PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) —
A joint-task power of Guardsmen and Reservists conquer air, house and sea to supply Human Area Flight Help coaching for astronaut retrieval via search and rescue Jan. 14-17, at Patrick Space Force Base.
Guardsmen from the 204th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, joined fingers with Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and the 308th Rescue Squadron, Patrick SFB, Florida, to coach on HSFS search and rescue airdrop methods, used to retrieve astronauts from open-ocean waters upon returning to Earth.
“The developments within the house business from 2020, when [JB] Hickam initially picked up this alert, till now, present a rise in SpaceX launches to incorporate Boeing Starliner, and now in 2026, the Artemis workforce,” mentioned Maj. Ryan Schieber, 315th Operations Support Squadron HSFS lead planner.
With the house group rising, the variety of HSFS astronaut retrievals additionally grew to roughly three to 4 alerts per yr. Main the 204th AS to construct a joint-task power with the 308th RQS, below the 920th Rescue Wing, as the one Air Force Reserve Command wing that trains and equips fight search and rescue Airmen, and accomplice with the 315th AW to certify HSFS airdrop search and rescue Airmen.
“We’re right here to certify the Charleston Reserve aircrew, the pilots, and the loadmasters,” mentioned Grasp Sgt. Makaio Roberts, 204th AS HSFS deputy program supervisor. “They’re our Complete Drive Associate with the 308th RQS, as we help the launches and recoveries by working with NASA, SpaceX, Boeing and now the Artemis applications.”
In 2025, the 315th AW answered the decision to accomplice with the 204th AS to turn out to be HSFS airdrop certified. HSFS coaching alternatives present dependable coaching and effectivity for multi-capable Airmen.
“We’re conducting lifelike drops of each personnel and gear into an offshore drop zone, simulating how we’d find and recuperate remoted personnel in a maritime setting,” mentioned Capt. Nicolas Walsh, 308th RQS fight rescue officer drop zone controller.
In 7.5 hours of flight time, the joint process power achieved 10 airdrops, to incorporate 30 pararescuemen jumps, in hostile seas and winter temperatures. Regardless of the restricted availability, skilled airdrop aircrews and upkeep groups excelled in maximizing the usage of out there sources, guaranteeing excessive ranges of readiness.
“By dropping totally different items of kit that assist to make sure astronauts are capable of be rescued within the occasion of a splashdown and that we have now rescue {qualifications}, so we’ll have the ability to help the real-world launches and recoveries for the HSFS program,” Roberts mentioned.
“Area journey is anticipated to extend, so the search and rescue alert goes to extend, and we can be able to reply that decision,” Schieber mentioned.
The HSFS airdrop joint process power affords Airmen a possibility that the majority C-17 aircrews haven’t skilled earlier than. By working collectively with the 204th AS and 308th RQS, HSFS airdrop certified Airmen to assist develop them into mission-ready Airmen.
“This can be a very distinctive operation for the C-17 to take part in rescue airdrop, giving them a take a look at a special mission set on the C-17 is simply one other facet of maintaining them able to go for the following combat,” Schieber mentioned.
