Space Acquisition - Air Force Space Command

ous interaction with the supported warfighters and customers, understands
the principles of war and the applications of space in
joint warfighting, and develops the people and processes that are
capable of delivering responsive and effective operational systems.
The center’s near-term focus is to achieve mission success one
mission, one launch at a time. In the next 24 months, we will deliver
to orbit five major new systems/mission capabilities:
• Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) will continue the
ever-vigilant missile-warning mission. Two SBIRS highly
elliptical orbit sensors are operationally certified and flying
now, and the first geosynchronous spacecraft is scheduled to
launch in FY 2011.
• Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communication
satellite will deliver ten-times the communication bandwidth
that is available today for protected communications
to our forces and our National Command Authority. The
first AEHF spacecraft is on-track to launch in FY 2010.
• Wideband Global Satellite Communications (WGS) provides
in one satellite the communications equivalent of today’s
entire operational Defense Satellite Communications
System. The first and second WGS satellites are now on
station, certified for operations, and providing service to the
Pacific Command and Central Command areas of responsibility.
WGS-3 is moving forward toward an FY 2010 launch
and operations.
• Global Positioning System (GPS) II-F, which will upgrade
timing, navigation accuracy, and add a new civilian “L5”
signal to the system, is scheduled to launch in FY 2010.
• The Space-Based Space Surveillance System will provide
greatly improved space situational awareness to help better
understand location and mission capabilities of all satellites
and other objects in space.
SMC’s long-term future is even more exciting. GPS III will
provide a ten-fold increase in signal power so that GPS signals
reach into valleys, canyons, and cities with skyscrapers. In addition,
GPS III will include a new civil navigational signal compatible
with the European Union’s Galileo system. Prompt Global
Strike is a demonstration program in development. It will integrate
conventional munitions inside an aeroshell on components
of a retired intercontinental ballistic missile rocket to demonstrate
global targeting capability in a matter of minutes with no ambiguity
between conventional and nuclear missions.
This year also ushered in opportunities for changes to enhance
our space acquisition enterprise. SMC continues to rebuild the
space development and acquisition workforce, expertise, processes,
and culture while strengthening cooperation across government
space and industry. Long-standing partnerships with the National
Reconnaissance Office, National Security Space (NSS) Office,
and Missile Defense Agency will continue to expand the relationships
between the US civilian and military space programs.
In this journal, you will find four articles written by fellow SMC
members that describe how our partnerships are contributing to the
NSS enterprise. In them, you will see how lessons from our rich
heritage have influenced the way we do business, how we have
incorporated these lessons in our programs, and the direction we
are headed as we develop the next generation of space capabilities
while maintaining our space superiority.
First, successful space development is dependent on how well
we learn from and incorporate our past experiences. Mr. Douglas
Loverro, SMC executive director, describes some valuable lessons
learned during his 30+ years of program management across many
NSS programs. His insight serves as a guidepost for current and
future program managers, and SMC is very fortunate to benefit
from it. Capitalizing on these lessons learned, Col David Swanson
from the Directorate of Engineering and Architectures and Col
Mun H. Kwon from our new Program Management Assistance
Group will describe how their respective efforts are reshaping the
way we do business for the better at the center. Both articles hold
examples of the functional-wing interdependencies from their own
perspective. Their work exemplifies our back-to-basic approach
with an emphasis on mission assurance.
Finally, our partners at the Aerospace Corporation have penned
a synopsis of how together we provide 100 percent mission success
for the warfighter. The article “Keys to Acquisition Success”
stresses the importance of building an integrated, high performance
team from multiple government organizations. Given the high
stakes, Ms. Catherine J. Steele, vice president of strategic space
operations for The Aerospace Corporation, outlines the tools that
can help guide teams to successfully execute programs throughout
the system life cycle.
As the people of AFSPC continue to expand the development
and evolution of military space capabilities, doctrine, and tactics,
they must learn how to integrate space with air, land, and maritime
forces and operations. Just as the pioneers who established
SMC over 50 years ago had a strong vision for where their efforts
would lead, but had little idea just how pervasive and critical their
systems would become, the men and women of SMC today, their
industry partners and the operational users continue to build on
the vision and discover new untapped capabilities which can be
provided by space access. SMC and our mission partners know
efforts must be synergized in order to continually evolve strategic
advantages the nation has gained in space and sustain it for decades
to come.
Lt Gen John T. “Tom” Sheridan (BS,
Mechanical Engineering, University of
Connecticut; MBA, Bryant College,
Smithfield, Rhode Island) is the commander
of the Space and Missile Systems
Center and program executive
officer (Space), Air Force Space Command
(AFSPC), Los Angeles AFB, California.
Lt Gen Sheridan is responsible
for managing the research, design, development,
acquisition and sustainment
of space and missile systems, launch,
command and control, and operational satellite systems.
General Sheridan’s experience includes acquisition leadership of
aircraft, simulator and classified space programs; requirements development
across all Air Force space programs; and operational leadership
in four different national space programs. He has served as
military assistant to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for space,
commandant of Air Command and Staff College, director of requirements
at Headquarters AFSPC, and most recently as the deputy director
of the National Reconnaissance Office.
11 High Frontier