Minotaur IV — mission imagery
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STP-S29A

Minotaur IVNorthrop Grumman Space SystemsSpace Launch Complex 8
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 · 11:33 AM UTCAdd to Calendar

This mission is complete.

Vehicle

Minotaur IV

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The Minotaur IV launch system is derived from the Peacekeeper ICBM. The first three stages are taken directly from decommissioned Peacekeeper missiles. A fourth stage, the Orion-38, is...

Height23.9 m
LEO Payload1,735 kg
Launches18
Successes17

Provider

Northrop Grumman Space Systems

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USA • Founded 2015

Northrup Grumman Space Systems designs, builds and delivers space, defence and aviation-related systems to customers around the world. They aquired Orbital ATK in 2018 along with its launchers and ongoing missi...

Mission Brief

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.

PayloadSTP-S29A
OrbitLow Earth Orbit
CustomerNorthrop Grumman Space Systems
Stages4
PadSpace Launch Complex 8, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Mission Timeline

14 / 14100%

Ground vector

Launch site

Site locked

Space Launch Complex 8

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Global range
SITE LOCK
Latitude
34.576°N
Longitude
120.632°W

Range Weather

Launch commit criteria

Clear
Watch
TrackingNo active constraints
Weather Rules

Tracking no weather issues at this time.

Primary concern
No weather issues
Rule count
0
Temperature
Not reported
Surface wind
Not reported
Window

11:30 AM UTC - 04:30 PM UTC

Schedule History

No delays or schedule changes recorded.