NASA astronauts train at Fairchild to...

AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. - Four of the astronauts that will put America back in the driver's seat when it comes to space exploration were in Spokane this week.

The crew, training at Fairchild Air Force Base, were practicing what would happen if their SpaceX capsule ended up landing in the ocean.

The four NASA astronauts on that life raft will be among the first Americans to blast into space aboard an American-made spacecraft in more than 6 years. Friday, they were getting some important training.

The astronauts were participating in a water survival course, which is something they need now that they're switching over to space capsules that could possibly splashdown in the ocean beginning in 2018.

When we flew on the shuttle we were always looking for a runway, said Captain Sunny Williams, NASA astronaut. Now we're going to be flying on capsules and capsules can land anywhere.

The 336th training group tried to make its survival lessons as realistic as possible. Fans, fog machines, and fire hoses recreated the difficulties of ditching at sea.

There's lots of waves, lots of wind, and lots of rain, said Colonel Doug Hurley, NASA astronaut. This is a great way to tell how bad it could possibly get. It's a good way to reset everything you've learned over the years.

Dealing with the deluge in a controlled environment, right down to getting hoisted aboard a rescue copter, gives students the confidence they need for the real thing.

It also allows us to talk to the providers and get a better insight as to what type of survival gear and techniques we may need, especially for an ocean-landing spaceship, said Hurley.

There were a lot more people in the pool today than just astronauts and that's because the space crew was integrated in one of Fairchild's regularly scheduled survival courses. It's the only place it can happen in the Air Force and it makes Fairchild that much more valuable to the Pentagon.

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NASA astronauts train at Fairchild to prep for space capsules - KXLY Spokane