Lockheed Martin supplying advanced
GPS, secure communication satellites
Space
Telescope
(HST)
was With Spitzer, astronomers have
Launched just over a century launched in 1990 and observes the determined that Earth
like planets
ago, Lockheed Martin, a global universe in multiple wavelengths; form around many, if not most of the
security and aerospace company, from infrared through visible light nearby Sun
like stars in our galaxy,
has become a major force behind and into the ultraviolet region of the suggesting that the potential for
an array of advanced technology spectrum. HST has imaged some of life might be more common than
systems that have made their way the earliest galaxies formed after previously thought. In looking at
into our everyday lives. It was started the Big Bang and defined the limits our own galaxy – the Milky Way
on modest foundations, when a of their age, learned how they galaxy – the observatory has given
man and a pair of brothers started came to be, and observed stars in astronomers valuable insights by
to put the pieces of their steadfast the last stages of their lives. HST has revealing where new stars are
vision and purpose together.
forming. In addition, the infrared
One half of the formula was
eyes of Spitzer are ideal for
Glenn L. Martin. Motivated by
studying distant planet forming
flight legend Orville Wright to
disks, and characterizing planets
bring his groundbreaking idea
beyond our Solar System.”
for a new aircraft design to life,
The images these telescopes
he found a church and used it
have produced over the years
as a garage to build his creation.
display the beauty and power
Destiny started brewing four
our universe possesses. Hubble
months later, when brothers
and Spitzer both remain in
Allan and Malcolm Lockheed
operation, continuing to watch
created Alcoydro Aeroplane
H
the sky and make exciting new
Company,
later
renamed
discoveries.
Lockheed Aircraft Company.
Lockheed Martin is also
This determined and forward
heavily involved in operations on
thinking trio of men collaborated
the ground. On the morning of
intermittently through the years,
July 19th, 2013, an Atlas V in the
and in 1995, the company was
551 configuration stood on the
officially deemed Lockheed
launchpad at Cape Canaveral
Martin. Some of its current and
Air Force Station in Florida,
next eneration projects include
g
topped by a capsule packed
the NASA family of Great
tightly with the second Mobile
Observatories, MUOS (Mobile
User Objective System (MUOS
User Objective System) secure
2) payload.. The heaviest Atlas
communications satellite, and
V payload to date punched
GPS (Global Positioning System) A Lockheed Martin engineer works on a GPS IIR-M through the low, dark cloud
technology.
Image: Lockheed Martin ceiling and successfully placed
satellite.
Two components of the NASA
MUOS into orbit. The MUOS
2
family of Great Observatories the also found that almost all galaxies secure communications satellites–
Hubble and Spitzer telescopes were with bright, active centers have which will reside in geosynchronous
built, integrated and operated by supermassive black holes feeding orbit 22,000 miles above Earth will
Lockheed Martin. Their combined off the galaxy’s matter. Stars and replace the Ultra High Frequency
observations over the years have planetary systems in the making, (UHF) Follow n system.
O
produced a number of fascinating planets around distant stars, and
B