The U.S. Air Force has tapped Boulder-based Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. to take the lead on research and development of a program aimed at ensuring safe exploration of outer space.
Ball will study the use of lightweight, electro-optical technology designed to aid the search and acquisition of various objects in space. The work falls under the auspices of an Air Force program that also supports projects spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Defense.
“Ball Aerospace maintains an active research and development capability in the application of advanced lightweight materials,” Fred Doyle, vice president and general manager of Ball Aerospace, National Defense Solutions, said in a statement issued today.
This year Ball Aerospace is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The company started building controls for military rockets in 1956 and later won a contract to build one of NASA’s first spacecraft, the Orbiting Solar Observatory. Since then, the company has been credited with many technological and scientific “firsts.”
Ball Aerospace’s parent, publicly traded Ball Corp., is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging products. Ball Corp. employs 15,600 people and reported sales of $5.8 billion last year. Shares of Ball’s stock opened at $40.51, down from Wednesday’s close of $40.66.
