Dorian could be the first major hurricane to hit the land …

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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – The Florida Spaceport is preparing for what could be the first time that a major hurricane hits the Kennedy Space Center in its history.

Teams from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Base and Patrick Air Base began to take steps to prepare for Hurricane Dorian. As early as Thursday noon, the National Hurricane Center (National Hurricane Center) placed the space center in the uncertainty cone of the storm, with a Sunday landing as a Category 4 hurricane.

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On Wednesday, one of the two caterpillars began its 4 km journey outside the vehicle assembly building at 1 km / h to get to the 39B launch pad. The trip will take about eight hours. The teams move the robot in the event that the KSC mobile launch tower, designed for its space launch system, should be brought back into the VAB from Launch Pad 39B.

The 6 million pound shuttle was carrying the Saturn V space shuttle and carrying the space launch system to the launch pad.

Just south of the Space Center, the 45th Space Squadron has entered Hurricane IV, which means that the crews at Cape Canaveral Air Base and Patrick Air Base are preparing for winds of over 58 knots. km / h within 72 hours.

"During HURCON IV, the specialized response teams from Patrick Air Base and Cape Canaveral Air Base are recalled and informed of the storm's condition," a 45th press release said. space squadron. "The teams will start preparing the facilities for the possible arrival of the storm."

Commercial companies operating at KSC and the Air Force are working with local authorities to prepare for Dorian.

SpaceX leases launch platforms to NASA and the Air Force. The company is also building its Starship interplanetary spacecraft on a Cocoa site.

"In coordination with our partners at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base and the Kennedy Space Center, we are keeping a close eye on the weather and plan to take every precaution to protect our employees and protect facilities in potentially affected areas." said a spokesman for SpaceX in a press release. E-mail.

United Launch Alliance operates from two launch platforms at the Air Base.

"ULA is working closely with the 45th Space Squadron to plan and execute hurricane preparedness and damage mitigation procedures to ensure the safety of our personnel, launchers and infrastructure," said a ULA spokesperson in an email.

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center will be closed Sunday and Monday. The visitor complex will operate on Saturdays at regular times, but bus tours will not be available.

If Dorian arrives at Cape Canaveral as a major hurricane, this will be the first time in the history of the space center. The last time a hurricane landed near Cape Town was in 1915, more than 40 years before the creation of the US space program.

Although no major hurricane landed at KSC, there were several calls up close.

In 2004, Hurricane Jeanne approached but eventually landed at Stuart, Florida, in category 3. In 1979, Hurricane David landed in West Palm Beach as a category 2.

However, KSC's facilities, including the Vehicle Assembly Building, have been damaged by hurricane winds in recent years.

During Hurricane Matthew in 2016, the eye of the storm remained 20 miles offshore, but the Space Center experienced wind gusts of up to 136 km / h on the ramps. launch.

Roof panels were destroyed in several buildings and beaches were eroded near launch pads 39A and B. KSC's Beach House, where astronauts and their families had remained before previous launches, was damaged by the damage. of water caused by part of the roof.

Before any storm, NASA will close the Kennedy Space Center and will keep only a small team of specialists, known as the "Ride-out-Team".

After the storm, members of this team will give the green light to the evaluation and repair and repair team, or DART, who will study the damage.

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