MELBOURNE, Fla., Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
Highlights:
- Events and activities to be held in Florida, Colorado and Washington, DC.
- Each location is partnering with local schools to focus
attention on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
education.
- Harris has delivered innovative solutions for the aerospace
industry for more than 50 years.
Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications
and information technology company, is paying tribute to the
nation's aerospace industry this week with special educational
activities at local schools and with activities designed to
increase awareness among Harris employees and their families.
The events are part of National Aerospace Week — September 11-17 — which recognizes the aerospace
industry's contributions to the nation's security, economy and
workforce.
The aerospace and defense industry employs more than 800,000
workers across the nation, supporting more than two million
middle-class jobs and 30,000 suppliers in all 50 states. The
Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) reports that the industry
tallied record sales of $214.5
billion in 2010 along with the largest positive trade
balance of any manufacturing sector. Harris, with more than
16,000 employees, has developed communications and IT solutions for
the aerospace industry for more than 50 years.
"The aerospace industry is a vital economic engine on the Space
Coast and across the nation," said Howard
L. Lance, chairman, president and chief executive officer of
Harris, and a member of the Board of Governors of AIA. "This
week's activities reinforce the value of our aerospace workforce
and show students just how exciting and rewarding an aerospace
career can be."
During National Aerospace Week Harris is hosting activities at
elementary and middle schools in Brevard
County, Florida; Colorado Springs,
Colorado; and the metropolitan Washington, DC area — company locations that
support Harris aerospace customers. Activities will include
interactive aerospace lessons, learning about science and math
concepts related to satellite communications, as well as facility
tours and a student photo/drawing competition for the children of
Harris employees.
In Colorado Springs, for
example, eighth-grade students at the Jack Swigert Aerospace
Academy will be introduced to the basic principles of space
science, including Newton's laws of motion and the orbits of
satellites. Harris employees will provide classroom
instruction and students then will participate in hands-on
demonstrations at the Discovery Institute's Space Education Lab in
Colorado Springs.
Harris employees at the Colorado
Springs location support one of the company's largest
aerospace programs, the $410 million
U.S. Air Force Network and Space Operations and Maintenance (NSOM)
program. Harris provides operations and maintenance support
to the 50th Space Wing's Air Force Satellite Control Network.
In the greater Washington, DC
area, Harris employees will be visiting the Benjamin Stoddert
Middle School in Waldorf,
Maryland, teaching the use of GPS and illustrating the
design process for engineering satellite communications systems.
Day two of the event will feature a live geocaching
demonstration and competition between two teams of students.
On Florida's Space Coast,
Harris employees will introduce students at Stone Middle School to
aerospace concepts through discussions and an egg drop exercise
designed to bring to life the concepts of gravity, air resistance
and Newton's third law of motion.
Harris has supported major National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) programs since the 1960s, including the
Apollo, Space Shuttle, and International Space Station programs.
In fact, technology from Harris was onboard every space
shuttle since the program began 30 years ago, either providing
direct mission support via onboard computers and electronics, or as
part of the spacecraft's payload. In addition, Harris is a
world leader in the architecture, design and development of highly
specialized satellite antennas, structures, phased arrays and
on-board processors for space applications.
For more on National Aerospace Week, visit
www.NationalAerospaceWeek.org.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information
technology company serving government and commercial markets in
more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has
approximately $6 billion of annual
revenue and more than 16,000 employees — including nearly 7,000
engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing
best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and
services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is
available at www.harris.com.
SOURCE Harris Corporation