While most NASA employees have been temporarily laid off following US Congress failure to pass the US budget for this year, some exemptions have been allowed. Just as police, military and other essential workers have been allowed to remain at work (and get paid) so NASA engineers working on the Mars Atmosphere And Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft have now been allowed back in preparation for its launch on 18 November approaches.
In fact, the launch window extends for 20 days but it has been deemed vital that he spacecraft is launched in this period as its trajectory relies on the current planetary alignment between Eartha nd Mars. The orbiter project is valued at $671 millon.
