Update on Johnson Space Center Gunman

The standoff is going into its third hour.

Johnson Space Center Photo courtesy: daviddarling.info

(HOUSTON, Texas) - The emergency systems are all operational at NASA and officials say there is no impact to mission control operations, as the Johnson Space Center enters its third hour of a standoff situation with a gunman.

Reports indicate that the man may be an employee. A number of contractors operate at the center as well as NASA employees.

The report of the armed man in JSC's communications & engineering office building was called in at 2:40 p.m. EDT.

Security and Houston police responded and evacuated the building. Building 44 is a communications & engineering office building with two stories. The building primarily consists of office space and a few labs to support tracking of spacecraft, such as the International Space Station and the space shuttle when it's flying.

No one has been arrested. Police are still on the scene investigating.

JSC employees in the other office buildings have been told they no longer need to shelter in place and can leave if their normal work day is over.

It is reported that security at other NASA centers currently remains unchanged.