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Space Shuttle Layoffs Begin
By: Roy Mark
2009-05-01
Article Rating:    / 4
There are 8 user comments on this Green IT and Green Computing story.
NASA begins the first steps of decommissioning the space shuttle fleet with 160 layoffs, despite concerns in Congress. More than 900 shuttle employees are expected to lose their jobs by September 2010.Despite frantic maneuvering in Congress by Florida
lawmakers, the scuttling of the space shuttle program began in earnest May 1
with NASA announcing the first layoffs for the program scheduled to end in
2010. The first cuts were felt by manufacturing members of the space shuttle
team.
"[May 1], we have a layoff of about 160 people on the team," Space
Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon told reporters. "Between [May 1] and
the end of September, we will reduce the program by about 900 people. We have
delivered the last pieces of hardware that those team members produce and we
don't keep them on the roles. And that is in order to get our budget down to
the marks and the assumptions we made early on."
NASA's shuttle program has approximately 1,600 people on its payroll in addition
to 13,800 contractors. The shuttle shutdown will involve layoffs, moving
personnel to other projects and attrition.
The layoffs began even as Congress approved April 29 a budget provision to keep
the shuttle flying until 2011, although the White House and NASA have stuck to
2010 as the end of the program. The agreement in Congress must still pass a
number of hurdles before it would actually become reality.
Former President Bush ordered the 2010 retirement of the shuttle fleet in the
aftermath of the 2003 Columbia
disaster. The deadline was necessary to meet the schedule of the Constellation
program that aims to develop a shuttle replacement and return astronauts to the
moon. The first scheduled manned Constellation launch is scheduled for 2015.
NASA, meanwhile, is racing to complete its remaining nine missions. Eight of
the missions are to complete construction of the International Space Station,
while the ninth is a scheduled May 11 launch to the Hubble Space Telescope. In
the interim between the end of the shuttle program and the first launch of the
Constellation program, a Russian Soyuz spacecraft will be used to shuttle
supplies and astronauts to the ISS.
| | Reader Comments: Space Shuttle Layoffs Begin | | >>> Post your comment now!
| | Space Shuttle layoffs beginDespite some bleak assesments, the United States will continue have leadership in space exploration. Clearly there are missions that require the most... Posted At: 05-07-09 By: Coriantumr | | | | | | The End of US Manned Space Flight.This decision is the equivalent of phasing out light bulbs in favor of living in the dark ages. (or buying $10,000 Russian light bulbs. I'm sure... Posted At: 05-05-09 By: Robert | | | | | | Journey OnWe, as a country, have phased out countless technologies when newer, more efficient ones have come along. Man will have to squeeze even tighter to... Posted At: 05-03-09 By: mdmphd | | | | | | A user comment on this articleYes it's sad that folks are losing there jobs, but lets not pretend that the Shuttle was a roaring success.
I don't say that because of the... Posted At: 05-03-09 By: Anonymous | | | | | | A New WorldThese guys are pioneers and it is unfortunate that they are losing their jobs. However, why is it sad that we will be parntnering with the Russians... Posted At: 05-02-09 By: Ike Barnes | | | | | | A user comment on this articleWhat a sad day that we have to end the Shuttle fleet, and use Russian flights until the new program launches in 2015. I feel sad for those who have... Posted At: 05-02-09 By: Link | | | | | | A user comment on this articleNASA really should be about space science, not whacked out ET nuts. If they do have a program to look for your aliens, it should have been cut long... Posted At: 05-01-09 By: Anonymous | | | | | | >>> Post your comment now! | | | | | |
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