U.S. Space Force Deploys New Research Payloads to ISS for Technological Advancements

U.S. Space Force Deploys New Research Payloads to ISS for Technological Advancements
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 28, 2025

The U.S. Space Force's (USSF) Space Systems Command (SSC), working alongside NASA, has successfully launched the Space Test Program-Houston 10 (STP-H10) mission, delivering six cutting-edge experimental payloads to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard SpaceX's Commercial Resupply Service (CRS)-32 mission.

A collaborative effort involving SSC, NASA, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the mission features five Department of Defense (DoD) experiments and one NASA-sponsored project. The experiments were launched inside a Cargo Dragon spacecraft, lifting off on Monday, April 21 at 4:15 am EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Following arrival at the ISS, the STP-H10 payload was robotically mounted onto the European Space Agency's Columbus module, ensuring access to critical power and data systems for the planned one-year operational period.

"The Space Test Program provides a vital pathway for the Department of Defense to explore new technologies in the harsh environment of space," said SSC Director of the DoD Space Test Program, USSF Lt. Col. Brian Shimek. "STP-H10 represents our commitment to innovation, and the data gathered from these six experiments will directly contribute to the development of future Space Force capabilities."

The six experiments included in the STP-H10 suite are:

- Neutron Radiation Detection Instrument - 1B (NeRDI-1B) by NRL, designed to evaluate the in-orbit performance of advanced semiconductor neutron detectors;

- Falcon Optical Defense and Intelligence through Neuromorphics (Falcon ODIN) by USAFA, aimed at capturing high-speed imagery of atmospheric phenomena like lightning and sprites;

- Cadmium Zinc Telluride Radiation Imager (TERI) by NRL, intended to qualify large-volume cadmium zinc telluride radiation detectors for space missions;

- Space Edge Experiments and Demonstrations (SEED) by MDA and Novi, LLC, testing edge computing hardware and machine learning algorithms to provide near-real time intelligence;

- Space Plasma Diagnostic Suite 3 (SPADE-3) by NRL, tasked with monitoring space weather and spacecraft charging to enhance situational awareness;

- Solar Flare X-Ray Timing Investigation (SFXTI) from Montana State University, supported by NASA, focusing on the time-resolved dynamics of solar flare activity.

Management of the STP-H10 mission falls under the DoD Space Test Program office at Kirtland Air Force Base, supported by its Operating Location at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Through initiatives like STP-H10, the DoD STP advances space technology by offering opportunities for experimental demonstrations and quick access to orbit for research and development projects.

Beyond overseeing the mission, the STP team was responsible for designing and assembling the integrated payload infrastructure, facilitating connection between the experiments and the ISS systems for seamless operations. Additionally, STP-provided avionics played a key role in the development and qualification of the ISS-based experiment platforms.