The Federal Aviation Administration believes that it can provide collision warnings for most U.S. Air Force satellites with a budget of under $100 million if the agency will be authorized to do so, Space News reported Wednesday.
Jeff Foust writes the FAA and two industry groups hosted an industry day on a proposal to transfer responsibilities on the delivery of collision warnings for non-military satellites to the agency’s office of commercial space transportation.
“We think we can establish the system for well under — a lot under — $100 million,†said Jeff DeTroye, an FAA AST senior project manager for space traffic management and space situational awareness.
Doug Loverro, deputy assistant defense secretary for space policy, noted that he supports the shift because it would help free up resources for military needs and he also believes that a civil agency should lead the space situational awareness efforts.
“There has been a discussion within the administration of what’s the appropriate agency to lead this… I believe that’s the logical place to put this.â€
George Nield, the FAA’s associate administrator for commercial space transportation, also said that NASA, the Federal Communications Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were under consideration to take on space situational awareness work.
