Space Situation Awareness Operations

Abstract

Space Situational Awareness (SSA) is knowledge of all aspects of space related to operations. As the foundation for space control, SSA encompasses surveillance of all space objects and activities; detailed reconnaissance of specific space assets; monitoring space environmental conditions; monitoring cooperative space assets; gathering intelligence on adversary space operations; and conducting integrated command, control, communications, processing, analysis, dissemination, and archiving activities. This program element fields, upgrades, operationalizes, operates and maintains Air Force sensors and information integration capabilities within the SSA network while companion program element 0604425F, Space Situational Awareness Systems, develops new network sensors and improved information integration capabilities across the network. Activities funded in this program element (0305940F) focus on surveillance of objects in earth orbit to aid tasks including satellite tracking; space object identification; tracking and cataloging; satellite attack warning; notification of satellite flyovers to U.S. forces; space treaty monitoring; and technical intelligence gathering. The Sensor Life Extension Programs (SLEPs) project funds efforts to upgrade, operationalize and extend the life of operational Space Situational Awareness (SSA) sensors, as needed. These SLEPs include, but are not limited to, programs which extend the serviceable life of assets and maintain critical capability by replacing aging and increasingly unsustainable components with modern and sustainable equipment. SLEPs may incorporate equipment which inherently includes technological advances resulting in enhanced or increased capabilities. In addition, the SLEP itself may be designed to increase capabilities not currently realized. The on-going Ground-based Electro Optics Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) Phase II is representative of sensor system upgrades in the SLEP project. As the need arises in the execution year, funds in this project may be used to begin sensor life extension programs on additional efforts. The SSA Ops Demo creates a survivable architecture which provides overlapping, assured, and viable surveillance options for executing simultaneous safety of flight and event response. The demonstration develops software modifications to exploit data from legacy systems. Beginning in FY17 this program element will begin fielding and sustaining the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center (JICSpOC) infrastructure in response to US Strategic Command Joint Emergent Operational Need (ST-0006). The JICSpOC seeks to improve unity of effort and information sharing across the national security space community to effectively respond to potential future space threat events and will have the capability to develop, test, and integrate new space system tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) in support of both DoD and Intelligence Community operations. Also in FY17 this program element will begin a series of Ground Radar Upgrades designed to improve the sensitivity, search capability and CONOPS of existing SSA sensors to better support fire control timelines. These efforts are in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development, because they develop modifications for operational SSA sensors.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2017
Source ID
0305940F_7_3600_PB_2017
Change Summary Explanation
FY17: +2.8 for Space Control BMC3; +2.172 internal realignment of funding; +$15.0M to sustain JICSPOC infrastructure; +$10M SSA Ground Radar Upgrades; -$3.6M to account for availability of prior year balances.
Service Agency Name
Air Force

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Command And Control
  • Deep Space
  • Engineering
  • Ground Based
  • Intelligence Community
  • National Security
  • Radar
  • Situational Awareness
  • Space Objects
  • Space Operations
  • Space Situational Awareness
  • Space Surveillance
  • Space Systems
  • Surveillance
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
  • Space
  • Space - Satellites
  • Space - Space Objects

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