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How does the government affect space system engineers?

I have someone I know who told me that their job has had some cut backs because of the cut on defense budget. I don't understand how this can affect his career field. He works in the development of the GPS software. #science #law #government

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Jared’s Answer

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Hi Ricardo,


Sounds like the person you spoke with was working on GPS software for either: (1) a government department which is funded by the Defense budget, or (2) a company which was doing contracting work for a government department which is funded by the Defense budget. One thing to keep in mind is that the so-called "Defense budget" of the United States is used to pay for a wide variety of programs and departments - not necessarily just what you might consider "defensive" programs.


You should check out the origin of the GPS program. While GPS is used by civilians for navigation and tracking cell phones, it is also used by the military in far more significant ways (e.g., guidance, asset tracking, and a whole wide array of things about which I have no knowledge). The person you spoke with could be involved in using GPS for a Defense department purpose, either directly as a government employee or as a contractor.


You can learn more about the US Defense budget here and here. It looks based on that piece of analysis like the biggest pieces of the budget are for military spending and veterans. That includes the DoD, Atomic Energy Defense activities, and Defense-related activities


FYI, since you're interested in space, I'll mention that the NASA budget is not part of the Defense budget, but rather is part of the US Federal Budget category referred to as "discretionary spending". See here.

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Dongseuk’s Answer

The government's policy may affect many businesses both positive and negative not limited to GPS software industry. That is why many of businesses are having an expert and industry advocacy group to deliver industry's voice in creating better business friendly environment.
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Griselda’s Answer

Hey! That’s a great question. The government has a huge impact on space system engineers, especially those working on defense-related projects like GPS software. Since a lot of these projects are funded by government agencies—like the Department of Defense (DoD) or NASA—budget cuts can directly affect jobs in this field.

If the defense budget gets reduced, it means less funding for certain programs, which can lead to cutbacks in contracts, fewer new projects, and even layoffs. Your friend’s job is probably tied to a government-funded contract, so if there’s a budget reduction, the company he works for might have to scale back, delay projects, or even downsize teams.

GPS, in particular, is a system maintained by the U.S. military, and any changes in funding could impact the development of new features, cybersecurity improvements, or system maintenance. So, even though your friend isn’t in the military, his job is still affected by government decisions because his work depends on federal contracts.

It’s crazy how interconnected things are, but it’s a reminder that government policies don’t just affect politicians—they shape entire industries and careers. Hope that helps clear it up!

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