The big freestanding LED video spectacular at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, which was custom-engineered to withstand hurricane conditions, was tested recently by Hurricane Milton, a massive storm that wreaked havoc in the state in early October. For the sake of those affected, one certainly would have preferred a less dramatic exhibition of the display’s award-winning engineering, but according to the visitor center’s management company Delaware North, the Kennedy Entry Experience came through with flying colors.
The extensive forethought we put into the design and engineering of this LED spectacular was essential, and the proof is in the pudding. We obviously wanted a captivating viewing experience for our guests, but it was critical that we built a structure that was both safe and durable in this environment.
“The extensive forethought we put into the design and engineering of this LED spectacular was essential, and the proof is in the pudding,” said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer for Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “We obviously wanted a captivating viewing experience for our guests, but it was critical that we built a structure that was both safe and durable in this environment.”
Built for Rugged Environments
The Kennedy Entry Experience is a 3,000-square-foot, ground-level LED spectacular at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral. Delaware North, the management firm for the Kennedy Space Center, brought SNA Displays in to create a powerful digital platform used to tell NASA’s story in a dramatic, memorable way. We also provided a pair of walkup LED kiosks at the Visitor Complex’s entrance.
Because of the frequency of hurricanes in Florida, significant forethought went into accounting for potential wind load and choosing the right structural components. Thus, during the design portion of the project, a team of engineers worked together to make sure that the large surface area of the Entry Experience could withstand hurricane-force winds. Our team also dug a foundation to ensure proper water drainage and set up terminals to absorb lightning and transfer it safely to the ground.
Learn More: Structural Engineering for High-Profile LED Spectacular Earns Award
A Generational Hurricane
Hurricane Milton was a Category 5 hurricane with peaks winds of 180 miles per hour, making it the fifth-most intense Atlantic Ocean hurricane on record. Milton also set a record as the fastest-ever Atlantic hurricane to intensify from a tropical depression to CAT 5 status – just over 48 hours.
It made landfall the night of Wednesday, October 9, near Tampa Bay on Florida’s west coast. By then it had been downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane, but it spawned tornadoes across the state and dumped 4 inches to just over 18 inches of rain in various parts of Florida.
It’s really a testament to the engineers, our installation and project management team, and Delaware North’s leadership
Sitting on the eastern Florida coastline, it was clear Kennedy Space Center and the Visitor Complex was in the path of Hurricane Milton, so protocol dictated shutting down the displays and evacuating personnel. While Milton made landfall on the west coast, there was still major impact in the east, with up to 98-mph gusts recorded at the Kennedy Space Center and an EF-1 tornado with a maximum wind speed of 95 mph. Cape Canaveral was placed under a Storm Surge Watch as Hurricane Milton approached and reported rainfall as high as 8.56 inches, an amount that occurs once in fifty years according to the city’s incident report.
After the Storm
The day after Milton moved off the west coast into the Atlantic Ocean, the visitor complex staff brought the Entry Experience back online.
“The displays were powered back on Friday morning as part of our recovery efforts after the storm passed,” said William Franklin, director of facilities maintenance. “Initial power up went extremely well and we did not experience any issues powering up the screen. We cycled a few different programs of content to make sure the server was communicating before returning the content to the regular loop that plays daily.”
Jason Helton, executive vice president of SNA Displays, was heavily involved throughout the entire Entry Experience project, from conception to installation. Helton noted that experiencing such a harsh weather event without a single service issue underscores the durability of SNA Displays’ LED product.
“It’s really a testament to the engineers, our installation and project management team, and Delaware North’s leadership,” said Helton. “It also reinforces the 10- to 12-year lifetime of this display technology, even in rugged environments. It’s clear that these display products, when designed and built properly, are everything you’d want in an investment of this kind: versatile, reliable, and durable.”