Defense Space Activities

The Dept. of Defense¿s (DoD) operational dependence on space has placed new and increasing demands on current space systems to meet commanders¿ needs. DoD¿s Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) concept is designed to more rapidly satisfy commanders¿ needs for information and intelligence during ongoing operations. Given the potential for ORS to change how DoD acquires and fields space capabilities to support the warfighter, this report discusses to what extent DoD: (1) is developing ORS to support warfighter requirements; and (2) has a plan that integrates ORS into existing DoD and intelligence community processes and architecture. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.

Defense Space Activities: National Security Space Strategy Needed to Guide Future DOD Space Efforts

Defense space activities : management actions are needed to better identify, track, and train Air Force space personnel

The U.S. depends on space assets to support nat. security activities as well as civil and commercial activities. The DoD depends on space assets to support a wide range of military missions to include intelligence collection; battlefield surveillance and mgmt.; global command, control, and communications; and navigation assistance. This report reviews the acquisition and requirements process of the DoD¿s Operationally Responsive Space concept. The objective was to determine the extent to which DoD and the intelligence community have developed, agreed upon, and issued a National Security Space Strategy. This performance audit was conducted from June 2007 through March 2008. Illustrations.

The United States depends on space assets to support national security activities as well as civil and commercial activities. The Department of Defense (DOD) depends on space assets to support a wide range of military missions to include intelligence collection; battlefield surveillance and management; global command, control, and communications; and navigation assistance. This operational dependence on space has placed new and increasing demands on current space systems and organizations to meet Joint Force Commanders needs. Moreover, concerns have increased regarding emerging threats that could affect the United States and other countries access to the free use of space. At your request, we are currently reviewing the acquisition and requirements processes of the DOD's Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) concept. In response to this request, we plan to issue a report regarding ORS acquisition issues by April 2008, and by July 2008 we will issue a report regarding how ORS is being developed to satisfy warfighter needs. However, we are providing you this letter because during the course of our work on how ORS is being developed to satisfy warfighter needs, we learned that the National Security Space Office developed a National Security Space Strategy in 2004, but it has not been issued. We are bringing this matter to your attention because without a strategy in place to link the defense and intelligence communities, future space programs, plans, and new space concepts, such as ORS, will be developed without the overarching strategic guidance that a national strategy could provide. Moreover, in April 2003, GAO recommended and DOD agreed that space activities needed to include a national security space strategy tied to overall department-level space goals, timelines, and performance measures to assess space activities progress in achieving national security space goals.

GAO-06-908 Defense Space Activities: Management Actions Are Needed to Better Identify, Track, and Train Air Force Space Personnel

Defense Space Activities: Organizational Changes Initiated, but Further Management Actions Needed

Defense Space Activities: Status of Reorganization

It is not yet 60 years since the first artificial satellite was placed into Earth orbit. In just over a half century, mankind has gone from no presence in outer space to a condition of high dependence on orbiting satellites. These sensors, receivers, transmitters, and other such devices, as well as the satellites that carry them, are components of complex space systems that include terrestrial elements, electronic links between and among components, organizations to provide the management, care and feeding, and launch systems that put satellites into orbit. In many instances, these space systems connect with and otherwise interact with terrestrial systems; for example, a very long list of Earth-based systems cannot function properly without information from the Global Positioning System (GPS). Space systems are fundamental to the information business, and the modern world is an information-driven one. In addition to navigation (and associated timing), space systems provide communications and imagery and other Earth-sensing functions. Among these systems are many that support military, intelligence, and other national security functions of the United States and many other nations. Some of these are unique government, national security systems; however, functions to support national security are also provided by commercial and civil-government space systems. 
The importance of space systems to the United States and its allies and potential adversaries raises major policy issues. National Security Space Defense and Protection reviews the range of options available to address threats to space systems, in terms of deterring hostile actions, defeating hostile actions, and surviving hostile actions, and assesses potential strategies and plans to counter such threats. This report recommends architectures, capabilities, and courses of action to address such threats and actions to address affordability, technology risk, and other potential barriers or limiting factors in implementing such courses of action.