Charleston Air Force Base aircrew airlifts Mars Odyssey
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (USTCNS) --- A Team Charleston C-17 Globemaster III aircrew transported NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft from Buckley AFB, Colo., to Cape Canaveral at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Jan. 4.
The 8,000-pound Odyssey orbiter, costing more than $176 million, is destined for the planet Mars. With a launch date of April 7, the craft will travel more than 400 million miles, said program manager Bob Berry of Lockheed Martin. However, to make the voyage, the spacecraft had to go to Florida for processing and loading on a Delta II rocket.
"With such a package, we needed an aircraft and crew that was just the right size for this mission. The answer was a C-17 flown by the Air Force Reserve," said Berry.
Berry, a former Air Force flight test engineer assigned to Edwards AFB, Calif., and the son of a former B-47 pilot, said it's an issue of security. The Odyssey spacecraft is a national asset, and the military provides the perfect environment.
"We pride ourselves on maintaining the same level of professionalism regardless of who or what is on this aircraft," said Master Sgt. Darryl Brown, 701 st Airlift Squadron loadmaster and scheduler.
"Our briefings remain the same as do our courtesies. However, at the same time, we try to include our most experienced people for such a mission."
Like a bullet, the Odyssey is shot toward Mars where it spends the next seven months in flight until reaching its final destination, Farmerie said. To do this, the spacecraft travels more than 15,000 mph. Once near the red planet and before starting the Mars orbit insertion, the spacecraft must begin aerobraking.
"Over a period of 76 days, the craft slows down to enter the elliptical orbit," Berry said.
At eight-feet high, six-feet wide and weighing 1,650 pounds fully loaded, the Odyssey has the capability of sending data back to Earth in only 15 minutes.
Brown noted that the six-person crew epitomizes the true nature of Total Force, including full-time air reserve technicians, traditional reservists and an active-duty co-pilot.
Master Sgt. Jack Lewis, 701 AS loadmaster, captured the feeling of the entire crew about being assigned the mission.
"Being tasked to fly this mission tells me that we are needed and that we provide a vital role for our nation," Lewis said. "We're here to move equipment and people for the Air Force. I consider it a compliment to have been asked to do such an important mission.
"It's not all Reserve, it's not all active duty. We're doing this job together and that's what it's all about."
(Capt. Tracy Velino, 437 AW Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)
(FROM 437TH AIRLIFT WING CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
The 8,000-pound Odyssey orbiter, costing more than $176 million, is destined for the planet Mars. With a launch date of April 7, the craft will travel more than 400 million miles, said program manager Bob Berry of Lockheed Martin. However, to make the voyage, the spacecraft had to go to Florida for processing and loading on a Delta II rocket.
"With such a package, we needed an aircraft and crew that was just the right size for this mission. The answer was a C-17 flown by the Air Force Reserve," said Berry.
Berry, a former Air Force flight test engineer assigned to Edwards AFB, Calif., and the son of a former B-47 pilot, said it's an issue of security. The Odyssey spacecraft is a national asset, and the military provides the perfect environment.
"We pride ourselves on maintaining the same level of professionalism regardless of who or what is on this aircraft," said Master Sgt. Darryl Brown, 701 st Airlift Squadron loadmaster and scheduler.
"Our briefings remain the same as do our courtesies. However, at the same time, we try to include our most experienced people for such a mission."
Like a bullet, the Odyssey is shot toward Mars where it spends the next seven months in flight until reaching its final destination, Farmerie said. To do this, the spacecraft travels more than 15,000 mph. Once near the red planet and before starting the Mars orbit insertion, the spacecraft must begin aerobraking.
"Over a period of 76 days, the craft slows down to enter the elliptical orbit," Berry said.
At eight-feet high, six-feet wide and weighing 1,650 pounds fully loaded, the Odyssey has the capability of sending data back to Earth in only 15 minutes.
Brown noted that the six-person crew epitomizes the true nature of Total Force, including full-time air reserve technicians, traditional reservists and an active-duty co-pilot.
Master Sgt. Jack Lewis, 701 AS loadmaster, captured the feeling of the entire crew about being assigned the mission.
"Being tasked to fly this mission tells me that we are needed and that we provide a vital role for our nation," Lewis said. "We're here to move equipment and people for the Air Force. I consider it a compliment to have been asked to do such an important mission.
"It's not all Reserve, it's not all active duty. We're doing this job together and that's what it's all about."
(Capt. Tracy Velino, 437 AW Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)
(FROM 437TH AIRLIFT WING CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
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