Lockheed Martin
Submits Proposal To Provide GOES-R Spacecraft
(10 March 2008) Lockheed Martin today
submitted its proposal to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) to design and build the spacecraft for the Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellite - Series R (GOES-R), the next generation geostationary
environmental satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA).
The proposal builds upon Lockheed
Martin's 48 years of successful partnership with NASA and NOAA providing
reliable weather and environmental satellite systems on schedule including
TIROS, NIMBUS, UARS, Terra and Landsat. In addition, the proposal incorporates
knowledge from Lockheed Martin's successful GOES-R Program Definition and Risk
Reduction contract.
"By working closely with our customer, our GOES-R
team has developed a strong, low-risk proposal that will considerably expand
the capability of our nation's weather sentinel," said Joanne Maguire,
executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "We
appreciate the significant value GOES brings to the citizens of our country on
a daily basis, and we look forward to partnering with NASA and NOAA to ensure
continuity of this valuable asset."
Lockheed Martin's solution builds
upon the renowned A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft bus and proven precision
imaging capabilities from past remote sensing programs such as IKONOS and the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
"We are the recognised industry leader in
space-based sensor integration for Earth remote sensing, planetary,
astronomical and intelligence missions, and low-risk, reliable geostationary
spacecraft," said Jim Crocker, vice president of Sensing and Exploration
Systems at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "Our team is ready to
seamlessly transition into the implementation phase of this critical national
system,"
Data from NOAA's GOES spacecraft provide accurate real-time
advance weather warning products to the commercial, educational, and public
sectors to protect lives, property and the environment, and to foster economic
growth and promote educational research. The future GOES-R mission will improve
the quality and timeliness of its forecasts, thereby generating significant
economic benefits to the nation in the areas of weather and water, climate,
ecosystems monitoring and management, and commerce and
transportation.
The contract is scheduled to be awarded by NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center in late 2008, and will include two GOES-R satellites - with
first delivery in 2014 - and options for two more spacecraft. The total program
value is expected to exceed one billion dollars.
Lockheed Martin Space
Systems Company, a major operating unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation,
designs, develops, tests, manufactures and operates a full spectrum of
advanced-technology systems for national security, civil and commercial
customers. Chief products include human space flight systems; a full range of
remote sensing, navigation, meteorological and communications satellites and
instruments; space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft; laser radar;
fleet ballistic missiles; and missile defence systems.
Headquartered in
Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people world-wide and is
principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture,
integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and
services. The Corporation reported 2007 sales of US$ 41.9
billion.
(source: Lockheed Martin)
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