Space Test Program Activities and Lessons Learned

The Space Test Program (STP) was established in 1966 to provide space flight for Department of Defense (DOD) space experiments which had no other means of space flight. This paper discusses STP's capabilities and achievements as a provider of space services. STP is now part of a new organization with expanded capabilities to include on-orbit support, launch operations and planning, and sub-orbital launches. With extensive experience acquiring, launching, and operating small satellites, lessons learned from recent missions are presented.