This weekend the eyes of the NASA Family were on the state of
Florida as we viewed coverage of Hurricane Frances, hoping and
praying that our colleagues at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) would
come through the storm safe and unharmed.
Although some of our facilities at KSC did suffer damage,
fortunately none of our KSC workers or family members has been
reported as suffering any injuries. We are also grateful that
there appears to be no significant damage to the facilities
housing the Space Shuttle Orbiters and flight hardware for the
International Space Station.
I want to thank KSC Director Jim Kennedy and his staff for taking
the necessary precautions to ensure the facility was made as safe
as possible during the landfall of Frances.
While the storm has passed, we recognize that thousands of people
were forced to seek shelter away from their homes. We want to
make sure our colleagues and their families get the help they
need in the coming days and weeks to rebuild their lives.
We’re assessing how our resources across the entire agency can
best be used to offer support to KSC as emergency crews begin the
tedious and difficult work of clearing debris and restoring power
and other services to the facilities on site. Of course we are
also tracking Hurricane Ivan as it approaches the Florida
Peninsula.
I urge the entire NASA Family to keep everyone at KSC in our
prayers in the coming days. While there is considerable federal
and state assistance on the way, the entire NASA Family can get
involved by contributing to the NASA Family Assistance Fund or
the Red Cross.
As people begin to return to their homes and careers, I recognize
we have a monumental task ahead of us. But I also know we have a
documented history of overcoming adversity and pulling together
as a team to put America’s space program back on track. I am
confident we will prevail again.
Sean O’Keefe
NASA Administrator
