NASA Funding Shortfall Could Cost Jobs in Utah

As many as 2,000 workers in Utah may soon be unemployed because of the pending shutdown of the NASA Constellation moon rocket program, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

NASA this week notified Congress that it will begin shutting down the Constellation program because of a $991 million funding shortfall for the program. The funding gap is largely the result of the federal Anti-Deficiency Act, which, according to the Tribune, requires contractors to set aside enough money to cover termination costs in case a program is cancelled.

“Given this estimated shortfall, the Constellation program cannot continue all of its planned FY2010 activities within the resources available,” NASA administrator Charles Bolden wrote in a letter to Congress. “Under the Anti-Deficiency Act, NASA has no choice but to correct this situation.”

Congressman Bob Bishop told the paper as many as 2,000 people are involved in the Constellation program in Utah.