Poor Management, Oversight, High Costs Hold Back US Military Space Programs - Report

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US military space programs have suffered for well over a decade from management and oversight problems with continuing difficulties in supervising contractors, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report.

"For more than 10 years, we have identified management and oversight problems that hinder DOD [Department of Defense]’s space system acquisition programs," the report said on Tuesday. "Collectively, these challenges and risks have resulted in billions of dollars in cost overruns and years of schedule delays."

Defense Department space system acquisition programs have historically faced challenges relating to management, oversight, culture, and leadership, the GAO acknowledged.

"These problems include making overly optimistic cost and schedule estimates; pushing programs forward without sufficient knowledge about technology and design; and challenges in overseeing and managing contractors," the report said.

The Defense Department's culture has generally been resistant to changes in space acquisition approaches and the Pentagon needs to streamline its review processes and delegate more decision-making authority to lower levels, the GAO advised.