Rocketplane Press Release

Contact:
Elizabeth Russo
elizabeth@space-explorers.com
Space Explorers
(800) 965-3763 x257

Space Explorers and Rocketplane Kistler Announce Strategic Relationship

De Pere, WI - August 7, 2006 - Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) has named Space Explorers, Inc. (SEI) as their education and public outreach (EPO) lead for the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The two companies have entered into a strategic relationship to support the NASA COTS program and expand educational opportunities for K-12 grade schools.

As Rocketplane’s education and public outreach provider, Space Explorers plans to develop new simulations, student experiments, and curricula for schools centered around RpK’s science, math, and engineering concepts. SEI also served as an EPO agent for the Lunar Prospector mission (Moonlink®) and the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission (NEARlink®), and they developed standards-based educational programming based on the Mars Odyssey (Marslink®) and Mars Exploration Rovers (Mars Explorer). SEI entered the commercial space business in 1995 and is one of the largest commercial space education Internet programs in the United States, bringing Mission: Solar System, Orbital Laboratory®, which brought three International Space Station (ISS) science experiments to classrooms, and K-3 Space® into over 10,000 classrooms in all 50 states and more than 20 foreign countries. Mars Explorer, Marslink®, Moonlink®, and NEARlink® currently allow students to take part in actual missions through virtual simulations. SEI

will bring RpK flight-simulated capabilities on both the Rocketplane XP and Kistler K-1 vehicle. It will also be the education lead on Translation Science Payloads, FreeFlyer, and some payloads flown to the ISS by the K-1. When RpK is able to provide access to microgravity payloads, schools will become actively involved in this new era of space exploration.

Rocketplane Kistler and its K-1 space transportation system have been selected as one of the six finalists in NASA’s (COTS) program. RpK has proposed utilizing its fully reusable K-1 to provide cost-effective and reliable delivery and return of cargo and science payloads to and from the ISS. The K-1 is in an advanced state of development and will be capable of providing end-to-end ISS servicing, space station science racks, and microgravity FreeFlyer capabilities beginning as early as 2009.

About Rocketplane Kistler
Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) brings together two industry-leading makers and future operators of the next-generation orbital and suborbital space transportation vehicles. RpK was formed when Kistler Aerospace Corporation and Rocketplane Limited, Inc. were brought under common ownership. RpK markets the services of the fully reusable, two stage Kistler K-1 orbital launch vehicle and the fully reusable, suborbital Rocketplane XP Spaceplane, both of which will be first to fly in their respective markets. Kistler was formed to operate the first fully reusable orbital space transportation vehicles. Kistler has completed significant K-1 production milestones, including production of primary structure and engine testing. The K-1’s design enables it to provide a variety of space transportation services, not only to LEO, but also to Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). More information can be found at www.rocketplanekistler.com.

About Space Explorers, Inc.
Space Explorers, Inc. strives to inspire a new generation of explorers to pursue careers in science, math, and technology through its Internet-based programs and activities. Space Explorers offers standards-based curricula, mission simulations, and experiments that incorporate actual NASA data. To learn more about Space Explorers, Inc. visit www.space-explorers.com.

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