Space Acquisitions: DOD Faces Significant Challenges as it Seeks to Accelerate Space Programs and Address Threats

Abstract

DOD space systems provide critical capabilities that support military and other government operations. They can also be expensive to acquire and field, costing billions of dollars each year. As DOD seeks to replenish its satellite constellations, it faces a number of challenges to ensuring funds are used effectively. Because space-based capabilities are fundamental to U.S. national security and civilian activities, it is essential that DOD manage its space system acquisitions carefully and avoid repeating past problems. This statement provides an update on DOD's space acquisitions, focusing on challenges facing acquisitions of new space systems. This statement is based on GAO reports issued over the past 10 years on DOD space programs. In addition it draws on recent work performed in support of GAO's 2019 annual reports on the progress of major defense acquisition programs as well as duplication, overlap, and fragmentation across the federal government, among other sources.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 27, 2019
Accession Number
AD1153432

Entities

People

  • Cristina T. Chaplain

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Governments
  • Ground Control Stations
  • Lessons Learned
  • National Security
  • Reconnaissance Satellites
  • Situational Awareness
  • Software Development
  • Space Based
  • Space Force
  • Space Objects
  • Space Situational Awareness
  • Space Systems
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Economics
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
  • Government and Public Administration Law.

Technology Areas

  • Space