SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Discovery Cube Orange County and Boeing (NYSE: BA) are once again teaming up to host the 22^nd annual Rocket Launch on May 9, 2015, at the Boeing Huntington Beach facility. This free, family-friendly event will have imaginations soaring as young engineers design and build their own bottle rockets to participate in the annual competition, meet a real NASA astronaut, and have the opportunity to win the grand prize of viewing an actual rocket launch.

"Rocket Launch is a great event that allows kids to get excited about science and learn about careers in engineering," said Joe Adams, CEO of Discovery Science Foundation. "It's great to see the next generation of engineers and innovators being inspired and having fun in an educational environment."

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 9, 2015 at the Boeing facility, 5301 Bolsa Ave., Huntington Beach. Attendees will be able to design, build and launch their own rockets created from two-liter plastic soda bottles. Volunteers at an ‘Ask an Engineer' table will be available for professional guidance to rocket creators. The hand-made rockets get launched into the sky by using a blend of pressurized air and water for propulsion, and then deploy a parachute as they fall back to Earth. The rocket with the longest "hang time" wins the competition.

"Boeing is honored to co-host this great event that draws thousands from our community each year to our campus," said Rick Baily, vice president, Boeing Test & Evaluation. "Kids and adults have fun building and launching their own rockets, and Boeing engineers and student volunteers have an opportunity to share their experiences with the next generation of engineers, scientists and future innovators."

As an added bonus, Astronaut Dr. Yvonne Cagle, Colonel, U.S. Air Force (retired) will be on hand to meet guests and discuss why events like the Rocket Launch are important in promoting science, technology, engineering and math proficiency to children and families. Rocket Launch is a free event open to the public and is sponsored by The Boeing Company, Scholarshare, Employers Community Fund, United Launch Alliance, and George Westrom & Family. Those wishing to participate in the Rocket Launch competition must register online prior to the event. For more information, visit discoverycube.org/rocketlaunch.

About Discovery Science Foundation:

The Discovery Science Foundation serves as the program-development, marketing and fundraising arm for hands-on science learning museums in Orange County and Los Angeles. Established in 1989, the original non-profit Taco Bell Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, now renamed Discovery Cube Orange County, presented by Taco Bell, continues to inspire and educate millions of young minds through engaging science based programs and exhibits. In 2012, the Center was named one of the ten "Most Trusted Brands" in Orange County and in 2013 was awarded the National Medal of Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

In November 2014, Discovery Cube Los Angeles, a second not-for-profit museum offering an exhibit and program mix unique to Los Angeles, opened in the Hansen Dam Recreational Area of the San Fernando Valley. For more information, call (866) 552-CUBE (2823) or visit discoverycube.org. Follow the Orange County and Los Angeles campus on Twitter (@DiscoveryCubeOC and @DiscoveryCubeLA).

About The Boeing Company:

A unit of The Boeing Company, Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Defense, Space & Security is a $31 billion business with 53,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

About Dr. Yvonne Cagle:

Dr. Yvonne Cagle is a NASA Astronaut and Family Physician. In 2008, Dr. Cagle retired as a Colonel in the USAF where she served as a Senior Flight Surgeon prior to her selection to the NASA Astronaut Corp in 1996. In 2005, Dr. Cagle was assigned to the NASA/ARC as the lead ARC Astronaut Science Liaison and Strategic Relationships Manager for Google and other Silicon Valley Programmatic Partnerships. Dr. Cagle's groundbreaking work is preserving historic NASA space legacy data while, simultaneously, galvanizing NASA's lead in global mapping, sustainable energies, green initiatives, and disaster preparedness. Dr. Cagle is advisor for the Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research Program (CRuSR). Currently Dr. Cagle is on faculty and serves as the NASA liaison for exploration and space exponential technologies with Singularity University.

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