Not your stepping stone

CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. – Master Sgt. Chris Seinkner, a pararescueman (PJ) from the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing, uses a pair of inflatable Zodiac boats as a bridge back to dry land after testing a mockup of the Orion crew exploration vehicle (seen in the background) at the Trident Basin at Port Canaveral, Fla., Mar. 8. Sergeant Seinkner was part of a six-man team of PJs on hand for the event, during which the reservists tested an inflatable flotation collar. The collar is designed both to stabilize the capsule after water landing and provide a platform for recovery personnel to stand on during the operation. Orion is targeted to begin carrying humans to the International Space Station in 2015 and to the moon by 2020. Orion is part of the NASA’s Constellation Program. Reservists from the 920th provide contingency medical and recovery support for all NASA shuttle launches. The unit’s primary mission is combat search and rescue. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Paul Flipse)