Tactical Satellite 3: Requirements Development for Responsive Space Missions

The Department of Defense is embarking on a broad initiative to make its space programs more responsive. There are many different views of responsive space, but common tenets include no cost and schedule growth within space programs, and space capabilities delivered directly to the operational and tactical warfighter within a theater of war. The Tactical Satellite 3 (TacSat-3) mission success criteria are unique integration of program management objectives of cost and schedule and technical objectives. TacSat-3 will demonstrate a Hyperspectral Imaging capability direct to the tactical warfighter within 10 minutes of a collection opportunity. Central to providing this capability direct to the warfighter is fielding it in a responsive manner. Responsiveness demands a program structure and system design where cost and schedule are primary over mission performance to some minimum level. To be successful, the TacSat-3 program has developed requirements and mission success criteria which intimately link the cost and schedule to all aspects of requirements. The fundamental basis is the development of mission success criteria which are measurable, but allow for sufficient flexibility to meet aggressive cost and schedule constraints. Several examples of requirements trades are given. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.