Photos

URT-12: USS Somerset conducts small boat operations during recovery tests for NASA

250326-N-AV351-2063 Machinist Mate 2nd Class Jacob Warner, assigned to amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25), participates in small boat operations while NASA engineers prepare to release a crew module test article from the ship’s well deck during NASA Underway Recovery Test 12 in the Pacific Ocean, March 26, 2025. In preparation for NASA's Artemis II crewed mission, which will send four astronauts around the moon and beyond in the Orion spacecraft, NASA and the Department of Defense will conduct a series of tests to demonstrate and evaluate the processes, procedures, and hardware used in recovery operations for crewed lunar missions. The Department of Defense has many unique capabilities that make it an ideal partner to support NASA, including its amphibious ships with the ability to embark helicopters, launch and recover small boats and provide medical care at advanced onboard facilities. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nettie Mae Manfull)