NASA has decided to shut down the production of its deep-space rocket, and a crew capsule as two of centers start with the Stage 4 of the agency's "Response Framework" amid the coronavirus pandemic, which is the last stage and the strictest.
NASA's Two Center Brought to Stage 4
According to a report by The Verge, NASA has heightened the restrictions at the Michoud Assembly Facility located in Louisiana as well as at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi as a response to the alarming rate of COVID-19 cases in the United States.
NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a post that the change in Stennis is due to the rising numbers of coronavirus cases around the center, as well as the number of employees and staff that are under self-isolation.
Additionally, one member of the Stennis team has also previously tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease.
Meanwhile, there are still no confirmed cases in Michoud, but the agency still decided to move the center to Stage 4 due to the rising number of cases in the local area and to follow the local and federal guidelines.
What Happens at Stage 4?
Stage 4 of the "Response Framework" of the agency means telework is mandatory.
Additionally, all facilities will be closed, travels are suspended, and meetings will happen virtually.
Along with the Research Center located in Silicon Valley, there are currently three centers at Stage 4, while the rest of NASA's centers are still in Stage 3, which only allows access and travels for mission-essential personnel.
All these are taken to help slow the transmission of COVID-19 and keep NASA's workforce and the communities safe.
"We realize there will be impacts on NASA missions, but as our teams work to analyze the full picture and reduce risks, we understand that our top priority is the health and safety of the NASA workforce," Bridenstine wrote.
Shutting Down Production for the SLS
Since both Michoud and Stennis are essential for the production of NASA's Space Launch System or the SLS, production on the agency's next big rocket is also halted.
The cores of the rocket are being made in Michoud by a team of NASA personnel, as well as Boeing employees, which is the rocket's main contractor, while the first completed core is currently at Stennis where it will undergo a ground test later this year.
The test is highly significant as it's meant to pave the way for the SLS's inaugural launch that is slated to happen in 2021.
SLS is a critical part of NASA's Artemis program or "humanity's return to the moon."
According to NASA, the Artemis program aims to bring the first woman and the next man to the moon by 2024, establish sustainable exploration by 2028, and send the first astronauts to Mars in the future.
Nevertheless, the SLS has long been overdue, facing delays and cost overruns even before the arrival of the novel coronavirus.
It was initially scheduled to launch in 2017 but was moved to 2021.
