Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




SPACEWAR
Making Space Technology Cutting Edge AND Affordable
by Eric Moltzau for SatCom Frontier
Bethesda MD (SPX) Jul 22, 2015


File image.

The current budgetary climate has forced a change in how the DoD handles space acquisition. As highlighted in this recent National Defense magazine article, programs in the past were often plagued by billions in cost overruns and up to a decade delay in a system's full operational capability.

And the overruns were likely underestimated since the costs of operating ground systems were often not figured into the estimates. That's one reason why national security space programs are so expensive - there is no "central requirements clearinghouse" in the Air Force acquisition process for combining satellite ground operation requirements into a common ground architecture.

Additionally, in a "build or buy" decision, the government often defaults to building their own satellite ground network and systems-even though resilient and secure commercial infrastructure exists. Thankfully, that is now changing. The proposed Air Force Space Command-integrated Space Operations Enterprise is on track to define a Concept of Operations and a common Enterprise Ground Architecture to include commercial satellite telemetry, tracking, and commanding (TT and C) services for future DoD satellite operations.

In a period of shrinking budgets, Air Force satellite program offices can no longer hit the "easy button" and build their own unique ground systems for every program. For that reason the Air Force is re-thinking their approach to acquiring and maintaining satellite ground systems in a sustainable way. General Hyten, Commander for the US Air Force Space Command, is the visionary behind the SOE vision and he states the case plainly in the article:

"Air Force Space Command Commander Gen. John Hyten said he wants a common ground system that can operate (on) any satellite. 'We have spent tens and hundreds of millions of dollars on stand-alone ground systems ... If we keep on going on this path, we'll have five separate ground systems to operate five separate satellites. It's the dumbest thing in the world,' he said in a speech at the recent Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

'We have to get to common ground system ... and we're going to get to it one way or another. We cannot fail in this endeavor.'"

Hyten's leadership will take DoD Space Operations into a new era of resiliency, efficiency, and affordability by leveraging a common ground and commercial services approach to solving the most pressing issues for a sustainable DoD Space Operations Enterprise.

A big part of the solution for getting there is a complete commercialization of DoD satellite operations and the leveraging of commercial telecommunication and data transport services. A possible analogy to the challenge is how we all-individual consumers, businesses, and the Government-contract for mobile telephone services today. We don't build our own cellular network!

Why would we, when the network is proven and available today? Concerns about security are met with encryption and other methods-and the same is done in the world of commercial satellites. How concerned do you think a major broadcaster is about the surety of their Super Bowl feeds, or a stock exchange is about secure data delivery?

But this is how the DoD has procured their telecommunications capabilities in the past. Meanwhile, commercial satellite owner/operators such as Intelsat have been operating a secure, global satellite system and providing satellite operations services for decades.

Intelsat provides flight and ground operations services to numerous commercial companies who do not have their own satellite TT and C ground infrastructure. From launch support to on-orbit raising and testing along with lifetime operations, Intelsat provides this service for approximately 50 owned and 25 third-party customer satellites in GEO, HEO, and MEO orbits.

Intelsat General is ready to support Gen Hyten's Space Operations Enterprise and is perfectly positioned to apply the same commercial best practices, efficiencies, and resiliency we provide for commercial customers every day. We're also ready to support DoD satellite programs such as Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS), GPS, and Air Force Satellite Control Network with superior and proven space-based and ground system services.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Intelsat General Corporation
Military Space News at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News





SPACEWAR
Pentagon alarmed at Russian milsat maneuvering
Moscow (Sputnik) Jul 21, 2015
The maneuverability of Russia's Cosmos-2504 military satellite launched on March 31 from the Plesetsk test site has alarmed the US Air Force, which thinks it may potentially be an "on-orbit anti-satellite weapon." "A Russian military satellite launched in March has made at least 11 close approaches to the rocket upper stage that released it into orbit," SpaceNews website quotes a spokesman ... read more


SPACEWAR
Smithsonian embraces crowdfunding to preserve lunar spacesuit

NASA Sets Sights on Robot-Built Moon Colony

Technique may reveal the age of moon rocks during spaceflight

Russia to Land Space Vessel on Moon's Polar Region in 2019

SPACEWAR
Opportunity heading into Marathon Valley

Antarctic Offers Insights Into Life on Mars

Earth and Mars Could Share A Life History

Celebrating 50 years of Martian imagery

SPACEWAR
Space crew praises US-Russian 'handshake in space' 40 years on

Planetary Resources' First Spacecraft Successfully Deployed

NASA selects leading-edge concepts for continued study

US selects four astronauts for commercial flight

SPACEWAR
Chinese earth station is for exclusively scientific and civilian purposes

Cooperation in satellite technology put Belgium, China to forefront

China set to bolster space, polar security

China's super "eye" to speed up space rendezvous

SPACEWAR
Russian, Japanese, US crew reach ISS despite minor mishap

Rocket carrying Russian, Japanese, US crew docks with ISS

Student satellite wins green light for Station deployment

'Jedi' astronauts say 'no fear' as they gear for ISS trip

SPACEWAR
Ariane 5 orbits Star One C4 and MSG-4 on Arianespace's sixth flight in 2015

CRS-7 Investigation Update

EUTELSAT 8 West B satellite arrive in French Guiana

Failed strut caused SpaceX rocket blast: CEO Elon Musk

SPACEWAR
Astronomers bring a new hope to find 'Tatooine' planets

The Planetary Sweet Spot

ARIEL mission to reveal 'Brave New Worlds' among exoplanets

New Method Finds Best Candidates for Telescope Time

SPACEWAR
First realization of invisible absorbers and sensors

'White graphene' structures can take the heat

Bringing back the magic in metamaterials

Battling Satellite Interference




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.