BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace
& Technologies Corp. is one of five companies that will develop
mission concepts for demonstrating solar electric propulsion in
space, important for NASA's future deep space human exploration
missions. The five companies were each awarded study
contracts up to $600K.
Ball will work with NASA to define a mission concept that will
demonstrate the solar electric propulsion technologies,
capabilities, and infrastructure required for sustainable,
affordable human presence in space.
"Moving payloads reliably and cost effectively from low Earth
orbit to high-energy orbits is critical for deep space human and
robotic exploration and relies on the systems engineering expertise
Ball is known," said Cary Ludtke,
vice president of Ball's Civil and Operational Space business
unit. "In addition to solar electric propulsion and
power-related advanced technologies, Ball has broad capabilities on
deep space missions, as well as spaceflight systems engineering and
integration, including modular design implementation."
The extremely high efficiency of solar electric power-based
propulsion can deliver the large amounts of logistics support
equipment required for deep space human exploration within an
executable launch infrastructure.
The mission concept studies will identify technology gaps and
look at innovative technical solutions for transportation using
solar electric propulsion systems. NASA will use the studies to
plan and implement a future flight demonstration mission that will
test and validate key capabilities and technologies.
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 information visit www.ballaerospace.com.
Ball Corporation (NYSE:BLL) is a supplier of high quality
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 2010 sales of more than
$7.6 billion. For the latest Ball
news and for other company information, please visit
http://www.ball.com.
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 on our website and at
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; political instability and sanctions; 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
recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk,
asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful
acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax,
environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and
other actions affecting products filled in our containers, 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; uncertainties
surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash
flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited
results due to statutory audits or other effects.
SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.