>>> WE EXPLORE MARS, THE HISTORY
OF THE PLANET, THE POSSIBILITY
OF LIFE.
>> WE LEARN SOMETHING AND DESIGN
AN EXHIBITION BASED ON WHAT YOU
LEARN.
>> ALLOWS US TO GO BACK IN TIME
ON MARS.
>> THE FIRST PICTURE WILL COVER
AN AREA OF 176 MILES.
>> MARINER 4 BEGAN TRANSMITTING
BACK IMAGES.
>> THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH A HUMAN
BEING HAS EVER SEEN ON THE
SURFACE OF ANOTHER PLANET.
>> ON AUGUST 20, 1975 THE FIRST
VIKING SPACE SHIP WAS LAUNCHED.
>> YOU ARE SEEING SOMETHING THAT
NO OTHER HUMAN HAS EVER SEEN
BEFORE.
>> FORMER SEAS AND MOUNTAINS.
>> HUGE CANYONS.
>> THAT SENSE OF WONDER AND
ACHIEVEMENT AND WORKING TOWARD
YOUR GOAL.
>> WE CAN DO AND WE WILL DO.
>> AND LIFTOFF!
[CHEERING]
>> WE HAVE ORBITED.
>> TOGETHER WE GET IT.
THE ATTITUDE IS TOGETHER WE CAN
DO IT.
>> THE FUTURE IS WHAT YOU MAKE
OUT OF IT.
YOU CAN MAKE IT REAL.
>> HERE WE ARE WITH MARS
PERSEVERANCE 51 YEARS LATER
GETTING READY TO BE THE FIRST
EVER MARS RETURN MISSION.
>> EVENTUALLY WE CAN BRING THE
SAMPLES BACK TO EARTH AND
DETERMINE FOR THE VERY FIRST
TIME DID LIFE EXIST ON MARS?
>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR
THIS PRE-LAUNCH PRESS
CONFERENCE.
MOMENTS AGO THE LAUNCH READINESS
REVIEW CONCLUDED FOR THE MISSION
THAT WILL CARRY THE RECOVERY AND
HELICOPTER TO THE RED PLANET.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE
NEW ERA IN MARS EXPLORATION.
YOU CAN CATCH THE LAUNCH HERE ON
NASA TELEVISION STARTING AT 7:00
A.M. AND THE LAUNCH WILL BE AT
7:50 A.M.
TO LEARN MORE WE ARE JOINED BY
A GREAT PANEL TO TELL US ABOUT
MARS 2020 AND FUTURE PLANS TO
MARS.
FIRST WE HAVE NASA ADMINISTRATOR
JIM BRIDENSTINE.
THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR
THE MISSION DIRECTORATE.
MATT WALLACE DEPUTY PROGRAM
MANAGER FOR THE JET PROPULSION
LAB.
LAUNCH DIRECTOR FOR THE NASA
LAUNCH SERVICE PROGRAM.
THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE
UNITE THE LAUNCH ALLIANCE AND
46th SPACE WING WEATHER
OFFICER.
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE
MEDIA JOINING US VIRTUALLY ON
THE PHONE FIRST.
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA WITH THE #COUNTDOWNTOMARS.
LET'S START WITH JIM
BRIDENSTINE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THE LAUNCH
READINESS REVIEW IS COMPLETE AND
WE ARE, INDEED, GO FOR LAUNCH.
I WANT TO THANK OUR UL A TEAM
MEATS AND JPL TEAMMATES AS WELL.
THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING
TEAMEST.
I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME TO
THE AGENCY THOMAS SAID WE HAVE
A REUFPBLGT IT IS MARS 2020.
I SAID WHAT'S THE RISK?
WE MIGHT NOT GO IN 2020.
AND HERE WE ARE A NUMBER OF
YEARS LATER, BUT WE ARE, IN
FACT,GOING TO LAUNCH WHAT WE
CALL MARS PERSEVERANCE IN THE
YEAR 2020.
I THINK THE NAME IS PERFECTLY
APPROPRIATE.
A YOUNG MAN IN VIRGINIA NAMED
ALEX MATHER A SEVENTH GRADER IS
THE PERSON WHO NAMED IT.
WE ARE IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES
RIGHT NOW WITH THE CORONAVIRUS
PANDEMIC.
AND YET WE HAVE, IN FACT,
PERSEVERED AND PROTECTED THIS
MISSION BECAUSE IT IS SO
IMPORTANT.
WE DECLARE THIS MISSION TO BE
ESSENTIAL.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS
WHY.
I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A FEW OF
THEM.
SOME OF THE REASONS THAT EXCITE
ME THE MOST.
FIRST OF ALL, THE PRESIDENT GAVE
US AN OBJECTIVE TO GO TO MARS
WITH HUMANS TO PLANT AN AMERICAN
FLAG ON MARS.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO
BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN HUMAN LIFE ON
MARS.
THERE IS A MISSION ON
PERSEVERANCE CALLED MOXIE,
A TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATOR.
HOW DO WE USE THE CARBON DIOXIDE
ATMOSPHERE OF MARS AND CREATE
PURE OXYGEN FOR LIFE SUPPORT?
THAT'S A REALLY EXCITING MISSION
THAT IS A RECURSOR TO AN
EVENTUAL HUMAN MISSION TO MARS.
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE MARS
PERSEVERANCE RECOVERY FOR THE
FIRST TIME EVER -- ROVER FOR
FIRST TIME EVER WE'LL FLY
A HELICOPTER ON ANOTHER PLAN ET.
WE CALL IT ENGENUTE.
IT WILL BE A TECH DEMONSTRATOR
FOR THIS PARTICULAR MISSION BUT
IN THE FUTURE COULD TRANSFORM
HOW WE DO PLANETARY SCIENCE ON
THE OTHER WORLDS.
AND EVENTUALLY BE A SCOUT TO
FIGURE OUT WHERE EXACTLY DO WE
NEED TO SEND OUR ROBOT?
I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT IS
IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS MISSION IT
IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
WHEN NASA HAS DEDICATED
A MISSION TO WHAT WE CALL
ASTRO-BIOLOGY.
THE SEARCH FOR LIFE MAYBE NOW OR
ANCIENT LIFE ON ANOTHER WORLD.
WHEN WE GO TO THE CRATER,
OBVIOUSLY A BIG CRATER ON MARS
AND HAD A LAKE BED AND RIVER
THAT FLOWED INTO IT AND THAT
DELTA IS AS PLACE WE BELIEVE
THERE COULD BE WE DON'T KNOW,
COULD HAVE BEEN AT ONE POINT IN
TIME LIFE.
WE KNOW MARS HAD A VERY ACTIVE
ATMOSPHERE AND HYDRO SPHERE AND
WAS PROTECTED FROM THE RADIATION
OF DEEP SPACE AT ONE TIME.
AT ONE TIME MARS WAS HABITABLE.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF PAST
MISSIONS SPIRIT AND OPPORTUNITY.
NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE
HISTORY WAS MARS WAS WE CAN SAY
OKAY, MAYBE THERE WAS LIFE
THERE, LET'S GO FIND OUT IF
THERE WAS LIFE ON MARS.
IN FACT, THE OTHER EXCITING
THING IS WE ARE GOING TO CACHE
SAMPLES ON THE SURFACE OF
ANOTHER WORLD FOR A FUTURENITION
2026 TO BRING THEM BACK TO
EARTH.
THAT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IN
HISTORY WE HAVE DONE A MARS
RETURN MISSION.
IT IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
WE HAVE DONE A RETURN TPHREUGZ
ANY PLANET.
THESE ARE EXCITING TIMES.
VERY IMPORTANT MISSION FOR THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND, OF
COURSE, A VERY IMPORTANT MISSION
FOR THE WORLD W. THAT I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO THE ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SCIENCE
MISSION DIRECT RATE AT NASA WHO
HAS DONE AMAZING WORK HELPING US
GET TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND
SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW
UNITING THIS MISSION ACTUALLY
IS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO
SUCCESS, WITHOUT WHICH WE
WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I JUST COULDN'T BE MORE HAPPY TO
BE HERE TODAY AND HAVE THIS
AMAZING MISSION ON TOP OF
A ROCKET READY TO GO.
FROM THIS LAUNCH READINESS
REVIEW KNOW THAT ALL THE ISSUES
ARE ADDRESSED AND WE ARE IN FACT
READY NOW.
WE ARE JUST COUNTING DOWN.
WE ARE JUST CELEBRATING WITH THE
TEAM.
YOU ALREADY MENTIONED WHY WE
WANT TO GO TO MARS AND I'M NOT
GOING TO REPEAT IT.
FOR ME, THE MOST EXCITING PART
IS TO REALLY GO LAND IN THIS
RIVER DELTA THAT WE THINK HAS SO
MANY PROMISING LANDSCAPES AND
ROCKS THAT WE WILL NOT ONLY SEE
IMAGES AND MEASURE *PBLTS OF AND
-- MEASUREMENTS AND RETURNSAMP.
WE ARE EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT
THE CLIMATE OF MARS.
THE WEATHER THERE WITH UNPRES
UNPRECEDENTED WEATHER
INFORMATION THERE THAT TEACHES
US ABOUT THAT.
AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE ARE
GOING TO MAKE AMAZING SURPRISING
DISCOVERIES IN A WAY THAT IT
ALWAYS HAPPENS.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT
HAPPENS ARE THE THINGS WE DID
NOT PLAN.
THOSE ARE DISCOVERIES THAT ARE
REWRITING SCHOOL BOOKS ALL OVER
THE WORLD.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT REALLY
ARE IMPORTANT TO ME TODAY I WANT
TO FOCUS ON, THE FIRST IS PIERCE
PERSEVERANCE.
SAID HOW IMPORTANT THE NAME S.
MANY PEOPLE THINK IT IS ABOUT
SOMETHING HARD.
IT IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
IT IS TOGETHER WITH EXPLORATION
AND HOPE AND VISION TIS WHAT
ALLOWS US TO ACHIEVE THESE
AMAZING GOALS.
THIS SUBMISSION FULL OF
PERSEVERANCE.
PERSEVERANCE EARLY ON OF
BRINGING THIS AMAZING IDEA TO
BEAR AND DESIGNING THIS EXCITING
ROVER.
TOGETHER WITH INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS THAT PERSEVERED
THEMSELVES DEVELOPING THE
INSTRUMENTS AND SENDING THEM
OVER.
IT IS GOING THROUGH THE
ADVERSITY THAT WE ALWAYS
ENCOUNTER WHEN IT COMES TO
COMPLEX, YOU KNOW, EXPLORATION,
BUT ALSO IN THIS CASE OVER AND
ABOVE BECAUSE OF THE TREMENDOUS
DIFFICULTIES IN THE SAMPLE
RETURN TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS
INVENTED IN
WHO ARE NO LONGER WITH US, THEY
ARE PART OF THIS IMPORTANT
EXPLORATION.
WE ARE GOING TOGETHER AS
A WORLD.
A LITTLE COUNTRY OVER THERE IN
EUROPE.
AND SHOW THE FIRST IMAGE.
THIS IS IN THE BACKGROUND THE
MATTER HORN.
YOU HAVE SEEN IT FROM CHOCOLATE
BARS, PERHAPS.
YOU KNOW IT IS ONE OF THE MOST
AMAZING MOUNTAINS, ALMOST 15,000
FEET HIGH.
WHAT YOU SEE IN THE FOREFRONT IS
A LIGHT SHOW, ACTUALLY REALLY ON
TO THE MATTERHORN WITH MARS
IMAGES.
THIS COULD BE ON ANOTHER PLANET
TOO.
THIS IS IN SWITZERLAND AND AT
9,000 FEET HIGH WHERE THE CREW
IS RIGHT NOW.
HERE IS WHAT IS EXCITING RIGHT
NOW, EVERY NIGHT UNTIL THE
15th OF AUGUST AND NEXT
IMAGE PLEASE, THE CREW IS GOING
TO PROJECT IMAGES SUCH AS THIS
ONE ON TO THE MATTER HORN.
IMAGES OF COMING TOGETHER AS
A WORLD AND PERSEVERING AND
EXPLORING OUR NEIGHBORING PLANET
TOGETHER AND BEING EXPLORERS
TOGETHER AND PERSEVERING.
THIS IS NOT FAKE, THAT IS WHAT
HAPPENED LAST NIGHT AND THE NEXT
NIGHT AND THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS.
I WANT TO THANK THE ARTIST AND
EVENT DESIGNER WHO DID THAT.
AND THE OFFICIAL IN CHARGE WHO
ENABLEDNA.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TO AGREE TO
THAT MOMENT OF COMING TOGETHER.
WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO TURN IT
OVER TO MATT.
I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH
I APPRECIATE MATT AND HIS WORK
AND THE WORK OF HIS ENTIRE TEAM.
MATT AND I GOT TO KNOW EACH
OTHER A LOT BECAUSE WE HAD TO
PERSEVERE TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU, THOMAS.
I WILL NOT SPEAK GERMAN, BUT I'M
PRETTY EXCITED.
THIS IS THE FIFTH MARS ROVER
MISSION I GOT A CHANCE TO WORK
ON AND THIS IS REALLY SPECIAL
FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
SOME OF WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY
HEARD B. WE ARE DOING
TRANSFORMATIVE SCIENCE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME WE ARE
LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF LIFE ON
ANOTHER PLANET.
FOR THE FIRST TIME WE'LL COLLECT
SAMPLES THAT WILL BE PART OF, WE
HOPE, THE FIRST SAMPLE RETURN
FROM ANOTHER PLANET.
THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER FIRST
ALONG THE WAY.
ADMINISTRATOR MENTIONED OUR
FIRST POWERED ARIEL CAPABILITY
WITH THE ENGINE YOUITY AND AVOID
HAZARDSAS WE LAND IN THE CRATER.
THAT IS A TECHNOLOGY IN THE
FUTURE AND ROBOTICS AND HUMAN
EXPLORATION SYSTEMS AND THAT'S
EXCITING.
WE ARE CARRYING MICRO PHONES AND
FOR THE FIRST TIME WE'LL HEAR
THE SOUNDS OF THE SPACECRAFT
LANDING ON ANOTHER PLANET AND
THE ROVER DRILLING IN THE ROCKS
AND ROLLING OVER THE SURFACE OF
MARS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY
EXCITING.
I'LL MENTION ONE MORE NEAR AND
DEAR TO MY HEART.
FOR THE FIRST TIME WE'LL HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ANOTHER
SPACECRAFT, SEE OUR SPACECRAFT
LAND ON ANOTHER PLANET.
WE HAVE COMMERCIAL RUGGEDIZED
CAMERAS WE HAVE ALL OVER THE
SPACE CRAFTED AND THEY WILL GET
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO WE'LL
BRING BACK AFTER WE LAND ON THE
SURFACE OF THE LANDING ACTIVITY
FROM THE INFLATION OF THE
PARACHUTE TO THE TOUCH DOWN OF
THE RECOVERY.
THAT WILL BE VERY EXCITING
FOOTAGE.
THE WHOLE MISSION IS VERY
EXCITING FOR ME.
IF WE BRING UP THE FIRST GRAPHIC
FROM A QUICK HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE WE BEGAN TO LOOK FOR
WAYS TO LEVERAGE THE POWERFUL
SKY CRANE DELIVERY SYSTEM THAT
WE
OTHER CHALLENGES IN OUR
DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
LATE IN THE GAME WE WERE ASKED
TO ACCOMMODATE THIS LITTLE THING
CALLED MARS HELICOPTER.
AS YOU CAN SEE IT WAS WELL AFTER
MOST WERE ASSIGNED TO THE
PROJECT.
WE HAD TO DO A MAGIC TRICK TO
GET THAT ON THE ROVER.
PULLED A BIT OF A RABBIT OUT OF
THE HAT, BUT I GUESS IT WAS
FATE, BECAUSE WE MANAGED TO GET
IT DONE.
THE HELICOPTER TEAM DELIVERED
THEIR SYSTEM AND IT'S SITTING UP
WITH THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER ON
TOP OF THE ATLAS 5 ROCKET
GETTING READY TO GO TO MARS WITH
US.
YOU ALL KNOW THE LAUNCH IS
COMING UP AND, OF COURSE, ABOUT
A SIX AND A HALF MONTH CRUISE TO
MARS AND WE'LL LAND IN THE
MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY 2021 AT THE
CRATER.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT GRAPHIC,
PLEASE.
THE IMPORTANT PART.
THIS IS WHERE I TALK ABOUT THE
TEAM.
THIS IS JUST A SMALL FRACTION OF
THE TEAM, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
THIS IS JUST THE JPL TEAM AND
A FRACTION OF THE MORE THAN
2,000 PEOPLE OVER THE COURSE OF
THE MISSION DEVELOPMENT THAT
WORKED ON THE PROJECT AT JPL.
OUR TEAM DIDN'T STOP AT JPL.
EVERY NASA CENTER PARTICIPATED
IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.
IT WAS A CROSS-AGENCY EFFORT AND
SOMETHING WE ARE EXTREMELY
APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE SUPPORT
WE GOT.
IT DIDN'T STOP THERE.
THOMAS MENTIONED WE HAVE THREE
INSTRUMENTS FROM EUROPE, ONE
FROM FRANCE, ONE FROM SPAIN, ONE
FROM NORWAY AND A VERY LARGE
SCIENCE TEAM.
I THINK IT'S MORE THAN 250
SCIENTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
WHICH ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS
PROJECT AS WELL.
IF YOU BRING UP THE NEXT
GRAPHIC, I THINK WE HAVE
A PICTURE OF THE SPACECRAFT.
I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU
A SENSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE
SYSTEM.
YOU SEE THE CREW STAGE ON TOP.
THE ROVER IS HARD TO SEE, YOU
CAN SEE A WHEEL THERE.
THE HELICOPTER IS MOUNTED
UNDERNEATH THE BODY OF THE
ROVER.
THEY ARE NESTLED UP INTO THE
UPPER PORTION OF THE ENTRY
CAPSULE.
WE ARE ABOUT TO BRING THE HEAT
SHIELD UP TO ENCAPSULATE THE
ENTIRE SPACECRAFT BEFORE GOING
INTO THE INTEGRATIVE FLOW OF THE
LAUNCH VEHICLE A FEW WEEKS AGO.
YOU CAN'T BUILD SOMETHING THIS
COMPLEX WITHOUT A LOT OF HELP
FROM INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND THEY
STEPPED UP BIG TIME.
WE BUILT FLIGHT HARDWARE IN 44
OUT OF THE 50 STATE IN THE
COUNTRY.
MORE THAN 550 DIFFERENT CITIES
AND TOWNS AND COMMUNITIES.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THIS
COUNTRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO
VERY FAR PROBABLY TO FIND
SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN PART OF
THIS MISSION.
IT'S A TREMENDOUS TEAM EFFORT.
YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH CUTTING
EDGE TECHNOLOGY AND WHEN WE DO
THAT WE EXPECT TO BE CHALLENGED.
AND AS THOMAS AND THE
ADMINISTRATOR HAVE MENTIONED OUR
FUNDAMENTAL JOB IS TO EXPLORE
NEW PLACES.
PLACES WE HAVEN'T BEEN, ANSWER
QUESTIONS WE DON'T KNOW THE
ANSWER TO.
SOMETIMES GREAT QUESTIONS WE
DIDN'T KNOW WE NEEDED TO ASK.
YOU EXPECT NEW PROBLEMS AND
ISSUES ALONG THE WAY.
BUT REALLY, NOTHING PREPARED US
FOR WHAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN
THE MIDDLE OF MARCH AS THE
PANDEMIC STRUCK.
NOT JUST OUR TEAM BUT OBVIOUSLY
COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND THE WORLD.
WE REALLY AT THAT POINT OF THE
MISSION WERE IN OUR FINAL
ASSEMBLY ACTIVITIES.
IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THE
TEAM DO THAT ASSEMBLY CORRECTLY
THAT THEY DO IT WITHOUT MAKING
MISTAKES OR DAMAGING THE
HARDWARE.
THERE IS NO SAFETY NET AT THAT
POINT.
WE ARE WORKING WITH VERY LIMITED
SCHEDULE EVERY DAY, EVERY SHIFT,
EVERY HOUR IS SOMETHING WE ARE
SCRUTINIZED TO MAKE SURE WE'LL
STAY ON TRACK.
WE HAVE A 20-DAY PLANETARY
LAUNCH WINDOW.
IF WE MISS IT WE ARE GOING TO
PUSH OUT BY A COUPLE YEARS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING
THE CORONAVIRUS ISSUE AT THAT
POINT IN TIME WAS VERY
CHALLENGING FOR US.
AND, OF COURSE, NO MATTER HOW
MANY HARDSHIPS WE WERE FACING,
THERE WAS A COMMUNITY OUT THERE,
FIRST RESPONDER, NURSES,
DOCTORS, MEDICAL COMMUNITY THAT
WERE REALLY FACING
LIFE-AND-DEATH SITUATIONS AT THE
SAME TIME.
AND I ASKED THE TEAM A COUPLE
MONTHS AGO TO DO SOMETHING TO
KIND OF REPRESENT THIS
PARTICULAR CHALLENGE THAT WE ALL
FACED HERE IN 2020 ON THIS
MISSION.
IF YOU BRING UP THE NEXT
GRAPHIC, YOU CAN SEE
A TECHNICIAN ON OUR ASSEMBLY
TEAM INSTALLING A PLATE.
THIS IS ON THE -- A LITTLE HARD
TO TELL, BUT ON THE AFT-PORT
SIDE OF THE ROVER.
WE CALL THE PLATE THE
PERSEVERANCE COVID-19 PLATE.
THERE IS A GOOD SHOT OF IT.
YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE
REPRESENTATION OF THE EARTH ON
THE TOP KIND OF TO SYMBOLIZE THE
CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE, YOU
KNOW, GLOBALLY AS THE PANDEMIC
STRUCK.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATION OF THE
SPACECRAFT LEAVING THE EARTH AND
HEADING TO MARS.
OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS IS
APPROPRIATELY SUPPORTED BY THE
ROD AND SERPENT OF THE MEDICAL
COMMUNITY.
DURING THIS PERIOD, THIS IS
A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY
INSPIRED OUR TEAM TO KEEP GOING.
AND WE HOPE THAT IN SOME SMALL
WAY THIS MISSION CAN HELP
INSPIRE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD
TO GO THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC AS
WELL.
GO TO THE NEXT GRAPHIC PLEASE.
I MENTIONED THE TEAM AND YOU SAW
PICTURES.
OUR TEAM DOESN'T END WITH
INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTION AND
INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND OTHER NASA
CENTERS.
WE INCLUDE ALL OF YOU AS WELL.
THIS PLATE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE
TOP LEFT CORNER OF THIS PLATE,
YOU WILL SEE THREE SMALL MICRO
FICHE CHIPS, THESE ARE THE
PLACES WHERE FAMILIES NAMES AND
11 MILLION OTHER NAMES ARE
ETCHED ON TO THE CHIPS.
WE HAD ONLY INTENDED TO FLY ONE,
BUT WE GOT SO MUCH INTEREST WE
COULDN'T FIT IT ON ONE AND FLEW
THREE.
YOU SEE ON THE PLATE AS WELL
REPRESENTATION OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM AND THERE IS SOME HIDDEN
MORSE CODE IN THE RAYS OF THE
SUN PEOPLE RECOGNIZED SPELLED
OUT EXPLORE AT ONE, WHICH IS
WHAT WE INTEND TO DO.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO LAUNCH
THE VEHICLE HERE IN JUST
A COUPLE DAYS AND WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO HAVING EVERYBODY COME
ALONG FOR THE RIDE.
IF YOU GO TO NASA.GOV YOU WILL
FIND PLENTY OF EXPERIENCES THERE
TO SEE THE LAUNCH AND BEHIND THE
SCENES INTERVIEWS.
ALSO AT MARS.NASA.GOV/MARS2020,
IF YOU CLICK ON PARTICIPATE
THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET
TO COOL SOCIAL MEDIA FILTERS.
A PHOTO BOOTH THERE.
TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE MARS
PERSEVERANCE ROVER.
WE INVITE ALL OF YOU TO RIDE
SHOTGUN WITH US STARTING ON
THURSDAY AND WITH THAT I WILL
HAND IT OVER TO OUR LAUNCH
DIRECTOR.
>> THANK YOU, MATT.
AS EVERYBODY ELSE HERE HAS
MENTIONED, OUR SITUATION DID
CHANGE.
I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT THE
LAUNCH DIRECTOR WOULD WORK FROM
HOME.
I HAVE DONE THAT FOR THE LAST
FIVE MONTHS.
WE USED TO HAVE SOMETHING CALLED
EVERY OTHER YEAR HERE CALLED
TAKE YOUR KIDS TO WORK.
GUESS WHAT?
EVERY DAY WAS TAKES YOUR KIDS TO
WORK DAY.
AND I BET IT HAS BEEN AN
EXPERIENCE FOR THE KIDS.
IT IS HUMBLING AS A PARENT TO
SEE HOW OUR WHOLE TEAM FROM THE
RANGE TO OUR PARTNERS AT JPL TO
OUR PARTNERS ULA TO THE FOLKS AT
HEADQUARTERS HAD WE ALL HAD TO
ADJUST TO WORK IN THIS
ENVIRONMENT AND TO COLLABORATE
ELECTRONICALLY WHERE BEFORE IT
WAS A FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION
VERSUS, YOU KNOW, SEEING
SOMEBODY'S LITTLE PICTURE ON
A COMPUTER SCREEN AND VOICE.
AND EVEN AS SIMPLE AS A LAUNCH
READINESS REVIEW WE HAD THIS
MORNING WOULD HAVE BEEN SHOULDER
TO SHOULDER.
THAT ROOM WOULD HAVE BEEN FULL
AND PEOPLE STANDING UP IN THE
BACK.
SPARSE SETTINGS, EVERYBODY
WEARING A MASK.
TROUBLE HEARING SOME PEOPLE
BECAUSE THEY ARE WEARING MASKS.
THERE IS A CHALLENGE AND
A PENALTY THAT GOES WITH DOING
THESE THINGS.
I HAVE SEEN THE TEAM REACT AND
OVERCOME ALL OF THAT.
IT MAKES ME VERY PROUD.
AND HERE WE ARE.
A COUPLE DAYS FROM LAUNCH.
WE DID COMPLETE THE LAUNCH
READINESS REVIEW.
IF I COULD HAVE THE FOLKS ROLL
A SHORT VIDEO HERE I'LL SHOW YOU
HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET
PERSEVERANCE TO THE RED PLANET.
IT STARTS WITH THAT RIGHT THERE.
THAT IS THE ATLAS 5 WITH THE
MOTORS INTO THE ML P AT COMPLEX
41.
SRMs GOING UP.
WE ARE FLYING FOUR OF THEM ON
THIS MISSION.
THAT GIVES THE ATLAS THE EXTRA
OOMPH IT NEEDS TO LEAVE THE
EARTH'S GRAVITY WELL WITH
PERSEVERANCE AND INGENUITY.
AND YOU SEE THE LAST TIME WE GOT
TO SEE THE ROVER AND HELICOPTER
STACK BEFORE IT GOT
ENCAPSULATED.
AND WE TOOK THAT OUT TO COMPLEX
41 ON THE 7th.
AND STACK TODAY ON TOP OF THE
VEHICLE.
GOT IT READY.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FOR PLANETARY
PROTECTION PURPOSES WE HAD TO
PREPARE THAT AREA TO INGRESS AND
EGRESS.
ON THE 24th OF THIS MONTH WE
INSERTED THE RTG THAT WILLPOWER
THE ROVER ON MARS FOR THE NEXT
COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND WE FINISHED OUT ALL OUR
TESTING AND ALL THAT REMAINS IS
I HAVE THREE GOES TO GO.
TOMORROW AT 8:00 O'CLOCK IN THE
MORNING I GET THE GO FOR THE
VEHICLE TO ROLL OUT.
WE TAKE A DAY OF REST AFTER
TOMORROW TO GET SYNCED UP WITH
HAVING TO COME IN AT TWO TKHR-BR
3:00 IN THE MORNING.
A GO TO FUEL THE VEHICLE.
AND ONCE WE ARE READY AND THE
SPACECRAFT IS CONFIGURED, ONE
MORE GO AND FOUR MINUTES LATER
WE ARE GOING TO BE FLYING TO
MARS.
AND THAT MAKES MY JOB REALLY
SIMPLE.
AND OVER TO TOREY TO EXPLAIN THE
REST OF IT.
>> I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW
THRILLED WE TORLIFT
PERSEVERANCE.
THIS ONE IS ARGUABLY THE MOST
SOPHISTICATED AND IN SOME WAYS
THE MOST EXCITING OF ALL OF
THEM.
IT WILL SIT ATOP OUR MIGHTY
ATLAS AND THE 541 CONFIGURATION.
I CALL THAT THE DOMINATOR.
THAT IS OUR SECOND MOST POWERFUL
ATLAS.
SUPPLEMENTING THAT CORE WITH ITS
EIGHT 6,000 POUNDS -- 860 POUNDS
OF THRUST EACH OF THEM
GENERATING ANOTHER
280,000 POUNDS OF THRUST.
THIS ROCKET WILL LEAP OFF THE
PAD WITH THIS RELATIVELY TINY
PAY LOAD.
DO NOT BLINK WHEN THEY SAY
IGINATION.
I HAVE A MISSION PROFILE VIDEO
TO SHOW YOU AND WALK THROUGH
WHAT THAT FLIGHT WILL LOOK LIKE.
IF YOU COULD RUN THAT, PLEASE.
>> 2, 1, 0 AND LIFTOFF OF THE
ATLAS 5.
>> THE ATLAS 5 IGNITES TO
GENERATE 10.2 MILLION NEWTONS TO
LIFT THE ROCKET ON THE WAY TO IA
HYPERBOLIC ESCAPE PRACTICE
JECTORY.
SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF ATLAS WILL
PITCH TO THE PROPER FLIGHT PATH.
THE ATLAS 5 REACHES MAAC 1, THE
SPEED OF SOUND AT 35 SECONDS.
FOLLOWING BURN OUT THE FOUR
SRBs ARE JETTISONED AT 1:49.
THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF MINUTES
OF FIRST STAGE FLIGHT THE ATLAS
FLIGHT WILL TRIPLE ITS VELOSITY.
3:27 THE PAY LOT FERRING IS
JETTISONED.
AT 4:22 PROPELLANT LEVELS
DEPLETE AND THE BOOSTER ENGINE
SHUTS DOWN.
THE ATLAS IS TRAVELING 13470
MILES PER HOUR AND LOCATED
NEARLY 156 KILLOM TORES OR
97 MILES IN ALTITUDE OR
309 MILES DOWN RANGE.
SIX SECONDS LATER THE ATLAS
SEPARATION SYSTEM.
THE VEHICLE WAYS 5% OF WHAT IT
DID AT LIFTOFF.
10 SECONDS LATER THE FIRST BURN
OF THE MAIN ENGINE BEGINS,
BURNING LIQUID HYDROGEN AND
OXYGEN THE CENTAUR IS OBTAINING
ORBITAL.
THE MISSION ENTERS A 30 MINUTE
COAST PHASE.
THE CENTAUR MAIN ENGINE IS
RESTARTED AT 45 MINUTES AND THIS
BURN PROVIDES THE REQUIRED
THRUST FOR CENTAUR TO ESCAPE
EARTH ORBIT.
APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MINUTES
LATER FINAL CUT OFF OF THE
CENTAUR MAIN ENGINE OCCURS AND
COMPLETES POWERED FLIGHT.
CENTAUR WILL COAST FOR NEARLY
FIVE MINUTES IN PREPARATION FOR
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION.
AT ABOUT 57 AND A HALF MINUTE,
CENTAUR RELEASES THE SPACECRAFT
INTO A HYPER BOLLIC ORBIT
TRAVELING AT MORE THAN
41,000-KILOMETERS OR 26,000
MILES PER HOUR ON A SEVEN MONTH
CRUISE TO MARS, WHERE IT WILL
SEEK SIGNS EVER ANCIENT LIFE ON
THE RED PLANET AND COLLECT ROCK
AND SOIL SAMPLES FOR POSSIBLE
RETURN TO EARTH.
>> SO THE VEHICLE IS SITTING
ATOP ITS LAUNCH PLATFORM RIGHT
NOW.
PROCESSING HAS BEEN GOING
SMOOTHLY FOR THE LAST SEVERAL
DAYS.
ATLAS IS GO, CENTAUR IS GO AND
WE ARE LITERALLY CHOMPING AT THE
BIT TO TAKE THIS NUCLEAR POWERED
DUNE BUGGY OUT TO MARS.
>> FANTASTIC.
THAT'S SO MUCH.
NEXT TO JESSICA WILLIAMS.
>> THE WEATHER LOOKS FAVORABLE
FOR LAUNCH THURSDAY MORNING.
TODAY WE HAD A SURFACE RIDGE OF
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN SOUTH
FLORIDA AND WHAT THIS DID WAS
SHIFT THE WEATHER PATTERN SO WE
HAVE SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE LOW
LEVELS IN THE MORNING.
THAT'S OFFSHORE WINDS.
THIS PATTERN WILL PERSIST
THROUGH THIS WEEKEND.
THROUGH THE 48 HOUR BACK UP
WINDOW.
THIS GIVES US DRY MORNINGS WITH
THE OFFSHORE WINDS.
IT DOES GIVE US CHANCES FOR
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
IF WE LOOK AT OUR LAUNCH DAY
FORECAST, THE CHART FOR THE
LAUNCH DAY FORECAST WE SHOULD
HAVE A 20% PROBABILITY OF
VIOLATION OF THE CUMULOUS CLOUD
RULES AND THE THICK CLOUD RULE
AND THIS IS DUE TO A WEAK
BOUNDARY BEING OFF THE COAST OF
THE SOUTHEAST.
WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE ISOLATED
TO A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS JUST
OFFSHORE FROM COMPLEX 41, BUT
THEY WILL MOVE LITTLE OR AWAY
FROM THE PAD.
WE HAVE THAT SLIGHT CHANCE OF
VIOLATING FOR THE CUMULOUS CLOUD
RULE AND EXPECTED TO BE
MID-LEVEL CLOUDS SCATTERED TO
BROKEN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WEAK
BOUNDARY OFF THE COAST.
WE COULD SEE JUST A BRIEF PERIOD
OF VIOLATING THE THICK CLOUD
LAYER RULE BUT IT IS AT A 20%
VIOLATION FOR THE OVER ALL TWO
HOUR WINDOW.
IF WE LOOK AT OUR 24-HOUR BACK
UP CHART, AGAIN, WE HAVE
OFFSHORE WINDS FROM THE
SOUTHWEST IN THE MORNING 8 TO 10
KNOTS.
A 10% PROBABILITY OF VIOLATING
FOR THE CUMULOUS CLOUD RULE AS
THE WEAK BOUNDARY STARTS TO
DIMINISH.
THE CHANCES FOR ANY CUMULOUS
CLOUDS IN THE FLIGHT PATH OVER
THE WATER JUST OFF THE COAST
REDUCED FROM THE DAY BEFORE.
IF WE LOOK AT 48 HOUR BACK UP
WINDOW THE WEATHER STILL LOOKS
FAVORABLE WITH OFFSHORE WINDS
FROM THE SOUTHWEST OR SOUTH FROM
THE WEST REALLY, THEY PICK UP 12
KNOTS SUSTAINED GUSTS TO 16
KNOTS AT 230 FEET.
HOWEVER, THE UPPER LEVEL WIND
FLOW DOES CHANGE AND BECOME MORE
FROM THE EAST AND STRONGER.
IF WE DO SEE ANY SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE GULF
STREAM, WHICH IS TYPICAL FOR
THIS TIME OF YEAR IN THE
MORNING, AND IF THEY DO PRODUCE
ANY ANVIL CLOUDS, IT'S A SLIGHT
POSSIBILITY OF THE ANVILS
REACHING CLOSE TO THE COAST,
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THE 20%
PROBABILITY OF VIOLATION FOR THE
ATTACH AND DETACH ANVIL CLOUD
RULES FOR THE 48 HOUR BACK UP
DAY ON SATURDAY MORNING.
AGAIN, OVER ALL, IN A VERY
FAVORABLE WEATHER PATTERN FOR
A MORNING LAUNCH TIME FRAME FOR
THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
>> THANK YOU, JESSICA.
NOW WE WILL START TAKING
QUESTIONS FROM REPORTERS AND
SOCIAL MEDIA.
FOR REPORTERS, PRESS STAR 1 TO
ASK YOUR QUESTIONS AND THOSE
ON-LINE CAN USE THE
#COUNTDOWNTOMARS.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> HELLO IN.
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> YES, GREAT.
I CANNOT REMEMBER SO MUCH
COMPANY ON THE WAY TO MARS AS
THERE IS HAPPENING THIS YEAR.
I WAS WONDERING IF EITHER
MR. BRIDENSTINE OR THE DOCTOR
COULD COMMENT ON CHINA ON THE
WAY TO MARS AND IF THERE IS ANY
SENSE OF COMPETITION AND IS THE
PRESSURE ON NOW THAT THE WORLD
[INAUDIBLE]
COMING UP.
THANKS.
>> SURE, I'LL START.
NUMBER ONE, WE WELCOME MORE
NATIONS TAKING TRIPS TO MARS AND
STUDYING IT AND DELIVERING THE
SCIENCE AND SHARING THE SCIENCE
WITH THE WORLD.
IT'S A VERY UNITING KIND OF
THING.
I DON'T SEE THIS AS
A COMPETITION AT ALL.
THIS IS OUR NINTHS TIME TO GO TO
MARS AND LAND SOFTLY AND DO
ROBOTIC EXPERIMENTS AND
DISCOVERY.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR
DECADES SUCCESSFULLY.
AND, OF COURSE, THIS MISSION IS
BY FAR THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
MISSION EVER.
I DON'T SEE IT AS A COMPETITION,
BUT CERTAINLY WE WELCOME MORE
EXPLORERS TO DELIVER MORE
SCIENCE THAN EVER BEFORE AND
SEEING WHAT IT IS THEY ARE ABLE
TO DISCOVER.
>> I THINK MY QUESTION IS FOR
MATT.
YOU MENTIONED YOU WORKED ON
NUMEROUS ROVERS BEFORE.
YOU LISTED ALL THE FIRSTS.
CAN YOU COMPLAYER THE COMPLEXITY
AND RISKS WITH CURIOSITY AND
PREVIOUS MISSIONS.
EVERYONE WAS KEYED UP FOR
CURIOSITY LANDING IN 2012 AND
THE SKY CRANE WAS NEW.
GIVEN YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE
RISKS AND COMPLEXITY COMPARED TO
PRIOR NASA ROVERS.
THANKS.
>> SURE.
FROM A COMPLEXITY PERSPECTIVE IT
IS A MORE SOPHISTICATED VEHICLE.
WE ARE CARRYING 50% MORE SURFACE
PAY LOAD THAN CURIOSITY DID.
THAT WAS, BY FAR, THE MOST
COMPLEX THING WE HAD DONE UP
UNTIL THAT TIME.
WE ARE TAKING THIS A STEP
FURTHER.
THE SAMPLING SYSTEM WE HAVE ON
THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE WE ARE
COLLECTING ROCKS AND SOIL
SAMPLES THAT WE ULTIMATELY WANT
TO BRING BACK TO THE EARTH AND
LOOK FOR REALLY TRACE CHEMICAL
SIGNATURES FROM BILLIONS OF
YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, VERY FAINT
SIGNATURES, THE SYSTEM THAT WE
USE TO COLLECT THOSE SAMPLES HAS
TO BE IMMENSELY CLEAN.
AND SO WE HAD TO STERILIZE IT
AND CLEAN IT FROM AN ORGANICS
AND CHEMICAL PERSPECTIVE AND
KEEP IT THAT WAY FROM THE REST
OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAD TO
USE TO GET THE SYSTEM TO MARS.
THAT WAS FROM A COMPLEXITY
PERSPECTIVE REALLY ANOTHER STEP
BEYOND WHAT WE DID ON CURIOSITY.
YOU KNOW, FROM A RISK
PERSPECTIVE I THINK ONE -- STILL
THE HIGHEST RISK PORTION OF ALL
THE MISSIONS IS THE LANDING
PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE
7 MINUTES OF TERROR, THERE IS
NOTHING WE CAN DO.
WE HIT, WE CALL IT DO EDL, DO
ENTRY, DESCENT AND LANDING.
WE SEND A MESSAGE THAT SAYS THAT
AND THE SPACECRAFT ON ITS OWN
HAS TO GET FROM OUTSIDE THE
PLANET MOVING AT 12,000 MILES
PER HOUR ALL THE WAY DOWN SAFELY
TO THE SURFACE WITHOUT ANY HUMAN
INTERACTION.
AND IT'S BASICALLY A CONTROLLED
DISASSEMBLY THE WHOLE WAY.
IT IS BY FAR THE MOST COMPLEX OR
THE MOST, THE HIGHEST RISK
PORTION PHASE OF THE MISSION
STILL.
WE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE ON
2020 TO HAVE LEVERAGE THE SYSTEM
THAT WE DESIGNED ON CURIOSITY.
SO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE ALL THE
TESTING BEHIND US ON THIS SYSTEM
THAT WE DID BEFORE WE LAUNCHED
AND LANDED CURIOSITY, WE HAVE
THE CURIOSITY FLIGHT ITSELF AND
THE TELEEM TREE THAT CAME BACK
AND IT PERFORMED WELL DURING
THAT MISSION.
AND WE DID ADDITIONAL TESTING TO
LAUNCH THIS SPACECRAFT.
STILL NO GUARANTEES, YOU KNOW.
OUR HEARTS WILL STILL BE BEATING
HARD WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT
OF THE MISSION.
I DO THINK IT IS AN ADVANTAGE
THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS NOT A FIRST TIME LANDING
SYSTEM, AS WE HAD ON CURIOSITY.
[INAUDIBLE]
>> IF WE LANDED WITH THE
CURIOSITY SYSTEM AS IT IS WE
WOULDN'T GO WHERE WE ARE, RIGHT?
>> I MENTIONED BRIEFLY BEFORE
FOR THE FIRST TIME WE ARE GOING
TO USE A HAZARD AVOIDOUS SYSTEM,
AUTONOMOUS AVOIDANCE SYSTEM.
IT WILL ALLOWITOUS GO TO THE
CRATER, AN INTERESTING
SCIENTIFIC SITE.
IT HAS ROCKS AND ESCARPMENTS AND
SAND DUNES AND VARIATION IN
TERRAIN AND IS WONDERFUL FOR
SCIENTISTS.
BUT THEY ALL REPRESENT LANDING
HAZARDS FOR US.
TO GET TO A SCIENTIFICALLY
VALUABLE SITE WE HAD TO DEVELOP
A NEW HAZARD AVOIDANCE SYSTEM
AND WE ARE FLYING THAT.
IT'S A SYSTEM THAT ESSENTIALLY
USES ORBITAL IMAGERY FROM OUR
OTHER SPACECRAFT.
WE IDENTIFY HAZARDS ON THE
SURFACE.
WE MARK THE HAZARDS ON A MAP AND
LOAD THAT MAP ON TO THE
SPACECRAFT.
AS WE ARE COMING DOWN GETTING
CLOSE TO THE PLANET WE TAKE
A PICTURE AND FIND OURSELVES IN
THE HAZARD MAP THAT WE HAVE ON
BOARD AND THEN WE DIVERT AWAY
FROM THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
HAZARDS TO THE SPACECRAFT.
AND SO IT DOES SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPROVE OUR PROBABILITY OF
LANDING IN A SAFE WAY,
PARTICULARLY IN ROUGH TERRAIN.
THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE
TESTED EXTENSIVELY, THOMAS IN
PARTICULAR WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE HAD ALL OF THE NECESSARY
CHECKS AND BALANCES AND RIGOROUS
REVIEWS IN LACE FOR THIS
SYSTEM -- IN PLACE FOR THIS
SYSTEM BEFORE WE SELECTED THE
FINAL DESTINATION.
WE HAVE EXERCISED THE SYSTEM OUT
IN THE DESERT WITH SIMULATED
LANDINGS AND COMPUTER
SIMULATIONS AND IT JUST WORKS
EXTREMELY WELL.
IT IS A POWERFUL AND ROBUST
SYSTEM AND WE HAVE A LOT OF
CONFIDENCE.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT QUESTION FROM JACKIE
GODDARD OF THE TIMES OF LONDON.
>> HELLO.
MAYBE THIS QUESTION IS FOR MATT.
I THINK THE AUDIO IS AN
INTERESTING EXTRA ON THIS
MISSION.
WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC
SIGNIFICANCE OF ADDING THIS
EXTRA SENSORY DIAMERICANIZATION
DIMENSION TO THESYSTEM?
WHEN DOES IT KICK IN?
>> WE'LL TURN ON THE MICROPHONE
EARLY IN THE PROCESS BEFORE WE
DEPLOY THE PARACHUTE AND SHOULD
BE ABLE TO HEAR SOME OF THE
SPACECRAFT PYROTECHNIC EVENTS
AND THE ATMOSPHERE AT SOME LEVEL
INTERACTING WITH THE SPACECRAFT
ITSELF.
SO WE TURN IT ON PRETTY EARLY IN
THE ENTRY, DESCENT AND LANDING
SYSTEM.
THE MICROPHONE WE EXPECT TO
SURVIVE LANDING AND TO BE USABLE
ON THE SURFACE.
WE HAVE TWO MICROPHONES, I'M
TALKING ABOUT A GENERAL
ENGINEERING MICROPHONE NOW.
WE DO THINK THAT MICROPHONE WILL
BE ABLE TO HEAR OUR BIG ROTARY
PERCUSSIVE DRILL ON THE END OF
THE ROBOT ARM AS IT JACKHAMMERS
ITS WAY INTO ROCKS AS WELL AS
THE WHEELS CRUNCHING OVER THE
SURFACE OF MARS.
WE THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR
THOSE THINGS.
FROM AN ENGINEERING DIAGNOSTIC
PERSPECTIVE WE ARE NOT QUITE
SURE HOW IT WILL HELP US.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND AS WE GET EXPERIENCE
WITH IT.
THERE IS A SECOND MICROPHONE
MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF THE MAST
AASSOCIATINGED WITH ONE OF OUR
INSTRUMENTS.
THE INSTRUMENT IS CALLED SUPER
CAM.
IT IS A LASER SPECHTROMETER AND
FIRES A LASER AND CREATES
A PLASMA CLOUD WITH THE ROCKS
AND DUST IT INTERACTS WITH.
WHEN WE FIRE THIS IN OUR TEST
BEDS YOU CAN HEAR A POP.
YOU CAN HEAR THE ZAP ALMOST.
THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY IS HOPING
WITH THAT TARGETED MICROPHONE ON
TOP OF THE MAST THEY WILL LEARN
SOMETHING ABOUT THE COMPOSITION
OF THE THINGS THE LACEAR IS
INTERACTING -- LASER IS
INTERACTING W. IT'S A BIT OF AN
EXPERIMENT.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE
TAKEN THIS HUMAN SENTENCE TO
MARS AND EXER -- SENSE TO MARKED
AND EXERCISED IT.
WE'LL LEARN AS WE GO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SURE.
>> THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM
IRENE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HAS THE REPOSITIONING OF THE
NASA THREE MARS ORBITERS BEGUN
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, I GUESS,
IT'S REAL TIME AS POSSIBLE FOR
THE ENTRY, DESCENT AND LANDING?
>> I'M NOT QUITE SURE I HEARD
THE ENTIRE QUESTION BUT IT'S
RELATEED TO THE NASA ORBITERS
AND THEIR SUPPORT ROLE IN ENTRY,
DESCENT AND LANDING?
>> YEAH.
IF THAT REPOSITIONING IF ANY HAS
ALREADY STARTED OR WHEN YOU
EXPECT TO DO THAT AND WHICH
ORBITERS WILL BE USED.
>> WE ARE PRIMARILY GOING TO USE
THE MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER,
MRO.
AND IT HAS A MINOR AMOUNT OF
REPOSITIONING AS YOU MENTIONED,
THAT WILL BE REQUIRED SO IT IS
EXACTLY OVERHEAD OF THE CRATER.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HAS
STARTED YET.
WE HAVE PLENTY EVER TIME TO GET
THAT DONE BEFORE WE LAND.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE'LL TAKE A QUESTION FROM
SOCIAL MEDIA.
[INAUDIBLE]
WHAT SORT OF DATA WOULD
PERSEVERANCE GATHER OFF THE MARS
SURFACE?
[INAUDIBLE]
>> WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE
SCIENCE MISSION OF THE PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, THOMAS YOU WANT TO?
>> THAT'S WHY WE ARE GOING
THERE.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY,
A SHOW RIGHT AFTER THIS REALLY
FOCUSED ON SCIENCE AND IF YOU
LOOK BACK FROM LOOK AT THE DATA
WE ARE GOING TO GATHER, WE
TALKED ABOUT THE WEATHER
INSTRUMENT AND A WEATHER
STATIONS RIGHT THERE IN THE
CRATER.
YOU GO LOOK AT THAT CAMERAS AND
THERE ARE NUMEROUS CAMERAS.
TALKED ABOUT SUPER CAM.
THERE IS A CAMERA WITH A FIELD
OF VIEW AND RESOLUTION QUITE
UNPRECEDENTED.
THE INSTRUMENTS LOOKING AT
COMPOSITION.
SOME OF THEM REMOTELY, SOME OF
THEM BY LOOKING AT SAMPLES AND
EQUIPPING US TO GATHER THE RIGHT
SAMPLES TO ACTUALLY GATHER THEM
AND PUT THEM INTO THESE VERY
CLEAN SATCHEL TUBES TO BRING --
SAMPLE TUBES TO BRING BACK.
EVERYTHING IS SET UP TO GET US
THE ULTIMATE DATA.
WE WANT TO GATHER SAMPLES, FOR
US THOSE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS
SAMPLES IN TERMS OF HUME AN HUMS
FAR AS ANSWERING NOT ONLY THE
SAMPLE ITSELF BUT THE CONTEXT IN
WHICH THE SAMPLE IS COLLECTED.
WE LEARN FROM GEOLOGY HERE AND
IMPORTANT ANALYSIS IN EVERY
ENVIRONMENT THAT IN FACT THAT IS
VERY IMPORTANT.
I WANT TO BLOCK THE SESSION
LATER.
WHAT DID I MISS?
>> YOU HIT MOST OF.
IT WE HAVE POWERFUL
SPECHTROMETERS AND BE ABLE TO
LOOK AT THE ROCK AND RESOLUTION
AND UNDERSTAND FROM SPOT TO SPOT
HOW THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF
THE ROCK CHANGES.
WE HAVE SPECHTROMETERS ON TOP OF
THE MAST, THE SUPER CAM.
WE HAVE ZOOM CAMERAS UP THERE AS
WELL.
WE HAVE THE WEATHER STATION.
WE HAVE A SUBSURFACE RADAR
SOUNDER FOR THE FIRST TIME TO
HELP US UNDERSTAND THE GEOGRAPHY
OF THE LANDING SITE.
THAT IS THE NOREGIAN PROVIDED
RADAR I MENTIONED FROM BEFORE.
WE HAVE A POWERFUL SUITE OF
INSTRUMENTS TO HELP US DO WHAT
THOMAS SAID, WHICH IS FIND THE
RIGHT SAMPLES TO COLLECT.
WE CAN'T BRING BACK A LOT.
A LOT OF MATERIAL WHEN WE BRING
THE SAMPLES BACK, SO WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE GO TO THE RIGHT
SITE AND PICK THE RIGHT TARGETS
AND MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE
CONTEXT AND CHEMISTRY OF THE
TARGETS WHEN WE BRING THEM BACK.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS
THIS DATA COMING BACK.
YOU MENTIONED THE IDEA YOU CAN
SHOOT ENERGY INTO A MATERIAL,
THINK OF RADIO WAVES OR IN THIS
CASE LIGHT WAVES OR INFRARED
WAVES AND CERTAIN WAVE LENGTHS
BOUNCE BACK AND OTHER WAVE
LENGTHS ARE ABSORBED.
BASED ON THAT WE CAN MAKE
DETERMINATIONS AS TO THE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE
MATERIALS.
HERE ON EARTH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
STUDYING IS THE CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION OF MATERIALS WHERE
WE KNOW THAT CHEMICAL
COMPOSITION WAS A RESULT OF
ANCIENT LIFE HERE ON EARTH.
WE ARE TAKING WHAT WE HAVE
LEARNED FROM OUR OWN PLANET AND
APPLYING IT TO ANOTHER PLANET TO
MAKE DETERMINATIONS AS TO
WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS MAYBE
AT ONE TIME BIOLOGY.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MICROBIAL
ORGANISMS ON MARS.
AND ONCE WE MAKES THAT
DETERMINATION WE, NO KIDDING
CACHE A SAMPLE.
IF WE FEEL THERE IS HIGH
PROBABILITY THERE COULD BE LIFE
IN THAT PLACE, WE CACHE
A SATCHEL SO ONE DAY FOUR YEARS
FROM NOW OR I SHOULD SAY 2026,
SIX YEARS FROM NOW, WE CAN BRING
IT BACK TO EARTH AND STUDY IT
AND ACTUALLY MAKE A NO KIDDING
DETERMINATION WHETHER OR NOT
HUMANS OR I SHOULD SAY EARTH IS
THE ONLY PLACE IN OUR OWN SOLAR
SYSTEM THAT HAS THE CAPEABILITY
OF HOSTING LIFE.
THAT IS, I THINK, ONE OF THE
MOST EXCITING THINGS ABOUT THIS
MISSION.
>> THANK YOU ALL.
IN MANY WAYS YOU HAVE ASKED THE
NEXT QUESTION.
WHY DO WE NEED ANOTHER ROVER
THERE?
WHAT MORE CAN WE LEARN FROM
MARS?
>> THERE IS A LOT.
>> WHAT IS REALLY INTERESTING IS
EVERY TIME WE BUILD A ROVER AND
WE SEND IT THERE, WE TAKE
A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS WE HAVE.
SPIR AND IT OPPORTUNITY WE
TALKED -- SPIRIT AND
OPPORTUNITY, QUESTIONS ABOUT
WATER.
THE HISTORY OF WATER AT THE
SURFACE.
MARS.
THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT COMP COMPT
IS LAID OUT FOR THAT.
AND QUESTIONS THAT ARE OPEN AND
WHAT WE ARE LEARNING FROM
CURIOSITY THERE ARE SURPRISES
EVEN TODAY AT THE LEVEL OF
COMPLEXITY IN SOME OF THE
ORGANICS IS MUCH HIGHER.
IT TURNS OUT THE WORLDCOM PLEXI
MEANS THE MORE COMPLEX THE MORE
LIFE, THE MORE LIKELIHOOD OF
LIFE.
SO NOW WHAT -- PERSEVERANCE THAT
HAD AT THE CORE OF ITS MISSION
THE QUESTION ABOUT LIFE,
ASTRO-BIOLOGY, AND THE
INSTRUMENTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT
FOR THAT.
I WOULD ARGUE IT IS VERY HARD TO
IMAGINE COMING UP WITH THAT
INSTRUMENT COMPLIMENT IN THAT
LOCATION WITHOUT THE OTHER
INSIGHTS WE GOT FROM THE OTHER
MISSIONS BEFORE, THE ONES I
MENTIONED AS WELL AS OTHERS.
FOR US IT IS VERY DIFFERENT.
IN SCIENCE WHEN YOU PEEL BACK
A LAYER IT'S NOT LIKE AN ONION
WHERE THE LAYER COMES FROM BELOW
LOOKS LIKE THE LAYER ABOVE.
IT IS A DIFFERENT SET OF
QUESTIONS THAT ARE THERE.
IT IS QUESTIONS HUMANS HAVE
ASKED AND ARE ANSWERING FOR THE
FIRST TIME WITH THE TOOLS OF
SCIENCE FOR THE BEST CHO
SEUNG-HUI CAN.
FOR ME -- THE BEST WAY WE CAN.
IT'S A QUESTION, OLD QUESTION.
READ OLD PHILOSOPHERS OF THE
PAST.
PEOPLE HAVE ASKED THOSE
QUESTIONS AND WE ARE STARTING TO
ADDRESS IT WITH THE INSTRUMENTS
THAT ARE THERE.
THAT'S THE AMAZING PART OF IT.
>> WE WILL GO TO VERY LONG
QUESTION FROM OUR -- TO ANOTHER
QUESTION FROM OUR REPORTERS ON
THE LINE.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS IS FOR MATT.
YOU MENTIONED YOU HAD TO PULL
OFF A MAGIC TRICK IF INGENUITY
AND WHAT THE CHALLENGES WERE
POSED BY THE ADDITIONAL PAY
LOAD.
>> CAN I START THIS ONE IF IT'S
ALL RIGHT?
THIS IS PROBABLY MY FAULT, MATT.
I APOLOGIZE.
THOMAS BROUGHT THIS INTO THE
ADMINISTRATORS SUITE IN MY EARLY
DAYS AS BEING THE NASA
ADMINISTRATOR AND HE HAD THIS
HEY, WHAT IF WE WERE TO DO THIS?
I LOVERED IT AND TOLD THOMAS --
I LOVED IT AND TOLD THOMAS
WHATEVER CAN YOU DO TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN, DO THAT.
HE BROUGHT IT TO AND YOU IT WAS
NOT EASY TO GET DONE.
I SENT A TWEET IT WASN'T CALLED
INGENUITY AT THE TIME IT WAS THE
MARS HELICOPTER.
I SENT A TWEET AT 5:00 FRIDAY
AFTERNOON AND I DIDN'T HAVE
A LOT OF TWITTER FOLLOWERS AND
WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO THERE ARE
5,000 RETWEETS AND IT JUST
CAUGHT FIRE AND ALL THE MEDIA
STARTED COVERING.
IT WAS A VERY EXCITING MOMENT.
IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND I WANT
YOU TO KNOW I APPRECIATE ALL THE
WORK YOU HAVE DONE.
>> I WILL SAY I REMEMBER AN ALL
HANDS MEETING WHERE RIGHT AFTER
WE WERE ASKED TO ACCOMMODATE THE
HELICOPTER AND SOME OF THE
MANAGERS WERE SCRATCHING THEIR
HEADS AND WONDERING HOW WE WERE
GOING TO DO THIS.
I ASKED FOR A SHOW OF HANDS FROM
OUROIN TEAM WHO WOULD LIKE TO
SEE THE HELICOPTER ON THIS
MISSION?
PRETTY MUCH EVERY HAND WENT UP.
EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO HAD TO
FIGURE IT OUT WERE EXCITED BY
THE PROJECT.
IT WAS DIFFICULT.
IT IS A VERY, VERY UNUSUAL PAY
LOAD.
IT IS VERY LIGHT WEIGHT BECAUSE
IT HAS TO FLY IN A VERY LOW
DENSITY AIR.
IT HAS BIG, STIFF, CARBON FIBER
BLADES THAT HAVE TO BE PROTECTED
FROM THE DEBRIS WE KICK UP.
IT HAS LEGS THAT IT HAS TO FOLD
UP AND HAVE TO BE DEPLOYED OUT.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE -- YOU KNOW,
ESSENTIALLY THE ROVER WAS FULL.
THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHERE
WE HAVE MOST OF OUR ELECTRONIC
SYSTEMS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THEM
WARM WAS FULL.
THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE WAS
PRETTY MUCH OVER POPULATED
ALREADY.
SO WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A WAY
OF ACCOMMODATING IT AND WE
DECIDED TO PUT IT UP UNDER THE
BELLY OF THE VEHICLE.
THE BELLY PAN IS A SEPARATABLE
THING.
WE COULD TAKE IT OFF AND GIVE IT
TO THE TEAM AND THEY USED SOME
OF OUR EXISTING MOTORS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HUNTED AROUND FOR AVAILABLE
SPARE PLATE HARDWARE TO DECIDE
HOW TO DO IT AND GET IT ON THE
VEHICLE IN A WAY THAT ONE KEPT
THE HELICOPTER SAFE AND TWO
ALLOWED US TO DEPLOY IT OFF THE
VEHICLE IN A WAY THAT IT
WOULDN'T REPRESENT A RISKER
THREAT -- RISK OR THREAT TO THE
MISSION.
THE OBJECTSIVE WAS DO NO HARM TO
THE PRIMARY MISSION.
THIS WAS AN EXPERIMENT.
OUR TEAM WAS OVER SUBSCRIBED
JUST WITH ENGINEERING CHALLENGES
OURSELVES, THE SAMPLING SYSTEM
AND THE INSTRUMENTS.
WE MADE A PHONE CALL AND ONE OF
OUR SYSTEM CONTRACTORS LOCKHEED
MARTIN IN DENVER STEPPED UP TO
THE PLATE.
WE PROVIDED THEM A BASIC DESIGN
AND HARDWARE AND SOME
ENGINEERING SUPPORT AND WERE
ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
ACCOMMODATE IT UNDER THE
VEHICLE.
WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF TESTING
TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD DEPLOY
APPROPRIATELY AND SAFELY ON THE
SURFACE OF MARS.
WE HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
OPERATE IT ONCE WE GOT IT THERE.
WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND THE ISSUES.
WE'LL BE READY TO GO WHEN IT'S
TIME TO FLY THE HELICOPTER ON
MARS.
BUT IT WASN'T EASY.
>> FANTASTIC.
WE WILL TAKE OUR LAST QUESTION
FROM LEO.
>> THANKS.
THANKS TO MATT AND TO THE DOCTOR
FOR THEIR WONDERFUL
CONTRIBUTIONS.
MY QUESTION IS FOR THE
ADMINISTRATOR.
MARS 2020 IS BASICALLY MARS
2026.
I HAVE TO ASK A POLITICAL
QUESTION I THINK I CAN ASK
BECAUSE I'M AN OCEAN AWAY SO
NOBODY WILL THINK I HAVE AN
AGENDA.
A LOT OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS WOULD BE WONDERING
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO CONTINUE
TO SERVE AS NASA ADMINISTRATOR
NO MATTER WHO GETS ELECTED IN
NOVEMBER?
ASSUME, OF COURSE, YOU ARE
ASKED.
>> LOOK, MY JOB RIGHT NOW IS TO
DO THESE STUNNING ACHIEVEMENTS
ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA.
I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, BUT
LOOK, I SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF
THE PRESIDENT.
I SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE
CURRENT PRESIDENT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THE NEXT
PRESIDENT HAS THE NASA
ADMINISTRATOR THAT HE WANTS.
THE WAY THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN
THE UNITED STATES WORKS THE NASA
ADMINISTRATOR IS SELECTED BY THE
PRESIDENT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT
RELATIONSHIP.
LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT
NOW.
WE HAVE THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM WE
ARE GOING TO THE MOON
SUSTAINABLY WITH A PURPOSE TO
GET TO MARS.
BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE HAD
REALLY BIG BUDGET REQUESTS.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES HAS PUT ON THE TABLE THE
BIGGEST BUDGET NASA HAS EVER HAD
IN NOMINAL DOLLARS EVER.
IN REAL DOLLARS APOLLO WAS
BIGGER.
BUT WE ARE HEADING THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
THAT IS BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES TRUSTS THE
NASA AD MIN STRAIGHTER.
I WOULD RECOMMEND TO WHATEVER
THE PRESIDENT IS AT ANY POINT IN
TIME PICK THE ADMINISTRATOR YOU
TRUST TO GET THE JOB DONE,
PERIOD, END OF STORY.
LOOK, I HAVE HAD THE TIME OF MY
LIFE IN THIS JOB.
I WILL NOT LIE, IT'S THE
GREATEST JOB I HAVE EVER HAD.
THERE IS A TIME WHEN IT IS
SOMEBODY ELSE'S TURN.
I WANT UNDER NO ILLUSIONS I AM
THE ONLY ONE CAPABLE OF DOING
THIS JOB.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
WILL BE BETTER THAN ME AND I'LL
LEAVE IT AT THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION WANT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO FINAL
REMARKS FROM THE NASA
ADMINISTRATOR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE PANEL
PARTICIPATING IN THIS TODAY.
WHAT AN EXCITING TIME.
AND I KNOW WE JUST HAD THIS
CONVERSATION ABOUT INGENUITY AND
THE HELICOPTER THAT IS GOING TO
FLY ON MARS.
I WANT TO KIND OF PUT IT IN
PERSPECTIVE FOR A MOMENT.
IMAGINE LOOKING FROM
PERSEVERANCE OUT AT A HELICOPTER
THAT IS FLYING AROUND
PERSEVERANCE AND THE HELICOPTER
IS LOOKING BACK AT PIERCE
PERSEVERANCE AND WE'LL BE ABLE
TO SEE WITH OUR OWN EYES WITH
MOTION PICTURES THESE KIND OF
ACTIVITIES HAPPENING ON ANOTHER
WORLD.
AND I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU HOW
EXCITED I AM ABOUT INGENUITY AND
PERSEVERANCE THE FIRST
ASTRO-BIOLOGY MISSION.
WE ARE PROVING OUT WE CAN TURN
THE CARBON DIOXIDE ATMOSPHERE OF
MARS INTO PURE OXYGEN FOR LIFE
SUPPORT BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT
HAS GIVEN US AN AGENDA TO PLANT
AN AMERICAN FLAG ON MARS AND TO
GO WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS AND OUR COMMERCIAL
PARTNERS, ALL OF WHICH IS IN
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SPACE POLICY
DIRECTIVE 1.
WE HAVE THIS BIG AGENDA.
THIS IS A PRECURSOR MISSION BUT
ALSO A SCIENTIFIC MISSION IN ITS
OWN RIGHT AND THERE IS SO MUCH
MORE TO DISCOVER AND WE ARE SO
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
EVERYBODY FOR PAYING ATTENTION.
IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW US, IF YOU
WANT TO PARTICIPATE WITH US
VIRTUALLY FROM THURSDAY FORWARD
NASA.GOV.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO
GO TO NASA.GOV.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE NEXT
GENERATION.
WE WANT TO INSPIRE PEOPLE.
HAVE YOUR KIDS OR GRANDKIDS TUNE
IN.
THIS IS A GREAT MOMENT FOR NOT
JUST THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA BUT ALSO FOR THE WORLD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JIM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
OUR CONVERSATION.
THE NEXT WILL BE THE MARSES 202.
AND LAUNCH KOFRPAGE ON THURSDAY
AT 7:00 A.M. AND THE LAUNCH AT
SEVEN:50.
CAN YOU CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT
THE GREATNESS OF THIS ROVER 202N
TWITTER AND FACEBOOK.
AND #COUNTDOWNTOMARS.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.
THANK YOU.