Ann Conkle
Dec 15, 2011

US Air Force and Lockheed Martin agree on satellite command R&D project

Lockheed Martin signed a three-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Air Force’s Space Development and Test Directorate and the Air Force Research Laboratory to improve the operation and affordability of satellite command and control. “We are bringing the smartphone concept to our next generation ground systems where satellites are flown as apps and new technology can be rapidly inserted,” said Colonel John Anttonen, Chief of the Space Test and Operations Division at Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB). As part of the project, Lockheed Martin is scaling its ground station from a Space Operations Center down to a single laptop, while supporting multiple concurrent classified missions. The project will culminate with live demonstrations at Kirtland AFB’s Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center late this year, in 2012 and in 2013.

 

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Press Release