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Peak conditions for Nicole have passed at NASA Kennedy and our focus is now on our employees and then getting back into launch operations. Many people are without power and have experienced high winds and broken tree branches at their homes. Teams monitored SLS and Orion remotely during the storm and successfully maintained purges and other essential support. While wind sensors at the launch pad detected peak wind gusts up to 82 mph (71 knots) at the 60-foot level, this is within the rocket's capability. We anticipate clearing the vehicle for those conditions shortly. Our team is conducting initial visual check-outs of the rocket, spacecraft and ground system equipment with the cameras at the launch pad. Camera inspections show very minor damage such as loose caulk and tears in weather coverings. The team will conduct additional onsite walk down inspections of the vehicle soon. We took the decision to keep Orion and SLS at the launch pad very seriously, reviewing the data in front of us and making the best decision possible with high uncertainty in predicting the weather four days out. With the unexpected change to the forecast, returning to the Vehicle Assembly Building was deemed to be too risky in high winds and the team decided the launch pad was the safest place for the rocket to weather the storm. We are grateful to the Space Force, NOAA and the National Hurricane Center for their continued and steadfast support with valuable data that helps us make informed decisions and proves that the science we'll conduct on Artemis starts right here on planet Earth.
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