NASA’s Kennedy Space Center has announced today, Tuesday November 8, that it plans to keep its Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft sitting on the launch pad despite Storm Nicole targeting the Space Coast in the coming days.
It's only been around a month since NASA was forced to move the SLS moon rocket and Orion capsule back into the Vehicle Assembly Building hangar due to Hurricane Ian, and the 322-foot-tall launch vehicle has only just arrived back at the Kennedy Space Center launchpad on November 4.
"Based on current forecast data, managers have determined the Space Launch System rocket and Orion will remain at Launch Pad 39B," the agency said.
According to the SLS rocket's chief engineer, John Blevins, the rocket can withstand wind gusts up to 74.1 knots. Knots are a term used in meteorology and maritime navigation and are equal to 1 nautical mile per hour. In this case, the SLS rocket can withstand gusts up to 85 mph, or 137 km/h. Wind "gusts" are different from sustained winds.
These are short-term bursts of wind, as opposed to sustained winds over one minute or longer.
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