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Tour of KSC hurricane damage
Martin Wilson, manager of the Thermal Protection System Facility, gives a tour of the highly damaged building at Kennedy Space Center in the wake of Hurricane Frances. (2min 31sec file)
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Inside the VAB
Go inside Kennedy Space Center's hurricane-battered Vehicle Assembly Building and also see the damage to the 52-story tall facility's roof. (2min 51sec file)
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Over $100 million needed for KSC hurricane repairs
BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: September 14, 2004

The U.S. Congress is being asked to budget $126 million to repair hurricane damage at Kennedy Space Center in the wake of Frances' blast from Labor Day weekend.

President George W. Bush on Tuesday sent a letter to Capitol Hill asking for supplemental spending that included the NASA money.

The $126 million would be used "to repair facilities damaged and take other emergency measures due to the effects of hurricanes," the letter said.

The budget includes $89 million to fix the Vehicle Assembly Building, which lost 820 panels from its sides and received extensive roof damage, as well as repair of the Thermal Protection System Facility and temporarily relocating its production capability. The TPS building is where the space shuttle thermal tiles and blankets were manufactured.

The remaining money covers $23 million for repair of equipment exposed to the weather and $14 million to provide temporary workspaces for displaced employees.