Hutchinson ? The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center has had to close its museum because of flooding.

The Cosmosphere’s Hall of Space Museum, which closed June 7 after water seeped into the basement, could reopen as early as today, although Cosmosphere President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Orwoll said a reopening in the middle of the week is more likely.

On Friday, workers drilled 40 feet into the ground to create two relief, or de-watering, wells.

Chris Dodson of Darling Drilling Co. said the Cosmosphere was capable of pulling 380 gallons to 400 gallons a minute from the wells to lower the saturated groundwater table.

The Cosmosphere said no artifacts were damaged. Other parts of the Cosmosphere, including the IMAX theater, planetarium, gift shop and summer camps, are still operating.

Early on, the late astronaut Walter Schirra’s spacesuit was removed from a case to protect it from rising humidity. Eventually, other spacesuits and gloves also were moved as a precaution.

“We will have to clean and dry carpet, as well as replace some carpet,” Orwoll said.

A pass to the Cosmosphere includes admission to the museum, and at least a few visitors have expressed disappointment in the museum register that it was closed. But Orwoll said some guided tours have been possible and some people have received vouchers for return visits.

Flooding has been a problem elsewhere in Hutchinson, as well.

Darling Drilling recently installed two wells near Data Center Inc.

“It was almost immediate,” DCI building manager Jeff Humiston said of the results, adding that basement flooding stopped and hasn’t returned.

The Hutchinson Zoo, which closed May 24 because of flooding, still has water outside the lagoon banks and won’t reopen in June.

“We have a couple weeks, if not a month, of cleanup,” said zookeeper Matt Simon.

Some animals are being kept elsewhere, while others have moved to drier parts of the zoo.