Comments on: Whither NSSO?

By: Al Fansome

Al Fansome — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:18:36 +0000

The divergence between the IC and DOD space is large and deep. Many Congresses and the Presidents, and their commissions, have repeatedly decried the waste created by billion-dollar IC and DOD space systems that duplicate many functions, but which have “some” diverging requirements. The NSSO was, in theory, one way to bridge the chasm by creating a common architecture that could address both sets of requirements.

Obviously, the NSSO has failed to achieve that objective. It (we) failed years ago when the IC pulled out, but the interesting question (to me) is “Why has it not been put to rest?”

I believe the reason is that nobody in charge wants to acknowledge the failure by government to integrate and cost-effectively manage these huge bureaucracies. The problem of the NSSO begs the questions about “What we should do now?” about this problem.

I don’t have an answer.

Unfortunately, this problem is easy to point out, and hard to fix.

FWIW,

– Al

By: David C

David C — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:55:29 +0000

Kind of reminds me of a stint in a study section of a Gov’t department; it was suppose to do real work, but it had devolved into a group just doing studies; I was a cypher clerk, (this was before computers) and so long as we didn’t look too closely we had a job for life, what the old timers called “the Duration”; the studies were never finished, and it was probable we”d do a study, have it shelved, only to have to redo it 5 years later because a new batch of politicians wanted it; the same confusion, and the same bureaucratic dance; what a crock; good money though

By: Propeller Head

Propeller Head — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 03:43:49 +0000

Who cares?

Good riddance. The NSSO should have been disbanded years ago and brought up on fraud, waste, and abuse charges.

They had one function- develop space architectures. Instead the pretended to write policy and misrepresent themselves internationally as the center of all things having to do with space in the national security community. It was this craziness that caused the IC to pull their money for the NSSO- the NSSO was supposed to serve the IC, not the other way around.

That group of fraudsters can’t be gone soon enough. It’s a little sad because they have good people working there but the leadership is delusional.