Workforce
U.S. Space Workforce
2014 – Trends and Events Affecting U.S. Employment
While trends in employment levels varied, wages grew across almost all sectors from 2008 to 2013, even accounting for inflation. In fact, the two industry sectors with the greatest percentage decreases in workforce size were those with the greatest increases in real wages. Average salaries for Satellite Telecommunications increased by ##%.
2014 – U.S. Space Workforce
The U.S. space workforce is one of the largest in the world, despite continued contraction. The U.S. civilian space workforce has declined ##% since peaking in 2006, employing ## employees in 2013. The increasing percentage of the workforce eligible for retirement, the lack of federal funding stability, and the competition in attracting highly qualified candidates may contribute to this trend.
2014 – U.S. National Security Workforce
U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) holds responsibility for military space operations, along with nuclear command and control, cybersecurity, and other strategic threats. Day-to-day planning and execution for USSTRATCOM’s space mission is carried out by the Joint Functional Component Command for Space (JFCC Space), headquartered at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
2014 – U.S. Space Industry Outlook
Every two years, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics develops employment projections based on expected developments in the labor force and economy, changes in demographics and technology, and a variety of other factors. In January 2014, BLS released the 2014–2015 Occupational Outlook Handbook, covering projections for the 2012–2022 decade.
2014 – NASA Workforce
At the start of fiscal year (FY) 2015, NASA had ## employees. Since FY 2011, NASA’s workforce has declined by ##%, a loss of just over ## employees. This decrease coincided with the retirement of the Space Shuttle, the cancellation of the Constellation program, and decreasing budget.
2014 – U.S. Space Industry Employment
Each quarter, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes data on employment and salaries within U.S. establishments as reported by employers. This census includes ##% of U.S. jobs, making it the most comprehensive data set available for understanding trends in U.S. economy. The structure used to collect and provide this information is the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Workforce: Workforce and Education – TSR 2014
2013 – U.S. National Security Workforce
Space activities are supported throughout many areas of the U.S. military, and thousands of members of the military are considered part of the space cadre. However, the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2012 repealed the requirement for the military to track and report to Congress the number of space personnel within the Department of Defense.
2013 – NASA Workforce
In 2012, NASA was ranked the best place to work in the federal government based on a survey of civil servants across federal agencies conducted by the non-profit Partnership for Public Service. In its annual survey of federal employees, the United States Office of Personnel Management found that NASA was a top performer across all four of their primary indices: leadership and knowledge management, results-oriented culture, talent management, and job satisfaction, and it was the highest-scoring agency in terms of job satisfaction.
2013 – U.S. Space Industry Employment
Understanding the current size and historical shifts in the U.S. space workforce is a complex task. Occasionally, organizations will conduct reviews of the space workforce, providing a snapshot of the industry at one point in time. For example, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Space Industry Deep Dive Assessment, released in 2013, estimated that in 2012 there were nearly ## full time employees involved with current U.S. government space programs.