GC-built ships retrieve Orion craft

SAN DIEGO - Amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD 27) and USS Montgomery (LCS 8) - both built on the Gulf Coast - helped retrieve the Artemis I Orion spacecraft on Dec. 11 in coordination with multiple organizations. NASA chose to use the Navy surface ships due to their adaptable capabilities. Portland began early morning efforts to recover the Orion capsule with the launch of four small boats and two combat rudder raiding craft. The small crafts located the capsule and rigged lines to the capsule to move toward the ship. Montgomery was responsible for providing security in the area and a back-up for small boats. Artemis I was the first integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems that demonstrated the capability of orbiting the Moon and returning home with an unmanned crew. Portland and Montgomery are assigned to Expeditionary Strike Group Three. (ESG 3 12/11/22) Gulf Coast Note: USS Portland was built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. USS Montgomery was built at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala.