My Space Blog

Mike Griffin, whose own job as NASA adminisrator is nearing its end despite some sterling efforts,  has warned of potential cutbacks.

WASHINGTON — Departing administrator Michael Griffin warned Tuesday that NASA would have to lay off an unspecified number of contractors if Congress freezes the agency’s spending at current levels.

Griffin’s comments reflected a timeworn practice by agency chiefs who often use dire warnings to try to persuade lawmakers to ante up additional funds.

He said Congress’ decision to hold NASA spending at the 2008 level of $17.3 billion could trigger the personnel cutbacks. He declined to specify the locations that might suffer the layoffs.

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From the Orlando Sentinel, a reported phone call from Mike Griffin, the NASA administrator:

Industry officials say that a few days later, Griffin called Robert Stevens, the CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp., which jointly owns ULA together with Boeing Co., and demanded that Stevens stop what Griffin called the subsidiary’s efforts to “kill Ares I” by promoting versions of its own rockets that could carry humans to space.

Maybe Mike Griffin should get his wife to call.  She seems to be doing pretty good rallying people around the effort to keep the Administrator in his job.