Do they still get paid?
The laid-off boffins and so on.
I expect that the answer is "no".
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy maiden launch, pencilled in for the end of this month, is set to be delayed due to the ongoing US government shutdown. Since Friday night, all federal agencies have suspended non-essential work as congressfolk bicker over budget cuts, increases, and allocations. The Senate today inched closer to passing a …
...all the civilian contractors and support don't (at least the ones that can't hide the extra billable hours)
This is simply not the case. If the contract calls for you to be there, you will report to work and get paid for it. Remember that contractors get paid by the company they work for which in turn is paid by the government in advance. As long as there are funds in the coffers, then pay will go out. The exceptions are in situations where physical access or direct government supervision is required to perform the job when those things are not available and when a shutdown goes on long enough that the company no longer can pay the employees.
For most IT work during this recent shutdown, contractors worked remotely and did not need direct supervision to function, so life went on relatively normally.
Falcon Heavy: 63.8 tons to LEO
Energia: 100 tons to LEO
Saturn V: 140 tons to LEO
"The heavily delayed Falcon Heavy, which will be the most powerful commercial rocket yet flown". Cute, real cute. The word "commercial" quite clearly was put on purpose there. A marketing purpose.
It's worth pointing out that Falcon Heavy isn't just designed for LEO.
Neither was Saturn V...
Saturn V could carry 140 tons, but couldn't carry it very far.
Both being LEO figures, Saturn V could lift 140 tonnes precisely as far as Falcon Heavy is designed to lift 64 tonnes.
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If it wasn't for the hundreds of thousands of US government workers who now have to wonder how they're going to pay the bills on time. The next pay check might come to late, and banks don't really care about shutdowns. This situation sucks for all those who do anything actually useful. Let's hope the "people" at the top levels can figure it out soon.
=> I wonder if those guys are flying...