Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, one of five core business areas of the Lockheed Martin Corporation with annual sales of approximately $7 billion, is marking 50 years of operations at its two major facilities in Denver, Colo., and Sunnyvale, Calif. this month. With more than 18,000 employees nationwide, Space Systems is a world leader in leader in the design, production and integration of spacecraft as well as missile systems for defensive and strategic missions.

"Our first 50 years have been dedicated to ensuring mission success for our customers who rely on advanced technology systems to address their toughest challenges," said Joanne Maguire, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space Systems. "Whether it's been providing space systems for national security and exploration, strategic missile capabilities, or assured access to space, we take great pride in our extraordinary contributions over the past five decades and look forward to an even more remarkable future."

In 1956, ground was broken in Denver, Colo. and Sunnyvale, Calif. for two sprawling campuses that would play a vital role in space exploration and safeguarding our nation during the Cold War. Space Systems Company helped the Department of Defense (DoD) respond to challenges during that time by developing such systems as the land-based Titan and Atlas missiles and the submarine-launched Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) program to serve as the nation's strategic deterrent forces. The company also built CORONA, the first remote-sensing intelligence satellites that date back to the 1960s.

Since then, Space Systems has been at the forefront of developing sophisticated technologies for missile defense, next-generation launch vehicles and systems that push the frontiers of space. The company - which designed and built the Hubble Space Telescope, the entire Landsat series of satellites, and a fleet of planetary explorers -- has a long and storied history of achieving many aerospace "firsts," including the first radio communication from a satellite; the first three-axis stabilized communications spacecraft that revolutionized the satellite industry; the first weather pictures from space; the first soft-landings on the Martian surface; and the placement on-orbit of the first commercial remote-sensing satellite that can resolve objects on the ground as small as one meter in diameter.

During its first half century, the company has built a broad range of satellite systems and instruments that have revolutionized how our nation achieves global communications, pinpoint navigation and timely weather information. Lockheed Martin spacecraft also furnish data for thousands of scientists studying the Earth, our solar system and the universe. Its Advanced Technology Center, adjacent to Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., is among the most renowned technical research and development facilities in the world.

"As we salute members of the Space Systems team -- past and present -- on this important milestone and for the many far-reaching achievements made over the years, we also look forward to a new era of ingenuity and developing systems to address future challenges and improve our way of life," added Maguire.

Today, Space Systems is building on its proud history of innovation by leading development of space systems for NASA, NOAA, DoD and commercial customers. The company is developing the next-generation military communications systems -- Advanced EHF and Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) -- and the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS), which will provide early detection of missile launches worldwide.

Lockheed Martin is also leading teams competing for new systems such as the nation's next-generation global positioning system, known as GPS III, TSAT -- the government's Transformational Satellite Communications System, and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R) for NOAA. Another major focus area for Space Systems is the competition to build the Crew Exploration Vehicle, the next generation crew transportation system for NASA.

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

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Media Contacts: Denver, Colo., Joan Underwood, 303-971-7398; e-mail, Joan.b.underwood@lmco.com Sunnyvale, Calif., Steve Tatum, 408-742-7531; e-mail, Stephen.o.tatum@lmco.com

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin