LDPE 3A

active

Technology DemonstrationGEOCOSPAR 2023-008BLaunched 1/15/2023

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Mission & Launch

Launch Mission: USSF-67
Launch Vehicle: Falcon Heavy
Launch Date: 1/15/2023

Orbit & Mass

Orbit Class: GEO
Altitude: 35,594 km
Inclination: 0.1 deg
Dry Mass: 500 kg
Total Mass: 500 kg

Payload Classification

Mission Type

Technology Demonstration

Payload Category

TECH

Payload Class

D

Organizations

Operator: Air Force Research Lab (AFRL)
Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman

Registry

COSPAR ID: 2023-008B
UN Registration: ST/SG/SER.E/1110

Track

Mentions

8

All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.

The LDPE-3A spacecraft was built using Northrop Grumman’s ESPAStar bus.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.8Jan 25, 2023Northrop Grumman-built Satellite Successfully Launched to Support US Space Force National Security Mission

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle will deliver LDPE-3A to near-geosynchronous Earth orbit for a one-year mission life.

PlanCapabilityValue 4.0Jan 25, 2023Northrop Grumman-built Satellite Successfully Launched to Support US Space Force National Security Mission

LDPE-3A was built using Northrop Grumman’s ESPAStar spacecraft bus.

CapabilityValue 4.2Jan 17, 2023Northrop Grumman-built LDPE-3A Satellite to Support US Space Force National Security Mission

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch vehicle will deliver LDPE-3A to near-geosynchronous Earth orbit for a one-year mission life.

PlanCapabilityGeneralValue 4.6Jan 17, 2023Northrop Grumman-built LDPE-3A Satellite to Support US Space Force National Security Mission

Northrop Grumman built the LDPE-3A spacecraft using the ESPAStar bus.

CapabilityValue 4.0Jan 16, 2023UPDATE 1: SpaceX sends Northrop Grumman’s USSF-67 two satellite mission to orbit via a Falcon Heavy — Northrop Grumman comments

The secondary spacecraft on USSF-67 was the Long Duration Propulsive ESPA bus LDPE-3A, built by Northrop Grumman, carrying five small military payloads.

CapabilityRelationshipsValue 4.7Jan 15, 2023SpaceX launches U.S. Space Force’s first mission of 2023 on Falcon Heavy

LDPE-3A is scheduled to launch with the USSF-67 mission in January 2023.

PlanGeneralValue 4.0Nov 1, 2022SSC’s USSF-44 payload aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy is successfully launched to orbit

LDPE-3A is scheduled to launch with the USSF-67 mission in 2023 on a Falcon Heavy.

PlanValue 4.5Nov 1, 2022SpaceX Falcon Heavy launches first U.S. national security mission