The Operational Land Imager (OLI) being built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), the eighth in the Landsat satellite series, has successfully passed the Instrument Critical Design Review (ICDR).

The ICDR, a four-day process in Boulder, included more than 60 representatives from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center project office and review team; members of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) Independent Review Board; Landsat scientists from the United States Geological Survey; and industry participants. The team reviewed OLI systems architecture, as well as detailed analysis of integration and the test approach including validation and calibration.

"We are focused on delivering an advanced instrument to support the government's continuation of the vital Landsat program," said David L. Taylor, president and CEO of Ball Aerospace. "Successful on-time completion of OLI will further complement Ball's strong legacy in both Earth science and remote-sensing missions."

ICDR participants noted Ball's heritage from similar instruments in congratulating the OLI team for retiring major risks and moving well beyond ICDR in most areas.

The OLI instrument provides 15-meter (49ft.) panchromatic and 30m multi-spectral Earth-imaging spatial-resolution capability. OLI includes a 185km swath allowing the entire globe to be imaged every 16 days.

The Landsat Program is a series of Earth-observing satellite missions jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). For more than 36 years, Landsat satellites have continuously and consistently collected images of Earth, creating a historical archive unmatched in quality, detail, coverage and length. The multispectral imagery is gathered for applications that include agricultural monitoring, natural resource management and land-use planning.

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. Since 1956, Ball Aerospace has been responsible for numerous technological and scientific 'firsts' and acts as a technology innovator for the aerospace market.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging products 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 15,000 people worldwide and reported 2007 sales of $7.4 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, including recent significant increases in resin, steel, aluminum and energy costs, and the ability to pass such increases on to customers; 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.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: rbrown@ball.com

SOURCE: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.