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Lockheed Martin Space

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Lockheed Martin Spaceis one of the four major business divisions ofLockheed Martin.It has its headquarters inLittleton, Colorado,with additional sites inValley Forge, Pennsylvania;Sunnyvale, California;Santa Cruz, California;Huntsville, Alabama;and elsewhere in theUnited StatesandUnited Kingdom.The division currently employs about 20,000 people, and its most notable products are commercial and militarysatellites,space probes,missile defensesystems,NASA'sOrion spacecraft,and theSpace Shuttle external tank.[1]

History[edit]

The Lockheed Missile Systems Division was established inVan Nuys, California,in late 1953 to consolidate work on theLockheed X-17andX-7.The X-17 was a three-stage solid-fuel research rocket designed to test the effects of high mach atmospheric reentry. The X-17 was also used as the booster for theOperation Argusseries of three high-altitude nuclear tests conducted in theSouth Atlanticin 1958. The Lockheed X-7 (dubbed the "Flying Stove Pipe" ) was an American uncrewed test bed of the 1950s for ramjet engines and missile guidance technology.

Lockheed Missiles Division moved from Van Nuys, California, to the newly constructed facility inPalo Alto, California,in 1956, then to the larger facility inSunnyvalein 1957. ThePolaris missilewas the first major new program for both locations, followed later by satellite programs, thus the name change to Lockheed Missiles and Space Division.

TheUGM-27 Polariswas aSubmarine-launched ballistic missile(SLBM) built during theCold Warby Lockheed Missiles & Space Division in Sunnyvale, California, for theUnited States Navy.The Polaris program started development in 1956, with its first flight test in 1958. In 1962, theUSSEthan Allen(SSBN-608)successfully fired a Polaris A-1 missile against a test target in 1960. The SLBM has evolved through Polaris (A2), Polaris (A3),Poseidon(C3),Trident I(C4) and ongoing with today'sTrident II(D5). All of these were designed and managed at the Sunnyvale facility. Together, these are known as the Navy's Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Program. Lockheed Martin has been the sole provider of FBM missiles since 1956.

Lockheed Missiles & Space became prime contractor for elements of Military Satellite System (WS 117L), calling for the development of a strategic satellite system. The core element was Lockheed'sAgenaspacecraft, the world's first multipurpose spacecraft with boost and maneuvering engines, also acting as the 2nd stage of the launch vehicle and/or carrier vehicle for the reconnaissance system. WS-117L and Agena lead to the development of theCorona (satellite)—the nation's first photo reconnaissance satellite system, collecting both intelligence and mapping imagery from August 1960 until May 1972. Over 800,000 images were taken from space, with imaging resolution originally equaling 8 metres (26 ft 3 in), later improved to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in). The program was declassified in February 1995. Approximately 365 Agena spacecraft supported a wide variety of missions, from NASA's early interplanetary efforts; to the US Navy's SeaSat, the USAF's Corona, Midas and Samos series between January 1959 and February 1987, when the last Agena D was launched.

TheCorona programled to the development of theKH-7 GambitandKH-9 Hexagonprograms. The first Gambit system, launched in 1963, was equipped with a 77 in (2,000 mm) focal length camera system. The second system,KH-8 Gambit 3,was equipped with the camera system that included a 175 in (4,400 mm) focal length camera. The system was first launched in 1966 and provided the U.S. with exquisite surveillance capabilities from space for nearly two decades. Hexagon was first launched in 1971 to improve upon Corona's capability to image broad denied areas for threats to the United States. Twelve of the 19 systems flown also carried a mapping camera to aid in U.S. military war planning. In addition, Gambit and Hexagon were launched aboard rockets built by Lockheed Martin heritage companies. Gambit 1 was launched on anAtlaslaunch vehicle with the orbitingAgena Dupper stageand Gambit 3 was launched using aTitan IIIBbooster. Hexagon was launched aboard the largerTitan IIIDlaunch vehicle.

Lockheed achieved the first-ever hit-to-kill of anIntercontinental ballistic missileICBM reentry vehicle in 1984 with theHoming Overlay Experiment,using the Kinetic Kill Vehicle(KKV) force of impact alone to destroy a mock warhead outside the Earth's atmosphere. The KKV was equipped with aninfrared seeker,guidance electronics and apropulsion system.Once in space, the KKV could extend a folded structure similar to an umbrella skeleton of 4 m (13 ft) diameter to enhance its effective cross section. This device would destroy theMinuteman RVwith a closing speed of about 20,000 ft/s (6,100 m/s) at an altitude of more than 100 mi (160 km). Further testing produced theTerminal High Altitude Area Defense(THAAD) Weapon System, theMedium Extended Air Defense System(MEADS) and theMultiple Kill Vehicle(MKV).

TheTitan Iwas the first version of the Titan family of rockets, first developed in October 1955, when the U.S. Air Force awarded the thenMartin Companyin Denver, Colorado, a contract to build anIntercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM). It was the United States' first two-stage rocket and formed an integral part of their strategic deterrent force. In the early 1960s, the rocket was adapted to launch theGemini capsulethat carried two people at a time into space.Titan IIsucceeded in launching 12 Gemini spacecraft and has also helped to launch theViking missions to Mars,Voyager 1and2and most recentlyCassini–Huygensto Saturn. It began as a backup ICBM project in case the Atlas was delayed. It was a two-stage rocket powered by RP-1 and LOX. The Titan I and Atlas ICBMs using RP-1/LOX fuel did not have a quick launch sequence. They took about 30 minutes to fuel up and fire. Most Titan rockets were derivatives of the Titan II ICBM. TheTitan IIICBM had oneW-53warhead with a 9 megaton yield, making it the most powerful ICBM on-standby in the U.S. nuclear arsenal. TheTitan IIIwas a modified Titan II with optional solid rocket boosters. It was developed by the U.S. Air Force as a heavy-lift satellite launcher to be used mainly to launch U.S. Military payloads such asDefense Support Program(DSP) early-warning, intelligence (spy), and defense communications satellites. TheTitan IVis a stretched Titan III with non-optional solid rocket boosters. It could be launched either with theCentaurupper stage, with theInertial Upper Stage(IUS) or without any upper stage. It was almost exclusively used to launch U.S. military payloads, though it was also used to launch NASA'sCassini–Huygensprobe to Saturn in 1997.[2]

On February 8, 2020, Lockheed announced it selected Los Angeles-based rocket-builder ABL Space to launch a mission from Scotland in two years, which the companies expect to be the first from the U.K. and first from European soil.[3]

Mergers and acquisitions[edit]

See also:GE Aerospace (1960s)

RCA Astro-Electronics Division,a division ofRCA,was formed in the late 1950s and went on to become one of the leading American manufacturers ofsatellitesand other space systems, including the world's firstweather satellite,TIROS,launched in 1960.[4]Thespacecraftdesign and manufacturing facility was located inEast Windsor,New Jersey.[5][6]

In 1985, two members of the Astro Electronicsengineeringstaff,Bob Cenker[7]andGerard E. Magilton,[8]were selected to train asNASAPayload Specialistsfor theSpace Shuttle Columbiamission designated asSTS-61-C.The primary goal of the flight was to deliver acommunications satellite,RCA AmericomSatcom KU-1,[9]designed and built at the Astro-Electronics facility, intoorbit.Cenker was selected as a member of the flight crew, and Magilton was assigned as the back-up. WhenColumbialaunched on January 12, 1986, Bob Cenker became RCA Astro-Electronic's first astronaut.[10][11][12][13]Following the destruction ofSpace Shuttle Challengerwith the next Shuttle mission,[14]civilian Payload Specialists were excluded from flying Shuttle missions until 1990.[15]By that time, RCA had been purchased byGeneral Electric,and RCA Astro-Electronics became part of GE.[16][5]As a result, Cenker was the only RCA Astro-Electronics employee, and only employee in the history of the facility under all of its subsequent names, to ever fly in space.

The facility operated as GE Astro Space until it was sold toMartin Mariettain 1993.[16]Then in 1995 it became part of the newly namedLockheed Martinfollowing the Martin Marietta merger with theLockheed.[16]Soon after the merger, Lockheed Martin announced that the New Jersey facility would be closed. The New Jersey facility completed work on the in-process projects over the next few years, transferring the majority of work to other Lockheed Martin facilities, including the heritage-Lockheed facility inSunnyvale, California,and a newly built facility inNewtown, Pennsylvania.The facility that began as RCA Astro Electronics closed for good in 1998.[16][5]

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is now headquartered in Denver, but still does considerable operations from Sunnyvale. Also located near Sunnyvale is the main office of Lockheed Martin's space research and development group, the Advanced Technology Center (ATC), formerly the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory (LPARL).

On August 31, 2006, NASA selected Lockheed Martin Corp., based inBethesda, Maryland,as the prime contractor to design, develop, and buildOrion,U.S.-European spacecraft for a new generation of explorers. As of May 21, 2011, the Orion spacecraft is being developed for crewed missions to Moon and then to Mars. It will be launched by theSpace Launch System.

In November 2010, Lockheed Martin Space Systems was selected by NASA for consideration for potential contract awards forheavy lift launch vehiclesystem concepts, and propulsion technologies.

In June 2014, the company was contracted by theUnited States Air Forceon a fixed-price basis to build the fifth and sixthGeosynchronous Earth Orbit(GEO) satellites, known as GEO-5 and GEO-6, for theSpace-Based Infrared System(SBIRS) at a cost of US$1.86 billion.

In June 2015, Lockheed Martin announced plans to expand its workforce atCape Canaveral, Florida,in order to support the U.S. Navy's Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missile program.[17]

Lines of business[edit]

Lockheed Martin Space comprises five Lines of Business (LOBs). Each of these is a P & L (profit and loss center) focused on a set of specific customers and related products. Each LOB is led by a vice president and general manager.

Commercial Civil Space[edit]

Vice President and General Manager: Kyle Griffin[18]

Customers: NASA, NOAA, international space agencies
Products: Earth observation, lunar and planetary exploration, and human spaceflight systems

Heritage Programs[edit]

Military Space[edit]

Vice President and General Manager: Johnathon Caldwell

Customers:USAF,US Navy,DARPA,allied military agencies
Products: Surveillance, early warning and navigation satellites

  • SBIRSSpace-Based Infrared System
  • GPS-III
  • MUOSMobile User Objective System
  • AEHFAdvanced Extremely High Frequency

Heritage Programs[edit]

Mission Solutions[edit]

Vice President and General Manager: Stacy Kubicek

Customers: USAF, US Navy, DARPA, allied government agencies, commercial satellite operators
Products: satellite ground systems, mission architecture, sensor processing & analysis, cyber protection

  • SBIRSSpace-Based Infrared System ground architecture

Strategic and Missile Defense Systems[edit]

Vice President and General Manager: Sarah Hiza[20]

Customers: USN, USAF, DARPA, MDA, UK Royal Navy
Products: Missiles, hypersonic reentry vehicles, kill vehicles, battle management software, and directed energy weapons

  • Terminal High Altitude Area Defense(THAAD)
  • USAF ICBM Reentry Systems
  • Trident II D5Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Lockheed Martin continues manufacturing responsibility for the current model. Deployed with the US Navy and Royal Navy.
  • Targets and Countermeasures (Unarmed ballistic missile targets used in testing of the elements of the Ballistic Missile Defense System)

Heritage Programs[edit]

Special Programs[edit]

Vice President and General Manager: Maria Demaree

Customers: undisclosed
Products: classified missions

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Lockheed Martin To Slash 1,200 Jobs At Space Systems Unit".RTTNews. 14 June 2011.Retrieved13 May2015.
  2. ^"Cassini Mission Overview"(PDF).NASA. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 10 June 2011.Retrieved17 June2011.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  3. ^Sheetz, Michael (8 February 2021)."Rocket start-up ABL Space hopes to launch first-ever mission from Europe for Lockheed Martin".CNBC.Retrieved8 February2021.
  4. ^"The Television Infrared Observation Satellite Program (TIROS)".science.nasa.gov.NASA.Retrieved3 March2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  5. ^abcMichelson, Daniel; Cleary, Kenneth (7 April 2017)."RCA Astro-Electronics Division records"(PDF).dla.library.upenn.edu.Univ of Penn. p. 4 (Biography/History).Archived(PDF)from the original on 17 February 2018.Retrieved16 February2018.After GE acquired RCA in 1986, it combined AED with the Spacecraft Operations of its Space Systems Division to form the GE Astro Space Division. The entire division was sold toMartin Mariettain 1993, which in turn merged with Lockheed to form Lockheed Martin in 1995. Soon after the merger, Lockheed Martin announced that they would be closing the former AED facility. In 1998, forty years after its establishment, the RCA Space Center shut down for good.
  6. ^"RCA ASTRO INTRODUCTION".rcaastro.org.Archivedfrom the original on 10 November 2021.Retrieved10 November2021.
  7. ^"Biographical Data: ROBERT J. CENKER".jsc.nasa.gov.NASA. 11 February 2015.Retrieved13 February2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  8. ^"Training Photo: S85-44834 (20 November 1985)".spaceflight.nasa.gov.NASA. Archived fromthe originalon 8 May 2015.Retrieved20 May2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  9. ^"SATCOM KU-1".nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov.Retrieved13 February2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  10. ^"STS-61C Press Kit: December 1985"(PDF).jsc.nasa.gov.NASA. 11 February 2015.Retrieved13 February2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  11. ^"Mission 61-C".science.ksc.nasa.gov.NASA. Archived fromthe originalon 3 August 2017.Retrieved20 February2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  12. ^"ROBERT J. CENKER: AEROSPACE SYSTEMS CONSULTANT".nasa.gov.NASA. Archived fromthe originalon 23 October 2012.Retrieved25 February2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  13. ^"Mission Archives: STS-26".nasa.gov.NASA.Retrieved19 February2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  14. ^"NASA - STS-51L Mission Profile".nasa.gov.NASA. 19 January 2016.Retrieved20 February2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  15. ^"STS-35 (38)".science.ksc.nasa.gov.NASA. Archived fromthe originalon 1 December 2016.Retrieved20 February2017.Public DomainThis article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
  16. ^abcd"Encyclopedia Astronautica: East Windsor".Astronautix.Archived fromthe originalon 27 December 2016.Retrieved3 March2017.
  17. ^"Increasing Navy Support: Lockheed Martin to Expand Cape Canaveral Workforce by 2017".lockheedmartin.
  18. ^"Lockheed Martin Space to Consolidate Business Lines".satellitetoday.5 May 2023.
  19. ^abFoust, Jeff (2 June 2021)."NASA selects two Venus missions for Discovery program".SpaceNews.Retrieved6 June2021.
  20. ^"Sarah B. Hiza, Ph.D.: Spark Award".Magazine of the Society of Women Engineers.Society of Women Engineers.Spring 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 2 July 2022.Retrieved1 July2022.

External links[edit]

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