BOULDER, Colo., Jan. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.'s Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) onboard the NPP satellite began collecting Earthview image science and solar calibration data on January 24, 2012.
The OMPS data will provide information about the global distribution of ozone which will help determine if synthetic chemicals are affecting the Earth's climate and its habitability.
Launched on October 28, 2011, OMPS is one of five instruments onboard the NPP bus, which completed commissioning on November 5, 2011. All five instruments will be returning scientific data before the end of this month.
"We expect the satellite and its five-instrument suite to bridge essential global climate and key weather data while Ball continues to build the Joint Polar Satellite System-1 as the follow-on to NPP," said David L. Taylor, president and CEO of Ball Aerospace
JPSS-1 is scheduled to launch in 2016. JPSS data and imagery will further increase timeliness, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness of public warnings and forecasts of climate and weather events.
In addition to OMPS, the other instruments aboard NPP include the Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System, the Cross-track Infrared Sounder, the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder, and the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite. NPP has a five-year mission and design life.
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions of 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.
