A next-generation satellite, designed and built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. government, is performing as required following its successful launch from Cape Canaveral on Sept. 8 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle. The Lockheed Martin team has successfully completed a series of key activities toward delivering the spacecraft for customer use.

The program, designated PAN, was awarded to Lockheed Martin in Oct. 2006. It consists of a novel and robust turnkey commercial-based satellite, ground and launch system solution developed to meet the government's future needs.

"We are very proud of the innovative total system solution we are deploying for our customer," said Tessa Lloyd, Lockheed Martin's PAN program director. "The rapid development of this spacecraft and ground system is testimony to a strong government and industry partnership and we are extremely proud of our teams across the country."

The PAN satellite is based on Lockheed Martin's configure-to-order A2100 spacecraft series and leverages mature commercial space technologies and unique Lockheed Martin processes that enabled delivery of a high-quality, low-cost solution with reduced cycle times for the government customer.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company designs and develops, tests, manufactures and operates a full spectrum of advanced-technology systems for national security and military, civil government 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; ballistic missiles; missile defense systems; and nanotechnology research and development.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 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 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

Media Contact: Steve Tatum, 408-742-7531; e-mail, Stephen.o.tatum@lmco.com

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin