1st SLS home of workhorse Delta II Published Dec. 20, 2007 By Airman David Dobrydney 45th SW Public Affairs CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. -- Tech Sgt. Will McCormick of the 1st Space Launch Squadron is a veteran 35 launches. When he became a member of the 45th Space Wing, the current Atlas V and Delta IV vehicles weren't operational. "We had the Titan IV and Delta II. I was selected for the Delta II program," he said. On launch day he typically works in the Launch Control Center, monitoring all of the electrical processes for the launch vehicle. These include testing of the engine slews, which direct the engine nozzles and thus steer the booster to its prescribed orbit, and the actuators that connect the two stages of the booster. "Think of the tie rod mechanism in your personal vehicle," said Sergeant McCormick. "It's a similar principle." The amount of information is one of the more challenging aspects of Sergeant McCormick's job as one of only two enlisted positions in the Launch Control Center. "We have a limited number of people, a lot of information to process and a lot of concurrent activities going on. We also have folks doing propulsion activities and we're constantly monitoring telemetry, temperatures and voltages." Maj. Timothy Spies, director of mission assurance for the 1st SLS is proud of Sergeant McCormick's high-quality performance. "He's one of our all-around standout individuals," said Major Spies. "He's always extremely active in the squadron getting done what needs to be done." The unique nature of the space launch mission inspires Sergeant McCormick. "This is like nothing else out there. The Global Positioning System has become an integral part of all of our lives; for the members supporting the Global War on Terror and their families who support them. It is truly an honor to play even a small part in providing this capability."