STPSat-6

STPSat-6 carried NASA’s Laser Communication Relay Demonstration (LCRD) payload to test laser communications in space between Earth and geosynchronous orbit.

The Dragon spacecraft on CRS-29 is carrying ILLUMA-T, a laser communications demonstration that will provide high-bandwidth communications through the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration payload on the STPSat-6 satellite in geostationary orbit.

STPSat-6 arrived at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Florida on May 6, 2021 for final spacecraft processing prior to a June 23, 2021 launch date that was later updated.

STPSat-6 was planned to host the National Nuclear Security Administration Space and Atmospheric Burst Reporting System-3 (SABRS-3) payload and NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) payload.

The STP-3 primary payload STPSat-6 carried NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) and the Ultraviolet Spectro-Coronagraph Pathfinder (UVSC Pathfinder) science payload from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory launched the SIRI-2 gamma-ray spectrometer onboard STPSat-6 in December 2021 to demonstrate europium-doped strontium iodide detector technology in geosynchronous orbit.

NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) flight payload was delivered to Northrop Grumman's facility in Sterling, Virginia on January 22, 2020 for integration onto STPSat-6.

Seven Science and Technology payloads were manifested by the Department of Defense Space Test Program for STPSat-6.