Posted: Fri, Sep 24, 2004, 2:25 PM ET (1825 GMT)
NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) closed Friday for all but essential personnel as Hurricane Jeanne threatened to strike the spaceport this weekend. KSC went to "Hurcon 2" Friday morning, requiring personnel essential to hurricane preparations to show up for work, although nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station remained open on Friday. KSC officials raised the hurricane alert level because of Hurricane Jeanne, a moderately-powerful hurricane on course to reach the Cape by Sunday. As of Friday morning the hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 160 km/r, was on a path that would bring it ashore just south of Cape Canaveral on Sunday morning; the storm is then expected to turn north and parallel the Florida coastline. Jeanne is forecast to become slightly stronger over the next 24 hours, and if it strikes KSC at that strength, it could cause significant damage. Hurricane Frances, which passed by KSC three weeks ago, caused over $100 million in damage to the spaceport, including ripping hundreds of panels off the side of the Vehicle Assembly Building and severely damaging two other buildings. That damage was still not completely repaired as of the arrival of this storm.

Related Links:

•  Florida Today article
•  Spaceflight Now hurricane status center