Get it on Google Play

Hoisted Down to the Orion Capsule | Artemis II Astronaut Recovery Rescue Swimmer Chris Upton | Ep. 60

Hoisted Down to the Orion Capsule | Artemis II Astronaut Recovery Rescue Swimmer Chris Upton | Ep. 60

Author: Brian Dickinson May 5, 2026 Duration: 48:00
Calm in the Chaos - U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Podcast
History

The whole world watched the Orion capsule splash down in the Pacific and the U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer hanging from a cable beneath an MH-60S Sea Hawk—lowered down to bring the astronauts home from the Moon.


In this episode of Calm in the Chaos, Chris Upton shares what it was like to be one of the Aviation Rescue Swimmers on the hoist during the historic Artemis II recovery. After NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen splashed down off the coast of San Diego—returning from humanity's first lunar mission in over 50 years—Chris was part of the team trusted to physically bring them up out of the Pacific and onto the helicopter that would deliver them to the USS John P. Murtha.


This is the view from the cable.


Chris takes us inside the training, the rehearsals, the precision, and the quiet pressure of being the person at the end of the hoist when the world is watching—and four lives are in your hands.


In this episode:

  • Being lowered on the hoist during the Artemis II astronaut recovery
  • What it felt like to come face-to-face with astronauts returning from the Moon
  • The rehearsals, mockups, and training that prepared the team for splashdown day
  • Flying with HSC-23 and the precision required between pilot, crew chief, SMT, and swimmer
  • Working alongside the Navy dive medical team and NASA's Landing and Recovery team
  • Bringing astronauts home one by one to the USS John P. Murtha
  • The legacy of Navy Rescue Swimmers in U.S. space recovery missions
  • What it means to be the last link in the chain that brings someone home


Chris Upton was part of one of the most historic recovery missions in modern naval aviation. His story is a window into the quiet professionalism of the men and women who live by four words: So Others May Live.


👉 Subscribe, share, and leave a review. It helps more veterans, first responders, and families find these stories.


CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST — Episode 60


So Others May Live. 🫡🇺🇸


Rescue Swimmer Merchandise https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com Military & First Responders: Use code SARRESCUE10 for 10% off 100% of proceeds support the podcast

📖 Calm in the Chaos — The Book by Brian Dickinson Available at www.briandickinson.net 

📩 Booking & Media Inquiries: podcast@briandickinson.net


For more content, subscribe and follow @TheCalmintheChaosPodcast: 

Twitter: https://x.com/briancdickinson/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandickinson/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briancdickinson 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briancdickinson


Calm in the Chaos: The Rescue Swimmer Podcast Untold Stories from U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmers


#ArtemisII #Artemis2 #ArtemisIIRecovery #NASA #OrionCapsule #Splashdown #AstronautRecovery #MoonMission #ReidWiseman #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #USSJohnPMurtha #HSC23 #SeaHawk #MH60S #HelicopterRescue #HoistRescue #RescueSwimmer #NavyRescueSwimmer #AviationRescueSwimmer #CalmInTheChaos #NavyRecovery #NavalAviation #USNavy #NavyVeteran #MilitaryVeteran #SoOthersMayLive #SearchAndRescue #SAR #MilitaryPodcast #VeteranStories #ResiliencePodcast #LeadershipUnderFire #MentalToughness #ServiceAndSacrifice #BrianDickinson #VeteranPodcast #SpaceRecovery #NASARecovery #PacificOcean #SanDiego


There’s a moment in every rescue when training meets turbulence, and a person must decide to step into the storm. Calm in the Chaos-U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Podcast is built around those moments, sharing firsthand accounts from the men and women who have lived them. Host Brian Dickinson, drawing from his own experience as a former Navy Rescue Swimmer and an author who has faced extreme environments, guides these conversations with a rare understanding. Each episode unfolds a real mission, but the focus often settles on what happens between the orders-the split-second decisions, the managed fear, and the profound humanity required to save a life in perilous conditions. This isn't just about historical operations; it's an intimate exploration of the grit, mindset, and quiet faith that define these individuals. The podcast has found a dedicated audience, ranking in the top tier of podcasts globally, precisely because it goes beyond the heroics to examine the tangible calm forged in chaos. While not affiliated with the U.S. Navy or Department of Defense, the stories offer an authentic window into a world where running toward danger is the job description. Listeners will hear voices often reserved for debrief rooms, sharing narratives of loss, survival, and the weight of the helmet, all framed by Dickinson’s grounded perspective.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Official website RSS
instagramyoutubetiktokspotify
Calm in the Chaos - U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Podcast
Podcast Episodes
From Guitar Hero to Real Hero: A Navy Rescue Swimmer’s Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:10
Before answering the call of duty, he was just a kid playing Guitar Hero. In this episode, we follow the unexpected path from music-loving civilian to U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer — facing down life-or-death mission…
F-14 Crash Rescue in Shark-Infested Waters | Real Navy SAR Mission [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:39
An F-14 goes down. Shark-infested waters. Zero margin for error.In this episode, a U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer recounts the tense and heroic mission that followed one of the most dangerous aircraft crashes imaginab…
Man Overboard Rescue, Pizza Runs & Copenhagen | Rescue Swimmer Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:16
This episode dives into the wild and unexpected—from a man overboard emergency to delivering pizza and Copenhagen in the middle of SAR ops. It’s all part of the unpredictable life of a Navy Rescue Swimmer.Calm in the Cha…

«12345