The Pentagon awarded Martin Marietta Corp. a...

The Pentagon awarded Martin Marietta Corp. a $347-million contract for experimental work on lasers for the “Star Wars” anti-missile defense program. The 30-month contract is for work on phase three of the so-called Zenith Star program, a seven-year plan to determine whether space-based lasers--potent beams of light--can be used to destroy attacking nuclear missiles in flight. The contract is to form a blueprint for a space experiment scheduled for spring 1994.