STP-S29A

The main payload aboard STP-29A 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 5 research and technology demonstration payloads for the Department of Defense (DoD). NanoUHFComms will demonstrate military SATCOM capabilities for proliferated Low Earth Orbit. NRL’s LARADO (Laser-sheet Anomaly Resolution and Debris Observation) instrument is a NASA sponsored concept for counting and characterizing in situ small orbital debris (<3cm) that cannot be observed from the ground. The GAGG Radiation Instrument (GARI) is designed to space-qualify new gamma-ray detector technology for space-based defense applications. The GNSS Orbiting Situational Awareness Sensor (GOSAS) is a CubeSat-compatible, programmable dual GPS receiver designed to characterize the orbital GNSS environment and produce high quality ionospheric space weather products. The Satellite Fingerprint Experiment (SFPE) will demonstrate enhanced security and information assurance for mission-critical systems through the use of a novel physical security primitive.

The co-prime payload in addition to STP-Sat7 on S29A is a payload that goes by the name of Rawhide. Rawhide continues the legacy of the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) Technology Center mission to develop and transition advanced tactical space support capabilities and concepts to the warfighter.

The Department of War's MISR-C satellite program uses 16U CubeSats to demonstrate responsive, multi-mission capabilities, including testing two-way communications with ground devices and exploring novel tactical applications for small satellites.

The CANVAS SmallSat mission developed by University of Colorado Boulder, is a NASA sponsored payload that will study the effects of lightning generated Very Low Frequency (VLF) waves on Earth's inner radiation belt.

ASTRA-HyRAX, built by Auburn University and funded by the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command, is the newest mission under development in AUSSP. The mission aims to use a hybrid retro directive array (HRA) payload developed at Auburn to characterize the direction of signals from targets of opportunity.

AggieSat6 is developed by students at Texas A&M University, in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory, to demonstrate new space domain awareness technology for tracking other satellites using commercial off-the-shelf components. The results from the payloads will be collected after the on-orbit test period is complete and will be fed back into various development pipelines for future capabilities.