Down under

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - A 920th Rescue Wing maintenance crew chief, Staff Sgt. Jeffery Cope, assigned to the 920th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here for the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, uses a laptop computer to analyze and repair an H-60 landing-gear problem on this wing chopper. The day prior, Airmen flew the aircraft in support of NASA space shuttle support operations. Maintenance Airmen are on go prior to, and immediately after, space shuttle launches since the Air Force Reservists here are responsible for rescuing the astronauts if they were to bail out of the shuttle due to a Mode VIII emergency, or bailout over the Atlantic Ocean. The reservists are on alert during lift off and until the shuttle returns safely with the astronauts on board. Maintaining the wing's aircraft fleet is vital since all of the 920th's assets are utilized for NASA support during launches. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Cathleen Snow)