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While SpaceX founder Elon Musk faces strong criticism for calling stay-at-home “fascists”, officials representing his space company and NASA are trying to allay fears about the coronavirus. They said Friday that in the run-up to a historic space launch scheduled for May 27, they are employing additional security measures to keep their two astronauts, mission control crews, and the spacecraft virus free.
This revelation comes despite Musk’s repeated statements and tweets criticizing county authorities in California in the United States after authorities extended orders to stay home to combat the COVID-19 pandemic through Dec. 31. may.
Starting Tuesday night, Musk, who is also the CEO of California-based Tesla, kicked off his current storm on Twitter, tweeting, “Give people back their freedom!” That was followed on Wednesday by an expletive tirade on Telsa’s earnings call.
During a NASA press conference call on Thursday, when a journalist asked NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine to comment on Musk’s statements on social distancing orders, Musk reportedly intervened, before Bridenstine could respond, and told the journalist, “wrong press conference.” “
In March, at least a dozen SpaceX employees were quarantined due to their exposure to COVID-19.
In just a few short weeks, NASA and SpaceX plan to launch NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley in a Crew Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center – the first time humans will take off from the States. United from NASA’s shuttle program. He was arrested nine years ago.
Behnken and Hurley’s flight, Demo-2 Mission, is a final test before the Crew Dragon spacecraft is certified for human space flight. Once they reach orbit, the astronauts will connect with the International Space Station (ISS) and join NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Roscosmos cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner for a stay of up to 119 days.
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken, left, and Doug Hurley, right, dressed in SpaceX space suits, walk through the crew access arm that connects the launch tower to the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft during a dress rehearsal at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. [File: SpaceX]
Astronauts typically undergo a two-week quarantine before launching into the ISS to ensure they don’t bring contagion, as was the case with Cassidy, Ivanishin, and Vagner prior to their launch on April 9.
As Behnken and Hurley enter their mandatory quarantine on May 16, SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell said at a press conference on Friday that stricter precautions have been taken to protect astronauts from the COVID pandemic. -19.
“We have had Bob and Doug here to train,” Shotwell said. “We make sure that only essential personnel are close to them. They wear masks and gloves. We are cleaning the training facilities twice a day.”
She said: “To a large extent we are doing the same for our employees. We are nothing if our employees are not in good health and cannot work with a clear mind and a healthy system. So we are taking temperatures.” we are wearing masks in public areas. We are also socially distanced. We have at least half of our engineering staff working from home. “
Since California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide refugee order on March 19, SpaceX has remained open because it is a United States defense contractor and is therefore considered an essential business.
At a separate press conference on Friday, Steve Stich, deputy director of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, said: “Obviously with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking extra precautions for all teams supporting the launch and all phases of the flight. “
He said, “So, in the various control rooms, we have arranged those rooms to be at least six feet [two metres] anyone in a console looking at screens. “
Precautions go far beyond providing disinfectant and masks. Stitch said that starting about two weeks ago, all on-site staff who have and will continue to participate in launch simulations and the launch itself must comply with the new precautions, which also include some employees who work from home.
The next launch simulation is scheduled for Monday, May 4.
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