♪ ♪
♪
ALL STATION ON DRAGON, GET
READY FOR TERMINAL COUNT.
♪
>> YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS.
>> ♪
♪ 15 SECONDS.
>> DRAGON IS ON COUNT DOWN.
>> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
>> IGNITION.
>> YOU ARE LOOKING AT A LIVE
VIEW OF SPACEX'S FIRST DRAGON
SPACECRAFT ON TOP OF THE ROCKET
WAITING FOR TAKEOFF AS PART OF
THE FIRST CREW MISSION TO THE
SPACE STATION FOR NASA.
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE
LIVE BROADCAST OF NASA AND
SPACEX'S FIRST CREW MISSION TO
THE SPACE STATION.
MY NAME IS DAN HEWITT, PUBLIC
AFFAIRS OFFICER WITH NASA AND
VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE FOR
TODAY'S LAUNCH.
>> AND IT IS SO AWESOME TO HAVE
YOU HERE.
>> IT IS AWESOME TO BE HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING.
>> MY NAME IS LAUREN THE SENIOR
FLIGHT RELIABILITY ENGINEER AT
SPACEX AND AS YOU CAN SEE, NASA
AND SPACEX HAVE PARTNERED ON
BOTH THE DEMO-1 MISSION AND, WE
WILL BRING YOU LOI COVERAGE FROM
HERE IN HEADQUARTERS IN
HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA BUT ALSO
NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN
FLORIDA AS WELL AS THE JOHNSON
SPACE STERN IN HOUSTON, AS MANY
OF YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THE
PURPOSE OF TODAY
THE TIME PERIOD IS LONGER THAN
WE ANTICIPATE ONCE PEOPLE ARE ON
BOARD FOR BUT FOR THIS MISSION
IT IS NECESSARY TO DEMONSTRATE
ALL OF THE DEMOS BEFORE THE
FIRST DOCKING WITH THE CREW
STATION.
>> ONCE DRAGON ARRIVES AT THE
STATION IT IS EXPECTED STAY FOR
ABOUT FIVE DAYS DURING WHICH
TIME IT WILL UNDERGO A SERIES OF
CHECKOUTS OF MANY OF THE NEW
SYSTEMS AS WELL AS THE ISS
INTERROGATION.
WHILE DOCKED IT WILL DELIVER
CARGO TO THE SPACE STATION WE
LAUNCHED BUT ALSO BRING SOME
CARGO BACK THAT THE CREW WILL
PACK UP ON DRAGON ON THE WAY
HOME.
AT THE OWNED THE FIVE-DAY DOCK
PERIOD IT WILL DEPART FOR A
SPLASHDOWN WILL THE ATLANTIC
OCEAN WHERE IT WILL BE MET BY
CREWS AND TRANSPORTED BACK TO
THE SITE.
YOU CAN SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS
ASK NASA ON TWITTER.
THIS IS SUCH AN EXCITING DAY
WITH JUST UNDER AN HOUR TO
LIFT-OFF.
LET'S CHECK OVER ON THE TEAM
FROM FLORIDA BROADCASTING LIVE
FROM KENNEDY SPACE STERN.
>> THANK YOU, LAURA AND DAN.
>> I AM A FALCON INTEGRATION
TEST ENGINEER AT SPACEX, AND
STEPHANIE MARTIN WITH NASA CREW
PROGRAM AND LIVE HERE AT
KENNEDY.
>> JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM
THE ICONIC VEHICLE ASSEMBLY
BUILDING AND JUST OVER 3 MILES
AWAY FROM OUR LAUNCH SITE.
NOW, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA AT CAPE
KENNEDY TO CAPTURE TODAY'S
HISTORIC LAUNCH FROM THE EQUALLY
HISTORIC LAUNCH COMPLEX 39 A OR
LC 39 A WHICH HAS BEEN A CENTRAL
PART OF THE AMERICAN HUMAN
SPACEFLIGHT STORY. THIS IS THE
HOME TO BOTH THE APOLLO AND SAYS
SHUTTLE PROGRAM.
BEHIND US YOU CAN SEE THE FALCON
9 AND DRAGON PREPARED TO LAUNCH
FROM THIS HISTORIC LAUNCHPAD.
SPACEX LAUNCH COMPLEX, 39 A AND,
IN 2014 AND AFTER RETROFITTING
IT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
SUPPORT BOTH FALCON NINE AND
FALCON HEAVY LAUNCHES REGULARLY,
SINCE 2017.
>> YEAH, ACTUALLY THERE IS A
GREAT SHOT ON YOUR SCREEN OF OUR
TWO STAGE LAUNCH VEHICLE, THE
FALCON 9, AND ACTUALLY THE CREW
ARM IS ATTACHED TO IT, ACTUALLY,
THERE THE CREW ARM IS SEPARATING
AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND THIS
TEST IS -- RUNNING THIS THE TEST
THE SAME WAY WITH ASTRONAUTS ON
BOARD, THAT'S ONE OF THE STEPS
AS WE PREPARE TO GO INTO TODAY'S
LAUNCH.
NOW, FALCON 9 IS, FALCON NINE'S
FIRST STAGE WILL FIRE ITS NINE
ENGINES TO PROPEL THE VEHICLE TO
THE EDGE OF SPACE.
ONCE IT BURNS THROUGH BOTH MOST
OF ITS PROPEL ATLANTA THE IT
WILL TRY TO ATTEMPT TO DOCK WITH
THE DRONE SHIP.
THE SECOND STAGE WILL FIRE ITS
SINGLE HIGH EFFICIENCY MERLIN
VACUUM ENGINE TO PROPEL DRAGON
TO ITS TARGET ORBIT ABOUT
200 KILOMETERS ABOVE THE EARTH.
FROM THERE DRAG GONE WILL
CONTINUE WITH ITS FIRST JOURNEY
TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
>> TWO MAIN STRUCTURES, THE
CAPSULE WHERE WE FLY PRESSURIZED
CARGO AND SOON OUR ASTRONAUTS
THAT CAN'T BE EBBS POSED TO THE
VACUUM OF SPACE AND THE SECOND
IS A TRUNK WHERE WE CAN CARRY
LARGE UNVACUUMED CARING CAN GO.
IT IS EIGHT SUPER --
>> THESE SUPER DRACOS WILL POWER
THE ASTRONAUTS TO SAFETY IN THE
EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
CREW DRAGON'S TRUNK ALSO
FEATURES NEW SOLAR ARRAYS YOU
CAN SEE ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT
NOW.
THEY PROVIDE POWER TO THE
SPACECRAFT AS IT MAKE ITS WAY TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> THE TRUNK HAS NEW AERODYNAMIC
FINS WHICH PROVIDE STABILITY IN
THE EVENT OF THAT EMERGENCY
ABORT AS WELL AS MORE SURFACE
AREA FOR THOSE SOLAR ARRAYS.
>> NOW THAT WAS A QUICK OF VIEW
OF THE FALCON 9 AND CREW DRAGON
HERE AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
HOWEVER, LET'S GO QUICKLY OVER
TO DARRELL WHO HAS A SPECIAL
GUEST AT THE OPERATIONS AND
SUPPORT BUILDING.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, STEPHANIE, I AM
ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF THAT
BUILDING WHICH GIVES US AN
ELEVATED VIEW OF THE LAUNCHPAD
AND YOU CAN SEE, WE CAN SEE THE
ROCKET FROM TOP TO BOTTOM,
INCLUDING THE FLAME TRENCH, IT
IS A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OUT HERE.
AND THEN WE STRETCH OUT A LITTLE
FURTHER AND YOU SEE THE GUESTS
THAT HAVE GATHERED IN THE
INFIELD STLERKS QUITE A VIEW AS
WELL.
THIS BUILDING IS ALSO RIGHT NEXT
TO THE ICONIC VEHICLE ASSEMBLY
BUILDING SWAY PERFECT BACKDROP
FOR OUR GUESTS AS YOU MENTIONED,
ADMINISTRATOR JIM BRIDENSTINE,
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
THANKS, DARRELL, GREAT TO BE
HERE.
>> TELL US WHAT THIS LAUNCH
MEANS TO YOU.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THE
COUNTRY?
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE
GOING TO LAUNCH AMERICAN
ASTRONAUTS ON AMERICAN ROCKETS
FROM AMERICAN SOIL, THE FIRST
TIME SINCE THE RETIREMENT OF THE
SPACE SHUTTLES IN 2011.
SO THIS IS REALLY A SIGNIFICANT
ACHIEVEMENT IN THE HISTORY OF
DERROLL .. IN, SIGNIFICANT
ACHIEVEMENT IN AMERICAN
SPACEFLIGHT. WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE KEEP OUR PARTNERSHIP
WITH RUSSIA WHICH HAS BEEN VERY
STRONG FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME
GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE
APOLLO SOYUZ AREA BUT MAKE SURE
WE HAVE OUR OWN CAPABILITY TO
GET BACK AND FORTH TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SO
WE CAN HAVE THIS STRONG
PARTNERSHIP WHERE THEY CAN
LAUNCH ON OUR ROCKETS AND WE CAN
LAUNCH ON THEIR ROCKETS.
BUT I THINK ANOTHER BIG
MILESTONE HERE IS THE IDEA THAT
WE ARE NOT AS AN AGENCY, AS NASA
WE ARE NOT PURCHASING, OWNING
AND OPERATING OUR OWN ROCKETS AT
THIS POINT.
WE ARE LOOKING TO A FUTURE WHERE
WE CAN BE A CUSTOMER, ONE
CUSTOMER OF MANY CUSTOMERS IN A
VERY ROBUST COMMERCIAL
MARKETPLACE IN LOW EARTH ORBIT
AND NOT ONE CUSTOMER BUT MANY
CUSTOMERS THAT DRIVES DOWN THE
COSTS AND HAVING MULTIPLE
PROVIDERS COMPETING ON COST AND
INVASION THAT ENABLES US TO HAVE
TRANSFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY THAT
ALLOW US TO DO MORE THAN EVER
BEFORE. THIS IS A BIG DEAL.
>> ONE OF THOSE KEY CUSTOMERS,
SPACEX WHICH IS LAUNCHING
TONIGHT AND HERE FOR THIS
LAUNCH.
YOU GOT TO TOUR AROUND WITH
SPACEX CEO ELON MUSK, HOW WAS
THAT?
>> IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HE
REMINDED ME HE BEGAN THIS
PROCESS 18 YEARS AGO, IF YOU CAN
IMAGINE THAT, BACK IN 2001, AND
AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THE
INTENT WAS TO PUT A LITTLE
GREENHOUSE ON MARS AND HE WAS
GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PURCHASE AN
EXCESS ICBM FROM RUSSIA, OF
COURSE HE MADE SURE TO MAKE
CLEAR IT WAS WITHOUT THE NUCLEAR
WARHEAD.
BUT WHAT WAS FASCINATING IS FROM
THAT IDEA, WHERE HE WANTED TO
PUT ON MARS A LITTLE GREENHOUSE,
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THREE FEET
BY THREE FEET, JUST A SMALL
GREENHOUSE, AND FROM THAT HE
TRIED TO BUY THIS EXCESS ICBM
BUT IT WAS $20 MILLION AND HE
SAID, I CAN'T AFFORD THAT, TO
ACHIEVE WHAT I AM 32 TOYING
ACHIEVE, AND SO HE CAME UP WITH
THE IDEA OFFAL CON, THE FALCON
1.
AND AFTER A NUMBER OF FAILED
LAUNCHES HE STUCK WIT AND BY
FALCON 4 IT WAS IS SUCCESSFUL
AND THEN OF COURSE THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA AND, YOU
KNOW, A LONG PARTNERSHIP THAT
HAS BEEN DEVELOPING FOR A LONG
TIME AND HERE WE ARE ON THE
PRECIPICE OF RETURNING TO
SPACEFLIGHT FROM AMERICAN SOIL.
SO IT IS GREAT TO HAVE THAT
OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR HIS
PERSPECTIVE AND THIS IS REALLY,
YOU KNOW, A BIG DAY FOR NASA AND
A BIG DAY FOR SPACEX, ELON MUSK
AND THE ENTIRE TEAM, BOTH TEAMS,
NASA AND SPACEX.
>> AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
A LAUNCH TONIGHT AND APPRECIATE
WOW COMING OUT AND VOYAGE US, IT
IS GOING TO BE AN EXCITING NIGHT
AND WANT TO TOSS IT BACK TO NOW
TO TOM WHO IS IN SPACEX
HEADQUARTERS IN HAWTHORNE,
CALIFORNIA.
TOM.
>> THANKS, DERROL, MY NAME IS
TOM, A SOFTWARE ENGINEER HERE AT
SPACEX, AND HANGING RIGHT BEHIND
ME AT SPACEX HEADQUARTERS IN
HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA IS THE
VERY FIRST DRAGON SPACECRAFT
THAT THEY LAUNCHED BACK IN 2010.
AND NOW HERE WE ARE ALMOST, JUST
LESS THAN 40 MINUTES FROM
LAUNCHING OUR FIRST CREW DRAGON
SPACECRAFT TO THE SPACE STATION.
IT IS CURRENTLY T MINUS 38
MINUTES AND 40 SECONDS AND
SPACEX TEAM IS WORKING NO ISSUES
FOR LAUNCH.
HERE IS WHERE WE STAND ON THE
ROCKET, THE SPACECRAFT AND THE
RAUNCH.
FOR THE FALCON NINE, THE
CRITICAL GO, NO GO PULL WAS HELD
T MINUS 45 MINUTES WHEN THE
SPACEX LAUNCH DIRECTOR PULLED
THE TEAMS TO ASSESS THE
READINESS FOR LAUNCH.
ALL TEAMS ARE CURRENTLY GO FOR
LAUNCH AND BEGINNING PROPEL
ATLANTA LOADING.
IN 25 MINUTES.
IN THE BACKGROUND YOU MAY HEAR
THEM ARE PO FOR AND THE CAPSULES
ALSO CURRENTLY GO FOR LAUNCH.
IF THIS WERE AN OPERATIONAL
MISSION, LATE LOAD CARGO WOULD
ALREADY HAVE BEEN LOADED ON
DRAGON THE DAY OF LAUNCH WHICH
WOULD HAVE BEEN EARLIER TODAY
AND THE CREW WOULD ALREADY HAVE
BOARDED VIA THE CREW ACCESS ARM.
ONCE EVERYONE IS SAFELY ON
BOARD, SPACEX WOULD RETRACT OR
YOU SAW SPACEX JUST RETRACT THE
CREW ACCESS ARM, WHICH ACTIVATES
THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM, AND IS
ALLOWS THE INITIAL EDUCATION OF
A -- ESCAPE IN THE EVENT OF AN
EMERGENCY.
THE RAKE CURRENTLY IS SUPPORTING
US FOR A LAUNCH TODAY, NO ISSUES
WITH THAT, WITH WEATHER THERE
ARE THREE MAIN CATEGORIES OF
WEATHER, THINGS THE SPACEX AND
LOOK FOR, ONE OF THOSE IS UPPER
LEVEL WINDS, THE OTHER IS GROUND
LEVEL WINDS AND THE OTHER IS THE
ANVIL CLOUD AND LOIGHT RULES,
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE TO WEATHER
CONSTRAINTS FOR LAUNCH TODAY.
SO AS THE TEAM MENTIONED THERE
ARE NO PEOPLE ON BOARD DRAGON
TODAY BUT WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE
ONE SPECIAL PASSENGER FLYING AND
THE NAME IS RIPLEY.
YOU ACTUALLY SEE HER SITTING
THERE IN LIVE VIEWS WE HAVE FROM
DRAGON.
GETTING READY FOR LAUNCH, RIPLEY
WILL BE GATHERING VERY IMPORTANT
DATA FOR US IN ADVANCE OF OUR
FIRST CREW MISSIONS AND ALSO
TAKING UP A ZERO GRAVITY
INDICATOR IN THE SHAPE OF THE
EARTH WHICH GO YOU SEE THE BLUE
EARTH FIGURE RIGHT NEXT TO HER
IN THE SEAT CLOSEST TO THE
CAMERA.
ONCE WE ARE CLEAR OF THE EARTH'S
PARAGRAPH AT THIS THAT ZERO G
INDICATOR WILL BE FREE TO MOVE
ABOUT THE CABIN.
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT
RIPLEY'S ROLE ON HER TRIP TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> AS A PART OF OUR
DEMONSTRATION 1 MISSION WE HAVE
A SPECIAL PASSENGER ON BOARD.
THE TECHNICAL TERM FOR OUR
SPECIAL PASSENGER IS
ANTHROPOMORPHIC TEST DEVICE OR
APT BUT WE WILL JUST CALL HER T,
I AM SENIOR DINAH PICK ENGINEER
HERE AT SPACEX.
>> RIPLEY'S I DON'T KNOW IS TO
GOAL EVERYTHING THAT AN
ASTRONAUT WILL FEEL WHEN THEY
FLY ON DRAGON.
HE IS ESSENTIALLY FULL OF
SENSORS ACROSS THEIR BODY,
INCLUDING THE HEAD, NECK AND
SPINE.
FOR THIS MISSION, RIPLEY IS
GOING TO USE 10 OUT OF HER 30
SENSORS TO GIVE US AT ALL
INFORMATION WE NEED ABOUT THE
MOST SENSITIVE PARTS OF IN HER
BODY.
HE IS GOING TO GIVE US INFORMS
ABOUT HER BODY LOADS AND HEAT
LOADS AND WE ARE GOING USE ALL
OF THAT INFORMATION TO OUR
ALLIES TO MAKE SURE OUR
PREDICTIONS ARE CORRECT TO
DESIGN TESTS AND UNDERSTAND
EXACTLY HERE ON THE DRAGON.
FROM LIFTOFF, TO SPLASHDOWN
ESSENTIALLY SHE IS GOING TO TELL
US HOW SHE GOALS DURING THE
WHOLE MISSION.
WE ALSO HAVE A MICROPHONE ON HER
EARS SO WE ARE GOING TO HEAR
WHATEVER SHE HEARS.
>> THE GOAL OF THIS MISSION IS
TO MAKE SURE THE CREW ARE GOING
TO BE SAFE, COMFORTABLE AND
ENJOY THE RIDE ON THE DRAGON.
DURING A NO, MA'AM AL ASCENT,
THEY WILL FELL LIKE THEY ARE
RIDING ON AN EXCITING ROLLER
COASTER RIDE T CREW WILL FEEL
LIKE THEY ARE DIVING INTO A
SWIMMING POOL ON THE WAY DOWN.
INTERESTINGLY, THIS IS NOT THE
FIRST TIME WE ARE USING THIS
TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
CREW ARE GOING TO BE SAFE.
THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 2015 ON
THE -- TEST.
IN ADDITION, TO THESE TESTS WE
ARE DOING A LOT MORE TESTING TO
MAKE SURE ALL OF THE SCENARIOS
ARE UNDERSTOOD, THE CREW ARE
GOING TO BE SAFE AND ALL OF THE
METRICS ARE WITHIN LIMITS.
WE ARE GOING TO BE USING THE
PSYCHOLOGIST AGAIN IN THE
FUTURE.
IN FACT RIPLEY WILL BE FLYING IN
OUR INFLIGHT BOARD TEST LATER
THIS YEAR.
WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET
REAL-TIME DATA FOR THIS MISSION.
ONCE RIPLEY COMES BACK HOME SHE
WILL GIVE US ALL THE DATA AND
THAT WILL GET US ONE STEP CLOSER
TO SPACE FLIGHT FOR EVERYONE.
>>
T MINUS 34 MINUTE.
LET'S LISTEN IN FOR THAT CALLOUT
ON THE NET.
>> FOR THOSE VIEWERS JUST
VIEWING US, WE ARE JUST WAITING
FOR CALLOUT, FOR GETTING
PROPELLENT LOAD ON THE DRAGON
9 ROCKET.
IT IS COMING UP IN JUST A FEW
MINUTES, STAND BY.
>> SO WHILE WE ARE WAITING FOR
CALLOUT FOR THAT PROP LOAD WE
WILL GO OVER TO MCMANIS TO GET A
SENSE OF HOW THE FEELING IS AT
THE CAPE.
HOW IS IT GOING OVER THERE?
>> EVERYTHING IS LOCKING PATRIOT
OUT HERE, TOM.
AND WE WISH RIPLEY ALL THE BEST
OF LUCK ON HER INCREDIBLE,
INCREDIBLE JOURNEY.
I AM MCMANIS WOOD END AT KENNEDY
SPACE STERN, PARTICULARLY I AM
HERE AT THE BANANA CREEK VIEWING
AREA WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE
WAY FROM THE SATURN 5 CENTER.
NOW, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS
ABOUT THIS VIEWING AREA HERE AT
BANANA EXREEK IS YOU HAVE AN
UNFILTERED PAM ARE A, PAN RAMIK
VIEW OF FIVE LAUNCHPADS.
NOW THE PAD WE WILL BE LOOKING
AT TONIGHT IS PAD 39 A, WHICH
YOU ALREADY HEARD SO FAR IN THE
PROGRAM HAS QUITE A HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE.
12 APOLLO LAUNCHES AND 82
SHUTTLE LAUNCHES TOOK PLACE AT
PAD 39 A AND WE ARE HOPING THAT
SPACEX IS ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT
HISTORY TONIGHT.
NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CROWD,
THEY ARE STARTING TO STILL
FILTER IN, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT
ROUGHLY SEVEN TONE HUNDRED IN
ATTENDANCE TONIGHT, THE VAST
MAJORITY OF THEM ARE FROM HERE
IN AMERICA, SO THE SENTIMENT OF
AN AMERICAN BUILT ROCKET BEING
LAUNCHED FROM AMERICAN SOIL AND
WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF
AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS LATER THIS
YEAR BEING FLOWN ON THAT ROCKET
IS PRETTY HIGH.
BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY IT IS A
COMPLETE HOME TEAM TYPE OF A
GAME.
WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW
REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER
FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT BRING A
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO THIS
LAUNCH, BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT IT
FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE.
SO JUST IMAGINE, IF YOU WILL,
SOMEBODY IN THIS AUDIENCE
TONIGHT HAS THE ABILITY AT SOME
POINT IN TIME IN THEIR LIVES TO
BOARD A ROCKET, FLY TO SPACE,
AND THEN LOOK DOWN AT THE EARTH
INSTEAD OF THROUGH THE LENS OF A
NASA PHOTO WHICH WE HAVE ALL
BECOME SO ACCUSTOMED 0 TO, BUT
WITH THEIR VERY OWN EYES.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, THOSE TWO
ARE THE MAIN TALKING POINT THAT
I HAVE HAD WITH MANY OF THE
FOLKS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, SO
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE
ANTICIPATION AND THE ENERGY IS
QUITE STRONG.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, EVERYONE IS
STARTING TO SETTLE IN TO THEIR
SEATS AND THEY ARE GETTING READY
TO ENJOY THIS AMAZING LAUNCH, SO
WITH THAT IN MIND LET'S GO AHEAD
AND SEND IT BACK TO THINK HAVE A
AND STEPHANIE RIGHT DOWN THE
ROAD AT OUR STUDIO.
>> MCMANUS THAT'S AN AWESOME
CROWD OUT THERE AND LET YOU KNOW
.. PROPELLENT LOADING HAS BEGUN
ON THE FALCON 9.
NOW, ALSO, IT IS A A REMINDER
TODAY'S LAUNCH IS A TEST FLIGHT
AND WILE SPACEX HAS BEEN
TRANSPORTING CARGO TO AND FROM
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SINCE 2012, THIS FLIGHT IS THE
FIRST TIM THAT WE WILL BE
LAUNCHING A CREW DRAG GONE WITH
THE UPGRADES TO FALCON 9 AND
DRAGON THAT ALLOWS US TO FRIDAY
ASTRONAUTS.
>> NOW WE HAVEN'T LAUNCHED
ASTRONAUTS FROM THE U.S. SOIL TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SINCE THE SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS
LANDED IN 2011.
TODAY'S LAUNCH IS A MAJOR TEST
TO HELP US RESTORE THAT
CAPABILITY TO AMERICA WITH THE
IDEA THAT ONE DAY SPACE SHUTTLE
WON'T JUST BE FOR NASA
ASTRONAUTS.
>> STAGE 2, READY FOR FLIGHT.
>> GROUND CREW --
>> GO FOR LAUNCH.
>> THE FROG OF THE COMMERCIAL
CREW PROGRAM IS TO RETURN TO OUR
NATION THE CAPABILITY TO FLY OUR
ASTRONAUTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
5, 4, 3 --
>> COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM, IS
AN ENTIRELY NEW ERA.
>> LIFTOFF.
>>
>> ASTRONAUTS TAKING FLIGHT ONCE
MORE FROM AMERICAN SOILABLE AS
THE NATION BEGINS A NEW CHAPTER
OF SPACE EXPLORATION.
>> UP UNTIL NOW IT HAS BEEN
GOVERNMENT THAT HAVE SENT PEOPLE
INTO SPACE AND, YOU KNOW,
WORKING WITH OUR NASA PARTNERS
WERE ON THE DOORSTEP OF BEING
ABLE TO OPEN IT UP TO A MUCH
GREATER POPULATION.
>> IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT YOU GET
TO BE PART OF DEVELOPING A
SPACECRAFT FROM SCRATCH THAT
COMES ALONG AFTER MANY DECADE.
>> BOTH 0 OF OUR COMPANIES,
BOEING AND SPACEX ARE INCREDIBLY
CAPABLE COMPANIES.
>> IT IS GREAT TO SEE THE
HARDWARE COME TOGETHER AND SEE
THE EXCITEMENT OF THE
TECHNICIANS AND OF THE
ENGINEERS, IT IS GOING TO BE
WONDERFUL TO SEE THE CROWDS COME
BACK.
>>
>> THIS IS GREAT, TO GET THE
PUBLIC KIND OF REENGAGED ON
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT AGAIN.
>> TRANSPORTATION TO LOW EARTH
ORBIT IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO
HUMANS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THAT IS
WHERE WE ARE OPERATING AND DOING
A LOT OF OUR WORK IN SPACE.
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
ONE OF THE NATION'S GREAT ASSETS
FOR RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY IS IN
LOW EARTH ORBIT.
>> THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM
WILL PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO
ISS TO SUPPORT THAT FIRST STEP
AS A GATEWAY TO SPACE.
I THINK WE WILL HAVE A LOT MORE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE
EXPLORATION RESEARCH THAT WE
NEED TO GET US TO THE MOON AND
TO MARS AND BEYOND, THERE IS A
LARGER GROUP OF US THAT ARE
DREAMING THAT POTENTIALLY COULD
HAVE A RIDE SOME DAY AND BE
WORKING IN SPACE:IT IS A HUGE
POLL, A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR
BOTH THE PARTNERS, NASA, AND THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
>> THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
>> I KNOW THE GREATEST EVENT IN
SPACE EXPLORATIONS HAVE NOT
HAPPENED YET AND THAT OUR
DESTINY LOWS ABOVE US.
>>
>> ON THE TRADITIONAL NASA
PROGRAMS WE GAVE VERY
PRESCRIPTIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR
COMMERCIAL CREW, NASA SET HIGH
LEVEL REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OUR
50 YEARS OF HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT
EXPERIENCE FOR BOEING AND SPACEX
TO MEET.
OUR PARTNERS TOOK THOSE HIGH
LEVEL REQUIREMENTS AND
INTRODUCED A TECHNOLOGIES,
PROCEDURES AND OUT OF THE BOX
THINKING WE HAVE COME TO EXPECT
IN THE AMERICAN AEROSPACE
INDUSTRY.
>> SPACEX IS ONE OF THE
COMPANIES THAT NASA ULTIMATELY
CHOSE TO ACHIEVE GOAL AND WE
HAVE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INTRODUCE
INNOVATIVE IDEAS IN
COLLABORATION WITH NASA AND
TOGETHER WE HAVE FIND CREW DRAG
BONN TO BE ONE OF THE SAFEST
HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT SYSTEMS EVER
FLOWN.
DRAGON AND FALCON 9 TOGETHER
HAVE YEARS OF OPERATIONAL
EXPERIENCE OR WHAT WE REFER TO
AS FLIGHT HERITAGE.
THE CREW DRAG GONE BUILDS ON OUR
CARGO DRAGON 17 SUCCESSFUL
FLIGHTS TO AND FROM ORBIT SINCE
2010, INCLUDING 16 TRIPS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
NOT ONLY HAVE WE CONDUCTED
THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF TESTING,
WE HAVE ALSO ENHANCED AND ADD
ADD NUMBER OF SAFETY FEATURES.
AS AN EXAMPLE, DRAGON NOW HAS
ENHANCED AND ADDITIONAL
PARACHUTES, WE USED TO HAVE
THREE AND WE ADDED A FOURTH ONE
FOR A REDUNDANCY ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT FEATURES ON CREW
DRAGON IS OUR LAUNCH ESCAPE
SYSTEM WHICH IS A HUGE
ADVANCEMENT IN THE SAFETY OF
HUMAN SPACE PLIGHT.
IN 2015, WE DEMONSTRATED THE
SYSTEM DURING OUR PAD ABORT
TEST, NOW THE LAUNCH ESCAPE
SYSTEM IS OUTFITTED WITH EIGHT
SUPER DRACO ENGINES DIRECTLY
INTEGRATED INTO THE SPACECRAFT
BODY ENABLES THEM TO MAINTAIN
ESCAPE CAPABILITY FROM THE
LAUNCHPAD ALL THE WAY TO ORBIT A
FEATURE NO OTHER SPACECRAFT IN
HISTORY HAS EVER POSSESSED.
>> NOW FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF
THIS IN ADDITION BUT BEFORE DEMO
2, SPACEX WILL CONDUCT AN
INFLIGHT ABORT TEST WHICH WILL
IMPROVE THE ESCAPE CAPABILITIES
DURING ASCENT, THIS WILL TELL US
NOT ONLY HOW DRAG GONE WILL
PERFORM BUT WHAT THE ASTRONAUTS
WILL ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE IF
THERE WERE AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY.
AFTER THESE TESTS, THE NASA AND
SPACEX TEAM WILL REVIEW ALL OF
THE DATA AND VERIFY ALL OF THE
SYSTEMS ABOARD HAVE OPERATED AS
DESIGNED.
THIS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT STEP
ALLOWS NASA TO VERIFY THAT
SPACEX IS MEETING OUR
REQUIREMENTS AND CAN BE
CERTIFIED TO CARRY OUR
ASTRONAUTS SAFELY TO AND FROM
THE SPACE STATION.
THE FIRST TWO CREW MEMBERS WHO
WILL FLY ABOARD CREW DRAGON WILL
BE NASA ASTRONAUTS BOB BY THE BD
BOB HURLEY ON THE DEMO
2 SPACECRAFT.
>> AND THEN THE NEXT CREW DRAGON
MISSION WITH TWO INTERNATIONAL
PARTNER CREW MEMBERS WHO HAVE
NOT YET BEEN ANNOUNCED.
>> THESE NASA ASTRONAUTS WILL
NOT ONLY BE THE FIRST TO FLY ON
CREW DRAG GONE, BUT THEY ARE
ALSO CONTINUING THE MISSION OF
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
WHICH IS OUR PREHER ORBITAL
LABORATORY.
>> IT PROVIDES AN ENVIRONMENT TO
REALLY LEARN WHAT IT TAKES FOR
HUMANS TO LIVE IN SPACE FOR LONG
PERIODS, FOR LONG PERIODS THAT
WE WILL NODE TO DO WHEN WE GO
BEYOND LOW EARTH ORBIT.
>> LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT
THE HISTORY OF THE SPACE STATION
AND ITS ROLE IN FURTHERING HUMAN
SPACE EXPLORATION.
>> THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, A FOOTBALL FIELD SIZED
MILLION POUND LABORATORY FLYING
AROUND PLANET EARTH AT
17,500 MILES PER HOUR.
>> IT IS OUR HOME IN LOW EARTH
ORBIT AND THE BRIDGE TO
EXPLORING THE FAR REACHES OF OUR
SOLAR SYSTEM.
A PLACE TO LEARN WHAT IT TAKES
TO LIVE, TO WORK, TO THRIVE IN
SPACE.
>> THANKS TO SPACE AGENCIES
REPRESENTING MORE THAN A DOZEN
COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, IT
WENT FROM THE DRAWING BOARD TO
LIFTOFF WHEN THE FIRST PIECE
FLEW INTO SPACE IN TAKEN FIN
EIGHT.
THAT KICKED OFF OVER A DECADE OF
CONSTRUCTION, HAULING THE
STATION TO ORBIT PIECE BY PIECE
ON NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE AND
RUSSIAN ROCKETS.
>> AND AFTER THE FIRST CREW RIDE
IN NOVEMBER 2000, WE STARTED AN
UNBROKEN STREAK OF HUMANS
WORKING AND LIVING IN SPACE.
BUILDING ON THE LEGACY OF PAST
OUTPOSTS LIKE SKY LAB AND MUIR
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
BEGAN THE TRAINING GROUND FOR
HUMANITY'S NEXT GREAT JOURNEY,
LIVING, LEARNING TO LIVE IN
SPACE FOR EXTREME PERIODS
OVERTIME, BUILDING AND
PERFECTING THE TECHNOLOGIES
NECESSARY TO TRAVEL TO OUR
NEIGHBORS IN THE SOLAR SEASONAL,
IT GAVE US A PLACE ON OUR
DOORSTEP TO PREPARE FOR NEXT
GIANT LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN.
AND THANKS TO THE STATION, A NEW
ERA IN OUTER SPACE IS UNFOLDING.
WHAT WAS ONCE THE DOMAIN OF ONLY
NATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS IS NOW
POPULATED BY A BROGUE SPACE
FLEET FROM AMERICAN INDUSTRY.
PRIVATE SPACECRAFT TO ANY CAR
KNOW/FOE AND CREW MEMBERS, NEW
HABITATS AND TECH NOZZLE FOR
FUTURE SPACE MISSIONS AND AN
OPEN DOOR FOR COMPANIES RESEARCH
INSTITUTIONS AND EVEN STUDENTS
AROUND THE WORLD TO DO RESEARCH
IN SPACE THAT HAVE NEVER HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY BEFORE.
>> ALL LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR
A ROBUST ECONOMY IN SPACE.
>> THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS OF
EXPERIMENTS, HUNDREDS OF
SPACEWALKS, ENDLESS HOURS OF
CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES, ALL
TONE BY HUMANS HAILING FROM
COUNTRIES AROUND THE GLOBE.
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
IS WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE AS A
PLANET WHEN WE COME TOGETHER TO
DO THE THINGS THAT ARE HARD.
AND THE WORK ISN'T FLOWING DOWN.
BECAUSE WE ARE READY FOR THE
NEXT JOINT LEAP.
BECAUSE WE ARE READY TO GO
FARTHER.
BECAUSE WHAT WE DO AND LEARN
ALONG THE WAY IS FOR THE BENEFIT
OF ALL OF HUMAN KIND.
>> WE CLEARLY HAVE AN AMAZING
RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE THIS
RESEARCH ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION AND THAT'S WHAT
DROVE THE CREATION OF THE
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM.
>> AND RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ABOUT T
MINUS 22 MINUTES AND 30-SECONDS
AWAY FROM SEEING OUR FIRST
LAUNCH AS PART OF COMMERCIAL
CREW.
SO LET'S CHECK IN WITH LAUREN
AND DAN TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
TODAY'S MISSION.
>> THANK YOU, GUYS.
SO FOR DEMO-1, DRAGON'S ROUGH
TRIP IS ROUGHLY SIX DAYS IN A
YOUR HONOR THINK THAT IS --
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>>
>> THE CROWD IS GETTING INTO IT.
AS WE AWAIT THAT T MINUS ZERO IN
JUST ABOUT 22 MINUTE, THE GROUND
OPERATIONS TEAMS ARE GOING TO BE
DOING A SERIES OF SYSTEM CHECKS,
JUST TO MAKE SURE BOTH DRAGON
AND FALCON 9 ARE READY FOR
LIFTOFF.
THE MOMENT WE HIT T MINUS ZERO
AND A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OCCURS
WE WILL WATCH THEM MAKE THEIR
ASCENT IN FIRST AND SECOND
STAGES SEPARATE AND SEND DRAGON
ON ITS WAY TO THE SPACE STATION.
>> THE AT THIS TIME, THE
OPERATORS WILL PREPARE ORBIT AND
DRAG GONE WILL EXECUTE A SERIES
OF BURNS THAT GRADUALLY RAISE
THE ORBIT TO ALIGN FOR CLOSELY
WITH THE SPACE STATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE ANIMATION
RIGHT HERE ON THE SCREEN A
DRAGON APPROACH ISS IT WILL PULL
A FEW TIPS BEFORE MAKING ONE
FINAL PUSH TOWARD THE SPACE
STATION, PUTTING DRAGON INTO THE
SAME ORBITAL PLANE AS IT
PREPARES FOR DOCKING MANEUVERS.
>> NEXT DRAGON WILL MAKE ITS
APPROACH AND ACTUALLY DOCK WITH
THE SPACE STATION.
IT IS GOING TO BE A VERY
DIFFERENT PROCESS FROM WHAT WE
HAVE SEEN WITH DRAGON CAR POE
DELIVERIES THIS THE FAST WHICH
USED A PROCESS CALLED BERTHING
WHICH REQUIRES SOMEBODY TO BE ON
THE STATION TO GRAB IT WITH A
ROBOTIC ARM.
WITH DOCKING NOT NECESSARY IT
WILL FLY IN ON ALL ON ITS OWN.
DRAG GONE WILL SPEND FIVE DAYS
ON THE ISS BEFORE RETURNING
HOME.
AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION
OF THE CARGO LOADING OPERATION
IT IS ISS CREW ON BOARD WILL
CLOSE TOUT KABOB, PERFORM FINAL
SYSTEM CHECKS AND PREPARE
VEHICLE FOR UNDOCKING.
ONCE THE UNDOCKING SEQUENCE IS
CROAT, DRAGON WILL GO THROUGH
DEPARTURE BURNS USING ON BOARD
DRACO ENGINE PUSHING IT AWAY
FROM THE SPACE STATION.
>> NEXT OF ITS TRIP HOME IS
ORBIT, ENTRY AND SPLASHDOWN AND
THAT IS GOING TO COVER ALL
OPERATIONS FOLLOWING THE FINAL
DEPARTURE MANEUVER, INCLUDING
THE TRUMPING SEPARATION, CLOSURE
OF THE NOSE COHEN, DELOITTE OF
THE MAIN PARACHUTE AND SPLASH
DOWN AT WHICH TEAMS FROM SPACEX
WILL MOVE IN AND RECOVER DRAG
GONE FROM THE WATER.
WHAT WE CAN EXPECT ON THIS
MISSION WITHOUT CREW, IT IS
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE
ENTIRE OPERATION IS ALSO A
TRAINING OPPORTUNITY.
WHEN WE HAVE ASTRONAUTS ON
BOARD. SO LET'S GO NOW TO
JENNIFER AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
ON MORE OF WHAT IS GOING ON
BEHIND THE SCENES.
>> .
THANK YOU, LAUREN, RIPLEY MAY BE
THE ONLY PASSENGER ON BOARD THIS
TIME BUT OUR NASA AND SPACEX
TEAMS ARE TREATING THIS LAUNCH
AS IF BOB AND DOUG HURLEY ARE
FLYING IN CREW DRAGON, BECAUSE
NEXT TIME THEY WILL BE.
>> ON LAUNCH DAY, WITH THE
COMMERCIAL PARTNERS, AS SOON AS
THE CREW WALKS INTO THIS ROOM,
THE SUIT ROOM, I OFFICIALLY HAND
THEM OVER TO THE PARTNERS OF
SPACEX AND BOEING, OFFICIALLY
TAKES CHARGE OF THE CREW AT THAT
POINT.
>> AS NASA VEHICLE INTEGRATION
TEST OFFICE CHIEF, VETERAN
SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT, SHANE
KIMBROUGH PLAYS A BIG PART THE
INSTILL LAYING THE CREW BEFORE
LAUNCH.
AS TEAMS HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR
ON CREW DEMO ONE PLIGHT THEY
HAVE BEEN SITTING UP AND
REHEARSING WITH SUPPORT TEAMS
WHAT THEY WILL DO FOR DEMO 21 IS
DUSTING OFF THE QUARANTINE
PLAYBOOK.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO QUARANTINE THE
CREW NEXT TIME BUT FOR DEMO
2 THERE IS A LOT OF WORK MAKING
SURE THE CREW IS PROTECTED FROM
ANY THREAT THREAT TO THE
PHYSICAL HEALTH LEAD LEADING UP
TO LAUNCH, IT TAKES METICULOUS
PLANNING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE
WHO COMES THE CONTACT WITH THE
ASTRONAUTS IS MEDICALLY CLEARED
TO DO SO.
>> LAUNCH DAY OPERATIONS, WHILE
THE CREW IS IN QUARANTINE, I
CONTROL THE CREW PRETTY MUCH, SO
FROM L MINUS 14 TO LAUNCH AT A,
THEY ARE NINE, SO TO SPEAK AND
MAKE SURE WE RUN THE SCHEDULES
AND KEEP THEM IN A QUARANTINED
SITUATION, QUARANTINED AND OTHER
PEOPLE ARE NOT COMING UP TO THEM
ON LAUNCH DAY IN PARTICULAR AND
MAKING SURE THEY ARE UP AND
MOVING ALONG, ACCORDING TO THEIR
TIMELINES, SO THEY DON'T GET
BEHIND.
>> AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE A
CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH THEIR
FAMILIES BEFORE THEY HEAD TO THE
LAUNCHPAD, ONE LAST LOOK AT YOUR
FAMILY AND ONE LAST TIME TO TALK
TO THEM AND TELL THEM YOU LOVE
THEM.
AND YOU WILL BE BACK SEEING
TOADS KIND 0 OF THINGS.
RIGHT NOW THE DEMO 2 CREW IS
CLOSELY MONITORING THE PRELAUNCH
MILESTONES INSIDE OF SPACEX'S
LAUNCH CONTROL CENTER.
INCLUDING PROPELLENT LOADING
THAT FAN JUST A SHORT TIME AGO.
THE CREW IS USING THIS MORNING
TO TRAIN FOR WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON
DEMO 2.
EVERYTHING FROM STRAPPING INTO
THEIR SEATS, TO BEING PREPARED
TO ABORT IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT
OF AN EMERGENCY.
>> THESE KIND REHEARSALS ARE NOT
NEW TO THE TEST SCENES BUT THIS
MORNING'S UNCREWED LAUNCH IS
MORE THAN JUST A STIMULATION, IT
IS THEIR FIRST CHANCE TO
PRACTICE A REAL THING, WE HAVE
TOUCHED ON ALL OF THE
PREPARATION LEADING TO THIS
MOMENT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE THE CREW
IS HEADING, THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
JOINING ME TO DISCUSS THIS IS
DAVID BRADY, HE IS A SCIENTIST
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME, JENNIFER.
>> OUR VIEWERS HAVE BEEN
SUBMITTING QUESTIONS ON SOCIAL
MEDIA USING THE HASHTAG ASK
NASA.
LET'S CHECK THEM OUT.
OKAY?
>> FLIP FLOP LIFE 83 SAYS, I
CAN'T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT THE
SCIENCE YOU BUSINESS ACCOMPLISH
UP THERE.
DO YOU THINK THAT THIS WILL HELP
PROLONG SPACE STATION MISSIONS?
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND IT IS SO EXCITING TO SEE THE
FOLKS INVOLVED IN THIS, THAT ARE
OUT THERE.
THEY ARE SO INTERESTED IN THE
SCIENCE BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE
ARE ALL HERE TO CELEBRATE THE
HOW, BUT WE NEED TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WHY, AND
THE WHY IS, THAT SPACE STATION
EXISTS AS A WORLD CLASS PAT TO
DO RESEARCH IN SPACE.
SO WE ARE HOPING THAT OUR CCP
CAPABILITY IS GOING TO DOUBLE
THE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH THAT WE
CAN DO IN TERMS OF TIME.
NOW YOU MIGHT ASK, HOW CAN YOU
DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH BY
ADDING ONE CREW MEMBER.
WELL AS YOU KNOW, THE CREW
SPENDS A LOT OF TIME MAINTAINING
THE VEHICLE, THEY ALSO HAVE TO
BE AVAILABILITY FOR SPACEWALKS,
AND TO EVERY VISITING VEHICLE
THAT COMES AND GOES THEY ARE AN
INTEGRAL PART OF THAT.
ONCE ALL OF THAT IS COVERED,
ADDING AN OFFICIAL CREW MEMBER
CAN PROVIDE THE CAPACITY TO DO
NOTHING ADDITIONAL OTHER THAN
RESEARCH SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED
OF THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT
BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD
TO EVEN MORE DISCOVERIES,
ENABLING MORE EXPLORATION,
DISCOVERING THINGS THAT WILL
HELP COMMERCIAL COMPANIES AND
ALSO BENEFITING PEOPLE ON EARTH.
>> IT IS SO EXOITING.
>> OH, YES, IT IS REALLY COOL.
>> LET'S SEE WHAT OUR NEXT
QUESTION IS.
>> AT JCS, ALMA DORA ASKS WILL
ANY CARGO BE RETURNING FROM ISS
WITH CREW DRAGON BACK TO EARTH?
>> WE ARE EXPECTING TO BE ABLE
TO FLY OUT ABOUT 200 POUNDS OF
CAR KNOW/FOE.
AND ALSO FLY BACK 100 POUNDS OF
CARGO, WHICH MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A
WHOLE LOT BUT ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT IT WILL BE USEFUL FOR IN
THE RESEARCH AREA IS THAT, AM,
WE DO A LOT OF LIFE SCIENCE
RESEARCH AND THAT LIFE SCIENCE
RESEARCH IS DEPENDENT ON
BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES, SO AS YOU
MIGHT IMAGINE IF YOU ARE A
RESEARCHER THAT DOES BIOLOGICAL
RESEARCH, YOU ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO GETTING YOUR SAMPLES
BACK AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE, SO
YOU HAVE FLEXIBILITY IN DOING
YOUR RESEARCH, SO THE NEW CCP
CAPABILITY, THAT IS ANOTHER
THING THAT IT WILL PROVIDE FOR
US.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE,
UNFORTUNATELY, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR SHARING YOUR INSIGHTS WITH
OUR VIEWERS.
>> YOU ARE WELCOME.
>> LET'S CHECK BACK IN WITH
STEPHANIE AND SHIVA FOR AN
UPDATE.
>> ..
>> THANKS, BUSINESS.
WE REALLY LOVE HEARING THE
QUESTIONS FROM THE FANS OF
TODAY'S LAUNCH.
IT IS REALLY AWESOME TO HEAR
THOSE.
NOW, WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE
DIDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT THE
STORIED LAUNCHPAD THAT FALCON
FIN WILL LIFT OFF FROM TODAY
WHICH IS LAUNCH COMPLEX 39 A.
IT IS ALSO CALLED PAD A HERE IN
FLORIDA, AND IT IS THE SITE OF
MANY HISTORIC LAUNCHES.
>> IT IS WHERE NASA ASTRONAUTS
LAUNCH TO THE MOON AND AS DERROL
IS GOING TO TELL US, IT IS WHERE
THEY COMPLETED 21ST CENTURY
MAKEOVER, THE LAUNCH PAD,
LAUNCHING US INTO THE NEXT
GENERATION OF HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
>> IN THE 1960S, NASA NODED A
NEW BIGGER AND BETTER LAUNCHPAD,
ONE CAPABLE OF SENDING
ASTRONAUTS ON HISTORIC JOURNEYS
TO THE MOON AND BACK.
>> ♪
>> TO GET THERE, THAT NEW PAD
NEEDED TO BE CAPABLE OF
LAUNCHING THE POST POWERFUL
ROCKET OF ITS TIME, THE MIGHT AT
THIS SATURN 5.
>> AND SO IN 1962, NASA BEGAN
BUILDING THE ANSWER, LAUNCH
COMPLEX 39 A. AT THE BOTTOM, A
FLAME TRENCH ONE AND A HALF
FOOTBALL FIELDS LONG AND ABOVE
IT, A LAUNCH TOWER CONNECTING TO
A NEW CONCEPT AT THE TIME,
VOCALIZED PLATFORMS, WITH HIGHLY
EXPLOSIVE ROCKET FUEL NEARBY AN
EMERGENCY ESCAPE SYSTEM WAS
ADDED, NASA ENGINEERS DESIGNED A
HIGH SPEED ELEVATOR AND A
200-FOOT LONG ESCAPE TUBE, DOWN
TO A BLAST RESISTANT BUNKER,
40 FEET UNDERGROUND.
>>
>> IN NOVEMBER OF 1967, NASA
LAUNCHED THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL
TEST FIGHT OF AN UNMANNED SATURN
5 ROCKET THERE PAD 39 A.
HISTORIC MISSIONS TO THE UPON
FOLLOWED AND ANOTHER PAD, 39 B
WAS ADDED.
>> DECADES LATER, 39 A AND B
WERE MODIFIED TO SUPPORT A SPACE
SHUTTLE PROGRAM.
>> LIFTOFF.
THE FINAL LIFTOFF OF -- THE
1980S, ALL THE WAY TO THE LAST
LAUNCH, IN JULY OF 2011.
>>
>> AFTER THAT, THE PADS WENT
DARK.
>> THROW YEARS LATER, PAD 39 A
GOT A NEW LESS ON LIFE, YOU SEE,
NASA NO LONGER NEEDED TWO
LAUNCHPADS SO THEY UPGRADED IT
AND IN 2014 SPACEX SIGNED A 20
YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT TO LAUNCH
THEIR OWN ROCKETS FROM HERE AS
WELL ASS THOUGHTS, AND THEY WILL
BE LIFTING OFF FROM THE EXACT
SAME PLACE, THE SHUTTLE AND AM
APOLLO ASTRONAUTS ONCE DID.
>> FIRST SPACEX NEEDED TO
UPGRADE THE PAD.
MASSIVE ROTATING SERVICE
STRUCTURE USED TO LOAD CAR
KNOW/FOE INTO THE SPACE SHUTTLE
WAS REMOVED, AND THE MOST RECENT
EDITION?
A NEW CREW ACCESS ARM, A MODERN
FIZZED STEEL AND ALUMINUM
STRUCTURE SO NASA ASTRONAUTS CAN
BRIDGE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE
LAUNCH TOWER AND THE DRAGON CREW
CAPSULE.
JUST UNDER SIX YEARS AFTER THE
LAST STATION LAUNCH FIRING SMOKE
RETURNED TO 39 A, WHEN SPACEX
LAUNCHED NASA'S TENTH CARGO
RESUPPLY MISSION TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
AND A YEAR LATER, SPACEX SHOWED
OFF THE PAD'S VERSATILITY LAUNCH
AGO TRIPLE BOOSTER FALCON HEAVY
ROCKET ON A TEST FLIGHT.
>> AND THAT HELPED PROPEL THE
NUMBER OF LAUNCHES HERE OVER THE
CENTURY MARK AND NASA AND SPACEX
HAVE A CONTRACT TO SEND
ASTRONAUTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION HALF A DOZEN TIMES
AND THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT FROM
RIGHT HERE AT PAD 39 A.
>> THE INTER SPACEX TEAM THE
TRULY HONORED WE ARE GOING TO BE
LAUNCHING ASTRONAUTS AGAIN FROM
PAD 39 A.
>> AND A LITTLE OVER 11 MINUTE,
LET'S GO BACK TO THIS TEAM IN
SPACEX HEADQUARTERS IN HAWTHORNE
FOR AN UPDATE.
>>
>> THANKS, USE GUYS.
>> SPACEX WAS DESIGNED --
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> EVERYBODY IS REALLY EXCITED.
>> -- 2010 IN ORDER TO TRANSPORT
CREW WE HAD TO MAKE KEY UPGRADES
TO THE VEHICLE.
SO IN A SECOND HERE WE WILL GET
AN IMAGE, OF THE INSIDE OF
DRAGON.
ALL RIGHT. SO SOME OF THE
EASIEST TO SPOT -- DRAGON --
FIRST NOTICE THE WHITE COMPOSITE
PANELS.
THOSE ARE THERE TO CLOSEUP THE
HABITABLE CABIN SPACE AS WELL AS
THE COMPONENT BEHIND THOSE
PANELS.
ANOTHER VERY NOTICEABLE CHANGE
IS THAT WE ADDED CARBON FIBER
SEATS, WHICH ARE CUSTOM SIZED
FOR EACH CREW MEMBER.
CREW DRAG GONE SEVEN ASTRONAUTS
BUT OUR FIRST CREW FLIGHT WILL
HAVE TWO ASTRONAUTS, FOLLOWED BY
OPERATIONAL MISSIONS WHICH WILL
CARRY FOUR.
EACH OF THEM WEARING A SPACEX
DESIGNED SPACE SUIT.
AN AS YOU CAN ALSO SEE IN THE
VIDEO THERE ARE ALSO TOUCH
SCREENS CONTROLLED -- WHILE
DRAGON IS FULLY AUTONOMOUS, THEY
ADDED -- SO THAT THE CRUISE WILL
NAVIGATE THE SPACECRAFT MANUALLY
IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
>> AND THOSE NASA ASTRONAUTS
HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH SPACEX
FROM EARLY ON TO PROVIDE INPUT
INTO CREW DRAGON'S DESIGN, RIGHT
NOW THEY ARE FINISHING THEIR
TRAINING ON ALL OF THE FEATURES
OF THE SPACECRAFT AND THE SPACE
SUITS USING STIMULATORS AND
OTHER EXERCISES IN ADVANCE OF
THAT FIRST CREWED MISSION.
JUST LIKE THE SEATS THE, IT IS
INDIVIDUALLY FITTED FOR EACH
ASTRONAUT DESIGNED TO COMPLETELY
PROTECT THEM FROM THE VACUUM
ENVIRONMENT OF SPACE.
WHILE THE SPACECRAFT OBVIOUSLY
IS THE PRIMARY MEANS OF
PROTECTING THE AS MOTHERS, THE
SUITS ACT AS CRITICAL BACKUP IN
THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
ONE FINAL INTERESTING POINT FOR
CREW DRAGON ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE
WINDOWS GONE SPACECRAFT, WHERE
THE CREW CAN LOOK OUT INTO SPACE
DURING THE FLIGHT PROVIDING NOT
ONLY FULL VIEWS BUT ALSO HELPING
THEM TO VIEW THE STATION AND
ORIENT DRAGON DURING MANUAL
PILOTING.
NOW LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT
FALCON 9.
THE DESIGN OF OUR ROCKET IS JUST
AS CRITICAL FOR THE DEMO ONE
MISSION AS A SPACECRAFT.
WE HAVE BEEN LAUNCHING FALCON
9 SINCE 2010 TO CARRY THE CARGO
TO DRAG GONE AS WELL AS -- THE
ROCKET ITSELF FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING WITH ULTIMATE GOAL OF
CARRYING PEOPLE IN MIND.
THE SIMPLE CONFIGURATION --
SEPARATION -- IN THIS NINE PER
STAGE -- FALCON 9 CAN
SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE ITS
MISSIONS EVEN IN THE EVENT OF AN
ENGINE SHUT DOWN.
THEY ARE DESIGNED TO BE
REUSABLE, SPACEX HAS SIX DRAGONS
AND 19 FIRST -- FOLLOWING
TODAY'S LAUNCH WE WILL ATTEMPT
TO LAUNCH FALCON 9, AND -- IN
THE ATLANTIC OCEAN SO THAT CAN
BE BE USED ON FUTURE FLIGHT.
>> ALSO INTENDS TO REUSE THIS
DRAGON IF MISSIONS ARE SET TO BE
THE INFLIGHT ABORT TEST
HAPPENING LATER THIS YEAR.
NOW FOR THE NINE MINUTES LET'S
CHECK IN WITH TOM ON THE STATUS
OF TODAY'S LAUNCH.
>> THANKS, TOYS, WE ARE AT EIGHT
MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS UNTIL
LAUNCH, THE EXCITEMENT HER AT
SPACEX HEADQUARTERS IS PALPABLE.
JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE
STATUS OF THE ROCKET AND THE
DRAGON.
THE STAGE 1 AND STAGE 2 ARE
ALMOST FULLY FUELED WITH RP
1 AND OXIDIZER THE RANGE IS GOOD
TO GO.
WE ARE MONITORING THE WEATHER
ALL LOOKING GOOD TO GO FOR
LAUNCH, NO ISSUES OF UPPER LEVEL
OR LOWER LEVEL WINDS.
THE WEATHER IS GOD AT THE CAPE.
AS JOHN, THE WEATHER IS THE ONE
THING WE TALK ABOUT BUT CAN'T
CONTROL.
THANKFULLY IT IS LOCKING GOOD
FOR LUNCH TODAY.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
MONITOR AND GO OVER TO KENNEDY
SPACE STERN AND SEE HOW THE
SPACE STATION TEAM IS DOING WITH
GARY JORDAN.
HOW IS IT GOING OVER THERE,
GARY?
>> HEY, TOM, WELCOME TO MISSION
CONTROL, HOUSTON, RIGHT HERE THE
TEAMS BEHIND ME ARE LOOKING
AFTER THE SYSTEMS OF THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
WHICH IS OF COURSE THE ULTIMATE
DESTINATION OF DRAG GONE
LAUNCHING TODAY.
0.
>> OVER THE NEXT DAY, WE WILL BE
MONITORING DRAGON THROUGH ITS
APPROACH TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION AND THAT'S WHEN
THINGS WILL REALLY START TO PICK
UP WHEN IT IS JUST A FEW
KILOMETER AWAY.
THREE CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
RIGHT NOW, NASA AND MCCLAIN --
CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY, AND -- OF
ROSKOSMOS, THEY HAVE BEEN
REVIEWING A LOT OF PREVIEWS FOR
THE DOCKING OPERATIONS AND THE
INGRESS OPERATIONS THAT'S WHEN
THEY ACTUALLY ENTER THE VEHICLE.
TODAY, THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE
MUCH GOING ON, A BIT OF AN OFF
DUTY DAY PAUSE TOMORROW THAT'S
WHEN THEY EXECUTE ALL OF THESE
PROCEDURES, JUST OVER A DAY FROM
NOWABLE WHEN DRAG GONE DOCKS TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SCHEDULE THAT IS 6:00 A.M.
EASTERN TIME.
THIS IS A GREAT TIME, A BLAST
FROM THE PAST, THE LAST TIME
THAT A VEHICLE DOCTOR THIS PART
OF THE STATION, WAS A SPACE
SHUTTLE BACK IN 2011.
AGAIN, OUR JOB REALLY PICKS UP
WHEN DRAGON IS JUST A FEW
KILOMETER AWAY FROM NOW,
EVERYTHING IS LOCKING POD ON THE
STATION, STATION NOW 255 STATUTE
POLICIES OVER CENTRAL EUROPE, AT
THE TIME OF LAUNCH, STATION IS
SCHEDULED TO BE OVER CENTRAL
IRAQ, THAT'S HOW FAST THIS THING
IS TRAVELING, DRAGON WILL SPEND
SOME TIME CHASING IT DOWN.
>> BUT THIS IS AN EXCITING TIME.
WE HAVE NEW VEHICLES COMING ON
RYAN TO LAUNCH HUMANS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, OF
COURSE MORE HUMANS MEANS MORE
SCIENCE WHICH IS THE -- ONE OF
THE GOALS OF THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, DOING SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH AND HOW TO EXPLORE
FURTHER ON.
WE ARE WORKING WITH COMMERCIAL
PROVIDERS AS WELL, NOT JUST
SPACEX, SPACEX ALSO PROVIDING
CAR BOW TO THIS SPACE STATION,
BUT WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
BUT FROM HERE IN MISSION CONTROL
HOUSTON WE ARE GOING TO SIT BACK
AND HAVE A VIEW OF THE PAD ON
THE FRONT SCREEN OF MISSION
CONTROL.
TOM, WE WILL TAKE IT BACK TO YOU
TO TAKE US TO THE FINAL MOMENTS
BEFORE LAUNCH.
>> WE ARE JUST MOMENTS AWAY FROM
OUR LAUNCH OF THE FIRST CREW
DEMONSTRATION MISSION TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THE FALCON 9 ENGINE CHILL IS
UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW AND GETS THE
TURBO PUMPS COLD ENOUGH TO PUMP
THE LIQUID OXYGEN AND RP 1 FUEL
TO THE 9 MERLIN ENGINES AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE ROCKET.
STRONG BACK RETRACTIBLE START IN
T MY US IN FIVE PUNTS, 30
SECONDS FROM NOW AND THE CREW
ACCESS IS ALREADY IN THE LAUNCH
POSITION.
AROUND T MINUS ONE MINUTE YOU
WILL HEAR THE CALLOUT FALCON
9 IS IN STARTUP THAT FALCON
9 HAVE GONE IN STARTUP MODE AND
AUTONOMOUSLY CONTROL TING THE,
CONTROLLING THE REST OF THE
COUNTDOWN.
THE FLIGHT COMPUTER WILL IGNITE
ENGINES AND CHECK THE POWER ON
THOSE ENGINES FOR A LIFT-OFF AT
T MINUS ZERO WHEN THE HOLD DOWN
IS RELEASED JUST A REMIND THEY
ARE IS AN INSTANTANEOUS LAUNCH
WINDOW TONIGHT IF YES A HOLD FOR
ANY REASON WE WILL HAVE TO SCRUB
FOR TONIGHT.
BUT WE DO HAVE A BACKUP WINDOW
MARCH 5TH AT 1:38 A.M. EASTERN
TIME.
>> THE DRAL GONE TEAM GAVE US
THE THUMBS UP FOR, THE
SPACECRAFT IS READY TO GO, THE
RANGE IS ALSO GREEN, AND WE ARE
LOOKING GOOD, LIKE I SAID
EARLIER THE WEATHER IS LOOKING
FANTASTIC AT THE CAPE FOR BOTH
LAUNCH AND RECOVERY.
WITH JUST ABOUT FOUR MINUTES AND
30 SECONDS LEFT BEFORE LIFTOFF,
LET'S LISTEN IN TO THE FINAL
COUNT DOWN ON THE LAUNCH.
>>
ARMS ARE OPEN.
>> FINAL SETUP STARTED.
>> STAGE 1 HAS CLOSED UP.
>> CHART ANGLE IS 88.1 DEGREES.
>>
>> VERIFICATION, STAGE 1.
>> DRAGON CLOSEOUT.
>> STAGE 2 LOCKS, CLOSING UP.
>> CLOSEOUT STARTING.
>> FALCON 9 IS IN STARTUP.
>> GROUND GUSTS -- IS COMPLETE.
>>
>> GO FOR LAUNCH.
>> STAGE 2, PRESSING FOR FLIGHT.
>> T MINUS 30 SECONDS.
>> STAGE 1, PRESSING FOR FLIGHT.
>> T MINUS 15 SECONDS.
>> 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2,
1.
>> ZERO.
IGNITION.
LIFTOFF.
>>
>> VEHICLE IS PITCHING
DOWNRANGE.
>> STAGE 1 PROP IS IS NOMINAL.
>>
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> STAGE 1 --
>> POWER AND TELEMETRY NORMAL.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST JOINING
US YOU WATCHING A LIVE VIEW OF
THE FALCON 9 ROCKET AS IT
ASCENDS THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE
CARRYING THE SPACEX DRAGON TO --
>>
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> THE VEHICLE JUST PASSED
THROUGH MAX Q WHICH IS THE POINT
OF MAXIMUM DIAMETRIC PRESSURE ON
THE VEHICLE AS YOU CAN HEAR IN
THE BACKGROUND THE EXCITEMENT AT
SPACEX HEADQUARTERS IS
UNBELIEVABLE HERE.
>> PASSING THROUGH MAX Q.
>> YOU HEARD THAT CALLOUT FROM
MAX Q.
THE FALCON 9 ACTUALLY THROTTLES
DOWN NINE MERLIN ENGINES TO
REDUCE THE DYNAMIC LOAD ON THE
VEHICLE.
IT IS NOW THROTTLING THOSE
ENGINES BACK UP.
>> COMING UP AT T PLUS
TWO-MINUTE AND 35 SECONDS, IT IS
GOING TO BE A KEY EVENT, QUICK
SUCCESSION IS THE FIRST ONE WILL
BE THE MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF OR
MICO WHEN THE NINE NEVER LYNN D
1 ENGINES YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN
RIGHT NOW WILL CUT OFF, SHORTLY
BEFORE A STAGE SEPARATION AT TWO
MINUTES AND 38 SECONDS.
>> SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE
MERLIN VACUUM ENGINE ON THE
BOTTOM OF THE SECOND STAGE OF
THE FALCON 9 WILL IGNITE, AND
WHAT WE CALL SECOND ENGINE START
OR SES TWO-MINUTES AND 46
SECONDS.
>> SO STAND BY FOR MAIN ENGINE
CUTOFF, STAGE SEPARATION AND
SECOND ENGINE START COMING UP IN
JUST ABOUT 20 SECONDS FROM NOW.
>>
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>>
>> AS YOU CAN HEAR FROM THE
CHEERING HERE AT SPACEX
HEADQUARTERS, WE DID HAVE A
SUCCESSFUL MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF,
STAGE SEPARATION, AND AS YOU CAN
SEE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF
YOUR SCREEN, THAT SECOND STAGE
ENGINE IS CURRENTLY STARTED AND
ACCELERATING DRAGON TOWARDS
ORBIT ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF
YOUR SCREEN THAT'S THE VIEW FROM
THE FIRST STAGE AS IT MAKES ITS
WAY BACK DOWN TOWARD THE EARTH.
LET'S GO DOWN TO LAUREN AND DAN
FOR UPDATES ON THAT FIRST STAGE
RECOVERY.
>>
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE WE LIFTED OFF
AND HAD AN AWESOME LIFTOFF OF
STAGE 1 AND STAGE 2 IS BURNING
BEAUTIFULLY.
STAGE 1 ALSO HAS -- PERFORMING
RIGHT NOW.
GETTING READY TO COME BACK AND
LAND.
STAGE 1 WILL EXECUTE TWO BURNS
BEFORE LANDING ON THE DRONE
SHIP, WITH THE ENTRY BURN STARTS
WHICH IS STARTING AT -- SEVEN
MINUTES, 48 SECONDS,
APPROXIMATELY, THAT IS WHERE
THREE OF THE M 1-D ENGINES WILL
REIGNITE, AND WHAT THAT BURN
DOES IS IT SLOWS DOWN STAGE
1ABLE IN THE UPPER PART OF THE
EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE IF WE DIDN'T
DO THAT THE AERODYNAMIC
REHEATING, IT WOULD HEAT UPSTAGE
1 AND IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY BREAK
IT APART SO WE HAVE TO SLOW IT
DOWN. FROM THERE, STAGE 1 IS
GOING TO COAST ITS WAY BACK
DOWN, USING THE HANDS TO HELP
STEER IT AND HELP EXECUTE THE
LANDING BURN, THAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN AT -- THAT IS WHEN WE ARE
GOING REIGNITE THE CENTER
ENGINE, AND HOPEFULLY BRING
STAGE 1 DOWN IN A BEAUTIFUL SPOT
ON THE --
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND WHILE ALL OF THAT IS
HAPPENING THE SECOND STAGE,
WHICH WROTE YOU SEE GLOWING
BRIGHT HERE CONTINUING TO POWER
DRAGON AND WILL CONTINUE BURNING
UNTIL JUST ABOUT NINE MINUTES
AFTER LAUNCH.
SO IN EIGHT MINUTES AND 59
SECOND IT IS WHERE IT IS
TARGETED TO CUT DOWN.
DOWN TO A SINNABLE ENGINE, OVER
200,000-POUND OF THRUST TO CARRY
DRAGON THROUGH THE UPPER PARTS
OF EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, NOT AS
MUCH RESISTANCE, ONCE YOU ARE UP
THIS HIGH AND GOING GET DRAGON
INTO THE INITIAL ORBIT AND STILL
GOING TO BE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED
KILOMETER TO MEET THE STATION
AND THEN TURNED OVER TO
THRUSTERS ON DRAGON ONCE IT
SEPARATES FROM THE SECOND STAGE
TO BEGIN THE CHASE DOWN OF THE
ORBITING LABORATORY, FIVE
MINUTES, 11 SECONDS AND COUNTING
PAST LAUNCH.
ALL OF THE CALLS SO FAR
INDICATING NOMINAL PERFORMANCE.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEE GREAT
STUFF SO FAR FROM BOTH STAGES OF
THE FALCON NINE.
>> OKAY.
WE ARE HEARING THAT IT IS
PERFORMING NOMINALLY.
IT IS LOOKING GOOD ON POWER.
TEMPERATURES ARE GOOD.
STAGE 1 CONTINUES TO COME BACK
NOMINALLY OVER THERE ON THE LEFT
ON YOUR SCREEN, YOU SEE THAT
PICTURE OF RIPLEY IN THAT ZERO G
INDICATOR.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
KEEP AN EYE OUT, AS LONG AS WE
HAVE THE VIEW, AS SOON AS DRAGON
SEPARATED THEN ESSENTIALLY IT IS
IN FREE FLIGHT MODE.
YOU GOING TO SEE LITTLE PLANET
EARTH START TO FLOAT UP, SO KEEP
AN EYE OUT ONCE WE SEPARATE
DRAGON IN JUST A COUPLE OF
MINUTES FROM NOW.
SIX MINUTES PAST LAUNCH.
>> TRAJECTORY CONTINUES TO BE
NOMINAL IN STAGE 2.
>>
WE HAVE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF
MORE MINUTE LEFT OF THIS BURN.
AT WHICH POINT THE BACK ROLL
WILL SHUT DOWN.
>> WE ARE JUST UNDER A MINUTE
AWAY FROM THAT ENTRY BURN ON
STAGE 1 THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE.
SECOND STAGE BURN CONTINUES TO
BURN NOMINALLY.
>> WE ARE OVER SEVEN MINUTES
SINCE LIFTOFF.
IT FEES LIKE IT WAS 30 SECONDS
AGO.
>> CONTINUING TO CARRY DRAGON
UP.
IT IS GOING TO MAKE IT TO THAT
INITIAL ORBIT AFTER IT
SEPARATES, SEPARATION COMING
ABOUT A MINUTE AFTER THE SECOND
STAGE CUTOFF.
>> STAGE 2 PROPELLENT TANK
PRESSURES ARE LOOKING GOOD.
THE BURN CONTINUES TO BE
HEALTHY.
>> NOW COMING UP IN ABOUT TEN
SENDS, SECOND ENTRY BURN IS
GOING TO START.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE ON BOARD
VIDEO AND BE ABLE TO WATCH.
>> LET'S LISTEN IN ON CALLOUT.
>> STAGE 1, STAGE 1, ENTRY BURN
IS STARTED.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> STAGE 1 ENGINE REIGNITING.
BURN WILL CONTINUE ON FOR ABOUT
ANOTHER 15 OR 22NDS.
>> 20 SECONDS.
>> AND SO A LITTLE BACK-TO-BACK
ACTION NOW AS WE SEE STAGE
1 COMING BACK DOWN TOWARDS
EARTH.
STAGE 2 STILL MAKING ITS WAY UP
INTO OUTER SPACE.
DRAGON ON TOP GETTING READY --
>> STAGE 1 ENTRY BURN SHUT DOWN.
>> THERE YOU SEE THE END OF THE
STAGE 1 BURN.
>> SO STAGE 1 IS GOING TO
CONTINUE TO COAST.
ITS WAY DOWN USING -- ADDED TO
CONTROL.
>> A POLICY STONE --
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> COME UP IN ABOUT TEN SECONDS.
>>
>> IMPACT THROTTLING DOWN FOR
SICO.
>>
>> STAGE 1 --
>> AND WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL
SHUTDOWN.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>>
>> AT THE START OF THAT BURN
STAGE 1 WILL BE TRAVELING AT 275
-- PER SECOND.
THAT SINGLE ENGINE BURN WILL
BRING THAT FROM 275 TO ZERO.
>> WE DID JUST HEAR THAT THE
BURN HAS STARTED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S SEE IF WE GET IT.
>>
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>>
>> ABOUT 500 KILOMETERS AWAY
FROM WHERE IT LAUNCHED FROM.
THE VEHICLE WILL NOW UNDERGO ITS
SAFE PROCEDURES AND THE RECOVERY
TEAM WILL MAKE SURE IT IS
STRAPPED DOWN AND MAKE ITS WAY
BACK TO EARTH -- I AM SORRY, TO
CAPE CANAVERAL.
>> SO THERE IS STILL A LOT MORE
TO GO HERE.
WE HAVE DRAGON SEPARATION COMING
UP.
LET'S GO BACK TO TOM TO COVER
THE NEXT BIG MILESTONE.
>> WOW, WHAT A LANDING, COMING
UP VERY SHORTLY IN JUST ABOUT
22ND SECONDS HERE THE DRAGON
SPACECRAFT WILL SEPARATE FROM
THE TOP OF THE FALCON 9 ROCKET.
>>
>> SEPARATION SHOULD BE
OCCURRING AROUND 11 MINUTE AND
FIVE SECONDS.
JUST ABOUT NOW.
LET'S WAIT FOR CONFIRMATION.
>> DRAGON, SEPARATION CONFIRMED.
>>
>> AND THERE IT IS!
>>
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>> YOU ARE LOOKING AT A VIEW
FROM THE TOP OF THE SECOND STAGE
OF A FALCON 9 ROCKET, AND HARD
TO MAKE OUT IN THE SHADOW OF THE
EARTH, BUT THAT IS THE DRAGON
2 SPACECRAFT FLYING IN SPACE FOR
THE FIRST TIME AFTER A
SUCCESSFUL SEPARATION.
>> THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR
EVERYONE HERE AT SPACEX AND
NASA.
LET'S TO BACK OVER TO FAIR
JOHNSON AND SEE HOW THEY ARE
HANDLING IT OVER THERE.
IT IS KIND OF CRAZY OVER HERE.
HOW IS IT OVER THERE, GARY?
>> THANKS, TOM.
WE WERE DEFINITELY ENJOYING
HEARING SOME OF THE CHEERS FROM
OVER YOU GUYS, WHERE YOU CAN
ACTUALLY SEE BEHIND US WE HAVE
QUITE A NUMBER OF VIEWERS HERE
IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION FLIGHT CONTROL ROOM,
VERY EXCITING TIME WE HAVE, NOW
THEY ARE WAVING.
SO THIS IS, FOR US HERE IN
MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON THIS IS
JUST THE BEGINNING NOW THAT
DRAGON IS IN ORBIT.
WE HAVE JUST OVER A DAY UNTIL
DRAGON IS SCHEDULED TO BE DOCKED
TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
THERE IS A LOT OF MILESTONES TO
GET THROUGH, THE YOU HAVE BEEN
AGAIN, VIEWING THEIR PROCEDURES,
GETTING READY FOR SOME OF THOUGH
MOMENTS, AGAIN, MONITORING THE
APPROACH AND EVEN PERFORMING
SOME COMMANDS WHILE THE DRAGON
IS CLOSE ENOUGH.
BUT AGAIN, THERE IS A LOT OF
WORK TO. DO WE HAVE DOCKING
SCHEDULED FOR 6:00 A.M.
TOMORROW.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR
DRAGON DURING THAT TIME.
IN THE MEANTIME WE WILL TOSS TO
LAUREN AND DAN TO WITNESS SOME
OF THESE FINAL MILESTONES OF
DRAGON NOW IT IS IN ORBIT.
BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, FAIR.
NOW FOR --
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
>>
>> AS TOM JUST MENTIONED THE
MOST MOST, NOSE COHEN WILL OPEN
AND THE NAVIGATING MECHANISM AND
THE GRADUAL LINE OF BURNS TO
LINE UP MORE CLOSELY WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF
STAGE 1 AND DRAGON, OF COURSE.
THE LAND ON THE VIDEO SHIP.
YOU GET TO CHECK OUT THE VIDEO.
DRAGON SEPARATED AND ACTIVATED
AND NOW ON ITS MISSION.
ON BEHALF OF SPACEX AND NASA,
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING TODAY'S
BROADCAST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN
THE MISSION, AND A BIG THANK YOU
TO EVERYBODY FOR MAKING TODAY'S
LAUNCH POSSIBLE.
>> CREW DRAGON MISSION FAR FROM
OVER AND IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO
IT WILL GO TO THE SPACE STATION
AND ARRIVE AND DOCK JUST BEFORE
6:00 A.M. EASTERN TOMORROW A
GOING TO SPEND FIVE DAYS
ATTACHED. TO GET THERE IT IS
GOING TO BEGIN THE PHASE OF
BURNS TO RAISE THE ORBIT JUST BE
NEAT SPACE STATION WHERE YOU
BEGIN THE SLOW AND STEADY
APPROACH TO DOCKABLE DOCKING W
HE BROADCAST THE DOCKING LIVE ON
NASA TV, OUR COVERAGE WILL BEGIN
AT 3:30 A.M. EASTERN TIME.
SO BE SURE TO FOLLOW SPACEX AND
NASA ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR
REAL-TIME UPDATES.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR WATCHING.
AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL JOIN US
FOR DOCKING.
>> T MINUS FEBRUARY 2NDS -- T
MINUS 15 SECONDS.
TEN, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
>> ZERO.
IGNITION, LIFTOFF.
>>