SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — It's the mission of a lifetime for hundreds of sailors on the USS Portland.
The USS Portland and USS Montgomery will be working together to help NASA retrieve the Artemis I Orion Capsule from the Pacific Ocean.
“Once it hits the water, we’re going to remove the flight plugs that NASA installed and we’re going to install toe pins. That’s when the ship takes over," explained Petty Officer First Class Wayne Shearer, a Navy diver.
For him, this is a full-circle moment.
“When I was a senior in high school, living in Louisville, Louisiana, I heard a loud boom outside my window and I went out to inspect it and unfortunately found out a few hours later it was the Columbia," he recalled.
Shearer’s served for nearly 20 years, and this will be his final time diving.
But if you ask him if he’s scared — he’ll tell you no.
“We’ve trained for a year and a half. There’s nothing to be scared about. It’s just water. We deal with water every day. So, it’s just another mission to us," he said.
He wasn’t the only one training.
All the sailors onboard went through training to prepare for the mission.
“Training with them, the energy level is very high — everybody is very excited— especially now that its finally coming to fruition," said Lt. Thomas Logan.
Lt. Logan was in charge of overseeing the training.
He’s been serving for seven years and is hopeful for a successful mission.
“This is a stepping stool — bringing astronauts to the moon and then eventually to Mars. Being a part of Artemis I is a big deal," he said.
It’s a big deal for sailors with big responsibilities.
“I think when you join the Navy, you always hope to be a part of something big, and I think that time has come," said Ensign Adam Regnier, a laser officer.
During the mission, he will be in charge of the safe navigation of the ship.
“I feel really privileged and honored to be the Conning Officer. It’s a big deal and it’s a big part of history," he said.
The capsule is expected to hit the Pacific Ocean, off the coast Baja California, at around 9:40 a.m. PT Sunday.
