Ball Aerospace Selected for Second NASA GMI Microwave Imager
November 30 2009 - 7:03AM
PR Newswire (US)
BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball Aerospace
& Technologies Corp. has been selected by NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center to build a second Global Precipitation Measurement
Microwave Imager (GMI) in support of the Global Precipitation
Measurement (GPM) mission. The identical GMI 1 and GMI 2 Microwave
Imagers are multi-channel, conical-scanning, microwave radiometers
serving an essential role in the near-global-coverage and
frequent-revisit-time requirements of GPM, a mission designed to
improve climate, weather and hydrological predictions by providing
more accurate precipitation measurements from space. GMI 1 is
scheduled to begin full instrument testing at Ball Aerospace by
mid-2010. Following completion, the radiometer will fly aboard the
GPM space-borne core observatory scheduled to launch in 2013. "The
advanced microwave sensor capabilities of both GMIs will not only
improve our understanding of weather and climate but also enhance
predictions for everything from natural hazards to water resource
management," said David L. Taylor, president and CEO of Ball
Aerospace. The Ball Aerospace-provided GMI's are central to the
success of the GPM mission, as they allow for temporal sampling of
rainfall accumulations as well as more frequent and higher quality
data collection. Roughly eight-feet tall, each GMI instrument is a
powerhouse of radiometry, rotating at 32 revolutions per minute, to
qualify scanned data from two very stable calibration points.
Ball's rotating mechanism is critical to ensure that rotation
occurs at a constant speed for the many years GMI will be on orbit.
The GPM mission will create a reference standard to unify
measurements from satellites carrying microwave sensors. Managed by
NASA, GPM is a joint effort with the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency and other international partners to provide a constellation
of spacecraft to improve climate and weather predictions through
more accurate and frequent precipitation measurements. Ball's GMI 2
is scheduled to launch aboard a second GPM satellite in 2014. 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. Ball
Corporation (NYSE:BLL) is a supplier of high-quality metal and
plastic packaging 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 approximately $7.6 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; 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; 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 or tax
rates. 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; the current global recession
and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the
economy; 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 climate change, or
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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