An internal document revealed that two confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the headquarters of SpaceX in California. Aside from affecting its workforce, the coronavirus outbreak is also causing issues for SpaceX's operations.
The report about SpaceX's confirmed cases was made by CNBC based on an internal memo. It is not yet clear when the company learned that the two individuals contracted the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Positive COVID-19 Cases At SpaceX HQ
According to the report, the two individuals are from SpaceX's head office in Hawthorne, California. One is an employee of SpaceX, while the other one is a staff member of the company's health service provider One Medical. In a statement to CNBC, One Medical noted that it had already reached out to staff members of SpaceX to inform them about the COVID-19 confirmed case. The company advised the employees to carry out self-quarantine procedures.
"One Medical proactively reached out to SpaceX employees who may have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive case," the company told CNBC via email. "Our clinical team advised these employees to self-quarantine while monitoring for symptoms related to coronavirus."
SpaceX's Response To COVID-19 Cases
Due to the confirmed cases at its headquarters, SpaceX has carried out the necessary protocols for its employees. In addition to staying at home to practice self-quarantine for 14 days, the company also started to hand out personal protective gear to its employees. SpaceX also started making its own hand sanitizers to protect its staff members from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Postponing Falcon 9's Upcoming Launch
Aside from having confirmed cases, nationwide and international travel restrictions have also affected the operations of SpaceX. The company was supposed to carry out its latest launch via the Falcon 9 rocket on March 30 for the deployment of the Argentine radar satellite SAOCOM 1B.
Unfortunately, due to travel restrictions, personnel from Argentina cannot travel to the US to prepare the satellite before the launch event, which was supposed to take place at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. As a result, SpaceX was forced to postpone the launch of the satellite, Space News reported.
