Boeing warns employees of 400 job cuts coming to SLS Program: 'Way to expensive' | FOX 51 Gainesville
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Boeing warns employees of 400 job cuts coming to SLS Program: 'Way to expensive'

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Published  February 11, 2025 6:36am EST
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

Boeing announces hundreds of layoffs

Boeing has announced that they are making 400-layoffs by April 2025. What does that mean for the Artemis program? FOX 35's Esther Bower has more.

The Brief

    • Boeing is preparing to cut hundreds of jobs as the company has notified its employees to expect 400 positions to be eliminated by April. 
    • These layoffs are set to impact workers involved in NASA’s Space Launch Systems (SLS) rocket program, the vehicle designed to send astronauts to the Moon. 
    • Experts in the space industry suggest that the decision could be tied to ongoing cost overruns and delays in the program's timeline.

Hundreds of jobs could be on the chopping block for Boeing employees. 

What we know:

The company told its team to prepare for 400 job cuts by April. 

The cuts would affect people working on NASA’s Space Launch Systems (SLS) rocket, the vehicle that's supposed to take astronauts to the moon.

Space experts say continued cost concerns and schedule delays may be the reason why Boeing is making cuts to the program.

The SLS has been in the works for more than a decade. It’s taking too long to build, and it's getting pricey.

"SLS is just way too expensive. $4.2 billion a launch," said Zac Aubert, a space expert who founded the Launch Pad Network.

Time and money are two pressing problems with the vehicle, and Boeing isn’t confident the program has a future.

What they're saying:

In a statement shared with FOX 35 on Monday, a Boeing spokesperson said:

"To align with revisions to the Artemis program and cost expectations, today we informed our space launch systems team of the potential for approximately 400 fewer positions by April 2025."

Aubert isn’t surprised by the news, but does have questions about what this means for Artemis.

"With DOGE and you know the government being re-evaluated on its spending, you know SLS was something that was going to be modified or on the chopping block," he said. "If SLS gets cancelled, is that the end of Orion?"

NASA isn’t indicating any changes with SLS, even with Boeing’s announcement to employees.

A NASA spokesperson told FOX 35:

"NASA’s SLS (space launch system) rocket is an essential component of the agency’s Artemis campaign... NASA defers to its industry contractors for more information regarding their workforces."

Aubert thinks the SLS program needs a closer look to cut costs, and astronauts may use something else to reach the moon.

"Why are we wasting money in these departments when there’s cheaper options, faster options?," he pointed out.

FOX 35’s Esther Bower asked: Do you think our mission to the moon could be cut?

"I think the Artemis astronauts will fly to the moon. I don’t know if they will fly off the planet on SLS and Orion. It could be on starship," concluded Aubert.

What we don't know:

Boeing has not yet indicated the specific locations of where job cuts would be.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Boeing, NASA, and Zac Aubert, a space expert and founder of the Launch Pad Network.

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