SkyPort Global Communication’s Network Operations Center in Houston performed flawlessly when tested by the full force of Hurricane Ike, enabling SkyPort to provide round-the-clock support to the National Guard and other first responders following the devastation. The hurricane passed directly over SkyPort’s Network Operations Center (NOC) and Teleport at the Ellington Joint Reserve Base, which is designed to sustain Category 3 hurricane winds and is located on the highest ground in the Houston area to prevent any damage from flooding and storm surges. SkyPort maintained 100 percent operational status of its satellite and terrestrial systems — even at the height of the hurricane’s strength. At the peak of the storm, SkyPort’s NOC recorded sustained winds of 61 mph with gusts up to 93 mph, and was deluged by rainfall. Hurricane Ike made landfall at 2:00 a.m. on September 13th and is, as of this writing, reported to be responsible for 32 deaths and more than US$21 billion in property damage. More than 4.5 million people in the Texas gulf region are still without power. Although power outages were widespread, SkyPort seamlessly transitioned to redundant power backup systems for over 41 hours. SkyPort located its operations at Ellington Joint Reserve Base to take advantage of the fact that the Base has priority for power restoration after events such as Ike.