LONDON, February 11. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump’s executive orders and internal directives could put the safety of NASA crews in jeopardy and cloud the future of the space agency's operations, The Guardian wrote with reference to various sources.
According to the report, soon after Trump took office, NASA began rolling back programs on diversity, equality and inclusion. NASA staffers are worried not just about the cancellation of these programs, but also about the need to return to the office after remote work.
"Mission control already struggles with certifying and retaining flight controllers, but this is sure to make things worse. And with 24/7 ops for ISS, I worry they can’t take much more attrition and keep the consoles staffed around the clock," one source said.
Meanwhile, NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner commented on the situation by saying that "safety remains a top priority for the agency."
"We’re continually looking at our staffing to ensure the coverage required to keep our crews safe, while also working to adhere to new executive orders and other guidance from the Trump administration as quickly as possible," she was quoted as saying.
After his inauguration on January 20, US President Donald Trump signed a series of orders, including to shut down all inclusion and diversity programs across federal agencies. He also issued an order declaring that the United States will recognize only two genders, male and female. NBC News reported on January 23 that federal workers were instructed to report colleagues whose DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion) duties may have been obscured or disguised.