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For release: 04/24/02
Release #: 02-098
Marshall Center boosts Alabama economy with $829 million in expenditures
The Marshall Center contributed $829 million to Alabama's economy in fiscal year 2001 — a 6 percent increase over fiscal year 2000 spending — and significantly more spending than in any other state. Since it was established in 1960, Marshall has had budget responsibility for more than $69 billion. When adjusted for inflation, that's equivalent to more than $169 billion in today's money.
Editor’s Note: This release is an annual roundup of information that is intended for reporters and editors in the business and education beats.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., contributed $829 million to Alabama's economy in fiscal year 2001 — a 6 percent increase over fiscal year 2000 spending — and significantly more than spending in any other state.
Included in the 2001 spending was $247 million in salaries for civil service personnel and related costs, as well as travel. Also included as $582 million spent on locally procured services, prime contractor and subcontractor support, and local construction.
Since it was established in 1960, the Marshall Center has had budget responsibility for more than $69 billion. When yearly figures are adjusted for inflation, this total is equivalent to more than $169 billion in today’s dollar value.
In addition, during 2001,The Boeing Company spent approximately $94 million in NASA funding in North Alabama for International Space Station hardware development.
Another $47 million was spent by the Marshall Center for NASA programs where Marshall had a supporting role, and an additional $18 million was spent on programs where Marshall performed work for other agencies.
Marshall received approximately 15.5 percent — or $2.2 billion — of NASA's total budget of $14.3 billion during fiscal 2001. By program areas, 73 percent of Marshall’s budget was spent for Human Exploration and Development of Space, including Space Shuttle and Space Station activities; 26 percent for Space Science, Earth Science, Aero-Space Technology and Biological & Physical Research activities; and the about 1 percent was spent on Strategic Support of Marshall Center programs.
Also in 2001, approximately $70 million in retirement annuities were paid to 2,460 Marshall retirees residing in Alabama. The 1,680 retirees in Huntsville and Madison received $47 million of that amount.
Since the Marshall Center’s creation, a total of $5.2 billion in federal salaries have been paid. In 2001, Marshall civil service employees collectively paid about $31 million in federal income taxes and about $7 million in Alabama state income taxes.
At the end of September 2001, Marshall’s permanent and temporary civil service employees totaled 2,740, including employees at resident offices at prime contractor facilities and at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility near New Orleans.
Of that workforce, 2,262 were college graduates, with 1,487 holding bachelor’s degrees. There were 183 employees with doctorate degrees and 592 with master's degrees in the fields of engineering and science -- predominantly mathematics and physics — as well as business administration and other disciplines.
During 2001, 23,653 contractor personnel were engaged in work for the Marshall Center, including 3,264 in mission support, 11,141 on prime contract work and 9,248 as subcontractors and vendors. Of the total, 6,878 worked in Alabama. Additionally, 463 contractors were associated with International Space Station work being done by Boeing in Huntsville, and 802 jobs were related to other NASA work supported by Marshall.
Also during fiscal 2001, approximately 62,000 people toured Marshall, including educators, conference and symposium visitors and news media. Attendance at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center -- Marshall’s official NASA Visitor Center — was 341,411 for the year.
In addition, Marshall’s education programs reached more than 84,269 students and 20,263 teachers and faculty representing all 50 states during the year. And the Marshall Center donated $5.5 million in research equipment and made some $203 million in grants, contracts and cooperative agreements through its education programs. Marshall’s education program also recorded 609 partnerships and collaborations with other federal, state and local programs, professional societies, nonprofit organizations, industry and contractor communities, and with all levels of the educational community, but primarily secondary education.
Continuing its ongoing work in the community, Marshall employees and retirees volunteered last year to participate in the NASA Project LASER (Learning About Science, Engineering and Research) Program, serving locally as speakers, tutors, consultants and science fair judges. Marshall’s Educator Resource Center also distributed more than 113,014 pieces of NASA-produced materials to the 5,711 educators it contacted through workshops, on-site visits and postal and electronic requests. Staff at the Educator Resource Center developed and delivered 153 workshops and overviews to 1,408 teachers and home-school parents. Additionally, NASA’s education programs reached more than 10.2 million participants electronically.
The Marshall Center also gives back to the community through monthly Red Cross Blood Drives — collecting 959 pints of blood in fiscal 2001 from civil service and on-site contractors — and by contributing to the Combined Federal Campaign — collecting $559,703 in fiscal 2001, of which $294,893 was designated to help agencies in Alabama.
As Marshall marks its 41st year in Alabama and looks to the future, the Center continues its role as a vital contributor to America's future in space — as well as to the economy of Huntsville and the state.
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