Space Surveillance: DoD and NASA Need Consolidated Requirements and a Coordinated Plan.

Abstract

During the past 40 years, the number of manmade space objects orbiting the earth-active and inactive satellites and debris generated from launch vehicle and satellite breakups-has increased dramatically. Knowing what objects are in space and their locations are important because of the (1) implications of foreign satellite threats to U.S. national security and (2) hazards that such objects create for multibillion dollar space programs, especially large ones such as the International Space Station. At the request of the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, House Committee on Science, GAO is providing this report on the Department of Defense's (DOD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) space surveillance requirements and DOD'S space surveillance capabilities. GAO evaluated (1) how well DOD's existing surveillance capabilities support DOD's and NASA 5 current and future surveillance requirements and (2) the extent to which potential surveillance capabilities and technologies are coordinated to provide opportunities for improvements.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADA332352

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Astronautics
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Early Warning Systems
  • Optical Detectors
  • Radar
  • Radar Equipment
  • Reconnaissance Satellites
  • Space Debris
  • Space Objects
  • Space Stations
  • Space Surveillance
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft
  • Warning Systems

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Space Objects