NASA Staff Horrified at Plan to Throw Out Incredibly Specialized Science Equipment Like Garbage

"As the US federal government's shutdown drags on, NASA staffers are raising concerns over a dozen buildings on its Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC) main campus in Maryland being emptied without notice. The campus serves as the headquarters for some extremely important missions, including NASA's Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. Highly specialized equipment is at risk of being thrown away like trash, according to internal communications reviewed by CNN."

"The closures could impact the launch of the JWST's successor, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, as well as its Dragonfly program, which is hoping to send a large helicopter to Saturn's largest moon - concerns that a NASA spokesperson has since denied. A NASA spokesperson told the broadcaster that the closures are all part of an existing "strategic consolidation" plan that shouldn't impact existing projects."

During the federal government shutdown, a dozen-plus buildings on NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center main campus are being emptied without notice, affecting over 100 laboratories across 13 buildings. The campus houses major missions including Hubble and James Webb. Highly specialized equipment, such as the ElectroMagnetic Anechoic Chamber (GEMAC) used for testing spacecraft antennas, faces potential loss or shuttering. Staffers warn that operational assets could be discarded and that closures may threaten access needed for planned missions, including potential impacts on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and Dragonfly program, though NASA describes the actions as strategic consolidation.

Read at Futurism