Reservists support NASA's lunar space missions

Published June 19, 2009
By Tech. Sgt. Kristin Mack
507th Air Refueling Wing

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Air Force reservists from the 920th Rescue Wing here supported the successful launch of an Atlas V rocket carrying two lunar spacecraft systems at 5:32 EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station June 18.

Wing helicopter crews kept the Eastern Range clear. The range is the strip that runs roughly 10 miles wide and 70 miles long along the Atlantic Ocean, extending out from the launch pad in the anticipated direction of flight.

The rocket could shower debris or veer off course, so the reservists scan 1,000 square miles of ocean for boats and ships. They then contact mariners to warn them to keep their ships from moving into a danger zone.

Aircraft maintainers and life support personnel also support the launch mission.

"Team rescue is proud to be a part of these lunar exploration missions," said Col. Jeffrey Macrander, 920th Operations Group commander. "It's such an honor to be be part of such a historic mission."

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Spacecraft will fly to the moon atop the same Atlas V rocket, although they will use vastly different methods to study the lunar environment.

The LRO will go into orbit around the moon turning its suite of instruments toward the moon for thorough studies. High resolution imagery from orbiter's camera will help identify landings sites for future astronauts and characterize the moon's topography and composition.

The LCROSS, on the other hand, will guide an empty upper stage on a collision course with a permanently shaded crater in an effort to kick up evidence of water at the moons poles. The LCROSS will also impact the lunar surface during its studies.

This is the first lunar launch in a decade and expected to reveal more information about the lunar environment than other missions to the moon.

To date, the reservists have supported about 400 launches alongside their active-duty counterparts. This mission marked the 15th flight of an Atlas V rocket from and the fifth launch this year from Cape Canaveral AFS.

The 920th RQW is an Air Force Reserve combat search and rescue unit, which performs more than 20 percent of the Air Force's CSAR mission. The wing has about 1,500 Airmen and flies HC-130P/N extended-range Hercules aircraft and HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)