The airmen of the 40th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron that maintain the B-1B bombers flying combat mission over Afghanistan haven’t missed one of more than 165 launches during the present expeditionary rotation, according to an feature article by Air Force journalist TSgt. Jason Smith. The airmen are performing the same type of work they would at home base, but they work at “a faster pace,” said SrA. Kevin Waxman, one of the unit’s crew chiefs. Capt. Andrew Hackleman, with the 40th EMXS, called the B-1B “a complicated and maintenance-intensive weapon system, and the crew chiefs work tirelessly, 24/7, keeping the jet safe and reliable for aircrew.”
Celebrating 100 Years of Liquid-Fueled Rockets
March 11, 2026
March 16, 2026, marks 100 years since Dr. Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket. Over the past century, new and ever more capable liquid-fueled rockets have literally propelled humanity into space. Why liquid-fueled rockets?