FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kirkland, Washington – February 27, 2006

Two Commercial Space Companies Join Forces

Oklahoma City, OK, February 27, 2006 – Rocketplane Limited, Inc. and Kistler Aerospace Corporation announced today that they are joining forces as a new space transportation team, effective immediately. This team is made up of two of the most entrepreneurial and technically mature companies in the New Space business community, with histories dating back to the start of the entrepreneurial space movement in the early 1990’s. The Rocketplane Kistler team will provide unique sub-orbital and orbital commercial space transportation services for passengers and cargo through its fleet of highly reliable, cost effective, and re-useable aerospace vehicles.

"Dr. George Mueller and the RPK team have developed a mature and technologically sound design capable of revolutionizing space transportation,” said George French, Jr., CEO and President, Rocketplane. “Rocketplane Kistler has a unique chance of making commercial space viable by reducing the cost to orbit and by building a fleet of cargo-carrying vehicles for transport to LEO, Space Station and beyond."

The Rocketplane Kistler team combines the best in horizontal and vertical space launch with suborbital spaceplanes that are optimized for near-term space tourist and microgravity research applications, and two-stage fully reusable vertical launch vehicles that are optimized for International Space Station crew and cargo delivery and affordable, responsive commercial launch services.

The two companies, while utilizing different vehicle architectures, share many common core technologies including robust thermal protection systems; liquid oxygen / kerosene rocket propulsion, advanced integrated vehicle health management systems; and an overall high Technical Readiness Level. The new commercial organization joins two teams who have proven technical competencies, and a passionate vision for the commercialization and future development of the space transportation industry.



For more information contact Bob Seto at (405) 488-1200 x109 or bseto@rocketplane.com or Will Trafton at (619) 519-2931 or wtrafton@kistleraero.com.

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