Boeing Selects WPDS GOLD Software To Support International Space Station

Business Wire, August 17, 1999

LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 17, 1999--

The Boeing Co. has selected WPDS GOLD(TM) software for its International Space Station (ISS) contract.

Space Station sites that will run GOLD include Boeing facilities at the Johnson Space Center in Houston; Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.; and Boeing Huntington Beach, Calif.

GOLD will be used to integrate and manage a number of critical ISS assembly and support functions, including material, work-in-process, configuration management, scheduled maintenance, work packaging and recording, asset management, federal supply system interface, and reporting. A GOLD implementation site survey began at Kennedy Space Center on July 19, 1999.

According to Terry Lubenow, WPDS vice president, "We are thrilled that Boeing chose GOLD to support its central role in making ISS a reality." Boeing Houston project manager for GOLD, John Leonard, remarked that, "We saw GOLD as the ideal software solution based on its power, flexibility and proven performance in many other programs throughout Boeing."

With a "space footprint" the size of almost two football fields, the International Space Station is the largest international space venture ever undertaken, and a historic joint effort of 16 countries. When fully assembled in 2004, it will house a crew of seven -- working in 46,000 cubic feet of pressured volume spread across six laboratories, two habitation modules, and two logistics modules.

The first two station modules, the Russian-launched Zarya and U.S.-launched Unity, were assembled in orbit in late 1998. The Boeing Company is NASA's prime contractor to design, develop, manufacture and assemble the International Space Station.

About WPDS/GOLD

WPDS (La Jolla, Calif.: www.wpds.com) develops, licenses and supports the GOLD family of products, value-added software for fleet and equipment product-support maintenance, supply and repair. GOLD is widely used by the United States and foreign military organizations, defense contractors and commercial enterprises.

WPDS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bowthorpe plc, (London Stock Exchange:BWTH.L) a U.K.-based, international technology group focused on the design, development, manufacture and marketing of specialist electronic products.

For more information about WPDS/GOLD contact David Gaier, Director of Marketing and Media Relations, WPDS, at 858/454-0028, ext. 205, or email: davidg@wpds.com.