United Space Alliance (USA) announced on Tuesday that the company will layoff about 15 percent of its current Space Shuttle workforce, effective October 1, 2010, in order to align the workforce level with the company’s Space Shuttle Program Operations Contract work scope and current budget.
The layoffs are expected to impact about 800-1000 employees in Florida. About 300-400 employees in Texas would be affected and 10 in Alabama.
USA employs approximately 8,100 employees at its Florida, Texas and Alabama sites.
Two missions remain in the Space Shuttle Program – STS-133 currently scheduled for no earlier than November 1, 2010, and STS-134 set for February 26, 2011.