NASA races to keep Artemis II on schedule, even when workers aren’t being paid

As the federal government remains partially shut down for nearly a month, NASA continues to forge ahead with its critical Artemis II mission. Despite the political stalemate in Washington, the agency's essential operations have not yet been disrupted. However, the situation could change soon, as federal employees and NASA contractors are facing unpaid work, even though their tasks have been deemed vital to the mission. Among those classified as essential are employees managing the International Space Station and overseeing NASA's robotic probes that explore the cosmos. At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, teams are diligently working to ensure that Artemis II stays on track for its launch slated for next February. In the past four weeks since the shutdown began, significant progress has been made, including the successful stacking of the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket within the expansive Vehicle Assembly Building. This achievement marks a crucial step in the assembly process for Artemis II. The Artemis II mission is set to be a groundbreaking endeavor, featuring the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket. During their 10-day journey, astronauts will conduct tests of the Orion crew capsule and navigate around the far side of the Moon before returning to Earth. This mission is pivotal as it lays the foundation for future crewed lunar landings. There is still much work to be accomplished, including final tests of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, astronaut training, and preparations for a fueling demonstration and launch countdown at Launch Complex 39B.