Preparing for Artemis II: Successful recovery test off San Diego coast
The crew of the Artemis II mission successfully completed a recovery test off the coast of San Diego. This test, conducted by the U.S. Navy and NASA from to , was to rehearse the safe recovery of the crew and the Orion capsule after their splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. It involved CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen and his Artemis II crewmates, along with CSA astronaut Jenni Gibbons. As the Canadian backup astronaut for the mission, she was also involved in validating the astronaut training and some procedures for this test.
NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense are conducting a series of tests at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and in the ocean to demonstrate and evaluate the processes, procedures, and hardware used in recovery operations for crewed lunar missions. In , they performed the first test specific to the Artemis II mission, but without the crew present. This time, the crew was on hand. They practised different scenarios, such as:
- during the day and at night
- in various weather conditions
- with injured or incapacitated crewmembers
This collaborative effort represents a significant step in the training of the crew and the various teams involved.
Watch Jeremy and Jenni explain how they prepared in the pool for this test.
U.S. Navy sailors help CSA astronaut Jenni Gibbons egress the Orion capsule during training for NASA's Underway Recovery Test 11. (Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Olivia Rucker)
CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen waits in an inflatable raft after his egress of the Orion capsule. (Credit: NASA/Isaac Watson)