GAO: Space Force spent $124M on commercial data but hesitates to use it
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
The U.S. Space Force spent nearly $124 million on commercial space data through the Global Data Marketplace from January 2023 to September 2025, the Government Accountability Office reported Aug. 27. The watchdog found that licensing costs, perceived use restrictions, and limited visibility into purchases have discouraged some Space Force officials from using commercial products. The GAO recommended that Air Force Secretary Troy Meink increase communication about a working group that coordinates purchases, even as the Space Force's Joint Commercial Operations Cell accounted for 62% of the spending.
Key Facts
- The Space Force spent $123.9 million through the Global Data Marketplace from January 2023 through September 2025.
- The Joint Commercial Operations Cell accounted for $76.8 million, or 62%, of Space Force purchases through the marketplace.
- The GAO recommended that Air Force Secretary Troy Meink increase communication and awareness of the working group that coordinates purchases.
- The Defense Department concurred with the GAO's findings in a June 18 response.
- System Delta 810 for environmental and tactical surveillance spent $35.6 million, or 29%, of the total.
Spending Breakdown
The Space Force's Joint Commercial Operations Cell, the group that buys the majority of the service's data, spent nearly $77 million between 2023 and 2025 on commercial space services through the Global Data Marketplace. System Delta 810 for environmental and tactical surveillance spent another $35.6 million, or 29%. Four other Space Force organizations accounted for the remaining $11 million. The purchases supported missions ranging from tracking satellites in orbit to detecting GPS interference and supplying commercial imagery and analysis to combatant commands.
Hesitation and Challenges
Some Space Force officials told GAO about challenges related to purchasing and using commercial space data, such as licensing costs, perceived use restrictions, and concerns over long-term access to the data. These challenges led to hesitation to purchase and use commercial data among these potential users. The JCO has a working group to discuss purchases being made by the U.S. government, but Space Force officials aren't included in that group. GAO found that many of the challenges reported by Space Force officials could have been addressed with discussions at the working group, but the Space Force officials were not part of the working group and information about the working group is not widely available.
Recommendations and Future Reliance
The GAO recommended that Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, who formerly served as principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, increase communication and awareness of the working group. The Defense Department concurred with the watchdog's findings in a June 18 response. The Space Force will need to rely on those commercial assets for future fights, according to the GAO. Threats to DoD's space assets from strategic competitors have grown substantially in number and intensity. DoD is working to integrate commercial space solutions, such as data and services, to mitigate these threats as well as enhance its capabilities.
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GAO: Space Force spent $124M on commercial data but hesitates to use it
