The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).
(U) Range Standardization and Automation Program (RSA)
(U) The Range Standardization and Automation Program (RSA) is a long-term program to modernize the Air Force Space Command's Spacelift Ranges.
(U) The purpose of the RSA program is to: substantially lower range operating and maintenance costs; reduce range re-configuration time between range operations from days to hours; and to standardize, modernize, and automate the Eastern and Western Ranges. Its objectives are to improve reliability, reduce operations and maintenance (O&M) costs by consolidating facilities and centralizing control and processing.
(U) The RSA Phase 1 Program modernizes and automates the Cape Canaveral Communication Network, interconnects major stations of the Eastern Range via a satellite communication network, and provides standardization and centralization of telemetry processing for Eastern and Western Ranges.
(U) Comprehensive surveys of the Eastern and Western launch base and range facilities, and supporting infrastructure indicate a need for extensive repairs and replacement of many supporting elements to the spacelift mission. Non-standard logistics for many of the one of a kind pieces of range hardware reduces operability. Additionally, the knowledge base required to operate such complex and unique systems is eroding. More than 25,000 range components are so obsolete there are no sources of spares. Lack of maintenance data on many range systems contributes to difficulty in rating overall reliability, while sub-system reliability is low in many cases causing high failure rates. Range costs, in particular O&M, are very high, on the order of $400 to $500M per year. Typical launch services cost $3 to $5M are high. There is a perception among commercial users that the AF ranges are too expensive, spurring the development of private spaceports.
Related Initiatives (U):
| Name | Title |
|---|
| Ascension | Ascension |
| RSA Phase 1 | Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) Phase 1 |
| RSA Phase 2A/B | Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) Phase 2A/B |
This Table Is Unclassified.
Related Categories (U):
| Name | Title |
|---|
| Spacelift | Spacelift |
This Table Is Unclassified.
Road Map Placements (U):
Requirements, Funding and Additional Hotlinks (U):
Date Of Information (U):
(U) 21 November 1997
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(U) For comments/suggestions contact: Office of the National Security Space Architect (NSSA), 571-432-1300.
(U) Road Map Production Date: 18 June 2001
The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).