Keith’s note: I posted an item Contractor Conversion Flaws Arise At NASA wherein I summarized information from multiple employees at NASA KSC about workforce contractor to civil servant conversion. Before I continue, I stand by what I wrote based on the very real sources I interacted with. But this is NASA we’re talking about i.e. “NASA = Never A Simple (Straight) Answer“. Communication up and down the management tree at NASA is always flawed with chronic built-in distortion. The new Administrator’s push for transparency has helped, but his efforts are a work in progress. NASA PAO usually ignores NASAWatch these days, so the agency’s response came via the @NASAAdmin account saying that what I posted was “not true”. Again, I can only go by what sources convey to me and what I can confirm via those sources. This evening I got a note from someone in the mix at KSC that contradicts much (but not all) of what I posted (see below). I know who the person is – but retribution for speaking out is still alive and well at NASA – so they will simply be known as “LETF Employee”. Full response from LETF Employee below.
I am writing in response to a recent article a friend of mine sent me pertaining to the LETF [Launch Equipment Test Facility]. I am not an engineer but one of the engineering techs fortunate enough to get transitioned into civil service. I believe you might be getting some info that is not really accurate. I have worked at the LETF for many years. It was currently on the Lasso II contract and although the contract is continuing, awhile back some of the powers that be were going to, as crazy as it sounds, mothball the LETF and use it for storage.
Through the years we have tested every piece of ground support equipment that touches the rockets from shuttle days forward. For months we have been waiting to be laid off. A number of critical skilled employees took other jobs on account of this. Then one day problems arose on different issues crucial to launch and emergency testing and R&D work was put on our plate.
As usual we knocked it out of the park, (no bragging or boasting intended) then thank the good lord this info got brought to our new NASA Administrator’s attention. In my opinion he acted very wisely to retain the people at the LETF with critical skills and engineers that work at the LETF of every age old and new alike.
I am not aware of any engineer or tech that worked there at the time of transition that was let go, thank goodness. Now the Lasso II contract is a big contract and some of the engineers in other areas may not have been offered a position because of where they work or what they do on the contract, and you might be only getting part of a story but to the best of my ability and understanding I’m trying to share the truth as I’ve heard it.
Thanks
LETF Employee
Biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Biologist and Payload integrator, Editor of NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com, Lapsed climber, Explorer, Synaesthete, Former Challenger Center board member 🖖🏻