Klye Herring
Headquarters, Washington        Dec.6, 2002
(Phone: 202/358-1874)

George Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

RELEASE: C02-ii

NASA PICKS DELTA II TO LAUNCH MEDIUM-CLASS PAYLOADS

     NASA has chosen the Delta II expendable launch vehicle, 
provided by Boeing Launch Services, Inc. to launch 19 NASA 
and NASA-sponsored medium-class scientific payloads between 
2006 and early 2009. Boeing Launch Services, Inc. is 
headquartered in Huntington Beach Calif. and is a wholly 
owned subsidiary to The Boeing Company.

This is a firm fixed-price launch service task order awarded 
under the terms of the current NASA Launch Services contract 
and has a value of $1.2 billion, if all options are 
exercised. The contract calls for 12 firm launches with 
options for seven more.

This "19-Pack" acquisition will maintain an important niche 
capability in the domestic launch vehicle medium-performance 
class while assuring access to space for NASA's highest 
priority planetary and earth science spacecraft.

Twelve launches are planned from the Cape Canaveral Air 
Force Station, Fla., and seven are planned from Vandenberg 
Air Force Base, Calif. Seven launches are scheduled in 
calendar year 2006, six in calendar year 2007, two in 
calendar year 2008, and four in calendar year 2009.

Boeing Launch Services is one of two NASA Launch services 
providers.

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