1ST DETECT SECURES SIGNIFICANT PURCHASE ORDER FOR ADDITIONAL CHECKPOINT SECURITY UNITS

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Astrotech Corporation (NASDAQ: ASTC) announced today that its 1^st Detect subsidiary has accepted another significant purchase order for seven of its TRACER 1000™ explosives trace detectors (ETDs), for an airport security checkpoint. The systems will be deployed in a European airport in Romania.

“We’re excited to begin Fiscal Year 2024 with increased sales and interest in the TRACER 1000 from the security checkpoint field. Based on the near-zero false alarm rate that mass spectrometry provides, we believe that the TRACER 1000 improves checkpoint efficiency and passenger throughput by reducing the need for time-consuming pat-downs,” said Thomas B. Pickens III, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 1^st Detect.

The Astrotech Mass Spectrometer Technology™ (AMS Technology) drives the breakthrough TRACER 1000, the first certified ETD to employ mass spectrometry. Recognized as the gold standard in chemical detection, mass spectrometry has historically been too costly, bulky, and cumbersome to be used outside of the laboratory. Unlike other technologies, the AMS Technology works under ultra-high vacuum, which eliminates competing molecules that can impair the accuracy and quality of an analysis. The TRACER 1000 is inexpensive, small, and easy to use, with high resolution and near-zero false alarms. Due to its high sensitivity and rugged design, the TRACER 1000 is the only mass spectrometry-based ETD to have received European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) certification for both checkpoint and cargo security.

About Astrotech Corporation

Astrotech (Nasdaq: ASTC) is a mass spectrometry company that launches, manages, and commercializes scalable companies based on its innovative core technology through its wholly owned subsidiaries. 1^st Detect develops, manufactures, and sells trace detectors for use in the security and detection market. AgLAB is developing chemical analyzers for use in the agriculture market. BreathTech is developing a breath analysis tool to screen for volatile organic compound metabolites that could indicate they may have a bacterial or viral infection. Astrotech is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For information, please visit

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, trends, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from the forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to, the adverse impact of inflationary pressures, including significant increases in fuel costs, global economic conditions and events related to these conditions, including the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the middle east and the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company’s use of proceeds from the common stock offerings, whether we can successfully complete the development of our new products and proprietary technologies, whether we can obtain the FDA and other regulatory approvals required to market our products under development in the United States or abroad, whether the market will accept our products and services and whether we are successful in identifying, completing and integrating acquisitions, as well as other risk factors and business considerations described in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings including the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Any forward-looking statements in this document should be evaluated in light of these important risk factors. While we do not intend to directly harvest, manufacture, distribute or sell cannabis or cannabis products, we may be detrimentally affected by a change in enforcement by federal or state governments and we may be subject to additional risks in connection with the evolving regulatory area and associated uncertainties. Any such effects may give rise to risks and uncertainties that are currently unknown or amplify others mentioned herein. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable and are based on reasonable assumptions, no assurance can be given that these assumptions are accurate or that any of these expectations will be achieved (in full or at all) or will prove to have been correct. Moreover, such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. In addition, any forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views only as of the date of its publication and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. The Company assumes no obligation to correct or update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.