Air Force Space Command has announced the completion of the Institute for Defense Analyses Broad Area Review of AFSPC launch vehicle certification. The independent review examined the process and provided specific recommendations to apply certification lessons learned. The intent of the review is to assure access to space for National Security Space missions.
“Assured access to space is still our prime directive,” said General John Hyten, AFSPC Commander. “We’re not going to put a multi-billion dollar satellite on top of a rocket that we are not confident in, but industry survival is also paramount to assured access. Any event or development that could lead to a single launch vehicle and thusly a single point of failure for NSS missions degrades our assured access.”
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