STATUS REPORT
February 13, 2017: NASA Status Update: Michoud Assembly Facility Re-opens to Designated Employees
 Michoud Safety and Security completed an initial assessment of NASA’s 829-acre rocket factory, the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Recovery teams have cleared much of the debris created when a Feb. 7, 2017 tornado damaged the facility. Credits: NASA/MSFC Michoud/Steven Seipel View Image Feature |
 The NASA and Boeing Space Launch System team are back working at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. They are examining tooling and flight hardware and test articles for damage and resuming manufacturing work in areas where there is no damage. Employees, shown here, are resuming work to outfit the rocket’s engine section where the RS-25 engines attach to the SLS core stage. Credits: NASA/MSFC Michoud/Steven Seipel View Image Feature |
Significant progress has been made on tornado recovery, and NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility reopened on Monday Feb.13 for normal operations with a few exceptions.
Michoud Safety and Security completed an initial damage assessment of the 81 buildings and structures at the 829-acre facility. Power and utilities are restored to most of the site, and the team has made steady progress clearing debris, repairing buildings, and helping employees remove damaged cars. Access to seven buildings (110, 114, 130, 131, 303, 318, and 350) is not allowed because tornado damage assessments and restoration activities are continuing. Three of the seven closed buildings have significant damage, and the team continues to assess damage to these structures and identify strategic recovery plans.
Teams for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket and the Orion spacecraft are back on-site with some restarting regular work and others assessing the status of tooling and hardware in areas of buildings that experienced tornado damage. Both SLS and Orion structures are being built in Building 103, which experienced some damage, but power has been restored to most of that building.
Employees should check with their employer for instructions about returning to work . Open parking lots will be marked. Gates 7 is open, and a four-way stop has been created at the approach to the gates since the tornado destroyed traffic lights. The Building 101 badging office will be open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST.
The temporary flight restrictions over the area remain in effect to ensure recovery and operations crews can complete their work without interference from other drones or low-flying aircraft.
For additional information about the status at Michoud, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/michoud
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