Rocket Lab USA awarded $14.49 million for STP-S30 launch by US Space Force

Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle is set to carry 200 kg of STP satellites to low Earth orbit, with the launch targeted for April 2026

The U.S. Space Force's Small Launch and Targets Division, located at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and part of the Space Systems Command's Assured Access to Space organization, has secured a $14.49 million task order for the Space Test Program (STP)-S30 launch service, awarded to Rocket Lab USA, Inc. This mission, deemed crucial, will transport research experiments and technology demonstrations to orbit for the Department of Defense (DoD), contributing to the development of future space systems.

The STP-S30 mission, serving the DoD Space Test Program (STP), aims to advance the maturation of space-based warfighter technologies across the DoD enterprise. It provides space access solutions for all research and development-related DoD auxiliary payloads on DoD, civil, and commercial launches, as well as for non-DoD auxiliary payloads seeking launch opportunities on DoD missions. Space Systems Command (SSC) serves as the U.S. Space Force's field command responsible for acquiring and delivering resilient warfighting capabilities to safeguard the nation's strategic advantage in and from space. With a $15.6 billion space acquisition budget for the DoD, SSC collaborates with joint forces, industry, government agencies, academic institutions, and allied organizations to accelerate innovation and counter emerging threats, working towards a safer and more secure space environment for the future.