When queried concerning the progress of the U.S. Space Force’s business space strategy, Gen. Likelihood Saltzman, the highest commander, didn’t mince words. Speaking on the recent AMOS space domain awareness conference in Hawaii, Saltzman characterised the most recent draft of this highly anticipated strategy as wealthy in style but wanting in substance.
Intended to make clear the Space Force’s approach to identifying activities suitable for business satellite services, the document, in accordance with Saltzman, is replete with “aspirational platitudes” fairly than concrete definitions and guidelines.
Saltzman underscored that while inspirational rhetoric about partnering and collaborating has its place, the strategy needs to supply practical, actionable guidance.
This attitude from Saltzman is hardly surprising. For years, industry leaders have lamented that interactions with government buyers are likely to be pep talks fairly than discussions about practical measures or solutions for the way business services could help fill gaps in military space capabilities.
The Space Force, just like the broader U.S. military, heavily relies on business entities for a various array of services during each peacetime and wartime. The brand new strategy is anticipated to supply specific guidance on utilizing emerging space industry services, including rapid-revisit satellite imaging and low-Earth orbit satellite communications, lots of which have only recently turn into available.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the initial draft, Saltzman sent it back for revisions, emphasizing the need for the technique to offer clarity to Space Force buyers and the industry.
The strategy should define, for instance, which satellite services fall under the “inherently governmental” category and which might be outsourced. With no comprehensive plan delineating this distinction, the procurement of business services could turn into “messy,” he said, and marked by ad hoc projects.
Chamber of Commerce concerns
The distant sensing sector is a segment of the space industry that has been particularly frustrated by the slow embrace of business services. Acknowledging these concerns, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence solicited industry feedback in August regarding the challenges firms face attempting to supply services and products to intelligence and defense agencies.
On Sept. 22, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s response was made public. The Chamber’s letter to the ODNI was forthright, stating, “Despite repeated recognition by senior leaders throughout the U.S. Intelligence Community and the Department of Defense of the worth provided by the U.S. space industry when it comes to distant sensing data and analytical services for national security, disaster response, diplomatic missions, and legislative directives, the federal government has been slow to determine programs, mechanisms, and processes to leverage this existing capability.”
The disconnect between high-level rhetoric supporting business services and the tangible obstacles firms face has been studied and documented extensively, in accordance with the Chamber, making it imperative to transition from evaluation to motion.
Among the many areas needing reform are frequent delays in issuing guidance, setting requirements, releasing requests for proposals, and transitioning mature capabilities from study and pilot programs to operational support contracts. The letter emphasized that procurement inefficiencies create uncertainty in a market heavily reliant on private funding and hinder field operators from receiving the support they require.
Strategy ‘by yr’s end’
Saltzman acknowledged that the Space Force has yet to deal with lots of the industry’s pressing questions, and the forthcoming business space strategy should provide a few of those answers.
“We don’t actually have a clear definition of what a business service is,” he remarked, adding that until this foundation is laid, the document stays more aspirational than actionable.
He avoided setting hard deadlines for the completion and publication of the strategy.
“I definitely hope to have something released to the community by yr’s end.”