Boeing

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 25, 2011 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] today received an IEEE Milestone award in Electrical Engineering and Computing from the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in recognition of the company's work on the Mercury spacecraft. IEEE is the world's largest technical professional association.

The Mercury spacecraft, America’s first manned space vehicle, was designed, developed and built by McDonnell Douglas Aircraft (a Boeing heritage company) in St. Louis. A total of 20 Mercury spacecraft were delivered to NASA, six of which carried astronauts into space between 1961 and 1963. John Glenn piloted Friendship 7 in the first U.S. human orbital flight on Feb. 20, 1962.

"We are truly honored to receive this recognition and pay tribute to the engineers who worked on the Mercury spacecraft," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "They helped set a strong foundation on which America's space program continues to grow and thrive. Boeing and our heritage companies have supported human space exploration from the beginning, and our talented, innovative engineers and other employees will continue to build upon this legacy for many years to come."

The award cites electrical and electronic systems invented by McDonnell Douglas Aircraft engineers that made the Mercury flights and future space flights possible. Among the engineers' key contributions were navigation and control instruments, autopilot, rate stabilization and control, and fly-by-wire systems.

The IEEE Milestones in Electrical Engineering and Computing program honors significant technical achievements that occurred at least 25 years ago in technology areas associated with IEEE. To date, more than 100 Milestones have been approved and dedicated around the world. This award also recognizes technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity.

Home to Boeing Defense, Space & Security headquarters, the Boeing St. Louis site employs approximately 15,600 employees and is Missouri’s largest manufacturer and second-largest employer. Key products manufactured at the site include F/A-18E/Fs, F-15s, C-17s and weapons.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 66,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

# # #

Contact:

Lisa Maull
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Office: 314-233-5004
Mobile: 314-614-4583
lisa.a.maull@boeing.com

Dan Beck
Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Office: 703-414-6447
Mobile: 562-243-7082
daniel.c.beck@boeing.com