>> FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
IN FLORIDA, THIS IS THE
PRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE OR
SPACEX CRS 20.
FINAL LAUNCH IS UNDERWAY FOR THE
LAUNCH AT 11:50 EAST HE WERE
TIME AT CAPE CAPE CANAVERAL AIRE
STATION CARRYING SUPPLIES NO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IN
SUPPORT OF EXPEDITIONS 62 AND
63.
THIS IS THE 20th AND FINAL
RESUPPLY PHYSICIAN UNDER THE
FIRST COMMERCIAL SUPPLY CONTRACT
FOR NASA.
HERE TO DISCUSS IT TODAY ARE OUR
GUESTS, JOEL MONTALBAN KNOW
MANAGER FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION PROGRAM, JENNIFER
BUCKSLY.
HANS, AND MIKE MCLEANEN.
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS SHORTLY.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO GIVE OUR
PANELIST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
OPENING REMARKS, BE JOEL.
>> HELLO, WELCOME TO THE SPACEX
CRS 20 PRELAUNCH BRIEFING.
EVERY TIME YOU'RE ABOUT TO
LAUNCH A VEHICLE TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IT
PUTS A SMILE ON MY FACE AND I'M
HAPPY TO BE HERE AND TALK TO YOU
ABOUT THIS MISSION.
LAUNCH IS 10 MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
EASTERN TIME, A BIRTHING
7:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME ON
MONDAY.
THIS VEHICLE IS BRINGING
APPROXIMATELY 4300 POUNDS OF
CARGO TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, CAR GUY THAT WILL
CONTINUE OUR SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH PROGRAM, CARGO THAT
WILL CONTINUE THE
COMMERCIALIZATION OF LOWER EARTH
EFFORTS WE DO ONBOARD OF THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND
CARGO THAT HELPS US IN OUR
TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS WORK
THAT WE'RE DOING TO SUPPORT THE
ART MISS PROGRAM AND FUTURE
EXPLORATION.
THE VEHICLE WILL STAY ONBOARD 30
DAYS.
AFTER 30 DAYS WILL RETURN AND
BRING BACK APPROXIMATELY
3700 POUNDS OF CARGO FOR OUR
SCIENCE AND RESEARCH CARGO FOR
OUR PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATORS AS
WELL AS HARDWARE FOR ENGINEERS
TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND REFURB IN
SOME CASES.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT TODAY, I'D LIKE TO REMIND
EVERYBODY THIS YEAR WE'RE
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF
CONTINUES HUMAN PRESENCE ONBOARD
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE'LL BE DOING THAT IN NOVEMBER,
NOVEMBER 2 OF THIS YEAR.
SPACEX HAS BEEN A HUGE PART OF
MANY OF OUR SUCCESSES.
AS MENTIONED, THIS FLIGHT IS THE
LAST, COMPLETES THE CARGO REPLY
ONE CONTRACT.
SPACEX HAS DELIVERED
APPROXIMATELY 94,000 POUNDS OF
CARGO TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
THEY'VE RETURNED 74,000 POUNDS
OF CARGO FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
SPACEX WAS THE FIRST U.S.
COMMERCIAL PROVIDER TO BRING A
VISITING VEHICLE, BERTH IT TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
AND RETURN CARGO HOME.
SPACEX WAS THE FIRST U.S.
COMMERCIAL PROVIDER TO FLY MICE
TO THE STATION WHICH HAS BEEN
CRITICAL TO THE RESEARCH
ONBOARD.
THE SPACEX ISS CONTRACT WAS THE
FIRST GOVERNMENT CONTRACT TO
REPLY A STAGE ONE BOOSTER AND
THROUGHOUT THE 20 MISSIONS, NINE
MISSIONS WE'VE HAD DRAGON THE
VEHICLE DO TWO VISITS TO THE ISS
AND THREE INCLUDING THE ONE
LAUNCHING TONIGHT WILL HAVE
THREE VISITS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
HUGE THANKS TO HANS PERSONALLY
AND THE SPACEX TEAM TO
CONTRIBUTING TO THE MANY SUCCESS
WE'VE HAD ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
SPACEX ON THE RECENT FLY TWO
CONTRACT AND ON DELIVERING CREW
TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
HEATHER.
>> THANK YOU, NOW JENNIFER.
>> IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE
AND SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE
SCIENCE WE'LL LAUNCH ON SPACEX
TONIGHT.
THIS DRAGON SPACECRAFT
ACCOMMODATES WITHIN ITS
PRESSURIZED CAN CAB SOOL AS WELL
AS UNPRESSURIZED TRUNK.
IT WILL LAUNCH 1400 KILOGRAMS OF
SCIENCE INCLUDING THE EXTERNALS
AND BRING HOME ABOUT
1200 KILOGRAMS OF SCIENCE WHEN
IT RETURNS.
AS DIVERSE AS HUMAN RESEARCH,
BIO TECHNOLOGY, HUMAN RESEARCH
AND EDUCATION.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ISS
RESEARCH, THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION IS AN INCREDIBLY
CAPABLE ORBITING LAB, INCLUDING
HUMAN RESEARCH, BIOLOGY, EARTH
SCIENCE, PHYSICAL SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL
AS EDUCATION.
OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, WE
PERFORM HUNDREDS OF EXPERIMENTS
ON SPACE STATION.
TO DATE ACROSS OUR PARTNERSHIP
WE PERFORMED 3,000
INVESTIGATIONS AND SERVED OVER
4,000 SCIENTISTS FROM 108
DIFFERENT COUNT RIPS.
RESULTS FROM THESE
INVESTIGATIONS HELP US ADVANCE
AREAS CRITICAL TO BOTH FUTURE
EXPLORATION AS WELL AS BENEFIT
LIFE HERE ON EARTH.
UNDER THE ART MUST PROGRAM, NASA
IS RETURNING TO LUNAR SURFACE
AND PLANS A RETAINED PRESENCE.
WHAT WE LEARN WILL HELP NASA
ACHIEVE IT'S GOALS FOR
EXPLORATION.
ISS SERVES AS AN EXPLORATION
TEST BED WHERE WE CAN TEST OUT
AND REFINE SYSTEMS LIKE LIFE
SUPPORT SYSTEMS, SPACECRAFT
MATERIALS, AND CODINGS AN THINGS
TO HELP US DESIGN BETTER
SPACECRAFT.
HERE ON EARTH BENEFITS FROM MANY
AREAS AS DIVERSE AS MATERIAL
IMPROVEMENT, DRUG DESIGN,
PRODUCTS STABILITY AND IF YOU'D
LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW ISS
RESEARCH BENEFITS HERE ON EARTH,
THE BENEFITS FOR HUMIDITY THIRD
EDITION CAN BE FOUND ON LINE.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR
DRAGON MTF MISSION.
IN THE WHAT'S ONBOARD BRIEFING,
SEVERAL SCIENTISTS GAVE IN
DEPARTMENT EXPLANATION OF THEIR
RESEARCH.
I INVITE YOU TO CHECK THAT OUT.
I'D LIKE TO MENTION A COUPLE OF
HIGHLIGHTS IN TISSUE
ENGINEERING.
TISSUE AND CELL RESEARCH IS A
REALLY ENTERING AREA, 3-D
STRUCTURES, A ASSEMBLE EASIER IN
SPACE.
WE HAVE TWO EXPERIMENTS
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE ISS
NATIONAL LAB AND INSTITUTES OF
HEALTH.
HEART TISSUE LOOKS AT STEM CELLS
DIFFERENTIATE TO BE CARDIAC
CELLS USING 3-D TISSUE CULTURE
TO MIMIC ADULT HEART CELLS AND
MAGNETIC BASE SENSOR TO MEASURE
THE CONTRACT OUT FORCES IN A WAY
THAT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH THE
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THESE
CELLS.
I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO
THE RESULTS ON THAT EXPERIMENT.
THE OTHER ONE AGAIN IS TISSUE
ENGINEERING PROJECT BETWEEN THE
NATIONAL LAB AND THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH AND IT'S AN
ORGAN ON A CHIP, A PROGRAM WE'VE
BEEN DOING FOR TWO YEARS WHERE
WE HAVE BODY SYSTEMS THAT ARE
MIMICKED ON SOMETHING ABOUT THE
SIZE OF A USB DRIVE.
THIS PARTICULAR ONE ON A CHIP
MODELS HOW THE U.S. INTESTINE
RESPONDS TO CHANGES IN
MICROGRAVITY AND CIRCULATORY
SYSTEM, AS WELL.
WE HAVE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS,
MISSY, 13 IS ONE OF OUR CARRIERS
FLYING UP A VARIETY OF SCIENCE
LOOKING AT HOW THE HARSH
ENVIRONMENT OF SPACE AFFECTS
MATERIALS.
SOME ARE POLYMER AND COMPOSITE
RESEARCH, NEW THERMAL DIRECTION
SYSTEM FOR MARS AND LUNAR SAMPLE
13, SHEER THICKENING FLUIDS THAT
CAN HELP SPACE SUIT DESIGN, MORE
RESISTENT TO PUNK AT US AND
TEARS.
>>> TWO NEW FACILITIES, ONE IS A
FLOW CHEMISTRY PLATFORM STUDYING
MICROGRAVITY EFFECTS ON CHEMICAL
REACTIONS.
DR. BEELER MADE A PRESENTATION
YESTERDAY DURING THE WHAT'S
ONBOARD WITH A REAL GOOSE
DESCRIPTION THAT THAT.
CHECK THAT OUT IF YOU'RE
INTERESTED.
WE'RE FLYING A SPONSORED
EXTERNAL FACILITY THAT WILL BE
AVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIAL USE AND
LOCATED OFF THE SIDE OF THE
COLUMBUS MODULE.
TO LERP MORE ABOUT THE RESEARCH
FOR THIS FLIGHT AND UPCOMING
PROJECTS, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
AT ISS UNDERSCORE RESEARCH.
>> HANS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, SPACEX IS
TARGETING AN INSTANTANEOUS
LAUNCH TONIGHT AT 10 MINUTES
BEFORE MIDNIGHT, 11:50 FROM
LAUNCH COMPLEX 40 HERE AND THIS
IS THE SPACEX CRS 20, THE 20th O
THE NATIONAL SPACE STATION.
IN THE EVENT OF BAD WEATHER OR
ANY OTHER ISSUE, WE HAVE ANOTHER
BACK UP OPPORTUNITY ON SATURDAY
NIGHT AT 11:27.
IT MOVES BASICALLY 20 MINUTES
EVERY DAY, RUFFLE.
LATE LOW HAS BEENING CONCLUDED,
WE HAVE 500 POUNDS OF SUPPLIES
AND OTHER SUPPLIES FOR THE SPACE
STATION ALREADY LOADED INTO
DRAGON.
WE JUST SWUNGLY AND SAW THE
VEHICLE WAS VERTICAL ON THE
LAUNCH PAD READY TO GO AND
EVERYTHING LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
WE'RE NOW CHECKING ANY TECHNICAL
ISSUES, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO THAT LAUNCH.
THE BOOSTER SUPPORTING THIS
LAUNCH HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY
LAUNCHED ON THE CS19 MISSION,
THE LAST MISSION WE DID FOR CRS.
IT WILL RETURN TO THE LANDING
ZONE ONE HERE ON THE RANGE ABOUT
EIGHT AND A HALF MINUTES AFTER
LIFT OFF.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
YOU SEE TWO INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION BADGES ON THIS DRAGON,
ALREADY POINTED OUT THIS IS THE
THIRD FLIGHT OF THIS DRAGON.
WE HAVE THREE DRAGONS THAT HAVE
BEEN REUSED AND PREVIOUSLY FLOWN
AND TWO OF THEM HAVE HAD THREE
FLIGHTS EACH.
SO FAR, THIS IS THE THIRD FLIGHT
OF THIS DRAGON AND THE LAST OF
THE DRAGON ONE FLIGHTS.
I THINK WE CAN GO TO THE VIDEO.
SUMMARIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
>> IT WAS WHAT I CALL A
HISTORICAL EVENT IN THE ANNALS
OF SPACE FLIGHT.
>> THIS IS THE FIRST COMMERCIAL
REPLY MISSION TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> AND LIFTOFF OF THE FALCON
NINE ROCKET AND DRAGON.
>> WE HAVE ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL
LAUNCH OF THE LAUNCH VEHICLE,
DRAGON SPACECRAFT CRS4 REPLY
MISSION.
>> THE FIRST DRAGON IS NOW IN
SPACE.
>> IT IS GREAT TO BE HERE WITH
YOU TO COVER THE 19th RESUPPLY
MISSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION FOR NASA.
>> YOU ARE A GO FOR DRAGON
RELEASE ON TIME.
>> DRAGON RELEASE.
>> THIS WAS A LOT OF MISSIONS,
WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE
DID WITH DRAGON ONE.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT DRAGON TWO,
BEGINNING CRS 21 WE WILL BE
USING THE CARGO VERSION OF THIS
SPACECRAFT.
WE HAVE SERVICE, WE SPENT 520
DAYS ATTACHED TO THE STATION AND
THAT'S NOT COUNTING THIS ONE,
AND THEN JOEL ALREADY MENTIONED
THE NUMBER 94,000 POUNDS UP AND
70 SOMETHING THOUSAND POUNDS
DOWN.
THAT'S A LOT OF CARGO, A LOT OF
SUPPLY FOR THE SPACE STATION.
IT'S PRETTY MAJOR
ACCOMPLISHMENT, IN MY OPINION.
THEN ALSO WE'VE BASICALLY USING
DRAGON OR USING THE FLIGHT
PROVEN DRAGON AGAIN, AND HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS THREE TIMES
EACH.
THAT'S GREAT, TOO AND NASA HAS
BEEN HELPING US ON THAT.
WE PUT ALL THE LESSONS LEARNED
IN DRAGON TWO AS MUCH AS WE
COULD AND DRAGON TWO WILL BE
CAPABLE OF FLYING HUMANS.
THAT'S BASICALLY THE NEXT
EVOLUTION ON OUR SIDE.
WE ALSO LEARNED A LOT ABOUT
OPERATIONS.
WE HAVE BEEN A LAUNCH PROVIDER
BEFORE, LAUNCH OPERATOR AND WITH
DRAGON GAME A OPERATOR CAPABLE
OF DOCKING TO THE STATION,
WORKING WITH NASA ON A DAILY
BASIS.
IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
WE ALSO LEARNED SPECIFIC DETAILS
BASICALLY LIKE FOR EXAMPLE
PARACHUTES COME TO MIND, WE'VE
FLOWN THEM ON EVERY LANDING
BASICALLY, THAT'S FIVE, TWO
MAINS ON DRAGON ONE.
EVERY TIME YOU USE THOSE
PARACHUTES, YOU LEARN ABOUT
THEM, YOU FIND OUT AND YOU CAN
HAVE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE NEXT
GENERATION AND THE NEXT
EVOLUTIONARY STEP.
WE ALSO LEARNED FROM OUR
FAILURES, MOST NOTABLE CS7 AND
CS2 WHICH TOSS YOU THE YOU HAVE
TO ASSURE ALL CRITICAL
COMPONENTS AND THEY HAVE TO BE
TESTED.
CRS2 HAD A CHECK OFF.
I HOPE I GOT THE NUMBER RIGHT,
HAD THE OPERATIONAL TEAM, SLOWLY
UNSTUCK THE CHECK DLOV WITH THAT
IT SLAPPED OFF AND WE UNSLAMMED
IT OVER TIME.
IT WAS VERY EXCITING.
CS2 -- ON THE STAGE OF THE --
HAD A FLAW AND WE DIDN'T DETECT
THAT PRIOR TO LAUNCH.
WE LEARNED A LESSON THERE, TOO,
WE GOT TO TEST COMPONENTS IN THE
SAME CONDITION THAT YOU FLY THEM
AND THAT MAKES THE WHOLE
SPACECRAFT A SAFER SPACECRAFT.
ALL IN ALL, DRAGON ONE HAD A
GREAT CAREER AND WE'RE PROUD WE
CONTRIBUTED TO THE IMPORTANT
SCIENCE ABOARD THE ISS.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO NASA FOR THE
ON GOING SUPPORT AND LOOK
FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED SUCCESS
OF DRAGON.
A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO
TOMORROW'S MISSION, COUNTDOWN IS
VERY SIMILAR TO THE LAST
MISSIONS, WE WILL BEGIN LOADING
AT 35 MINUTES PRIOR TO LIFTOFF
ON THE FIRST STAGE AND THAT
ALWAYS AMAZES ME ON THE SECOND
STAGE, WE START LOADING 16
MINUTES PRIOR TO LIFTOFF, IT
GOES REALLY FAST.
FOLLOWING THE STAGE SEPARATION,
LAND ON LANDING ZONE ONE WHILE
THE SECOND STAGE WILL CONTINUE
TO BURN AND DELIVER DRAGON TO
ORBIT.
THE SECOND STAGE SHUT OFF AND
THE LANDING IS ROUGHLY THE SAME
TIME, MAYBE BY 20 SECONDS APART.
EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT THE SAME
TIME THERE.
AFTER THE SECOND STAGE SHUTS
DOWN, DRAGON WILL SEPARATE FROM
FALCON NINE AND THEN IT WILL
DEPLOY THE SOLAR ARRAYS TWO AND
A HALF MINUTES LATER.
THE -- IT WILL BE GRAPPLE WOULD
BY THE STATION'S ARM ON MARCH 9
AROUND 7:00 A.M.
THIS IS EASTERN STANDARD TIME.
BY THAT TIME, I THINK IT'S
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS SO THAT MAKES
IT EIGHT, I THINK.
AND RENDEZVOUS WITH THE SPACE
STATION AND STAY THERE FOR
APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH BEFORE
IT COMES DOWN IT WILL BE LOADED
WITH ANOTHER 4,000 POUNDS OF
DOWNLOAD PAYLOAD AND THEN LAND
IN THE PACIFIC.
I'D LIKE TO CLOSE BY THANKING
MOSTLY REALLY THE DRAGON TEAM.
THIS TEAM HAS DONE INCREDIBLE
WORK OVER THE LAST MORE THAN
EIGHT YEARS, BASICALLY, BECAUSE
WE STARTED EARLIER, PROBABLY 10,
12 YEARS, THEY'VE DONE
INCREDIBLE JOB ON GETTING DRAGON
READY TO FLY AND PERFORMING
FLAWLESSLY ON ALL THESE
MISSIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY THANK YOU
OUR CUSTOMER, NASA, FOR
SUPPORTING US AND OUR PARTNERS
AT THE AIR FORCE FOR THEIR
TREMENDOUS SUPPORT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL
LAUNCH TOMORROW.
TONIGHT.
>> THANK YOU, HANS.
FINALLY WEATHER IS ALWAYS A
FACTOR FOR A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH,
MIKE, CAN YOU TELL US HOW
TONIGHT'S FORECAST IS LOOKING?
>> SURE.
WE HAD A CHANGE IN AIR MASS
SINCE YESTERDAY, FLIRTING WITH
THE 90'S YESTERDAY AND I THINK
WE'RE BARELY FLIRTING WITH THE
70'S TODAY, SO MAKES IT I GUESS
WINTER'S NOT QUITE DONE JUST YET
BUT TO CHANGE THAT IS A LOT OF
WIND.
THAT'S THE PRIME FACTOR WE'RE
LOOKING AT TONIGHT, LOW LEVEL
WINDS FOR LIFTOFF.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE STRONG
UPLOAD LIFTS AS WELL BUT THE
WINDS INCREASE GALLI WITH
HEIGHT, 120 KNOT'S ABOVE US AT
LIFTOFF, THEY INCREASE
GRADUALLY.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE OK FOR
UPPER LEVEL.
WE'LL GO TO THE SATELLITE
PICTURE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, CLOUDS MOVED
DOWN TO THE SOUTH THROUGH THE
DAY.
YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT WHAT WE
CALL TRANSVERSE BANDING OVERHEAD
INDICATIVE OF THE JETSTREAM
OVERHEAD.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE
PUSHING THAT COOLER AIR ISSUE,
THE WINDS ARE GOING TO STAY UP
FOR THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS, THAT'S
GOING TO BE A LITTLE BLUSTERY,
BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE
OK.
CAN WE GO TO THE FORECAST DAY
ONE.
>> HERE'S OUR FORECAST FOR
TONIGHT, AGAIN, VERY FEW CLOUDS
IN THE UPPER LEVELS, JUST THE
JET SIR RUSS AROUND.
WINDS WILL BE BRUSHING OUT OF
THE NORTH 25-30 MILES AN HOUR.
IT IS BELOW LIFTOFF CONSTRAINTS
FROM THE NORTH BUT IT'S PRETTY
CLOSE, 30% OH TO 40% IS THE
CHANCE OF THOSE THINGS
BUMPINGINGS UP A LITTLE HIGHER
THAN FORECAST.
THEY'VE BEEN A LITTLE UNDER
FORECAST TODAY, A LITTLE LOWER
THAN I FORECAST, SO THAT BODES
WELL.
IF WE WERE PUTTING OUT A
FORECAST TODAY, WE MIGHT BE DOWN
TO 30%, SO CERTAINLY COME OUT
AND CHECK IT OUT TONIGHT.
I WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION
TO THE RIGHT HANDS THE SCREEN
THERE WHAT WE CALL OTHER RISK
CRITERIA.
WE'RE TRYING TO DO A BETTER JOB
OF COMMUNICATING THESE THINGS
THAT ARE NOT EXACT AND ARE NOT
LOCAL, SO EVERYTHING THAT'S
WEATHER RELATED IS NOT ROLL
WOULD INTO THE PROBABILITY OF
VIOLATION THAT YOU SEE THERE.
SOME THINGS ARE NOT CALCULABLE,
CALCULATABLE, WHATEVER, THEY ARE
NOT EASY TODAY, JUST LIKE SAYING
THAT WORD.
WE PUT THOSE OTHER RISK CRITERIA
IN THERE AND THAT'S BASICALLY IN
A NAME, UPPER LEVEL WIND SHEER,
RECOVERY, WHICH IS TYPICALLY
GOING TO OCCUR OFFSHORE.
IF THIS WAS OFFSHORE, WE'D
PROBABLY BE VERY HIGH RISK FOR
THAT, WAVES ARE EIGHT TO 10 FEET
JUST OFF SHEAR AND THEY'LL BE
HIGHER THAN THAT IN RECOVERY.
THAT WOULD BE HIGH.
IT'S MODERATE BECAUSE THERE IS A
LANDING WIND CONSTRAINT.
IT'S ABOUT THE SAME AS LIFTOFF.
I THINK IF WE CAN GET THE THING
IN THE AIR, WE'LL LAND WITHOUT A
PROBLEM.
WE'LL MONITOR THAT.
THE SUN IS NOT LOCAL OR NOT
SIMPLE, SO THAT'S ANOTHER OF THE
THREE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO
COMMUNICATE TO YOU.
SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST LOW LEVEL
WINDS REALLY TONIGHT.
UPPER LEVEL WINDS LOOK GOOD,
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE STRONG.
IT GETS THERE SLOWLY.
THAT'S THE KEY, IT'S NOT HOW
STRONG THEY ARE, IT'S HOW QUICK
THEY CHANGE WITH HEIGHT.
BACKUP DAY, IF WE GO TO THE NEXT
DAY, LOOKS GREAT, CLOUDS STAY
GOOD, WINDS BECOME MORE
EASTERLY, DIE OFF A LITTLE BIT,
THAT WEAKENS THEM A BIT, REALLY
JUST A 10% CHANCE.
I DON'T THINK WE'LL SEE MUCH IN
THE WAY OF CLOUDS AND THAT'S A
LITTLE SUPERSTITION NOT TO SEE
THE C WORD ON THERE.
THAT LOOKS GOOD IF WE CAN TO THE
BACKUP DAY.
HERE'S HOPING FOR A GOOD LAUNCH
AND GOOD LANDING AND IT SHOULD
BE GOOD PICTURES OUT THERE.
THANKS.
>> WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR
TO QUESTIONS NOW IN THE ROOM AS
WELL AS BY PHONE.
FOLLOWING ON SOCIAL MEDIA,
PLEASE USE THE HASH TAG ASK NASA
TO ASK YOUR QUESTION.
PLEASE WAIT FOR THE MICROPHONE
TO COME TO YOU.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION
AND TO WHOM YOU ARE DIRECTING
YOUR QUESTION.
WE'LL START IN THE FRONT ROW.
>> IRENE WITH AVIATION WEEK FOR
JOEL.
COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT NASA'S DOING TO
PREPARE FOR A UNDER STAFFING OF
U.S. CREW ON STATIONBILITY FOR
THIS HANDOVER PERIOD AND THEN
WHEN THE APRIL LAUNCH FLIES,
WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING ON DOING
FROM THEN UNTIL COMMERCIAL CREWS
START FLYING OR ANOTHER SEAT
BECOMES AVAILABLE ON THE SOYUZ
FROM THE OPERATION SIDE.
>> WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF
THINGS.
WE'VE WORKED WITH OUR RUSSIAN
COLLEAGUES TO TRAIN THE
COSMONAUTS AND HELP US OUT IF WE
HAVE TO DO AN EMERGENCY SPACE
WALK AS WELL AS THE ROBOTICS TO
SUPPORT THAT SPACE WALK.
THE RUSSIAN CREW MEMBERS HAVE
THE NECESSARY TRAINING TO HELP
US IF WE HAVE TO DO A SPACE
WALK.
WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT
WE'RE FLYING ON THESE MISSIONS
AND SETTING UP.
IF YOU WOULD SOMETHING REALLY
INTENSIVE THAT REQUIRED TWO CREW
MEMBERS, WE'VE BACKED OFF ON
THAT AND WE'RE FLYING TO SCIENCE
THAT'S MORE SUITABLE FOR ONE
CREW MEMBER.
FROM A SUPPORT, WE CAN OPERATE
THE SPACE STATION LIKE THIS,
WE'RE GOOD, YOU KNOW, FOR --
UNTIL WE'RE READY FOR THE
COMMERCIAL PROVIDERS THAT BE
FLYING, SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO WITH
THE CREW MEMBERS WE HAVE.
>> I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR HANS.
WERE THERE ANY -- WHAT WAS THE
RESULT OF THE LANDING, THE
BOOSTER LANDING ON FEBRUARY 17,
WHY DID THAT NOT -- WHY WASN'T
THAT SUCCESSFUL AND WERE THERE
ANY CHANGES MADE FOR THIS
FLIGHT?
>> SO AT THE END, WE LOOKED AT
THAT PARTICULAR LANDING.
THE BOOSTER DID NOT LAND ON THE
JUNCTION, THEY DECIDED AT ONE
POINT IN TIME TO DIVERT AND NOT
ENDANGER THE SHIP.
THEY DID THAT PRIMARILY BECAUSE
THE WINDS THAT IT IN COUNTERED
WERE NOT THE WINDS THAT WERE
PREDICTED.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> NOT MY FAULT AT ALL.
BUT I MEAN, WE RELY ON CERTAIN
MODELS BASICALLY AND THE MODELS
INDICATED THAT THE WINDS WILL
SHIFT RIGHT AROUND THE LANDING
TIME.
WE TRIED TO TAKE THIS INTO
ACCOUNT AND WE WERE A LITTLE BIT
UNFORTUNATE THE WAY WE TRIED TO
ESTIMATE THAT I WOULD SAY.
SO WE DID SOME BETTER PREDICT,
PROTECTIVE TOOLS BETTER.
WE THINK WE HAVE BETTER DATA IN
GENERAL, HOWEVER IT ACTUALLY
DOES NOT REALLY APPLY FOR THIS
PARTICULAR LANDING, BECAUSE IT'S
MUCH EASIER TO LAND ON THE
LANDING ZONE ONE IT'S MUCH
BIGGER, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
TIMES BIGGER BUT THE SHIP IS
RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO THE
BOOSTER AROUND THE LANDING ZONE
IS RELATIVELY LARGE SO IF YOU
DRIFT TO THE LEFT AROUND TO THE
RIGHT OR NORTH AND SOUTH IT
DOESN'T REALLY MATTER IN THIS
CASE, WE ALSO HAVE MUCH BETTER
WIND PREDICTION IN THIS CASE FOR
THIS LANDING ZONE, SO IT MAKES
IT EASIER TO LAND AND I'M NOT
CONCERNED FOR THAT LANDING
BECAUSE OF THAT.
>> OK, WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER
QUESTION IN THE FRONT ROW.
>> CHRIS WITH NASA SPACE FLIGHT,
SINCE ELON AND SPACE X LIKE TO
PUT TRINKETS FOR VARIOUS THINGS
IS THERE ANYTHING NOT CARGO
RELATED TO LINK IT BACK TO THE
HISTORY OF DRAGON ONE AND ALSO
FOR HANS, WHAT'S THE EXACT TO
THE SECOND LAUNCH TIME?
>> SO ON THE FIRST PART, NOBODY
TOLD ME, THEY ONLY TELL ME AFTER
THE PRESS CONFERENCE, SO IT'S A
SURPRISE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY
ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT ON THERE,
FRANKLY.
MIGHT BE A PICTURE OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT TO SIGN.
IT'S 23:50:31.
IT'S 37 ON THE BACKUP DAY.
>> LET'S TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION
IN THE ROOM ON THIS SIDE.
KEN.
>> KEN KRAMER FOR ROCKET -- FOR
HANDS, I HAVE A QUESTION, CAN
YOU TALK ABOUT THE DRAGON TWO
CARGO VERSION COMING UP NEXT,
THE PRODUCTION AND THE TESTING
AND MANUFACTURE OF THAT.
WHEN I SAY IT GOING TO BE READY
AND HOW MANY REFLIGHTS WILL THAT
BE CAPABLE OF?
>> GOOD QUESTION, THANK YOU.
SO CARGO DRAGON TWO AND TWO
DRAGON IS SIMILAR.
IT DOESN'T HAVE CERTAIN PARTS
LIKE THE ESCAPE SYSTEM IS NOT ON
THE CARGO DRAGON.
LET'S SEE, IT HAS A SMALLER LIFE
SUPPORT SYSTEM INSIDE, AND IT
ALSO DOES NOT HAVE THE PANELS,
OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T HAVE THE
SEATS, EITHER, SO ALL THESE
PARTS ARE NOT ON CARGO DRAGON,
MAKING IT BIGGER THAN THE
CURRENT DRAGON, ABOUT 20% MORE
VOLUME AT THE SAME UP MASS THAT
YOU CURRENTLY HAVE.
LET'S SEE, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS
OF BUILDING IT RIGHT NOW.
I BELIEVE WE ARE SHOOTING FOR A
FALL LAUNCH ON CARGO DRAGON TWO,
AND LET'S SEE, I THINK I
ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, RIGHT?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT YOUR
OTHER QUESTION WAS HOW MANY
TIMES CAN YOU FLY.
I BELIEVE WE DESIGNED IT FOR
FIVE TIMES.
>> WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION
HERE IN THE ROOM.
ANTONIO.
>> HI, AN TONYA WITH FLORIDA
TODAY.
MY QUESTION IS FOR HANS.
CAN YOU TELL US WHY FALCON'S
BOOSTER WILL BE LANDINGS AT ZONE
ONE INSTEAD OF A DRONE SHIP?
>> IT DEPENDS AT THE END OF THE
DAY ON HOW MUCH PERFORMANCE WE
HAVE OR HOW MUCH WE NEED FOR OUR
MISSION AND HOW MUCH WE HAVE
LEFT FOR OUR LANDING.
IN SOME CASES, WE SHOWS THE
FORWARD LANDING OR THE LANDING
ON THE DRONE SHIP BECAUSE WE
HAVE NOT ENOUGH TO GO BACK BUT
THE MOMENT WE HAVE ENOUGH POWER
TO GO BACK, THE LANDING ZONE IS
USUALLY OUR PREFERRED CHOICE.
>> ANOTHER QUESTION HERE.
>> JOHN MCGILL WITH LINE DOT
CABLE AND NEWS, FOR HANS.
NOW WITH THE CARGO DRAGON
VERSION TWO, ARE YOU GOING TO BE
ABLE TO AUTONOMOUSLY DOCK THAT
ONE.
>> YEAH, ACTUALLY THAT'S A GOOD
POINT.
I DIDN'T MENTION THE DIFFERENT
WAY IN DOCKING BETWEEN DRAGON
ONE AND DRAGON TWO.
DRAGON ONE BERTH, IT GETS
GRAPPLE WOULD BY THE ROBOTIC ARM
OF THE SPACE STATION AND THEN
THE STATION BASICALLY DRIVES IT
TO, THAT DOOR IS A LITTLE BIGGER
THAN THE DOCKING DOOR.
ON THE OTHER SIDE IF YOU DOCK
IT, YOU DON'T NEED THE ARM, YOU
CAN USE THE ARM PLUS SOMETHING
ELSE IN THE MEANTIME, YOU DON'T
DEPEND ON IT.
THE MISSION ABOUT A YEAR AGO
DEMONSTRATED THE DOCKING OF
DRAGON TWO VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
I REALLY WAS SURPRISED ON HOW
FAST IT IS COMPARED TO THE USUAL
APPROACH THAT WE HAVE WITH
DRAGON ONE.
SO THERE'S ADVANTAGES TO BOTH.
IF YOU HAVE BIG PIECES, YOU WANT
THE DOOR MECHANISM.
IF YOU HAVE ASTRONAUTS.
YOU DON'T WANT THE ARM.
IT'S LESS STREAM LINED IF YOU
USE THE DOCKING PORT.
>> AT QUESTION IN FRONT.
CHRIS.
>> IRENE WITH AVIATION WEEK FOR
HANS.
YESTERDAY YOU ALL HAD SOME
PRETTY EXCITING NEWS ABOUT THE
CONTRACT WITH AXIOM.
CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT WHERE
YOU SEE THE MATURITY OF THE CREW
DRAGON PROGRAM, HOWEVER THAT
WILL NEED TO BE DEVELOPED BEFORE
YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND DO A
COMMERCIAL MISSION, IN OTHER
WORDS HOW MANY OPERATIONAL OF
THE NASA MISSIONS DO YOU HAVE
UNDER YOUR BELT BEFORE YOU WOULD
DO THE CREW FLIGHT?
>> LIKE YOU SAID, THAT'S BRAND
NEW, BASICALLY, JUST YESTERDAY.
I HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO
DIG INTO THAT, TOO.
IF I COUNT CORRECTLY, WE HAVE AT
LEAST DEMOED TWO CREW RUN AND
POSSIBLY CREW TWO, I'M NOT SURE
EXACTLY WHEN THOSE MISSIONS ARE
GOING TO FLY.
I HEARD THE YEAR WAS 2021.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A HANDFUL
OF OTHER MISSIONS AHEAD OF THAT
BASICALLY.
>> CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE
WHERE YOU ARE WITH THE PARACHUTE
TESTS WITH THE PREGAG GONE.
>> ALMOST DONE.
THREE TESTS, ONE WAS PERFORMED
TWO DAYS AGO, WE HAVE TWO MORE
TESTS TO PERFORM ON MOST OF THE
CASES.
FOR THE PARACHUTE I'M CONFIDENT
WE HAVE AN ENORMOUSLY LARGE TEST
SERIES BEHIND US, VERY
SUCCESSFUL, AND I'M ACTUALLY
REALLY EXCITED ABOUT HOW WE
COMPLETED THE PARACHUTE PROGRAM
AND WHAT HAPPENED, HOW WE TURNED
SOMETHING THAT WAS A CONCERN
INTO A VERY SUCCESSFUL TEST
PROGRAM.
>> OK, WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER
QUESTION IN THE ROOM HERE.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR HANS,
ROBIN FROM SUPER CLUSTER, HANS
WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON
FROM CARGO DRAGON TO SPACEX IS
APPLYING TO ITS LONG TERM
VISION, THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO
GET TO THE MOON AND MARS, WHAT'S
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU'VE
LEARNED FROM CARGO DRAGON.
>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION.
IF I HAD TO BOIL IT DOWN TO ONE
THING, YOU LEARN SO MANY THINGS,
WE LEARNED TO OPERATE THE
SPACECRAFT, WE LEARNED HOW TO
DOCK AND BERTH AT THE STATION,
WE LEARNED HOW TO WORK WITH
NASA, WITH HOUSTON AND HOW TO DO
ALL THESE THINGS AND HOW TO
BECOME BASICALLY A SPACE
OPERATOR.
SO MANY LESSONS.
HOW TO RECOVER IT IN THE OCEAN,
HOW TO BASICALLY REFURBISH IT
AND MAKE IT SAFE TO FLY AGAIN.
ALL OF THESE THINGS BASICALLY,
IT'S HARD TO PUT REALLY ONE
THING IN THERE.
I PROBABLY THINK ABOUT YOUR
QUESTION A LITTLE BIT AND COME
UP WITH AN ANSWER, BUT RIGHT
NOW, I WOULD SAY TEST AND FLY
AND JUST NEVER GIVE UP ON
DILIGENCE AND RIGOR AND
ENGINEERING.
THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KEEP
THESE PROGRAMS RUNNING.
>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A CALL
NOW BY PHONE.
STEVEN CLARK.
GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY
CALL.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR JOEL.
IF THE DRAGON LAUNCHES TONIGHT,
CAN YOU GIVE ME THE PRECISE
DEPARTURE DATE PLAN FOR THIS
MISSION AND ALSO, IS THERE ANY
CARGO IN THIS MISSION GOING UP
FOR DOUG HURLY AND BOB MINKEN TO
SUPPORT THEIR POSSIBLE EXTENDED
STAY ON THE SPACE STATION ON THE
DEMO TWO MISSION, ANYTHING ON
THIS MISSION GOING UP TO KEEP
THAT EXTENDED DEMO TWO MISSION
WITHIN YOUR TRADE DECISION
SPACE.
THANKS.
>> OK, SO ON THE FIRST QUESTION,
AS FAR AS DURATION, GENERALLY WE
PLAN ABOUT 30 DAYS, AND THEN
THAT WILL BE BASED ON THE
WEATHER AT THE TIME AS WELL AS
THE SCIENCE WE HAVE ONBOARD TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE COMPLETE WITH
THE SCIENCE.
WE'VE BEEN RUNNING THESE
MISSIONS ABOUT 30 DAYS.
I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE BUT
PLAN 30 DAYS FROM BERTHING AND
THEN BASED ON THE WEATHER, AS
WELL AS BASED ON THE SCIENCE
WE'RE DOING WITH THIS PARTICULAR
MISSION.
THAT'S WHAT WE'LL USE TO PICK
THE LANDING DATE.
AS FAR AS CREW SUPPLIES, ON THIS
MISSION, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE
FLYING ANY CREW SUPPLIES FOR THE
DEMO TWO CREW.
>> OK, WE'LL TAKE A QUESTION
HERE IN THE ROOM BACK THERE.
>> WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM
TWITTER FOR HANS.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE CAPSULE
AFTER IT RETURNS TO EARTH.
>> WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE
CAPSULE WHEN IT RETURNS TO
EARTH?
OK.
WE WILL RECOVER IT, PUT IT ON
THE ROAD, BACK TO THE HARBOR,
UNLOAD IT, HAND OVER THE CARGO
TO NASA AND THINK ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THAT
CAPSULE.
GOOD QUESTION, ACTUALLY.
>> TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION HERE IN
THE ROOM ON THE AISLE.
>> JOURNAL OF THE SAN JUAN'S FOR
HANS.
AFTER FIVE USES CAN THE MOTOR BE
REPLACED AND AIR FRAME CONTINUE
TO BE USED?
>> IN TERMS YOU'RE TALKING
DRAGON TWO BASICALLY, RIGHT?
>> YEAH, DRAGON.
>> I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT
COMPLICATED IN THAT SENSE,
BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY MOTOR, DO
YOU MEAN THE SUPER DRACO.
IF WE RUN SUPER DEGREE CO, I'M
NOT SURE IF WE CAN USE THAT
CAPSULE AGAIN WITHOUT SERIOUS
REFURBISHMENT.
THE DRAWING CO'S ON THE OTHER
SIDE HAVE A LONGER LIFETIME.
THE NUMBER FIVE RIGHT NOW IS A
DESIGN NUMBER, A LOT OF THAT
DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU ACTUALLY
WHEN YOU COME BACK, WHETHER YOU
FIND CORROSION OR WHETHER YOU
FIND WEAR AND TEAR AND ALL THESE
THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW ENGINEERED.
IN REALITY, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO
RUN THE CAPSULE SIX TIMES OR
FOUR TIMES DEPENDING WHAT WE
FIND.
I WOULD PROBABLY WAIT UNTIL
THEN.
WE ALSO LEARNED IN OUR
REFURBISHMENT PROGRAMS ON DRAGON
AND FALCON WHICH PARTS HAVE TO
BE EXCHANGED AND WHICH CAN LIVE
LONGER AND EXPECTED TO LIVE.
IT'S A LOT OF LEARNING
EXPERIENCE TO REFURBISH
SPACECRAFT.
>> FOLLOW UP, IF I COULD.
HOW MUCH PAYLOAD WOULD YOU GAIN
IF YOU CONFIGURE THIS SHIP TO BE
SINGLE USE?
>> I DON'T THINK THERE'S MORE
PAYLOAD IN THAT, FRANKLY.
>> I'M JUST ASSUMING THERE'S
FUEL AND MECHANISMSES BEING USED
TO RELAND.
>> SO, OK, ENGINEERING
PRINCIPLES, RIGHT, YOU DESIGN
THINGS A LITTLE BIT STURDIER FOR
FIVE LAUNCHES OR 10 LAUNCHES OR
20 LAUNCHES, YEAH, BUT I BELIEVE
BETWEEN THAT IN ITSELF IS
PROBABLY NOT THAT MUCH, SO I
REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO
BE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE.
>> WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION
FROM THE ROOM IN THE FRONT.
>> SKY NEWS CANADA.
ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR THE ISS
TO BE ABLE TO DOCK MORE THAN ONE
SPACECRAFT AT A TIME?
>> WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS
ONCE WE'RE FLYING THE COMMERCIAL
PROGRAM WE'LL BE DOCKING TWO
VEHICLES AT THE SAME TIME WHERE
YOU'LL HAVE A DIRECT HAND OVER,
ONE VEHICLE WILL COME UP AND
STAY FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS, THE
NEXT VEHICLE WILL COME UP BEFORE
THAT VEHICLE LEAVES, THERE WILL
BE A SHORT HANDOVER SO AT THAT
TIME YOU'LL HAVE TWO VEHICLES
DOCKED AT THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
>> ARE THERE PLANS FOR MORE?
IT.
>> NOW WE HAVE TWO DOCKING
PORTS, WE STILL HAVE THE PORTS
ON THE RUSSIAN SIDE.
YOU'LL HAVE A SOYUZ DOCKED AS
WELL AS SPECIAL VEHICLES BUT FOR
THE U.S. TWO AT A TIME.
>> WITH ORLANDO SENTINEL BY
PHONE, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR
QUESTION.
>> HI, THANKS FOR DOING THIS,
EVERYONE.
FOR HANS, WE GOT AN UPDATE FROM
BOEING ABOUT HANDLING TESTING
GOING FORWARD DUE TO THE ANOMALY
WITH SKYLINER AND DISCUSSION
WHETHER THERE WILL BE SPILLOVER
TO THE OTHER PROGRAMS.
I'M WONDERING WHAT SPACEX'S
TESTING PROCESS USUALLY LOOKS
LIKE AND HAVE YOU HEARD FROM
NASA ABOUT REEVALUATING WHAT YOU
ALL DO WITH CREW DRIVING.
>> IF I HEARD YOU RIGHT, YOU'RE
ASKING WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR
SOFTWARE TESTING AND IF I HEARD
FROM NAVY, I DIDN'T REALLY CATCH
THAT.
LET ME -- OK, LET ME ANSWER YOUR
FIRST QUESTION, BASICALLY.
WE TEST SOFTWARE A LOT.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY SOMETHING
THAT'S CALLED A -- SIMULATOR.
IT'S BASICALLY A TABLE FULL OF
ALL THE COMPONENTS ON DRAGON,
ANOTHER ON FALCON AND THERE'S AN
ELABORATE RECORDING CERTAIN
PARTS.
IF YOU IMAGINE THAT, YOU WOULD
SIMULATE WHAT THE IMU OR THE
GYRO BASICALLY MEASURES AND THE
GPSM AND YOU WOULD RECORD WHAT
THE TRUST FACTOR CONTROL ON THE
ROCKET BASICALLY DOES, YEAH, AND
YOU RUN THIS IN THIS CASE IT'S
RELATIVELY EASY, TAKES 10
MINUTES, RUNS IN REALTIME, SO
YOU CAN BASICALLY RUN THIS EVERY
10 MINUTES AND THAT'S WHAT WE
DO.
WE HAVE A SYSTEM SET UP THAT
WHENEVER YOU MAKE A CHANGE ON
SOFTWARE, IT RUNS THROUGH A
CERTAIN SYSTEM OF TESTS AND ALSO
DOES THIS PARTICULAR TEST WHICH
WE CALL HEART IN THE LOOP.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE SUPER CAREFUL
TO DO THIS TEST RIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT GETS.
YOU COULD OF AN ERROR IN THE
POUR LARRITY OF THE IMU BOTH ON
THE REAL, SIMULATED IM UP ON THE
COMPUTER AND THE IM UP ON THE
TABLE.
WE DO A TEST ON THE ACTUAL
SPACECRAFT.
THEY MOVE THE IMU AND WE TEST
THAT EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED
PROPERLY.
THAT'S HOW YOU FILL ALL THOSE
TEST GAPS.
LAST NOT LEAST, THERE ARE
CERTAIN THINGS LIKE CALIBRATION
THAT YOU HAVE TO REVIEW.
IT'S A VERY ELABORATE SYSTEM
THAT REVIEWS CONFIGURATION FILES
AND MAKES SURE THAT THEY ARE
SIGNED OFF AND THAT THERE IS A
PROPER PAPER TRAIL ALL THE WAY
DOWN TO THE SENSOR INFORMATION
THAT WE GET FROM THE VENDOR OR
WE GET FROM OUR OWN ACCEPTANCE
TEST.
ALL THAT TOGETHER, LAST NOT
LEAST ALSO SOMETHING CALLED A
UNIT TEST, YOU TEST A FUNCTION
IN SOFTWARE EVERY TIME YOU
BASICALLY COMPILE THIS PIECE OF
SOFTWARE, SO IT HELPS YOU
BASICALLY, THIS FUNCTION IS
STILL WORKING LIKE IT USED TO
WORK.
THAT'S A WAY TO ACTUALLY FIND
WHEN HE BREAK COMPONENTS EARLY
AND IT ALLOWS YOU TO REALLY TEST
QUICKER AND TO TEST ALSO BETTER.
ALL OF THIS TOGETHER BASICALLY
IS OUR APPROACH TO SOFTWARE, AND
IT'S, I CANNOT -- I CAN'T
IMAGINE A BETTER APPROACH.
I CANNOT IMAGINE AN APPROACH
THAT TESTS MORE.
IT TESTS BASICALLY CONTINUOUSLY
AND IN MY OPINION, THAT IS AN
EXCELLENT WAY OF TESTING EVEN
COMPLICATED SOFTWARE, WHICH IN
MY, ALSO MY OPINION SHOULD BE
TESTED EVEN MORE CAREFULLY.
>> WE'LL COME BACK IN THE ROOM.
>> CHRIS WITH NASA SPACE LIGHT
FOR HANS.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE
TESTING AND YOU KNOW ALWAYS
GOING FORWARDED INDEPENDENT
DESIGN ITERATIONS.
A COUPLE OF SIR RUSS CARGO
FLIGHTS AGO, THERE WAS A CARGO
FLIGHT THAT HAD A LITTLE GRAY
STRIPE ON IT TESTING THERMAL
CONDITION OF THE PROPELLANTS,
HOW DID THAT GO SINCE WE HAVEN'T
SEEN IT REAPPEAR.
>> IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THIS PARTICULAR GRAY POD WAS ON
THE FUEL TANK AND WE WANTED TO
TEST IF YOU CAN KEEP THE FUEL AT
THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE FOR A LONG
DURATION MISSION.
I BELIEVE IT WORKED AS WE WANTED
IT TO DO.
WE ARE ONLY GOING TO DO THIS IF
WE HAVE A REALLY LONG DURATION
MISSION ON THE SECOND STAGE SO
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU DO LIKE A
COUPLE HOURS OF COAST AND THEN
DO ANOTHER BURN, THAT'S WHAT
THIS IS BASICALLY GOOD FOR.
FOR NORMAL MISSIONS OR THE
DURATION IS RELATIVELY SHORT ON
THE SECOND STAGE, TYPICALLY 45
MINUTES FOR THE SECOND BURN AND
MAYBE ANOTHER 40, 50 MINUTES FOR
THE OVER BURN.
THESE ARE VERY SPECIFIC AND
SPECIAL MISSION THAT WE TEST
THAT FOR.
FROM WHAT I REMEMBER FROM THE
DATA REVIEW, IT WENT ALL WELL.
>> THE FOLLOW UP, FOR DRAGON
TWO, DO YOU GUYS HAVE THE
CAPABILITY TO FLY MORE OF THEM
AT ONE TIME IN ORBIT?
>> LIKE JOEL POINTED OUT, WE
ALMOST HAVE TO.
THE HANDOVER ON THE STATION AND
THAT MIGHT ALSO BE CARGO
MISSIONS GOING ON AT THE SAME
TIME, SO IN OUR VISION, THAT'S
GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, THREE,
MAYBE FOUR AT THE SAME TIME,
RIGHT?
SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE THE ABILITY
TO DO THAT, AND THE CAPABILITY.
>> OK WE HAVE TIME FOR JUST A
FEW MORE QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GO HERE TO THE RIGHT SIDE.
>> JOHN MCGILL WITH CABLE AND
NEWS FOR HANS.
HANS, WITH THE DRAGON TWO, NOW
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
THAT'S GOING TO BE LAUNCHED AT
39A.
WILL IT STILL BE ABLE TO LAUNCH
AT SLICK 40 IF NEED BE?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
SO TWO DRAGON RAUNCH IS FROM
39A.
IT DOESN'T NEED THE LAUNCH TO
YOUR AND THE BRIDGE, THE WALK
WAY OVER TO THE CAPSULE
OBVIOUSLY ON THE CARGO DRAGON,
WE HAVE TYPICALLY A DEVICE THAT
PERFORMS DELAYED LOAD AND WE
HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY THERE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU PLAN TO
LAUNCH FROM BOAT BUT I DON'T SEE
A PROBLEM NOT TO DO THAT
FRANKLY.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT GROUND
SUPPORT EQUIPMENT WE USE FOR THE
LATE LOADS THERE.
>> OK.
DOWN HERE IN FRONT.
>> IRENE, AVIATION WEEK.
YOU GOT TO THREE ON THE DRAGON
ONE BUT WHAT WAS THE DESIGN OF
DRAGON ONE INITIALLY FOR
REUSABILITY AND HOW MANY
VEHICLES DO YOU HAVE, AND I KNOW
YOU'RE DECIDING WHAT TO DO WITH
THEM ALL, BUT HOW MANY ACTUALLY
ARE YOU GOING TO BE
DISTRIBUTING?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ALL
ARE.
I HAVEN'T LOOKED FOR THEM.
IT'S GOING TO BE, I DON'T KNOW,
MAYBE MUSEUMS OR SOMETHING,
CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER, MY
FAVORITE.
YEAH, SO I THINK THEY STORE THEM
RIGHT NOW IN TEXAS, BUT I HAVE
NO DETAILS WHERE THEY ARE.
>> HOW LONG WERE THEY INITIALLY
DESIGNED, HOW MANY FLIGHTS WERE
THEY INITIALLY DESIGNED FOR.
>> I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
IT'S BEEN VERY LONG, RIGHT,
AFTER ALL THAT'S BEEN DESIGNED,
YOU KNOW, 12 YEARS AGO.
I BELIEVE IT WAS THREE TIMES AT
THAT TIME.
IT DID PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE
WANTED IT TO DO.
WE DIDN'T DO THIS ON THE FIRST
COUPLE CAPSULES, WE NEEDED TO
LEARN A LITTLE BIT HOW TO
WATERPROOF DRAGON FIRST.
THERE'S ALWAYS A LEARNING FACTOR
WHEN YOU GO INTO REFURBISHMENT,
IT TAKES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF
TIME TO WORK THIS OUT BUT AT THE
END, IT RUNS VERY SMOOTHLY.
>> WE'RE GAG BACK TO THE PHONES,
STEVEN CLARK AGAIN WITH SPACE
FLIGHT NOW.
>> HI, I HAVE A WEATHER QUESTION
FOR MIKE.
OR MAYBE HANS HAS THE ANSWER.
WHAT'S THE WIND LIMIT FOR GROUND
WINDS FOR FALCON NINE?
I UNDERSTAND IT MAY BE DEPENDENT
ON DIRECTION BUT WHAT'S THE
LIMIT WE'RE LOOKING AT?
[ LAUGHTER ] THE.
>> I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE
QUESTION.
>> LIFTOFF CRITERIA, THE LIMIT.
>> THAT DEPENDS ON DIRECTION BUT
I WANT TO SAY THAT'S ALMOST IN
THE DETAILS.
IT'S LIKE A COUPLE OF MILES PER
HOUR, DEPENDING ON THE
DIRECTION, BUT IN GENERAL, IT'S
ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW,
IT'S ABOUT 30.
I DON'T KNOW THE FACT NUMBER, 34
OR 35, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
DEPENDS ON THE DIRECTION.
>> WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ON
THE PHONE, BILL HARWOOD WITH CBS
NEWS.
GO AHEAD.
>> QUICK QUESTION FOR JOEL.
ASSUMING THAT THE SOYUZ GOES UP
ON TIME AND THIS SPACECRAFT ON
TIME, ARE YOU STILL THINKING
ABOUT AN EVA TO HOOK UP TO
BARTOLOMEO ARE DO OTHER ISSUES
RULE THAT OUT?
>> THE CURRENT PLAN IS TO
CONTINUE AS WE'VE BEEN
ADVERTISING THAT WE'LL DO A
SPACE WALK DURING THE SOYUZ
MISSION.
>> YOU ALL HAVE A TARGET DATE
FOR THAT?
>> OK, WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE
FINAL QUESTION HERE IN THE ROOM.
>> I DON'T HAVE THE DATE.
I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU, AND
WE'LL GET THAT SENT TO YOU.
>> OK.
FINAL QUESTION HERE IN THE
FRONT.
>> HEY, KEN KRAMER FOR HANS, CAN
YOU GIVE US YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON
THE UPPER LEVEL WINDS, HOW CLOSE
WE ARE?
>> IT'S INTERESTING.
I HAVE TO BE TECHNICAL.
IT'S NOT JUST THE UPPER LEVEL
WIND SPEED, IT'S THE SHEER AND
PREDICTION OF SHEER, SO IT'S
BASICALLY IF THE PREDICTION IS
GOOD, THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY FLY
IT THROUGH A FAIRLY HIGH SHEER
BECAUSE WE STEER THE ROCKET
BASICALLY ACCORDINGLY.
IF THE PREDICTION IS NOT GOOD,
THEN WE MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM AND
WE CHECK THAT BY LAUNCHINGS
BALLOONS AND VERIFYING WITH
FINAL SIMULATION RUNS THAT
EVERYTHING IS OK.
SO AND IN TERMS OF TODAY, I HAVE
NOT LOOKED AT IT IN DETAIL.
THIS IS ONE OF THE NEXT THINGS I
DO IN THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS BUT
I HEARD THAT THE UPPER LEVEL
WINDS ARE NOT AS TRAUMATIC AND
WHAT I THEN CARE MORE IS THAT
THEY ARE REALLY PREDICTABLE AND
NOT CHANGING OVER THE NEXT I
WANT TO SAY SEVEN HOURS
BASICALLY.
THAT'S IMPORTANT.
>> OK.
>> HE'S NODDING, SO I THINK THEY
ARE PREDICTABLE.
>> OK, THAT'S ALL THE TIME THAT
WE HAVE FOR TODAY'S NEWS
CONFERENCE ON THAT OUR LIVE
LAUNCH COVERAGE BEGINS AT
11:30 THIS EVENING ON NASA TV
AND NASA.GOV/LIVE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US
TODAY.
UNTIL NEXT TIME.