Ball Aerospace Advanced Radiometer for NIST to Fly on DSCOVR Mission

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. instrument aboard a mission designed to measure the irradiance from Earth's sunlit face is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on February 8, 2015.  A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) for NOAA, NASA and the U.S. Air Force. The mission is designed to provide solar wind monitoring and forecasting and to aid scientists in measuring the energy exchange between the earth and sun.

Ball Aerospace developed the advanced radiometer instrument - called Scripps NISTAR - working with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The radiometer is designed to measure the Earth's total reflected and emitted energy in the 0.2 to 100 micron range, and is based on the NIST electrical-substitution and Ball modular instrument controller technologies. 

"After years of hard work we are looking forward to the Ball radiometer developed with NIST and Scripps along with the star tracker finally having their day in the sun," said Jim Oschmann, Ball's vice president and general manager for Civil Space and Technology. "Ball has a long history of building instruments critical to keeping track of our planet's health."

Ball also provided DSCOVR with the CT633 star tracker. In preparation for the mission, the tracker was recalibrated, and outfitted with an improved lightshade and software. Final verification included solar testing in the Ball Stray Light Facility. Ball Aerospace provides navigation hardware for NASA, USGS and military customers including more than 400 star sensors for multiple space missions since 1964.

The spacecraft's ultimate destination will be the first sun-Earth Lagrange point (L1), located 1.5 million kilometers (930,000 miles) sunward from Earth, a neutral gravity point between Earth and the sun.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions for 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 http://www.ballaerospace.com/.

Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) supplies innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for beverage, food and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2013 sales of $8.5 billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions 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 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect: a) our packaging segments include product demand fluctuations; availability/cost of raw materials; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve productivity improvements or cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; customer and supplier consolidation, power and supply chain influence; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange or tax rates; b) our aerospace segment include funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts; c) the company as a whole include those listed plus: changes in senior management; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions and divestitures; regulatory action or issues including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions or public concerns affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; technological developments and innovations; litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget, sequestration and debt limit; reduced cash flow; ability to achieve cost-out initiatives; interest rates affecting our debt.

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SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

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