In the 1970s, a rare geometric lineup of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune gave scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, the opportunity to send two spacecraft whizzing into the Solar System for a close-up look at each planet. During their magnificent journey, which still continues, Voyager 1 and 2 have provided solid scientific data on far-away worlds that were once depicted only in comic books. They have explored all of our Solar System's giant outer planets and 48 of their moons. In a few years, the twin spacecraft will become the first to leave our Solar System and travel into interstellar space, all on the small (by today's standards) budget of $900 million.
But despite the success of Voyager and many other unmanned space projects, the glory days of planetary flybys and space exploration for pure scientific research are probably a thing of the past at JPL, a research and development facility operated for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Indeed, some say the future of the mammoth space center--at the forefront of U.S. planetary and lunar exploration efforts for the past quarter-century--is up in the air. Only if JPL can succeed at launching smaller, cheaper spacecraft, experts say, will it win back the crucial support it once enjoyed both in Congress and in the marketplace of American public opinion.
Recently, Edward Stone, JPL director and vice president of Caltech, announced the elimination of 1,000 jobs (out of a total of 7,500) at JPL over the next five years. Operations will be consolidated into JPL's two main facilities. Currently, many JPL employees work in leased office and laboratory space in nearby communities.
Stone's decision was prompted by his belief that national budget cutbacks are not an inauguration-year phenomenon but a long-term shift in priorities. "Every indication is that we are 'right-sizing'--reducing our work force but not our effort," he said. The laboratory's $1 billion annual budget should remain stable during the staffing cutbacks, according to Stone.
He cited "the realities of the federal budget and the desires of NASA" in a memo to employees last February outlining the job losses. Although attrition will account for most of the cuts, Stone said, some layoffs are inevitable.
All the outward changes at JPL are part of a larger, more fundamental shift in the way that the United States--and the rest of the world--will explore space in the twenty-first century.
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