Vlog 7: Preparing to splash down in the Pacific Ocean

Uploaded on March 1, 2024

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Vlog 7: Preparing to splash down in the Pacific Ocean

When Orion splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after its journey around the Moon, an intricate operation to recover the crew and the capsule safely will get into gear. The crew and the teams involved in the recovery practise the operation both in a pool and in the ocean several times before the mission. CSA astronauts Jeremy Hansen and Jenni Gibbons give us an insider's look at one of these training sessions at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. (Credits: Canadian Space Agency, NASA, Fulwell 73 UK Limited)

Jeremy Hansen: Today we thought we'd share a little bit about this training we're doing, getting ready for getting rescued in the ocean.

Jeremy Hansen: So we're at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory today. We have a mock-up of the Orion capsule in the pool behind us. And today, we're going to be simulating getting rescued from the Pacific Ocean. 

Now, Jenni is one of the backups for Artemis II team and did this training evolution last night that we're going to do today.

Jenni Gibbons: This is a really cool opportunity for us to learn about what it's going to be like when we come back from a Moon mission and we land in the Pacific Ocean. We're waiting in the capsule, strapped into our seats, and we have the U.S. Navy and search and rescue folks come and secure the capsule and get us out after the mission.

So today, crew is going to prepare and practise being in the capsule.

Recovery forces is going to be practising their procedures, getting crew safely out of the capsule.

So here you can see the search and rescue forces, the U.S. Navy, we have some docks approaching the capsule. 

Behind me you see that the crew has egressed the capsule… practising helo lifts on the crane.

Now we are lucky enough to have this incredible facility at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, where we can mock all of this up and practise.

Jeremy Hansen: And this is all in preparation for the next stage in the training where we'll go out to San Diego and we'll train this in the real ocean with the U.S. Navy, with helicopters and the whole bit.

Jenni Gibbons: This just brings us one step closer to the Artemis II mission return to the Moon!

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