BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has successfully completed a comprehensive pre-shipment review for NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE satellite. The pre-shipment review was completed on August 4 and followed assembly and performance testing. Ball Aerospace engineers have packed the satellite into a shipping container for delivery in mid-August to California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. WISE is scheduled to launch in December 2009 aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket into an Earth orbit.
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A high-resolution photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.ballaerospace.com/page.jsp?page=122&id=173
Ball Aerospace built the WISE spacecraft, integrated the WISE infrared cryogenic science instrument and performed testing requirements.
During the seven-month mission, WISE will survey the entire sky at infrared wavelengths to collect data and catalogue hundreds of millions of objects. The survey will be the most detailed to date in WISE's infrared wavelengths.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages WISE for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Ned Wright of UCLA is the WISE Principal Investigator.
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 14,000 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 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, 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; the current global credit squeeze 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 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.
SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
Web site: http://www.ballaerospace.com/
