NASA Plans to Cut Programs, Personnel NASA officials have outlined plans for a restructuring that could eliminate more than 2,600 jobs and drastically cut aeronautics programs at several centers. The moves are part of the agency’s effort to focus its activities on President Bush’s initiative to go to the moon and Mars. James Jennings, NASA associate administrator for institutions and management, told reporters in Washington March 10 that the shakeup is “about reshaping the workforce” and cutting or killing programs that do not contribute to the moon-Mars effort. The changes could strike hardest at the three centers that do most aeronautics research: Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA; Glenn Research Center in Cleveland; and Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, CA. Employees at Ames – including those in aeronautics, robotics and supercomputing — have already been offered buyouts, according to published reports. Members of Congress from those states have raised questions about the cutbacks. Jennings said the agency intends to reduce its workforce by up to 15% over the next 18 months through a combination of buyouts, reassignments, attrition and, possibly, layoffs. But he said additional employees would be hired as work on the moon-Mars program ramps up. NASA has begun development of a Crew Exploration Vehicle that will replace the space shuttle fleet. It is scheduled for an unmanned test flight in 2008. The agency plans to award contracts this year for Project Constellation, to begin development of other vehicles for moon-Mars exploration. (Additional information from the Houston Chronicle and The Washington Post was used in this story.)