ATK Space Systems lays off 247 engineers, others in Utah as space shuttle program fades

Rocket contractor lays off more engineers in Utah

CLEARFIELD, Utah — ATK Space Systems has completed a fourth round of layoffs in Utah related to the phase-out of the space shuttle program.

The Clearfield-based company says last week’s 247 layoffs also were due to the end of a Minuteman ballistic missile program.

Since October, ATK has laid off about 1,500 engineers, technicians, factory workers and others in Utah, leaving about 3,000 employees.

The company gave the workers a week’s pay for every year of service, up to a maximum of 26 weeks of pay. The federal government is subsidizing the cost of their health insurance for 15 months.

ATK is assembling more powerful booster rockets for the next generation of space vehicles, but funding remains in doubt in Congress, which is holding a hearing Wednesday on the Constellation program.