♪ MUSIC PLAYING ♪
[ VIDEO PLAYING ].
>>> WELCOME TO THE KENNEDY SPAC
CENTER YOU ARE LOOKING AT LIVE
PICTURES OF NASA'S GULFSTREAM
FIVE AS IT COMES IN TO THE
HANGAR HERE AT THE LAUNCH AND
LANDING FACILITY CARRYING FOUR
ASTRONAUTS OF CREW FOUR.
THESE ASTRONAUTS HAVE A BIG
MOMENT WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS
ARRIVED.
THEY HAVE DEPARTED JOHNSON SPAC
CENTER THIS MORNING AROUND 10:
40:00 A.M. EASTERN DAYLIGHT
TIME.
THEY LANDED JUST A FEW MINUTES
AGO, ROUGHLY 12:33:00 P.M.
EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.
AS THE TWIN ENGINE GULFSTREAM 5
COMES AROUND, YOU CAN SEE YOU
HAVE THE AREA SET UP TO WELCOME
THEM.
THEY WILL BE GIVING SOME REMARK
FROM THE FOUR ASTRONAUTS, KJELL
LINDGREN, BOB HINES, JESSICA
WATKINS AND SAMANTHA
CRISTOFORETTI.
JUST ABOUT A THREE HOUR FLIGHT
FROM HOUSTON.
SMOOTH SAILING THE WHOLE WAY.
LANDING GEAR AT THE RUNWAY WHER
SPACE SHUTTLES USED TO ROUTINEL
LAND.
A FUN FACT FOR YOU.
BETWEEN 1980 FOR AND 2011 THERE
WERE 78 SPACE SHUTTLES THAT
LANDED HERE.
YOU CAN SEE THE MEDIA AND THE
PRESS CORPS THAT ARE THERE TO
DOCUMENT THE LANDING.
WE WILL BE HEARING FROM THE
ASTRONAUTS, BUT WE WILL ALSO
HEAR FROM LEADERSHIP AT NASA.
CATHY LEADERS THE ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA SPATE
OPERATIONS WILL MAKE SOME
REMARKS AS WELL JANET PETRO, WH
IS THE CENTER DIRECTOR HERE AT
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
THERE IS THE DOOR OPENING.
THE ASTRONAUTS WILL BE LAUNCHIN
THIS SATURDAY EARLY IN THE
MORNING, 5:26:00 A.M.
THEY WILL PREPARE IN THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS LEADING UP TO
THAT LAUNCH.
THEY WILL BE DOING SOME SHIFTIN
IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, BUT ALSO
PREPARING FOR THEIR FLIGHT, WON
THEY HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR FO
THE PAST TWO YEARS.
THERE YOU SEE, JANET PETRO TO
THE RIGHT, THE CENTER DIRECTOR.
ON THE LEFT, BARBARA, THEY
LIAISON TO THE GATEWAY PROGRAM
AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER.
FIRST OFF, THE PLANE IS KJELL
LINDGREN FOLLOWED BY BOB HINES,
SAMANTHA CRISTOFORETTI AND
JESSICA WATKINS.
WE WILL GET SOME OPENING REMARK
FROM OUR CENTER DIRECTOR AFTER
GREETING THE ASTRONAUTS ON THER
ROUGHLY THREE HOUR FLIGHT HERE
TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
SOME FIST BUMPS AND ELBOW BUMPS
ALL THE WAY AROUND.
THE ASTRONAUTS, OF COURSE, WILL
GO INTO QUARANTINE ARRIVING HERE
.
EXTRA PRECAUTION IS TAKEN WITH
THEM.
MANY ASTRONAUTS ARRIVED HERE
OVER THE YEARS, ESPECIALLY ON
SPACE SHUTTLES.
78 IN ALL BETWEEN 1984 AND 2011.
IT IS A WARM DAY HERE IN FLORID
AS THEY ARE GREETED BY NASA
LEADERSHIP.
IT'S ABOUT 82 DEGREES OUTSIDE,
BUT IT IS VERY HUMID.
ABOUT 85 WHEN YOU THROW IN THE
70% HUMIDITY.
OUR KENNEDY WEATHER FORECASTER
IS CALLING FOR SHOWERS TONIGHT.
WE HAVE A SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH
THE AREA AND IT WILL BE WET, BU
THEN THE WEEK AHEAD IS
FORECASTED TO BE BEAUTIFUL.
IT WILL BE IN THE MID-'70S,
LOW HUMIDITY.
THE ASTRONAUTS DURING THEIR TIM
HERE WILL CERTAINLY GET TO ENJO
SOME OF THAT FANTASTIC FLORIDA
SPRINGTIME WEATHER.
THE ASTRONAUTS MAKING THEIR WAY
TO THE MICROPHONE.
>>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
JOINING US TODAY AT AMERICA'S
SPACEPORT.
WE REALLY HAVE SOME PRETTY
EXCITING DAYS HERE AT THE
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, BUT TODAY
IS EVEN MORE EXCITING THAN
NORMAL BECAUSE WE KNOW WHEN WE
SEE THIS AIRCRAFT HERE WE KNOW
WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO LAUNCH
DAY.
JOINING US HERE TODAY TO WELCOM
THE CREW 4 IS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS
THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER WELL.
FOR MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS SHE
LED THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM
LAUNCHING AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS
FROM AMERICAN SOIL FOR THE FIRS
TIME.
AND NOW AFTER FIVE DECADES SHE
WILL BE LEADING THE AGENCY AS W
EXPLORE AND TAKE HUMANS OUTSIDE
OF LOW EARTH ORBIT AND EXPLORE
FURTHER.
PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING
KATHY LEADERS.
>>> YOU DIDN'T HEAR ME TELLING
THEM THEY ARE REALLY EXCITED TO
GET YOU UP THERE AND GET WORKING
.
WE'VE GOT JOEL AND HIS TEAM WIT
A WHOLE BUNCH OF EXPERIMENTS
READY FOR YOU GUYS TO GET DONE
WHEN YOU GET UP THERE.
LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT ON THE
FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW ON
FRIDAY WE WILL DO IT CAREFULLY.
THIS IS ONE BIG STEP LIKE JANET
SAID A VERY EXCITING STEP TO SE
YOU HERE BECAUSE IT MEANS WE AR
GETTING READY TO FLY.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STE
THROUGH IT.
I GET LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE THE
VEHICLE TONIGHT.
THE VEHICLE IS GETTING READY
RIGHT NOW OVER IN THE HANGAR.
THAT WILL BE ANOTHER GOOD STEP.
THEN WE NEED TO BE PRAYING FOR
GOOD WEATHER FOR AXIOM ONE
RETURN. AND GOOD WEATHER FOR
CREW 4 LAUNCH.
I AM EXPECTING EVERYBODY OUT
THERE AND IN PARTICULAR YOU TO
BE STARTING TO PRAY TO THE
WEATHER GODS OUT THERE AND GET
US READY TO GO.
SUPER EXCITED TO SEE YOU HERE.
VERY PROUD OF THE TEAM THAT GOT
YOU HERE AND PROUD OF YOU AND
EXPECTING BIG THINGS.
THANK YOU.
AND I FORGOT, BARBARA, WHO IS
OUR ESA REPRESENTATIVE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK NASA AND SPACEX PARTNERS
AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I HAVE
SEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK T
MAKE US GET TO THIS POINT WHERE
WE ARE READY TO LAUNCH.
THIS MISSION IS SPECIAL
SIGNIFICANCE FOR US.
IT MARKS THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE
LAUNCH OF ASTRONAUTS GOING TO
SPACEX DRAGON AND IT ENABLES TH
CONTINUED PRESENCE OF EUROPEANS
ONBOARD THE SPACE STATION SINCE
LAST SPRING.
IN A FEW DAYS FOLLOWING THE
LAUNCH MATTHIAS MAURER WILL TAK
THE TORCH AND HE WILL PASS IT T
SAMANTHA.
SHE WILL CONTINUE THE WORK OF
THE PREVIOUS CREW TOGETHER WITH
HER CREWMATES.
WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SPACE
SCIENCE PROGRAM WHICH IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
WE NEED TO LEARN AND EXPAND OUR
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SPACE
ENVIRONMENTS.
THIS PARTICULAR FLIGHT IS SO
SPECIAL BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN YEARS SINCE THE SHUTTLE
IS FLYING WE HAVE THEM IN SPACE
WITH THE HANDOVER.
WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY, IT SEEMS
IMPORTANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE
ARE FACING FASCINATING TIMES
WITH CHANGES AND NEW INCREASE
CADENCE OF FLIGHT.
AND NEW DESTINATIONS IN FRONT O
US.
PROBABLY ALL OF YOU SAW THE SLS
ROCKET ON THE PAD GETTING READY
FOR ITS FLIGHT.
IT CARRIES THE CAPSULE.
IT CARRIES THE EUROPEAN SERVICE
MODULE WHICH IS A BUILDING BLOC
OF OUR SPACE PROGRAM TOGETHER
WITH THE TIMES EUROPEAN PROVIDE
ELEMENTS FOR GATEWAY AND THE
RETURN. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF
THIS PARTNERSHIP.
WE TRUST THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
HAVE ONE ANOTHER THIS YEAR AND
THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY IS
LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THIS COLLABORATION WITH NASA,
WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS,
WITH THE COMMERCIAL PARTNERS.
WE ARE READY TO TAKE THE LEAD I
KEY POSITIONS AND MAINTAIN OUR
ROLE AS A PRIME PARTNER FOR
SPACEFLIGHT.
NOT ONLY HERE BUT IN THE MOON
AND MARS.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO
LEVERAGE OTHER COMPETENCIES AND
THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE
DEVELOPED TODAY ON ISS AND ALSO
BRING THAT FORWARD.
I'VE SAID IT A FEW TIMES.
ONE STEP AT A TIME.
TODAY WE ARE HERE TO SAY THANK
YOU TO THESE AMAZING CREW AND W
ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A
SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH THIS WEEKEND.
A NEW FLIGHT IN SPACE AND ISS
AND MAYBE ONE DAY TO THE MOON.
WE KNOW THAT TOGETHER WE CAN
REACH NEW HEIGHTS AND DO IT
SUSTAINABLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GO CREW
4.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BARBARA.
NOW LET'S HEAR FROM THE CREW.
WE WILL START WITH THE COMMANDER
, KJELL LINDGREN.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
KIND INTRODUCTIONS.
WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH THIS
CREW, WITH THIS TEAM, THE FLIGH
CREW AND THE TEAM HERE AT
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
THE TEAMS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL AND
COMMERCIAL PARTNERS.
I AM SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
WHAT AN AMAZING TIME TO BE PART
OF HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
AS WE WERE COMING IN FOR THE
LANDING, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO FLY AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE
PAD.
RIGHT NEXT TO OUR PAD, THE SLS
ROCKET WAS SITTING THERE.
THE MOON ROCKET IS SITTING THER
IN PREPARATION FOR ITS LAUNCH
COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
MONTHS.
WE JUST WELCOME HOME MARK FROM
RECORD-SETTING SPACE STATION
EXPEDITION.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTIN
THE ACXIOM CREW, A PRIVATE
ASTRONAUT CREW CREW THREE.
WE HAVE A BOEING LAUNCH WITH OF
2 COMING UP.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TO BE IN THA
MIX AND LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR
OWN LAUNCH.
WE HAVE BEEN TRAINING FOR MANY
MONTHS AND WE ARE STARTING TO
SEE ALL THOSE BOXES GETTING
CHECKED OFF.
IT IS VERY EXCITING NOW TO HAVE
THIS BOX CHECKED OFF.
WE ARE HERE AT KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR
LAUNCH IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY AND GRATEFUL FOR TH
INTRODUCTION.
WE ARE READY TO GET TO WORK.
TO THAT END, LET ME INTRODUCE
THE REST OF THE CREW.
WE HAVE BOB HINES, THE PILOT FO
FREEDOM.
WE HAVE JESSICA WATKINS WITH
MISSION SPECIALIST FOR FREEDOM.
AND THEN I WAS SAMANTHA'S BACK
UP ON OUR PREVIOUS FLIGHT.
I AM JUST DELIGHTED TO BE ON A
CREW WITH HER.
SAMANTHA CRISTOFORETTI FROM
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, ONE OF
THE OTHER MISSION SPECIALISTS O
FREEDOM.
LET FARMAR SAY A FEW WORDS.
>> THANKS AND THANKS FOR HAVING
US.
THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL
WELCOME.
IT IS SO EXCITING TO BE HERE AT
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S THE HOME OF OUR
SPACE PROGRAM IN THE SENSE THAT
ALL OF OUR LAUNCHES HUMAN
LUNCHES, HAVE BEEN COMING OUT O
HERE.
THE HISTORY OF THIS PLAYS IS
AMAZING.
MY PERSONAL JOURNEY AND
ASSOCIATION GO BACK TO MY AIR
FORCE DAYS DOING TESTS AROUND
HERE.
WE WOULD DO LITTLE APPROACHES
AND WE LOVED TO DO TOUCH AND GO
ON THE SHUTTLE LANDING FACILITY.
THEY WOULDN'T LET US GET CLOSER
THAN 500 FEET.
TO ACTUALLY GET OUT HERE AND
LANDS ON IT AND BE DELIVERED TO
KSC FOR THE LAUNCH IS TRULY
SPECIAL.
MY PREVIOUS JOB I WAS ALSO A
RESEARCH PILOT AT NASA AND I GE
TO WORK WITH ALL THESE FINE
FOLKS OUT HERE, THE MAINTAINERS
AND THE AIRCREW THAT DELIVERED
US.
IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO HAVE
THESE GUYS DELIVER ME HERE FOR
MY FIRST SPACEFLIGHT.
IT IS AN AMAZING THING TO COME
FULL CIRCLE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE
EFFORT THAT THEY BRING TO IT,
THE KSC AND ALL THE PEOPLE
ACROSS ALL THE TEAMS THAT MAKE
THIS POSSIBLE.
WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO GO FLY.
WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE
.
THIS IS OUR LAST STEP BEFORE WE
LEAVE THE PLANET.
WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU.
>> HELLO.
AS FARMAR HAS MENTIONED, WE ARE
ALL SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE AT
KSC AND TO START OFF THIS
JOURNEY THAT WE ARE SO EXCITED
TO EMBARK ON.
WE ARE ALSO, ALONG WITH BEING
EXCITED, WE ARE SUPER GRATEFUL.
WE GET TO BE THE REPRESENTATIVES
, THE TIP OF THE
SPEAR, IF YOU WILL, OF AN
ENORMOUS TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT WE
GET TO INTERACT WITH AND
REPRESENT TO THE BEST OF OUR
ABILITIES.
WE JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY
THAT HAS HELPED US ARRIVE AT
THIS MOMENT.
WE ALREADY MENTIONED THE AIRCRE
THAT LITERALLY FLEW US IN HERE.
WE HAVE THE WHOLE TRAINING TEAM
BACK AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AS
WELL AS THE SPACEX TEAM THAT HA
BEEN TRAINING US OUT IN
HAWTHORNE GETTING US READY AND
PREPARED TO DO THE JOB THAT WE
ARE GOING TO DO WHEN WE GET UP
THERE.
WE ARE SUPER GRATEFUL FOR
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS,
PARTICULARLY THE EUROPEAN SPACE
AGENCY THAT HAS LOANED US
SAMANTHA FOR A FEW MONTHS.
WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE HE
ON BOARD.
WE ARE SUPER GRATEFUL TO THE
ENTIRE TEAM.
IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND AN
HONOR TO WATCH IT COME TOGETHER
AND ACCOMPLISH THESE DIFFICULT
THINGS AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO
EMBARK ON SUCH AN AMAZING
MISSION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYBODY
THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO GET HERE.
WE ARE EXCITED.
>> HELLO.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW REMARKS
.
THIS IS GETTING REAL.
IS FIVE DAYS UNTIL LAUNCH.
WE WILL BE IN SPACE VERY SOON.
IT'S VERY EMOTIONAL FOR ME.
THIS IS THE FINAL STRETCH TO TH
LAUNCH THAT STARTED WITH A
LANDING HERE ON THIS RUNWAY.
FOR THOSE GUYS, IT'S NORMAL.
THEY DO IT ALL THE TIME.
FOR ME, COMING IN, I SAID I AM
LANDING ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE
LANDING FACILITY, WHICH WERE A
GIRL LIKE ME WHO GREW UP WAS IN
THE 80S WATCHING SPACE
SHUTTLES IN THE INITIAL SPACE
SHUTTLE FLIGHT.
THOSE MEN AND WOMEN GOING TO
SPACE ON A REGULAR BASIS GOT ME
EXCITED ABOUT SPACE.
THAT IS SPECIAL FOR ME.
I'D LIKE TO JOIN MY FANTASTIC
CREW MATES AND EXPRESSING MY
DEEP SENTIMENT OF GRATITUDE FOR
ALL THE NASA AND SPACE X TEAMS
THAT HAVE BROUGHT US TO THIS
POINT.
BUT REALLY, ESPECIALLY, I WOULD
LIKE TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO ESA
, MY COLLEAGUES AND THE TEAMS
AT THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY FO
THE OPPORTUNITY OF FLYING ON
THIS MISSION.
AND A BIG THINK YOU TO MY
COUNTRY.
I AM FROM ITALIAN NATIONALITY.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO
SPACE IN A FEW DAYS.
THANKS TO THE LONG-STANDING
COMMITMENT OF ITALY TO ESA AND
THE PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA.
AS WAS MENTIONED TODAY, NOT ONL
THROUGH THE MISSION THROUGH THE
ISS, BUT IN THE NOT SO DISTANT
FUTURE ALSO WITH MISSIONS BEYON
ORBIT.
WE'VE GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
WATCH SLS ON THE LAUNCH PAD WIT
ORIEN AND THE EUROPEAN MODULE
STANDING ON TOP OF IT.
IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO GET TO
ISS AND GET TO WORK WITH THIS
FANTASTIC CREW.
IN THE THREE COSMONAUTS THAT
WILL BE PART OF THE EXPEDITION
WITH OUR DEAR COLLEAGUES AND
FRIENDS WHO ARE WAITING FOR US
UP THERE ALREADY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE.
WE WILL GET STARTED WITH SOME
Q&A FOR THE CREW.
WE WILL PASS IT TO THE
MICROPHONE FOR OUR FIRST
QUESTION.
THANK YOU.
>> WELCOME TO THE KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER.
I AM JIM SIEGEL FROM NASA TECH.
I AM CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT ANY
PERSONAL AND NOTEWORTHY ITEMS
YOU MAY BE PLANNING TO TAKE UP
TO THE ISS WITH YOU?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
OBVIOUSLY, SPACE AND WEIGHT ARE
SEVERELY LIMITED.
THEY ARE TINY KNICKKNACKS AND
MEMENTOS.
PICTURES OF FAMILY ARE REALLY
POPULAR FOR ALL OF US.
NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING TO THIS
INCREDIBLE PLACE CALLED SPACE,
BUT WE ARE LEAVING OUR FAMILIES
BEHIND.
JUST LIKE MY MILITARY
DEPLOYMENTS, THAT WAS A PRECIOU
THING THAT I WOULD TAKE WITH ME.
PHOTOS OF MY FAMILY.
I ALSO HAVE A SMALL LITTLE
STUFFED ANIMAL THAT IS ONE OF M
DAUGHTERS CHERISHED LITTLE
THINGS.
IT TURNS OUT TO BE A TURTLE,
WHICH IS MINE AND JESSICA'S
ASTRONAUT CLASS NAME.
WE HAVE A SMALL LITTLE TURTLE
THAT WILL COME ALONG WITH US AS
WELL.
OTHER THAN THAT, JUST PHOTOS AR
PROBABLY THE BIG ONE.
PHOTOS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE CAN PUT
UP IN OUR CREW QUARTERS.
>> I REMEMBER ON MY FIRST
SPACEFLIGHT I HAD THE REPLICA O
A UNICORN FROM STAR TECH VOYAGER
.
I MAY OR MAY NOT A REPLICA OF A
COSTUME FROM ANOTHER SCIENCE
FICTION SHOW.
>> WE WILL TAKE HOUR NEXT
QUESTION.
>> RICHARD WITH THE ORLANDO
SENTINEL.
THANKS FOR TAKING MY QUESTION.
THIS IS FOR JESSICA.
YOU HAD MENTIONED YOU
REPRESENTED TIP OF THE SPEAR FO
THIS CREW AND YOU HAVE A JOB TO
DO.
BUT YOU ARE ALSO A BLACK WOMAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT
MEANS TO YOU FOR NOW, FOR WHAT
IT MEANS FOR NASA AND THE FUTURE
.
ALSO, DID YOU HAVE ANY
CHALLENGES FROM CHILDHOOD
GROWING UP?
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION AND
CHALLENGES TO GET TO THIS POINT?
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK FOR ME, I AM JUST REALL
HONORED TO BE PART OF THE LONG
LEGACY OF BLACK ASTRONAUTS AND
BLACK WOMEN ASTRONAUTS WHO CAME
BEFORE ME.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE A SMALL PART
IN THAT TOWARDS AN EXCITING
FUTURE AS WELL.
I THINK WE SEE SUCH AN EXCITING
FUTURE AT NASA.
AS WE TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE
IN MIND, THINKING ABOUT SLS ON
THE LAUNCHPAD, IT IS SUPER
EXCITING TO THINK ABOUT THAT
FUTURE.
FOR ME GROWING UP, HAVING
MENTORS AND HEROES IN MIND THAT
WERE CONTRIBUTING IN WAYS THAT
ASPIRE TO CONTRIBUTE AND IN
ROLES THAT I ASPIRE TO
PARTICIPATE IN.
THAT WAS MEANINGFUL TO ME.
IN SO MUCH AS I AM ABLE TO
RETURN THE FAVOR, I AM GRATEFUL
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> I AM EMILY WITH FOX WEATHER.
MY QUESTION HAS TWO PARTS.
FOR A VETERAN SPACE EXPLORER,
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO
EXPERIENCING ON EARTH IN YOUR
FINAL DAYS BEFORE LAUNCH?
SOME GRAVITY RELATED MOMENTS.
AND THAN FOR OUR FIRST TIME
SPACE BUYERS, WHAT ARE YOU MOST
EXCITED ABOUT ONCE YOU GET IN
ORBIT?
THANK YOU.
>> HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY T
FLY BEFORE, I FEEL LIKE GETTING
THE FLIGHT TO SPACE IS A
ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY.
AND TO GET TO DO IT AGAIN IS
SURREAL IN SUCH A PRIVILEGE.
I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY.
I HAVE A SENSE THAT I KNOW A
LITTLE BIT WHAT TO EXPECT DURIN
LAUNCH.
FOR ME, GETTING TO LAUNCH FROM
HERE, FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
FROM A HISTORIC LAUNCHPAD WITH
AN INCREDIBLE LEGACY OF
EXPLORATION IS VERY MEANINGFUL
FOR ME.
MUCH LIKE SAMANTHA DESCRIBED, I
AM A HUGE FAN OF SCIENCE FICTION
.
I THINK MY PASSION FOR
SPACEFLIGHT CAME FROM READING
AND WATCHING SCIENCE FICTION
MOVIES.
IT WAS REALLY WATCHING THE SPAC
SHUTTLE LAUNCH ON APRIL 12TH,
1981, WATCHING THAT IN OUR
CLASSROOM AND WATCHING THAT
LAUNCH INSPIRED ME.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN
ACTUALLY DO.
GETTING TO BE HERE IN THAT PRE-
FLIGHT AND LAUNCH FROM HERE
AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE
BEACHES.
AS YOU ARE AWARE WE HAVE SOME
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH
OUR FAMILIES.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT
ON THE BEACH.
GETTING TO BE ON THE BEACH AND
SPEND TIME WITH MY FAMILY IN TH
DAYS LEADING UP TO LAUNCH IS A
VERY SPECIAL THING.
>> DEPENDING ON GRAVITY, I WOUL
COUNT A SHOWER AMONG THOSE.
JUST LIKE I DID LAST TIME, I
PLAN TO TAKE A LONG LUXURIOUS
SHOWER ON THE LAST DAY BEFORE
LAUNCH.
>> CHRIS GEPHARDT FROM NASA
SPACEFLIGHT.
SPECIFICALLY FOR SAMANTHA, I AM
CURIOUS, ARE THERE ANY
SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS THAT ARE
CARRYING OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS
TWO YEAR EXPEDITIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN ONGOING FOR THE LAST YEAR
THAT YOU WILL BE TAKING OVER?
FOR YOU AND JESSICA, WHAT ARE
THE EXPERIMENTS YOU ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO PERFORMING MOST WHIL
YOU ARE UP THERE?
THANK YOU.
>> YES, THANK YOU FOR THE
QUESTION.
I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THE BULK O
THE SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM WOULD BE
A CONTINUATION OF WHAT HAS BEEN
GOING ON AS I AM SURE YOU ARE
AWARE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
SCIENCE THAT IS LIKE HUMAN
PHYSIOLOGY THAT YOU ARE STUDYIN
THE HUMAN SUBJECT.
YOU NEED A NUMBER OF YEARS TO
CONCLUDE THOSE EXPERIMENTS
BECAUSE YOU NEED A CERTAIN
NUMBER OF SUBJECTS.
FOR EXAMPLE,, I AM CONTINUING A
EXPERIMENT WHICH IS ABOUT
CERTAIN WAYS OF MONITORING AND
MAYBE INTERVENING IN THE
NUTRITION OF ASTRONAUTS ON BOAR
HAS IN MAINTAINING A HEALTHY
BODY MASS END BODY FAT AND
MUSCLE.
ALSO CONTINUING AN EXPERIMENT O
DIAGNOSTICS WHICH IS MORE ABOUT
THE INFLUENCE ON THE HEARING
FUNCTION.
THAT IS ALSO ANOTHER IMPORTANT
COMPONENT THAT LOOKS AT
INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE WHICH IS
SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING
AT WITH THE NUMBER OF
EXPERIMENTS OVER THE YEARS.
AND OF COURSE, MANY, MANY MORE.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TIME TO G
INTO MUCH MORE DETAIL, SO I WIL
LEAVE THE FLOOR.
>> I THINK SAMANTHA GAVE A
PRETTY GOOD SUMMARY OF SOME OF
THE REALLY INTERESTING AND
EXCITING SCIENCE THAT WE WILL B
DOING ON BOARD.
I WILL JUST ADD THAT FOR MYSELF
AS A GEOLOGIST, THAT IS MY
BACKGROUND, I AM SUPER EXCITED
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBSERV
THE EARTH AND USE THE UNIQUE
VANTAGE.AND UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
THAT WE CAN GET FROM THE ISS TO
BE ABLE TO OBSERVE GEOLOGIC
FEATURES AND PROCESSES FROM A
DIFFERENT VANTAGE.THAN WE ARE
ABLE TO USING OTHER ASSETS.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS
PERSONALLY REALLY EXCITING FOR
ME.
>> WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW ANNOYING
WE WILL BE.
I THINK SHE HAS HEARD IT MANY
TIMES.
HONESTLY, DURING MY LAST FLIGHT
IT IS SO AMAZING TO LOOK OUT OF
THE COOPER LAW AND LOOK AT THE
GROUND AND SEE THE EARTH AND
CONSTANTLY BE WONDERING HOW DID
THAT HAPPEN?
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
NOW WE HAVE ARE OWN CREW OF
GEOLOGIST THAT WE WILL BE
CALLING TO THE WINDOW CONSTANTLY
.
SHE SAYS SHE IS GOING TO BE
HAPPY TO DO IT, BUT I THINK WE
WILL TEST HER PATIENTS.
>> THIS IS BEST FOR PILOT TRANS
AM AND TEAM.
YOU TALK ABOUT WHY AND HOW THIS
IS AN EXCITING DAY.
ON TOP OF THAT YOU WILL HAVE A
NEW CAPSULE.
THAT HAS GOT TO BE PRETTY
EXCITING FOR A PILOT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE HONOR.
SPACEX HAS DONE THIS REALLY
INNOVATIVE THING OF BEING ABLE
TO REUSE CAPSULES.
WE DID THAT FOR A LONG TIME WIT
THE SHUTTLE, BUT NEVER WITH
CAPSULES.
THEY REUSED A PIECE OF THAT AND
IT'S REALLY COOL AND REALLY
INNOVATED.
IT ENABLES A LOT OF THINGS.
IT MEANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY
IN A NEW VEHICLE IS VERY SMALL
AND VERY SHORT-LIVED.
FOR OUR CREW TO HAVE NOT ONLY
THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY IN A NEW
VEHICLE, BUT TO NAME THE NEW
VEHICLE, IS TRULY AN HONOR.
IT WAS SPECIAL FOR US TO FIND
THAT OUT.
WE THOUGHT BACK WHEN WE WERE
FIRST ASSIGNED 15 OR 17 MONTHS
AGO, WE KNEW THERE WAS A CHANCE
WE MIGHT BE IN A NEW VEHICLE.
WE WERE EYEBALLING THAT FOR A
WHILE.
WE HAVE GOTTEN TO WATCH THIS
VEHICLE FROM ITS INFANCY ALL TH
WAY UP TO A SOMEWHAT MATURE BAB
DRAGON NOW.
IT HAS BEEN REALLY SPECIAL TO
SEE.
IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO GET TO
PILOT IT AND BE PART OF THIS
AMAZING GROUP THAT GETS TO FLY
IN IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
>> CONNOR HAMILTON, FOX 35 NEWS
ORLANDO.
I AM CURIOUS.
THERE IS SO MUCH ACTIVITY AND
EXCITEMENT AROUND HERE.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE PART OF
THIS ERA WITH SO MANY
SPACEFLIGHTS AND SO MANY LAUNCH
IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW?
>> IT IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING.
IN THE YEARS PRECEDING THE TIME
THAT WE ARE IN NOW, WE DID NOT
HAVE ARE OWN LAUNCH CAPABILITY.
TO COME BACK TO KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER NOW WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY
, THE LAUNCH FROM A
HISTORIC LAUNCHPAD AND TO SEE
ALL THE ACTIVITY GOING ON AROUN
HERE WITH OUR VARIOUS COMMERCIA
PARTNERS.
OF COURSE FLYING WITH SPACEX AN
HAVING THE CURTILAGE TO FLY ON
NEW CREW DRAGON, BUT TO SEE ALL
THE COMMERCIAL LAUNCH PROVIDERS
THAT ARE BUSY AT WORK AND TO SE
THE SLS ON A PAD MAKING ITS OWN
PREPARATIONS AND TO BE
ANTICIPATING HAVING ANOTHER
COMMERCIAL PROVIDER DOCKING WIT
THE SPACE STATION DURING OUR
FLIGHT.
IT IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING TO BE
PART OF IT AND INCREDIBLY
EXCITING FOR OUR AGENCY, FOR OU
COUNTRY AND FOR ALL OF OUR
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
WE ARE BENDING METAL AND DOING
TESTS AND FLYING THESE VEHICLES
WITH OUR EYES ON THE MOON IN ON
THE MARS AND BEYOND.
IT IS SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO BE
PART OF THIS TEAM THAT IS
REACHING FOR THINGS JUST BEYOND
OUR GRASP.
>> WILL ROBINSON SMITH, SPECTRU
NEWS 13.
THANKS FOR TAKING OUR QUESTIONS.
A QUESTION FOR BOB AND JESSICA.
CREW THREE BEGAN THE TURTLE
TAKEOVER ON THE STATION.
WE ARE EXCITED FOR THAT.
CONSIDERING YOU WILL BE ABLE TO
DO A DIRECT HANDOVER WITH THAT
CREW, TALK ABOUT HOW EXCITING I
IS TO JOIN YOUR CLASSMATES ON
BOARD THE STATION AND WHAT YOU
WILL TALK ABOUT?
>> THEY WHISPERED THAT IT'S
NOTHING, BUT TROUBLE.
IT IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY.
OUR CLASS HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY
TIGHT.
WE ARE ALL SUCH GOOD FRIENDS.
WE TRULY LOVE EACH OTHER.
IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO GROW UP
AS TURTLES AND TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN SPACE WITH
NOTCHES ONE OTHER TURTLE, BUT
FOR OF US UP THERE.
THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE OVERLA
WITH ANOTHER CLASSMATE DOWN THE
ROAD.
IT IS SUCH AN HONOR.
LIKE I SAID, OUR CLASS IS REALL
TIGHT.
THE CHANCE FOR US TO GO UP THER
AND GIVE THOSE GUYS A BIG HUG
AND LEARN FROM THEM FOR A FEW
DAYS BEFORE THEY GO HOME IS
PRETTY AWESOME.
IT'S ALSO A LITTLE BIT DAUNTING
BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME TIME TO
PREPARE FOR US TO COME UP THERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT EASTER EGGS W
WILL BE FINDING IN OUR CREW
QUARTERS ONCE WE GET THERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
BOB COVERED IT ALL.
WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO BE ABLE
TO LEARN FROM THEM.
IT'S SUCH A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE,
THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF BEING
SELECTED TOGETHER AND TRAINING
TOGETHER.
BOB AND I WERE IN THE SAME
TRAINING GROUP, SO WE SPENT A
LOT OF TIME TOGETHER THE PAST
FEW YEARS.
IT HAS BEEN SUCH A UNIQUE
EXPERIENCE IN THE SENSE THAT WE
ALL LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
WE EACH HAVE ARE OWN EXPERTISE.
WE EACH HAVE ARE OWN INDIVIDUAL
EXPERIENCES AND BACKGROUNDS THA
WE BRING TO THE TABLE.
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT
AVAILABLE AND LEARN FROM EACH
OTHER IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND IN
DIFFERENT ASPECTS IS REALLY
REWARDING.
TO GET TO DO THAT ON ORBIT WITH
OUR TURTLE CLASSMATES ON CREW
THREE MAC IS EXCITING.
STATEMENT THAT WILL BE ALL THE
TIME THAT WE HAVE FOR TODAY.
A REMINDER TO PLEASE TUNE IN
TOMORROW AT 6:30:00 A.M. EASTER
TIME FOR OUR VIRTUAL CREW NEWS
CONFERENCE.
PLEASE TUNE IN ON APRIL 23RD FO
THE CREW FOR LAUNCH WHICH IS
SCHEDULED FOR 5:26:00 A.M.
EASTERN TIME.
YOU CAN WATCH ALL OF THESE
EVENTS ON NASA .GOV, NASA TV AN
NASA SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
I WILL PASS IT BACK TO JANET
PETRO FOR CLOSING REMARKS.
THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
ALL AGAIN FOR COMING OUT TODAY
TO HELP US WELCOME THE CREW HER
AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
YOU HEARD HOW EXCITED THEY ARE
FOR LAUNCH.
I CAN TELL YOU HOW EXCITED WE
ARE AT THE HISTORIC ENTITY SPAC
CENTER, TO BE ABLE TO LAUNCH
THEM.
WE ARE PRAYING FOR GOOD WEATHER.
GO CREW, GO FREEDOM.
THANK YOU.
>> THE FINAL REMARKS GIVEN BY
JANET PETRO THERE AS WE LOOK ON
AT CREW 4.
FROM LEFT TONIGHT, KJELL
LINDGREN, SAMANTHA CRISTOFORETTI
, BOB HINES AND
JESSICA WATKINS.
THEY WILL TAKE A FEW PHOTOS
BEFORE THEY HEAD OUT TO
ASTRONAUT CREW QUARTERS, A
HISTORIC PLACE AT THE OPERATION
AND CHECK OUT BUILDING HERE THE
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
THERE'S A LITTLE CONSTRUCTION
GOING ON THERE BEHIND THE CREW.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION
GOING ON AROUND HERE AT THE
MULTIUSE SPACEPORT.
THE ASTRONAUTS NOW WILL BE
HEADING TO LUNCH AFTER THEY
FINISH TAKING PICTURES AT THE
CREW QUARTERS.
THEN THEY HAVE A BUSY AFTERNOON
FULL OF BRIEFINGS AS THEY GET
READY FOR THE NEXT BIG EVENT FO
THEM, WHICH IS ON TUESDAY
OVERNIGHT.
THAT IS CALLED DRY DRESS.
THOSE FOUR ASTRONAUTS WILL
ESSENTIALLY CARRY OUT THE
OPERATIONS ON LAUNCH DAY AS A
REHEARSAL.
THAT WILL DO IT FOR US HERE AT
THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
ANOTHER REMINDER, THIS SATURDAY
AT 1:45:00 A.M. WE WILL START
OUR COVERAGE OF THE LAUNCH OF
CREW 4 HEADING TO A 5:26:00 A.M
LIFT OFF.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.
HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.