United Space Alliance to Lay Off 15 Percent of Workforce on Oct. 1

Space shuttle Atlantis lands on runway 33 at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility concluding the STS-129 mission. Photo credit: NASA Jack Pfaller

United Space Alliance announces shuttle layoffs
Spaceflight Now

With only two shuttle flights remaining on NASA’s manifest, prime contractor United Space Alliance plans to lay off about 15 percent of its 8,100-strong space shuttle workforce Oct. 1, company officials announced Tuesday.

Eight hundred to 1,000 jobs will be lost at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with another 300 to 400 in Texas and 10 in Alabama. Another 743 USA jobs were lost in two earlier rounds of layoffs.

“Our workforce has known for several years that the space shuttle program has been scheduled to end, but layoffs are always difficult for everyone involved,” Virginia Barnes, USA President and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “The accomplishments of this team are unmatched in human spaceflight. We acknowledge the tremendous talent and commitment of our teammates and congratulate them on their achievements.”

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