Ready for Blast-Off: Lockheed Martin Launches Educational Program to Prepare America's Students for Deep Space Exploration

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Apr 15, 2016, 11:58 ET

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin has launched Generation Beyond, a first of its kind, national educational program to bring the science of space into thousands of homes and classrooms across America. The Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program is designed to inspire the next generation of innovators, explorers, inventors and pioneers to pursue STEM careers.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7794451-lockheed-martin-generation-beyond/

Lockheed Martin’s innovative learning tools spark interest in young minds to learn, dream and explore space beyond known limits.

The Hello Mars weather app allows users to find the exact location of Mars in the atmosphere and determine the current weather conditions on the planet. App is available for iOS and Android.

Generation Beyond website provides interactive STEM content for students to hone their space skills, plus a dynamic journey through past, present and future deep space travel.

These students think they are boarding an ordinary school bus, but when they depart, a virtual reality experience “transports” them to the surface of Mars.

Today’s middle school students are going to be the first generation to go to Mars. Learn how Generation Beyond prepares them for that journey.

By the 2030s, it’s our goal that humans will be traveling to Mars, and Generation Beyond is Lockheed Martin’s investment to ensure that today’s students are prepared to make that a reality.

"Our children — the elementary, middle and high school students of today — make up a generation that will change our universe forever. This is the generation that will walk on Mars, explore deep space and unlock mysteries that we can't yet imagine," said Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "They won't get there alone. It is our job to prepare, inspire and equip them to build the future – and that's exactly what Generation Beyond is designed to do."

Hewson announced Generation Beyond at the opening ceremony of the Lockheed Martin-sponsored USA Science & Engineering Festival, the largest—and only—national STEM event.

Generation Beyond

The new STEM education program will offer several interactive tools to engage and inspire students and educators:

Online Curriculum: The core element is an online curriculum for middle school teachers and students, including lesson plans for teachers, a virtual field trip and activities students can bring home to share with their families. The deep space curriculum will be shared freely with thousands of middle schools across the country, reaching hundreds of thousands of American students.
Lockheed Martin Mars Experience Bus: In addition to the curriculum, Generation Beyond includes a real-life Mars Experience Bus that will travel the country providing student riders with an interactive experience simulating a drive along the red planet's surface. The Lockheed Martin Mars Experience Bus is the first immersive virtual reality vehicle ever built and replicates 200 square miles of the Martian surface. The Mars Experience was built with the same software used in today's most advanced video games.
Hello Mars App: Lastly, Lockheed Martin has launched a Hello Mars smartphone app, allowing students to find Mars in the sky, travel there virtually and receive real-time Mars weather reports.

The online tools and fun can be found at www.lockheedmartin.com/generationbeyond

Long-Term Partnerships

Lockheed Martin has long played a leadership role in both space exploration and STEM education. Partnering with NASA, Lockheed Martin has been involved in every single U.S. Space Mission, including each journey to Mars. And over the past five years, Lockheed Martin has contributed almost $70 million to STEM programs, and maintained strong partnerships with National 4-H Council, Girls Inc., National Geographic, Project Lead the Way, National Science Teachers Association, Girls Who Code and FIRST Robotics.

"Generation Beyond is a perfect example of Lockheed Martin's ingenuity in using cutting-edge technology and high quality curricula to encourage young people to explore STEM fields in a hands-on way that will stay with them for a lifetime," Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of National 4-H Council. "4-H and Lockheed Martin are dedicated to creating interactive, experiential programs that ignite passion for STEM topics in young people, then help guide them down a pathway for a fulfilling STEM career. What better way to engage young students than getting them excited about exploring space?"

Learn more at www.lockheedmartin.com/generationbeyond

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin