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While Indias Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) may have to do without Nasas communication and navigation support, the Indian Space Research Organisation maintains theres no change in the launch scheduled for October 28.
A US government official told TOI on Saturday that due to the government shutdown, Nasa is almost entirely closed except for vital operations. Speaking from Washington DC, Ryan, a US federal information officer said: Nasa is almost entirely shut down except for operations vital to the US like the space station and it will not undertake any programmes apart from those cleared already.
Asked about Isros MOM and Nasas co-operation with India, Ryan said: It will have to be postponed until there is further funding. There needs to be appropriation. That is the information I have been provided with.
Isro spokesperson Devi Prasad Karnik, however, said: I have spoken to the chairman (K Radhakrishnan) and he said as of now the programme will go on as per schedule. I cannot say if we have communicated with other agencies.
The Nasa decision puts MOM in a spot. According to a senior Indian scientist, Nasa had in the past few months inspected MOM equipment here and made the final arrangements.
Nasas deep space network facilities in Spain, Australia and the US are scheduled to provide navigation and tracking support. Isro, according to officials, is yet to try and seek help from other international agencies for similar support.
Nasa is sticking to the launch schedule of its Mars project MAVEN ( Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution). Theres reason to believe that its deep space network facilities will be functioning as theyre entirely automated. Nasa has asked 97% of its 18,000 employees to go on unpaid leave. The remaining are tasked with tracking, operating and keeping all of its critical operations functional, including MAVEN.
A US government official told TOI on Saturday that due to the government shutdown, Nasa is almost entirely closed except for vital operations. Speaking from Washington DC, Ryan, a US federal information officer said: Nasa is almost entirely shut down except for operations vital to the US like the space station and it will not undertake any programmes apart from those cleared already.
Asked about Isros MOM and Nasas co-operation with India, Ryan said: It will have to be postponed until there is further funding. There needs to be appropriation. That is the information I have been provided with.
Isro spokesperson Devi Prasad Karnik, however, said: I have spoken to the chairman (K Radhakrishnan) and he said as of now the programme will go on as per schedule. I cannot say if we have communicated with other agencies.
The Nasa decision puts MOM in a spot. According to a senior Indian scientist, Nasa had in the past few months inspected MOM equipment here and made the final arrangements.
Nasas deep space network facilities in Spain, Australia and the US are scheduled to provide navigation and tracking support. Isro, according to officials, is yet to try and seek help from other international agencies for similar support.
Nasa is sticking to the launch schedule of its Mars project MAVEN ( Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution). Theres reason to believe that its deep space network facilities will be functioning as theyre entirely automated. Nasa has asked 97% of its 18,000 employees to go on unpaid leave. The remaining are tasked with tracking, operating and keeping all of its critical operations functional, including MAVEN.
