According to a July 1 Associated Press report, the National Reconnaissance Office plans initially to procure one or two commercial imagery satellites and later to build a more advanced spacecraft to fulfill the Broad Area Surveillance Intelligence Capability satellite system requirement. BASIC is the successor to the failed Future Imagery Architecture program. AP reports an announcement could be made this week, after months of debate over who should own and operate the new system and whether its product should go first to fill the needs of combatant commanders or policymakers.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
