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Author
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Topic: U.S. federal government shutdown (Oct 2025)
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 55335
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-01-2025 09:44 AM
   
At midnight EDT this morning (Oct. 1), the U.S. federal government began to shutdown after a deadlocked Congress failed to reach a deal on funding. Updates relevant to this community will be posted below. NASA - Aside from brief activity needed the first day for an orderly suspension of operations, for NASA almost all "excepted employees" are those involved in protection of life or property.
NASA's plan recognizes that the excepted activities include the following: Space launch hardware processing activities which are necessary to prevent harm to life or property; Tracking, operation, and support of the International Space Station (ISS) and operating satellites necessary for safety and protection of life and property; Completion or phasedown of research activities in cases where serious damage to property would result from temporary suspension of the activity. - NASA will not be updating its website so long as the shutdown continues.
- The news conference scheduled for today (Oct. 1) highlighting astronaut Chris Williams' upcoming Soyuz mission has been cancelled.
Museums and visitor centers - Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex remains open for visitors during the government shutdown. Special interest tours and the KSC Bus Tours will remain fully operational.
- Space Center Houston is open. Exhibits, experiences, and Tram Tours are running as usual, though VIP tours are temporarily paused.
- The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum will remain open through at least Monday (Oct. 6). The Smithsonian will use prior-year funds still available to remain open.
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 55335
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-04-2025 09:54 AM
Updates: - The National Air and Space Museum is open today and will remain open now through its scheduled closing time on Saturday, Oct. 11. If the government shutdown continues past Oct. 11, all Smithsonian locations will be closed beginning on Sunday, Oct. 12.
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garymilgrom
Member Posts: 2148
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 10-04-2025 04:44 PM
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) has this posted on the page that usually hosts the pictures. Due to the lapse in federal government funding, NASA is not updating this website. We sincerely regret this inconvenience. |
Joel Katzowitz
Member Posts: 904
From: Marietta GA USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 10-05-2025 08:08 AM
Viewing the APOD website is one of the few, maybe the only, website I can visit daily without any political commentary or fallout. I hope the shutdown ends soon!!! |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3889
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 10-05-2025 02:51 PM
Do we know whether the shutdown might delay Artemis 2? If a brief delay would not cause a delay, at what point in the future would a continuing shutdown result in a delay? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 55335
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-05-2025 04:06 PM
The Artemis program and, in particular, preparations to launch Artemis II, was deemed essential work and so has not halted due to the government shutdown. Activities at Johnson Space Center and Kennedy Space Center continue as planned. |
Blackarrow
Member Posts: 3889
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 10-05-2025 08:37 PM
That's good to know. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 55335
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-08-2025 10:18 AM
The Wings Over Houston air show, held annually at Ellington Field, is scheduled for Oct. 18 to 19 this year. If the federal government is still shutdown... ...all military and federal government assets, including ground display aircraft and military performers, will not attend the 2025 Wings Over Houston Airshow. Assets include the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, NASA aircraft, and single-ship military demonstration teams. If the government reopens within the next week, full participation is expected. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 55335
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-10-2025 03:14 PM
Update from the Smithsonian: Due to the government shutdown, we are temporarily closed beginning on Sunday, Oct. 12, along with Smithsonian museums, research centers, and the National Zoo. We will update our operating status as soon as the situation is resolved. |
SpaceAngel
Member Posts: 556
From: Maryland
Registered: May 2010
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posted 10-11-2025 02:36 PM
How will we see the launch of the upcoming Soyuz to the ISS w/o NASA+? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 55335
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-11-2025 04:49 PM
The Soyuz MS-28 launch is not until late November (at earliest). If the U.S. government is not back open by then, the Roscosmos TV YouTube channel is always available (as will be the case for the Expedition 73 Russian EVA on Thursday [Oct. 16]).The channel's audio is in Russian, but you can still watch. |
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