Even though the lockdown measures have resulted in vacant office buildings, restaurants, and factories, the Unites States space industry has continued taking up challenges. For example, Elon Musk’s SpaceX is currently testing the capabilities of its Starship spacecraft, which is thought to be the rocket that will manage to send the first crewed mission to the surface of Mars.
Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are still conducting their research that aims to implement the outer space tourism one day. In addition to this, some start-ups are working on their prototypes that could reach the Universe one day.
The space industry in the United States was reported as a “critical infrastructure” by the government during the COVID-19 guidelines that were implemented in March. NASA’s Department of Defense has requested from their private-sector partners to continue researching on their most essential programs.
The Evolution of Space Activities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Therefore, the upcoming Artemis program that aims to send one man and the first woman to the Moon with the help of SpaceX is still under development. In light of the recent events, NASA and the military force have already postponed a series of projects, such as the launch of GPS satellites with the help of SpaceX rocket.
The space companies have declared that their work can continue without harming the health of the employees. Most of the people are working from the comfort of their house, while the others that are involved with the testing procedures follow the social distancing guidelines.
The US Air Force, in partnership with the Space Force, is focusing on creating a safe environment for the creation of cutting-edge space inventions. The US military force is looking deep into this matter since the officials believe that the outer space will be the upcoming war domain. In addition to this, the tensions have already started between the United States, Russia, and China.
