♪♪
>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME
TO NASA'S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
WE ARE HERE TODAY FOR THE SPACEX
DEMO-1 MISSION PRELAUNCH NEWS
CONFERENCE.
LET ME INTRODUCE TODAY'S
PANELISTS.
WE HAVE KATHY LEADERS, NEAR AT
NASA'S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
WE HAVE HANS, VICE PRESIDENT OF
BUILD AND FLIGHT RELIABILITY
WITH SPACEX.
JOEL, DEPUTY MANAGER FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
PROGRAM LOCATED AT JOHNSON SPACE
CENTER.
PAT FORESTER, THE CHIEF AT
NASA'S JOHNSON SPICE CENTER, AND
MELODY LEAVENS THE LAUNCH
WEATHER OFFICER.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH OPENING
REMARKS FROM OUR PANEL HERE IN
THE ROOM, AND THEN WE WILL OPEN
IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
ONCE WE ANSWER QUESTIONS HERE IN
THE ROOM, WE'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS
FROM THE PHONE BRIDGE.
AND YOU CAN SEND IN YOUR
QUESTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP WITH
KATHY.
>> THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.
THANK YOU FOR COMING.
THIS IS A BIG DAY FOR US,
OBVIOUSLY.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO FLY OUR
FIRST UNCREWED MISSION WITH WHAT
WILL BE OUR CREW DESIGN OF THE
SPACEX DRAGON.
AND I HAVE A LITTLE VIDEO HERE.
OF COURSE WE HAVE TO HAVE A
VIDEO, OR WE'RE NOT NASA.
AND IT'S GOING TO SHOW HOW
IMPORTANT THIS FLIGHT CHEST IS
FOR US FROM A LEARNING
PERSPECTIVE.
♪♪
♪
>> SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN
ORBITAL FLIGHT TEST AND THEN
WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST FLIGHT WITH
CREWS IN THEM, TO PROVE THAT
THESE SYSTEMS ARE READY TO FLY
PEOPLE TO SPACE.
>> THESE ARE IMPORTANT FOR
ASTRONAUT SAFETY, BECAUSE WE ALL
ASK OURSELVES WOULD WE BE
COMFORTABLE FLYING OUR OWN
FAMILY ON BOARD THIS VEHICLE?
AND THE ANSWER HAS TO BE YES, SO
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE TEST
THESE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
>> SINCE WE'RE DEALING WITH A
NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE PUTTING
HUMAN SPACE VEHICLES TOGETHER
AGAIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
IMPRESS UPON THEM EVERY DAY THAT
THERE IS NOT A DAY WHEN THEIR
ATTENTION CAN WAIVER.
>> WE CAN TEST THEM DOWN HERE ON
EARTH, AND CUT THEM IN VACUUM
CHAMBERS, AND DO THERMAL TESTS
ON THEM, BUT THERE'S NOTHING
LIKE PUTTING THEM IN THE REAL
ENVIRONMENT.
>> THAT WILL GIVE US A LOT OF
INCITE ON THE VEHICLE
PERFORMANCE, THE FUNCTIONAL
SYSTEMS.
EVEN THE ABORT SYSTEM WILL BE
ACTIVE ON THAT VEHICLE.
>> SO THAT'S WHY THESE INITIAL
TEST FLIGHTS ARE SO IMPORTANT,
BECAUSE YOU NEED TO SEE, IT'S
NOT JUST THE HARDWARE, IT'S THE
PROCEDURES, AND THE WHOLE THING
COMING TOGETHER.
>> SPACEX IS SUPPOSED TO LAND ON
LAND AND WATER.
THOSE ARE TWO HUGE DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENTS.
SO HOW THAT IS GOING TO WORK.
>> THIS IS A CRITICAL ASPECT OF
THE NASA JOB IS TO CONTINUE TO
HAVE THAT DIALOGUE WITH THE
CONTRACTORS, ABOUT, WELL, WHY
DID YOU DO THAT?
WHY WAS THAT SAFER?
>> A FAMILY MEMBER, HUSBAND,
WIFE, UNCLE, AUNT.
IT'S NOT AN OPTION TO NOT BE
SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
♪♪
>> SO THIS MISSION WILL
BE -- YOU CAN TURN TO THE FIRST
SLIDE.
THERE'S SOME REALLY KEY
OBJECTIVES.
HANS WILL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT
THAT.
BUT FROM A NASA PERSPECTIVE,
WE'RE WANTING TO SEE THE
ON-ORBIT PERFORMANCE, THE KEY
AVIONICS, DOCKING, MAKING SURE
COMMUNICATION WITH THE SPACE
STATION AND THE GROUND IS
WORKING PROPERLY.
AND WE'LL BE LEARNING FROM THE
ECLIPSE SYSTEMS, AND THE POWER
SYSTEMS.
SOLAR RAYS AND ELECTRICAL POWER
SYSTEMS.
IT'S POWER GENERATION ON ORBIT,
AND HOW THE SYSTEMS ARE WORKING
ARE REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL.
LIKE THE FOLKS WERE SAYING IN
THE VIDEO, THERE'S -- THIS IS AN
INVALUABLE EXERCISE FOR US TO
LEARN IN THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT,
HOW THESE SYSTEMS WILL BE
WORKING.
AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT THESE
SYSTEMS ARE READY TO GO FOR WHEN
WE'RE GOING TO PUT OUR CREWS ON
THEM.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
THE -- THERE ARE LAUNCH ESCAPE
SYSTEM WILL BE IN -- IN MONITOR
MODE.
SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT,
BECAUSE FOR THE NEXT MISSION,
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO
HAVE OUR KEY ABORT SYSTEMS
WORKING, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO
TAKE THOSE PARAMETERS AND MAKE
SURE THOSE ARE APPROPRIATE THEN
FOR US TO ENSURE THAT THE -- THE
SYSTEMS ARE GOING TO BE
FUNCTIONING WHEN WE NEED THEM TO
FUNCTION, AND ARE SET PROPERLY.
AND THEN -- YOU KNOW, THE PART
THAT PEOPLE DON'T -- WE DON'T
TALK ABOUT OFTEN IS WE TALK
ABOUT THE -- THE HARDWARE AND
THE SOFTWARE, BUT WE DON'T TALK
ABOUT THE PEOPLE SYSTEMS, AND
IT'S REALLY US FIGURING OUT HOW
TO OPERATE TOGETHER AND WORK
TOGETHER, SO THAT THE NEXT TIME
WHEN WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO
FLY OUR CREWS, WE CAN DO THAT IN
A SAFE AND EFFICIENT MANNER.
HANS AND I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE
BEEN GOING THROUGH REVIEWS FOR
THE LAST FEW WEEKS, BUT THAT'S
ALL REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE NEED TO WORK
THIS FOR WHEN IT'S OUR CREWED
MISSION.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE -- YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE A QUICK TIME LINE.
WE'RE GETTING READY, OBVIOUSLY
FOR A LAUNCH EARLY IN THE
MORNING ON -- ON SATURDAY
MORNING.
AND LOOKING AT THEN DOCKING
ABOUT 27 HOURS LATER WITH A
FIVE-DAY MISSION, AND SO -- AND
THEN RE-ENTRY AND SPLASH DOWN ON
THE FIFTH DAY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO BE WORKING TOGETHER AND
LEARNING FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AS
WE GO THROUGH THE WHOLE
DEMONSTRATION MISSION AND MAKING
SURE THAT EACH ASPECT OF THE
SYSTEMS THAT WE'LL BE TRYING OUT
WILL BE THEN APPLIED TO OUR
CREWED MISSIONS, AND MAKING SURE
THAT THOSE SYSTEMS ARE AS SAFE
AS POSSIBLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND
SHOWING YOUR THERE IN THIS FOR
US, WHICH IS A HUGE DAY FOR OUR
PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU, KATHY.
HANS?
>> YEAH, WE HAVE BEEN TARGETING
2:49 ON SATURDAY MORNING, EARLY
IN THE MORNING, EAST COAST TIME
HERE, AND TARGETING THAT TIME
FOR THE FIRST LAUNCH OF THE CREW
DRAGON TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
THERE'S A BACKUP LAUNCH
OPPORTUNITY ON TUESDAY
MARCH 5TH, AN HOUR EARLIER, ALSO
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, IN
CASE WE HAVE WEATHER OR
SOME -- SOME OTHER ISSUES ON
SATURDAY MORNING.
SPACEX LEARNED A LOT OVER THE
PAST 70 MISSIONS, AND THE PAST
16 DRAGON MISSIONS, AND
EVERYTHING WE LEARNED,
EVERYTHING WE -- WE EXPERIENCED
IS BASICALLY IN THIS PARTICULAR
DRAGON VERSION AND IN
THIS -- THIS PARTICULAR MISSION.
WE HAVE DONE AN INCREDIBLE
AMOUNT OF TESTING TOGETHER WITH
NASA AND MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING IS -- IS -- IS SAFE
AND READY TO GO, AND I DO HAVE A
SMALL VIDEO TOO, JUST TO STAY ON
TOPIC.
♪♪
>> THIS IS THE WHOLE STACK
FALCON 9.
THIS IS [ INAUDIBLE ] REALLY
FAST.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THIS IS THE ACOUSTIC TEST,
THE DOCKING TEST, AND YOU CAN
SEE THE DOCKING
MECHANISM -- THERE IT GOES.
THIS IS THE EMI TEST, THE
ANTENNA MEASURING.
AND THIS IS EXERCISING THE
[ INAUDIBLE ] THAT ARE ALSO A
LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM.
THAT IS THE [ INAUDIBLE ] DEPLOY
TEST.
FAST.
MISSION CONTROL.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> AND HERE WE GO TO THE HUMAN
INTERFACE.
THIS IS THE CONTROL PANELS
THERE, AND OUR TWO ASTRONAUTS.
THIS IS THE [ INAUDIBLE ] TEST
WITH A PARACHUTE.
YOU CAN SEE THAT'S ACTUALLY FOUR
PARACHUTES AS OPPOSED TO THREE
ON DRAGON 1.
THIS IS THE CREW X'S ARM WHICH
CONNECTS TOWER WITH THE VEHICLE.
AND THIS IS REALLY FAST.
BUT I HOPE YOU GOT
EVERYTHING -- ALL OF THE
TECHNICAL DETAILS THAT I TALKED
ABOUT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THE DRAGON WILL BE DEPLOYED
ABOUT 11 MINUTES -- ACTUALLY I
HAVE A SLIDE ON THAT ONE TOO
ABOUT THE TIME LINE.
MAYBE I CAN DO THAT.
I TALKED ABOUT THE LAUNCH TIME
AROUND 2:49.
OUR FIRST LAUNCH FROM LC 39A.
AND WE DO INTEND TO RECOVER THE
FIRST STAGE ON THE SHIP.
NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THIS IS THE TIME LINE OF
LAUNCH ITSELF.
WE START OUT BASICALLY WITH A
CALL ON 45 MINUTES BEFORE
LAUNCH.
THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE ARE
ON THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM,
AND -- AND THAT IS TO KEEP
DRAGON AND LATER THE CREW SAFE.
ACTUALLY BEFORE THERE IS
PROPELLANT ON BOARD, AND THE
ENTIRE TIME WE'RE LOADING IT.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THERE IS
NOBODY ON THE LAUNCH PAD ANYMORE
AT THAT TIME.
AT 45 MINUTES BEFORE LAUNCH, WE
START LOADING UP ON FIRST AND
SECOND STAGE, AND WE -- WE THEN
START LOADING LOCKS ON THE FIRST
STAGE RIGHT AROUND THE SAME
TIME, ACTUALLY.
THE SECOND STAGE ALWAYS AMAZES
ME BECAUSE HE START LOWING AT
T-MINUS 16 MINUTES AND IT IS
RELATIVELY FAST, BUT WE ACTUALLY
EMPTY THE TANK EVEN FASTER WHEN
WE RUN IT THROUGH THE ENGINE.
SO IT'S NOT THAT FAST IN
PERSPECTIVE.
WHILE WE BEGIN CHILLING ALL OF
THE ENGINES PRIOR TO LAUNCH AT
ABOUT 7 MINUTES BEFORE THAT, WE
TRANSITION DRAGON INTO INTERNAL
POWER, 5 MINUTES.
A MINUTE BEFORE LAUNCH WE DO
THE -- THE [ INAUDIBLE ] GOES
INTO A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED MODE,
AND WE BEGIN PRESSURIZING THE
TANKS OWN THE FALCON 9.
AND AT 45 SECONDS WE HAVE THE
LAUNCH DIRECTOR CONFIRM THAT WE
ARE STILL GOOD TO GO WITH THE
RANGE AT NASA.
AND AT T-MINUS 3 SECONDS WE
START SPINNING UP THE ENGINES.
AND AT T-0 IT'S LIFTOFF.
NEXT, ONE, PLEASE.
THE FLIGHT ITSELF IS SIMILAR
TORE LAUNCHES, BUT I WANT TO
REPEAT A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE
DO.
YOU HAVE MASS CUE, THAT'S
BASICALLY THE MAXIMUM DYNAMIC
PRESSURE THAT THE VEHICLE SEES.
12.5 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT, WE
HAVE MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF ON THE
FIRST STAGE, FOLLOWED BY STAGE
SEPARATION, ENGINE START, AND
THE SECOND STAGE IS ON ITS WAY.
AND ENTRY BURN AROUND 7 MINUTES
AFTER LAUNCH.
THE SECOND STAGE ENGINE CUTOFF
IS ROUGHLY 9 MINUTES, I THINK.
YES, 9 MINUTES.
AND ACTUALLY BEFORE WE LAND, THE
FIRST STAGE -- STAGE ITSELF
LANDS 9.5 MINUTES AFTER T-0.
ACTUALLY CLOSE TO 10.
AND DRAGON AS I MENTIONED
SEPARATES 11 MINUTES
AFTER -- AFTER LAUNCH, AND GOES
ON ITS JOURNEY.
DRAGON WILL PERFORM THREE BURNS
AND APPROACH THE STATION
WITHIN -- ROUGHLY 30 HOURS.
WE EXPECT DOCKING TO HAPPEN ON
EARLY -- LET'S SEE
SATURDAY -- SUNDAY MORNING THEN
AT 6:00 A.M.
THAT'S ROUGHLY THE TIME.
AND I KNOW YOU WANT TO TALK
ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO . . .
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THE DRAGON LAUNCH WILL BE ON
STATION FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
WE'RE -- WE'RE PLANNING TO
DEPART THE STATION AT -- ON
MARCH 8TH, AND THEN WE'LL
PERFORM A COUPLE OF ORBITS,
ABOUT FIVE HOURS, AND THEN
PERFORM A RE-ENTRY BURN,
AND -- AND LAND ACTUALLY NEAR
ATLANTIC.
THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM DRAGON 1,
WHICH ALWAYS LANDED IN THE
PACIFIC.
IT TAKES ABOUT 35, 40 MINUTES
AFTER THE BURN TO GET THROUGH
THE ATMOSPHERE, DEPLOY THE TWO
DROVES AND THE FOUR MAIN CHUTES
AND LAND SAFELY IN THE WATER AND
GET PICKED UP BY THE BOAT IN THE
AREA.
AND THAT IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING
WE HAVE TO PRACTICE IN
PREPARATION FOR ACTUAL CREW
FLIGHT.
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FAST ON THE
RIGHT SPOT, AND THAT WE HAVE ALL
OF THE -- YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL
MEDICAL ATTENTION AND -- AT THE
RIGHT TIME, AND -- AND SO THAT
IS GOING TO BE EXCITING FOR US
TO GET EVERYTHING -- THIS IS A
VERY IMPORTANT TRAINING FOR US
TO -- TO GET THIS RIGHT FOR THE
CREW FLIGHT COMING UP NEXT.
THE TASK AHEAD OF US IS REALLY
HISTORIC.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK NASA FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH ON
BEHALF OF ALL SPACEX PLEASE.
ALSO NOW OUR TEAMS WORKED REALLY
HARD ON THIS.
SHOUT OUT TO THE DRAGON TEAM AND
ALSO THE FALCON TEAM
THAT -- THAT DID GREAT WORK OVER
THE PAST -- YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY
YEARS, AND -- AND PARTICULAR IN
THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS OF
WORKING THROUGH ON INCREDIBLE
AMOUNT OF DETAILED ISSUES,
MAKING SURE IT IS PRETTY TO FLY.
>> WE HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU,
HANS.
>> YOU DO?
>> I THINK WE HAVE A PICTURE OF
ROLLOUT, OR VIDEO.
DO YOU WANT TO SHOW THAT?
THERE IT IS.
>> YEAH, I ACTUALLY CAME FROM
THE PANEL ON THE WAY UP HERE,
AND I LOOKED AT IT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THAT'S KIND OF ANTI-CLIMACTIC
FOR YOU.
>> I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.
I MEAN EVERYTHING IS IN TOP
CONDITION.
EVERYTHING IS FRESHLY PAINTED.
IT LOOKS GREAT, AND I'M REALLY
AMAZED BY WHAT THIS TEAM DID IN
THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU CAN GOING TO
SEE A GREAT LAUNCH AND A GREAT
MISSION.
SO I'M REALLY OPTIMISTIC.
>> OKAY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WELCOME AGAIN TO THE
DEMO-1 PRELAUNCH BRIEFING.
KATHY AND HANS HAVE TALKED ABOUT
ALL OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN
DONE TO GET US HERE.
IT HAS BEEN A JOURNEY.
WE TAKE A FULLY FUNCTIONAL
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
PROGRAM WITH CREWS GOING UP AND
DOWN, DOING DAILY SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH ON BOARD.
WE BRING IN A COMMERCIAL CREW
PROGRAM THAT BRINGS IN PROVIDERS
THAT WILL BE DOCKING VEHICLES TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE INKOREA GRATE ALL OF THAT
WORK WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS, AND IT'S JUST
INCREDIBLE.
AND IT BRINGS EXCITEMENT BACK TO
KSC AS WELL.
WE'RE READY -- THEY ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO LAUNCH THIS WEEKEND.
AND TODAY WE SIT AT 0-MINUS 2
WITH A VEHICLE AT THE LAUNCH
PAD.
THIS ONE UNCREWED, BUT
EVENTUALLY WE'LL BE BRINGING
CREWED MEMBERS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
ON ORBIT, THE CREW HAS CHECKED
OUT THE DOCKING INTERFACE.
IT LOOKS GOOD.
WE'RE CHECKING OUT CAMERAS,
CLEARING THE PORT WHERE THEY
WILL BE GOING, MAKE SURE THERE'S
NO STOWAGE THERE.
ONCE YOU OPEN THE HATCHES
EVERYTHING IS GOOD TO GO.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE
FIRST EVENT IN MARCH.
JUST TWO WEEKS LATER, WE'LL HAVE
A LAUNCH OUT OF KAZAKHSTAN.
WE'LL BE GETTING US BACK TO THE
NOMINAL SIX CREW MEMBERS ON
BOARD TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, AND WE'LL STAY IN THAT
CONFIGURATION UNTIL THIS SUMMER.
WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW A
VIDEO OF THE CREW WE HAVE ON
ORBIT.
>> AND LIFT OFF.
WE HAVE LIFTOFF.
>> WE'LL LAUNCHED IN EARLY
DECEMBER, THREE CREW MEMBERS.
YOU SEE JUST A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE
OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, THE APPROACH, THE
WELCOME CREW.
HERE IS AN EXPERIMENT CALLED
FIERCE.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE
SELECTED TO DESIGNING
A -- ALGORITHMS, AND WE USE THIS
FOR OTHER SPACECRAFT.
HERE YOU SEE THE CREW MEMBERS
WORKING ON THE ROBOTIC
REFUELLING MISSION HARDWARE.
THIS IS HARDWEAR THAT WAS FLOWN
INSIDE THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION AND WILL BE PUT ON THE
JAPANESE TABLE THAT WILL GO
OUTSIDE OF THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, AND IT'S A TEST
ON HOW WE REFUEL SATELLITES.
NOW THIS IS SOME OLDER VIDEO OF
AN EARLIER PART OF THIS MISSION,
THE REFUELLING MISSION, NUMBER
2.
YOU SEE WHERE WE WERE INSTALLING
AN INTERFACE THERE.
YOU SEE WATER DROPLETS.
REFUELLING STATIONS IS SOMETHING
WE'RE DOING ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION AND THAT'S GOING
TO PLAY FORWARD TO OTHER
SATELLITES AND GIVE US THE
ABILITY TO REFUEL SATELLITES.
HERE IS AN EXPLORATION PROJECT
WHERE WE'RE TAKING PICTURES OF
THE MOON.
WE'LL BE ACTUALLY USING THE MOON
FOR SOME NAVIGATIONAL TECHNIQUES
WITH THE ORION SPACECRAFT.
HERE YOU SEE THE SPACEX 16
MISSION THAT WAS LAUNCHED.
YOU THOUGHT HANS'S VIDEO WAS
FAST.
I FIGURED I COULD TOP THAT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> YOU SAW PICTURE OF
VALENTINE'S DAY, AND HERE YOU
HAVE A BONE MORROW EXPERIMENT,
AND YOU CAN APPLY THAT TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE IN BEDREST ON EARTH.
SO WE'RE DOING EXPERIMENTS THAT
DIRECTLY APPLIES TO PEOPLE HERE
ON EARTH.
SO WITH THAT -- YOU KNOW, THAT
VIDEO SHOWS YOU THREE CREW
MEMBERS THAT ARE EXTREMELY
HAPPY.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE THE
SMILES ON THEIR FACE, TO WATCH
THEM ON A DAILY BASIS.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE ANOTHER
CANADIAN ASTRONAUT ON BOARD.
JUST TODAY THERE WAS -- YOU
PROBABLY HEARD A PRESS BRIEF
WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF
CANADA, WHERE THEY ANNOUNCED
THEY WILL BE JOINING THE GATEWAY
EXPLORATION PROGRAM.
AND WE'RE USING SPACE STATION
TODAY TO DO SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH, AND USING IT TO
LEAVE -- EVENTUALLY WE'LL LEAVE
LOW-EARTH ORBIT.
AND WITH THAT, I WANT TO THANK
YOU AGAIN.
AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO PAT.
>> GREAT, THANKS, JOE.
IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK AT KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER, AND IT'S NOT JUST
BECAUSE OF THE FINE PEOPLE AND
THE EXCEPTIONAL FACILITIES, IT'S
BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE I LEFT
PLANET EARTH EACH TIME I WENT TO
SPACE, AND THE PROSPECT OF BEING
PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WILL
ALLOW OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE
ASTRONAUTS TO DO THAT AGAIN IS
PRETTY EXCITING FOR ME.
IT WILL BE MORE EXCITING WHEN WE
COME BACK FOR DM 2.
FOR THE TEST MISSION.
BUT EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF
PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE, THERE'S
STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT WE NEED
TO DO, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD
TO WORKING AS A TEAM WITH SPACEX
TO GET THAT DONE.
THE LAUNCH EARLY IN THE MORNING
ON SATURDAY IS -- IS DEFINITELY
A MILESTONE.
THERE'S ANOTHER MILESTONE, AND
WE HAVE TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE
BIT, AND THAT'S ON SUNDAY WHEN
THIS THING DOCKS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE
ANY ASTRONAUTS ON DM 1.
WE DO HAVE THEM ON THE SPACE
STATION.
WE HAVE THREE OF THEM.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN PREPARING AND
TRAINING TO RECEIVE THIS
VEHICLE, AND IT ALSO HELPS US TO
REMIND THE RISKS INVOLVED,
DESPITE THE FACT THERE IS NO ONE
LAUNCHING, THERE IS ALWAYS HUMAN
LIFE AT RISK.
SO WE WANT TO STAY FOCUSED,
VIGILANT AND CONTINUE TO MOVE
DOWN THIS PATH THAT WE STARTED.
I HEARD FROM ANN JUST BEFORE
COMING OVER HERE TO THE PRESS
SITE, AND -- TO ECHO HER WORDS
SHE IS HUMBLED AND FEELS
PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A FRONT ROW
SEAT TO THIS HISTORIC EVENT.
THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT
ALL SPACEX CAN DO, AND WHERE WE
GO WITH COMMERCIAL CREW.
IN TWO SHORT WEEKS WE'LL BE OVER
IN KAZAKHSTAN WITH THE RUSSIANS
LAUNCHING ANOTHER CREW OF THREE,
AND THAT'S TYPICALLY WHAT WE
HAVE HAD UP THERE MOST OF THE
TIME IS SIX PEOPLE.
AND ONCE WE START REGULAR FLYING
CREW -- ON COMMERCIAL CREW,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY
TO HAVE SEVEN CREW MEMBERS UP
THERE.
AND THAT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG
JUMP, BUT STATISTICS TELL US
THAT HAVING ONE MORE CREW MEMBER
UP THERE, WE CAN ALMOST DOUBLE
THE SCIENCE AND RESEARCH THAT IS
BEING DONE.
THINK ABOUT BEING AT HOME.
THERE IS A LOT OF MAINTENANCE
REQUIRED ON THE SPACE STATION.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU THOUGHT,
IF I JUST HAD ONE MORE SET OF
HANDS, I COULD GET WHAT I NEED
DONE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
MOVING THAT DIRECTION, AND,
AGAIN, IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE
HERE.
>> THANK YOU, PAT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
WELL, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD
ALREADY, I HAVE SOME PRETTY GOOD
NEWS TO SHARE AS FAR AS THE
WEATHER GOES DURING THE LAUNCH
WINDOW EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.
LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO TO
IMAGERY.
THERE WE GO.
FIRST I WANT TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE
BIT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS
SATELLITE IMAGERY, YOU'RE
LOOKING AT AN INFRARED IMAGE, SO
THE COLDER THE CLOUD TOPS THE
HIGHER THE STORMS, ESSENTIALLY.
SO YELLOW AND REDS, THOSE ARE
HIGHER CLOUD TOPS.
NOW WE HAVE A PRETTY MINOR
DISTURBANCE LOCATED ACROSS THE
FLORIDA PANHANDLE, AND IT IS
SLOWLY SHIFTING TO THE EAST, AND
THAT WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT
TONIGHT AND INTO TOMORROW
MORNING, AND ALL IT REALLY IS
GOING TO DO IS SEND US SOME
CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE AREA.
ARRIVING LATE TONIGHT.
AND IT IS GOING TO LINGER FOR
MUCH OF THE DAY TOMORROW, BUT
THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE SHOULD HAVE
HIGH-PRESSURE BUILDING FROM
SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS THE
FLORIDA PENINSULA.
IT'S A PRETTY WEAK
HIGH-PRESSURE.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE JUST ENOUGH
TO CLEAR OUR CLOUDS OUT OF THE
WAY IN TIME FOR THE LAUNCH
WINDOW AROUND 2:48 AM, AND WE'LL
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
HERE IS THE FORECAST FOR YOUR
LAUNCH -- YOUR LAUNCH -- YOUR
PRIMARILY LAUNCH WINDOW
ON -- LATE -- EARLY SATURDAY
MORNING.
WE'RE GOING FOR A PRETTY LIGHT
WEST, SOUTHWESTERLY WIND.
AT THE SERVICE, IT WILL BE MUCH
LIGHTER THAN THAT, BUT UP AT 200
FEET WHERE THE ROCKET EXTENDS
TO, WE'RE EXPECTING 10 TO 15
MILES PER HOUR.
THE ONLY CONCERNS WE HAVE IS THE
CUMULOUS CLOUD RULE FOR PERHAPS
ANY LINGERING CLOUD COVER THAT
DIDN'T CLEAR OUT ON TIME.
WE'RE GOING WITH AN 80% GO FOR
LAUNCH.
AND FOR THE BACKUP WINDOW, LET'S
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE DELAY WINDOW IS 72 HOURS
AFTER.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT REALLY EARLY
TUESDAY MORNING FOR THIS.
BECAUSE THIS IS MORE IN THE
FUTURE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER
TO NAIL DOWN WHAT THE WEATHER IS
GOING TO BE, JUST BECAUSE
[ INAUDIBLE ] DIVERGE A LOT AS
WE GET INTO THE FUTURE.
BUT WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THERE
IS GOING TO BE A FRONTAL
BOUNDARY IN THE VICINITY DURING
THIS TIME.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR
PROBABILITIES ARE A LITTLE BIT
MORE PESSIMISTICS.
WE'RE ONLY GOING ABOUT 60% GO
FOR LAUNCH.
OUR PRIMARY CONCERNS ARE FLIGHT
PRECIPITATION DURING THE
SCENARIO, BUT WE ALSO CONTINUE
TO HAVE CONCERNS FORKER THIS
CUMULOUS AND THICK-CLOUD RULES
DURING THAT TIME.
OUR WINDS LOOK TO BE PRETTY
LIGHT DURING THAT TIME, 10 TO 15
MILES PER HOUR WITH A
TEMPERATURE OF 62 DEGREES.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
ENJOY THE LAUNCH.
>> WE'LL NOW TAKE QUESTIONS FROM
YOU IN THE ROOM.
WE ASK THAT EVERYONE KEEP IT TO
ONE QUESTION ONLY.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND
AFFILIATION, AND TO WHOM YOU ARE
ADDRESSING YOUR QUESTION.
SO WE'LL START WITH MARSHA.
>> MARSHA DENNIS, ASSOCIATED
PRESS FOR HANS.
YOU USED THE WORD HISTORIC.
THIS IS ALL BRAND NEW TERRITORY
FOR SPACEX.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS
MEANS TO THE TEAM -- YOUR TEAM,
AND THE EMOTIONS THAT ARE GOING
ON RIGHT NOW?
AND I'M WONDERING IF SINCE LAST
FRIDAY YOU HAVE GOTTEN WIND OF
THE DRAGON RIDER'S NAME, THE
MANNEQUIN'S NAME.
>> OH, YEAH, GOOD.
SPACEX WAS -- EARLY ON OUR GOAL
WAS HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT AND
OBVIOUSLY TOWARDS TOMORROW.
SO THE HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT IS A
CORE VALUE, A BUSINESS OF
SPACEX, SO IT'S -- AND -- AND WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON DEVELOPING
ROCKETS AND SPACECRAFT FOR, GISZ
CLOSE TO 17 YEARS BY NOW, AND
THIS IS BASICALLY FOR -- FOR THE
TEAM IT'S A CULMINATION OF WHAT
WE WERE FOUNDED FOR TO SOME
EXTENT, YEAH.
THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO.
EARLY DRAGON 1 HAD A WINDOW ON
THE SIDE, AND THIS WAS CLEARLY,
A -- A HINT TO EVERYBODY, WE
WANT TO FLY HUMANS INTO SPACE,
AND THIS IS OUR GOAL, THIS IS
WHY WE'RE ACTUALLY THERE.
SO CLEARLY, SO FAR -- SUPER
IMPORTANT FOR US, AND
INCREDIBLE, I GUESS, BOTH
IMPORTANT AND -- YEAH.
IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THIS
AND -- AND GET IT DONE RIGHT,
AND -- AND CONTINUE THEN FLYING
MORE AND MORE HUMAN MISSIONS
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
I'M ACTUALLY HUMBLED BY BEING AT
THAT POINT AFTER ALMOST 17 YEARS
OF -- OF WORKING -- WORKING
THIS, IT'S A PRETTY -- IT'S
PRETTY AMAZING TO DO THIS.
AND WITH RESPECT TO THE -- WELL,
I SAID DUMMY.
IT'S ACTUALLY A SMARTY, RIGHT?
IT HAS LOTS OF SENSORS.
AND HER NAME IS RIPLY.
HER NAME IS RIPLY, YES.
>> WHY?
>> ALIEN.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> LET'S GO TO BILL HARWOOD.
>> BILL HARWOOD, CBS.
CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF
PERSPECTIVE.
HANS MENTIONED THE FLIGHT
TERMINATION SYSTEM GETS
ACTIVATED AT 38 MINUTES.
SO CAN YOU MAYBE GIVE US THE
CREW'S PERSPECTIVE ON PUTTING
THE ASTRONAUTS ON BOARD BEFORE
FUELLING IN THE WAKE OF THE
PROBLEMS IN THE PAST AND ALL OF
THAT, AND THE LIKE TERMINATION
SYSTEM, HOW COMFORTABLE YOU GUYS
ARE WITH THAT WHOLE SEQUENCE?
>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY THE SAFETY OF
OUR CREW IS MOST IMPORTANT US
TO, AND WORKING WITH SPACEX,
UNDERSTANDING THIS PROCESS, AND
THE REASON THEY DO IT, AND HOW
THEY DO IT, WE CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT THIS WAS AN
ACCEPTABLE RISK THAT WE WERE
WILLING TO TAKE.
I CAN TURN IT OVER TO KATHY IF I
NEED TO.
BUT WE -- WE GOT COMFORTABLE
WITH IT.
WE WOULD NOT BE DOING IT IF IT
WAS NOT WHAT WE AGREED TO.
>> ANYTHING SPECIFIC --
>> THE TERM FLIGHT TERMINATION
MEANS SOMETHING ELSE.
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LAUNCH
ESCAPE SYSTEM.
THE LAUNCH TERMINATION SYSTEM
STOPS THE LAUNCH, AND THE
TERMINATION SYSTEM SAVES THE
ASTRONAUTS.
>> OKAY.
I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT,
THEN.
WHAT THE HECK.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> IRENE [ INAUDIBLE ] WITH
AVIATION WEEK.
MAYBE FOR JOEL, WHAT WAS THE
RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUE THAT THE
RUSSIANS HAD WITH THE DRAGON
FLIGHT COMPUTER NOT HAVING A
BACKUP OR A SEPARATE BOX FOR
APPROACH?
AND ALSO IF THERE WERE ANY
VARIANCES THAT NEEDED TO BE
GRANTED FOR THIS FLIGHT?
I GUESS THAT WOULD BE FOR KATHY.
THANKS.
>> I'LL TAKE THE FIRST QUESTION.
WE AGREED WITH COSMOS YESTERDAY
ON THE PROTOCOL OF THE APPROACH
ACTUALLY THROUGH DISCUSSIONS
WITH THEM, EXPLAINING THE STEPS
THAT SPACEX HAS TAKEN IN ORDER
TO ASSURE SAFETY, THEY ASKED FOR
ADDITIONAL STEPS, WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A VERY
REMOTE CASE, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN, AND THEY
WANTED US TO TAKE STEPS WHERE WE
WOULD PROTECT THE SPACE STATION,
HAVE THE CREW READY TO GO, WING
AGREED TO DO THAT.
WE WORKED THAT WITH THE CREW,
AND IF YOU WERE TO HAVE THIS
REMOTE FAILURE -- SO EVERYTHING
IS WORKING FINE.
WE HAVE GATES THAT SAYS THE
SPACECRAFT HAS TO MEET THESE
GATES IN ORDER TO GO FORWARD.
SO EVERYTHING IS WORKING, AND IF
YOU HAD THIS FAILURE, WE WOULD
TAKE THESE EXTRA MEASURES.
SO THEY ARE FINALIZING THE
PROCEDURES TODAY, AND THEY
AGREED AND CONCURRED WITH THE
LAUNCH AND DOCKING.
>> SO THERE'S -- YOU KNOW,
THERE'S REALLY TWO SETS OF
REQUIREMENTS THAT GOVERN THIS
MISSION.
THE -- THE MOST IMPORTANT SET
REALLY IS THE -- WHAT WE CALL
THE 508 [ INAUDIBLE ], WHICH WAS
IS THE VEHICLE REQUIREMENT THAT
THE STATION IS DEFINED FOR ALL
VEHICLES COMING TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
ALL VEHICLES HAVE VARIANCES TO
THOSE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE THEY
ARE TAILORED FOR PARTICULAR
VEHICLES, BUT I'LL TELL YOU,
IRENE, BOTH PROGRAMS HAVE GONE
THROUGH AND ASSESSED THE
VARIANCES AND ACCEPTED IT, AND
LIKE KIRK TALKED ABOUT LAST
FRIDAY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE -- WE
UNDERSTAND THE RISKS, AND HAVE
ACCEPTED THEM AND CLOSED THEM
OUT FOR THESE FLIGHTS.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> I MEAN, WE CAN -- WE CAN -- I
DON'T HAVE THE WHOLE LIST OF
VARIANCES OFF OF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD, BUT I MEAN -- THERE'S
ALWAYS TAILORING THAT IS
INVOLVED.
AND THERE'S -- THERE'S ALWAYS
SPECIFIC LIMITS FOR EACH SYSTEM,
BUT OVERALL, I DON'T KNOW
THERE'S NO COMPROMISE ON THE
CREW SAFETY AND ASSESSMENT OF
THAT.
SO ALL OF OUR BASIC REQUIREMENTS
HAVE TO BE MET FROM A CREW'S
SAFETY PERSPECTIVE AND ASSESSED
WITH -- WITH THE -- THE
TAILORING AND THE RISK
ACCEPTANCE IN EACH OF THOSE
STATEMENTS.
I -- I CAN'T GIVE YOU -- I
MEAN -- OFF OF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD, ALL OF THE VARIANCES.
I WOULD BE A VERY SMART PROGRAM
MANAGER, AND I NEED TO WORK ON
THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE, SO.
>> OKAY.
CHRIS.
CHRIS DAVENPORT.
>> CHRIS DAVENPORT FROM "THE
WASHINGTON POST."
AT THE BRIEFING ON FRIDAY, THEY
TALKED ABOUT SOME PROBLEM WITH
THE -- THE THRUSTERS ON THE
DRAGON, AND I SORT OF -- DIDN'T
QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
PROBLEM WAS, OR HOW YOU WERE
GOING TO MITIGATE THAT FOR THIS
FLIGHT.
BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
I HEARD ABOUT THAT.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD
MAYBE UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE
BIT BETTER.
>> I CAN TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE
BIT, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING AS A JOINT TEAM ON IT.
I THINK THERE WAS -- YOU KNOW,
WE ALWAYS LEARN ABOUT -- ABOUT
THE VEHICLES, AND THE SPACEX
FOLKS HAVE GOT TO THERMAL VAC
TESTING LAST SUMMER, AND WHEN
YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THE VEHICLE
IS GOING TO OPERATE, THEY ARE
APPLYING THAT THERMAL
ENVIRONMENT TO THEIR DRAKECO
TESTING, AND FOR THE FULL
ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WERE
EXPECTING THIS MISSION TO BE
ORIGINALLY OPERATED IN, THE
DRACOS DIDN'T LIKE THOSE -- THAT
ENVIRONMENT.
THEY WEREN'T OPERATING THAT
WELL.
SO WHAT NASA AND SPACEX HAVE
DONE IS WORKED ON DEVELOPING AN
OPERATIONAL MISSION THAT
CONSTRAINS THE OPERATING
TEMPERATURE THAT THOSE THRUSTERS
THEN HAVE TO WORK WITHIN,
AND -- AND TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY
ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION.
SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY -- IT'S
ANOTHER PLACE, YOU LEARN, WE'RE
TAKING THAT LEARNING, AND WE'LL
APPLY THAT LEARNING TO THE
CREWED DRAGON, AND WE'LL BE
APPLYING HEATERS TO THE LINES
AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS TO
MAKE SURE THAT FOR THE DM 2
MISSION, WE'RE NOT HAVING TO CON
STAIN THE MISSION IN THE SAME
WAY.
HOPEFULLY WE EXPLAINED IT A
LITTLE BIT BETTER THE SECOND
TIME AROUND.
>> QUESTION RIGHT HERE.
KEN CRAMER.
>> Reporter: HI, THANKS.
KEN CRAMER FOR SPACE UP CLOSE
ROCKET STEM.
FIRST, GOOD LUCK ON EVERYTHING.
IT IS A VERY EXCITING DAY, LIKE
YOU SAID.
HANS CAN YOU TELL US HOW CLOSE
THE DEMO 2 IS GOING TO BE THIS
DEMO-1.
ARE THERE SOME SYSTEMS YOU STILL
NEED TO WORK ON AND ADD FOR THE
DEMO-2 CAPSULE?
THANKS.
>> I WOULD SAY THE SYSTEMS ARE
VERY SIMILAR, BUT THERE IS STILL
WORK TO BE DONE.
YOU MENTIONED LIFE SUPPORT, THE
SYSTEM ON DEMO-2 ARE SLIGHTLY
BIGGER, BUT IT'S THE SAME
COMPONENTS, FOR EXAMPLE.
THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPONENTS
IS GOING TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME,
BUT, THEN, AGAIN, FOR EXAMPLE,
CERTAIN SOFTWARE WILL CONTINUE
TO BE DEVELOPED, AND CERTAIN
TESTS WILL BE -- YOU KNOW,
LIKE -- LIKE ON THE HEATER
SYSTEM THAT THAT ALSO OBVIOUSLY
NEEDS TO BE -- NEEDS TO BE
TESTED AND THEN -- AND THEN
VERIFIED THAT IT ACTUALLY DOES
THE JOB PROPERLY.
SO THAT'S -- I WOULD SAY A LOT
OF DETAIL THAT WE HAVE TO WORK
THROUGH, BUT IN -- IN GENERAL,
THAT -- THAT IS THE SAME -- SAME
VEHICLE OVERALL.
>> I THINK THERE'S TWO DRIVERS,
ONE WAS WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THE
UNCREWED MISSION.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE
OBJECTIVES, RIGHT?
SO BECAUSE THIS IS NOT REUSED,
WE WORKED WITH SPACEX ON WHICH
PARTS OF THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE ON
BOARD, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A
CREW ON BOARD, RIGHT?
SO WHAT -- WHAT PART OF THE
ECOSYSTEM DO WE NEED TO HAVE ON
BOARD TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT THE
DATA TO MAKE SURE WE CAN USE
THAT DATA TO APPLY TO THE NEXT
MISSION.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE
ONE -- ONE DIFFERENCE, AND THEN
THE OTHER DIFFERENCE IS,
OBVIOUSLY IF WE FOUND THINGS
LATE IN TESTING THAT WE WANT TO
CHANGE AND IMPROVE ON FOR DM-2,
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE WORKING AND
SPACEX IS WORKING TO MAKE THE
DM-2 BETTER.
SO THERE'S TWO CATEGORIES.
THE STUFF THAT WE DIDN'T NEED
BECAUSE IT IS NOT CREWED.
YOU DON'T NEED, OBVIOUSLY CREWED
INTERFACES UNLESS RIPLY IS GOING
TO START FLYING THE VEHICLE.
AND THE SECOND PEACE IS THE
STUFF THAT WE FOUND IN THE LAST
SIX TO NINE MONTHS THAT THE
CAPSULE HAD BEEN BASICALLY DONE,
BUT WE'RE APPLYING THAT LEARNING
TO THE DM-2 VEHICLE.
>> AND LOOKING FORWARD,
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A TEST FLIGHT,
SO WE WILL LEARN THINGS, AND WE
WILL GATHER THE EXPERIENCE OF
OUR SUBSYSTEMS AND WE MIGHT FIND
SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE
APPLIED FOR DEMO-2.
SO I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF
THAT HAPPENS.
WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES.
>> BUT ANY CHANGES YOU MIGHT
NEED TO MAKE, YOU WOULD STILL
THINK YOU WOULD MAKE THE JULY
TARGET?
>> IT DEPENDS ON HOW -- HOW IT
GOES, BUT IF WE FIND -- I MEAN,
THAT'S REALLY A LOT OF INGENUITY
IN BOTH TEAMS HERE.
FOR EXAMPLE THAT THRUSTER THING
THAT WE FOUND, I THINK THE
SOLUTION IS REALLY GREAT,
AND -- AND WE WORKED THIS
THROUGH IN RELATIVELY SHORT
TIME.
SO IF IT'S SOMETHING SIMILAR
LIKE THAT, I WOULD EXPECT US TO
FIND A SIMILAR OPERATIONAL
SOLUTION HERE.
>> WE'LL TAKE ONE LAST QUESTION
BEFORE GOING TO THE SOUND
BRIDGE.
>> HI, JEFF [ INAUDIBLE ] SPACE
NEWS.
FOR HANS CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW
THE APPROACH TO CREW DRAGON TO
ISS IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT TO
THE [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT
QUESTION, ACTUALLY.
SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT
APPROACHES -- TWO FUNDAMENTALLY
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THE ISS,
ONE IS THE R-VERB, AND THE
V-VERB.
AND THE DRAGON -- DRAGON 1 ONE
CLIMBING UP THE [ INAUDIBLE ]
AND HOVERING BASICALLY UNDER THE
ISS, AND I SHOWED THE VIDEO LAST
TIME, TRYING TO DEMONSTRATE
THAT.
BECAUSE YOU CAN REALLY SEE HOW
IT ACTUALLY MOVES BACK AND FORTH
IN ITS BOX, AND THEN THE ARM
COMES AND GRABS IT, AND MOVES IT
OVER TO A PORT.
THIS ONE, HOWEVER, IS DIFFERENT.
THIS ONE IS ACTIVE IN A WAY THAT
IT WILL SIT -- IT WILL CLIMB UP
IN FRONT OF THE STATION, AND
THEN APPROACH THE STATION FROM
THE VELOCITY VECTOR AND USE A
DOCKING PORT ON ITS OWN.
THERE'S NO ARM REQUIRED, WHICH
IS -- YOU KNOW, A LITTLE
BIT -- I GUESS FOR THE OVERALL
MISSION, LESS PARTS ARE NEEDED,
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE
RELIABLE WHEN IT IS WORKED OUT,
ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT'S A VERY
DIFFERENT DYNAMIC APPROACH
THAN -- THAN THE R-VER, AND THE
V-VER YOU HAVE TO ACCELERATE TO
GET TO THE STATION.
VERSUS THE R-VER, YOU WOULD
SLOWLY MOVE AWAY FROM THE
STATION.
SO IT'S A DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHY.
I -- I GUESS AT THEN OF THE DAY,
WE WILL USE ALL DIFFERENT
METHODS FOR -- FOR, YOU KNOW,
HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT HERE.
>> ON THE APPROACH AS THE
VEHICLE COMES CLOSER, THE CREWS
WILL TEST THE RETREAT COMMAND,
THE VEHICLE WILL MOVE BACK OUT
TO ABOUT 180 METERS OR SO, AND
SIT THERE FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES.
THIS IS ALL PART OF THE TESTING
WE DO TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF
THE SPACE STATION.
IT WILL BE COMMANDED IN, AND DO
ONE MORE STOP FOR ABOUT 20
MINUTES.
JUST TO DO TESTING, MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO, AND
THEN COME IN FOR DOCKING.
SO WE HAVE WORKED WITH SPACEX
AND WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS.
>> WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE
PHONE AND WE HAVE ERIC BERG FOR
[ INAUDIBLE ].
>> -- BEST PLANS WHEN THIS
DRAGON DOCKS UP ON STATION --
>> SO RIGHT NOW THE PLAN IS THAT
HATCH OPENING WILL BE ABOUT 2:45
AFTER DOCKING.
THE FIRST THING THAT WE HAVE
SCHEDULED IS THE CREW WILL DO
SOME ATMOSPHERE CHECKOUT
OF -- OF THE VEHICLE, AND SO
CREW MEMBER -- A U.S. CREW
MEMBER AND A RUSSIAN CREW MEMBER
WILL GO INSIDE THE VEHICLE.
THEY HAVE ATMOSPHERE HARDWARE
TECHNOLOGY THEY WILL TAKE OUT.
THEY WILL DO SOME BASELINE
CALIBRATION, GO BACK IN THE
VEHICLE, TEST EVERYTHING OUT,
AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING
WITH THE MISSION.
>> AT THIS POINT WE'LL TAKE A
QUESTION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.
STEPHEN SMITH ON TWITTER ASKS,
HOW WILL CAPSULE RECOVERY
OPERATIONS CHANGE WITH SPACEX
WITH THE ADDITION OF HUMAN SPACE
FLIGHT.
>> I GUESS THAT IS TO ME.
FUNDAMENTALLY, NO -- IT'S THE
SAME FOR THE LANDING AS -- AS IT
IS ON DRAGON 1.
IT -- IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE
IMPORTANT TO GET CLOSER TO IT,
AND -- SO WE -- WE HAVE A SHIP
ON STAND BY, AND WE'LL GET VERY
CLOSE TO THE -- TO THE CAPSULE
AS CLOSE AS IT IS SAFE.
I DON'T THINK THAT FUNDAMENTALLY
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE,
PARTICULARLY ON THIS ONE, BUT
THIS ONE ALSO HAS ALL OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE
TO -- TO -- YOU KNOW, WORK WITH
THE [ INAUDIBLE ] COMING BACK,
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE MEDICAL
AND EMERGENCY AND EVERYTHING IN
PLACE FOR THIS MISSION.
IT'S MORE A PRACTICE RUN ON THIS
MISSION JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE READY FOR THE DEMO-2.
>> THANK YOU, WE'LL TAKE A
QUESTION RIGHT HERE.
>> THIS IS DAVID WITH
[ INAUDIBLE ] BUSINESS INSIDER.
THIS IS FOR KATHY OR HANS OR
BOTH.
WHAT ARE THE CENTERS LOOKING
FOR?
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ASCERTAIN
FROM THAT.
AND AFTER YOU GET THIS CAPSULE
BACK ON THE GROUND, HOW LONG IS
IT GOING TO TAKE YOU TO SAY THIS
WAS A SUCCESS AND HERE IS WHY?
LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
>> I CAN -- I CAN TRY TO ANSWER
YOUR -- YOUR RIPLY QUESTION.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY HAS SENSORS THAT
MEASURE FORCES, ACCELERATION,
AND THEN THE ENVIRONMENT ITSELF.
JUST THE GOAL IS TO GET AN IDEA
OF HOW HUMANS WOULD FEEL IN HER
PLACE, BASICALLY.
I -- I DON'T EXPECT ACTUALLY A
LOT OF SURPRISES THERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- IT'S
BETTER TO VERIFY, MAKE SURE THAT
IT IS SAFE, AND EVERYTHING IS
COMFORTABLE FOR -- FOR OUR
ASTRONAUTS GOING OUT ON THE NEXT
FLIGHT OF THE CAPSULE, AND WITH
RESPECT TO SUCCESS, I DON'T
THINK WE NEED THE -- I MEAN,
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL
BUILD UP DURING THE MISSION, AND
WE WILL -- DURING THE MISSION
SEE IF WE CAN CHECK OFF, YOU
KNOW, CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS
AND -- AND WHAT WE WANT TO HASH
OUT.
I SEE THIS AS A CONTINUOUS
CHECK, BASICALLY DURING THE
ENTIRE MISSION.
>> I KEPT CALLING THE ATD RILEY,
SO I'M GLAD YOU FOUND OUT IT WAS
RIPLY, SORRY.
REALLY THIS DATA IS PRETTY
INVALUABLE.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE IS GOING TO
BE A TON OF DATA COMING DOWN.
THE CREW ENVIRONMENT AND -- AND
SEEING HOW THE -- THE SEAT
ATTENUATION, HOW WELL THE SEAT
PROTECTS THE MEMBERS AND OVERALL
VEHICLE IS REALLY, REALLY
CRITICAL FOR US.
BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE TONS OF,
YOU KNOW, WATER LANDING TESTING,
PARACHUTE TESTING, BUT ACTUALLY
HAVING A RE-ENTRY WITH RIPLY IN
THE SEAT, IN THE POSITION
IS -- IS CRITICAL, AND THEN
OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THE DATA FROM
THE MISSION -- WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH SPACEX.
OBVIOUSLY THIS VEHICLE -- WE
INSTRUMENTED THE CRAP OUT OF
THIS VEHICLE.
IT HAS DATA, SENSORS EVERYWHERE,
SO WE CAN TAKE THAT AND STICK IT
IN THE MODELS AND ASSESS
WHETHER -- WHAT WE WERE
PREDICTING IS ACCURATE.
WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A TON FROM
THIS MISSION.
>> WE'LL GO STRAIGHT TO THE
BACK.
>> THANK YOU.
CHUCK FIELDS ON LINE COFFEE
BREAK.
HANS THIS IS FOR YOU.
LAST YEAR THE VIDEO OF STAR MAN
CAPTURED THE HEARTS AND
IMAGINATION OF VIEWERS AROUND
THE WORLD.
ARE THERE GOING TO BE VIEWER
CAMERAS INSIDE, POSSIBLY AIMED
AT RIPLY, AND ARE YOU GOING TO
LIVE VIDEO STEAM ANY OF THOSE?
>> THERE WILL BE VIDEO CAMERAS,
AND WE WILL GIVE YOU A
PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE,
IF YOU WERE INSIDE.
SO I'M PRETTY SURE WE WILL -- WE
WILL CREATE ANOTHER NICE VIDEO.
>> OKAY.
SO WE HAVE A QUESTION RIGHT
HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
[ INAUDIBLE ] WITH SPACE.COM.
I THINK MY QUESTION IS FOR JOEL.
YOU MENTIONED THE -- KIND OF THE
DIFFERENT MOOD HERE AT THE SPACE
CENTER FOR THIS LAUNCH.
IT -- HAS BEEN EIGHT YEARS
ALMOST, SINCE THE LAST CREW DID
LAUNCH FROM THE SPACE CENTER.
THIS IS KIND OF A SHIFT IN
OPERATIONS HERE, AND I'M
WONDERING ABOUT THAT MILESTONE,
HOW IT FEELS FROM THE STATION
PERSPECTIVE TO BE AT THIS POINT?
AND HANS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT
YOU HAVE PUT SO MUCH WORK INTO
THE PAD ITSELF.
KIND OF WHAT THAT MILESTONE
MEANS, GIVEN THAT WE'RE JUST
FIVE YEARS AFTERTHE COMMERCIAL
CREW AWARD IN 2014.
>> FROM MY STAND POINT IT'S
EXCITING TO BE HERE TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO DOUBLE OUR CREW
RESEARCH ON BOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
AND WHILE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING
FOR THIS, OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS HAVE BEEN GREAT IN
HELPING US GET TO WHERE WE ARE
TODAY.
SO TO ME, THIS IS JUST THE NEXT
STEP IN OUR EVOLUTION IN
MAXIMIZING THE UTILIZATION OF
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
SO FROM AN ISS PROGRAM STAND
POINT, WE'RE WAITING, EXCITED,
READY, AND COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.
>> YEAH, I MEAN I -- I TRIED TO
EXPLAIN EARLIER HOW IMPORTANT
THIS IS FOR SPACEX.
HOW IT BASICALLY REFLECTS WHAT
WE WERE FOUNDED FOR, AND ALSO ON
A PERSONAL LEVEL THIS IS AN
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT MISSION.
I EVERY MISSION IS IMPORTANT,
BUT THIS SEVEN MORE IMPORTANT,
AND I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S NOT
JUST ME.
I THINK EVERYBODY WITHIN SPACEX
FEELS THIS AND WANTS TO GET IT
RIGHT.
OUR LIVES ARE DRIVEN BY LAUNCH
DATES, AND THIS PARTICULAR
LAUNCH DATE STICKS OUT LONG
AHEAD, AS [ INAUDIBLE ] WILL BE
DEMO-2 -- I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE
HOW -- HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS
GOING TO BE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND WE'LL TAKE A QUESTION IN THE
FRONT.
>> JOHN McGILL WITH WINE DOT
CABLE AND NEWS.
IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE
BONDS AND TRUST THAT IS FORM
BETWEEN THE THREE OF YOU, FROM
THREE DIFFERENT ASPECTS.
>> I THINK THE AMAZING HEART OF
THIS WHOLE MISSION IS HONESTLY
THAT IS IT ABOUT TO BE PARTNERS,
YOU KNOW?
I MEAN, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE
TODAY IF, YOU KNOW, WE DID
NOT -- IF WE DIDN'T HAVE
SPACEX'S ENGENUITY, SPACE
STATION'S PATIENCE, AND THE
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM TEAMS,
YOU KNOW, CONTINUED ENDEAVOR TO
TRY TO DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT, AND LISTEN TO THEIR
PARTNERS, RIGHT?
AND SO IT HAS REALLY TAKEN ALL
THREE OF US WORKING TOGETHER.
AND -- AND SOMETIMES TUSSLING A
LITTLE BIT, BUT, YOU KNOW,
FIGURING OUT, REALLY, HOW TO
MAKE THIS WORK AS TEAM.
AND AS A TEAM WE'RE GOING TO
FLY, AND AS A TEAM WE'RE GOING
TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION, AND
IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL AMAZING
THING.
>> YEAH, I MEAN IT'S -- TO SOME
EXTENT AN EXPERIMENT TO PUT TWO
ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER.
BUT ONE THING WE LEARNED, WE'RE
NOT THAT DIFFERENT AT THE END.
WE'RE ENGINEERS, AND WE WANT TO
GET THIS DONE SAFELY, AND IN A
NICE, RELIABLE SOLUTION THAT IS
ROBUST AND -- AND ABLE TO -- TO
WITHSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE
ENVIRONMENTS.
SO -- SO OBVIOUSLY, WE HAD TO
GET TO THIS POINT WHERE WE LEARN
FROM EACH OTHER, AND I
PERSONALLY -- I'M CONVINCED IT
HAS MADE CERTAINLY SPACEX BETTER
TO HAVE NASA GUIDE US, AND LOOK
AT THE REQUIREMENTS AND QUESTION
THE REQUIREMENTS AND SAY WHAT IS
THE TRUE REASON BEHIND THOSE
REQUIREMENTS AND THEN BASICALLY
COMPLY REQUEST THE -- THE
OVERALL SAFETY CULTURE THAT
NASA, I GUESS, TAUGHT US, I
WOULD SAY TO SOME EXTENT.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE IT CERTAINLY
MADE BETTER SPACEX AND BETTER
ENGINEERS OUT OF THE SPACEX
ENGINEERS, AND I DEFINITELY
APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
>> AND I CAN TELL YOU IT MADE
BETTER NASA ENGINEERS AS WELL.
>> TO ME IT'S A LIKE A FAMILY.
WE HAVE HAD THE LUXURY OF
WORKING WITH THE SPACEX TEAMS ON
CARGO UNITS.
BRINGING THE THREE OF US
TOGETHER, IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC.
I MEAN -- WHEN YOU WORK WITH
PHYSICS, THAT'S THE COOLEST
THING, BECAUSE PHYSICS IS THE
SAME NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO.
AND WE WORK TOGETHER.
THERE'S THINGS WHERE, HEY, WE
HAVE THIS REQUIREMENT, AND CAN
YOU HELP US THERE.
THE PROGRAM HELPS.
WE'RE ALL GIVEN -- IT'S PULLING
AND PUSHING THROUGHOUT THE
PROCESS.
IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU MAKE FRIENDS, YOU
KNOW, OUR ENGINEERS ARE CALLING
UP DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE CREW
PROGRAM AND THE SPACEX TEAM AND
VICE VERSA, AND THEY ARE DOING
NOT ONLY WORK STUFF, BUT FAMILY
THINGS TOO, SO TO ME IT HAS BEEN
FANTASTIC.
>> WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE LAST
QUESTION.
WE'LL GO RIGHT HERE.
>> HI, ROBERT PEARLMAN WITH
COLLECT SPACE, I THINK FOR HANS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE LAUNCH CONTROL FOR THIS
FLIGHT.
ARE YOU FLYING OUT OF THE LCC OR
THE CAPE SIDE?
AND WHAT SIZE IS THE TEAM?
AND ARE YOU INTEGRATING NASA
PEOPLE INTO THE TEAM FOR THIS
LAUNCH?
>> YES, EXCELLENT QUESTION.
WE ARE ACTUALLY IN ROOM 4 -- I
GUESS IT'S CALLED THE LAUNCH
CONTROL CENTER.
[ INAUDIBLE ] THE -- I GUESS
HISTORIC APOLLO SLASH SHUTTLE
CENTER.
IT'S PRETTY AMAZING TO BE IN
THERE.
WE BASICALLY -- OUR CONSOLES ARE
PRETTY MUCH MONITORS AND
SOFTWARE, SO WE MOVED THEM OVER
THERE, AND WE'RE ENJOYING A
GREAT VIEW TO THE PAD.
WE INTEGRATED NASA OPERATORS
WITHIN US, SO WE ARE
SLIGHTLY -- THE TEAM ON THE
SPACEX SIDE IS PRETTY MUCH THE
SAME SIZE, BUT THEN WE
INTEGRATED NASA IN PREPARATION
TO THE CREW INTERFACE, SO
IT'S -- IT'S -- WE HAD SEVERAL
MISSIONS WHERE WE TRAINED THAT.
IT WORKED VERY WELL.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
SITTING BETWEEN KIRK AND STEVE
HERE, AND WE -- WE ALSO
INTEGRATED NASA INTO THE
DECISION FLOW, SO IT'S GOING TO
BE A JOINT TEAM LAUNCHING THIS
ROCKET, AND -- AND CONTROLLING
DRAGON ON THE WAY TO THE ISS.
>> WHEN DO YOU HAND OFF TO
HAWTHORN.
>> TYPICALLY RIGHT AFTER
SEPARATION, HAWTHORN TAKES OVER.
BUT IT'S INTERESTING, THESE
CONTROL ROOMS, YOU DO WHAT YOU
DO, AND I OFTEN DONE REALIZE
WHERE I AM, EXCEPT WHEN I LOOK
UP AND REALIZE OH, I'M IN
[ INAUDIBLE ].
YEAH?
I DO THE SAME JOB FOR ALMOST
EVERY LAUNCH THESE DAYS, AND
IT'S VERY -- IT'S VERY VIRTUAL.
YOU JUST FOCUS ON WHAT YOU SEE
AND WHAT YOU HEAR IN YOUR
HEADSET
>> SO THAT'S GOING TO WRAP
THINGS UP HERE FOR TODAY.
FOR THE MEDIA HERE, THE NASA
ADMINISTRATOR WILL BE JOINED BY
OUR NASA ASTRONAUTS.
TOMORROW THEY WILL BE HERE AT
4:00 P.M.
AND OUR LAUNCH COVERAGE FOR THE
SPACEX DEMO-1 MISSION OFF OF PAD
39A WILL BEGIN AT 2:00 A.M.
YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG AT
NASA.GOV/COMMERCIALCREW, AND
PLEASE FOLLOW ALONG AT
WWW.NASA.GOV/STATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.