Atlas Evolution

[Hank]

Hello- This bit of information regarding the continuing evolution of the Atlas system came in today from NASA. Hank

VANDENBERG Air Force Base, Calif., March 21, 2005 -- Lockheed Martin's (NYSE:LMT) first West Coast Atlas V rocket has successfully completed "booster on stand" (BOS) operations with the flight vehicle that will launch a national security payload next year. The successful BOS operation involved vertically stacking the rocket's booster stage, Centaur upper stage, and connecting segments at the newly refurbished Space Launch Complex 3 East.

"We are ushering in a new era of Atlas operations here on the West Coast," said James V. Sponnick, Lockheed Martin Atlas Program vice president. "Seeing a new Atlas V on the pad caps a period of sustained construction, test and validation, and signifies a major milestone accomplishment by a very dedicated team."

The first Atlas V to fly from Vandenberg is an Atlas V 411 vehicle, designated AV-006. At a total height of 191.2 feet (58.3 meters) tall, the 400 series Atlas V is equal in height to a 19-story building. The liftoff thrust for this vehicle will be 1,075,700 pounds, 70% more than the liftoff thrust of the Atlas IIAS, which previously flew three missions from SLC-3E before its retirement and final flight from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in August 2004.