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Issues Affecting the Future of the U.S. Space Science and Engineering Workforce Interim Report (2006) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction and Background
Pages 6-9

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From page 6...
... These areaspecific studies are of greater applicability to NASA. For example, in 2001, Booz Allen Hamilton conducted a study for the National Reconnaissance Office on the military space industrial base that echoed the statements of NASA administrators by 1 See , p.
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From page 7...
... space policy, the NASA leadership has restructured the agency, which now includes the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate and Science Mission Directorate, with overlapping responsibilities for implementing the vision, as well as the Space Operations Mission Directorate, which is responsible for the space shuttle program and for assembly and operation of the International Space Station, and the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. NASA Administrator Griffin has stated that he has no plans to further restructure NASA.
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From page 8...
... Academia has a primary role in educating and supplying the workforce for NASA and industry, and hence has an interest in policy solutions that endorse educational funding increases. The academic sector not only plays the largest role in supplying the scientists and support staff to conceive, develop, and conduct the research studies in NASA's science programs, but also conducts the advanced development of scientific instrument technologies for future science missions.
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From page 9...
... These statistics demonstrate that the agency is currently contracting slightly, is eliminating engineering positions, and is not hiring many new people. Combined with other data that demonstrate a steadily increasing mean age of the workforce, it is clear that NASA is not simply suffering a supply problem, but is also experiencing changes in its workforce demographics as a result of agency policies and restrictions on its ability to hire and fire personnel.7 Although the committee was impressed and intrigued by what it heard at the workshop and at its second meeting, the committee's overall conclusion was that substantial, high-fidelity demographic data on NASA's existing workforce and future needs is still necessary but does not yet exist.
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Key Terms

  • nasa administrator
  • space shuttle
  • mission directorate
  • civil space
  • space station

  • space policy
  • international space
  • space workforce
  • space program
  • lunar science

  • lunar landing
  • human lunar
  • technical development
  • science missions
  • future science

  • robotic exploration
  • aeronautics research
  • intense scrutiny
  • architecture study
  • administrator griffin

  • gathering storm
  • esas report
  • launch vehicle
  • overall space
  • space science

  • space development
  • space mission
  • broad space
  • military space
  • space operations


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