Ball Aerospace Selected by Thales for Iridium NEXT Integration Role

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BOULDER, Colo., Oct 26, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- BLL | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. and Thales Alenia Space have agreed to work jointly on the next-generation satellite constellation Iridium NEXT program. Ball Aerospace's possible roles and responsibilities would be assembly, integration and test (AI&T) for the Iridium satellites.

Under the current agreement, Ball Aerospace will apply its payload accommodation experience and product-line approach, leveraging decades of experience in producing commercial fixed-price remote sensing satellites. The company will process as many as four spacecraft at one time through its Boulder-based satellite production facility.

Additionally, Ball Aerospace will advise Thales Alenia Space on possible hosted secondary payload opportunities to serve the needs of a variety of defense and civil missions.

"Ball Aerospace brings nearly five decades of space segment payload integration and test experience to the Thales offering," said David L. Taylor, president and CEO of Ball Aerospace. "Together, Thales and Ball Aerospace are a formidable team in the competition to provide the next generation Iridium system."

"Thales Alenia Space confirms the addition of Ball Aerospace to the Iridium NEXT team. They are the last link in the value chain to Iridium and will provide both the quality and dedication required to build this challenging NEXT constellation," said Emmanuel Grave, Executive Vice President Telecommunication of Thales Alenia Space.

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.

Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic 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 2008 sales of approximately $7.6 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements

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 at our Web site and at www.sec.gov. 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; 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 current global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; integration of recently acquired businesses; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including in respect of climate change, 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; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

http://www.ballaerospace.com

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