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.