BOULDER, Colo., July 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace
successfully completed the preliminary design review (PDR) for the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Space
Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) spacecraft. With PDR
complete, the spacecraft now moves into the critical design
phase.
Ball was awarded the contract to design and build the SWFO-L1
spacecraft on June 25, 2020 by NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center on behalf of NOAA. SWFO-L1 is an
operational mission that will collect solar wind data and coronal
imagery to meet NOAA's operational requirements to monitor and
forecast solar storm activity. SWFO-L1 will be launched to an L1
orbit, which will allow for upstream solar wind measurements and
continuous unobstructed observation of the sun's corona without
interference from the Earth.
"Space weather events, such as solar flares, coronal mass
ejections and other high-energy emissions from the sun, can
endanger astronauts in space, interfere with satellites and damage
communications and power grid infrastructure, causing significant
economic impact," said Dr. Makenzie
Lystrup, vice president and general manager, Civil Space,
Ball Aerospace. "Once on orbit, SWFO-L1 will provide the nation
with critical space weather information to help protect life and
property and we are excited to partner with NOAA and NASA Goddard
on this important mission."
The SWFO-L1 spacecraft is based on the Ball Configurable
Platform (BCP), which is a customizable and proven
spacecraft, designed for flexible, cost-effective
applications, using a common spacecraft bus and standard payload
interfaces to reduce cost, streamline payload accommodation and
minimize delivery time. Ball has a heritage of building spacecraft
for NOAA's operational weather missions, including NOAA-20 and the
Suomi National Polar Orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP).
Powered by endlessly curious people with an unwavering mission
focus, Ball Aerospace pioneers discoveries that enable our
customers to perform beyond expectation and protect what matters
most. We create innovative space solutions, enable more accurate
weather forecasts, drive insightful observations of our planet,
deliver actionable data and intelligence, and ensure those who
defend our freedom go forward bravely and return home safely. Go
Beyond with Ball.® For more information, visit
www.ball.com/aerospace or connect with us on Facebook or
Twitter.
About Ball Corporation
Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL)
supplies innovative, sustainable aluminum packaging solutions for
beverage, personal care and household products customers, as well
as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the
U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ
21,500 people worldwide and reported 2020 net sales of $11.8 billion. For more information, visit
www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains
"forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial
performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates,"
"believes," and similar expressions typically identify
forward-looking statements, which are generally any statements
other than statements of historical fact. Such statements are based
on current expectations or views of the future and are subject to
risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or events
to differ materially from those expressed or implied. You should
therefore not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking
statements and any such statements should be read in conjunction
with, and qualified in their entirety by, the cautionary statements
referenced below. 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 factors,
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and
results to be different are summarized in filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99 in our
Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov.
Additional factors that might affect: a) our packaging segments
include product capacity, supply, and demand constraints and
fluctuations and changes in consumption patterns; availability/cost
of raw materials, equipment, and logistics; competitive packaging,
pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; footprint
adjustments and other manufacturing changes, including the startup
of new facilities and lines; failure to achieve synergies,
productivity improvements or cost reductions; unfavorable mandatory
deposit or packaging laws; customer and supplier consolidation;
power and supply chain interruptions; changes in major customer or
supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier;
political instability and sanctions; currency controls; changes in
foreign exchange or tax rates; and tariffs, trade actions, or other
governmental actions, including business restrictions and
shelter-in-place orders in any country or jurisdiction affecting
goods produced by us or in our supply chain, including imported raw
materials; b) our aerospace segment include funding, authorization,
availability and returns of government and commercial contracts;
and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting
segment contracts; c) the Company as a whole include those listed
above plus: the extent to which sustainability-related
opportunities arise and can be capitalized upon; changes in senior
management, succession, and the ability to attract and retain
skilled labor; regulatory actions or issues including those related
to tax, ESG reporting, competition, environmental, health and
workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions or public
concerns affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals
or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing
process; technological developments and innovations; the ability to
manage cyber threats; litigation; strikes; disease; pandemic; labor
cost changes; rates of return on assets of the Company's defined
benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties
surrounding geopolitical events and governmental policies both in
the U.S. and in other countries, including policies, orders, and
actions related to COVID-19; reduced cash flow; interest rates
affecting our debt; and successful or unsuccessful joint ventures,
acquisitions and divestitures, and their effects on our operating
results and business generally.
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SOURCE Ball Aerospace