Boeing

Boeing Delta II Ready to Launch Pair of Satellites for U.S. Air Force

A Boeing [NYSE: BA] Delta II rocket stands ready at Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., for its launch on Jan. 29.

Liftoff is scheduled during a 14-minute window that opens at 1:06 p.m. EST. The mission will place two satellites -- GPS IIR-8 for the U.S. Air Force Space Command, and a secondary payload, XSS-10 for the Air Force Research Laboratory -- into orbit.

The launch team successfully completed the Flight Readiness Review over the weekend and will proceed with the Launch Readiness Review tomorrow.

The Air Force and Boeing launch team will use a two-stage Boeing Delta II with a 9.5-foot payload fairing for this mission.

GPS IIR-8 will join the Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation and will replace spacecraft SVN-22. GPS provides users of ground, sea, air, and space-based systems with directional data in longitude, latitude, and elevation.

XSS-10 is the first demonstration by the Air Force Research Laboratory of a micro-satellite on orbit. It will test autonomous and manual control of the satellite, perform autonomous navigation, and visually inspect the Delta II second stage.

Boeing Launch Services Inc. (BLS) based in Huntington Beach, Calif., is the sales, marketing, and contracting organization that supports commercial procurement of the Boeing Delta and Sea Launch rocket families. BLS also supports business development and contracting of Delta launch vehicle sales to the U.S. government.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $23 billion business. It provides systems solutions to its global military, government, and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer and a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in launch services.

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03-09

Media Kit

For further information:
Robert Villanueva
(714) 372-2089
robert.s.villanueva@boeing.com
Media Relations
(714) 896-1301
Boeing Launch Hotline
(714) 896-4770