Ray Johnson New VP of Space Launch Operations;
Linda Drake Named GM of New EELV Division

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (4/9/01) -- Ray Johnson has been promoted to vice president of Space Launch Operations at The Aerospace Corporation and Linda Drake has been named general manager of the company's newly created Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Division.

Johnson succeeds John Willacker who retired on March 31. He has overall responsibility for Aerospace support to all Air Force launch programs, including Titan II, Titan IV, Delta II, Atlas II, Pegasus, Inertial Upper Stage, EELV, and the Air Force Space Test Program.

He also is responsible for the company's launch operations at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and for operations in support of the Space Test Program at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM.

Johnson moves up from general manager of the Launch Programs Division.

Drake, who reports to Johnson, moves up from principal director of the EELV Directorate to take over the reins of the new EELV Division, which was created because of EELV's importance to the nation's space efforts.

She will manage all Aerospace Corporation activities that support the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center's EELV program. The program represents a new standard in government launch services and is set to begin the first of 28 contracted launches next spring.