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Boeing EDD Wins NASA Contracts for Advanced Electric Propulsion
Technology 
Boeing Press Release
April 14, 2003

ST. LOUIS - - Boeing [NYSE:BA] has been awarded three new contracts
under NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technologies program for the
development of advanced xenon ion propulsion technologies. 

NASA awarded the projects to Boeing Electronic Dynamic Devices, Inc.,
or EDD, located in Torrance, Calif., a leading provider of high
reliability products to space and defense customers. The projects
include the Carbon-Based Ion Optics project; the NASA Evolutionary
Xenon Thruster system; and the High Power Electric Propulsion
project.

The goal of the In-Space Propulsion Technologies program is to
provide funding for the development of advanced propulsion
technologies for use beyond Earth's orbit. These technologies will
reduce trip times, mass, and/or cost associated with NASA science
missions to the outer planets, satellites, small bodies, and other
solar system destinations. 

"EDD is proud to support NASA on this leading edge technology," said
Chris Stephens, vice president and general manager. "These awards are
a positive reflection on the dedication and capability of our
engineering team and the investments we have made."

EDD will lead a team in the development of advanced Carbon-Based Ion
Optics, or CBIO. These are the critical components of high-power
gridded xenon ion thrusters that have a traditionally limited
lifetime. A two-phase effort, the first phase entails a 16-month
effort to design, fabricate and test ion optics made from
carbon-carbon composites and pyrolytic graphite. The CBIO project
also includes the development and validation of an Ion Optics
Lifetime Computer Model to predict the performance and lifetime of
candidate grid designs.

The second phase is a 12½-month extension period to develop and test
carbon based ion optics designs for possible use on the next
generation ion engine. EDD is teamed with the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL) and NASA Glenn Research Center on the CBIO Project.

EDD also was awarded a contract to support NASA Glenn Research Center
on the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster system, or NEXT. The NEXT
project is also a two-phase effort to develop a next generation high
power ion propulsion system for new space science missions. The first
phase is a one-year effort to design, build and test initial Ion
Thrusters, Propellant Systems and Power Processing Units. EDD has
sole responsibility for the design and development of the power
processing units as well as being a member of the thruster and
propellant system team. The second phase is a 2½-year option to
complete hardware development, integrate the components into a
full-scale system and perform thruster wear tests.

The third award named EDD as a member of the NASA Glenn Research
Center team for the High Power Electric Propulsion project. This
program will develop and test technologies for high specific impulse,
25 to 30 kilowatt, gridded xenon ion thrusters, two-stage Hall
thrusters, power processing units and propellant control systems. EDD
will perform the power processing unit design and analysis for the
project system and participate in the thruster and propellant system
technologies. 

The designs that will be developed and demonstrated on these three
programs over the next 2½-years are the critical technologies needed
for development of very high power (100kW to 250kW) nuclear electric
propulsion systems for NASA's future deep space missions.

"Participation in these exciting new programs will allow EDD to
assist NASA in the development new electric propulsion products with
significant performance improvements," said Andrew King, Electric
Propulsion product line director at EDD. "These next generation
products will enable NASA to perform further exploration of the solar
system." 

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
$25 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. 

###

Contact:
Ronea Alger Hart
Boeing Satellite Systems
310-364-7575
ronea.hart{at}boeing.com

Madonna Walsh
Boeing IDS News Bureau
314-234-1362
madonna.a.walsh{at}boeing.com

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