NASA furloughs 15,000, maintains Artemis moon missions amid government shutdown

The U.S. government shutdown has led NASA to furlough about 15,000 employees, significantly impacting many of its operations amid ongoing budget cuts. However, the Artemis program, NASA's lunar exploration initiative, has been deemed essential and continues to operate with over 3,000 workers maintaining critical tasks, including preparations for the Artemis II crewed lunar orbit mission and Artemis III's planned moon landing in 2027. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy emphasized the Artemis program as a national security priority to beat China to the moon, underscoring the geopolitical stakes involved. During the shutdown, Artemis workers, including those contracted by SpaceX and Blue Origin, have been required to work without immediate pay, with NASA promising compensation once funding resumes. Despite these protective measures for Artemis, other NASA science programs face severe funding reductions under the current administration's budget proposal, which could hinder future research and missions. The shutdown also suspends routine NASA functions, though essential operations like International Space Station monitoring continue.