Astronaut Rescue Exercise

A team from the 920th Rescue Wing loads an Alaska Air National Guard C-17 Globemaster III at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., after packaging the equipment necessary to airdrop to the designated drop zone in the Atlantic Ocean during an astronaut recovery exercise Jan. 14. Air Force Reserve Air Force pararescuemen, combat rescue officers and survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialists trained in their specialty as part of a NASA Commercial Crew Program and Air Force 45th Operations Group Detachment 3 test of capability to recover astronauts quickly and safely in the event they would need to abort their spacecraft. Det. 3, the Department of Defense's Human Space Flight Support Office, is the only full time staff that coordinates and trains personnel to support human spaceflight contingencies. Det. 3 supports all NASA human spaceflight missions, including Soyuz, Commercial Crew, and Orion, and consists of Air Force and Navy military and civilian personnel from a wide variety of specialties. (U.S Air Force photo/Ben Thacker) (Released)