U.S. Air Force Awards $30 Million Space Fence Contract to Lockheed Martin

[Satellite Today 07-01-09] The U.S. Air Force awarded a $30 million contract to Lockheed Martin to begin concept development for Space Fence, a system of land-based S-band radars supporting operations centers that detects and reports objects and debris orbiting the Earth, Lockheed Martin announced June 30.
    Lockheed Martin’s team, which includes General Dynamics, AT&T and AMEC, will develop potential system configurations. The contract also includes site and facility surveys as well as planning and development of net-centric approaches to integrate with the existing architecture of the Space Surveillance Network.
    “Space Fence will provide a fully-integrated, net-centric radar system of systems that will allow information to be shared on the global information grid with space operators across the community,” Carl Bannar, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s radar business, said in a statement.