BY RHONDA HEWITT

The successful completion of the mission was a defining moment in American history, as well as in the history of The Boeing Company. Many of the major components used on the Apollo 11 mission-from the giant Saturn V rocket to the Surveyor 1 lunar spacecraft-were developed and built by companies that would later join Boeing.

The mission to the moon began in 1961 with U.S. President John F. Kennedy's bold vision: Put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Now, four decades later, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration aims for new frontiers with a new Vision for Space Exploration as declared earlier this year by U.S. President George W. Bush:

• Return the Space Shuttle to flight and complete the International Space Station by 2010.

• Begin development of a new manned exploration vehicle called the Crew Exploration Vehicle. As the first craft to explore beyond Earth orbit since the Apollo days, the CEV is to be developed and tested by 2008 and conduct its first human mission no later than 2014.

• Return to the moon by 2020 as the launching point for missions beyond.

As NASA's largest contractor, Boeing hopes to play a key role in working with its customer on this new vision. Steps already have been taken to position Boeing as a leader in future space exploration.

The steps include the formation of the Space Exploration Systems organization. Based in Washington, D.C., SES is a part of the NASA Systems business unit of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems and managed by Chuck Allen, who previously led the Comanche Program Office for the IDS business unit of Army Systems.

"We created Space Exploration Systems to better support NASA's Vision for Space Exploration," said Mike Mott, Boeing IDS vice president and general manager, NASA Systems. "We have more than 45 years of experience producing spacecraft for NASA, and we expect to help NASA develop programs to explore the solar system and beyond."

Space Exploration Systems is charged with setting priorities and directing the development of systems and related technologies to support NASA's new Vision for Space Exploration. It will prepare Boeing for the upcoming studies to establish an open architecture and help lay the groundwork for a new space exploration system.

Space Exploration Systems also will put to use Boeing's unique network-centric capabilities and expertise in integrating large systems like the International Space Station. At the same time, SES will work with NASA as an industry partner to better define and develop the systems needed to return to the moon and go beyond to Mars.

The SES team includes individuals with a cross-section of backgrounds and experiences. They include Allen, who has vast experience in managing major systems; an engineer who played a role on the Saturn team; and a former NASA manager for International Space Station mission integration.

"We are in this for the long haul, and with this team in place now, we are ready to help NASA make the vision a reality," Allen said.

Boeing is also a leader in a newly formed 16-member coalition that has the fundamental purpose of promoting public awareness and political support for the new space vision. Partners in the Coalition for Space Exploration include Lockheed Martin, United Space Alliance, Aerojet, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Pratt and Whitney, and the California Space Authority and Florida Space Authority. The coalition has sponsored space advocacy ads, written news editorials and conducted space education and media outreach programs in states.

"The coalition's efforts complement the efforts of NASA Systems to promote the space vision," Mott said. "The journey to accomplishing this new space vision will be difficult, but we're dedicated to make great things happen."

rhonda.r.hewitt@boeing.com