National Security Space: DOD Has Opportunities to Improve Its Use of Commercial Data and Related Services , August 27 , 2026
National Security Space: DOD Has Opportunities to Improve Its Use of Commercial Data and Related Services , August 27 , 2026
From the report: "The U.S. commercial space sector has grown rapidly over the last few years, and offers data and data-related services—such as the imagery below—that the Department of Defense (DOD) uses to maintain national security.
Within the Space Force, the Joint Commercial Operations Cell (JCO)—the main organization that buys data and services—purchased various types of data and services through the contractor-operated Global Data Marketplace. JCO expended $76.8 million on data and services from the marketplace from January 2023 through September 2025. These purchases supported missions including space domain awareness and tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and tracking. The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) also purchased various forms of commercial imagery and commercial analytic products, respectively, from fiscal years 2021 through 2025."
Authors - Government Accountability Office (GAO)Related Resources
