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DDMS responds to Columbia disaster

Story ID 03-29
February 05, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Air Force Space Command News Service
By Capt. Susan A. Romano
45th Space Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Within seconds of NASA's announcement that it had lost contact with Space Shuttle Columbia Feb. 1, the Department of Defense Manned Space Flight Support here initiated their catastrophic incident checklists. The DDMS mission is to coordinate NASA requests for DOD's unique capabilities in support of the manned space flight program, if search and rescue is needed.

The office is made up of only 36 people, yet charged with astronaut rescue and recovery, contingency landing site support, payload security and medical support.

DDMS quickly mobilized its rapid response team and coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard to dispatch C-130 Hercules aircraft to patrol the coast of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico for falling debris.

For the first few hours, DDMS moved to thoroughly coordinate with numerous national agencies, including U.S. Strategic Command, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Military Command Center, the Director of Military Support and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.

Later, as search-and-rescue efforts took place in east Texas and western Louisiana, DDMS dispatched members to Barksdale AFB, La., and Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base to assist NASA and FEMA in their recovery efforts. DDMS also had aircraft and crew on alert throughout the day in case additional support was needed.

Today, DDMS is still on the job coordinating NASA requests for additional DOD resources and passing those requests to Barksdale to the recovery team headquarters.

"Our sole purpose is to train for contingencies like the Columbia accident," said Col. David Dingley, DDMS commander. "But it's a job we hope we never have to do. When called upon, however, the entire team performed magnificently and I couldn't be prouder of their performance under very tough circumstances."

"On behalf of the entire DDMS team, I'd like to convey our sympathy to the crew's families," said Navy Cmdr. Michael D. Masla, DOD Support Operations Center director. "We are very proud of the loved ones they have lost and the courage these families have displayed during this terrible tragedy."