Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co. have completed the transaction to combine their respective government launch vehicle businesses under the United Launch Alliance LLC (ULA) joint venture, the companies announced Dec. 1.

ULA, announced in May 2005, will combine the production, engineering, test and launch operations associated with U.S. government launches of Boeing’s Delta and Lockheed Martin’s Atlas rockets.

Michael Gass, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Space Transportation, has been named president and CEO of ULA, while Daniel Collins, vice president of Boeing Expendable Launch Systems, has been named COO of the joint venture.

ULA will be headquartered in Denver, where most engineering and administrative activities will be consolidated. Major assembly and integration operations will be located primarily at Delta’s manufacturing and assembly facility in Decatur, Ala.

"With this merger we have combined the launch capabilities of Boeing and Lockheed Martin to create a very capable family of rockets that will support our country’s space needs for the 21st century," Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney, said in a statement.