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Jolly Green protects, serves for milestone Dragon launch

  • Published
  • By Capt. Cathleen Snow
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla --  A Dragon breathed fire at 3:44 a.m. EDT May 22 with the launch of the first-ever commercial rocket mission to the International Space Station.

Before the Space Exploration Technology's Falcon 9 rocket lifted off, Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing based at nearby Patrick Air Force Base flew two combat-search-and-rescue HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters through the night to secure the Eastern Range.

"For a little rocket it had a lot of flame coming from it," said Lt. Col. Rob Haston, pilot of one of the helicopters, call sign Jolly 1.

"There was no launch window with this one," said Haston's co-pilot, Capt. Jason Tomas.

That was a good thing for the rescue wing Airmen because if the launch doesn't go on its first attempt there is no additional hovering around. They are released.

Three days before the launch they spent the early morning hours of Armed Forces Day serving as guardian of the seas, but that launch aborted due to a sensor issue.

The Dragon capsule is carrying 1,200 pounds of food, water, clothing and supplies to the International Space Station. This is the first mission of its kind for a civilian company.

"Supporting any landmark launch like this one is always a great thing to be a part of," said Haston, who is coming up on 20 years supporting rocket launches.

On average, the helicopter crews clear an area anywhere from 16 to 20 miles wide by 50 to 70 miles long in support of the 45th Space Wing's range control.

"They (range control) want us to clear 8 to 10 miles away from the azimuth. With a small rocket like this, it's a small box, but because it's brand new, we kept it pretty clear," said Haston.

During his range clearing duties over the years, Haston has seen three rockets explode - a Delta, Atlas and Titan - so he knows first-hand the importance of the 920th's role in securing the Eastern Range.

Due to their capabilities, Airmen from the rescue wing have supported every type of government agency rocket launch, manned and unmanned, from Florida's Space Coast for the past 50 years.

Working in partnership with NASA and Patrick's 45th Space Wing, aircraft maintainers, life support Airmen and aircrews come together to prepare and fly two CSAR Pave Hawk helicopters for a night over the Atlantic Ocean keeping an eye on the launch corridor.

"There are a lot of nuances to range clearing," Haston said. "You get to know the type of boats and generally where they are going. Tug boats try and get in close to the shore if they are traveling south," he said. "You may be dealing with 1,000-foot freighter with a non-English speaking captain or a brand new boat owner in a sailboat."

This experience is "not the sort of thing you pick up in Air Force regulations," Haston explained, "but they are tricks of the trade you learn."

On the night of the Dragon launch, the Airmen added no light to the mix. They wore night-vision goggles while the Milky Way Galaxy could be seen flickering overhead against the black sky untouched by light pollution.

Among the handful of mariners the Airmen encountered before the launch, they were met with full cooperation to change course and avoid the launch hazard area below. Even a Space Coast Super Boat Grand Prix race held that day didn't factor into additional mariner traffic.

SpaceX's website lists the following mission highlights:

· May 22/Launch Day: SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launches a Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

· May 23: Dragon orbits Earth as it travels toward the International Space Station.

· May 24: Dragon's sensors and flight systems are subjected to a series of complicated tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station; these tests include maneuvers and systems checks in which the vehicle comes within 1.5 miles of the station.

· May 25: NASA decides if Dragon is allowed to attempt berthing with the station. If so, Dragon approaches. It is captured by station's robotic arm and attached to the station, a feat that requires extreme precision.

· May 25 - 31: Astronauts open Dragon's hatch, unload supplies and fill Dragon with return cargo.