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Orbital Express spacecraft successfully launched (Forwarded)
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Arlington, Virginia IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9, 2007 ORBITAL EXPRESS SPACECRAFT SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED Two Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Orbital Express demonstrator spacecraft were launched yesterday at 10:10 p.m. EST, from Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard an Atlas V 401 booster. The launch was sponsored by the Department of Defense Space Test Program (STP), as part of the STP-1 mission, which includes, in addition to Orbital Express, the STPSat-1 spacecraft and three other microsatellites. Orbital Express consists of a next generation serviceable "client" satellite (NextSat) and a prototype servicing spacecraft (Autonomous Space Transport Robotic Orbiter or ASTRO). They were deployed together into a circular, 492-kilometer, low earth orbit with an inclination of 46 degrees. They will spend the next three months in orbit, demonstrating for the first time fully autonomous rendezvous and capture of client spacecraft, satellite-to-satellite refueling, and replacement of battery and flight-computer orbital replacement units. The technologies developed by DARPA's Orbital Express program are intended to support a broad range of future U.S. national security, civil, and commercial space activities. "What we're showing with Orbital Express is how on-orbit refueling and modular upgrades will make it possible for us to work around some key obstacles: stringent maneuvering constraints, part failures, and technological obsolescence," noted Lt. Col. Fred Kennedy, USAF, DARPA's Orbital Express program manager. "We're hoping that mission designers will see the advantages of a flexible architecture, where you can pop in a better flight computer, a fresh battery, or a decade's worth of additional propellant." On-orbit satellite refueling would provide the United States with the flexibility to maneuver its satellites and optimize their time over ground targets, avoid both debris and other spacecraft, change orbits to counter denial and deception activities on the ground, and, more generally, provide tactical agility for a wide range of emerging missions. Refueling commercial satellites would extend their service life without incurring the construction and launch costs for replacement assets. The ability to replace or upgrade electronic components on deployed spacecraft would support more rapid deployment of new technologies to satellites, without fielding new vehicles. Satellites could be upgraded with technologies that become available after launch, or components that fail prematurely could be replaced. Boeing Phantom Works, Huntington Beach, Calif., is DARPA's prime integrator for the Orbital Express program. They fabricated, assembled, and tested the ASTRO servicing spacecraft. Ball Aerospace constructed the NextSat client satellite. Other members of the Orbital Express team include NASA; Northrop Grumman Space Technology; MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates; Charles Stark Draper Laboratory; and Starsys Research. -END- Media with questions, please contact Jan Walker, (703) 696-2404. Images and mission updates will be available online at www.darpa.mil/orbitalexpress . ***** Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Contact: (303) 533-6059 March 9, 2007 Ball Aerospace's NextSat Launched for Orbital Express Mission Robotic Mission Supports Future of U.S. National Security BOULDER, CO -- The first-of-its kind, autonomous servicing demonstration satellite launched on Thursday, March 8, 2007, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The three-month space mission is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The Orbital Express (OE) Advanced Technology Demonstration Program dual-satellite mission, includes the Next Generation Satellite and Commodities Spacecraft (NextSat/CSC), built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., and the Autonomous Space Transfer and Robotic Orbiter (ASTRO) built by The Boeing Company. The mission is designed to demonstrate the capability of robotic refueling, autonomous rendezvous and docking, as well as repairs and equipment upgrades of a spacecraft on-orbit. "This pioneering demonstration advances critical technologies that support national security missions," said David L. Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Ball Aerospace. "A successful Orbital Express demonstration could revolutionize future space systems both in terms of cost and the extension of spacecraft life." The two spacecraft are designed to transfer between them spacecraft fuel and two Orbital Replacement Units, a battery and computer. On orbit they will separate and demonstrate rendezvous and capture from increasing distances and levels of autonomy. Ball Aerospace's NextSat/CSC employs architecture adapted from the successful Deep Impact Impactor, including software, command and data handling, and power switching; as well as elements from BCP-2000, such as the narrow-band telecom architecture from the Ball-built CloudSat. The Deep Impact Impactor was able to autonomously steer itself into the path of comet Tempel 1 in 2005, using similar technologies that the NextSat/CSC spacecraft bus will use to demonstrate rendezvous and capture sequences during its mission. The prototype ASTRO servicing satellite and the surrogate next generation serviceable satellite, NextSat system were a payload on the Air Force Space Test Program STP-1 mission. The Orbital Express program is funded through DARPA and managed by The Boeing Company. The Orbital Express contractor team includes Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boeing, Northrop Grumman Corporation, McDonald Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc. and Starsys Research Corp. Ball Aerospace 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. Over the past 50 years, Ball Aerospace has been responsible for numerous technological and scientific "firsts" and now acts as a technology innovator for the aerospace market. Ball Corporation is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging products and owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Ball reported 2006 sales of $6.6 billion and employs 15,500 people . Forward-Looking Statements 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 same 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 our Web site and at www.sec.gov . Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in consumer and customer demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials, including due to the effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as 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; fruit, vegetable and fishing yields; industry productive capacity and competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions, including those associated with our beverage can end project; the German mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; international business risks, including foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of foreign subsidiaries; and the effect of LIFO accounting on earnings. Factors that might affect aerospace segment include: funding, authorization and availability of government contracts and the nature and continuation of those contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that could affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental and workplace safety; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; boycotts; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or management's evaluation of the company's internal control over financial reporting. IMAGE CAPTION: [http://www.darpa.mil/orbitalexpress/images/OE_1.jpg (3MB)] The NextSat spacecraft built by Ball Aerospace is mated with the Autonomous Space Transfer and Robotic Orbiter built by the Boeing Company. The Orbital Express dual-satellite mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on Thursday, March 9. ***** Boeing Contact Info: Robert Villanueva Boeing Advanced Systems office: (562) 496-5688 March 09, 2007 Boeing Orbital Express to Demonstrate New On-Orbit Servicing Capability ST. LOUIS -- A Boeing-led [NYSE: BA] industry team today announced the successful launch of Orbital Express, a demonstration spacecraft that is part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program aimed at demonstrating fully autonomous on-orbit spacecraft servicing capabilities. Liftoff occurred yesterday at 10:10 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Following a nominal flight, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket deployed the spacecraft to a low-Earth orbit. The three-month mission will demonstrate various functions of the new system. "Orbital Express is a revolutionary system that will offer customers with appropriately configured on-orbit assets new options to enhance the operation of their systems," said George Muellner, president of Boeing Advanced Systems. "This demonstration mission is the first step toward developing an operational system that can service satellites and support other space operations. Orbital Express continues our success in delivering solutions that shape new markets through the integration of people, innovation and technology." Orbital Express consists of the Autonomous Space Transport Robotic Operations (ASTRO) servicing spacecraft developed by Boeing Advanced Network and Space Systems; and NextSat, a prototypical modular next-generation serviceable client spacecraft developed by Ball Aerospace. The demonstration mission will validate capabilities critical for the development of emerging and future space systems. When operational, the new integrated rendezvous proximity operations and capture system will provide satellite and spacecraft operators with a routine on-orbit servicing capability for such things as fuel and component transfer, relocation, inspection, safe de-orbit and on-orbit assembly. Major test objectives include: * Autonomous operations, including rendezvous from 7 km with a capability to support rendezvous at separation distances up to 1,000 km and beyond * Onboard relative navigation and guidance systems * Robotic arm system * Multiple captures of the NextSat client spacecraft performed directly and using the robotic arm * Sub-meter range autonomous station-keeping * Fluid and component transfer * Passive, targetless rendezvous sensor systems "Today's launch is a major milestone for the Orbital Express program," said Alex Lopez, vice president, Boeing Advanced Network and Space Systems. "Our team has worked very hard to prepare for this important mission, and I congratulate them on their accomplishment. We're looking forward to a successful demonstration for our customer and moving forward with developing and deploying the first operational system." DARPA selected Boeing as the prime integrator for Phase II of the Orbital Express Advanced Technology Demonstration program in March 2002. Orbital Express team members include NASA, Ball Aerospace, Northrop Grumman Space Technology, MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd., the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., and Starsys Research. Additional Orbital Express information, including mission updates, can be found at: http://www.boeing.com/ids/advanced_systems/orbital.html |
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