The UCCS American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Student Club hosted an exclusive tour of Lockheed Martin's (LM) Waterton Plant on October 31, 2024. This facility, the headquarters of Lockheed Martin Space, is a hub of innovation, where advanced technology systems for national security, civil, and commercial projects are designed, developed, tested, and operated.
Drawing over 36 students from UCCS and the Colorado School of Mines, along with one UCCS faculty member, the event offered an immersive look into LM’s work in the space industry. The tour was highly interactive, with participants split into smaller groups to allow for a close-up view of Lockheed Martin’s most intriguing missions and facilities.
The journey included a visit to the Collaborative Human Immersive Lab (CHIL), a 3D simulation space designed to improve efficiency and understanding across all project stages by allowing personnel to practice and refine skills in a simulated environment. The next stop was the Radar and Antenna Center, where the group observed high-tech equipment undergoing rigorous testing, including Thermal Vacuum chambers, vibration testbeds, and an enormous anechoic chamber.
Student Aurora Miller had this to say. “One of the largest things I got to experience was the sound testing room. This room was so silent that, even with the doors open and one of the satellite pieces open, standing near the room made everything around me nearly silent. Snapping your finger near the door itself felt like you were on top of Pikes Peak with how there was no echo, with an eerie silence right after, which was so incredible.”
The journey continued to the Mission Support Area, where ongoing missions like Lucy—a spacecraft en route to study a distant asteroid near Jupiter—are monitored and controlled. Next, students visited Pulsar, a facility where the Air Force and other entities conduct simulations, tests, and training within a multi-domain synthetic space environment, ensuring current missions remain uninterrupted.
According to student Jaxon Fellers, “Visiting the Lockheed Martin Waterton plant was an experience that left a lasting impression on our class at UCCS. Walking through the facility, you're immediately struck by the scale and sophistication of its operations. We were inspired by how every team member we met seemed genuinely committed to advancing innovations in their field. That energy was alive in every person we met at the plant. The tour offered a valuable look into the dedication that goes into every detail, reminding us that the collaborative work of these talented people keeps our future open and brighter than ever before.”
Special thanks to Lisa Luedtke from Lockheed Martin for organizing this exceptional experience and Dr. Lynnane George for coordinating the event on behalf of UCCS.
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