Frank Calvelli, assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisitions and integration, issued a memo outlining nine “space acquisition tenets” meant to transform the way the service procures space systems, SpaceNews reported Tuesday.
“The traditional ways of doing space acquisition must be reformed in order to add speed to our acquisitions to meet our priorities,” Calvelli wrote in the Oct. 31 memo obtained by the publication.
“To gain speed we must shorten development timelines by building smaller satellites, acquiring ground and software intensive systems in smaller more manageable pieces that can be delivered faster, using existing technology and designs,” he added.
Aside from advancing the development of smaller satellites, other tenets cited in the memo include getting the acquisition strategy correct, awarding contracts with realistic cost and schedule targets; maintaining stability in programs; and delivering ground systems before launch.
