NASA Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans may lose 1,300 of its 1,900 jobs (1 Viewer)

DadsDream

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Michoud's 2005 economic impact included payroll of $142 million and $21.4 million in Louisiana subcontracts.

With the Space Shuttle retiring in 2010 and the Constellation program to the Moon and Mars not set to fly until 2015, it looks like some bleak times are ahead for those employed in the manned space program.

The Kennedy Space Center may lose 80% of its employees.

FOX NEWS
NASA May Cut 8,000 Jobs From Space Program
Wednesday, April 02, 2008


MIAMI — More than 8,000 NASA contractor jobs in the nation's manned space program could be eliminated after the space shuttle program is shut down in 2010, the agency said Tuesday.

The number of civil servants is expected to remain roughly the same, but dramatic job cuts are possible among private contractors as NASA transitions to the Constellation program, which is developing the next-generation vehicle and rockets to go to the moon and later to Mars.

READ MORE
FOXNews.com - NASA May Cut 8,000 Jobs From Space Program - Science News | Science Technology | Technology News
 
Was on the local news last night. The key to all this is how do you keep people around who don't have other aerospace options so that when you're back up and running, you have an available workforce. :shrug:

TPS
 
The aerospace industry is one giant roller coaster when it comes to employment. When it's churning at full-capacity, there's no other industry that brings in so many high-paid jobs. But, it's boom or bust, no question about that.
 
DD nailed it. I was in this cycle for 10 years finally getting laid off from Michoud and the ET project when my son was first born. He was 6-weeks old and out the door I went. I haven't looked back and certainly don't miss wondering if projects will be appropriated $ each year.

I do find it hard to believe that a 5 year flight gap is going to be allowed though. And I also didn't see if a connection between the next gen shuttle and Michoud exists?? I have lost all of my contacts in that industry.
 
I do find it hard to believe that a 5 year flight gap is going to be allowed though. And I also didn't see if a connection between the next gen shuttle and Michoud exists?? I have lost all of my contacts in that industry.

The next generation US manned spacecraft won't be a shuttle, NC. It's going to be an "Apollo on steroids" called "Constellation." That's right, a big capsule.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html
 
Can't these people be applied to alternative engergy development?

They tried to do that at the end of the Apollo program, Jeff...turn them toward careers as environmental scientists. The money just isn't there like it is for aerospace.
 
They tried to do that at the end of the Apollo program, Jeff...turn them toward careers as environmental scientists. The money just isn't there like it is for aerospace.

Well, if I ran the government, I'd create a department of energy development within the Energy Department and fund it with the dollars that NASA will no longer need sense it won't have an active shuttle program.

I'd also put a 5% tax on coil company profits to fund it as well.

That would be about a 5 billion dollar budget. I'm not usually a tax big oil type of guy, but think 5% is reasonable if it goes directly to energy development and NOT the general fund.

Also i don't they have to be environmental scientiest. For some reason now a days it seems that alternative energy is the same thing as green energy. I don't believe that should be case in the current energy climate. I think independence from oil should be the priority first, with environmental considerations second.
 
Well, if I ran the government, I'd create a department of energy development within the Energy Department and fund it with the dollars that NASA will no longer need sense it won't have an active shuttle program.

I'd also put a 5% tax on coil company profits to fund it as well.

That would be about a 5 billion dollar budget. I'm not usually a tax big oil type of guy, but think 5% is reasonable if it goes directly to energy development and NOT the general fund.

Also i don't they have to be environmental scientiest. For some reason now a days it seems that alternative energy is the same thing as green energy. I don't believe that should be case in the current energy climate. I think independence from oil should be the priority first, with environmental considerations second.


That would only result in the oil companies raising the price of gas another 5% or more.
 
That would only result in the oil companies raising the price of gas another 5% or more.

Does it really matter? The state of Washington has no problems slapping a 6% tax on gas for road construction two years ago, so you can't tell me anyone is real interested in keeping the price of gas as low as possible.
 
I'm in the process of trying to get a job at michoud or stennis, but I will only work as civil service. I got offered a job a few years ago with lockheed at michoud as QA on shuttle fuel tanks but they really didn't pay enough for a licensed airframe & powerplant mechanic, plus i knew i would probably get laid off in the near future. glad i took the government job.
 
Well, if I ran the government, I'd create a department of energy development within the Energy Department and fund it with the dollars that NASA will no longer need sense it won't have an active shuttle program.

All the NASA money will go toward funding the shuttle replacement and Mars landing program.
 
Does it really matter? The state of Washington has no problems slapping a 6% tax on gas for road construction two years ago, so you can't tell me anyone is real interested in keeping the price of gas as low as possible.

I'm not telling you that anyone is interested in keeping it low, except for us of course. But artificially raising it even higher with taxes makes it worse. I agree that we need alternative energy sources, but I don't think the government is going to be the one that finds them. It's going to take an entrepreneur the equivalent of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Henry Ford, etc. to make it happen.
 

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