SPACE FOR DRYDEN NEW NASA HEAD SEES BRIGHT FUTURE.

Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE - NASA's new administrator called Dryden Flight Research Center a ``magical place'' and said it will have a role to play in upcoming space exploration as well as in advancing aeronautics research.

On his 40th day on the job as administrator, Mike Griffin visited Dryden to look over programs and talk to employees in a town hall meeting.

Citing his limited time in his job so far, Griffin wasn't able to offer much in specifics on the direction of aeronautics research, but insisted Dryden will play a major role.

``Dryden is an important center with an important role. We're not even thinking about not having a Dryden,'' Griffin told reporters Tuesday after meeting with Dryden employees. ``This is a magical place.''

Griffin said he believes Dryden will get a portion of the work on developing the nation's next manned spacecraft, dubbed the crew exploration vehicle.

NASA plans a spacecraft that would initially take astronauts to and from orbit, but would later be capable of missions to the moon and Mars.

``Where else would you do the approach and landing testing of the CEV if not here?'' Griffin said.

Griffin also addressed upcoming job cuts at the space agency. At Dryden, officials expect about 140 jobs will be cut from the civil service staff of 568. Dryden officials believe the reductions will be achieved through voluntarily means, such as early retirements and interagency transfers.

Griffin said the job cuts at Dryden and other centers will be done humanely and with intelligence. Griffin said that in his own career, he has been forced out of a job on two occasions.

``I know from personal experience what it is like to have your career plans interrupted with the realities of life,'' Griffin said. ``I want to minimize that as much as possible for the folks at NASA.''

At the same time, however, people must realize that NASA is not a ``jobs program,'' Griffin said.

``The public has the right to expect that we do things that matter,'' Griffin said.

NASA's proposed budget for 2006 is $16.4 billion, up 2.4 percent from this year. However, the proposed budget cuts aeronautics research, which represents about 75 percent of Dryden's work.

The proposed budget includes $852 million for aeronautics research in 2006, but that number will drop to $718 million by 2010.

The cuts in aeronautics research has generated criticism from aeronautics advocates and members of Congress. A House Appropriations subcommittee unveiled its proposed NASA funding bill that restores approximately $54 million to aeronautics and directs the agency to develop a national aeronautics research policy.

Griffin said the agency is going to develop an aeronautics research policy regardless of whether that provision is included in whatever bill emerges out of Congress.

Before being appointed NASA administrator, Griffin served as the space department head of Johns Hopkins University's applied physics laboratory in Baltimore.

Prior to the Johns Hopkins post, Griffin was president and chief executive officer of In-Q-Tel, a private, nonprofit enterprise funded by the CIA to identify and invest in companies developing technologies that serve national security interests.

Griffin also held several positions with rocket builder Orbital Sciences Corp., a NASA contractor.

Jim Skeen, [phone]

james.skeen(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) New NASA head Mike Griffin, right, listens as research pilot Jim Smolka of the Dryden center, left, details a recent flight. Second from left is test range program manager Jerry McKeen and third from left is Dryden Director Kevin Petersen.

(2 -- color) New NASA Administrator Mike Griffin makes a point Wednesday during a town hall meeting with employees of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base.

(3 -- color) Mike Griffin, right, the new NASA administrator, talks with Dryden Director Kevin Petersen, left, and F15B project manager Stephen Corda.

NASA