BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Patrick Air Force Base, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and the Kennedy Space Center were evacuated during Hurricane Irma.
On Thursday, the 45th Space Wing launched and landed a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the U.S. Air Force's X-37B.
Following the successful launch, base officials expedited hurricane preparations and the next day began a mandatory evacuation of all personnel.
Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, who commands the USAF unit, gave Channel 9 reporter Melonie Holt a tour of the base Wednesday to show her how it weathered the storm.
Monteith said Wednesday that 40 percent of the base’s facilities and 97 percent of its housing were damaged.
Despite losing power and water, the base opened its airfield and landed a C-5 plane seven hours after it was deemed “weather safe.”
Many members of the United States Air Force unit are still making their way back. It is already being redeployed as the 45th Space Wing assess damage at CCAFS.
Two launches that had been scheduled for September were postponed to October, Monteith said.
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