Frances Damages NASA Space Center

[salvorhardin]

Frances Damages NASA Space Center
By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Hurricane Frances did more damage to the Kennedy Space Center than any other storm in history, tearing an estimated 1,000 exterior panels from a giant building where spaceships are assembled, officials said Monday.

No space shuttles were inside the 525-foot-high building, a familiar landmark at the space center. But center director James Kennedy said he feared the damage could set back NASA (news - web sites)'s effort to resume shuttle launches next spring.

Monday marked the first time anyone from NASA had seen the damage from the storm because the agency completely evacuated the space center — the first time NASA made such a move.

The holes left by the missing panels created 40,000 square feet of "open window" on two sides of the building, Kennedy said. Each aluminum panel measures 4 feet by 10 feet.

<snip>

Monday's preliminary look indicates that the shuttle hangars and the spaceships themselves, grounded since last year's Columbia disaster, were not damaged at all, Kennedy said. Neither was the building that houses all the international space station parts awaiting launch.

Workers had yet to inspect the two shuttle launch pads, located right on the beach.

But in a potential blow to NASA's return-to-flight effort, part of the roof came off the building where the shuttles' thermal tiles are made. The silica glass fiber tiles cover much of the exterior of each spaceship and protect against the heat of re-entry. There was extensive water damage inside that structure, Kennedy said.
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[wrang_wrang]

1. This would be a bad thing if NASA wasn't militarized

Launching the Pentagon satellites that are used to target civilian infrastructure and cities around the world for US cruise missile attacks.

[BeFree]

2. Missiles first

You can bet that they'll fix those buildings before granny gets her roof fixed.

It's the missiles before people campaign, stupid!

[Warpy]

3. I've been inside that building, and it's pretty impressive

It's an entirely empty interior, top to bottom, with staging on all sides, used to assemble the big lunar landing rockets in the 60s and early 70s. The space is so huge that there have been reports of rain producing clouds near the ceiling. I was impressed.

The satellites are assembled in national labs around the country. That building is where the rockets themselves are assembled. They're not all military, by the way; some of them allowed that hurricane to be forecast more accurately.

[derby378]

4. Saw the November 2000 ENDEAVOUR launch there

Hate to heard they've taken damage, but I'm not too surprised. I just hope they get what they need to start working again.

[steely]

5. I used to hear a rumor that NASA selected that site specifically

because the threat (historical or otherwise) of huricanes was low. (On edit: as far as places in FL go). Always wondered if it was just local folklore.

[maine_raptor]

6. Local Folklore

Cape Canaveral started out as a test site for weapons during WWII (mostly Army Air Corps). It was used as a spot to test captured German V-1 Buzz Bombs after WWII and became a NASA launch site after the agency was first formed.