Ball Aerospace Accelerates Focusing Techniques on the James Webb Space Telescope
December 05 2005 - 2:36PM
PR Newswire (US)
BOULDER, Colo., Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace engineers,
under contract to Northrop Grumman Space Technology, are now
accelerating the development of an optical testbed that will
simulate the focusing characteristics of NASA's James Webb Space
Telescope (JWST). Scheduled to be completed by year-end, the
one-sixth scale model of JWST's optical system is part of an effort
to reduce risk in the program. (Photo
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051205/LAM067 ) "The launch
of this remarkable telescope is scheduled for 2013 but we are
already applying our cutting-edge technology to the James Webb
telescope," says David L. Taylor, president and chief executive
officer of Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. "JWST will be
the first space-based observatory to use actively controlled,
segmented mirrors and our testbed telescope is designed to allow us
to test this extensively on the ground." The James Webb testbed
telescope, housed at Ball Aerospace's Boulder, Colo. facilities,
will aid engineers in developing and simulating the telescope's
Wavefront Sensing and Control System used to align the mirrors in
the optical system and provide fine-tuning of the focus. Actively
controlled, segmented mirrors, like those found on the JWST, are
the industry standard for large, ground-based telescopes. James
Webb will be the first space-based telescope to use this segmented
mirror architecture. The optical system for the James Webb Space
Telescope is unique in its large size and design. Ball Aerospace
engineers designed the telescope's large primary mirror so that it
could be folded into sections to fit into the launch vehicle then
deployed in orbit. The James Webb Space Telescope was designed to
study infrared light from objects that formed in the beginning of
the universe. The telescope is expected to study objects up to 400
times more faint than any ground or space-based telescope. Northrop
Grumman is the prime contractor for the James Webb Space Telescope,
leading the design and development effort under contract to NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center. As the principal optical subcontractor
on the program, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. is
responsible for the telescope's sophisticated mirror system. Ball
Corporation (NYSE:BLL) is a supplier of metal and plastic packaging
products, primarily for the beverage and food industries. The
company also owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., which
develops sensors, spacecraft, systems and components for government
and commercial markets. Ball Corporation employs more than 13,500
people and reported 2004 sales of $5.4 billion. Forward-Looking
Statements The information in this news release contains
"forward-looking" statements and other statements concerning future
events and financial performance. Words such as "expects,"
"anticipates," "estimates," and variations of same and similar
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties
which could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key
risks and uncertainties are summarized in the company's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially in Exhibit
99.2 in the most recent Form 10-K. These filings are available at
our Web site and at http://www.sec.gov/. Factors that might affect
our packaging segments include fluctuation in consumer and customer
demand; availability and cost of raw materials, including due to
the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as recent
significant increases in resin, steel, aluminum and energy costs,
and the ability to pass such increases on to customers; competitive
packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in
climate and weather; fruit, vegetable and fishing yields; industry
productive capacity and competitive activity; failure to achieve
anticipated productivity improvements or production cost
reductions, including those associated with our beverage can end
project; the German mandatory deposit or other restrictive
packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or
loss of a major customer or supplier; international business risks,
including foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of
foreign subsidiaries; and the effect of LIFO accounting on
earnings. Factors that might affect aerospace segment include:
funding, authorization and availability of government contracts and
the nature and continuation of those contracts; and technical
uncertainty associated with segment contracts. Factors that could
affect the company as a whole include those listed plus:
acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; regulatory action or
laws including tax, environmental and workplace safety;
governmental investigations; goodwill impairment; antitrust and
other litigation; strikes; boycotts; labor cost changes; rates of
return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined
benefit retirement plans; reduced cash flow; interest rates
affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to
statutory audits or management's evaluation of the company's
internal control over financial reporting.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051205/LAM067
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Ball Aerospace &
Technologies Corp. CONTACT: Emilia Reed of Ball Aerospace &
Technologies Corp., +1-303-533-6059, Web site:
http://www.ballaerospace.com/
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