Ball Corp (BALL)

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Ball Aerospace Makes Progress for NASA's Joint Polar Satellite System-1 Spacecraft
Ball (NYSE:BLL)
Today : Monday 23 January 2012
Ball Aerospace Makes Progress for NASA's Joint Polar Satellite System-1 Spacecraft

BOULDER, Colo., Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. expects to have initiated the procurement of the majority of avionics and electronics components required to build the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS-1) spacecraft bus by the end of March 2012. Ball Aerospace is leading the design and development effort for NOAA's JPSS-1 satellite, and building the JPSS-1 Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS).

"In a challenging budget environment, Ball Aerospace is gratified to have 2012 funding secured and to be making progress on the JPSS-1 spacecraft," said Cary Ludtke, vice president general manager for Ball's Civil and Operational Space business unit.

Ball expects to ramp-up JPSS-1 spacecraft production work in the summer of 2012, with a Delta Critical Design Review scheduled for September of this year. Assembly of the spacecraft will begin in 2013. Satellite bus completion is expected in 2014 followed by instrument integration and satellite level environmental test.

The JPSS operational weather system includes the satellites and sensors that support civil weather and climate measurements in the afternoon orbit, as well as a ground system. These satellites deliver approximately 90 percent of the information collected for numerical forecasting models that generate critical weather forecasts and convey warnings to the public about climate and weather events.

In addition to the spacecraft, Ball Aerospace will manufacture, test and deliver the OMPS for the five-instrument JPSS-1 suite. The instrument is similar to the OMPS built by Ball and successfully launched aboard the NPP satellite, in October 2011. Ball Aerospace also built the NPP satellite.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will operate the JPSS satellite following its scheduled launch in 2016.

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