One of NASA’s space contractors is planning to lay off its work force by 15 percent.
United Space Alliance, the manager of the NASA space shuttles and space station planning, said in a statement that its layoff plan includes 800 to 1,000 workers in Florida, 300 to 400 in Texas and a few in Alabama, according to Associated Press on Wednesday.
The consortium’s president, Virginia Barnes, said that the Alliance will compensate all the laid-off workers and help them with future job hunting.
The plan will be effective three month later on October 1 this year, while the end of the space shuttle program will be postponed to 2011.
The Alliance is a combination association of Boeing Corporation and Lockheed Martin Corporation. It is considered the largest space contractor of NASA.