Ball Aerospace moves NPP satelllite to thermal vaccum chamber for final testing

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has moved the NPOESS Preparatory Satellite (NPP) to the thermal vacuum chamber for final testing. NPP was lowered into Ball's chamber on March 2, 2011, to simulate the harsh rigors of space the satellite will encounter when it is launched in October 2011. Thermal vacuum testing is a major milestone for the NPP satellite with completion anticipated by May 1, 2011.

Ball Aerospace is providing its BCP 2000 spacecraft bus under fixed-price terms for NPP under contract to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Ball is also providing the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) for the instrument suite.

The NPP mission will continue critical weather and climate measurements by flying a suite of advanced-technology remote sensing instruments.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions of important 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 www.ballaerospace.com.

Ball Corporation (NYSE: 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 2010 sales of more than $7.6 billion.