DOD’s current space network is comprised of constellations of satellites, ground-based systems, and associated terminals and receivers. Among other things, these assets are used to perform surveillance and intelligence functions; detect and warn of attacks; provide communication services to DOD and other government users; provide positioning and precise timing data to U.S. forces as well as other national security, civil, and commercial users; and counter elements of an adversary’s space system. DOD categorizes these assets into four space mission areas—each with specific operational functions. (See table 1 for a description of space mission areas, operational functions, and related examples of systems and activities.) The Air Force is the primary procurer and operator of space systems. For fiscal years 2002 through 2007, the Air Force is expected to spend about 86 percent of total programmed space funding of about $165 billion, whereas the Navy, the Army, and other Defense agencies are expected to spend about 8 percent, 3 percent, and 3 percent, respectively. The space surveillance network and other space control systems, some of which are classified, are currently helping to protect and defend space assets or are under development. For example, the Space-Based Surveillance System is being developed to provide a constellation of satellites and other initiatives that will improve the timeliness and fidelity of space situational awareness information. The Rapid Attack Identification and Reporting System, also under development, is expected to ultimately provide notification to Air Force Space Command of threats (radio frequency and laser) impinging upon the right of friendly forces to use space. DOD’s space control mission, which endeavors to protect and defend U.S. space assets, is becoming increasingly important. This importance was recognized by the Space Commission that was established by Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000to assess a variety of management and organizational issues relating to space activities in support of U.S. national security. Principally: While the commission recognized that organization and management are important, the critical need is national leadership to elevate U.S. national security space interests on the national security agenda. A number of disparate space activities should be merged, organizations realigned, lines of communication opened, and policies modified to achieve greater responsibility and accountability. The relationship between the officials primarily responsible for national security space programs is critical to the development and deployment of space capabilities. Therefore, they should work closely and effectively together to set and maintain the course for national security space programs. Finally, the United States will require superior space capabilities and a cadre of military and civilian talent in science, engineering, and systems operations to remain the world’s leading space-faring nation. Among other things, the Space Commission emphasized the importance of increasing the visibility and accountability of space funding. It also recommended that DOD pursue modernization of aging space systems, enhance its command and control structure, and evolve the surveillance system from cataloging and tracking to a system that could provide space situational awareness. We recently reported on the status of implementation of the Space Commission recommendations. We found that DOD has decided to take actions related to 10 of the commission’s 13 recommendations, including organizational changes aimed at consolidating some activities, changing chains of command, and modifying policies to achieve greater responsibility and accountability. In addition, we have reported that Over the years, DOD’s space acquisition management approach has resulted in each of the services pursuing its own needs and priorities for space. This, in turn, has increased the risk that acquisitions will be redundant and not interoperable. Also, under this approach, there has also been no assurance that the services as a whole are satisfying the requirements of the U.S. Space Command to the maximum extent practicable. DOD continues to face cost and schedule growth for some of its larger, more complex space system acquisitions primarily as a result of not having knowledge on the maturity of necessary technology before entering product development. DOD is now undertaking a wide range of efforts to strengthen its ability to protect and defend space-based assets. Some of these are focused solely on the space control mission while others are broader efforts aimed at strengthening space-related capabilities. The changes are intended to elevate the importance of space within the department; promote greater coordination on space-related activities both within and outside the department, particularly within the intelligence community; reduce redundant systems and capabilities while promoting interoperability; and enable the department to better prioritize space-related activities. At the same time, DOD is making changes to its acquisition and oversight policies that will affect how space programs are developed and managed. Specifically, the U.S. Space Command is developing a space control strategy that is to outline objectives for space control over the next 20 years. Concurrently, DOD is developing a national security space plan that will lay down broader objectives and priorities for space-based programs. As the future executive agent for space, the Air Force created an office to develop and implement the national security space plan and has yet to finalize plans for the organizational realignment of the office of the National Security Space Architect. The National Security Space Architect is responsible for developing architectures—frameworks that identify sets of capabilities—across the full range of DOD and intelligence community space mission areas. In addition, DOD is making changes to its budgeting process to gain greater visibility over space-related spending and has created a “virtual” space major force program for the purpose of identifying what funding is specifically directed toward space efforts. The virtual major force program identifies spending on space activities within other major force programs. This does not change the current process that the military services use to fund their own space programs, but it does aggregate space funding so that the department will be able to compare space funding to DOD’s total budget and conduct future trend analyses. Moreover, DOD will be able to identify space control funding from other space-related activities. Lastly, DOD has made changes to its acquisition policy that will affect how space systems are acquired and managed. These changes focus on making sure technologies are demonstrated at a high level of maturity before beginning product development as well as taking an evolutionary, or phased, approach for producing a system. The Air Force is also implementing a new acquisition oversight mechanism for space intended to streamline the time it takes to review and approve a program before moving onto a subsequent stage of development. Table 2 describes some of DOD’s efforts related to strengthening space control in more detail. DOD’s efforts to strengthen its management and organization of space activities, including space control, are a good step forward, particularly because they seek to promote better coordination among the services involved in space, prioritization of space-related projects, visibility over funding, and interoperability. But there are substantial planning and acquisition challenges involved in making DOD’s current space control efforts successful. The Space Commission recognized that stronger DOD-wide leadership and increased accountability were essential to developing a coherent space program. As noted above, one effort to provide stronger leadership and accountability is the development of a space control strategy. Completion of this strategy is a considerable challenge for DOD because it has not yet been aligned with other strategies still being revised and because agreement among the military services on specific roles, responsibilities, priorities, milestones, and end states may prove difficult to achieve. In February 2001, a draft of the space control strategy, prepared by U.S. Space Command, was submitted to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for review, refinement, and submission to the Secretary of Defense. In June 2001, the Chairman stated that it was important that the space control strategy be put on hold until it could be aligned with the national security and national military strategies that were being updated before official submission to the Secretary of Defense. Also, the space control strategy was drafted initially without the benefit of the broader national security space plan to use as a foundation for setting priorities, objectives, and goals. The National Security Space Integration Office expects to complete the space plan in the summer of 2002; however, there are indications that the plan may not be completed until 2003. Whenever the plan is completed, DOD would then have to reexamine the draft space control strategy to ensure alignment with the broader plan. Currently, the services are not satisfied with the draft strategy. Army, Navy, and Air Force officials told us that the draft was not specific enough in terms of what their own responsibilities are going to be and what DOD’s priorities are going to be. They also pointed out that there were no specific milestones, only a rough 20-year time frame for achieving a “robust and wholly integrated suite of capabilities in space.” Without more specifics in this area, DOD would not be able to measure its progress in achieving goals. According to a U.S. Space Command official, although a final date for issuing the strategy is unknown, comments from the services have been incorporated where appropriate and additional detail has been added to reflect changes in DOD terminology. Without knowing more details, service officials said that they would continue pursuing their own space control programs as they have been. In fact, two services—the Air Force and the Army—have already set their own priorities for space control. For example, Air Force Space Command, in its Strategic Master Plan, lists its first priority under space control as improving space surveillance capability to achieve real-time space situational awareness and provide this information to the warfighter. The Army’s Space Master Plan recognized shortfalls in the space control area and identified future operational capabilities for space control that include space-based laser, airborne laser and the congressionally-directed Kinetic Energy Anti-Satellite capability. Another issue that could affect accountability for space control is the lack of a DOD-wide investment plan for space control to guide the development of the services’ budget submissions. The Space Commission recognized that increasing funding visibility and accountability is essential to developing a coherent space program.