NASA to Cancel Shuttle Program, Lay Off 900

The National Aeronautics & Space Administration laid off 160 manufacturing workers this week, the first round of 900 job eliminations as the space agency winds down the Space Shuttle program.

Eight final space missions remain for the three remaining space shuttles; the program will close down at the end of 2010.

The layoffs this week affect workers at contract firms in Utah and Louisiana.

The job losses will include attrition and reassignment.

The shuttles will be replaces by the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, which will launch sometime in or after March 2015.