Join the Alien Search, login or register FREE on Aliens and Space Forum

Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site

Rescuers at the Ready at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

By NASA
August 16, 2024 in NASA

https://www.aliensandspace.com/topic/13691-rescuers-at-the-ready-at-nasa%E2%80%99s-kennedy-space-center%C2%A0/

Followers 0

Rescuers at the Ready at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

KSC-20240813-PH-KLS03_2075~large.jpg?w=1

Credits: NASA/Kim Shiflett

If there’s an emergency at the launch pad during a launch countdown, there’s a special team engineers at Kennedy Space Center teams can call on – the Pad Rescue team.

Trained to quickly rescue personnel at the launch pad and take them to safety in the event of an unlikely emergency, NASA’s Pad Rescue team at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida has been in place since the Apollo Program. Today they help support crewed missions launching from Launch Complex 39A and B, as well as Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

KSC-20240812-PH-FMX01_0395~large.jpg?w=1

Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024.

NASA/Frank Michaux

Stationed in mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, or MRAPs, the Pad Rescue team stands poised near the launch pad to assist with any emergency requiring the personnel to quickly leave the pad. If needed, they will head to the pad and break up into two separate teams – one that heads up the launch tower to aid personnel and another that is stationed at the perimeter of the pad for when crews come down the emergency escape or egress system. Once everyone is on the ground and inside the MRAPs, Pad Rescue will drive teams to one of the triage site locations at Kennedy.

They’re spaceflight knights in shining armor. Except instead of saving crew from a fire breathing dragon, it’s from a fully loaded skyscraper-sized rocket that’s getting ready to lift off.

"Pad Rescue isn’t going up to fight fire or troubleshoot anything. This is a snatch and grab operation. We’re going up there to assist people and get them out as quickly as possible.

CHRISTOPHER YOUNG

NASA Kennedy Fire Protection Chief and Pad Rescue Program Operational Lead

The team is made up of approximately 25 firefighters and fire officers, with 10 pad rescuers assigned per mission. Since the team supports a diverse range of launches – Artemis, the Commercial Crew Program and some private commercial crew launches – part of their training requires learning the differences between the launch pads, the emergency egress systems, the spacecraft, and even the spacesuits.

“The hatch itself can be very complex,” said Dylan Reid, Pad Rescue program manager. “The seats are different. The suits are completely different and the connections on the suits are different. As we expand Pad Rescue to support different programs, our teams are absorbing all of the highly technical and different needs.”

KSC-20240812-PH-FMX01_0161~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Frank Michaux

KSC-20240812-PH-FMX01_0320~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Frank Michaux

KSC-20240813-PH-KLS02_0052~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-20240813-PH-KLS02_0091~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-20240813-PH-KLS03_1340~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team, and the Exploration Ground Systems Program – who also suited up as astronauts – practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-20240813-PH-KLS03_2121~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team, and the Exploration Ground Systems Program – who also suited up as astronauts – practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-20240813-PH-KLS03_0923~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team, and the Exploration Ground Systems Program – who also suited up as astronauts – practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-20240813-PH-KLS03_2636~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team, and the Exploration Ground Systems Program – who also suited up as astronauts – practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-20240811-PH-KLS02_1552~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-20240812-PH-FMX01_0340~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Frank Michaux

KSC-20240812-PH-FMX01_0486~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Frank Michaux

KSC-20240812-PH-FMX01_0088~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Frank Michaux

KSC-20240812-PH-FMX01_0343~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Frank Michaux

KSC-20240811-PH-KLS02_1686~large.jpg?w=1 — Teams at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida practice the Artemis mission emergency escape or egress procedures during a series of integrated system verification and validation tests at Launch Pad 39B on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. Members of the closeout crew, pad rescue team and the Exploration Ground Systems Program practiced the process of getting inside and out of the emergency egress baskets. While the crew and other personnel will ride the emergency egress baskets to the terminus area in a real emergency, no one rode the baskets for this test. Instead, teams tested the baskets during separate occasions by using water tanks filled to different levels to replicate simulate the weight of passengers.
NASA/Kim Shiflett

When the launch team sent in the red crew during the Artemis I launch countdown to help fix a hydrogen leak, the Pad Rescue team was nearby to help in case anything went wrong. Now as teams train for Artemis II – the first crewed Artemis mission – they’re learning all the new additions at Launch Complex 39B that come with having astronauts onboard.

This includes learning the Artemis emergency egress system. Before Artemis II launches, the Pad Rescue team – along with other teams like the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program responsible for launching the Artemis missions, and the closeout crew who are responsible for helping the astronauts get inside the Orion spacecraft – will thoroughly train for all kinds of emergency procedures that can occur during the launch countdown.

The most recent training ahead of Artemis II included practicing several emergency egress situations such as helping aid the closeout and the simulated flight crew off of the launch tower after a simulated hydrogen leak occurred during a launch countdown.

“It’s a sense of pride for all of us that are on this team. They step up and they volunteer to be a part of this. Working with EGS, the Commercial Crew Program, and other commercial space companies makes me feel really involved with the space program. This is a one-of-a-kind rescue team.”

CHRISTOPHER YOUNG

NASA Kennedy Fire Protection Chief and Pad Rescue Program Operational Lead

Artemis II will send four astronauts – commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency – around the Moon on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the lunar surface for science and exploration through Artemis. The 10-day flight will test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, Orion spacecraft, for the first time with astronauts.

About the Author

Antonia Jaramillo

Details

Last Updated

Aug 16, 2024

Related Terms

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

Missions

Humans in Space

Climate Change

Solar System

View the full article

Quote

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Reply to this topic...

× Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead

Only 75 emoji are allowed.

× Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead

× Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor

× You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Insert image from URL

https://www.aliensandspace.com/topic/13691-rescuers-at-the-ready-at-nasa%E2%80%99s-kennedy-space-center%C2%A0/

Followers 0

Go to topic listing

Similar Topics
- Three New Missions Launch to Track Space Weather
  By NASA
  
  Three New Missions Launch to Track Space Weather
- Live Video from the International Space Station (Seen From The NASA ISS Live Stream)
  By Amazing Space
  
  Live Video from the International Space Station (Seen From The NASA ISS Live Stream)
- NASA Sets Launch Coverage for Space Weather Missions
  By NASA
  
  From left to right, NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) missions will map our Sun’s influence across the solar system in new ways. Credit: NASA NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for an observatory designed to study space weather and explore and map the boundaries of our solar neighborhood.
  Launching with IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) are two rideshare missions, NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1), both of which will provide insight into space weather and its impacts at Earth and across the solar system.
  Liftoff of the missions on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is targeted for 7:32 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, Sept. 23, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Watch coverage beginning at 6:40 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
  The IMAP spacecraft will study how the Sun’s energy and particles interact with the heliosphere — an enormous protective bubble of space around our solar system — to enhance our understanding of space weather, cosmic radiation, and their impacts on Earth and human and robotic space explorers. The spacecraft and its two rideshares will orbit approximately one million miles from Earth, positioned toward the Sun at a location known as Lagrange Point 1.
  NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is a small satellite that will observe Earth’s outermost atmospheric layer, the exosphere. It will image the faint glow of ultraviolet light from this region, called the geocorona, to better understand how space weather impacts our planet. The Carruthers mission continues the legacy of the Apollo era, expanding on measurements first taken during Apollo 16.
  The SWFO-L1 spacecraft will monitor space weather and detect solar storms in advance, serving as an early warning beacon for potentially disruptive space weather, helping safeguard Earth’s critical infrastructure and technological-dependent industries. The SWFO-L1 spacecraft is the first NOAA observatory designed specifically for and fully dedicated to continuous, operational space weather observations.
  Media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch has passed. NASA’s media credentialing policy is available online. For questions about media accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
  NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
  Sunday, Sept. 21
  2:30 p.m. – NASA Prelaunch News Conference on New Space Weather Missions
  Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington Brad Williams, IMAP program executive, NASA Headquarters Irene Parker, deputy assistant administrator for Systems at NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service Denton Gibson, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science Missions, SpaceX Arlena Moses, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, U.S. Space Force Watch the briefing on the agency’s website or NASA’s YouTube channel.
  Media may ask questions in person or via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation for previously credentialed media. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
  3:45 p.m. – NASA, NOAA Science News Conference on New Space Weather Missions
  Joe Westlake, director, Heliophysics Division, NASA Headquarters David McComas, IMAP principal investigator, Princeton University Lara Waldrop, Carruthers Geocorona Observatory principal investigator, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Jamie Favors, director, Space Weather Program, Heliophysics Division, NASA Headquarters Clinton Wallace, director, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center James Spann, senior scientist, NOAA Office of Space Weather Observations Watch the briefing on the agency’s website or NASA’s YouTube channel.
  Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. Members of the public may ask questions on social media using the hashtag #AskNASA.
  Monday, Sept. 22
  11:30 a.m. – In-person media one-on-one interviews with the following:
  Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Kieran Hegarty, IMAP project manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab Jamie Rankin, IMAP instrument lead for Solar Wind and Pickup Ion, Princeton University John Clarke, Carruthers deputy principal investigator, Boston University Dimitrios Vassiliadis, SWFO-L1 program scientist, NOAA Brent Gordon, deputy director, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Remote media may request a one-on-one video interview online by 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18.
  Tuesday, Sept. 23
  6:40 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime and more. NASA’s Spanish launch coverage begins on NASA+, and the agency’s Spanish-language YouTube channel.
  7:32 a.m. – Launch
  Audio-Only Coverage
  Audio-only of the launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, or -1240. On launch day, “mission audio,” countdown activities without NASA+ media launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.
  NASA Website Launch Coverage
  Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the agency’s website. Coverage will include links to live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 6 a.m., Sept. 23, as the countdown milestones occur. Streaming video and photos of the launch will be accessible on demand shortly after liftoff. Follow countdown coverage on the IMAP blog.
  For questions about countdown coverage, contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468.
  Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con María-José Viñas: maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov.
  Attend Launch Virtually
  Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
  Watch, Engage on Social Media
  Let people know you’re watching the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:
  
  X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASolarSystem, @NOAASatellies
  Facebook: NASA, NASA Kennedy, NASA Solar System, NOAA Satellites
  Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASolarSystem, @NOAASatellites
  For more information about these missions, visit:
  https://www.nasa.gov/sun
  -end-
  Abbey Interrante
  Headquarters, Washington
  301-201-0124
  abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov
  Sarah Frazier
  Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
  202-853-7191
  sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
  Leejay Lockhart
  Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
  321-747-8310
  leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov
  John Jones-Bateman
  NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service, Silver Spring, Md.
  202-242-0929
  john.jones-bateman@noaa.gov
  Share
  Details
  Last Updated Sep 15, 2025 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
  Heliophysics Division Carruthers Geocorona Observatory (GLIDE) Goddard Space Flight Center Heliophysics IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) Kennedy Space Center Science Mission Directorate View the full article
- Live Video from the International Space Station (Seen From The NASA ISS Live Stream)
  By Amazing Space
  
  Live Video from the International Space Station (Seen From The NASA ISS Live Stream)
- Live Video from the International Space Station (Seen From The NASA ISS Live Stream)
  By Amazing Space
  
  Live Video from the International Space Station (Seen From The NASA ISS Live Stream)
Check out these Videos

Sign In

Rescuers at the Ready at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Recommended Posts

NASA

Rescuers at the Ready at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

"Pad Rescue isn’t going up to fight fire or troubleshoot anything. This is a snatch and grab operation. We’re going up there to assist people and get them out as quickly as possible.

“It’s a sense of pride for all of us that are on this team. They step up and they volunteer to be a part of this. Working with EGS, the Commercial Crew Program, and other commercial space companies makes me feel really involved with the space program. This is a one-of-a-kind rescue team.”

About the Author

Antonia Jaramillo

Share

Details

Related Terms

Discover More Topics From NASA

Join the conversation

Similar Topics

Check out these Videos

Activity

Browse

Videos

Sign In

Rescuers at the Ready at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

Recommended Posts

NASA

Rescuers at the Ready at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

"Pad Rescue isn’t going up to fight fire or troubleshoot anything. This is a snatch and grab operation. We’re going up there to assist people and get them out as quickly as possible.

“It’s a sense of pride for all of us that are on this team. They step up and they volunteer to be a part of this. Working with EGS, the Commercial Crew Program, and other commercial space companies makes me feel really involved with the space program. This is a one-of-a-kind rescue team.”

About the Author

Antonia Jaramillo

Share

Details

Related Terms

Explore More

NASA Teams Change Brakes to Keep Artemis Crew Safe

Artemis Emergency Egress System Emphasizes Crew Safety

NASA Sends More Science to Space, More Strides for Future Exploration

Discover More Topics From NASA

Join the conversation

Similar Topics

Check out these Videos

Activity

Browse

Videos