Station, satellite get image of Frances as NASA prepares for Storm

Melissa Mathews/Gretchen Cook-Anderson
Headquarters, Washington August 31, 2004
(Phone: 202/358-1272, -0836)

Mike Rein
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone: 281/483-5111)

NOTE TO EDITORS: N04-131

STATION, SATELLITE GET IMAGES OF FRANCES AS NASA PREPARES FOR
STORM

NASA is keeping a close watch over Hurricane Frances as
it churns toward the United States. International Space
Station cameras are capturing spectacular images of the storm
from above. On the Florida coast, NASA's Kennedy Space Center
(KSC) is making preparations to protect the Space Shuttle
fleet, spacecraft hardware, and facilities against damage.

Video of Hurricane Frances taken by external television
cameras aboard the Space Station at about 7:30 a.m. EDT today
vividly depicts a classically shaped storm in the Atlantic
Ocean. The video, along with additional views captured during
the weekend, is airing on the NASA TV Video File throughout
the day. NASA will release new footage of Frances as it
becomes available.

NASA also has still images of the storm, taken by Astronaut
Mike Fincke aboard the International Space Station, as well
as NASA's Terra satellite. They're available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/loo...h/frances.html

At KSC, workers are powering down the Space Shuttle orbiters,
closing their payload bay doors and stowing their landing
gear. They are also taking precautions against flooding by
moving spacecraft hardware off the ground and sandbagging
facilities. NASA plans to release video of these activities
beginning tomorrow.

NASA TV is available on the Web and via satellite, in the
continental U.S. on AMC-6, Transponder 9C, C-Band, located at
72 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz.
Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.
In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA TV is available on AMC-7,
Transponder 18C, C-Band, located at 137 degrees west
longitude. Frequency is 4060.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical,
and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.


-end-


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---------------------------

Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info

"Jacques van Oene" wrote in message
...

On the Florida coast, NASA's Kennedy Space Center
(KSC) is making preparations to protect the Space Shuttle
fleet, spacecraft hardware, and facilities against damage.

Yesterday it was sorta like an anthill that had been kicked. Orderly but
purposeful.
If it ain't tied down, chuck it in the VAB...

Is the VAB secure against these recent super storms?

I'd hate to see a chunk of it come down inside.

Brian

--

Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
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"Tim K." wrote in message
om...

"Jacques van Oene" wrote in message
...

On the Florida coast, NASA's Kennedy Space Center
(KSC) is making preparations to protect the Space Shuttle
fleet, spacecraft hardware, and facilities against damage.

Yesterday it was sorta like an anthill that had been kicked. Orderly but
purposeful.
If it ain't tied down, chuck it in the VAB...




---
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"Tim K." wrote

If it ain't tied down, chuck it in the VAB...

What are they doing with the Titan IV B and the Delta IV Heavy?

On Wed, 01 Sep 2004 11:12:35 -0700, Allen Thomson wrote:

"Tim K." wrote

If it ain't tied down, chuck it in the VAB...

What are they doing with the Titan IV B and the Delta IV Heavy?

The pad gantry will be moved up to surround the Delta IV-H; I assume the
same could be done for the Titan IV. After that, we just hope the storm's
not too severe and that everything holds together.

Much as my sister in nearby Mims is doing. She didn't get any significant
damage from Charlie, but a neighbor lost their mobile home and their
unfinished house is exposed to the weather..

Worst case scenario: if the VAB goes, how do we recover from that? Seems
that would kill ISS for all intents and purposes.

(plonking hallerb in advance)

==Damon, hoping for his sister's sake this won't be so bad

On 2004-09-01, Damon Hill wrote:

Worst case scenario: if the VAB goes, how do we recover from that? Seems
that would kill ISS for all intents and purposes.

The VAB being totalled is one of those things that'd make reactivating
SLC-6 seem almost economical...

I assume the orbiters are in the OPF? I can't seem to find a direct
reference for that; regardless, they're specced for lower winds than the
VAB, which surprises me a bit.

http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/000121.html has some comments.

--
-Andrew Gray

"Brian Gaff" wrote in message
...
Is the VAB secure against these recent super storms?

It's very stoutly built.

Is the VAB secure against these recent super storms?

It's very stoutly built.

its old and at last report suffered from corrosion and other troubles. being a
unique structure maintained on the cheap
HAVE A GREAT DAY!

None of the KSC structures can withstand much over 115 mph sustained.
If this hurricane goes where most think it is going, it will not be pretty
for central FL. My bet is somewhere between Melbourne and Daytona... but
recent data suggest maybe even further south of there.

Kevin

"bob haller" wrote in message
...

Is the VAB secure against these recent super storms?

It's very stoutly built.

its old and at last report suffered from corrosion and other troubles.
being a
unique structure maintained on the cheap
HAVE A GREAT DAY!

"K. Collier" wrote:

None of the KSC structures can withstand much over 115 mph sustained.
If this hurricane goes where most think it is going, it will not be pretty
for central FL.

With the shuttle fleet now at a minimum sustainable number of vehicles, would
NASA consider moving one orbiter to a undisclosed safe and secured location
in times of hurricane direct hit warnings ? Or are all the orbiters currently
in "partially disassembled" condition which would prevent anyone from being
transported away on the 747 ?

Could they move one ship by truck to some inland hangar ?

I take it lifting one orbiter high into the VAB (to avoid flooding damage)
would not be such a great idea due to winds ? Or would its weight help keep
the VAB together ?