By Patti Bielling
NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center
As Subtropical Storm Nicole tracks toward Florida’s Space Coast, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is preparing for the storm. The center declared Hurricane Condition IV at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 7, meaning winds of 58 mph are expected within 72 hours. Kennedy teams are monitoring the storm and have begun implementing storm preparation checklists to ensure the safety and security of the center.
Nicole is the second named storm to affect Kennedy operations this season. Hurricane Ian in September postponed a scheduled launch attempt of the Artemis I rocket, delayed by two days the launch of the NASA SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station, and caused limited damage to center buildings and infrastructure.
Current models show that Nicole may bring dangerous coastal conditions as early as Tuesday, Nov. 8, with tropical storm force winds and heavy rain expected to arrive on the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 9. Highest winds could reach the Space Coast by Thursday, Nov. 10. A storm surge of 3-5 feet is expected.
“We are taking prudent precautions across all of our programs and activities in advance of the storm,” said Center Director Janet Petro. “We want to be sure that employees are able to button up operations at Kennedy while also taking care of their homes and families.”
Ongoing hurricane preparations include:
- The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft have been at Launch Complex 39B since Nov. 4 for NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I mission around the Moon in preparation for future crewed missions. Given current forecast data, managers have determined the rocket and spacecraft will remain at Launch Pad 39B. Teams at Kennedy will continue to monitor the weather, make sure all personnel are safe, and evaluate the status of the Monday, Nov. 14, launch attempt for the Artemis I mission based on updated predictions about the weather. NASA will post updates to the Artemis blog.
- Teams from NASA and SpaceX are continuing to monitor how the storm may affect the launch of the SpaceX 26th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-26) mission for NASA, which will send cargo and experiments to the International Space Station. Launch is currently targeted for no earlier than Nov. 18. NASA will post updates to the mission on the CRS-26 blog.
- NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) is supporting the Nov. 10 launch of NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) and NASA’s Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is scheduled for 1:25 a.m. PST (4:25 a.m. EST) Thursday, Nov. 10, on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 401 rocket from Space Launch Complex 3. Launch coverage will begin at 3:45 a.m. EST (12:45 a.m. PST on the NASA app and the agency’s website, or follow along on the agency’s blog.
- Centerwide, various programs are preparing their facilities to protect equipment and commodities and to prevent loose objects from becoming projectiles during the storm. Center leaders continue holding Emergency Decision Team meetings daily or as needed with program leads and partners to coordinate activities and stay ahead of the storm. Once the center closes, designated employees may work remotely as long as it is safe to do so from their teleworking locations. Kennedy’s Emergency Operations Center will serve as the focal point for hurricane preparation and response, and a small Ride-Out Team of people from across the center’s programs will reside on Kennedy for the duration of the storm to keep essential infrastructure operational and to perform initial damage assessment once the storm passes.