Stennis Space Center and NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs welcomed representatives of small businesses in the state of Mississippi to Infinity Science Center as an effort to open doors for the future of space and science.

On Tuesday, more than 300 businesses, including 157 service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, attended the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned-Small Business industry day, Stennis News Chief Valerie Buckingham said.

While this is Stennis Space Center’s first time hosting the event, Glenn A. Delgado, NASA associate administrator for the office of small business, said NASA is constantly working to increase outreach with businesses nationwide.

“We’re looking to establish relationships with small businesses, and hopefully after this event, they’ll respond positively and work a contract with us,” Delgado said.

NASA has organized outreach events ever since the White House required federal agencies to network with small businesses in socioeconomic categories like service-disabled veteran-owned, Delgado said.

Robert E. Watts, NASA small business specialist, said they’re working on improving the program.

“Last year, NASA missed our goal by less than one-tenth of a percent for small business owners. So it’s important to open the communication and make new relationships with these businesses,” Watts said.

At the event, there were networking sessions, small business specialists from 10 NASA centers and 40 business exhibitors, including ASRC Federal, Harry Pepper and Associates, Jacobs Technology Inc., to name a few.

There was also a matchmaking session, where small businesses in Mississippi could speak one-on-one to small business specialists from NASA.

“During the matchmaking session, the contractors are trying to develop relationships with these businesses and start a conversation on how they can do business together in the future,” Watts said.

For more information concerning NASA’s small business program, visit www. osbp.nasa.gov.