The report, "Future Management and Use of U.S. Space Launch Bases and Ranges," evaluates the current roles and responsibilities of federal government agencies and the U.S. commercial space sector.

A combination of incremental technological advances and growth in the domestic commercial market in space launches was partly responsible for the creation of the interagency working group, which focused on policy and management issues.

"Over the past five years, a significant transition has occurred," said Dr. Neal Lane, assistant to the president for science and technology, in written remarks. "U.S. commercial launch rates have more than tripled since the early 1990s and now make up about 40 percent of the launch manifest at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla."

According to Mr. Richard McCormick, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for space plans and policy, the Air Force was tasked to facilitate commercial growth using existing facilities and capabilities.

The expanded partnership between industry and government was conceived and advocated in the interagency working group by the Air Force, which has examined the issue for more than a year.

According to Col. Stan Mushaw, director, space policy, planning and strategy, the report's focus was to "manifest more efficient operations, improve operational flexibility, and to give all customers a greater voice in the process."

Taking a long-range view, the White House working group evaluated potential changes to the operation and modernization of the nation's major space launch bases and ranges operated by the Air Force.

By 2006, the Air Force will have invested about $1.6 billion above operations and maintenance costs to modernize launch facilities and to accommodate advances in technology.

According to Air Force Space Command officials, much of the same equipment used on the range when then-Astronaut John Glenn embarked on his first mission into space in 1962 was used when he made his second mission in 1998.

The White House report recommends a national strategy that builds on the Air Force's plans to continue the Range Standardization and Automation program and restructuring range contracts in ways that improve efficiency.

In addition to greater flexibility and operational management, recommendations include a national strategy that builds on planned changes with a series of near-term steps that include:

• Encouraging, permitting and maximizing use of non-federal funding, where appropriate, for the continued maintenance and modernization of the launch bases and ranges to meet national needs;

• Options for replacing the "excess capacity" construct in the current law to allow a more complete federal-state-industry partnership to develop;

• Common range safety requirements for government and commercial launches at federal and nonfederal launch sites; and

• Developing and demonstrating next-generation range technology, with a focused charter to improve safety, increase flexibility and capacity, and lower costs for reusable and expendable launches.

With an eye toward cooperation, the Air Force has managed to put mechanisms in place that benefit government and private sectors.

The goal has been to "come up with the best plan to maximize the effectiveness of everyone's investment," McCormick said. "The Air Force is proud of where we are in terms of helping the industry grow, and we're looking forward to taking the next logical steps to defend America and to continue growth."

Complete Report in PDF (280 KB)

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