August 29, 2006

Sally Harrington
Media Relations Office
216-433-2037
Sally.V.Harrington@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 06-049

NASA ANNOUNCES CONTRACTOR FOR ORION CREW EXPLORATION

VEHICLE

NASA will announce the prime contractor to design, develop, and build
Orion, America's next human spacecraft, on Thursday, August 31, at 4
p.m. The press briefing from NASA Headquarters will air live on the
Web and on NASA TV. Reporters are invited to view the broadcast at
NASA's Glenn Research Center.

Associate Administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission

Directorate Scott Horowitz, Exploration Deputy Associate
Administrator Doug Cooke, Constellation Program Manager Jeff Hanley,
and CEV Project Manager Caris A. (Skip) Hatfield will announce the
selection and discuss the program. Afterward, they will take
questions from reporters at the centers.

Immediately following the briefing from NASA Headquarters, Glenn CEV

Project Office Chief Bryan Smith, Service Module Project Manager Jim
Free, and Associate Director for Exploration Harry Cikanek will be
available to answer questions with regard to Glenn's responsibilities
for oversight and independent analysis of the prime contractor.

Orion is the vehicle NASA is developing to carry a new generation of

explorers back to the moon and later to Mars. Orion will succeed the
space shuttle as NASA's primary vehicle for human space exploration.
Orion's first flight with astronauts aboard is planned for no later
than 2014 to the International Space Station. Its first flight to the
moon is planned for no later than 2020.

Reporters planning to attend should contact Sally Harrington or the

Media Relations Office at 216-433-2901 by 11 a.m. on Thursday, August
31, in order to be cleared through security.

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information,

visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate

visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration

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