NASA is racing against time to keep the Artemis II mission on schedule despite thousands of workers not receiving paychecks due to the ongoing government shutdown. The Orion spacecraft and its Space Launch System rocket are nearing completion, with crews at Kennedy Space Center in Florida making steady progress since the shutdown began over a month ago.
The Artemis II mission is set for an early next year launch date, but the lack of paychecks among workers could impact the schedule. Workers classified as essential, such as those operating and safeguarding the International Space Station, are still reporting to work despite not receiving their salaries. However, even with these dedicated employees continuing their critical tasks, inefficiencies caused by the shutdown may ultimately affect the mission's timeline.
Lockheed Martin vice president and program manager for Orion Kirk Shireman expressed concern that the prolonged shutdown will have a significant impact on the Artemis II mission. While some companies may be able to continue working despite not receiving paychecks, small businesses and those without capitalized resources are at risk of financial difficulties due to delayed payments.
Shireman drew parallels between the current shutdown and his experience during a 35-day government shutdown in late 2018 and early 2019 when he worked on the International Space Station program. He emphasized that NASA must maintain continuous operations to protect the lives of astronauts living and working on the space station.
Despite these concerns, Shireman is urging Congress to take action and find solutions to resolve the shutdown as soon as possible. With the Artemis II mission just weeks away from its launch date, the government's delay in resolving the shutdown has significant implications for the success of this historic mission.
The Artemis II mission is set for an early next year launch date, but the lack of paychecks among workers could impact the schedule. Workers classified as essential, such as those operating and safeguarding the International Space Station, are still reporting to work despite not receiving their salaries. However, even with these dedicated employees continuing their critical tasks, inefficiencies caused by the shutdown may ultimately affect the mission's timeline.
Lockheed Martin vice president and program manager for Orion Kirk Shireman expressed concern that the prolonged shutdown will have a significant impact on the Artemis II mission. While some companies may be able to continue working despite not receiving paychecks, small businesses and those without capitalized resources are at risk of financial difficulties due to delayed payments.
Shireman drew parallels between the current shutdown and his experience during a 35-day government shutdown in late 2018 and early 2019 when he worked on the International Space Station program. He emphasized that NASA must maintain continuous operations to protect the lives of astronauts living and working on the space station.
Despite these concerns, Shireman is urging Congress to take action and find solutions to resolve the shutdown as soon as possible. With the Artemis II mission just weeks away from its launch date, the government's delay in resolving the shutdown has significant implications for the success of this historic mission.
thousands of workers not gettin paid is already a huge bummer, but add to that the fact they still gotta keep workin & operate critical systems like the ISS... its just too much 
I mean Kirk Shireman's right tho, NASA needs 2 find a way outta this ASAP or it'll definitely impact the launch date. And can u imagine if small businesses & startups struggle w/ delayed payments? 
It's not just about the mission, it's about people's livelihoods too 
. I mean, thousands of workers aren't getting paid and you expect them to just keep going? It's like asking a team of highly trained athletes to perform without rest or resources - it's not gonna end well 
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. Thousands of workers are still not getting their paychecks and it's a huge disruption to the timeline. I mean, can you imagine having to launch a spacecraft without making sure all the essential crew members are taken care of? It's like putting lives at risk unnecessarily 
. The gov't needs to step up and sort this out ASAP, or it could jeopardize the entire mission 
. NASA's got a reputation to uphold, after all! 
. Can't we just find a way to resolve this quickly so NASA can get on with the mission?! 
. We need Congress to step in and fix this ASAP! 
let's hope Congress can sort this out ASAP before Artemis II launch date is at risk 
. And Kirk Shireman makes a good point that small businesses might struggle because of delayed payments 
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And Kirk Shireman is worried about the impact on the Artemis II mission? Dude, it's not just about the mission, it's about these workers gettin' paid for their work! 
avg NASA dev salary: $143k/year 
but workers like astronauts on ISS r still reporting to work despite no paychecks 
NASA's Artemis II mission will have to push back launch date if shutdown doesn't get resolved ASAP 
6/10 Orion components are completed 
45% of NASA workforce still impacted by shutdown 
. Can't they find a way to work this out ASAP? 
I'm getting so frustrated with NASA's situation right now... thousands of workers not gettin' paid because of a government shutdown? Are they kidding me?! 
. And now, NASA's on edge because of it. I'm all for the Artemis II mission, but can't they prioritize their employees' well-being over this? 
Small businesses are already struggling, and delayed payments will only make things worse 
. They're working hard to keep the mission on schedule despite the shutdown's inefficiencies. But I gotta agree with him - NASA needs to find a solution ASAP! The lives of those astronauts living on the space station are at risk, and that's just not right