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Report: Orion test flight pushed back to 2014, manned flight delayed until 2021

Daniel Cooper — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:42:00 EST

Even something as exhaustively planned as the test-flight of the Orion spacecraft isn't immune to a slipping timeline. It's reportedly been pushed back from next year to 2014 -- when we're expecting to see the capsule launch from Cape Canaveral, loop around the planet twice at 3,700 miles (the furthest any spacecraft has journeyed since the '70s) before splashing down in the Pacific. This unmanned test was designed to see if the vehicle's heat-shield, flight-software and parachutes all work before lives are risked on board. It's also signified a pushing back of the first launch from 2016 until 2021. This means there's nine more years before someone calls us up as a crew replacement -- at least that's how our dream goes.

Report: Orion test flight pushed back to 2014, manned flight delayed until 2021 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA's GRAIL spacecrafts enter Moon's orbit, set to map its gravitational field in March

Joe Pollicino — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:29:00 EST

Way back in September, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory sent a duo of Lockheed Martin-produced spacecraft toward one of its favorite test subjects, the Moon, as a part of its GRAIL mission -- Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory. Now, nearly four months later, the administration has announced that the GRAIL-A and -B twin crafts have planted themselves within our Moon's orbit. According to NASA, they're currently in "a near-polar, elliptical orbit with an orbital period of approximately 11.5 hours," and it plans to execute more "burn maneuvers" in the coming weeks to shorten that time frame to less than two. By March, the research crafts will be positioned in a "near-polar, near-circular orbit" 34 miles above its surface, at which point they'll begin surveying its gravitational pull, by using radio signals to determine the distance between both units.

With this information, NASA hopes to better understand how gravity works, both above and below the Moon's surface, by detailing the findings in a high-resolution map. NASA also says that scientists can utilize it to get further insight into how our planets formed. Notably, both spacecraft feature a MoonKAM (Moon Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students), that will allow students request pictures of specific areas the lunar surface for later study. Best of all, using NASA's "Eyes on the Solar System" web app, you'll be able to follow the paths of both spaceships in detail. You'll find full details about the GRAIL mission at the source links below.

NASA's GRAIL spacecrafts enter Moon's orbit, set to map its gravitational field in March originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next-generation GPS satellite inches closer to space, countdown begins to 2014

Edgar Alvarez — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:01:00 EST

Kvetching about your PND's inability to get a proper lock could soon become a thing of the past, thanks in large part to a fresh breed of GPS satellites designed by the whiz-kids at Lockheed Martin. The program -- which is estimated to eventually cost around $5.5 billion to complete -- is set to hit its prototype phase by 2014, with a pathfinder being recently delivered to the same Colorado facility that we toured earlier this month. The Block III prototype (more accurately known as the GPS III Non-Flight Satellite Testbed), won't actually be hurtled into space, but the Air Force is slated to launch 32 of the final versions over the next few years. The aforementioned birds should improve power, reliability and accuracy, while also promising to be "harder for enemies to jam and easier for receivers to tune in, especially in urban canyons or under thick tree canopies." Moreover, they're expected to enable both denizens and military users to grab a position within three feet, compared to ten feet using today's technology. In other news, they're sure to cause LightSquared all sorts of new headaches.

Continue reading Next-generation GPS satellite inches closer to space, countdown begins to 2014

Next-generation GPS satellite inches closer to space, countdown begins to 2014 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin shows us how it's getting Orion ready to explore the cosmos

Michael Gorman — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:49:00 EST

It's not every day that America designs an entirely new spacecraft. Rarer still is the creation of a vehicle that can carry man, not just machine, beyond the earth's gravitational pull. In the history of the world, there have been only eight such human transports: the Vostok, Voskhod, and Soyuz capsules from Russia, the American-made Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules, plus the Space Shuttle, and China's Shenzhou spacecraft. That list is going to get a new member soon, as NASA (with a big assist from Lockheed Martin) is building the most technologically advanced spaceship the Earth has ever seen; the aptly-named Orion.

In ancient Greek mythology, Orion was a hunter born of the earth who was eventually placed among the heavens by Zeus. NASA's Orion is a multipurpose crew vehicle (MPCV) that looks similar to the Apollo capsules and is here to replace the venerable Space Shuttle. It's capable of taking us further into the cosmos to than we've ever been -- to asteroids, the moon, and even Mars. This mission flexibility and interplanetary reach is what sets Orion apart from previous manned spacecraft, but that adaptability requires some heavy duty engineering and extensive testing to guarantee its ability to handle any NASA mission with aplomb. Head on past to break to learn more about how Lockheed Martin's getting the MPCV ready for deep space.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin shows us how it's getting Orion ready to explore the cosmos

Lockheed Martin shows us how it's getting Orion ready to explore the cosmos originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DARPA's Maple leaf Remote Control drone takes first flight (video)

Lydia Leavitt — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:51:00 EST

After five years behind locked doors, researchers at Lockheed Martin's Intelligent Robotics Laboratories in New Jersey have emerged with a working prototype of the "Samarai," a tiny DARPA-commissioned surveillance drone. The nano air vehicles (NAVs), modeled after falling Maple leaf seeds, are designed to be super light weight and agile for vertical lift off, hovering, and navigation in tight spaces. Like your favorite $5 Subway sammie, these surveillance bots are a foot long, but instead of being shoveled in your mouth, they're thrown like boomerangs into flight and controlled using a tablet app or a basic remote. These eyes in the sky will officially launch next week at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Conference, but until then you can check out the video of their first flight below.

Update: Lockheed Martin wrote in to let us know that although originally commissioned by DARPA, this project is currently funded internally. Lockheed also noted that the flight recorded in the video is only a test flight, rather than a first flight for the Samarai.

Continue reading DARPA's Maple leaf Remote Control drone takes first flight (video)

DARPA's Maple leaf Remote Control drone takes first flight (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 21:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin's SMSS autonomous vehicle wins Army competition, ships off to Afghanistan (video)

Amar Toor — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:57:00 EST

The US military's fleet of unmanned vehicles may soon get some extra support, now that Lockheed Martin's Squad Mission Support System (SMSS) has received the Army's official blessing. Designed to support infantry squads or special ops forces, the company's autonomous craft was recently crowned the winner of the Army-sponsored Project Workhorse Unmanned Ground Vehicle competition, after more than a decade of development. Measuring 11 feet in length, the SMSS is capable of transporting more than 1,000 pounds of equipment over rugged terrain, and features a set of onboard sensors that can automatically track individuals by recognizing their 3D profiles. Both the SMSS and its Block I variant can be carried aboard CH-47 and CH-53 choppers, with the latter offering a driving range of 125 miles. Three of the beasts will deploy to Afghanistan for a three-month evaluation later this year, when they'll become the largest unmanned vehicles to ever deploy with infantry. Shoot past the break for a video tour of the SMSS, along with the full press release.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin's SMSS autonomous vehicle wins Army competition, ships off to Afghanistan (video)

Lockheed Martin's SMSS autonomous vehicle wins Army competition, ships off to Afghanistan (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin's HALE-D airship learns to fly, makes a crash landing

Joseph Volpe — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:43:00 EST

Because dirigibles were such a great idea the first, completely non-disastrous time around, Lockheed Martin and the US Army have teamed up to bring the quaint technology back into our hyper-modern era. The lighter-than-air vehicle got a new lease on unmanned flight life when it launched yesterday from its base in Akron, Ohio. The High Altitude Long Endurance-Demonstrator (HALE-D for short) reached 32,000 ft during its maiden voyage before technical difficulties cut the test short, forcing an emergency landing in the deep woods of southwestern Pennsylvania. Despite the flight-aborting hiccup, the global security company is all smiles, citing the successful demonstration of "communications links, [the] unique propulsion system, solar array electricity generation [and] remote piloting communications." Future real-world versions of HALE-D could serve as a military "telecommunications relay system" over foreign terrain -- like Afghanistan -- where radio signals can't penetrate. The Defense Department contractor is currently retrieving the airship from its foresty crash pad, but you can bet some locals already called this close encounter in to the local papers. Skip past the break for Archer's take on our government's latest airborne effort.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin's HALE-D airship learns to fly, makes a crash landing

Lockheed Martin's HALE-D airship learns to fly, makes a crash landing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DARPA setting up a $130 million 'virtual firing range' to help battle cyber attacks

Vlad Savov — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:49:00 EST

The US government is serious about online security, just ask any one of its cyber commandos. Adding to its arsenal for battling the big bad hackers, Reuters reports that DARPA is working on a National Cyber Range, which would act a standalone internet simulation engine where digital warriors can be trained and experimental ideas tested out. Lockheed Martin and Johns Hopkins University are competing to provide the final system, with one of them expected to soon get the go-ahead for a one-year trial, which, if all goes well, will be followed by DARPA unleashing its techies upon the virtual firing range in earnest next year. The cost of the project is said to run somewhere near $130 million, which might have sounded a bit expensive before the recent spate of successful hacking attacks on high profile private companies, but now seems like a rational expenditure to ensure the nuclear missile codes and the people crazy enough to use them are kept at a safe distance from one another. DARPA has a pair of other cleverly titled cybersecurity schemes up its sleeve, called CRASH and CINDER, but you'll have to hit the source link to learn more about them.

DARPA setting up a $130 million 'virtual firing range' to help battle cyber attacks originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 03:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RSA offering SecurID replacements following Lockheed Martin attack

Donald Melanson — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:23:00 EST

We'd already had a pretty clear indication that information obtained in the massive RSA hack back in March was used in the attack on Lockheed Martin last month, and RSA has now confirmed that itself for the first time. What's more, Executive Chairman Art Coviello has also announced that the company is willing to provide security monitoring services to those concerned, and even replace existing SecurIDs free of charge for "virtually every customer" it has. Considering that millions of the tokens are now in use, that could add up to quite the bill. Not surprisingly, however, he isn't divulging many more details about the attack itself, noting only that the attacker's "most likely motive" was to use the information to "target defense secrets and related IP, rather than financial gain."

RSA offering SecurID replacements following Lockheed Martin attack originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RSA SecureID hackers may have accessed Lockheed Martin trade secrets, cafeteria menus (update: no data compromised)

Zach Honig — Sun, 29 May 2011 11:04:00 EST

RSA SecureID dongles add a layer of protection to everything from office pilates class schedules to corporate email accounts, with banks, tech companies, and even U.S. defense contractors using hardware security tokens to protect their networks. Following a breach at RSA in March, however, the company urged clients to boost other security methods, such as passwords and PIN codes, theoretically protecting networks from hackers that may have gained the ability to duplicate those critical SecureIDs. Now, Lockheed Martin is claiming that its network has come under attack, prompting RSA to issue 90,000 replacement tokens to Lockheed employees. The DoD contractor isn't detailing what data hackers may have accessed, but a SecureID bypass should clearly be taken very seriously, especially when that little keychain dongle is helping to protect our national security. If last month's Sony breach didn't already convince you to beef up your own computer security, now might be a good time to swap in 'Pa55werD1' for the rather pathetic 'password' you've been using to protect your own company's trade secrets for the last decade.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: According to Reuters, Lockheed Martin sent out a statement to clarify that it promptly took action to thwart the attack one week ago, and consequently "no customer, program or employee personal data has been compromised." Phew! [Thanks, JD]

RSA SecureID hackers may have accessed Lockheed Martin trade secrets, cafeteria menus (update: no data compromised) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 May 2011 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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D-Wave sells first commercial quantum computer to Lockheed Martin

Sean Hollister — Sun, 29 May 2011 02:02:00 EST

Who found ten million dollars to drop on the first commercially available quantum computer? Lockheed Martin, it seems, as the aerospace defense contractor has just begun a "multi-year contract" with the quantum annealing experts at D-Wave to develop... nothing that they're ready or willing to publicly discuss at this time. This "strategic relationship" marks the second major vote of confidence in D-Wave's technology, after Google built image detection algorithms for the company's processors a couple years back. Or, perhaps Lockheed Martin just wants a new shiny black toy for the Skunk Works labs. PR after the break.

Continue reading D-Wave sells first commercial quantum computer to Lockheed Martin

D-Wave sells first commercial quantum computer to Lockheed Martin originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 May 2011 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA commits to Orion-based Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle for space exploration

Donald Melanson — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:53:00 EST

There's been a lot of talk of things coming to an end at NASA lately, but there are also some new beginnings, and the space agency has now officially filled in one big gap. It's announced that the so-called Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (or MPCV) will be its go-to space exploration vehicle for missions beyond Low Earth Orbit -- presumably, the individual spacecraft will get names more up to the level of boldly-named vehicles like Endeavor and Atlantis. If it looks a little familiar, that's because the MPCV will be based on the Orion spacecraft that was developed under the now-canceled Constellation program and, like it, it will be built by Lockheed Martin. Once it's put into service, the spacecraft will be capable of carrying four astronauts on missions up to 21 days, and it could even be used as a backup for cargo and crew delivery to the ISS. To actually get into space, it'll blast off atop a heavy lift rocket, and then splash down Apollo-style in the Pacific Ocean. Head on past the break for NASA's official announcement.

Continue reading NASA commits to Orion-based Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle for space exploration

NASA commits to Orion-based Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle for space exploration originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 May 2011 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First piece of SBIRS missile defense system launched, not shot down

Brian Heater — Wed, 11 May 2011 03:53:00 EST

No need to worry about that loud, fiery exploding noise in Florida last week -- that was the sound of us all becoming a little bit safer. An Atlas 5 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral on Saturday, carrying Lockheed Martin's Space-Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) Geo-1. The spacecraft will be followed by three more satellites launched in the next five years, all totaling $17.6 billion. Ominously referred to as "persistent overhead surveillance," the $1.3 billion first piece of the SBIRS constellation missile defense system is set to replace the antiquated Defense Support Program launched in 1970. It's a small price to pay to keep those darn space invaders out of our hair.

Continue reading First piece of SBIRS missile defense system launched, not shot down

First piece of SBIRS missile defense system launched, not shot down originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 May 2011 03:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin shows off Orion spacecraft, new secret lair

Tim Stevens — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:24:00 EST

No, that's not the Apollo command module you're looking at up there. What's old is new again in space design, and what's floating weightless above this text is a photo of humanity's next great chariot into space. It's the Orion spacecraft from Lockheed Martin, commissioned for NASA and designed to carry a crew of four not just for trips into orbit but well out into the solar system. Lockheed Martin has just taken the wraps off the thing for the first time, also showing off its new Space Operations Simulation Center (SOSC), located neither in Houston nor Cape Canaveral. It is instead ~~dug into~~ built atop the bedrock in Colorado, theoretically isolating it from seismic and other disturbances so that the testing crew can do their thing without any outside interference. In that bunker the ship is currently testing ahead of a planned first launch in 2013, taking a crew into orbit as soon as 2016. Mars? That might be another few years.

Update: John wrote in to point out that the facility is actually built on some bedrock, not within the bedrock. So, it's not an underground lair after all -- but it's still a lair by golly.

Update 2: There's a vid charting the Orion's development included after the break.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin shows off Orion spacecraft, new secret lair

Lockheed Martin shows off Orion spacecraft, new secret lair originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin's CHIL blends motion capture with VR, creates zombie engineers (video)

Tim Stevens — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:46:00 EST

Computer-aided design is a great way to build products, but does it let you bust a funky move while wearing some crazy glasses and gloves? Heck no. You need Lockheed Martin's CHIL for that. It's the Collaborative Human Immersive Laboratory, virtual reality goggles and gloves combined with motion capture enabling teams of engineers to work together in a virtual space. You can see it in action below, used first for installing polygonal munitions into a rendered version of one of the company's F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, then for doing a little VR tai chi. A Lockheed rep promises that this enables the team to ensure the plane can be more easily and affordably maintained, but we just see this as high-tech training tool for the company's world-renowned synchronized dance teams.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin's CHIL blends motion capture with VR, creates zombie engineers (video)

Lockheed Martin's CHIL blends motion capture with VR, creates zombie engineers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Air Force enlists super blimp for Blue Devil surveillance initiative

Christopher Trout — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:46:00 EST

Way back in September 2009, we reported on an omnipotent war blimp from Lockheed Martin, now it looks like a similar dirigible could be hovering 20,000 feet above Afghanistan by this fall. (It's not clear whether or not the two blimps are one and the same, but Lockheed's craft was slated for an Afghan debut in 2011.) As part of the $211 million Blue Devil initiative, the US Air Force plans to pack the bloated beast -- which sports seven times the carrying capacity of the Goodyear blimp -- with up to a dozen interchangeable sensors and a supercomputer for processing data. It will then hover for stints as long as a week, collecting, assessing, and relaying important surveillance data to ground troops in a matter of seconds. It's a tall order, but Air Force officials hope that an on-board wide-area airborne surveillance system (WAAS), which uses 96 cameras to generate nearly 275TB of data every hour, and a supercomputer hosting the equivalent of 2,000 single-core servers will fit the bill. The aircraft isn't complete quite yet, but barring unforeseen obstacles, like a run-in with a giant needle, it should be up in the air starting October 15th. For more on Blue Devil check out our links below.

US Air Force enlists super blimp for Blue Devil surveillance initiative originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin begins laboratory testing of HULC robotic exoskeleton

Donald Melanson — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:03:00 EST

We already knew that it was ready for testing, and Lockheed Martin has now announced that it has finally begun laboratory tests of its HULC robotic exoskeleton. The testing follows a number of improvements made to the exoskeleton that increased its reliability and performance, including some new environmental sealing that provides additional protection from natural elements and battlefield hazards, and some refinements to the HULC's form and fit that promise to let its wearer adapt to it in less time. While complete details on the testing itself is obviously a bit light, Lockheed Martin says that it will "validate the ruggedized system's capabilities and reliability in a variety of simulated battlefield conditions" -- think Laser Tag with robot legs (at least we will). Head past the break for the full press release, and look for the next milestone to happen sometime next year, when it's expected to see some actual use in the field.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin begins laboratory testing of HULC robotic exoskeleton

Lockheed Martin begins laboratory testing of HULC robotic exoskeleton originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flying Humvee a step closer to reality, still seems like a really bad idea

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 01:46:00 EST

It looks like AAI Corp has, indeed, landed the contract for feasibility studies of the Transformer flying Humvee project, which as far as we can tell takes a lightly armored (if armored at all) four man vehicle and puts it in the air, practically begging to be hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. And if that doesn't sound sketchy enough, keep in mind that among the design considerations are gas tanks in the craft's wings which, as Spencer Ackerman at Wired points out, would make really obvious targets. The testing should last about a year, and cost DARPA a cool $3 million. If all goes well, AAI could have a partial prototype in 2013.

Flying Humvee a step closer to reality, still seems like a really bad idea originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 01:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DARPA's Transformer TX 'flying Humvee' project gets off the ground

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:14:00 EST

Sometimes it feels like the Military-Industrial Complex only exists to keep us entertained with tales of laser weapons and robots that eat enemy combatants -- not that we'd complain if it did! And for today's fantastical wargadget, we have nothing less than a flying Humvee. The Transformer TX project calls for four-man vehicle that drives like a jeep and then takes off to avoid roadside bombs (or impress the ladies). While DARPA has yet to say who will be awarded with the contract for the conceptual design stage of the project, Popular Mechanics has done some digging and it looks like Lockheed Martin and AAI Corp are both on the short list. While the former has declined to talk about its offering, AAI's incorporates something called "slowed-rotor / compound," where a rotor provides lift on takeoff, and when it achieves a certain speed wings take over. We'll be waiting for our review unit, but in the meantime you can get a closer look after the break.

Continue reading DARPA's Transformer TX 'flying Humvee' project gets off the ground

DARPA's Transformer TX 'flying Humvee' project gets off the ground originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin and Kaman's unmanned helicopter wins military contract (video)

Tim Stevens — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:26:00 EST

When developing an unmanned vehicle there are two paths to choose from: create an entirely fresh design with no room for a carbon-based pilot, or simply take an existing craft and make it self-sufficient. That's the direction Lockheed Martin chose for its submission to the the joint Army Marines Autonomous Technologies for Unmanned Air Systems (ATUAS) program, and it turned out to be a winner. The idea is to create an autonomous helo that can resupply military forces, and Lockheed Martin started with a Kaman K-Max cargo chopper (demo'd after the break), capable of lifting 6,000lbs plus one pilot -- who was made optional. This customized K-Max can place its cargo within a 10 meter drop zone after flying 200km or more, but a principal advantage of this submission is that you can still put a pilot in there and use it like a traditional heavy lifter, while the competition from Boeing was a bespoke UAV with no room for meatbags. It's unclear when exactly this sentient K-Max will be hitting battlefields, but hopefully the Army and Marines come up with some other, rewarding jobs for their pilots, because between this and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap released earlier this year that particular job market could be getting tight.

Update: Bo from Lockheed Martin wrote in to let us know of a different video we've added after the break featuring higher production values, more guitar solos, and plenty of autonomous cargo liftin'.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin and Kaman's unmanned helicopter wins military contract (video)

Lockheed Martin and Kaman's unmanned helicopter wins military contract (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA set to send Juno 'armored tank' spacecraft to Jupiter

Laura June — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:27:00 EST

NASA is gearing up to send an "armored tank" spacecraft called Juno to Jupiter this month, after several delays and reschedulings. The environment that Juno is to face will be one of the most treacherous any spacecraft has ever endured -- so Juno has all sorts of special features, such as a radiation vault, a protective shield to protect it from Jupiter's insanely radiation-heavy environs. An invisible force field surrounds Jupiter (a less powerful one also surrounds our own planet) which is heavy with high energy particles to shield it from highly charged particles which shoot off the sun. The mission will result in Juno orbiting Jupiter, the largest planet in the Solar System, for 15 months. Scientists have also devised a route that should shelter the craft from spending extended periods of time in the harshest zones. Juno's trip will also be the first ever solar powered mission to Jupiter.

NASA set to send Juno 'armored tank' spacecraft to Jupiter originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HULC exo-skeleton ready for testing, set to hit the ground running next year (video)

Tim Stevens — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:51:00 EST

Its lack of jetpacks means Heinlein's visions of future warfare have still not come to pass, but we're getting closer with word that Lockheed Martin's Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC) exoskeleton is ready for military testing. Since last we heard of the thing it's been "ruggedized" and made a little more battle-hardy, able to carry 200lbs plus its own 53lb heft without burdening the doughy soldier inside, demonstrated after the break. It supports the cargo plus its own weight through articulated rods that follow the legs to the ground, meaning grunts can haul heavy equipment to the battle and arrive feeling refreshed. Next up for the suit is eight weeks of military trials ahead of hitting the battlefield sometime next year. Hooah, future robo-jockeys.

Continue reading HULC exo-skeleton ready for testing, set to hit the ground running next year (video)

HULC exo-skeleton ready for testing, set to hit the ground running next year (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin, Navy team up to deploy communications buoys for submarines

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:59:00 EST

Lockheed Martin has announced that it's completed a critical design review for a system that enables submarine communication while below periscope depth. Part of the US Navy's Communications at Speed and Depth Program, buoys are launched by the sub, which can then connect nearby to military networks or satellites. The 40-inch long buoys can either be launched from the sub itself, shuttling data back and forth via miles-long cables, or dropped from aircraft. If the latter, communications is established using an acoustic messaging system similar to SONAR. Now that the review is complete, the team will begin producing hardware with an eye toward delivering engineering design models early next year. PR after the break.

Continue reading Lockheed Martin, Navy team up to deploy communications buoys for submarines

Lockheed Martin, Navy team up to deploy communications buoys for submarines originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Supersonic Green Machine sends greetings from the future

Vlad Savov — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:32:00 EST

While many of us are busy debating the relative merits of pocket-sized technology, NASA is mulling over ideas on a much grander scale. Submitted as part of the Administration's research into advanced aeronautics, the above Lockheed Martin-designed aircraft is just one vision of how air travel might be conducted in the future. It's a supersonic jet employing an inverted-V engine-under-wing configuration, which apparently helps to significantly reduce the resultant sonic boom. Other than that, we're only told that "other revolutionary technologies" will provide for the achievement of range, payload and environmental goals. So that snazzy paintjob wasn't just for show, after all -- who'd have guessed?

Supersonic Green Machine sends greetings from the future originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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F-35B supersonic jet's first mid-air hover (video)

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:41:00 EST

VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) is no great shakes in a wargadget these days -- and a craft like the F-35B, with its short-take off and vertical-landing capabilities might be even less shocking -- but jets that stop whatever they're doing mid-air to just hover awhile? That's another story entirely. The $83 million-plus, supersonic stealth jet did just that yesterday, according to Lockheed Martin. The flight began with a conventional takeoff and the aircraft hit about 200 knots before the pilot switched her into STOVL, culminating in a zero airspeed hover 150 feet above the runway. This is the first "mid-air hover" by the aircraft, and if development continues at the pace most of these programs do it should see active service sometime around Engadget's 25th birthday. Video after the break.

Continue reading F-35B supersonic jet's first mid-air hover (video)

F-35B supersonic jet's first mid-air hover (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boeing 747 destroys ballistic missile with laser (update: photos!)

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:19:00 EST

No, this isn't a call to arms (yet), the US is simply evaluating its airborne laser weapon again. Now listen in because this latest test was a doozy. Last night at 8:44pm Cali time, the Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) successfully "destroyed" a liquid-fueled ballistic missile from an airborne platform, according to the Missile Defense Agency. A first for the directed energy weapon that we've been following since 2006. The dirty work was achieve by a modified Boeing 747-400F airframe fitted with a Northrop Grumman higher-energy laser and Lockheed Martin beam and fire control system. After an at-sea launch, the ALTB used a low-energy laser to track the target. A second, low-energy laser was used to measure and compensate for atmospheric disturbances before the megawatt-class laser was fired, "heating the boosting ballistic missile to critical structural failure." The entire episode was over just two minutes after missile launch. Good work generals, but let's see you fit that laser to a shark if you really want to impress us.

Update: Infrared images of the ALTB destroying the short-range ballistic missile after the break.

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Boeing 747 destroys ballistic missile with laser (update: photos!) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Protonex fuel-cell batteries to power HULC exoskeleton for three solid days

Darren Murph — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:29:00 EST

We're selfishly daydreaming of how we could use something like this at the next CES, but chances are that Lockheed Martin is really only fixated on boosting its bottom line by assisting the US military. The company's HULC exoskeleton, which was originally introduced by Berkeley Bionics in 2008, is seeing a significant upgrade this week courtesy of a fuel-cell power pack from Protonex. The goal? To strap a new, more potent battery onto the Human Universal Load Carrier that will support 72+ hour extended missions. Soldiers tend to carry around a lot more gadgetry now, all of which requires more and more power; with this pack, the men and women in the field could carry fewer conventional batteries while seeing an overall boost in available juice. There's no mention of when exactly this stuff will be rolled out en masse, but that's a detail you'll probably never know, anyway.

Protonex fuel-cell batteries to power HULC exoskeleton for three solid days originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin introduces 'PC on a stick' flash drive -- yes, Lockheed Martin

Donald Melanson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:51:00 EST

Our coverage of Lockheed Martin here on Engadget normally focus on things like laser weapons or futuristic airships, but it looks like the mega-defense company is now trying its hand as something a little closer to home for us: an ultra-secure USB flash drive. As you can see above, that's done with a little help from the folks at IronKey, but Lockheed Martin does seem to have made its new IronClad its own, and included some custom software that promises to let you carry your entire computer with you and securely use it on any public computer. Of course, exact details are a bit hard to come by, but the drive is available with "at least" 8GB of storage, and includes 256-bit encryption, built-in virus protection, and a variety of networking features that will let organizations keep watch on individual drives and control what can or cannot be installed on them. No word on pricing, but Lockheed Martin is apparently ready to talk with any companies that are interested in using the drives.

Lockheed Martin introduces 'PC on a stick' flash drive -- yes, Lockheed Martin originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Army, Lockheed Martin team up for DisOPS 'battlefield PDAs'

Joseph L. Flatley — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:07:00 EST

Remember the Land Warrior program, which only took 15 years and half a billion dollars outfit our troops with high-tech battlefield uniforms? With DisOPS ("distributed operations") Lockheed Martin is taking a different tack. Deployed to Special Forces in Afghanistan, the system is comprised of the Connect software which runs on ruggedized laptop computers, allowing squad leaders to plan missions on a map, and View PDAs that receive info over tactical radio, cellphone, or even WiFi networks. The PDAs provide "friendly force tracking of other team and squad leaders, land navigation tools, photo capture and transmission, and the ability to annotate and share maps in real time with other leaders." In addition to all that, the handhelds include a sniper detection system for locating the origin of enemy fire and distributing it to other units in the area. Reportedly the system is working quite well -- which means that, barring any further obstacles, DisOPS might see widespread use before 2030.

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

Army, Lockheed Martin team up for DisOPS 'battlefield PDAs' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iridium to merge with GHL, get back into sat phone game

Darren Murph — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:34:00 EST

Aside from pushing out around one phone per year (at best), Iridium Satellite really hasn't had a major impact on the market over the past ten years. 'Course, that's probably because it's hard to have much impact after seeking bankruptcy protection in 1999, but we digress. Starting tomorrow, new life will be breathed into Iridium thanks to a merger with publicly traded GHL Acquisition. If all goes to plan, the merger will add over $200 million to the company's bank account, enabling it to pay down debt and develop a next-generation network of satellites to be launched in 2014. Furthermore, $160 million will be raised by issuing another 16 million shares at $10 a pop, and a new label (Iridium Communications) will be thrown on for good measure. Only time will tell if the world really is ready to adopt satellite phones en masse, but if TerraStar's latest deal is any indication, we'd say chances are ~~good~~ halfway decent.

Filed under: Handsets, Others, Misc

Iridium to merge with GHL, get back into sat phone game originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iridium to merge with GHL, get back into sat phone game

Darren Murph — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:34:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Iridium to merge with GHL, get back into sat phone game originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US looking to deploy long-endurance hybrid airship over Afghanistan

Donald Melanson — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:15:00 EST

We may see more airship proposals than actual airships 'round these parts, but it looks like this massive dirigible from Lockheed Martin will indeed be taking flight sooner rather than later, and could see action in Afghanistan by mid-2011. Dubbed the LEMV (or Long Endurance Multi-intelligence Vehicle), the airship is apparently "optionally manned," and can stay aloft at 20,000 feet for up to 21 days at a time, while also carrying a payload of up to 2,500 pounds. That relatively fast deployment is aided in part by the fact that the airship is basically a larger version of Lockheed's P-791 (twice as big, in fact), which has already flown six times and, as you can see in the video after the break, is pretty massive in its own right.

[Via The Register]

Continue reading US looking to deploy long-endurance hybrid airship over Afghanistan

Filed under: Transportation

US looking to deploy long-endurance hybrid airship over Afghanistan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin and Microvision developing wearable displays for DARPA

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:33:00 EST

Sure, working with Motorola for some peacetime pico-projector development is one thing, but if you really want to rake in the bucks, you'd better jump on the military-industrial bandwagon. As a part of DARPA's Urban Leader Tactical Response, Awareness & Visualization project, Lockheed Martin has teamed up with Microvision to develop low-profile see-through eyewear displays for providing "non-line-of-sight command and control in distributed urban operations for dismounted warfighters" based on the latter's PicoP technology. The displays will be low-powered, lightweight, and will deliver real-time content for "increased situational awareness, such as real-time combat support and logistics." Sounds pretty similar to the gear they were selling the Air Force years ago, no? In unrelated news, the company's Vice President of Sales and Marketing is named Ian Brown, although we're guessing it's not the same Ian Brown we saw at the Hammerstein Ballroom four years ago. PR after the break.

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Filed under: Displays

Lockheed Martin and Microvision developing wearable displays for DARPA originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study finds that Lockheed Martin needs to stop disposing of hard drives with top secret data intact

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:39:00 EST

With all of those crazy defense contracts Lockheed Martin has goin' on, you'd think the company would have its act together as far as the need to hold down its data goes -- but according to The Daily Mail, this may not be the case. Researchers at BT's Security Research Center have found an overwhelming amount of sensitive data on hard drives purchased through computer fairs and auctions as a part of a recent study, including: bank account details, medical records, and confidential business and financial data. Although many organizations were found to be at fault, the most troubling (sensational) instance included test launch procedures for Lockheed Martin's THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system, found on hardware purchased from eBay. Also on the same disk were security policies, blueprints, and employees' personal info. When asked for a comment, a spokesman for the company stated that "Until Lockheed Martin can evaluate the hard drive in question, it is not possible to comment further on its potential contents or source." It looks like we're not getting to the bottom of this one any time soon, but in the meantime: if any defense contractors have any questions on the subject, we'll be happy to help.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Storage

Study finds that Lockheed Martin needs to stop disposing of hard drives with top secret data intact originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High-powered, jet-mounted laser one step closer to flying the terrifying skies

Laura June — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:47:00 EST

The jet-mounted laser anti-missile system, brainchild of Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and the US Air Force, has been an ongoing project for quite some time. Well, it's progressed into a final test phase, as evidenced by a new video, which shows the plane strapped with a pilot-controlled laser which is able to intercept missiles significantly earlier than other existing anti-missile tech. The project has plans to continue testing throughout this year, but will also need to be approved by the Obama administration if it is to come to fruition. Feel free to insert obligatory Dr. Evil joke in comments. Check out the video after the break, but fair warning: it autoplays.

Continue reading High-powered, jet-mounted laser one step closer to flying the terrifying skies

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

High-powered, jet-mounted laser one step closer to flying the terrifying skies originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Air Force planning multi-billion dollar GPS upgrade

Joshua Topolsky — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:58:00 EST

A long line of tenacious competitors is forming to bid on the US Air Force's multibillion-dollar upgrade plan for the current Global Positioning System, with major players Lockheed Martin and Boeing squaring off for the next generation of GPS satellites. The lucky winning bidder will be responsible for construction of eight new GPS III satellites, which will be deployed for use in 2013. Additionally, the Air Force has opened the door for bidders on its ground-based GPS system (GPS OCX, which will utilize existing satellites) and is expected to choose two of three interested parties for the $160 million development contracts. Apparently, the industry is sweet on the Air Force for splitting the space and ground contracts, and instating a relatively new practice which allows companies to bid directly with the government (as opposed to subcontractors). Way to "aim high," everyone.

Filed under: GPS

Air Force planning multi-billion dollar GPS upgrade originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA's PILOT project could autonomously extract oxygen from lunar soil

Darren Murph — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 09:28:00 EST

We've got means to extract oxygen from water, a portable bar, and even ways to deprive entire server farms of the sustenance, but a new project being tackled by Lockheed Martin is hoping to create O2 on the moon. A critical part of NASA's PILOT (Precursor In-situ Lunar Oxygen Testbed) initiative, this digger bot will work hand-in-hand with a "processing plant that will add hydrogen to moon soil, heat it to 1,652-degrees Fahrenheit, condense the steam, and finally extract the oxygen." Additionally, the blue LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) box atop the three-foot-long machine can assist it in locating "oxygen-rich lunar soil and autonomously carry it to a processing plant." The overriding goal is to use the newly extracted O2 for air, or moreover, to combine it with hydrogen and produce water for the four astronauts that the lunar base could support. Unfortunately, there's no timetable as to when we'll actually see the PILOT roll into action, but we're most interested in porting this bad boy over to Mars along with half the traffic in LA.

[Via The Raw Feed]

Filed under: Robots

NASA's PILOT project could autonomously extract oxygen from lunar soil originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Apr 2007 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin eyes quantum entanglement radar

Darren Murph — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:59:00 EST

We've got quantum dot lasers, cryptographic data networks, teleportation (saywha?), and a pesky company to boot, but the (in)famous defense contractor Lockheed Martin has apparently hit the loony sauce a bit too quickly on its latest patent application. In a proposed effort to concoct the ultimate omniscient radar, the firm is suggesting that it can break the boundaries of theoretical physics and create a "quantum entanglement" scanner that can "penetrate any type of defense to identify hidden weapons and roadside bombs from hundreds of miles away." The theory -- which hasn't been realized in a product just yet -- suggests that two particles can be joined so that whatever happens to one must also happen to its partner, however far apart they are, which could be used to detect contraband from faraway locales (or peek through suspicious garb). Interestingly, it doesn't seem that we're the only ones wondering just what type of Kool-Aid the outfit's R&D department is sipping, as a physicist at Manchester University has reportedly insinuated that even in the far-reaching world of quantum physics, "the mechanics are just wrong." Seriously, isn't a Big Brother blimp enough for you guys?

[Via Wired]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Lockheed Martin eyes quantum entanglement radar originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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F-22 Raptors' systems crash mid-flight over Pacific

Jeannie Choe — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 08:27:00 EST

Lockheed's shiny new F-22 Raptor stealth fighters may have owned a few war games, but crossing the International Date Line left them as helpless as a carrot in a rabbit trap, with multiple system crashes causing an emergency detour en route from Hawaii to Okinawa, Japan. Communication, fuel subsystems, and navigation systems were rendered useless and repeated "reboots" were of no help. Luckily, the fleet had clear skies and refueling tankers to guide them back to Hawaii. If they had separated from the tankers, "they would have turned around and probably could have found the Hawaiian Islands. But if the weather had been bad on approach, there could have been real trouble," states Retired Air Force Major General Don Shepperd. The voyage suffered a two-day delay on account of the system failures -- "a computer glitch in the millions of lines of code, somebody made an error in a couple lines of the code and everything goes." What should have been a showy parade of $125+ million super fighters quickly turned to disaster for Lockheed who would've had a lot of explaining to do, had this happened during combat.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Transportation

F-22 Raptors' systems crash mid-flight over Pacific originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockheed Martin to build High Altitude Airship for homeland security

Darren Murph — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:50:00 EST

Although it's not exactly shocking to hear of yet another homeland security application that seems to border on Big Brother, Lockheed Martin's High Altitude Airship could keep an elevated eye on 600 miles of US countryside at any given time, and if all goes as planned, we'll have 11 of these things floating over our everyday activities by the end of the decade. The HAA prototype is a ginormous airship that measures 17-times larger than the Goodyear rendition we're all used to seeing above sporting events, and is designed to hover 12 miles above the earth in order to keep tabs on what's happening below. The airship is slated to be solar-powered and should stay in a geocentric orbit for "up to a year," and if equipped with high-resolution cameras, a single one could cover everything "between Toledo, Ohio and New York City." While Lockheed Martin is thrilled with the $40 million project they've been awarded, it's certainly understandable to get a little worried about how these blimps will actually be used, but a company spokesperson suggested then an entire fleet could actually be used for "border surveillance" -- and hey, we need a little help down there anyway, right?

[Via Fark]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Lockheed Martin to build High Altitude Airship for homeland security originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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