Panel to Review Boeing Space-Launch Business

Boeing Co., the world’s biggest aerospace company, said it formed a panel of outside experts to review its space-launch business after a series of failures over the last nine months. The panel will be led by Sheila Widnall, former secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and report its findings this year. Two Delta III rockets have failed since August, rendering the commercial satellites they were carrying useless. A Boeing-built motor is also suspected as the cause of a failed launch of a Lockheed Martin Corp. Titan IV rocket in April. At least six U.S. rockets have either exploded or left their satellites stranded in the last nine months, prompting some customers to warn they might turn to European launch companies. Lockheed Martin, which suffered three straight Titan IV failures, set up its own review panel in May. Boeing’s expendable-launch systems business is based in Huntington Beach. Boeing shares rose 6 cents to close at $43.81 on the NYSE.