United States General Accounting Office

GAO Report to Congressional Requesters

March 1995 BALLISTIC MISSILE

DEFENSE

Current Status of

Strategic Target System

GAO/NSIAD-95-78

GAO United States

General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548

National Security and

International Affairs Division

B-259821 

March 3, 1995

The Honorable Cardiss Collins

Ranking Minority Member

Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

House of Representatives

The Honorable Bill Zeliff

Chairman , Subcommittee on National Security,

 International Affairs, and Criminal Justice

Committee on Government Reform and Oversight

House of Representatives

As requested by the former Chairman of the Legislation and National

Security Subcommittee, this report presents information on the Ballistic

Missile Defense Organization’s (BMDO) Strategic Target System (STARS).

Specifically, we present information on the (1) status of the STARS program,

(2) planned launches through fiscal year 2000, (3) program costs, and

(4) status of major hardware acquisition and refurbishment.

Background STARS is a BMDO program managed by the U. S. Army Space and Strategic

Defense Command (SSDC). It began in 1985 in response to concerns that

the supply of surplus Minuteman I boosters used to launch targets and

other experiments on intercontinental ballistic missile flight trajectories in

support of the Strategic Defense Initiative would be depleted by 1988. SSDC

tasked Sandia National Laboratories, a Department of Energy laboratory,

to develop an alternative launch vehicle using surplus Polaris boosters.

Two STARS booster configurations were developed, STARS I and STARS II.

STARS I consists of refurbished Polaris first and second stages and a

commercially procured Orbus I third stage (see fig. 1). It can deploy single

or multiple payloads, but the multiple payloads cannot be deployed in a

manner that simulates the operation of a post-boost vehicle (PBV).1

 To

meet this specific need, Sandia developed an Operations and Deployment

Experiments Simulator (ODES), which functions as a PBV. (See app. I, 

fig. I.1.) When ODES is added to STARS I, the configuration is designated 

STARS II.

1

The portion of a missile payload that carries multiple warheads and has the maneuvering capability to

independently target each warhead on a final trajectory toward a target. It is also referred to as a

“bus.”

Page 1 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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Figure 1: STARS I Booster

Source: Sandia National Laboratories.

Page 2 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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The development phase of the STARS program was completed in fiscal year

1994, and BMDO provided about $192.1 million for this effort. The

operational phase began in fiscal year 1995.

The first STARS I flight, a hardware check-out flight, was launched in

February 1993, and the second flight, a STARS I reentry vehicle experiment,

was launched in August 1993. The third flight, a STARS II development

mission, was launched in July 1994. All three were considered successful

by BMDO.

Results in Brief The Secretary of Defense’s 1993 comprehensive review of the nation’s

defense strategy drastically reduced the number of STARS launches

required to support National Missile Defense (NMD)2

 and BMDO funding.

Due to the launch and budget reductions, the STARS office developed a

draft long-range plan for the STARS program. The study examined three

options: (1) place the program in a dormant status, but retain the

capability to reactivate it; (2) terminate the program; and (3) continue the

program. BMDO is currently evaluating STARS as a potential long-range

system for launching targets for development tests of future Theater

Missile Defense (TMD)3

 systems. The final decision, which may not be

made for 6 to 9 months, will be based on factors such as the cost to

maintain STARS and Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty issues associated

with testing TMD systems.

Since July 1993, the planned level of test launches has decreased. One firm

STARS launch is scheduled to support NMD in fiscal year 1995. BMDO has

identified another 11 potential launches through fiscal year 2000. Ten of

these 11 launches would support TMD and are dependent on the successful

resolution of ABM Treaty issues. The remaining launch would support NMD.

The estimated annual cost of operating STARS varies depending on how

many launches are conducted. In fiscal year 1995, BMDO plans to spend

approximately $22.7 million on STARS and will conduct one launch. Of this

amount, $15.1 million is the cost to maintain the capability to launch STARS.

This cost would be incurred whether or not any launches occur in a fiscal

year. For future years, it is estimated that the annual cost to maintain the

capability to launch STARS would remain at about $15 million. Beginning in

2

The term NMD refers to defending the United States from limited ballistic missile attacks whether

deliberate, accidental, or unauthorized.

3

The term TMD refers to defending U.S. forces deployed overseas and allies and friends from theater

ballistic missile attacks.

Page 3 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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fiscal year 1996, project offices that use STARS to launch experiments or

targets will be charged from $2.8 million to $4.1 million for each STARS I

launch and from $6.7 million to $9.1 million for each STARS II launch.

The STARS program has a substantial inventory of STARS hardware. When

the STARS program was started in 1985, four launches were anticipated

each year. Because of the large number of anticipated launches and an

unknown defect rate for surplus Polaris motors, the STARS office acquired

117 first-stage and 102 second-stage surplus motors. As of December 1994,

seven first-stage and five second-stage refurbished motors were available

for future launches. Also, 13 third-stage new motors were on-hand and 

1 PBV was being built for the STARS launch scheduled in fiscal year 1995.

Plans for Continuing

STARS Program

In March 1993, the Secretary of Defense initiated a comprehensive

“Bottom-Up Review” of the nation’s defense strategy. He believed that a

departmentwide review needed to be conducted “from the bottom up”

because of the dramatic changes that had occurred in the world as a result

of the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This

review provided the direction for shifting America’s focus away from a

strategy designed to defend against a global Soviet threat to a strategy

oriented toward the dangers of aggression by regional powers, a theater

missile threat. Based on the nature of the present and projected threat

from ballistic and cruise missiles armed with weapons of mass

destruction, the Secretary of Defense decided to proceed with a more

robust TMD program to emphasize protection of forward-deployed U.S.

forces in the near term. Additionally, he decided to limit the NMD effort to a

technology program, which drastically reduced the number of STARS

launches to support NMD.

In May 1994, based on declining launches for STARS and budget reductions

resulting from the “Bottom-Up Review,” BMDO requested SSDC to develop a

long-range plan for the STARS program. The SSDC STARS project office

developed a draft long-range plan that included management options for

(1) continuing the STARS program; (2) placing it in a dormant status,

retaining the capability to reactivate it; and (3) terminating it. BMDO is

currently evaluating STARS as a potential long-range system for launching

targets for development tests of future TMD systems. The final decision,

which may not be made for 6 to 9 months, will be based on factors such as

the cost to maintain STARS and ABM Treaty issues associated with testing

TMD systems.

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STARS project office officials cite several reasons related to treaty

implications for not terminating the program. The Strategic Arms

Reduction Treaty I (START) limits other strategic ballistic missiles’ use of

telemetry encryption,4

 but STARS is exempt from this restriction. In

addition, the START II Treaty after its ratification and formal entry into

force would require the total elimination of land-based multiple warhead

intercontinental ballistic missiles by January 2003. This means that the

launching of land-based multiple warhead intercontinental ballistic

missiles, even as research and development target boosters, would cease.

Because STARS is exempt from the START II Treaty, it would be the only

land-based multiple warhead booster that the United States can use as a

target or for research and development. The STARS II PBV carries multiple

warheads and has the maneuvering capability to independently target each

warhead on a final trajectory toward a target.

STARS project office officials also cite other reasons for not terminating the

program. STARS can deliver payloads at various reentry speeds and

trajectories to the vicinity of Kwajalein Missile Range located about 4,000

kilometers from the Kauai Test Facility. STARS is also the only U.S. target

missile system that operates in the 1,500 to 3,500 kilometer range.

Additionally, the relatively large diameter of the STARS launch vehicle, the

shape of the nose shroud, and the flat payload plate make STARS suitable as

a carrier vehicle for a variety of experiments and scientific payloads. Also,

STARS has demonstrated a real-time reporting capability to accurately

predict target positions for experiments throughout its trajectory. These

are important features for evaluating the capabilities of both theater and

strategic missile defense sensors and weapons.

Estimated

Requirements for

STARS Launches

In July 1993, BMDO had plans to launch 12 more STARS boosters from Kauai

that would deliver experiments into near space and targets to Kwajalein

through fiscal year 2003. All of these launches were to support NMD

objectives. Two were conducted, but as a result of the “Bottom-Up

Review,” all but one of the remaining 10 NMD launches were canceled.

BMDO now has only one firm launch scheduled. Additionally, BMDO has 11

potential5

 launches identified through fiscal year 2000. Ten would support

TMD and 1 would support NMD. Table 1 provides the schedule by fiscal year

for the STARS launches.

4

Telemetry is a stream of data that is transmitted to the ground for analysis and display. Encryption is

encoding data so that only authorized personnel can interpret and use the data.

5

Potential launches: launches that are not yet funded but are STARS capable.

Page 5 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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Table 1: STARS Future Launch

Schedule by Fiscal Year STARS launches Missions

supported 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999a 2000a Status

NMD/STARS II

Midcourse Space

Experiment

Fb Scheduled in

3rd quarter 1995

TMD STARS I

Theater Critical

Measurements

Program

Pc Preliminary

planning &

coordination

TMD/STARS I

Boost Phase

Intercept

P P P Requirements

being

developed

NMD/STARS II

Space and

Missile Tracking

System

P Requirements

document

received

TMD/STARS I

Long-range

threats

P P P P Requirements

being

developed

TMD/STARS I

Space and

Missile Tracking

System

P P Requirements

document

received

aThe current program could support only two launches annually.

b“F” represents firm launch.

cEach “P” represents a potential launch.

The firm launch scheduled for 1995 involves launching a STARS II that will

deploy numerous objects for the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX)

satellite to observe. The MSX satellite is scheduled to be launched into orbit

from Vandenberg Air Force Base on a Delta II booster during the second

quarter of fiscal year 1995 to conduct a variety of experiments, one of

which will involve observing different types of target objects deployed

from the STARS PBV. Although this experiment will support work being

conducted in a number of areas, the data will primarily support the Space

and Missile Tracking System (formerly called Brilliant Eyes)

demonstration and validation program.

The targets for the MSX satellite to observe are scheduled to be launched

on a STARS II in the third quarter of fiscal year 1995. The MSX’s sensors are

to view the numerous objects deployed from the PBV during sunrise

conditions, and the objects are to be representative of various targets and

Page 6 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
B-259821 

deployment techniques. Other mobile and ground-based sensors will

provide trajectory identification, definition, stereo viewing, and dynamic

motion verification of the test objects.

Until the ABM Treaty is clarified, the use of STARS to support TMD testing,

including the 10 potential TMD missions shown in table 1, is in question.

The 1972 ABM Treaty prohibits mobile, land-based systems that can counter

strategic missiles. However, it does not define the characteristics of either

a strategic or theater missile. Some theater missiles now approach the

capabilities of the older, shorter range strategic missiles in terms of

maximum range. Congress has continuously urged the administration to

pursue discussions on amending the ABM Treaty to clarify the distinctions

between theater and strategic missiles. The United States and Russia and

some of the states of the former Soviet Union are currently involved in

discussions seeking a demarcation that would clarify the treaty in such a

way that would allow TMD systems such as the Theater High Altitude Area

Defense and other advanced concepts to be developed in compliance with

the ABM Treaty.

Estimated Future

Cost of Operating

STARS

As shown in table 2, the STARS operational budget will be about

$22.7 million for fiscal year 1995. Of this amount, $15.1 million is the cost

to maintain the capability to conduct launches, and the remaining cost of

about $7.6 million primarily represents costs to be incurred for the

scheduled launch in fiscal year 1995. For future years, it is estimated that

the annual STARS operating budget would also be about $15 million

(excluding inflation) to maintain the capability to launch. The $15 million

does not include the additional costs that would be charged to STARS

customers for launches.

Page 7 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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Table 2: Estimated STARS Budget for

Fiscal Year 1995a Description Costs

Sandia STARS baseline level of effort at Albuquerque (program

infrastructure) $8,360,000

Booster refurbishment and mission support contracts to maintain

industrial base 3,470,000

Kauai Test Facility range support 2,500,000

Logistics/propulsion support (specialized contractor technical

assistance) 130,000

First-stage booster storage 70,000

Second-stage booster storage 40,000

System engineering and technical assistance contract for STARS

project office 390,000

SSDC personnel travel 130,000

Total for maintaining capability to launch $15,090,000

Additional costs associated with MSX launch in 1995 7,380,000

Destruction of first- and second-stage motors 260,000

Total $22,730,000

aThis budget does not include salary and other administrative costs of the STARS project office.

Annual Infrastructure Cost The $8.36 million for program infrastructure includes a full-time STARS staff

of about 40 to 45 Sandia engineers and technicians, Sandia part-time staff

for the STARS program, Sandia overhead costs, and a Department of Energy

surcharge of 4.3 percent. According to a Sandia official, in years when

there are no launches, the engineers and technicians would be used to

provide technical support for the STARS booster system, plan for future

STARS launches, upgrade system documentation, correct anomalies noted

on past launches, and perform other tasks assigned by the STARS office.

The Sandia official also told us that under Sandia’s personnel practices if

the 40 to 45 full-time Sandia personnel were to be assigned to other

programs because of a termination or extended suspension of the STARS

operation, it is highly unlikely that they would later be returned to the

STARS program.

According to a STARS project office official, plans are to spend about

$3.47 million in fiscal year 1995 to maintain the industrial base for

refurbishing first- and second-stage Polaris motors. A Sandia official

provided the following general comments about maintaining the industrial

base. Initially, plans are to (1) modify the existing contract with Aerojet

General Corporation to start assembling refurbished first-stage motors,

Page 8 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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(2) consolidate facilities to save money, and (3) send first-stage motors to

the Navy’s China Lake facility for screening. Also, Sandia plans to provide

Hercules, Inc., Aerospace Division, with funds to recertify the

second-stage flight motor for the fiscal year 1995 flight and assemble a

second-stage component refurbished motor as a flight spare. Plans are to

award new 2-year contracts in April 1995 to Aerojet and Hercules for work

in fiscal years 1995 and 1996. Aerojet is to refurbish up to three first-stage

motors. Hercules is to continue assembling second-stage component

refurbished motors. These contracts will contain provisions for paying

fixed termination costs to these contractors if the decision is made to

cancel the contracts in fiscal year 1996. Plans are to also award new

contracts in April 1995 to Lockheed Missile and Space Company, Inc., and

the Navy. Lockheed is to provide technical assistance, and the Navy’s

facilities at China Lake and Corona, California, are to screen and static fire

STARS motors and calibrate and recertify motor nozzles and assembly

gauges.

The Kauai Test Facility range support cost of $2.5 million is primarily for a

facility maintenance contractor; Sandia personnel supporting STARS; and

maintaining range technical capabilities such as electronic

communications equipment, computers, and recording equipment used to

gather flight data.

Other Fiscal Year 1995

Costs

The additional cost associated with the launch to support the MSX mission,

$7.38 million, is for work to be performed by Sandia, support of the Pacific

Missile Range Facility, and logistics’ maintenance and transportation

support. Sandia is to perform work (1) related to the third stage of the

STARS launch vehicle that houses the Orbus motor and (2) support of

launch-field operations. This effort involves (1) mission specific software

modifications and validation; (2) assembly and construction of specialized

parts and equipment, to include components for the PBV; and (3) final

system checkout and testing. The Pacific Missile Range Facility is to

provide uprange support of the STARS booster launch activities. It is also to

provide miscellaneous range tracking, telemetry, range safety, and other

support requirements. The logistics’ transportation support is primarily for

transportation supporting the MSX mission. In addition, funds are to be

used for a nonrecurring effort to move and consolidate first- and

second-stage motors, thus reducing storage costs. The logistics’

maintenance support primarily involves Hill Air Force Base’s effort. This

work involves attaching components and performing system checks and

validation for first- and second-stage motors.

Page 9 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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The booster destruction cost of $260,000 is for the destruction of older

first- and second-stage motors no longer required for the STARS program.

The Sierra Army Depot in California is to destroy the motors.

Charges to Users for a

Launch

In September 1993, we reported that STARS users would pay an estimated

$5.9 million for each STARS I launch and an estimated $10.9 million for each

STARS II launch.6 These cost estimates have decreased because the STARS

program has already paid for equipment such as electronic components,

mechanical equipment, stage 1 and 2 refurbished motors, and Orbus

motors. Another reason future STARS users will pay less is because the MSX

and other programs have paid for long lead hardware to be used on STARS

launches that were canceled. Even though these launches were canceled,

the STARS office had already acquired the assets.

Beginning in fiscal year 1996, the costs to future STARS I and II customers

will vary. Specifically, for the next three STARS launches, the cost to STARS I

customers is estimated to be about $2.8 million, and the cost to STARS II

customers is estimated to range from $6.7 million to $9.1 million. Beyond

the next three launches, the cost to STARS I customers is estimated to be

about $4.1 million, and the cost to STARS II customers is estimated to range

from $8.1 million to $9.1 million. These estimates include costs for

hardware refurbishment, Sandia launch support, booster transportation,

and costs associated with ODES hardware and related integration of ODES

with the STARS I booster. These estimates do not include transportation

and payload and range support costs associated with specific launches.

Acquisition Hardware

and Refurbishment

Status

The STARS program acquired surplus Navy Polaris first- and second-stage

boosters starting in the mid-1980s through 1991. The STARS program’s only

cost for those boosters was for transportation to storage facilities. The

STARS program purchased third-stage Orbus I motors from United

Technologies. Sandia builds ODES PBVs only as needed for STARS II launches.

First- and second-stage Polaris motors have to be refurbished before being

used on missions. Orbus I motors and ODES do not need to be refurbished.

One ODES has been built and flown. Currently, a second ODES is being built

for the launch scheduled in fiscal year 1995. Table 3 shows the status of

STARS hardware acquisition and refurbishment as of December 1994.

6

Ballistic Missile Defense: Strategic Target System Launches from Kauai (GAO/NSIAD-93-270, Sept. 13,

1993).

Page 10 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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Table 3: STARS Hardware Assets and

Refurbishment Status as of

December 1994 STARS major

components

Total motors

acquired

New or

refurbished

motors Motors used

Refurbished or

new motors

available

First-stage

 Polaris motors 117 14 7 7a

Second-stage

 Polaris motors 102 10 5 5b

Third-stage

 Orbus motors 20 20 7 13

aOf the seven motors refurbished, four are flight ready, and three have been refurbished but are

not flight ready because the components have not been assembled.

bOf the five motors refurbished, one is flight ready, and four have been refurbished but are not

flight ready because the components have not been assembled.

When the STARS program was begun, four launches a year were anticipated.

Now, no more than two launches a year are anticipated or even considered

possible without increasing the number of Sandia personnel supporting

the STARS program. According to a STARS official, there were two reasons

the STARS office acquired such a large number of surplus Polaris first- and

second-stage boosters. First, a large number of launches was expected

when the STARS program was started. Second, the defect rate for these

1960s vintage motors was not known.

Scope and

Methodology

To determine the cost of the STARS program through fiscal year 1994, we

obtained funding data from BMDO, STARS program office, and Sandia

National Laboratories. STARS officials also provided funding estimates for

fiscal year 1995 and beyond.

To determine planned launches, BMDO and STARS officials discussed and

provided documents showing firm and potential launches. Air Force and

TMD officials also provided information about their launch needs. BMDO and

STARS officials and the SSDC treaty advisor provided information about how

U.S. treaties may affect the future of the STARS program.

To determine the status of STARS hardware, we reviewed relevant

documents such as inventory records and refurbishment contracts.

Additionally, Sandia and STARS officials provided detailed information

about the status of the hardware program.

Page 11 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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We performed our work at BMDO in Washington, D.C.; SSDC in Huntsville,

Alabama; and Sandia in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our work was

conducted from August through December 1994 in accordance with

generally accepted government auditing standards.

As requested, we did not obtain fully coordinated agency comments on a

draft of this report. However, we did discuss the results of our work with

SSDC and BMDO officials and have incorporated their suggestions. In

general, they agreed with the information in this report.

We are sending copies to the Chairmen of the Senate and House

Committees on Appropriations; the Senate Committee on Armed Services;

the House Committee on National Security; the Secretaries of Defense, the

Air Force, the Army, and the Navy; and the Directors of BMDO and the

Office of Management and Budget. Copies will also be made available to

others upon request.

If you or your staff have questions concerning this report, please contact

me at (202) 512-4841. The major contributors to this report are J. Klein

Spencer, Assistant Director; Bobby D. Hall, Evaluator-in-Charge; and

Thomas L. Gordon, Evaluator.

Brad Hathaway

Associate Director, Systems

 Development and Production Issues

Page 12 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
Page 13 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
Appendix I 

Pictures and Maps of STARS and Launch

Sites

Appendix I contains pictures and maps of STARS and launch sites. A picture

of ODES with its multiple reentry vehicles is shown in figure I.1. The STARS

launch facility is located on Kauai, Hawaii (see figs. I.2 and I.3). The

booster’s range, about 4,000 kilometers, is about the same as the distance

from Kauai to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, the intended

destination. Kwajalein, where sensing and other tracking devices are

located (see fig. I.4), is one of the two designated test ranges under the ABM

Treaty. The other, White Sands Missile Range, is not suitable for the types

of tests planned for STARS.

Figure I.1: ODES PBV and Payloads

Source: Sandia National Laboratories.

Page 14 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
Appendix I 

Pictures and Maps of STARS and Launch

Sites

Figure I.2: Location Map of Pacific Missile Range Facility and Kauai Test Facility on Kauai, Hawaii

Source: SSDC.

Page 15 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
Appendix I 

Pictures and Maps of STARS and Launch

Sites

Figure I.3: Aerial View of Kauai Test Facility

Source: Sandia National Laboratories.

Page 16 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
Appendix I 

Pictures and Maps of STARS and Launch

Sites

Figure I.4: Representative STARS Launch Profile

Source: SSDC.

Page 17 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
Appendix I 

Pictures and Maps of STARS and Launch

Sites

(707080) Page 18 GAO/NSIAD-95-78 Ballistic Missile Defense
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