Lost in the discussion last week about NASA’s FY08 budget proposal (which itself was quickly overshadowed by more sordid matters) was the space portion of the Defense Department’s FY08 budget proposal. The budget includes $11 billion for Air Force space programs in 2008, up from $9.5 billion in 2007, as Aerospace Daily and Space News [subscription required] reported last week. The budget includes more money for Transformation Satellite Communications (TSat) program compared to 2007, although less than what the Air Force had previously planned, given new plans to slip the launch of the first TSat spacecraft from 2014 to 2016. There’s also more money for SBIRS, Alternate Infrared Satellite System, EELV, and GPS 3, but less for the Wideband Global (née Gapfiller) Satellite system, as it moves towards its first launch this year.
One of the smaller, but highly visible, gains in the budget is for Operationally Responsive Space (ORS), penciled in for $87 million in 2008 compared to $35 million in 2007. One reason for the increase, according to Space News, is because the Air Force plans to order as many as ten launches for future small satellite payloads. Given that there was some concern as recently as this fall about the future of ORS, this is a big win for responsive space proponents.
The Wall Street Journal [subscription required] highlighted one policy issue of note in the budget proposal: greater cooperation between the Air Force and NRO on radar imaging programs, while the Air Force slows down its ambitious (read: expensive) Space Radar effort.
Anybody yet seen an estimate for the FY08 black program budgets? I have a feeling that any response to China’s asat test will be budgeted there.