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Boeing and United Space Alliance, Renew Commitment to NASA Safety

ST. LOUIS, Mo., Oct. 18, 2002 -- Boeing [NYSE:BA] is teaming up with NASA and United Space Alliance to kick off the Space Flight Awareness (SFA) national safety awareness campaign, "We Have Friends in High Places."

The year-long effort that begins this month focuses on revitalizing employees' commitment to safety and emphasizing the importance of their role in human space flight. Both Boeing and USA support NASA's space shuttle and International Space Station programs.

Mike Mott, Boeing NASA Systems vice president and general manager, said the campaign functions as a tool to reinforce safety in the space industry.

"Flight safety is the top priority of everything we do in space," Mott said. "This year's campaign will bring the safety message of human space flight home to every employee engaged in this critical work."

Mike McCulley, United Space Alliance vice president and chief operating officer, said the safety awareness campaign is bringing SFA back to its purpose of heightening safety awareness and ensuring mission success -- principals it was founded on nearly 40 years ago.

"This campaign returns SFA to its roots," McCulley said. "No matter what job an employee performs within human space flight, their efforts flow directly into the safe operation of our shuttle and station missions.

"It is key that each individual recognizes the critical role they play and the impact they have on the crew members that fly these missions."

General Jefferson Howell, NASA Johnson Space Center director, said the SFA safety campaign also serves as an important reminder of NASA's steadfast commitment to safety and quality.

"Our goal is to revitalize everyone's personal commitment to safety," Howell said. "It is important to remind our workforce that they are key to ensuring the safety of the astronauts and the success of our nation's space program."

NASA established the SFA motivation and recognition campaign after the Mercury and Gemini missions to infuse the space program with a renewed and strengthened consciousness of quality and flight safety. After nearly 40 years as a globally recognized awareness program, the focus of SFA continues to be excellence in quality processes, the safety of the astronauts, mission success and the success of America's space program. NASA and contractor employees are formally recognized through an established awards program for their efforts to maintain SFA's goals and objectives.

The safety awareness campaign will be presented to the 80,000 NASA employees and subcontractors who support human space flight programs nationwide. It is scheduled to continue through September 2003.

Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is NASA's prime contractor for the International Space Station and responsible for design, construction and integrating the components. The company, through its NASA Systems division based in Houston, Texas, also supports the space agency in operating the ISS. Additionally, the NASA Systems division is a major subcontractor to United Space Alliance for space shuttle engineering support. Boeing also plays a key role in developing the future of human space flight through the Space Launch Initiative, including designing new spacecraft and propulsion systems.

United Space Alliance, established in 1995, is a space operations business offering products and services in space flight training, space hardware processing, launch and return operations and on-orbit operations. United Space Alliance serves as NASA's prime contractor for the Space Shuttle and provides operations services for the International Space Station.

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.

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Contact Info:
Rhonda Hewitt
281-226-4035
Rhonda.r.Hewitt@boeing.com

Ann Beach
562-797-4222
Ann.m.Beach@boeing.com