♪
>> THE EAGLE HAS LANDED.
>> WE COPY.
>> NEW POSSIBILITIES ARE OPENING
UP FOR SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION.
>> LIFT-OFF.
AMERICA IS THE FIRST IN SPACE AS
DISCOVERY CLEARS THE TOWER.
>> [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> THANKS FOR BEING ON THIS.
>> [INDISCERNIBLE]
♪
>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO
NASA'S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN
FLORIDA.
YOU ARE WATCHING THE PRE-LAUNCH
NEWS CONFERENCE FOR BOEING OFT-2
LAUNCH.
IT'S A FLIGHT TEST OF STARLINER
SPACECRAFT TO CERTIFY IT FOR
REGULAR FLIGHTS.
IT'S SCHEDULED TO LAUNCH IN TWO
DAYS, THURSDAY AT 6:54 EASTERN
TIME AT AN ATLAS 5 ROCKET.
WE HAVE THE MANAGER OF NASA'S
COMMERCIAL CREW.
NEXT TO HIM IS DANA, MANAGER OF
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
PROGRAM.
MARK, PROGRAM MANAGER OF
BOEING'S COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM
AND GARY WENTZ.
AND FILIALLY, WILL, LAUNCH
WEATHER OFFICER WITH SPACE
LAUNCH DELTA 45.
EACH WILL DELIVER OPENING
REMARKS AND WE'LL TAKE YOUR
QUESTIONS.
WE ARE GOING TO START FIRST WITH
STEVE.
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU.
GREAT TO BE HERE TODAY.
IT'S AN EXCITING TIME FOR NASA
AS WE BRING ON OUR SECOND SPACE
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE DID HAVE OUR LAUNCH READINESS
REVIEW THIS MORNING FOR OFT-2.
THAT WENT WELL.
IT WAS SHORT, VERY CLEAN.
THERE'S NO ISSUES THAT ULA,
BOEING OR NASA ARE WORKING FOR
THE LAUNCH COMING UP.
WE ARE GO TO PROCEED FOR THE
LAUNCH THURSDAY, 6:54 EASTERN
TIME WITH THE DOCKING ABOUT 24
HOURS LATER ON MAY 20.
THEN WE HAVE A BACKUP
OPPORTUNITY, ONE DAY LATER ON
MAY 20 AT 6:32 P.M. EASTERN.
I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT
THE SPACECRAFT AND LAUNCH
VEHICLE THIS MORNING.
THEY LOOK GREAT.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE IT IN THE
VERTICAL INTEGRATION FACILITY.
AND GARY AND THE TEAM WILL BE
ROLLING THAT VEHICLE TO THE PAD
TOMORROW.
IF I THINK BACK AT THE TEN
MONTHS SINCE WE WERE HERE LAST
SUMMER, A LOT OF HARD WORK HAS
GONE INTO GETTING THE VEHICLE
READY TO GO.
I CAN'T THANK THE NASA ULA TEAM
FOR ALL THAT HARD WORK.
WE ARE AT THAT POINT NOW WHERE
IT'S TIME TO FLY STARLINER AND
TEST THE SYSTEMS.
IT WILL BE A TEST OF THE
RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING SYSTEM AS
WE DOCK TO THE SPACE STATION.
THOSE TESTS YOU CAN DO SO MUCH
ON THE GROUND, YOU CAN DO SO
MUCH ANALYSIS, AT SOME POINT
IT'S READY TO GO FLY AND TEST
THOSE SYSTEMS.
WE HAVE A NEW REUSABLE CREW
MODULE FOR THIS FLIGHT.
A NEW SERVICE MODULE.
IT'S THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE
LIGHT-WEIGHT SERVICE MODULE.
IT'S THE VERY SAME CONFIGURATION
WE'LL BE FLYING FOR SUBSEQUENT
FLIGHTS.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO BRING THE
SYSTEM ON-LINE.
OUR PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HAVE
TWO FULL SPACE TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEMS.
WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING BOEING
ON-LINE.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DANA.
>> THANK YOU.
WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE LRR
THIS MORNING, WE ARE ONE STEP
CLOSER TO WELCOMING STARLINER ON
BOARD SPACE STATION.
IT'S A LANDMARK FLIGHT.
IT'S A CRITICAL STEP FOR US IN
MOVING TOWARDS HAVING TWO
ROUTINELY FLYING CREW VEHICLES
WHO CAN BRING OUR CREW TO AND
FROM ISS.
WE HAD OUR FIRST PRIVATE
ASTRONAUT MISSION, THE AXIUM 1
MISSION.
CREW FOUR LAUNCHED ON CREW
RETURNING AND CREW 4 AND 3, DID
A DIRECT HANDOVER WITH EACH
OTHER AND CREW 3 CAME HOME ON
MAY 6.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE LAUNCH
THIS THURSDAY.
24 HOURS LATER DOCKING WITH
SPACE STATION LATE FRIDAY
EVENING.
DURING THE DOCKING ITSELF OR
DURING THE APPROACH AND
RENDEZVOUS ITSELF, THE CREW WILL
BE MONITORING THE STARLINER
VEHICLE.
THEY WILL SEND A TEST COMMAND TO
TURN ON A DOCKING LIGHT, JUST TO
CHECK THE COMMAND LINK.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS 250 METERS,
THEY WILL DO A HOLD COMMAND.
IF NEEDED, THE CREW CAN SEND A
RETREAT OR ABORT COMMAND.
THE MISSION WILL BE FOUR TO FIVE
DAYS LONG.
IT'S BRINGING BASIC CREW
SUPPLIES, AND ON THE WAY HOME
WE'LL SEND BACK SOME STATION
HARDWARE AND THREE EXPENDED
TANKS.
AFTER THAT MISSION, WE HAVE A
PROGRESS UNDOCK, 79-P.
WE'LL UNDOCK ON JUNE 1.
THEN THE NEXT ONE IS JUNE 3.
WE HAVE OUR SpaceX 25 CARGO
MISSION LAUNCHING ON JUNE 7.
SOMEWHERE IN THERE WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE NG-17 DEPART.
THE TEAMS ARE WORKING THROUGH
THE ACTIVITIES AND TRYING TO
DECIDE WHERE WE'LL PUT THAT
DEPARTURE.
A LOT GOING ON.
SPACE STATION AND THE CREW ON
BOARD ARE READY AND EXCITED AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO STARLINER
MISSION.
>> A LOT GOING ON.
MARK?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I, TOO, GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE WALK DOWN THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU, GARY, FOR THE WALK
DOWN TO THE VEHICLE.
I SAW A LOT OF SMILING FACES.
PEOPLE ARE READY FOR THE FIRST
PHASE OF THE MISSION WHICH IS
THE PRE-LAUNCH AND LAUNCH.
A LITTLE BIT OF VEHICLE STATUS.
WE HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF OUR
CHECKS, THE HATCH IS CLOSED.
WE DID ONE LAST CYCLE OF ALL THE
VALVES YESTERDAY AND THEY ALL
OPERATED NOMINALLY.
SO WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE.
WE'LL DISCONNECT THE PURGE THAT
WE PROVIDED TO THE VALVE SYSTEM.
SO THOSE WILL BE READY TO ROLL
OUT TO THE PAD AND DO THEIR
FINAL CHECKS ON LAUNCH DAY.
THERE IS NO OUTSTANDING ISSUES
AND WE ARE READY FOR ROLL ON
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
COUPLE IMAGES OF THE STARLINER
WE PROVIDED.
THE FIRST ONE IS OF THE VEHICLE
PRIOR TO BEING STACKED OR AS IT
WAS BEING STACKED ON TO THE
LAUNCH VEHICLE.
THE NEXT ONE IS A SHOT OF THE
INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WITH
ROSY, THE MODEL FOR OUR MISSION.
SHE'S INSTRUMENTED AND WILL BE
GETTING GOOD DATA FROM ROSY.
THERE IS A COUPLE OF PHASES OF
THE MISSION THAT WE ARE FOCUSED
ON.
FIRST IS THE PRE-LAUNCH AND
LAUNCH PHASE.
THAT'S, OF COURSE, THURSDAY
MORNING.
BUT THEN THE TEAM HAS TO STAY
FOCUSED BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL
DEMONSTRATIONS THAT WILL BE
RUNNING AS WE LOCATE THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
MAKE OUR APPROACH TO THE
NATIONAL SPACE STATION AND GET
DOCKED.
THE THIRD PHASE OF THE MISSION
IS DOCKING DEMONSTRATIONS THAT
WE'LL DO AND FINALLY, THE FOURTH
PHASE IS UNDOCKING AND REENTRY
AND LANDING.
THE TEAM WILL STAY FOCUSED
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MISSION.
SPEAKING OF THE TEAM, THE TEAM
IS READY.
IT'S STRONG RIGHT NOW AND THEY
HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THE
SYSTEM.
SO THEY WILL WATCH THINGS
CLOSELY OVER THE NEXT WEEK AS WE
PERFORM THE MISSION.
WE HAVE A RELIABLE ATLAS 5 AND
HAVE A GREAT MISSIONS TEAM AT
JFC.
SO WE ARE READY TO PROCEED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF
COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS.
WE ARE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY TO GET HERE.
WE ARE HERE LAST SUMMER, WE
SWAPPED ON UP A BOOSTER.
THIS FLOW HAS GONE EXTREMELY
CLEAN AND WE ARE EXCITED TO
LAUNCH OUR 150TH ATLAS 5 FROM
THE CAPE WITH STARLINER CAPSULE
TO THE ISS.
APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH
NASA AND BOEING PARTNERS AND THE
CONFIDENCE THEY HAVE INSTILLED
IN OUR TEAM TO BE ABLE TO
DELIVER THIS CRITICAL PAYLOAD
AND THIS CAPABILITY FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
AS STEVE AND MARK SAID, WE DID
WALK DOWN THE VEHICLE TODAY.
WE ARE NOT WORKING ANY ISSUES AT
ALL.
THE TEAM IS ACTUALLY AHEAD OF
SCHEDULE ON THE PREPARATIONS FOR
ROLL TOMORROW.
THIS IS A TEST FLIGHT.
JUST LIKE THE CAPSULES GOING
THROUGH TESTING, THE LAUNCH
VEHICLES GOT A LOT OF UNIQUE
CAPABILITIES THAT WE DESIGN
SPECIFICALLY TO CARRY STARLINER.
IT HAS AN EMERGENCY DETECTION
SYSTEM ON BOARD.
IT HAS AN AEROSKIRT ON BOARD.
IT IS ALSO THE SECOND FLIGHT OF
THIS VERSION OF A DUAL ENGINE
SENTAR THAT WE ARE FLYING.
THOSE CAPABILITIES WE ARE GOING
TO PAY ATTENTION TO, MAKE SURE
THEY PERFORM NOMINALLY.
THAT WILL GROW OUR DATA.
THIS VEHICLE IS CONFIGURED JUST
AS IF WE WERE GOING TO PUT CREW
ON IT.
WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO
LAUNCH CREW ON OUR NEXT FLIGHT.
THANK YOU, ALL.
>> TELL US HOW THE WEATHER IS
LOOKING.
>> BEFORE I GET INTO THE
FORECAST, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
CENTRAL FLORIDA CLIMATOLOGY FOR
THE MONTH OF MAY.
MAY CAN BE TOUGH TO FORECAST
HERE BECAUSE MAY IS THAT MONTH
WHERE WE TRADITIONALLY SHAKE OFF
THE DRY SEASON OR DON'T HAVE A
LOT OF PRECIPITATION DURING THE
WINTER AND SPRING MONTHS.
THEN WE GET INTO THAT WET SEASON
WHERE WE SEE AFTERNOON SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE ARE STILL
SHAKING ON OF THAT DRY AIR.
WE DO ANTICIPATED A COUPLE OF
ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS, BUT OVERALL THE
COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE QUITE
LOW.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE OPTIMISTIC
GOING INTO THURSDAY EVENING'S
LAUNCH OPPORTUNITY.
WE LOOK AT THE FORECAST, RIGHT
NOW 70% CHANCE OF FAVORABLE
CONDITIONS.
STILL CANNOT RULE OUT A COUPLE
OF SHOWERS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
WEST OF INTERSTATE 95 WEST OF
THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.
THAT WOULD BRING THAT POTENTIAL
OF THE VIOLATION OF THE CUMULUS
CLOUD RULE.
THERE ARE RULES, MADE UP OF TWO
SEPARATE RULES, THE DETACHED
RULES.
LOOKING AT FRIDAY, THINGS
CHANGE.
WE GET INTO MORE OF THAT
SUMMERTIME PATTERN.
WE ARE GOING TO SEE A BIG
INCREASE IN MOISTURE FROM SOUTH
FLORIDA AND THE CARIBBEAN.
AND THAT ADDED MOISTURE WILL
ONLY FUEL ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS, PARTICULARLY,
AGAIN, ACROSS THE INTERIOR.
WE CAN'T RULE OUT SHOWERS
LOCALLY OVER CAPE CANAVERAL.
WE ARE MORE PESSIMISTIC WITH 60%
CHANCE OF UNFAVORABLE CONDITION,
40% GO WITH THREE PRIMARY
CONCERNS, THE CUMULUS CLOUD
RULE, THE ANVIL CLOUD RULES AND
PRECIPITATION WHICH IS A
CONSTRAINT WHERE WE DON'T WANT
TO FLY THAT CAPSULE THROUGH
PRECIPITATION.
THAT WILL BE SOMETHING WE ARE
LOOKING OUT FOR.
REGARDLESS WHAT MOTHER NATURE
DECIDES TO THROW AT US, WE ARE
EXCITED TO SUPPORT THIS
IMPORTANT MISSION.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'LL HOPE FOR THURSDAY THEN.
LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS
NOW.
WE'LL ALTERNATE BETWEEN
REPORTERS IN THE ROOM AND WE
HAVE SOME REPORTERS ON THE
PHONES.
REMEMBER, WHEN YOU ASK YOUR
QUESTION, LET US KNOW WHO YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER THAT
QUESTION.
LET'S TAKE THE FIRST ONE HERE.
YEAH, YOU.
[LAUGHTER]
>> WAITING FOR A MICROPHONE.
JIM SEGAL, I'M WITH NASA TECH.
I ASKED STEVE A QUESTION LAST
WEEK IN THE TELECONFERENCE
ABOUT, AND YOU RESPONDED THERE
IS PLANNING TO BE ONE CREW
DRAGON AND ONE STARLINER TRIP
FOR A YEAR.
AS A FOLLOW-UP TO THAT, WILL
RUSSIAN COSMONAUTS BE INVITED TO
TRAVEL ON THESE TWO AMERICAN
VEHICLES?
AND HOW WILL THAT WORK?
IS THERE GOING TO BE STILL
AMERICANS TRAVELING ON SOYUZ
CAPSULES, HAVE INVITATIONS BEEN
GIVEN TO THE RUSSIANS TO
PARTICIPATE IN STARLINER AND
CREW LINER.
WOULD YOU GO FOR THAT A LITTLE
BIT, PLEASE?
>> I WILL LET DANA ANSWER THAT.
>> IT'S OUR GOAL TO HAVE WHAT WE
CALL INTEGRATED CREW, MEANING WE
HAVE RUSSIAN CREW FLYING ON OUR
U.S. CREWED VEHICLES AND WE
WOULD LIKE TO FLY OUR CREW
MEMBERS ON THE SOYUZ VEHICLES.
THOSE PLANS HAVE BEEN IN WORK
FOR A WHILE.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WITH NEWLY
FLYING SPACECRAFT, THE RUSSIANS
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
FINISHED TEST CAN AND CERTIFYING
THAT CAPABILITY.
IN TERMS OF THE DRAGON, WE HAVE
SATISFIED WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE
FOR SAFETY.
WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE
PROCESS WITH THEM FOR DRAGON FOR
THE SWAP.
THAT AGREEMENT IS ACTUALLY OUT
OF THEIR SPACE PROGRAM AND WITH
THEIR GOVERNMENT AT THIS POINT.
THEY GO THROUGH A PROCESS
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WOULD GO
THROUGH.
WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT THROUGH A
COUPLE OF REVIEW CYCLES.
THEY ARE GOING TO WANT TO SEE
THE RESULTS FROM TEST FLIGHTS
AND SEE US FINISH CFT AND HAVE
SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE
GET TO THAT POINT.
>> A YEAR OR TWO YEARS BEFORE
THAT OCCURS?
>> I WOULD GUESS AT LEAST WE
HAVE TO TALK AFTER CFT FLIES?
WE'LL LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF
THAT.
OUR GOAL WOULD BE WITH THE
BEGINNING OF OUR CREWED FLIGHTS,
OUR MISSIONS TO START SWAPPING.
SO THAT'S OUR TARGET.
WE'LL SEE IF WE GET THERE IN
TIME, IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH
DATA WE WANT TO SEE, HOW THE
MISSIONS GO.
I THINK WE ARE THERE TECHNICALLY
WITH DRAGON, WE ARE ALREADY
THERE.
THEY ARE READY TO START DOING
THAT ASSUMING THEIR GOVERNMENT
SUPPORTS IT.
>> FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE
EXCITED TO FLY THE RUSSIANS.
WE HAVE FLOWN JAPANESE SPACE
AGENCY ASTRONAUTS.
WE ARE EXCITED AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO FLYING THE RUSSIAN
COSMONAUTS WHEN WE GET THE
AGREEMENT IN PLACE.
>> LET'S TAKE THE NEXT QUESTION
FROM OVER THE PHONE.
JEFF FAUST FROM SPACE NEWS.
>> FOR MARK, AT THE MEETING LAST
WEEK, THE PANEL NOTED CONCERNS
THAT CERTIFICATION OF THE
STARLINER PARACHUTES WAS
LAGGING.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE
STATUS OF THAT PARACHUTE
CERTIFICATION.
>> I THINK THEY WERE SPEAKING TO
THE CERTIFICATION AS IT RELATES
TO PCM-1.
WE HAVE TESTING PLANNED THIS
SUMMER WITH NASA TO RUN AN
ADDITIONAL TEST ON THE
PARACHUTES.
THE RESULTS OF THAT WILL LEAD TO
CERTIFICATION.
SO AS FAR AS THE PLANNING
TOWARDS PCM-1, WE BELIEVE WE
HAVE A PLAN THAT SUPPORTS THE
MISSION.
>> WE'LL TAKE ONE FROM THE ROOM
HERE.
OVER THERE.
>> THANKS.
IRENE WITH AVIATION WEEK.
THE FIRST QUESTION FOR MARK,
THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE LIVE
VIDEO FROM STARLINER UNTIL
DOCKING.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THAT IS AND
IF THAT IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT
FOR THE CREW FLIGHT?
AND FOR GARY, ATLAS IS GETTING
HUMAN RATED LATE IN ITS LIFE.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S GOING
TO BE EASILY TRANSFERABLE FROM
THE EXPERIENCE OF HUMAN RATING
FROM ATLAS INTO VULCAN?
AND MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE US AN
UPDATE ON HOW YOU ARE PREPARING
VULCAN TO CARRY CREW.
>> YES, THERE IS A SYSTEM THAT'S
INSTALLED ON THE STARLINER
CALLED MUSTANG THAT WILL PROVIDE
VIDEO.
IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED IN AN
INCREMENTAL WAY.
THIS FIRST MISSION WILL NOT HAVE
LIVE FEED ON THE WAY UP.
THAT SYSTEM WILL BE COMPLETED
OUT AND WE CAN PROVIDE THAT
FUNCTION.
>> THANKS.
THE QUESTION RELATIVE TO VULCAN
AND VULCAN CERTIFICATION, WE
HAVE, FOR WHAT'S ON CONTRACT,
THE REMAINING FLIGHTS ON ATLAS.
AS WE DESIGN VULCAN TO GO
FORWARD, WE DID NOT PRECLUDE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HUMAN
RATE IT.
SO IF THE REQUIREMENT COMES
FORWARD FROM A CUSTOMER WE WANT
TO HUMAN RATE, WE WILL USE A LOT
OF THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE HAVE
DEMONSTRATED ON ATLAS TO INCLUDE
THINGS LIKE THE EMERGENCY
DETECTION SYSTEM.
IT IS RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO
TRANSITION THAT SYSTEM OVER ON
TO VULCAN, SIMILAR TECHNOLOGY,
AND IT WILL BE FLIGHT PROVEN AT
THAT POINT.
IT'S MAKING GREAT PROGRESS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE
QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE STEVEN CLARK FROM SPACE
FLIGHT NOW ON THE PHONE.
>> THANKS FOR TAKING MY
QUESTION.
MY QUESTION IS PROBABLY FOR
GARY, TOO, IF I COULD.
IS THE BLUE TEAM, BOEING TEAM,
GOING TO BE OUT AT THE PAD IN
THE WHITE ROOM DURING THE
COUNTDOWN TO RUN THROUGH THE
CLOSE-OUT PROCEDURES AND WILL
THEY REOPENED HATCH AND CLOSE
THE HATCH OR IS THE HATCH
CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR FLIGHT.
>> AND FROM THE ATLAS FLY-OUT
PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE THE SIX
PCMs SCHEDULED WITH STARLINER.
FROM A RESOURCE PERSPECTIVE,
WHERE WE HAVE MEASURES IN PLACE
TO PROTECT THE TALENT AND ENSURE
WE RETAIN THE CRITICAL SKILLS TO
BE ABLE TO FLY ATLAS AS LATE AS
WE NEED TO.
THAT CAPABILITY WILL EXIST.
AND THAT TEAM WILL BRIDGE THE
GAP OVER TO VULCAN AS WE MOVE
FORWARD.
WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH
BOEING AND OTHER CUSTOMERS FOR
THAT CAPABILITY.
>> WE HAVE A QUESTION HERE IN
THE ROOM.
>> KEN KRAMER, SPACE UP CLOSE.
I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THE
VULCAN.
ARE YOU NOT PLANNING TO HUMAN
RATE IT FULL SPEED FOR
STARLINER?
I WOULD LIKE TO GET FROM STEVE,
YOUR PERSPECTIVE, IS THAT NOT A
HIGH PRIORITY TO HUMAN RATE THE
VULCAN FOR STARLINER?
THANK YOU.
>> I GUESS I CAN START OFF.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ON CONTRACT
THE SIX POST CERTIFICATION
MISSIONS FOR BOEING.
AS GARY SAID, THEY HAVE ATLASES
FOR ALL THOSE FLIGHTS.
WE WOULD LOOK TOWARD THE END OF
THE DECADE TO AWARD OTHER
FLIGHTS OR HAVE OTHER FLIGHTS
POTENTIALLY FOR BOEING.
WE WOULD LOOK FOR A NEW SYSTEM.
WHEN BOEING AND ULA AND NASA GET
TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THAT
SYSTEM, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE
THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
NASA WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO HUMAN
RATING A NEW SYSTEM WHEN BOEING
AND ULA ARE READY.
>> THAT'S THE SAME PLAN WE ARE
TRACKING.
WE ARE WORKING WITH BOEING AND
NASA.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE
CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
THE NICE FEATURE OF THE VULCAN
SENTAR IS 90% OF THAT HARDWARE
EITHER IN SPECIFIC PART NUMBERS
OR DESIGN IS ACTUALLY FLYING
FROM ATLAS ON TO VULCAN.
OUR FOCUS WOULD HAVE TO BE IN
THIS CASE LOOKING AT THE
EMERGENCY DETECTION SYSTEMS THAT
WOULD BE NEEDED TO FLY A
STARLINER CAPSULE AND HUMAN
CERTIFY THE ENGINE.
>> NEXT WE HAVE MARCIA DUNN FROM
ASSOCIATED PRESS.
>> YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> TWO QUESTIONS.
FIRST ONE FOR DANA.
I'M LOOKING FOR A STATUS UPDATE
ON THE WET HELMET SITUATION FROM
A SPACEWALK A COUPLE OF MONTHS
AGO.
IS ANY OF THE SPACEWALK HARDWARE
GOING UP AND DOWN ON STARLINER
RELATED TO THAT TO TRY TO
TROUBLESHOOT THAT AND PROVIDE
EXTRA HELMETS.
AND FOR MARK, YOU MENTIONED ROSY
IS COMING BACK FOR ANOTHER
FLIGHT.
YOU SAID IT WILL BE
INSTRUMENTED.
WHAT KIND OF SENSORS ARE GOING
TO BE ON BOARD.
AS I RECALL FROM LAST SUMMER'S
ATTEMPT, THE MANNEQUIN WASN'T
GOING TO BE INSTRUMENTED.
HAS THAT CHANGED AND, IF SO,
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE LOOKING
FOR FROM THE INSTRUMENTATION.
THANKS.
>> OKAY.
I WILL START WITH THE UPDATE ON
EVA INVESTIGATIONS.
AS A REFRESHER ON BACK IN MARCH
WE HAD AN EVA, ONE OF OUR CREW
MEMBERS, EV-2 CAME IN WITH 8 TO
10 INCHES OF WATER IN A HELMET
BUBBLE.
IT IS BY DESIGN THAT THE SUIT
CAN SPIT OUT A COUPLE OF
DROPLETS OF WATER.
BUT THIS WAS BEYOND OUR NORMAL
EXPERIENCE.
IT WAS THE QUANTITY OF WATT
THEIR GOT OUR ATTENTION.
WE ARE BRINGING SAMES HOME.
SO FAR WE HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING
UNUSUAL.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT A HANDFUL OF
WATER ON BOARD THE SPACECRAFT,
IT ALL LOOKS AS IT SHOULD TO US.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANY OBVIOUS
SIGNS OF CONTAMINATION THAT
MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN INTO OUR
SYSTEM.
WE ARE NOT SEEING THAT YET.
THE HARDWARE WE FLEW UP, WE FLEW
UP FOUR ADDITIONAL BE A STORMS
PADS ON CREW 4.
WE HAVE SUPPLEMENTAL VERY THIN
PADS WE CAN PUT ON THE INSIDE OF
THE HELMET.
ONE IS TOWARD THE BACK OF THE
HEAD AND ONE IS A BAND THAT GOES
UP OVER THEIR HEAD LIKE A HEAD
BAND BUT ATTACHED TO THE INNER
LAYER OF THE HELMET BUBBLE.
THAT WOULD OFFER MITIGATION IF
WE HAD MORE THAN EXPECTED WATER,
IT WOULD TRAP IT.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE FLYING UP ON
OFT-2.
THE SUIT ITSELF THAT HAD THIS
PROBLEM WON'T COME HOME UNTIL
SpaceX 25.
WE CAN'T LOOK AT THE COMPONENTS
OR GET TOO FAR ON THAT.
IT WILL BE A WHILE BEFORE WE CAN
INSPECT THAT.
THE HARDWARE WILL OFFER
MITIGATIONS IN CASE WE HAVE A
CONTINGENCY TO SUPPORT AN EVA.
>> YOU ARE CORRECT, ROSY IS
BEING PUT INTO MAINTAIN CENTER
OF GRAVITY DURING ASSENT,
DOCKING AND UNDOCKING.
THERE IS 15 SENSORS ASSOCIATED
WITH ROSY WHERE THEY WILL BE
COLLECTING INFORMATION RELATED
TO THE C-PALLET STRUCTURE WHERE
THE SEATS ARE ATTACHED.
THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE
INSTRUMENTATION THAT WE'LL BE
COLLECTING AND SHE WILL BE IN
THE COMMANDER'S SEAT.
>> WE HAVE BILL HARWOOD FROM CBS
ON THE PHONE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LET ME FOLLOW STEVEN CLARK'S
QUESTION TO MARK ON THE HATCH.
IS IT CLOSED FOR FLIGHT NOW OR
WILL THE TEAM AT THE PAD CLOSE
IT, OPEN IT OR CLOSE IT, IS
THERE ANY LATE PAYLOAD GOING
INTO THE CAPSULE.
AND FOR DANA, SANDY, WHEN SHE
WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SUIT THING
LAST WEEK, SHE PHRASED NO GO.
I KNOW YOU DIDN'T HAVE AN EVA
PLAN UNTIL AUGUST.
BUT ARE THEY NO GO FOR ANYTHING
OTHER THAN CONTINGENCY EVAs AT
THIS POINT?
JUST FOR THE RECORD.
>> THE HATCH IS CLOSED FOR ROLL,
BUT NOT CLOSED FOR FLIGHT.
TOMORROW, OR, YEAH, TOMORROW,
THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL OUT TO THE
PAD.
THE HATCH WILL BE REOPENED.
THERE IS ONE CARGO BAG THAT
NEEDS TO BE LOADED.
I DON'T RECALL WHAT'S IN THE
CARGO BAG AND THE HATCH WILL BE
CLOSED FOR FLIGHT.
>> UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
CAUSAL FACTORS MAY HAVE BEEN FOR
THE LAST EVA, WE ARE NO GO FOR
NOMINAL EVA.
WE WON'T DO A PLANNED EVA UNTIL
WE HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO ADDRESS
AND RULE OUT MAJOR SYSTEM
FAILURE MODES.
IT'S LIKE A FLIGHT READINESS
REVIEW.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT RISK VERSUS
RISK, LOOKING AT WHAT HAS
FAILED, WE'LL LOOK AT WHERE WE
ARE WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
WHERE WE ARE WITH THE ADDITIONAL
MITIGATIONS THAT WE ARE PUTTING
IN PLACE AND WE'LL SPECIFICALLY
MAKE A CALL BASED ON THE
CONTINGENCY AND WHERE WE ARE AT
THE GIVEN MOMENT.
WE CONSIDER OURSELVES NO GO FOR
NOMINAL EVA.
>> WE HAVE MIKE WALL FROM
SPACE.COM ON THE PHONE.
>> THANK YOU ALL.
JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT SOME
OF THE LONG-TERM IDEAS ARE ABOUT
THE OXIDIZER VALVE ISSUE, IS
THERE PLANS TO DO A REDESIGN OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
THANK YOU.
>> A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON THE
VALVE.
WE HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF
TESTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING ON
THIS SYSTEM SINCE THE FAILURE.
THAT'S BEEN DONE IN CONJUNCTION
WITH OUR SUPPLIERS AND NASA AND
ACROSS SEVERAL NASA SITES.
A LOT OF HELP TO ISOLATE DOWN TO
ROOT CAUSE.
WE HAVE ROOT CAUSE.
WE KNOW THAT THESE NITRATES
WHICH ARE THE TYPE OF CORROSION
PARTICLES THAT FORM INSIDE THE
VALVE THAT MADE IT STICK ARE
FORMED THROUGH THE CHEMICAL
REACTION OF ALUMINUM, THE BODY
OF THE VALVE IS MADE OF, SOME
PROPELLANT AND MOISTURE GET INTO
THE SYSTEM.
OUR PLAN WAS TO ELIMINATE THE
MOISTURE.
WE WENT TO GREAT EXTENT TO MAKE
SURE THE VALVE IS PROPERLY
SEALED OFF SO THERE IS NO
POTENTIAL FOR MOISTURE INTRUSION
INTO THE VALVE.
SO THE VALVES WERE ENCAPSULATED
AND PURGED WITH DRY NITROGEN SO
NO HUMIDITY GOT INTO THE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE CYCLED THE VALVES A
NUMBER OF TIMES AND WORKED
NOMINALLY.
THE SHORT-TERM SOLUTION HAS
WORKED FINE.
THE LONGER TERM SOLUTION IS
STILL ON THE TABLE.
WE WANT TO COMPLETE MORE TEST
TESTING, UNDERSTAND HOW FAST
THESE NITRATES FORM, ET CETERA.
THERE WILL BE CHANGES, WE JUST
HAVE TO DOWN SELECTION WHAT THE
CHANGES WILL BE.
LIKE I SAID THE LAST TIME WE
TALKED, A REDESIGNFUL VALVE IS
ON THE TABLE AND THE TEAMS ARE
WORKING TOWARD SOME OF THOSE
OPTIONS.
>> WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FROM
STEVEN CLARK FROM SPACE FLIGHT
NOW AGAIN ON THE PHONE.
>> HI, STEVEN CLARK, SPACE
FLIGHT NOW.
THANKS FOR TAKING ANOTHER
QUESTION.
THIS IS FOR MARK OR STEVE.
THE DEMONSTRATION AFTER DOCKING,
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THE ISS
CREW WILL BE DOING INSIDE THE
STARLINER SPACECRAFT?
>> I CAN TAKE A FEW OF THOSE.
OBVIOUSLY, THE PLAN IS TO FLY
IN, DO THE RENDEZVOUS WITH THE
RENDEZVOUS NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND
DOCK.
THEN THE ISS CREW WOULD OPEN THE
HATCH, RETRIEVE THE CARGO, AND
THEN THERE IS OBJECTIVES WHILE
WE ARE TALK DOCKED.
THERE IS A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
BETWEEN THE SPACE STATION AND
STARLINER, WE'LL TEST THAT COM
SYSTEM.
WE'LL LOOK AT THE DISPLAYS AND
LOOK AT SOME OF THE MAJOR
OBJECTIVES.
LAST TIME I TALKED TO THE CREW,
THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT
STARLINER ARRIVING.
THEY HAVE DONE SOME PRACTICE.
THEY ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE
SPACECRAFT ARRIVE.
>> WE HAVE IRENE.
>> PROBABLY FOR STEVE, MAYBE
DANA.
EARLIER THIS WEEK THERE WAS AN
INTERVIEW ON RUSSIAN TV SAYING
THAT THE AGREEMENT IS TABLED FOR
NOW BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
YOU MENTIONED BEFORE ABOUT THE
PROCESS.
HAVE YOU ALL BEEN NOTIFIED OF
THAT?
AND IS HAVING A COSMONAUT ON
CREW 5 OFF THE TABLE?
>> I WILL TAKE THAT ONE.
WE TALKED JUST YESTERDAY WITH
OUR SPACE STATION PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT COUNTERPARTS.
AND THEY INDICATE THEY ARE STILL
WORKING TOWARDS THE CREW 5
AGREEMENT.
SO WE HAVE NOT YET HEARD WHO HE
PUT IN HIS STATEMENTS, THOUGH
THE AGREEMENTS ARE MAKING THEIR
WAY THROUGH THE REST OF THE
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT
NOW, OUR COUNTERPART COLLEAGUES
ARE STILL WORKING TOWARDS THE
AGREEMENT.
I EXPECT WE'LL HEAR THE OUTCOMES
IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE NEED TO KNOW BY THE END OF
JUNE.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THE FINAL
DECISION.
AT SOME POINT YOU GOT TO PICK
WHICH CREW IS IN WHICH VEHICLE.
THAT'S OUR DEADLINE.
WE WOULD LOVE TO GET THIS
AGREEMENT IN PLACE.
IF WE DON'T, BY THE END OF JUNE,
THEN WE WOULD PUSH THAT OUT
ANOTHER FLIGHT AND CONTINUE
WORKING FOR THE NEXT
OPPORTUNITY.
>> FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE
STILL DOING THE TRAINING AND
GETTING READY AND PREPARING TO
FLY A COSMONAUT ON CREW 5.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION FROM MARCIA
DUNN FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS.
>> YES, I HAVE GOT SOME PAYLOAD
QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU GIVE DETAILS ON WHAT
KIND OF FOOD YOU ARE SENDING UP?
IS THIS FOR THE CURRENT CREW OR
FUTURE MEALS FOR THE FIRST
STARLINER CREW?
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE
PUTTING STUFF UP FOR THEM.
I KNOW BOEING WAS GOING TO BE
SENDING SOME ROSY COINS AND
MOMENTOS FROM HISTORICALLY BLACK
COLLEGES, U.S. FLAG THAT WILL BE
UP THERE.
IS THAT STILL PACKED AWAY?
THAT WAS ALL SLATED TO FLY LAST
SUMMER.
>> A QUICK ANSWER TO THE FOOD.
THE FOOD IS BEING FLOWN UP FOR
OUR CURRENT EXPEDITION CREW, SO
FOR THE CREW THAT'S ON BOARD
RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T HAVE THE COMPLEMENT OF
FOOD, BUT WE CAN GET THAT FOR
YOU AFTERWARDS.
>> FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE
OTHER CARGO, THERE'S, OF COURSE,
THE 800 POUNDS OF CARGO THAT ARE
PART OF THIS TEST FLIGHT.
THERE ARE FIVE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF TREE SEEDS THAT ARE BEING
FLOWN THIS TIME THROUGH.
THERE IS A HOST OF AMERICAN
FLAGS WITH PATCHES THAT WILL BE
FLOWN.
THERE'S ITEMS FROM 14
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES THAT BOEING IS IN
PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL BE FLOWN
THIS FLIGHT.
SILVER SNOOPY PINS AND ROSY AND
RIVETER COINS.
AND A CARD THAT BOEING FOUNDER
SIGNED AND USED TO TRAVEL TO THE
UNITED STATES BY AIR.
THE NUMBER OF UNIQUE ITEMS BEING
FLOWN FOR THIS MISSION.
>> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
MICHAEL SHEETS, CNBC.
>> THIS IS FOR STEVE.
BOEING MIGHT PURSUE A VALVE
REDESIGN FOR STARLINER.
HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE
CERTIFICATION PROCESS?
DOES BOEING NEED TO GO THROUGH A
NEW CERTIFICATION AND TESTING OF
THOSE VALVES AND GIVE US AN IDEA
ON THE SCHEDULE AND TIMELINE OF
WHAT THAT PROCESS WOULD BE IF
THEY DECIDE TO PURSUE A FULL
REDESIGN?
THANKS.
>> OBVIOUSLY, IF BOEING PURSUES
A REDESIGN OF THE VALVES, WE
WOULD THEN GO LOOK AT THAT
CERTIFICATION FROM A NASA
PERSPECTIVE, HE WOULD WORK WITH
BOEING HAND IN HAND TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT KIND OF TESTING NEEDS
TO OCCUR, WHERE IT NEED TO OCCUR
WITH BOEING AND HOW WE
INTEGRATED THAT BACK INTO THE
VEHICLE.
IN TERMS OF SCHEDULE, WE DON'T
HAVE A SCHEDULE DEFINE YET ON
HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE
SOMETHING INSURMOUNTABLE IN
DOING.
KNOWING WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE
VALVE AND THE MATERIALS AND
THINGS WE COULD DO, I DON'T SEE
IT BEING A HUGE BIG DEAL FROM A
CERTIFICATION PERSPECTIVE.
WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH IT, LOOK
AT THE MATERIALS, LOOK AT THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE VALVE AND
MAKE SURE THE DESIGN IS GOOD TO
GO FLY.
>> KEN.
>> HI, KEN KRAMER, SPACE UP
CLOSE.
A QUESTION FOR GARY AGAIN.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE,
TALKING ABOUT VULCAN AND WHEN DO
YOU THINK DREAM CHASER WILL FLY
THESE CARGO FLIGHTS TO ISS FOR
NASA?
>> THE FIRST VULCAN FLIGHT IS
SCHEDULED BY THE END OF THE
YEAR.
IT WILL BE CARRYING AN ASTRO
BOTIC PAYLOAD.
WE ARE ON TRACK FOR AN END OF
THE YEAR FLIGHT.
AND FLIGHT TWO IS EARLY NEXT
YEAR, SLATED IN FEBRUARY.
THAT WILL CARRY DREAM CHASER.
>> DREAM CHASER WOULD BE UNDER
DANA.
>> I THINK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
WHEN IT WOULD FLY.
RIGHT NOW NO EARLIER THAN
FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR.
WE'LL BE READY WHEN THEY ARE
READY.
THEY HAVE GOT A VERY AGGRESSIVE
SCHEDULE.
THEY ARE MAKING A LOT OF
PROGRESS.
EVERY TIME WE GO UP THERE, IT'S
IMPRESSIVE TO SEE THE PROGRESS
THEY ARE MAKING.
WE'LL BE READY AS SOON AS THEY
CAN GET READY.
WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE THEM ON
BOARD.
HAVING THE ADDITIONAL RETURN
CAPABILITY FOR US IS A BIG DEAL
RIGHT NOW.
SpaceX IS THE ONLY VEHICLE
THAT CAN HELP US BRING HARDWARE
HOME.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING DREAM
CHASER UP THERE AND GETTING THAT
RETURN CAPABILITY.
>> IRENE.
>> THANKS.
THIS IS A PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION
FOR MARK.
YOU KNOW, IN THE TRADITIONALLY
HOW NASA HANDLED SPACE FLIGHT IS
ALWAYS THE BEST SOLUTION, THEY
WOULD PAY FOR IT UNDER COST PLUS
AWARD FEE CONTRACT.
SO YOU HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE
VALVE AND MAYBE NOT EVEN
SPECIFICALLY WITH THE VALVE
ITSELF, BUT USING THAT AS AN
EXAMPLE, IN THIS ERA OF
COMMERCIAL SERVICES AND WHEN
BOEING IS PAYING FOR THIS, HOW
DO YOU DECIDE IF SOMETHING IS
GOOD ENOUGH?
IT MAY NOT BE A GOLD STANDARD OR
TITANIUM STANDARD VALVE DESIGN.
BUT AT WHAT POINT CAN YOU GET
COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING A
SOLUTION THAT MAY NOT BE A
SOLUTION THAT YOU WOULD HAVE
COME UP WITH IN THE SHUTTLE
PROGRAM WHEN THE GOVERNMENT WAS
PAYING FOR EVERYTHING.
BUT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR
COMMERCIAL FLIGHT SERVICES.
>> I HAVE BEEN PART OF BOTH
PROGRAMS.
THERE IS ONE THING THAT DRIVES
REDESIGNS OR CHANGES, AND THAT'S
SAFETY.
SO WE SET A POINT OR SET A LINE
IN THE SAND, THIS IS WHAT WE
NEED TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT WE FOCUS ON WHEN WE
COME UP WITH OUR SOLUTION.
I NOTICED NO DIFFERENCE IN HOW
I'M WORKING WITH NASA TODAY WITH
HOW I WORKED WITH NASA A YEAR
AGO AND THE TWO PROGRAMS.
WE WORKED WELL TOGETHER TO
CONVERGE UPON A SOLUTION THAT'S
THE FINAL ANSWER.
AND AGAIN, WHAT DRIVES THAT IS
SAFETY.
>> ASTRONAUT SAFETY?
WHAT'S THE ISSUE WITH IT?
>> WE DON'T WANT IT FAILING IN
FLIGHT, THAT'S ONE SAFETY
CONCERN.
AND THE SECOND CONCERN IS HAVING
A VALVE THAT COULD BE UNRELIABLE
ON THE GROUND OR IN FLIGHT.
>> THE THING WITH THESE VALVES,
THEY ARE IN ISOLATION BETWEEN
THE THRUSTERS AND TANKS.
PART OF THE USE OF THOSE VALVES,
YOU HAVE TO CLOSE THEM AND
REOPEN THEM.
IT IS A SAFETY, OBVIOUSLY, FOR
CREWED FLIGHT, YOU WANT YOUR
THRUSTERS AVAILABLE IN EACH OF
THE QUADS, PARTS OF THE
SPACECRAFT.
SO THAT'S WHY BOEING HAS TAKEN A
GREAT APPROACH TO HAVING IT, THE
CURRENT SYSTEM WITH THE PURGE
AND MITIGATIONS OF NO MOISTURE
SO THE VALVES WILL WORK.
NASA HAS BEEN PART OF THAT.
THE SAME WITH MARK, THIS NEW
COMMERCIAL MODEL, WE SIT DOWN
AND LOOK AT THE PROBLEM WE HAVE.
AND WITH MARK AND HIS TEAM AND
FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST
SOLUTION IS.
WE AGREED FOR OFT-2, THIS IS A
GREAT SYSTEM.
TO SEAL OUT MOISTURE FROM THE
VALVE AND FLY T WE'LL WORK LONG
TERM, THEY PROPOSE DIFFERENT
OPTIONS.
WE'LL LOOK AT THOSE OPTIONS AND
CHOOSE THE ONE THAT'S THE
SAFEST.
WE HAVE A SHORT-TERM ANSWER.
WHEN I WORKED IN SHUTTLE,
SOMETIMES WE HAVE A SHORT-TERM
SOLUTION AND WE BRING ON DOWN
THE ROAD A DIFFERENT SOLUTION.
THE MODEL WORKS WELL BOTH IN
THIS COMMERCIAL MODEL AND THEN
THE GOVERNMENT-LED MODEL.
>> ANOTHER QUESTION FROM MIKE
WALL FROM SPACE.COM.
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE
SECOND QUESTION.
THIS IS JUST A QUICK ONE.
DANA, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT
IT'S GOING TO BE A 4 TO 5 DAY
MISSION AND SOME OF THE PREVIOUS
LITERATURE IT SAID 5 TO 8 DAYS.
THE 4 TO 5, IS THAT SET IN
STONE?
>> I WAS TALKING ABOUT DOCK
DAYS.
STEVE CAN GO THROUGH WITH YOU
LAUNCH OPPORTUNITIES.
SO ASSUMING WE LAUNCH THURSDAY
AND DOCK FRIDAY, OUR FIRST
OPPORTUNITY TO UNDOCK IS THE
25th.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE DOCK
DURATION AND I WILL LET STEVE
TALK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES,
BECAUSE THEY DON'T OCCUR EVERY
DAY.
>> WE GOT ALL THE OBJECTIVES
COMPLETED.
A PLAN INTENDED ON DOCK TIME IS
ON MAY 25 AT 6:30 P.M.
LANDING WOULD BE AT THE WHITE
WHITESANDS HARBOR.
THERE IS BACKUP OPPORTUNITIES.
MAY 27 HAS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY
TO LAND AT THE WHITE SANDS SPACE
HARBOR.
THIS IS A NIGHT LANDING ABOUT
1:11 CENTRAL TIME.
EVERY TIME WE START TO EMBARK ON
UNDOCKING AND LANDING, WE LOOK
AT THE WEATHER, WORKING WITH
DANA AND FIND THE RIGHT TIME TO
BRING STARLINER HOME.
>> WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN THE
ROOM.
>> STEVE SEGAL.
A QUESTION FOR STEVE OR DANA.
THINKING ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL
CREW PROGRAM LONG-TERM, WHEN THE
ISS IS DECOMMISSIONED, POSSIBLY
BY THE END OF THIS DECADE, WHAT
HAPPENS TO COMMERCIAL CREW?
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE VEHICLES?
IS THERE A COMMERCIAL CREW, IT'S
OVER, YOU KNOW?
WHAT?
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
>> I WILL TAKE THAT ONE.
RIGHT NOW THE MODEL OF
COMMERCIAL CREW IS DIFFERENT.
WE BUY THE SERVICES FOR THE
FLIGHTS FROM EITHER BOEING OR
SpaceX.
AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM,
BOEING OWNS THE STARLINER, THEY
OWN ALL THE INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY.
THE SAME FOR SpaceX AND
DRAGON.
WHAT WE ARE WORKING WITH ANGELA
HART AND HER GROUP IS THESE
COMMERCIAL VENUES.
WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
WE HAVE TODAY, A GOVERNMENT RUN
SPACE STATION, HOW DO WE
TRANSITION IN LOWER EARTH ORBIT
TO THESE COMMERCIAL SPACE
STATIONS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT
MODELS, HOW DO WE CERTIFY THOSE
VEHICLES AND LEAVE IT UP TO
THOSE COMPANIES WHO PROPOSE
THESE VENTURES AS TO WHAT
SYSTEMS THEY PROPOSE.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR
QUESTION.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD IDEALLY WE
LIKE TO GET THOSE COMMERCIAL
DESTINATIONS, FREE-FLYING
COMMERCIAL PLATFORM UP AND
RUNNING BEFORE ISS IS
DECOMMISSIONED.
IN AN IDEAL WORLD, WE WOULDN'T
HAVE A GAP IN TRANSPORTATION FOR
CARGO AND CREW VERIES.
THE PROVIDERS CAN TRANSITION TO
WORKING WITH THE COMMERCIAL
PROVIDERS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ONE OF MANY
CUSTOMERS GOING TO THAT
PLATFORM.
THE RACE IS ON TO TRY TO GET
THERE SO WE CAN MINIMIZE THAT
GAP AND KEEP THE TRANSPORTATION
INDUSTRY UP AND GOING AND
TRANSITIONED OVER.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, AFTER THE
ISS IS DECOMMISSIONED AND THEN
THERE ARE, LET'S SAY THERE ARE
PRIVATE PLATFORMS UP THERE TO
TRY TO FLY TO, BUT NASA WILL NOT
OWN ONE OF THOSE PLATFORMS.
THEY MAY RENT SPACE OR SEND
INVESTIGATIONS OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT TO THOSE PRIVATE PLATFORMS,
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> RIGHT.
IT WOULD BE LIKE GETTING THE
RIDE UP THERE WITH THE PROVIDER.
THERE ARE A LOT OF IDEAS WHAT WE
WOULD WANT TO DO ON BOARD, IT
DEPENDS ON WHAT THE FACILITIES
ARE, THE CAPABILITIES.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE HAVING THE
CREW ROTATIONS.
THERE IS A LOT OF MEDICAL THINGS
WE ARE WORKING ON TO GET TO OUR
TARGET FOR MARS.
WE WOULD BRING THAT WITH US AND
BE IN AGREEMENTS FOR USING SPACE
OR FACILITIES ON BOARD.
>> AND I WOULD ADD TO THE CREW,
IT'S THE SPACE ON BOARD, BUT
ALSO SENDING NASA CREW ON BOARD.
IF YOU ASK ME PERSONALLY, I
WOULD LOVE TO SEE STARLINER
FLYING PAST 2030, I WOULD LOVE
TO SEE DRAGONFLYING PAST 2030.
THEY ARE GREAT PLATFORMS TO GO
TO LOWER EARTH ORBIT.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT THESE
VEHICLES AND DETERMINING WHAT
THE BEST IS.
>> WE HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS HE
ON THE PHONE.
IF THERE IS ANY MORE IN THE
ROOM?
THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF
THIS BRIEFING.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO
PARTICIPATED.
LIFT-OFF IS SCHEDULED FOR
THURSDAY, 6:54 EASTERN TIME.
OUR COVERAGE WILL BEGIN AT
6:00 P.M.
YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE
SCREEN.
SEE YOU THEN.