NASA Artemis I Orion Spacecraft Recovery

PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec. 11, 2022) Navy Divers and Sailors from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Expeditionary Support Unit One recover the NASA Artemis I Orion spacecraft. Amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD 27), along with Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8), is underway in U.S. 3rd Fleet in support of the recovery. The retrieval operation is part of a Department of Defense effort that integrates combatant command service capabilities to determine best practices for safely retrieving spacecraft capable of carrying humans into space.

The U.S. Navy has many unique capabilities that make it an ideal partner for supporting NASA, including its amphibious and expeditionary capabilities with the ability to embark helicopters, launch and recover small boats, three-dimensional air search radar and advanced medical facilities. (U.S. Navy video by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devin Kates)