Boeing-Led Team Wins Contract To Advance Nuclear Electric Power For Space

A team of government,
industry and academia, under the leadership of The Boeing Company
[NYSE: BA], has been awarded a NASA contract to meet the challenge
of developing nuclear electric power for deep space exploration.

Responding to NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe’s call to move forward
with a "nuclear propulsion initiative," Boeing and a team
consisting of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Glenn Research
Center, Honeywell, Swales Aerospace, Auburn University and Texas A&M
will develop power conversion technologies that enable future reactor
electric propulsion missions.

"Our team’s proposal was designed to meet the challenge NASA
has made to further our exploration of the planets and deep space,"
said Terry Murphy, division director for Boeing Energy Systems at
Boeing’s Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power unit. "This reactor
technology would give us a 100-fold increase in power and a 30-fold
increase in propulsion efficiency compared to conventional, storable
rocket propellants. This means that a mission would take a fraction
of the travel time and provide years of scientific discovery."

The focus of the Boeing team’s approach is on the Brayton Power Conversion
System (BPCS) technology as the baseline concept solution. Critical
features of the BPCS have been proven in jet aircraft and terrestrial
power plants, and integrated system testing, on a reduced scale, has
been performed under separate NASA programs.

"By leveraging proven technology and an established database,
we will be able to avoid the more expensive and higher risk development
program elements associated with other power conversion cycles,"
said Richard Rovang, Boeing program manager and leader of the BPCS
team. "Using BPCS technology as a baseline concept will satisfy
all design requirements and minimize cost, development time and risk
to the program."

At the heart of the team are NASA’s Glenn Research Center and its
strengths in Brayton technology development, and the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, a center of excellence in system and mission design. The
Boeing participants on the team come from Rocketdyne, with five decades
of experience in rocket propulsion, space electric power and space
reactor power applications. They join an industry and university team
equally rich in experience in these crucial areas.

"Each member of the team provides extensive experience and leading
edge facilities to make space reactor electric power a success,"
Rovang said.

The contract calls for an initial study to define a conceptual design
and development plan. This will be followed by two one-year options.
The result will be minimal development risk and high-yield technology
advancement toward operational reactor electric power for space.

Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power, headquartered in Canoga Park,
Calif., is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture
of rocket propulsion and space and ground power systems. From developing
the rocket engines that powered virtually every major U.S. space program
to developing the only U.S. operational nuclear reactor to be placed
in orbit (SNAP-10A) to providing the electrical power system for the
International Space Station, Rocketdyne draws on more than 50 years
of experience to meet current and future NASA challenges. Details
of Boeing Rocketdyne’s heritage in space power can be found at www.BoeingEnergy.com.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing 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.

###

Dan Beck (Boeing Rocketdyne)
(818) 586-4572
daniel.c.beck@boeing.com

Ann Beach
(562) 797-4222
ann.m.beach@boeing.com