NASA To Close Houston Center Before Rita Arrives
POSTED: Wednesday, September 21, 2005
UPDATED: 5:07 pm EDT September 21,
2005
  |
CAPE CANAVERAL -- The approach of powerful Hurricane Rita prompted NASA to prepare to shut down its storied Mission Control Center in Houston, where engineers keep constant vigil over the International Space Station, according to Local 6 News partner Florida Today.Located less than 50 miles from Galveston and the Gulf Coast of Texas, NASA's Johnson Space Center -- home of Mission Control and the agency's astronaut corps -- was scheduled to close Wednesday.The hurricane intensified into a Category 5 storm with 165 mph winds and threatened to devastate the Texas coast or Louisiana -- which was battered three weeks ago by Hurricane Katrina -- by the end of the week.NASA flight controllers at JSC work around the clock to keep vigil over the International Space Station, which now is staffed by Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and U.S. astronaut John Phillips.NASA aims to transfer primary control of the station, which is circling some 230 miles above the planet, to the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow at least until the storm has passed, said JSC spokesman James Hartsfield, Florida Today reported.About 13,000 NASA and contractor workers are employed at JSC.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Copyright 2005 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.
NEW STORMS Projected Path: RitaAdvisories: INTERACTIVE NEW SERVICE MORE  Checklist Be Prepared When A Warning Is Issued Terminology Avoid Getting Ripped Off Know Your Insurance More Resources |
Authorities release a chilling 911 call from a 19-year-old woman who hid in the back bedroom of a Central Florida home while four men attempted to break into the house.
An ex-wife of the man who found the remains of Caylee Anthony says that she thought her ex-husband was responsible for or involved in the girl's death.
Five people are dead after a mobile home fire broke out in Central Florida.
Tim Tebow ran for a touchdown and threw for
a pair of scores, as top-ranked Florida extended the nation's longest winning
streak to 21 straight games with a 62-3 rout of Florida International at the
Swamp.
Dashcam video shows a Florida woman offering an officer sex instead of getting a ticket.
A 3-year-old boy was left stranded at a commuter train platform when a door on the train malfunctioned, separating the toddler from his dad. A good Samaritan stayed with the child until the father could return. (Nov. 20)
South Carolina police say an obese man died after not moving from his recliner for the past eight months. Police say the man's body was physically stuck to the chair and firefighters had to cut him out. He died a few hours later at the hospital.
A woman tired of hearing her son say he lost another sock has come up with an idea to prevent it from happening again.
An Oregon appeals court has ruled against an Oregon high school teacher who wants to take her gun to class. She has been battling for years and says she needs the gun for protection. (Nov. 20)
Thirty Victoria's Secret supermodels take over New York's Times Square this week.
Take a quick look at the flicks headed to your multiplex. Check out the trailer, too.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
