U.S. Army Now Being Trained For SPACE Flight

Military forces gear up for increased astronaut recovery missions as human space travel soars.

We’re truly entering the age of actual space travel – not just occasional visits!

At a Glance

  • Joint military task force conducts astronaut recovery training off Florida’s coast
  • Exercises simulate real-world scenarios for SpaceX, Boeing, and Artemis missions
  • Training involves airdrops, pararescue jumps, and challenging ocean conditions
  • Preparation comes as four crewed rocket launches are scheduled from Florida in 2025
  • Military readies for more frequent search and rescue alerts due to increased space travel

Military Prepares for Surge in Space Travel

As the realm of human space exploration expands, the U.S. military is ramping up its preparedness for astronaut recovery operations. In a recent joint task force exercise held in Brevard County, Florida, personnel from various states including Hawaii, South Carolina, and Florida honed their skills in locating and retrieving astronauts from maritime environments.

We are entering the era of space travel, and military space use…that’s kind of scary, right?

The training, which involved 10 airdrops and 30 pararescue men jumps in challenging conditions, focused on simulating real-world scenarios that recovery teams might face during missions for private and governmental space programs like SpaceX, Boeing, and NASA’s Artemis program. These exercises are crucial as the frequency of human space flights increases, with four crewed rocket launches scheduled from Florida’s Space Coast in 2025 alone.

The military’s heightened focus on astronaut recovery reflects the rapidly evolving landscape of space exploration. Maj. Ryan Schieber, a key figure in the training exercises, highlighted the significant changes in the industry over recent years.

“The developments in the space industry from 2020, when [JB] Hickam originally picked up this alert, until now, show an increase in SpaceX launches, including Boeing Starliner, and now in 2026, the Artemis team,” Maj. Ryan Schieber said.

This surge in activity has prompted the military to reassess and enhance its readiness for astronaut recovery operations. The task force is preparing for more frequent search and rescue alerts, echoing strategies used during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions while incorporating modern technologies and techniques.

Ocean Splashdowns: A Critical Component

Ocean splashdowns remain a preferred method for spacecraft landings, providing a soft surface to distribute energy upon impact. SpaceX missions, for instance, deploy parachutes to slow spacecraft descent to about 15 mph before ocean landing. The Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific oceans serve as suitable landing sites, with recovery teams poised to quickly retrieve crews and capsules post-splashdown.

As missions such as SpaceX’s Crew-10 and Crew-11 approach, with launches planned for late March and late summer respectively, the military’s enhanced capability to carry out these operations becomes increasingly critical to the safety and success of human space travel. The upcoming Fram2 and AX-4 missions, which will send civilians to space, further underscore the need for robust recovery protocols.

This new space race is going to get very interesting indeed.