Astrotech Announces 1st Detect Passes Europe's ECAC Cargo Test and Looks to Receive ECAC Certification in the Near-Term

Astrotech Corporation (NASDAQ: ASTC) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, 1st Detect, has received initial notice that its explosives trace detector (ETD), the TRACER 1000, has successfully passed the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC)’s Common Evaluation Process (CEP) test for airport cargo screening. The TRACER 1000 was the first mass spectrometry-based ETD to pass ECAC’s stringent laboratory testing protocol for checkpoint security and has now achieved a second major milestone in less than a month, becoming the first mass spectrometry-based ETD to pass ECAC’s test for cargo screening. It is expected that 1st Detect will receive formal certification for both checkpoint and cargo screening at the CEP Management Group’s next meeting.

“1st Detect has now passed all of the required tests and we have already begun the sales process with qualified buyers from around the world. We are very excited about the many positive responses and genuine interest we have already received,” stated Thomas B. Pickens III, CEO of 1st Detect and Astrotech.

“Passing ECAC’s CEP test for airport cargo screening is another important validation of our technology. We are committed to being the leader in detecting explosives in cargo worldwide. The TRACER 1000 was designed to speed up the screening process with near-zero false alarms, ensuring a much faster flow of goods and packages through warehouses and transfer points,” added Raj Mellacheruvu, COO of 1st Detect and Astrotech.