Mon, May 02, 2005
Hundreds To Be Laid Off
The last Titan to be
launched from Cape Canaveral blasted into space Friday night while
many watched. It thundered up and away from the pad into the clear
sky at 8:50 p.m. carrying a satellite for the National
Reconnaissance Office. About 300 workers will lose their jobs in 60
days.
"With our customers, we share a tremendous pride in this
successful flight, tempered only by our sense of sadness as the
proud history of Titan here at Cape Canaveral comes to a close for
our team," said G. Thomas Marsh, executive vice president of
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company in a news release. "It is
always impressive to hear the roar of a Titan IV as it streaks into
space, but this rocket got help in getting off the ground by the
hard work, prayers and wishes of thousands of employees and
retirees whose dedication to mission success is unparalleled."
Col. Michael T. Baker, director, Launch Programs, Space and
Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, said, "Titan has
performed honorably by providing us strategic deterrence in the
form of the Titan ICBMs, helping us explore our universe by
launching NASA missions like Cassini, assisting our manned space
activities by launching NASA's Gemini test flights and supporting
our national decision makers and our warfighters in the field by
deploying spacecraft such as the one launched tonight. The men and
women of the Martin Marietta Corporation, now Lockheed Martin Space
Systems, have much to be proud of. The Air Force is grateful to
have been a part of this wonderfully successful program."
One final Titan is planned to launch from Vandenburg AFB this
summer, bringing an end to an era, along with the end of several
hundred jobs. About 300 Lockheed Martin workers will lose their
jobs 60 days after launch. Another 125 will be in the same boat
over the next year as the program is shut down. This remaining crew
will secure the rocket facilities and pad.
Lockheed Martin has hosted job fairs to help the workers find
new jobs either in the area or perhaps within the company.
Unfortunately, most of those positions are not in the area for
those who have been in the company and the community for many
years. Still, many of those employees are hoping to stay with the
company.
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