Lockheed Martin Leveraging Satellite Experience to Meet Demand for Space-Based Information and Services

Business Wire, Sept 6, 1996

FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 5, 1996--Lockheed Martin announced at the Farnborough Air Show that the company is moving aggressively to meet the explosive demand for space-based information and services.

At Missiles & Space in Sunnyvale, California, renovations are well underway on a "factory of the future" that will be the largest, most efficient commercial satellite manufacturing plant in the industry. Among the features that distinguish the facility is a new 85,000 square-foot, Class 100,000 clean room -- about the size of two football fields. Class 100,000 means that there can be no more than 100,000 particles per cubic meter of air, each not exceeding 0.5 microns in size -- about 80 times smaller than the diameter of human hair.

At initial operating capacity, the facility, resembling an automotive production line, will be able to produce eight satellites a year and ultimately will be able to accommodate up to 16 satellites a year.

The facility was designed for the A2100 commercial satellite business transferring from East Windsor, New Jersey. The proven modular or "building block" design of the A2100 allows the spacecraft to be configured to customers' specific needs, adding and changing components as required and avoiding the cost and risk of new design developments. The design also uses 20% fewer parts than earlier satellites, resulting in lower cost and faster cycle time.

Missiles & Space is also leveraging its experience in satellite development and production to meet the demand for rapid-production, high quality commercial spacecraft for low Earth orbit (LEO). The company is building 125 LEO satellite buses for Motorola's Iridium project, which will provide seamless mobile telecommunications services to anyone at anytime, virtually anywhere in the world. The Iridium satellite bus is based on the company's LM700 design. The triangular-shaped LM700 bus comes off the production line as a multi-use platform made up of commercial-off-the-shelf-hardware.

"What the Model T did for the automobile, the LM700 does for satellites," said Manny Dimiceli, LM700 program director. "Because this bus is mass produced, the cost per unit is very low comparatively, making it the lowest cost satellite in its class in the industry."

The company is also producing two remote sensing satellites based on its LM900 design for Space Imaging Inc., of Thornton, Colorado. The LM900 combines proven low-Earth-orbit designed hardware and software with an ultra-stable platform, specially built for the exacting requirements of remote sensing. Space Imaging will provide high resolution imagery of the Earth to commercial customers worldwide.

"Using the car metaphor, if the LM700 is the high-tech economy coupe, then the LM900 is the high-tech luxury sedan," said Tom Tadano, LM900 program director. "The LM700 is built for reliable utility. The LM900 adds agility and enhanced performance."

The LM700 and LM900 satellites may be configured to fit many launch vehicles, but are offered as a package with the Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicles (LMLVs). The LMLV family is uniquely designed for low-Earth-orbit payloads such as the ones to be flown on the LM700 and the LM900.

"We intend to be the primary provider of reasonable priced satellites in a very competitive market and will continue to take every possible step to ensure short-cycle time, rapid response and cost savings for our customers," said Missiles & Space President Sam Araki.

CONTACT: Missiles & Space Communications Office

Eric DeRitis, 408/742-8932

ericderitis@lmsc.lockheed.com