NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston closed at 2 p.m. EDT Wenesday due to the threat posed to the Houston- Galveston area by Hurricane Rita. A small, emergency rideout crew will remain on site.

The center will not reopen until the storm threat has passed.

Johnson Space Center is the home to NASA astronauts and is responsible for their training. Johnson's Mission Control Center directs all space shuttle missions and manages all activity onboard the International Space Station.

Primary flight control of the station will transition to the Russian Mission Control Center in Korolev, outside Moscow. As usual, a group of NASA flight controllers is positioned at the Russian control center to assist with operations. Also, an advisory group of flight controllers will provide operations assistance from a remote location. All station systems are operating normally, and the crew has been informed of the plans for Johnson Space Center's closure.

Employees have been working for the past couple of days to protect important documents and equipment at the center. NASA aircraft are being moved to El Paso, Texas, as part of the center's hurricane preparations.

FMI: www.nasa.gov/rita