Wallops and Goddard to consolidate into fewer buildings at each site

By Linda Cicoira

     Goddard Space Flight Center and Wallops Island Flight Facility will transform their campuses this week by merging operations into fewer buildings at each site, according to a memo distributed Monday to colleagues of Raymond J. Rubilotta, associate director of the Greenbelt center.

     “As you know, the center has been working for many months now on various areas of transformation … for the future,” Rubilotta wrote. “Last week, agency leadership gave Goddard a green light to move forward with plans in one of these transformation areas – building occupancy and utilization at the Greenbelt and Wallops campuses.”

     “Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 24, we will initiate a series of moves at both campuses that will reduce our footprint into fewer buildings,” he continued. “This plan encompasses both office and technical space. We will bring down overall operating costs while maintaining the critical facilities we need for our core capabilities of the future.”

     In 2019, the center’s 20-year master plan was approved by NASA.

     “Our transformation efforts will leverage this plan, which builds on our competitive strengths and delivers on our role in advancing the agency’s priorities,” Rubilotta stated.

“Completion of this element of our overall center transformation is an absolute priority for Goddard Space Flight Center at Greenbelt and Wallops. Further, unlike previous large-scale center reconfigurations, which occurred over a number of years, all planned moves will take place over the next several months and will be completed by March of 2026.”

      Plan details will come from the Institutional Operations Council, “but we are sending this notice now because the first set of moves starts this week,” the letter stated.

      “Building a robust future for Goddard and Wallops is going to require a commitment to adapt and change from all of us. That begins now, and Cynthia, (presumed to be Cynthia Simmons, acting center director) and I look forward to your commitment and support.”