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.