IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1714 

Congratulating the engineers, scientists, psychologists, and staff of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for helping to 

successfully rescue 33 trapped Chilean miners from a collapsed mine 

near Copiapo, Chile. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 15, 2010 

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mr. BARROW, Ms. 

BORDALLO, Mr. CALVERT, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. 

DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. CLAY, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Ms. FUDGE, 

Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. OLSON, and Ms. RICHARDSON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science and 

Technology 

RESOLUTION 

Congratulating the engineers, scientists, psychologists, and 

staff of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for helping to successfully rescue 33 

trapped Chilean miners from a collapsed mine near 

Copiapo, Chile. 

Whereas, on August 5, 2010, 33 Chilean miners were trapped 

by the collapse of a gold and copper mine near Copiapo, 

Chile; 

Whereas, on August 22, 2010, all 33 miners were discovered 

alive after an intensive 17-day rescue effort; 


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•HRES 1714 IH 

Whereas, on August 27, 2010, the Chilean government asked 

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA) to provide technical advice that might be of assistance to the trapped miners; 

Whereas NASA’s vast knowledge and experience with extreme isolation, analog missions, undersea environments, 

and space flight uniquely suited the agency to help with 

this historic rescue; 

Whereas sustaining, supporting, and rescuing the trapped 

miners was an extremely challenging task; 

Whereas, on August 30, 2010, NASA employees from the 

Johnson and Langley Space Centers traveled to Chile to 

assist with the rescue efforts; 

Whereas the NASA team worked closely with the Chilean 

government, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Mining, the Chilean Navy, and the Chilean Space 

Agency; 

Whereas NASA assisted the Chilean government by sharing 

knowledge acquired during space flight missions for the 

provision of medical care and psychological support in extreme isolation; 

Whereas NASA engineers provided recommendations for the 

design requirements for the Phoenix capsule used to rescue the miners; 

Whereas the Chilean Navy used the Phoenix capsule to bring 

the miners to the surface nearly 69 days after the mine’s 

initial collapse; 

Whereas, on October 13, 2010, all 33 miners were successfully rescued; and 


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•HRES 1714 IH 

Whereas NASA’s help was instrumental in the historic rescue 

of all 33 miners: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) congratulates the engineers, scientists, psy3 chologists, and staff of the National Aeronautics and 

4 Space Administration for helping to successfully res5 cue 33 trapped Chilean miners from a collapsed 

6 mine near Copiapo, Chile; and 

7 (2) recognizes that the experience and knowl8 edge of the National Aeronautics and Space Admin9 istration has acquired through space flight is bene10 ficial to human life on Earth and was critical to the 

11 successful rescue of the Chilean miners. 

Æ 


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