“Significant Job Cuts Impact Vital Space Traffic Control Unit”
Reported by Joey Roulette and Valerie VolcoviciWASHINGTON (Reuters) – In a significant blow to a critical initiative supported by the U.S. space industry and the president’s administration, the Trump administration recently terminated employees involved in the development of a satellite traffic management system in space. The move, which caught employees off guard, has raised concerns about the future of this essential effort.
A considerable portion of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Space Commerce, a crucial yet lesser-known entity relied upon by the space industry, saw around a third of its 25-person team abruptly dismissed on Thursday. Acting NOAA chief Nancy Hann informed the employees of their termination with only a few hours’ notice, and they were required to vacate the premises by the end of the day, as per sources familiar with the situation.
The dismissals have cast a shadow over the completion of a system akin to an air traffic control system for space, currently in a trial phase to address the growing demand for satellite services and the proliferation of spacecraft in Earth’s orbit. Despite the significance of this project, a NOAA spokesperson declined to comment on the personnel changes. The layoffs were part of a broader wave of job cuts at NOAA, an agency responsible for weather forecasts and hurricane warnings.
Among those let go was Dmitry Poisik, the head of the Traffic Coordination System for Space. This move to reduce staff involved in space traffic management, which plays a critical role in warning satellite operators of potential collisions, poses challenges to the ongoing efforts to transition these responsibilities away from the Pentagon. The abrupt dismissals could lead to confusion among early users of the system, sources noted.
The current developments underline the potential setbacks in the space industry, especially at a time when the demand for satellite services is skyrocketing. Elon Musk’s initiatives to streamline government operations have led to widespread layoffs, affecting various agencies nationwide. Musk, a prominent figure in the space sector through SpaceX, has been vocal about the need to modernize space regulations for greater efficiency.
The recent dismissals have disrupted the agency’s core function of licensing commercial imaging satellites. Requests for licenses or regulatory inquiries are now being redirected to NOAA lawyers, as there are no senior personnel left in the Office of Space Commerce due to the ongoing restructuring efforts.
The layoffs at this pivotal U.S. space-licensing agency come at a critical juncture for the thriving U.S. space industry, which has long advocated for streamlined regulatory processes. Lawmakers and industry stakeholders have echoed the call for more agile satellite regulatory frameworks to support the industry’s growth.
The Reuters report mentioned that these staff reductions are expected to cause significant delays in the approval process for spacecraft launches. The Federal Aviation Administration, responsible for authorizing rocket payloads, is unable to greenlight the launch of a satellite that necessitates a NOAA license until the license has been secured. (Reported by Joey Roulette; Edited by Sandra Maler)
