During the 24-month contract period that continues to Sept. 30, 2010,Boeing expects to apply additional resources to supporting NASA on ISSoperations and sustainment as the assembly missions are completed. Thecontract also provides funding for the management of a majority of ISSsubsystems and for specialized ground-based engineering work in disciplinessuch as materials, electrical parts, environments and electromagnetic effects.

The ISS is a test bed for building and maintaining large structures inspace and a laboratory for conducting science and technology research.Structures and technologies needed for living on the moon and for Marsexploration will be realized through experiments on the station. Space ShuttleEndeavour will return to the ISS in November for the first of six remainingassembly missions.

"This contract extension allows NASA and the United States to stay on theright path to complete the station by 2010," said Brewster Shaw, vicepresident and general manager of Boeing's Space Exploration division. "Boeingis pleased that NASA continues to have confidence in the company's ability tosupport the agency's exploration mission."

As NASA's prime ISS contractor, Boeing has had engineering responsibilityfor all 18 major U.S.-built elements as well as for integrating all elementsbuilt by international partners, such as Japan's Kibo Laboratory and Italy'sHarmony utility node. The team's move into a sustaining engineering role makesway for industry and NASA to fully exploit the largest, most complexinternational scientific project in history.

"Working with NASA, international partners and suppliers to accomplishon-orbit assembly while contributing significantly to scientific research hasbeen truly amazing," said Joy Bryant, ISS vice president and program managerfor Boeing. "Virtually all of the hardware and software on station has beenperforming superbly, with better-than-expected reliability and life spans."

The delivery of more than 400 items on Endeavour's STS-126 mission willprepare the ISS for its future six-member crew and for the final major U.S.and Boeing-built element, the Starboard 6 Truss Segment. This fourth trusselement and power module, to be delivered to the ISS in 2009, will ensure thestation has enough power to accommodate NASA's planned science activities andsupport the additional crew members.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems(http://www.boeing.com/ids/) is one of the world's largest space and defensebusinesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customersolutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of militaryaircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a$32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees worldwide.

SOURCE The Boeing Company