Putting intel assets on commercial satellites offers both savings and stepped-up launch schedules. With their promise of cost savings through shared use of satellite resources, hosted payload programs are drawing growing interest not only from commercial and military users, but also from the intelligence community. The possibility of putting intelligence assets on satellites launched by commercial companies as hosted payloads offers both substantial economies and stepped-up commercial launch schedules, which can provide earlier and more reliable opportunities to position intelligence assets in space. Still, the challenges are real. Intelligence goals would have to be reconciled with the requirements of at least a few of the approximately two dozen annual commercial launches, in timing, spare capacity and position. And commercial satellite firms might have to give up some flexibility to relocate their equipment in
6 | GIF 11.3
By Henry Canaday GIF Correspondent
space, if the shared craft is also carrying intelligence assets. Security is always a major concern in using commercial facilities. But the private firms that are most heavily engaged in satellite projects are often those that do substantial U.S. defense work and thus are familiar with and capable of meeting security requirements. At the same time, intelligence agencies will also have to become accustomed to the bottom-line-oriented efficiency and speed of the satellite business. There are indications that both the private sector and the defense and intelligence communities want to overcome the difficulties and work together. Major satellite firms and
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