PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109. TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            February 5, 1992


       Confronting federal-budget-driven reductions in two of its planetary exploration projects, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) will take special action to absorb affected scientists, engineers and other employees in other projects, JPL Director Dr. Edward C. Stone said today.

       Termination of the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) project in Fiscal Year 1992 and the Magellan mission in 1993, "will require a reduction of 100 to 150 positions from these projects by the end of FY92," he stated.

       The Laboratory will limit the hiring of new employees compared with what had been planned and JPL's Personnel Development Committee will "focus its attention on individuals becoming available from CRAF and Magellan," working to match them with current and forthcoming openings, Dr. Stone said.

       Dr. Stone also pointed out that mission operations personnel from Magellan are expected to be needed on other flight projects. Finally, he added that project-specific orientation and retraining may be provided to achieve the phased redeployment.


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