Ends Year With Several Orders From New and Long-time Customers
Lockheed Martin
Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS) has successfully completed the
realignment of its business structure and is kicking off the new year
well positioned to build on the new satellite orders it received in
2001. The company is also gearing up for a string of launch activity
in the first quarter of this year, beginning with the liftoff of
EchoStar VII for EchoStar Communications Corp.
LMCSS wrapped up 2001 with several new orders from customers
worldwide for its award-winning “configure to order” A2100 satellite
series, including satellites from long-time customers, SES Americom
and Telesat Canada. LMCSS also added to its customer base with the
award of a contract from Cablevision Systems Corp. to build an A2100
geosynchronous satellite. The Ku-band satellite, which has
successfully completed its Critical Design Review, will provide
multiple spot beam coverage for direct broadcast services to the
Continental United States following its scheduled launch in the first
quarter of 2003.
In addition to pursuing several new business opportunities to
build on a solid backlog of satellites, the Commercial Space team is
preparing for several upcoming launches. Following the launch of
EchoStar VII aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas II rocket from Cape
Canaveral, Fla., LMCSS will launch NSS-7 and NSS-6 satellites for New
Skies Satellites and N-STAR c for NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s largest
wireless telecommunications service provider.
In July 2001, LMCSS co-located its management, design and
manufacturing operations at the company’s Newtown Pa. facility. The
move is part of an aggressive realignment initiative to improve its
competitive position in the marketplace by consolidating and
streamlining the company infrastructure.
“These improved operational efficiencies, combined with our highly
reliable A2100 satellite series, a solid backlog, and an impressive
record of mission success, will allow us increased flexibility in
dealing with the fast paced commercial satellite industry,” said Ted
Gavrilis, president, Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems. “I
commend our team for their unwavering commitment to providing world
class, high-performance spacecraft for our customers. I look forward
to building on the excellent progress we’ve made and continuing our
100 percent mission success record in 2002.”
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems builds the A2100 for
customers worldwide for direct broadcast, mobile wireless, broadband
and fixed service applications. Customers include: China Orient
Telecomm Satellite Co. Ltd, EchoStar Communications Corporation, SES
Americom, Japan Satellite Systems Inc., Korea Telecom, Lockheed Martin
Global Telecommunications, PT Telkomunikasi (TELKOM), New Skies
Satellites N.V., NTT Mobile Communications Inc., Space Communications
Corporation Telesat Canada and Cablevision.
Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems markets, designs and
builds geostationary and non-geostationary telecommunications and
remote sensing satellites for customers worldwide. LMCSS is an
operating unit of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, one of the
core business areas of the Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT – news).
Lockheed Martin has a 41-year heritage of building reliable spacecraft
for commercial and military customers, having launched more than 875
spacecraft and clocking nearly 1,500 years of on-orbit performance
experience.
