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The first reference ("Arrest authority") clearly states that to arrest someone, a NASA security officer (like any law enforcement officer) needs to have seen them commit an offense (crime). Unless you can point to a federal law that says deserting a civilian post at NASA is a federal offense, there would be no authority to arrest someone who does so. The worst you could do is fire them. (The most credible sounding crime I can think of that might apply here could be something like "obstructing a federal investigation".)


From the link you're referring to:

(3) The arresting officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing any felony cognizable under the laws of the United States.

Therefore, if you try to leave after being ordered to stay, during a crisis situation, without a valid reason, you should expect to be arrested and further dealt with.


What federal law says that leaving Mission Control during a crisis is a felony? What law says that you must do what your boss tells you? Law enforcement officers have to enforce laws. They don't just get to decide that people should act in a particular way.


I don't suppose "leaving mission control" in contravention of an order to stay during a crisis is, in and of itself, a felony.

What you're likely to find is an issue is that the security guards at NASA can arrest, if the links above are correct, and you're likely to fund yourself in a predicament if you try to leave and they don't want you to.

I'd imagine working at NASA, and at least some other space launch companies, especially those that provided services to government and defence agencies, come with additional conditions beyond what one might expect stacking shelves at a supermarket.




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