It has been 50 years since the Department of Defense Space Test Program’s (STP) first launch. The Space Test Program has flown over 568 experiments on over 251 missions to date and is based at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.
The STP is managed under the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) Advanced Systems and Development Directorate (SMC/AD), and continues to provide access to space for DoD-sponsored research and development missions. It relies heavily on small satellites, small launch vehicles, and innovative approaches to space access to perform its mission.
U.S. Air Force video by Krista Knaus, Space Command Space and Missile Systems Center - May 2017 Video edited by USA Patriotism!