Fergie's Tech Blog

New U.S. Spy Satellite Program Sought

An AP newswire article by Pamela Hess, via MSNBC, reports that:

The national intelligence director and defense secretary are asking the Obama administration to approve a new top-secret U.S. spy satellite program that could cost more than $10 billion, according to government, military and industry officials.

The program calls for building two sophisticated satellites equal to or better than the huge, high-resolution secret satellites now in orbit. At the same time, the government would also commit to spend enough money on commercial satellite imagery sufficient to pay for the construction and launch of two new commercial satellites.

The proposal is going to the White House for discussion and a decision was expected as soon as next week, the officials said.

In opting to go with what they describe as the "2+2" program," National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair and Defense Secretary Robert Gates rejected an alternate satellite proposal from military officials at the Pentagon.

posted by Fergie @ 4/03/2009 03:53:00 PM