Slashdot Mirror
Layoff Anxiety Is Top Risk To Space Shuttle
pickens writes "Florida today reports that as NASA marches toward its final two shuttle flights, the safety of the crew rests with workers who know every bolt they turn, every heat-shield tile they inspect, brings them that much closer to the unemployment line in April 2011 raising concerns that people might jump ship early if other job opportunities open up. 'We've been most concerned about maintaining and sustaining the knowledge necessary to safely conduct mission operations,' says Retired Navy Vice Adm. Joseph Dyer. But shuttle work force surveys show a fierce loyalty and a dedication to sticking it out as long term employees want to be there when the last shuttle touches down. 'They love being part of NASA and what NASA does, and they love being part of the space shuttle program. And they want to be a part of it as long as we're doing the kinds of things that we're doing,' says LeRoy Cain, NASA's deputy shuttle program manager."
This is exactly the reason that restaurants and other companies don't tell employees about plant or store closures until the last moment. It's not entirely fair to the workers, but many would rather find a new job quickly instead of being unemployed. I was out of work for nearly 2 months (and even then I was lucky in finding new work) when the restaurant I worked out told us 5 minutes before we walked out the door for the evening that we wouldn't be open in the morning.
I imagine those these folks working for NASA have skills that the private space agencies will definitely want and I wouldn't be surprised to see most of these guys going to work the next day for one of those companies.
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
Since I work at KSC I guess I can provide some insight. The purpose of these new space plans is to reduce the cost of launches. The way you do that is by using a simpler vehicle and less people. So there is no way all or most of the people here will get new jobs in private space. Also Brevard County has a few other employees but most of it relies on KSC. So as people need to start moving to find other jobs housing prices will continue to plummet so expect lots of foreclosures and a total decimation of the local economy. The article is correct. Even facing these prospects most of the employees continue to do their job perfectly day in day out because of the love of the program and their country. When you see the orbiters they look like they just rolled out of the factory. Anything you read about orbiters deteriorating is a lie. They are pristine. Many people are still in denial that this county would be so stupid as to throw away such magnificent machines and they want to be there to keep them flying when we come to our senses.
I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
Oh great.. government employees now have to worry about being laid off? Those poor bastards.
Meanwhile, millions of workers in the real world who actually produce and contribute to the economy have been watching their backs for the last 2 years.
Here it was I thought dying in a gigantic fireball upon liftoff or reentry was the top risk.
Those were the days.
Game: Player 'Donald J Trump' now has AI skill level 'experimental'.
look up warn act
WARN Act layoff notice laws require employers to give employees notification before mass layoffs or plant closings
As I read the article, layoff anxiety is a risk but not a top risk. It was addressed, in part, by worker pride wanting to stick with the mission, and a bonus scheme that encourages workers to stick to the end. On the other hand . . . "Among the chief technical risks in the latest review, presented to program managers this summer: -- Catastrophic strikes by space debris; -- Aging propellant pressurization tanks that might explode; -- Foam or ice breaking free from the shuttle's external tank and doing critical damage to heat-shield components." Those would be your top risks at the moment.
Kentucky Seared Chicken...
Kentucky Space Chicken
Kentucky Sauce Chicken?
Kentucky .S.....Chicken...
What could the 'S' stand for...
RIP America
July 4, 1776 - September 11, 2001
Don't have to worry much about a job opportunity for NASA workers.
"Layoff Anxiety" ? ...
"Fuck You" !
Seems to be a flash back of the 1970s when NASA and subcontractors were laying off workers (including my father who was working with TRW at the time) after Apollo 17 flight. I think Radiation (now Harris) was laying as well so it was truly a ugly time for Brevard County. This time there isn't as many subcontractors and there are more industries located in Brevard County to hire some of the soon-to-be ex employees.
I guess the main reason why so many are going to be sticking around until the final mission is there is simply not much else out who will hire them. May as well enjoy the meal ticket until the last day.
Although the ideal requirement can be stated concisely, that does not mean it is actually possible. NASA's overall problem is one of mission incompatibility. Normally if I post something like this, somebody replies "with your attitude we wouldn't have discovered fire yet". To which the reply is that fire is ridiculously easy to discover; wait for a thunderstorm after a dry period. We have got where we are because energy became more and more readily available as our tools improved. But energy has ceased to become more readily available; we do not have any feasible technology for space lift that does not require exotic chemical mixtures. NASA is being asked to look at the wrong end of the telescope. Much better fuel or lift means needs to come first. Douglas Adams, who was no fool, satirised the problem with his infinite improbability drive and bistromath drives, but in fact he identified the core problem in space travel.
From scarped cliff or quarried stone she cries "A thousand types are gone, I care for nothing, no not one."
This is just the maintenance crew. NASA's real collapse came at the end of Apollo, when they laid off most of the people who designed and engineered spacecraft. NASA, like Google now, had been the place where the really smart and competent people went. That all ended around 1973.
". 'They love being part of NASA and what NASA does, and they love being part of the space shuttle program. And they want to be a part of it as long as we're doing the kinds of things that we're doing,' says LeRoy Cain, NASA's deputy shuttle program manager.""
Yeah, and those that stick it out....NASA will be more than happy to serve their pink slip as soon as that last shuttle touches down. In fact, I wonder how many will make it back to their offices to find that pink slip sitting in their chair or the more cowardly alternative, in their email inbox.
I agree that the Shuttle was always a ludicrous idea (if you like, the victory of the "pilots" and the X-project over the "chimps" and the Apollo program, sociology rather than engineering), but then so is the ISS. If rather than engage in manned spaceflight willy-waving we had waited until we had our current robot capability, we would have spent a lot less and found out just as much, and we could have had more suitable delivery vehicles to put robots around the Solar System.
You might like to consider, vis-a-vis aviation, that we looked at supersonic passenger aircraft and then walked away from them because they were stupidly expensive (and actually unsafe.) We did much better with aircraft designed to work, as it were, with the atmosphere rather than against it. Jeremy Clarkson, no less, suggested that supersonic aircraft went away because of mobile phones and the Internet. In the same way, within the limits of our current technical capability, the need for manned spacecraft (if it ever existed, which I doubt) went away once we could put a little robot on Mars and have it wander around for years looking at things.
From scarped cliff or quarried stone she cries "A thousand types are gone, I care for nothing, no not one."
When you have a suit that has boosterrockets like ironman, you know you're on the right way.
at KSC can tell you exactly the problem with the Shuttle program. You are correct, it's a niche market that was created out of politics. So what? That's not fault of those who have worked at KSC, it's the fault of those at Washington DC who refused to listen to engineers and, ahem, the voters that voted the idiots in.
Frankly, many people at KSC are excited by the idea of having multiple launch vehicles, including heavy life and personal lift. Cape-side, there is a host of vehicles, everything from deltas to atlases.
Just for the record, NASA doesn't don't have a family car....or a heavy lift vehicle...currently.
This post stinks of PR. Were you paid to write this? The orbiters are falling apart, that's why the last one blew up and endangered millions of lives on the ground! The ability of Americans to ignore reality will forever mystify me. In any event, I suppose it doesn't matter anymore - The writing is on the wall! American domination of space is coming to an end! The faster the Americans are grounded the safer the rest of the world will be. We'll all be cheering when the last shuttle lands forever and faces the scrapper's torch. Now all we need to do is get rid of the American parts of the ISS, get some Chinese or Indian workers up there, and we can get some REAL work done! (The russians are lazy drunks, but that's better than ignorant rednecks!)
Hey, maybe they'll even sell the scrap to a properly civilized country with a properly civilized government! Wouldn't that be nice? Your glorious white-elephant of a shuttle might become beer cans for the REAL engineers who design SAFE, SUCCESSFUL, RELIABLE space transportation systems! I guess then it wouldn't be a complete waste, right?
... Executive Order to shutter ALL space-base operations and systems of the United States of America.
The shuttering directive affects:
NASA, and all space-based operations and systems.
NOAA, and all space-based operations and systems,
Department of Defence, All space-based operations and systems.
The Global Positiong Systems satellites, NAV STAR, will be de-orbited.
All NOAA satellite systems wil be de-robited.
Fearing reprisal and assinations, the National Security Council has agreed, that, Obama, is GOD.
X-37 and X-15
"but we need you to stop making parts for the space shuttle, and no we're not going to tell you why."
With the lead time on parts and equipment prior to a mission, it's difficult to try and keep the cancellation of the program hidden. Eventually, someone will notice the fact that there's fewer and fewer external fuel tanks "on the shelf", so to speak, and begin to wonder why.
In the retail or restaurant business it's easy to move inventory to another business that is in the same line of work, but there's not much call for spare Space Shuttle parts. While I'm sure that a lot of the personnel involved in the program will be able to continue working in the field (either in private industry or possibly still within NASA), I think that the just-in-time supply of parts is really the reason that people need to be informed with a significant lead time prior to the suspension of activity.
What other jobs?
I suppose they could be prison guards. That's about the only growth industry left in America nowadays.
What other jobs? We're talking here about a country with near double-digit reported unemployment (the real rate is probably a lot closer to 25%) and whose largest employer is Wal-Mart. Exactly where are these guys going to find work at all, much less any that will make them prematurely jump ship?
I suppose they could be prison guards. That's about the only growth industry left in America nowadays.