Kepler Mission Launches New Era of Astronomy
April 16 2009 - 12:38PM
PR Newswire (US)
BOULDER, Colo., April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Kepler
mission has launched a new era of astronomy following release of
"first light" images from the Ball Aerospace-built photometer. "As
the prime contractor, we are thrilled to know the Kepler mission is
poised to contribute to a new age of astronomy for NASA and
scientists around the world," said David L. Taylor, president and
CEO of Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. "This milestone
brings us one step closer to discovering Earth-like planets in our
galaxy." Ball Aerospace built the Kepler photometer and spacecraft
and managed system integration and spacecraft testing. The
photometer has an exceptionally wide field of view which is
required to monitor over 100,000 stars. It employs a 0.95 meter
aperture, Schmidt telescope, with a 1.4-meter primary mirror. Ball
Aerospace utilized its new 1.5 meter optical test capability for
the first time to integrate and test the Kepler photometer, which
features a focal plane array of 42 charge-coupled devices with more
than 95 million pixels. Conveying the largest camera ever sent by
NASA beyond Earth's orbit, Kepler launched from Cape Canaveral,
Fla. on March 6, 2009. The more than three-year Kepler mission will
search a field of 100,000 plus stars for signs of planets in the
habitable zone. The mission is expected to provide valuable insight
about the origin of the Solar System while also acting as a
trailblazer for future searches for terrestrial planets. Kepler is
a NASA Discovery mission. NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field,
Calif., is the home organization of the science principal
investigator, and is also responsible for the ground system
development, mission operations and science data analysis. Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Kepler mission
development. 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. Since 1956, Ball Aerospace has been
responsible for numerous technological and scientific 'firsts' and
is a technology innovator in aerospace. 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 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2008 sales of more than
$7.5 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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