About this episode

The episode compares Apollo-era and Artemis-era recovery operations through the insights of Navy aircrewmen who participated in both missions.

For the first time, Apollo-era and Artemis-era recovery are compared side by side by the people who actually did the job. Mike Longe, U.S. Navy helicopter aircrewman from the Apollo recovery missions, and Steve Williams, Senior Chief rescue swimmer supporting Artemis operations, break down what really happens when a capsule hits the water. Same mission. Different era. We walk through the full evolution—splashdown, swimmer deployment, stabilization, and hoist—and compare what’s changed from Apollo 13 recovery operations to modern Artemis procedures. No theory. No commentary. Just operators. Topics covered: Apollo 13 recovery operations (Navy helicopter aircrew) Artemis recovery procedures and modern systems Rescue swimmer role vs legacy aircrew operations Splashdown timeline and critical first minutes Hoist operations in open ocean conditions What’s actually harder now vs then If you’re interested in NASA recovery operations, helicopter rescue, or real-world decision-making under pressure, this is the breakdown. #Apollo13 #Artemis #NASA #RescueSwimmer #HelicopterRescue #SearchAndRescue #NavalAviation #SpaceRecovery #MilitaryOperations #Leadership

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