.
>> I FEEL THE LIFTOFF.
THE CLOCK HAS STARTED.
>> LIFTOFF.
WE HAVE A LIFTOFF.
>> ROGER, ZERO, JAY AND I FEEL
FINE.
>> GODSPEED, JOHN GLENN.
>> HOUSTON, A QUALITY DAY
HERE, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED
HERE.
>> TRANQUILITY, WE COPY ON THE
GROUND.
>> NEW POSSIBILITIES ARE
OPENING UP BETWEEN COUNTRIES.
>> 2, 1, 0, AND LIFTOFF.
>> LIFTOFF, AMERICA'S RETURN
TO SPACE AS DISCOVERY CLEARS
THE TOWER.
>> DISCOVERY.
>> DISCOVERY IS UP.
>> HOUSTON, AND EVERYBODY IN
THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM, THE CREW
IS GO FOR LAUNCH.
>> WE HAVE GOTTEN UP.
♪
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M BOB CABANA AND HAVE THE
PRIVILEGE OF LEADING THIS
AMAZING TEAM AT THE KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER.
A PLEASURE FOR ME TO WELCOME
YOU ALL HERE, TO WELCOME THE
CREW FOR A COMMERCIAL CREW
PROGRAM'S CREW-1 MISSION TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, LAUNCHING NEXT
SATURDAY IF EVERYTHING STAYS
ON SCHEDULE, IN THE CREW
DRAGON ABOARD THE SpaceX
FALCON 9 ROCKET LAUNCH PAD
39A.
I TELL YOU, IT IS REALLY
EXCITING.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW GREAT IT
IS TO WELCOME A CREW HERE TO
GO TO SPACE AGAIN.
YOU GUYS, I ENVY EACH AND
EVERY ONE OF YOU.
IT'S MY PLEASURE NOW, YOU
KNOW, I'VE GOT TO SAY, THIS
WHOLE EFFORT TO COMMERCIALIZE
LOW-EARTH ORBIT, THIS IS A
GIANT STEP IN MAKING THAT
HAPPEN AND WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE WITH THAT, AND I WANT
TO INTRODUCE SOMEBODY A REAL
ADVOCATE FOR THE
COMMERCIALIZATION OF LOW-EARTH
ORBIT, OUR DEPUTY
ADMINISTRATOR JIM MORHARD.
JIM?
>> GUYS, WE WELCOME THESE FOUR
ASTRONAUTS.
THEY ARE THE BEST AMERICA AND
JAPAN HAVE TO OFFER.
WE'RE BRINGING FREE NATIONS
TOGETHER TO ADVANCE THE HUMAN
CONDITION FOR ALL MANKIND, AND
WE'RE DOING SO WITH AMERICAN
INGENUITY AND INNOVATION.
WE'RE TALKING REUSABLE ROCKETS
AND REUSABLE SPACE CAPSULES
AND GOING TO THE SPACE STATION
THAT'S ALLOWED US TO DO
RESEARCH THERE FOR 20 YEARS AS
WELL AS KEEP A HUMAN PRESENCE
THERE, WHICH WE NEED TO
CONTINUE.
22 YEARS AGO, BOB CABANA
COMMANDED THE FIRST
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
ASSEMBLY MISSION WHERE THE
STATION WAS ACTIVATED AND
ENTERED INTO A OUR ASTRONAUTS.
SO TODAY, WE HAVE THE
BEGINNING, AND WE HAVE OUR
FUTURE.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF ALL OF
THEM.
NOW, LET ME KICK YOU SOME
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT JIM
BRIDENSTINE SO I CAN INTRODUCE
HIM.
HONESTLY, HE'S MY DEAR FRIEND
AND MY BOSS, LET ME INTRODUCE
JIM BRIDENSTINE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, JIM MORHARD AND
THANK YOU, BOB CABANA FOR
ALWAYS DOING A GREAT JOB AT
THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
WELCOME TO OUR ASTRONAUTS.
BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT
AND TALKING TO OUR ASTRONAUTS,
I WANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT'S
HAPPENED HERE AT THE KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER.
TRANSFORMATIONAL ACTIVITIES
THAT HAVE RESULTED IN THIS
BEING A MULTIUSER SPACEPORT,
AND COLONEL BOB CABANA HAS
BEEN LEADING THIS EFFORT FOR
OVER A DECADE NOW, AND IT'S
BEEN AMAZING AND THE PARTNERS
THAT WE HAVE WITH SpaceX AND
BOEING AS IT RELATES TO OUR
COMMERCIAL LAUNCHES.
BOB, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL
OF YOUR SERVICE, AND JIM
MORHARD, THANK YOU FOR THE
INTRODUCTION.
I WILL TELL YOU NASA HAS THE
HIGHEST BUDGET IT'S EVER HAD
IN NOMINAL DOLLARS, DOESN'T
HURT TO HAVE A DEPUTY
ADMINISTRATOR FROM THE
LEGISLATIVE ARENA WHO WORKED
IN THE SENATE AND CAN HELP US
ACCOMPLISH THESE BIG THINGS.
THANK YOU TO JIM MORHARD AS
WELL.
SO TODAY WE ARE TAKING ANOTHER
BIG LEAP IN THIS
TRANSFORMATION IN HOW WE DO
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT AND WHAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE
COMMERCIALIZATION OF SPACE
WHERE NASA IS ONE CUSTOMER OF
MANY CUSTOMERS IN REMARKABLE
MARKETPLACE IN LOW EARTH
ORBIT.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, EVERY FLIGHT
IS A TEST FLIGHT WHEN IT COMES
TO SPACE TRAVEL.
BUT IT'S TRUE WE NEED TO
ROUTINELY BE ABLE TO GO TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO SpaceX FOR
THE FALCON 9 ROCKET AND THE
CREW DRAGON AND GRATEFUL TO
THE NASA TEAM THAT WORKED SO
HARD TO GET ASTRONAUTS READY
AND EXCEPTIONALLY GRATEFUL TO
OUR ASTRONAUTS THEMSELVES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
BACK IN 2012, WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL LAUNCH
INDUSTRY, THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA HAD 0% OF THE GLOBAL
MARKET SHARE IN COMMERCIAL
SPACE LAUNCH.
BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENTS OF
NASA FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS,
BECAUSE OF THESE INVESTMENTS,
COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY, AND NOW
COMMERCIAL CREW, 70, OVER 70%
OF THE COMMERCIAL LAUNCH
MARKET IS AMERICAN.
THIS IS REALLY ABOUT LAUNCHING
AMERICA.
AND DOING IT IN A WAY THAT IS
COMPETITIVE, WHERE WE CAN GET
THE ABSOLUTE BEST VALUE FOR
EVERY DOLLAR THAT THE AMERICAN
TAXPAYER GIVES US.
SO THIS IS A TRANSFORMATION
THAT IS HAPPENING AND WE'RE
EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I WILL SAY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO
RECOGNIZE THE ASTRONAUTS WHO
ARE, OF COURSE, IN QUARANTINE,
AND GETTING READY FOR WHAT
WILL BE ANOTHER HISTORIC
FLIGHT.
I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE THE
MISSION COMMANDER, MIKE
HOPKINS, WHO IS AN AIR FORCE
TEST FLIGHT ENGINEER BY TRADE,
AND AEROSPACE ENGINEER FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.
IN FACT, HE PLAYED FOOTBALL AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS,
AND, OF COURSE, GOT A MASTERS
DEGREE IN AEROSPACE
ENGINEERING AT STANFORD AS
WELL.
PLEASE WELCOME MIKE HOPKINS.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD
AFTERNOON FLORIDA, GOOD
AFTERNOON AMERICA.
IT FEELS REALLY GOOD TO BE
HERE.
I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY JUST
SAYING THANK YOU, ON BEHALF OF
THE CREW OF RESILIENCE, ON
BEHALF OF OUR FAMILIES, WE
WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO
ALL OF THE PEOPLE AT SpaceX,
AT NASA, AND IN THE D.O.D.
THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING
TIRELESSLY TO GET US TO THIS
POINT.
IT'S REALLY BEEN AN INCREDIBLE
EFFORT BY AN INCREDIBLE GROUP
OF PEOPLE.
FOR THE CREW, WE'RE READY.
WE'VE SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF
WEEKS KIND OF FINE-TUNING OUR
TRAINING, AND WE'VE ALSO HAD
AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A
LITTLE TIME AT HOME WITH OUR
FAMILIES AND WE'RE TRULY
HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS
TRANSITION.
AS THE ADMINISTRATOR SAID,
WE'RE STARTING THIS NEW ERA
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ROTATE
CREWS TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION FROM AMERICAN
SOILS WITH OUR COMMERCIAL
PARTNERS LIKE SpaceX, SO WE'RE
VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF
THAT.
COLONEL CABANA, THANK YOU IN
ADVANCE FOR THE HOSPITALITY
AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE WEEK
AHEAD.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> AND I GUESS I'M SUPPOSED TO
INTRODUCE THE NEXT CREW
MEMBER.
SO IT'S MY HONOR AS WELL TO
INTRODUCE COMMANDER VICTOR
GLOVER.
VICTOR AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING
HERE TOGETHER FOR THE PAST
COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.
VICTOR IS FROM CAL POLY.
VICTOR ALSO MAY HAVE HAPPENED
TO PLAY FOOTBALL BUT ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL.
IT'S DEFINITELY MY HONOR TO
INTRODUCE VICTOR.
YOU WON'T FIND A BETTER
ASTRONAUT OUT THERE, A BETTER
FATHER, A BETTER HUSBAND, A
BETTER PERSON.
VICTOR?
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
INTRODUCTION, HOPPER AND THANK
YOU GENTLEMEN FOR THE KIND
WORDS AND WELCOME TO ALL OF
YOU, WELCOME TO THIS VERY
SPECIAL PLACE, THE KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER SHUTTLE LANDING
FACILITY.
I'VE NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LAND A SPACE SHUTTLE HERE
BUT LANDED THE TRAINING THAT
WE FLY, AND EVERY SINGLE TIME
I KNOW I'M GOING TO COME BACK
AND FLY THE JET OUT OF HERE.
IT'S REALLY SPECIAL TODAY
BECAUSE WE FLEW A PLANE IN
HERE, THE PLAN IS TO LEAVE ON
TOP OF A ROCKET.
THAT'S NEAT, THAT'S AWESOME.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU
TO EVERYONE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS GREAT
TEAM.
WE HAVE THIS GREAT MISSION
AHEAD OF US AND LOOK FORWARD
TO GETTING ON ORBIT AND DOING
OUR BEST TO MAKE YOU ALL PROUD
OF US, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE TODAY.
GO FALCON, GO DRAGON AND GO
RESILIENCE.
I HAVE THE HONOR OF
INTRODUCING MY CREWMATE,
DR. SHANNON WALKER.
SHE'S A GREAT CREWMATE.
MIKE AND I WERE AT THIS FOR
2 1/2 YEARS, AND SHANNON AND
SOICHI WERE ADDED TO THE CREW
ABOUT SIX, EIGHT MONTHS AGO
AND IT HAS REALLY BEEN AN
AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN
FROM SHANNON AND SOICHI AND
HER EXPERIENCE AT NASA AND HER
EXPERIENCE IN THE ASTRONAUT
OFFICE HAVE BEEN VERY VALUABLE
TO ME, THE ROOKIE ON THE CREW.
SO I AM GREATLY IN DEBT TO
BOTH OF THEM FOR THEIR
EXPERIENCE.
I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP
SHANNON WALKER.
[APPLAUSE]
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT IS SO EXCITING TO BE HERE.
AS VICTOR SAID I'VE BEEN IN
THE ASTRONAUT OFFICE A LONG
TIME.
I HAD ONE OTHER FLIGHT.
I DID NOT LAUNCH OUT OF
FLORIDA FOR THAT FLIGHT.
I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE IN
FLORIDA GETTING READY FOR THIS
LAUNCH.
THE DIFFICULTY WAS GOING THIRD
IN LINE HERE AS EVERYBODY SAID
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY, BUT
I'LL ECHO THEIR THANKS TO THE
WHOLE TEAM THAT HAVE GOTTEN US
HERE, OUR TRAINING TEAM, THE
PEOPLE BUILDING THE HARDWARE,
THE SPACE STATION THAT'S READY
FOR US.
IT'S JUST SO EXCITING.
SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY FOR
COMING OUT AND SEEING US OFF,
AND WITH THAT, I THINK I'LL
JUST HAND IT OVER TO MY
CREWMATE SOICHI.
SOICHI IS SOMEBODY I HAVE
KNOWN FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, ON HIS
LAST SHUTTLE FLIGHT, HE
ACTUALLY FLEW WITH MY HUSBAND,
I HAD ALL THE STORIES ABOUT
SOICHI AND NOW I HAVE THE
PRIVILEGE OF FLYING WITH
SOICHI THIS TIME.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL.
THANK YOU, SOICHI.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, SHANNON.
YOU HAVE TO DO THE SPEECH IN
JAPANESE AND ENGLISH, SO START
OFF WITH JAPANESE.
[ SPEAKING IN JAPANESE ]
>> NOW I'M -- [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, NOW SWITCH TO
ENGLISH.
A NICE FEELING TO HERE, AS A
PRIME CREW, THIS IS THE BEST
PART OF LIFE.
PRIME CREW IN KSC.
I LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY TO
SUPPORT OUR TRAINING THE LAST
EIGHT MONTHS, IT'S BEEN A
TOUGH TIME, A LONG WAIT, BUT
THE CREW IS IN TOWN AND WE ARE
THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN THIS
WEEK.
AND WE GO TO SPACE WITH PRIDE.
OUR NAME IS RESILIENCE.
RESILIENCE IS POWER TO
RECOVER, WILL TO RESTORE, AND
WE STRIVE TO SURVIVE.
OUR HATCH HAS NO NAME ON IT
BECAUSE OUR MISSION IS FOR
EVERYONE.
IN FACT, CREW-1 IS YOU-1, ALL
FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL.
NOW LET'S GO FLY.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN
IT UP TO A FEW QUESTIONS IN
JUST A MOMENT.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE HAVE ONE
OTHER PERSON TO INTRODUCE.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR
PARTNERS IN JAPAN, THERE ISN'T
A BETTER PARTNER WHEN IT COMES
TO SPACE EXPLORATION IN THE
NATION OF JAPAN, AND WE ARE
GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE
ACTIVITIES, THE ASTRONAUTS,
THE CAPABILITIES THAT JAPAN
HAS PRODUCED, REALLY FOR THE
COMMUNITY OF NATIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN EXPLORING SPACE NOW FOR
DECADES, AND I WANT TO
INTRODUCE SOMEBODY THAT'S VERY
IMPORTANT TO NASA, BUT I WANT
TO START BY SAYING THIS --
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET FOR
THE UNITED STATES AS IT
RELATES TO SPACE EXPLORATION,
IT IS HIGHER NOW IN NOMINAL
DOLLARS THAN IT'S EVER BEEN,
ON THE RIGHT TRAJECTORY GOING
UP, AND ALSO TRUE IN ANOTHER
NATION, JAPAN.
WHO HAS BEEN AN AMAZING
PARTNER AND SEEN WHAT WE'VE
TRIED TO ACCOMPLISH WITH
ARTEMIS, AND WE'VE SEEN A
BUDGET REQUEST IN JAPAN THAT
INCREASED THEIR BUDGET BY
ABOUT 50%, WHICH IS AMAZING.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO OUR
PARTNERS AT THE JAPANESE SPACE
AGENCY AND, OF COURSE, I WOULD
LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE JAPANESE
SPACE AGENCY ISS PROGRAM
MANAGER JUNICHI SAKAI.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING
ME.
FIRST OF ALL, ON BEHALF OF
JAXA, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS
MY APPRECIATION TO ALL
ENGINEERS, STAFF AND THE
ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE,
ESPECIALLY SpaceX AND THE
OTHER COMPANIES FOR LAUNCHING
OPERATIONS AND NASA.
AND COVID-19 PANDEMIC
SITUATIONS, CREW-1 MISSION
OPENS UP A NEW ERA OF
LOW-EARTH ORBIT
COMMERCIALIZATION.
I'M HONORED TO BE ABLE TO
WITNESS THIS GREAT EVENT.
I'M PROUD THAT JAPANESE
ASTRONAUT DR. NOGUCHI IS
PREPARING HIS RESPONSIBILITY
AS A MEMBER OF THIS EVENT.
TOMORROW, I'M EXPECTING THAT
WE CAN CONFIRM THAT ALL ITEMS
OF FLIGHT READINESS IS THERE,
SO HAVE A NICE TRIP TO THE
ISS, AND SEE YOU SIX MONTHS
LATER AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
[APPLAUSE]
>> OKAY.
WE'RE READY FOR Q&A, AND
REMEMBER, FOLKS WE ONLY HAVE
ABOUT 15 MINUTES WITH THESE
FOLKS.
CAN YOU TELL THAT THE WEATHER
THAT'S COMING IN.
WE WANT TO BE VERY COGNIZANT
OF THAT FOR YOUR SAFETY AND
EVERYONE ELSE'S.
SO WE'LL START RIGHT HERE AND
AS SOON AS YOU ASK A QUESTION,
WE'LL STEP FORWARD AND Y'ALL
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE AND WE'LL
START WITH MARCIA.
PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND
AFFILIATION, IF YOU CAN, AND
DIRECT IT TO WHICH CREW
MEMBER, IF YOU CAN DO THAT
TOO, FOR EFFICIENCY.
GO AHEAD.
>> Reporter: MARCIA DUNN,
ASSOCIATED PRESS FOR COMMANDER
HOPKINS.
WHEN YOU CHOSE THE NAME
RESILIENCE, I KNOW YOU
PRIMARILY WERE THINKING
PANDEMIC, BUT NOW YOUR FLIGHT
IS ON THE HEELS OF A DRAWN-OUT
END TO A VERY DIFFICULT
CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION, SO YOUR
NAME HAS DOUBLE DUTY IN A WAY.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT
MESSAGE YOU WANT TO SEND WITH
THE NAME OF YOUR CAPSULE
RESILIENCE, ESPECIALLY IN
LIGHT OF CURRENT EVENTS?
>> CERTAINLY, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
YOU KNOW WE SPENT A GOOD
AFTERNOON TALKING ABOUT WHAT
NAME WE WANTED FOR THIS
VEHICLE, AND THERE WERE A LOT
OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD
OPTIONS.
BUT I GUESS I'LL KIND OF
EQUATE IT TO WHEN MY WIFE AND
I NAMED OUR SECOND SON, AND WE
HAD A COUPLE OF NAMES PICKED
OUT, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL
HE WAS BORN WHAT HIS NAME
WOULD BE, AND WHEN HE CAME OUT
IT WAS LIKE, THIS IS LUCAS.
AND SO IT WAS THE SAME THING
FOR US AS WE WERE GOING
THROUGH THESE NAMES, AND WE
HAD THEM ALL WRITTEN OUT ON A
WHITE BOARD AND DID ALL KINDS
OF VOTING AND THIS AND THAT,
BUT AT THE END, IT JUST FELT
RIGHT, AND IT FELT RIGHT
BECAUSE, AS YOU MENTIONED,
THIS HAS BEEN A TOUGH YEAR.
IT'S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR FOR
EVERYBODY, FOR A LOT OF
DIFFERENT REASONS, AND WE FELT
LIKE IF THE NAME OF OUR
VEHICLE COULD GIVE A LITTLE
HOPE, A LITTLE INSPIRATION,
PUT A SMILE ON PEOPLE'S FACE,
THEN THAT IS DEFINITELY WHAT
WE WANTED TO DO AND WE FELT
LIKE RESILIENCE WAS THE NAME
THAT DID THAT.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING JUST FOR
US AS A CREW, BUT WE THOUGHT
THAT IT ALSO WOULD RESONATE
WITH EVERYBODY, NOT ONLY THAT
FOLLOWS SPACE, BUT EVERYBODY
IN THE COUNTRY, EVERYBODY
AROUND THE WORLD.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> Reporter: HI, I'M IRENE
WITH AVIATION WEEK.
A QUESTION I THINK FOR MAYBE
SOICHI.
SINCE YOU'VE GONE THROUGH
TRAINING ON THREE DIFFERENT
VEHICLES TO GET TO THE ISS,
WHAT DO YOU THINK'S BEEN SOME
OF THE MOST DIFFERENT, MAYBE
THE MOST DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF
NOW BEING PART OF THE SpaceX
COMMERCIAL CREW ERA, COMPARED
TO WHAT YOU DID FOR SOYUZ AND
FOR SHUTTLE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
QUESTION.
AND, YES, I WAS FORTUNATE
ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE SPACE
SHUTTLE LIKE COLONEL CABANA
AND SOYUZ LIKE HOPPER AND
SHANNON, AND THIS IS THE GREAT
EXPERIENCE.
BELIEVE ME, THE SpaceX HAS
BEEN A GREAT PARTNER.
I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED
WITH THE WAY THEY HANDLE THE
TRAINING AND PREPARATION FOR
THE FLIGHT, I HAVE FULL
CONFIDENCE FOR THE REST OF THE
MISSION, OUR CREW IS OBVIOUSLY
A VERY NICE CREW.
HOPPER IS GREAT LEADER, AND
MIKE, HAVE GOOD EXPERIENCE
WITH TEST FLIGHT BACKGROUND,
AND SHANNON, WE ARE COLUMBIA
SURVIVOR, ALL OF US HAVE GREAT
HISTORY ON THE SPACEFLIGHT AND
OUR CREW IS READY TO GO.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> Reporter: SAM SUZUKI FOR
NHK FOR MR. NOGUCHI.
I'LL ASK THE QUESTION IN
JAPANESE.
.
>> SINCE IT'S A JAPANESE
QUESTION, I WANT TO REPLY IN
JAPANESE.
.
>> Reporter: HELLO STEVEN
CLARK FROM SPACEFLIGHT NOW.
THE QUESTION IS FOR SHANNON
WALKER.
SINCE YOU LAUNCHED FROM
BAIKONUR BEFORE, I WANT TO GET
YOUR THOUGHTS ON DIFFERENT
EMOTIONS, FEELINGS, COMING
DOWN TO THE SPACE COAST TO
LAUNCH FROM AMERICAN SOIL
COMPARED TO YOUR EXPERIENCE
LAUNCHING FROM BAIKONUR?
THANK YOU.
>> YEAH, THANKS.
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION PROGRAM FOR SO MANY
YEARS, AND HAVE HAD THE
PRIVILEGE OF TRAINING AND
WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN
ALL THE COUNTRIES THAT ARE
PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP, WHILE
THERE MAY BE SUBTLE
DIFFERENCES, BASICALLY IT'S
ALL ABOUT THE SAME.
GOING TO BAIKONUR, YOU'RE
GOING TO A DESERT SOMEWHERE,
THEY'VE GOT THEIR TRADITIONS
ON LAUNCH PREPARATIONS AND
COMING HERE TO FLORIDA, IN A
LOT OF WAYS IT'S VERY
FAMILIAR.
IT'S THE SAME.
WE DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT, CERTAINLY DIFFERENT
COUNTRYSIDE, BUT -- AND IT'S
IN ENGLISH, A NICE BONUS FOR
ME, BUT REALLY THE PREPARATION
LEADING UP TO LAUNCH IS THE
SAME, THE SAME EXCITEMENT, THE
SAME FOCUS, THE SAME
DEDICATION BY THE TEAMS
GETTING YOU READY TO GO, SO I
WOULD SAY THERE'S MORE
SIMILARITIES THAN THERE ARE
DIFFERENCES.
>> Reporter: HI, EMERY KELLY
WITH FLORIDA TODAY.
PERHAPS THIS IS FOR COMMANDER
HOPKINS OR MR. BRIDENSTINE.
COMPARE 2 CREW VERSUS 4, HOW
ARE QUARANTINE DIFFERENCES OR
DOUBLED AND HOW IS THAT GOING
FOR YOU?
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, IN TERMS OF
QUARANTINE, I DON'T THINK IT'S
THAT MUCH DIFFERENT.
CERTAINLY WITH THE PANDEMIC,
IT'S CHANGED THINGS A LITTLE
BIT.
WE WENT INTO QUARANTINE STATUS
AT THE THREE WEEK POINT,
VERSUS IN THE PAST, DONE IT IN
TWO WEEKS.
IN GENERAL, FOR THE FOUR OF
US, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A LITTLE
TIME WITH OUR FAMILIES, OUR
FAMILIES WENT INTO QUARANTINE
AS WELL WITH US, WHICH I THINK
HAS BEEN DIFFERENT THAN IN THE
PAST.
BUT OVERALL IT'S WORKED OUT
PRETTY WELL, AND I WILL SAY,
I'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
JUST THANK FROM NASA AND THE
SpaceX PART, WE'VE BEEN DOING
OUR TRAINING NOW, IN FACT,
SHANNON AND SOICHI CAME ON
BOARD ABOUT THE TIME THE
PANDEMIC STARTED, SO THE
TRAINING FLOW THAT WE'VE DONE
OVER THE PAST SIX, SEVEN,
EIGHT MONTHS HAS BEEN IN THAT
ENVIRONMENT AND I CAN'T SAY
ENOUGH WHAT NASA AND SpaceX
HAS DONE TO KEEP US SAFE, TO
KEEP OUR FAMILIES SAFE
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE TRAINING
PROCESS.
IT HASN'T REALLY JUST BEEN THE
LAST THREE WEEKS, IT'S BEEN
THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS, IT'S
BEEN INCREDIBLE TO SEE.
>> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON,
WELCOME TO THE SPACE COAST.
GREG WITH SPECTRUM NEWS 13.
FIRST SPACEFLIGHT, HISTORIC
FLIGHT, YOU GOT A TWOFER, A
GREAT CREW.
I KNOW YOU'RE EXCITED.
YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> GREG, THANKS FOR THE
QUESTION.
IT'S HARD TO PUT IT INTO
WORDS, REALLY.
THE THOUGHT OF FLYING IN HERE
AND ROCKETING OUT, IT'S
SURREAL.
HARD TO PUT IT INTO WORDS.
I'M EXCITED TO GO TO SPACE.
IF WE WERE ON THE STEPS OF
BAIKONUR GOING ON THE SOYUZ,
I'D BE EXCITED, TO LIVE ON THE
SPACE STATION FOR SIX MONTHS,
I'D BE EXCITED.
TO BE A PART OF THIS CREW, WE
HAVE AN AMAZING CREW, IT'S
BEEN A BLAST TO TRAIN IN
QUARANTINE OR NOT.
WE HAVE AN AMAZING SPACE TEAM
WITH KATE, SERGEY AND SERGEY
ALREADY UP THERE.
IT'S HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS.
I'M TRULY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
>> Reporter: MARCIA DUNN, AP
AGAIN.
WONDERING THIS UPCOMING WEEK,
HOW MUCH ATTENTION ARE YOU
GOING TO BE PAYING TO STORMS,
WEATHER, AND DO YOU HAVE ANY
NEW TRADITIONS YOU MIGHT BE
STARTING THIS WEEK FOR THIS
NEW ERA?
THANK YOU.
>> YEAH, FROM THE WEATHER
STANDPOINT, YES, WE'RE GOING
TO BE FOLLOWING IT VERY
CLOSELY.
I THINK WE'VE ALREADY STARTED
SEVERAL DAYS AGO ACTUALLY,
GETTING THE WEATHER BRIEFS ON
WHAT WE THOUGHT IT'S GOING TO
LOOK LIKE NEXT WEEKEND.
CLEARLY, POTENTIALLY GOING TO
HAVE AN IMPACT.
I THINK WE MOVED THE STATIC
FIRE FROM TOMORROW TO THE NEXT
DAY BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER
CONDITIONS.
WE'LL ADAPT, WE'LL ADJUST AND
BE READY TO GO WHEN THE
WEATHER IS READY AS WELL.
AS FAR AS TRADITIONS, YOU
KNOW, SHANNON MENTIONED IT,
WHEN YOU LAUNCH WITH THE
SOYUZ, THERE ARE A LOT OF
TRADITIONS THAT THEY'VE BEEN
DOING FOR A LOT OF YEARS,
GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN
YURI FIRST LAUNCHED.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
START A NEW TRADITION FOR US,
WE TOOK IT FROM THE RUSSIAN
SIDE AND HAD DEPARTURE
BREAKFAST WITH OUR FAMILY AND
THE FOLKS IN QUARANTINE THAT
ARE GOING TO BE WITH US.
AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME
WE'VE HAD A CHANCE AS A FAMILY
AND THE LEADERSHIP AND THE
SUPPORT FOLKS TO COME
TOGETHER, IT FIGHT BE THE ONLY
CHANCE WE HAVE, ONCE WE GET IN
THIS WEEK, WE'RE GOING IN A
LOT OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
THAT WAS A NICE OPPORTUNITY
JUST TO SAY HI, AND THANK YOU,
AND SEE EACH OTHER ONE LAST
TIME BEFORE WE ROCKET OUT OF
HERE.
THANKS.
>> TIME FOR TWO MORE
QUESTIONS.
>> Reporter: STEVEN CLARK,
SPACEFLIGHT NOW AGAIN FOR
COMMANDER HOPKINS.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE
SWORN INTO THE SPACE FORCE
WHILE YOU'RE ON THE SPACE
STATION, AND I WANTED TO GET
YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING THE
FIRST SPACE FORCE ASTRONAUT,
AND THE SYSTEM BACKGROUND HOW
THE SYSTEM WENT.
DID THAT COME DOWN FROM THE
SPACE FORCE OR NOT?
JUST A THOUGHT.
>> I'LL START WITH THAT ONE
IT.
DEFINITELY WAS A REQUEST.
WE'VE HAD A LONG RELATIONSHIP,
NASA HAS HAD A LONG
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE D.O.D.
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT
RELATIONSHIP AS WE'VE ADDED A
NEW SERVICE, A NEW MILITARY
SERVICE TO THE RANKS, AND SO
AS I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH WHAT WAS AIR FORCE
SPACE COMMAND THAT
TRANSITIONED INTO THE SPACE
FORCE, SO I WAS ALREADY
WORKING WITH AND TALKING WITH
THE FOLKS IN THAT GROUP, SO
WHEN THE SPACE FORCE STOOD UP,
IT WAS A NATURAL QUESTION TO
ASK, WHAT ARE THE
OPPORTUNITIES TO COME OVER?
I FEEL VERY HONORED TO HAVE
THAT OPPORTUNITY, TO DO THE
TRANSITION, WHILE I AM UP ON
ORBIT, BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT
JUST RECOGNIZES THE STRONG
RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH
NASA AND THE MILITARY, AND I
THINK IT'S A PRETTY SPECIAL
ONE.
THANK YOU.
>> ONE LAST QUESTION.
>> Reporter: SAM SUZUKI FOR
NHK FOR MR. NOGUCHI AGAIN.
AND AGAIN IN JAPANESE, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, AGAIN, I'M GOING
TO REPLY IN JAPANESE.
.
>> OKAY, THANKS, EVERYBODY.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE
PHOTO-OP WITH THEM BEFORE THEY
GET AWAY.
LET ME HAND IT OVER TO COLONEL
CABANA
>> THANK YOU, ALL SO MUCH FOR
COMING TODAY TO WELCOME THE
CREW TO FLORIDA FOR THIS
LAUNCH.
IT IS AN HISTORIC DAY, AND
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU GUYS
HERE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR
ADMINISTRATOR JIM BRIDENSTINE
FOR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND
PASSION FOR AMERICA'S SPACE
PROGRAM THAT GOT US TO THIS
POINT TODAY.
TOMORROW AT 1:15 ON NASA TV, A
LIVE MEDIA EVENT FROM CREW
QUARTERS WITH THE CREWS, SO
TUNE INTO THAT, AND FINALLY
I'LL SAY GO FALCON, GO DRAGON,
GO PERSEVERANCE AND GODSPEED
TO YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU, ALL.
[APPLAUSE]