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Space Test Program (STP)

Space Test Program (STP)

Defense technology test program

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Stories

Manhole-cover satellites and a 5-month head start: Space Force’s DiskSat sprint signals “launch-on-demand” maturity

New Capabilities

Customer for STP-S30; proving DiskSat and hosted experiments on-orbit

Rocket Lab just put four “DiskSats” into orbit for the U.S. Space Force—flat, plate-like spacecraft about the size of a manhole cover. The launch wasn’t just another Electron flight; it was a demonstration that the U.S. can move a new satellite design from paperwork to space faster than most people plan a product launch.

Updated Dec 18, 2025