On April 7, 2026, Northrop Grumman successfully launched the STP-S29A mission, a Department of Defense Space Test Program operation designed to advance space technology development. The primary payload, STPSat-7, is an ESPA-class satellite based on the Aegis Aerospace M-1 bus that carries multiple research and technology demonstration instruments to low Earth orbit. Among the payloads is the Naval Research Laboratory's LARADO (Lightsheet Anomaly Resolution and Debris Observation) instrument, which uses laser technology to detect and characterize non-trackable orbital debris. The mission also deployed approximately 200 kilograms of additional cubesats and five Department of War experiments to support ongoing space capabilities research.

The Minotaur IV rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 8 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 11:33 UTC. The Minotaur IV, operated by Northrop Grumman Space Systems, is a proven solid-fueled launch vehicle designed specifically for deploying mid-sized payloads to orbit.

The launch concluded successfully, marking the 31st successful Minotaur mission overall. The successful deployment of STPSat-7 and its accompanying payloads furthers the U.S. military's efforts to test and validate emerging space technologies that will inform future satellite systems and operational capabilities in the orbital domain.