Airmen support space shuttle launch

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CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. (AFNS) --  Officials from the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and Air Forces Northern provided crucial airspace control and manning support to the successful launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour the morning of Feb. 8 here.

CONR ensured airspace sovereignty by enforcing the Federal Aviation Administration's temporary flight restriction area established around Kennedy Space Center using F-15 Eagles from Langley Air Force Base, Va.

Air patrols are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure public safety while demonstrating CONR's rapid response capability. CONR officials have conducted air patrols throughout the United States since the beginning of Operation Noble Eagle, the command's response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The CONR staff also deployed the Joint-Based Expeditionary Connectivity Center team to Cape Canaveral to provide an overarching air picture to the supported entities. The JBECC is a Humvee-based, highly mobile, rapid response communications node for integrated air defense and is able to incorporate real-time data into NORAD's command and control systems.

AFNORTH officials provided the headquarters manning for U.S. Northern Command's Joint Task Force-Space Transportation System, which is responsible for the search and rescue of the astronauts and recovery of the orbiter if the need arises. AFNORTH members also served as the operational level focal point for situational understanding and crisis response to space shuttle mission contingencies.

The task force provides the command and control of Department of Defense forces during crisis response from the Morrell Operations Center at Cape Canaveral AFS.