The Lockheed Martin Space Systems Advanced Technology Center (ATC) has opened a new state-of-the-art laboratories building that will enable the company to provide innovative technical solutions to customers with more agility and efficiency.

The Advanced Materials and Thermal Sciences Center, with 82,000 square feet of floor space, will house 130 engineers, scientists and staff. The new laboratories will host advanced research and development in emerging technology areas like 3-D printing, energetics, thermal sciences, nanotechnology, synthesis, high temperature materials and advanced devices.

"This magnificent new facility will be home to many of the innovative technologies that will help shape the future of space payloads, satellites and missile systems," said Dr. Kenneth Washington, vice president of the ATC.

"Scientists and engineers here are creating advanced materials like our CuantumFuse nano-copper, which promises to make more reliable electrical connections in space and other applications. We're also perfecting technologies to manage the heat generated by on-board satellite sensors. Our new microcryocooler is the smallest satellite cooler ever developed, another example of the ground-breaking technologies we're advancing in this lab."

The new building was designed and constructed to achieve a Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices including sustainability; water efficiency; energy efficiency and atmospheric quality; use of materials and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovations in upgrades, operations and maintenance. The U.S. Green Building Council's Building Rating System is a voluntary national standard for high-performance sustainable buildings.

"Our new Materials and Thermal Sciences Center is not just a home for innovation, it's a shining example of the benefits of sustainable, environmentally-friendly practices," said Marshall Case, vice president of Infrastructure Services at Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

"By replacing two other buildings that are each 50 years old with this new facility, we'll save $1 million in annual maintenance costs, cut energy costs by more than 60 percent, and reduce our carbon footprint. This new facility is better for the environment, more affordable for our business and more versatile for our technologists."