Lockheed Martin Hubble Space Telescope Teams Receive NASA Honors

In a ceremony at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland, Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] employees and teams engaged in operating and servicing the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) have been recognized for their work with Goddard Awards of Excellence.

“We have found that working on the Hubble Space Telescope is more than just a job. It is a passion,” said James Crocker, vice president, Civil Space, at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. “We are very proud of our individuals and teams honored here today, but not surprised by their outstanding work because of the excellence that Hubble inspires.”

James Simrall of Lockheed Martin Technical Operations was presented a Customer Service Excellence Award for leading the effort to upgrade and enhance HSTNet – the computer network that serves the Hubble project – into a state-of-the-art computer communications backbone network that supports hundreds of HST Project users. The network has significantly improved electronic communications for the HST Project and provides exceptional communications between all program elements at GSFC and other sites.

The enhanced network also features the latest technology with routing, switching and security features. Additionally, it includes redundancy elements that provide the reliability essential for an operational network. HSTNet is now a model for other network initiatives underway at GSFC and contractor facilities.

The HST Robotic Servicing and De-orbit Mission (HRSDM) Operations Development Team received an Outstanding Teamwork Award that recognizes their outstanding contributions to the HST Robotic Servicing/De-orbit Mission and the success of the System Requirements Review (SRR) and the Preliminary Design Review (PDR). Lockheed Martin members of the HRSDM team include employees from Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC), Lockheed Martin Technical Operations (LMTO), Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems & Solutions (IS&S) and Lockheed Martin Space Operations (LMSO).

As alternatives were being considered for servicing Hubble, the HRSDM Operations Development Team pioneered the development of robotic servicing operations concepts. For the first time, robotic servicing technologies and autonomous rendezvous and capture technologies were applied to the servicing of a space observatory. The team utilized experience from previous HST shuttle-based servicing missions and developed new tools and techniques to satisfy the HRSDM mission requirements. The Operations Development Team also developed the concepts and produced operations documentation for the SRR and PDR, including the HRSDM Operations Concept Document (OCD).

As the proper mode for servicing Hubble was being decided, it was important to extend the time during which important science could be accomplished by the telescope. Because of their outstanding commitment to the successful development, testing and flight implementation of the HST Two-Gyro Science Mode, the HST Two-Gyro Science Mode Development Team has been recognized with an Outstanding Teamwork Award. Previous to this development effort, science gathering on Hubble required that at least three of the telescope’s six gyros be operational.

The Two-Gyro Science mode provides the pointing control needed for Hubble’s mission to investigate the universe, make scientific discoveries and educate the public, and will enable the telescope to remain scientifically productive longer than it otherwise might have. The innovative operations capability the team developed also protects the spacecraft by maintaining safe modes in case of failures. The entire process was accomplished without impact to on-going operations or to the robotic servicing development effort. The Two-Gyro Science mode was developed, tested and implemented in 22 months, on schedule and well within budget. Most significantly, the new mode’s performance has significantly exceeded expectations.

Lockheed Martin members of the HST Two-Gyro Science Mode Development Team include individuals from LMSSC, LMTO, and LMSO.

The Hubble telescope, designed and built at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Sunnyvale, Calif. facility, was launched in 1990 and has revolutionized astronomy with its thousands of discoveries, while opening up the universe to the public through its beautiful and inspiring pictures. During its 15 years in orbit, the telescope has taken more than 700,000 snapshots of celestial objects such as galaxies, dying stars, and giant gas clouds, the birthplace of stars. Astronomers are looking forward to more great discoveries by Hubble.

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. manages the HST project for NASA. Since the 1990 launch, under contract to NASA, Lockheed Martin Space Systems and team members LMTO, LMSO, IS&S, Jackson and Tull, Orbital Sciences Corporation, and Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc. have helped manage the day-to-day spacecraft operations of the telescope, and have provided extensive preparation and training for telescope servicing missions. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, MD selects observing programs from numerous proposals and analyzes, archives, and disseminates incoming astronomical data.