Ball Aerospace Forms Strategic Alliance with Vexcel Corporation.Business Editors BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2000 Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. announced today that it has acquired a minority interest in Vexcel Corporation. This investment is part of Ball Aerospace's long-term strategy to be a leader in the field of radar remote sensing Deriving digital models of an area on the earth. Using special cameras from airplanes or satellites, either the sun's reflections or the earth's temperature is turned into digital maps of the area. . Ball Aerospace's space systems heritage and Vexcel's ground systems expertise combine to provide end-to-end radar systems capabilities and information products that are unmatched in the industry. Vexcel, based in Boulder, Colo., is an internationally recognized supplier of remote sensing data processing systems, with special emphasis on synthetic aperture radar Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Radar, airborne or satellite-borne, that uses special signal processing to produce high-resolution images of the surface of the Earth (or another object) while traversing a considerable flight path. (SAR (Segmentation And Reassembly) The protocol that converts data to cells for transmission over an ATM network. It is the lower part of the ATM Adaption Layer (AAL), which is responsible for the entire operation. See AAL. SAR - segmentation and reassembly ). The company has provided support to major national SAR missions and initiatives, including the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) is an international research effort that obtained digital elevation models on a near-global scale from 56 °S to 60 °N, to generate the most complete high-resolution digital topographic database of Earth to date. (SRTM SRTM Shuttle Radar Topography Mission SRTM Security Requirements Traceability Matrix SRTM Software Requirements Traceability Matrix SRTM System Requirements Traceability Matrix SRTM Security Requirements Tractability Matrix SRTM Static Root of Trust for Measurement ), Discoverer II, and LightSAR, and is currently under exclusive contract to provide the ground processing system for Japan's PALSAR satellite. Vexcel's business activities include SAR satellite mission design, algorithm development for image formation and information extraction from SAR data, turnkey remote sensing ground stations, and the production of value-added information products from both SAR and high-resolution optical remote sensing data. Customers include international space agencies, research organizations, and commercial vertical markets, such as telecommunication companies that rely on information products created from remote sensing data. Ball Aerospace provides imaging, communications and information products and services for commercial and government customers. Optical and radar remote sensing systems are a core focus of this business. Ball Aerospace's participation in radar remote sensing projects includes the SAR antennas for NASA's SRTM, that recently created precise topographic maps of the Earth, the bus for Canada's Radarsat and many other SAR development activities. Other Ball Aerospace products and services include spacecraft and instruments for scientific, defense and commercial customers, as well as systems engineering services. "Ball Aerospace and Vexcel synergies fortify for·ti·fy v. for·ti·fied, for·ti·fy·ing, for·ti·fies v.tr. To make strong, as: a. To strengthen and secure (a position) with fortifications. b. To reinforce by adding material. both corporations' long-term objectives," says Don Vanlandingham, Ball Aerospace President and Chief Executive Officer. "The benefit of this strategic alliance is our greatly expanded thrust into the ground data system marketplace. Vexcel's proficiencies dovetail dovetail (dov´tāl), n a widened or fanned-out portion of a prepared cavity, usually established deliberately to increase the retention and resistance form. with our imaging systems experience to give us end-to-end capabilities in remote sensing systems and information product markets. Our alliance results in enhanced technical capabilities for current customers, as well as to new customers and markets." "Vexcel has the explicitly stated goal of being the premier radar-imaging firm in the world. Our alliance with Ball Aerospace is an important step toward making that happen," says Vexcel President and Chief Executive Officer John Curlander. "This alliance is a win-win relationship for both corporations." Ball Aerospace is a subsidiary of Ball Corporation (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :BLL BLL Blood Lead Level BLL Bovis Lend Lease BLL Business Logic Layer BLL Buraku Liberation League (Japan) BLL Billund, Denmark - Billund (Airport Code) BLL Base Locator for Linkage ), a Fortune 500 company which had sales of $3.6 billion in 1999. Vexcel Corporation is a privately held company privately held company A firm whose shares are held within a relatively small circle of owners and are not traded publicly. that has grown to approximately 100 employees since its founding in 1985. Forward-Looking Statements Ball Corporation has made or implied certain forward-looking statements in this news release. These forward-looking statements represent the company's goals and are based on certain assumptions and estimates that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Some factors that could cause the company's actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include risk factors listed in the company's SEC filings, including the Form 10-Q Form 10-Q See 10-Q. filed on Nov. 10, 2000. If Ball's assumptions and estimates are incorrect, or if the company is unable to achieve its goals, then actual performance could vary materially from those goals expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Note to Editors: Electronic images available at http://www.ball.com/aerospace/media/vexcel.html. |
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