Tornado hits NASA Michoud

[FutureSpaceTourist]

First attachment:

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 6m6 minutes ago

Hill shows this figure of the tornado damage to Michoud in February affecting SLS work:

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/847062552467124225

Second attachment:

Marcia Smith‏ @SpcPlcyOnline 5m5 minutes ago

Hill summary chart of tornado damage to Michoud.

https://twitter.com/SpcPlcyOnline/status/847063239469023232

[psloss]

Mr. Hill noted that Building 350 is total loss.  Not sure what USDA is going to do, but they are a major tenant.

Also noted that assessment of tornado is that if it had gone more over Building 103 (path slightly more to the east north), they would have been out of business for a while.

The graphic shown is looking south.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 8m8 minutes ago

Hill: if the tornado’s path had shifted just a bit, it would have gone right over Bldg 103, would have been out of business for a while.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/847062830369165312

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 6m6 minutes ago

Hill: asking for a supplemental [appropriaitons] to cover repair costs; for now paying for them out of SLS.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/847063455899242496

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 5m5 minutes ago

Bill Gerstenmaier: we were really surprised by the amount of damage by tornado. Major disruption to overall schedule at Michoud.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/847063937610907648

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 4m4 minutes ago

Hill: another Michoud building, leased to USDA, heavily damaged by tornado; “uninhabitable” now.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/847064496933933057

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 2m2 minutes ago

Hill: Orion service module and SLS core stage “neck and neck” for being the critical path for EM-1 launch. Tornado cost 2-3 months on SLS.

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/847067689507958785

[psloss]

Bill Gerstenmaier is making the presentation he made to the HEO committee to the full NAC today, and noted at the top that the severe weather line that is moving through the country passed through MAF earlier today.

Straight line winds (from storm front) blew away tarps over holes in Building 110 roof siding, which will require standing down again to get that put back in place.  (Currently rain coming into the building again.)

[psloss]

Sounds like today's event won't add too much to the disruptions.  Here's a statement from NASA Public Affairs:

On March 30 2017, wind in the New Orleans area removed temporary protective covering placed over parts of the exterior wall of Building 110 at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility after the Feb. 7 tornado.  This resulted in a fine rain mist on Space Launch System manufacturing tooling including the Vehicle Assembly Center and test articles in the building. NASA and Boeing, the SLS prime contractor for the core stage, are evaluating the situation and developing a process to wipe down the hardware using procedures developed under similar situations experienced during space shuttle external tank manufacturing.  Michoud management is looking at ways to fasten the temporary protective covering more securely until permanent repairs are made.