FOIA: GAO Report on Space Surveillance December 1997

GAOSpaceSurveillance.pdf
GAO Report Space Surveillance, December 1997
GAO Report to Congressional Requesters on Space Surveillance; DOD and NASA Need Consolidated Requirements and a Coordinated Plan
Document date: 1997-12-01
Department: General Accounting Office, Defense Acquisitions Issues
Author: Louis J. Rodrigues
Document type: Report
pages: 43


Archivist's Notes: Good quality scans of Report from the General Accounting Office regarding Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration requirements for surveillance of space objects and DOD space support capabilities to support these requirements. Citing an estimated 35 million man made space objects orbiting Earth. Includes recommendations and responses.

The purpose of this program:

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'S current and future surveillance requirements and

(2) the extent to which potential surveillance capabilities and technologies are coordinated to provide opportw1ities for improvements.

According to a National Science and Technology Council report, an estimated 35 million manmade space objects are orbiting the earth.

Of these objects, only about 8,000 can be routinely observed by DOD'S existing space surveillance sensors. DOD and the intelligence community are interested in knowing the type, status, and location of space objects,
particularly foreign satellites, as part of DOD'S space control mission and
other national security functions.
NASA is interested in accurate and timely information on the location and orbits of space objects to predict and prevent collisions with spacecraft designed for human space flight-the
space station and space shuttles. DOD and NASA rely on the U.S. Space Command's Space Surveillance Network, which is operated and maintained by the Air Force, Naval, and Army Space Commands, to provide information on space objects.

The network, consisting of radar and optical sensors, data processing capabilities, and supporting communication systems, detects space objects; tracks them to determine their orbits; and characterizes them to determine their size, shape, motion, and type. 'This information is transmitted from the sensors to two command centers for processing and maintained in a catalog, which is used for such purposes as monitoring foreign satellites and analyzing space debris.

DOD'S existing space surveillance network is not capable of providing the information NASA needs to adequately predict collisions between space objects orbiting the earth and multibillion dollar space programs such at the space station.
Moreover, the existing network cannot satisfy DOD'S emerging space surveillance requirements, which are currently under review.

These are the results:

DOD's plans to:
(1) modernize an existing surveillance network radar
system
(2) develop three new ballistic missile warning systems, which could contribute to performing the surveillance function, do not adequately consider DOD's or NASA'S surveillance requirements.
These four systems are separately managed by the Navy, the Air Force, and the Army.
An opportunity exists to consider these systems' potential capabilities to enhance the surveillance network to better satisfy requirements and achieve greater benefits from planned investment in space sensor technology.

The principal findings:

The U.S. Space Command cannot satisfy NASA'S space surveillance requirements with the existing surveillance network.
One requirement-detecting and tracking space objects as small as 1 centimeter-is linked to the potentially catastrophic effect of a collision between such an object and the space station.
Another requirement-locating space objects more accurately-is not currently possible because the network's sensors and processing capability and capacity are insufficient, and DOD does not have a program to measure object location accuracy.
These deficiencies necessitate an upgraded capability to the surveillance network.

Four systems, which are managed separately by the military services, could be upgraded or designed to support surveillance functions.
These systems are an operational Navy-funded space surveillance system and an Air Force- and two Army-funded developmental systems associated with ballistic missile defense.
However, there is a lack of coordination-both within DOD and between DOD and NASA-to take advantage of these systems' potential contribution to space surveillance for serving both national security and civil space sectors.

Within the same document:

According to a National Science and Technology Council report, an estimated 35 million manmade space objects are orbiting the earth. Of these objects, only about 8,000 can be routinely observed by DOD's existing space surveillance sensors. DOD and the intelligence community are interested in knowing the type, status, and location of space objects, particularly foreign satellites, as part of DOD's space control mission and other national security functions.\2 NASA is interested in accurate and timely information on the location and orbits of space objects to predict and prevent collisions with
spacecraft designed for human space flight--the space station and space shuttles.

DOD and NASA rely on the U.S. Space Command's Space Surveillance
Network, which is operated and maintained by the Air Force, Naval, and Army Space Commands, to provide information on space objects. The network, consisting of radar and optical sensors, data processing capabilities, and supporting communication systems, detects space objects; tracks them to determine their orbits; and characterizes them to determine their size, shape, motion, and type. This information is transmitted from the sensors to two command centers for processing and maintained in a catalog, which is used for such purposes as monitoring foreign satellites and analyzing space debris.

RESULTS IN BRIEF

DOD's existing space surveillance network is not capable of providing the information NASA needs to adequately predict collisions between space objects orbiting the earth and multibillion dollar space programs such as the space station. Moreover, the existing network cannot satisfy DOD's emerging space surveillance requirements, which are currently under review.

DOD's plans to modernize an existing surveillance network radar system and develop three new ballistic missile warning systems, which could contribute to performing the surveillance function, do not adequately consider DOD's or NASA's surveillance requirements. These four systems are separately managed by the Navy, the Air Force, and the Army. An oportunity exists to consider these systems' potential capabilities to enhance the surveillance network to better satisfy requirements and achieve greater benefits from planned investment in space sensor technology....



[edit on 20-2-2008 by Telos]