Acquisition Reform Regimes on Their Own Terms: Context, Mechanisms, Effects, and Space Program Impact

Different government authorities have shaped defense acquisition over time, influencing not just what gets done in space but also how. Centralization, best practices, and other considerations have been made, along with how much to empower the parties involved and how much regulation should be applied. All reform efforts have affected what engineering feats were achieved and how financial challenges were approached. Ultimately, each regime sought to find a sweet spot for the acquisition of space and other systems. 

Authors: Rosalind Lewis, Susan Hastings, Martha Callaway, Albert Hoheb, Jonathan Gayek, Russell Rumbaugh