Government shutdown: What’s open, what’s closed at Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration furloughed more than 15,000 employees nationwide, with another 3,000 working without pay following the Wednesday morning shutdown of the federal government.

NASA outlined its shutdown plan in a memo from acting Chief Financial Officer Steve Shinn on Tuesday. Employees vital to International Space Station operations, Artemis program development operations and satellite operations will remain on the job.

Impact on Marshall Space Flight Center

Huntsville’s Marshall Space Flight Center – one of the agency’s largest field centers – manages parts of the programs that will remain in operation. The center employs about 6,000 people and also oversees an annual budget of about $5 billion worth of human spaceflight, science and technology development efforts for NASA.

The center manages the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where some of the largest parts of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis campaigns are made.

Although satellite operations will continue, the shutdown could cause delays or cancellations of future launches.

Activities that will cease during the shutdown include public access to NASA centers and facilities. Tours and public education visits to NASA Centers will be canceled.

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center serves as the visitor’s center for Marshall. Tours from the Space & Rocket Center to Marshall have been canceled but other Space & Rocket Center activities, including a camp this week for visually impaired students, are not affected, since it is a state agency, Space Center Senior Communication Director Patricia Ammons told AL.com.

NASA instructors will not be working in schools during the shutdown. The public will not have televised access to NASA operations and programming and NASA’s website will not be updated. Only research activities that align with presidential priorities or required by law will be carried out.

Impact on U.S. Space Command

U.S. Space Command sent a message through its Facebook page that military personnel will continue on duty without pay until a continuing resolution or appropriations are passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump.

Civilian personnel not engaged in excepted activities have been placed in non-work, non-pay status.

U.S. Space Command headquarters is in the initial stages of a move from Colorado Springs to Huntsville.

Arsenal activities

Gate operations at Redstone Arsenal will continue as normal but may change if the shutdown is prolonged. Police reports may be delayed as some security personnel has been furloughed.

According to a statement on the Team Redstone Facebook page, the One Stop’s ID Card Section will remain fully functional with requisite government oversite and facility access provided. It will be by appointment only Monday through Thursday, with walk-ins only on Friday. Appointments can be scheduled at: https://rsappts.cxmflow.com/.

The Alabama Department of Motor Vehicles (a state entity) will run as normal Tuesday through Thursday. One Stop provided Housing, Workforce Development, Retirement Services, Orders, and PCS processing will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Furloughed employees performing those functions may then be activated as needed, in support of mission essential requirements.

No Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation programs are affected by the government shutdown, except for Army Community Service, which will close.

Outdoor recreation, auto skills, Java Café, golf course, bowling, bingo, post restaurants, flying, indoor pool, gyms, library and childcare centers will be open and fully operational.

Civilian employees of the Religious Support Office are furloughed, but Chapel operations through the weekend are not affected. Operations may be reassessed next week, the arsenal said.

The Fox Army Health Center is fully operational to the extent of current supply stocks (medical/pharmacy) and funding holds. Operations will be reassessed next week. There will also be no impact on the PX/Commissary in the short term.

The food trucks that come to various buildings will not return to post during furlough. However, the NASA food truck corral on the corner of Martin and Rideout roads will operate as normal as long as there are customers.

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