Rustic cabins

In the foreground is one of the single-room cabins at Arnold Air Force Base's Crockett Cove, with a double bed and a bunk bed – enough room to sleep four people. A two-room unit is visible to the right (rear), which will sleep six. (Photo by David Housch)

'Chute that's big

In this image, two engineers are dwarfed by NASA's Mars Science Laboratory's parachute, which holds more air than a 3,000-square-foot house and is designed to survive loads in excess of 36,000 kilograms (80,000 pounds). The parachute, built by Pioneer Aerospace, South Windsor, Conn., has 80 suspension lines, measures more than 65 feet in length, and opens to a diameter of nearly 55 feet. It is the largest disk-gap-band parachute ever built and is shown here inflated in the test section with only about 12.5 feet of clearance to both the floor and ceiling of the world’s largest wind tunnel at National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex. The parachute is attached to a launch arm mounted on a swivel-base that allows the test item to pitch and yaw under simulated conditions of subsonic entry into the Martian atmosphere. (Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL and Pioneer Aerospace Corp.)

No time to waste

From left, AEDC EMT/Paramedics Dwane Kimmel and Steve Macon transport Amanda Bassett, a senior at Franklin County High School, to Southern Tennessee Medical Center during a mock bus crash in Cowan. (Photo by Philip Lorenz III)

Prep with paint

Suzanne Mitchell, Franklin County High School registered nurse, applies moulage paint to Justin Moore, a 6th grader at South Middle School in preparation for a mass casualty training exercise Nov. 10. The young man was one of 12 Boy Scouts from Troop 185 in Winchester who took part, playing the role of “victims.” (Photo by Philip Lorenz III)

Chopper chips in

An Air Evac LifeTeam helicopter from Manchester, Tenn., lands near South Middle School to take part in the mass casualty training exercise simulating a bus crash with injured students on board. (Photo by Philip Lorenz III)

Air Force Association Air & Space conference honors Air Force 60th anniversary

Aerospace Testing Alliance Public Affairs Manager and AFA H.H. Arnold Chapter President Claude Morse stands with Mrs. Wynne, Secretary Wynne and Lt. Col. James M. Humes from Edwards AFB, Calif., at Arnold Engineering Development Center’s display. (Photo by Kathy Gattis)