[♪♪♪]
>> YOU ARE LOOKING AT A LIVE
VIEW OF AN ATLAS 5 ROCKET AT THE
CAPE CANAVERAL LAUNCH PAD.
WE WILL STUDY THE SUN FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN HISTORY AND
CAPTURE IMAGES OF ITS POLES.
I'M JOSHUA SANTORA, THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US.
THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND WE ARE
ABOUT 32 MINUTES FROM OUR
PLANNED LIFTOFF.
WE WILL BE BRINGING YOU TEAM
COVERAGE OF THE LAUNCH.
FROM THE CAPE CANAVERAL AIR
FORCE STATION, AND THE ATLAS
SPACE FLIGHT OPERATION CENTER.
WE WILL HAVE IN-DEPTH
INTERVIEWS, WEATHER TRACKING,
AND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT SOLAR ORBITER.
OUR LIFTOFF IS 11:03 EASTERN
TIME, JUST A SHORT TIME FROM
NOW.
AVENUE LIFTOFF, SOLAR ORBITER
WILL BE TRAVELING AT 27,000
MILES PER HOUR.
HERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT YOU
NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GROUND
BREAKING MISSION.
>> THE ATLAS FIVE ROCKET FOR
THIS MISSION IS IN A 411
CONFIGURATION, SENDING THE -- IT
TO A HIGH ORBIT.
AFTER LIFTOFF, IT WILL TAKE JUST
UNDER TWO YEARS TO REACH ITS
ORBIT FOR A SEVEN-YEAR PLANNED
MISSION.
>> FOR NOW, LET'S CHECK IN ON
THE ROCKET AND THE WEATHER
STATUS.
DARRELL, MICK, HOW ARE THINGS
LOOKING FOR LAUNCH TONIGHT?
>> WELCOME INTO HANGAR A.E.
WHERE WE'VE GOT LAUNCH TEAMS
MAKING THE COUNT.
WE'RE JUST A FEW SECONDS AWAY
FROM GETTING AN UPDATE FROM
JESSICA WILLIAMS, WHO'S THE
WEATHER OFFICER FOR THE 45th
SPACE WING.
SO FAR, THE WEATHER HAS BEEN
GOOD THROUGHOUT THE COUNT, BUT
AS SHE GETS READY TO COUNT DOWN
THIS UPDATE, WE'RE HOPING FOR
GOOD NEWS.
>> YEAH.
WE'RE HOPING JESSICA DELIVERS A
GREAT WEATHER BRIEF.
WE'RE HOPING SHE DELIVERS A GOOD
BRIEF.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S LISTEN IN.
>> STAND BY FOR THE WEATHER
BRIEF.
>> STANDING BY.
>> THIS IS THE R.C. ON WEATHER
CONFERENCE.
INDICATE EIGHT, READY TO
PROCEED.
L.D.
>> L.D.
>> N.L.M.
>> AFLD.
>> PLEASE PROCEED.
>> LOOKING AT YOUR SATELLITE
IMAGE, NOTHING OF CONCERN.
NOTHING ON RADAR, NOT EXPECTING
ANY PRECIPITATION.
OUR WIND SPEEDS HAVE MAXED OUT,
PEAKS TO 22 KNOTS OVER THE LAST
HOUR.
OUR MAIN WIND DIRECTION IS FROM
100.
WE'RE GOOD ON ALL T.C.s.
LESS THAN 10% P.O.V. FOR CROWN
WINDS.
TEMPERATURES 68° FAHRENHEIT, AND
EXPECTED TO REMAIN SO THROUGH
THE COUNT.
CONCLUDES THE WEATHER BRIEF.
>> AND THERE YOU HEARD IT.
THAT WAS JESSICA WILLIAMS, THE
LAUNCH OFFICER FOR THE 45th
WEATHER.
SHE MENTIONED THERE WAS A
22-KNOT WIND THAT WAS SUSTAINED.
THAT CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE
ROCKET, BUT THERE'S YOUR
FORECAST UP ON YOUR SCREEN NOW.
THE WINDS, 20 KNOTS, OBSERVED AT
22 KNOTS JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO.
THE TEMPERATURE 68°, AND ONLY A
10% VIOLATION.
BUT MICK, THOSE WINDS COULD BE A
FACTOR.
>> YEAH.
LOOKING AT WINDS HERE AT SLIP
41, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING IS GOOD, THAT
EVERYTHING IS IN GOOD SHAPE.
REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR A 10 %
P.O.V. TONIGHT.
>> THERE IT IS, THE ATLAS FIVE
IN ITS VERTICAL INTEGRATION
FACILITY.
NOT FAR FROM THE PAD, BUT WE
WERE THERE THE DAY IT MOVED OUT,
SATURDAY, AS THE ATLAS FIVE,
190-FOOT TALL ROCKET WENT BY.
>> 58 METERS.
>> 58 METERS FOR OUR EUROPEAN
FRIENDS.
>> MICK HAS BEEN DOING THE
METRICS, CONVERTING IT FOR OUR
EUROPEAN FRIENDS.
>> I HAD A GREAT TIME WITH YOU
ON THE ROLLOUT SHOW YESTERDAY,
SEE THE ATLAS GET READY FOR THE
PAD.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A
ROLLOUT YESTERDAY AND EXCITING
TO WATCH THAT 411 GO THERE.
>> IT WAS AND WE'LL FIND OUT
MORE ABOUT THIS ROCKET AND ITS
UNIQUE CONFIGURATION ON THE BAD.
BUT YOU CAN SEE IT THERE.
EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE
LAUNCH PADS, BUT NOW, WE'RE
GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU,
JOSHUA.
>> WE WANT TO BRING YOU ANOTHER
UPDATE THIS AFTERNOON.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE SPACE
ENTHUSIASTS, YOU WILL KNOW THAT
WE PLANNED TO LAUNCH AN ANTERES
ROCKET, BUT NASA HAS PUSHED IT
TO NO EARLIER THAN FEBRUARY 14
AT 905.
BE SURE TO TUNE IN IN JUST A FEW
DAYS.
WE ARE GOING TO SEND YOU OVER
NOW TO UNDERSTAND THE INCREDIBLE
PARTNERSHIP HAPPENING BETWEEN
ESA AND NASA.
>> I AM JOINED BY NASA'S SCIENCE
MISSION DIRECTORATE, AND THE
DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE.
SO GENTLEMEN, TELL US MORE ABOUT
THE COLLABORATION.
>> OKAY.
BOTH AGENCIES HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE
SUITE OF MISSIONS OUT THERE IN
THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND FOR
ASTROPHYSICS, BUT MANY PROJECTS
ARE DONE IN COLLABORATION.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE SUN,
THERE HAVE BEEN TWO MISSIONS.
ULYSSES SOHO, WHICH WE'VE DONE
20 YEARS AGO, AND THIS ONE.
>> AND NASA'S PROJECTS ARE
COLLABORATIONS, AND SO WE'RE
USED TO IT.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THE SCIENCE
COMMUNITY WORKS TOGETHER AS ONE.
WHEN WE DO, IT'S AN
INTERNATIONAL LOCKING OF ARMS.
IT'S NOT EASY, BECAUSE IT'S
DIFFERENT CULTURES, BUT WE LEARN
TO DO IT.
MOST SPACE INSTRUMENTS ARE DONE
IN EUROPE.
COUPLE SENSOR INSTRUMENTS, ONE
FULL HEAD DONE HERE IN THE U.S.,
AND OF COURSE WE'RE SO PROUD TO
LAUNCH IT HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
>> AND GUNTER, SOLAR ACTIVITIES
ARE GOING TO MONITOR THE SUN.
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT TO
NASA'S ACTIVITY PLANS?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE SUN GIVES
US LIVE, BUT IT POSES DANGERS.
IT'S A STRONG, UNKNOWN HIDDEN
FORCE, THE MAGNETIC FIELD.
THE MAGNETIC FIELD CAN CREATE
EXPLOSIONS THAT CREATE MAGNETIC
STORMS THAT CAN AFFECT THE LIFE
OUT THERE, AFFECT OF LIFE OF
ASTRONAUTS, SO TO UNDERSTAND THE
SUN IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR
ALL OF US AND THEREFORE FOR THE
SPACE AGENCIES.
>> SO WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A
LOT.
NOW THOMAS, YOU HAD AN EARLY
TOUCH ON THIS PROJECT.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT?
>> YEAH.
OF ALL THE MISSIONS THAT WE'RE
WORKING ON, OVER 100, AS SCIENCE
DIRECTOR, THIS IS ONE THAT I
USED TO WORK ON WHEN I WAS A LOT
YOUNGER.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS OVER A DOZEN
YEARS AGO.
I WAS PART OF THE SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY DEFINITION TEAM, AN
INTERNATIONAL TEAM THAT CAME UP
WITH THIS DESIGN, AND ACTUALLY,
IT WAS PART OF THE MISSION TEAM,
TOO.
BECAUSE I, ALONG WITH THE TEAM
CAME UP WITH A SENSOR THAT IS
NOW SITTING ON TOP OF THIS
ROCKET.
HOW EXCITING IS THAT?
>> YOU'RE SUPER EXCITED.
>> YEAH.
>> WELL, JOSHUA, THE
COLLABORATORS HAVE GOTTEN ATLAS
READY, SO LET'S GET BACK TO
LAUNCH.
>> WE'RE GOING TO HEAD OUT NOW
TO THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
PRESS SITE, WHERE NASA EDGES
BLAIR ALLEN HAS MORE ON NASA'S
HELIO PHYSICS EFFORTS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOSHUA.
JOINING US NOW IS NICKY FOX, AND
NICKY, I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU
ON THE SHOW.
NASA EDGES, WE'RE SO EXCITED
ABOUT HELIO PHYSICS.
I'M WONDERING, FROM A SOLAR
ORBITER SANDPOINT, HOW CAN --
STANDPOINT, HOW CAN BOTH
AGENCIES BENEFIT FROM THIS
PARTNERSHIP?
>> WELL, I COME FROM EUROPE, SO
I'M PARTICULARLY HAPPY TO SEE AN
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP.
ESA-NASA LAUNCHING, IT IS A
WONDERFUL TIME, AND WE CANNOT
WAIT TO WELCOME SOLAR ORBITER UP
TO THE FLEET.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARKER SOLAR
FLEET AND SOLAR ORBITER.
PARKER EXPLORING A REGION WE'VE
NEVER BEEN TO, SOLAR ORBITER
IMAGING, MONITORING THE POLES OF
A STAR FOR THE FIRST TIME.
JUST INCREDIBLE.
>> THERE'S THAT CROSSOVER SIDE
WHERE THEY'LL LOOK AT THE SAME
AREA AT ONE POINT.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> THERE ARE MANY TIMES THEY'LL
LOOK AT THE SAME AREA.
WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT AREAS
OF THE SUN, AND THAT'S JUST AS
EXCITING.
THE BEGINNING OF THE SOLAR
ORBITER MISSION, SHE'LL STILL BE
IN THAT ELLIPTICAL PLANE, SO
WILL PARKER ORBITER.
AND THEN, AS SHE MOVED OUT OF
THE ECLIPTIC, YES, THE ORBITER
GIVING SOLAR VIEWS.
IT'S JUST FABULOUS.
>> I'M SO EXCITED.
WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF
IMAGES, AND IT'S FABULOUS, BUT
WE'VE GOT TO GET IT BACK TO
JOSHUA.
>> THE WORK OF ORBITER IS A
PARTNERSHIP EFFORT, BUT IT'S NOT
THE FIRST TIME WE'VE MONITORED
THE SUN.
>> THREE, TWO, ONE.
LIFTOFF OF THE MIGHTY DELTA FOUR
ROCKET WITH THE SOLAR PROBE.
>> YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS, SEEN
HERE IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
AUGUST 12, 2018.
THE MISSIONS ARE COMPLIMENTARY,
FOCUSED ON STUDYING DIFFERENT
AFFECTS OF THE SUN.
JUST AS WITH PARKER, THE SOLAR
ORBITER MISSION THERE WE SEE
POISED TO FLY TONIGHT HAS BEEN
LAUNCHED HERE BY SOLAR SERVICES
PROGRAM, OR S.S.P.
THEY ENSURE THAT MISSIONS GET
OFF THE GROUND AND ON THEIR WAY
TO THE CORRECT CELESTIAL
DESTINATION.
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS
YEAR'S FLIGHT MANIFEST.
[♪♪♪]
.
>> LOTS OF GREAT SCIENCE AHEAD
FOR L.S.P. THIS YEAR.
DARRELL AND MICK, OVER TO YOU
FOR A LAUNCH COUNT DOWN UPDATE.
>> THANKS, JOSHUA.
WE JUST ENTERED THE PLANNED
FOUR-MINUTE HOLD.
THIS IS A 15-MINUTE PERIOD OF
TIME WHERE THEY HOLD UP
EVERYTHING AND MAKE SOME
EVALUATIONS AT THIS POINT IN
TIME.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
THE TEAM WILL USE THIS 15
MINUTES TO TAKE A LAST LOOK AT
ALL THEIR SYSTEMS, MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING'S GOOD, EVERYTHING'S
READY TO GO, VERIFY ALL THEIR
RED LINE LIMITS AND OPERATIONAL
LIMITS, AND THAT THEY'RE DOWN
FOR THE COUNT.
THIS IS THE LAST TIME FOR THIS
HOLD.
SO FAR, WE'RE NOT WORKING ANY
ISSUES, AND CHIEF SERVICES
ENGINEER PULLED HIS TEAM, AND
THEY'RE READY TO GET OUT OF THE
COUNT AFTER THIS HOLD.
>> IN THE CAMERA VIEW THAT WE'RE
SHOWING YOU, YOU CAN SEE THE
CONDENSATION VIEW.
JUST WHERE IT LINES UP WITH THE
U, L, AND A, THAT IS ALL ICE,
CHILLED DOWN TO WHERE
IT'S - 184° CELSIUS.
HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN
INTERESTING ROCKET BECAUSE IT IS
CONFIGURED IN A VERY UNIQUE WAY.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> YEAH.
THE VEHICLE WE'RE FLYING THIS
EVEN IS A -- EVENING IS A UNIQUE
CONFIGURATION BECAUSE WE'RE
FLYING ONE BOOSTER ROCKET.
THIS CONFIGURATION HAS FLOWN
FIVE TIMES, INCLUDING NASA'S
OSIRIS REX MISSION.
OUR FIRST STAGE OR BOOSTER IS
POWERED BY RU-180 ENGINE.
IT BURNS R.P.-1 OR LIQUID
NITROGEN.
THE R.P.-1 HELPS DELIVER THE
THRUST WE NEED, ABOUT 160,000
POUNDS OR 1.2 MILLION POUNDS
WITH THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER --
THAT'S 1.2 NEWTONS, IN CASE
YOU'RE WONDERING.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE MOVE UP TO THE
CENTAUR R.L.-10 ENGINE.
IT'S A CRYOGENIC ENGINE.
IT PRODUCES ABOUT 22,000 POUNDS
OF THRUST OR 99.2 KILO-NEWTONS.
>> I WAS HOPING YOU HAD THAT
METRIC CONVERSION.
>> UNIQUE CONFIGURATION THAT
WE'RE HAPPY TO FLY TONIGHT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, MICK, AND TO THIS
POINT, THE COUNT HAS GONE
THROUGH SMOOTH.
WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOSHUA IN
THE STUDIO AND CONTINUE TO
MONITOR.
>> THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.
HOPEFULLY, SMOOTH THINGS AHEAD.
HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
THROUGH LAUNCH AFTER SPACECRAFT
SEPARATION.
>> AND LIFTOFF OF THE UNITED
LAUNCH ALLIANCE ATLAS FIVE
ROCKET.
>> AT IGNITION, IT GENERATES
MORE THAN 1.5 NEWTONS OF THRUST
TO LIFT IT TO A HYPERBOLIC
TRAJECTORY.
THE ATLAS FIVE REACHED MACH 1,
THE SPEED OF SOUND, AT 58
SECONDS.
THE SINGLE S.R.B. IS JETTISONNED
AT 2:03.
THE VEHICLE NOW WEIGHS LESS THAN
14% OF WHAT IT DID AT LIFTOFF.
TEN SECONDS LATER, THE FIRST
BURN OF THE CENTAUR MAIN ENGINE
BEGINS.
APPROACHING PAY LOAD FERRY
JETTISON, IT'S TRAVELING AT MORE
THAN 17,700 MILES PER HOUR.
AT 4:27, THE PAY LOAD FERRING IS
JETTISONNED.
IT NOW WEIGHS LESS THAN 7% OF
WHAT IT AT LIFTOFF.
NEXT, THE MISSION ENTERS A COAST
PHASE IN PREPARATION FOR THE
SECOND BURN.
BECAUSE THIS TARGETED EARTH
ESCAPE TRAJECTORY VARIES BY DAY,
THE ROCKET WILL ADJUST TO
COMPENSATE FOR THIS.
NEARLY SEVEN MINUTES LATER,
FINAL CUTOFF OF THE CENTAUR MAIN
ENGINE OCCURS.
AT 52:47, CENTAUR RELEASES THE
ORBITER TO BEGIN ITS NEARLY
TWO-YEAR JOURNEY TO THE SUN.
IT WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW
THE SUN CONTROLS THE HELIO
SPHERE.
>> FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST JOINING
US, WELCOME TO TEAM COVERAGE OF
THE LAUNCH OF THE SOLAR ORBITER
MISSION, DESTINED FOR
UNPRECEDENTED VIEWS OF OUR SUN,
A STAR.
>> THE ATLAS FIVE ROCKET FOR
THIS MISSION IS IN A 411
CONFIGURATION, SENDING SOLAR
ORBITER TO A HIGH LATITUDE
ORBIT, ENABLING VIEWS OF THE
SUN'S POLES.
AFTER LIFTOFF, IT WILL TAKE JUST
UNDER TWO YEARS TO REACH ITS
OPERATIONAL ORBIT FOR A
SEVEN-YEAR PLANNED MISSION.
>> WE DO HAVE A TWO-HOUR LAUNCH
WINDOW, BUT LAUNCH IS STILL
SCHEDULED FOR 11:03 P.M. EASTERN
TIME, AND THERE, YOU SEE THE
ROCKET ON SCREEN.
THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATIVE MISSION BETWEEN
THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY AND
NASA.
THE SPACECRAFT HAS BEEN
DEVELOPED BY AIRBUS DEFENSE AND
SPACE.
ENGINEERING AND TEST CENTER IN
THE NETHERLANDS IS MANAGING THE
EFFORT, AND THE OPERATIONS SPACE
CENTER IN GERMANY WILL OPERATE
SOLAR ORBITER'S FLIGHT AFTER
LAUNCH.
IT WILL EXPERIENCE SUN LIGHT 13
TIMES MORE INTENSE THAN WE
EXPERIENCE HERE ON EARTH, AND IT
IS EQUIPPED WITH A HEAT SHIELD
CAPABLE OF ABSORBING HEAT OF
900° FAHRENHEIT OR 500° CELSIUS.
ONE PHENOMENON TO BE EXPLORED IS
THAT THE SUN GOES THROUGH AN 11
YEAR CYCLE THAT INVOLVES
EMERGING AND VANISHING SUN
SPOTS, AS WELL AS A SHIFT OF ITS
ENTIRE MAGNETIC FIELD.
THE MISSION TENDS TO ANSWER SOME
CAUSE AND EFFECT QUESTIONS SUCH
AS HOW DO THE ENERGYIC PARTICLES
ORIGINATE THAT LEAD TO SUPREME
SPACE WEATHER?
THE ANSWERS CANNOT ONLY HAVE AN
IMPACT ON OUR DAILY LIVES AND
THE ELECTRONICS WE DRAW ON, BUT
AN IMPACT ON OUR FUTURE SPACE
MISSIONS AS WE HEAD TO THE MOON,
MARS, AND BEYOND.
LET'S HEAD BACK TO DARRELL AND
MICK FOR MORE ON THE COUNT.
>> THANK YOU, JOSHUA.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A HOLD,
T-MINUS FOUR MINUTES AND
HOLDING.
>> EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
U.L.A. LAUNCH CONDUCTOR SCOTT
BARNEY IS GIVING HIS BRIEFING TO
HIS TEAM OF WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN AS THEY GET READY TO PICK
UP THE POLE AT T-MINUS FOUR
MINUTES AND COUNTING, BUT AS WE
SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE IS THE
TEAM AND THE MISSION DIRECTOR
CENTER AT A.E., WHICH HAS OUR
ESA FOLKS UP FRONT.
>> AND JUST A FEW MILES AWAY IS
THE OPERATIONS CENTER, WHERE THE
U.L.A. LAUNCH TIME IS GOING
THROUGH THEIR COUNT.
AND IN DENVER, WE HAVE A TEAM
OUT THERE, AS WELL.
THE DENVER OPERATIONS SUPPORT
CENTER IN DENVER, COLORADO.
AND WE HAVE OPERATIONS TEAMS IN
GERMANY.
>> WE HAVE ESA TEAMS SUPPORTING
FROM GERMANY, WHERE THEY WILL
CONTROL THE SPACECRAFT AFTER IT
SEPARATES THIS EVENING.
>> WE'VE HAD SOME FUN TALKING
ABOUT THE CONVERSIONS BETWEEN
STANDARD AND METRIC, BUT WE WERE
TALKING EARLIER, MICK.
THAT ACTUALLY -- THAT PLAYED A
ROLE IN WORKING WITH THIS
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
BECAUSE MUCH OF WHAT WE DO HERE
IS STANDARD, AND OVERSEAS IS
METRICS, SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT
OF CONVERSION THAT'S GONE ON
BETWEEN?
>> YEAH.
IT'S BEEN FUN WORKING WITH OUR
INTERNATIONAL TEAM.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROBLEMS
WITH CONVERSIONS AND
COMMUNICATION, BUT THAT IS KEY,
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE
TEAMS.
ALL OF US HAVE DONE VERY WELL,
AND AS TIM DUNN PUT IT, WE ALL
SPEAK THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE
OF MISSION SUCCESS, AND THAT'S
WHAT'S GOTTEN US HERE THIS
EVENING.
WORKING WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS HAS BEEN FUN, AND WE'RE
EXCITED TO SEE THIS ATLAS FIVE
GET ON ITS WAY AND GET US SOME
SCIENCE.
>> WE LOOK AT THE SHOT ON THE
GROUND AS THE WATER CONDENSES
AROUND THE SUPER COOLED LIQUID
OXYGEN.
IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, WE ARE
GOING TO GET A STATUS PULL FROM
LAUNCH DIRECTOR SCOTT BARNEY OF
U.L.A., AND HE'S GOING TO GIVE
THAT, BEFORE A FINAL CHECK
BEFORE WE BEGIN TO RESUME THE
COUNT.
LET'S LISTEN IN AS SCOTT
CONDUCTED THAT POLL AT UNITED
LAUNCH ALLIANCE.
>> ATLAS SYSTEMS, PROPULSION.
GO.
>> HYDRAULIC.
>> GO.
>> PNEUMATICS.
GO.
WATER.
GO.
L.H. 2.
GO.
>>
>> GROUND.
FACILITY.
GO.
RFFTS.
>> GO.
>> FLIGHT CONTROL.
>> GO.
G.C.Q.
>> GO.
>> OPERATIONS SUPPORT.
>> GO.
>> COM.
>> UMBILICALS.
>> GO.
>> E.C.S.
>> GO.
>> RED LINE MONITOR.
>> QUALITY.
>> GO.
>> OP SAFETY MEASURE.
>> U.L.A. SAFETY OFFICER.
>> GO.
RANGE COORDINATOR.
>> CLEAR TO PROCEED.
>> LAUNCH DIRECTOR.
>> YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO
LAUNCH.
>> A.L.C. VERIFIED IS SET FOR
2303.
>> AND WE ARE CONFIRMED TO GO TO
LAUNCH AT 11:03.
WE JUST GOT THE CONFIRMATION
FROM BARNEY.
>> IT'S AWESOME TO HEAR THERE'S
A GO FROM THE TEAM.
TARGETING AN 11:03 P.M. EASTERN
TIME LIFTOFF.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I
AM TO HEAR THAT POLL.
>> AND NOW, THEY'RE CONFIGURING
THE SPACECRAFT TO GO OFF LAND
POWER AND PREPARE FOR LAUNCH
POWER.
>> THEY'RE PREPARING THE SOLAR
ORBITER TO GET READY.
WE JUST HEARD THAT SPACECRAFT IS
ON INTERNAL POWER.
EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO, SO
WE'VE HEARD FROM THE SPACECRAFT
AND LAUNCH VEHICLE THAT
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD TO GET
SOLAR ORBITER OFF THE GROUND.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING TO
HEAR.
>> AND NOW TIM DUNN, NASA'S
LAUNCH DIRECTOR WILL BE LOOKING
AT HIS TEAM AND CONDUCT HIS
PORTION OF THE BUSINESS.
>> YES.
HE'LL CHECK IN WITH HIS NASA
ENGINEER AND L.S.P. AND MAKE
SURE THAT THEY'RE READY TO
PROCEED FORWARD, SO WE'LL HEAR
HOW THINGS GO.
>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT IF YOU
ARE IN THE AREA AND READY TO
WATCH THIS ROCKET LAUNCH, IT'S
GOING TO BE A BEAUTY.
THIS SPOT RIGHT HERE IS OUR
BANANA CREEK VIEWING AREA.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE HUNDRED
PEOPLE OUT THERE, PROBABLY A
THOUSAND ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA.
LET'S COUNT IT DOWN, THREE, TWO,
AND ONE, AND HAVE RESUMED OUR
COUNT DOWN.
WE ARE 3:53 AWAY FROM LIFTOFF.
.
>> AND THIS IS -- YOU MENTIONED
THIS EARLIER ABOUT THE
CONFIGURATION WITH THAT ONE
SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER ON THE
SIDE.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, HOW
DOES THAT WORK WITH THE BOOSTER
ON THE ONE SIDE OF THE ROCKET?
DOESN'T THAT KIND OF PUSH IT
OVER?
>> YEAH, BUT THE R.D.-180 HAS A
LOT OF CONTROL LEFT THAT IT CAN
OFFSET THAT ONE SOLID ON THE 411
VEHICLE.
THE 411 IS A GREAT VEHICLE TO
PROVIDE A GREAT RIDE FOR
TONIGHT'S MISSION AS IT HAS FOR
MISSIONS IN THE PAST.
IT MAKES SURE THAT THE MISSION
GETS OFF THE PAD AND HEADS TO
SPACE LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
>> 2:45 AS WE GET DOWN TO THE
FINAL COUNT.
TEAMS ARE IN A FINAL FLURRY OF
ACTIVITY, TALKING TO VARIOUS
TEAM MEMBERS BEFORE THIS LAUNCH
TAKES OFF.
IT'S AN EXCITING TIME BEFORE WE
GET DOWN TO THE FINAL FEW
MINUTES.
TALK ABOUT THE TEAMS AND THE
ACTIVITY THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT
NOW.
>> YEAH.
IT TAKES A LOT OF CONTROL
BETWEEN THE TEAMS, MAKE SURE
THEY'RE ALL TALKING TOGETHER.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY PREPARING THE
TANKS, GETTING TO FLIGHT
PRESSURES, GETTING ALL THE
VALVES IN THE RIGHT POSITION,
AND TOPPING OFF THE AVIATION
TANKS FOR CENTAUR BOOSTER.
>> VERY GOOD, AND THE COUNT NOW
GOING UNDER 1:40.
LET'S LISTEN IN AS THE ACTIVITY
BEGINS TO PICK UP ON THE COUNT
DOWN NET.
.
>> OUR FRIENDS AT THE UNITED
SPACE FORCE WILL FOLLOW.
>> F.D.R. HAS STARTED, 1:15.
>> 1:10.
>> LOCKING THE VENT VALVES WILL
BRING THE BOOSTER AND TANKS UP
TO FLIGHT PRESSURE, GETTING
EVERYTHING READY FOR LAUNCH THIS
EVENING.
WE JUST HEARD FROM THE RANGE
OFFICER THAT THE RANGE IS GREEN
AND READY TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> THE RANGE IS GREEN, THAT IS A
BEST STEP MOVING FORWARD.
EVERYTHING'S CLEAR.
BASICALLY MEANS THAT THERE'S
NO -- NOTHING TO EXCEED LAUNCH,
NOTHING OUT THERE IN THE WATER,
NOTHING OUT THERE IN THE AIR.
>> T-MINUS 30 SECONDS AS WE
COUNT DOWN TO THE LAUNCH OF THE
ATLAS FIVE ROCKET.
>> 25 SECONDS.
>> GO, PLEASE.
>> GO SOLAR ORBITER.
>> THERE, YOU HEARD THE FINAL
SPACE CHECK FOR CENTAUR AND
BOOSTER SPACECRAFT.
THERE WE GO.
T-MINUS TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN,
SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO,
ONE, ZERO.
AND LIFTOFF OF OUR SOLAR
ORBITER, AN INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATION TO GIVE US NEW
IMAGES AND A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF OUR LIFE-GIVING
STAR.
>> AFTER 15 SECONDS.
>> NOW, YOU HEAR THE VOICE OF
U.L.A.'S LAUNCH COMMENTATOR.
>> NOW 25 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT.
CHAMBER PRESSURE ON THE S.R.B.
LOOKS GOOD.
ENGINEERING PARAMETERS ON THE
R.D.-80 ALSO LOOK GOOD.
35 SECONDS IN, VEHICLE IS
COMPLETING THE PITCH-OVER
MANEUVER.
NOW 41 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT.
>> 45 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT,
EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD.
>> WE HEARD THAT THE R.D.-180
ENGINE IS THROTTLING DOWN.
GOING TO PULL THOSE ENGINES DOWN
FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT.
>> FLIGHT ENGINE IS NOW SUPER
SONIC.
VEHICLE'S NOW PASSING THROUGH
MAX-X, MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE.
>> MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE IS
THE HIGHEST PRESSURE ON THE
ROCKET BECAUSE IT'S REACHED THE
HIGHEST RESISTANCE FROM EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE.
MATE IT THROUGH, AND THEY'RE
THROTTLING BACK UP.
>> AND WE HAVE BURNOUT ON THE
SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO LET THAT GO
AT 2:47.
>> ALL SPEEDS AND INJECTOR
PRESSURES LOOK GOOD.
>> ALL RIGHT.
STAND BY NOW FOR BOOSTER
JETTISON.
>> AND COMING INTO TWO MINUTES
INTO FLIGHT, THE ATLAS VEHICLE
IS NOW JUST ONE HALF OF ITS
LIFTOFF WEIGHT.
R.D.-180 CONTINUES TO LOOK GOOD.
AND STANDING BY FOR S.R.V.
JETTISON SHORTLY.
>> AND LOOK TO YOUR SCREEN,
YOU'LL SEE IT.
THERE IT GOES.
>> ATLAS FIVE HAS GONE TO
Q-ALPHA CLOSED LIMITED STEERING.
VEHICLE BODY WEIGHTS LOOK GOOD.
NOW 2:35 INTO FLIGHT.
>> IN THE SECOND STAGE, R.C.M.
PRESS STAGE IS NOW OPEN.
SYSTEMS NOW PRESSURIZING TO
FLIGHT LEVELS.
>> FLYING AT OVER 5,000 MILES
PER HOUR.
>> NOW THREE MINUTES INTO
FLIGHT.
APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE TO
BECO.
PUMP SPEEDS AND INJECTOR
PRESSURES LOOK GOOD.
3:15 IN.
>> ALL RIGHT.
ABOUT TO CUT THAT BOOSTER.
>> VEHICLE BODY RATES LOOK
STABLE.
>> NOW 3:30 IN, RD-180 NOW
THROTTLING TO MAINTAIN A
CONSTANT 3-G ACCELERATION.
AND WE'VE BEGUN BOOST PHASE
CHILL DOWN.
CHILL DOWN PHASE HAS ENDED.
STANDING BY FOR BECO.
AND WE HAVE BECO, BOOSTER ENGINE
CUTOFF.
AND WE HAVE GOOD INDICATION OF
ATLAS-CENTAUR SEPARATION.
WE HAVE PRESTART ON THE R.L.-10,
STANDING BY FOR IGNITION.
>> NEXT MAJOR MILESTONE IS THE
FERRING.
>> BODY RATES LOOK GOOD.
AND WE HAVE GOOD INDICATION OF
PAY LOAD FERRING JETTISON.
THIS FIRST BURN OF TODAY'S
MISSION WILL LAST APPROXIMATELY
EIGHT MINUTES.
AND THE R.C.S. SYSTEM IS NOW
PERFORMING THE INITIAL FIRINGS
TO WARM UP THE R.C.S. CATALYST
BED.
JUST IN RESPONSE LOOKS GOOD.
AND THE CENTAUR IS NOW 100 MILE
IN ALTITUDE, 450 MILES DOWN
RANGE DISTANCE, TRAVELING AT
11,800 MILES PER HOUR.
5:10 INTO FLIGHT.
>> YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE VOICE
OF PATRICK MOORE, U.L.A.s LAUNCH
COMMENTATOR.
CENTAUR PROPELLING UTILIZATION
HAS GONE TO CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL.
>> FLIGHT IS LOOKING VERY GOOD
AT THIS POINT.
AND R.C.S. IS NOW PERFORMING
INTERNAL FIRING FOR INTERNAL
RESPONSE OF THE SYSTEM.
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, AND
INITIAL REVIEW OF BOOSTER
PERFORMANCE SHOWED BOOSTER
PERFORMED CLOSE TO PREFLIGHT
PREDICTIONS.
>> SO THE NEXT MAJOR MILESTONE
BEEN THE CENTAUR FIRST MAJOR
ENGINE CUTOFF, AND WE'VE GOT
FIVE OR SIX MINUTES BEFORE THAT.
LET'S BRING NICK WOLTMAN IN.
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT FROM
HERE?
>> YEAH.
HEAR ALL THE MARKET EVENTS, AND
SEEMS THAT FIRST STAGE PERFORMED
REALLY NOMINAL TO GET THROUGH
THE FIRST STAGE AND GET CENTAUR
ON ITS WAY.
>> CENTAUR PERFORMING A THRUST
OF ABOUT 22,000 POUNDS AND
FLYING.
AND WHAT, MICK, HAS BEEN
DESCRIBED TO ME AS A VERY EXACT
ORBIT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT,
BUT IT DOES HAVE TO BE WITH
PRECISION.
>> IT WILL GET CENTAUR INTO A
SEMI CIRCULAR ORBIT AS WE GO
AROUND THE EARTH, AND WE WILL
GET READY FOR OUR MAIN ENGINE
START NUMBER TWO, AND THAT WILL
GET US ONTO OUR TRANSFER
TRAJECTORY ORBIT OR TRANSFER
TRAJECTORY TO GET US HEADED TO
THE SUN.
>> AND IT'S A LOT OF POWER
THAT'S NEEDED IN ORDER TO GET
THIS THING GOING BECAUSE SHE'S
GOING OFF INTO THE DEEPER PART
OF SPACE, HEADED TO THE SUN.
WE'RE GETTING A REPORT OF GOOD
PERFORMANCE, SO FAR, AND THAT'S
GOOD NEWS.
THE TEAM HERE, MICK TALKED ABOUT
THE REACTION OF THE LAUNCH TEAM.
WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF A
CELEBRATION BEHIND US.
>> YEAH.
THE TEAM DOESN'T GET TOO EXCITED
AROUND HERE, BUT IT IS A MARK
EVENT.
GETTING MAIN ENGINE START IS
IMPORTANT, AS YOU MENTIONED,
CENTAUR ON ITS WAY.
THE R.L.-10 ENGINE PERFORMING
VERY WELL.
BUT THE TEAM IS CONTINUING TO
LOOK AT THE DATA, FOLLOWING THE
CENTAUR IN FLIGHT ON REAL-TIME
DATA.
THE BOOSTER TEAM IS LOOKING AT
AFTER FIRST STAGE DATA TO MAKE
SURE EVERYTHING WENT WELL.
THINGS ARE PERFORMING VERY WELL
FOR THIS FLIGHT FOR SOLAR
ORBITER ON ITS WAY.
>> THAT'S GOOD NEWS, CERTAINLY
FOR OUR EUROPEAN PARTNERS, WHO
ARE COLLABORATING IN THIS
EFFORT.
THE SOLAR ORBITER PLANS TO
UNLOCK QUITE A FEW MYSTERIES OF
THE SUN, AS WE HAVE LEARNED IN
THE WEEKS ROLLING UP TO THIS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TIME AND
EFFORT THAT THE TEAMS HAVE PUT
INTO BUILDING THIS SPACECRAFT
AND OF COURSE PREPARING FOR
LAUNCH.
MANY YEARS IN THE MAKING.
AS WE LISTEN IN NOW, WE ARE
GETTING A LITTLE MORE OF AN
UPDATE.
SO FAR, CONTINUES TO HAVE GOOD
FLIGHT.
THIS ORBIT, YOU WERE TALKING A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS TRANSFER
ORBIT.
IT'S USING A PLANETARY ASSIST TO
GET TO ITS LOCATION ULTIMATELY,
RIGHT?
>> ULTIMATELY.
ONCE WE GET INTO OUR ORBIT AND
SOLAR ORBITER IS ON ITS WAY TO
THE SUN, EVENTUALLY, THEY'LL USE
THE ASSIST OF VENUS TO MAINTAIN
THE TRAJECTORY AND KEEP GOING.
AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER,
CENTAUR PERFORMING VERY WELL ON
THE FIRST BURN, AND THE TEAMS
ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT DATA
AND HOW IT'S PERFORMING.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE
AT THIS POINT IN THE FLIGHT, BUT
AS YOU SAID, IMPORTANT TO OUR
ESA FRIENDS AND SOLAR ORBITER
AND NASA.
WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO
BEFORE PAY LOAD SEPARATION.
MISSION IS GOING WELL SO FAR,
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW
THIS AND SEE HOW CENTAUR
PERFORMS TO GET OUR PAY LOAD
DEPLOYED SUCCESSFULLY.
>> THIS IS A VERY TENSE TIME,
BUT NO NEED TO WORRY BECAUSE AT
THIS POINT, CENTAUR HAS TAKEN
HER TO THE SPOT THAT SHE NEEDS
TO GO.
THE CENTAUR, WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT IT EARLIER.
IT'S THE LAST OF ITS KIND THAT
IS IN FLIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S
GETTING SOME UPGRADES.
IT'S PERFORMING GREAT, BUT WHAT
KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS IS IT
GETTING?
>> YEAH.
I WOULD SAY NOT CENTAUR MAINLY,
BUT THE R.L.-10, THE ENGINE.
IT'S THE LAST SINGLE VERSION OF
R.L.-10 THAT WE'LL FLY.
ALL VEHICLES FROM THIS POINT OUT
WILL FLY R.L.C.
HOWEVER, R.L.-10 WILL BE USED
FOR HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT TO GET
ASTRONAUTS BACK TO THE MOON AND
THEN ONTO MARS.
SO R.L.-10-4-A WILL STILL BE
USED, BUT IN A SINGLE
CONFIGURATION.
>> AND THAT DUAL ENGINE HAS TO
PROVIDE A LOT OF POWER WHEN IT
COMES TO, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE
ASTRONAUTS, WHO ARE GOING TO BE
GOING BACK UP TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FROM
AMERICAN SOIL ONCE BOEING GETS
THE GO-AHEAD TO FLY THAT DUAL
ENGINE.
THAT POWER IS NEEDED BECAUSE
IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT HEAVIER.
>> A LOT HEAVIER AND MORE POWER
AND ENERGY FROM THE CENTAUR.
WE ALSO HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW,
DUAL-ENGINE SET UP FOR
REDUNDANCY AND CONTROLLABILITY
THERE.
>> WE'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE
IN JUST A MOMENT FROM U.L.A.
SCOTT MESSER.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT A GRAPHICAL
REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE'RE
EXPECTING THE FLIGHT TO LOOK
LIKE, AND EVERYTHING IS LOOKING
GOOD AT THIS POINT.
>> AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE JUST
HEARD, WE'VE GOT MAIN ENGINE
CUTOFF, SO CENTAUR HAS SHUTDOWN
ITS ENGINE FOR THE FIRST FIRING.
THINGS LOOK GOOD.
BODY RATES HAVE DAMPED OUT, AND
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD FOR THIS
MISSION SO FAR.
AS WE GET READY TO GO, CENTAUR
WILL CONTINUE BY ROLLING AND
TURNING TO THE POSITION IT NEEDS
TO GET READY FOR STAGE TWO, THE
TRANSFER OR ORBIT TRAJECTORY
THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
THIS FLIGHT PERIOD THAT WE'LL BE
IN WILL BE ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO
GET INTO POSITION BEFORE WE HAVE
TO FIRE UP THE CENTAUR ENGINE
AGAIN.
THAT'LL BE ABOUT 38, 39 MINUTES
INTO THE MISSION THAT WE WILL DO
THAT, AND IT WILL FIRE FOR
ROUGHLY SIX MINUTES TO GET INTO
THAT TRANSFER ORBIT.
CENTAUR PERFORMING VERY WELL.
ATLAS, CENTAUR, AND SOLAR
ORBITER ARE ON ITS WAY.
>> THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD
DESCRIBE AS A BIT OF A COAST
PHASE.
>> COAST PHASE RUNNING VERY
WELL, AND DOING SOME MANEUVERS
IN THIS COAST PHASE.
>> AND SO WHILE WE MONITORING
COASTING OF THE CENTAUR STAGE,
WE WILL ALSO BE MONITORING THE
LAUNCH TEAMS TO LET YOU KNOW
WHEN THEY FIRE THOSE ENGINES
BACK UP.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE GOING TO
SEND IT BACK TO JOSHUA, WHO IS
JOINED BY SCOTT MESSER.
>> HEY, A LOT MORE AHEAD, BUT WE
APPRECIATE YOU WALKING US
THROUGH THOSE FIRST DYNAMIC
MINUTES OF FLIGHT.
I'M HERE WITH SCOTT MESSER, THE
DIRECTOR OF FLIGHT MISSIONS.
SO THE BOOSTER HAS FIRED, THE
ROCKET IS ON HER WAY.
WHAT'S IT LIKE?
>> ONE OF THE QUIETEST COUNT
DOWNS I'VE EVER BEEN THROUGH.
>> INDEED.
>> EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD SO FAR.
ALL THE DATA THAT WE'RE GETTING
BACK IS LOOKING REALLY POSITIVE.
>> WE'VE STOLEN YOU AWAY AND THE
JOB IS STILL HAPPENING, BUT HOW
ARE YOU FEELING?
>> BEGINNING OF THE WINDOW, AND
EVERYTHING LOOKING GREAT.
I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED AND
THRILLED TO BE MEETING CUSTOMER
REQUIREMENTS.
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE NAME OF THE
GAME, RIGHT?
>> IT CERTAINLY IS.
>> SO WHAT'S LEFT AHEAD FOR US?
THE U.L.A. PORTION OF THE DAY IS
NOT DONE YET.
SO WHAT'S STILL TO COME?
>> WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A
30-MINUTE COAST.
THE SECOND STAGE WILL START
AGAIN, SHORT, TWO-COAST, AND
THEN SEPARATION AT ABOUT 11:55.
>> 11:55, IS THAT A TYPICAL
TIMELINE?
BECAUSE IN TYPICAL FLIGHTS, THE
BOOSTER IS ONLY USED FOR TEN OR
15 MINUTES OR SO, BUT IN THIS
FLIGHT, THE BOOSTER IS USED FOR
AN HOUR.
IS THAT TYPICAL?
>> YEAH.
I THINK BOOSTERS ARE USED FOR
ABOUT AN HOUR, SO IN MOST NASA
MISSIONS, THAT'S ON AVERAGE.
>> OKAY.
WE WANT EVERYTHING TO LOOK
GREAT, BUT LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT'S
THE FUTURE FOR U.L.A.?
>> WELL, THIS IS THE FIRST
MISSION OF THE YEAR FOR U.L.A.
137th SUCCESSFUL MISSION SO FAR,
SO WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OTHER
MISSIONS FOR NASA COMING DOWN
THE LINE.
WE'VE GOT A MARS MISSION IN JULY
OF THIS YEAR.
>> MARS 2020.
>> YEAH, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A
BIG YEAR FOR U.L.A.
>> AWESOME.
AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN JUST A TEENY
BIT MORE OF YOUR ROLE?
IS THAT -- YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF
NASA MISSIONS.
IS THAT TRUE?
>> THAT'S TRUE.
I WORK WITH ALL THE NASA SCIENCE
MISSIONS, SO SOLAR ORBITER, MARS
2020 COMING UP HERE, AND IT'S
OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL
THE SPACECRAFT REQUIREMENTS ARE
MET.
WE INTEGRATE WITH THE SPACECRAFT
CLOSELY FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND
MAKE SURE THAT THE ROCKET
PROVIDES ALL THE NECESSARY
REQUIREMENTS THE SPACECRAFT ASKS
FOR.
>> GREAT.
WELL SCOTT, WE APPRECIATE YOU,
APPRECIATE UNITED LAUNCH
ALLIANCE AND EVERYTHING TO
UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF THE SUN
AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG
WITH THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU GET BACK
TO MONITORING THE REST OF THE
FLIGHT, AND I'M GOING TO SEND
YOU BACK OUT TO BLAIR WITH
SPECIAL GUESTS WITH HIM.
>> YEAH.
I'M HERE WITH HOLLY MUELLER AND
DANIEL GILBERT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE
LAUNCH, HOLLY?
>> WOW, FLOORED.
I GOT TO SHARE IT WITH MY
HUSBAND AND DAUGHTERS AND WITH
MY PARTNER IN CRIME.
>> NOT CRIME, BUT ON THE GOOD
SCIENCE.
GOOD SCIENCE.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND DANIEL, WHAT ABOUT YOU?
>> IT'S PICTURE PERFECT, AND
SUDDENLY, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
CONNECTED TO THE ENTIRE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
YOU'RE CONNECTED TO SOMETHING
THAT WILL BE CLOSE TO THE SUN
AND OUT IN SPACE.
>> YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE
STARVING SCIENTISTS, JUST
GETTING OUT OF SCHOOL, DID YOU
EVER THINK YOU WOULD BE HERE AT
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, NOT JUST
WATCHING A ROCKET LAUNCH, BUT
HEARING A MISSION AND SPACECRAFT
THAT'S SO NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR
HEART?
HOLLY, HOW ABOUT YOU?
>> I COULD NOT HAVE EVEN
IMAGINED THIS.
EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN IN SOLAR
PHYSICS TO THIS, I NEVER THOUGHT
I WOULD WITNESS SOMETHING COME
TO FRUITION LIKE THIS AND
ACTUALLY LAUNCH.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
>> DANIEL?
>> SAME THING FOR ME.
I MET HOLLY ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO
AT A Ph.D. SCHOOL, AND I
IMMEDIATELY KNEW THIS LADY WOULD
GO VERY FAR.
I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED TO GO
ALONG WITH HER AT THIS POINT,
AND SO NOW, AFTER MANY YEARS OF
HARD WORK AND SET BACKS, WE'VE
NOW REALLY MADE IT ON OUR
JOURNEY, AND THAT'S A BIG THING
FOR ME.
>> AND THAT'S GREAT, TOO,
BECAUSE THIS WHOLE WEEK, LEADING
UP TO THE LAUNCH AND ALL THE
STUFF WE'VE DONE LEADING UP TO
THE LAUNCH IN TERMS OF PREPARING
FOR THE SHOW, WE'VE BEEN HEARING
THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP
AND OUR FRIENDS AT ESA, AND
SEEING YOU GUYS HERE.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
RELATIONSHIP AND WORKING
TOGETHER ON THE MISSION.
>> YEAH.
IT'S FANTASTIC.
I COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER
PROJECT SCIENTIST TEAM.
IT'S A CHALLENGING TEAM HAVING
AN INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, SO
WE -- ESPECIALLY DANIEL HAS HAD
TO WORK HARD AT MAKING THAT ALL
WORK.
TEN STUMT TEAMS, IT'S JUST AN
AMAZING PARTNERSHIP.
>> AND I WAS LUCKY THAT I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE
SOHOMISSION BEFORE, SO I COULD
REALLY FORM PERSONAL BONDS WITH
PEOPLE THAT I STILL WORK WITH
TODAY.
>> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
BECAUSE AS AN OBSERVER TO
THIS -- I'M ON THE LIBERAL ARTS
SIDE, IT'S IMPRESSIVE TO SEE
THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE
SEPARATED BY MILES AND MILES OR
KILOMETERS IN SOME CASES, IN THE
SCIENCE COMMUNITY, THE
BOUNDARIES SORT OF DISAPPEAR,
YOU HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVES AND
IT'S GOT TO BE A REALLY GREAT
FEELING TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN
TRUST AND WORK WITH PEOPLE OF
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS TO GET
SUCH IMPORTANT DATA.
>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
WE HAVE ONE COMMON GOAL AND THAT
IS TO GET THE GOOD SCIENCE OUT
OF THIS MISSION, AND I THINK
WE'RE GOING TO SUCCEED.
>> YEAH, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
I TRY TO POINT OUT TO STUDENTS
AND YOUNGER CHILDREN.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU'RE
FROM, PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAVE A
GOOD COLLABORATION OF COUNTRIES
ON THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL, IT
DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU COME
FROM.
>> OH, THAT'S GREAT.
THANKS, GUYS.
CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE, AND WE'LL
GO BACK TO JOSHUA ON THE ASOT.
>> WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SEND
YOU BACK OUT NOW TO LAURA, WHO
HAS CAUGHT UP WITH ANOTHER ONE
OF THOSE SPECIAL PEOPLE WORKING
BEHIND THE SCENES FOR YEARS
LEADING UP TO THESE MISSIONS.
LAURA, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, JOSHUA.
I'M JOINED BY ANA PACROS, AND
SHE IS SOLAR ORBITER'S PAY LOAD
MANAGER.
ANA, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT
LAUNCH?
>> WELL, IT WAS A RANGE OF
EMOTIONS.
I WAS A BIT ANXIOUS, YOU KNOW,
TO SEE IS EVERYTHING GOING TO GO
WELL?
IS THE SIGNAL GOING TO BE
ACQUIRED IN A FEW MOMENTS?
>> SO ANA, I KNOW YOU'RE AN
ENGINEER, BUT TELL US A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THE PAY LOAD
MANAGER'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
>> AS PAY LOAD MANAGER, I'M
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THE
SPACECRAFT IS COMPLIANT FOR WHAT
THE INSTRUMENTS WANT TO DO, AND
MAKING SURE THE INSTRUMENTS ARE
READY TO BE INTEGRATED ON THE
SPACECRAFT, AND ALSO CHASING
THEM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
IT WAS A BIG JOB FOR MY TEAM TO
TAKE CARE OF THE TEN INSTRUMENTS
ON THIS MISSION.
IT'S LIKE TEN DIFFERENT
CHILDREN, AND ALL OF THEM HAVE
DIFFERENT NEEDS, SO SOMETIMES IT
WAS A BIT OF A PROMISE TO MAKE
SURE THEY COULD ALL FIT ON BOARD
AND LIVE TOGETHER ON THIS
MISSION.
THE POINT OF THE SOLAR ORBITER
IS TO MAKE THE COMPROMISE
BETWEEN SCIENCE AND REMOTE
SENSING OBSERVATIONS, SO WE HAD
TO MAKE THEM FIT TOGETHER TO
TAKE THEIR MEASUREMENTS
TOGETHER.
>> SO THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY, SO
WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?
>> SO WE ARE GOING TO ACQUIRE
THE FIRST SIGNAL AND WE ARE
GOING TO START DEPLOYING ALL OUR
ANTENNAS, THE BOOM, AND AFTER
THAT, WE HAVE TO CHECK TO MAKE
SURE ALL THE INSTRUMENTS ARE
WORKING AS EXPECTED.
THIS IS CALLED THE COMMISSIONING
PHASE, AND IT LASTS ABOUT THREE
MONTHS.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE FIRST
MEASUREMENTS ALREADY TO MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING
FINE.
BUT IN JUNE, WE DECLARE IT A
MISSION, AND EVERYTHING CAN GO
UNDERWAY WITH THE CRUISE PHASE
AND THE SCIENCE PHASE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO
DO, BUT JOSHUA, YOU CAN SEE
AFTER A LOT OF YEARS OF HARD
WORK, YOU CELEBRATE BY COMING
ALL THE WAY TO FLORIDA, TO
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, TO WATCH A
ROCKET LAUNCH.
>> WE APPRECIATE THAT ENERGY AND
ENTHUSIASM AND EXCITEMENT FROM
PEOPLE LIKE ANA JUST BECAUSE
THAT HELPS US BE ALL THE MORE
EXCITED TO SEE THEM SUCCEED AND
PEOPLE LIKE THEM SUCCEED IN THIS
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEND IT BACK
TO DARRELL AND MICK FOR MORE.
>> WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE WAYS
TO GO TO GET SEPARATION, BUT SO
FAR, IT'S BEEN A GREAT LAUNCH.
VERY QUIET AND VERY EXCITED FOR
THIS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S BEEN
VERY NOMINAL.
>> IT ALL STARTED AT 11:03
EASTERN, 00, RIGHT ON TIME.
>> I DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION FOR
THAT.
>> YOU LET ME DOWN.
WHAT HAPPENED?
>> NO, IT WAS RIGHT DOWN AT
11:03 LIFTOFF.
THE NASA AND ESA TEAMS DID A
WONDERFUL JOB OF GETTING THIS
LIFTED OFF TODAY.
>> TRUST ME, THE SPACECRAFT TEAM
AT THIS POINT IS STILL VERY
MUCH, VERY FOCUSED ON THE
TELEMETRY THAT'S COMING IN FROM
THE SPACECRAFT.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT.
THE U.L.A. AND NASA SPACE TEAMS
ARE LOOKING AT THE TELEMETRY AND
MAKING SURE THINGS ARE READY TO
GO.
ALL SYSTEMS ARE LOOKING NOMINAL
WITH THE R.C.S. THRUSTERS AND
THE PROPELLANT SETTLING BACK
INTO THE TANKS TO GET US BACK
ONTO THE TRANSFER TRAJECTORY.
>> TALK US THROUGH THE NEXT
STEPS THAT ARE COMING.
WE'VE GOT KIND OF A LITTLE BIT
OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE CENTAUR SECOND MAIN ENGINE
WILL START AND FIRE FOR A PERIOD
OF TIME.
TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
IT'S LIT AND THEN CUTOFF AGAIN.
>> CENTAUR IS IN ITS COAST PHASE
AND SEMI CIRCULAR ORBIT, THE
PARKING ORBIT TO GET US STARTED.
AS WE GET INTO COAST, THE
VEHICLE IS PERFORMING A FEW
MANEUVERS, MAKING SURE THAT THE
LIQUID HYDROGEN IS SETTLED BACK
IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK FOR
ANOTHER START.
THAT'S ONE THING ABOUT THE
R.L.-10, IS YOU CAN DO MULTIPLE
STARTS.
IN THIS NEXT START, THEY WILL
FIRE THE ENGINES FOR SEVEN
MINUTES TO GET US INTO THAT
TRANSFER ORBIT TO HEAD ON
TOWARDS THE SUN AND START ITS
SCIENCE MISSION.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ORBIT TO
MAKE SURE WE GET ON TOWARDS THE
SUN.
>> WE CAN SEE IN THIS ANIMATION
THAT THERE'S SETTLE LITTLE
FIRINGS THERE.
>> YEAH.
THAT'S THE R.C.S. THRUSTERS
SETTLING THE VEHICLE AND GETTING
READY FOR THAT MAIN ENGINE
START, TOO.
>> WE'LL SEND IT BACK TO ASOT,
JOSHUA, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR BETWEEN THE LAUNCH TEAMS
AND CENTRAL ROCKET IN COAST
PHASE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GUYS.
WE ARE EXCITED.
AND AS SOLAR ORBITER CONTINUES
PRESSING ONTO SEPARATION, LET'S
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S AHEAD FOR
THIS MITOEXPLORER.
-- MIGHTY EXPLORER.
PLANETS ARE
AND CIRCLING THE SUN, AND SO WE
ALREADY HAVE SOME VELOCITY ONE
WAY.
IF WE WANT TO MOVE OUTSIDE THE
ECLIPTIC, WE HAVE TO MOVE
OUTSIDE THE PLANE.
>> THE ONLY OTHER SATELLITE TO
FLY OVER THE POLES WAS ULYSSES,
BUT SOLAR ORBITER WILL BE THE
FIRST TO CAPTURE PHOTOGRAPHS OF
THIS PORTION.
EVERY 11 YEARS, THE SUN'S
MAGNETIC FIELD FLIPS.
NORTH BECOMES SOUTH, AND VICE
VERSA.
THIS HAS DIRECT EFFECTS ON
EARTH.
BEFORE THE POLES FLIP, SOLAR
ACTIVITY REACHES ITS PEAK.
>> WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING OF THE GLOBAL
SOLAR BEHAVIOR.
>> ANOTHER ONE OF THE MISSION'S
GOALS IS TO MONITOR HOW THESE HE
-- ERUPTIONS AND SOLAR
EXPLOSIONS AFFECT SPACE.
>> SOLAR ORBITER WILL GIVE US A
COMPREHENSIVE FULL VIEW OF THE
ENTIRE SUN AND HOW THE SUN IS
IMPACTING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
SOLAR SYSTEM.
>> SOLAR ORBITER WILL BE CLOSER
TO THE SUN THAN MERCURY, AT A
MERE DISTANCE OF 26 MILLION
MILES AWAY, THE IDEAL DISTANCE
TO GET A GREAT LOOK AT THE SUN
AND PHOTOGRAPH ITS SURFACE.
A LARGE TITANIUM SHIELD PROTECTS
THE INSTRUMENTS.
OTHER INSTRUMENTS WILL DIRECTLY
MEASURE SOLAR MATERIAL FROM
BEHIND THE SHADOW OF THE SHIELD.
ALL OF THESE OBSERVATIONS WILL
TELL US MORE ABOUT THE SUN THAN
WE'VE EVER KNOWN BEFORE, AND BY
THE END OF THE SEVEN-YEAR
MISSION, WE WILL HAVE SEEN OUR
STAR IN A COMPLETELY NEW WAY.
>> OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUN
WILL CHANGE DRAMATICALLY.
I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE LIVING IN
A REVOLUTIONARY MOMENT IN OUR
FIELD.
>> SO WE'LL GET BACK TO SOLAR
ORBITER IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT
RIGHT NOW I'M JOINED BY KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER DIRECTOR, SECOND
LONGEST RUNNING CENTER DIRECTOR
NOW, COMING UP ON THE FIRST IN
NOT TOO LONG, BOB CABANA.
SO I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE TO SEE
THE BIG PICTURE AND TALK ABOUT
THE BIG PICTURE WHEN IT COMES TO
THE WORK THAT NASA AND KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER IS DOING.
HOW IS THIS A PART OF OUR
UNIVERSE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO SOLAR ORBITER IS ON ITS WAY
TO STUDY THE SUN, RIGHT?
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE
HAVE IS SENDING ASTRONAUTS
BEYOND OUR HOME PLANET.
SO WITH ARTEMIS, WE'RE GOING
BACK TO THE MOON, AND THE
ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GO ONTO
MARS, RIGHT?
AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE
SUN AND ENVIRONMENT BEYOND OUR
HOME PLANET IN ORDER TO PROTECT
ASTRONAUTS FROM THAT
ULTRAVIOLENT RADIATION, FROM ALL
THAT'S GOING ON IN SPACE.
I THINK THIS IS GREAT.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A COMBINATION OF
SCIENCE AND OUR EXPLORATION
PROGRAMS WORKING TOGETHER SO WE
UNDERSTAND.
RIGHT NOW AT KENNEDY, I'M
FOCUSED ON TWO THINGS.
FIRST OFF, I WANT TO SEE
COMMERCIAL CREW FLIGHTS.
I WANT TO SEE U.S. PEOPLE WITH
U.S. PARTNERS IN A FLIGHT
PROGRAM.
AND THEN, THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM.
KENNEDY IS GOING TO BE READY
WHEN IT ARRIVES.
THE CORE PHASE IS AT STENNIS
RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE GOING TO REALLY DOCUMENT
THE ROCKET BEFORE THEY SHIP IT
TO US FOR PROCESSING HERE.
THE ORION SPACECRAFT, THE
LOCKHEED MARTIN SPACECRAFT, IT
UP IN OHIO, AND IT'S GOING TO BE
BACK HERE AROUND APRIL TIME
FRAME, AND THEN IT'LL BE READY
FOR PROCESSING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET A
SPACECRAFT HERE, AND THEN, THE
CORE STAGE.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOLID ROCKET
MOTOR SEGMENTS ARRIVING, AND
WE'RE GOING TO SEND ORION ON A
TEST WITHOUT A CREW IN AND
AROUND THE MOON -- THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO LAND.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE WITHOUT
CREW.
WE'RE GOING TO REDOCUMENT THE
SPACECRAFT, HOW IT OPERATES, AND
MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE SO THAT WE
CAN RELAUNCH ASTRONAUTS TO THE
MOON, AND THE FIRST MAN AND THE
WOMAN BACK ON THE MOON BY 2024.
THAT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE THAT
WE'VE BEEN GIVEN BY THE
PRESIDENT, WE ARE GOING TO DO
OUR BEST TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
>> AND A NICE LITTLE BUMP UP IN
THE BUDGET BY THE PRESIDENT.
SUPER HELPFUL.
>> I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
WE'VE GOT THE MONEY, NOW WE NEED
TO GO DO IT.
>> AND SOLAR ORBITER, AGAIN,
GIVING US THAT UNDERSTANDING OF
THE WORLD BEYOND THE VAN ALLEN
BELT.
ANYTHING ELSE COMING UP?
MARS 2020.
>> MARS 2020 SHIPS TO US FROM
J.P.L.
IT WAS EXCITING.
I GOT TO SEE IT WHEN IT WAS IN
THE pH S. AND EVERYTHING, AND
THEN, I WENT TO J.P.L. WHEN IT
LANDED.
IT'S ANOTHER ROVER THE SAME SIZE
AS CURIOSITY THAT WE'RE PUTTING
DOWN ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.
I THOUGHT IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
IT IS ALL DELAYED, ALL AUTO
MATED -- THEY'RE SEEING IT EIGHT
MINUTES AFTER IT HAPPENED.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING
THINGS I'VE EVER DONE.
IT WAS SO COOL, GETTING THE
REPORTS BACK AND WATCHING IT,
AND THEN, TO SEE THAT ROVER ON
MARS.
>> WE'VE GOT SOME AMAZING DATA
BACK.
>> ROVERS, THEY'RE THE
PRECURSORS TO SENDING HUMANS,
BUT THAT'S THE GOAL.
IN THE 2030s, HAVING HUMANS ON
THE SURFACE OF MARS.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT.
>> OBVIOUSLY, THIS ROVER IS THE
SAME SIZE, BUT NOT PLANNED
INSTRUMENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE A HELICOPTER ON
BOARD, SUPER EXCITING.
>> I'M GOING TO LET YOU GET BACK
TO WORK.
LET'S GET BACK TO BLAIR.
>> YEAH, I LOVE THOSE GUYS OUT
THERE.
>> SAY HI.
>> HEY, BLAIR.
>> WITH BOB, YOU GET SEVEN
MINUTES OF PURE, UNADULTERATED
ENTHUSIASM.
BUT WE'RE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT
SOLAR ORBITER, AND BEFORE THE
LAUNCH, I HAD A CHANCE TO SIT
DOWN WITH CESAR GARCIA, THE
PROJECT MANAGER FOR SOLAR
ORBITER.
CESAR, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>> TELL US ABOUT THE MISSION OF
SOLAR ORBITER?
>> SOLAR ORBITER, AS THE NAME
SHOWS, IT WILL BE A MISSION THAT
WE ORBIT AROUND THE SUN IN WAYS
WHICH WE HAVE NOT DONE BEFORE.
WE WILL BE DIFFERENT IN THAT WE
WILL BE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE
SUN, AND WE WILL CHANGE THE
ORBITAL PLANES, AND WE CAN
INSPECT THE SURFACE OF THE SUN,
AND THE HELIO SPHERE, AND
FINALLY, THEY WILL INVESTIGATE
THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE THIS
11-YEAR CYCLE AND WHAT DRIVES OR
SOLAR ABILITY.
>> SOME OF THE ORBITS ARE GOING
TO BE CAPTURING IMAGES.
WHAT ARE THOSE IMAGES GOING TO
BE LIKE?
>> THEY DON'T TAKE WHAT WE CALL
WIDE FLIGHT PICTURES.
WE TRY TO TAKE THEM IN A SMALL
FREQUENCY BAND, AND THEN WE
COMBINE THEM TO PROVIDE WIDE
BAND IMAGES.
WE TAKE PICTURES IN THE
ULTRAVIOLENT SPECTRUM AND ALSO
TO THE X-RAYS, SO THE VARIOUS
INSTRUMENTS WILL DETECT THESE
IMAGES IN VARIOUS WAYS, AND THEY
COMBINE VARIOUS PICTURES LINE
THE ONES WE HAVE -- LIKE THE
ONES WE HAVE IN THE BACKGROUND
HERE.
THE SECOND THING IS THE VARIOUS
INSTRUMENTS, THEY HAVE VARIOUS
ANGLES OF VIEW, AND THEY WILL BE
ABLE TO LOOK AT VARIOUS VIEWS OF
THE SUN.
WHEN ONE INSTRUMENT DID HE
HE --
DETECTS AN ANGLE OF INTEREST, IT
WILL SEND A SIGNAL TO OTHER
INSTRUMENTS TO CAPTURE MORE OF
IT.
IF IT CHANGES TO SOLAR MATERIAL
OR SOLAR PARTICLES, THEN, THE
INSTRUMENTS WILL REACT AND BE
ABLE TO SENSE THAT PARTICULAR
FEATURE.
SO THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON THE
SURFACE OF THE SUN AND THEN
LATER AT THE LOCATION OF THE
SPACECRAFT IS ONE OF THE UNIQUE
FEATURES OF SOLAR ORBITER.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT
FEATURES ON THE SPACECRAFT.
IF THE SCIENTISTS SEE SOMETHING
UNIQUE DURING AN OBSERVATION, DO
THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO READAPT
AND ORIENT AND TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT EVENT?
>> YEAH.
THEY WANT TO TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITIES OF COURSE, AND
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS OF DOING
THAT.
ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS WITH A
SHORT-TERM PLAN AS OPPOSED TO A
LONG-TERM PLAN.
LONG-TERM PLAN IS THEY PLAN
EVERY OPERATION SIX MONTHS IN
ADVANCE.
HOWEVER, EVERY 24 HOURS IF THEY
SEE A UNIQUE FEATURE OR
DIFFERENT SIGNAL OR FEATURE
COMING FROM THE GROUND, THEN,
THEY CAN ADJUST WHAT THE
INSTRUMENTS WILL BE DOING ON THE
NEXT OBSERVATION DAY.
>> WELL, IT MUST FEEL VERY GOOD
NOW BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS HERE
ON THE SPACECRAFT, AND GOING TO
BE READY TO GO AND GOING TO BE A
GOOD SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
>> I THINK SO.
I THINK OVERALL, WHEN YOU
DEVELOP A SPACE MISSION, THERE
ARE ALWAYS MANY CHALLENGES.
THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT YOU DON'T
REALLY KNOW THERE IS A TECHNICAL
SOLUTION FOR THE MOMENTS YOU'RE
FACING.
IT TAKES TIME, EFFORT, TEAM
WORK.
AND NOW ONCE YOU MOVE TO THE
LAUNCH STAGE, IT'S LIKE AN ARMY.
DIFFERENT ARMYS, SOMETIMES
PEOPLE YOU NEVER MET, BUT YOU
WORKED ON THE SAME PROJECT FOR
YEARS.
I THINK IT'S A REAL SENSE OF
ACCOMPLISHMENT, YEAH.
>> WELL, AND HERE WE HAVE IT, A
SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH, AND THAT TEAM
THAT CESAR MENTIONED IS VERY
PROUD AND EXCITED AT THIS TIME.
AND WE JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE
THEM, AND BACK TO YOU, JOSHUA.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> HEY THANKS, BLAIR.
YEAH, OBVIOUSLY, THAT
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION IS A
THEME RUNNING THROUGHOUT THIS
PROGRAM AND THIS MISSION.
WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE THEM ON
BOARD.
WE DID WANT TO CYCLE BACK AND
ANNOUNCE THAT THERE WAS A
NORTHRUP-GRUMMAN LAUNCH THAT WAS
SCHEDULED, AND IT WAS SCRAPPED
BECAUSE OF SOME UNUSUAL
READINGS.
THE ROCKET AND SPACECRAFT REMAIN
HEALTHY.
A LAUNCH ON THURSDAY WOULD
RESULT IN A CAPTURE OF CYGNUS ON
FEBRUARY 15.
WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU BACK
OVER NOW TO MICK AND DARRELL
WHO'S GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION.
THAT'S NOT QUITE THE END OF THE
MISSION TODAY, BUT ANOTHER HUGE
MILESTONE.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANKS, JOSHUA.
IT'S A BIG MOMENT THAT EVERYBODY
IS ANTICIPATING AT THIS PORTION
OF THE MISSION.
>> AND I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S
EXCITING EVERY TIME WE LAUNCH.
THE NEXT MISSION IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT, AND TONIGHT, IT WAS
GREAT TO SEE SOLAR ORBITER GET
OFF THE GROUND, AND WE STILL
HAVE SOME THINGS TO DO TO MAKE
SURE IT'S MISSION SUCCESS.
BUT WE'RE MOVING ALONG, AND
CENTAUR IS IN ITS PHASES OF
SETTLING PROPONENTS, SO THINGS
ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.
>> AND HE'S NOT JUST SAYING
THAT, FOLKS.
I LITERALLY GOT TO WATCH HIM GET
A LITTLE GID -- GIDDY.
YOU CAN SEE IN THIS GRAPHICAL
REPRESENTATION THAT THERE ARE
THRUSTERS THAT ARE BEING FIRED
FROM TIME TO TIME TO SETTLE THAT
FUEL INSIDE -- INSIDE OF THE
CENTAUR, AND THAT WILL ALLOW IT
TO RESTART.
IT'S REALLY ONE OF THE KEYS TO
THIS VEHICLE.
AND THIS VEHICLE, IN FACT, IS
PRETTY RELIABLE.
IT'S GOTTEN REALLY GOOD AT DOING
THIS.
IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE
1960'S.
>> YEAH.
CENTAUR WAS DESIGNED FOR
MULTIPLE STARTS AND MISSIONS
LIKE THIS, SO IT'S A VERY
RELIABLE VEHICLE TO GET THAT
WAY.
WE'RE SEEING THAT WE HAVE
PRECHILL NOW ON THE ENGINE, SO
THAT MEANS THAT THE ENGINE IS
CHILLING DOWN AND GETTING READY
FOR FUELS TO GET THROUGH AND
START-UP IGNITION.
THE IGNITERS WOULD FIRE, AND WE
WOULD GET MESS TWO.
WE SHOULD BE GETTING THAT CALL,
FOR MAIN ENGINE START SHORTLY.
>> WE JUST HEARD THAT WE HAVE
FULL THRUST AND MAIN ENGINE HAS
STARTED, AND BODY RATES LOOK
GOOD FOR THIS SEVEN-MINUTE BURN
OF THE CENTAUR ENGINE.
>> THIS IS A KEY BURN, AS IT
REFIRES THAT ENGINE AND STARTS
TO GET INTO THAT TRANSFER ORBIT,
RIGHT?
IT'S PARTIALLY GONE AROUND THE
EARTH, AND NOW IT NEEDS TO GET
ONTO ITS DESTINATION.
>> YEAH.
IT'S GOING TO FIRE AND GET US
INTO THAT TRANSFER TRAJECTORY TO
GET SOLAR ORBITER ON ITS WAY TO
THE SUN, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT
FOR US.
SO ONCE THIS BURN HAPPENS, WE
GET THROUGH THIS SUCCESSFUL
SEVEN-MINUTE BURN, WE'LL BE
COMING UP ON SPACECRAFT
SEPARATION, WHICH WILL BE
ANOTHER MAJOR MILESTONE FOR US.
HOWEVER, WE WILL NOT BE
CELEBRATING QUITE YET.
SOLAR ORBITER HAS TO GET MOVING
ON ITS WAY, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE WE ACQUIRE SIGNAL FROM THE
SATELLITE, WHICH WILL HAPPEN
ABOUT FOUR MINUTES FROM
SEPARATION, SO THAT'LL BE A
MAJOR MILESTONE FOR THE
SPACECRAFT CREW AND THE LAUNCH
TEAM, BUT THIS MILESTONE OF MAIN
ENGINE START AND BURN -- SECOND
BURN THAT WE REFER TO IS A MAJOR
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
>> AND OF COURSE, THIS IS KIND
OF THE SAFE PERIOD OF THIS
ENTIRE LAUNCH AND MISSION.
THE TOUGHEST PART IS GETTING IT
OFF THE GROUND.
GO BACK TO 11:03 P.M. EASTERN
TIME, WHEN IT LIFTED OFF.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS A -- THAT IS A
BIG MOMENT TO SEE THAT THING
COMING OFF THE PAD, RIDING A
CONTROLLED EXPLOSION INTO SPACE.
>> YEAH.
THEY MAKE IT LOOK EASY.
AS WE HEARD FROM SCOTT MESSER,
THIS IS THE QUIETEST COUNT DOWN
HE'S HEARD IN A WHILE, AND
THAT'S CREDIT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, NASA,
ESA, U.L.A., ALL THE PARTNERS
WORKING TO MAKE SURE THE CRAFT
GOT OFF ON TIME.
THAT'S ALWAYS EXCITING TO ME TO
WATCH THAT.
EVERY LAUNCH IS JUST AMAZING TO
SEE THAT FIRE AND LIFTOFF.
>> WE'VE BEEN FLYING FOR ABOUT
45.5 MINUTES TO THIS POINT IN
TIME, AND U.L.A. MANAGERS HAVE
BEEN WORKING THIS LAUNCH FOR
THAT ENTIRE TIME.
AND AS MICK SAID, THEY ARE
CONTINUING TO BE VERY DILIGENT
IN TRACKING THE TELEMETRY AND
TRACKING THE FLIGHT OF THE
CENTAUR, UPPER STAGE.
IT IS IN THE MIDST OF A
SEVEN-MINUTE BURN.
A FEW MINUTES LEFT IN THAT ONE
AS IT POSITIONS ITSELF TO GET
INTO THAT PROPER ORBIT.
IT IS GOING TO USE A GRAVITY
ASSIST EVENTUALLY, MUCH LATER
DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THAT IS PART
OF THE DEAL IN ORDER TO GET THIS
THING CLOSE TO THE SUN SO IT CAN
START GATHERING ITS DATA.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF INTERESTING
INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD.
IN PARTICULAR, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I FIND -- ONE OF THE
ASPECTS OF THE SPACECRAFT THAT I
FIND IS INTERESTING IS THE
ABILITY TO OPEN UP LITTLE PORTS
ON ITS HEAT SHIELD.
IT'S GOING TO GET SO CLOSE TO
THE SUN, IT'S GOING TO POINT ITS
HEAT SHIELD TO THE SUN, BUT IT'S
GOING TO OPEN LITTLE PORTS IN
THE SHIELD TO ALLOW ITS
INSTRUMENTS TO COME THROUGH.
>> YEAH.
THE HEAT SHIELD IS A SPECIFIC
PART OF THIS SPACECRAFT THAT'S
REQUIRED.
AS YOU SAID, IT GETS REALLY
CLOSE TO THE SUN.
A COUPLE MILLION MILES, WHICH IS
REALLY CLOSE FOR A SPACECRAFT.
BUT THOSE APERTURES GET OPENED
AT TIMES AND CLOSED TO HELP
PROTECT THE INSTRUMENT.
THE SATELLITE RIDES AROUND THE
SUN WITH THAT HEAT SHIELD
POINTED AT THE SUN AT ALL TIMES.
ANOTHER THING THAT I LIKED WAS
THE SOLAR PANELS COME OUT.
THESE, BECAUSE WE'RE SO CLOSE TO
THE SUN, THEY -- THE TEAM
ACTUALLY HAS TO TURN THESE SOLAR
PANELS ALMOST AT 78° TO KEEP
THEM FROM GETTING TOO HOT, AND,
YOU KNOW, COLLECTING.
BUT THEY HAVE -- AS IAN WALTERS
FROM AIRBUS WHO DESIGNED THIS
SPACECRAFT SAID, WE DO NOT HAVE
A PROBLEM WITH POWER ON THE
SOLAR PANEL, WE HAVE A PROBLEM
WITH HEAT.
>> HEAT.
>> THAT'S WHAT I FOUND
INTERESTING.
>> JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN
TWO MINUTES FROM THE UPPER STAGE
AS IT GETS READY TO TRANSFER
INTO THE UPPER ORBIT AND LOOKING
FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE
SPACECRAFT WHICH IS COMING UP A
FEW MINUTES AFTER THAT, A SIGNAL
ACQUISITION.
IT TELLS THE PEOPLE I'M HERE AND
I'M HEADING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
>> YEAH.
THE TEAM KNOWS THE SPACECRAFT IS
WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, AND
THE CENTAUR HAS DELIVERED IT ON
THE RIGHT ORBIT.
WE'VE HAD TWO BURNS.
THIS IS THE SECOND BURN, AND THE
SECOND BURN OF THE CENTAUR WILL
PUT IT IN THAT TRANSFER
TRAJECTORY.
SO ACQUISITION SIGNAL IS
IMPORTANT.
WE'RE STILL GETTING THERE.
49 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT, AND
CENTAUR PRESSURES ON THE ENGINE
LOOK GOOD.
R.C.S. THRUSTERS CONTINUE TO
KEEP CENTAUR WHERE IT NEEDS TO
BE.
>> LITTLE LESS THAN A MINUTE
UNTIL MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF.
YOU CAN SEE THAT CENTAUR
CONTINUES TO FLY WITH SOLAR
ORBITER AT THE VERY FRONT OF IT.
THAT R.L.-10 FIRING BEHIND IT AS
IT GOES.
AND JUST ABOUT 20 SECONDS UNTIL
WE SEE THAT ENGINE CUTOFF AND GO
INTO THAT NEXT COAST PHASE, SO
LET'S WATCH NOW AND LISTEN IN AS
THEY GET CLOSE TO THAT MOMENT.
THIS IS THE CENTAUR'S SECOND
MAJOR CUTOFF.
>> CENTAUR CONTINUES TO PERFORM
NOMINALLY, AND STANDING BY HERE
FOR MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF.
>> AND WE HAVE MECO.
>> MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF.
THE SECOND BURN HAS PERFORMED,
SO NOW, WE'RE ABOUT THREE
MINUTES AWAY FROM SPACECRAFT
SEPARATION, THE NEXT BIG
MILESTONE.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THE LAUNCH
TEAM IS VERY HAPPY WITH THE WAY
THAT CENTAUR PERFORMED, AND
LOOKING AT THE DATA, CENTAUR
PERFORMED VERY WELL WITH THE
SOLAR ORBITER, GETTING IT ONTO
THE TRAJECTORY.
>> IF WE CAN TAKE A SHOT OF THE
MISSION DIRECTOR CENTER HERE, WE
HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A
CELEBRATION AFTER THE CUTOFF.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE SPACE
TEAM THAT WAS CHEERING.
>> I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A
LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
>> LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
>> BECAUSE CENTAUR PERFORMED
VERY WELL, LOOKING AT THE DATA
HERE.
>> A LOT OF PRIDE, AND
DESERVEDLY SO.
TALK ABOUT HOW WHAT THE CENTAUR
IS DOING AS IT PREPARES FOR THIS
SEPARATION EVENT.
>> YEAH.
CENTAUR'S MANEUVERING INTO
POSITION, GETTING READY TO
SEPARATE SPACECRAFT ON THE
TRAJECTORY THAT IT NEEDS TO HEAD
OFF INTO THIS TRANSFER
TRAJECTORY, SO THE R.C.S.
THRUSTERS ARE MOVING IT AROUND,
AND IT'S MOVING SOLAR ORBITER
ONTO ITS TRANSFER TRAJECTORY.
>> AND YOU CAN SEE IN THAT
REPRESENTATION HOW IT IS
MANEUVERING TO GET INTO THAT
POSITION, JUST A FEW SECONDS
AWAY FROM THAT SEPARATION NOW.
IN FACT, JUST LESS THAN A
MINUTE.
THE CENTAUR CONTINUES TO PERFORM
WELL, AND IT IS POSITIONING
ITSELF AT THIS VERY MOMENT.
WHAT'S THE -- MICK, WHAT'S THE
ACTUAL MECHANICAL PROCEDURE THAT
TAKES PLACE IN ORDER FOR THIS
SPACECRAFT TO SEPARATE FROM THE
CENTAUR?
>> WELL, FIRST THING, AS WE
SAID, MAIN ENGINE START, MAIN
ENGINE CUTOFF ON THAT SECOND
FIRE WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE R.C.S. CONTINUES TO FIRE TO
SETTLE OUT THE BODY RATES AND
THE CENTAUR TO GET IT INTO
POSITION AND A STABLE MODE TO
SEPARATE THIS SPACECRAFT.
SO IT KEEPS FIRING TO STABLIZE
IT.
WE WANT TO NULL ALL THE BODY
RATES OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
GET GOOD BODY SEPARATION AND TIP
OFF.
>> JUST A FEW SECONDS AWAY FROM
SEPARATION.
YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE CELEBRATIONS
AT MISSION CONTROL AND AT
VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
GOOD INDICATION OF SEPARATION.
THAT IS A HUGE MILESTONE FOR THE
SOLAR ORBITER TEAM.
DARRELL, AS YOU SEE IN THE ASOT
THERE, THEY ARE CELEBRATING.
>> AND THEY WERE CELEBRATING
HERE IN THE MISSION DIRECTOR
CENTER, AS WELL.
YOU CAN SEE SOME HUGS AND
HANDSHAKES GOING AROUND.
THIS IS A BIG MISSION FOR
U.L.A., ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE
COLLABORATION THAT TOOK PLACE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 22
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT WERE
INVOLVED IN THIS SPACECRAFT, THE
SOLAR ORBITER.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DECADE OR
MORE IN THE PLANNING.
SO CERTAINLY UNITED LAUNCH
ALLIANCE HAS A LOT TO BE HAPPY
ABOUT AS THEY CELEBRATE JUST A
COUPLE OF MILES FROM US THERE.
FOLKS STANDING UP FROM THEIR
CONSOLES, I BELIEVE THAT'S TIM
DUNN IN THE CORNER THERE, NASA'S
LAUNCH DIRECTOR, AND GIVING SOME
GOOD HANDSHAKES ALL-AROUND FOR
THEIR HARD WORK THIS EVENING,
LATE IN THE EVENING.
>> YEAH.
THE LAUNCH TEAM IS VERY HAPPY.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE DATA
FOR CENTAUR, AND IT LOOKS LIKE
CENTAUR PERFORMED VERY WELL,
WELL WITHIN OUR PREFLIGHT
PREDICTIONS TO GET SOLAR ORBITER
WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE.
AS YOU JUST SAW, A SUCCESSFUL
SEPARATION.
NOW WE'RE JUST WAITING TO HEAR
FROM OUR SPACECRAFT TEAM,
HOPEFULLY TWO MINUTES FROM NOW
THAT WE WILL GET ACQUISITION OF
SIGNAL AND MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL WITH
THE SOLAR ORBITER SPACECRAFT.
SO THE MISSION IS SUCCESSFUL SO
FAR, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE
BIT MORE TO GET THROUGH TO GET
SOLAR ORBITER ON ITS WAY.
>> LITTLE BIT MORE AFTER
SEPARATION.
WE KNOW THAT THE SPACECRAFT TEAM
IS BEHIND US HERE IN THE MISSION
DIRECTOR'S CENTER.
THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY CALM AND
COLLECTED THROUGHOUT THEIR WORK,
AND YOU KNOW THAT.
>> YEAH.
THE SPACECRAFT TEAM, AND YOU'RE
GOING TO TALK TO THEM A LITTLE
BIT LATER, FROM THAT ASPECT.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THE DENVER OPS
CENTER IN DENVER, COLORADO, AND
THE U.L.A. TEAM IS STILL LOOKING
AT LAUNCH DATA.
AGAIN, A VERY EXCITING MOMENT.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE ARE
HERE, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GET
ACQUISITION FOR THAT.
SO THINGS ARE GOING WELL WITH
THE TEAMS AND AS WE PROCEED
FORWARD.
>> SO NOW, THE CENTAUR HAS
SEPARATED AWAY, AND THERE'S A
LITTLE BIT OF BUSINESS THAT
ACTUALLY HAS TO DO AS IT LEAVES
THE SPACECRAFT.
>> YEAH.
NOW AS THE SPACECRAFT HAS LEFT,
CENTAUR HAS TO PERFORM A COUPLE
OF MANEUVERS TO GET OUT OF THE
WAY AND MAKE SURE IT'S DONE WITH
ITS MISSION.
SO IT'S GOING TO FIRE ITS
THRUSTERS A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO
MAKE SURE IT'S WELL AWAY FROM
SOLAR ORBITER AS WE CONTINUE
WITH THE MISSION AND WAIT FOR
ACQUISITION OF SIGNAL.
AS YOU SEE THERE ON YOUR SCREEN,
THAT'S A PICTURE OF THE MISSION
DIRECTOR CENTER AT ESA.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING AND
HEARING THAT FROM THEM, AND HOW
EXCITED THEY ARE TO MAKE SURE
THAT SOLAR ORBITER ARE OUT
THERE, DOING ITS THING.
>> JUST A FEW MINUTES AWAY.
ONCE THE CONFIRMATION COMES IN
THAT THE SPACECRAFT HAS INDEED
SENT ITS SIGNAL AND THEY VERIFY
THAT IT IS IN THE PLACE THAT IT
IS EXPECTED, YOU CAN PROBABLY
EXPECT TO SEE A GREAT AMOUNT OF
RELIEF AND CELEBRATION FROM THAT
FRONT ROW HERE AT THE MISSION
DIRECTOR'S CENTER AT THE CAPE
CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION.
OF COURSE WE'RE IN THE BROADCAST
BOOTH IN THE UPPER RIGHT.
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT DATA, TOO,
AND WE'RE WAITING TO SEE THAT.
HOPEFULLY, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
THAT WE GET ACQUISITION FROM
SIGNALS FROM THE SPACECRAFT, BUT
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WAIT AND HEAR
THAT FROM THE -- FROM OUR ESA
FRIENDS.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE ARE
READY TO THROW IT BACK OVER TO
JOSHUA IN THE ASOT WHO'S WITH MY
GOOD FRIEND AND WHO'S EXCITED
ABOUT THIS LAUNCH, MY FAVORITE
NASA LAUNCH MANAGER, MR. TIM
DUNN.
>> CAN'T DO MUCH BETTER
INTRODUCTION THAN THAT.
TAKE IT AWAY, JOSH.
>> IS HE SAYING THAT BECAUSE
OMAR IS NOT HERE?
>> ONLY BECAUSE OMAR IS NOT
HERE.
>> YOU KNOW, MICK, OMAR IS IN
THE NEXT ROOM.
>> NASA LAUNCH MANAGER TIM DUNN
IS HERE.
WE KEEP SAYING THIS, THAT WE'RE
NOT DONE, BUT WE'RE CLOSE.
WE KEEP GETTING THERE.
>> WE KEEP GETTING THERE.
>> SO TELL US ABOUT THE FLIGHT.
HOW DID WE DO?
>> WE'RE DOING WELL SO FAR.
I'M A LITTLE TAMPED DOWN ON MY
ENTHUSIASM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A
FEW MORE THINGS TO GO ON THE
SPACECRAFT, BUT OBVIOUSLY,
EVERYTHING WENT WELL.
GORGEOUS WEATHER, RANGE
LIMITATION.
THE U.L.A. TEAM, I CAN'T SAY
ENOUGH ABOUT THE U.L.A. TEAM,
HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO PROCESS AND
PREPARE THIS ROCKET.
GREAT COUNT DOWN, BEAUTIFUL
NIGHT HERE ON THE SPACE COAST.
I HOPE FOLKS LOCALLY, YOU
ENJOYED IT.
I HOPE FOLKS ON NASA T.V., YOU
SHOWED THEM SOME GREAT SHOTS.
WE FELT SOME RUMBLES HERE IN THE
ASOT.
NOTHING LIKE A GREAT LAUNCH.
NOW WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR A FEW
LOCK EVENTS AND WE'RE EXCITED TO
SHARE THE WHOLE STORY.
>> IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT,
CLEAR SKIES, SO IF YOU WERE
OUTSIDE, YOU WERE TREATED TO A
BEAUTIFUL LAUNCH.
YOU COULD SEE THAT THING GO
ALMOST TO THE HORIZON.
>> YEAH.
GORGEOUS.
>> TIM, I APPRECIATE YOU
STOPPING BY.
I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU TOO
LONG BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU'RE
STILL FOCUSED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU
IN A FEW MINUTES.
>> IF THIS IS NOT SUPER EXCITED,
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE SUPER EXCITED
TIM.
>> WE WANT TO LOOK AT ONE OF THE
GREATEST MYSTERIES OF THE SUN,
AND THAT'S IN THE CORONA, IT'S
ACTUALLY MILLIONS OF DEGREES
HOTTER THAN THE SURFACE OF THE
SUN.
>> THE SUN'S CORONA IS THE
HOTTEST PART OF THE SUN, BUT IT
DOESN'T BEHAVE AS YOU WOULD
EXPECT.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 27 MILLION
DEGREES, AND IT'S DENSER THAN
GOLD.
SOMETHING HAPPENS, HOWEVER, WHEN
YOU REACH THE OUTERMOST LAYER.
THE -- CORONA IS USUALLY HARD TO
SEE.
IT'S TOO DIM TO BE SEEN NEXT TO
THE SUN'S BRIGHT BODY, BUT IT
CAN BE SEEN WHEN THE MOON BLOCKS
THE SUN DURING A LUNAR SOLAR
ECLIPSE.
IN THE EARLY 1800s, INSTRUMENTS
NAMED SPECTROSCOPES WERE
INVENTED TO IDENTIFY ITEMS THAT
ARE HEATED.
WHILE SUN LIGHT CONTAINS EVERY
WAVE LENGTH, SCIENTISTS
DISCOVERED EVERY COMPOUND
CONTAINS DIFFERENT WAVE LENGTHS,
AND IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE
ASTRONOMMISTS STARTED EXTRACTING
LIGHT FROM DIFFERENT OBJECTS.
IN 1869, TWO SCIENTISTS DECIDED
TO POINT A SPECTROSCOPE AT THE
SUN DURING A SOLAR ECLIPSE.
THEY FOUND A BRIGHT LINE THAT
DID NOT RELATE TO ANY ELEMENT ON
EARTH.
FOR A SHORT TIME, SCIENTISTS
NAMED IT CORONIUM.
THE GREEN LINE SHOWS THE ION HAS
BEEN STRIPPED OF 13 OF ITS 26
ELECTRONS, INDICATING THAT THE
CORONA NEEDED TO BE HOTTER BY
MILLIONS OF DEGREES.
ONE THEORY SUGGESTS THAT SMALL
WAVES IN THE SUN'S SURFACE
PUSHING PARTICLES AND HEAT INTO
THE ATMOSPHERE, A BIT HOW OCEAN
WAVES PUSH SURFACE.
ANOTHER SUGGESTS THAT BOMB LIKE
EXPLOSIONS FROM THE SUN'S
MAGNETIC FIELD CREATE HEAT.
MANY SCIENTISTS FEEL IT MAY BE A
MIX OF BOTH.
WE'VE STUDIED THE CORONA FROM
EARTH DURING MANY OF ECLIPSES,
BUT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IT, WE
HAVE TO STUDY IT FROM THE REGION
ITSELF.
>> WE JUST HEARD GREAT NEWS.
THE SIGNAL CQUISITION HAS BEEN
CONFIRMED, SO ANOTHER CHECK ON
THE LIST OF THINGS THAT NEED TO
GO RIGHT TODAY, SO THAT LIST IS
COMING TOGETHER VERY
BEAUTIFULLY.
WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU OUT TO
NASA EDGES FRANKLIN FITZGERALD
TO TAKE A LOOK AND TALK TO A
SOLAR ASTROPHYCYSIST.
>> NOW, I KNOW YOU ARE VERY
INTERESTED IN GETTING TO THE
SCIENCE OF SOLAR ORBITER.
TELL ME ABOUT WHAT YOU MOST ARE
LOOKING FORWARD TO?
>> WELL, I MEAN, ONE OF THE MOST
OBVIOUS THINGS THAT COMES TO
MIND IS THE UNIQUE VIEW OF THE
POLES.
WE HAVE NEVER IMAGED THE POLES
OF THE SUN.
WE'VE NEVER GATHERED DETAILED
MAGNETIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE
POLES DIRECTLY, AND THAT'S A
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THING
FOR UNDERSTANDING THE SUN'S
ACTIVITY CYCLE, AND SO THAT IS
REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT THE SUN'S MAGNETIC
ACTIVITY DRIVES SPACE WEATHER.
AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A
GAME CHANGER WITH THESE KIND OF
OBSERVATIONS FROM SOLAR ORBITER.
>> NOW, YOU GOT A COUPLE YEARS
UNTIL YOU START GATHERING DATA
FROM SOLAR ORBITER, BUT YOU DO
HAVE A RECENT SOLAR MISSION
WHERE YOU'VE BEEN RECEIVING
DATA, AND THAT'S PARKER SOLAR
PROBE.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE FOR
THAT?
>> YEAH.
PARKER SOLAR PROBE HAS ALREADY
BEEN AROUND THE SUN THREE TIMES.
IT'S GOING TO MAKE 24 ORBITS,
AND EVERY TIME IT PASSES VENUS,
IT WILL GET A LITTLE CLOSER AND
CLOSER.
BUT THEY'VE ALREADY BROUGHT BACK
DATA.
THEY'VE ALREADY BROUGHT BACK
TONS OF DATA AND HAVE GATHERED
AN AMAZING NUMBER OF QUESTIONS
THAT THEY HADN'T EXPECTED.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE MADE AMAZING
DISCOVERIES ALREADY.
THEY HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THE
FINAL GOAL, AND WE HAVE A NEW
UNDERSTANDING OF THE TURBULENCE,
SORT OF THE REGION WHERE THE
SOLAR WIND BECOMES TURBULENT,
WHERE THE SOLAR WIND SORT OF
RELAXES.
WE'VE FOUND OUT THAT THE FIELD
THAT COME AWAY FROM THE SUN
ACTUALLY DO THESE CRAZY 180
TURNS BACK.
WE CALL THOSE SWITCHBACKS.
AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE
SCIENTISTS HAVE EVEN DISCOVERED
SOMETHING NONSOLAR.
THEY'VE SEEN SOME OF THE DUST
TRAILS THAT ARE WHAT CAUSE
METEOR SHOWERS HERE ON EARTH,
AND ASTEROIDS.
THEY'RE SO DIFFICULT TO FIND
BECAUSE SO CLOSE TO THE SUN IS
SO BRIGHT.
BUT WE'VE USED REALLY SENSITIVE
CAMERAS ON THE SIDE TO GET THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS DOES
IS IT LEADS TO MORE QUESTIONS
THAN ANSWERS.
>> ONE MORE QUESTION.
IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY OVERLAP
BETWEEN THE TYPE OF DISCOVERIES
YOU MAKE BETWEEN SOLAR ORBITER
AND PARKER?
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
THESE ARE REALLY TWO
COMPLEMENTARY MISSIONS BECAUSE
SOLAR ORBITER IS GOING TO GET
REALLY, REALLY CLOSE AND GIVE US
A LOT OF DETAIL OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE REGIONS WHERE
WE THINK SOLAR WIND HAS
ACCELERATED AWAY FROM THE SUN,
WHERE WE THINK ENERGETIC
PARTICLES ARE AWAY FROM THE SUN.
BUT SOLAR ORBITER IS GOING TO BE
SLIGHTLY FURTHER OUT AND GIVE US
MORE DETAILS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN THESE TRANSITION REGIONS AS
THINGS ARE MOVING OUT, AS WELL
AS THIS PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW,
OUT OF THE PLANE OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
AND SO HAVING ALL OF THESE
MISSIONS SO CLOSE, EVEN THOUGH
SOLAR ORBITER IS NOT AS CLOSE AS
PARKER SOLAR PROBE, IT'S STILL
IN AN UNKNOWN AREA.
IT'S STILL IN A REGION WHICH
WE'VE BARELY SAMPLED.
IT'S CLOSER THAN WE'VE BEEN
BEFORE, NOT INCLUDING SOLAR
ORBITER, IT'S CLOSER THAN WE'VE
EVER BEEN BEFORE.
SO BOTH OF THESE ARE SAMPLING A
REALLY UNIQUE AREA AND AN
IMPORTANT AREA IN THE SUN, AND
DATA IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO
SURPRISE US.
>> ALEX, IT'S GREAT HAVING YOU
ON THE SHOW.
GREAT SEEING YOU AGAIN, AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING MORE
DATA FROM THE PARKER SOLAR PROBE
AND THE SOLAR ORBITER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> JOSHUA, BACK TO YOU.
>> I'M JOINED NOW BY OMAR BAEZ
WHO IS THE NASA PROJECT MANAGER.
-- MANAGER ASSISTANT.
YOU AND TIM FLIP-FLOPPED FOR
THIS MISSION.
YOU ARE THE ASSISTANT, AND TIM
IS THE MANAGER.
WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT MISSIONS
COMING UP?
>> THE ARTEMIS IS NEXT.
PARTS OF IT HAVE ARRIVED, AND
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT.
THAT'S GOING TO GO ON AN ATLAS
WITH A COUPLE MORE SOLID ROCKET
MOTORS THAN THIS ONE HERE TO GET
IT OUT TO MARS FOR ITS
SEVEN-MONTH VOYAGE.
WE PLAN TO LAUNCH THAT ON JULY
17 AND LAND ON MARS ON FEBRUARY
18, 2021.
REALLY EXCITING MISSION WHEN WE
SEE THIS HELICOPTER AS ITS PAY
LOAD.
A LOT OF STUFF THAT THE PUBLIC'S
GOING TO REALLY LOVE.
THE MISSION'S OUT THERE TO CACHE
SOME SAMPLES AND GET THE
CONTINUITY GOING, AND WE'RE
SUPER EXCITED TO DO THAT THIS
SUMMER.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
SO YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR --
>> I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR THE
MARS 2020 MISSION.
>> THAT'S WONDERFUL.
TELL US ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP
THAT YOU AND TIM HAVE ON LAUNCH
DAY.
OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF YOU IS THE
LAUNCH MANAGER, AND ONE OF YOU
IS THE ASSISTANT LAUNCH MANAGER.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> WE'RE COMPLETELY
INTERCHANGEABLE.
IF WE GET REALLY BUSY, THE OTHER
CAN TAKE THE MAIN LOAD OFF THE
PRIMARY GUY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN
DO.
IF HE'S TIME CRUNCHED, I CAN
HELP HIM OUT WITH.
LIKEWISE, IF HE'S -- STUFF
HAPPENS.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM,
YOU HAVE TO EAT.
>> SURE, SURE, THE PRACTICAL
THINGS.
>> YOU HAVE TO STEP IN.
>> I THINK IT'S KEY TO HONE IN
ONTO IT'S PRACTICAL.
THERE'S ONE PERSON IN CHARGE,
BUT YOU ALL CARRY THAT TOGETHER.
>> CORRECT.
>> SO WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THE
MARS 2020?
I THINK WE'RE COMING UP ON 20
YEARS OF EXISTENCE, SO WHAT'S
COMING UP FOR THE LAUNCH
SERVICES PROGRAM?
>> I'VE BEEN WITH THE LAUNCH
SERVICES PROGRAM FOR THE 20
YEARS AND A COUPLE OF YEARS
BEFORE THAT, WHEN WE WERE THE
PREDECESSOR ORGANIZATION, AND
WE'VE ASSAULTED ALL THE PLANETS,
AND --
>> IN A VERY RESEARCH-ORIENTED
WAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND IT'S PHENOMENAL TO THINK
BACK, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS
VERITINELY, A VERY SMALL PORTION
OF THE AGENCY, WE WEREN'T EVEN
NOTICED, WERE ABLE TO REACH OUT
TO THE VARIOUS PLANETARY BODIES
AROUND US.
AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, AND
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING
THAT.
AND AS BOB SAID EARLIER, THESE
MISSIONS ARE PRECURSOR TO THE
HUMANS GOING OUT BEYOND EARTH'S
ORBIT, AND WE REALLY LOOK
FORWARD TO DOING ALL THE PREWORK
THAT WE CAN WITH AUTO MATETION
BEFORE THE HUMAN GETS OUT THERE.
>> DOES THIS EVER GET OLD?
>> NO.
I'M MOST FORTUNATE IN THE JOB
THAT I DO.
I REALLY LOVE IT.
SOMEDAY, THERE WILL BE A SUNSET
FOR ME.
JUST THIS PRIOR WEEK, I BECAME
ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT.
>> OH.
>> -- UH-OH.
>> NOT THAT I'M GOING, BUT I
INTEND TO STICK AROUND FOR
ANOTHER FEW YEARS.
>> DO YOU HAVE YOUR EYES ON
ANYTHING?
WHAT'S BETTER THAN A LAUNCH
DIRECTOR?
>> I CAN'T THINK OF IT, EXCEPT
BEING RETIRED AND HAVING A
MARGARITA SOMEWHERE.
>> WITH THAT, I WILL LET YOU GET
BACK TO SUPPORT TIM AS WE CLOSE
OUT THIS MISSION, CLOSE OUT THIS
LAUNCH ACTIVITY OF TODAY.
>> OKAY.
>> THANKS SO MUCH, OMAR.
WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOU NOW
WITH THIS VIDEO WE SHOWED
EARLIER.
THIS IS A PREVIEW OF THE L.S.P.
MISSIONS FOR THIS YEAR, 2020.
>> WE'RE JUST WAITING TO HEAR
FROM THEM IF SOLAR RAY
DEPLOYMENT AND THAT THEY'RE
GETTING GOOD SUN SIGNALS.
>> ABOUT 1:15 AGO, WE LAUNCHED
HERE FROM THE CAPE CANAVERAL AIR
FORCE STATION ON AN ATLAS FIVE
ROCKET BOUND FOR THE SUN.
THE SOLAR ORBITER SPACECRAFT ON
TOP.
IT WAS A GOOD FLIGHT INITIALLY
OFF THE GROUND, AND NOW WE'RE
GETTING SOME CELEBRATION HERE AT
THE M.D.C., GETTING MORE
INFORMATION ON THAT SOLAR ARRAY
DEPLOYMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, IT JUST
ERUPTED IN APPLAUSE ON THE FRONT
ROW.
THAT IS THE SPACECRAFT TEAM, ALL
FROM OVERSEAS.
THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY AND
THEIR PARTNER WITH AIRBUS
DEFENSE AND SPACE, THEY HAVE
CELEBRATED.
>> YEAH.
WE'VE SEEN THE CELEBRATION HERE
IN THE M.D.C.
HAVEN'T CONFIRMED WHETHER SOLAR
ARAISE WERE DEPLOYED, BUT I'M
GOING TO ASSUME BASED ON THEIR
CELEBRATION THAT SOMETHING IN
THE SEQUENCE HAPPENED THE WAY IT
WAS SUPPOSED TO.
BASED ON THAT, I WOULD SAY THAT
THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL FOR
SOLAR ORBITER, AND WE'LL JUST
WAIT FOR THAT CONFIRMATION,
VERBAL CONFIRMATION, THAT SOLAR
ARRAYS WERE JUST DEPLOYED.
IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING NIGHT WITH
THE LIFTOFF OF THE SOLAR ORBITER
ON THE ATLAS FIVE VEHICLE.
>> IT'S A GOOD MOMENT IN TIME
FOR THIS MISSION WHICH HAS BEEN
GOING FOR 1:17 AS WE APPROACH
JUST 20 MINUTES AFTER 12:00
MIDNIGHT ON THE EAST COAST.
THERE WAS A MOMENT, WE CAN'T
SHOW IT YET, BUT WE SAW IT ON
OUR SCREENS, THAT WE SAW THE
REPLAY OF A SPACECRAFT
SEPARATION EVENT.
OF COURSE, THERE WAS SEPARATION,
BUT TO SEE THAT VISUALLY, IT
LOOKED REALLY GOOD.
>> YEAH.
THE TEAM HAD A CAMERA ON BOARD.
UNFORTUNATELY, BASED ON THE
FLIGHT AND ORBIT THAT WE WERE
PUTTING SOLAR ORBITER INTO, WE
COULD NOT AIR THAT.
BUT THEY'RE VERIFYING THAT VIDEO
AND MAKING SURE IT'S ALL GOOD,
SO I'M SURE IN THE DAYS TO COME,
YOU WILL SEE SOME LIVE VIDEO OF
SOLAR ORBITER'S SEPARATION FROM
THE ATLAS FIVE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS
GOOD TO GET THAT CONFIRMATION
FROM THE SPACECRAFT AND FROM THE
TEAM, THAT EVERYTHING'S GOING
WELL.
AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN THERE,
WE HAVE LIVE COVERAGE FROM THE
M.D.C. HERE AT A.E. ON THE
RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
AND ON THE LEFT, WE HAVE A LIVE
SHOT OF THE ESOC IN GERMANY,
FROM THE GERMANY TEAM.
SO WE HOPE THAT ALL IS
PROGRESSING FORWARD FOR SOLAR
ARRAY DEPLOYMENT ON SOLAR
ORBITER.
>> THAT IS A LIVE VIEW OF THE
CONTROL TEAM THERE, AND THE
OPERATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING
ON THERE.
THOSE PEOPLE, VERY EXCITED
BECAUSE THERE ARE 22 DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES THAT ALL CAME TOGETHER
IN ORDER TO MAKE SOLAR ORBITER
HAPPEN, AND THAT CONTROL ROOM
WAS PART OF THE LAUNCH TODAY,
AND WE'RE GETTING A LIVE PEEK IN
TO HOW THEY DO THINGS OVERSEAS.
>> YEAH.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A VERY
IMPORTANT PART OF THIS MISSION.
THE ESOC IS WHERE THE TEAM --
THE E.S.A. TEAM, AS YOU STATED,
IT CONTROLLING SOLAR ORBITER
RIGHT NOW, AND PERFORMING THEIR
SEQUENCES TO GET THOSE SOLAR
ARRAYS DEPLOYED AND IN POSITION.
THAT TEAM IS MONITORING THE
SPACECRAFT VERY CLOSELY.
THEY'RE RELYING THAT STATUS BACK
TO CESAR GARCIA HERE IN THE
M.D.C.
THAT TEAM IS MAKING SURE THAT
SOLAR ORBITER IS PERFORMING WELL
AND DOING WHAT THEY HAVE TO
ACCOMPLISH TO GET THE SOLAR
ARRAYS OUT.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THAT SITUATION.
>> AS WE AWAIT SOLAR DEPLOY,
SOLAR ARRAY DEPLOYMENT,
CERTAINLY THEY HAVE A LOT OF
WORK TO DO IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE
IT WILL BE SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE
SOLAR ORBITER IS IN POSITION TO
START GATHERING DATA AND DOING
ITS SCIENCE ON THE SUN.
SO THAT OPERATION CENTER IN
GERMANY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT
ON THE LEFT, THEY'VE GOT A LOT
OF WORK AHEAD OF THEM.
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY, AND JUST IN
THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THEY HAVE A
LOT OF CHECKOUT THAT THEY WANT
TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING IS SMOOTH AND WORKING
ON THE ATLAS FIVE TONIGHT.
THEY WANT TO DOUBLE-CHECK AND
TRIPLE CHECK ALL THAT STUFF
BEFORE THEY HEAD ON THEIR WAY.
CHECK OUT THOSE LITTLE APERTURES
ON THE HEAT SHIELD THAT YOU
LIKE.
>> ON THE HEAT SHIELD.
>> THE TEAM WILL BE DOING A LOT
OF CHECKOUT ON THE SATELLITE IN
THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND COMING
YEAR TO MAKE SURE IT'S READY FOR
THAT.
THEY'LL GET INTO THEIR GRAVITY
ASSIST AROUND MERCURY AND VENUS.
THE TEAM WILL BE WORKING HARD
OUT OF THAT ESOC.
>> FROM OUR PRELAUNCH BRIEFING,
WE HEARD FROM CESAR GARCIA,
THERE WERE 800 PEOPLE THAT HAD
COME OVER FROM EUROPE TO BE
HERE, NOT ONLY TO MONITOR THE
LAUNCH -- THEY ARE IN THE FRONT
ROW OF THE MISSION DIRECTOR'S
CENTER, BUT JUST AS TO WITNESS
THE LAUNCH, TO ALSO SUPPORT IT
IN MANY WAYS.
AND WE ALSO JUST HEARD AN
ERUPTION OF APPLAUSE.
>> WE SEE THEM APPLAUDING IN THE
MISSION DIRECTOR'S CENTER.
HAVEN'T HEARD WHAT THAT'S FOR
YET, BUT WE'RE ASSUMING THAT'S
PHASE TWO OF THE SOLAR ARRAY
DEPLOYMENT.
THERE'S SEVERAL STEPS FOR THAT
TO HAPPEN, SO WE'LL HOPEFULLY
HEAR THAT SOON FROM CESAR
GARCIA, AND THINGS WILL BE
MOVING FORWARD.
SO I'M HEARING NOW FROM CESAR
THAT SOLAR ARRAYS ARE DEPLOYED,
AND THEY'RE POSITIVE CONFIRMED,
SO GO CESAR.
>> WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO HIM IN
JUST A FEW MINUTES WHEN CESAR
GARCIA MAKES HIS WAY OVER TO THE
BROADCAST BOOTH.
THAT WAS A PRETTY EXCITED REPORT
THAT HE JUST GAVE, AND GOT A
CONGRATULATIONS FROM TEAM AT
NASA LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM.
>> AS YOU SEE HIM ON THE M.D.C.,
THESE FOLKS DESERVE IT.
THEY SENT A LOT OF YEARS ON THE
SOLAR ORBITER.
THAT'S A HUGE THING.
THEY'LL GET STARTED, AND THEY'RE
HAPPY, BUT THEY WILL GET STARTED
IN THE ESOC AND GET THINGS
CHECKED OUT.
AS YOU HEARD FROM OMAR EARLIER,
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR
US AT THE LAUNCH SERVICES
PROGRAM.
WE'VE GOT MARS 2020 COMING UP
NEXT, WHICH IS ANOTHER ATLAS
FIVE WITH A FEW MORE SOLIDS THAN
WE HAD TONIGHT, BUT THINGS ARE
GOING GREAT FOR SOLAR ORBITER.
SO DARRELL, I'D LIKE TO SAY
THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW
TONIGHT.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING
WITH YOU AND FOLLOWING THIS
MISSION.
AS USUAL, YOU DID A GREAT JOB,
AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, MICK.
THANKS FOR YOUR EXPERTISE.
YOU HAVE BEEN A WEALTH OF
KNOWLEDGE DURING THIS MISSION.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO
NOT ONLY KNOWS THE ROCKET, BUT
KNOWS IT WELL.
YOU WERE GIVING US INSIGHT NOT
ONLY INTO THE FLIGHT, BUT FLIGHT
CONVERSIONS.
WATCHING YOU PECK AWAY AT YOUR
CALCULATOR TO GET THE FIGURES
WRITTEN DOWN.
>> THAT'S GOING TO WRAP IT UP
FOR US AT THE MISSION DIRECTOR'S
CENTER.
LET'S SEND IT BACK TO JOSHUA AND
TIM DUNN.
>> THANK YOU.
NOW, WE CAN SAY WE DID IT.
TIM, CONGRATS TO YOU AND YOUR
TEAM AND EVERYONE HERE AT ESA.
PHENOMENAL EFFORT.
>> JUST GOT OFF THE NET WITH OUR
SPACECRAFT MISSION DIRECTOR,
CESAR GARCIA, AND AS YOU CAN
IMAGINE, HE GAVE ME THE FINAL
TWO MILESTONES THAT THE SOLAR
ARRAYS WERE COMPLETELY DEPLOYED
AS WELL AS THE SOLAR ARRAYS
ACQUIRING THE SUN.
THE VEHICLE'S HEALTHY,
COMPLETELY HEALTHY AND ON ITS
WAY TO THE SUN NOW.
>> AWESOME.
>> REALLY GOOD NEWS.
NOW I CAN CELEBRATE.
>> AWESOME.
DO YOU ALL CELEBRATE
COLLECTIVELY OR DO YOU JUST GO
HOME AND TAKE A NAP?
>> I THINK GIVEN THE HOUR OF
DAY, WE'LL PROBABLY CELEBRATE A
LITTLE BIT TONIGHT, GO HOME,
WE'VE GOT A FEW CELEBRATIONS
PLANNED FOR TOMORROW DURING THE
DAY.
>> YEAH.
SO PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, ON THE
BUSINESS SIDE OF DAYS, WHAT
HAPPENS FOR L.S.L. AFTER THE
LAUNCH?
YOU'RE DONE OR IS THERE MORE
WORK FOR SOLAR ORBITER?
>> WELL, FOR SOLAR ORBITER, WE
HAVE TO REVIEW ALL OF THE DATA
FOR THE ROCKET, SO THAT'S A
PROCESS THAT TAKES MAYBE ON THE
PROCESS OF A MONTH, A MONTH AND
A HALF.
WE WANT TO LOOK AT EVERY LITTLE
BIT OF DATA THAT HAPPENED DURING
THE FLIGHT, ON THE FLIGHT.
EVERYTHING THAT THE DATA IS
TELLING US, WE'RE ALL A BUNCH OF
ENGINEERS.
WE WANT TO SCRUTINIZE THE DATA,
AND IF WE SEE SOMETHING A LITTLE
FUNNY, ADDRESS IT BEFORE WE HAVE
OUR NEXT LAUNCH.
AND CERTAINLY, IF WE WERE TO SEE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE WOULD
LET THE U.L.A. TEAM KNOW.
WE'RE GOING TO BE FLYING THIS
MAGNIFICENT ROCKET ONE MORE TIME
THIS YEAR.
THE ATLAS FIVE IS JUST
INCREDIBLE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, THE
LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM TEAM, MY
TEAM, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO WORKING
RIGHT ALONGSIDE US, MAKING IT
HAPPEN TONIGHT.
AND THEN WE WORKED ALONGSIDE OUR
COLLEAGUES AT THE 45th EASTERN
SPACE WING.
AND I CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT
THANKING OUR SPACE CONTRACTOR,
THE E.S.A.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION,
TEN-PLUS YEARS IN THE MAKING.
A LOT OF CHALLENGES, BUT I'LL
TELL YOU WHAT, WHEN A TEAM IS
FOCUSED ON MISSION SUCCESS,
THAT'S A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE THAT
WE ALL SPEAK, AND HERE WE ARE,
ALL ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT.
>> AND I WISH WE COULD SHARE
SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC WITH
PEOPLE TO KIND OF LET THEM
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO
THANK THAT MANY TEAMS.
THE FACT THAT THERE'S ALL THOSE
TEAMS, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON
THAT, DOING THEIR PART OF THE
PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TO BRING IT
ALL TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS
BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF A
SPACECRAFT IN FLIGHT ON THE WAY
TO THE SUN HAPPEN.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> TIM, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR
TEAM.
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S WORK AND
EFFORT.
IT'S A TEAM SPORT.
SPACE FLIGHT IS A TEAM SPORT.
TIM, I'LL LET YOU GO, AND WE'RE
GOING TO GO BACK OVER TO CESAR
IN HANGAR A.E.
>> WE ARE HERE WITH CESAR
GARCIA, THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR
SOLAR ORBITER.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OVER TO
TALK WITH US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
VERY GOOD MOMENT.
>> TELL ME ABOUT THE MOMENT JUST
A FEW MINUTES AGO WHEN YOU MADE
THE ANNOUNCEMENT?
>> YEAH.
THERE'S SO MUCH A BIT OF TENSION
BEFORE YOU GET THE SIGNAL, AND
WE GOT THE SIGNAL FROM THE
SPACECRAFT PRETTY QUICKLY, AND
THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.
AND THEN, WE HAD TO POINT TO THE
SUN AND DEPLOY THE SOLAR ARRAYS.
THEN, THERE WAS DEPLOYMENT OF
THE ANTENNAS, AND A LITTLE BIT
LONGER FOR THE INFORMATION TO
RECEIVE, SO WE WERE A LITTLE BIT
TENSE.
AND THEN, THERE WAS
CONFIRMATION, SO THE WATER'S
CALM AND THEN IT'S THE MOMENT
THAT YOU GET EXTREMELY HAPPY AND
START HUGGING SO MANY PEOPLE
AROUND.
THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT YOU'VE
WAITED AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF
WORK.
GO SOLAR ORBITER.
IT'S A FANTASTIC MOMENT AND
SOMETHING UNIQUE, IF I MAY SAY.
>> YOU MAY, AND IT WAS CAPPED BY
CELEBRATION.
SAW YOU HUGGING PEOPLE IN THE
ROOM, GIVING HANDSHAKES.
GOING BACK TO 11:03 P.M., FROM
THE LAUNCH HERE AT CANAVERAL AIR
FORCE STATION, WHAT WAS THAT
LIKE FOR YOU HERE INSIDE THE
MISSION DIRECTOR CENTER?
>> WELL, I HAVE TO SAY I
ABANDONED MY POST.
I ACTUALLY PICKED UP THE PHONE
AND CALLED OUR COLLEAGUES IN
ESOC SO I COULD HAVE PERMANENT
CONTACT WITH THEM ON THE PHONE,
AND I RUSHED OUT TO SEE THE
LAUNCH.
IT'S A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE.
AND THEN, LIKE, 15 SECONDS
LATER, STARTED NOT HEARING, BUT
FEELING THE ROAR.
AND THEN, YOU SEE ALL THE
DREAMS, THE EXPECTATIONS, GOING
UP IN THE SKY.
IT WAS A VERY CLEAR SKY.
WE COULD SEE IT MANY SECONDS
GOING SOUTH-SOUTHEAST.
I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO
DESCRIBE IT BUT IT'S LIKE WELL,
WE'RE UNSTOPPABLE.
>> I LOVE THAT YOU ACTUALLY GOT
UP, GOT ON THE PHONE SO THAT YOU
COULD STAY CONNECTED AND GOT
OUTSIDE TO SEE A LAUNCH.
PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND EVEN
THOUGH WHAT TRAVEL FROM
DISTANCES TO WATCH IT, IT'S A
VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
>> YEAH.
WE'VE BEEN HERE A FEW MONTHS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE SOME
OTHER LAUNCHES BEFORE, BUT
NOTHING COMPARES TO ACTUALLY
SEEING YOURS.
>> YOUR SPACECRAFT.
>> WHEN YOUR SPACECRAFT IS GOING
UP, AND AS I SAID, THE DREAMS
AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF SO MANY
PEOPLE GOING UP WITH THE ROCKET
AND WITH THE SPACECRAFT IN THIS
CASE.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND IT WAS FANTASTIC TO SEE
IT UP, AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO
SEE THE TRAJECTORY, THE COASTING
TIME, AND THE SEPARATION, AND
THEN, WHEN THEY START GETTING
THE GOOD SIGNS THAT THE
SEPARATION WAS ADEQUATE, THE
TRAJECTORY WAS ADEQUATE, AND
NOW, WE HAVE POWER ON THE
SPACECRAFT.
NOW, THE SPACECRAFT IS POINTED
TO THE SUN, AND IT'S STARTING
THE NEXT PHASE WHERE WE'LL START
USING DEPLOYABLES AND SYSTEMS.
>> YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK
AHEAD OF YOU, NO DOUBT.
TOUGH PART IS OVER, BUT A COUPLE
YEARS BEFORE THE SCIENCE STARTS,
RIGHT?
>> WELL, THE FIRST FEW DAYS
WHERE WE DO THE BASIC DEPLOYMENT
AND THE BASIC TESTS.
THEN IN FEBRUARY, WE WILL DO A
COMPLETE CHECKUP OF ALL THE
SYSTEMS.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE
SYSTEMS ARE COMPLETELY
OPERATIONAL AND CAN SWITCH TO
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, AND WE WILL
EXPECT TO FINALIZE THIS TESTING
THE END OF JUNE.
SOME INSTRUMENTS WILL START
MEASURING IMMEDIATELY, BUT SOME
INSTRUMENTS WILL WAIT A BIT
LONGER.
BUT YEAH, IN SEVERAL MONTHS, WE
WILL BE ABLE TO START TAKING
DATA.
>> WELL, THAT'S EXCITING.
>> YEAH.
WE ALWAYS SAY WE WANT TO WAIT
FOR 1.5 YEARS UNTIL THE
PERIHELIOS GETS CLOSER, BUT I
THINK WE WILL NOT WAIT TO TAKE
DATA.
>> FIRE UP THOSE INSTRUMENTS AT
THE SUN, GET THEM FIRING UP.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE HERE,
AND I BELIEVE YOU'VE GOT SOME
TATTOO.
>> OH, YEAH.
>> THAT'S A SOLAR ORBITER
TEMPORARY TATTOO.
>> IT'S A TEMPORARY TATTOO, AND
I THINK I WILL WEAR IT WITH
PRIDE.
>> DON'T WASH IT OFF FOR A LONG
TIME.
>> I THINK I MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE
A SHOWER ONE OF THESE DAYS.
>> WELL, CERTAINLY, YOUR IMPRINT
WILL LAST ALONG ON THESE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES.
>> YEAH.
I THINK THE PURPOSE OF THIS
MISSION IS THE PURPOSE OF
MISSIONS BEFORE US, AND IT'S THE
PURPOSE OF GROUND
INSTRUMENTATION, WHICH IS ALSO
INVESTIGATING THE SUN.
AND I THINK IT'S A GROWING
COMMUNITY.
SPACE WEATHER IS GROWING VERY
STRONG.
WE WILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND OUR
SUN BETTER TO SUPPORT OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE BUT ALSO SO WE
CAN MOVE DEEPER INTO THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
>> CESAR GARCIA, PROJECT MANAGER
FOR THE PROJECT TONIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
JOSHUA, WE'LL THROW IT BACK TO
YOU AT ASOT.
>> EVERYBODY, WHAT A PHENOMENAL
SHOW.
THIS IS GOING TO CONCLUDE OUR
LIVE COVERAGE OF SOLAR ORBITER,
DESTINED TO PROVIDE MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SOLAR
COMMUNITY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT
NASA.GOV.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO WORKED
DILIGENTLY BEHIND THE SCENES TO
MAKE THIS BROADCAST HAPPEN.
WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
I'M JOSHUA SANTORA.
FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NASA AND
THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, THANK
YOU FOR JOINING US.
HAVE A GOOD MORNING.
REMEMBER, EVEN THE SKY ISN'T THE
LIMIT.
ROCKET
>> 25 SECONDS.
>> GO, . PLEASE.
>> GO SOLAR ORBITER.
>> THERE, YOU HEARD THE FINAL
SPACE CHECK FOR CENTAUR AND
BOOSTER SPACECRAFT.
THERE WE GO.
T-MINUS TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN,
SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO,
ONE, ZERO.
AND LIFTOFF OF OUR SOLAR
ORBITER, AN INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATION TO GIVE US NEW
IMAGES AND A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF OUR LIFE-GIVING
STAR.
>> AFTER 15 SECONDS.
>> NOW, YOU HEAR THE VOICE OF
U.L.A.'S LAUNCH COMMENTATOR.
>> NOW 25 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT.
CHAMBER PRESSURE ON THE S.R.B.
LOOKS GOOD.
ENGINEERING