A new development center at the Lockheed Martin facility in Denver, will advance satellite sensing and communication technologies known as Radio Frequency (RF) payloads. The RF Payload Center of Excellence will focus on developing reconfigurable payloads and advancing satellite systems that many already rely on, for high-def television broadcasts to GPS transmissions and secure government communications. The new facility reduces cost and accelerates development by uniting researchers, manufacturers and analysts at one location. Bringing people together improves schedule, reduces transportation costs and enhances collaboration between related teams.
The RF Payload Center of Excellence will reinvent the process of payload development through advanced technology research and streamlined manufacturing. Lockheed Martin's Digital Tapestry uses the same set of digital information to interweave virtual design, 3-D printing and automated assembly, test and inspection. This digital approach maximizes common products, cuts cost and cycle times, and it mirrors the payload strategy of the Optical Payload Center of Excellence, which opened earlier this year. The facility co-locates the majority of payload development, production and testing, a first for Lockheed Martin. The center serves as the hub for a network of experts in industry and academia focused on the future of RF technology. Lockheed Martin has shaped this technology arena for more than 50 years, producing over 170 payloads.
RF payload components are important for all space missions. In fact, one or more RF subsystems are embedded in every spacecraft Lockheed Martin produces. Using its partnerships with suppliers and research universities, the center will develop a variety of technologies commonly incorporated in RF payloads, such as antennas, arrays and transmitters for the full spectrum of bandwidth.
