>> NOW, AS DARRELL AND MARIE HAD
MENTIONED, THIS DRAGON HAS BEEN
TO THE STATION TWICE BEFORE.
FUN BIT OF TRIVIA, THIS'LL BE
THE THIRD TIME THAT A DRAGON
SPACECRAFT HAS VISITED THE
SPACEX THREE TIMES.
THE THIRD STAGE HAS ALSO FLOWN
ONCE BEFORE, ON OUR LAST C.R.S.
MISSION BACK IN DECEMBER.
AFTER STAGE SEPARATION, WE'LL BE
ATTEMPTING A LANDING AT LANDING
ZONE ONE IN CAPE CANAVERAL.
THERE IS A PRETTY GOOD CROWD
BEHIND ME THAT IS EAGERLY
AWAITING THE 21st TRIP TO THE
SPACE STATION AND WE'RE ALL
LOOKING FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL
LAUNCH.
BACK TO YOU, TAMMY.
>> THANK YOU, SHIVA.
>>> THIS NOVEMBER 2 MARKS 20
YEARS OF CONTINUOUS HUMAN
PRESENCE ON THE ORBITING
LABORATORY, A FANTASTIC
ACHIEVEMENT, AND CONGRATULATIONS
TO THE PROGRAM.
[♪♪♪]
>> LIFTOFF OF THE ROCKET FROM
LAUNCH 40 IS TIMED DOWN TO THE
VERY SECOND, SO THE SPACECRAFT
IS TIMED TO RENDEZVOUS WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> THE ORBIT THREE TIME IS
CURRENTLY ON CONSOLE AND THAT'S
THE LAST SHIFT OF TODAY, BUT THE
SPACE STATION FLIGHT CONTROL
ROOM IS MONITORED 24-7, 365 DAYS
A YEAR, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE
KEEPING TABS ON WHAT'S GOING ON
ON BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
TONIGHT, THEY ARE LED BY FLIGHT
DIRECTOR MIKE LAMMERS.
WE HAVE THREE CREW MEMBERS ON
BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
THAT'S ASTRONAUTS JESSICA MEIR
AND ANDREW MORGAN, AND RUSSIAN
COSMONAUT ALEK KRPOCHKA.
THE ASTRONAUTS WILL CAPTURE AND
BERTH THE VEHICLE TO THE SPACE
STATION HARMONY WEEK ONCE IT
ARRIVES ON MONDAY AT 4:30 A.M.
CENTRAL TIME TO WATCH IT ALL
UNFOLD.
UNTIL THEN, THINGS ARE LOOKING
AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION CONTROL HERE IN HOUSTON,
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL SEND IT
BACK TO YOU, TAMMY.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> I'M GOOD.
GETTING READY FOR A ROCKET
LAUNCH.
>> TELL US, WHAT'S THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PAY LOADS
THAT YOU HANDLES AND THE PAY
LOADS THAT NASA OVERSEES?
>> SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT NASA,
YOU THINK ABOUT SPACE, BETTER
UNDERSTANDING THE HUMAN
CONDITIONS SO THAT WE CAN GO TO
LOW-EARTH ORBIT, HOWEVER,
THERE'S A CHANCE TO HARNESS THE
ENERGY OF THE SPACE STATION.
THE EXPERIMENTS THAT WE SPONSOR
ALL HAVE THIS CAPACITY TO
BENEFIT LIFE ON EARTH.
THAT'S THE MAIN DIFFERENCE.
>> WE KNOW YOU'RE FOCUSED ON
THIS MISSION, BUT TELL US ABOUT
SOME OF THE THINGS COMING UP ON
THE HORIZON.
>> THERE'S SO MANY THINGS
HAPPENING ON THE SPACE STATION,
WHETHER IT'S THIS MISSION, BUT
DOWN THE ROAD, MORE FACILITIES
ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO THE
STATION.
INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE N.I.H.s,
COMPANIES THAT WANT TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, INCLUDING WITH
THIS LAUNCH, AS WELL AS THINGS
HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.
>> SKY'S THE LIMIT, PATRICK.
>> MAYBE EVEN BEYOND THAT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU.
>>> WE ARE NOW JUST MINUTES FROM
LAUNCH.
LET'S HEAD BACK OVER TO THE
MISSION DIRECTOR CENTER TO GET
AN UPDATE FROM MARIE AND
DARRELL.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
I'M HERE WITH MARIE LEWIS.
I'M DARRELL NAYLE, AND WE ARE GO
FOR LAUNCH ACROSS ALL WEATHER
CRITERIA, SO THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.
NOW, WE'RE JUST WATCHING AND
WAITING FOR THE COUNT.
WE'RE SITTING AT 5:22 UNTIL
LIFTOFF.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND, OF COURSE, THE PRIMARY
OBJECTIVE IS TO GET THAT CARGO
DRAGON INTO THE CORRECT ORBIT,
AND IT ACCOMPLISHES THAT ON
THIS.
THE FALCON HAS NINE MERLIN
ENGINES THAT PRODUCE 1.6 MILLION
TONS OF THRUST.
THAT'S THE REALLY COOL PART
ABOUT HOW DRAGON GETS UP TO
SPACE STATION, BUT THERE'S SOME
REALLY COOL STUFF HAPPENING IN
THE MEANTIME BLACK -- BACK
CLOSER TO EARTH.
>> YEAH.
YOU CAN SEE THE DRAGON SHOT,
CLOSER UP WITH THE ROCKET.
IT ACTUALLY HAS TWO
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
BADGES ON IT.
IT'S BEEN TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION TWICE, SO PRETTY,
YOU'LL SEE A THIRD SOON.
RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT
SPACEX MISSION CONTROL CENTER IN
HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA, WHERE
THEY ARE COMMANDING THE LAUNCH.
BUT THERE'S THE LAUNCH ON THE
GROUND, AND YOU CAN SEE THE
GASEOUS OXYGEN AT THE BOTTOM.
THE NEAT THING ABOUT THIS
BOOSTER IS IT'S COMING BACK TO
LAND.
AND THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE
GASEOUS OXYGEN AT THE TOP.
WE'RE SET FOR LAUNCH.
>> AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE SAW THAT
TOP LUNCH BACK -- LURCH BACK
EVER SO SLIGHTLY FOR LAUNCH
BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT THREE
MINUTES AWAY FROM LIFTOFF.
IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING BECAUSE
THESE ARE GOING TO BE THE
HIGHEST WINDS THEY'VE EVER
RECORDED AT THE LANDING SITE.
>> IT'S STILL WITHIN LIMITS FOR
IT TO LAND, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE
BLOWING WHEN IT COMES DOWN.
WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO HAVE
CAMERAS, SPACEX CAMERAS ON THE
BOOSTER ITSELF, SO WE'LL BE ABLE
TO SEE ON THE GROUND, IT COME
BACK.
WE'RE
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SPACEX HAS
BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THEIR
SPACECRAFT AND THEIR ROCKETS.
T-MINUS 1:22 AND COUNTING.
AT THIS POINT, THEY'VE GOT THE
PROPELLANTS ALMOST FULLY LOADED.
THEY'RE GOING TO PRESSURIZE
THOSE, AND THEN, THEY'RE GOING
TO LET THAT FLIGHT COMMAND
COMPUTER TAKE OVER HERE IN JUST
A FEW SECONDS.
>> AND WE SHOULD HEAR THAT GO
FOR LAUNCH IN JUST ABOUT 15
SECONDS.
>> DRAGON IS IN START OF.
>> DRAGON IS GO FOR LAUNCH.
>> SO THERE YOU HEARD IT.
>> T-MINUS 30 SECONDS.
>> ALL SYSTEMS ARE GREEN.
>> T-MINUS 15 SECONDS.
TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX,
FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE,
ZERO.
AND LIFTOFF OF THE FALCON-9
ROCKET AND CARGO DRAGON OF THE
FINAL FLIGHT OF THE DRAGON ONE
SPACECRAFT TO LEAD DISCOVERY AND
CREW CARGO IN SPACE.
>> NOW IT'S GOING TO GET IN
POSITION FOR ITS PROPER DESCENT
INTO ORBIT.
THE FALCON-9 IS LOOKING GOOD, 2
MILLION POUNDS OF THRUST AS IT
GOES INTO SPACE.
>> COMING UP IN JUST A FEW
SECONDS, IT WILL EXPERIENCE ITS
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FORCE ON THE
ROCKET.
THAT WILL HAPPEN AT 1:18.
>> FALCON-9 IS SUPER SONIC.
>> IT'S GOING FASTER THAN THE
SPEED OF SOUND.
>> AND ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE
MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE.
>> IT'S EXPERIENCING MAXIMUM
DYNAMIC PRESSURE.
>> AND THERE YOU GO.
BEAUTIFUL SHOT RIGHT THERE AS IT
GOES INTO SPACE.
>> NOW IN LESS THAN A MINUTE, WE
SHOULD HEAR CONFIRMATION OF MAIN
ENGINE CUTOFF.
SO FAR, LOOKING GREAT.
>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LAUNCH.
>> NOW, THERE WILL BE A RAPID
CONCESSION OF EVENTS COMING UP
IN JUST A BIT.
AS MARIE NOTED, WE'LL HAVE THE
FIRST STAGE ENGINE CUTOFF,
FOLLOWED BY A SEPARATION, AND
THAT SECOND STAGE WILL BE
STARTING.
THAT WILL ALL HAPPEN IN A MATTER
OF TEN SECONDS OR SO.
>> THERE'S A GREAT SHOT OF THOSE
MERLIN-D ENGINES GETTING READY
TO SHUT OFF.
AND THERE THEY GO.
>> STAGE SEPARATION CONFIRMED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THE FIRST STAGE IS LOOSE, AND IT
IS NOW FALLING BACK TO EARTH.
AND THERE YOU SEE THE SECOND
STAGE.
ENGINE HAS STARTED.
>> ANOTHER 210,000 POUNDS OF
THRUST PROPELLING DRAGON INTO
ORBIT.
>> THERE'S A SHOT FROM THE
BOOSTER AS IT'S FALLING AWAY.
SO FAR, EVERYTHING WITH REGARDS
TO THIS FLIGHT IS LOOKING
NOMINAL, WHICH MEANS IT'S
PERFORMING AS EXPECTED.
YOU SEE THE SPLIT SCREEN ON YOUR
RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
YOU HAVE THE SPLIT STAGE ENGINE.
ON YOUR LEFT SIDE, YOU HAVE THE
BOOSTER, AND BRIEFLY, I BELIEVE
WE SAW PART OF THE NOSE CONE
COMING OUT.
>> AND AGAIN, THE BOOSTER IS
HEADED BACK TOWARDS CAPE
CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION,
WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO ATTEMPT
TO LAND THIS BOOSTER AT LANDING
ZONE ONE HERE.
THAT FIRST STAGE ENTRY BURN
BEGINS IN ABOUT THREE MINUTES
NOW FOR THAT BOOSTER.
AND HERE, WE'RE LOOKING AGAIN AT
THE SECOND STAGE ENGINE
PROPELLING DRAGON TOWARDS ORBIT.
>> WE WERE REALLY WATCHING
CLOSELY, LISTENING CLOSELY TO
THE WEATHER REPORTS TONIGHT, BUT
SO FAR, ALL THINGS NOMINAL.
>> YEAH.
THEY HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE
WIND DOWN ON THE GROUND.
LIFTED RIGHT OFF THERE.
NO PROBLEMS, FIRST STAGE.
NOW, FIRST STAGE IS FALLING BACK
TO EARTH, AND THE SECOND STAGE
IS CARRYING DRAGON ONWARDS IN
ITS MISSION TO EVENTUALLY MEET
UP WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
WE ARE NOW 4:45 INTO FLIGHT.
YOU SEE THE SPLIT SCREEN THERE.
EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL FOR
DRAGON AND THE BOOSTER SO FAR.
>> COMING UP IN JUST A MINUTE,
THIS'LL BE THE FIRST STAGE ENTRY
BURN.
THIS WILL SLOW THE BOOSTER AND
GET IT INTO POSITION SO THAT IT
CAN LAND.
>> AND I THINK WE HEARD SHIVA
SAY EARLIER, IF THEY DO THIS
SUCCESSFULLY, IT WILL BE THE
50th LANDING OF A SPACEX
BOOSTER, WHICH IS A BIG NUMBER.
>> THEY'VE GOTTEN REALLY
CONSISTENT AT BEING ABLE TO LAND
THESE BOOSTERS, BUT IT'LL BE
INTEREST.
-- INTERESTING.
WE KNOW WE'VE GOT 20 TO 25 MILES
PER HOUR WINDS.
AS YOU LOOK AT THE SECOND STAGE
BURNING THERE, DRAGON IS
EXPECTED TO RENDEZVOUS WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
RIGHT AROUND MONDAY EVENING.
>> AND THIS'LL BE THE 19th TIME
THEY'VE LANDED A BOOSTER ON
LAND.
THE REST OF THE LANDINGS,
THEY'VE LANDED THEM ON ONE OF
THEIR DRONE SHIPS OUT AT SEA, SO
AGAIN, HOPING THEY'LL BE ABLE TO
DO THAT EVEN WITH THE WINDS.
WE SHOULD HAVE THAT FIRST STAGE
ENTRY BEGINNING ANY MOMENT NOW.
>> AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE
GATHERED LOCALLY, MAKE SURE YOU
KEEP AN EAR OUT FOR THE DOUBLE
SONIC BOOM, WHEN THE BOOSTER
COMES BACK AND BREAKS THE SPEED
OF SOUND.
ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR
SCREEN, YOU CAN SEE THE WINGS
ARE OUT FOR THE ENTRY LEVEL
BURN.
SO THEY'VE SHUTDOWN THE ENTRY
BURN, EVERYTHING LOOKING GREAT
SO FAR.
OF COURSE THAT WENT ACCORDING TO
MISSION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THAT DOES IT FOR OUR PORTION OF
THE MISSION.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO TOSS IT OVER
TO SHIVA AT SPACEX HEADQUARTERS
IN HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA.
>> THANKS, GUYS.
SO COMING UP IN ABOUT 15
SECONDS, WE HAVE OUR LANDING
BURN.
FALCON-9 STAKES A SERIES OF
THREE BURNS TO DO THAT LANDING.
[Applause]
>> NOW IT'S COMING UP ON THE
ENTRY BURN, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE
HAVE GOOD IGNITION.
THIS ONLY LIGHTS UP THE CENTER
MERLIN ENGINE, AND SHORTLY
AFTER, THE FOUR LANDING LEGS
WILL DEPLOY.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT-HAND
SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN THE GRID
LEGS.
THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL SHOT OF
FALCON AS IT'S COMING BACK TO
LANDING ZONE ONE.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR DEPLOY.
[Cheers and Applause]
>> I'M HEARING A LOT OF SOUNDS
BEHIND ME.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MAY HAVE
TOUCHED DOWN.
BEAUTIFUL.
AND THAT IS CONFIRMATION, THAT
IS THE 50th SUCCESSFUL LANDING
OF A FALCON-9 FIRST STAGE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE
SPACEX TEAM.
NOW REAL QUICK HERE, AND YOU CAN
SEE THIS ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE,
THE SECOND STAGE IS GOING TO
HAVE SHUTDOWN OF ITS NVAC
ENGINE.
SO THERE'S THE CALLOUT.
EXPECTING A CALLOUT ON THE NET
SHORTLY, AND SHORTLY AFTER, THE
GUIDANCE TEAM WILL LET US KNOW
IF THE SECOND STAGE -- AND
THERE'S THAT CALLOUT FOR THE
NOMINAL ORBIT INSERTIONS.
THAT MEANS WE'RE READY FOR THE
NEXT STEP, WHICH IS DEPLOYMENT
OF DRAGON FROM THE TOP OF THE
SECOND STAGE.
NOW ONCE DRAGON DEPLOYS FROM THE
SECOND STAGE, THERE'S THAT
CAMERA VIEW ACTUALLY LOOKING UP
INTO DRAGON'S TRUNK.
DRAGON CARRIES TWO KINDS OF CAR
GO, PRESSURIZED AND
UNPRESSURIZED.
UNPRESSURIZED WITHIN THE CARGO,
AND PRESSURIZED WITHIN THE
CABIN.
>> DRAGON ONE SEPARATION
CONFIRMED.
[Cheers and Applause]
>> THERE IS DRAGON DRAGON FLOAT
AWAY.
ON THE SIDES OF DRAGON, YOU CAN
SEE THE PROTECTION OF THE SOLAR
ARRAYS.
THOSE ARRAYS PRODUCE MORE THAN
FIVE KILOWATTS OF POWER WHILE
IT'S MAKING ITS WAY TOWARDS THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
LET'S CHECK IN WITH LEAH FOR
COVERAGE OF THE SOLAR ARRAY
DEPLOY.
>> THANKS, SHIVA.
CONGRATULATIONS ON 50th.
WE'VE GOT CONFIRMATION AND VIEWS
OF THE SECOND STAGE SEPARATION,
AND IF YOU LOOK INSIDE DRAGON'S
TRUNK FLOATING TOWARDS THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, YOU
MAY HAVE GOTTEN A VIEW OF THE
UNPRESSURIZED PAY LOAD.
THAT WILL SERVE AS AN EXPERIMENT
PLATFORM, AND IT WILL SIT ON A
UNIQUE SPOT IN THE SPACE STATION
WHERE IT HAS AN UNOBSTRUCTED FEW
OF EARTH AND SPACE.
AND THE NEXT STAGE WILL BE THE
SOLAR ARRAY DEPLOY ON WAY TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE'LL SEE
A SOLAR ARRAY DEPLOY ON DRAGON,
BECAUSE THE NEW CRS-2 VEHICLE,
THE SOLAR ARRAYS ARE INSTEAD
WRAPPED AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF
THE TRUNK.
ALONG ITS ARRIVAL TO THE SPACE
STATION, IT WILL JOIN A SOYUZ
SPACECRAFT AND NORTHROP
GRUMMAN'S CIGNA TWO SPACECRAFT.
WE ARE GOING TO STAND BY,
AWAITING FOR THE CALL.
>> SYSTEM HAS SUCCESSFULLY
PRIMED, AND ALL SYSTEMS REPORT
READY FOR FIRING.
>> AND THERE, YOU CAN SEE THE
SOLAR ARRAYS BEGINNING TO
DEPLOY.
THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD FOR
DRAGON.
WE'LL STAND BY FOR AUDIO
CONFIRMATION.
>> DRAGON'S SOLAR ARRAYS FROM
SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED AND ARE
READY FOR ACTIVATION.
>> AND THERE YOU HAVE IT.
DRAGON WILL BEGIN PULLING ENERGY
FROM THE SUN FOR TRAVEL TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT
AND TALK WITH KENNY TODD,
OPERATIONS AND INTEGRATION
MANAGER FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US,
KENNY.
>> IT'S MY PLEASURE.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO WE MENTIONED THIS IS THE
END OF THE CRS-1 CONTRACT.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE
CRS-2?
>> WELL, WE LEARNED A LOT WITH
THE FIRST CRS SPACECRAFT.
WHEN WE WENT INTO THE FIRST CRS
CONTRACT, WE BUILT IN SOME
THINGS WITH ADDITIONAL
FLEXIBILITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WITH CRS-2,
WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER
LOCKER PAY LOAD CAPABILITY.
A LOT OF SCIENCE, THE HIGH VALUE
SCIENCE WE FLY IS ASSOCIATED
WITH SOME OF OUR BIOLOGICAL
SAMPLES, AND OUR ABILITY TO FLY
MORE OF THOSE ALLOWS US TO
SUPPORT MORE USERS ON THE GROUND
WITH A LOT MORE INVESTIGATIONS
IN THE BIOMEDICAL AREA.
AGAIN, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S MORE SCIENCE THAT WE CAN
GET TO ORBIT TO HELP
COMMUNITIES, AND MORE SCIENCE
THAT WE CAN RETURN, TOO.
IN ADDITION, ONE THING THAT
YOU'LL NOTICE IF YOU'VE WATCHED
SPACEX DRAGON LAUNCHES AND
CAPTURES IN THE PAST IS WE WON'T
BE CAPTURING ANYMORE.
THEY'LL BE DOCKING, AND AGAIN,
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CAPABILITY
AS THIS SAME DRAGON 2 SPACECRAFT
ALSO DOCKS TO THE SPACE STATION,
SO AGAIN, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT
CHANGE IN HOW WE'LL DO OUR
INTEGRATED OPERATIONS BETWEEN
THE SPACECRAFT AND THE DRAGON.
AND IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE
LANDINGS IN THE PAST, THEY
HAPPENED IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN,
AND AS A RESULT, IT TAKES ONE,
SOMETIMES TWO DAYS FOR THE BOAT
IT RETRIEVE THE DRAGON AND
ACTUALLY GET IT BACK TO PORT AND
IN THE HANDS OF SOME OF THESE
INVESTIGATORS.
SO WITH THESE DRAGON TWO,
THEY'LL LAND IN THE ATLANTIC,
THAT'LL ALLOW US TO GET THE
CRAFT BACK IN THE INVESTIGATORS'
HANDS MUCH QUICKER.
>> DEFINITELY ALL THINGS TO BE
EXCITED ABOUT, MOVING FORWARD
AND MAKING THINGS EVEN BETTER.
SO COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY MISSIONS
AREN'T THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE
WORKING ON WITH SPACEX.
WE ARE ALSO PREPARING TO LAUNCH
AMERICANS FROM AMERICAN SOIL ON
AMERICAN ROCKETS FOR THE FIRST
TIME SINCE 2011.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW SPACEX
HAS HELPED THESE SPACE MISSIONS?
>> SURE.
THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO LEARN
HOW TO DO WAS HOW TO BUILD A
SPACECRAFT AND GET IT IN LOW
EARTH ORBITING AND GET IT BACK
ON THE GROUND.
THE FIRST CONTRACT WAS HUGE IN
HELPING THEM TO ESTABLISH THAT
CONFIDENCE THAT THEY COULD GET
THEIR SPACECRAFT, GET IT TURNED
BACK AROUND AND GET IT ON ORBIT
AND GET IT HOME AGAIN, SO
GETTING THAT CADENCE IS VERY
IMPORTANT.
ADDITIONALLY, JUST LEARNING HOW
TO OPERATE, BEING AN OPERATIONS
HERE JUST LIKE AT MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO STANDUP
THEIR OWN OPERATIONS TEAM, AND
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
CAPABILITY THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO
CARRYOVER AS THEY STEP UP TO THE
CREWED MISSIONS.
SO THE -- THE ABILITY JUST TO --
TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO THIS
JOB, THEY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE
THAT THEY BUILT ON WITH THIS --
WITH ALL THESE CARGO MISSIONS,
AND SO WHILE IT'S A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT VEHICLE, THERE'S A LOT
OF SIMILARITIES, THERE'S A LOT
OF THE SAME COMPONENTS THEY'RE
CARRYING OVER INTO THAT
SPACECRAFT, AND THEY CAN DO THAT
WITH SOME LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE,
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE READY
TO GO.
>> AND ONCE DRAGON ARRIVES
MONDAY MORNING, THERE WILL BE
THREE CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT NEW VEHICLE
EXPLORATIONS ARE GOING TO LOOK
LIKE WITH THE NEW UNLOADS AND
THE CREW MEMBERS?
>> SURE.
IT'LL BE A BIT OF A SPRINT FOR
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OR SO FOR THE
CREW MEMBERS UNTIL THEY LAUNCH.
WHEN YOU GET A DRAGON ON BOARD,
IT IS ABOUT A FOUR-WEEK SPRINT
FROM BEGINNING TO END, BUT WITH
THREE CREW, IT'S EVEN A LITTLE
BIT MORE OF A SITUATION WHERE
THEY'RE HAVING TO MANAGE
THEMSELVES, WE'RE HAVING TO HELP
MANAGE THE SCHEDULES FOR THEM
AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, YOU
KNOW, TIRE THEM OUT TOO MUCH SO
THAT THEY'RE READY TO DO ALL OF
THE THINGS NECESSARY FOR THAT
PARTICULAR MISSION.
BUT ANY WAY, YEAH, THIS
PARTICULAR MISSION, TOWARDS THE
END OF IT, WE'LL ALSO START TO
FLOW IN SOME OF OUR REGULAR
ACTIVITIES FOR JESSICA AND DREW.
SO AROUND THE FIRST OF APRIL,
THINGS ARE GOING TO GET REALLY
DYNAMIC TO WRAP UP THIS MISSION,
AND GET JESSICA AND DREW READY
TO COME UP, AND THE NEW MISSION
WITH CASSIDY WILL BE READY.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, BUT
AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL
AND MAKE SURE THE CREW GETS
RESTED SO THEY CAN GET THE WORK
THEY NEED TO GET DONE.
FUTURE RESEARCH SITES ARE
FANTASTIC.
WE ONLY HAVE CERTAIN SITES ON
THE STATION THAT WE CAN PUT
EXPERIMENTS ON.
OUR EUROPEAN COLLEAGUES, THEY'RE
STEPPING INTO THE COMMERCIAL
MARKET WITH THE LAUNCH OF THIS
PLATFORM, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED
ABOUT IT FROM AN OVERALL STATION
PARTNERSHIP PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE
IT BRINGS PARTNERSHIP TO THE
STATION, BUT WE'RE EXCITED FOR
OUR EUROPEAN COLLEAGUES BECAUSE
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN CONTINUING
THIS GROWTH INTO THIS COMMERCIAL
LOW-EARTH ORBIT ECONOMY THAT
WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GROW AS
SPACE-FARING NATIONS AS PART OF
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
WE THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A
GREAT THING FOR EVERYONE WHO IS
INTERESTED IN GETTING LOW-EARTH
ORBITS ESPECIALLY WITH THIS
PLATFORM THAT'S ON STATION.
IT'S, AGAIN, ALL-AROUND GOOD FOR
THE PARTNERSHIP AND CERTAINLY
GOOD FOR THE COLLEAGUES.
>> AN ALL-AROUND GOOD LAUNCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US
TONIGHT, KENNY.
>> YEAH.
MY PLEASURE.
>> WE ARE EXPECTING DRAGON TO
ARRIVE AT THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION VERY EARLY MONDAY
MORNING.
AS KENNY MENTIONED, IT WILL BE
THE LAST TIME THAT DRAGON NEEDS
TO BE GRAPPLED AND JOINED TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WITH ALL OF THAT, WE WILL TOSS
IT BACK TO TAMMY AT KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER, EVERYTHING LOOKING
GOOD AT MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON.
>> THANKS, LISA.
SHIVA OUT IN CALIFORNIA, YOU
LOOK PRETTY EXCITED.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW THE LAUNCH
WENT TONIGHT?
WE HEARD A LOT OF SCREAMS.
>> YEAH.
THERE'S PROBABLY STILL A GOOD 50
PEOPLE OUT HERE.
THERE WERE MAYBE 100 OR 200
PEOPLE OUT HERE EARLIER.
WE HAD A GOOD LAUNCH AT 11:50
P.M. EASTERN.
IT LAUNCHED FROM SPACE COMPLEX
40.
THIS WAS ALSO OUR FINAL CRS
MISSION USING THE FIRST VERSION
OF DRAGON, AND BEGINNING WITH
THE NEXT MISSION, WE WILL BE
FLYING THE NEW VERSION OF DRAGON
THAT'S CAPABLE OF CARRYING
PEOPLE ON BOARD.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'RE MAKING
OUR WAY TOWARDS THE SPACE
STATION.
WE'RE PLANNING TO ARRIVE AT THE
STATION ON MARCH 9 AT ABOUT
7:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME.
THE ASTRONAUTS ABOARD WILL THEN
CAPTURE DRAGON IN A PROCESS
CALLED BERTHING USING THE
STATION'S ROBOTIC ARM, AND THEN
ONCE DRAGON IS SAFELY DOCKED
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, THEY'LL UNLOAD ABOUT
5500 POUNDS OF SUPPLIES AND
CARGO FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
DRAGON IS GOING TO SPEND ABOUT
FOUR WEEKS THERE BEFORE IT COMES
BACK TO EARTH.
THIS WAS SPACEX'S 50th RECOVERY.
ALL IN ALL, JUST A FANTASTIC
MISSION.
REALLY WANT TO THANK OUR FRIENDS
AT NASA, AND THE AIR FORCE, AND
THE FEDERAL AVIATION
ADMINISTRATION, AND ALL OUR
FRIENDS TONIGHT WHO PUT IN THE
EFFORT FOR TONIGHT'S LAUNCH.
AND A BIG CONGRATULATIONS FOR
THE SPACEX AND NASA TEAMS WHO
DEVELOPED AND SUPPORTED THE
FIRST VERSION OF DRAGON.
ALL THAT HARD WORK HAS REALLY
PAVED THE WAY FOR THE UPCOMING
FIRST CREW FLIGHT WITH NASA
ASTRONAUTS LATER ON THIS YEAR.
SO WITH THAT, BACK TO YOU,
TAMMY.
>> THANKS, SHIVA, AND
CONGRATULATIONS.
AND THAT'S GOING TO WRAP UP OUR
COVERAGE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT
NASA.GOV/STATION OR
NASA.GOV/SPACEX.
WE LEAVE YOU WITH ANOTHER
STUNNING LOOK AT TONIGHT'S
LAUNCH.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, EVERYONE,
AND GO CRS-20, AND GO
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
GOOD NIGHT.
>> T-MINUS 15 SECONDS.
>> -- EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE,
FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE, ZERO.
AND LIFTOFF OF THE FALCON-9
ROCKET AND CARGO DRAGON ON THE
FINAL FLIGHT OF THE DRAGON1
SPACECRAFT, TAKING LEAD TO
DISCOVERY AND TAKE CREW AND
SPACECRAFT TO SPACE.
LEAD DISCOD
CREW CARGO IN SPACE.
>> NOW IT'S GOING TO GET IN
POSITION FOR ITS PROPER DESCENT
INTO ORBIT.
THE FALCON-9 IS LOOKING GOOD, 2
MILLION POUNDS OF THRUST AS IT