STPSat-1

Launch data: Designation  30775 / 07006D Launch date  09 Mar 2007 - 03:10 UT Launch site  CC, SLC-41 Launch vehicle  Atlas-5(401) (AV-013 / #9) Mission  Military: Technology Development LEO Earth orbit on Mar 09.26: Perigee / Apogee  554 x 563 km Eccentricity  6.49E-04 Inclination  35.44° Period  95.82 min

Spacecraft data: Prime contractor  AeroAstro Operator  US Air Force/NRL Platform   Mass at launch  170 kg Dry Mass   kg Basic shape  Box + 4 panels Dimension (m)  0.609 x 0.609 x 0.965 Solar array   Stabilization  3-axis DC power   Design lifetime  > 1 year

Illustration shows the STP 1 payload, with Orbital Express above and the four smaller spacecraft mounted on separation ring. Credit: Air Force

Mission details:

• STPSat, built by AeroAstro carries experiments to study the Earth's atmosphere, ionosphere and radiation environment.
• STPSat launched two small MEPSI picosatellites for the Aerospace Corp.
• Carries the SHIMMER (Spatial Heterodyne Imager for Mesospheric Radicals) experiment.