The Lockheed Martin A2100 communications satellite fleet recently achieved a major milestone by accumulating 150 years of successful in-orbit operations. The A2100 satellite series, designed and manufactured at Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS), currently consists of 29 satellites featuring 1156 transponders with an accumulated lifetime of over 6,000 years of successful operations in orbit. The first A2100 satellite, AMC-1, was launched Sept. 8, 1996.

Throughout its 45-year history, LMCSS has launched 88 commercial communications geostationary earth orbit satellites, all of which have achieved a total of 714 in-orbit years. This year, LMCSS delivered the 27th, 28th, and 29th A2100 spacecraft to satellite operators around the world: EchoStar X, launched Feb. 15 aboard Sea Launch; JCSAT-9, lifted into orbit April 12 also by Sea Launch; and ASTRA 1KR, launched April 20 aboard Lockheed Martin's Atlas V.

"LMCSS' world-class technical capabilities, design and engineering, manufacturing and operations are all key factors that contribute to the success of the industry's best, most reliable spacecraft, the A2100," said LMCSS President Ted Gavrilis. "Along with the LMCSS Customer Services organization's excellent support of the A2100 fleet, we are confident that the A2100 will continue to achieve significant operational milestones and build on its already outstanding heritage."

The Lockheed Martin A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft series is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs including Ka-band broadband and broadcast services, fixed satellite services in C-band and Ku-band, high- power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum and mobile satellite services using UHF, L-band, and S-band payloads. The A2100's modular design features a reduction in parts, simplified construction, increased on-orbit reliability and reduced weight and cost.

The A2100 spacecraft's modular and scaleable design accommodates a large range of communication payloads as demonstrated in the 29 spacecraft successfully flown to date. The "designed-in" modularity enables the A2100 spacecraft to support missions in addition to communication payloads. The A2100 design is currently being adapted for medium earth orbit (MEO) navigation missions and geostationary earth orbit (GEO)-based earth observing missions and is currently based for Lockheed Martin's GPS III and GOES-R proposals.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2005 sales of $37.2 billion.

Media Contact: Dee Valleras, 215-275-1874; e-mail, dee.valleras@lmco.com

For more information about Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, see our web site at http://www.lmcommercialspace.com .

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin