Space Acquisitions: Government and Industry Partners Face Substantial Challenges in Developing New DOD Space Systems

The majority of large-scale acquisition programs in the DoD space portfolio have experienced problems during the past two decades that have driven up cost and schedules and increased technical risks. Along with the cost increases, many programs are experiencing significant schedule delays -- as much as 7 years -- resulting in potential capability gaps in areas such as positioning, navigation, and timing; missile warning; and weather monitoring. This testimony focuses on: (1) the condition of space acquisitions; (2) causal factors; (3) observations on the space industrial base; and (4) recommendations for better positioning programs and industry for success. Illustrations.

Despite a growing investment in space, the majority of large-scale acquisition programs in the Department of Defense's (DOD) space portfolio have experienced problems during the past two decades that have driven up cost and schedules and increased technical risks. The cost resulting from acquisition problems along with the ambitious nature of space programs have resulted in cancellations of programs that were expected to require investments of tens of billions of dollars. Along with the cost increases, many programs are experiencing significant schedule delays?as much as 7 years? resulting in potential capability gaps in areas such as positioning, navigation, and timing; missile warning; and weather monitoring.

The majority of large-scale acquisition programs in the DoD space portfolio have experienced problems during the past two decades that have driven up cost and schedules and increased technical risks. The cost resulting from acquisition problems has resulted in cancellations of programs that were expected to require investments of tens of billions of dollars. Many programs are experiencing significant schedule delays resulting in potential capability gaps in areas such as positioning, navigation, and timing; missile warning; and weather monitoring. This testimony focuses on: (1) the condition of space acquisitions; (2) causal factors; and (3) recommend. for better positioning programs and industry for success. Charts and tables.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent agency that works for Congress. The GAO watches over Congress, and investigates how the federal government spends taxpayers dollars. The Comptroller General of the United States is the leader of the GAO, and is appointed to a 15-year term by the U.S. President. The GAO wants to support Congress, while at the same time doing right by the citizens of the United States. They audit, investigate, perform analyses, issue legal decisions and report anything that the government is doing. This is one of their reports.

Space Acquisitions: DOD Faces Substantial Challenges in Developing New Space Systems