Space Acquisitions: DOD Is Making Progress to Rapidly Deliver Low Cost Space Capabilities, but Challenges Remain
Highlights
The Department of Defense (DOD) invests heavily in space assets to provide the warfighter with intelligence, navigation, and other information critical to conducting military operations. In fiscal year 2008 alone, DOD expects to spend over $22 billion dollars on space systems. Despite this investment, senior military commanders have reported shortfalls in tactical space capabilities in each recent major conflict over the past decade. To provide short-term tactical capabilities as well as identify and implement long-term solutions to developing low cost satellites, DOD initiated operationally responsive space (ORS). Following a 2006 GAO review of ORS, the Congress directed DOD to submit a report that sets forth a plan for providing quick acquisition of low cost space capabilities. This report focuses on the status of DOD's progress in responding to the Congress and is based on GAO's review and analyses of ORS documentation and interviews with DOD and industry officials.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Air Force | To better ensure that DOD meets the ORS initiative's goal, the Secretary of the Air Force should develop an investment plan to guide the Joint ORS Office as it works to meet urgent needs and develops a technological foundation to meet future needs. The plan should be approved by the stakeholders and identify how to achieve future capabilities, establish funding priorities, and identify and implement mechanisms to ensure progress is being achieved. |
Closed – Not Implemented
The Secretary of the Air Force concurred with this recommendation. According to a letter from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Networks and Information Integration, the plan will be vetted among the various stakeholders within the Operationally Responsive Space community by way of the Executive Committee and subsequently provided as guidance in implementing the initiative. However, the implementation plan has not been completed.
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