Edwards ready, on standby for shuttle return

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Hien Q. Vu
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Commanders say Edwards Air Force Base is ready to support NASA should the Space Shuttle Discovery land here Friday.

Discovery, which launched into space Dec. 9, is scheduled to land Friday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with Edwards and White Sands, NM, as the alternate landing sites if the weather in Florida will not allow for its safe landing.

Even on standby status, Edwards is prepared to receive Discovery here. Nearly every organization at Edwards will provide its resources for a safe landing of the orbiter and recovery of its astronauts.

The Edwards Fire Department is in charge of ensuring personnel safety within the orbiter as well as protecting the shuttle itself from fires. About 25 to 27 fire fighters and 11 vehicles are on standby for various scenarios throughout the landing to insure maximum protection of the shuttle and the space crew, said Michael Hurls, 95th Civil Engineer and Transportation Directorate fire department deputy chief.

The 95th Aerospace Medicine Squadron will reprise a crucial role in landing and recovery operations, both airborne and on-ground support. The 95th AMDS provides emergency capabilities for the astronauts and any injured response force.

"In the event of a mishap, the bioenvironmental team will be on scene. Then the medical response team will assess and stabilize shuttle crew members," said Lt. Col. Dawn Jackson, squadron commander. "If advanced care is needed, our secondary role would be to provide care while transporting via airlift to the closest medical center."

The 95th Security Forces Squadron will provide security and protection of the orbiter and crew during shuttle operations as well as traffic and crowd control.

"We will secure the area to make sure there are no unauthorized access or any disturbances in the normal operation in the shuttle landing," said Staff Sgt. David Mirenna, 95th SFS staff NCO. "Each patrol receives precise instructions as to where they need to be and what they need to do."

When the shuttle has landed, the 95th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight will monitor the hazardous chemical level, if any, as well as assist emergency responders with crew retrieval and decontamination.

"We work closely with the Fire Department and medical personnel in implementing the contingency plan," said Maj. Waikwong Kan, Bioenvironmental Engineering deputy flight commander. "Our main goal is to be ready to provide emergency assistance if needed."

If contamination is detected, Bio will assess the situation and implement proper measures to ensure adequate decontamination, said Major Kan.

The 412th Operations Support Squadron provides radar coverage and weather updates for the space shuttle recovery, said Howard Travis, Air Force Flight Test Center plans and programs office shuttle contingency coordinator.

The squadron continuously briefs and updates the space shuttle recovery team on expected time and date of landing as well as the weather, he said.

The recovery of the space shuttle is a team effort, said Col. Jim Hogue, Mobilization Augmentee to the Air Force Flight Test Center commander and director of the Space Shuttle Contingency Response Team.

"Each individual knows exactly what needs to be done in providing for a safe recovery of the Space Shuttle Discovery and its astronauts," Colonel Hogue said. "The ongoing training has readied the team to respond to any emergency situation that may arise."