and Technology Group is Aerospace's core science and engineering organization, providing cross-program technical support to a variety of military, civil, commercial, and corporate projects. Consisting of nearly half of the company's technical force, the group is made up of six specialty organizations: Laboratory Operations, Communications and Networking Division, Computers and Software Division, Electronics and Sensors Division, Systems Engineering Division, Vehicle Systems Division. Members of ETG assess and evaluate existing and new space technologies, investigate and resolve anomalies, and conduct research and development. National Systems Group The National Systems Group is responsible for systems engineering and integrations support for NRO space programs. Through methods such as technical and engineering analyses, concept design studies, and direct on-site support, they provide planning, development, and deployment services for reconnaissance space systems. NSG's focus is to apply a systems engineering approach to national intelligence programs to provide objective technical recommendations and solutions. Defense Systems Group The Defense Systems Group provides customer support to all national-security space programs. Activities within the group include requirements analysis, cross-mission planning and architecture development, strategic awareness planning, cross-program engineering, and systems acquisition development. Civil Systems Group The Civil Systems Group (also known as Vaeros), is a division of The Aerospace Corporation that supports both developing and operational civil space systems for NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as well as addressing difficult systems engineering problems in the military, civil, and commercial applications. Commercially, the group supports satellite owner-operators, spacecraft manufacturers, insurance companies, and space-consulting and legal firms. It plays a key role in spacecraft operations, acquisition planning, strategic planning, acquisition management, and risk assessment for operational, near-term and future NOAA satellite programs. Specialty Centers Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies The company also maintains the Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies (CORDS). The group is unique in that it is the only one that systematically tests fallen space debris in its laboratory, The size and shape of debris along with melting that occurs during reentry is analyzed with sophisticated computer software in an effort to reconstruct its fall. Information learned during analysis is used to help satellite developers "design for demise" or ensure that debris burns up more completely during reentry. The team received the 1992 NASA Group Achievement Award for their work on understanding the breakup characteristics of the Space Shuttle external tank. Center for Space Policy and Strategy The Center for Space Policy and