Date: Jun 1 19:49 UTC
Subject: New Civil-Military Satellite
From: NASA Space News
AGENCIES ESTABLISH NEW CIVIL-MILITARY SATELLITE PROGRAM
The Clinton Administration has taken a major step toward combining the
country's military and civilian weather satellite programs into a
single system -- a move that is expected to save American taxpayers up
to $300 million through 1999, with additional savings through the life
of the program.
Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown, Secretary of Defense William J.
Perry, and NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin signed a formal
agreement on May 26, establishing the agencies' roles and
responsibilities in support of the new system and implementing a
Presidential Decision Directive that was signed last year.
"Combining these programs was a key recommendation of Vice President
Gore's National Performance Review," said Under Secretary of Commerce
for Oceans and Atmosphere, D. James Baker. "The new program will
result in a major reduction of acquisition, operational and facilities
costs."
Currently four U.S. polar-orbiting satellites are used to collect
operational, meteorological, oceanographic, climatic and space
environment data. Two satellites are provided and operated by the
Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), and two by the Department of Defense's Defense
Meteorological Satellite Program. The new combined program will
consist of three satellites. The first satellite under the new system,
called the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite
System (NPOESS), is expected to be launched in 2006.
To acquire and operate the NPOESS, the Department of Defense, NASA and
NOAA have established an Integrated Program Office. James T. Mannen, a
retired Air Force Colonel with extensive experience in space programs,
was named director of the office on May 30.
The signing of the agreement by the three agencies represents a
tangible and significant step forward in interagency cooperation --
merging operational military and civilian systems, while still
satisfying each agency's critical mission requirements and doing so at
reduced cost to American taxpayers.
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