Posts: 44541 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-25-2020 08:32 AM
NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft data indicate that Laura became a hurricane on Tuesday (Aug. 25). From the Spaceflight Meteorology Group:
The National Hurricane Center has issued a Hurricane Watch for the Johnson Space Center (JSC) area.
At 4 a.m. CDT, Tropical Storm Laura was located at 22.9 85.7 W or about 740 miles southeast of JSC. Laura was moving WNW at 17 MPH. Maximum sustained winds were 65 MPH.
Laura is forecast to become a hurricane later today and continue its track across the Gulf. By late Wednesday night Laura is forecast to be a major category 3 hurricane. Landfall along the upper Texas or southwest Louisiana coast is expected in the very early hours Thursday. Westward shifts of the forecast track nearer to JSC are possible as JSC is in the forecast cone.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44541 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-25-2020 12:01 PM
Space Center Houston is closing due to the threat of the storm:
Space Center Houston will close Aug. 26-27, to protect the safety of our guests and employees in preparation of anticipated severe weather caused by Hurricane Laura. The closure includes all in-person and virtual programs.
The center plans to resume normal operations beginning 10 a.m. Aug. 28.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44541 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-25-2020 12:03 PM
Preparations are underway at Johnson Space Center:
Personnel at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston are monitoring Hurricane Laura and making general preparations at the center. A small team of flight controllers germane to monitoring and sending commands for the most important International Space Station systems were sent to a backup control center hub in central Texas in advance of the storm.
A full team of station flight controllers is getting set up at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to take over longer-term control of station systems should that become necessary. This backup activity is planned for each hurricane season or for some other extenuating circumstance and will be executed with no impact on critical station operations or the safety of the crew.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44541 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-25-2020 09:22 PM
From Chris Cassidy, ISS Expedition 63 commander (via Twitter):
Hurricane Laura
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44541 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-26-2020 09:59 AM
From the Spaceflight Meteorology Group (Aug. 26):
At 7 a.m. CDT, Hurricane Laura was located at 26.4 N 91.4 W. At 8:20 a.m. aircraft and satellite fix of the eye was 288 miles southeast of Johnson Space Center (JSC). Laura was moving NW at 15 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 115 mph.
Hurricane Laura is forecast to make landfall on the upper Texas or southwest Louisiana coast shortly after midnight.
Laura does seem to be making the advertised turn to a more northerly direction. Laura is a powerful storm and the eye is expected to pass only 80 to 90 miles away so continue to monitor the track.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 44541 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-26-2020 10:07 AM
From Nanoracks (via Twitter):
To all of our friends and colleagues in Houston, stay safe and dry! We've added one final layer of precaution to protect the Bishop Airlock from Hurricane Laura. Don't worry, we'll be checking in on her frequently.
drifting to the right Member
Posts: 123 From: SW La. Registered: Aug 2006
posted 08-29-2020 12:37 PM
Lake Charles devastated. Worse than Rita in 2005.
posted 08-25-2020 08:32 AM
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