Contact:
Michelle Lucas
(281) 451-5343
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
HIGHER ORBITS GO FOR LAUNCH! FLORIDA SPACE DAY SERIES INSPIRES FUTURE SPACE PROGRAM WORKFORCE
LEESBURG, Virginia, Jan. 16, 2020 – Educational non-profit Higher Orbits’ Go For Launch! experience has been selected to kick-off the January 2020 Florida Space Day event in Tallahassee, Florida. During the Go For Launch! Florida Space Day Tallahassee experience, Tallahassee high school students will have the opportunity to create space exploration research endeavors and compete to have their student-designed project, that may benefit humans both off and on the Earth, launched to and conducted on the International Space Station.
January 19th and 20th, 2020, Higher Orbits’ Go For Launch! Florida Space Day Series Tallahassee experience will be hosted at the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee Florida from 8:00AM to 6:00PM and is made possible
by the generous support of Big Bang Sponsor Northrop Grumman and Solar System Explorer sponsors BRPH and Holland & Hart. Higher Orbits’ Go For Launch! experiential event is a multi-day program that uses space to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and 21st century soft skills including teamwork, collaboration, risk management, critical thinking, communication, leadership and creativity. Tallahassee high school students will work directly with retired NASA Astronaut Gregg Johnson throughout the two days of their Go For Launch!
Florida Space Day Series Tallahassee experience as they develop their student-designed projects that have potential to benefit human space travel as well as life on Earth. The students will then compete for the opportunity to have their project selected as the Florida Space Day Series winner and launched to/conducted on the International Space Station.
The business of space is a Florida statewide enterprise. “Florida Space Day 2020 wants to demonstrate this by bringing together its industry partners from several regions of the State to make an immersive STEM education experience a reality for multiple groups of high school students,” said Carol Craig, chairperson of Florida Space Day 2020 and CEO of Merritt Island based Craig Technologies. “Inspiring these talented STEMists and retaining them as our future workforce serves to secure Florida’s position of leadership in the national space economy.”
"The Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee is excited to participate in and serve as the venue for Higher Orbits' Go For Launch! Florida Space Day Tallahassee event,” said Samantha Reaves, communications manager of Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee. “Go For Launch! educational experience aligns with our educational mission to inspire students to take an interest in STEM fields and careers through positive learning experiences, and we are thrilled to see students in our area receive this opportunity."
Tallahassee students are grateful for the generous support of Higher Orbits’ mission partner, Northrop Grumman. Thanks to Northrop Grumman’s support, high school students from across all Tallahassee socio-economic demographics will have the opportunity to participate in the life changing Go For Launch! Florida Space Day Series Tallahassee event.
“There is nothing more inspiring than a rocket launch, and Northrop Grumman is happy to share our passion for space with the high school students participating in the Go For Launch! Space Day Series Tallahassee event,” said Charlie Precourt, vice president, propulsion systems, Northrop Grumman. “Next year we will launch a new rocket— OmegA—from Florida, and we’ll be looking to hire a future workforce who shares our passion for space.”
The Go For Launch! Space Day Series Tallahassee event is the inaugural event in the series. Four additional Go For Launch! Space Day Series experiential events are planned to take place across Florida in 2020. Locations and dates will be released within the coming month.
“We are honored to have the partnership of Northrop Grumman and Challenger Learning Center Tallahassee in our mission to inspire the next generation of innovative and creative STEMists and Explorers -- our future workforce,” said Michelle Lucas, Higher Orbits founder. “Space inspires! Through the generous and continued support of our mission partners like Northrop Grumman and Challenger Learning Center
Tallahassee, we are able to bring our life-changing Go For Launch! spaceflight STEM experience to students throughout the United States.”
Florida has a rich space program history and has been at the forefront of the nation’s space program since Apollo, serving as an incubator for innovative aerospace technologies, allowing creative thinking to leap from the notebook to space. If you are interested in becoming a Go For Launch! Florida Space Day Series mission partner and being on the forefront of inspiring and empowering your future space program workforce for academic, career and life success, please email sponsors@higherorbits.org.
About Higher Orbits
Higher Orbits is a 501(c)3 non-profit with the mission to inspire and engage high-school students through the use of spaceflight, in hands-on, project based learning experiences that are designed to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and prepare them for future academic and career success by building confidence, perseverance, teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. Higher Orbits conducts Go For Launch! experiential events across the country and partners with companies and organizations to achieve educational goals that launch the next generation of scientists, researchers and creators. To learn more about 2020’s events and inspire the next generation of STEMists, STEAMists and explorers (our future workforce), visit HigherOrbits.org and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 85,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.
About Challenger Learning Center
The Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee is the K-12 educational outreach facility of the Florida A&M University - Florida State University College of Engineering and strives to foster long-term interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); create positive learning experiences; and motivate students to pursue careers in these fields. To accomplish this mission, the Challenger Learning Center features a state- of-the-art Space Mission Simulator and utilizes the immersiveness of an IMAX theatre and a domed high-definition planetarium to create a holistic educational and entertaining experience. Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee College of Engineering Florida A&M University-Florida State University 200 South Duval Street Tallahassee, Florida 32301 ChallengerTLH.com
About BRPH
BRPH is an international architecture, engineering, interior design, creative studio and construction services firm with clients in aerospace, government, manufacturing, commercial, education, entertainment and hospitality markets. More than designers, BRPH solves unique challenges requiring creative ideas precisely delivered. Founded in 1964 to support America’s space program, BRPH is consistently ranked among the nation’s top professional services firms and has designed a wide range of projects throughout the world. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, BRPH operates regional offices in Orlando, South Florida, Atlanta, Charleston, Huntsville, Houston, Seattle and Pasadena. For more information, visit brph.com.
About Holland & Hart
Founded in 1947, Holland & Hart is a full-service Am Law 200 firm with offices in eight states and in Washington, D.C. We deliver integrated legal solutions to regional, national, and international companies of all sizes in a diverse range of industries, including aerospace and defense.
About Florida Space Day
Florida Space Day is a milestone event that presents an opportunity to educate and bring awareness to Florida legislators on the significance of the aerospace industry and its impact on Florida’s economy. The aerospace industry represents billions of dollars in annual economic impact and employs thousands of residents in the state’s 67 counties. Florida Space Day’s mission was developed to ensure that Florida remains at the forefront of the nation’s space program.
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