♪
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, WELCOME TO
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
THIS MORNING NASA WAIVED OFF THE
LAUNCH ATTEMPT AFTER A LIQUID
HYDROGEN LEAK WHILE FILLING
PROPELLANT.
THE TEAM WASN'T ABLE TO
TROUBLESHOOT THE ISSUE.
BUT TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THE
NEXT STEPS, WE HAVE BILL NELSON.
ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR OF
EXPLORATION SYSTEM, JIM FREED.
AND MISSION MANAGER, MIKE.
FIRST, I WILL HAND IT OVER TO
NELSON FOR REMARKS.
>> WELL, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE THE
LAUNCH WE WANTED TODAY, I CAN
TELL YOU THAT THESE TEAMS KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND
I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM.
YOU THINK BACK TO PREVIOUS SPACE
FLIGHTS, THE SHUTTLE WAS SENT
BACK TO THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY
BUILDING 20 TIMES.
ALREADY SHARED WITH YOU MY
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BACK IN THE
EARLY PART OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE
PROGRAM OF THE CREW HAVING BEEN
STRAPPED IN, READY TO GO AND
SCRUBBED FOUR TIMES WITH A DELAY
OVER THE BETTER PART OF THE
MONTH.
WE DO NOT LAUNCH UNTIL WE THINK
IT'S RIGHT.
AND THESE TEAMS HAVE LABORED
OVER THAT AND THAT IS THE
CONCLUSION THEY CAME TO.
I LOOK AT THIS AS A PART OF OUR
SPACE PROGRAM OF WHICH SAFETY IS
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE LIST.
THEY WILL TELL YOU STARTING WITH
JIM, THEY WILL TELL YOU THE
SPECIFIC REASONS WHY THEY
DECIDED TO STAND DOWN.
AND WHAT THEY THINK THE FUTURE
HOLDS.
JUST REMEMBER, WE ARE NOT GOING
TO LAUNCH UNTIL IT'S RIGHT.
AND THAT IS STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURE.
AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
ABSOLUTELY, I HOPE YOU KNOW WE
ARE NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE
EXCEPT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE.
WE WANTED IT SAFE IN ORBIT.
IT'S NOT THERE, IT'S SAFE ON THE
GROUND.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE BIG
PICTURE OF WHERE WE ARE HEADED
WITH THE LAUNCH PERIODS AND THEN
I WILL LET MIKE FILL YOU IN ON
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED
TODAY.
CHARLIE BLACK WELL THOMPSON IS
BACK IN THE LAUNCH CENTER WITH
HER TEAM WORKING THROUGH SOME OF
THE NEXT STEPS THAT THE MISSION
MANAGEMENT TEAM ASKED HER TO DO
TODAY.
SO WE, LAUNCH PERIOD 25 IS OFF
THE TABLE.
WE WON'T BE LAUNCHING THIS
PERIOD ENDS ON TUESDAY.
WE WILL NOT BE LAUNCHING IN THIS
LAUNCH PERIOD.
LAUNCH PERIOD 26 AND 27 WILL
REALLY DEPEND ON THE OPTIONS
THAT THE TEAM COMES BACK WITH
LIKELY ON MONDAY OR EARLY DECON.
CREW 5 WANTS TO KNOW, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE WE DECONFLICT WITH
THEM.
THAT WILL WEIGH INTO WHAT WE DO.
AS WE GET INTO LAUNCH PERIOD 27
IN THE LATTER PART OF OCTOBER,
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT A LOT OF
THINGS, OUR LIMITED LIFE ITEMS,
OUR STAY ON THE PAD DURATIONS
THAT WE HAVE, AND, OF COURSE, WE
ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WEATHER,
AS A GENERAL COURSE OF ACTION,
FOR SOME OF THE STORM ACTIVITY
THAT CONDITION OUT THERE.
I'M SURE THERE IS A QUESTION YOU
ARE CONFIDENT.
I LOVE THAT QUESTION.
ARE YOU CONFIDENT YOU ARE GOING
TO GET OUT OF BED IN THE
MORNING.
WE DON'T JUST SAY WE HOPE THIS
IS GOING TO WORK.
THE CONFIDENCE TO DO ANOTHER
LAUNCH ATTEMPT WAS BORN OUT OF
THE FACT THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THE
HYDROGEN LEAKS WE HAD ON MONDAY.
THOSE ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE
LEAK WE HAD TODAY.
IN TERMS OF SCALE, ONE WAS IN
THE SAME PLACE, BUT TODAY WAS A
DIFFERENT SIGNATURE.
AND WE UNDERSTOOD THE ENGINE
ISSUES.
WE WERE CONFIDENT COMING INTO
TODAY.
BUT AS THE ADMINISTRATOR SAID,
WE ARE NOT GOING TO LAUNCH UNTIL
WE ARE READY, WHICH MEANS WE ARE
GOING TO STEP THROUGH THESE
THINGS.
THERE IS A LOT OF CONJECTURE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE
IN THAT MMT ROOM TODAY, A
HUNDRED PLUS FOLKS, MOST
ENGINEERS, EVERYBODY THINKING
ABOUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS ON THE LOOPS
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THESE
THINGS.
FOLKS ARE GIVING OPTIONS.
THE ANOMALY LOOPS ARE ACTIVE,
FROM THE TIME WE SAW THE
SIGNATURE UNTIL CHARLIE MADE THE
RIGHT DECISION TO SCRUB.
OUR CONFIDENCE COMES THROUGH
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THIS, WHEN WE
ARE READY TO GO BACK OUT THERE,
WE'LL GO BACK OUT AND TRY FOR
ANOTHER LAUNCH.
MICHAEL WILL LAY OUT WHAT WE
HAVE IN BETWEEN.
OBVIOUSLY, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS
MISSION BEING RISKY.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE RISKS
THAT MAKE SENSE.
THE RISKS THAT HAVE PUSHED THE
VEHICLE IN THE SYSTEM AS FAR AS
IT WILL WHEN WE LAUNCH, AND BE
READY TO GO AT THAT TIME.
SO WITH THAT, LET ME TURN OVER
TO MIKE FOR MORE SPECIFICS.
>> OKAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO
FOLLOW THE ARTEMIS 1 MISSION AND
OUR PROGRAM.
I WILL RECAP WHERE WE LEFT OFF
THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE WHICH
WAS AFTER THE LAUNCH MINUS 2
MISSION MANAGEMENT MEETING ON
THE FIRST, TO HEAD INTO THIS
LAUNCH ATTEMPT.
IF YOU RECALL THE LAUNCH CONTROL
CENTER STAYED IN THE COUNTDOWN
FOLLOWING THE ATTEMPT ON MONDAY.
THAT GAVE US A HEAD START HEADED
INTO TODAY'S ATTEMPT.
THE TEAM, WHEN WE CAME IN FOR
THE TANKING MEETING, WHICH WAS
TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO LOAD
THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE TIMELINE
OR SLIGHTLY AHEAD.
WE MET AT 0445 THIS MORNING.
WE TALKED ABOUT OUR SETUP FOR
THE DAY.
THERE WERE A FEW ITEMS THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT, BUT MOST OF THOSE
WERE OF NO PARTICULAR CONSTRAINT
RELATIVE TO SETTING UP FOR OUR
LAUNCH ATTEMPT.
THE TEAM IDENTIFIED THAT THEY
HAD 46 COLLISION AVOIDANCE
CUTOUTS IN THE LAUNCH WINDOW.
MOST WERE A MINUTE OR I'M SORRY
MOST WERE A FEW SECONDS.
THE LONGEST WERE A MINUTE.
WE DO HAVE AT THIS PARTICULAR
TIME OF YEAR A HIGH PROPELLANT
BULK TEMPERATURE WHICH GIVES US
MORE PERFORMANCE OUT OF THE
ROCKET.
ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE A HOT ROCKET
IN TERMS OF THE PERFORMANCE TO
LAUNCH, AND THAT ACTUALLY, AS WE
FLY UP THROUGH THE EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE, PUSHES THE HIGHER
END OF THE DYNAMIC PRESSURE OR Q
BAR.
WE HAD POSITIVE MARGINS, BUT
LOWER MARGINS ON ONE AREA ON THE
ORION SPACECRAFT.
THE VEHICLE WAS EXPECTED TO GET
UP TO 700 POUNDS PER SQUARE
FOOT.
PRIOR TO THE LOADING OPERATION
THAT THE TEAM WAS WORKING
THROUGH A CHILL-DOWN.
THERE WAS AN INADVERTENT
PRESSURIZATION OF THE HYDROGEN
TRANSFER LINE THAT THE PRESSURE
EXCEEDED WHAT WE HAD PLANNED,
WHICH WAS ABOUT 20 POUNDS PER
SQUARE INCH.
IT GOT UP TO 60 POUNDS PER
SQUARE INCH.
THE FLIGHT HARDWARE ITSELF, WE
KNOW IS FINE.
WE DID NOT EXCEED THE MAXIMUM
DESIGN PRESSURE BUT THERE'S A
CHANCE THAT THE SOFT GOODS OR
THE SEAL IN THE QUICK DISCONNECT
AT THE 8 INCHES QUICK DISCONNECT
SAW EFFECTS FROM THAT.
BUT IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL
WHETHER THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF
THE HYDROGEN LEAK TODAY.
WE SAW A LARGE LEAK AT THE
8 INCHES QUICK DISCONNECT TODAY.
AND THAT LEAK STARTED WHEN WE
WENT FROM THE SLOW FILL TO THE
FAST FILL.
THIS PARTICULAR QUICK DISCONNECT
DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM OF THIS
MAGNITUDE ON MONDAY.
WE DID SEE A SMALL LEAK, BUT DID
NOT SEE ONE OF THIS MAGNITUDE.
IT WAS CHARACTERIZED AS A LARGE
LEAK BY OUR OPERATIONS TEAM.
THE TEAM TRIED THREE TIMES TO
RESOLVE THE LEAK AND ALL THREE
TIMES WE SAW A LARGE LEAK.
AND AS WAS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY,
IF YOU CAN STABILIZE BOTH SIDES
OF THAT QUICK DISCONNECT, WE
HAVE A GROUND SIDE AND FLIGHT
SIDE, THAT'S WHERE THE FLUID
FLOW OCCURS THROUGH.
IF YOU CAN CHILL THAT DOWN AND
ENSURE THERE IS NO DIFFERENTIAL
TEMPERATURE, SOMETIMES THE LEAKS
CAN SEAL THEMSELVES OR HEAL
THEMSELVES.
THE TEAM ATTEMPTED THAT.
THEY ATTEMPTED TO RESEAT THE
LEAK BY INCREASING THE PRESSURE
IN IN.
AND THAT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.
INITIALLY THE TEAM DECLARED THE
SCRUB AT 11:17 EASTERN TIME.
WENT INTO VEHICLE SAFE CAN AND
DRAINED THE CRYO.
THE TEAM WILL GET INTO PUTTING
NITROGEN IN THERE AS TO NOT
CONDENSE WATER VAPOR IN THE TANK
AREA.
THEN THEY WILL SWAP OVER TO AIR.
WHAT THAT DOES, IT ALLOWS US TO
GET THE TANKS BACK TO AMBIENT
CONDITIONS AND FOR US TO GAIN
ACCESS.
IN THE SCRUB MEETING WE HAD AT
2:30 EASTERN, WE TALKED ABOUT
THREE OPTIONS.
THE FIRST OPTION WAS TO SIMPLY
REMATE THE UMBILICAL AT THE PAD
HOPING THAT THE SOFT GOODS WOULD
SEAL THE LEAK OUT.
BUT OUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL, GIVEN
THE SIZE OF THE LEAK WE SAW
TODAY WAS FAIRLY LOW THAT THAT
WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THE TEAM LEANED TOWARDS A
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE
SOFT GOODS IN THE QUICK
DISCONNECT.
THE OPTIONS WERE TO DO IT AT THE
PAD OR DO IT BACK IN THE VEHICLE
ASSEMBLY BUILDING.
EITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS DO NOT
PRESERVE OUR ABILITY TO FLY
BEFORE THE END OF THIS LAUNCH
PERIOD WHICH EXPIRES ON THE
6th.
THE TEAM IS DEVELOPING A SERIES
OF SCHEDULE OPTIONS.
WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THOSE EARLY
NEXT WEEK.
THE SCHEDULE OPTIONS INCLUDE
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE
SOFT GOODS ON THE QUICK
DISCONNECT AT THE PAD FOLLOWED
BY A CRYOTEST.
THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE WE CAN GET
A FULL CRYOTEST TO ENSURE WE
DON'T HAVE FURTHER ISSUE WITH
RESPECT TO LEAKS AT THE
TEMPERATURES THAT WE NEED TO
FILL THE VEHICLE ON DAY OF
LAUNCH.
THE OTHER OPTION IS TO ROLL BACK
AND REMOVE AND REPLACE THE QUICK
DISCONNECT SOFT GOODS IN THE
VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING.
THERE IS A RISK VERSUS RISK.
DOING IT AT THE PAD, YOU ARE
EXPOSED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS.
WE DO IT IN THE ASSEMBLY
BUILDING, WE CANNOT TEST THIS
QUICK DISCONNECT.
WE CAN ONLY DO IT AT AMBIENT
TEMPERATURES.
WE ARE WORKING THROUGH OPTIONS.
THE TEAM, IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY,
BUT THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH WHY
WE DIDN'T SEE A LEAK OF THIS
MAGNITUDE ON MONDAY, BUT WE ARE
SEEING IT TODAY.
THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING AT THE
CHILL-DOWN PROCEDURE TO LOOK AT
ADDITIONAL CONTROLS SUCH THAT WE
DON'T HAVE A REOCCURRENCE OF THE
PRESSURE WE HAD EARLIER TODAY.
ALL THAT SAID, WE TALKED ABOUT
IT BEFORE, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY
HARD BUSINESS, THIS IS AN
INITIAL TEST FLIGHT OF THIS
VEHICLE AS WAS SAID BY
ADMINISTRATOR NELSON.
WE ARE GOING TO FLY WHEN WE ARE
READY.
AS PART OF THIS TEST FLIGHT, WE
ARE LEARNING ABOUT THE VEHICLE,
LEARNING HOW TO OPERATE THE
VEHICLE, AND LEARNING ALL OF THE
THINGS REQUIRED TO GET US READY
TO FLY.
WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED A LARGE
NUMBER OF THOSE THINGS, NOT ONLY
THROUGH WET DRESS AND SOME OF
THE OTHER GROUND TESTS THAT WE
HAVE HAD.
BUT WE ARE STILL LEARNING AS WE
GO TO GET THIS VEHICLE OFF
SAFELY.
OUR FOCUS IS ON UNDERSTANDING
THE PROBLEM.
DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS IN TERMS OF
SCHEDULE, BUT ALSO RISK VERSUS
RISK IMPACTS.
AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP NEXT WEEK
WHEN WE HAVE THOSE OPTIONS
FLUSHED OUT FURTHER.
>> NOW WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS IN THE ROOM AND ALSO
ON THE PHONES.
ON THE PHONE, AS A REMINDER,
PRESS STAR 1 TO GET INTO THE
CUE.
IN YOUR ROOM, IF YOU CAN LEAVE
YOUR HAND HIGH FOR THE MIC
FOLKS.
FIRST UP IS JERRY WITH REUTERS.
>> QUESTION FOR MIKE.
IF YOU DECIDE TO ROLL BACK, I
KNOW IT'S UNCERTAIN RIGHT NOW,
WHAT'S THE QUICKEST YOU COULD
ROLL BACK OUT TO THE PAD?
WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE AND
WHAT OTHER THINGS WOULD YOU HAVE
TO DO WHILE IT'S THERE?
>> WE ARE LOOKING AT SEVERAL
WEEKS TO DO THAT.
DEPENDING ON THE REQUIRED WORK
AT THE PAD OR WHETHER WE DO IT
IN THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY
BUILDING, THAT WILL DETERMINE
THE EXACT SCHEDULE.
IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY HOW MANY
DAYS.
>> UP NEXT ON THE PHONES, WE
HAVE MARCIA DUNN WITH THE AP.
>> Caller: YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> Caller: YES, I WAS WONDERING,
IF YOU DO THE REPAIRS AT THE PAD
AND IT GOES WELL, YOU COULD
STILL MAYBE GET OFF IN
SEPTEMBER, BY THE END OF THE
MONTH, BEFORE THE SpaceX
LAUNCH COMING UP AT THE
BEGINNING OF OCTOBER?
IS THAT A POSSIBILITY?
THE WAY THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW,
WHICH WAY DO YOU THINK YOU ARE
LEANING FOR?
THANKS.
>> I WILL TAKE THE FIRST PART OF
THAT.
I THINK WE STILL HAVE OUR
CONSTRAINT ON THE RANGE, WITH
THE RANGE TO TEST OUR FLIGHT
TERMINATION SYSTEM, RIGHT NOW WE
HAVE 25 DAYS.
I THINK WE ARE GOING TO TALK
WITH THE RANGE ABOUT WHAT THE
POSSIBILITIES ARE.
IN ORDER TO TEST OUR BATTERIES,
CHANGE OUT THE BATTERIES, WE
HAVE TO ROLL BACK FOR THAT.
I WILL LET YOU HANDLE THE
OPTIONS.
>> MARCIA, WITH RESPECT TO
WHETHER OR NOT SEPTEMBER, THE
LATTER PART OF SEPTEMBER IS
STILL IN THE TRADE SPACE, IT'S
TOO EARLY TO TELL.
IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT DOES THE
FALL TREE ANALYSIS TELL US, WHAT
ARE THE CHANGES AND MITIGATIONS
REQUIRED TO HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT
WE HAVE RESOLVED THIS LARGE LEAK
AT THE 8-INCH QUICK DISCONNECT.
WE'LL HAVE A BETTER ANSWER EARLY
NEXT WEEK.
RIGHT NOW IT'S TOO EARLY TO
TELL.
>> NEXT.
WE HAVE TOM COSTELLO WITH NBC.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
COULD I CLARIFY, YOU SAID THAT
THE LINE HAD BEEN
OVER-PRESSURIZED UP TO 60 PSI.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT CAUSED THE
LEAK?
AND ANY IDEA HOW THAT LINE WAS
OVER-PRESSURIZED?
>> MIKE TALKED ABOUT THE FAULT
TREE.
WE HAVE TO GO LOOK AT IS THAT A
CAUSE, IS THAT THE CAUSE.
I'M SURE IT WILL END UP ON THE
FAULT TREE.
BUT WE HAVE TO RUN THROUGH ALL
LEGS BEFORE WE DECIDE THAT'S
ABSOLUTELY THE CAUSE.
WE DO, I THINK, I FORGET THE
WORDS YOU USED LAST, WE TUNE IN
THIS HYDROGEN.
WE DID THAT ON MONDAY.
MONDAY WE SAW IT START TO GO UP
AND WE SLOWED THE RATE AND DID A
MANUAL FILL.
THAT'S JUST PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND WE NEED TO LOOK, AS MIKE
SAID, TO AUTOMATE THAT AND GET
THE PLACES WHERE IT WILL CUT OUT
IF THE PRESSURE IS GOING TOO
HIGH.
SO WE DON'T HIT THAT KIND OF
COMMAND AGAIN.
THAT WOULD BE PART OF WHAT WE
AUTOMATE AND PRACTICE FOR THE
NEXT TIME.
IT'S ON THE FAULT TREE.
IT'S TOUGH TO SAY RIGHT NOW THAT
IS THE ABSOLUTE CAUSE.
>> CHRIS DAVENPORT, WASHINGTON
POST.
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, YOU ARE
GOING BACK TO THE VAB NO MATTER
WHAT?
AND I WONDER IF YOU COULD TALK
ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES WITH THIS
HYDROGEN LEAK, THIS BIG ONE YOU
HAD, VERSUS THE ONE YOU WERE
ABLE TO OVERCOME ON MONDAY.
THANKS.
>> FOR THE VAB PART OF IT, IT'S
WHAT I SAID.
WE HAVE TO GO BACK.
WE DON'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH
THE RANGE WE CAN LAUNCH WHEN OUR
BATTERIES HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED
AFTER 25 DAYS.
SO THAT RUNS OUT HERE, AS MIKE
SAID.
AND SO IN ORDER TO CHANGE THEM
OUT, WE HAVE TO GO BACK.
TO GET THAT KIND OF EXTENSION
WITH THE RANGE IS SOMETHING WE
HAVE TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT.
RIGHT NOW OUR POSITION IS WE'LL
HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE VAB.
WHEN WE GO BACK, IT WILL DEPEND
ON THE TESTING OPTIONS MIKE
TALKED ABOUT.
>> TO TAKE A CRACK AT THE SECOND
PART OF YOUR QUESTION THERE,
CHRIS, IN TERMS OF THE LEAK THAT
WE SAW ON MONDAY, IT WAS A
MANAGEABLE LEAK.
THIS WAS NOT A MANAGEABLE LEAK.
AS SOON AS WE STARTED TO GET IN
TO FAST FILL AND WE NEED TO GET
INTO FAST FILL AS PART OF THIS
BALANCE OF YOU WANT TO LOAD
WITHIN THE CAPABILITY OF THE
QUICK DISCONNECT WHICH TELLS YOU
WANT TO SLOW IT DOWN.
BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO SPEED IT UP
SO YOU CAN MAKE YOUR LAUNCH
WINDOW SO YOU HAVE THIS BALANCE
BETWEEN THE FLOW RATE AND THE
PRESSURE AND IF THERE'S A LEAK
PRESENT, YOU NEED TO MANAGE
THAT.
ON MONDAY THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO
SUCCESSFULLY WORK THEIR WAY
THROUGH THAT WHILE STAYING BELOW
THE HAZARDOUS CONCENTRATION
LIMIT OF THE HYDROGEN THAT WAS
LEAKING OUT.
WE WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT TODAY.
IT WAS A MUCH LARGER LEAK.
THE TEAM TRIED TO WORK AND USE
THE SAME TECHNIQUE AS PART OF A
PRE-PLANNED PROCEDURE.
THEY TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES AND
THAT DIDN'T WORK.
THEY TRIED TO BUMP THE QUICK
DISCONNECT AND RECEDE IT, NONE
OF THOSE TECHNIQUES USED.
THE TECHNIQUES WE USED ON MONDAY
WERE NOT WORKING IN OUR FAVOR.
>> THANKS, MIKE.
CHRISTIAN FISCHER WITH CNN.
>> THANK YOU.
JUST WONDERING IF THERE IS A
PRECEDENT FOR GETTING AN
EXTENSION WITH THE RANGE ON
SOMETHING LIKE THIS?
HAS THAT EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE?
OR IF YOU WERE TO ASK FOR THE
RANGE FOR THAT, TO ALLOW THE
VEHICLE TO STAY ON THE LAUNCH
PAD BEFORE NEXT ATTEMPT, WOULD
THAT BE SOMETHING THAT HASN'T
BEEN DONE BEFORE?
>> WE WORKED WITH THEM TO GO
FROM 20 TO 25 DAYS SHOWING THEM
THE TECHNICAL DATA THEY NEEDED
TO SEE ABOUT THE INTEGRITY MUCH
OUR SYSTEM.
THERE IS PROBABLY OTHER ONES.
WE JUST NEGOTIATED WITH THEM TO
GO FROM 20 TO 25.
>> DO YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT
THERE IS A CHANCE THAT PERHAPS
THIS ROCKET COULD STAY ON THE
PAD BEFORE NEXT LAUNCH ATTEMPT?
>> MY CONJECTURE IS I DON'T
KNOW.
IT'S REALLY THEIR CALL.
AND I THINK WE HAVE DATA THAT
PROBABLY SUPPORTS IT.
I KNOW OUR FOLKS ARE GOING TO
TALK TO THE RANGE AS SOON AS
THEY ARE ABLE TO.
THAT'S SERIOUS BUSINESS THAT
THEY DEAL WITH AND WE DEAL WITH.
WE WANT TO RESPECT THAT THIS IS
THEIR RANGE AND WE ARE LAUNCHING
FROM IT.
>> LAUREN WITH BLOOMBERG.
>> I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN WALK
US THROUGH WHAT HARDWARE YOU
NEED TO BE REPLACING, EXACTLY
WHERE IT IS AND HOW
TIME-INTENSIVE THAT WORK WILL
BE.
THANKS.
>> I WILL TAKE A CRACK AT THAT.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE
8 INCHES QUICK DISCONNECT AND
SIMPLY THE SOFT GOODS, THE SEAL
THAT SURROUNDS IT.
WE NEED TO GET THROUGH THE FAULT
TREE ANALYSIS TO FIGURE OUT
EXACTLY IF THERE IS ANYTHING
ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTED
FOR.
IT'S A LITTLE TOO EARLY TO TELL,
AGAIN, AS TO WHAT ELSE MAY BE IN
PLAY, WHAT OTHER WORK MAY BE
NECESSARY.
THERE IS YOUR ENGINEERING REVIEW
BOARD OR TECHNICAL ANALYSIS THAT
WILL HAPPEN IN THE OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT.
THEN WE'LL GO OUT AND HE DEMATE
THE UMBILICAL, WHETHER IT'S ON
THE PAD OR VEHICLE ASSEMBLY
BUILDING, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE
TEAM BRINGS FORWARD NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER AND
DECIDE WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE
CAN RESOLVE ON THE DATA WE HAVE
AND WE DON'T NEED TO CHECK THESE
THINGS OR WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO
CHECK THESE THINGS.
AND THEN WE WILL ALSO HAVE SOME
WITNESS INFORMATION WHEN WE
DEMATE THE UMBILICAL.
WE ARE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT DEMATING
THE UMBILICAL, WE DON'T WANT TO
DISTURB WHAT MAY BE CRITICAL
ENGINEERING DATA AS PART OF
THAT.
BEFORE WE PROCEED INTO A SIMPLE
WHAT WE THINK MAY BE A SIMPLE
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THIS
QUICK DISCONNECT SEAL, WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT
OVERLOOKING SOMETHING.
WE WANT TO TAKE TIME TO GO
THROUGH THIS FROM AN ENGINEERING
STANDPOINT, EXCLUDE ANY
POTENTIAL CAUSE BASED ON THE
INFORMATION WE HAD.
IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL EXACTLY
WHERE WE MAY NEED TO DO SOME
WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
ERIC BURGER.
>> TWO QUICK ONES ABOUT THE
HYDROGEN.
FIRST OF ALL, MIKE, IF I WAS
STANDING THERE WITH A BUCKET,
HOW QUICKLY WOULD IF FILL THE
BUCKET?
I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE HOW
LASHING THE LEAK WAS.
FOR SENATOR NELSON, WHEN YOU
WERE WRITING THE AUTHORIZATION
BILL IN 2010, SETTING UP THIS
SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM, DID YOU
HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE USE OF
HYDROGEN?
>> I WILL ANSWER THAT RIGHT OUT.
I, ALONG WITH SENATOR
HUTCHINSON, ALONG WITH OUR FOLKS
IN THE WHITE HOUSE, DEFERRED TO
THE PEOPLE WHO BEST KNEW THE
SYSTEMS.
SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION
IS NO.
WE DID NOT HAVE ANY QUESTION
ABOUT HYDROGEN.
WE DEFERRED TO THE EXPERTS.
>> AND, ERIC, TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION ABOUT HOW LARGE IS THE
LEAK, I WOULDN'T USE A BUCKET
ANALOGY ON THAT ONE.
IT'S A CONCENTRATION.
WHEN YOU HAVE A FUEL SOURCE IN
ATMOSPHERIC AIR THAT CONTAINS
20% OXYGEN, WHEN YOU MIX THE
TWO, ALL YOU NEED IS AN IGNITION
SOURCE TO CLOSE THE FIRE
TRIANGLE.
WE KNOW WHEN YOU GET ROUGHLY
ABOVE A 4% CONCENTRATION OF
HYDROGEN IN AMBIENT AIR, YOU ARE
AT RISK OF HAVING A FLAMMABILITY
HAZARD.
WE WERE SEEING EXCESS OF TWO,
THREE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE, OR
TWO, THREE TIMES OUR ACCEPTABLE
CONCENTRATION LIMIT.
IT WAS CLEAR WE WEREN'T GOING TO
BE ABLE TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH
IT ON MONDAY IN TERMS OF THE
MANAGING OF THE LEAK.
EVERY TIME WE SAW THE LEAK, IT
WAS A LARGE LEAK THAT
IMMEDIATELY EXCEEDED
ORIFLAMMABLETY LIMITS.
A COUPLE OF TECHNIQUES WERE
TRIED, WE COULDN'T GET THERE
TODAY.
>> CHRIS FROM SPACE.COM.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS IS FOR MIKE.
JUST A FOLLOW-UP ABOUT THE
NATURE OF WHAT HAS TO BE
REPLACED.
YOU MENTIONED SOFT GOODS.
IS THAT AS SIMPLE AS A RUBBER
SEAL, SILICONE OR MORE HARDWARE
YOU HAVE TO REPLACE?
AND WHY WOULD YOU NEED AN
ENCLOSURE AROUND IT, IS IT TO
PREVENT CORROSION AROUND THAT
SEAL?
THANK YOU.
>> SO THE QUICK DISCONNECT, IT
IS A METAL POP-IT LIKE DEVICE.
IT HAS A GASKET AROUND IT.
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT GASKET
MATERIAL.
BUT IF WE WERE TO SEE DAMAGE ON
THE QUICK DISCONNECT, THAT WOULD
TELL US WE NEED TO REPLACE THE
HARDWARE.
IF WE SAW FOREIGN OBJECT DEBRIS
THAT WOULD TELL US THAT MAYBE WE
GOT SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON.
OR IF WE JUST SAW A SIMPLE
DAMAGE ON THE GASKET, WE GOT
SPARES WE CAN QUICKLY REMOVE AND
REPLACE THAT.
OUR HISTORY OF OUR OWN TESTING
AT THE LAUNCH EQUIPMENT TEST
FACILITY WHICH IS RIGHT HERE AT
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, TELLS US
THAT A LEAK OF THIS MAGNITUDE IS
TYPICALLY RESOLVED THROUGH A
REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE
SOFT GOODS, THAT SEAL, AND
THAT'S ONE OF OUR LEADING
SUSPECTS RIGHT NOW.
BUT AGAIN, WE NEED TO GO THROUGH
THE FAULT TREE, WE NEED TO
INSPECT THE HARDWARE, WE NEED TO
SEE WHAT THE HARDWARE IS TELLING
US.
IN TERMS OF EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS
TO BE DONE, IT'S TOO EARLY TO
TELL.
I'M SORRY, THERE WAS A SECOND
PART TO YOUR QUESTION.
I DON'T RECALL WHAT THE SECOND
PART WAS.
>> ABOUT THE ENCLOSURE.
>> THE ENCLOSURE AFFORDS US THE
ABILITY TO PROVIDE WHAT WE CALL
A PURGE AT THAT INTERFACE.
THE PURGE ALLOWS US TO PUSH
NITROGEN IN THERE TO ESSENTIALLY
INERT OR PUSH OUT ANY OXYGEN.
SO IT REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD OF
FLAMMABILITY HAZARD.
IF WE WERE TO PUMP REGULAR OLD
AIR, IT HAS OXYGEN IN IT.
WE ELIMINATE THAT OXYGEN BY
CREATING AN ENCLOSURE AND
PUTTING NITROGEN IN THERE TO
DISPLACE ANY OXYGEN SUCH THAT IF
THERE IS A HYDROGEN LEAK, YOU
GOT ONE LEG OF THE FIRE TRIANGLE
REMOVED.
THERE WAS A SEQUENCE OF ABOUT A
DOZEN COMMANDS THAT WERE
REQUIRED AND IT WAS SIMPLY THE
WRONG VALVE WAS COMMANDED AND IT
WAS IDENTIFIED AFTER ABOUT 3 OR
4 SECONDS AND IT WAS RECTIFIED.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE UNDERSTAND.
WE KNOW WHAT THE PRESSURE
PROFILE LOOKED LIKE AT THIS
PARTICULAR INTERFACE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT AGAIN THE
SEQUENCE AND AS WAS MENTIONED BY
OUR LEAD PROJECT ENGINEER
EARLIER TODAY WE WANT TO BE
DELIBERATE AND CAREFUL ABOUT
DRAWING CONCLUSIONS HERE,
BECAUSE CORRELATION DOES NOT
EQUAL CAUSE INDICATION.
WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT THE
INADVERTENT OVERDRESS AND LOOK
WHAT THAT MEANT TO THIS
PARTICULAR INTERFACE AND THEN
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FAULT TREE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEAK THAT WE
SAW.
IF THERE IS A CONJUNCTION OF
POTENTIAL CAUSES ON THE FAULT
TREE, THEN THAT WILL TAKE US ONE
DOWN PATH.
IF THERE IS NO ROOT CAUSE THEN
THAT WILL TAKE US DOWN AN
ANOTHER PATH.
IT'S EARLY TO TELL.
WE LOOKED THROUGH QUITE A BIT OF
INFORMATION ALREADY BUT WE GOT
TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THIS ONE
AND WE'LL DO IT METHODICALLY.
>> QUESTION: JEFF FAUST WITH
SPACE NEWS YOU.
IF THE RANG ALLOWS YOU TO EXTEND
THE LIFE AND DO THE REPAIRS ON
THE PAD, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
FACTORS THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO
STAY THERE AND NOT HAVE YOU ROLL
BACK?
>> WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR STAY
AT THE PAD BECAUSE A FOR ORION,
THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS AT HOW
MUCH TIME THEY CAN SPEND AT THE
PAD VERSUS THE WINDS.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK WITHIN THAT
AND IF WE'RE WITHIN THAT THAT
WOULD BE SOMETHING WE LOOK AT AS
A PLUS SIDE IF WE CAN STAY
WITHIN THAT ANALYSIS.
BUT ULTIMATE I WE'RE DRIVEN BY
FPS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE
ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT?
>> YEAH, WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT
WORK EXACTLY WE NEED TO DO.
THERE MAY BE, DEPENDING ON THE
FALL TREE ANALYSIS AND ANY
INSPECTION WORK THAT WE DO, IT
MAY MEAN THAT THE VEHICLE
ASSEMBLY BUILDING IS THE RIGHT
PLACE TO DO THIS WORK.
WE ARE MINDFUL WE'RE OUT THERE
IN THE ELEMENTS WHEN WE'RE AT
THE PAD.
THAT HAS A COUPLE OF PROS AND
CONS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
YOU KNOW, THE CONS HAPPEN PRETTY
MUCH EVERY HAPPEN AROUND HERE
WHEN YOU GET A SHOWER OR A
THUNDERSTORM ROLLING THROUGH.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ISSUES
WITH THAT INTERFACE BECAUSE WE
DE-MATED IT OUT THERE IN THE
ENVIRONMENT.
SO, WE'RE GOING TO TALK THROUGH
ALL THOSE THINGS.
I THINK IT'S AGAIN A LITTLE BIT
EARLY TO SAY AS TO WHAT THE
RIGHT PATH FORWARD IS.
FLIGHT DETERMINATION SYSTEM IS
ONE THING TO CONSIDER AND THE
RANG HAS BEEN FANTASTIC AS PART
OF THE GOVERNMENT AND INNER
AGENCY WORK.
WE DON'T OWN THAT DECISION BUT
THE RANG DOES.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH
THEM AND TALK WITH THEM BEFORE
ANY DECISIONS ARE MADE.
>>
>> REPORTER: ARE YOU DOING
ANOTHER WET DRESS REHEARSAL
INSTEAD OF DOING ANOTHER LAUNCH
ATTEMPT.
ADMINISTRATION SAID WE WON'T
LAUNCH UNTIL IT'S RIGHT.
IN ORDER TO GET TO THAT POINT IS
THERE ANYTHING THAT WOULD MAKE
YOU SAY, LET'S GO BACK AND WE'LL
TEST IT'S RIGHT?
>> I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY,
WHATEVER THE CONNECTION THAT WE
ARE TESTING UNDER AMBIENT WILL
ACT A LOT DIFFERENT.
WE TESTED THIS ONE IN OUR WET
DRESS AND WE SAW IT MANAGEABLE
THE OTHER DAY.
SO TO US HYDROGEN IS DIFFICULT
TO WORK WITH.
WHAT THAT CRYOGENIC TEST IS TBD.
BUT WE TESTED THIS AT A WET
DRESS.
TO SAY WE SHOULD HAVE DONE
ANOTHER WET DRESS, THIS WEAN
SEALED.
I WILL TAKE EVERYBODY BACK.
THE SUMMER OF 1990 WAS THE
SUMMER OF HYDROGEN WHERE
SHUTTLEL WAS LAUNCHING FOR 9
YEARS AND THEY CHASED A WHOLE
SUMMER CHASING HYDROGEN LEEKS.
WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE DIFFERENT
HYDROGEN LEEKS.
WHATEVER THE FAULT IS WE'LL HAVE
TO FIND OUT AND WE'LL RUN IT TO
GROUND AND BUILD THAT CONFIDENCE
TO COME OUT EARLY.
IF THE TEAM SAYS, A WET DRESS IS
THE WAY TO GO, THEN WE NEED TO
FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WE
TESTED IT AND IT WORKED AND IT
DIDN'T TODAY.
>> WE KNOW WE DON'T NEED TO DO A
FULL WET DRESS REHEARSAL.
AFTER THIS WORK IS DONE AT THE
PAD WE DON'T NEED TO DO A
FULL-UP WET DRESS REHEARSAL IF
THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> REPORTER: YOU TALKED ABOUT IT
BEING INADVERTENT.
WAS THAT SOFTWARE THAT CAUSED
THE OVERPRESSURIZATION AND IS IT
SOMETHING YOU'VE DONE SEEN OTHER
TIMES WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT?
I TAKE IT FROM YOUR EARLIER
ANSWER YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE
OVERPRESSURIZATION MAY HAVE
AFFECTED O-RINGS AND ANYTHING.
>> THE FIRST PART OF THE
QUESTION THE INADVERTENT COMMAND
AND OVERPRESS, AGAIN, IT'S A
LITTLE BIT EARLY TO TELL EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED.
WE'RE STILL WORKING OUR WAY
THROUGH.
THIS WAS A MANUAL SEQUENCE.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE FACT THAT
WE DIDN'T AUTOMATE THIS
PARTICULAR SEQUENCE THAT COULD
HAVE BEEN PART OF THE REASON WE
HAD THE INADVERTENT
OVERPRESSURE.
THERE ARE A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER
REASONS WHEN YOU'RE AN OPERATOR
AND YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH A
COMMAND SEQUENCE THAT COULD HAVE
COME INTO PLAY.
WE'LL LOOK THROUGH THE DATA AND
WE'LL REASSESS WHY THIS
INADVERTENT COMMAND HAPPENED.
IN TERMS OF SOFT GOODS IT'S A
SEAL THAT IS A NON-METALLIC
MATERIAL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT PARTICULAR
MATERIAL IT IS.
>> REPORTER: I THINK THIS IS
PROBABLY FOR MIKE.
THERE WAS TIME BETWEEN THE
RECOMMENDATION TO SCRUB AND WHEN
CHARLEY DECIDED TO CALL IT A
DAY.
WAS THERE ADDITIONAL
TROUBLESHOOTING THAT WAS BEING
DISCUSSED AS AN OPTION?
WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WAS
GLEANED FROM THE ACTIVITIES THAT
TOOK PLACE TODAY?
WAY THE SENSOR ISSUE A FACTOR AT
ALL IN ANY OF THESE SCENARIOS?
>> I'LL START WITH YOUR LAST
QUESTION.
SHORT ANSWER IS NO.
THE SENSOR ISSUE THAT WE SAW THE
OTHER DAY THAT IS ON THE ENGINE
SIDE AS PART OF THE ENGINE
BLEED.
THAT REALLY HASN'T ENTERED INTO
THE DISCUSSION.
IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL
TROUBLESHOOTING, THERE WAS A
PAUSE BEFORE A SCRUB WAS
DECLARED.
AND WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS COME
FROM OUR ENGINEERING TEAM AS TO
WHAT A POTENTIAL OPTION SHOULD
BE AND IT TURNED OUT TO NOT BE A
VIABLE OPTION.
THERE WERE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS
TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD REALLY
EXHAUSTED ALL OUR OPTIONS AND
THAT'S WHY THERE WAS A LITTLE
BIT OF A PAUSE TOWARDS THE END
BEFORE THE SCRUB WAS DECLARED.
>> REPORTER: HI MY NAME IS JACOB
AND I'M A STUDENT REPORTER.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE, SO I KNOW I HEARD EARLIER
THAT THE TEMPERATURE AFFECTS HOW
THE ROCKET LAUNCH GOES IN SOME
WAYS.
AS SMALLER GOES INTO FALL AND
WINTER, HOW IS THIS MISSION
GOING TO NEED TO BE ADAPTED
GOING FORWARD THIS FAR INTO THE
FUTURE?
I KNOW IT'S ONE YOU WON'T WANT
TO HEAR RIGHT NOW BUT I'LL ASK
IT ANYWAY.
HOW DOES THIS PUSHBACK THE
TIMELINE OF THE ART MISSION
PROGRAM AS A WHOLE?
>> WE ARE STILL PLANNING ARTEMIS
2 IN 2024 AND ARTEMIS 3 IN '25.
>> IN TERMS OF TEMPERATURE
EFFECTS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A
COMBINATION OF SOLID PROPELLANT
IN THE BOOSTERS AND LIQUID
PROPEL PENT IN THE CORE STAGE,
THE CORE STAGE REALLY HAS NO
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT DUE TO
TEMPERATURE OTHER THAN WHAT WE
CALL THE BOIL OFF, WHICH IS YOU
CAUSE THE PROPELLANT TO GO FROM
A LIQUID TO A GAS AND YOU'RE NOT
ABLE TO FEED THE ENGINES AS PART
OF THAT.
THAT IS -- THERE IS ESSENTIALLY
NO EFFECT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
BECAUSE AS WE GO FROM SUMMER
INTO THE FALL MONTHS, BECAUSE
YOU LOAD THE CRYO AND THEN YOU
GO AND YOU ENSURE THAT THE TANK
IS FULL BEFORE YOU GO.
IN TERMS OF THE SOLID PROPULSION
SYSTEM, THE LOWER THE BULK
TEMPERATURE OF THE PROPELLANT
THE LOWER PERFORMANCE AND WE
KNOW WHAT THE PERFORMANCE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE
PARTICULAR BOOSTERS ARE AND
THEY'VE BEEN TESTED THROUGHOUT
THE FULL RANGE.
THE SUMMER MONTHS YOU GET THE
MOST PERFORMANCE OUT OF THE
SOLIDS AND THE PERFORMANCE WILL
BE SLIGHTLY LOWER IN THE FALL.
BUT THE PERFORMANCE WAS EYE
WATER IN TERMS OF MARGIN IN
TERMS OF ALTITUDE SO WE'RE NOT
CONCERNED WITH PERFORMANCE OF
THE ROCKET AT THIS POINT.
>> REPORTER: GIVEN THESE TWO ON
FURTHER DELAYS, HOW DOES THIS
AFFECT THE PAYLOAD ON BOARD?
DO WE NEED BATTERY CHANGES OR
HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE CUBESATS?
>> I THINK WE ANSWERED THE CUBE
STAT QUESTION EARLIER.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE LIMITED
BATTERY LIFE ON THE CUBE
CUBESATS AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE DECAY RATES ARE.
THE CUSTOMERS OF THE CUBE
SATURDAYS ARE AWARE.
WE HAVE RADIATION MONITORS AND A
NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS AND WE
KNOW WHAT THE INSTALL OR
BASELINE CONFIGURATION WAS.
OBVIOUSLY THE LONGER YOU SIT OUT
THERE ON PAD THE MORE RADIATION
SOME OF THESE SENSORS WILL
ACCRUE BUT WE ALSO HAVE WITNESS
SENSORS IN THERE TO HELP US
UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ACCUMULATE
DURING THE SPACEFLIGHT PORTION
AS OPPOSED TO HERE ON THE
GROUND.
THERE ARE A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS
THAT WE PLAN AHEAD AND TRACK AND
AT THIS POINT WE'RE REALLY
FOCUSSED ON GETTING THE VEHICLE
READY AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
POTENTIAL IMPACTS ARE TO THE
PAYLOADS AND THE CUBESATS
WHETHER THEY'RE IN ORION OR ON
THE ROCKET AS PART OF THE 10
CUBESATS.
YEAH, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
THAT.
>> REPORTER: MY QUESTION IS FOR
THE SENATOR.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE NOT
GOING UNTIL YOU'RE READY AND IT
IS RIGHT.
WE KNOW THAT SCRUBS ARE A VERY
NATURAL PART OF ALL OF THE SPACE
MISSIONS.
THAT SAID, I GOT TO BELIEVE THAT
THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF
DISAPPOINTMENT.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE DEMEANOR
INSIDE AND SPECIFICALLY HOW IS
CHARLIE BLACKWELL THOMPSON AND
WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HER TODAY
AFTER THE DECISION TO SCRUB?
>> THE DEMEANOR IN THE LCC IS
VERY PROFESSIONAL.
THEY DO THEIR JOB.
NATURALLY ALL OF US, NO MORE
THAN ALL OF US INCLUDING THE LCC
WANTED IT GO TO GO TODAY.
BUT THESE GUYS THAT ARE THE
PROFESSIONALS KNOW WE DON'T GO
UNTIL IT'S A READY
>> REPORTER: HOW'S CHARLIE
DOING?
ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU CAN
SHARE?
>> I WILL SAY THIS BEFORE MIKE
ANSWERS THAT THIS TEAM IS VERY
AWARE OF POTENTIAL FATIGUE AND
THEREFORE THEY GAVE SUFFICIENT
TIME OFF FOR THE TEAM YESTERDAY
AFTER THE M M T WHICH I I THINK
OCCURRED 2 DAYS AGO, THEY GAVE
EVERYBODY THE DAY OFF SO THEY
COULD REGROUP AND M T WHICH I I
OCCURRED 2 DAYS AGO, THEY GAVE
EVERYBODY THE DAY OFF SO THEY
COULD REGROUP AND T WHICH I I T
OCCURRED 2 DAYS AGO, THEY GAVE
EVERYBODY THE DAY OFF SO THEY
COULD REGROUP AND REST.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE LESSONS
THAT CAME OUT OF THE CHALLENGER
REPORT.
FATIGUE WAS A FACTOR THERE.
>> IN TERMS OF THE FIRING ROOM
AND CHARLIE IN PARTICULAR, ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT I
PARTICULARLY ENJOY ABOUT THE
AGENCY, YOU SURROUND YOURSELF
WITH AMAZINGLY CAPABLE BUILDING
AND AMAZING LEADERSHIP AND
CHARLIE IS ONE OF THOSE AMAZING
LEADERS WE HAVE IN THE AGENCY.
WHEN I WAS TALKING TO HER ABOUT
THE SCRUB DECISION SHE WAS
FOCUSSED, HEAD IN THE GAME.
SHE WAS FOCUSSED ON THE
OPERATION AND THE FLIGHT
HARDWARE AND SAVING THE VEHICLE
AND ENSURING THE TEAM HAD WHAT
THEY NEEDED TO GET THROUGH THE
REMAINING OPERATION.
THAT'S KIND OF NATURAL WHEN YOU
COME FROM THE OPERATIONS REALM.
THERE'S DEFINITELY TIME TO
REFLECT ON THAT AFTER YOU COME
OUT OF THE FIRING ROOM ON DRIVE
HOME OR ONCE YOU'RE HOME.
BUT THAT WAS NEITHER THE TIME OR
PLACE AND SHE DIDN'T SHOW ANY
INKLING SHE WAS FOCUSSED ON
ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE RIGHT
DECISIONS FOR HER TEAM AND FOR
THE SPACECRAFT AND FOR THE
ROCKET.
I'M STILL UNCLEAR ABOUT THE
DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
YOU'RE GOING TO ROLL BACK.
JIM, I HEARD YOU SAY YOU MUST
ROLL BACK BECAUSE OF THE FTS
BATTERIES.
MIKE, I HEARD YOU SAY IF YOU
ROLL BACK YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO
RECHARGE THE CUBESATS.
IF YOU WERE TO GO TO THE RANG
AND ASK THEM TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER
WAIVER FOR THE STS IT'S NOT JUST
A COUPLE DAYS BUT SEVERAL WEEKS.
CAN YOU CONDENSE IT ALL AND SAY
ARE YOU ROLLING BACK OR NOT?
CAN YOU MAKE AN A DECISION AND
IS THE FTS THE ONLY THING YOU --
>> WE DON'T HAVE AN FTS AND
UNTILING WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE TO
ROLL BACK IN ORDER TO SATISFY
THE RANGE REQUIREMENT.
WE'LL WORK WITH THE RANGE TO TRY
TO GET THAT.
WE HAVE TO GO WITH WHAT THEY'RE
WILLING TO GIVE US.
THAT NEGOTIATION HASN'T HAPPENED
SO AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED WE
HAVE TO ROLL BACK BECAUSE WE
HAVE TO SATISFY THAT
REQUIREMENT.
THAT'S WHERE I THINK MIKE'S IF
STATEMENT COMES FROM.
BECAUSE THAT IS A POSSIBILITY
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT TODAY.
>> I'LL JUST BE UP FRONT WITH
YOU.
I DON'T ALWAYS PICK THE BEST
WORDS.
[LAUGHTER]
>> AND I COULD HAVE CHOSEN A
BETTER PHRASE OR WORD IN THAT
CASE.
AND JIM IS RIGHT.
IT IS NOT OUR DECISION.
IT IS THE RANGE'S DECISION AND
THEY'RE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHEN WE ROLL BACK, UNLESS WE GET
A WAIVER, IT IS A ROLL BACK
SCENARIO.
I SAID "IF" AND I APOLOGIZE FOR
THAT.
I PROBABLY COULD HAVE CHOSEN
BETTER WORDS.
IF THAT'S THE HARDEST THING I
HAD TO DEAL WITH TODAY THEN I'M
HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
>> REPORTER: MY QUESTION CAN BE
FOR ANY OR ALL OF YOU ALL.
CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT ACTUAL
COSTS OF TWO BACK-TO-BACK
SCRUBS?
AND DO YOU FEEL THERE'S A COST
TO PUBLIC PERCEPTION?
SHOULD THERE WAS SO MUCH
BUILD-UP TO THIS LAUNCH AND SO
MANY PEOPLE CAME TO FLORIDA
HOPING TO SEE A MOON ROCKET IS
THERE SOMETHING YOU'RE LOOKING
AT NOW REGARDING THE PUBLIC?
>> YOU ALL TALK ABOUT THE
BACK-TO-BACK COST AND I'LL TALK
ABOUT THE PERCEPTION.
[LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW SPACE IS THE
PLACE.
EVERYBODY IS REALLY INTERESTED
IN THIS MISSION AND GOING BACK
TO MARS AND GETTING READY TO GO
BACK TO THE MOON AND GETTING
READY TO GO TO MARS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID
EARLY ON WE TRIED TO STRESS THAT
THIS IS A TEST AND A TEST HAS
CERTAIN RISKS.
WE POUNDED THAT IN EVERY PUBLIC
COMMENT THAT WE HAD.
THIS ORDER TO GET EXPECTATIONS
IN ALIGNMENT WITH REALITY AND
YET HUMAN NATURE IS WHAT YOU
KNOW IT IS.
YOU SAW CROWDS OUT HERE ON
MONDAY MORNING.
A LOT LESS CROWDS TODAY.
HOWEVER THE NATURE OF HUMANS IS
THAT WE WANT DESPITE ALL THAT
THAT'S WHY THESE GUYS ARE SUCH
CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONALS.
THEY DO IT BY THE BOOK AND WHEN
IT'S READY.
>> AS FAR AS COSTS, I CAN'T GIVE
YOU A NUMBER.
I CAN TELL YOU THE COST -- THERE
ARE COMMODITIES THAT WE USE WITH
OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN.
WE TRY TO RECOVER THOSE AS WE
DRAIN BACK BUT A LOT OF THOSE
BOIL OFF SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM
TOP OFF.
I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY
TANKERS THAT WE HAD AFTER
MONDAY'S ATTEMPT.
I THINK WE HAD 5 OR 6 WAVES AS I
REMEMBER.
THE EXACT COST OF THE HYDROGEN I
CAN'T TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT OFF THE
TOP OF MY HEAD.
I GO TO COMMODITIES FIRST AND WE
SCHEDULE UP RESOURCES TO PROVIDE
COMMON TRACKING FOR US.
AND THEN THE LABOR OF THE FOLKS
HERE. SO SOME OF THE ASSETS
THAT AREN'T OURS THAT ARE
OUTSIDE OF NASA'S CONTROL AND
LIQUID OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN.
>> THE COST OF TWO SCRUBS IS A
LOT LESS THAN A FAILURE.
>> REPORTER: THIS IS FOR THE
ADMINISTRATOR.
WE ARE COMING UP WITH THE 60
ANNIVERSARY WITH PRESIDENT
KENNEDY'S SPEECH WHERE HE
DEDECLARED WE CHOOSE TO GO TO
THE MOON.
NEARLY 60 YEARS LATER HOW DO YOU
REFLECT ON THE UPCOMING
ANNIVERSARY AND THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE FACE AS WE CHOOSE ONCE
AGAIN TO GO TO THE MOON?
>> AS A MATTER OF FACT ON THE
60TH ANNIVERSARY I WILL BE IN
RICE STADIUM THERE WILL BE 4,000
PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT WILL
BE IN THE STADIUM JUST AS IT WAS
60 YEARS AGO WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL
STUDENTS.
WHAT PRESIDENT KENNEDY SAID WAS,
WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON AND
DO OTHER THINGS NOT BECAUSE IT'S
EASY.
BUT BECAUSE IT'S HARD.
THIS IS A WHOLE NEW VEHICLE AND
TECHNOLOGY AND PURPOSE OF GOING
BACK TO THE MOON AND PREPARATION
TO GO TO MARS.
AND YES, IT'S HARD.
>> REPORTER: YOU TALKED ABOUT
NOT LAUNCHING UNTIL YOU'RE
READY.
HAVE YOU FELT ANY PRESSURE FROM
ANYWHERE WITHIN NASA OR FROM THE
WHITE HOUSE OR ANYWHERE IN
CONGRESS?
>> WELL, I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY
STANDPOINT, NO, AND IF I KNEW
ABOUT IT I WOULD TRY TO STOP IT.
BUT WE HAVE FELT NO PRESSURE
WHATSOEVER.
AS TO WHAT ADMINISTRATOR NELSON
SAID, WE'RE NOT FEELING ANY
EXTERNALLY.
>> TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION.
>> REPORTER: HE TALKED A FEW
QUESTIONS BACK ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITY TO DO CRYO LOADING,
TO TEST THAT SEAL.
I'M WONDERING HOW MUCH CRYOS
WOULD YOU HAVE TO LOAD TO TAKE
THE SEAL IF IT'S HEATED AND WHAT
WOULD BE THE TURN AROUND FOR A
LAUNCH?
>> IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH CRYO WE
WOULD HAVE TO LOAD WHAT WE WOULD
NEED TO DO IS GET THROUGH THE
CHILL DOWN SLOW FILL AND INTO
THE FAST FILL AND TYPICALLY WHEN
YOU GET IN THE FAST FILL IF
THERE'S A LEAK THAT'S WHERE YOU
SEE IT.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE HIGHEST
PRESSURE AND FLOW RATE AND YOU
DON'T NEED THE WHOLE TANK TO DO
THAT.
IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE 5 PLUS
PERCENT.
IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
THE LIQUID HYDROGEN TANK.
AND I'M SORRY WHAT WAS THE
SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION?
I'VE BEEN UP SINCE MIDNIGHT?
>> REPORTER: HOW LONG COULD YOU
TURN AROUND FOR A LAUNCH?
WOULD IT BE 2 OR 3 DAYS LATER?
>> AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON A WHOLE
HOST OF THINGS.
BUT YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF
REPLENISHING THE COMMODITIES AND
SETTING UP FOR A SUBSEQUENT
ATTEMPT, WE KNOW THAT WE CAN
TURN AROUND EITHER 42 -- I'M
SORRY 42 OR 78 HOURS SIMPLY
BASED ON COMMODITY AND
REPLENISHMENT.
IF THERE WERE ADDITIONAL
ENGINEERING INVESTIGATIONS OR
ADDITIONAL WORK THAT WE NEEDED
TO DO, FOLLOWING A CRYO TEST AT
THAT INTERFACE, IT IS SOMETHING
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE FACTORED
IN THE PLAN.
WE'LL UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER
NEXT WEEK.
IN TERMS OF THE FIRST PART OF
THE QUESTION IT'S NOT
SIGNIFICANT.
>> AS WE SAID EARLIER WE'LL HAVE
AN UPDATE FOR YOU NEXT WEEK ON
THE PATH FORWARD.
AS ALWAYS TUNE INTO NASA TV AND
OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS TO
KEEP UP TO DATE ON LATEST.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US AND
HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY.