Space Shuttle Retirement Could Force Major Job Losses

NASA releases preliminary estimates of potential job cuts due to the end of the shuttle program

By Gregory Mone Posted 04.02.2008 at 9:45 am 4 Comments

Shuttle Retirement NASA

When the shuttle retires in 2010, as many as 8,000 NASA contractors could lose their jobs. After a request from lawmakers, NASA released these numbers yesterday, but added that this could be a worst case scenario. The Kennedy Space Center would suffer the biggest losses, with 80 percent of its contract workers losing their jobs by 2011.

The agency will be switching over to the Constellation program, which is developing a whole new set of spacecraft and rockets designed for getting to the International Space Station, the Moon, and even Mars. The good news is that this program could soak up some of those who lose their shuttle-related work. NASA also added that about 25 percent of the potentially endangered workforce is eligible for retirement.

Via NY Times

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4 Comments

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Jedi_Master

04/02/08 at 1:46 pm

Hmmm... that's good news for aspiring aerospace engineers though.
;-)

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TheRealWazzar

from Oxenford, QLD

04/05/08 at 7:45 am

It's crazy to think the shuttles will be sitting in museums in 2 years.

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rpflo

04/16/08 at 4:34 pm

After reading articles about exoskeletons and jump jets It certainly does look out dated come to think of it.

Luckily those losing their jobs know a thing or two about stuff. They'll find work.

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cloud2299

11/01/08 at 10:24 am

i hate it for the folks losing jobs, but let's face it. the shuttle should have been retired 15 years ago. NASA should've had a new rocket system designed in the 80's and built in the 90's. the shuttle was just a temporary short range vehicle to start with. thanks to budget cuts and personnel cuts tho, it was the only program they managed to keep. now that people are getting interested in space exploration and travel again, maybe NASA can get the funding and personnel they need to really get somewhere with long range space vehicles. not only that, this new generation of youngsters is coming up with more ideas every day about how to get from point a to point b thru outer space. so let's regular old folks just sit back and watch the new generation NASA take us to mars...and beyond