Thinking positive on TSAT

March 31st, 2009 | National Space Symposium | Posted by Ben Iannotta

If the proposed multibillion dollar Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) is about to meet the Obama administration’s budget axe, the U.S. Air Force general in charge of satellite acquisitions wasn’t letting on.

 Lt. Gen. John “Tom” Sheridan outlined the Air Force’s approach of building successively more complicated versions of satellites, holding the line on requirements, and investing in research early in programs. He said the Space and Missile Systems Center, which he commands, “is working really hard to try to do this on both GPS 3 and TSAT as we start those activities up.”

Sheridan said “both of these are postured to be developed following these acquisition characteristics.”

After his talk, I asked him if this meant TSAT would not be cut: “I don’t have any picture of what the seniors in the department are really deciding, but we at SMC are following what we’ve been given as [decision memos] that tell us to move out with the program. So until we’re told to do differently, we’re getting ready to do that.”

Tags: Air Force, satellite, transformational

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