How would a government shutdown affect NASA?

NASA is bracing for the possibility of a federal government shutdown if Congress fails to pass a funding bill –– a recurring crisis that grinds activity to a halt across most civilian agencies in the U.S.

A government shutdown would force NASA to scale back most of its activities, sending the majority of its workforce home without pay. Only a small number of essential personnel would remain, tasked with protecting mission-critical assets such as spacecraft in orbit, astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and other safety operations, while most research and development would come to a halt.

NASA’s contingency plan, as outlined in its shutdown FAQs from 2018, emphasizes that only "activities which are necessary to prevent harm to life or property" are exempt from being aff