Ball Aerospace Pollution Monitoring Instrument Launches as Part of NASA's TEMPO Mission

Rhea-AI Summary

Ball Aerospace has announced the successful launch of the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument from Cape Canaveral, Florida. This significant milestone marks NASA's first Earth Venture instrument mission aimed at providing crucial air quality data across North America. TEMPO will enable high-resolution measurements of pollutants such as ozone and nitrogen dioxide, enhancing the accuracy of air quality forecasts. The instrument is designed to make meaningful contributions to public health and research by offering hourly data on pollution levels from Mexico City to Alberta, Canada. Additionally, the TEMPO instrument complements the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer launched in 2020. Ball Corporation, which includes Ball Aerospace, reported net sales of $15.35 billion in 2022, employing 21,000 people globally.

Positive

• Successful launch of the TEMPO instrument, enhancing air quality monitoring.
• Provides hourly data on pollutants across North America, improving public health and research capabilities.
• Ball Aerospace contributes to significant NASA missions, strengthening its market position.

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• None.

BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace is celebrating the successful launch of its Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument aboard a commercial satellite from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida today. TEMPO is NASA's first Earth Venture instrument mission and will provide critical data on air pollution across North America. 

TEMPO will provide high-resolution daytime measurements of key air pollutants hourly as it scans across the continent — coast to coast from Mexico City to the Canadian oil sands in Alberta — giving the scientific community a new tool to improve the detail and accuracy of air quality forecasts.

"The TEMPO instrument is going to revolutionize the way scientists understand air quality and pollution, and it will make a meaningful difference in the everyday lives of people who are sensitive to air pollutants," said Dr. Alberto Conti, vice president, Civil Space, Ball Aerospace. "We're thrilled to be able to contribute this important piece of technology to the mission, which will help keep the public informed with vital health information and provide a robust dataset for additional research purposes."

The TEMPO instrument uses a geostationary ultraviolet/visible spectrometer to determine the concentration and hourly variations of pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide and more in the atmosphere. The improved spatial resolution and increased frequency of measurements enabled by TEMPO will also provide new insights into area sources of pollution, the way it moves and even the impacts of natural phenomenon like volcanic eruptions.

The Ball-built instrument was produced in tandem with the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS), which launched in 2020 and provides similar measurements for South Korea's National Institute of Environmental Research.

In addition to Ball Aerospace, the TEMPO team includes the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory — part of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian — and NASA's Langley Research Center. The instrument is integrated and hosted on Intelsat's Intelsat 40e satellite built by Maxar.  

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: BALL) 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 21,000 people worldwide and reported 2022 net sales of $15.35 billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "believes," and similar expressions typically identify forward-looking statements, which are generally any statements other than statements of historical fact. Such statements are based on current expectations or views of the future and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied. You should therefore not place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements and they should be read in conjunction with, and qualified in their entirety by, the cautionary statements referenced below. Ball undertakes no obligation 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 Ball's Form 10-K, which are available on Ball's website and at www.sec.gov. Additional factors that might affect: a) Ball's packaging segments include product capacity, supply, and demand constraints and fluctuations and changes in consumption patterns; availability/cost of raw materials, equipment, and logistics; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather and related events such as drought, wildfires, storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods; footprint adjustments and other manufacturing changes, including the startup of new facilities and lines; failure to achieve synergies, productivity improvements or cost reductions; unfavorable mandatory deposit or packaging laws; customer and supplier consolidation; power and supply chain interruptions; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; inability to pass through increased costs; war, political instability and sanctions, including relating to the situation in Russia and Ukraine and its impact on Ball's supply chain and its ability to operate in Europe, the Middle East and Africa regions generally; changes in foreign exchange or tax rates; and tariffs, trade actions, or other governmental actions, including business restrictions and orders affecting goods produced by Ball or in its supply chain, including imported raw materials; b) Ball's aerospace segment include funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts; c) Ball as a whole include those listed above 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 actions or issues including those related to tax, environmental, social and governance reporting, competition, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. Federal Drug Administration and other actions or public concerns affecting products filled in Ball's containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; technological developments and innovations; the ability to manage cyber threats; litigation; strikes; disease; pandemic; labor cost changes; inflation; rates of return on assets of Ball's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding geopolitical events and governmental policies, including policies, orders, and actions related to COVID-19; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting Ball's debt; and successful or unsuccessful joint ventures, acquisitions and divestitures, and their effects on Ball's operating results and business generally.

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SOURCE Ball Aerospace

FAQ

What is the TEMPO instrument launched by Ball Aerospace?

The TEMPO instrument is a pollution monitoring tool that provides high-resolution measurements of air pollutants across North America.

How does the TEMPO instrument impact air quality forecasting?

TEMPO enhances the accuracy of air quality forecasts by providing hourly data on key pollutants like ozone and nitrogen dioxide.

When was the TEMPO instrument launched?

The TEMPO instrument was successfully launched on April 7, 2023.

What company built the TEMPO instrument?

The TEMPO instrument was built by Ball Aerospace as part of a collaboration with NASA.

What financial performance did Ball Corporation report in 2022?

Ball Corporation reported net sales of $15.35 billion in 2022.