HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – 230 exhibitors filled the Von Braun Center in preparation for the Annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium.

A three-day event bringing a range of aerospace contractors, commercial organizations, private sectors and government corporations under one roof to network and join forces to create the best missile defense tools and tactics.

Hundreds of attendees are all counting down for the conference to begin tomorrow. This year’s focus is “being ready today and modernizing for tomorrow.”

Firms like Higher Echelon, headquartered in Huntsville, exhibit this mindset in their governmental resource through simulation training.

“What makes us different is that we are a small trusted partner to some of the bigger organizations that are headquartered here,” said Higher Echelon’s Marketing and Communications Director Rachel Bryars. “Because we are so small and lazier-focused they can count on us to get the job done.”

SMD Symposium volunteer Bob English told News 19 there is enough room for all aerospace companies, big and small.

“There’s just such a concentration of people and government and industry and academia right here in Huntsville that are doing work in space and in missile defense and so it all works together.”

The SMD symposium will start Tuesday at 8:20 a.m. and continue through Thursday afternoon.

Those that wish to view the exhibits can enter the symposium for free. More information can be found on the SMD website.