Over its 60-year history, Lincoln Laboratory–developed technologies have had significant impacts on national security and on citizens’ everyday lives. For example, the Laboratory’s initial project, the SAGE system, provided an air defense for the continental United States, and its development advanced the state of computing with the introduction of the magnetic-core memory. In fact, the art of computer programming was essentially invented for the SAGE system. Our expanded section on the SAGE project includes not only a comprehensive overview of the work Lincoln Laboratory did on this initial project and subsequent radar work, but also many wonderful resources.

The Laboratory continues to develop systems that meet national security needs and to advance the state of the art in technologies for communications, space surveillance, air and missile defense, cyber security, homeland protection, air traffic control, advanced electronics, high-performance computing, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The mission area pages of this website present overviews of all our areas of work and summaries of recent accomplishments.

Lincoln Laboratory’s community service and educational outreach activities have had a positive influence on local communities. Educational programs encourage students to seek careers in science and engineering. Community service programs support organizations that help the needy or fund research into disease. The Impacts of Community Outreach section outlines the impacts we are having within many communities.

 

Magnetic-core-memory array, 1950s.