Rescue Airmen aid in successful commercial rocket launch

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  • 920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. --  Air Force Reserve combat-search-and-rescue Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., supported the successful night time launch of the Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) Falcon 9 Dragon rocket, a commercial resupply craft destined for the International Space Station, Oct. 7.

Rescue Wing Airmen who pilot the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter took flight several hours before the scheduled launch to secure the Eastern Range. They patrolled the stretch of Atlantic Ocean beneath the launch trajectory ensuring no mariners veered into harm's way of potential rocket debris hazards.

The successful launch kicked off work on a $1.6 billion contract between SpaceX and NASA covering 12 cargo delivery flights to the space station over the next few years.

The mission is the first commercial resupply flight to the space station, which is regularly serviced by government-owned freighters from Russia, Europe and Japan. It also marks the resumption of U.S. resupply missions following the retirement of the space shuttle.

"This was a critical event for NASA and the nation tonight," said NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden. "Just over a year after the retirement of the space shuttle, we have returned space station resupply missions to U.S. soil."

Following a successful test flight in May, SpaceX received approval from NASA in August to begin 12 unmanned logistics sorties to the complex scheduled over the next four years.

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Editor's note: Information for this article was compiled from a story written for Spaceflight Now "Privately-built capsule takes off bound for space station" by Stephen Clark.