When NASA’s Artemis 2 astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean this month after their historic journey around the moon, they were first greeted by four U.S. Navy divers.
The diving medical team — Lt. Col. Jesse Wang, Senior Hospital Corporal Ruddy Aldridge, Hospital Corporal Vlad Link, and Hospital Corporal 1st Class Steve Capala — were the first to join NASA. orion spaceship At sea to assist the lunar return crew.
The dive team operated from the USS John P. Murtha and played a vital role. first contact Between spaceflight and recovery. They were tasked with opening the Orion spacecraft. artemis 2 The astronaut, named “Integrity,” performed an initial medical evaluation of the crew and helped them exit the capsule safely and efficiently, the astronauts said. statement From the U.S. Army’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS).
The role of divers takes a new step forward artemis mission. Navy divers have been helping astronauts recover for years, but their origins date back to ancient times. apollo programArtemis 2 introduced a specialized diving medical team trained to enter the Orion capsule itself. Each sergeant was assigned to one of the following: four astronauts — NASA’s Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space AgencyJeremy Hansen — immediately performed a medical examination and assisted in evacuation from the spacecraft.
“It’s an incredible feeling to have Jesse, Steve, Ladi, and Vlad… on board Integrity after a journey of almost 700,000 miles,” said Wiseman, Artemis II commander. As mentioned in the post on April 13th “We are forever grateful for their service to our crew and our nation.”
Wiseman’s post included a video highlighting the impact of the first moments back on Earth, when the diving team opened the Orion spacecraft to welcome the Artemis 2 crew.
Jesse, Steve, Ladi, and Vlad…it’s an incredible feeling to be able to join you aboard Integrity after nearly 700,000 miles. We are forever grateful for your service to our crew and our people. pic.twitter.com/lJzNPkBIpq
After the Artemis 2 attack, operations evolved rapidly. Splashdown on April 10th Off the coast of California. The recovery team ensured its integrity, attached flotation devices, and stabilized the capsule in the open sea. Once it was safe to proceed, Aldridge opened the hatch and climbed inside to be the first to greet the crew after their 10-day mission around the moon. Inside the capsule, the team assessed the astronauts’ post-exposure conditions. microgravityradiation, and assist in moving to an outdoor platform after exposure to the stress of atmospheric reentry.
From there, the astronauts were hoisted into a helicopter. transported to Murta Complete one of the most complex and carefully planned phases of the mission for further evaluation.
“As a proud member of the underwater medical community, I am especially honored to be part of this mission,” said Wang, who led the four-person diving team, in a statement from DVIDS. “It is the honor of a lifetime to stand here today and provide the best care to the crew of Artemis 2.”
Supporting the Artemis 2 crew was the culmination of years of preparation. Navy diving medical technicians are trained in both advanced diving surgery and emergency medicine, with expertise in handling patients in extreme environments. In the case of Artemis 2, the team rehearsed We used Orion mockups extensively in open waters and practiced every step of the recovery sequence with other military units and NASA personnel.
Their role lasts only a few minutes, but it’s one of the most important parts of a human spaceflight mission. Splashdown and recovery have unique risks and require precise coordination to ensure both the safety of the crew and the integrity of the spacecraft, the statement said.
“I grew up reading science fiction novels and watching movies. space movieI never thought I would be involved in such a recovery mission,” said Kapala, who provided care. grabberthe pilot of the Artemis 2 mission during ocean recovery. “Participating in the task of safely extracting the astronauts from their capsules and safely returning them to their families is a surreal experience and an effort that makes us realize that this team is bigger than just the four of us.”
As NASA moves forward with its Artemis program and plans for the future moon landingrecovery team activities remain an essential link in the chain of space exploration. For these four Navy divers, their historic contributions came not in space but at sea, where they first came face-to-face with a new generation of divers. month The voyagers saw it on their return.
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