Lockheed Martin has unveiled its next major technology demonstration, the LM 400, a versatile mid-sized, multi-mission space vehicle designed to meet the needs of a broad range of customers. After completing extensive testing, the LM 400 is preparing to launch aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket in the first half of 2025.
“The LM 400 is Lockheed Martin’s most capable space vehicle and is able to serve any mission in any orbit,” said Jeff Schrader, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Lockheed Martin Space. “This mid-sized, common bus is a game changer, because it can support any type of customer, including military, civil, and commercial users – and can be customized to each individual mission.”
The LM 400 has been digitally designed for exceptional flexibility, offering significant cost savings for customers by using a common satellite bus design adaptable for various missions. These include remote sensing, communications, imaging, and radar applications. The vehicle is optimized for better operability in low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO), providing more propulsion options than other satellites in its class.
In addition, the LM 400 is designed to be compatible with a variety of launch vehicles, supporting single, ride-share, or multi-launch configurations. The vehicle’s SmartSat software-defined architecture further enhances mission flexibility, enabling on-board data processing for a wide array of customer needs.
The LM 400 is designed to conform to a Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA), enabling seamless interoperability with other platforms across military services to support the Department of Defence’s vision for Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) operations.
This mission is part of Lockheed Martin’s growing portfolio of self-funded technology demonstrations, which include the Electronically Steerable Antenna and Pony Express 2. These innovations are focused on delivering proven capabilities with increased speed and agility, enabling customers to leverage advanced manufacturing and digital engineering that has already been tested on-orbit to address emerging threats.
The upcoming launch of the LM 400 reflects Lockheed Martin’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space technology and providing flexible, cost-effective solutions for a wide range of mission needs.
