NEW ORLEANS, LA., 12-JUN-00 -- Area businesses will learn how to tap into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) databank to solve technical problems and improve their competitiveness during a seminar scheduled for Thursday, June 22.

The one-half day event will take place at the Louisiana Tech University Technology Transfer Center, Shreve Park – Industrial Campus, 8028 Shrevepark Drive in Shreveport. Registration and continental breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m., with the seminar beginning at 9 a.m. There is a $15 fee for the seminar.

Technology developed for the nation’s space program is available at low or no cost to U.S.-owned businesses to assist in the creation of new products and jobs. NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, the largest aerospace firm in Louisiana, have teamed with the Louisiana Tech Technology Transfer Center, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana and the Northwest Louisiana Government Procurement Center to promote the transfer of space technologies into private and public sector businesses.

Lockheed Martin builds the huge, non-reusable Space Shuttle External Tank in New Orleans under contract to the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. In its work on the External Tank project, Lockheed Martin has developed expertise in such fields as welding, thermal protection materials and composites materials/processes. That expertise is being transferred to non-space industries. A few examples include the following:

• SouthPointe Products is applying Lockheed Martin knowledge of foam insulation to develop a children’s lunchbox that can be heated in the microwave at home in the morning and still be warm at lunchtime.
• Copeland Industries has a precision weld tracking system, based on Lockheed Martin’s External Tank welding experience on its commercial air conditioner compressor production line.
• Fab Cam is using Lockheed Martin’s MARCORE ™ Foam System in the manufacture of prosthetic devices.

Lockheed Martin is currently working with several Louisiana-based businesses on a number of other proprietary technology transfers.

Local hosts for the Shreveport seminar include the following:

• The Northwest Louisiana Government Procurement Center that assists local businesses in expanding into the area of government contracting.
• The non-profit Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana that provides support to small- to medium-sized businesses with technical and business assistance supplied by an integrated network of public and private resources.
• The Louisiana Tech Technology Transfer Center that specializes in education and training in the areas of engineering and technology.

To pre-register for the seminar, please contact Kelly Ford of the Northwest Louisiana Government Procurement Center at (318) 677-2532.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company – Michoud Operations designs and assembles large aluminum and composite structures for aerospace and other applications, including the Space Shuttle External Tank and the X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator program.