Senate Commerce Disaster Prevention Subcommittee Holds Polar Satellite Hearing: On March 30th, the Senate Commerce Disaster Prevention and Prediction Subcommittee (Chairman Jim DeMint, R-SC) held an
Other witnesses were from the Defense Department, Northrop Grumman, and the Government Accountability Office. Chairman DeMint asked a series of questions on projected program delays, contingency planning to prevent a loss of weather surveillance coverage and whether financial penalties were going to be assessed against contractors and subcontractors responsible for the cost overruns and the (three year) launch delay.
Senate Commerce Disaster Prevention Subcommittee Holds Polar Satellite Hearing:
On March 30th, the Senate Commerce Disaster Prevention and Prediction Subcommittee (Chairman Jim DeMint, R-SC) held an
oversight hearing on the delays and cost overruns of the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). The Air Force and NOAA are jointly funding the NPOESS program, which will replace separate lines of polar-orbiting weather satellites that traditionally have served military and civil users. Because of a Congressional mandate on the extent of cost overruns, the program is now undergoing an executive branch review. The NOAA witness was the Assistant Administrator for Satellite and Information Services Greg Withee (statement).Other witnesses were from the Defense Department, Northrop Grumman, and the Government Accountability Office. Chairman DeMint asked a series of questions on projected program delays, contingency planning to prevent a loss of weather surveillance coverage and whether financial penalties were going to be assessed against contractors and subcontractors responsible for the cost overruns and the (three year) launch delay.