Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Wins DARPA’s ALASA Contract

Lockheed Martin has won a $6.2 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the Phase I Airborne Launch Assist Space Access (ALASA) program study. The ALASA program is a research and development that will find ways to better current technology to maintain vital satellite capabilities during a crisis. ”Our approach uses a tactical aircraft to provide a high energy-state, reusable first stage, enabling launches from bases worldwide to support the U.S and its allies," said Derek Bye, Lockheed Martin ALASA program manager. "With the connectivity requirements of current and future systems, doing this quickly and affordably is a vital need that must be addressed". A team led by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works will spend 18 months on Phase I of the ALASA program. During which time the team will define a preliminary system design followed by a demonstration system definition review.