Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., has been selected by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) for the first phase of a study to develop a satellite bus designed for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission. The study will conclude in November, in anticipation of final selection by NASA in January 2005.

The selection will be made through the Goddard Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO). Ball Aerospace has been selected for three RSDO contracts in recent years, including the spacecraft for the Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT); the Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat); and the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP). The Ball Aerospace Commercial Platform 2000 (BCP 2000) was selected for all three missions.

GPM is a joint mission with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and other international agencies. It is one of the next-generation of systematic measurement missions that will calculate precipitation, a key climate factor, with improved temporal resolution and spatial coverage.

"We have shown that we can accommodate specific program needs within the context of the RSDO offering," said Zubin Emsley, director of commercial program development for Ball Aerospace. "Successful builds on the already launched QuikSCAT and ICESat make this a good fit for us."

Ball Aerospace has been involved in the development of instrumentation for this mission for several years. In 2003, Ball Aerospace was awarded a study contract from Goddard for the Global Precipitation Measurement -- Microwave Imager (GMI), to fly aboard the GPM spacecraft. This instrument will complement the JAXA contributions, making radiometric and radar measurements of clouds and precipitation.

GPM will build upon the success of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) with a goal of improving weather and precipitation forecasts through more accurate measurement of rain rates and latent heating; and to provide more frequent and complete sampling of the Earth's precipitation.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging products and innovative packaging solutions to the beverage and food industries. The company also owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., which develops sensors, spacecraft, systems and components for the government and commercial markets. Ball employs 13,100 people worldwide and reported 2003 sales of $4.9 billion.

The information in this news release contains "forward-looking" statements and other statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking 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 the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially in Exhibit 99.2 in the most recent Form 10-K. These filings are available at the company's website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect the packaging segments of the company include fluctuation in consumer and customer demand; competitive packaging material availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; fruit, vegetable and fishing yields; industry productive capacity and competitive activity; lack of productivity improvement or production cost reductions; the German mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; availability and cost of raw materials, such as resin, steel and aluminum, and the ability to pass on to customers changes in these costs; changes in major customer contracts or the loss of a major customer; international business risks, such as foreign exchange rates and tax rates; and the effect of LIFO accounting on earnings. Factors that might affect the aerospace segment include: funding, authorization and availability of government contracts and the nature and continuation of those contracts; and technical uncertainty associated with segment contracts. Factors that could affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: successful and unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures and associated integration activities; regulatory action or laws including environmental and workplace safety; goodwill impairment; antitrust and other litigation; strikes; boycotts; increases in various employee benefits and labor costs; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; reduced cash flow; and interest rates affecting our debt.

SOURCE: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.