Corning's HPFS Fused Silica Glass Material Being Tested in Space By NASA; Corning takes part in the first externally mounted experiment conducted on the International Space Station.

Business Editors

CORNING, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2001

Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) today announced that its HPFS(R) fused silica glass material is being studied by NASA as part of the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE).

The project aims to investigate the stability and durability of a variety of materials that are planned for future space applications. Corning has a long history of providing HPFS(R) fused silica glass material to NASA. The company has provided the window glass for every manned space launch of NASA, as well as all of the glass for the space station.

The experiment will determine the long-term effects a space environment has on various materials, one of which is Corning's HPFS(R) fused silica glass material. The HPFS(R) and samples of other materials were delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) by the space shuttle Discovery.

The MISSE experiments are the first externally mounted experiments conducted on the ISS. Corning's HPFS(R) material and the other samples are contained in four Passive Experiment Containers (PECs), suitcase-like containers used for transporting experiments via the space shuttle to and from an orbiting spacecraft.

The Discovery's crew clamped two of the PECs to the exterior of the International Space Station on August 16, 2001. The cases were then opened to expose the samples to the space environment. The fused silica will remain exposed for approximately 18 months. The samples will then will be retrieved and analyzed.

Corning has been providing windows for the US manned space program since Alan Shepard piloted the first manned space flight for the United States in the early 1960s.

Former astronaut John Glenn, who was the keynote speaker at Corning's 150th anniversary celebration held this past June, recounted the use of Corning glass during the early days of America's space program. The original designs for his capsule, Friendship 7, did not include plans for a window. "We thought it was a little bit ridiculous to be going up into space without the ability to look out," Glenn said. Corning provided the glass for the window. Subsequently, the 1962 Washington Post headlines read, `Calm Astronaut Says He's Fine - View is Beautiful'.

"We recently provided the window glass for the space station's Nadir precision observation window," said Larry Sutton, North American sales manager of Corning Semiconductor Materials. "The glass was the highest quality material that we have ever produced for a space vehicle."

Proulx VIP Guest at Discovery Launch

In recognition of Corning's continued contribution to the NASA space program, Tom Proulx, general supervisor of HPFS(R) operations at the company's Canton, N.Y., manufacturing facility, was a VIP guest at the August 9, 2001 launch of the space shuttle, Discovery.

"I was honored to represent Corning at the space shuttle Discovery launch," said Proulx. "Corning has been the sole supplier of windows for every manned space flight dating back to the Mercury capsules. I'm proud to be a part of the space program, and to represent the history Corning shares with it."

More of Corning's history in space can be seen on display this week at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. A new exhibit called "Explore the Universe" opens to the public Friday, September 21. The exhibit focuses on the influence of the telescope, photography, spectroscopy and digital technology in astronomy and will include mechanical and interactive displays.

Through the combined expertise of its Corning Semiconductor Materials and Corning Tropel business units, Corning is a leading supplier of optical materials, precision optics, and metrology instruments for the semiconductor industry and many other high-tech markets.

With sales offices around the world, Corning manufactures fused silica glass in both Canton, N.Y., and Charleston, S.C., and optical grade fluoride crystals in North Brookfield, Mass. The ultra-pure materials provide extreme optical clarity and durability, and are used in the manufacture of today's most advanced integrated circuits. Corning Tropel manufactures optical subsystems and advanced form metrology instrumentation in Rochester, N.Y. More information is available at www.hpfs.corning.com or www.tropel.com.

About Corning

Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world's economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry; and high-performance displays and components for television, information technology and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning's revenues in 2000 were $7.1 billion.