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SBSS Constellation
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In January 2001, a commission headed by then US Defense Secretary-designate Donald Rumsfeld warned about a possible “space Pearl Harbor” in which a potential enemy would launch a surprise attack against US-based military space assets, disabling them. These assets include communications satellites and the GPS system, which is crucial for precision attack missiles and a host of military systems.

“The US is more dependent on space than any other nation. Yet the threat to the US and its allies in and from space does not command the attention it merits,” the commission warned.

One of the systems that grew out of the commission’s report was the Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) project, which is developing a constellation of satellites to provide the US military with space situational awareness using visible sensors. After a slow start, SBSS Block 10 reached a significant milestone in August 2012 with its Initial Operational Capability, followed by full operational capability less than a year later. But lack of funding casts as shadow on whether this capability will be maintained beyond 2017. By 2014/15 the Air Force worked on a stopgap project as well as an effort to obtain proper funding for follow on satellites to be launched at the start of next decade.

Space Tracking SBSS Concept
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The SBSS system is intended to detect and track space objects, such as satellites, anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, and orbital debris, providing information to the US Department of Defense as well as NASA. The SBSS is a stepping stone toward a functional space-based space surveillance constellation.

The SBSS is a follow-on to the Mid-Course Space Experiment/ Space-Based Visible (MSX/SBV) sensor. The initial SBSS satellite is expected to improve the US government’s ability to detect deep space objects by 80% over the MSX/SBV system.

The MSX/SBV system was a late 1990s missile defense test satellite; by 2002 most of its sensors had failed. However, 1 small package called the SBV sensor was able to search and track satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) using visible light. This sensor lowered the number of “lost” objects in GEO orbit by a factor of 2.

Building on the success of the MSX/SBV visible sensor, the SBSS Block 10 further develops the technology and replace the SBV sensor. Block 10 involves the development of 1 satellite as a pathfinder for a full-constellation of space-based sensors.

The SBSS Block 20 constellation is expected to include 4 satellites when fully developed and the SBSS constellation was originally expected to be operational in FY 2013.

However, delays have plagued the system. In late 2005, an independent review team found that the program’s baseline was not executable; that the assembly, integration, and test plan was risky; and that the requirements were overstated. The SBSS program was restructured in early 2006 due to cost growth and schedule delays. The restructuring increased funding and schedule margin; streamlined the assembly, integration, and test plan; and relaxed requirements. The launch of the initial satellite was delayed and costs increased by about $130 million over initial estimates.

Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor for the SBSS system, awarded a Boeing-led team that includes Ball Aerospace and Harris Technologies a contract to develop and deploy the Block 10 SBSS Pathfinder satellite and ground system. The program itself was back on track, but funding for follow-on was then nixed several years in a row.

Contracts and Key Events

6 19/15: The Space Based Space Surveillance Block 10 program benefited from a $11.5 million contract with Boeing on Thursday, with this to provide sustainment and development work. The SBSS program needs a follow-on to the existing satellites in orbit, with the Air Force arranging an industry day in January in order to present its acquisition strategy. Principally this involves the planned procurement of three new satellites, with a rough schedule of these entering service before 2021.

Jan. 2015: SBSS FO revival? The SBSS program office plans to hold an industry day on January 22 in El Segundo, CA to discuss their acquisition strategy for the satellite’s stalled follow on. Air Force Space Command has sought $251 million over the FY16-19 FYDP to restart work on a program involving 3 smaller satellites in low Earth orbit, with the 1st launch around 2021 or 2022. It’s not the size of the sats that matters to provide real-time, all-weather access, but rather their orbital position.

Attendants will also be debriefed on the Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) latest results with the ORS-5’s System Capability Demonstration, an effort involving the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Lincoln Laboratory that may bridge the gap between SBSS’ end of life and the launch of its follow on.

Sources: FBO: solicitation FA8819-15-C-0006 | Spaceflight Now: “Air Force satellite to continue tracking of space traffic” | Space News: “U.S. Air Force Planning Three-satellite Replacement for SBSS“.

March 2014: follow on delayed. The US Air Force’s FY 2015 budget request delays delivery of the SBSS follow-on by a year, which suggests that it’s not entirely dead, but rather frozen.

April 2013: follow on cancelled. As per the USAF’s RDTE FY 2014 budget request, “the SBSS Follow-on program was terminated in FY14 and beyond to pay for higher department priorities.” This is not a surprise as Congress had already cut into follow on funding as early as FY11.

April 1/13: FOC. US STRATCOM declares that the SBSS satellite has reached Full Operational Capability.

Aug 20/12: Air Force Space Command declares Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the Space Based Space Surveillance Block 10 satellite. IOC marks a certain level of program maturity within the Production and Deployment (P&D) phase of the acquisition lifecycle. This follows an IOT&E phase conducted in March-April 2011 that DOT&E found adequate [PDF].

According to the GAO’s FY2012 report on space acquisitions, the Air Force decided to wait before asking for follow-up funding given the size the funds required, but this might be in play for FY2013.

IOC

Feb 23/11: The SBSS satellite begins full operational duty within the Air Force’s 1st Space Operations Squadron in the 50th Operations Group, 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. It is operated 24/7 by a a crew of 4 consisting of a mission commander, mission crew chief, payload systems operator and satellite systems operator.

Operational

Sept 25/10: The Air Force successfully launched the 1st SBSS satellite, Block 10, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, aboard an Orbital Sciences’ Minotaur IV rocket. Block 20 will provide more robust capability and will be composed of a constellation of 4 satellites.

Launch

Jan 15/10: Boeing in Seal Beach, CA received a $30.9 million contract exercising the option for CY2010 maintenance and operations services to provide the requirements for the development and delivery of the logistics infrastructure of the Space Based Space Surveillance Block 10 system. At this time, $7.8 million has been obligated. The SMC/SYSW in El Segundo, CA manages the contract (FA8819-08-C-0006, P00014).

Oct 6/09: A planned launch of the Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) satellite aboard a Minotaur 4 rocket was delayed indefinitely due to technical concerns with the launch vehicle, the USAF said. The SBSS launch is slated to take place from Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA.

Feb 5/09: Boeing announced that it successfully completed initial satellite testing and demonstrated end-to-end mission functionality of the ground and space systems of the integrated Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) system.

The SBSS team demonstrated end-to-end mission functionality starting with the generation of mission plans in the Satellite Operations Center at Schriever Air Force Base, CO, in response to simulated tasking. These plans were sent via the encrypted Air Force satellite control network to command the flight space vehicle in Boulder, CO, to take images using the payload optics. The Boeing-led team also demonstrated progress toward operational readiness by completing the second full mission exercise. The exercise employed a mission scenario using the SBSS ground segment and a space vehicle simulator.

April 21/08: The Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) System Block 10 team announced completion of the payload electronics, high-speed gimbal and testing of the space vehicle’s visible sensor, enabling the start of payload integration and test.

The SBSS gimbal and visible sensor enable responsive tasking as events in space warrant. The Boeing-provided onboard payload computer performs immediate detection of space objects and provides future capability for improved Block 10 performance.

Dec 11/07: Boeing announced that it had successfully completed a series of Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) system tests as part of the development of a new operational sensor for the U.S. Space Surveillance Network.

Tests of the SBSS system’s visible sensor, payload electronics and high speed gimbal further validate that the enhanced capability of SBSS will be twice as fast, substantially more sensitive and 10 times more accurate than the capabilities currently on orbit, resulting in improved detection of threats to America’s space assets.

May 9/07: Northrop Grumman Missions Systems in Carson, CA received a $97 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to the Space Based Space Surveillance contract. The modificaiton is being issued to increase the contract value to recognize a subcontract overrun. No additional work is being added to the contract by this modification. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contract(FA8819-04-C-0002/P00055).

April 23/07: Northrop Grumman Mission Systems in Carson, CA received a $20.5 million cost-plus-award-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to the Space Based Space Surveillance contract to transfer work from Northrop Grumman Mission Systems to Boeing as part of a program restructure. The work transferred includes external interface management, program protection support, on-orbit support and certification and accreditation. This modification also adds additional systems testing requirements to the contract. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contract (FA8819-04-C-0002/P00052).

Oct 23/06: Northrop Grumman Mission Systems in Carson, CA received a $13 million cost-plus-award fee and cost-plus-fixed fee contract modification incorporating the re-planned program schedule for the Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) system due to budget reduction in FY 2003 and FY 2004. It also incorporates a program launch slip from June 2007 to December 2008 for SBSS. The award will be made to Northrop Grumman Mission Systems as a contractor modification to an existing contract. The Space Superiority Systems Wing at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contract (FA8819-04-C-0002/P00039).

Dec 17/04: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp. in Redondo Beach, CA received a $223.2 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification to develop and deliver a Space Based Space Surveillance Pathfinder satellite. This modification definitizes the unpriced supplemental agreement awarded March 26/04 (with a not-to-exceed clause) of $46 million. The location of performance are Boeing in Huntington Beach, CA, and Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. in Boulder, CO. At this time, $82.7 million of the funds have been obligated. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contract (FA8819-04-C-0002, P00016).

Oct 20/04: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems in Redondo, Calif., is being awarded an $9 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification. The Northrop Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS) is currently on contract to develop and deliver a Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) Pathfinder satellite. This change order incorporates design changes critical to the development, launch and operation of the SBSS system. The award will be made to NGMS as a change order to an existing contract. At this time, $36,000 of the funds have been obligated. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contract (FA8819-04-C-0002, P00011).

May 20/04: A Boeing/Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. team received a $189 million contract from the US Air Force for the Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) system. Ball Aerospace is responsible for the space segment including spacecraft bus and visible sensor payload. The team will develop a satellite and the ground segment, and will provide launch services. The team will also be responsible for mission planning, mission data processing and operation of the system for up to one year, prior to transitioning it to the Air Force. The Boeing/Ball team was chosen for the SBSS subcontract by Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, acting on behalf of the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.

March 24/04: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems in Redondo Beach, CA received a $46 million cost-plus-award-fee contract. Northrop Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS) will develop and deliver a Space Based Space Surveillance Pathfinder satellite. These efforts include the purchase of materials and services necessary to design, build, launch and operate this single satellite with a visible sensor payload and to design, build and operate a ground segment to support initial satellite operations. The award will be made to NGMS as an undefinitized contract action to an existing contract. The locations of performance are Boeing in Huntington Beach, CA, and Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. in Boulder, CO. At this time, $23 million has been obligated. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA manages the contract (FA8819-04-C-0002).

Additional Reading

• Boeing – Space Based Surveillance (SBSS) System

• GlobalSecurity.org – Space Based Space Surveillance

• Wikipedia – Space Based Space Surveillance

• Deagel.com – Space-Based Space Surveillance System

• Space News (Oct 6/09) – Minotaur 4 Concerns Delay Launch of Space-Based Space Surveillance Sat

• Boeing (Feb 5/09) – Boeing SBSS System Progressing Toward 1st Launch

• Boeing (April 21/08) – Boeing and Ball Aerospace Achieve New Milestone for SBSS Program

• Boeing (Dec 11/07) – Boeing Completes Key Space Based Space Surveillance System Tests

• US Congress (Jan 11/01) – Report of the Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization

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Le titre de mon nouveau post de blog est un clin d'œil à ceux d'entre vous, chers lecteurs, qui sont journalistes. « URGENT » en tête de titre, dans le jargon des journalistes agenciers est un mot qui sert à informer les utilisateurs que l'info en question mérite une attention particulière et qu'elle sera sans doute amenée à évoluer et sera donc suivie très rapidement de nouvelles dépêches pour expliquer les développements. Dans le jargon, donc, on dit qu' « un urgent est tombé ».
Bref. J'étais en train de (...)

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

June 18, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on Thursday defended the rejection of the South African government to arrest and hand over Sudanese president, Omer Hassan al-Bashir, to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Ethiopian prime minister Haile Mariam Desalegn (Photo: Getty Images)

Earlier this week, the South African government came under huge pressures from rights groups, ICC and international community to deliver Bashir to the war crimes court in response to two arrest warrants issued against him since 2009 and 2010.

Speaking in a meeting with a visiting Sudanese media delegation Desalegn said the South African government wasn't cooperating with the ICC to arrest the Sudanese President as some reports speculated.

The Ethiopian prime minister said the attempt to arrest the Sudanese president was instigated by non-governmental organizations and not the South African government.

71-year-old Bashir, who was re-elected recently for a new term was in Johannesburg to attend the 25th Ordinary Summit of the African Union.

However, shortly after his arrival in South Africa on Sunday, a South African court ordered the Sudanese president not to leave the country until decision is made on whether he should be sent to ICC to stand trial over alleged war crimes.

In defiance of a court order and amide urgent calls for his arrest, the Sudanese president, however flew home on Monday after the South African government reportedly let him leave the country despite the court's decision.

Dessalegn, who also is IGAD chairperson, assured that his country “objects the imposition on African leaders” for which Ethiopia along with the African Union will continue to struggle against "such injustice".

African states have repeatedly accused ICC of double standards arguing the Hague based court was only targeting political leaders in Africa but not to those war criminals elsewhere.

During the African summit in South Africa, AU chairman Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, has urged African leaders to pull out of the ICC.

South Africa's ruling party (ANC) has also slammed ICC recent attempt to arrest the Sudanese president and voiced support to the Africa Union's position for amendment to the Rome Statute.

The visit of the Sudanese media delegation to Ethiopia was part of the ongoing efforts to cement existing strong relationship between Ethiopia and Sudan and address regional concerns.

During the meeting, Desalegn briefed the 22-member Sudanese media team, on bilateral relations, Ethiopia's plan to use Sudanese port and boosting investment with Sudan as well as on the ongoing South Sudan peace process.

Also, he briefed the delegation on Ethiopia's multi-billion dollar Nile dam project which had been a source of dispute with Egypt and the current tripartite relations and progress achieved with that regard.

The Sudanese media delegation have visited Addis Ababa light railway network, transformer factory and Addis Ababa university Science Faculty.

(ST)

June 18, 2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – South Sudan's former vice-president, Riek Machar, who leads an armed opposition faction against president Salva Kiir's government, has written to the United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki Moon, over what he said were “many shortcomings” in a proposed draft agreement by the East African regional bloc, IGAD, in order to end the 18-month long civil war in the young country.

South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar gives a press conference in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on 12 May 2014 (Photo: AFP/Zacharias Abubeker)

Machar said the document which the IGAD special envoys proposed mainly on power-sharing and security arrangements, and distributed to regional heads of state and government as the basis for a final peace agreement, would not bring peace between the warring parties.

“I am writing to point out the shortcomings in the IGAD Special Envoys' document that is distributed to the Heads of State and Government…However, this document has many shortcomings and leaves a lot of problems unaddressed,” partly reads the letter to the UN secretary general, dated 11 June, which copy Sudan Tribune has obtained.

In the six-page long letter, Machar narrated to the UN chief in details “fundamental” issues that should have been addressed by IGAD proposal, but not addressed, and the faults in their proposal in regard to various outstanding issues.

For instance, the armed opposition leader criticized IGAD proposal for leaving out the issue of compensation and reparation of victims of what he said was a genocide in the capital, Juba, and beyond that allegedly left over 20,000 people dead, mainly from the Nuer ethnic community, killed in cold blood by president Salva Kiir's presidential guards and allied ethnic Dinka militias from his home region of Bahr el Ghazal.

He also reiterated his call for release and publication of report of the African Union's (AU) Commission of Inquiry on the crimes committed and for those responsible to be held accountable, saying non-disclosure of the report implied lack of transparency. He also decried the dire situation faced by over a hundred thousand internally displaced persons in the UN camps across the war-torn country.

The rebel leader said a hybrid court to try those responsible for the war crimes and crimes against humanity should be established outside South Sudan, and that a program of reconciliation should also be anchored to final peace agreement. He stressed that many of the present problems persisted because the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between South Sudan and Sudan in January 2005 did not address the issue of reconciliation internally in South Sudan.

The opposition leader further argued that federal system of governance should be part and parcel of a final peace agreement and implemented in the transitional period, saying this had been a popular demand of the people since 1947 and should not be referred to future permanent constitutional making process.

On institutional reforms he said there was need to overhaul the system in all its sectors and expressed pessimism that such a change would not take place under the current leadership in South Sudan.

“The current regime has been described as kleptocracy. I agree with this description. It is corrupt. It is difficult to envisage any reforms under the current leadership. However difficult, fundamental reforms must be done in the economy, security, public service, judiciary and political pluralism practice,” he said.

In the area of security arrangements, Machar attacked the IGAD proposal, saying it only limited scope of ceasefire to the three states of the oil-rich Upper Nile region, which included Unity, Upper Nile and Jonglei, leaving out the other seven states of Central, Eastern and Western Equatoria states in the greater Equatoria region and the four states of Lakes, Warrap, Northern and Western Bahr el Ghazal in the greater Bahr el Ghazal region.

He said war started in the national capital, Juba, and spread to the other states, adding that the war was also raging and spreading to the other two regions.

Machar also argued in the letter to the UN chief that although the intensity of the war was being felt in greater Upper Nile, government forces fighting in the three Upper Nile states came from all the ten states of the country.

He proposed that the national capital plus all the ten states capitals and other major towns must be demilitarized and the United Nations peacekeepers in the country take over the security of these capitals and major towns.

The rebel leader further said both the opposition forces and forces of the government should be cantoned, and described IGAD's proposal on security arrangements as only biasedly targeting the rebel forces.

“Cantonment must include regime's forces. IGAD proposal tackles only SPLM/SPLA forces. It is a project for disarmament of SPLM/SPLA, that is a disaster plan and cannot contribute to peace,” he said.

He also added that the proposed 18 months for reunification process of the two rival armies during a transitional period was not feasible as the process needed a lot of activities before they could come under a unified command.

“Unification of both SPLM/SPLA and GRSS forces involves selection, amalgamation, integration, training, deployment of the unified forces (Army, Police, Correctional Services, Fire Brigades and Wildlife and National Security) under unified command. This task cannot be completed in 18 months period,” he told the UN secretary general.

On the ceasefire agreement signed between the two warring parties since 23 January 2014, he said this could not hold because one of IGAD's member states, Uganda, plus “four” Sudanese rebels and Chadian rebels involved in the war on the side of president Kiir's government.

“This agreement was born dead,” he said.

On power-sharing he said this should be applied across the ten states of the country, including the other seven states of Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria, not only in the three states of Upper Nile region. He also questioned the logic behind IGAD's proposed 33% of share to the government, saying populations in Upper Nile region had risen against the government. He added that war was also going on in the other regions against the government.

Machar further stressed that the document failed to share power in the Council of States, an upper house of the national legislature.

He also criticized the draft proposal for giving more percentage to only “10 individuals” known as former detainees than all the 16 opposition political parties combined in the country. He said these individuals were also lumped with 7% share in Upper Nile region although some of them did not come from the region.

The rebel leader also criticized IGAD for going against the 75% decision-making threshold at executive and legislative organs as initially agreed by the warring parties and instead introduced 67% threshold.

He accused the regional bloc of playing to the tune of tribal politics by proposing a divisive power-sharing deal for the regions and states.

“Is IGAD submerged in tribal politics in South Sudan? We cannot understand this mindboggling logic. South Sudan is one country striving to create a multi-national, multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-cultural nation based on equality, justice, freedom, democracy that shall prosper in the Nile Basin,” said the opposition leader.

On illegitimacy of the current government in Juba, Machar said both the national legislature and the president had become illegitimate, explaining that their elected terms in office had already expired on 8 March 2015 for the national legislature and on 21 May 2015 for the president.

He also added that president Kiir became illegitimate with additional counts including the act of genocide in Juba and beyond, usurping power of the people and fabricating a coup that led to the current war, a case he said the president lost in his own court in Juba.

Machar in the letter to the UN secretary general further accused the national legislature of usurping the power of the people of South Sudan in amending and enacting laws extending their lifespan and that of the president when the national legislature itself was already illegitimate.

The amendment of the constitution done by the national legislature after 8 March 2015 by an “illegitimate” body, he said, was unconstitutional.

“An illegitimate president and an illegitimate national legislature are now ruling South Sudan,” he told the UN chief.

“Finally, we urge the world to declare president Salva and the national legislature constitutionally illegitimate on July 9, 2015,” he concluded.

The former vice president however said his organization was committed to the IGAD peace process and welcomed the new IGAD-Plus mechanism, saying there was need to allow the parties to the conflict to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the conflict.

(ST)

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