Abstract
The Department of Defense has a long history of supporting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) crewed missions to space. This includes the recently launched Artemis I, part of the mission that intends to send humans back to the Moon after more than 50 years. Rescue and recovery of astronauts upon splashing down at sea present logistical challenges and may exacerbate specific health concerns related to space travel and extended time spent in microgravity environments. In this article, we explore the evolution of the collaboration between the Department of Defense and NASA, and we describe the role of the US military in supporting NASA as it seeks to send humans to the Moon and beyond.
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