Ball Aerospace Supports NASA Astrophysics Mission Concepts
May 20 2008 - 8:04AM
PR Newswire (US)
BOULDER, Colo., May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball Aerospace
& Technologies Corp. has been selected to support seven NASA
astrophysics strategic mission concept studies for its next
generation of major space observatories. Ball Aerospace will
support Principal Investigator (PI)-led studies representing a
broad range of scientific objectives, from searching for and
characterizing planets around nearby stars, to observing the
formation and evolution of organic materials in space, to studying
the formation and evolution of stars, black holes, galaxies and the
structure of the universe. Results from these studies will be
presented to the next Decadal Survey conducted by the National
Research Council, which advises NASA on priorities for funding of
future missions. The seven study contracts include: -- The
Astrobiology Space Infrared Explorer (ASPIRE) mission, led by PI
Dr. Scott Sandford, NASA Ames Research Center, will study organic
compounds in space in order to determine how they are formed, how
they evolve, and how they find their way to planetary surfaces. --
The ExoPlanet Imaging Coronagraph (EPIC) mission, led by PI Dr.
Mark Clampin, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, will provide the
first direct measurements of a broad range of fundamental physical
characteristics of giant planets in other solar systems. -- The New
Worlds Observer (NWO) mission, led by PI Dr. Webster Cash,
University of Colorado, Boulder, will find planets, some
Earth-like, that circle our neighboring stars, and will study their
formation, evolution, surfaces, atmospheres, and chemistry that
show signs of life. -- The eXo-Planet Characterization (XPC)
mission, led by PI Dr. David Spergel, Princeton University, will
detect extrasolar planets and find signs of life by measuring
oxygen, ozone, methane, and water in their atmospheres. -- The
Ultraviolet Space Observatory (USO) mission, led by PI Dr. Kenneth
Sembach, Space Telescope Science Institute, will perform
fundamental tests of cosmological theory, and will observe the
intergalactic gas called the "cosmic web" to determine its impact
on the formation of galaxies and stars. -- The Generation-X (Gen-X)
mission, led by PI Dr. Roger Brissenden, the Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory, is an X-ray telescope to study the
formation and evolution of the very first black holes, stars and
galaxies from when the universe was 200 million years old. -- The
Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAS-T), led
by PI Dr. Marc Postman, Space Telescope Science Institute, is a
candidate UV/optical space telescope mission with up to 45 times
the collecting area of the Hubble Space Telescope, that will enable
major advances in astrophysics and the search for life in the
Galaxy. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical
missions of important national agencies such as the Department of
Defense, NASA, NOAA and other U.S. government and commercial
entities. The company develops and manufactures spacecraft,
advanced instruments and sensors, components, data exploitation
systems and RF solutions for strategic, tactical and scientific
applications. For more than 50 years, Ball Aerospace has been
responsible for numerous technological and scientific 'firsts' and
acts as a technology innovator for the aerospace market. Ball
Corporation (NYSE:BLL) is a supplier of high-quality metal and
plastic packaging products for beverage, food and household
products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and
services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and
its subsidiaries employ more than 15,500 people worldwide and
reported 2007 sales of $7.4 billion. Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning
future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects,"
"anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Such 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 filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2
in our Form 10-K, which are available at our Web site and at
http://www.sec.gov/. Factors that might affect our packaging
segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences;
availability and cost of raw materials, including 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; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to
achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost
reductions, including our beverage can end project; mandatory
deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major
customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or
supplier; and changes in foreign exchange rates, tax rates and
activities of foreign subsidiaries. Factors that might affect our
aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and
returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays,
extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts.
Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those
listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management;
successful or unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or
divestitures; integration of recently acquired businesses;
regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and
workplace safety, including in respect of chemicals or substances
used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental
investigations; technological developments and innovations;
goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation;
strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned
on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans;
pension changes; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our
debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or
other effects. DATASOURCE: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
CONTACT: Roz Brown of Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.,
+1-303-533-6059, Web site: http://www.ballaerospace.com/
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