SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Raven Industries, Inc.
(Nasdaq: RAVN) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Aerostar
International, Inc., has helped NASA's Balloon Program set another endurance
record for large scientific payloads. The 40-million-cubic-foot balloon
carried the 6,000-pound CREAM (Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass) experiment to
an altitude of 130,000 feet for almost forty-two days, noted Raven president
and CEO Ronald M. Moquist.
Launched from McMurdo Station, Antarctica on December 16, 2004, the
balloon circled the continent three times to return its payload 410 miles from
its launch point, the company said.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050207/CGM011 )
As part of the LDB (Long Duration Balloon) project, engineers, scientists,
meteorologists, and launch crew technicians travel to Antarctica to take
advantage of the unique set of conditions that allow balloons to fly for long
durations in the stratosphere. The two ingredients are a persistent polar
circulation around a nearly stationary stratospheric high pressure system in
the Austral summer and constant sunlight which allows the balloon to maintain
an almost constant altitude.
The balloon was designed and manufactured at Aerostar's stratospheric
balloon manufacturing facility in Sulphur Springs, Texas. The balloon's
launch crew was from the National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF) in
Palestine, Texas.
Danny Ball, the NSBF's manager, said, "Special congratulations should go
to the Aerostar crew for building what is perhaps the best balloon ever.
Balloon performance has been such that no one can argue that this was a
perfect balloon."
"We are excited with the duration of this flight, which allowed scientists
to get ample data to perform their studies," said David Pierce, Chief of the
Balloon Program Office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight
Facility, Wallops Island, Va. "We routinely have long duration balloons that
float for up to two weeks, but to have one flight last more than 41 days is
very rewarding," he added.
In a continuing effort by NASA to extend stratospheric balloon technology,
Aerostar has partnered with the NSBF and NASA to develop the Ultra Long
Duration Balloon (ULDB). The ULDB system will provide mission durations of up
to three months. Officials said the balloon offers the added advantage of
returning instrumentation to the science team for refurbishment and re-flight
on a later mission.
About Raven Industries, Inc.
Raven is an industrial manufacturer that provides electronics
manufacturing services, reinforced plastic sheeting and flow control devices
to various markets.
SIC Codes: 3672, 3081, 3829
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains statements that may constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Although Raven
Industries, Inc. believes that expectations reflected in such forward-looking
statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that
its expectations will be achieved. Factors that could cause actual results to
differ from expectations include general economic conditions, the success of
research projects, and the amount of budgeted funding from US government
agencies.
For More Detailed Information Contact:
Aerostar International:
Mike Smith, Sr. Aerospace. Engineer (903) 885-0728 msmith@aerostar.com
National Scientific Balloon Facility:
Danny Ball, Site Manager 903-72-8011 danny.ball@nsbf.nasa.gov
NASA Balloon Program:
Dave Pierce, Balloon Program Branch Manager 757-824-1453
David.L.Pierce@nasa.gov
For information about NASA's Scientific Balloon Program on the Internet,
visit:
http://www.wff.nasa.gov/~code820/
For pictures and information on the CREAM mission on the Internet, visit:
http://cosmicray.umd.edu/cream/CREAMflight.htm
On the Internet, information is available at http://www.ravenind.com , the
company's website.
SOURCE Raven Industries, Inc.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.ravenind.com
http://www.wff.nasa.gov/~code820
http://cosmicray.umd.edu/cream/CREAMflight.htm
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050207/CGM011
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Tom Iacarella, VP & CFO, +1-605-336-2750, or
Mike Smith, Sr. Aerospace Engineer, +1-903-885-0728, both of
Raven Industries, Inc.; or Dennis Waite, General Inquiries,
+1-708-246-6265, or Leslie Loyet, Analyst Inquiries,
+1-312-640-6672, both of Financial Relations Board
|
