Lockheed Martin begins construction of new satellite factory
Capitalism in space: Lockheed Martin has begun construction of a $350 million satellite factory in Colorado, with expected completion in 2020.
At the moment, Lockheed does not have a competitive rocket. Moreover, its only big space project is Orion, which might never fly more than twice, if that. Thus, this shift to satellites makes some sense, as it will be difficult now for the company to gain market share in the launch and manned spacecraft markets. It is too far behind. However, there is a new industry developing in smallsats, and Lockheed is well positioned to get in at the start.
Update: I do this all the time, but I made a mistake here and assigned the Delta family of rockets to Lockheed Martin. For some reason I make this mistake often, switching Atlas 5 and Delta and Lockheed Martin and Boeing. I apologize for the error.
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Capitalism in space: Lockheed Martin has begun construction of a $350 million satellite factory in Colorado, with expected completion in 2020.
At the moment, Lockheed does not have a competitive rocket. Moreover, its only big space project is Orion, which might never fly more than twice, if that. Thus, this shift to satellites makes some sense, as it will be difficult now for the company to gain market share in the launch and manned spacecraft markets. It is too far behind. However, there is a new industry developing in smallsats, and Lockheed is well positioned to get in at the start.
Update: I do this all the time, but I made a mistake here and assigned the Delta family of rockets to Lockheed Martin. For some reason I make this mistake often, switching Atlas 5 and Delta and Lockheed Martin and Boeing. I apologize for the error.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
I do wonder what the business attraction for CO is.. Mining, I can understand , satellites? Hmmm…
Orion314,
Lockheed Martin (LM) is slowly moving work from its Sunnyvale, California, facility to properties that they already own in Colorado. Sunnyvale and California is an expensive place to work, and the property there is very valuable; the company has been selling off land there for several years.
Interestingly, two decades ago, in the Sunnyvale location, Lockheed Martin built their “factory of the future” (as the linked LM press release calls their new Colorado facility). I guess that this Colorado facility will make the Sunnyvale one into a factory of the past.
The Delta family was Boeing’s design. Atlas V (the cheaper one of the EELV program and still competitive today) was Lockheed’s. Kind of an obvious mistake these days…
LM has been out of the launch business for over a decade now once ULA was formed and Orion was never going to be a commercial capsule by any stretch of the imagination. Lockheed’s Geo-satellite business has been going quite strong with some recent commercial wins the last few years along with their perpetual JPL (Just Pay Lockheed) spacecraft.
aeroeng14: You are 100% right. I have corrected the post and published a mea culpa. For reasons I cannot explain, I often switch the makers of Delta and Atlas 5, no matter how many times I check and correct myself. Usually I do this before posting. My mistake here was not to check. I won’t make that mistake again.
Unless they start dropping their prices someone is going to step in and take their business.
Launch prices are falling like rocks and so should satellite prices. Things being equal.