August 8th 05, 09:08 PM
http://www.ballaerospace.com/media/nr08_08_05.html
Ball Aerospace News Release
Contact:
(303) 533-5089
Ball Aerospace High Resolution Camera to Launch on Mars Reconnaissance
Orbiter
August 8, 2005
BOULDER, Colo. - NASA's next journey to Mars, scheduled
to launch August 10 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,
will include an advanced camera built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Corp. for the University of Arizona. The High Resolution Imaging
Science
Experiment (HiRISE) is expected to provide thousands of images of the
planet's surface in unprecedented detail.
One of a suite of six science instruments, the HiRISE camera is
designed
to image the surface at up to five times the resolution currently
provided by the Mars Global Surveyor, allowing identification of
objects
as small as a coffee table. Its mission is to investigate layered
materials, gullies, channels and other science targets, and
characterize
potential landing sites for future robotic and manned missions.
The HiRISE camera is the largest and highest-resolution camera ever
sent
beyond Earth orbit. It will produce black and white and color images,
along with hundreds of stereo-image pairs and three-dimensional digital
elevation models. The HiRISE science team expects to process 1,000
extremely large, high-resolution images and 9,000 smaller,
high-resolution images during the science phase of the MRO mission. It
would take 1,200 typical computer screens to display just one large
HiRISE image at full resolution. The HiRISE camera design is based on
the high-resolution imaging technology proven successful by the Deep
Impact and Quickbird spacecraft and several Hubble Space Telescope
instruments.
"HiRISE is an important instrument in fulfilling the first steps of the
new Vision for Space Exploration," said Ball Aerospace President and
CEO
Dave Taylor. "We expect the HiRISE camera to provide very high quality
imagery for both scientific research and NASA's future mission
planning," Taylor said.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is scheduled to reach Mars in
March 2006, when it will begin a six-month period of aerobraking to
lower itself into the primary science orbit of averaging approximately
190 miles above the planet's surface. The HiRISE camera and the other
five science instruments are scheduled to begin operations after
entering this science orbit in late 2006.
MRO is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory and was built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems.
Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) is a supplier of
metal and plastic packaging products, primarily for the beverage and
food industries. The company also owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Corp., which develops sensors, spacecraft, systems and components for
government and commercial markets. Ball Corporation employs more than
13,500 people and reported 2004 sales of $5.4 billion.
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; availability and cost of
raw materials, particularly the 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 technical uncertainty associated with 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; goodwill impairment; antitrust 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.
Ball Aerospace News Release
Contact:
(303) 533-5089
Ball Aerospace High Resolution Camera to Launch on Mars Reconnaissance
Orbiter
August 8, 2005
BOULDER, Colo. - NASA's next journey to Mars, scheduled
to launch August 10 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,
will include an advanced camera built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Corp. for the University of Arizona. The High Resolution Imaging
Science
Experiment (HiRISE) is expected to provide thousands of images of the
planet's surface in unprecedented detail.
One of a suite of six science instruments, the HiRISE camera is
designed
to image the surface at up to five times the resolution currently
provided by the Mars Global Surveyor, allowing identification of
objects
as small as a coffee table. Its mission is to investigate layered
materials, gullies, channels and other science targets, and
characterize
potential landing sites for future robotic and manned missions.
The HiRISE camera is the largest and highest-resolution camera ever
sent
beyond Earth orbit. It will produce black and white and color images,
along with hundreds of stereo-image pairs and three-dimensional digital
elevation models. The HiRISE science team expects to process 1,000
extremely large, high-resolution images and 9,000 smaller,
high-resolution images during the science phase of the MRO mission. It
would take 1,200 typical computer screens to display just one large
HiRISE image at full resolution. The HiRISE camera design is based on
the high-resolution imaging technology proven successful by the Deep
Impact and Quickbird spacecraft and several Hubble Space Telescope
instruments.
"HiRISE is an important instrument in fulfilling the first steps of the
new Vision for Space Exploration," said Ball Aerospace President and
CEO
Dave Taylor. "We expect the HiRISE camera to provide very high quality
imagery for both scientific research and NASA's future mission
planning," Taylor said.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is scheduled to reach Mars in
March 2006, when it will begin a six-month period of aerobraking to
lower itself into the primary science orbit of averaging approximately
190 miles above the planet's surface. The HiRISE camera and the other
five science instruments are scheduled to begin operations after
entering this science orbit in late 2006.
MRO is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory and was built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems.
Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) is a supplier of
metal and plastic packaging products, primarily for the beverage and
food industries. The company also owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Corp., which develops sensors, spacecraft, systems and components for
government and commercial markets. Ball Corporation employs more than
13,500 people and reported 2004 sales of $5.4 billion.
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; availability and cost of
raw materials, particularly the 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 technical uncertainty associated with 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; goodwill impairment; antitrust 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.