MILLINGTON, Tenn. – When NASA’s Artemis II crew splashed down in the Pacific upon their return to Earth from their flight around the moon, U.S. Navy sailors stood ready to welcome them home.
Petty Officer 1st Class Riley Barbour, a native of Intervale, New Hampshire, was among the sailors who supported the recovery of the crew and the Orion space capsule.
Barbour, a 2014 graduate of Kennett High School, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, which airlifted the Artemis II crew back to USS John P. Murtha for further evaluations and then back to land.
“My proudest accomplishment while serving in the Navy is being a part of the Artemis II astronaut recovery mission, welcoming them back home after they went to the moon and back,” Barbour said.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Intervale.
“Growing up, I learned that being resourceful is the most important part of getting jobs done,” Barbour said.
Barbour joined the Navy 11 years ago. Today, Barbour serves as an aviation electrician’s mate.
“I joined the Navy to be a part of the world’s finest fighting force and be a part of something bigger, working towards the greater good,” Barbour said.
NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts – NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen – on a nearly 10-day flight around the moon in the Orion space capsule, marking the first time in more than 50 years that humans journeyed to deep space. The crew splashed down just after 5 p.m. (PDT) on April 10 in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, where Navy sailors who had been training for this recovery mission were waiting aboard John P. Murtha.
In addition to transporting the crew, members of HSC-23 also provided NASA with imagery support from their MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters by tracking the Orion space capsule as it traveled through Earth’s atmosphere.
Based at Naval Air Station North Island, California, the “Wildcards” of HSC-23 fly and maintain the MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, the Navy’s most advanced rotary wing sea combat platform. The Navy MH-60S is able to perform many different missions, but some of the most common operations include airborne mine countermeasures, anti-surface warfare, combat search and rescue, supply support and medical evacuations.
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“Serving in the Navy gives me great pride and a sense of accomplishment,” Barbour said. “There’s no better feeling than finishing a job and watching our helicopters go and execute important mission tasking.”
Barbour is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my wife, Monica, for taking care of our family while I go underway, and my mother and father for the love and support they give from home,” Barbour said.