Impending Hurricane Necessitates Closures/Caution

NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center was closed Friday, Aug. 29, due to the approach of Hurricane Gustav. Normal operations at the facility are expected to resume when conditions permit. Public tours to StenniSphere, the visitor center, from the Launch Pad at the I-10 Welcome Center in Hancock County, were also suspended Friday. When conditions allow, the visitor center will return to its regular hours of operation, Wednesday -- Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The public is reminded that Stennis Space Center is a government industrial complex. As such, the facility is not equipped to serve as a storm shelter.

NASA advised its staffers to enter into a "Modified" Level II condition. They were asked to:

• Review your Emergency Plans
• Identify any potential risks around work areas
• Fuel up the government vehicles and equipment
•  Check your call down lists By Close of Business
• Ensure all vital records are secured
• Ensure all portable pumps and generators are serviced and available
• Survey the interior and exterior of building to identify materials or equipment , which must be stored or tied down
• Ensure that valuable equipment/instruments are moved away from windows or covered when possible.

  

Additionally, NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans closed at midnight Saturday, Aug. 30, to all but essential support personnel because of the approach and expected landfall of Hurricane Gustav. All scheduled production activities have been canceled during the Labor Day holiday weekend. Michoud, as you may recall, suffered significant damage in Hurricane Katrina (shown above).

Michoud provides vital support to NASA's exploration and discovery missions. Its capabilities include the production of large aluminum and composite structures for aerospace and other applications, including exploration vehicles under development at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and other NASA field centers.

FMI: http://sscinfo.ssc.nasa.gov/eoc/bulletins/current.html, www.nasa.gov/eoc, www.mafstatus.com