BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Ball Aerospace has shipped and delivered the large camera lens assembly to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, which will be incorporated into the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), a ground telescope that will sit on top of Cerro Pachón ridge, an 8,800-foot mountain in Chile.

Ball teamed with Arizona Optical Systems (AOS) to build the lens assembly, which consists of two large refractive lenses, named L1 and L2, and the precision structure that will be used to mount the lens assembly to the LSST camera.

“We are happy to support the LSST program, which will be revolutionary for astronomy,” said Dr. Makenzie Lystrup, vice president and general manager, Civil Space, Ball Aerospace. “As one of the largest digital cameras to be constructed for a ground telescope, the design, fabrication, mounting and testing of the 1.6-meter diameter L1 and 1.2-meter L2 lenses was a very challenging and rewarding effort that involved significant collaboration and teamwork over a five-year period.”

Once completed, the LSST will explore dark matter, dark energy, the transient optical sky including asteroids and astronomical events, and the formation and structure of the Milky Way. Every three nights, the LSST will take a full image of the night sky capturing billions of objects in six colors to create a picture of the universe.

Ball Aerospace has a long heritage of designing and building high-performance optical systems for space telescopes. For example, Ball designed and built the advanced optical technology and lightweight mirror system for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Including JWST, Ball has contributed to all of NASA’s Great Observatories – Compton Gamma Ray, Hubble, Chandra X-Ray, Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope.

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:BLL) 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 17,500 people worldwide and reported 2018 net sales of $11.6 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,” “targets,” “likely,” “positions” 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 any such statements should be read in conjunction with, and, qualified in their entirety by, the cautionary statements referenced below. 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 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 our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Additional factors that might affect: a) our packaging segments include product demand fluctuations; availability/cost of raw materials and logistics; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; footprint adjustments and other manufacturing changes, including the startup of new facilities and lines; failure to achieve synergies, productivity improvements or cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; customer and supplier consolidation, power and supply chain interruptions; potential delays and tariffs related to the U.K’s departure from the EU; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or a loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; currency controls; changes in foreign exchange or tax rates; and tariffs, trade actions, or other governmental actions in any country affecting goods produced by us or in our supply chain, including imported raw materials, such as pursuant to section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act of 1962; b) our aerospace segment include funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts; c) the company as a whole include those listed plus: changes in senior management; regulatory action or issues including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions or public concerns affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; technological developments and innovations; litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return on assets of the company’s defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding geopolitical events and governmental policies both in the U.S. and in other countries, including the U.S. government elections, budget, sequestration and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and successful or unsuccessful joint ventures, acquisitions and divestitures, including with respect to the Rexam PLC acquisition, its integration, the associated divestiture, and their effects on our operating results and business generally.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ball-aerospace-delivers-lens-assembly-to-lawrence-livermore-national-laboratory-for-the-large-synoptic-survey-telescope-300917344.html

SOURCE Ball Aerospace