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Musk posted a brief series of tweets overnight, stating that he has had “mild sniffles,” a “cough” and a “slight fever” the past few days. He added that he expects to get the results of a PCR test – which are known to be more accurate than the type of rapid test Musk said he performed – within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Musk’s tweets echoed across the country at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where four astronauts prepare to travel into space aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on Saturday.
NASA chief Jim Bridenstine, who was scheduled to hold a routine press conference on Friday morning, said that according to NASA policies, Musk should be in quarantine and SpaceX should attempt to determine who might have come in contact with Musk. But it was not yet clear whether Saturday’s mission will be affected by the news.
“This news just came out ahead of this press conference,” Bridenstine said, adding that he last spoke with Musk two days ago. “So with regard to any contact with the [astronaut] crew, I’m not aware of it. This contact tracing should be underway now. “
When asked if the uncertainty surrounding Musk’s diagnosis could delay the SpaceX mission, Bridenstine replied, “If there are any adjustments to be made, we will make them.”
It is not clear if SpaceX has already started contact tracing efforts. The company did not respond to CNN Business’s requests for comment, and SpaceX also did not respond to CNN Business’s email or phone requests in about six months.
Astronauts who are scheduled to fly on Saturday are unlikely to be in danger, Bridenstine added. Even before the pandemic, NASA said astronauts were following pre-flight quarantine rules to ensure they were not carrying disease into space, where viruses and bacteria could spread rapidly among members. crew packed in a spaceship. NASA has also implemented more stringent measures in response to Covid-19, but the astronauts have remained with their family members and will need to be near some NASA and SpaceX employees on launch day.
But it’s also unclear how a positive diagnosis for Musk could impact the ground crews needed to oversee the weekend launch. Musk is frequently found at SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California, which also houses SpaceX’s Mission Control Center. It is unclear when Musk last had contact with key SpaceX or NASA personnel who will have to report to work this weekend.
Why Musk’s tests may have been wrong
According to Musk’s tweets, he expects to receive the results of his PCR test on Friday evening. He also noted that he is currently not showing symptoms, although he “has taken NyQuil”.
Two NASA spokespersons declined to comment on the status of the SpaceX mission beyond what Bridenstine told reporters. However, officials at SpaceX and NASA in Florida are expected to hold another routine press conference this afternoon to share updates on the checks they perform on the SpaceX rocket and spacecraft.
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