Not quite COTS

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...74.html?sub=AR

Pentagon approves spy satellite program
By PAMELA HESS
The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 17, 2008; 9:09 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has approved plans to buy and launch two
commercial-class imagery satellites to complement its classified
constellation of spy craft.

The Pentagon will also increase the amount of imagery purchased from
private companies operating similar satellites already in the sky.

The decision last week caps months of wrangling between the Air Force,
the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Intelligence
Directors Office and the Office of the Secretary of Defense over
whether to buy and operate commercial satellites, or to pump the money
into buying dramatically more imagery from the commercial companies
that already have similar satellites in orbit.

The National Reconnaissance Office will buy two commercial satellites
for about $1.7 billion. The satellites are to be launched around 2012,
according to Pentagon documents obtained by The Associated Press.

But critics of the program say the Pentagon is spending billions to
recreate and compete with private companies like GeoEye of Dulles,
Va., and DigitalGlobe of Longmont, Colo., which are expected to put
four new satellites into orbit by 2013. On its face the decision
conflicts with the president's national security space policy, which
directs the government to buy as much commercial imagery as possible
to help the companies withstand competition from subsidized foreign
satellite companies.

An intelligence official said Wednesday that the deal must still
survive White House and Office of Management and Budget muster.

Purchasing the imagery from the companies may also be less expensive.
The GeoEye 1 satellite was launched on Sept. 6 for $502 million,
including the satellite, launch, insurance and four ground stations,
according to company spokesman Mark Brender. It is expected to begin
taking 16-inch resolution imagery this weekend.

The Pentagon may decide to turn over operation of the new satellites
to the private companies, the internal document notes.

The new satellites will comprise the Broad Area Space-Based Imagery
Collection satellite system, or BASIC. They will also have 16-inch
resolution. They could be used to spy on enemy troop movements, spot
construction at suspected nuclear sites or alert commanders to
militant training camps. Their still images would be pieced together
with higher resolution secret satellites into one large mosaic.

The new satellite system is meant to bridge what intelligence agencies
fear will become a gap caused by the cancellation in September 2005 of
a major component of the Future Imagery Architecture system overseen
by the National Reconnaissance Office. The primary contractor, The
Boeing Co., headquartered in Chicago, ran into technical problems
developing the satellite and spent nearly $10 billion, blowing its
budget by $3 billion to $5 billion before the Pentagon pulled the
plug, according to industry experts and government reports.

A single satellite can visit one spot on Earth once or twice every
day. BASIC's additional satellites will allow multiple passes over the
same sites, alerting U.S. government users to potential trouble,
humanitarian crises or natural disasters such as floods.

International air space doesn't stop at 100 km, and more than China
knows how to terminate a satellite.

How would you like knowing that our big brother and family of spooks,
or perhaps those cloak and dagger goons of the KGB or MI5 and company
of whomever pays their way in, could see hourly or more often as to
where each of your children are, and otherwise to a great extent
monitor what they or those of your personal friends are up to? (except
never allowing yourself to see or benefit from this public funded
technology)

However, would any of this have prevented 9/11? (I don't think so)

How about merely preventing train to train wrecks? (I don't think so)

Would this have done the jobs of our SEC or FEMA? (I don't think so)

~ Brad Guth Brad_Guth Brad.Guth BradGuth BG


Allen Thomson wrote:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...74.html?sub=AR

Pentagon approves spy satellite program
By PAMELA HESS
The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 17, 2008; 9:09 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has approved plans to buy and launch two
commercial-class imagery satellites to complement its classified
constellation of spy craft.

The Pentagon will also increase the amount of imagery purchased from
private companies operating similar satellites already in the sky.

The decision last week caps months of wrangling between the Air Force,
the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Intelligence
Directors Office and the Office of the Secretary of Defense over
whether to buy and operate commercial satellites, or to pump the money
into buying dramatically more imagery from the commercial companies
that already have similar satellites in orbit.

The National Reconnaissance Office will buy two commercial satellites
for about $1.7 billion. The satellites are to be launched around 2012,
according to Pentagon documents obtained by The Associated Press.

But critics of the program say the Pentagon is spending billions to
recreate and compete with private companies like GeoEye of Dulles,
Va., and DigitalGlobe of Longmont, Colo., which are expected to put
four new satellites into orbit by 2013. On its face the decision
conflicts with the president's national security space policy, which
directs the government to buy as much commercial imagery as possible
to help the companies withstand competition from subsidized foreign
satellite companies.

An intelligence official said Wednesday that the deal must still
survive White House and Office of Management and Budget muster.

Purchasing the imagery from the companies may also be less expensive.
The GeoEye 1 satellite was launched on Sept. 6 for $502 million,
including the satellite, launch, insurance and four ground stations,
according to company spokesman Mark Brender. It is expected to begin
taking 16-inch resolution imagery this weekend.

The Pentagon may decide to turn over operation of the new satellites
to the private companies, the internal document notes.

The new satellites will comprise the Broad Area Space-Based Imagery
Collection satellite system, or BASIC. They will also have 16-inch
resolution. They could be used to spy on enemy troop movements, spot
construction at suspected nuclear sites or alert commanders to
militant training camps. Their still images would be pieced together
with higher resolution secret satellites into one large mosaic.

The new satellite system is meant to bridge what intelligence agencies
fear will become a gap caused by the cancellation in September 2005 of
a major component of the Future Imagery Architecture system overseen
by the National Reconnaissance Office. The primary contractor, The
Boeing Co., headquartered in Chicago, ran into technical problems
developing the satellite and spent nearly $10 billion, blowing its
budget by $3 billion to $5 billion before the Pentagon pulled the
plug, according to industry experts and government reports.

A single satellite can visit one spot on Earth once or twice every
day. BASIC's additional satellites will allow multiple passes over the
same sites, alerting U.S. government users to potential trouble,
humanitarian crises or natural disasters such as floods.

On Sep 18, 6:56 am, BradGuth wrote:
International air space doesn't stop at 100 km, and more than China
knows how to terminate a satellite.

How would you like knowing that our big brother and family of spooks,
or perhaps those cloak and dagger goons of the KGB or MI5 and company
of whomever pays their way in, could see hourly or more often as to
where each of your children are, and otherwise to a great extent
monitor what they or those of your personal friends are up to? (except
never allowing yourself to see or benefit from this public funded
technology)

However, would any of this have prevented 9/11? (I don't think so)

How about merely preventing train to train wrecks? (I don't think so)

Would this have done the jobs of our SEC or FEMA? (I don't think so)

~ Brad Guth Brad_Guth Brad.Guth BradGuth BG

Allen Thomson wrote:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...08/09/17/AR200...

Pentagon approves spy satellite program
By PAMELA HESS
The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 17, 2008; 9:09 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has approved plans to buy and launch two
commercial-class imagery satellites to complement its classified
constellation of spy craft.

The Pentagon will also increase the amount of imagery purchased from
private companies operating similar satellites already in the sky.

The decision last week caps months of wrangling between the Air Force,
the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Intelligence
Directors Office and the Office of the Secretary of Defense over
whether to buy and operate commercial satellites, or to pump the money
into buying dramatically more imagery from the commercial companies
that already have similar satellites in orbit.

The National Reconnaissance Office will buy two commercial satellites
for about $1.7 billion. The satellites are to be launched around 2012,
according to Pentagon documents obtained by The Associated Press.

But critics of the program say the Pentagon is spending billions to
recreate and compete with private companies like GeoEye of Dulles,
Va., and DigitalGlobe of Longmont, Colo., which are expected to put
four new satellites into orbit by 2013. On its face the decision
conflicts with the president's national security space policy, which
directs the government to buy as much commercial imagery as possible
to help the companies withstand competition from subsidized foreign
satellite companies.

An intelligence official said Wednesday that the deal must still
survive White House and Office of Management and Budget muster.

Purchasing the imagery from the companies may also be less expensive.
The GeoEye 1 satellite was launched on Sept. 6 for $502 million,
including the satellite, launch, insurance and four ground stations,
according to company spokesman Mark Brender. It is expected to begin
taking 16-inch resolution imagery this weekend.

The Pentagon may decide to turn over operation of the new satellites
to the private companies, the internal document notes.

The new satellites will comprise the Broad Area Space-Based Imagery
Collection satellite system, or BASIC. They will also have 16-inch
resolution. They could be used to spy on enemy troop movements, spot
construction at suspected nuclear sites or alert commanders to
militant training camps. Their still images would be pieced together
with higher resolution secret satellites into one large mosaic.

The new satellite system is meant to bridge what intelligence agencies
fear will become a gap caused by the cancellation in September 2005 of
a major component of the Future Imagery Architecture system overseen
by the National Reconnaissance Office. The primary contractor, The
Boeing Co., headquartered in Chicago, ran into technical problems
developing the satellite and spent nearly $10 billion, blowing its
budget by $3 billion to $5 billion before the Pentagon pulled the
plug, according to industry experts and government reports.

A single satellite can visit one spot on Earth once or twice every
day. BASIC's additional satellites will allow multiple passes over the
same sites, alerting U.S. government users to potential trouble,
humanitarian crises or natural disasters such as floods.

Oops! I'd meant to say national airspace doesn't stop at 100 km.

~ BG

On Sep 18, 9:59*am, BradGuth wrote:
On Sep 18, 6:56 am, BradGuth wrote:





International air space doesn't stop at 100 km, and more than China
knows how to terminate a satellite.

How would you like knowing that our big brother and family of spooks,
or perhaps those cloak and dagger goons of the KGB or MI5 and company
of whomever pays their way in, could see hourly or more often as to
where each of your children are, and otherwise to a great extent
monitor what they or those of your personal friends are up to? (except
never allowing yourself to see or benefit from this public funded
technology)

However, would any of this have prevented 9/11? (I don't think so)

How about merely preventing train to train wrecks? (I don't think so)

Would this have done the jobs of our SEC or FEMA? (I don't think so)

* ~ Brad Guth Brad_Guth Brad.Guth BradGuth BG

Allen Thomson wrote:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...08/09/17/AR200....

Pentagon approves spy satellite program
By PAMELA HESS
The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 17, 2008; 9:09 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has approved plans to buy and launch two
commercial-class imagery satellites to complement its classified
constellation of spy craft.

The Pentagon will also increase the amount of imagery purchased from
private companies operating similar satellites already in the sky.

The decision last week caps months of wrangling between the Air Force,
the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Intelligence
Directors Office and the Office of the Secretary of Defense over
whether to buy and operate commercial satellites, or to pump the money
into buying dramatically more imagery from the commercial companies
that already have similar satellites in orbit.

The National Reconnaissance Office will buy two commercial satellites
for about $1.7 billion. The satellites are to be launched around 2012,
according to Pentagon documents obtained by The Associated Press.

But critics of the program say the Pentagon is spending billions to
recreate and compete with private companies like GeoEye of Dulles,
Va., and DigitalGlobe of Longmont, Colo., which are expected to put
four new satellites into orbit by 2013. On its face the decision
conflicts with the president's national security space policy, which
directs the government to buy as much commercial imagery as possible
to help the companies withstand competition from subsidized foreign
satellite companies.

An intelligence official said Wednesday that the deal must still
survive White House and Office of Management and Budget muster.

Purchasing the imagery from the companies may also be less expensive.
The GeoEye 1 satellite was launched on Sept. 6 for $502 million,
including the satellite, launch, insurance and four ground stations,
according to company spokesman Mark Brender. It is expected to begin
taking 16-inch resolution imagery this weekend.

The Pentagon may decide to turn over operation of the new satellites
to the private companies, the internal document notes.

The new satellites will comprise the Broad Area Space-Based Imagery
Collection satellite system, or BASIC. They will also have 16-inch
resolution. They could be used to spy on enemy troop movements, spot
construction at suspected nuclear sites or alert commanders to
militant training camps. Their still images would be pieced together
with higher resolution secret satellites into one large mosaic.

The new satellite system is meant to bridge what intelligence agencies
fear will become a gap caused by the cancellation in September 2005 of
a major component of the Future Imagery Architecture system overseen
by the National Reconnaissance Office. The primary contractor, The
Boeing Co., headquartered in Chicago, ran into technical problems
developing the satellite and spent nearly $10 billion, blowing its
budget by $3 billion to $5 billion before the Pentagon pulled the
plug, according to industry experts and government reports.

A single satellite can visit one spot on Earth once or twice every
day. BASIC's additional satellites will allow multiple passes over the
same sites, alerting U.S. government users to potential trouble,
humanitarian crises or natural disasters such as floods.

Oops! *I'd meant to say national airspace doesn't stop at 100 km.


There is HUGE irony with this little correction of yours given the
magnitude of all your other erroneous posts. In short, why bother
correcting this one given all your others.

Eric