A successful Endeavor: Space shuttle makes safe landing at Edwards

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William O'Brien
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  After a 15 day mission to the International Space Station, the space shuttle Endeavor, landed on runway 04-left at approximately 1:25 p.m. Nov. 30

The shuttle landed at Edwards, its alternate landing site, due to bad weather at Kennedy Space Station, Fla.

"Our great people here at Edwards ensure we are ready with little warning whenever the shuttle goes up," said Maj. Gen. David Eichhorn, Air Force Flight Test Center commander. "Brig. Gen. Jim Hogue, mobilization assistant to the commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center and director of the Edwards Space Shuttle Contingency Recovery Team, is the primary person who ensures absolutely everything is in place."

The base is required to conduct two exercises a year by Human Space Flight. This ensures its capabilities to support landings still meet NASA's standards, the most recent of those exercises was held July 26 in which approximately 100 Team Edwards and NASA personnel participated in the exercise.


"General Hogue conducted a couple exercises in the last few months to walk us through shuttle emergency procedures, so we're as ready as a well-oiled machine to receive the shuttle and its crew," said Col. Larry Edge, 95th Mission Support Group AFFTC Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the commander. "I served as the Incident Commander for Department of Defense Forces for the Shuttle Recovery Team who works very hard to ensure the base is always prepared to support shuttle landings and any contingencies which may arise at any time. This is truly a team effort from the base leadership to the newest team member. Everyone has put out maximum effort."

The Endeavor had returned from delivering equipment to the International Space Station. That equipment will allow the station to double its crew size to six for long-term missions. One astronaut, Sandra Magnus remained at the ISS and Greg Chamitoff returned with the Endeavor crew after six months on the ISS

"It is simply an outstanding job in support of this mission," said Col. Gandy, 95th Air Base Wing commander. "My hat is off to each of you and our whole team who worked so well with Colonel Edge and General Hogue in support of getting the shuttle here. It was simply awesome and a great reminder of what makes our country so special -- people like each of you working together to go beyond what we individually could accomplish. My thanks to the whole team."

General Hogue went on to elaborate that this picture perfect recovery of STS-126--the 52nd landing at Edwards on NASA's 50th anniversary represented a true team effort on many levels!! A Shuttle Recovery "Dream Team" representing both NASA and DOD forces lead by the NASA convoy commander, Mr. Dean Schaaf. The DOD forces played a supporting but critical role to the NASA recovery team. The DOD support is a multi facetted group made up of active duty, reserve and civilian members from both the Test Wing and Air Base Wing, a Joint force with US Army forces from Ft Irwin, Navy Forces from China Lake, support from the Civil Air Patrol of California, AFNORTH, and NORTHCOM.


"We're proud to serve NASA and the crew of the Endeavor," said General Eichhorn. "I'm very proud of the AFFTC and NASA team. They performed flawlessly and provided all the support NASA required when they required it."