COLORADO SPRINGS — Several next-generation satellite systems built by the U.S. Air Force could rely on smaller, simpler and cheaper designs, says Gen. William Shelton, Air Force Space Command chief. Shelton says he continues to push for “disaggregation” of U.S. military satellites, which calls for separating payloads once hosted on large satellites and placing them on more numerous, smaller systems with an eye toward distributing capability and controlling costs.

The Pentagon is nearly finished renegotiating contract for troubled airborne satcom terminals, USAF is establishing alternate program path in case the company fails to perform.

COLORADO SPRINGS — Worldwide space spending grew by more than $31 billion in 2011, but the laggard global economy continues to exert downward pressure on the industry, according to the latest report of the National Space Foundation.

ABU DHABI — The former head of the New Mexico spaceport effort, Steve Landeene, will now work as chief adviser to the proposed spaceport in Abu Dhabi with an eye on clearing the way for potential Virgin Galactic operations. Landeene’s initial focus will be on the regulatory environment. The focus would then shift to determining the right location for the spaceport, Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides said during the Global Aerospace Summit here.

COLORADO SPRINGS — The Pentagon has declared that the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) project has exceeded its original projected per-unit cost by 58.4%, triggering a rigorous review under the Nunn-McCurdy program oversight law. Through the EELV program, the government procures Atlas V and Delta IV rockets from United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The cost growth was reported April 13 to Congress.

CYBER GAME: A U.S. Air Force cyber and outer space wargame starting April 20 at Nellis AFB, Nev., will for the first time include representatives from NATO members Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. Australia, Canada and Britain already are partners of the Schriever Wargame 2012 International Game. The wargame scenario depicts NATO counter-piracy operations around the Horn of Africa.

COLORADO SPRINGS — Though parts for the new GPS III satellites are costing more than planned, Lockheed Martin says the rigor applied by the U.S. Air Force in quality assurance is setting a new industry standard.

Senators approved draft legislation April 17 that rejects parts of the president’s budget request for NASA, cutting nearly $300 million from the development of commercial crew vehicles. The fiscal 2013 spending bill passed by the Senate Appropriations commerce, justice, and science subcommittee adds back close to $200 million for the heavy-lift Space Launch System (SLS), a priority for Republicans Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas) and Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.).