>> I FEEL THE LIFTOFF.
THE CLOCK HAS STARTED.
>> ROGER.
I FEEL FINE.
>> THE EAGLE HAS LANDED.
>> ROGER.
>> THE NEW POSSIBILITIES ARE
OPENING UP FOR THE CORPORATION
BETWEEN COUNTRIES.
>> WE HAVE LIFTOFF.
AMERICA'S RETURN TO SPACE AS
DISCOVERY CLEARS THE TOWER.
>> DISCOVERY, ROGER.
>> IT'S NICE TO BE IN ORBIT.
♪♪
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME
TO NASA'S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
IN FLORIDA.
I'M JOSHUA FINCH OF NASA'S
COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS NASA'S
SPACEX TEAM.
AND WE'RE JOINED BY PARTICIPANTS
WHO CAN TELL US MORE ABOUT THE
REVIEW.
FIRST WE HAVE THE NASA
ADMINISTRATOR.
NASA ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR.
MANAGER OF NASA'S COMMERCIAL
CREW PROGRAM.
MANAGER INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION PROGRAM.
DIRECTOR OF CREW MISSION
MANAGEMENT AT SPACEX.
AND DEPUTY DETECTOR AT NASA'S
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, FLIGHT
OPERATIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH
OPENING COMMENTS FROM OUR
PRESENTERS.
AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO
QUESTIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE
ADMINISTRATOR.
>> THANK YOU, JOSH.
>> HERE WE ARE TODAY IN AN EMPTY
ROOM, TALKING TO CAMERAS, AND
ALL OF ARE SIX FEET APART.
AND WE'RE ALL HERE WITH OUR
MASKS ON, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING
HERE TODAY EXEMPLIFIES WHAT WE
WERE DOING IN THE LAUNCH
READINESS REVIEW.
AS WELL
>>
THANK YOU.
AND NOW WE'LL GO TO STEVEN.
>> THANK YOU, JOSH.
[ TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES ]
>> FOR THE SPACEX COMMERCIAL
CREW.
LIKE JIM SAID, IT WAS AN
EXCELLENT REVIEW.
I KNEW GOING IN, THE TEAM WAS
READY.
AND THEY ABSOLUTELY DEMONSTRATED
THAT WITH THE REVIEW.
DAY AND A HALF OF REALLY GOOD
PRESENTATIONS, REALLY GOOD
DISCUSSIONS, AND WE ACCOMPLISHED
WHAT WE NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH.
THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT ISSUES,
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT.
AT THE END IT WAS A VERY, VERY
CLEAN REVIEW.
THERE IS JUST THE PLANNED
FORWARD WORK TO GET DONE.
THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF IT
BETWEEN NOW AND LAUNCH, BUT WE
ARE READY TO LAUNCH ON WEDNESDAY
MAY 27TH AT 4:43 P.M.
AND IT'S THE -- A CREDIT TO THE
TEAM, THE SPACEX NASA TEAM FOR
THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION
TO GET TO THIS POINT.
THIS TEAM EVENTS THE VALUES OF
NASA, SAFETY.
THEY HAVE BEEN LASER FOCUSED ON
SAFELY LAUNCHING BOB AND DOUG
INTO SPACE, GETTING INTO THE
SPACE STATION AND RETURNING THEM
HOME SAFELY.
TEAM WORK -- I HAVE NEVER SEEN A
TEAM TOGETHER THIS EFFECTIVELY
TO CONCUR THE CHALLENGES TO GET
TO THIS POINT.
INTEGRITY IN EVERYTHING THEY
HAVE DONE.
I HAVE JUST BEEN SO IMPRESSED
WITH THE OPENNESS AND FRANKNESS
OF ALL OF OUR DISCUSSIONS, WHICH
IS REALLY CRITICAL TO GET TO THE
POINT WE'RE READY TO LAUNCH, AND
THEN EXCELLENCE.
IF YOU ARE IN THE REVIEW AND
HEARD THE BRIEFINGS FROM THE
ENGINEERING TEAM, JUST
INCREDIBLE ENGINEERS, AND THEY
DEMONSTRATED THE -- THE
EXCELLENCE THAT WE EXPECT FROM
BOTH SPACEX AS WELL AS NASA, AND
I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF THE
TEAM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
JOSH.
>> AND WE'LL NOW GO TO KATHY
READERS.
KATHY?
>> WELL, A REALLY BIG DAY FOR
THE TEAM.
I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE NASA
AND SPACEX TEAM WHO HAVE DUG
DEEP AND WORKED SO HARD TO GET
US TO THIS POINT.
JUST -- WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS
TEAM, AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD
OF THEM.
I'M PROUD OF THE OPPORTUNITY WE
HAD TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO THE
AGENCY.
OUR READINESS, AND THEN HAVE
THEM AGREE.
SO VERY, VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM.
VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM AND THE
CULMINATION OF THEIR WORK.
I'M JUST -- I'M IN AWE THAT I
GET TO LEAD THIS TEAM, IT'S
REALLY AN HONOR.
BUT WE'RE NOT DONE.
WE TALKED A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT
WE HAVE GOT TO DO THIS RIGHT.
AND WE HAVE TO LAUNCH BOB AND
DOUG, AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE
TAKEN CARE OF IN ORBIT, AND MAKE
SURE THEY GET HOME, AND WE ARE
COMMITTED TO DO THAT, AND WE'RE
GOING TO STAY VIGILANT OVER THE
NEXT FEW DAYS.
WE STILL HAVE A STATIC FIRE.
AND TOMORROW WE HAVE ALSO A
REALLY IMPORTANT EVENT.
IT'S A DRY ADDRESS.
IT'S OUR LAST RUN-THROUGH WITH
THE CREW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
REALLY READY.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR FINAL
LAUNCH READINESS REVIEW ON
MONDAY.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THIS
TEAM.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT ONE STEP
AT A TIME, AND WE'RE GOING TO
STILL FLY WHEN WE'RE READY, BUT
THANK YOU TO MY WHOLE STATEMENT,
TO THE NASA TEAM, TO THE SPACEX
TEAM SO THE ISS THAT HAVE HELP
US GET THERE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, IT'S A GREAT
PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS REVIEW.
MUCH LIKE WE HAVE THE
PREPARATIONS KATHY WAS
DESCRIBING HERE ON THE PLANET,
THERE ARE GET THINGS GOING ON IN
ORBIT.
AS WE'RE CONDUCTING OUR REVIEW
HERE, THE HTV IS RAPIDLY
CATCHING UP TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION AND ARRIVING TO
THE ISS ON MONDAY, SO JUST A FEW
DAYS BEFORE.
IT WILL BE GRAPPLED AND BY THE
TIME DEMO TWO ARRIVES IT WILL BE
PART OF THE SPACE STATION.
I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE
CHRIS, YVONNE JUST A FEW MINUTES
BEFORE I LEFT TO COME DOWN LEER
TO THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
I CAN TELL YOU, THOSE GUYS ARE
VERY FOCUSED, VERY EXCITED AND
ARE PREPARING FOR HAVING BOB AND
DOUG ARRIVE ON ORBIT.
SO GREAT PREPARATIONS GOING ON
IN ORBIT.
AND FINALLY, COMING UP HOME,
WE'LL BRING HOME BOB AND DOUG
SAFELY AND WE'LL BRING HOME
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS ON THE
DRAGON TOO.
SO A GREAT TEST FLIGHT, BUT ALSO
THE ABILITY TO MAKE SURE OF THAT
VEHICLE TO BRING HOME
EXPERIMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN
ORBIT FOR A WHILE.
SO THIS YEAR WE'RE CELEBRATING
20 YEARS OF HAVING HUMANS LIVING
AND WORKING IN THE SPACE, AND
WE'RE VERY, VERY MUCH EXCITED TO
HAVE THE FIRST HUMANS LAUNCH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SINCE JULY 8TH, 2011, THE LAST
TIME HUMANS LEFT THE PLANET HERE
IN KENNEDY AND THE KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER AND WENT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO
NEXT WEEK, HAVING BOB AND DOUG
IN ORBIT, CONTINUING HUMAN
PRESENCE, LEARNING AND
EXPLORING.
SO WITH THAT, IT'S MY GREAT
PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE BENGIE
REID.
HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE WORKED FOR
THE LAST FEW YEARS TO MAKE THIS
HAPPEN.
BENGIE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, KIRK.
WE'RE NOT JUST COLLEAGUES HERE
OR EVEN PARTNERS.
OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE BUILT
FRIENDSHIPS, BUT IN THOSE
FRIENDSHIPS WE HOLD EACH OTHER
ACCOUNTABLE.
IT'S AN HONOR THE RESPONSIBILITY
THAT WE CARRY JOINTLY WITH NASA
AND OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS AND
OUR COMPANY AT SPACEX.
AND IT'S A SACRED HONOR, AND
THOSE ARE MEANINGFUL WORDS WHEN
WE SAY THAT.
OUR JOB IS TO CARRY BOB AND DOUG
TO THE SPACE STATION, HAND THEM
TO KIRK, LET THEM DO WHAT THEY
GET TO DO ON SPACE STATION, HELP
KEEP THE SPACE STATION RUNNING
AND SAFE, AND BRING THEM HOME
SAFELY BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES.
AS WE LIKE TO MENTION, THEY ARE
DADS.
THEY HAVE GOT FAMILIES BACK
HOME.
AND IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS
WE'RE ALL TAKING CARE OF EACH
OTHER THROUGH THESE INTERESTING
TIMES, WE'RE NEEDING TO TAKE
CARE OF THE CREW AND BRING THEM
HOME.
AND, AGAIN, ON THAT SACRED
JOURNEY TOGETHER, WE'RE ALL
HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
AND TODAY WE GOT A GO, AND IT
WAS AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY TO GET
TO TODAY'S REVIEW, BUT WE STILL
HAVE OUR STATIC FIRE THIS
AFTERNOON.
OUR DRY ADDRESS TOMORROW.
AND OUR LAUNCH READINESS REVIEW,
WHICH NASA WILL BE ATTENDING
WITH US JUST BEFORE LAUNCH TO
ENSURE THAT WE'RE READY.
BUT JUST TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT GOT US HERE RE-KENTLY
TO TODAY, WE HAVE A FEW PHOTOS
TO BRING UP.
THERE IS DRAGON BEING READY TO
BE TRANSPORTED FROM WHERE WE
PREPARE THE VEHICLES OVER TO THE
HANGAR.
AND THERE IS DRAGON AND FALCON
MATED TOGETHER READY TO ROLL OUT
TO THE PAD.
AND THERE THEY ARE IN THE
TRANSPORT ERECTOR.
THE BARN DOOR IS OPEN, AND
DRAGON IS READY TO LEAVE.
AND THERE THEY ARE.
THE CREW ARM HAS MOVED INTO
POSITION, IT IS ATTACHED -- OR
AGAINST THE DRAGON NOW, AND
WE'RE READY -- WE'RE READY TO GO
INTO STATIC FIRE IN JUST ABOUT A
HOUR AND A HALF FROM NOW.
WE TALK ABOUT THE WHOLE MISSION.
IT'S REALLY A GOOD TO THE
MISSION THERE WILL BE CONSTANT
VIGILANCE AND WATCHING OF THE
DATA.
THERE WILL BE OTHER REVIEWS AND
CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
GO FOR EACH ASPECT.
BUT REALLY, WE ALWAYS NEED TO
THINK ABOUT THIS AS AN ENTIRE
MISSION.
AND WE HAVE A NEW VIDEO THAT WE
PULLED TOGETHER TO SHOW OUR
PARACHUTES AND A COMPILATION OF
ALL OF THE PARACHUTE WORK THAT
WE HAVE DONE.
♪♪
>> THAT LAST SHOT THERE IS A
BEAUTIFUL IMAGE OF THE CAPSULE
COMING HOME FROM OUR DEMO-1
TEST.
AND IT IS SO INCREDIBLE BEING
HERE -- HERE AT KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER, YOU KNOW, THE HOME OF
LAUNCHING ASTRONAUTS FROM
SPACE -- AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS
FROM AMERICAN SOIL IN AMERICAN
VEHICLES.
AND WE GET TO DO IT AGAIN.
SO ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THE
TEAMS, WE ARE HONORED TO
BE -- THAT NASA HAS TRUSTED US
WITH THIS ENDEAVOR, THAT BOB AND
DOUG TRUST US, AND WE'RE EXCITED
TO DO IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> AND NOW WE'LL GO TO NORM
KNIGHT.
>> IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE WITH
YOU HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
IT WAS A FUN TWO DAYS, VERY LONG
DAYS.
BUT FROM A CREW PERSPECTIVE,
THIS WAS FANTASTIC.
WE'RE SATISFIED WITH THE
DISCUSSIONS, THE READINESS OF
THE FOLKS, AND HAVING THE
NECESSARY DISCUSSIONS TO ENSURE
THAT DOUG AND BOB ARE SAFE.
SO WE'RE VERY SATISFIED WITH
THAT.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE TEAMS,
NOT ONLY AT SPACEX, BUT ACROSS
THE AGENCY WITH ENGINEERS, AND
SAFETY ENGINEERS, AND
INTEGRATION FOLKS THAT HAVE
REALLY PULLED TOGETHER TO MAKE
THIS A SUCCESS.
SO, AGAIN, IT WAS A REALLY GOOD
DAY.
BUT IT DIDN'T JUST START WITH
THIS REVIEW.
IT WAS REALLY A JOURNEY THAT,
AGAIN, FRIENDSHIP AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH SPACEX THAT
STARTED MANY YEARS AGO.
AND THE ASTRONAUT OFFICE HAS
BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH
SPACEX.
IT WAS A JOINT TEST TEAM THAT
WAS FORMED TO EMBED THE
ASTRONAUTS AND OUR TEAM WORKS TO
WORK TOGETHER, TO WORK IN THE
DEVELOPMENT, TO WORK INTO THE
HUMAN FACTORS, AND TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE TRAINING WAS DONE AND
CONDUCTED IN A JOINT MANNER, SO
THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, MEET THOSE
OBJECTIVES OF CREW AND VEHICLE
SAFETY.
THAT WAS DONE VERY WELL.
THAT WAS A GREAT JOURNEY.
A LOT OF FOLKS WERE INVOLVED
WITH THAT, AND IT WAS VERY
SUCCESSFUL.
THE TRUST THAT WAS BUILT WITH
THESE TEAMS OVER MANY YEARS WILL
PAY INFINITE DIVIDENDS BECAUSE
THAT TRUST IS WHAT HOLDS US
TOGETHER AS TEAMS WHEN THINGS
GET STRESSED AND STRAINED, AND
WE'RE WORKING ANOMALIES AND
GETTING READY FOR THINGS LIKE
THAT, THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO
HOLD US TOGETHER THROUGHOUT THIS
WHOLE MISSION FROM THE TIME THE
CREW LEAVES THE CREW QUARTERS TO
THE TIME THEY ARE RETURNED AND
SAFELY TOUCH DOWN AND RETURNED
BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES.
THAT IS ALL OF OUR OBJECTIVES.
TODAY WAS ALSO ANOTHER GREAT
MILESTONE, REALLY, IN THE
CONTINUED JOURNEY AND -- AND
ROAD THAT NASA IS PAVING FOR
HUMAN EXPLORATION, AND IT'S
GREAT.
IT DOVE TAILS RIGHT IN IN WITH
ARTEMIS, SO VERY EXCITING.
GIVE YOU A QUICK PREVIEW OF THE
CREW SCHEDULE AS WE GO FORWARD.
TOMORROW IS A BIG DAY AS KATHY
SAID, IT'S THE DRY DRESS.
THE CREW WILL GET UP AROUND 8:00
AM AND START DOING DRY DRESS
PREPARATIONS.
THEY WILL GET BRIEFINGS, THEY
WILL SUIT UP, HEAD TO THE PAD,
AND IT WILL BE A DRY DRESS AND
PRACTICE RUN.
THEN THERE WILL BE A DEBRIEF,
THEY WILL HEAD BACK TO THE
ASTRONAUT HEADQUARTERS WHERE
THEY HAVE BEEN IN QUARANTINE AND
START GETTING READY.
SO WITH THAT, AGAIN, IT'S A AN
HONOR TO BE HERE.
>> THANK YOU, NORM.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ABOUT THE
TIME WE HAVE TODAY WITH THE
ADMINISTRATOR.
AND WE'RE NOW GOING TO TRANSOVER
TO TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS.
YOU CAN USE THE HASHTAG ASKNASA,
AND WE HAVE MEDIA DIALED IN ON
THE PHONE BRIDGE.
WE'LL START WITH MICHAEL SHEETS.
MICHAEL?
>> Reporter: HI, FOLKS.
THANKS AGAIN AS ALWAYS FOR
HOSTING THIS.
I'M REALLY CURIOUS IN -- IN THE
LENGTH AND THOROUGHNESS OF THIS
REVIEW THAT WE DID THE LAST TWO
DAYS, ASIDE FROM THE TECHNICAL
TAKEAWAYS, WHAT -- WHAT SHOULD
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ABOUT WHAT
THE -- THIS PANEL TOGETHER
CONCLUDED IN PREPARATION FOR
DEMO 2?
IS THIS A SPACECRAFT THAT NASA
HAS DEEMED HUMAN RATED?
AND HOW DO PEOPLE WHO AREN'T
MAYBE AS SAVVY WITH THE
INDUSTRY, SHOULD UNDERSTAND THIS
MEANS IN PREPARATION FOR THE
LAUNCH?
>> YEAH, FIRST THIS WAS A
READINESS REVIEW FOR THE DEMO-2
LAUNCH.
SO WE WENT OVER LIKE
MR. BRINESTEIN DISCUSSED, ALL OF
THE SYSTEMS ON THE LAUNCH
VEHICLE ON THE GROUND, AND
ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE ISSUES
HAD BEEN CLOSED SATISFACTORILY
AND THEY WERE.
IN FACT ALL OF THOSE ISSUES WERE
CLOSED OUT PRIOR TO THE REVIEW.
ALL OF THE WAIVERS, DEVIATIONS,
REQUIREMENTS VERIFICATIONS WAS
DONE PRIOR TO THE REVIEW AND
CLOSED OUT BY THE PROGRAM, BOTH
NASA AND SPACEX.
SO IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
IT ALSO WAS AN INTIMATE
INTERRUPT HUMAN RATING REVIEW.
AND THAT MEANS WE VALIDATED THAT
THIS MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE DEMO-2 MISSION, AND THOSE
REQUIREMENTS FEED FORWARD TO
FUTURE MISSIONS.
WE WILL HAVE A FINAL HUMAN
RATINGS CERTIFICATION REVIEW
AFTER DEMO-2, AND BEFORE THE
CREW-1 MISSION, JUST TO CERTIFY
THE RELATIVELY SMALL SET OF
DESIGN CHANGES BETWEEN THE
DEMO-2 SYSTEM AND THE CREW-1
SYSTEM, AND AT THAT POINT, WE'LL
DEEM IT HUMAN RATINGS CERTIFIED.
BUT TODAY'S REVIEW WENT A LONG
WAY TO CERTIFYING THE SYSTEM
FOR -- FOR CREW FLIGHT.
>> AND OUR NEXT QUESTION FROM
[ INAUDIBLE ] FROM THE ATLANTIC.
RANA.
>> Reporter: HI, EVERYONE.
CLARK, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR
YOU.
LAST YEAR BEFORE THE UNCREWED
DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT THERE WAS
SOME DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU
AND YOUR RUSSIAN COUNTERPARTS.
DID ANY OFFICIALS FROM THEM
PROVIDE ANY DISSENTING OPINIONS
THIS TIME AROUND?
>> WELL, IT WAS PART OF OUR
REVIEWS FOR THE LAST TWO DAYS.
A NUMBER OF OUR RUSSIAN
COLLEAGUES PARTICIPATED FROM
MOSCOW.
SO WHILE IT WAS LONG DAYS FOR
US, IT WAS LONG NIGHTS FOR OUR
RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES.
AND OUR COLLEAGUES PARTICIPATED
FROM JAPAN.
QUITE THE MARATHON FOR MANY OF
US.
BUT OUR RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES
WORKED WITH US BETWEEN DEMO-1,
AND DEMO 2.
AND WE HAVE HAD COUNTLESS
DISCUSSIONS.
AND WE EXPLAINED TO OUR RUSSIAN
COLLEAGUES AND ANSWERED THEIR
QUESTIONS, AND FINALLY A BIG
SHOUT-OUT TO SPACEX.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS THEY HAD WAS
A VERY, VERY REMOTE POSSIBILITY
OF A FAILURE, BUT IF THAT
OCCURRED, IT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE,
PERHAPS EVEN CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE
TO THE ISS, SPACEX SAID WE
UNDERSTAND AND MADE A
MODIFICATION.
SO IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING EFFORT
ON BEHALF OF SPACEX TO CLOSE
THAT GAP, AND -- AND THEN THE
TRUST THAT WE BUILT OVER -- OVER
THE YEARS TO GET US TODAY, SO
THEY PARTICIPATED AND THEY WERE
A GO, AND NO CONCERNS WITH THAT
REMAINING ISSUE.
>> AND OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
STEVEN CLARK FROM SPACE FLIGHT
NOW.
STEVEN?
>> Reporter: HI, THANK YOU FOR
TAKING MY QUESTION.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE
[ INAUDIBLE ] LEADERS MAYBE.
I KNOW THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM
REQUIREMENT FOR LOSS OF CREW
RISK IS 1 IN 270.
I KNOW THERE'S REASON NOT TO
LOOK TOO HARD AT THESE NUMBERS,
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS A
REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMMERCIAL
CREW PROGRAM.
JUST CURIOUS WHERE YOU ENDED UP
ON THIS MISSION, AND WHAT
MITIGATIONS OPERATIONALLY, OR
PHYSICALLY ON THE SPACECRAFT YOU
HAD TO DO IN RECENT MONTHS, SO
RECENT -- LAST YEAR OR TWO TO
GET TO THAT 1 IN 270
REQUIREMENT?
THANKS.
>> WE ACTUALLY -- BETWEEN THE
SPACEX AND OPERATIONAL CONTROLS,
WE ACTUALLY WERE MEETING OUR 1
IN 270 REQUIREMENT FOR -- AND
IT'S NOT JUST THE
MISSION -- IT'S AN OVERALL
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.
SO -- AND SO WITH -- WITH ALL OF
THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING
WITH SPACEX ON THE MODELING, ON
THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THEIR
DESIGN, AND OBVIOUSLY MMOD
MITIGATION AND INSPECTION, THAT
REQUIREMENT WAS CLOSED OUT
ACCEPTABLY.
>> AND OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
TIM FERNHOLTZ AT QUARTZ.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS AND
GOOD LUCK.
AND FOR STEVE, CAN YOU GIVE US A
TANGIBLE EXAMPLE OF -- YOU KNOW,
THE KIND OF BACK AND FORTH THAT
MIGHT HAPPEN IN THAT ROOM, AND
DOES IT GET DOWN TO THE
ENGINEERS A SPECIFIC
SUBCOMPONENT AREA, OR MORE OF A
HIGH LEVEL.
AND FOR BENGIE, I JUST CURIOUS,
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW SPACEX
HAS DEVELOPED THE CREW DRAGON
ALONG WITH TAXPAYERS.
>> SO A BIG PART OF IT IS
REVIEWING AND ACCEPTING THE
RISKS.
WHENEVER WE FLY, THERE ARE GOING
TO BE RESIDUAL RISKS.
KATHY AND BENGIE AND THE TEAM
DID A GREAT JOB AROUND
IDENTIFYING RISKS, UNDERSTANDING
THEM, MITIGATING THEM THROUGH
DESIGN CHANGES AND OPERATIONAL
CONTROLS, TO THE POINT WHERE WE
WERE ABLE TO ACCEPT A LOT OF
THEM -- MOST OF THEM, ALONG THE
WAY.
SO AN EXAMPLE OF -- OF ONE THAT
WE HAVE BEEN -- THAT THE TEAM
HAS BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE
LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO, WERE THE
DRAGON PARACHUTES.
SO WE ESTABLISHED A LITTLE WHILE
AGO THAT THE ORIGINAL CHUTE
DESIGNS DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE
MARGIN BASED ON KNOWLEDGE WE
GAINED ON THE TESTING.
SO WE DID A NEW CHUTE DESIGN,
AND WE HAD TO QUALIFY THAT NEW
DESIGN TO HIGHER MARGINS THAT WE
HAD THE PREVIOUS CHUTES.
THE NASA SPACEX TEAM DID AN
AMAZING JOB LAYING OUT A TEST
PROGRAM, AND EXECUTING THAT TEST
PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, IT'S FEWER TESTS THAT
WE NORMALLY WOULD SEE ON A
PARACHUTE QUALIFICATION PROGRAM.
SO WE TOOK A LONG TIME IN A
COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS DURING
THE REVIEW TO HAVE THE TEAM WALK
US THROUGH THE DESIGN, THE
CHANGES, THE QUALIFICATION
TESTING, AND -- AND THE MARGINS
ON THE CHUTE TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYBODY WAS GOOD WITH HOW
THEY -- THOSE CHUTES WERE
QUALIFIED, AND WE HAD VERY HIGH
CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL
FUNCTION AS WE NEED THEM TO WHEN
BOB AND DOUG RETURN FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
[ INAUDIBLE ].
ERIC?
>> Reporter: HI -- HI, GOOD
AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
I GUESS A QUESTION MAYBE FOR
KATHY.
IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE MORE THAN A
YEAR AGO WHEN THERE WAS AN
ACCIDENT WHEN THEY WERE TESTING
THE THRUSTERS, AND IT WAS A
PRETTY VISCERAL IMAGE OF WHAT
HAPPENED ON THE PAD THERE,
AND -- AT THE TEST PAD, AND I'M
JUST WONDERING, DID YOU THINK WE
WOULD GET HERE A YEAR LATER TO
WHERE WE'RE READY TO LAUNCH CREW
NOW AFTER THAT ACCIDENT?
>> I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A
REALLY LONG TIME.
I TOLD SOMEBODY, I FEEL LIKE AN
OLD LADY AFTER KIND OF WORKING
VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT NOW FOR 14
YEARS, AND -- AND DON'T EVER
UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF A
FAILURE, RIGHT?
I HAVE LEARNED THAT WHEN I LOOK
AT -- OVER MY CAREER, WHEN WE
HAVE MADE THE -- THE BIGGEST
PROGRESS IT'S BEEN IN LEARNING
FROM A FAILURE, AND THEN USING
THAT AS A STEP FUNCTION TO MOVE
YOU TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
SO -- BUT YOU ALSO SHOULD NEVER
UNDERESTIMATE HOW MUCH WORK IT
IS FOR YOU TO OVERCOME IT,
RIGHT?
SO WE ALWAYS HAD A PLAN.
WE HAD A PLAN -- ACTUALLY WE HAD
A PLAN THAT WE WERE TRYING TO
FLY POTENTIALLY BY THE END OF
DECEMBER, BUT WE WEREN'T GOING
TO FLY UNTIL WE WERE READY,
UNTIL WE WORKED THROUGH ALL OF
THE TESTING AND EVERYTHING WE
NEEDED.
SO I -- I LOOK BACK ON LAST
APRIL, AND THE STATIC FIRE WAS
REALLY FOR US TO GET READY FOR
OUR IN-FLIGHT ABORT TEST THAT
WAS SUPPOSED TO GO IN JUNE.
AND WE LEARNED A TON ABOUT OUR
SYSTEM, AND HAVE MADE A
SPACECRAFT, AND EXPANDED THE
KNOWLEDGE OF MATERIALS AND NTO
SYSTEMS TO AN EXTENT THAT GIVE
US A REAL SUSTAINED -- YOU KNOW,
UNDERSTANDING OF OUR SYSTEM, AND
FURTHER ROBUSTNESS OF THE NEW
DESIGN THAT WE HAVE, SO -- LAST
APRIL I PROBABLY WASN'T THINKING
I WAS GOING TO BE FLYING IN A
YEAR, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU CAN
NEVER SELL THIS NASA AND SPACEX
TEAM SHORT, AND THEY HAVE ALWAYS
ACCOMPLISHED MIRACLES FOR ME.
AND I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF
THEM.
>> THANK YOU, KATHY.
AND I SKIPPED OVER ONE QUESTION
FOR BENGIE ABOUT HOW SPACEX HAS
CONTRIBUTED.
>> SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT
DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THERE IS PROPRIETARY REASONS WHY
WE CAN'T.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT SPACEX
HAS INVESTED HEAVILY.
WHEN YOU GO BACK TO WHEN WE WERE
DEVELOPING OUR FALCON ONE
VEHICLE.
EVEN A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE ENGINEERS AND TEAM
THAT -- THAT CREATING FALCON 1
ARE STILL WORKING ON THE DEVELOP
TODAY.
AND AGAIN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
NASA, UNDER THE PROGRAMS AND
CONTINUING NOW THROUGH TO THE
CREW DRAGON.
THE PARTNERSHIP IS DEFINITELY A
2-WAY STREET.
AND WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF TIME
AND ENERGY AND MONEY INTO THAT
DEVELOPMENT.
A LOT THAT YOU SHOULD LOOK AT IS
YOU SEE THE WORKFORCE AND
TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE
DEVELOPED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO
FLY.
ANOTHER ELEMENT IS -- I WON'T
SAY PIONEERING, BUT WE HAVE
BEEN -- CHAMPIONS OF FIRM-FIXED
CONTRACTING FROM THE BEGINNING.
FUNDAMENTALLY THIS IS ABOUT
SAYING TO THE TAXPAYER, HERE IS
SOMETHING YOU WANT US TO DO,
HERE IS HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO
CHARGE FOR IT, AND THAT'S WHAT
WE ARE GOING TO DO.
THAT IS A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL
FOR GETTING THE BEST VALUE TO
THE GOVERNMENT, NASA, AND THE
AMERICAN TAXPAYER, AND -- AND AS
YOU KNOW AS WAS RECENTLY
REPORTED, ESTIMATED THAT THIS
PROGRAM OVERALL WILL HAVE SAVED
NASA MAYBE 30 TO $40 BILLION AT
LEAST.
AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT THING
TO THINK ABOUT, AND SEE HOW WE
CONTINUE -- AGAIN, THOSE
FIRM-FIXED CONTRACTS AND THAT
PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE WORK
TOGETHER ALLOWS THAT KIND OF
SAVINGS TO HAPPEN, AND THAT KIND
OF ABILITY FOR NASA TO INVEST IN
MORE THINGS AND DO OTHER
PROGRAMS.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
LAUREN GRUSH AT THE VERGE.
LAURA?
>> HI, THANKS FOR DOING THIS.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD GO
ALL OF THE POSSIBLE ABORT
SCENARIOS FOR THIS FLIGHT?
AT WHICH POINT ARE THE ABORTS
AVAILABLE?
AND HOW DOES THAT PUT
CONSTRAINTS ON WHEN YOU CAN
LAUNCH, NOTABLY WEATHER.
THANKS.
>> SURE.
I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT.
AND NORM IF YOU WANT TO ADD
ANYTHING AS WELL.
NUMBER 1, ONE OF THE KEY
REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM IS
TO HAVE AN ABORT SYSTEM, AND WE
WANT TO DEVELOP OUR VEHICLE TO
HAVE THIS INTEGRATED ABORT
SYSTEM, WHAT WE CALL THE LAUNCH
ESCAPE SYSTEM ON THE VEHICLE.
THE SUPER DRACO SYSTEMS ON THE
VEHICLE.
AND IT'S A VERY EFFECTIVE SYSTEM
THAT WE HOPE WE NEVER HAVE TO
USE.
YOU PUT A LOT INTO IT, TEST IT,
AND HOPE IT IS GOING TO WORK,
AND THEN YOU HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE
TO USE IT.
IN 2015, WE DID A PAD ABORT TEST
TO DEMONSTRATE WE COULD ESCAPE
FROM THE PAD AND COME DOWN IN
THE WATER.
AND IN JANUARY WE DID THE
IN-BOARD TEST.
AND INITIATED A LAUNCH ESCAPE
SYSTEM MID-FLIGHT IN SOME OF THE
ROUGHEST MOMENTS OF THE LAUNCH.
AND DEMONSTRATED THAT THIS
LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM CAN BRING
THE CREW BACK DOWN SAFELY AND BE
ABLE TO BE RECOVERED.
IT'S REALLY AVAILABLE ALMOST THE
ENTIRE TIME.
ONE OF THE GOALS OF THE SYSTEM
IS TO NOT HAVE BLACKOUT PERIODS
WHEN THE SYSTEM DOESN'T
FUNCTION.
AND A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT -- A
LITTLE WHILE BACK, ON ONE OF THE
SOYU LAUNCHED, THEY NEEDED TO
USE IT AND IT WORKED GREAT.
OVER TIME THEY HAD CONTINUED TO
IMPROVE THAT SYSTEM IN THE SAME
WAY THAT -- THAT, YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE BEEN CHARGED TO DO THE SAME
THING ON OUR SYSTEM, TO ENSURE
THAT YOU CAN COVER ALL OF THE
PATH OF FLIGHT.
YOU ASKED ABOUT WEATHER AND WHAT
WE MIGHT LOOK FOR, AND THAT'S A
REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK
ABOUT WEATHER ON -- COMING UP
HERE FOR LAUNCH DAY, IT LOOKS
REALLY NICE OUTSIDE TODAY, BUT
WE ARE ALWAYS MONITORING A LOT
OF THINGS.
WHEN WE'RE NORMALLY FLYING A
FALCON MISSION, WE'RE LOOKING AT
GROUND WINDS, LIGHTNING AND
ATMOSPHERE WINDS ALONG THE
ASSENT TRAJECTORY, BUT IT'S
FOCUSED ON THE FALCON.
AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ALL OF
THOSE.
WE'LL DO THAT FOR FALCON AND THE
SAME FOR THE CREW MISSIONS.
BUT NOW WE NEED TO ADD INTO THAT
THE WEATHER ALONG THE ASSENT
TRACK WHERE WE MIGHT NEED TO
ABORT THE YOU.
AND IT'S REALLY -- THERE ARE 50
POINTS -- OVER 50 POINTS
ACTUALLY -- WHERE WE'RE
MONITORING WEATHER FROM HERE IN
FLORIDA UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD
OF AMERICA AND CANADA, AND ALL
THE WAY OVER TO IRELAND.
WE'RE MONITORING THAT WEATHER
AND MONITORING A LOT OF THE SAME
THINGS, WINDS, LIGHTNING,
PRECIPITATION, AND LOOKING AT
WAVES, WAVE VELOCITY AND WAVE
HEIGHT, BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT IF THE CREW HAD TO
COME DOWN IN A LAUNCH-ESCAPE
SCENARIO, THAT THEY WOULD COME
DOWN IN A SEA STATE THAT WOULD
KEEP THEM SAFE.
SO WE'RE MONITORING ALL THE OF
THOSE PARAMETERS AS WE GO ALONG.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM LEO
INRIGHT FROM IRISH TV.
ALL RIGHT.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE LOST THAT
CONNECTION.
SO WE'LL GO TO IRENE CLOTS AT
AVIATION LINK.
>> Reporter: MY QUESTION IS WITH
BENGIE.
HOW MUCH FASTER DO YOU THINK
SPACEX CAN GET TO CREW FLIGHT
WITH STAR SHIP?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
ALTHOUGH, I HAVE TO SAY THAT OUR
FOCUS TODAY OF COURSE IS ON
DEMO-2, AND MY FOCUS HAS BEEN ON
THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM.
SUPER EXCITED TO DEVELOP THAT IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA IN THE
CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE ALREADY
WORKING WITH THEM.
AGAIN, IT'S A PROCESS, AND I
WOULD SAY, THOUGH, THAT JUST
LOOKING AT THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE NASA SPACEX PARTNERSHIP FROM
THE CARGO DAYS NOW THROUGH THE
CREW DAYS, THE -- THE -- HAVING
WORKED TOGETHER AND UNDERSTOOD
EACH OTHER, WE HAVE LEARNED A
LOT FROM NASA AND GIVEN BACK,
AND I THINK NASA HAS GROWN AND
CHANGED IN WAYS THAT ARE
VALUABLE AND CONSTRUCTIVE AS
WELL.
AND EVERY TIME YOU DO THIS
TOGETHER, IT'S GOING TO GET
BETTER AND BE MORE EFFICIENT.
I WAS JUST TALKING TO THE
DIRECTOR OF MARSHALL CENTER AND
TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE
PROGRAMS WE'LL BE WORKING WITH
THEM ON.
AND IT'S EXCITING.
AND IT IS ALWAYS SAFER AND MORE
RELIABLE.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
MIKE WALL SPACE.COM.
MIKE?
>> Reporter: YEAH.
THIS IS A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT
THE NEXT STEPS ARE GOING FORWARD
BETWEEN NOW AND ACTUALLY LAUNCH
DAY.
I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU
NEED TO KICK OFF ON -- LIKE
DURING THE REVIEW THIS COMING
MONDAY THAT YOU GUYS DIDN'T TALK
ABOUT DURING THE FLIGHT
READINESS REVIEW.
LIKE WHAT IS MONDAY'S REVIEW
GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOW IT
WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT HAS
ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED?
>> LAUNCH READINESS REVIEW IS TO
MAKE SURE THAT ANY OPEN ISSUES
OR CONCERNS, THAT THOSE HAVE
BEEN ANSWERED.
BUT PARTICULARLY, IT'S REALLY AN
ASSESSMENT OF THE DATA.
WE WILL HAVE DONE OUR STATIC
FIRE THAT WE'RE DOING HERE
SHORTLY THIS AFTERNOON.
WE'LL HAVE DONE OUR WET
DRESS -- OR SORRY -- DRY DRESS
REHEARSAL WITH THE CREW.
AND THAT'S A TON OF DATA.
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
ALL OF OUR ENGINEERS ARE ON DECK
AND READY TO GO, AND FOR THE
NEXT FEW DAYS, THEY WILL BE
ANALYZING ALL OF THE DATA, AND
LAUNCH READINESS REVIEW IS TO GO
AGAIN ACROSS ALL OF THE TEAMS
AND EVERY PERSON AND SAY ARE YOU
READY, WHAT DID YOU LEARN, WHAT
CAME OUT OF THE DATA, ARE WE
READY TO GO?
>> AND OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
EMERY KELLY FLORIDA TODAY.
>> Reporter: HEY, FOLKS THANKS
FOR DOING THIS.
THEED A -- THE ADMINISTRATOR
SAID THAT FOLKS COULD SPEAK
UP -- AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED
THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE
RUSSIANS AND THE ISSUES RESOLVED
AND THE DISCUSSION ABOUT
PARACHUTES, JUST WONDERING IF
ANYTHING CAME UP YESTERDAY OR
TODAY THAT LEAD TO LONGER
DISCUSSIONS THAT STICKS OUT?
THANK YOU.
>> YEAH, SO THE OTHER TWO KIND
OF TECHNICAL SPECIAL TOPICS WE
HAD WERE -- WAS THE NTO TITANIUM
COMPATIBILITY ISSUE THAT WAS
DISCOVERED DURING THE DRAGON HOT
FIRE TEST BACK IN APRIL.
I -- ALSO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
WORK DONE BY THE NASA SPACEX
TEAM TO UNDERSTAND THAT, AND TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO MITIGATE AND
CONTROL THAT HAZARD, AND A
LOT -- A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO
JUST UNDERSTAND WHERE WE WERE
AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE READY
TO ACCEPT THAT RISK, THE
RESIDUAL RISK THERE FOR THE
DEMO-2 FLIGHT, WHICH WE ARE.
I CANNOT TELL YOU THE AMOUNT OF
TESTING WE HAVE DONE BY THE
WHITE SANDS TEST FACILITY TEAM,
THE SPACEX TEAM AND McGREGOR
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
WE HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF TESTING.
AND THAT TESTING GIVES US
CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM
THAT IS GOING TO PERFORM AND
WE'LL HAVE THAT ABORT CAPABILITY
THAT BENGIE WAS DISCUSSING
EARLIER.
ANOTHER ONE WAS -- A MORE
LATE-BREAKING ISSUE -- LATE
BREAKING WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH
OR SO, NOT DAYS.
ON PERFORMANCE SHORTFALL OF THE
FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM.
THAT'S A SYSTEM THAT SUPPRESSES
ANY FIRE IN ANY EQUIPMENT OR
ANYTHING ON THE FLOOR.
ON DRAGON UNDER THE FLOOR OF
DRAGON.
SO THE TEAM ANALYZED BOTH THE
HAZARDS THERE, AS WELL AS THE
ABILITY OF THE SYSTEM TO
SUPPRESS THE FIRE, AND THE -- WE
DEEMED THE RISK TO BE VERY LOW
THERE, SO WE WERE ABLE TO REVIEW
THAT DATA, AND GREAT WORK DONE
BY THE TEAM AND ACCEPT THAT
RISK.
A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF
TECHNICAL ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN
CLOSED OUT BEFORE THE REVIEW,
BUT WERE REVIEWED BY THE BOARD,
LOTS OF QUESTIONS, LOTS OF BACK
AND FORTH, AND IN THE END WE
AGREED WITH THE PROGRAM THAT
WERE CLOSING THOSE ISSUES, AND
WE WERE READY TO PROCEED.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
JEFF FAUST AT SPACE NEWS.
JEFF?
>> Reporter: YEAH, GOOD
AFTERNOON.
ACTUALLY JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION.
THERE IS DISCUSSION THAT THERE
IS STILL SOME OPEN WORK LEFT TO
DO TO TIE UP LOOSE ENDS BEFORE
THE LAUNCH.
CAN YOU GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF
SOME OF THAT WORK THAT STILL HAS
TO BE DONE BETWEEN NOW AND
MONDAY?
THANKS.
>> I THINK WE MENTIONED THE OPEN
WORK.
THERE'S FINAL CHECKOUTS ON THE
SPACECRAFT THAT HAPPEN, LIKE
PRIOR TO FINAL HATCH CLOSURE.
THAT'S NORMAL, STANDARD WORK.
WE ALREADY MENTIONED THE BIG
EVENT.
THE BIG EVENT, OBVIOUSLY STATIC
FIRE TODAY, MAKING SURE THE
LAUNCH VEHICLE, FINAL CHECK OUTS
ON THE VEHICLE ARE DONE.
GOING THROUGH AND DOING DRY
DRESS -- I MEAN, LIKE WE ALREADY
TALKED ABOUT, DRY DRESS AND
MAKING SURE THAT WHOLE SYSTEM
FROM DELIVERY OF THE CREW TO THE
PAD, WORKING THROUGH ALL OF
THOSE PIECES, MAKING SURE
EVERYTHING IS WORKING, YOU KNOW,
DAYS BEFORE THE LAUNCH.
THAT'S ALL NORMAL OPEN WORK, AND
THEN DOING THE JOB OF GOING
THROUGH ALL OF THE DATA OUT OF
THE TESTS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE
WORKING, YOU KNOW, SATURDAY,
SUNDAY, MONDAY, YOU KNOW,
TUESDAY, UP TO LAUNCH DAY TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL
CHECKING EVERYTHING OUT.
YOU KNOW, I TALKED A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AGO ABOUT CONTINUING TO
DOT THE I'S AND CROSS THE T'S,
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF OPEN WORK
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
>> AND OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
DAVID MOSHER AT BUSINESS
INSIDER.
DAVE?
AND OUR NEXT QUESTION WILL BE
FROM JACKIE GODDARD WITH THE
IRISH TIMES OF LONDON.
JACKIE?
>> YES, HELLO, THANK YOU.
EARLIER THIS WEEK THERE WAS A
REPORT FROM THE RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT NEWS AGENCY THAT
QUOTED OFFICIALS SAYING THEY
WERE MONITORING INCREASED
SPENDING LEVELS INSIDE THE SPACE
STATION.
THEY STRESSED IT WAS NO THREAT
TO CREW AND THAT THE
CONCENTRATIONS DIDN'T EXCEED THE
LIMIT.
BUT CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT
WAS ALL ABOUT.
WAS THERE ANY FOCUS OF
CONVERSATION AT THE REVIEW, AND
DOES IT RAISE A LEVEL OF CONCERN
WITH SENDING TWO ADDITIONAL CREW
MEMBERS UP.
>> I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WORK
VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR RUSSIAN
PARTNERS.
I SPEAK TO THEM -- IF NOT DAILY,
CERTAINLY WEEKLY.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN
MY ORGANIZATION WHO LIVE IN
MOSCOW.
SO WE'RE VERY, VERY CLOSE.
GREAT PARTNERS.
THERE HAS BEEN NO DISCUSSION
ABOUT ANY CHANGE, ANY MEDIA
CHANGE IN -- IN THE WORK THAT
THEY ARE DOING, CERTAINLY NO
INCREASED RISK TO THE CREW TODAY
AS A RESULT OF ANY OF THIS, SO
I'M NOT CONCERNED AT ALL ABOUT
THAT -- I THINK MAYBE WHAT THEY
ARE REFERRING TO MIGHT BE
LONGER-TERM DECISIONS THAT THE
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT AND RUSSIAN
SPACE AGENCY COULD MAKE, BUT
THAT WOULD REALLY BE A QUESTION
FOR THEM.
SO THE RUSSIAN CREW -- I SPOKE
WITH YVONNE AND ANATOLIY THIS
WEEK, AND THEY ARE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT HAVING TWO MORE CREW
MEMBERS COME UP THERE.
THE ISS IS IN GREAT SHAPE.
THE CREW ARE IN GREAT SHAPE, SO
I THINK THE VEHICLE ON ORBIT IS
READY TO GO, AND WE'RE WORKING
TO MAKE THE VEHICLE HERE ON THE
GROUND READY TO GO.
>> AND OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
ANTOINEO WITH FLORIDA TODAY
>> Reporter: YES, HI.
THANKS FOR TAKING MY QUESTION.
WHY DID IT TAKE CREW DRAGON 19
HOURS TO REACH THE IN ADDITION
IN ADDITION WHEN IT ONLY TAKES
RUSSIA SIX HOURS, AND CAN THEY
GET IS THERE TO THE SPACE
STATION QUICKER, AND IF SO, WHY
HASN'T SPACEX AND NASA DECIDED
TO DO THAT?
THANKS.
>> YOU BET.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> ABSOLUTELY.
REALLY IT'S ABOUT ORBITAL
MECHANICS.
IT'S ABOUT WHEN YOU LAUNCH.
THERE'S PHASING YOU HAVE TO DO
TO GET TO THE SPACE STATION.
SO YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT
LAUNCH OPPORTUNITIES, AGAIN,
BASED ON WEATHER AND A WHOLE
NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS, AND YOU
SET UP A NUMBER OF LAUNCH
OPPORTUNITIES, DAYS AND TIMES,
AND SOME OF THOSE LAUNCH
OPPORTUNITIES REQUIRE MORE
PHASING TIME, AND SOME OF THEM
REQUIRE LESS, AND SO ON THE
27TH, IT'S ABOUT A 19-HOUR
PHASING, BUT ON OTHER DAYS IT
WOULD BE LESS AND OTHER DAYS IT
COULD BE MORE.
SO IT'S THAT ORBIT OF SPACE
STATION AND THE TIME OF DAY, AND
TIME OF YEAR THAT DETERMINES
THAT -- THAT LENGTH OF TIME.
>> I WILL ADD ONE MORE THING.
THIS IS A TEST FLIGHT, YOU KNOW,
WE TALK ABOUT THIS LAUNCH, BUT
THIS IS A TEST FLIGHT, RIGHT?
SO WE -- WE COULD HAVE PICKED
DIFFERENT LAUNCH DAYS THAT HAD
DIFFERENT PHASING OPPORTUNITIES,
RIGHT?
BUT THERE'S ALSO CHECKOUTS THAT
WE'RE DOING ALONG THE WAY, SO WE
KIND OF PICKED A DAY THAT WOULD
ALWAYS -- A PHASING OPPORTUNITY
THAT WOULD GIVE US THE TIME TO
BE ABLE TO DO THOSE CHECKOUTS
ALONG THE WAY, BECAUSE THIS IS A
CRITICAL TEST FLIGHT.
BOB AND DOUG ARE GOING TO GET TO
TEST FLY THE VEHICLE, AND CHECK
IT OUT, AND MAKE SURE THAT FIRST
TIME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE IN A
SPACEX VEHICLE AND GET TO KIND
OF -- YOU KNOW, TAKE IT OUT FOR
A TEST RUN AND -- AND MAKE SURE
THAT BEFORE IT'S CERTIFIED THAT
THE DESIGN IS WORKING, SO THIS
IS A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT
FLIGHT FOR US.
WE HAVE GOT TWO GREAT TEST
PILOTS IN THERE, AND THEY
ARE -- THEY ARE GOING TO BE
CHECKING OUT THE VEHICLE.
>> AND IF I COULD ADD ONE MORE
THING.
THE RUSSIAN VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED
IN THE '70S AND BEGAN FLYING IN
THE '80S, AND IT HAS ONLY BEEN
IN THE LAST THREE, THREE AND A
HALF YEARS THAT THEY STARTED
GOING FROM TWO DAYS TO GET TO
SIX HOURS.
SO I'M COUNTING ON SPACEX
TO -- TO ACCELERATE THE TIME IN
THE NEXT 20 YEARS, SO . . .
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> AND I'LL SAY KATHY MAKES A
REALLY GOOD POINT.
ONE OF THE COOL THINGS THAT
THE -- AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK
ON THAT KIRK.
I HOPE IT'S A LOT SOONER THAN 20
YEARS.
BUT BOB AND DOUG ARE GOING TO
GET A CHANCE TO TRY SLEEPING.
AND THE CREW HAVE TAKEN TO HEART
HAS TEST PILOTS THE IMPORTANCE
OF THEIR WORK TO ENSURE THE
READINESS OF THE VEHICLE, AND
THE SYSTEM AND THE PROGRAM FOR
FUTURE CREWS.
TO THEM IN THEIR MIND IT IS
ALWAYS IS THIS THE RIGHT SAFE,
RELIABLE SYSTEM FOR ANYBODY TO
FLY IN, BUT ALSO TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THE
CREW OFFICE WOULD BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY
WANT TO DO, SO THEY ARE TESTING
IT OUT NOT JUST FOR THEMSELVES,
BUT FOR ALL FUTURE FLIGHTS.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN
SLEEP ON BOARD, EAT MEALS AND DO
ALL OF THAT STUFF WHILE THEY ARE
ON BOARD DRAGON, YET GET THEM TO
STATION AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS
POSSIBLE.
>> AND OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
JACKY WADDLES.
>> Reporter: THANKS.
I WAS CURIOUS IF YOU HAD TO DO
ANY ADDITIONAL PREPARATION TO
ASSUME YOUR ROLE, AND IF THAT
LAST-MINUTE CHANGE CREATED ANY
CHALLENGES OVER THE PAST COUPLE
OF DAYS?
>> YEAH, ACTUALLY, I HAVE BEEN
CONDUCTING AGENCY-LEVEL REVIEWS
OF THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AS THE
ASSOCIATED ADMINISTRATOR, THAT'S
PART OF MY CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE
MANAGEMENT COUNCIL, SO EVERY TWO
TO THREE MONTHS KATHY HAS COME
IN AND BRIEFED AGENCY
LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING MYSELF ON
THE PROGRAM -- ALL OF THE ISSUES
AND CHALLENGES, THE RESOLUTION
OF THEM, OR PATHS TO RESOLUTION,
SO THOSE REVIEWS PREPARED ME
REALLY WELL TO STEP IN AND
CHAIR, AS WELL AS THE SAFETY
ADVISORY PANEL REVIEW PROGRAMS.
I HAVE SAT IN ON ALL OR MOST OF
THOSE REVIEWS ALSO.
SO GIVEN ALL OF THAT, I WAS WELL
PREPARED.
I ALSO WANT TO STRESS THAT THERE
IS A SERIES OF REALLY GREAT
REVIEWS LEADING UP TO THE FLIGHT
READINESS REVIEW.
THERE WAS ENGINEERING REVIEWS OF
EACH SYSTEM ON DRAGON AND ON
FALCON BY THE ENGINEERING TEAMS.
THEY WERE A LITTLE CONCERNED
ABOUT DOING THOSE VIRTUALLY,
VERSUS FACE-TO-FACE, BUT THE
FEEDBACK I RECEIVED WERE THOSE
REVIEWS WERE VERY EFFECTIVE.
AND THEN THERE WAS THE STATION
READINESS REVIEW BY KIRK.
A FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW BY
SPACEX.
THERE WAS A FLIGHT TEST
READINESS REVIEW, LEAD BY KATHY
AND THE TEAM, AND THAT LEAD UP
TO THE FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW.
SO I FELT VERY, VERY PREPARED TO
CHAIR THE REVIEW, AND I -- AND
SO -- DON'T THINK THERE WERE ANY
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IN
TRANSITIONING FROM DOUG TO
MYSELF IN CHAIRING THE FRR.
>> AND OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
MARSHA DUNN, ASSOCIATED PRESS.
MARSHA?
>> Reporter: YES, HELLO.
I WOULD LIKE BOTH SPACEX AND
NASA TO ADDRESS THIS.
ALL SPACE FLIGHT IS RISKY, BUT
THIS IS A TRUE TEST FLIGHT.
AND I WOULD LIKE BIG PICTURE
FROM YOU ON JUST HOW RISKY AND
DANGEROUS THIS MISSION IS THAT
BOB AND DOUG ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK
ON.
I'M NOT LOOKING FOR STATISTICS
OR NUMBERS, BUT IN YOUR GUTS
WHAT ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THE
RISKS AND DANGER OF THIS FLIGHT?
THANK YOU.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ].
>> THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT
ARE IN NASA.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, MARSHA,
I -- IT'S REALLY HARD AS A
PROGRAM MANAGER, BECAUSE MY JOB
IS TO BUY DOWN RISK, RIGHT?
AND FOR THE LAST, LIKE, WITH
STEVE LAID OUT -- I MEAN,
REALLY, FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS
AS PROGRAM MANAGER, THAT'S WHAT
I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN DOING,
SO IF I -- RIGHT NOW WE'RE
TRYING TO IDENTIFY ANY RISKS
THAT WE KNOW OF THAT IS OUT
THERE, AND CONTINUE TO LOOK AT
RISKS AND BUY THEM DOWN, BUT WE
ALSO CAN'T FOOL OURSELVES, YOU
KNOW?
HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT IS REALLY,
REALLY TOUGH, AND, YOU KNOW,
WE -- IT'S WHY WE CONTINUE TO
LOOK FOR RISKS, AND -- AND DO
ADDITION ASSESSMENTS, AND WE
NEVER FEEL COMFORTABLE, BECAUSE
THAT'S WHEN YOU ARE NOT
SEARCHING, RIGHT?
SO I THINK -- YOU KNOW, WE
TALKED TODAY ABOUT STAYING
HUNGRY, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO
STAY HUNGRY, AND WE'RE GOING TO
STAY HUNGRY UNTIL BOB AND DOUG
COME HOME.
BUT I THOUGHT OF EVERY SINGLE
RISK.
WE HAVE BEEN SCOURING.
OUR TEAMS ARE SCOURING AND
THINKING OF EVERY SINGLE RISK
THAT IS OUT THERE, AND WE HAVE
WORKED OUR BUTT OFF TO BUY DOWN
THE ONES WE KNOW OF.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AND
CONTINUE TO BUY THEM DOWN UNTIL
WE BRING THEM HOME.
>> KATHY SAID IT VERY, VERY
WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS
TOUGH.
SPACE FLIGHT IS HARD.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, WE SEARCH
OURSELVES AND SEARCH OUR SOULS.
WE ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER, YOU
KNOW, IN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH
NASA AND SPACEX.
BUT CERTAINLY WITHIN OUR
COMPANY, WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY
TO LOOK OVER OUR SHOULDERS.
WE SAY DON'T TAKE OFFENSE WHEN
PEOPLE CHALLENGE YOUR WORK.
ENCOURAGE IT.
WE'RE IN THE FINAL PREPARATIONS
FOR FLIGHT, BUT ALSO WHERE THE
MAJORITY OF ENGINEERS AND PEOPLE
IN THE FACTORY AND EVERYBODY WHO
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ALL OF
THESE YEARS ARE NOW INTO A
PERIOD WHERE THEY ARE LOOKING
UNDER EVERY STONE JUST TO MAKE
SURE WE'RE READY TO GO.
AND ANYBODY CAN RAISE AN ISSUE
OR A RISK.
WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT
ALLOW ANYBODY IN THE COMPANY TO
OPEN UP WHAT WE CALL RISK
TICKETS WHERE THEY CAN SAY, HEY,
I'M WORRIED ABOUT THIS.
IT'S TOUGH, BUT WE WON'T LAUNCH
UNTIL WE'RE READY, AND WE'LL
LISTEN TO THE DATA AND THE
PEOPLE.
>> AND OUR FINAL QUESTION WILL
BE FROM JOYY ROULETTE FROM
REUTERS.
>> Reporter: HEY, THANKS SO MUMP
FOR DOING THIS.
THIS IS FOR KIRK OR ANYONE ELSE.
YOU MENTIONED THE ROLE THE
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS PLAYED.
CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE
RESPONSE AND ANY CONCERNS RAISED
BY THOSE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
IN REGARD TO THIS REVIEW?
AND FOR BENGIE, WILL ANY DATA
FROM THIS MISSION INFORM STAR
SHIP DESIGN OR STAR SHIP
MISSIONS IN THE FUTURE.
AND WOULD STAR SHIP DO ANY TEST
FLIGHTS LIKE THIS ONE TO THE
SPACE STATION, THANKS?
>> FROM MY INTERNATIONAL STAR
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, IT'S REALLY
INTERESTING.
ONE IS WE ARE A PARTNERSHIP, AND
WE EXPECT OUR ASTRONAUTS AND
COSMONAUTS TO FLY ON THESE
VEHICLES.
ON THE NEXT FLIGHT THERE WILL BE
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
ALL OF THE INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS WERE PARTICIPATING
ALONG THE WAY, BECAUSE THEY KNOW
THEIR CREW MEMBERS WILL BE
FLYING ON THIS VEHICLE, NUMBER
1.
NUMBER 2, IT'S DOCKING TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND
ALL OF THOSE COUNTRIES HAVE MADE
HUGE INVESTMENTS INTO THAT
VEHICLE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
DO NOT RISK THAT VEHICLE OR THE
CREW MEMBERS.
SO ALL ALONG, VERY, VERY
INTERESTED.
THE DIFFICULTIES HERE, ONE, I
TALKED ABOUT TIME ZONES, BUT WE
ALSO HAD EXPORT CONTROL, SO WHEN
WE DEVELOP A VEHICLE HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES, ALL OF THAT
TECHNOLOGY IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE
EXPORTED.
AND THERE'S PROPRIETORRY DATA.
SO WE ANSWERED THEIR QUESTIONS,
ASSURED THEM THEIR CREW MEMBERS
WOULD BE SAFE, AND HONORED THE
PROPRIETARY DATA.
SO THE FACT THAT WE DID THIS,
AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS WERE
PART OF THIS WORK, AND WE'RE
READY TO PROCEED IS REALLY AN
AMAZING THING, SO WE'RE HAPPY
ABOUT THAT ASPECT.
BENGIE?
>> SURE.
FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT KIRK SAID,
IT'S EXCITING TO GET TO WORK
WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS AS
WELL.
WE HAVE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY ON
THE CARGO PROGRAM, BECAUSE THEY
JOINTLY RUN THE SPACE STATION,
SO WE HAD TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND GETTING TO WORK WITH THE
PARTNERS AND WORK WITH ALL KINDS
OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD IS
EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
WE WANT TO SEND ALL KINDS OF
PEOPLE TO SPACE, AND ULTIMATELY
THIS MISSION COMING UP, AND
EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS TO
OPEN THAT NEW CHAPTER IN THE
SPACE AGE, AND ULTIMATELY MAKE
LIFE MULTI-PLANETARY, AND IT'S
EXCITING.
IN TERMS OF THE DATA AND WILL
THIS INFORM DATA ON STAR SHIP OR
OTHER PROGRAMS, ABSOLUTELY.
DATA IS DATA, AND WE WANT TO
LEARN FROM IT AND APPLY IT
WHEREVER WE CAN.
AND AGAIN, ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO
TAKE LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE
INTO SPACE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND NOW WE'LL GO BACK FOR SOME
FINAL CLOSING COMMENTS FROM
STEVE.
>> THANKS, JOSH.
SO, YEAH, I JUST WANT TO
REITERATE WE HAD A VERY
SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT READINESS
REVIEW.
WE DID A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF
ALL OF THE SYSTEMS AND ALL OF
THE RISKS.
AND IT IS UNANIMOUS ON THE BOARD
THAT WE ARE GO FOR LAUNCH.
IT'S VERY EXCITING TO LAUNCH FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS.
IT'S -- I KNOW IT HAS BEEN A
LONG, REALLY CHALLENGING ROAD,
AND I JUST CANNOT TELL YOU HOW
PROUD I AM OF THE NASA SPACEX
TEAM FOR ALL OF THEIR TALENT,
HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND
PERSEVERANCE TO GET TO THIS
POINT OF FIVE DAYS FROM LAUNCH.
I CAN HARDLY -- I MEAN -- I'M
INCREDIBLY EXCITED AND CAN
HARDLY BELIEVE IT.
SO, YEAH, WE WANT YOU TO JOIN
US.
MOST OF YOU VIRTUALLY,
UNFORTUNATELY, GIVEN THE
SITUATION ON WEDNESDAY
MARCH 27TH AT 4:43 PM WHEN WE'RE
GOING TO SEND DATE OF BIRTH AND
DOUG TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION AND DOCK 19 HOURS LATER.
AND THEY WILL BECOME A PART OF
THE NEXT ISS EXPEDITION.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL CONCLUDE THE
PRESS CONFERENCE.