US National Security and Economic Interests in Remote Sensing
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NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 7500 GEOINT Drive Springfield. Virginia 22150 Steven Aftergood Sent via U.S. mail Federation of American Scientists November 28,2012 1725 Desales Street NW, Suite 600 Re: FOIA Case Number: 20100025F Washington, DC 20036 Dear Mr. Aftergood: This letter responds to your October 29, 2009 Freedom oflnformation Act (FOIA) request, which we received on October 29, 2009. You requested access to documents pertaining to "U.S. National Security and Economic Interests in Remote Sensing: The Evolution of Civil and Commercial Policy by James A. Vedda, Aerospace Corp., February 20, 2009, preparedfor NGA Sensor Assimilation Division." , A search ofNGA's system of records located one document (37 pages) that is responsive to your request. We reviewed the responsive documents and determined they are releasable in full. If you have any questions about the way we handled your request, or about our FOIA regulations or procedures, please contact Elliott Bellinger, Deputy FOIA Program Manager, at 571-557-2994 or by email at [email protected] or via postal mail at: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency FOIA Requester Service Center 7500 GEOINT Drive, MS S71-0GCA Springfield, VA 22150-7500 Sincerely, ~ Elliott Belinger Deputy FOIA Program Manager UNCLASSIFIED AEROSPACE REPORT NO. TOR-2009(3601 )-8539 U.S. National Security and Economic Interests in Remote Sensing: The Evolution of Civil and Commercial Policy 20 February 2009 James A. Yedda NSS Programs Policy and Oversight National Space Systems Engineering Prepared for: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Sensor Assimilation Division Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20191-3449 Contract No. FA8802-09-C-OOO 1 Authorized by: National Systems Group Distribution Statement: Distribution authorized to U.S. government agencies and their contractors only; administrative or operational use, 20 February 2009. Other requests for this document shall be referred to NGAIOIPP. Destruction Notice: For classified, limited documents, follow the procedures in DOD 5200.22- M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), Paragraph 5, Section 7. For unclassified documents, destroy by any method that will prevent disclosure of the contents or reconstruction of the document. UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved I OMB No. 0704-0188 The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Department of Defense. Executive Services and Communications Directorate (0704-0188). Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMP control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ORGANIZATION. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) I 2. REPORT TYPE I 3. DATES COVERED (FROM -TO) 20-02-2009 Contractor Report October I, 2007- September 30,2008 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5A. CONTRACT NUMBER FA8802-04-C-OOO I U.S. National Security and Economic Interests in 58. GRANT NUMBER Remote Sensing: The Evolution of Civil and Commercial Policy 5C. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S)* 50. PROJECT NUMBER J. A. YEDDA 5E. TASK NUMBER SF. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME{S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER The Aerospace Corporation, Center for Space Policy & Strategy, 1000 Wilson TOR-2009(360 I )-8539 Blvd., Suite 2600, Arlington, VA 22209 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S ACRONYM(S) National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency NGNOIPP Sensor Assimilation 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT NUMBER(S) 12. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT U.S. GOVERNMENT AND CONTRACTORS 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT lbe Aerospace Corporation prepared this report in partial fulfillment of a study for NGA on balancing national security and economic equities in satellite remote sensing. The report chronicles the policy history of civil and commercial remote sensing from 1960 through 2008. It highlights the difficulties in establishing a consistent government role in a field where public good and private profit exist side-by-side, and where business interests have the potential to contribute to and conflict with national security interests. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Commercial Remote Sensing, Civil Remote Sensing 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION 18. NUMBER 19A. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON A. REPORT B. ABSTRACT C. THIS PAGE OF ABSTRACT OF PAGES James A. Yedda u u u uu 30 198. TELEPHONE NUMBER (INCLUDE AREA CODE) (703) 812-7042 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED AEROSPACE REPORT NO. TOR-2009(3601 )-8539 U.S. National Security and Economic Interests in Remote Sensing: The Evolution of Civil and Commercial Policy 20 February 2009 James A. Yedda NSS Programs Policy and Oversight National Space Systems Engineering Prepared for: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Sensor Assimilation Division Sunrise Valley Drive Reston, VA 20191-3449 Contract No. FA8802-09-C-0001 Authorized by: National Systems Group Distribution Statement: Distribution authorized to U.S. government agencies and their contractors only; administrative or operational use, 20 February 2009. Other requests for this document shall be referred to NGAIOIPP. Destruction Notice: For classified, limited documents, follow the procedures in DOD 5200.22- M, National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual {NISPOM), Paragraph 5, Section 7. For unclassified documents, destroy by any method that will prevent disclosure of the contents or reconstruction of the document. UNCLASSIFIED AEROSPACE REPORT NO. TOR-2009(3601 )-8539 U.S. National Security and Economic Interests in Remote Sensing: The Evolution of Civil and Commercial Policy Approved by: -") ./)~~ [1~r;~ : Allan W. LeGrow Principal Director National Space Systems Engineering Systems Planning and Engineering UNCLASSIFIED 11 UNCLASSIFIED Table of Contents I. Civil Remote Sensing Programs, 1960-1992 ........................................................................................ I 1.1 Weather Satellites ...................................................................................................................... I 1.2 Human Earth Observation ......................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Landsat: Experimental or Operational System? ........................................................................ 3 1.4 A Failed Attempt at Privatization ............................................................................................. .4 1.5 Factors Affecting the Viability of Commercial Remote Sensing .............................................. 8 1.6 Foreign Interest Leads to a Proliferation of Orbital Observers ................................................. 9 2. Civil and Commercial Remote Sensing, 1992-2008 .......................................................................... 13 2.1 Corrective Action on Remote Sensing Policy ......................................................................... 13 2.2 Commercial Remote Sensing Policy Takes Shape ................................................................. 15 2.3 Recent Developments in Civil Remote Sensing ..................................................................... 21 Acronyms .................................................................................................................................................... 29 List of Figures Figure I. Commercial Remote Sensing Industry Evolution ........................................................................ 20 Figure 2. Earth Science Mission Profile 1997-2003 .................................................................................... 25 Figure 3. Earth Science Mission Profile 2004-2011.. .................................................................................. 26 UNCLASSIFIED iii UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED IV UNCLASSIFIED Foreword The documentation and study of lessons learned is an important tool for guiding policy formulation and implementation, just as it is for technology development and operations. The policy history of civil and commercial remote sensing goes back to the beginning of the space age and is closely intertwined with national security policy. It has been remarkably difficult to establish a consistent government role in a field where public good and private profit exist side-by-side, and where business interests have the potential to both contribute to and conflict with national security interests. Despite a number of important achievements in remote sensing technology and applications, the policy history in this area is riddled with missteps, delays, and indecision. As the nation becomes increasingly dependent on civil and commercial satellite remote sensing capabilities for environmental monitoring, climate studies, resource and land use management, and support to national security needs, the errors of the past must be avoided so that the required capabilities can be provided in an affordable and timely manner. This report is a component of a larger project begun in fiscal year 2008 by The