HOUSTON, Jan. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) and its Otis Elevator Co. unit donated two Otis Gen2^® elevators, valued at $325,000, for the new Independence Plaza at the nonprofit Space Center Houston, the official visitor center of the NASA Johnson Space Center. Visitors to the complex can ride these Otis elevators to access a space shuttle flight deck and mid deck, just like the shuttles astronauts used for every space shuttle flight since 1977, as well as the shuttle carrier aircraft. Otis is the world's largest manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products, including elevators, escalators and moving walkways.

The new, multi-exhibit plaza features the high fidelity replica shuttle, Independence, and the original Boeing 747 shuttle carrier aircraft. The eight-story complex gives visitors a glimpse into shuttle-era space travel and showcases NASA's breakthroughs and advances throughout the shuttle program's 30 years of mission operation. Visitors to Independence Plaza's exhibits will have the opportunity to view innovative technology and explore career paths in science, technology, engineering and math.

"Otis is proud to lend our high-performing Gen2 elevator equipment for this educative exhibit," said Tom Vining, president, Otis, North America. "We hope Independence Plaza will inspire generations of scientists and explorers who shoot for the stars."

The Gen2 elevators use Otis' patented flat-belt and ReGen™ regenerative drives, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 75 percent compared to traditional systems with conventional drives.

"We've made these elevators an important part of the visitor experience – lifting them eight stories to the flight deck, where they can see how the astronauts piloted the shuttles during missions," said Richard E. Allen Jr., president and CEO of the educationally focused museum, Space Center Houston. "Thanks to Otis and United Technologies, this exhibit will challenge visitors to think about innovation and creativity."

The elevators are part of Space Center Houston's $12 million Bring the Legacy Home capital campaign. United Technologies is a platinum-level sponsor of the exhibit. In addition to the Otis elevators, the Boeing 747 shuttle carrier aircraft features Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines and hardware components from UTC Aerospace Systems. Pratt & Whitney and UTC Aerospace Systems are business units of United Technologies. The aircraft ferried space shuttles 223 times since the first shuttle flight in 1977.

To learn more about Space Center Houston and Independence Plaza, visit its website. For more information on Otis, visit www.otis.com and follow @OtisElevatorCo on Twitter.

About Otis

Otis is the world's largest manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products, including elevators, escalators and moving walkways. Founded more than 160 years ago by the inventor of the safety elevator, Otis offers products and services through its companies in more than 200 countries and territories, and maintains more than 1.9 million elevators and escalators worldwide. Otis is a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit www.otis.com or follow @OtisElevatorCo on Twitter.

Contact:
Katy Padgett
860-674-3047
Kathleen.Padgett@utc.com

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SOURCE Otis Elevator Company