efficacious immediately , NASA is halt the production and testing of its next - gen rocket and crew faculty in response to the covid-19 pandemic . The place agency wants to utilize both pieces of computer hardware in 2024 , when it desire to land American cosmonaut to the Moon — a target escort that now seems to be in serious risk .
Updates from NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine have been steady over the retiring several daylight , as the outer space agency ( and everyone else in the world ) scurry to deal with the covid-19 pandemic . In the former move , the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi have been escalated to Stage 4 in NASA ’s four - tierResponse Framework , according to astatementput out by the NASA chieftain yesterday . The move goes into effect as of today , March 20 .
The means all NASA employees who work at these two quickness must now telecommute , except for employees with caper related to base hit and security . locomotion has also been suspend . These movement are plan to slow the spread of SARS - CoV-2 , the virus that causes covid-19 .
Conceptual image of the SLS rocket, which is scheduled to return American astronauts to the Moon in 2024.Image: (NASA)
“ The variety at Stennis was made due to the rising number of covid-19 cases in the community around the center , the number of ego - isolation cases within our work force there , and one confirmed case among our Stennis team , ” tell Bridenstine . “ While there are no confirmed face at Michoud , the adeptness is moving to microscope stage 4 due to the rising number of covid-19 cases in the local area , in accordance with local and federal guidelines . ”
The Stage 4 military rating also means that NASA will have to temporarily halt the construction and testing of its upcomingSpace Launch System(SLS)—a powerful rocket that ’s designed to deliver astronauts to the Moon and Mars . developing will also stop for NASA’sOrionspacecraft and related ironware . SLS and Orion are two vital components of theArtemis lunar program , which seek to regress American astronauts to the Moon in 2024 .
As Bridenstine explained in his command , NASA will perform a systematic shutdown of both project , in which the unfinished ironware will be placed in a safe state until work can resume . Once this roll - down is complete , the only personnel who will be permit at either Michoud or Stennis will be staffers responsible for protect lifespan and decisive base , as per the Stage 4 road map .
Conceptual image of the Orion spacecraft, as it will be used during the Artemis lunar program.Image: (NASA )
It ’s early yet , but these disruptions could flip a major wrench into the Artemis programme and the 2024 timeline , as mandated by the Trump Administration . This timeline wasalreadyindoubt , but covid-19 could be the terminal accelerator that forces officials to re - designate 2028 as the target class for landing on the Moon .
“ We realize there will be encroachment to NASA mission , but as our teams influence to analyze the full pic and reduce peril we understand that our top priority is the wellness and safety of the NASA workforce , ” explain Bridenstine .
Gizmodo contact NASA to find out if other projects are being affected by the moves denote yesterday . A spokesman for the representation said the SLS and Orion disruptions are the only ones to report at this time , but more information may become available afterward today as covid-19 is have things to change “ very rapidly , ” he said .
https://gizmodo.com/heres-how-covid-19-could-impact-upcoming-nasa-missions-1842361038
On Monday , NASAannouncedthe escalation of all facilities to a Stage 3 valuation , leave in disturbance to several projects . As Gizmodoreported , affected project includedDynamics and Chemistry of the Summer Stratosphere , or DCOTTS ( a project that uses aircraft to canvas the alchemy and composing of the upper atmosphere),DeltaX(an airborne and field of operations view of the Mississippi River Delta ) , andSub - Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment , or S - MODE ( a project that studies the effects of the ocean on clime ) .
Meanwhile , work on NASA’sMars Perseverance roveris retain apace . In the in vogue milestone for the mission , the rover wasfittedwith its Sample Handling System , which will allow the six - wheel probe to extract Martian airfoil samples and store them for future commission to retrieve and ferry to Earth . That said , these components were instal on March 7 and March 11 , which already seem like an timeless existence ago .
“ Currently , the coronavirus has not impacted the Mars Perseverance roamer launching schedule , ” according to the NASApress release . “ Launch preparations are cover . ”
If the situation stick around this way — a immense “ if ” at this peak — the Perseverance rover will launch at some full point in late July or other August of this yr . But with all that ’s going on around the world right now , we ’re not holding our breathing spell .
ultimately , NASA and SpaceX arestill planningto set up the Demo-2 test in early May , which will involve two NASA cosmonaut . If successful , the test could intend that NASA has finally regained its ability to plunge spaceman into space from its own grunge — something the infinite bureau has n’t been able to do since the retirement of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011 .
ArtemisCOVID-19NASAScience
Daily Newsletter
Get the best tech , scientific discipline , and culture news program in your inbox day by day .
News from the time to come , delivered to your present .
You May Also Like
