Military Space Programs: Issues Concerning DOD's SBIRS and STSS Programs

Abstract

The Department of Defense's (DOD's) programs to develop new satellites to alert U.S. military commanders to foreign missile launches, and to support missile defense objectives, are controversial because of cost growth and schedule slippage. SBIRS-High, managed by the Air Force, would replace existing Defense Support Program early warning satellites. The Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS, formerly SBIRS-Low), managed by the Missile Defense Agency, would perform missile tracking and target discrimination for missile defense objectives. The SBIRS-High program has breached Nunn-McCurdy cost growth limits several times, resulting in several program restructurings. This is the final edition of this report.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 30, 2006
Accession Number
ADA454554

Entities

People

  • Marcia S. Smith

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Apogees
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Contracts
  • Cost Estimates
  • Defense Systems
  • Detectors
  • Early Warning Systems
  • Elliptical Orbits
  • Geosynchronous Orbits
  • Geosynchronous Satellites
  • Ground Based
  • Reconnaissance Satellites
  • Space Systems
  • Surveillance
  • Warning Systems

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites