BOULDER, Colo., Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace
& Technologies Corp. has successfully completed a Preliminary
Design Review (PDR) for the Membrane Optic Imager Real-Time
Exploitation (MOIRE) program under contract to the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Ball Aerospace is incrementally demonstrating technologies
needed to develop a large, lightweight geosynchronous space-based
telescope using advanced diffractive optics membrane to provide
persistent, real-time, tactical video to the war fighter.
The PDR, which concluded on August
30, demonstrated the ability to create a diffracted optical
element (DOE) on a membrane. Ball Aerospace showed an 80
centimeter diameter, 32.5 meter focal length imaging DOE.
This component is typical of what would be used for a 5 meter
diameter telescope. Ultimately, the system is envisioned to
use multiple membranes to form a collection aperture that is 20
meters in diameter. MOIRE seeks to validate the manufacturability
of large membranes, large structures to hold the optics tight and
flat, and also demonstrate the secondary optical elements needed to
turn a diffraction based optic (such as photon sieve) into a wide,
bandwidth imaging device.
"The use of membrane optics is an unprecedented approach to
building large aperture telescopes," said Ball Aerospace President
& CEO, David L. Taylor.
"With the technology being developed on the MOIRE program, Ball
Aerospace is broadening its role in geosynchronous imaging."
In phase two of the program now underway, a sub-aperture section
of a 5 meter diameter demonstration telescope will be designed and
built. Five additional risk-reduction options in phase two of the
program will be addressed prior to Ball building a flight
demonstration.
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
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; 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.
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SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.