BOULDER, Colo., Jan. 8, 2013 \/PRNewswire\/ --Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has successfully completed the delta Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS-1) spacecraft. <\/p>\n
The four-day review was held Dec. 10-13, and included more than 100 representatives from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and JPSS instrument providers. The review team congratulated the JPSS-1 team for demonstrating that the spacecraft's development is progressing well and will be ready to provide the nation with critical environmental data when launched no later than the first quarter 2017. <\/p>\n
The CDR delineated the design differences between JPSS-1 and its predecessor, the Ball-built Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite to allow for full-scale JPSS-1 spacecraft production. Early Production on JPSS-1 has been underway since mid-2012. <\/p>\n
\"This successful review allows Ball to initiate satellite fabrication for a program that is vital for ensuring that global weather forecasting and climate observations are not interrupted,\" said David L. Taylor, Ball Aerospace president and CEO. <\/p>\n
The JPSS operational weather system includes the satellites and sensors that support civil weather and climate measurements in the afternoon orbit, as well as a ground system. These satellites deliver approximately 90 percent of the information collected for numerical forecasting models that generate critical weather forecasts and convey warnings to the public about climate and weather events. <\/p>\n
In addition to the spacecraft, Ball Aerospace will manufacture, test and deliver the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite sensor for JPSS-1. Both the JPSS-1 satellite bus and the OMPS instrument are similar to those for Suomi NPP, which successfully launched in October 2011 and is returning images and data that provide critical weather and climate measurements of the complex Earth system. <\/p>\n
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions for 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 http:\/\/www.ballaerospace.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n Ball Corporation (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 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http:\/\/www.ball.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n Forward-Looking Statements <\/p>\n 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 http:\/\/www.sec.gov<\/a>. 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. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excerpt from: <\/p>\n Ball Aerospace Completes Successful Critical Design Review for Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS-1) Spacecraft<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BOULDER, Colo., Jan. Continue reading