SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the should-offer-a-bounty-for-the-best-ideas dept.
Under pressure from the Pentagon to bring fresh ideas to the table, military satellite manufacturers are trying to build closer connections with startups and entrepreneurs that are fueling the space economy.
Lockheed Martin, the nation's largest military contractor, rolled out a new initiative this week to attract "aspiring space technologists." It has decided to publicly release the technical specifications of its satellite platforms in a bid to attract "companies aspiring to send innovative technologies to space," the company announced on Thursday.
"This is intended to help people connect to our buses," Lockheed Martin spokesman Mark Lewis told SpaceNews. "If developers know the specs in advance, that speeds up their development and integration time."
Lockheed only is interested in non-proprietary ideas and products. "We're pretty open to all types of technologies, ranging from helping first responders address crises faster, studying the environment, creating ultra-high-capacity communications links and adapting low-cost commercial technology to the punishing environments of space. We're open to any concept, and we'll look for the best matches for our customers."
The company has produced more than 800 satellites. Under the "open space" project, Lockheed will publish technical details of the payload accommodation for its LM 2100 satellite platform, LM 400 small satellite and two variants of its new LM 50 nanosat series.
http://spacenews.com/lockheed-martin-posts-satellite-data-online-to-lure-space-entrepreneurs/
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 11 2018, @06:11PM
i'm sure, but i'm more than happy for companies to use open models/ways to make money. i'm sure everything's not perfect, but it's sounds like a bigger step than i've seen in many other instances.