Lockheed Cuts 325 Shuttle-Related Jobs

Newsday ^ | April 10, 2002 | ALAN SAYRE -- AP Business Writer

[Willie Green]

NEW ORLEANS -- A reduction in the number of external space shuttle fuel tanks being ordered by NASA will cost 325 workers their jobs at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co.

At the same time, the space agency warned the company, a division of Lockheed Martin Corp., that more reductions could be coming in tank production. Lockheed said that if that occurs, additional job reductions could be necessary.

"Any further reduction in the external tank production would impact the work force beyond the 325 jobs announced today," said Lockheed spokesman Marion LaNasa.

[Willie Green]

NASA's glory days are long gone.
We are no longer getting much bang for the taxpayers' buck.
NASA should be privatized and funding shifted to modern, mass-transportation systems that we can ALL ride.

[Willie Green]

If the Chinese can figure out how to grow food on the moon, more power to them.

We've been there. There's not very much in the way of topsoil.

[RightWhale]

The Chinese are about to put men in space and here we are vacating the frontier to them

When necessary, we'll just run a crash project to catch up. Isn't that the way it always is?

[Nonstatist]

We are no longer getting much bang for the taxpayers' buck.

Compared to what? 15 billion to NASA and how much to SSI, Medicaid, Medicare, etc? Whats the defense budget? 380 billion?

We've learned more about the universe with the Hubble ST , at a cost of 3 billion, then we've advanced ourselves or our country, in other fields, using a ton more money (War on Poverty?? Give me a break)

[krb]

Having people in space is not as big a deal as it was when the Russians beat us there the first time. Back then we had just invented big heavy atomic bombs and the thought that you could figure out how to transport a big heavy thing from one part of the world through space and have it end up somewhere else, really, really quickly was extremely scary, especially if the other guy knew how to do it and you didn't.

I don't think the urgency is anywhere near the same now.

[Willie Green]

Compared to what?

Compared to all the technological marvels that were spun-off in consumer products back in NASA's heyday.

Haven't gotten anything like that outa NASA in well over a decade. Heck, maybe two decades.
All they do is ride up to space and back down in the shuttle.
And while they're up there, if they feel like it, they may perform a couple experiments for schoolkids, something like showing them how lima beans sprout when they're weightless.
Whooptie-do!
The NASA elites don't even have the brains to collect #20 million from an eccentric billionaire who wanted to tag along for the ride.

We've learned more about the universe with the Hubble ST , at a cost of 3 billion

Pretty pictures.
Those can be funded by PBS for Nova & National Geographic specials.
Maybe The Discovery Channel would provide financing as well.