Monday, April 6, 2009

significantly altered work

My job has been going through some changes over the last couple of weeks. It has been saddening to me and to Bryan and it has been stressful to others at ATK, while some find the chaos almost laughable.

I haven't been working on Ares (space shuttle replacement) for 2 weeks. The funding for avionics/electrical systems for the first stage of the rocket (my part) was shut-off 2 weeks ago. Since then I have been doing some work on military weapons. Not very exciting to me but the work is getting slightly more enjoyable. I am still dealing with some ethical dilemmas about weapons.

This is the quote from ATK in Plymouth, "ATK Launch System’s (Ares) go-forward plan is significantly altered."

Launch Systems is the division of ATK in Utah that is in charge of the first stage (solid rocket booster) of Ares I. I work for them from ATK in Plymouth, MN.

Initially, it was thought that my work in avionics would continue through October 2009 but now it is possible that the work may not return. They (ATK in Utah) are throwing around lots of ideas, that maybe we could work on avionics for the first stage of the rocket, one day a week (which seems pretty pathetic). My manager said today that it doesn't look like the Ares avionics work will return soon but that doesn't mean it won't return one way or another. It is good to know that ATK in Plymouth has avionics experts (not me, but I work with them) so the work may have to return here in order to get done, eventually.

For now, I am enjoying getting to know some new coworkers. I refuse to take down all of the Ares I pictures in my cubicle. I will keep hoping.

No comments: