United Launch Alliance Selected to Launch Boeing's CST-100 Spacecraft

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Aug 04, 2011, 12:29 ET

DENVER, Aug. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced today that The Boeing Company has selected ULA's Atlas V rocket to launch its Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft.

"We are pleased Boeing selected the Atlas V rocket and believe it is the right vehicle to help usher in the new commercial era in human spaceflight," said George Sowers, ULA's vice president of business development. "The Atlas V is a cost-effective, reliable vehicle and ULA stands ready to support Boeing's commercial human spaceflight program."

Under the award, ULA will provide launch services from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station using the Atlas V 412 configuration with a single solid rocket booster with a dual engine upper-stage Centaur.

The Atlas V system provides the earliest initial launch capability for commercial crew capability development, with an un-crewed orbital test flight and a crewed flight test in 2015.

"From its roots as the launch vehicle for the manned Mercury program in the 1960's, each new generation of the Atlas system has demonstrated advancements in reliability and performance," said Sowers.

The Atlas vehicle is the proud inheritor of decades of improvements and has a record of 97 consecutive successes – best in the world. The Atlas V has launched 26 times with 100 percent success. In addition, the Atlas V has received NASA's highest and most rigorous Category 3 Certification, which allows the Atlas V family of launch vehicles to fly NASA's most complex and critical exploration missions.

ULA program management, engineering, test and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colo. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., Harlingen, Texas, and San Diego, Calif. Launch operations are located at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

For more information on the ULA joint venture, visit the ULA Web site at www.ulalaunch.com, or call the ULA Launch Hotline at 1-877-ULA-4321 (852-4321).

SOURCE United Launch Alliance