IFPTE Congratulates the NASA Workforce on the Launch of Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
Union Leaders Congratulate NASA As Space Observatory Continues Journey to its Orbit Where it Initiates Operations Next Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC – The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), representing 90,000 workers across North America, including over 6,500 NASA employees, issued the following statements in response to today’s launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, the wide field infrared survey telescope mission built and managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
IFPTE President Matt Biggs:
Explore the Roman Space Telescope’s instruments, subsystems, and components through NASA’s interactive website: https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/interactive
“As Roman Space Telescope begins its commissioning period, IFPTE congratulates all the hardworking and brilliant NASA employees, past and present, and the thousands of IFPTE members who have had leading and supporting roles in building the space observatory, designing and managing the mission, prepping and launching the observatory payload, and coordinating with partners in industry, academia, and other agencies to reach this milestone. This is an achievement for all our NASA membership, for the American people, and the international space science community, and will be a leap forward for scientific breakthroughs and humanity’s understanding of the universe. The Roman Space Telescope is a marquee example of how our nation’s commitment to funding world-leading space science missions and sustaining NASA’s talented, dedicated, and creative civil service workforce can unlock innovation, advance new technologies, and inspire our fellow Americans and all humankind.”
Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson:
“The successful launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a moment to celebrate the accomplishments of NASA’s workforce, from the team at Goddard Space Flight Center, to all the employees at NASA Centers and facilities who contributed expertise over the last 16 years. Speaking as a proud Tennessean and a professional woman in STEM, it’s only fitting that the discoveries from this space observatory will be associated with the name Nancy Grace Roman – the Nashville-born astronomer who earned a Ph.D. degree in the field at a time when women were discouraged from doing so, named NASA’s first Chief of Astronomy in 1961, and was a tireless advocate on Capitol Hill for federal funding for what would eventually be called the Hubble Space Telescope, which she helped conceive in the mid-1960s. It’s not lost on us that over the last two years, the NASA workforce has worked through extremely unnerving and uncertain circumstances, including the departure of over 20% of the NASA workforce in the last year. Despite the unwarranted political hardships and rejected budget proposals that tried to destroy key missions, including the Roman Space Telescope, our members have persevered and proven the value of NASA’s mission and the immense talent and commitment of the workforce that makes this the world’s leading civilian aeronautics and space agency.”
Tryshanda Moton, President of the NASA Council of IFPTE Locals, and President of Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association-IFPTE Local 29 (GESTA):
“The launch of the Roman Space Telescope towards orbit marks a milestone for NASA’s workforce and represents nearly two decades of dedication by NASA scientists, engineers, technicians, mission planners, and support professionals. That the Roman Space Telescope is launching eight months ahead of schedule and under budget is a testament to the NASA workforce’s perseverance. It’s a proud moment for the NASA workforce that will deliver exciting discoveries that shape our view of the universe once it is fully operational next year.
The past 18 months have tested the NASA workforce like no other. Through unplanned departure of skilled colleagues, the agency-wide collapse of morale under a cloud of fear and uncertainty, absurd threats to cut NASA Science funding in half, the unjustifiable termination of NASA employees legal union rights, and the undervaluing of the workforce, NASA employees have overcome challenges, made sacrifices to get the job done, and shown time and again our passion, resolve, and professionalism to achieving the NASA mission. The NASA workforce has more milestones ahead for Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and for projects across all NASA Directorates.”
IFPTE is NASA’s largest federal union, representing upwards of 7,000 NASA workers, and is fighting in both the Courts and on Capitol Hill to restore NASA employees’ collective bargaining rights from attacks by NASA management and the Trump Administration.
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