There are two kinds  of satellite ground stations: control stations and tracking stations. These dedicated networks have 23 antennas at 10 locations  around the world. DOD’s Satellite Control Networks are Fragmented, Resulting in Inefficiencies Across Satellite Programs

Over the past 50 years, and especially in the last decade, DOD has  increasingly deployed dedicated satellite control networks in lieu of  integrating them into a larger shared satellite control network. As of February  2013, Air Force officials stated that the Air Force had not worked to move  its current dedicated operations to a shared satellite control network,  which could better leverage investments. This fragmented approach requires more  infrastructure and personnel than shared networks, because the  dedicated networks often require unique software, separate and possibly  unique hardware, and specialized training. Air Force’s Modernization Efforts May do Little to Improve the Air Force Satellite Control Network

The Air Force has budgeted about $400 million to modernize the AFSCN  over the next five years, but the planned upgrades will do little to increase  the network’s capability. These efforts are mainly focused on sustaining  the network at its current level of capability, and ignore more than a  decade of research recommending more significant improvements to the  AFSCN. A long-term plan for modernizing the network and any  future shared satellite control operations networks could assist DOD in  making more informed decisions about investments and whether and to  what extent expand satellite control operations capabilities. Commercial Practices Have the Potential to Increase DOD’s Satellite Control Operations Efficiencies

Commercial satellite companies that we spoke with incorporate varying  degrees of interoperability, automation, and other practices into their  satellite control operations networks to decrease programs costs and  increase efficiencies. Over a Decade of Government and Industry Research Supports Applying Commercial Practices to DOD’s Satellite Control Operations

Government and space industry reports for over 10 years have reported  that commercial practices for satellite interoperability may increase the  efficiency and effectiveness of government satellite control operations,  and many of these studies have recommended that DOD adopt these  practices. Though Air Force officials, management at commercial companies, and a  decade of government research agree that there are opportunities to use  commercial practices in Air Force satellite control operations, the Air  Force has generally not implemented these practices. DOD Faces Barriers to Making Improvements to its Satellite Control Networks and Adopting Commercial Practices

While opportunities exist to improve DOD satellite control operations,  there are also barriers that hinder DOD’s ability to make these  improvements. These barriers exist at both at the program level and at  higher management levels within DOD, and include: the lack of a long- term plan for satellite control; limited insight into satellite control  operations spending; no existing requirement to establish a business  case for a program’s satellite control operations approach; and lack of  autonomy at the program level to implement satellite control operations  improvements. DOD is unable to  identify all funding for satellite control operations across all DOD  satellite programs. However, programs are not required to conduct an  analysis to determine a business case for proceeding with a dedicated  or shared network, or to validate their network’s requirements Currently, the lack of cost data means that DOD cannot perform a  cost-benefit analysis to determine whether the potential benefits of  individual programs using dedicated networks outweighs the potential  drawbacks of continued and even increased systemic fragmentation  and inefficiency. Satellite programs do not have the autonomy to implement  improvements to satellite control operations. 2. Develop a department-wide long-term plan for modernizing its Air  Force Satellite Control Network and any future shared satellite  control services and capabilities. This plan should identify  methods that can capture or estimate satellite control costs as well  as authorities that can be given to the program managers to give  them the flexibility needed to ensure ground systems are built to a  common network when the business case analysis shows it to be  beneficial. In its written  comments, DOD concurred with our two recommendations. To assess the status of modernization efforts and the costs associated  with current and planned upgrades and sustainment efforts for the Air  Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN) and other services’ satellite  control efforts, we reviewed the military services’ satellite operations  budget documents for fiscal years 2011 through 2017. Based on interviews and reviews of commercial  documentation and DOD reports on satellite control operations, we  determined that specific commercial practices—such as automation and  commercial off- the-shelf products—may be beneficial to DOD satellite  programs.
Why GAO Did This Study

DOD manages the nation's defense satellites, which are worth at least $13.7 billion, via ground stations located around the world. These ground stations and supporting infrastructure perform three primary functions: monitoring the health of the satellite; ensuring it stays in its proper orbit; (activities collectively known as satellite control operations), and planning, monitoring, and controlling the execution of the overall mission of the satellite. Based on the House Armed Services Committee Report and discussions with defense committee staff, GAO (1) reviewed the Air Force's satellite control operations to assess the potential for fragmentation or duplication, (2) assessed the status of modernization efforts, (3) identified any commercial practices that could improve the Air Force's satellite control operations, and (4) identified any barriers to implementing them. GAO reviewed modernization funding documents, related studies and interviewed DOD and 7 commercial satellite companies, from a nongeneralizable sample selected in part because of their companies' satellite capabilities.

What GAO Found

The Department of Defense (DOD) satellite control networks are fragmented and potentially duplicative. Over the past decade, DOD has increasingly deployed standalone satellite control operations networks, which are designed to operate a single satellite system, as opposed to shared systems that can operate multiple kinds of satellites. Dedicated networks can offer many benefits to programs, including possible lower risks and customization for a particular program's needs. However, they can also be more costly and have led to a fragmented, and potentially duplicative, approach which requires more infrastructure and personnel than shared operations. For example, one Air Force base has 10 satellite programs operated by 8 separate control centers. According to Air Force officials, DOD continues to acquire standalone networks and has not worked to move its current standalone operations towards a shared satellite control network, which could better leverage DOD investments.
The Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN), DOD's primary shared satellite control network, is undergoing modernization efforts, but these will not increase the network's capabilities. The Air Force budgeted about $400 million over the next 5 years for these efforts. However, these efforts primarily focus on sustaining the network at its current level of capability and do not apply a decade of research recommending more significant improvements to the AFSCN that would increase its capabilities.
Commercial practices have the potential to increase the efficiency and decrease costs of DOD satellite control operations. These practices include: interoperability between satellite control operations networks; automation of routine satellite control operations functions; use of commercial off-the-shelf products instead of custom ones; and a "hybrid" network approach which allows a satellite operator to augment its network through another operator's complementary network. Both the Air Force and commercial officials GAO spoke to agree that there are opportunities for the Air Force to increase efficiencies and lower costs through these practices. Numerous studies by DOD and other government groups have recommended implementing or considering these practices, the Air Force has generally not incorporated them into Air Force satellite control operations networks.
DOD faces four barriers that complicate its ability to make improvements to its satellite control networks and adopt commercial practices. First, DOD has no long-term plan for satellite control operations. Second, the agency lacks reliable data on the costs of its current control networks and is unable to isolate satellite control costs from other expenses. Third, there is no requirement for satellite programs to establish a business case for their chosen satellite control operations approach. And fourth, even if program managers wanted to make satellite control operations improvements, they do not have the autonomy to implement changes at the program level. Until DOD begins addressing these barriers by implementing a long-term plan for future satellite control network investments that can capture estimates of satellite control costs as well as authorities that can be given to program managers and incorporates commercial practices, the department's ability to achieve significant improvements in satellite control operations capabilities will be hindered.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that the Secretary of Defense direct future DOD satellite acquisition programs to determine a business case for proceeding with either a dedicated or shared network for that program's satellite control operations and develop a department-wide long-term plan for modernizing its AFSCN and any future shared networks and implementing commercial practices to improve DOD satellite control networks. DOD concurred with our recommendations.