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Space Surveillance: DOD and NASA Need Consolidated Requirements and a Coordinated Plan

NSIAD-98-42 Published: Dec 01, 1997. Publicly Released: Dec 01, 1997.
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Highlights

GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) space surveillance requirements and DOD's space surveillance capabilities, focusing on: (1) how well DOD's existing surveillance capabilities support DOD's and NASA's current and future surveillance requirements; and (2) the extent to which potential surveillance capabilities and technologies are coordinated to provide opportunities for improvements.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of NASA, in consultation with the Director of Central Intelligence, should establish a consolidated set of governmentwide space surveillance requirements for evaluating current capabilities and future architectures to support NASA's, DOD's, and other federal agencies' space programs and surveillance information needs.
Closed – Implemented
NASA provided its space surveillance requirements to the U.S. Space Command in August 1997. NASA indicated, as of February 1998, that the U.S. Space Command was integrating these requirements with DOD requirements into a single U.S. Space Command space surveillance requirements document. NASA believes that its action fully satisfies its responsibility under this recommendation. As of May 1998, the U.S. Space Command had inserted three near-term requirements into a new space surveillance capstone requirements document. The requirements document was validated by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council in December 1998. The document is to be used by DOD as: (1) the defining set of requirements for development of future space surveillance systems; and (2) the basis for cost/burden sharing discussions between NASA and DOD.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of NASA, in consultation with the Director of Central Intelligence, should establish a consolidated set of governmentwide space surveillance requirements for evaluating current capabilities and future architectures to support NASA's, DOD's, and other federal agencies' space programs and surveillance information needs.
Closed – Implemented
DOD stated that it supports the establishment of a governmentwide group to consolidate space surveillance requirements. DOD also stated that it would be critical for such a group to develop a near-term policy on cost/burden sharing for resolution of the consolidated requirements. As of May 1998, the U.S. Space Command had inserted three near-term requirements into a new space surveillance capstone requirements document. The requirements document was validated by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council in December 1998. The document is to be used by DOD as: (1) the defining set of requirements for development of future space surveillance systems; and (2) the basis for cost/burden sharing discussions between NASA and DOD.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of NASA, in consultation with the Director of Central Intelligence, should develop a coordinated governmentwide space surveillance plan that: (1) sets forth and evaluates all feasible alternative capabilities to support human space flight and emerging national security requirements; and (2) ensures that any planned funding for space surveillance upgrades is directed toward satisfying consolidated governmentwide requirements.
Closed – Implemented
DOD stated that it agreed with the need for a coordinated government wide space surveillance plan once the consolidated requirements and cost/burden sharing policy have been established.

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Aerospace researchData collectionInteragency relationsMilitary communicationMilitary intelligenceRadar equipmentSatellitesSpace explorationSystems compatibilityWarning systemsMissile warning systems