NASA has taken quite a few hits in the last several months, especially in the human space flight area. Thousands of contract workers have been laid off in Florida, Texas and Alabama. Most recently, we hear that NASA has indicated that up to 600 more contractor layoffs may occur in Huntsville.
The exact number is not yet known, but it is thought to be in the 200 to 400 range. Federal law regulates such layoffs under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) which mandates 60 days notice before actual layoffs or plant closings take place. The intent here is to allow workers time to seek other employment.
On August 1st, WARN notices went out to workers in several Huntsville engineering and technical support companies. This whole process is a reflection of the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the end of the Constellation program. The federal government's spending authority for 2011 expires on September 30th and funds for these programs will terminate at that time.
This is not the first Huntsville layoff. Last year, over 800 aerospace workers lost their jobs as a result of ending Ares I and Ares V development programs for Constellation. The good news is that Congress forced the White House to allow the development of a heavy-lift rocket and crew capsule, but work on the new rocket has yet to begin.
The political rhetoric says the White House supports NASA's human space flight program, but the body language tells us otherwise. Such uncertainty, layoffs and program delays have a decaying and destabilizing effect on our continued ability to lead in space exploration.
Furthermore, all of these political tactics have a serious impact on future generations of space professionals. Young people are discouraged from committing to careers in high technology. The current work aerospace force is depleted, and the overall skill level of technology professionals will suffer as a result.
This is a slippery slope toward obsolescence and loss of competitiveness. Add this to restrictions imposed by ITAR and the fact that other countries are moving ahead, and you get a very grim picture of America's future in space technology leadership. Where is America's leadership? It is certainly not in Washington.
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