SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- South Bend's own United States Navy Ensign Oliver Hasler was assigned to amphibious transport dock of the USS Somerset and recently welcomed local students to the ship for a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) tour on March 21.

"Sailors from USS Somerset, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1 and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 'Wildcards' hosted students alongside NASA engineers ahead of Underway Recovery Test 12," a U.S. Navy spokesperson said.

"In preparation for NASA's Artemis II crewed mission, which will send four astronauts around the Moon and beyond in the Orion spacecraft, NASA and the Department of Defense will conduct a series of tests to demonstrate and evaluate the processes, procedures, and hardware used in recovery operations for crewed lunar missions."

The Department of Defense says it has many unique capabilities that make it an ideal partner to support NASA, including its amphibious ships with the ability to embark helicopters, launch and recover small boats and provide medical care at advanced onboard facilities.