Rendering of a Lockheed Martin constellation

Lockheed Martin is releasing a new line of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) satellites designed for larger constellations and rapid satellite production. 

According to the Tuesday announcement, this line is based on Lockheed Martin’s LM 400 mid-size satellite bus. The LM 400 is a configurable bus about the size of a refrigerator, and there are 10 variants in the series. It is a new part of the company’s lineup of flexible buses and conforms with Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) and Lockheed Martin’s SmartSat software-defined satellite platform. 

Lockheed Martin said the LM 400-based tactical ISR satellites allow the military to track moving targets at long ranges and operate in contested and denied environments. The satellites will also play a key role in Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) by allowing warfighters to better employ space-based capabilities.

“Digital engineering and manufacturing are accelerating our ability to deploy robust, future-focused constellations that feature leading-edge technology for our customers’ missions,” commented Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space. “Our LM 400 is a highly adaptable, mid-sized satellite and yet can be produced at scale in a rapid and cost-effective manner.”