Excess Satellite Funding Indicates need for Better Financial Controls

摘要

NOAA manages two weather satellite programs: the polar orbiting and geostationary operational environmental satellite (GOES) systems. Over the next five years, NOAA plans to request about $2.6 billion in budget authority for acquiring satellites; operating command, control, and data acquisition stations; and developing new ways of using satellite data. NOAA components determine the general requirements for new satellites and its National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) operates them once they are in orbit. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) manages the acquisition and launch of the satellites. Although satellite funding is summarized for congressional reviewers, many distinct components are tracked at the Department level. For example, NOAA satellite budgets include funding to be used by NOAA, as well as funds to be used by NASA to acquire polar and geostationary spacecraft and launch services and to pay salaries, expenses, and travel costs for its technical management teams.