Lockheed Martin and EOS to establish space debris tracking site in Western Australia

Denver and Canberra, Australia – Under a new strategic cooperation agreement, Lockheed Martin and Electro Optic Systems Pty Ltd. (EOS) are developing a new space object tracking site in Western Australia that will paint a more detailed picture of space debris for both government and commercial customers.

 

Under the agreement, EOS and Lockheed Martin will collaborate in the production, deployment and operation of proprietary space tracking sensors. The objective of the joint effort is to provide value-added services to the space industry, based on timely and accurate space data from those sensors.

 

The site will use a combination of lasers and sensitive optical systems like those found in telescopes to detect, track, and characterize man-made debris objects. Electro-optical technologies that can zoom in on specific objects form a strong complement to radar-based systems like the U.S. Air Force's Space Fence, which will sweep the sky and track 200,000 objects.

 

Drawing on advanced sensors and software, the new site will focus on specific objects and determine how fast they're moving, what direction they're spinning, and what they're made of.

 

"Ground-based space situational awareness is a growing priority for government and commercial organizations around the world that need to protect their investments in space," said Rick Ambrose, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Space Systems. "Through this agreement with Electro Optic Systems, we'll offer customers a clearer picture of the objects that could endanger their satellites, and do so with great precision and cost-effectiveness."

 

Development of the new site will commence in late 2014, and when operational in early 2016, it will approximately double EOS' current capability to meet customer data requirements.

 

The chief executive officer of EOS, Ben Greene, says that, on completion, the new facility will provide a space debris tracking capacity equal to 25% of all capacity presently accessible to space industry globally, and with enhanced accuracy.

 

"This new tracking capacity will provide data which is exclusively available to EOS and Lockheed Martin, enabling both organizations to offer new services to meet market needs.

 

"Further expansion of the partnership's tracking capacity through additional sensors and the establishment of new sites is also under consideration," Greene said.

 

"The partnership with Lockheed Martin will help both organizations establish a global network of space sensors, while simultaneously increasing the market reach of the partners' data and services," said Greene. "We consider the strategic partnership with Lockheed Martin a major step towards the achievement of critical mass of sensors, data and services, all of which are critical in providing detailed yet easily usable information on space debris."

 

EOS and Lockheed Martin will work together under the strategic cooperation agreement on the new space tracking facility, allowing a significant increase in capacity even before construction has commenced.

 

Electro Optic Systems develops and produces a wide range of space-related technologies including telescopes and beam directors. They are among the largest producers of major optical telescopes in the world, and currently operate the Space Research Centre, a satellite laser ranging and debris tracking facility, at Mt. Stromlo in the Australian Capital Territory.