BOULDER, Colo., June 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace
was selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) for four, six-month study contracts that will inform
mission, spacecraft and instrument concepts for future operational
weather architectures and Earth observation capabilities. Ball
Aerospace is also collaborating on a fifth study contract awarded
to L3Harris Technologies.
"Operational weather satellites are a critical part of the
nation's infrastructure, playing a key role in keeping the public
safe and the economy strong by enabling forecasters to predict and
reduce the impacts of extreme weather events," said Dr.
Makenzie Lystrup, vice president and
general manager, Civil Space, Ball Aerospace. "Through close
coordination with the broader weather community, Ball developed a
series of innovative technology and mission solutions to meet
NOAA's most critical space-based observational needs in an
affordable and sustainable way, and these studies are a
continuation of this effort."
The five study contracts include:
- Auroral Imager in Tundra – Ball is working with Computational
Physics, Inc. to perform a trade study of cost and performance
between two promising technology strategies for a dedicated auroral
imager in a highly elliptical Tundra orbit, long recognized as a
useful vantage point for global auroral imaging. Auroral imagery
provides important space weather situational awareness for users of
technologies affected by auroral phenomena, such as power grids and
aviation services.
- Ball Operational Weather Instrument Evolution (BOWIE) Microwave
– This concept study will evaluate the baseline design of Ball's
BOWIE-M instrument and explore optimization of performance and
cost. BOWIE-M leverages recent advances in microwave component
miniaturization and advances in antenna technology to enable a
future disaggregated constellation of low-cost, high-performance
atmospheric sounding instruments. Approximately half the size of
current instruments flying on operational polar-orbiting weather
satellites, BOWIE-M is designed to deliver similar capability at
reduced cost. Ball is collaborating with Atmospheric and
Environmental Research (AER), a Verisk business, that will lead a
trade analysis of the instrument design and performance.
- BOWIE Compact Hyperspectral Infrared Observations (CHIRO) –
This instrument concept study will focus on technology and
performance trades for a cost-effective, high-performance smallsat
solution for hyperspectral infrared sounding from geostationary
orbit.
- BOWIE Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) IR Sounder – Through this study,
Ball will explore compact instrument designs to meet NOAA's
atmospheric vertical temperature and moisture profiling
requirements, identifying technology roadmap options to address
cost versus performance for infrared sounder instrument(s) for
rapid insertion into Low-Earth Orbit.
- Joint LEO Sounding Mission Study – Ball is working with
L3Harris and PlanetiQ for this mission concept study, which will
evaluate an all-industry smallsat mission, hosting both microwave
and infrared sounding instruments (provided by Ball and L3Harris,
respectively), and GNSS-RO sounding sensors (provided by PlanetiQ).
The team will also explore how the mission can be optimized for
cost and performance while meeting the LEO sounding requirements of
NOAA's future operational weather architecture. Ball will also
perform an accommodation assessment of the baseline instrument
designs, from all study participants, using a Ball small satellite
for insertion in various orbits. In addition to an instrument
integration assessment, Ball will study commercial launch options
to enable a delivery-on-orbit acquisition model for a complete
sounding system that NOAA would own and operate.
Ball has played key roles on numerous operational weather
satellite programs, including the Ball-built Suomi National
Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) satellite, which launched in
2011, and the Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) satellite,
now NOAA-20, which launched in 2017. In addition, Ball is also
currently manufacturing the Weather System Follow-On satellite for
the U.S. Space Force.
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 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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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; availability/cost of raw materials and logistics;
competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate
and weather; footprint adjustments and other manufacturing changes,
including the start up of new facilities and lines; failure to
achieve synergies, productivity improvements or cost reductions;
mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; customer and
supplier consolidation; power and supply chain interruptions,
including due to virus and disease outbreaks; potential delays and
tariffs related to the U.K's departure from the EU; changes in
major customer or supplier contracts or a 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 affecting
goods produced by us or in our supply chain, including imported raw
materials, such as those related to COVID-19 and those pursuant to
Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act of 1962 or Section 301
of Trade Act of 1974; 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 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 action or issues
including tax, 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
and the success of information technology initiatives; 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, the
U.S. government elections, budget, sequestration and debt limit;
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.
www.ball.com
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