STPSat-2 is the first spacecraft for the Department of Defense (DoD) Space Test Program Standard Interface Vehicle (STP-SIV) program managed by Space Development and Test Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, N.M. The STP-SIV architecture developed for STPSat-2 supports the Operationally Responsive Space strategy to ensure U.S. space superiority.

The STPSat-2 spacecraft provides a standard interface compatible for multiple launch vehicles that support a variety of experimental and risk reduction payloads at different low-Earth orbits.

This was demonstrated on STPSat-2 when a third payload was manifested following the Critical Design Review and then successfully integrated without spacecraft design modification. Using flight-proven hardware for the spacecraft (and developmental hardware only on the experimental payloads), each bus can accommodate up to four independent payloads, each one having its own separate power and data interface.

"STPSat-2 is putting responsive space into practice for the U.S. Air Force," said David L. Taylor, president and CEO of Ball Aerospace.

"This small but robust satellite provides a flexible solution for a variety of customer mission needs, from missile warning, to earth-remote sensing, to situational awareness."

Production is also continuing at Ball on the second STP-SIV, STPSat-3, an identical spacecraft that will host four DoD experimental payloads. The STPSat-3 spacecraft will be completed in November, with payloads integrated in the first quarter of 2011.

In addition to STPSat-2, the Minotaur 4 rocket will launch two FASTRAC spacecraft from the University of Texas, the Air Force Academy's FalconSat 5 satellite, NASA's O/OREOS CubeSat mission, and NASA's FASTSAT (Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite), which includes the Threat Detection System built by Ball Aerospace for the Air Force Research Lab/Space-Based Advanced Sensing and Protection Branch for detecting tracking, and characterizing space objects and the space environment.

Share This Article With Planet Earth

del.icio.us	Digg	Reddit
YahooMyWeb	Google	Facebook

Related Links
Ball Aerospace and Technologies
Space Technology News - Applications and Research

Ball Aerospace Ships STPSat-2 To Kodiak Launch Complex Safe And Efficient De-Orbit Of Space Junk Without Making The Problem Worse Africa, Mideast behind cellphone bonanza Smartphones tempting new targets for hackers Raytheon's ASTOR Saving Lives In The Counterinsurgency Battle Testing Of Australia's Network Centric Command And Control System Completed Thales UK wins Congo army radio contract Savi Ships Compact Mobile Tracking Systems For Marine Afghan Forces New Rocket Launch Period In And Around Tanegashima Kourou Spaceport Welcomes New Liquid Oxygen And Liquid Nitrogen Production Facility Sea Launch Signs Agreement With EchoStar ISRO To Launch GSLV With Cryo Engine Within An Year Soap maker creates unease over Brazil GPS spying stunt Russia To Launch 3 Glonass Satellites In September China Launches Fifth Satellite For Its Own Global Navigation Network Navigation That Makes Sense Of Life's Twists And Turns Spanish military may replace absent air traffic controllers China jumbo jet maker picks GE, Eaton as suppliers Swiss solar plane makes history with round-the-clock flight Solar Impulse plane packed with technology Protein From Poplar Trees Can Be Used To Greatly Increase Computer Capacity Polymer Synthesis Could Aid Future Electronics Acer, Asus and Lenovo lead pack as PC sales surge Intel posts 'best quarter' ever GOES-13 Satellite Sees Severe Storms Strike US East Coast Integral Systems Helps DigitalGlobe Enhance Earth Imaging Download Capacity Cluster Makes Crucial Step In Understanding Space Weather NASA Satellite Improves Pollution Monitoring A New Way Of Decomposing BPA-containing Plastic New study aims to locate underwater oil from Gulf spill Landmark cluster bomb treaty takes effect China rivers hit by flood-related chemical spills