-S29A
Launched Apr 7, 2026 8:33:00 PMSuccess
9 objects in orbit now
Flight direction
143° SE
measured from the launched orbit · inclination 60.0°
Flight path
First-stage drop zone (rough estimate)
Drawn 400–700 km downrange along the flight direction. Official hazard areas are published as NOTAMs and navigational warnings.
About the mission
STP-S29A is a mission under the U.S. Department of Defense's Space Test Program (STP) that will deliver technology demonstrations to orbit and contribute to future space system development, with this launch delivering up to 200 kg of STP cubesats to Low Earth Orbit. The main payload will be STPSat-7, an ESPA class satellite based on the Aegis Aerospace M-1 satellite bus used on the STPSat-4 mission for hosting research and technology demonstration payloads for the Department of Defense (DoD). One of the payload is U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Lightsheet Anomaly Resolution and Debris Observation (LARADO) instrument, used to detect and characterize lethal non-trackable orbital debris with lasers in orbit.
Mission description from Launch Library 2.
Objects from this launch still in orbit
- Launch time (your time zone)
- Tue, Apr 7 · 8:33:00 PM
- Status
- Success
- Launch provider
- Northrop Grumman Space Systems
- Rocket
- Minotaur IV
- Mission type
- Technology
- Target orbit
- LEO
- Launch pad
- Space Launch Complex 8 · Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA