BROOMFIELD, Colo., Nov. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's Imaging
X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), built by Ball Aerospace, safely
arrived Friday at Cape Canaveral in Fla. A collaboration between
Ball, NASA, and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), IXPE is an
astrophysics observatory set to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in December.
Once on orbit, IXPE will measure the polarization of cosmic
X-rays to improve our understanding of the fundamental physics of
extreme objects in the universe, such as neutron stars, quasars and
supermassive black holes. IXPE will tackle such mysteries as the
sources of magnetic fields, how they formed, and the inner workings
of celestial objects, including whether a black hole is spinning
and the rate of spin. These answers will provide valuable insight
into how the universe works.
"It has been exciting to be part of a program that is going to
provide new and important insights into the formation of the
universe by observing some of its rarest and most mysterious
celestial objects," said Dr. Makenzie
Lystrup, vice president and general manager, Ball Aerospace.
"Of course, there is still a lot of work to be done upon its
arrival at Kennedy, but like every
part of this program, we are looking forward to continuing to work
hand-in-hand with our government and academic partners to ensure
success before, during and after launch."
IXPE is a Small Explorer, or SMEX mission, which is part of
NASA's Astrophysics Explorer Program. The IXPE mission is led by
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, with support from Ball
Aerospace, ASI, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
at University of Colorado Boulder and
other partners. Dr. Martin C.
Weisskopf is the principal investigator for the mission.
Ball Aerospace provided the IXPE spacecraft, mechanical and
structural elements of the payload, observatory assembly, and
integration and test. The spacecraft is based on the smallest
Ball Configurable Platform (BCP) model. As part of Ball
Aerospace's commitment to sustainability, a similar BCP was
developed for NASA's Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM).
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 21,500 people worldwide and
reported 2020 net sales of $11.8
billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com, or
connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.
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SOURCE Ball Aerospace