Eastern New Orleans - Michoud workers, looking as though they are mounted on the back of a whale, prepare the the final shuttle fuel tank, or ET-138, as it is known here. Yet, at this stage of production, their work is meticulous, part science, part art. With very small hand tools, the technicians whittle away at the fuel tank foam, where pressurization lines and electrical harnesses will be attached. The tank, one of three still under construction, is scheduled to fly with the shuttle this September. "We've been knowing this day was coming for quite so many years to tell you the truth," said Mike McBain, a manager in Lockheed Martin's External Fuel Tank Program. At the height of shuttle production, in the mid 80's, Lockheed Martin employed 5,000 people at the plant in Eastern New Orleans. Today, 1,250 jobs remain and they are steadily disappearing. The once-bustling factory floor is largely silent, many of its giant, one-of-a-kind machines already laying idle under protective tarps. Among those who will lose their jobs is Melanie Jennings, a 25-year veteran of Michoud, who began work here as an intern. A mechanical engineer, Jennings rose to the job of "Hardware Specific Project Manager," essentially the logistics coordinator for this specific tank. Known to Michoud workers as "the missile mom," it is Jennings' job to coordinate production of the final tank between various departments, ensuring the project has adequate labor and resources. "I specifically asked for that tank," said Jennings. "It's a great source of price." Jennings assumed production on ET-138 would be more challenging, given the dwindling staff at Michoud. She explains the opposite proved true. "People have a lot of pride. They want to make sure that the last one is built with the same integrity." Four decades after the Apollo program brought man to the moon, the Michoud-assembled Saturn V rocket still ranks as the most powerful machine America has ever built and part of the storied history here. The question, for Michoud and its employees, involves the future. Many hope to land work in one of Lockheed Martin's other divisions. "There's a lot of initiatives that Lockheed Martin's put in place to try to continue and keep the people, not worrying about the end of the program, but knowing that there's a future ahead of them also." However, the vast majority of those jobs are elsewhere in the country. Life is more complicated for engineers like Melanie Jennings, who would prefer to stay in New Orleans. "It's really hard to think about what I am going to do. I just really want to get this built and watch it fly."
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