This Echo is READ ONLY !   NO Un-Authorized Messages Please!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NORTHROP GRUMMAN NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT:Sally Koris
Northrop Grumman Space Technology
(310) 812-4721

Northrop Grumman Chosen as JPL's Industrial Partner for Eclipse
May 29, 2003

REDONDO BEACH, Calif., May 29, 2003 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation
(NYSE:NOC) has been selected to be the industry partner for the
Eclipse mission by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Dr.
John Trauger, the Eclipse Principal Investigator.

Eclipse is a proposed mission to perform the first sensitive imaging
of nearby planetary systems using a high-contrast optical telescope
and coronagraphic camera. This three-year mission, proposed by
Trauger, is intended to provide fundamental information on planetary
systems around the Sun's nearest neighbors.

Eclipse will be proposed as a mission for NASA's series of Discovery
missions, lower-cost, highly focused planetary science investigations
designed to enhance our understanding of the solar system. The
technology and science derived from Eclipse could pave the way for
NASA's future space science missions, such as Terrestrial Planet
Finder.

"We're pleased to be partnering with Dr. Trauger and JPL on this
important mission," said Greg Davidson, director of civil space for
Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector. "Our experience building
and integrating spacecraft for NASA's astronomical observatories,
combined with JPL's success on Discovery missions, makes us a
formidable team."

As the industry partner, Northrop Grumman will build the Eclipse
spacecraft and integrate the payload. JPL will have overall project
management responsibility. As Principal Investigator, Trauger has the
responsibility for defining the mission's scientific objectives and
instrument payload and ensuring that mission objectives are met.
Kodak will provide the 1.8-meter telescope.

NASA's Office of Space Science will select Discovery missions to
begin formulation studies in early 2004, followed by the selection of
one or more missions for flight. If selected, Eclipse is expected to
be launched in 2009.

Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector, headquartered in Redondo
Beach, Calif., is a leader in the development of satellites and space
systems for space science and remote sensing missions.

 - END OF FILE -
==========

@Message posted automagically by IMTHINGS POST 1.30
---