Corning Incorporated to Manufacture Primary Mirror for NASA's Space-Based Kepler Photometer

http://www.corning.com/media_center/...3374460894.asp

Corning Incorporated to Manufacture Primary Mirror for NASA's Space-Based
Kepler Photometer

Four-year Kepler Mission will search galaxy for Earth-like planets

Corning Press Release
October 28, 2003

CORNING, N.Y. -- Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW)
announced today that it will play a key role in the manufacturing of the
photometer, a device that measures the brightness of light, for NASA's
Kepler Mission to detect Earth-like planets orbiting stars beyond our solar
system. Corning will manufacture a 1.4-meter diameter lightweight primary
mirror blank from its ULE® zero expansion glass material that will be used
in the fabrication of the photometer instrument.

"We've drawn upon our glass technology and manufacturing expertise to
produce materials with unprecedented precision, homogeneity, and the ability
to withstand the extreme thermal fluctuations experienced in a space
environment," said Jim Steiner, senior vice president and general manager of
Corning's Specialty Materials division. "Corning has a long history of
building lightweight mirrors for use in space applications, and our
contribution to the Kepler Mission is yet another honor for us."

Using the photometer instrument, Kepler will continuously measure the
brightness of 100,000 stars similar to our sun for four years. The goal of
the mission is to explore the structure and diversity of planetary systems,
with a special emphasis on searching for Earth-size planets. If Kepler
detects many habitable, Earth-size planets, it may mean the universe is full
of life.

Space-based mirror applications require materials that can perform to the
demanding standards of space research and the extreme environmental
conditions of space. Therefore, the primary mirrors in applications like the
Kepler Photometer must be extremely lightweight, precise, and stable in
order to perform successfully in orbit.

Corning has manufactured materials for many of the world's most powerful
telescopes including the mirror for the Hubble space telescope, as well as
the windows for every manned U.S. space flight and the International Space
Station.

The Kepler Mission is planned to launch in the fall of 2007 as part of the
NASA Discovery program. Discovery is an ongoing program with the goal of
enhancing scientific understanding of the solar system by exploring the
planets, their moons, and small bodies such as comets and asteroids. The
Kepler Mission is based at Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.,
and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Through the combined expertise of its Corning Semiconductor Optics business
units, Corning is a leading supplier of optical materials, precision optics,
and metrology instruments for the semiconductor industry. More information
is available at www.corning.com/semiconductoroptics.

About Corning

Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) is a diversified
technology company that concentrates its efforts on high-impact growth
opportunities. Corning combines its expertise in specialty glass, ceramic
materials, polymers and the manipulation of the properties of light, with
strong process and manufacturing capabilities to develop, engineer and
commercialize significant innovative products for the telecommunications,
information display, environmental, semiconductor, and life sciences
industries.

Corning Contacts

M. Elizabeth Dann
(607) 974-4989


Elijah Baity
(607) 974-8908