A Space Corps Structure Based on the National Reconnaissance Office Organizational Model

The Space Commission recommendations to realign Air Force space activities were only the first steps towards further reorganization of the national security space community. They also recommended eventually merging Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) into a single organization responsible for the development, acquisition and operation of the nation's military and intelligence space systems. However, the NRO and AFSPC use different organizational structures for their operations and acquisition responsibilities. This paper explores their recommendation to merge AFSPC and the NRO, and proposes a Space Corps organization. Using Luther Gulick's organizational theories on the division and coordination of work to analyze the current AFSPC and NRO organizations, the research shows that the NRO's mission-based organizational model would be the most effective structure for the new Space Corps.