BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Geostationary
Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) instrument, jointly
developed by Ball Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Research Institute
(KARI) under the leadership of Ball Aerospace, launched
successfully on Feb. 18, 2020. GEMS
was integrated onto KARI's GEO-KOMPSAT-2B satellite.
Once operational in space, GEMS will be the first air quality
sensor in geostationary orbit where it will help monitor pollution
events in the Korean peninsula and Asia-Pacific region.
"GEMS is a result of more than 30 years of innovation in
advanced spectrometers at Ball Aerospace," said Dr. Makenzie Lystrup, president and general manager,
Civil Space, Ball Aerospace. "Data from GEMS will enable KARI's
mission to assess and forecast air pollution by identifying sources
and distribution of pollutants in the atmosphere."
Ball Aerospace led GEMS development under a contract with KARI
for the National Institute of Environmental Research in the
Ministry of Environment of South
Korea. GEMS will make hourly measurements of key
constituents that make up air pollution, including ozone and
nitrogen dioxide, which will improve early warnings for potentially
dangerous pollution events.
GEMS is one part of a global air quality monitoring
constellation of geostationary satellites that will include NASA's
Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO)
spectrometer. Ball completed TEMPO in September 2018 for NASA Langley Research Center
and Harvard Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. TEMPO is
scheduled to launch in 2022.
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
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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 more
than 18,300 people worldwide and reported 2019 net sales of
$11.5 billion. For more information,
visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.
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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
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and logistics; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution;
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joint ventures, acquisitions and divestitures.
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SOURCE Ball Aerospace