LONDON, July 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] is opening a space technology office in Great Britain to explore partnership opportunities with UK businesses and universities to support the UK's goal of maintaining and growing its national capabilities in space. Forming part of Lockheed Martin's expanding business footprint in the UK, the office will be based at the UK Space Gateway in Harwell Oxford.

For more than 50 years Lockheed Martin has led the way in the development of spacecraft that have helped scientists understand our planet. The new office will expand the company's relationships with the UK supply chain to share technology and expertise, and will support UK-based capabilities in space exploration and access. It will also explore new technologies from small businesses and academia. Current areas of focus include environmental monitoring, space exploration, global security and small communications satellites.

"Our new office will support the UK Space Agency's objective to grow national involvement in the space sector through innovation and science, new opportunities, and space-related exports," said Stephen Ball, Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin UK. "We will underpin this strategy by working with industry and academia to identify opportunities to accelerate innovation, strengthen national space expertise, and connect UK organisations with international space programmes."

Representatives from Lockheed Martin Space Systems recently met with more than 30 companies, universities and government agencies in a space industry tour that included both Harwell Oxford and the Institution of Engineering and Technology in Glasgow, Scotland. The UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supported Lockheed Martin's efforts to identify and meet with innovative firms that are aligned with the UK's space growth strategy.

Dr. David Parker, Chief Executive, UK Space Agency, said, "I'm encouraged by Lockheed Martin's growing commitment to the future of the UK space sector. We have identified space as one of the Eight Great technologies that will push the UK economy forward and have set some ambitious targets to capture 10 percent of the global space market by 2030. Lockheed Martin's heritage, knowledge and expertise can only help strengthen the UK supply chain, making Britain more competitive for the challenges ahead."

"We're supportive of the UK government's vision of cultivating an even stronger space industry to address pressing challenges and opportunities, from global security to environmental monitoring," said Rick Ambrose, Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Space Systems. "We're looking forward to applying our 50-year heritage of space systems expertise to work with UK partners to develop opportunities in climate monitoring, space weather and secure communications."

Lockheed Martin UK, headquartered in London, is the UK-based arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and aerospace company. Lockheed Martin UK specialises in the development, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The company employs more than 3,000 people in the UK across 20 sites, working on a wide range of major programmes spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

Media Contact:
U.K.: John Neilson, +44 (0) 207 979 8075, john.neilson@lmco.com 
U.S.: Gary Napier, +1 303-971-4012, gary.p.napier@lmco.com

SOURCE Lockheed Martin