Lockheed Announces New Operations Testbed for Future Satellite Mission Management

Lockheed Martin has opened the Operations Center of the Future, a technology testbed designed to showcase how satellite operators will manage multiple missions using a web-based, secure cloud infrastructure.

The testbed uses the Compass Mission Planning and the Horizon Command and Control software, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to manage satellites and constellations from anywhere. The C2 software has been used to deploy over 50 spacecraft for government and commercial space missions.

The Operations Center of the Future proved its concept when it deployed the In-Space Upgrade Satellite System demonstrator early in 2023, Lockheed said Monday.

Maria Demaree, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Space’s National Security Space business, said the center’s next-generation AI, automation and cloud capabilities will give operators mission updates instantly. Demaree, a 4×24 member and a previous Potomac Officers Club event speaker, added that the center allows users to make better decisions.