Lockheed Martin Team Avionics and Ground Systems Soar on NASA's Ares I-X Successful Flight Test

Lockheed Martin Team Avionics and Ground Systems Soar on NASA's Ares I-X
Successful Flight Test

DENVER, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT) avionics and
ground system were fundamental to last week's picture perfect flight test of
NASA's Ares I-X launch vehicle from Kennedy Space Center, FL.

The primary test objective for the Ares I-X flight was to demonstrate command
and control of this new vehicle design as well as effective vehicle
integration, ground processing and launch operations that will be used for
NASA's Ares I launch system. The flight test also demonstrated vehicle proof
of concept and collected data on important flight performance in an actual
launch environment that reduce risk early in the design of the Ares I program.
Ares I will provide NASA with an even safer, more reliable and more
affordable launch capability once the space shuttle is retired, that will take
astronauts to the International Space Station and missions to the moon, Mars
and other destinations in the solar system.

"What a tremendous accomplishment this flight test of the Ares I-X represents
for NASA, the Constellation Program, America's space program and the entire
team here at Lockheed Martin," said John Karas, vice president and general
manager of Human Space Flight for Lockheed Martin. "The data indicate that
our avionics and ground system performed outstanding throughout the launch and
flight profile. NASA is well on its way to having Ares I ready to support
Orion missions to the space station and human space exploration missions to a
variety of destinations beyond low Earth orbit," added Karas.

Lockheed Martin, with the support of its subcontractors, United Launch
Alliance, Honeywell and United Space Alliance, developed the avionics and
ground system for Ares I-X, providing all the command and control capability
on the vehicle and its integration with Launch Complex 39B. The integrated
systems also provided NASA with the ability to streamline launch operations
and fly this new rocket from concept to launch in just over three years.

The Ares I-X avionics utilizes a fully integrated system of ground, airborne
and software components. At the heart of the ground system is a modified
version of the Atlas Ground Command, Communication and Control designed for
Ares I-X. The modified system was developed and fabricated at Lockheed Martin
Space Systems at its facilities near Denver, CO, and validated in the
company's System Integration Lab prior to integration in the Ares I-X Mobile
Launch Platform.

"When we powered on the vehicle at the launch site for the first time,
everything looked exactly as we had simulated in the lab. It was great," said
Paul Sannes, Ares I-X avionics and ground system program manager for Lockheed
Martin Space Systems. "It was another straightforward step in the process and
an example of how well our avionics and ground systems can be used to
streamline operations, improve our launch efficiencies and meet our launch
schedules. Throughout the flight test, we were right on the money for each of
the mark events: ignition command; separation from the launch pad, roll
control, algorithms for proper trajectory; separation commands. It was
textbook perfect. At the end of the flight, there were a lot of cheers coming
from the control center. We're very proud to be a part of this extraordinary
NASA team," added Sannes.

Lockheed Martin was selected to provide Avionics Integrator Services for the
Ares I-X Development Flight Test under contract to Jacobs Technology's
Engineering, Science, and Technical Services Group for NASA Marshall Space
Flight Center. As the prime contractor to NASA for the Orion Project, Lockheed
Martin also is responsible for designing and building a state-of-the-art crew
transportation spacecraft that will provide more flexible space exploration
and multi-mission capability than any previous human space flight vehicle ever
developed. The Orion spacecraft will be the flagship of the Constellation
Program's plan to return humans to the moon and prepare for future voyages to
other destinations in our solar system.

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: Joan Underwood, Lockheed Martin: (303) 971-7398 / (303)
594-7073
joan.b.underwood@lmco.com
http://www.lockheedmartin.com

SOURCE Lockheed Martin

Joan Underwood of Lockheed Martin, +1-303-971-7398, or +1-303-594-7073,
joan.b.underwood@lmco.com