Rocket Lab has secured a new milestone in its space career by being awarded a $14.49 million contract by the United States Space Force. The mission, named “Space Test Program-30” (STP-S30), will be launched from Launch Complex 2 within 24 months after the contract is signed.
This initiative, part of the Orbital Servicing Program-4 (OSP-4), is part of the Space Systems Command’s Assured Space Access organization’s efforts to ensure the availability of advanced space technology.
The launch of the Electron rocket will take place from Launch Complex 2, located at the Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
STP-S30 is intended to carry out a complex mission that will include the delivery of research experiments and on-orbit technology demonstrations for the Department of Defense. The lead payload, DISKSat, will be instrumental in demonstrating sustained flight into very low Earth orbit (VLEO), as well as testing a unique one-meter diameter disk-shaped satellite bus designed to improve on-orbit persistence.
Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck expressed pride in the contract award, highlighting the importance of providing resilient space capabilities for the nation. He further highlighted Rocket Lab’s successful track record on previous missions for the USSF, including the Monolith launch in 2021 and the STP-27RD mission in 2019.
Rocket Lab’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the space field is reinforced with this new contract, as the company continues to work closely with the USSF on the development of the new Neutron medium-lift vehicle, marking another step in Rocket Lab’s evolution and leadership in the global space industry.