Lockheed Martin announced March 30 that it expects to develop a “more efficient and reliable process for space vehicle component and flight software integration through its newly established Space Vehicle Integration Laboratory (SVIL). The lab, located at the Lockheed Martin Space Systems facility in Denver, has state-of-the-art computer hardware and software technologies to enable space vehicle developers to better understand how their spacecraft will operate on-orbit. “The ability to field both large and small satellites quickly and reliably is a critical capability supporting the warfighter,” said Rick Ambrose, Lockheed’s vice president and general manager of surveillance and navigation systems. He said the SVIL will help the company in “eliminating cost, schedule, and weight drivers to provide mission-focused solutions.”
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
