NASA Installs Orion on SLS Amid Government Shutdown

NASA has successfully mounted the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, onto the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis 2 mission, proceeding with preparations despite the ongoing government shutdown.

Sean Duffy, NASA's acting administrator, announced on social media on October 20 that Orion was "fully attached" to the SLS inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center.

Orion was moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building on October 16 after completing work at another facility, which included the installation of its launch abort system.

Duffy stated, "The last major hardware component before Artemis II launches early next year has been installed."

Despite the government shutdown that began on October 1, NASA has received White House approval to continue Artemis 2 preparations. Duffy emphasized the importance of maintaining progress in space exploration, stating, "We worked really hard with President Trump to make sure we don't delay in a space race. We want to make sure that NASA and the critical missions like Artemis, we have our NASA scientists and technicians still working on the project."

NASA officials had anticipated continuing launch preparations during a shutdown, citing precedents from previous instances. Lakiesha Hawkins, acting deputy associate administrator in NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, noted in September that the agency has been able to get exceptions for "safety-critical" activities like launch preparations in past shutdowns.

The agency's "continuity of appropriations" plan outlines that work will continue to "protect production of elements of Artemis II and III and related activities" and to "maintain processing and supply chain safety" for later missions.

At the Kennedy Space Center, where Artemis 2 launch preparations are taking place, 989 of the center's 2,075 civil servants are excepted from furloughs, although they are currently not being paid. In contrast, at NASA's Langley Research Center, only 34 of its 1,756 civil servants are excepted from furloughs, according to the NASA plan updated September 29.

While work continues on Artemis 2, public communication about the mission is limited due to the shutdown. The American Astronautical Society's Von Braun Space Exploration Symposium, scheduled for October 27 through 29 in Huntsville, Alabama, had planned a panel discussion on Artemis 2 featuring program leadership. An updated version of the conference agenda released October 20 no longer includes that panel, and other NASA officials who were scheduled to participate in the event are also no longer on the agenda.