Hurricane Frances Slaps KSC
5 September 2004: What Has Frances done to NASA Kennedy Space Center – and its Employees?, SpaceRef
“… current plans call for a survey team to return to KSC around 7:00 AM EDT on Monday, 6 September. The hope is that they can provide an initial damage assessment by noon on Monday. NASA is not expected to make any official announcements until that assessment has been made.”
5 September 2004: Redstone Rocket Toppled at KSC (photo), AP
– IVAN storm track from NOAA
– Hurricane coverage, Spaceflightnow.com
– Eye on the storm, Florida Today Coverage
– Station 41009 – CANAVERAL 20 NM East of Cape Canaveral, FL, NOAA
– Station 41010 – CANAVERAL EAST 120NM East of Cape Canaveral, NOAA
– Wind Field of Hurricane Frances, BoatUS.com
– Weather Data – Merritt Island, Buoyweather.com
– Melbourne, FL Radar NWS
– FRANCES storm track from NOAA
– Hurricane FRANCES Public Advisory, NOAA/NWS
“MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH…170 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. THIS MAKES FRANCES A STRONG CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE. SOME
FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.”
3 September 2004: 
SeaWIFS image of Hurricane Frances
2 September 2004: NASA Contributions to Hurricane Science
2 September 2004: More ISS Images of Frances: [1][2][3]
2 September 2004: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observations of Frances
2 September 2004: Hurricane Frances Images from ISS
1 September 2004: Special Hurricane Frances Statement from the 45th Weather Squadron
1 September 2004: KSC Closing Thursday and Friday to Prepare for Hurricane Frances
31 August 2004: Space Station, Satellite Get Images of Frances as NASA Prepares for Storm, NASA
“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.”
15 September 1999: NASA Prepares For Hurricane Floyd, NASA KSC
“KSC’s elevation is approximately nine feet, so we are concerned about both wind damage and water intrusion in the event of a storm surge. The Orbiter Processing Facility is constructed of concrete and steel and was designed to withstand winds of 105 mph. The Vehicle Assembly Building is constructed of concrete and steel and was designed to withstand winds of 125 mph. Other payload and flight hardware support facilities can endure winds of 110 mph. Launch pads and the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility can withstand 125-mph winds.”
