Payload information for Lockheed Martin's satellites. Source: Lockheed MartinFor the first time, Lockheed Martin has publicly released its satellite platform specifications with the goal of offering new opportunities to startups, researchers and established companies to propose technologies that will help solve challenges in space.

As part of the new initiative called Lockheed Martin Open Space, the company is publishing the technical details about the payload accommodation information for its flagship LM 2100 satellite platform, the LM 400 small satellite and two variants of its new LM 50 nanosat series.

As Lockheed Martin has numerous launches and has hosted payload slots on its docket, the company wants to collaborate with a new generation of companies to put innovations in orbit and beyond.

Rick Ambrose, executive VP of Lockheed Martin Space says the goal of the Open Space program is twofold: First, to help more companies do innovative things in space that they weren’t able to do otherwise; and second to create new avenues for collaboration to tackle Lockheed’s own customers’ challenges.

"We're not just offering launch slots, we're ready to help new companies integrate their groundbreaking technologies with powerful satellite platforms,” Ambrose says. “We believe there's significant untapped potential out there waiting to be unleashed."

Lockheed Martin says it is looking for non-proprietary technologies that will help protect and connect the world, including applications that might help first responders address crises faster, studying the environment, creating ultra-high-capacity communications links and adapting low-cost commercial technology to the harsh environment of space.

The LM 2100 satellite is the foundation of more than 40 satellites in orbit today, including weather, missile warning and commercial communication satellites. The LM 400 is a reconfigurable bus that can go to LEO and GEO orbits and the LM 50 are small satellites that can do an array of remote sensing, communications and scientific payloads.

Interested companies and individuals can download the payload accommodation specifications and submit concepts at www.lockheedmartin.com/openspace. The opportunity is open through May 11.