>>> I FEEL THE LIFT OFF.
THE BROADCAST HAS STARTED.
>> ROGER 0G.
I FEEL FINE.
>> HOUSTON, THE EAGLE HAS
LANDED.
>> ROGER TRANQUILITY.
>> NEW POSSIBILITIES ARE OPENING
UP FOR SCIENTIFIC COULDN'T
BETWEEN COUNTRIES.
>> LIFT OFF, LIFT OFF.
AMERICANS RETURN TO SPACE AS
DISCOVERY CLEARS THE TOWER.
>> DISCOVERY THROTTLE UP.
>> OPEN AND DEPLOYED.
>> NICE TO BE IN ORBIT.
>> WE ARE FOLLOWING IN THEIR
FOOTSTEPS.
♪♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪♪
[ CHEERING AND APPLAUSE ]
>> HEY.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON.
WELCOME TO THE KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER.
IT'S BEEN ALMOST NINE YEARS
SINCE JULY 4TH, OF 2011, THAT'S
THE LAST TIME A CREW FLEW IN TO
THE SHUTTLE LANDING FACILITY ON
THEIR WAY TO SPACE.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW GREAT
IT IS TO WELCOME BOB AND DOUG
HERE FOR THEIR HISTORIC MISSION.
YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE
ACCOMPLISHED, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
A WHOLE NEW WAY OF SENDING
PEOPLE TO SPACE.
THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM.
THIS IS REALLY MONUMENTAL.
AND I CONSIDER ALL OF THE THINGS
THAT WE ARE DOING AND IT'S
AMAZING IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THE
ROLE THAT KSC HAS HAD TO PLAY IN
ENABLING U.S. ASTRONAUTS FLYING
ON U.S. ROCKETS FROM HERE AT THE
CAPE ONCE AGAIN, OUTSTANDING.
SO GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
YOU WILL HEAR FROM BOB AND DOUG
IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT BEFORE THEY GET A CHANCE TO
TALK AND GET INTRODUCED.
IT'S MY PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO
INTRODUCE OUR NASA ADMINISTRATOR
GUY BRIDENSTINE.
GUY HAS BEEN A HUGE ADVOCATE FOR
THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM.
AND HIS LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW,
HE'S BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF
THE GOVERNMENT/COMMERCIAL
PARTNERSHIPS A NEW WAY OF DOING
BUSINESS AT NASA AND CESPEDES
HERE AT THE KEPT DID I SPACE
CENTER.
YOU KNOW, LIKE DOUG AND I GUY IS
ALSO A NAVEL AVIATE OR.
MAYBE HE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE
PLACES WITH DOUG, I CERTAINLY
WOULD.
SO GUY OVER TO YOU.
>> BOB, THANK YOU.
IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE AT THE
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER WHERE
HISTORY IS MADE OVER AND OVER
AGAIN.
AND, BOB, YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS
REALLY TRANSFORMED THAT
FACILITY.
AS YOU MENTIONED JULY 4TH, 2011,
WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD CREW
ARRIVE TO TAKE OFF ON A SHUTTLE
FLIGHT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WAS
A TOUGH TIME FOR THE AGENCY.
IT WAS A TOUGH TIME FOR THE
KENNEDY SPACE ENDER.
BECAUSE OF YOUR HARD WORK AND
DETERMINATION AND SO MANY OTHERS
HERE AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF LAUNCHING
AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS ON AMERICAN
ROCKETS FROM AMERICAN SOIL YET
AGAIN.
AND AS YOU SAID, BOB, THIS TIME
WE ARE DOING IT DIFFERENTLY THAN
WE HAVE EVER DONE IT BEFORE.
NASA IS IS NOT GOING TO
PURCHASE, OWN, AND OPERATE THE
HARDWARE.
THE WAY WE USED TO PURCHASE,
OWN, AND OPERATE THE HARDWARE.
WE ARE PARTNERING WITH
COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY, WITH THE
INTENT THAT THEY WOULD GO GET
CUSTOMERS THAT ARE NOT NASA.
AND DRIVE DOWN OUR COSTS. AND
INCREASE THE ACCESS TO SPACE.
AND ULTIMATELY, HAVE MULTIPLE
PROVIDERS THAT ARE COMPETING
AGAINST EACH OTHER ON COST AND
INNOVATION.
AND, OF COURSE, THAT'S WHAT THIS
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM THAT
NASA HAS BEEN PUSHING FORWARD ON
FOR SO LONG, THAT'S WHAT THIS
PROGRAM IS, IN FACT, ALL ABOUT.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THE
ASTRONAUTS IN JUST ONE SECOND.
BUT TO PUT A HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE ON THIS MOMENT IN
TIME.
THIS WILL BE THE FIFTH TIME IN
AMERICAN HISTORY, WHEN WE HAVE
LAUNCHED AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS ON
A BRAND-NEW VEHICLE.
WE DID IT IN MERCURY, GEMINI,
APOLLO, WE DID IT WITH THE SPACE
SHUTTLES AND NOW WE ARE GOING DO
IT ON A SPACEX FALCON ROCKET
WITH A CREW DRAGON SPACE CAPSULE
AND IT'S THESE GENTLEMEN THAT
ARE GOING TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PIONEER ONCE MORE
FOR THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA, IN WHAT IS THIS NEW ERA
IN HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT.
SO THIS IS A VERY HISTORICALLY
SIGNIFICANT MOMENT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I
KNOW TIMES ARE TOUGH RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, BOB CABANA AND I HAVE
BEEN WALKING AROUND IN OUR
MASKS, EVERYBODY WANTS TO SHAKE
HANDS AND YET WE HAVE TO RESIST.
WE JUST WELCOMED OUR CASTRO
THOUGHTS, WE COULDN'T SHAKE, WE
ARE WAVING FROM SIX FEET AWAY
AND WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL THE
IMMEDIATE WHERE HERE AND EVEN IS
SWEARING THEIR MASKS.
THIS IS A TOUGH TIME IN AMERICAN
HISTORY.
IT'S A TOUGH TIME IN WORLD
HISTORY.
BUT IT IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE
TIMES THAT WE SAW IN 19 -- IN
THE 1960s.
WE HAD A WAR RAGING IN VIETNAM.
WE HAD PROTESTS.
WE HAD CIVIL RIGHTS ABUSES AND
CIVIL RIGHTS PROTESTS.
WE HAD DIVISION IN THIS COUNTRY
THE LIKES OF WHICH WERE NEVER
SEEN BEFORE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, NASA WAS
ABLE TO UNITE NOT JUST THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BUT WE
WERE ABLE TO UNITE THE WORLD.
AND THIS VERY UNIQUE MOMENT WHEN
WE SAW NEIL ARMSTRONG AND BUZZ
ALDRIN LAND ON THE MOON.
NOW HERE WE ARE IN THIS POINT
WHERE NASA HAS NOT HAD ACCESS TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
WITH ITS OWN ROCKETS NOW FOR
NINE YEARS.
AND THIS IS A MOMENT WHEN WE CAN
ALL LOOK AND BE INSPIRED AS TO
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, WE ARE A
MOMENT IN TIME, WHEN WE DON'T
JUST HAVE TO REFLECT ON
HOWBILITY THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW,
BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW BRIGHT
THINGS ARE GOING TO BE IN THE
FUTURE.
AND WITH THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY
THANK YOU TO BOB AND DOUG FOR
THE GREAT WORK YOU ARE ABOUT TO
DO.
THE AMAZING WORK YOU HAVE
ALREADY DONE, VETERANS OF
MULTIPLE SPACE SHUTTLES, EACH
SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHTS EACH AND
JUST YOU ARE THE BET THAT
AMERICA HAS TO OFFER WE ARE
THRILLED YOU ARE TAKING ON THIS
MISSION TO ONCE AGAIN RETURN
AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS FROM
AMERICAN ROCKETS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WITH THAT I I WILL TURN IT OVER
TO YOU.
BOB BEHNKEN I WILL TURN IT OVER
TO YOU AND YOU CAN SAY A FEW
WORDS AND THEN OVER TO YOU GUYS
YOU WILL BE ANSWER QUESTIONS,
WITH THAT, BOB, I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR, WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE INTRODUCTION.
I WOULD TO THANK COMMANDER
CABANA HERE AND AT THE JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER WHEN WE ALL ENTERED
OUR SERVICE AS ASTRONAUTS HE WAS
THE CHIEF OF THE OFFICE AND
WELCOMED US ABOARD AND SO WE
HAVE BEEN UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP
FOR QUITE SOMETIME AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THAT.
BOTH DOUG AND I ARE EXCITED TO
BE HERE LITTLE THIS IS AN A TIME
TO BE AN ASTRONAUT WITH A NEW
SPACECRAFT TO GET A CHANCE TO
FLY AS GRADUATES OF MILITARY
TEST PILOT SCHOOLS, IF YOU GAVE
US ONE THING THAT WE COULD HAVE
PUT ON OUR LIST OF DREAM JOBS
THAT WE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO
HAVE SOME DAY, IT WOULD BE TO BE
ABOARD A NEW SPACECRAFT, BE
CONDUCT A TEST MISSION ON BOARD
THAT SPACECRAFT DOUG AND I GET
THAT CHANCE TO DO IT.
WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THAT
OPPORTUNITY OF WE VIEW IT AS A
OPPORTUNITY BUT ALSO A
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, FOR THE SPACEX TEAM, FOR
ALL OF NASA, THAT'S PUT THIS
OPPORTUNITY TOGETHER.
AND ENTRUSTED US WITH IT.
JUST EXCITED TO BE BACK AT THE
GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA AT THE
KEPT DISSENTER HEADED TOWARD 39
ALPHA WITH A CHANCE TO LAUNCH AN
AMERICAN ROCKET TO THE SPACE
STATION.
THANK YOU.
>> IT'S AN INCREDIBLE HONOR TO
BE HERE A AT KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER.
BOBBY AND STARTED OUT OUR FIRST
ASTRONAUT JOBS WERE HERE AT
KENNEDY.
WE SPENT THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR
YEARS HELPING TO LAUNCH
OBVIOUSLY SHUT UNLESS TO SPACE.
AND THIS IS A VERY, VERY SPECIAL
PLACE TO US.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A HOME WAY FROM
HOME.
IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE -- INCREDIBLE
TIME FOR NASA, THE SPACE
PROGRAM, ONCE AGAIN LAUNCHING
U.S. CREWS FROM FLORIDA AND
HOPEFULLY JUST A WEEK FROM ABOUT
RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.
I HAPPEN TO HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE
FOUR ASTRONAUTS THAT LANDED HERE
ALMOST NINE YEARS AL IN IT.
38s ON THE FOURTH OF JULY OF
2011.
TO CLOSEOUT THE SPACE SHUTTLE
PROGRAM.
IT'S INCREDIBLY HUMBLING HERE TO
START OUT THE NEXT LAUNCH FROM
THE UNITED STATES.
I ALSO WANT TO THANKS THE
INCREDIBLE MEN AND WOMEN OF
SPACEX FROM HAWTHORNE TO
McGREGOR AND HERE AT KENNEDY
THAT HAVE PUT SO MANY THOUSANDS
OF HOURS OF WORK IN TO THIS
ROCKET.
AND TO THIS SPACECRAFT WE ARE
LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING UP
CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE
FALCON NINE AND DREW DRAGON HERE
IN A FEW DAYS, THANK YOU FOR
SUPPORTING US AND SUPPORTING
NASA.
IT'S A GREAT TIME IN AMERICA TO
BE ABLE TO DO THIS AGAIN AND BOB
AND I ARE HONORED TO BE THE
LUCKY ONES TO FLY THIS VEHICLE.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> HELLO, THIS IS MARSHA DUNN OF
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD, AN
EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF TRIUMPH,
AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT?
AND TELL ME WHAT'S GOING THROUGH
YOUR MINDS AND HEARTS AS YOU ARE
FINALLY HERE TO REALLY LAUNCH.
>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T TRIUMPH IS
PROBABLY NOT THE WORD THAT I
WOULD USE.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, BOB
EXAMINE I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
THIS PROGRAM FOR FIVE YEARS.
DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
AND THERE ARE FOLKS HERE AT NASA
AND AT SPACEX, THAT'S LONGER
THAN THAT.
IT'S JUST BEEN A MARATHON IN
MANY WAYS AND THOSE THAT'S WHAT
YOU EXPECT TO DEVELOP A HUMAN
RATED SPACE VEHICLE THAT CAN GO
DO TO AND FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, I THINK US A LONG
TIME COMING IN SOME WAYS.
I THINK IF YOU ASKED US HOW
QUICKLY THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE
GONE IN SOME WAYS, GET TO GO
THIS POINT IT'S GONE PRETTY
FAST.
OTHER TIMES IT'S BEEN VERY SLOW
AND JUST A LOT OF WORK.
A LOT OF TRAVEL FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE TO GET US TO THIS POINT
I THINK IT'S KIND OF A
CULMINATION AND THAT NEXT STAGE
OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT.
>> Reporter: HEY, BOB, DUG DOUG,
GOOD TO IS HE YOU GUYS.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> Reporter: THANKS.
DOUG, I'LL GIVE THIS ONE TO YOU.
WHEN YOU LANDED ON STS130 NINE
NINE YEARS AGO RIGHT OVER THERE
YOU HAD NO WAY OR KNOWING HOW OR
WHEN AMERICANS WOULD LAUNCH
AGAIN FROM AMERICAN SOIL.
THERE WAS NO NASA-SPACEX
PARTNERSHIP NOTHING CALLED CCP
DOES IT SEEM IMPROBABLE NOW THAT
YOU ARE BACK HOW THIS WHOLE
THING HAS COME FULL CIRCLE BOTH
FOR YOU IN PARTICULAR?
>> YEAH.
THE I MEAN, WHEN YOU FLY A
SHUTTLE FLIGHT BY THE TIME YOU
LAND YOU ARE JUST EXHAUSTED.
YOU ARE GLAD THAT YOU HAD A
SUCCESSFUL MISSION AND YOU WANT
TO SEE YOUR FAMILY.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AFTER
THAT, YOU THINK ABOUT, OKAY,
WHAT'S NEXT?
BECAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY KNEW THAT
WAS THE LAST SHUTTLE FLIGHT.
BUT WE ALSO KNEW WE WERE FLYING
PEOPLE ON SOW USE AND WE WOULD
CONTINUE TO FLY ON SPACE
STATION.
BUT FROM THAT STANDPOINT NO
EXPECTATION THAT I WOULD HAVE
BLOWN FLOWN AGAIN IT'S JUST
ANNIE INVOLVING THING.
AND YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS AT NAS
NASAHAD GREAT IDEA TO FORM PROVS
THE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS AND
COMPETE COMPETE FOR SPACE TRAVEL
AND IT'S ENDED UP IN THIS
SITUATION, AND YOU KNOW, WE ARE
LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ON THE
VEHICLE OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT'S JUST
BEEN A LONG ROAD IN A LOT OF
WAYS, I CERTAINLY CONSIDER
MYSELF VERY LUCKY TO BE PART OF
IT.
>> Reporter: FEELS GOOD TO BE IN
THE LAUNCHING BUSINESS AGAIN?
>> ABSOLUTELY LIVE.
ABSOLUTELY L.
>> Reporter: GOOD TO SEE YOU,
GREG SPECTRUM NEWS 13.
ENJOYED FLYING WITH YOU IN THE
STA DOUG BACK IN 2011.
>> THAT WAS A WHILE AGO.
>> Reporter: IT WAS A WHILE
BACK, I KNOW, ALMOST A DECADE.
I WANT TO KNOW, BACK IN 1981
THESE TWO GUYS GAMED YOUNG AND
CRIPPEN CLIMB ODD TOP OF A
SHUTTLE.
THE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA, IT HAD
NEVER BEEN FLOWN, IT WAS A TEST.
ARE YOU TAKING SOME INSPIRATION
FROM THIS IS TWO GUYS?
DOING WHAT THEY DID A PAIR OF
GUYS GETTING ON THIS HUGE
SPACECRAFT NOW YOU WILL BE GOING
TO A TEST FLIGHT AS WELL ON A
BRAND-NEW SPACECRAFT, ANY
INSPIRATION FROM THOSE IN.
>> WE CERTAINLY TAKE INSPIRATION
FROM ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE COME
BEFORE US.
PARTICULARLY THE FOLKS THAT HAVE
DONE A FIRST, PARTICULARLY A
FIRST FLIGHT OF A NEW VEHICLE.
I THINK WHENEVER WE HAVE HAD A
CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH SOME OF
THOSE FOLKS AND I KNOW THE
STS135 CREW KIND OF HAD A
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT
CREW BEING THE KIND OF THE FIRST
AND THE LAST IN THE SHUTTLE
BUSINESS, WHENEVER WE HAVE HAD A
CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH THE
ASTRONAUTS WHO HAD THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE US OR THOSE
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR US, THE
THING THEY HAVE EMPHASIZED IS IN
THE MOMENT, BEING AS PREPARED
AND READY FOR WHATEVER MAY COME
YOUR WAY AS POSSIBLE.
AND I THINK THE INSPIRATION TO
DO THAT HAS COME FROM THEIR
SUCCESSES.
AND BOTH DOUG AND I TAKE THAT
VERY SERIOUSLY.
WHENEVER WE HAVE EXECUTED, YOU
KNOW, A TRAINING SIMULATION OR A
VERIFICATION EVENT OF THE
SPACECRAFT HARDWARE, WE HAVE
REALLY TRIED TO FOCUS ON AND
THINK ABOUT HEY, WHAT WOULD BOB,
NOT THIS BOB OR THAT BOB, BUT
BOB CRIPPEN HAVE DONE IN THAT
SITUATION OR WHAT WOULD CAPTAIN
YOUNG HAVE SAID AT OUR MONDAY
MORNING MEETING.
HE WAS THERE WHEN WE ENTERED OUR
SERVICE IN THE ASTRONAUT CORPS.
ALWAYS HAD GOOD IDEAS AND JUST
WILLING TO SHARE THEM WITH
EVERYBODY.
ANYONE WHO WOULD LISTEN.
AND WE TOOK THAT TO HEART AND,
YOU KNOW, MADE SURE THAT
WHENEVER WE WERE PRESENTED THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES, WE ASKED THOSE
QUESTIONS, WE TRIED TO BE AS
PREPARED AS AS POSSIBLE.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEA THIS MISSION
TO BE A SUCCESS MORE THAN US.
AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE AND WE
DON'T WANT TO BE THE FOLKS THAT
DON'T MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.
WE DEFINITELY TAKE UPS OPERATION
FROM THOSE THAT HAVE COME BEFORE
US.
>> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON,
MELANIE HOLT WF TV.
CHRIS CASSIDY IS UP AT THE
STATION RIGHT NOW AND A LITTLE
SHORTHANDED.
HAS ANY DETERMINATION BEEN MADE
ON HOW LONG YOU ALL WILL STAY AT
THE STATION?
>> FOR A WHILE.
I THINK IS THE RIGHT ANSWER.
1 TO 4 MONTHS IS WHAT I THINK
THEY ARE LOOKING AT.
OF COURSE THERE ARE A LOT OF
THINGS THAT GO IN TO THAT
DECISION.
AND PART OF IT IS THE FLIGHT
TEST OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE.
PART OF IT IS THE -- WHOEVER IS
COMING NEXT, CREW 1, THOSE FOLKS
WHEN THAT VEHICLE WILL BE
PREPARED AND READY TO GO.
AND THEN THE THINGS THAT NEED TO
BE DONE ON BOARD SPACE STATION.
SO IT'S JUST A LOT OF JUGGLING
GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
AND TRADES BEING MADE.
AND WE ARE PREPARED FOR ANY AND
ALL OF THOSE EVENTUALITIES.
AND HONESTLY, THE FACT THAT WE
JUST GOT AN E-MAIL FROM CHRIS
LAST NIGHT AND I THINK I CAN
QUOTE HIM, HE SAID SOMETHING
ABOUT HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO
SEEING OUR UGLY MUGS ON BOARD
SPACE STATION AND I DON'T
PARTICULARLY AGREE WITH HIM ON
THAT PART, BUT HE, YOU KNOW, HE
IS WORKING VERY HARD UP THERE AS
YOU MIGHT IMAGINE AS THE SINGLE
USO S CREW MEMBER AND WE ARE
HOPING TO GO UP THERE AND LAND A
COUPLE OF EXTRA -- LEND A COUPLE
OF EXTRA SETS OF HANDS AND
HOPEFULLY NOT MAKE MORE WORK FOR
HIM IN THE MEANTIME.
IT'S EXCITING BECAUSE WE KNOW
CHRIS VERY WELL.
I FLEW WITH CHRIS, MY WIFE FLEW
WITH CHRIS IT'S A SPECIAL TIME
FOR US OF US TO GET TO BE UP
THERE ON SPACE STATION TOWING
AND MAYBE TAKE IN A BUILT LITTLE
BIT OF EVERYTHING ISS HAS TO
OFFER RATHER THAN THE TWO-WEEK
SHUTTLE MISSION WHICH IS JUST
YOU NEVER STOP AND YOU DON'T GET
A CHANCE TO REALLY TAKE IT ALL
IN QUITE AS MUCH.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU.
OF.
>> Reporter: HI, DAN BILLOW FROM
WESH.
I'LL ADDRESS THIS TO YOU, DOUG.
JUST RANDOMLY I GUESS.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT
YOU THINK OF THE CREW DRAGON AS
A FLYING MACHINE?
>> I THINK IT'S AN OUTSTANDING
FLYING MACHINE.
YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS AT SPACEX,
AS WELL AS KATHY LEADERS AND HER
TEAM WITH COMMERCIAL CREW HAVE
JUST SPENT A TON OF TIME WORKING
ON THIS VEHICLE AND HONING IT TO
THE VEHICLE THAT IT IS RIGHT
NOW.
IT'S BEEN THROUGH ALL KINDS OF
DIFFERENT TESTING, CULMINATED A
FEW MONTHS AGO WITH THE
IN-FLIGHT ABOARD WHICH IS ONE OF
THE MOST INCREDIBLE THINGS I
HAVE EVER SEEN IN PERSON.
JUST AN AMAZING VEHICLE.
IT IS DEFINITELY NOT THE SPACE
SHUTTLE.
IN MANY WAYS.
IT'S MUCH SMALLER BUT A CAPSULE.
IT'S STATE-OF-THE-ART FROM A
TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT.
AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE IN A
REAL SPACESHIP AND NOT THE
SIMULATOR HERE IN JUST A WEEK.
>> Reporter: HI, STEVEN CLARK
FROM SPACE FLIGHT NOW OVER HERE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.
WHO DO YOU HAVE PLANNED OVER THE
NEXT WEEK BETWEEN NOW AND THE
LAUNCH?
I THINK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO
STRAP IN TO THE SPACECRAFT THIS
WEEKEND AND GET A LOOK AROUND
AND GET A FEEL FOR IT.
BUT ALSO HOW EXCITED ARE YOU FOR
THAT?
AND ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TIME
FOR -- TO SPEND TIME WITH
FAMILIES MAYBE AT THE BEACH
HOUSE?
ANY OTHER THINGS THAT YOU ARE
EXCITED ABOUT OVER THE NEXT WEEK
GETTING READY TO LAUNCH ON
MAY 27th?
>> WE DO HAVE A LOT OF EXCITING
ACTIVITIES OVER THE NEXT SEVEN
DAYS.
WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO PUT OUR
SPACE SUITS ON AGAIN.
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
FINALLY COMPLETELY UP AND READY
FOR THE ACTUAL EVENT.
AS YOU MENTIONED, WE'LL GET A
CHANCE TO CLIMB IN TO THE DRAGON
CAPSULE, STRAP IN AND WALK
THROUGH THE PRELAUNCH TIMELINE
IN INSIDE THE VEHICLE THAT WILL
INVOLVE RIDING IN THE TESLAS OUT
TO THE LAUNCH PAD GOING THROUGH
THAT EXERCISE TO POLISH THE TEAM
ONE MORE TIME PRIOR TO THE
LAUNCH.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE BIG
SHOW ON THE 27th, YOU ARE
FAMILIAR WITH.
WE WILL HAVE OUR FAMILIES IN
TOWN HERE IN A FEW DAYS.
AND GET A CHANCE TO SPEND TIME
WITH THEM.
THEY HAVE BEEN OBSERVING, YOU
KNOW, PRETTY TIGHT QUARANTINE TO
MAKE THAT A POSSIBILITY.
AND SO I THINK BOTH DOUG AND IS
A ARE REALLY EXCITED TO SPEND
TIME OUT AT THE CONFERENCE
CENTER, RIGHT, COLONEL CABANA
THE CONFERENCE CENTER FORMALLY
KNOWN AS THE BEACH HOUSE, GET A
CHANCE TO GO AND VISIT THAT
FACILITY.
MAKE MAKE A TRADITION WITH OUR
FAMILY AS A PART OF THE NEW ERA
WE ARE EMBARKING ON.
>> Reporter: GOOD LUCK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: THIS WILL BE A LAST
QUESTION.
>> Reporter: MIKE FROM FOX 35 IN
ORLANDO.
HI, GENTLEMEN.
SO YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TRAINING
FOR THIS FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.
THEN YOU GET TO WRINKLE CALLED
THE CORONAVIRUS, I WONDER HOW
THAT CHANGED PREPARATION FOR
THIS MISSION YOU PLANNED AND GOT
ALL READY AND THIS IS THE MONKEY
WRITTEN.
CAN YOU TELL US TO YOU THAT MADE
THIS DIFFERENT?
>> JUST AS EVERY PERSON STANDING
HERE AND EVERY PERSON IN THE
UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE
WORLD, THIS HAS BEEN I THINK
THE -- IT'S AN BY HUGE WRINKLE
TO SAY THE LEAST.
ADJUST EVERYONE'S LIVES AND HOW
WE DO BUSINESS AND HOW WE TRAIN
AND HOW WE OPERATE, IT'S BEEN A
HUGE, HUGE OBVIOUSLY SHIFT FOR
EVERYBODY.
BUT I THINK FOR US, IN
PARTICULAR, IT WAS CHALLENGING
BECAUSE WE WERE AT THAT PHASE
PROBABLY THE LAST YEAR, YEAR AND
A HALF, WHERE WE WERE TRAVEL TO
GO SPACEX LITERALLY EVERY WEEK.
WE HAD TO COME UP WITH WAYS FOR
MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY DID WE
KEEP THE KEEPS THAT WE WERE
WORKING WITH SAFE, BUT OBVIOUSLY
OURSELVES AND FAMILIES SAFE.
I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH OF HOW
QUICKLY THE FOLKS IN HAWTHORNE
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE DID THE
MAJORITY OF THE DRAGON TRAINING
RESPONDED AND DID EVERYTHING
THAT THEY COULD TO KEEP US SAFE.
AS WELL AS THE FOLKS AT JOHNSON
AND NASA AND WE HAD TO COME UP
WITH A LOT OF UNIQUE WAYS TO
CONTINUE TRAINING WITHOUT TOO
BIG OF A SPEED BUMP.
THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY THINGS
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST
COUPLE OF YEARS THAT HAVE AMAZED
BUT BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY HIGH ON
THE LIST.
JUST FOR THE ABSOLUTE COMPLETE
SHIFT THAT PEOPLE HAD TO DO AND
THE WAY THEY JUST DID ANYTHING
IN THEIR NORMAL LIVES COMPLETELY
CHANGED AND TO CONTINUE TRAINING
NOT ONLY ON DRAGON BUT OUR
TRAINING ON SPACE STATION BEFORE
WE LEFT WAS IMPORTANT AND THE
TEAMS REALLY CAME TOGETHER AND
PULLED IT OFF.
IT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL
HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IN A LOT MORE
DETAIL AFTER THE FLIGHT JUST HOW
PEOPLE REALLY JUST STEP SECOND
DEGREE UP.
IT WAS REALLY A NEAT THING TO
SEE.
>> I KNOW THAT WAS THE LAST
QUESTION.
I AM GOING TAKE LIBERTY AND ASK
ONE FINAL QUESTION, IF THAT'S
OKAY.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING
WITH ME AND I HAVE SEEN THAT AS
YOU ARE BLAZING THIS TRAIL, AND
YOU REALLY ARE BLAZE A TRAIL,
EACH OF YOU HAS SHOWN ME FROM
TIME TO TIME NEW TRADITIONS THAT
ARE ESTABLISHING AND IT'S
HOPEFUL THAT THOSE TRADITIONS
WILL CARRY ON AND MAYBE EVEN BE
ADDED TO IN THE FUTURE.
WOULD EACH OF YOU SHARE SOME OF
YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT ARE THE
NEW TRADITIONS THAT YOU HAVE
VERY ESTABLISHED?
I KNOW THERE WILL BE MORE, WE
HAVE ANOTHER WEEK BEFORE LAUNCH.
BUT AS FAR AS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT
NOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE NEW
TRADITIONS THAT YOU HAVE
ESTABLISHED?
>> WELL, LET'S SEE, I THINK BACK
AT MY HOME IN HOUSTON, WE TOOK
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING
THAT IS PRETTY COMMON FROM AN
ASTRO NAH PERSPECTIVE AROUND THE
WORLD, WHICH IS TO PLANT A TREE
SOMEPLACE, SOMEPLACE AND SO I
HAVE DONE IT IN BAIKONUR, CREWS
DO THAT IN WAS BEING STAN ON KAN
THEIR TO LINE OF APT ON YOU SUES
AND I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY WITH
MY FAMILY TO DO A TREE PLANTING
NOT A PUBLIC EVENT, BUT A
CERTAINLY SORT OF EVENT.
AND MY SON WILL ALWAYS HAVE THAT
LEMON TREE THAT HE WAS A PART OF
PLANTING THAT HOPEFUL IT MAKES
IT THROUGH HOUSTON'S HOT SUM
THEY ARE YEAR AND BECOMES A
TRADITION FOR SOME OTHER FOLKS
AS WELL.
>> YESTERDAY WE HAD OUR FINAL
PROFICIENCY SIM WITH SPACEX THEY
HAVE A FACILITY IN HOUSTON, WE
USED TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT
WE CALL TAGGING IN THE SERVICE,
ESSENTIALLY IT'S PUTTING A
STICKER ON THE SIMULATOR FOR
YOUR MISSION WHEN YOU ARE
COMPLETE WITH THE TRAINING.
YESTERDAY BOBBY AND PUT THE DM2
STICKER ON THE SPACEX SIMULATOR
IN HOUSTON.
AS KIND OF A CONTINUING
TRADITION.
I THINK THE AHEAD MINUTE
STRAIGHTER BRINGS UP A GREAT
POINT, WE FEEL RESPONSIBLE TO
CONTINUE SOME OF THESE REALLY
NEED SOYUZ CRUISE AND SHUTTLE
CREWS HAVE HAD AND MAYBE COME UP
WITH A FEW OF OUR OWN, AS WE GO
THROUGH THE JOURNEY WE'LL
CERTAINLY SHARE MORE OF THOSE.
>> I WANT TO THANK YOU, BOB, AND
DOUG FOR TAKING THE TIME I KNOW
THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO
BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH TO
TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE TIME
WITH US AND SHARING SOME OF YOUR
STORIES WITH THE MEDIA YOU
REALLY ARE A BRIGHT LIGHT FOR
ALL OF AMERICA RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS MISSION IS A BRIGHT
LIGHT FOR ALL OF AMERICA.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR
SACRIFICE, AND I CAN TELL YOU
WHEN I GROW UP ONE DAY I WANT TO
BE LIKE BOB AND DOUG.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU
HAVE DONE AND ALL YOU ARE ABOUT
TO DO.
THANK YOU TO THE MEDIA FOR
COMING TO COVER THIS GREAT
EVENT.
>> APPRECIATE IT.
>> YOU IT, ALL.
[ APPLAUSE ]