UNLV and Lockheed Martin Collaborate on Space Exploration Projects

LAS VEGAS - Oct. 11, 2016 - PRLog -- The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Lockheed Martin have entered into a commercially sponsored master agreement that supports UNLV faculty and student work on NASA's Orion program and other Lockheed Martin space exploration projects.

"Lockheed Martin has always been a leader in space exploration, and we are excited about collaborating with them on projects for their civil space programs," said Rama Venkat, dean of the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering. "This partnership will provide unique opportunities for our students to enhance their knowledge and research capabilities in exciting new areas and help accelerate the efforts of Lockheed Martin research activities and the nation's ambitious space program."

During the course of the five-year collaboration, Lockheed Martin will provide up to $5 million in funding to UNLV's Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering through a series of task orders commissioning work related to space exploration.

"Lockheed Martin is extremely pleased to be entering into this long-term relationship with UNLV," said Scott Jones, director of civil space supply chain management at Lockheed Martin. "This effort will allow both Lockheed Martin and UNLV to provide meaningful work to our NASA customers as they continue to push the boundaries of space exploration."

Lockheed Martin's interest in partnering with UNLV stems from the university's successful collaborations with Arcata Associates, Inc.; Teledyne Brown Engineering, LLC; and NASA on NASA's Mentor-Protégé Program, which enabled UNLV students to work on space program training development.

"This agreement with Lockheed Martin is exciting not just because it supports the development of our faculty and student innovations; there is also the intention to see these innovations applied more broadly," said Zach Miles, UNLV's associate vice president for economic development.

A signing ceremony celebrating the new partnership between Lockheed Martin and UNLV took place this morning at UNLV's Tam Alumni Grand Hall. Speakers at the ceremony included Congressman Joe Heck; Congresswoman Dina Titus; Faraz Khan, Senator Harry Reid's constituent services representative; Charles Navarro, Congressman Cresent Hardy's deputy district director; Scott Jones, director of civil space supply chain management at Lockheed Martin; Tim Wong, president and CEO of Arcata; Dan Langford, industry commercialization manager at the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development; Rama Venkat, dean of the UNLV Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering; and Zach Miles, UNLV's associate vice president for economic development.

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About University of Nevada, Las Vegas

UNLV is a doctoral-degree-granting institution of approximately 29,000 students and more than 3,000 faculty and staff that is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a research university with high research activity. UNLV offers a broad range of respected academic programs and is on a path to join the top tier of national public research universities. UNLV is committed to recruiting and retaining top students and faculty, educating the region's diversifying population and workforce, driving economic activity through research and community partnerships, and creating an academic health center for Southern Nevada that includes a new School of Medicine.  UNLV is located on a 332-acre main campus and two satellite campuses in Southern Nevada. Learn more at UNLV.edu.

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 98,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.