Airmen of the 21st Space Wing’s 721st Mission Support Group at Cheyenne Mountain AFS, Colo., recently practiced “button-up” procedures—closing the mountain’s monstrous blast doors. “The blast doors are three-and-a-half feet thick, weigh 25 tons, and are normally closed by a hydraulic pump in 30 to 45 seconds,” says 1st Lt. Jeff Crepeau, 721st MSG executive officer. With muscle power alone, they can be closed in 4.5 minutes.
With Congress considering another continuing resolution to cover the rest of fiscal 2025, the Space Force’s No. 2 officer asked lawmakers to give the service “flexibility” to deal with budget uncertainty.