NASA and SpaceX still targeting May for first crewed mission to space amid coronavirus pandemic

After six years of developing a new passenger spacecraft for NASA, SpaceX is finally on track to launch its very first crew to the International Space Station in mid-to-late May — but uncertainty surrounds the flight as the novel coronavirus pandemic worsens in the US. On Wednesday, NASA put out a call for press to cover the mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida, but if current restrictions remain in place over the next couple of months, changes will likely need to be made as the mission proceeds. Despite the pandemic, the mission itself is set to be historic. The last time astronauts launched to orbit from the United States was July 8th, 2011 — the last flight of NASA’s Space Shuttle.

Since then, NASA astronauts have relied on Russia’s Soyuz rocket to get to and from the International Space Station. Each seat on that vehicle costs the space agency more than $70 million. In order to move launches back to US soil, in 2014 NASA tasked two companies — Boeing and SpaceX — with developing private space capsules that can ferry astronauts to the ISS, part of an initiative called the Commercial Crew Program. Now, SpaceX is finally poised to launch its first human passengers on its new Crew Dragon vehicle, marking the first time a commercial vehicle has launched people to orbit.

NASA has been hyping this mission for years, but the timing is obviously unlucky. Companies and organizations across the US are telling employees to work from home, and NASA is no different. As of yesterday, all of NASA’s centers and facilities are requiring their employees to work from home, with an exception for personnel considered “mission-essential. ” NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley has even more stringent restrictions since two of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Meanwhile, SpaceX employees have been told they should stay home if they’re feeling sick, though SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has downplayed the risks associated with the virus. However, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine says the agency is still moving ahead with important missions, including SpaceX’s trip, which will carry NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS for a quick stay. But schedules are subject to change as the pandemic continues to worsen. One spaceport in South America has already suspended launches to protect its personnel and people living near the site.