>> LIVE FROM THE SPACE COAST OF
FLORIDA THIS IS NASA'S COVERAGE
OF THE IMAGING X-RAY POLARIMETRY
EXPLORER MISSION.
>> IN 30 MINUTES WE'LL HAVE A
NEW SET OF ICE TO EX-FLOOR OUTER
SPACE.
IT WILL USE ITS X-RAY VISION TO
STUDY SOME MOST MYSTERIOUS AND
POWERFUL OBJECTS IN OUR
UNIVERSE.
>> LIFT OFF IS SET FOR 1:00 A.M.
SHARP EASTERN TIME FROM JUST
BEHIND US THIS HISTORIC LAUNCH
COMPLEX 39 A.
NASA'S FIRST MISSION TO STUDY
POLARIZED X-RAYS.
SIMPLY PUT, IT WILL HELP US
UNDERSTAND HOW THE UNIVERSE
WORKS.
IT WILL FOCUS ON BLACK HOLES AND
EXPLODED STARS, HONING IN ON
THEIR COSMIC X-RAYS.
THESE RAYS ARE WHERE MATTERS ARE
UNDER EXTREME CONDITION,
COLLISIONS, EXPLOSIONS,
10 MILLION-DEGREE TEMPERATURES
AND FAST ROTATION.
>> THIS WILL PINPOINT X-RAY
POLAR POSITION.
AFTER ABOUT A WEEK IN SPACE, IT
WILL EXPEND ITS BOOM.
LENGTHENING THE SPACECRAFT TO
THE SIZE OF A MINIVAN--THERE
THAT BOOM GOES.
IXPE WILL USE THREE IDENTITY
TELESCOPES WITH MIRRORS.
THEY EACH HAVE DETECTERS ON THE
OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BOOM.
THEY WILL FOCUS ON THE DETECTERS
WHICH WILL MAKE AN IMAGE OF
THOSE X-RAYS AND MEASURE
POLARIZATION.
>> POLARIZATION IS A PROPERTY OF
LIGHT LIKE BRIGHTNESS AND COLOR.
X-RAYS ARE HIGH ENERGY LIGHT
THAT IS INVISIBLE TO THE HUMAN
EYE.
BY STUDYING THESE POWERFUL
OBJECTS WE CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT
WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF AND HOW
THEY WORK.
TODAY'S LAUNCH IS MANAGED BY THE
LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM IN
COOPERATION WITH THE MARSHALL
SPACE FLIGHT CENTER.
>> WELL, ANOTHER INTERESTING
FACT ABOUT IXPE THE SPACECRAFT
BUS IS NEARLY FOUR FEET IN
DIAMETER.
AND THE DECK IS FIVE FEET IN
DIAMETER.
THE BOOM IS FIVE FEET LONG
BRINGING THE EXPLORATORY HEIGHT
TO 17 FEET.
>> IXPE'S SOLAR ARRAY WING SPAN
IS SIX FEET.
IT WEIGHS ROUGHLY THE SAME AS A
POLAR BEAR.
IT WILL STUDY 40 CELESTIAL
OBJECTS IN ITS FIRST YEAR IN
SPACE.
>> THE SPACE FORCER STATION ON
THE FINAL LIFT PRE-LAUNCH
TESTING.
TEAMS ATTACHED IT TO THE FALCON
ROCKET AND STACKED AND VERTICAL
ON THE PAD.
READY FOR LAUNCH IN 26 MINUTES.
THROUGHOUT THIS BROADCAST WE'LL
SHOW YOU EXACTLY HOW
POLARIZATION WORKS AND WHY
MEASURING IT WILL BE A GAME
CHANGER FOR ASTROPHYSICS.
>> AND WE'LL INTRODUCE YOU TO
SOME OF THE KEY PEOPLE WHO MADE
THIS MISSION POSSIBLE.
WE'LL INTERVIEW THOSE GUESTS
LIVE.
BUT FIRST LET'S BRING IN OUR
LAUNCH COMMENTATORS FOR TODAY'S
MISSION.
DARRELL AND MICK, HOW IS IT
GOING?
>> IT'S GOING GREAT, MEGAN AND
MARIE.
WELCOME TO THE MISSION CENTER
FOR LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE EXPERTISE
TONIGHT.
WE'VE HAD A VERY CLEAN COUNTDOWN
SO FAR, WHICH IS GREAT.
THE LAUNCH VEHICLE IS HEALTHY.
THE SPACECRAFT IS HEALTHY, THE
RANGE IS CLEAR AND THE WEATHER
IS ONLY LOOKING BETTER.
WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
LOOKING OUTSIDE AT THE ROCKET IT
IS A BEAUTIFUL SHOT, START TO GO
FUEL.
MICK, STARTING A MINUTE AGO WE
HAD A POLE THAT KICKED
EVERYTHING INTO MOTION.
>> YES, THEY POLLED THE TEAM TO
MAKE SURE THEY WERE GOOD TO
START PROPELLENT LOADING.
EVERYTHING LOOKS FAVORABLE AND
WE'RE GOOD FOR PROPELLENT
LOADING AND GOOD FOR LAUNCH.
>> ONCE THAT STARTED AND IT
CONTINUES TO START NOW, AND IT
CONTINUES TO GO ON AS WE SPEAKS,
THAT ALSO ELIMINATED SOMETHING
THAT WAS TRUE ABOUT AN HOUR AGO
BUT IS NO LONGER TRUE.
WE HAD A 90 MINUTE WINDOW.
THAT'S NO LONGER THE CASE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
ONCE WE STARTED PROPELLENT
LOADING WE COMMITTED TO A
SPECIFIC TIME, THAT IS 1:00 A.M.
THIS MORNING FOR IXPE'S LIFT
OFF.
WE'RE USING SUPER CHILLED LOCKS
AT MINUS 340 DEGREES.
WE NEED TO KEEP IT AT THAT
TEMPERATURE BECAUSE IT WARMS UP
PRETTY FAST.
IF WE CAN'T DO THAT, THEN WE
MISS OUR OPPORTUNITY.
WE'VE COMMITTED TO THIS, AND
WE'RE HEADING TO A T-ZERO AT
1:00 A.M.
>> YOU SEE THAT LOCK STARTING TO
FILL BECAUSE IT'S CHILLING THE
BOTTOM PART OF THE ROCKET WHERE
IT IS CON BEGINSING AND MAKING
THAT WHITE CLOUD THAT YOU SEE
HERE THERE.
THIS ROCKET HAS AN INTERESTING
GROUND TRACK TO GET THIS
SATELLITE INTO ORBIT.
ONCE IT LAUNCHES HERE FROM THE
CAPE, AT KENNEDY CAPE CENTER.
IT GOES INTO A COAST OVER THE OE
ATLANTIC OCEAN.
AFTER IT PASSES OVER WEST
AFRICA, IT GETS CLOSE TO THE
EQUATOR AND THEN, BAM, A
28-DEGREE TURN Y IS THAT?
>> THE LAST BURN GIVES IT THAT
28-DEGREE PLANE CHANGE, IT IS
VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE SCIENCE
MISSION, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT
THAT LATER.
>> WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL
AS THIS LAUNCH PAT 39 A WITH THE
FIRST-EVER DEDICATED SCIENCE
MISSION LAUNCHING FROM HERE.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY
THAT HAVE BOOSTER.
FOR NOW BAG TO MEGAN AND MARIE.
>> THANKS, DARRELL AND MICK.
WE WANTED TO BRING IN JASMINE
HOPKINS, WHO IS THE A NEARBY
VIEWING LOCATION.
>> SHE'S AT THE LEAD CENTER FOR
THE MISSION.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'RE AT KENNEDY AND WE'RE SO
GLAD TO WELCOME JODY SINGER.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
THIS IS A FANTASTIC TIME AND A
DEFINING MOMENT.
>> WE'RE VERY EXCITE:
>> JODY, TELL ME, MARSHALL HAS
BEEN AT THE HEART OF THE IXPE
MISSION.
HOW DO YOU FEEL TO BE HERE AT
LAUNCH.
>> IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT
YOU SEE THE EXCITEMENT, YOU SEE
THE SACRIFICES AND YOU SEE THE
ENERGY OF THE TEAM.
IT'S A TEAM.
IT'S MARSHALL, BUT IT'S MANY
FOLKS, BUT THE MARSHALL TEAM IS
EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THE
SCIENCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GETT
OUT OF IT.
THE NEW DISCOVERIES AND WE
HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'LL FIND.
SO WE'LL GET IT INTO OPERATION.
BUT THIS IS JUST REALLY EXCITING
TIME AND A LOT OF PRIDE.
>> AND IT IS.
WE'RE EXCITED HE HAVE.
OVER IXPE, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT
MARSHALL HAS BEEN DOING TO
PREPARE FOR IXPE MISSION AND
WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE OVER THE
NEXT FEW YEARS?
>> I CAN TELL YOU IT HAS BEEN A
LOT OF HARD WORK.
A LOT OF OUR SCIENTISTS AND
ENGINEERS WORKING WITH OUR
PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY THE
MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MIRRORS.
THERE ARE OVER 72 MIRRORS.
AND THOSE MIRRORS ARE CRITICAL
TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE LIGHT THAT
IS COMING FROM THE DIFFERENT
OBJECTS THAT THEM BE POINTING AT
AND SENDING IT DOWN TO THE
DETECTER AND TO BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
IT IS JUST AN UNIMAGINABLE IN
DEEP STARS TO A LOT OF ENERGY,
SEEING WHAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHAT WE'LL BE SEEING.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT.
>> IT WILL BE FANTASTIC.
AND THAT WILL BE A LOT OF HARD
WORK.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THE EXPE IS
COMMISSIONED IN A MONTH, IT
WILL--IT HAS TO GO THROUGH
DIFFERENT STAGES AND CHECK OUT
TO BE OPERATIONAL IN SPACE.
BUT ONCE IT IS THERE IT WILL BE
A TWO-YEAR MISSION.
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF THINGS
WE'RE LOOKING AT.
STARS, WE'LL UNDERSTAND HOW
PLANETS WERE FORMED AND
UNDERSTANDING THINGS THAT WE
DON'T EVEN IMAGINE YET.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT.
>> BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT
BEFORE.
>> EXACTLY.
>> BUT GETTING TO SEE IT.
BUT THEN THERE WILL BE
CONTINUOUS RESEARCH THAT WILL BE
DONE.
IT'S OVER 12 COUNTRIES AND OVER
120 MORE SCIENTISTS ALL ACROSS
THE WORLD THAT WILL BE GETTING
THIS INFORMATION.
>> RIGHT.
>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS
GREAT FOR THE UNITED STATES, BUT
IT IS ALSO GREAT FOR
PARTNERSHIPS.
WE GO TOGETHER LEARNING ABOUT
OUR UNIVERSE AND UNDERSTANDING
OUR WORLD.
>> WE GO TOGETHER.
I LOVE THAT STATEMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, THE MARSHALL TEAM
HAS BEEN WORKING BEHIND THE
SCENES ON THIS TO UNCOVER THE
MYSTERIES, WHAT DO YOU WANT THE
WORLD TO KNOW ABOUT WITH YOUR
TEAM AT MARSHALL?
>> WELL, I THINK THEY'RE PRETTY
SPECIAL.
THEY'RE A "P" PRETTY SPECIAL.
WORKING HARD, DEDICATED, GIVING
IT THEIR ALL AND EXCITED ABOUT
THE UNKNOWN POSSIBILITIES,
UNDERSTANDING OUR WORLD.
AND MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER, TRAVELING AND LIVING AND
UNDERSTANDING IN OUR WORLD, AND
NOW, YOU KNOW, THE UNKNOWN
MYSTERIES OF OUR UNIVERSE.
>> RIGHT IT IS GOING TO BE A LOT
OF FUN.
IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT US.
IT'S THE NEXT GENERATION
UNDERSTANDING OUR WORLD AND
WHERE WE'RE GOING.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THE FUTURE IS SO BRIGHT.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
NOW WE'LL GET A LAUNCH FROM THE
SPACE LAUNCH DELTA 45.
OVER TO YOU, WILL.
>> THANKS, JASMINE.
THE CONDITIONS LOOK EXCELLENT
DESPITE WE HAVE CLOUDS MOVING
OVER HEAD.
THAT'S THANKS IN PART TO A COOL
FRONT THAT WE'RE SLOWLY SEEING
OVER THE AREA.
A LIVE LOOK AT SATELLITE IMAGERY
SHOOTS CLOUDS MOVING FROM THE
EAST GULF OF MEXICO.
AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE ACTIVELY #
EVALUATINGS LIGHTNING TO MAKE
SURE THOSE CLOUDS POSE NO
NATURAL OR ROCKET-TRIGGERING
LIGHTNING.
AND THIS LOOKS VERY FAVORABLE.
THE FINAL WEATHER BRIEF, AND THE
GOOD NEWS SHOULD WE NEED TO
UTILIZE TOMORROW'S BACK UP
WINDOW, WEATHER CONDITIONS LOOK
THE SAME WITH 80% GO-FOR
WHETHER.
>> GREAT TO HEAR.
FANTASTIC NEWS ABOUT THE
WEATHER.
IT IS CURRENTLY T-MINUS 18
MINUTES FROM LIFT OFF.
>> BRIEFS NASA MISSIONS HAVE
STUDIES COSMIC X-RAYS BEFORE BUT
NEVER THE WAY THAT IXPE WILL.
>> TO ANSWER SOME OF THE BIGGEST
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS OUT
THERE IN THE UNIVERSE AND WHAT
IT ALL MEANS, WE NEED POWERFUL
TELESCOPES.
NASA UNRAVEL THE COSMOS THAT
STUDY A DIFFERENT WAVELENGTH AND
PROPERTY OF LIFE.
THE IMAGING X-RAY POLAR IMAGING
EXPLORER OR IXPE WILL STUDY
X-RAYS FROM THE EXTREME OBJECT
NOTICE UNIVERSE, LIKE BLACK
HOLES, IN A NEW WAY.
IXPE WILL LOOK AT A SPECIAL
PROPERTY OF X-RAYS THAT HAVE
GONE MOSTLY UNEXPLORED UNTIL
NOW, IT IS CAN CALLED
POLARIZATION.
IMAGINE POWERFUL EXPLOSIONS,
VIOLENT COLLISION, AND STRONG
MAGNETIC FIELDS CREATING CHAOS
IN THE DARKNESS OF DEEP SPACE.
X-RAY TELESCOPES CAN TRACE
CLOUDS OF GAS HEATED TO MILLIONS
OF DEGREES AND DETECT A SHOWER
OF PARTICLES FUELED BY A
SPEEDING BLACK HOLE.
BUILDING ON THE DISCOVERIES OF
NASA X-RAY OBSERVATORY, IXPE
MEASURES THE X-RAYS FROM
BRILLIANT AND BIZARRE OBJECTS IN
SPACE.
LIKE ALL FORMS OF LIGHT,
X-RAYSEL CONSIST OF MOVING
ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC WASTES.
USUALLY THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS OF
THESE WAVES MOVE IN OPPOSITE
DIRECTION.
POLARIZED LIGHT WITH LIGHT
VIBRATING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF
POLARIZED SUNGLASSES.
BOATERS AND FISHERMEN USE THESE
GLASSES TO REDUCE GLARE OF
SUNLIGHT OFF THE BODY OF WATER.
SUNLIGHT REFLECTS AND CAUSE IT
IS TO VIBRATE PARALLEL TO THE
PART SURFACE.
POLARIZED LENSES BLOCK LIGHT AND
LET'S OTHER LIGHT THROUGH.
MUCH LIKE THE WAY LIGHT CHANGES
WHEN IT BOUNCES OFF OF WATER.
IN SPACE LIGHT BECOMES POLARIZED
DEPENDING ON WHERE IT COMES FROM
AND WHAT IT PASSES THROUGH.
BY MEASURING THE REFLECTION OF
POLARIZATION IT GIVES US CLUES
ABOUT THE SHAPES, STRUCTURES AND
INNER WORKINGS OF ALL TYPES OF
OBJECTS THAT SHINE IN BRIGHT
X-RAYS.
THE IXPE OH OAK TORE HAS THREE
TELESCOPES WITH THREE MAIN
PARTS.
MIRRORS, di TEXTERS AND AN
EXPENDABLE BOOM THAT SEPARATES
THEM.
EACH MIRROR ASSEMBLY CONTAINS 24
NESTED MIRRORS THAT COLLECT AND
FOCUS X-RAYS.
LOCATED AT THE FOCAL POINT OF
THE MIRRORS, SENSITIVE DETECTERS
MADE WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
IN ITALY ARE THE SECRET BEHIND
IXPE'S X-RAY VISION.
THEY TRACK AND MEASURE ALL FOUR
PROPERTIES OF INCOMING LIGHT.
IT'S ARRIVAL TIME, DIRECTION,
ENERGY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,
POLARIZATION.
OVER THE TWO YEARS OF ITS PRIME
MISSION, IXPE WILL OBSERVE 50
BRILLIANT OBJECTS LIKE THE
LEFTOVERS LIKE HUGE STARS THAT
EXPLODED INTO FROM NOVAE.
AND THE HEART OF OUR OWN MELKY
WAY GALAXY, AND PULSARS, THE
DENSE THAT REMAINS WHAT STARS
ONCE WERE.
THESE OBSERVATION ALSO HELP
SCIENTISTS TACKLE LONG-STANDING
PUZZLES LIKE PULSARS IN THE
EINSTEIN'S DEFINITION OF WORK.
>> SUCH A FASCINATING MISSION.
AND THE ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY
BUILT AN IMPORTANT PART OF IXPE.
>> THANKS, MEGAN, YES, I'M
JOINED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ABSOLUTELY PI.
THERE IS A LOT OF SCIENCE GOING
INTO THE IXPE MISSION.
WHAT IS THE ITALIAN'S SPACE
BIGGEST CONTRIBUTION TO IXPE.
>> WE HAVE OFFERED DEVELOPMENT
AND ELEMENTS OF THE UNITS.
WE ALSO PROVIDE THE MAIN
TRACKING STATION AND SOME OTHER
ELEMENTS ALSO.
>> GREAT.
THAT'S FASCINATING AND VERY
EXCITING.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE ITALIAN
SPACE AGENCY AND NASA?
WHAT MAKES THAT SO IMPORTANT?
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING
WHICH IS REALLY HISTORICAL FOR
US.
IT GOES BACK TO THE VERY
BEGINNING OF ITALIAN SPACE,
SPACE HISTORY.
OUR FIRST LAUNCH IN '64, OUR
FIRST SATELLITE FIRST LAUNCH
THANKS TO COLLABORATION WITH
NASA, AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, WE
NOW HAVE A BIG CONTRIBUTION TO
THE PROGRAM, WHICH WE ARE
ALREADY DOING THROUGH THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, AND WE
ALSO DO IN COLLABORATION WITH
NASA.
IT'S REALLY FOR US OUTSIDE OF
EUROPE.
>> RIGHT, AND WE'RE ALWAYS GLAD
TO PARTNER WITH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
GIORGIO.
AND.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND NOW WE'LL TALK WITH ANDY
FROM HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA.
OVER TO YOU, ANDY.
>> TODAY MARKS THE FIFTH FLIGHT,
AND IT'S THIRD FLIGHT ON A NASA
MISSION.
YOU CAN TELL ON THE BOTTOM OF
THE VEHICLE THAT THIS BOOSTER
HAS FLOWN BEFORE.
THIS 20-STORY TALL DRAG DRAGON
WENT ON A SIX MONTHS MISSION.
IT MARKED THE FIRST OPERATIONAL
FLIGHT OF CREW DRAGON.
ABOUT NINE MINUTES INTO FLIGHT
THE FIRST STAGE OR BOTTOM
TWO-THIRDS OF THE VEHICLE
RETURNED FROM SPACE AND LANDED
ON OUR JOINT SHIP OFF THE
ATLANTIC COAST OF FLORIDA.
FIVE MONTHS LATER THE BOOSTER
RETURNED FOR ANOTHER NIGHT
LAUNCH.
THIS TIME LAUNCHING THE FOUR
ASTRONAUTS OF CREW 2.
THE BOOSTER RETURNED ONCE AGAIN
TO EARTH AND LANDED ON THE
COURSE I STILL LOVE YOU.
THOSE TWO FLIGHTS PLUS A MISSION
FOR XM AND CARGO FOR FLIGHT 23
BRINGS US TO TODAY, TONIGHT, THE
FLIGHT BOOSTER IS BACK AT PAD #
39 A FOR LAUNCH AND MARKS THE
FIFTH SCIENCE MISSION OVER ALL
FOR SPACEX.
IT WILL SEND IXPE SKY WARD FOR
TWO AND A HALF MINUTES AND WILL
RETURN BACK NINE AND A HALF
MINUTES AFTER LIFT OFF.
AND TO GIVE SOME PERSPECTIVE,
EACH ARE THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL
FILED.
AND THAT DOES IT FOR HERE.
HERE AT SPACEX HEADQUARTERS IN
HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA.
NOW BACK TO YOU.
>> ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU.
WE'RE NOW TEN MINUTES FROM LIFT
OFF.
LET'S BRING BACK IN JASMINE, WHO
IS WITH OUR NASA ADMINISTRATOR.
>> THANKS SO MUCH, MARIE.
I'M HONORED TO BE JOINED BY OUR
NASA ADMINISTRATOR BILL NELSON.
>> WHAT A PLEASURE.
WHAT A GREAT NIGHT.
AND IT IS ALMOST DOWN TO THE
FINAL MINUTES.
>> YES, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO
HAVE YOU HERE.
IXPE IS AN EXCITING MISSION.
HOW IS NASA GOING TO BENEFIT
FROM IT?
>> AS WE TRY TO EXPLORE THE
HEAVENS TO UNDERSTAND ULTIMATELY
WHO WE ARE, WHY ARE WE HERE, HOW
DID WE GET HERE, WE GO OUT AND
WE TRY TO UNDERSTAND THINGS THAT
WE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND YET,
LIKE BLACK HOLES.
BLACK HOLES AMID X-RAYS.
SO THIS SCIENTIFIC MISSION IS
GOING TO GO OUT AND CAPTURE
THOSE X-RAYS TO UNDERSTAND GIANT
HOLES AND NEUTRONS AND WHEN THEY
SPIN, THEY BECOME PUL, SARS.
AND SO THESE ARE PHENOMENON THAT
EMIT X-RAYS.
WE CAN GET TO OTHER GALAXIES AND
SEE HOW THAT X-RAY IS BEING
EMITTED AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT THIS IF HE NONE NONE IS.
>> RIGHT.
WE'RE HOPING TO LEARN A LOT OF
NEW N FROM IXPE.
THIS IS A GAIT EXAMPLE OF OUR
COMMERCIAL AND INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW OUR PARTNERS
HELP US COMPLETE OUR MISSION?
>> THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT
TO US.
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
HAS SOME 30 INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS.
AND IN THIS CASE, THE ITALIAN
SPACE AGENCY IS A MAJOR PARTNER.
IT WAS ON OUR LAST MISSION
CALLED DART INTERCEPTING AN
ASKER AS TRIED.
WE'VE ASTRONAUTS WHO ARE
ITALIAN.
WE HAVE A GERMAN ASTRONAUT UP
THERE ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
THE RUSSIANS HAVE BEEN OUR
PARTNERS SINCE 1975.
SO OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT, A LOT OF
PITCHES HAVE GONE INTO THIS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF EXCITING
MISSIONS COMING UP, AND WE'RE
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
EMBASSY COMPLETING THOSE WITH
OUR PARTNERS AS WELL.
NOW WE'LL TAKE IT BACK TO MEGAN
AND MARIE.
>> THANK YOU, JAZZ MINUTE AND
ADMINISTRATOR.
WE'LL HAVE SEVEN MINUTES TO GO
BEFORE LAUNCH OFF.
LET'S GO THROUGH THE FINAL
MOMENTS OF THE COUNTDOWN.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, MEGAN.
THINGS ARE GETTING EXCITING HERE
AS WE COUNT DOWN TO THE LAST FEW
MINUTES BEFORE LIFT OFF FROM
HISTORIC LAUNCH COMPLEX 39 A.
THE FIRST TIME FOR A DEDICATED
GIANTS MISSION AND WE LOOK UP
IXPE INSIDE THE FAIRING.
THE BOOSTER THAT IS TAKING IT UP
TODAY, MICK, HAS SOME HISTORY.
IT'S INTERESTING ALL THE
MISSIONS IT HAS FLOWN.
IT HAS FLOWN FOUR PRIOR
MISSIONS.
AND THERE YOU SEE THEM.
CREW ONE, CREW TWO,ER SiriusXM
EIGHT, AND C FOUR IN ALL.
IT'S NOW BEING REUSED FOR IXPE.
>> NOW THIS BOOSTER 1061 FIRST
STAGE.
THIS WILL BE THE FIFTH FLIGHT
FOR IXPE AND THOSE FLIGHTS
BEFORE WERE HISTORIC OFF OF 39
A.
THREE OF THEM ANY WAY.
AND OF THOSE THREE, CREW ONE,
TWO, AND SIRIUS 123, AND THERE
WERE VERY HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH
THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM AND
COMMERCIAL PROGRAM TO PROVIDE
ADVISORY SERVICES.
WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS
BOOSTER AND THIS IS OUR SECOND
TIME TO FLY A PREVIOUSLY FLOWN
BOOSTER.
WE WITNESSED DART ON THE WEST
COAST.
AND TODAY WE'RE HERE FOR IXPE
WITH THIS BOOSTER.
>> DID YOU NOTICE SOMETHING
ABOUT ALL THOSE SHOTS AND THIS
PARTICULAR FLIGHT TONIGHT?
>> THEY'RE ALL IN THE EVENING OR
EARLY MORNING.
>> THIS IS A NIGHT BOOSTER.
IT IS A NIGHTRIDER.
>> LOAD COMPLETE.
>> WE HEARD A MILESTONE OF RP 1
LOAD COMPLETE.
>> YEAH, ON STAGE ONE.
WE HEARD EARLIER STAGE TWO IS
COMPLETED.
THAT ROCKET PROPELLING ONE IS
LOADING INTO THE FIRST STAGE
TANKS.
THAT'S A GREAT THINGS TO HEAR AS
THEY HEAR SUPER CHILL DENSIFIED
LIQUID ON GENERAL INTO THE FIRST
STAGE AND SECOND STAGE.
WE'LL CONTINUE THAT FOR QUITE
AWHILE.
RIGHT DOWN TO THE FINAL MINUTES
HERE DARRELL AS THEY TOP OFF
THOSE TANKS TO GET AS MUCH
PROPELLENT IN THERE AS THEY CAN
FOR SENDING IXPE ON ITS MISSION,
BUT ALSO TO BRING IT BACK FOR A
FIFTH TIME.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, THIS BOOSTER
LANDING ON THE DRONE SHIP.
READING THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT
GOT OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE
ATLANTIC OCEAN.
AND IT'S HOLDING POSITION AT
10:00 A.M. THIS MORNING EASTERN
TIME.
WE'RE COUNTING DOWN FIVE MINUTES
AND 20 SECONDS UNTIL LIFT OFF OF
IXPE ON A FALCON 9 ROCKET AT THE
KENNEDY CENTER.
AND WE'RE COUNTING DOWN A BIG
MILESTONE IN FIVE MINUTES WHEN
THAT SPACECRAFT GOES ON INTERNAL
POWER.
LET'S LISTEN IN ON THAT CALL.
>> WE JUST HEARD THE SPACECRAFT
REPORT OUT TO NASA'S LAUNCH
MANAGER THAT IT IS ON INTERNAL
POWER.
THEY'RE READY FOR LAUNCH THIS
MORNING.
THAT'S A BIG MILESTONE TO MAKE
SURE THAT IXPE IS PREPARED AND
READY TO GO FOR 1:00 A.M. LIFT
OFF.
>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
HEARD ON COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
LAUNCH TEAMS.
NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT
STRONG BACK STRUCTURE THAT
BROUGHT THE ROCKET OUT AND PUT
IT VERTICAL ON THE PAD, TO LEAN
BACK A LITTLE BIT.
WE'RE SEEING SOME VENTING.
LOOK AT THE TOP OF THAT ROCKET.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE PRESSURE
FROM THAT SUPER COOL LIQUID
OXYGEN START TO GO BOIL WHEN IT
GETS INTO THAT WARM ATMOSPHERE
AND VENTING IT OFF SINCE WE'RE
PRETTY CLOSE TO FUELING THIS ALL
THE WAY.
>> WE'LL GET THE PROPELLENT
TANKS LOADED AND TO THE TOP OF
THOSE.
THE SUPER COOL LOCKS.
STARTS TO BOIL OFF OR WARM UP
VERY QUICKLY.
WE HAVE TO RELIEF SOME OF THAT
PRESSURE FROM THE TANKS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE THAT VENTING
THAT YOU MENTIONED.
THAT WILL CONTINUE ONTO THE
FINAL MINUTES BEFORE LIFT OFF
THIS MORNING.
AND THEN THE TEAM WILL CLOSE UP
AND BRING THE TEAM TO FLIGHT
PRESSURES AND GET READY TO LIGHT
THE ENGINES.
>> WE JUST HEARD THE CHIEF
ENGINEER POLL.
THEY GAVE THE GO FOR LAUNCH.
THAT WAS JUST A FEW SECONDS AGO.
>> THE TEAM CONTINUES TO WORK.
WE'RE DOWN THERE IN THE FINAL
MINUTES TO MAKING SURE THAT
PROPELLENT LOAD SOMETHING
FINALIZED.
THE FLIGHT DETERMINATION CEMENTS
IS ARMED AND READY TO GO.
>> STAGE ONE IS COMPLETE.
>> WE JUST HEARD THAT STAGE ONE
LOCKS LOAD IS COMPLETE.
THAT'S ANOTHER MILESTONE TO GET
THAT TANK TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL.
THEY'LL CONTINUE TO TOP THAT OFF
AS THEY CONTINUE TO LOAD STAGE
TWO.
ONCE WE GET TO STAGE TWO LOAD
COMPLETE HERE IN ABOUT 50
SECONDS, STAGE ONE AND TWO WILL
CONTINUE TOP, AND THEN WE'LL
SHUT THOSE PRESSURE IN THE TANKS
GETTING READY TO BRING, AS I
SAID, TO BRING THOSE ENGINES UP
TO SPEED AND GET READY TO LIFT
FALCON 9 OFF THE PAD.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE WHITE
CONDESCENSION CLOUDS.
THE SUPER CHILD MINUS
400 DEGREES.
THE ENGINEER KNOWS THE EXACT
MOMENT.
>> THE SUPER CHILD LOCKS IS
AROUND DOWN AROUND MINUS
340 DEGREES F.
>> IT IS SUPER COLD.
>> IT IS SUPER COLD, AND IT IS
NEARLY FILLED.
AND THE TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO
TOP THOSE OFF, AND GET READY FOR
LIFT OFF HERE IN A MINUTE AND 40
SECONDS.
>> SINCE WE'RE IN A NIGHTTIME
LAUNCH.
LOOK AT THE BASE OF THE ROCKET
RIGHT AROUND TWO SECONDS.
YOU'LL SEE A GREEN FLASH.
THAT'S A MIX OF HYPER IGNITION
THAT CHEMICALS THAT HELP TO FIRE
THAT ROCKET UP.
>> YES.
>> ONE MINUTE AND COUNTING.
NOW YOU HEARD THE START UP,
WHICH MEANS THE COMPUTER IS ON
BOARD.
FALCON 9 IS NOW IN CONTROL OF
TERMINAL COUNTY.
>> WE SHOULD BE HEARING THE
FINAL GO HERE FROM THE TEAM.
THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO RAMP UP
HERE.
THE TEAM IS READY TO GO.
AND IXPE WILL BE ON ITS WAY HERE
IN 30 SECONDS.
>> HERE WE GO.
TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX,
FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE,
IGNITION, AND LIFT OFF!
LIFT OFF OF FALCON 9 AND UPS, A
NEW SET OF X-RAY EYES TO VIEW
THE MYSTERIES OF OUR SKIES.
>> WE HEAR THE LAUNCH VEHICLE IS
CLEARED OFF, AND WE'RE HEARING
NOMINAL CHAMBER PRESSURES ON ALL
NINE MERLIN MISSIONS.
>> A BEAUTIFUL SHOT AND THE
ROCKET LIFTING OFF.
THE VEHICLES ARE PITCHING DOWN
RANGE.
ON BOARD CAMERA SHOWING YOU
RIGHT DOWN THE BOOSTER.
>> POWER NOMINAL.
>> WE'RE SEEING EVERYTHING IS
PERFORMING NOMINAL ON THE
FALCON 9.
DARRELL, A BEAUTIFUL LIFT OFF
THIS MORNING AS WE GET TO
EXPERIENCE THE RUMBLE HERE AT
THE MISSION DIRECTOR CENTER, AND
THINGS CONTINUE TO PERFORM WELL.
AND--WE HEAR THAT THE VEHICLE
SUPERSONIC AND THE NEXT
MILESTONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO
GET THROUGH IS MAXIMUM DYNAMIC
PRESSURE.
>> BACK A LITTLE BIT AS THAT MAX
Q MILESTONE PASSES.
A BEAUTIFUL SHOT RIGHT THERE.
IT CONTINUES DOWN RANGE.
>> STAGE ONE TRAJECTORY IS
LOOKING GOOD.
THEY'RE START TO GO CHILL NOW
THE SECOND STAGE ENGINE, GETTING
READY TO IGNITE.
EVERYTHING FLYING ON TRACK.
WE'RE TWO MINUTES INTO FLIGHT.
YOU SEE THOSE NINE MERLIN D
ENGINES ALL LIT UP.
YOU SEE THE PROGRESS BAR AT THE
BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN.
THERE IS A SHOT FROM INSIDE THE
FALCON 9 ROCKET.
>> YOU SAW THE STAGE ONE TWO SET
ON THE VIDEO IS STAGE TWO, IN
FACT, THE ENGINE GETS READY FOR
IGNITION.
WE SEE THAT WE HAVE IGNITION ON
THE IMPACTEE.
>> IT'S A GREAT SIGN TO SEE THAT
ENGINE GLOWING RED HOT AT THE
FIRST OF TWO BURNS TAKES PLACE.
THAT'S ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE
SCREEN.
ON THE RIGHT HANDIVITY SCREEN,
IT'S DARK OUT SO YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO SEE A WHOLE LOT.
BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT LEFT SIGNED
LIGHT UP WHEN WE HAVE THAT ENTRY
BURN AS THAT ROCKET BOOSTER
FALLS BACK THROUGH EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE.
THINGS ARE PERFORMING WELL.
CHAMBER PRESSURES LOOK GOOD AND
IT CONTINUES ON ITS COURSE.
>> FOUR MINUTES INTO FLIGHT.
EVERYTHING LOOKING NUMBER # FOUR
MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS INTO
FLIGHT.
AND A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ANGLES
OFF THE BACK OF THE STAGE.
>> I'M EXCITED HOW IT IS
PERFORMING.
WE HAD STAGE ONE, AND IT
CONTINUES TO FALL BACK TO EARTH.
WE SHOULD BE SEEING THAT ENTRY
BURN IN ABOUT TWO, TWO MINUTES.
TO START THE RECOVERY AT THE
FIRST STAGE.
AND STAGE TWO AND THIS ENGINE IS
PERFORMING EXTREMELY WELL RIGHT
NOW AND PUTTING UPS ON THIS
PATH.
THAT CIRCULAR ORBIT THAT WE
TALKED TO TO GET STARTED BEFORE
WE HAD THAT SECOND BURN.
THINGS CONTINUE TO LOOK GOOD ON
THIS MISSION.
>> HERE IS THE CALL OUT
EVERYTHING IS LOOKING AS YOU
SAID.
THIS IS THE 130TH LAUNCH OF THE
FALCON 9 ROCKET CARRYING THE UPS
SPACECRAFT.
>> WELL, WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE
LAUNCHING FROM THAT HISTORIC PAD
FROM THAT FALCON 9 WHERE IT
LAUNCHED FROM.
NOW WE GET TO LAUNCH ONE WITH
SCIENCE MISSION.
AND FROM THERE EVERYTHING LOOKS
GREAT.
WE HEARD THAT STAGE ONE IS SAFE.
>> STAGE ONE.
>> AND WE'RE SEEING THE START UP
AS A STAGE ONE ENTRY BURN.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF
YOUR SCREEN.
THE THREE ENGINES THAT SLOWED AS
IT REENTERS THE EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE ALONG WITH THE GRID
FINS AS IT KEEPS THE BOOSTER ON
TRACK AND STEERS.
>> AS THIS FALLS, THE ENGINE
BURN ROUGHLY 30 SECONDS LONG
BASICALLY SLOWING IT DOWN.
>> ENTRY BURN SHUT DOWN.
AND THE STAGE ONE ENTRY BURN NOW
FINISHED NOW LOOKING NOW TO
STAGE TWO.
THIS WILL CUT OFF IN ABOUT 60
SECONDS.
>> THAT WILL COMPLETE STAGE TWO.
AND THAT WILL COMPLETE THE FIRST
BURN.
LOOKING ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF
YOUR SCREEN YOU CAN SEE ENGINE
CUT OFF ONE.
THAT'S OUR NEXT MILESTONE.
LOOK TO THE CLOCK IN THE UPPER
LEFT HAND CORNER, 40 SECONDS
DOWN.
WE'LL HAVE THAT NEXT MILESTONE.
IT IS LOOKING NOMINAL FOR THIS
FLIGHT.
>> JUST SECONDS AWAY NOW FROM
THE CUT OFF OF THAT SECOND STAGE
ENGINE THAT YOU'RE WATCHING
THERE, CARRYING UPS THROUGH
SPACE IN ITS CORRECT ORBIT.
LANDING LEGS HAVE DEPLOYED.
>> IT'S A LITTLE PICKS LATED BUT
THAT'S THE IMAGE FROM THE DRONE
SHIP.
LIVE PICTURES COMING PHYSICAL
SPACEX AND THERE YOU SEE IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE ROCKET MADE A
GREAT TOUCHDOWN.
>> IT IS DOWN SAFELY, AND THAT'S
EXCITING TO BRING THAT BOOSTER
BACK FOR A FIFTH TIME.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEE IT ON
ITS NEXT MISSION.
IT CONTINUED TO BURN.
WE'RE NOW IN A COAST PHASE, AS
WE HEAD TOWARDS THAT WESTERN
COAST OF AFRICA TO GET READY FOR
SECOND STAGE ENGINE BURN NUMBER
TWO.
>> THERE YOU SEE THE GROUND
TRACK THAT WE'VE COMPLETED SO
FAR.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, ALL ALONG
THE PATH TODAY EVERYTHING
LOOKING GREAT FROM LAUNCH TO
SEPARATION, THE BOOSTER COMING
BACK DOWN, AND NOW IN THAT COAST
PHASE.
YOU CAN SEE THERE THE ENGINE
BELL IS NOW BACK TO ICE COLD.
SO IT IS NOT FIRING.
THAT RIGHT NOW THERE IS IXPE.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S THREE
TELESCOPES WITH THREE CURVES IN
THE FRONT.
IXPE IS IN SPACE, AND WE'RE
TRACKING IT AS IT COASTS.
AS IT DOES SO WE'LL TELL YOU
MORE ABOUT THE SCIENCE.
FOR THAT LET'S THROW IT BACK TO
MEGAN AND MARIE.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, DARRELL
AND MICK.
IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US YOU'RE
WATCHING NASA'S OFFICIAL LIVE
LAUNCH OF IXPE.
IT LAUNCHED TEN MINUTES AGO.
BEHIND US WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL
VIEW HERE MEGGEN.
>> YES WOW, SPECTACULAR: THE
FALL SON 9 ROCKET AT THE TOP OF
THE WINDOW.
>> THE BEAUTIFUL VIEW AND THE
SOUND.
IT REALLY MADE OUR HOST HE DESK
SHAKE.
IT WAS COOL TO SEE IT OUT HERE.
IXPE WILL SPEND THE NEXT TWO
YEARS VISITING 40 OBJECTS IN OUR
UNIVERSITY LIKE BLACK HOLES AND
EXPLODING STARS TO UNLOCK SOME
OF THE SECRETS OF OUR UNIVERSE.
>> LET'S BRING BACK JASMINE.
SHE IS WITH THE ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR.
>> WHAT A BUNCH LAUNCH.
WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
>> OH, IT NEVER GETS OLD.
I LOVE THAT.
>> IT NEVER GETS OLD.
WE LOVE SEEING IT OVER AND OVER
AGAIN.
NOW IXPE IS SOARING HIGH ABOVE
US, LET'S TALK SCIENCE.
WHAT ARE WE HOPING TO LEARN FROM
THIS MISSION.
>> IT'S REALLY WEAR WHICH WE CAN
LOOK AT THE UNIVERSE IN AN
ENTIRELY NEW WAY.
BY DOING THAT WE'LL LEARN ABOUT
THE MOST AMAZING OBJECTS LIKE
BLACK HOLES.
PULSARS AND EXPLODING STARS AND
THE ENERGIC PARTS OF THE
UNIVERSE.
>> WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THIS NEW PERSPECTIVE.
BY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE IS
NOTHING ABOUT THE SCIENCE WE'RE
DOING HERE.
WHAT DOES THE CLASSIFICATION OF
SMALL EXPLORER MEAN?
>> WE HAVE LARGE-SCALE MISSIONS.
AND SMALL EXPLORE MISSION REALLY
TALKS ABOUT THE COST OF THE
MISSION OVER ALL.
VERY SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS.
SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING
MISSIONS FRANKLY THAT WE KNOW
ABOUT CURRENTLY AREEL SMALL
EXPLORERS.
>> WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO THE SUCCESS OF IXPE.
THIS HAS BEEN A BIG YEAR FOR THE
SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE.
JAMES WEBB IS RIGHT AROUND THE
CORNER.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
>> I THINK WE HAVE A TWO-COURSE
DINNER HERE.
WE HAVE THE APPETIZER AND THE
MAIN ADDITION IS COMING IN TWO
TWO WEEKS.
WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH THE WEBB
SPACE TELESCOPE.
IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING
AND WE COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED.
THE AREA OF TENNIS COURT IN
SIZE.
SIX AND A HALF METERS OF
MIRRORS.
JUST INCREDIBLE TELE.
OF A STRATEGIC SCALE MISSION.
>> VERY EXCITED WITH THE JAMES
WEBB COMING UP.
WHAT SETS UPS APART FROM OTHER
ASTROPHYSIC MISSIONS WE'VE DONE?
>> WELL, IT'S NEEDS-PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S VERY TARGETED TOWARDS THE
X-RAY SKIES AND METHODOLOGY TO
LOOK AT THE SKY IN A NEW WAY.
IT IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT
PERSPECTIVE.
BUT IT WILL.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ANY OBJECT IN
THE SKY, LOOK AT BLACK HOLES.
WE KNOW THAT BLACK HOLES ARE THE
CENTER OF GALAXIES.
SO OFTEN YOU KNOW THAT IMAGES OF
THE HUBBLE SPACE SCOPE, IF YOU
REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND, YOU
NEED TO LOOK AT MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS.
IXPE WILL BE VERY COMPLIMENTARY
AND IMPORTANT TO ADD IS TO THE
OTHER VIEWS.
>> IXPE IS ENCOURAGING US TO
KEEP LOOKING UP.
THANK YOU FOR BEING LEAR.
NOW WE'LL GET BACK TO MEGAN AND
MARIE.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
JASMINE.
JOINING US NOW WE HAVE THE
PRIVILEGE OF HAVING TRILLION
SARA, YOU'RE THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FOR CIVIL SPACE FOR NEW
BUSINESS.
THAT'S A BIT OF A TONGUE TWISTER
FOR ME.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, AND
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'RE SO PROUD OF THE LAUNCH
THAT JUST OCCURRED THAT YOU ALL
WATCHED.
YEARS IN THE MAKING, AND MY
GOODNESS, THAT FEELING WE WERE
JUST TALKING ABOUT, WHEN IT HITS
YOU, IT HITS YOU.
THAT WAS REALLY FUN, SO THANK
YOU.
>> IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT
YOU PARTNERED WITH NASA AND THE
ITALIANISM SEPARATION AGENCY TO
MAKE IXPE COME TO LIFE.
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO SEE IT
ON ITS WAY AND EMBARKING ON A
TWO-YEAR MISSION.
>> IT IS GOING TO CHANGE TEXT
BOOK.
IT WILL BE GROUNDBREAKING.
WE'RE SO PROUD OF OUR
PARTNERSHIPS WITH NASA.
ITALIAN PARTNERS WE COULD NOT
HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THEM AND
EVEN SMALLER PARTNERS, VARIOUS
HARDWARE PARTNERS AND OUR
PARTNERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
COLORADO WHO WILL BRING THE DATA
TO THE GROUND AND HELP PROCESS
IT, TOO.
>> WHEN YOU WERE STILL IN THE
TESTING PHASE OF THE BOOM AND
THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE WHEN WE
SEE IT STRETCH ALL THE WAY OUT
THERE.
CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE?
>> Y, SURE.
SO TO FIT IN THE SIZE CASING
THAT THIS NEEDS TO GO IN, WE HAD
TO SQUISH UP THIS FOUR METERS
AND 12-FOOT BOOM.
SO IT GETS TESTED DOWN IN.
AND WHEN YOU PUSH THE BUTTON,
THE JACK IN THE BOX OPENS AND
TURNS AROUND THREE TIMES AS IT
EXTENDS.
THIS WILL HAPPEN ON ORBIT IN
SEVEN DAYS.
SOMEONE WILL PUSH THE BUTTON
AND.
IT GOES.
YOU CAN SEE THREE IDENTICAL
ROUND TELESCOPES.
THEY'RE GOING UP IN THE CLEAN
ROOM THERE IN BOULDER, COLORADO.
>> THE BOOM AND THE DETECTERS
HAVE TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
FEET AWAY?
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ALIGNMENT
PRECISE AND THE JUST GET THE
RIGHT DIRECTION OF THE X-RAYS
THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
>> SO NOW THAT IXPE IS SAFELY ON
ITS WAY, I STILL HAVE A LITTLE
WAYS TO GO BEFORE SPACECRAFT
SEPARATION.
BUT WHAT IS THE NEXT MISSION?
>> WE'RE WORKING ON NASA'S NEXT
MISSIONS, TOO.
WE WORK IN ALL OF NASA AREAS.
SO X-RAY IS JUST ONE OF THE
STYLEDS.
WE'RE.
WORKING ON OR EVER NO.
♪ WE'LL BE WATCHING FOR UPS OVER
THE NEST MONTHS AS MOVE IF THE
MISSION GETS COMMISSIONED AND IT
GETS TURNED ON TO OUR FIRST
SCIENCE TARGET.
>> CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN.
WE WANT TO SEND IT OVER TO
JASMINE.
SHE'S WITH THE PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATOR OF OUR ITALIAN
PARTNER, JASMINE?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NOW I'M JOINED BY THE ITALIAN
SPACE AGENCY THAT ARE TORCH.
>> BE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE
LAUNCH?
>> IT WAS GREAT.
IT WAS FANTASTIC.
REALLY, REALLY EXCITING.
>> VERY BEAUTIFUL.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW DID YOU AND
YOUR TEAM DEVELOP IXPE
POLARIZATION DETECTERS.
>> I WORKED ON X-RAY BACK IN THE
LATE 80s, AND WITH--SAN
FRANCISCO WE WERE LOOKING FOR
TECHNIQUES TO MEASURE
POLARIZATION.
AND THEN WE HAD TO CHANGE THE
TECHNIQUE TO ARRIVE TO THE
SENSITIVITY METER AND SOURCES.
SO WE WENT TO VISIT OF, AND THAT
WAS THE KEY OF NO BE JFK ♪
>> THE WE BASE ALL THE FACILITY
THAT IS CALIBRATED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO YOU HAVE PRETTY LONG
EXPERIENCE AS YOU MENTIONED.
YOU WERE WORKING ON IT BACK IN
THE 80s.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING LEARN THE
MOST OF IXPE.
EMPLOYMENT WE WILL MEASURE SNOOP
THIS IS ONE AREA THAT CAN BE
VERY EXCITING.
IT IS THE SMALL VERY IN.
MIDDLE ENCOURAGE.
>> THOUGH INTEREST "V"
UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE EMITTING
X-RAY.
SO THE MODEL WILL.
[THE MISSION REFLECTED BY THEM
THAT WAS PASSED BY INNING.
NOW THAT
♪ BE
>> SO BASICALLY WE CAN MEASURE
POLARIZATION MOST TIME WITH OUR
CENTER GALAXY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
NOW WE'LL GET BACK TO MARIE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JASMINE.
NOW SOME OF THE MORE MYSTERIOUS
SUBJECTS IXPE WILL STUDY ARE
MAGNITARS IS, THE SIZE OF A CITY
WITH THE STRONGEST MAGNETIC
FIELD.
>> AND ONE SUCH MAGNITAR STUNNED
AS STROM IT WAS OVER IN THE
BLINK OF AN EYE AND ORIGINATED
11 LIGHT YEARS AWAY WHAT MAKES
MAGNITARS SPECIAL, SUDDEN
CHANGES TO THIS ULTRA STRONG
FIELD ARE THOUGHT TO DRIVE
BRIEF, ENORMOUSLY OUTBURSTS
CALLED GIANT FLAIRS.
ONE JOINED FLAVOR FLAIR EFFECTED
OUR ATMOSPHERE FROM 28 BILLION
LIGHT YEARS AWAY.
ON APRIL 15, DETECTERS ON NASA'S
WIND MISSIONS AS WELL AS ON ITS
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY'S INTEGRAL
SATELLITE PICKED UP A RAPID
SURGE OF X-RAYS AND GAME IN A
RAYS.
USE USING THE ARRIVAL TIMES OF
THE SIGNAL, ASTROM NEARS PINNED
TO THE BURST.
FROM START TO FINISH, IT LASTED
150 MILLISECONDS.
AS FAST AS A FINGER SNAP.
AST ROMANERS SEE THESE ALMOST
EVERY DAY.
THEY HAPPENED 100 MILLION LIGHT
YEARS AWAY.
AS AST ROMANN ERS FOUND THAT IT
LOOKED MORE LIKE A FLAIR.
ALL OF THESE BURSTS DISPLAYED A
SPIKEY TAIL AS IT FADED OUT.
AND THE INCARCERATORS HOT SPOTS
IN AND OUT OF VIEW.
CURRENT INSTRUMENTS CAN'T DETECT
THIS FEATURE IN FLAIRS LOCATED
AT GREAT DISTANCES.
BUT OTHER CHARACTERSICS SUCH AS
FLAIR CAN BE SEEN.
NOW, THE PRECISE LOCALIZATION OF
THE 2020 EVENT IN THE DISK OF
THE SCULPTURE GALAXY HAS
UNMASKED THEM AT LAST.
ASTROMONERS SUSPECT THAT THEY
MIGHT BE GIANT FLAIRS.
HIGH-POWERED ERUPTIONS IN OUR
GALAXYIC BACKYARD PRODUCED IN
THE COSMOS.
>> NOW SCIENTISTS WILL BE
ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW STRONG
THEY ARE.
>> THE MAN AT THE CENTER OF THE
IXPE MISSION, MARTIN,
CONGRATULATIONS.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
YOU JUST GOT TO WATCH THIS
GORGEOUS LAUNCH WITH YOUR
FAMILY.
>> IT WAS--I CAN'T SWEAR, SO
I'LL SAY IT WAS AWESOME.
THIS WAS PICTURE PERFECT, AND IT
MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.
I JUST--I ALMOST CAN'T DESCRIBE
THE FEELING.
THE EXCITEMENT, AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE NEXT 30 DAYS
WHERE WE MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING WORKS AND WE START
TAKING DATA.
BUT THIS WAS A BEAUTIFUL LAUNCH.
THIS SPACEX PEOPLE DID A
MARVELOUS JOB.
IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL TEAM
EFFORT WITH US AND THE ITALIANS.
OTHER PLACES IN THE UNITED
STATES.
JUST AEROSPACE.
FABULOUS, JUST FABULOUS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.
>> WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A
MODEL OF IXPE RIGHT HERE WITH US
FOR A ANYONE WHO IS JOINING US.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE OUR
PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR WALK US
THROUGH AND WHY IS THIS
SPACECRAFT SO SPECIAL TO YOU?
>> OKAY, LET ME WALK THROUGH THE
PIECES FIRST, AND THEN I'LL TELL
YOU WHY IT IS SO FANTASTICALLY
SPECIAL TO ME.
SO THERE ARE THREE SEPARATE
SYSTEMS THAT ARE IDENTICAL.
AT THE TOP THERE ARE THREE X-RAY
TELESCOPES, AND THEIR PURPOSE IS
SIMPLY TO AS X-RAYS COME IN TO
THEM, THEY'RE BROUGHT TO A FOCUS
DOWN BELOW, AND THEY'RE BROUGHT
TO A FOCUS ON THREE SEPARATE
X-RAY DETECTERS.
BUT THESE ARE SPECIAL OF THE
KIND WE HAVE NEVER BUILT OH
BEFORE AND CERTAINLY NEVER FLOWN
BEFORE.
THESE DETECTERS WILL MEASURE THE
ENERGY OF THE X-RAY.
THEY WILL A MEASURE WHERE IN THE
SKY THE X-RAY CAME FROM.
THE TIME TAG OF THE X-RAY SO IT
WILL MEASURE THE TIMING.
ONE THING THAT THEY WILL DO THAT
NOBODY ELSE HAS DONE, THEY WILLS
WILL MEASURE THE PROPERTY OF ALL
LIGHT POLARIZATION.
THAT'S ADDING A NEW PIECE OF
INFORMATION TO OUR WHAT I CALL
OUR ASTROPHYSICS TOOL KIT ALONG
WITH ALL THE OTHER THREE
SPECTROSCOPY POSITION IN TIME
NOW POLAR METRY TO FIGURE OUT
HOW DO THESE SOURCES WORK?
WE TALKED ABOUT MAN,
ITARS.
WITH MAGNETIC FIELDS TO THE 15
ORDERS MORE THAN THE EARTH'S
FIELD.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BUILD ON
CHANDRA.
THIS IS STUDYING X-RAYS, BUT
ADDING ALL OF THESE IXPE.
THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO
EXPAND.
>> WE DON'T HAVE THE ANGLE OF
CHANDRA.
WE SPENT A COUPLE BILLION TO
BUILD IXPE.
AND A COUPLE BILLION TO BUILD
CHANDRA.
IT IS A TELESCOPE FOR SHARP
IMAGES.
BUT IXPE IS NOT AS SHARP AS
CHANDRAS.
BUT IT DOES MEASURE
POLARIZATION, SO THEY COMPLIMENT
EACH OTHER.
>> WE'RE SO GLAD YOU GOT TO
ENJOY THE LAUNCH WITH YOUR
FAMILY.
YOU MENTIONED ONE EVER YOUR
GRANDKIDS WAS SIX MONTHS OLD
WHEN CHANDRA LAUNCHED, UNDER NOW
THEY'RE ABLE TO BE HERE WHEN
IXPE LAUNCHED.
CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NOW WE'RE COMING UP ON THE
MILESTONE.
MICK, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> GREAT TO HEAR THE DOCTOR GET
SO EXCITED TO BE SPEECHLESS.
MEANWHILE, WE'RE WATCHING THE
SECOND STAGE CARRY THAT IXPE
SPACECRAFT.
YOU CAN SEE IT THERE.
YOU LOOK AT THE UPPER PART OF
THE PICTURE.
IT IS PRIMING THAT ENGINE TO
LIGHT IN JUST A FEW SECONDS.
IXPE AND THE SECOND STAGE HAVE
FLOWN INTO THE LIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE THE ILLUMINATED
EARTH BELOW.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY
NEAT.
WE HAVE A SUCCESSFUL LIFT OFF AT
1:00 A.M. EASTERN TIME.
SUCCESSFUL SEPARATION FROM THE
FIRST STAGE.
AND NOW WE ARE FLYING.
BUT HERE COMES A REALLY COOL
MOMENT IN THIS FLIGHT.
THAT IS THE SECOND BURN OF THE
SECOND STAGE.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS GRAPHIC.
WE'LL SHOW YOU THE TRACK THAT
THIS IS GOING TO TAKE WHEN IT
MAKES THIS TURN.
WE LEFT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
AT 1:00 A.M.
YOU CAN SEE OH HOW IXPE FLEW
OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
APPROACHING WESTERN AFRICA.
THE TRACK THEN GETS US NEAR THE
EQUATOR.
YOU'LL SEE THIS RIGHT HERE.
THAT TURN BAM RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S 28 DEGREES TO GET TO AN
EX-TORAL ORBIT.
THAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN IN JUST A
FEW SECONDS FROM NOW.
>> THAT WILL GET US TO THAT
EQUAL TORE RAIL ORBIT.
THAT WILL ALLOW US TO
STUDY THE POLARIZATION WITH THE
LEAST AMOUNT OF BACKGROUND NOISE
WITH THE EQUATORIAL ORBIT.
>> YOU CAN SEE THE ENGINE RIGHT
THERE, IT IS FIRING UP.
THIS IS A 60-SECOND BURN.
WE SHOULD SEE SOME ROTATION HERE
AS THE EARTH MOVES, AS IT MAKES
THAT TURN.
WE JUST HEAD THE CALL FOR FULL
THRUST.
>> THAT MEANS IT IS UP AND
GOING.
THIS IS A FULL 60-SECOND BURN TO
MAKE THAT # PLANE CHANGE.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MANEUVER TO
GET INTO THE EQUATORIAL ORBIT.
>> WITH THE IS EARTH BEHIND IT.
YOU CAN SEE THE PLANE CHANGE.
YOU CAN SEE IT TURNING.
>> THAT LEFT-HAND TURN THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S NOT THE FIRST TURN OF THE
DAYTONA 500, BUT IT IS A TURN.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT SO THAT
IXPE CAN BE IN THAT EQUATORIAL
ORBIT TO ALLOW FOR THAT SCIENCE
THAT THE DOCTOR WAS TALKING
ABOUT, AND IT WAS AMAZING TO
TALK TO HIM EARLIER AND HEAR WHY
THIS IS IMPORTANT THERE WE SEE
THE CALL IN.
THE ENGINE CUT OFF... SO THAT
BURNING IS COMPLETE.
AND WE'LL COAST FOR A FEW MORE
MINUTES.
ABOUT THREE MINUTES AWAY FROM
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION.
>> WE HEARD NOMINAL ORBIT.
THAT'S A GREAT CALL OUT.
YOU SEE THE TIMER THERE UNTIL
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION.
THAT'S A BIG MOMENT.
ONE OF THE LIGHTEST SPACECRAFT
EVERY LAUNCHED BUT FALCON 9.
BUT THEY NEEDED A LOT OF
PERFORMANCE TO GET THAT INTO OH
EQUATORIAL ORBIT.
WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A FEW
MINUTES.
IN THE MEANTIME, BACK TO MEGAN
AND MARIE.
>> THANKS, DARRELL AND MICK.
THE FIRST OF IXPE'S 40-PLUS ON
OR ABOUT AGGRAVATIONS WILL BE A
REMNANT ABOUT 11,000 LIGHT YEARS
FROM EARTH.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THE ORIGINAL STAR A BEHEMOTH
15 TIMES THE SIZE OF THE SUN,
WHEN THE START EXPLODED, IT
TURNED ITSELF INSIDE OUT.
>> IXPE WILL ZERO IN ON
SAGITARRIUS A STAR.
THE SUPER MASSIVE BLACK HOLE AT
THE CENTER OF OUR MILKY WAY
GALAXY.
THIS BLACK HOLE HAS FOUR MILLION
TIMES THE MASS OF OUR SUN.
AND 26 LIGHT YEARS FROM NOWER
EARTH, SAGITARRIUS A STAR IS ONE
OF THE FEW BLACK HOLES OF THE
UNIVERSE WHERE WE CAN WITNESS
THE FLOW THE MATTER NEARBY.
>> WE'RE NOW CLOSING IN ON
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION TO GUIDE
US THROUGH THAT MILESTONE.
LET'S HEAD OVER TO DARRELL AND
MICK.
>> THANK YOU, MEGAN, AND WE'RE
BACK JUST A FEW MINUTES LATER AS
WE MENTIONED.
AND JUST ABOUT 70 SECONDS AWAY
FROM SPACECRAFT SEPARATION.
A BIG MOMENT FOR THE IXPE TEAMER
FOR THE FALCON 9 TEAM, SPACEX
AND THE SPACES PROGRAM, IT COMES
DOWN TO THIS.
>> I WAS TELLING YOU HOW EXCITED
I AM ABOUT THIS.
# I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE
SPACECRAFT.
I'M PROBABLY AS EXCITED AS BE
DR. WEISKOH IS.
>> THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE MISSION
AS WE SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF
IXPE ON THE FRONT OF THAT
FALCON 9 SECOND STAGE IN SPACE.
GETTING READY TO START ITS
MISSION.
>> YOU GOT THE SUN IN FRONT, AND
IXPE TO THE LEFT.
THOSE ARE THE TELESCOPES.
YOU CAN SEE THE THREE WOUNDED
AREAS OF THE THREE TELESCOPES.
YOU CAN SEE THE DARK SQUARES.
THOSE ARE THE SOLAR PANELS OF
THIS PARTICULAR SPACECRAFT.
AND IN JUST A FEW SECONDS WE'RE
GOING TO SEE THIS RELEASE AND GO
OFF INTO SPACE.
>> AND SEPARATION CONFIRMED.
>> THERE IT GOES.
IXPE NOW IN SPACE IN ORBIT
AROUND THE EQUATOR.
AND THERE GO THE SOLAR ARRAYS.
>> YEAH, THAT'S INCREDIBLE TO
SEE THAT HAPPEN RIGHT AFTER
SEPARATION.
THE SOLAR ARRAYS ARE BEGINNING
TO DEPLOY.
THAT IS GREAT AS THEY BEGIN TO
START ALL THEIR OPERATION CHECK
OUTS AND GETTING IXPE READY OVER
THE NEXT 30 DAYS TO START ITS
SCIENCE MISSION.
IXPE CONTINUES TO MOVE AWAY FROM
SECOND STAGE THERE.
AND DARRELL WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT
THIS EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION IS TO TAKE
CARE OF THAT SECOND STAGE.
FALCON 9 WILL PERFORM A THIRD
BURN AND WHICH CALL IT D ORBIT
BURN TO BE ABLE TO GET THE
SECOND STAGE OUT OF ORBIT AND
TRY TO REDUCE SOME OF THAT SPACE
JUNK THAT WE HAVE UP THERE.
DOING OUR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING UP
THERE.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU THAT IS A
BEAUTIFUL SHOT TO WATCH IXPE.
>> THOSE SOLAR PANELS FLEXED OUT
A LITTLE BIT MORE.
LOOK AT IT GOING STRAIGHT.
THAT IS TO GET THAT SUNLIGHT AND
THAT POWER GOING INTO THOSE
BATTERIES.
I LOVE THAT WE CAN SEE THE VIEW
FOR THIS LONG.
>> YEAH, THIS IS AMAZING.
I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THIS.
I'M SUR THAT DR. WEISCOPF IS
OVER JOYED.
>> THAT'S A KEY POINT FOR THE
SPACECRAFT TAME KNOWING THAT
THEY HAVE COMMUNICATION WITH THE
SPACECRAFT.
GETTING THEM INTO THE PROPER
ORBIT.
AND DOWNLOAD SOME DATA AND MAKE
SURE THAT IT IS HEALTHY.
WHAT WE WILL SEE IS THAT
ACQUISITION SIGNAL CAN VARY FOUR
TO SEVEN MINUTES DUE TO THE FACT
THAT THE LOW-RATE DATA OR THE
DATA COMING FROM THE SPACECRAFT,
AND WE MAY NOT GET FULL HEALTH
DATA UNTIL A FULL ORBIT AROUND
EARTH.
WE'RE WAITING TO HEAR THAT WE DO
GET THIS ACQUISITION SIGNAL TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW THAT
CRAFT THERE.
IF FOR SOME REASON WE CAN'T PULL
IT IN.
WE HAVE A BACKUP STATION IN
SINGAPORE.
>> YES, THAT'S TRUE.
WE HAVE STATIONS ALL ACROSS THE
ORBIT TO MIKE SURE THAT WE CAN
COMMUNICATE WITH THIS
SPACECRAFT.
THE PRIMARY GROUND STATION BEING
THIS WILL EQUATORIAL ORBIT ALLOW
IT IS TO ORBIT AROUND EARTH.
EVERY TIME THEY MAKE AN ORBIT
AROUND EARTH, THEY COME ACROSS
THAT SAME GROUND STATION AND
DOWNLOAD THAT SCIENTIFIC DATA
AND SHARE THAT WITH THE
COMMUNITY.
THAT ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE TO
GET MORE DATA EACH TIME, AND
MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE
EVERYTHING THEY NEED AND
CHECKING ON THE SPACECRAFT EVERY
SINGLE ORBIT.
>> FOR THOSE JUST JOINING US,
WE'RE T-PLUS 37 MINUTES.
# WE'RE MONITORING THEM TO SEE
WHEN AN ACQUISITION SIGNAL COMES
THROUGH.
I THINK STANDS FOR IMAGING X-RAY
POLARIMETRY EXPLORER.
THIS WILL STUDY SUPERSTAR NOVA
AND ACTIVE NUCLEI.
>> I'M SO HAPPY FOR THE SCIENCE
TEAM.
I KNOW THEY'RE EXCITED TO STUDY
WAITING TO CONFIRM THE
ACQUISITION OF SIGNAL, AND WE'LL
CONTINUE WITH THE MISSION.
WE HAVE ACQUIRED THE SIGNAL OF
IXPE, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
IXPE SPACECRAFT TEAM.
THAT WAS THE MOMENT THEY'RE
WAITING FOR.
I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT
THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR
SPACECRAFT.
>> WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT
CONFIRMATION TO COME THROUGH.
WE CAN HEAR THE SPACECRAFT TEAM
IN OUR AUDIO LOOPS AS THEY CALL
THEM.
CELEBRATING.
THERE WAS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
THERE WAS SOME CLAPPING.
CERTAINLY A NEAT MOMENT TO HEAR.
SORRY WE COULDN'T SHARE THAT
WITH YOU, BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY
SOMETHING WE CAN TELL YOU ABOUT.
IT WAS A FAIR BIT OF REVELRY
THERE.
>> I'M JUST VERY PLEASED WITH
THIS LAUNCH TODAY AND WHAT THE
SPACECRAFT TEAM IS DOING.
>> WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
LAUNCH TEAM AND THE UPS TEAM AND
ALL THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED.
THANKS TO YOU, PARTNER, FOR
GIVING US ALL THAT PROFESSIONAL
ANALYSIS ALL THE WAY THROUGH
LAUNCH AND STAGE SEPARATION AND
ACQUISITION OF SIGNAL.
IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOUR
EXPERTISE ON HAND.
>> IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU
HERE.
THIS WAS A GREAT LAUNCH.
>> WITH THAT WE'LL SEND IT BACK
TO MEGAN AND MARIE.
>> JOINING US NOW IS OMAR BAEZ.
WE JUST WATCHED THE ACQUISITION
OF SIGNAL.
HOW WAS THIS LAUNCH IN YOUR
PERSPECTIVE?
>> WELL, EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTH.
WE ENTERED THE COUNTER WORKING
NO ISSUES.
BARELY ANYTHING TO TALK THROUGH
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTDOWN.
EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY.
THE OPENING OF THE WINDOW.
WE JUST CROSSED OVER AFRICA AND
ACQUIRED SIGNAL ON THE
SPACECRAFT.
THEY'LL START EXPOSING THEIR
SOLAR ARRAYS AND DOING THEIR
DEPLOYMENTS.
YOU CAN'T ASK FOR ANY BETTER
THAN THAT.
>> OMAR, THE LAUNCH SERVICES
PROGRAM HAS HAD FOUR MISSIONS IN
LESS THAN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS.
OH ALMOST IN RAPID SUCCESSION,
AND YOU MAKE IT LOOK SO EASY.
WHAT IS AHEAD IN 2022.
>> YOU MENTIONED THE FOUR
MISSIONS BACK-TO-BACK, WE WERE
LAUNCHING FROM THE OPPOSITE
COAST.
A PHENOMENAL YEAR, AND OUR NEXT
MISSION NOW INTO THE NEW YEAR'S
IS WITH THE MISSION AND LOOKING
AT OUR SURFACE WEATHER AND SO
FORTH.
PART OF THAT REPLENISHING THAT
CONSTELLATION.
THEN WE COME BACK HERE FROM THIS
SAME LAUNCH PAD AT 2:00 IN THE
AFTERNOON.
IT OUGHT TO BE PRETTY COOL.
WELL, SUMMER TIME, 2:00 IN THE
AFTERNOON.
YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES.
IT'S GOING TO BE COOL.
HEAVY, SO THREE OF THOSE STICKS
THAT YOU JUST SAW THERE TODAY,
PUT TOGETHER, THIS MISSION IS
GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OUR METAL
ASTROIDS THAT ORBIT NEAR MARS
AND JUPITER, AND SO THAT'S A
PRETTY COOL MISSION.
THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED UP BY JPSS
ON THE WEST COAST.
AT THE END OFSEPTEMBER.
THEN WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH A SWAT
MISSION WHICH IS A SURFACE WATER
OBSERVATION MISSION OUT OF THE
WEST COAST.
THAT WILL BE NOVEMBER 15TH.
SO WE HAVE A FULL SUMMER TO FALL
AGAIN.
>> BUT EVEN BEFORE ALL THAT,
AREN'T THEY ADVISING ON THE
JAMES WEBB?
>> THAT'S LATER THIS MONTH.
>> ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT ONE AS WELL?
>> YES, WE'RE LOOKING AT JWSP
HAS BEEN AROUND.
THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO PERU
WAS 20 YEARS AGO.
THAT WAS A SCOUTING MISSION, SO
IT WILL BE NICE TO SEE THAT
MISSION IN ORBIT.
>> OMAR BAEZ.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU TO YOU
AND YOUR TEAM.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANKS TO YOU AT HOME FOR
WATCHING THIS MORNING.
>> HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.
>> TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX,
FIVE FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE.
AND LIFT OFF.
LIFT OFF OF FALCON 9 AND IXPE.
A ME SET OF X-RAY EYES TO VIEW
THE MYSTERIES OF OUR SKIES.