Lockheed Martin's Atlas V launch system team has been chosen by the U.S. Space Foundation to receive its annual Space Achievement Award. This year's award honors the U.S. Air Force EELV program office and the two EELV contractor teams responsible for the design, development, test and successful flights of the next-generation Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle rockets. Lockheed Martin developed the Atlas V to meet the needs of the EELV program, as well as government and commercial satellite customers worldwide. The Space Foundation will present the award to the Lockheed Martin/International Launch Services Atlas team April 7 during the opening ceremony of the upcoming 19th National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"Lockheed Martin is honored to have been chosen to receive this prestigious award, which is a tribute to the outstanding talent, dedication and determination of every member of the Atlas team," said G. Thomas Marsh, president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Space & Strategic Missiles. "This industry/government team has brought the Atlas V launch system from concept to successful flight in August 2002, accomplishing evolutionary technical achievements in just over five years. Atlas V and the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program are shining examples of what partnerships can accomplish, and illustrate our commitment to developing reliable, highly capable systems that contribute to the success of our customers and to the industry," added Marsh.

The Atlas V will provide assured access to space not only for the U.S. Air Force but for government and commercial satellite customers worldwide. The award recognizes an individual or organization that has demonstrated space achievement, breakthrough space technology, or program or product success deemed to represent a critical milestone in the evolution of space exploration or development.

"The Air Force established a new model for government-industry partnerships with the EELV program, by allowing the contractors to exercise innovation in developing vehicles that meet both government and commercial requirements," said Mark Albrecht, president of International Launch Services (ILS). "The Space Foundation award is a great honor for everyone at Lockheed Martin and ILS. The team took the word 'evolved' to heart, incorporating advancements in stages, thereby reducing risk. The result is the Atlas family's astounding decade-long record of 63 consecutive successful missions for our customers," added Albrecht.

Atlas V is the most powerful version of the Atlas family and the seventh configuration to be successfully introduced to the market since 1990, illustrating Lockheed Martin's commitment to being the industry's preeminent launch system provider. Atlas V is designed to lift payloads up to nearly 8700 kg (19,180 lbs) to geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and 12,650 kg (27,800 lbs) to GTO utilizing the Atlas V Heavy Lift Vehicle. Lockheed Martin built a state-of-the-art launch complex at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., introducing a "clean pad" concept to U.S. launch capabilities for the first time and consolidating launch support operations. The clean pad concept allows Atlas V vehicles to be assembled, tested and connected to the encapsulated spacecraft away from the pad, allowing for greater flexibility in meeting customer schedules.

ILS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and two Russian companies, Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and RSC Energia. ILS markets and manages the missions for the Atlas and the Russian Proton vehicles. Atlas launch vehicles and their Centaur upper stages are designed and built by Lockheed Martin Space & Strategic Missiles at facilities in Denver, Colo.; Harlingen, Texas; and San Diego, Calif.

Lockheed Martin Space & Strategic Missiles is a business unit of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company is one of the major operating units of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Space Systems designs, develops, tests, manufactures and operates a variety of advanced technology systems for military, civil and commercial customers. Chief products include a full-range of space launch systems, including heavy-lift capability, ground systems, remote sensing and communications satellites for commercial and government customers, advanced space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft, fleet ballistic missiles and missile defense systems.

For more information about Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company and International Launch Services, go to http://www.ast.lmco.com/, http://lmms.external.lmco.com/ and http://www.ilslaunch.com/.

CONTACT: Joan Underwood of Lockheed Martin, +1-303-971-7398, or +1-800-745-8198 (pager), or joan.b.underwood@lmco.com; or Fran Slimmer of International Launch Services, +1-571-633-7462, or +1-646-229-4801 (mobile), or fran.slimmer@lmco.com.

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Space & Strategic Missiles