HOUSTON (Aug. 28, 2024) – The Greater Houston Partnership is announcing its support for the proposed $4.4 billion bond as approved by the Houston Independent School District (HISD) Board of Managers. With nearly 200,000 students and families served each year, HISD is the largest school district in Texas and the eighth largest in the nation. The Partnership recognizes the importance of a strong public education system in creating economic opportunities for all Houstonians.  The bond, which will not raise taxes, is key to ensuring HISD can safeguard the health and safety of its students, teachers, and staff, provide offerings to prepare students for future career opportunities and build modern learning environments. The proposed bond, which will be on the November ballot, comes at a critical time to provide necessary investment, particularly in vulnerable neighborhoods. HISD has not passed a bond since 2012, which only supported high schools. Elementary and middle schools have not seen significant investment since a 2007 bond. In addition, severe weather events in recent years have further stressed the district's already fragile infrastructure, increasing the likelihood of future disruptions to instructional time. HISD students face unacceptable conditions, including lead-laced water, faulty heating and air conditioning systems, and facilities with rats and mold. The Partnership stands behind Houston ISD's efforts to provide students with the necessary resources, facilities, and opportunities to learn. A strong public education system is vital for the economic development of the Houston region, and the proposed bond will help HISD continue to produce significant workforce talent. ### Media Contact    Brina Morales                                                 Director, Communications     bmorales@houston.org       (c) 832-287-5089             

Houston-based Axiom Space and multinational tech innovator Nokia have formed a strategic partnership to enhance the next-generation spacesuits for NASA’s upcoming Artemis III lunar mission.  The collaboration aims to incorporate Nokia’s advanced 4G/LTE communication technology into the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), which NASA selected Axiom Space to design in 2022. This upgrade will allow crew members to capture real-time, high-definition video, exchange critical information and communicate with mission controllers on Earth while exploring the Moon.   Developed by the renowned Nokia Bell Labs, Nokia’s cutting-edge technology, known as the Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS), emerged from its selection by NASA under the Tipping Point initiative, which supports the development of space technologies to enhance future missions. The LSCS comprises two key components: a network-in-a-box, which consolidates the radio, base station and core network elements of a terrestrial cellular network into a single unit, and device modules that will be integrated into the AxEMU spacesuits.  The LSCS will be initially deployed during Houston aerospace company Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission, scheduled to launch later this year, establishing the first-ever cellular network on the Moon. This mission will test the technology to refine its adaptation for the AxEMU spacesuits and highlight the crucial role of cellular connectivity on the Moon and Mars.  “Just as astronauts will need life support, shelter and food, they will need advanced networks to communicate with each other and go about their crucial work,” said Thierry E. Klein, President of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia, in a statement. “Bell Labs has a long history of working on space projects, and Nokia is a leader in designing and building networks that connect the world. We are taking advantage of the same standards-based technologies that connect billions of devices on Earth every day, while bringing new innovation and technologies to bear on the specific challenges encountered in space."  This announcement aligns with NASA’s increasing investments in Houston companies and institutions as the region solidifies its position as a major player in the global space economy. NASA recently signed a Space Act Agreement with bp to leverage digital technologies and expertise to advance both energy production and space exploration. Earlier this year, the space agency also awarded the University of Houston $5 million to establish an aerospace engineering research center, focused on bolstering its human space exploration efforts on the Moon and Mars.  These partnerships are set to expand further through the NASA Johnson Space Center’s new aerospace innovation hub, Exploration Park. “I think you can plan for an increased number of partnerships going forward. I anticipate that partnerships will continue to become a bigger part of Johnson Space Center strategy,” Nick Skytland, chief technologist at JSC, told the Houston Business Journal. “We recognize that this is truly humanity's collaboration to advance human space exploration. So, we want to see more people be part of that.”  Learn more about Houston’s aerospace industry.