CAPE CANAVERAL - A hurricane relief flight took off from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday carrying parts critical to turning the power back on at the space shuttle external tank factory in New Orleans.

A NASA jet delivered 10 precious outdoor electrical distribution switches, which are nearly impossible to buy in powerless New Orleans. The parts, readily available on warehouse shelves in Brevard County, are expected to be enough to finish setting up a patchwork system to restore electricity at the Michoud Assembly Facility.

That's not all KSC is sending to hurricane-battered NASA facilities in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Workers loaded the airplane -- and a moving truck -- with boxloads of fresh clothes, food, toiletries and other provisions desperately needed by colleagues who are trying to revive NASA facilities while dealing with their own tragedies. The shipments are bound for Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, then on to the tank factory.

"We can't fly without their support," said Wayne Kee, emergency preparedness officer at KSC, who went on the flight Wednesday. The engine testing at Stennis and tank building at Michoud "is vital to returning to flight again."

Shuttle flights are indefinitely delayed while the agency gets the two facilities up and running and continues investigating the lingering problem of dangerous foam debris falling off the external tank in flight.

The jet also took two KSC security agents to relieve exhausted colleagues assigned to guard both NASA centers.

"We don't deserve any extra recognition. This is our job," said agent Roger Langevin, of Merritt Island, before toting his suitcase, a sleeping bag and a pillow onto the Gulfstream corporate jet.

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