Military Payloads Hosted on Commercial Satellites: How Can the Space and Missile Systems Center Increase the Number of Commercially Hosted Military Payload Contract Awards

Abstract

Though Pres. Barack Obama and the Air Force Space Commands (AFSPC) top general officers have advocated for the use of commercially hosted military payloads (CHMP), only one CHMP contract has been awarded by the Air Force. This paper answers the question, how can AFSPC and the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) increase the number of CHMP contract awards? Using a problem/solution framework, I examine the acquisition cultural and policy challenges that impede CHMP solutions and choose a solution which could potentially increase the number of CHMP contract awards. I analyze solutions such as awarding an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity hosted payload contract vehicle by SMC, leveraging the Education with Industry program, and issuing an Air Force instruction on CHMPs. The instruction would include an addendum to Directive-Type Memorandum 09-025, Space Systems Acquisition Policy.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2015
Accession Number
AD1000438

Entities

People

  • Peter A. Cunningham

Organizations

  • Air University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • California
  • Charge Coupled Devices
  • Commerce
  • Contracts
  • Department Of Defense
  • Earth Orbits
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Low Earth Orbits
  • Military Satellites
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Procurement
  • Reconnaissance Satellites
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites