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. Despite a restructuring in 2002, the SBIRS-High program is encountering additional delays and cost increases.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 17, 2005
Accession Number
ADA472576

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 Based
  • Space Systems
  • Warning Systems

Readers

  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites