BOEING DROPS OUT OF X-33 REUSABLE ELV PARTNERSHIP

Boeing Co. has decided not to continue its partnership with McDonnell Douglas Corp. in NASA's X-33 competition to design a space shuttle replacement, company executives said last week. The winner of the contract to design the shuttle's replacement--called either the X- 33 or the Single-Stage-to-Orbit Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV)--will be announced on July 1 by NASA.

Competing for the contract--reported to be worth $900 million-- are McDonnell Douglas, Rockwell International and Lockheed Martin Corp..

McDonnell Douglas and Boeing had agreed to partner only through the...