Shuttle exercise tests NASA, Edwards response teams (Forwarded)

Public Affairs
Edwards Air Force Base, California

04/22/05

Shuttle exercise tests NASA, Edwards response teams
By Senior Airman Matthew Dillier

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Support crews from NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Kennedy Space Center and Edwards teamed-up in a mock shuttle recovery exercise Saturday on the Edwards flightline.

The day began around 9 a.m. with a convoy of vehicles ranging from crew transport vehicles, fire trucks and a mobile command post slowly snaking their way down the flightline to the main runway.

"We always come out for these exercises," said Dean Schaaf, Kennedy Space Center NASA convoy commander. "We have about 60 folks just from Kennedy [Space Center] alone."

About 93 personnel from Florida and Edwards altogether teamed-up to safely recover the mock shuttle.

Around 11:30 a.m., the shuttle "landed" on the Edwards runway; however, it was not a normal landing as was planned.

As part of the exercise, the shuttle crew reported smoke coming from the cockpit during the approach.

After the shuttle came to stop, emergency crews, including firefighters, rushed to the orbiter and proceeded to rescue the crew from the billows of smoke pouring out of the side hatch.

"Once the firefighters get inside the cockpit, they lower the individuals with straps on a ramp," said C. R. Eckroth, 95th Air Base Wing Fire Protection Division logistics officer. "After that, they usually do a quick evaluation to get their vital signs."

Since Edwards is the secondary landing site for the space shuttle, exercises are held periodically to familiarize new personnel with landing and crew rescue procedures.

The Shuttle Discovery is expected to return to flight between May 15 and June 3.

For more information on the space shuttle, visit the NASA Web site www.nasa.gov .

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[http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/STS-Misc/HTML/EC05-0079-32.html]
While rescue personnel prepare evacuation litters, two stand-in "astronauts" prepare to use an exit slide from a Shuttle mockup during a training exercise. NASA Photo by Tony Landis.
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