The following is a statement from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility Director Robert Champion:
NASA leadership continues to make the health and safety of the Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) family the top priority. MAF will move to stage 4 of the NASA response framework due to the rising number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the local area, and to comply with all local and federal guidelines. While there are no confirmed cases at MAF, this step is being taken to help slow the transmission of COVID-19 and protect Michoud employees and their families.
Mandatory telework is in effect for ALL personnel until further notice, with the exception of limited personnel required to maintain the safety and security of the facility. All previously approved exceptions for onsite work are rescinded and new approvals will be required in order to gain access to the facility.
This includes that effective immediately NASA will temporarily suspend production and testing of the Space Launch System and Orion hardware.
The NASA and contractor teams will complete an orderly shutdown that puts all hardware in a safe condition until work can resume. Once this is complete, MAF personnel allowed onsite will be limited to those needed to protect life and critical infrastructure.
The facility will begin shutdown operations immediately. Additionally, all travel will be suspended. The status of the facility will be updated regularly and communicated to all employees. Please stay in close contact with your supervisor.
For all other MAF tenants and employees, access to the facility will be restricted to personnel required to protect life and critical infrastructure only, as defined in NASA’s response framework.
Please continue to pay attention to all communications from your supervisors, the agency, and our facility by visiting NASA People and MAFSpace for the latest information, as those sites are updated regularly. And again, I urge you to stay in contact with your supervisor.
Your leadership, NASA leadership, and each of us at Michoud are in this together. Please continue to take care of yourself and your families. Your health and the health of those around you are of the utmost importance.
Robert Champion
Director, Michoud Assembly Facility
Shannon Segovia
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-541-7698
shannon.segovia@nasa.gov