Proposal Continues Five Decades of Partnership With NASA &
NOAA
Lockheed Martin submitted its proposal Monday 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 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 recognized 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.