More than 500 layoffs announced by Boeing in its Space Exploration division

Posted by John McHale
HOUSTON, 4 June 2011. Officials at Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced that layoffs will be coming in 60 days at its Space Exploration division in Houston primarily due to the winding down of the space shuttle program. The layoff affects 510 employees -- about 260 personnel in Houston, 150 working at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and 100 at Boeing's Huntington Beach, Calif., facility.
Boeing officials say the final work day for this group will be 5 Aug., contingent on when the final space shuttle mission, STS-135, is completed.
For more read the latest MilAero Blog: "Smart money today isn't betting on the success of space exploration."
Some personnel will be redeployed to programs such as the International Space Station and Commercial Crew Development.
"We hope that the next generation exploration launch system will serve to mitigate some of these losses, but time is running out," says Brewster Shaw, Boeing Space Exploration vice president and general manager. "Our priority will be to ensure the last space shuttle mission is safe and successfully executed, allowing the Space Shuttle program to cross the finish line as a winner. We are supporting our employees in their efforts to move to other positions, and we are grateful to them for their dedicated service."
Earlier this year Boeing officials also announced reductions in the workforce of their Checkout, Assembly and Payload Processing Services. About 35 layoff notices were issued for this area with more to follow later this summer.
Boeing designs and manufactures NASA's space shuttle orbiters.