Nasa closed: Who is looking after the Space Station, and astronauts?

Nasa is currently shut down as a result of the US government shutdown, raising urgent questions about who is managing essential space operations like the International Space Station (ISS).

With over 15,000 Nasa employees furloughed and nearly all routine activities halted, only a core group of “excepted” personnel remains on the job to ensure the safety of astronauts and critical hardware.

According to Nasa’s official contingency plans, the agency suspends day-to-day operations and scientific work until new funding is approved by Congress.

There has been no update on Nasa's social media pages or the official blog regarding the research or the health of the astronauts currently aboard the Space Station. The last update was on September 30, a day before the shut down kicked in.

However,