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Air Force Space Command reworking how it gets to space

Released: May 14, 1998

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- Air Force Space Command will reduce government launch costs by 25 to 50 percent by transitioning most of its space launch activities to the commercial sector b y 2004.

"Our core competencies are concentrated in operating in space, not in getting to space," said Brig. Gen. Robert C. Hinson, director of operations for AFSPC. "We operate satellites, provide missile warning, monitor space weather, ensure global communications and navigation, and track space debris -- and integrate it all with the warfighter and other agencies who need it.

"Launch is vital to getting these systems on orbit and our launch wings do a great job. But even today, civilian contractors possess the manning and technical expertise for launch processing and execution," said Hinson.

The major migration of the space launch mission from the military to civilian contractors is made possible by an evolution of new thinking on how the command approaches space launch operations and the economic benefits of the rapidly expanding commercial space sector.

"We are now concentrating on gaining insight with our launch contractors rather than providing oversight," said Hinson. "We have blue-suit maintenance people who never touch a wrench, operations people who never launch a booster -- in a time of declining manpower, we feel this is not the most efficient use of our highly trained people."

So instead of telling contractors how to do something, now the command will only ensure the final product -- a launch vehicle and its payload -- is on time and ready to go.

"All we want is insight to the process that says: 'You, Mr./Ms. Contractor, have done everything you claimed to do for us to have a successful mission. You have taken into consideration and provided safety, security and infrastructure protection, so collectively we can have a successful launch,'" said Hinson.

"AFSPC will continue to demand a focus on safety, security and resource protection regardless of the type of system being launched at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. and Cape Canaveral Air Station, Fla.," added Hinson. "Collectively, AFSPC and the launch contractors remain very serious about our attention to these areas and protection of local communities adjacent to these national ranges."

The general sees launch bases or spaceports running very similar to the way commercial airports are today. Each contractor will have an area or launch complex it builds, maintains and launches from -- just like an airline's own terminal at a major airport. Contractors will be responsible for all the operations and maintenance costs associated with their activity.

"This will relieve the Air Force of a tremendous O&M (operations and maintenance) bill and free up thousands of government man-hours. Combined, we are talking about millions of dollars," Hinson said.

Another driving factor in saving the Air Force money is the sheer volume of commercial space activity. In the 50s, 60s, 70s and most of the 80s, the military and government agencies accounted for more than 90 percent of all launch activity. This year, according to Hinson, approximately 48 percent of all space launches will be for commercial corporations. The commercial competition, greater number of launches, and improved technology have all combined to lower the cost of getting to space.

"As our heritage systems (intercontinental ballistic missile-based launch vehicles like the Titan, Atlas and Delta) are phased out, and as the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles come online, we eventually expect to see up to a 50-percent savings in the cost of getting to space."

Both versions of the EELV, one made by Boeing and one by Lockheed Martin, are expected to be operational by 2002. They will launch both military and civilian satellites. The money saved by these initiatives is needed to address a major problem for the command -- rapidly aging ground stations.

"We have a huge need for money to upgrade and maintain those ground systems that support our satellites," said Hinson. "As the scope of our mission broadens and we bring new systems like SBIRS (Space-Based Infrared System) on line and upgrade existing satellite constellations like GPS (Global Positioning System) we have to continue to upgrade the ground systems that control and communicate with those satellites.

"We need this end-to-end systems architect so we can meet the needs of the warfighters in the field. We, AFSPC, need to be the focal point for the operation and funding of these systems so that all U.S. forces and our allies have access to the critical resources and information delivered from space," explained Hinson. "Again, a lot of this will be made possible by reducing the cost of getting to space."

The vast and rapidly approaching changes coming to the launch business will affect a lot of military people -- this hasn't been lost on the command's leadership.

"Everyone will have a job," said Hinson. "There will still be some semblance of launch squadrons that will provide insight and coordination with the contractors. There will be jobs at both ranges on the East and West Coasts. This command also has a large requirement for people to operate and fly satellites and work in the ICBM force."

The general was quick to point out that the transition will take place over several years. By 1999, both the 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. and the 45th SW at Patrick AFB, Fla., will be down to one launch squadron each, consisting of several flights.

"Then as the EELV comes on line in 2002, we will have to use some of those folks to transition to the new system. We are currently working to define specific tasks we want the EELV flight to take on.

"At the same time, the contractors will be transitioning from the Atlas, Delta and Titan programs to their own versions of the EELV. We will need a squadron structure to handle this; then we will downsize out of those systems sometime in the 2003 to 2004 timeframe," said Hinson.

Other military missions at Vandenberg and Patrick are expected to remain intact. Vandenberg will continue as the main training base for satellite and ICBM specialists, maintain its follow-on test and evaluation launches of ICBM systems and continue operating the Western Range.

Patrick will run the Eastern Range, support NASA, and continue to support the Navy's sea-launched ballistic missile test program. Both bases are expecting to see a surge in commercial launch activity.

"The command's people are the key to this successful transition," Hinson said. "In concert with the civil and commercial interest, these efforts will enable us to transfer investments to do things in space rather than paying the huge costs to get there." (Courtesy of AFSPC News Service)