[indiscernible].
>> AND HERE WE GO.
SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR -- STAGE
ENGINE START -- THREE, TWO, ONE.
BOOSTERS AND IGNITION, AND
LIFT-OFF OF ARTEMIS I.
WE RISE TOGETHER, BACK TO THE
MOON AND BEYOND.
>> ALL FOUR BOOSTERS NOW
PROPELLING THE ROCKET.
>> GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU
ALL FOR STAYING UP WITH US AT
NASAs KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
THIS MORNING AT 1:47A.M., NASA'S
SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM ROCKET AND
ARTEMIS I LAUNCHED FROM LAUNCH
PAD B.
IT'S SUCCESSFULLY COMMITTED A
NUMBER OF MILESTONES SO FAR.
TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH AN
UPDATE THIS MORNING, WE HAVE
NASA ADMINISTRATOR BILL NELSON,
JOHN HONEYCUTT, HOWARD HUGH,
ORION PROGRAM MANAGER AT
JOHNSON, AND EMILY NELSON, CHIEF
FLIGHT DIRECTOR AT JOHNSON.
IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING DAY, AND
I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR EVERYONE TO
SAY A FEW WORDS.
ADMINISTRATOR?
>> I WAS STANDING ON THE LCC
WITH A NUMBER OF ASTRONAUTS, AND
I'M TELLING YOU, WE'VE NEVER
SEEN SUCH A TAIL OF FLAME.
THERE WERE A BUNCH THERE THAT
WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THAT ROCKET,
AND I HAVE TO SAY FOR WHAT WE
SAW TONIGHT, IT'S AN A-PLUS.
IT'S A TEST FLIGHT.
TOOK A LONG TIME COMING TO GET
HERE.
LAST TIME WE WERE ON THE MOON,
APOLLO 17, AND WE STILL HAVE A
LONG WAYS TO GO, AND THIS IS
JUST THE TEST FLIGHT, AND WE ARE
STRESSING IT AND TESTING IT IN
WAYS THAT WE WILL NOT DO TO A
ROCKET THAT HAS A HUMAN CREW ON
IT, BUT THAT'S THE PURPOSE, TO
MAKE IT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE, AS
RELIABLE AS POSSIBLE FOR WHEN
OUR ASTRONAUTS CRAWL ON BOARD
AND GO BACK TO THE MOON.
THE ENTHUSIASM THROUGHOUT NOT
ONLY THIS SPACE CENTER, EVEN
THOUGH A LOT OF AMERICA WAS IN
BED, ASLEEP, IT WILL BE APPARENT
TOMORROW, AND THE LEGACY THAT
THIS PROFESSIONAL CREW PUT
TOGETHER IN GETTING US TO THIS
DAY OVER THE YEARS IS INDEED A
LEGACY WELL EARNED AND WILL
CONTINUE AS WE GO BACK TO MARS.
>> YEAH, GOOD MORNING, AND THANK
YOU FOR CONTINUING TO FOLLOW OUR
PROGRAM IN THE ARTEMIS I
MISSION.
WE HAVE A PRIORITY ONE MISSION
IN PLAY RIGHT NOW.
WE HAD THE ROCKET DO ITS JOB AND
DELIVER THE SPACECRAFT TO THE
POINT OF TRANSLUNAR INJECTION,
AND I WANT TO THANK JOHN
HONEYCUTT AS WELL AS JODY SINGER
AT THE MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER AS WELL AS OUR FRIENDS
AND FAMILY HERE IN AMERICA'S
SPACEPORT.
WE DO HAVE A PRIORITY ONE
MISSION IN PLAY BECAUSE OF THEIR
WORK.
TODAY, WE GOT TO WITNESS THE
WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL ROCKET,
TAKE THE EARTH BY ITS EDGES, AND
SHAKE THE WICKED EYE OF IT.
IT WAS QUITE A SIGHT, IT WAS
QUITE A SIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO LEARN MORE AS WE
GO.
WE'VE GOT FOUR WEEKS OF MISSION
TO GO.
WE ARE JUST BARELY STARTING TO
SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF THE
ARTEMIS PROGRAM AND GATHER DATA.
WE'VE LEARNED A FEW THINGS ALONG
THE WAY, MOSTLY THAT THIS SYSTEM
IS PERFORMING EXACTLY AS WE
INTENDED IT TO.
WE HAD SOME DROPOUTS IN THE
FLIGHT INSTRUMENTATION ON THE
SLS ROCKET.
WE HAD SOME FUNNIES IN THE STAR
TRACKERS AND THEN WE HAD SOME
FUNNIES IN THE SWITCHES IN THE
SOLAR ARRAYS THAT THE SYSTEM IS
PERFORMING, AND WE ARE PRESSING
OUTBOUND TOWARD THE MOON.
WE ARE GOING TO BE PROGRESSING
IN THOSE MISSION DIRECTIVES, BUT
NOW, I'M NOT GOING TO SLEEP
UNTIL WE GET ARTEMIS BACK IN
SPLASHDOWN.
>> WE'RE SITTING INSIDE THE
FIRING ROOM, LOOKING THROUGH THE
GLASS PANES.
THERE WERE SOME MOISTURE ON THE
PANES SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THE VIEW
THAT SOME OF YOU ALL HAD, BUT IT
WAS WORTH BEING HERE AT KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER HERE AT MISSION.
MIKE TALKED ABOUT THE FOUR
PRIORITY GOALS THAT WE HAVE.
I WOULD ADD A FIFTH, TO PROVE
THAT OUR GROUND SYSTEMS AND OUR
GROUND TEAM WAS PREPARED AND
READY TO LAUNCH THE MISSION
TODAY, AND I THINK WE PASSED
WITH FLYING COLORS.
I THINK WE HAD A TERRIFIC DAY.
THE TEAM HAS SHOWN A TON OF
RESILIENCE.
WE'VE WORKED IN A COVID
ENVIRONMENT.
WE'VE DEALT WITH HURRICANES,
BEEN WITH FIRST-TIME OPS, AND
THE TEAM HAS SHOWN A RESOLVE TO
DO SOMETHING SPECIAL.
I THINK A LOT OF US COME TO
NASA, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY
PEOPLE WHO DREAM ABOUT WHEN
THEY'RE KIDS AND SAY, I'M GOING
TO GO WORK FOR NASA SOMEDAY, AND
TODAY, THIS JUMPED THE WORK
AHEAD TODAY.
REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM HERE
TODAY.
>> OVER TO JOHN HONEYCUTT WITH
SLS PROGRAMS.
>> YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT
I AM ENVIOUS, TOO, LIKE MIKE
TALKED ABOUT.
THE FEW SECONDS THAT WE DID GET
TO LOOK AT THE LCC, I'M LOOKING
AT THIS BIG BALL OF FIRE AND
THINKING, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A
LITTLE OVER 12 YEARS SINCE I GOT
TO EXPERIENCE THIS, AND IT'S SO
AWESOME TO BE BACK IN THE
BUSINESS, DOING IT.
AND WE'VE LAID THE FOUNDATION
FOR THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM AND MANY
GENERATIONS TO COME.
TEAM JUST DID AN OUTSTANDING
JOB.
BUT AS YOU HEARD THE
ADMINISTRATOR SAY, THE ROCKET
PERFORMED OUTSTANDINGLY.
WE HAD A GOOD PERFORMANCE ON THE
HARDWARE ALL DAY TODAY, AND I'M
LOOKING AT THOSE REALLY DYNAMIC
EVENTS AS WE GET BOOSTER
IGNITION AND THE CORE STAGE AND
THE PRESSURE SYSTEM AND THE
AUXILIARY POWER UNITS.
ALL PERFORMED OUTSTANDINGLY.
BOOSTERS AND THE RS-25 ENGINES
DELIVERED ORION AND ICPS PER THE
REQUIREMENTS, AND THEN, WE HAD
THE FIRST BURN THAT GIVES US THE
RAISE.
IT WAS OUTSTANDING, AND THEN,
THE TLI BURN PERFORMED
OUTSTANDINGLY, SO RIGHT NOW, I
CAN'T SAY I'M MORE PROUD OF THE
WAY THE HARDWARE PERFORMED AND
EVEN MORE PROUD OF THE TEAM.
JACKIE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NOW OVER TO HOWARD WITH THE
ORION PROGRAM.
>> YEAH, GOOD EVENING OR
MORNING, I THINK, TO EVERYBODY.
WHAT A TERRIFIC DAY WE'VE HAD.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE
GENTLEMAN TO MY RIGHT, JOHN AND
MIKE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE JUST TERRIFIC
TEAM, GETTING US OFF THE GROUND
AND GETTING US TO THE MOON.
I CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH FOR
THE TEAM'S EFFORTS, AND NOW WE
GET TO START THE JOURNEY IN
LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE
SPACECRAFT AND THE MISSION, A
LITTLE OVER 26 DAYS.
ALONG THE WAY, WE'VE GOT THE
ROCKET, THE MOST POWERFUL ROCKET
WE'VE EVER BUILT AT NASA TAKING
US TO THE MOON, AND THEN, WE'VE
GOT THE POWER TO PROPEL US INTO
ORBIT AND GETTING US BACK HOME.
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS WE
EXPLORE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
SPACECRAFT AND GOING FORWARD
WITH ARTEMIS.
AND I WOULD SAY PERSONALLY FOR
ME, I AM ONE OF THOSE MEN THAT,
AS A LITTLE BOY, I DREAMED OF
WORKING FOR NASA AND GOING
BEYOND LOW-EARTH ORBIT, AND
TODAY WAS A FABULOUS DAY FOR ME,
JUST THINKING ABOUT THE ROCKET
GO UP AND SEEING ORION GO TO THE
MOON HAS BEEN A DREAM OF MINE
AND THE START OF A GREAT
JOURNEY, I WOULD SAY, FOR THE
AGENCY AND FOR ARTEMIS, SO THANK
YOU.
>> AND TO CLOSE US OUT, EMILY
NELSON FROM JOHNSON.
>> WE GOT TO SEE A TRULY
EXCITING LAUNCH THAT IS THE
BEGINNING OF A REALLY EXCITING
MISSION.
THE LCC JOB DID A GREAT JOB OF
GETTING US LIFTED OFF, AND THEN,
THE HOUSTON MCC TEAM DID A GREAT
JOB OF GETTING US UP TO ORBIT.
IT WAS GREAT SEEING THE TEAMS
USE THE YEARS OF TRAINING THAT
THEY'VE DEVELOPED THROUGH
PREPARATION.
THIS MISSION IS NOT ONLY GOING
TO TEST THE SPACECRAFT BUT TEST
THE TEAMS, AS WELL.
AS WE MENTIONED, I THINK WE'RE
GOING TO SEE HOW SYSTEMS
PERFORM.
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
EVERYTHING WE'RE GOING TO LEARN
HERE.
>> AND BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS, WE WANT TO SHOW YOU
SOME OF THE FIRST IMAGES OF
EARTH FROM ORION AS IT HEADS TO
THE MOON.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW FOR THE FUN PART.
CAN YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[indiscernible].
>> -- FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
FOR MR. NELSON.
APOLLO IS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW,
AND LOOKING BACK ON WHAT HAS
GONE ON BEFORE TO THE MOON, HOW
DO YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED TODAY
AS GOING DOWN IN SPACE HISTORY?
>> ONE OF THE EMOTIONS I HAD WAS
THAT I WISH THAT MEMBERS OF THE
CREW THAT I HAD PARTICIPATED IN
WERE HERE.
A GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS, THE
BEST OF THE BEST, AND TO SEE THE
CULMINATION OF A LIFETIME OF
SACRIFICE THAT THEY HAVE DONE, I
THINK TO THE SACRIFICES, THE
ASTRONAUTS THAT WE HAVE LOST,
NOT ONLY IN THE FLIGHT IN APOLLO
I BUT THE TRAINING ACCIDENTS,
ALL OF THOSE EMOTIONS WELLED UP
IN ME TODAY, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE
HEARD THE OTHER ASTRONAUT THAT I
WAS STANDING WITH.
WE WERE DOWN IN THE CONTROL
CENTER, AND ALL WENT UP ON THE
ROOF SO THAT WE COULD FEEL THAT
ACOUSTIC SHOCK WAVE AND SEE
UNDIMINISHED THAT TAIL OF FLAME,
OF FIRE, AND THEN, TO SEE THAT
PILLAR OF SMOKE EVEN IN THE DARK
OF NIGHT, IT WAS PRETTY
OVERWHELMING.
>> THANK YOU.
JOEY [indiscernible] WITH
REUTERS.
>> THANKS.
QUESTION FOR JOHN HONEYCUTT.
THIS ROCKET'S BEEN A DECADE IN
THE MAKING.
THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, BILLIONS
IN COST OVERRUNS AND THERE'S
BEEN BILLIONS IN CHALLENGES UP
TO THIS POINT.
IF YOU COULD JUST TELL US WHAT
IT FEELS LIKE, THE LAUNCH.
AND THEN, TO MIKE, IF YOU COULD
TELL US ABOUT THE FUNNIES THAT
YOU SAW DURING THE MISSION, AND
IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT WAS
CREATED DURING THE MISSION THAT
YOU MIGHT THINK OF AS A RISK.
>> YEAH, I'LL TELL YOU IT FEELS
GREAT TO GET TO BUILD THE
ROCKET, AND IT FEELS EVEN BETTER
TO SEE IT PERFORM AS IT DID.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING,
BUT I THINK IF YOU STUDY
HISTORY, YOU'LL SEE THAT THESE
THINGS DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
THE EMOTION THAT I HAVE THAT
HITS ME THE MOST IS IT'S THE
PEOPLE THAT DO THE WORK THAT
MAKE THE HARDWARE WHAT IT IS.
OF COURSE, THE HARDWARE DOES THE
JOB AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT
IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT GET US TO
THE LAUNCH PAD THAT HAVE HELPED
US BUILD THIS FOUNDATION, AND
THEY ALL TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN
IT, AND I DO, TOO.
>> AND JOEY, IN TERMS OF THE
FUNNIES THAT WE SAW, IN TERMS OF
THE IMAGERY FINDINGS, WE'RE
STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT.
WE STILL HAD SOME DEBRIS
LIBERATION FAIRLY EARLY IN
ASCENT, AND THE TEAM IS STILL
LOOKING AT THAT.
IN TERMS OF WHAT IT WAS, AGAIN,
IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY.
THE FUNNIES THAT WE SAW ON THE
STAR TREKKERS, THERE WAS A
COMPETENT READY FLAG THAT WAS
SET, AND THE TEAM HAD TO RESOLVE
AND BASICALLY ACTIVATE THE STAR
TRACKERS IN SPITE OF THAT READY
FLAG.
>> -- WE KNEW THAT THAT WAS
SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN
FAIRLY EARLY ON.
AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME,
RELATIVELY BENIGN.
WE PUSHED ON WITH THE TRANSLUNAR
INJECTION, AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE
NOT TERRIBLY CONCERNED WITH ANY
OF THOSE.
HOWARD, IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS
ON THAT.
>> NO.
I THINK WE'LL KEEPING LOOKING AT
THE DATA AND ANALYZING THE DATA
AND LOOK AT WHAT THAT TELLS US.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE'RE
GOING TO EXPECT THOSE THINGS TO
GO WRONG, AND THEN, WE'RE GOING
TO TRY TO WORK THEM.
THIS IS THE PART.
SPACE IS HARD.
SPACE IS HARD WHEN YOU TRY TO DO
WHAT WE'RE DOING.
>> THANK YOU.
TOM COSTELLO WITH NBC.
TOM, IF YOU COULD JUST --
>> THANK YOU.
WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF
YOU.
MR. NELSON, I'M WONDERING, IT
HAS BEEN 50 YEARS NEXT MONTH
SINCE WE SAW HUMANS ON THE MOON,
AND NOW, THE FIRST STEP OF
RETURNING TO THE MOON, SO I'M
WONDERING, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
EMOTIONS AND THE SPACE PROGRAM
OVER THE YEARS, BUT NOW, CLOSE
TO FIVE DECADES LATER, THE FIRST
STEPS OF GOING BACK.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD TALK ABOUT
THAT.
YOU TALKED ABOUT NEEDING TO
STRESS IT AND TEST IT TO A
GREATER EXTREME SO YOU KNOW WHAT
THE ASTRONAUTS WILL BE IN FOR.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, TO STRESS
IT AND TEST IT TO THIS EXTENT
NOW?
HOW WILL YOU BE DOING THAT?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> WELL, IT HAS A LOT MORE
SENSORS THAN WILL BE ON THE
ROCKETS IN THE FUTURE, AND
THAT'S TO KNOW HOW THE VEHICLE
AND VEHICLES PERFORM.
WHY ARE WE GOING BACK OUT?
TO EXPLORE THE HEAVENS, AND THIS
IS OUR NEXT STEP.
WE WENT OUT, WE WERE THERE FOR A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN,
WE CAME BACK.
THEN, WE HAD SKYLAB, AND WE
STARTED TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE
LONGER IN ZERO-G.
THEN, WE HAD THE SPACE SHUTTLE,
AND WE BUILT THE SPACE STATION.
AND NOW, WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE
MOON NOT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF
GOING TO THE MOON BUT TO LEARN,
TO LIVE, TO DID HE VL OP, TO
LEARN HOW TO LEARN -- DEVELOP TO
LEARN HOW TO LEARN TO LIVE ON
THE MOON AND THEN MARS.
THE MOON IS JUST DAYS AWAY.
MARS IS MONTHS AND MONTHS AWAY,
AND WE ARE UNDERSTANDING NOW
FROM THE JAMES WEBB SPACE
TELESCOPE JUST HOW BIG AND VAST
THIS UNIVERSE IS.
THERE'S A LOT OUT THERE TO
EXPLORE.
THIS IS THE NEXT BEGINNING, AND
THIS IS THE ARTEMIS GENERATION.
>> THANK YOU.
UP HERE?
>> HI.
[indiscernible] ALL OF THIS WAS
AWESOME AND INSPIRING, SO THANKS
TO ALL OF YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO
BE HERE.
I WONDER IF YOU'VE SPOKEN TO
PRESIDENT BIDEN AT ALL, AND
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, HAVE YOU
SPOKEN TO ANY OF THEM WHO WILL
WORK IN THE ARTEMIS GATEWAY
PROJECT?
>> WELL, AS YOU KNOW, THE
PRESIDENT IS IN BALI, INDONESIA,
AND I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED,
SINCE IT'S DAYTIME THERE AND
IT'S NIGHT TIME HERE, I WOULD
NOT BE SURPRISED IF HIS
ASSISTANTS TOOK A T.V. TO HIM
AND SHOWED HIM THE LAUNCH, AND
THAT WOULD MAKE HIM VERY, VERY
PROUD, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
SPEAKING TO HIM SOMETIME AFTER
HE GETS BACK AND GETS OVER HIS
JET LAG.
NOW WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND
QUESTION?
>> HAVE YOU HEARD FROM MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS AND OTHER
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S
NOTEWORTHY IN A COUNTRY WHERE
OUR POLITICS ARE SO SPLIT, WHERE
DO YOU HAVE BOTH Rs AND Ds COME
TOGETHER TO SUPPORT, AND OUR
SPACE PROGRAM IS SUCH A PLACE OF
RECONCILIATION AND CAMARADERIE
AND BIPARTISANSHIP, AND SO I
THINK THE SUCCESS OF THIS ROCKET
AND THE FUTURE POTENTIAL SUCCESS
OF THE MISSION IS ONLY GOING TO
ENERGIZE THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE
HAD.
DART HITTING A BULL'S EYE 7
MILLION MILES AWAY.
LOOK AT ALL THE SCIENCE THAT HAS
COME OUT, AND NOW, JAMES WEBB
SPACE TELESCOPE, AND NOW, GOING
BACK TO THE MOON IN ORDER TO GO
TO MARS.
THAT, I THINK, IS GOING TO
ENGENDER A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT
ON CAPITOL HILL.
>> NEXT QUESTION, IN THE SECOND
ROW.
>> [indiscernible] I'M CURIOUS
HOW YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS CHANGED
FROM WHEN YOU WERE WRITING THE
BILL TO WHEN YOU WERE
IMPLEMENTING IT, AND I'M CURIOUS
IF YOUR VIEW HAS CHANGED NOW
THAT YOU'VE BEEN ON THE
IMPLEMENTING SIDE?
THANK YOU.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE
DONE WHEN I GET BACK TO THE
BUILDING IS I SENT A TEXT TO
SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHINSON,
WHO WAS MY PARTNER IN CRAFTING
THE LEGISLATION BACK 12 YEARS
AGO.
AS SOON AS I CAN GET THEIR
ADDRESS, I WILL ALSO BE TEXTING
ROB NEIGHBORS, WHO WAS AN
ASSISTANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA, AND TO JACK
LOU, WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE
O.M.B. AT THE TIME.
HE BECAME LATER THE CHIEF OF
STAFF.
THE CONGRATULATIONS GOES TO
EVERYBODY.
THIS TEAM, THIS PROFESSIONALISM,
THAT PERFORMANCE TODAY, TONIGHT,
THAT YOU SAW, SO MY PERSPECTIVE
HAS CHANGED BECAUSE I GET TO SEE
IT FROM THIS POINT OF VIEW.
REMEMBER, BACK IN THOSE EARLY
LEGISLATIVE YEARS I GOT TO SEE
IT FROM AN INSIDE VIEW WHEN I
PARTICIPATED IN THE 24 FLIGHT OF
THE SPACE SHUTTLE.
AND SO THIS IS REALLY A
GRATIFYING TIME, AND IT'S ONLY
GOING TO GET BETTER.
IN TWO YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO BE
SENDING HUMANS TO THE MOON.
IN THREE YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO
BE LANDING ON THE MOON, AND
THEN, IT'S GOING TO BE A SERIES
OF THINGS, INCLUDING, SOMEONE
MENTIONED EARLIER, GATEWAY, A
LUNAR OUTPOST, A MINI SPACE
STATION, SO ARTEMIS IV IS
ACTUALLY GOING TO GO UP, INSTALL
GATEWAY IN THIS LUNAR ELLIPTICAL
POLAR ORBIT, AND THEN, THE
LANDER'S GOING TO COME AND
ATTACH TO GATEWAY AND TO
TRANSFER THE ASTRONAUTS WILL BE
THROUGH GATEWAY, THE MINI SPACE
STATION.
SO ONE THING WILL BUILD ON
ANOTHER AS WE PREPARE TO GO TO
MARS LATE IN THE DECADE OF THE
2030s.
>> THANK YOU.
IN THE SECOND ROW HERE?
>> HI.
CHRISTOPHER MICK HUDSON,
[indiscernible] OBSERVER.
I WAS JUST WONDERING SOME OF THE
FOOTAGE COMING DOWN FROM THE
ICPS AND THE ORION, THERE
APPEARED TO BE SOME SLIGHT
YAWING OF THE CAMERA.
I'M NOT USED TO THAT, SO I'M
JUST WONDERING IF IT'S SOMETHING
UNIQUE TO THE ORION OR IF IT WAS
UNEXPECTED?
>> THOSE ARE FROM THE WINGTIP
CAMERAS ON THE SOLAR ARRAYS OF
ORION, AND THEY WERE BASICALLY
WHEN WE HAD AN IGNITION EVENT ON
THE RL-10 ENGINE, WHICH IS THE
UPPER ENGINE.
WE SAW THAT WITH THE IGNITION
AND START-UP OF THE TRANSLUNAR
INJECTION MOVEMENT.
WE KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN.
THERE WAS A REASON WE POSITIONED
THOSE SOLAR ARRAYS IN THAT
UNIQUE POSITION.
HOWARD PROBABLY KNOWS HOW LONG
THE SOLAR ARRAYS ARE.
I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF
MY HEAD, BUT THERE WAS A REASON
WE PUT THOSE IN THOSE POSITIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE
ANYTHING TO ADD, HOWARD.
>> NO, THAT WAS A GOOD ANSWER,
MIKE.
>> [indiscernible] WITH SPACE
NEWS IN THE BACK.
>> JEFF HOUSE, SPACE NEWS.
QUESTION FOR MIKE BULGER.
I THINK WE WERE ALL HOLDING OUR
BREATH WHEN WE LEARNED WITH THE
HYDROGEN LEAK.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD TELL US
WHAT THE RED TEAM DID WHEN THEY
WENT OUT TO THE PAD TO FIX THE
PROBLEM.
>> DEFINITELY I WILL.
AS I HAVE A CHANCE TO ANSWER THE
QUESTION, I LOOK OUT INTO THE
CROWD AND SEE ALL THE MEDIA WITH
ARTEMIS SHIRTS, SO I'M REALLY
HAPPY TO SEE THAT.
WE HAD A LEAK IN A REPLENISH
VALVE, SO THAT CAUSED US TO GO
INTO A STOP FLOW ON THE CORE
STAGE AND UPPER STAGE WHILE WE
RESOLVED THE LEAK THAT WE WERE
SEEING IN THE BASE.
WE SENT A RED TEAM OUT, AND
BASICALLY, WHAT THE RED TEAM WAS
DOING, WE HAD A COUPLE OF FOLKS
IN THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE THE
VIDEO, BUT IT WAS KIND OF A
TIGHT FIT WITH THE TORQUE
WRENCH, AND THEY WERE TIGHTENING
DOWN SOME PACKING NUTS, AND THEY
WERE TIGHTENING DOWN EITHER SIDE
OF THEM.
WE CYCLED THE VALVE, THEY WERE
STILL TURNING THEM A LITTLE BIT,
WE CYCLED THEM AGAIN, AND THEY
TIGHTENED THEM MORE, AND WE
RECYCLED THEM, AND WE FELT
CONFIDENT THAT THEY WERE TIGHT
AND HAD A GOOD VALVE.
WE GOT THE RED TEAM BACK FROM
THE PAD AND GOT BACK INTO FAST
FILL AND IN FACT, WE RESOLVED
THE PROBLEM AND HAD NO LONGER
PROBLEMS IN THE BAY.
WE SENT THE TEAM OUT AND THEY
DID A TERRIFIC JOB, AND THEY GOT
THAT ISSUE RESOLVED.
A LOW MOMENT WHEN WE FIRST SAW
THE LEAK.
WE STUMBLED THROUGH SOME OF THE
OTHER LEAKS THAT WE HAD IN THE
PAST, BUT REALLY A HIGH MOMENT
WHEN WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE'D
SOLVED THE PROBLEM.
>> THANKS, MIKE.
JUST WANT TO REMIND THE FOLKS ON
THE PHONE THAT IF YOU HAVE A
QUESTION, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE
THOSE OVER THE LINE, AS WELL.
YOU PRESS STAR, ONE TO GET INTO
THE QUEUE.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE A QUESTION HERE
IN THE FRONT.
>> [indiscernible] JAPANESE
NEWSPAPER.
IN JULY, YOU EXPRESSED YOUR
CONCERN ABOUT CHINA'S NEW
EXPRESSION IN GERMAN NEWSPAPER.
NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
CHINA SPACE EXPLORATION AND DO
YOU THINK IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE
FOR YOU TO COMPETE WITH CHINA
REGARDING THEIR NEW EXPRESSION?
>> THE QUESTION IS DO I THINK IT
WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR CHINA AND
THE U.S. TO COOPERATE?
I HOPE SO, BUT I SEE NO EVIDENCE
OF THAT.
TO THE CONTRARY, WHAT WE HAVE
SEEN IS A LACK OF VISIBILITY, A
SECRETIVENESS, A LACK OF
TRANSPARENCY OF THEM PUTTING UP
THEIR STAGE FOR THEIR SPACE
STATION, NOT HAVING THE STAGE ON
REENTRY, AND THEN NOT SHARING
TRAJECTORY INFORMATION.
NOW FORTUNATELY, IT FELL INTO
THE OCEAN.
THE SECOND THING IS THERE WAS A
CHANCE THAT WE COULD SEE BEFORE
IT FELL IN THE INDIAN OCEAN THAT
IT MIGHT COME DOWN IN GREECE AND
IT MIGHT COME DOWN IN THE TRACK
IN SAUDI ARABIA.
FORTUNATELY, IT CAME DOWN IN THE
INDIAN OCEAN, SO I WISH I COULD
GIVE A BETTER ANSWER.
I PERSONALLY TALKED TO THE
CHINESE AMBASSADOR, WHO I
HAPPENED TO RUN INTO AT A SUNDAY
BRUNCH.
HE SAID WELL, WE CAN COOPERATE,
AND I SAID WELL, LET ME GIVE YOU
AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT YOU
COULD DO.
I SAID 50 YEARS AGO, WE RETURNED
SAMPLES FROM THE MOON.
WE SHARED THAT WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE JUST RECENTLY RETURNED
A SAMPLE FROM THE MOON.
YOU OUGHT TO SHARE THAT WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, AND
THAT WAS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO
WHEN WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION,
AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.
>> NEXT QUESTION?
HERE IN THE SECOND ROW.
>> SOPHIE SANCHEZ WITH COSMIC
CHICAGO.
FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO
ALL OF YOU.
MY QUESTION IS FOR MIKE BULGER.
A FOLLOW UP ON A QUESTION THAT I
ASKED CHARLIE BACK IN AUGUST
ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE RED CREW
AND EXISTING LAUNCHES.
SHE SAID THEN THAT THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHUTTLE AND
NOW WAS THE USE OF HIGH TECH
CAMERAS AND JUST MORE TECHNOLOGY
IN GENERAL SO THE CREW CAN
EVALUATE AND REPORT REMOTELY,
BUT THEN, SHE ALSO SAID THAT UP
UNTIL NOW THAT HAS BEEN
ADEQUATE, AND YOU GUYS -- BUT
YOU STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO
SUMMON THE CREW TO THE PAD IF
YOU HAVE TO.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE MOMENT
IN THE COUNT DOWN THAT YOU
REALIZED THAT TECH ALONE WASN'T
ADEQUATE ENOUGH AND YOU NEEDED
TO SEND THE CREW.
HOW WAS THAT DECISION MADE?
>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING
QUESTION, SO LET ME THINK.
WE TALKED ABOUT OPTIONS WHERE WE
WOULDN'T HAVE TO SEND A RED TEAM
OUT THERE, AND THINK ABOUT,
COULD YOU SHUT THE REPLENISH
VALVE OFF AND USE THE MAIN VALVE
IN A VERY DELICATE WAY TO TRY TO
PERFORM THAT SAME FUNCTION IN
THE REPLENISH, AND THE CRYO
TEAM, WHICH IS AN AMAZING TEAM
WHO DETERMINED THE PROCEDURE.
NONE OF US REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT
THAT PROCESS, ONLY THAT YOU
WOULD BE TRYING TO MANAGE THE
FLOW WITH A DIFFERENT VALVE.
REALLY, AS THE TEAM TALKED ABOUT
IT, I THINK THE PREVAILING
OPINION WAS IT'S PROBABLY THESE
PACKING NUTS AND LET'S GO OUT
THERE AND SEE IF TURNING A
WRENCH WILL RESOLVE THIS ISSUE,
AND ONCE WE GOT OUT THERE, WE
FELT PRETTY GOOD THAT THAT WAS
GOING TO RESOLVE IT.
>> I THINK THIS IS TO MIKE.
I'M CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY
UPDATES ON THE CUBESATS.
WERE THEY ALL DEPLOYED, ARE THEY
ALL FUNCTIONING?
>> YEAH, MARSHA, THANK YOU FOR
THE QUESTION.
IN TERMS OF THE CUBESAT DEPLOYS,
THE EARLIEST DEPLOYS ARE NOT
QUITE FOUR HOURS INTO THE
MISSION, AND I'M NOT SURE
EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE TIMELINE
WISE.
WE'RE PROBABLY -- IT'S PARTLY
BECAUSE OF THE SLEEP SHIFT IN
THE EARLY MORNING LAUNCH, BUT
THE FIRST GROUP OF FIVE OUGHT TO
BE READY TO BE DEPLOYED ANY
TIME.
THEY NEED TO GET SEPARATED FROM
THE ORION SPACECRAFT IN ORDER TO
EXPOSE THE DEPLOYMENT AREA WE
WILL GET AN UPDATE AS WE GET
FURTHER INTO THE MISSION OF
THOSE.
>> AND AS I HAVE FOLKS TALKING
INTO MY EAR, I CAN TELL YOU THAT
THEY HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED AT THIS
TIME.
NEXT QUESTION, SECOND ROW HERE,
IN THE BLUE SHIRT -- OR THIRD,
SORRY.
>> HI.
STEPHEN CLARK FROM SPACE FLIGHT
NOW.
I THINK MY QUESTION IS FOR MIKE
SERAPHIM, BUT HOWARD, YOU CAN
CHIME IN IF YOU WANT.
IF YOU CAN CLARIFY THE AMOUNT OF
RISK THAT IS WITH THE SUCCESSFUL
SPACE FLIGHT SYSTEM.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE OUTBOUND
TEST OF THE MOON, WHAT ARE SOME
OF THE THINGS BEING DEVELOPED
FOR THE PROGRAM?
>> THE INSERTION ALTITUDE WAS --
WE WERE AIMING FOR A 975 BY
16 NAUTICAL INSERTION, AND WE
GOT 972 BY 16.
IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH RISK, ALL
THE SEPARATION EVENTS THROUGH
BOOSTER SEPARATION, SERVICE
MODULE, THE JETTISON ABORT
LAUNCH SYSTEM, SHUTTING DOWN THE
RS-25 ENGINES PROPERLY, THE
SCORE STAGE, AND THEN THE
INTERIM STAGE FOLLOWED BY
TRANSLUNAR INJECTION MANEUVER,
WHILE YOU'VE GOT THE DEPLOYMENT
OF THE ORION SOLAR ARRAYS, AND
POSITIONING THOSE IN TIME, THAT
ALL OF THESE CHOREOGRAPHED
EVENTS, IT HAPPENS LIKE THAT IN
THE SYSTEM, AND GETTING ALL OF
THOSE SOLAR ARRAYS DEPLOYED
BEFORE THE BATTERIES EXPIRED,
AND THEN DISPOSAL OF THE STAGE
RESPONSIBLY, DISPOSING OF THE
INTERIM STAGES REFERENCED TO
EARLIER.
WE ARE HEADING OUTBOUND TO THE
VAN ALLEN RADIATION BELTS.
WE ARE FLYING OUTBOUND PAST THE
EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD INTO THE
DEEP SPACE ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT
GETS EXTREMELY COLD, AND WE'VE
DEMONSTRATED ALL OF THAT.
NOW WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IN-SPACE
PROPULSIVE MANEUVERS AHEAD OF
US.
WE'LL DEMONSTRATE SPACE COMMAND
AND CONTROL OF THE DEEP SPACE
NETWORK, AND THEN WE'VE GOT A
SET UP FOR THE SECOND PART OF
OUR PRIORITY TRAJECTORY ON THE
WAY HOME, WHICH IS A NEW HEAT
SHIELD DESIGN AND THEN RECOVER
IT.
AS I SET AT THE OUTSET.
WE ARE ON DAY ONE OF A 26-DAY
MISSION, AND I DON'T KNOW,
HOWARD, IF YOU WANT TO ADD
ANYTHING MORE TO THAT.
>> YEAH, I'LL ADD A FEW MORE
THINGS.
MIKE, THAT WAS A GREAT RECAP.
WE'LL BE TESTING OUR MAIN
ENGINES AND OUR SET OF AUXILIARY
ENGINES, AS WELL.
THE THERMAL ENVIRONMENT THAT
WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN DEEP SPACE
IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A
CHALLENGE AND WE'RE GOING TO
CORRELATE OUR MODELS AND GET ALL
THE DATA THAT WE NEED FROM OUR
SENSORS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, SHOWING
THAT THOSE REENTRY SPEEDS AND
SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN SO WE
HAVE NICE TOUCHDOWN, 20 MILES
PER HOUR, WILL BE A GREAT DAY,
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL BE
REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE LEARN AND
GO FORWARD.
>> LAUREN GRUSH WITH BLOOMBERG
ON THE BACK IN THE LEFT.
>> HI.
LAUREN GRUSH FROM BLOOMBERG.
I JUST WONDER IF YOU GOT ANY
INFORMATION ON THE ETHERNET
SWITCH AND IF THAT CAUSED ANY
PROBLEM DURING THE COUNT DOWN?
>> YEAH, LAUREN, I'LL TELL YOU
WHAT I KNOW ON THE SWITCH.
IT WAS REQUIRED TO TAKE THE --
SOME OF THE REMOTE RANGE SAFETY
SYSTEMS AND PROCESS THAT AT
THEIR CONTROL CENTER, AND THEY
HAD A COMPUTER PROBLEM AT THE
RANGE.
I THINK I WOULD DIRECT THAT
QUESTION MORE TOWARDS THE SPACE
FORCE AND THE RANGE BECAUSE
THAT'S NOT A NASA SYSTEM.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYMORE
ON THAT, MIKE.
>> I THINK YOU'VE GOT IT.
IT WAS BASICALLY AN ETHERNET
SWITCH THAT ALLOWED THEM TO TIE
IN DATA FROM REMOTE SITES INTO
THEIR CENTRAL HUB.
THEY RECOVERED FROM IT WELL AND
ALLOWED US TO HAVE A LAUNCH
TODAY.
WHILE IT WAS UNFORTUNATE AND
UNTIMELY, IT ALLOWED US TO GET
TO A LAUNCH, SO KUDOS TO US.
>> I THINK THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE
OF THE NASA AND FIRING ROOM.
THEY SAID WE HAVE AN ISSUE HERE
AND WE NEED TO RECOVER THIS
BEFORE WE CAN SAFELY AND
RESPONSIBY LAUNCH, AND THEY
ACTED IN VERY CLOSE COORDINATION
AND GAVE AN ESTIMATE AS TO WHEN
THEY COULD RECOVER, AND THEY
WERE VERY CLOSE TO IT, AND THEY
WORKED THROUGH IT VERY
METHODICALLY, AND THEY TOLD US
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WHERE THEY
WERE IN TERMS OF RECOVERY, AND
THAT ALLOWED US TO OPEN OUR
WINDOW VERY CLOSE TO THE
INTENDED TIME.
WE WENT WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR
REALLY WAS A BY-PRODUCT OF
NEEDING SOME OF THE RECEIPT CREW
OUT TO THE PAD, AND WE HAD TO
HALT SOME OF THE LOADING
OPERATIONS AND SAFETY OF THOSE
PEOPLE.
THEY WERE GOING INTO A HAZARDOUS
ENVIRONMENT, BUT IN THE INTEREST
OF CONTROLLING THAT ENVIRONMENT
AS MUCH AS YOU COULD, WE HAD TO
HALT THE INTENT, WHICH SLOWED
THE LAUNCH IN GETTING THE UPPER
STAGE FULLY CONFIGURED.
SO SEEING THAT CHOREOGRAPHY
BETWEEN THE SPACE FORCE AND THE
NASA FIRING ONE I THINK WAS
EXTREMELY WELL HANDLED AND OUR
HATS OFF TO THE SPACE FORCE IN
GETTING THAT HANDLED.
>> NEXT QUESTION, HERE IN FRONT.
>> [indiscernible].
I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR EMILY.
ONE THING ABOUT THE ENGINEERS IS
THE AMOUNT OF WOMEN BEHIND THE
SCENES IN THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM.
CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THE
EMOTIONS YOU FELT AND HOW IT
FEELS TO BE PART OF THIS ARTEMIS
PROGRAM?
>> CERTAINLY.
I MEAN, I THINK MY EMOTIONS ARE
MATCHED PRETTY MUCH BY NOT ONLY
EVERYBODY AT THIS TABLE BUT
EVERYBODY WHETHER THEY WERE
WORKING IT OR NOT.
THERE'S AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF
PRIDE.
THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF AWE, AND
THAT PRIDE IS NOT ONLY IN THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT WE KNOW AND OUR
FRIENDS WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD
OVER THE NUMBER OF YEARS WHO
HAVE GOTTEN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS GREAT MISSION
BUT ALSO JUST IN THE FACT THAT
WE TOGETHER HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS
PLACE WHERE WE'RE GOING BACK.
I WASN'T HERE YET THE LAST TIME
WE WENT, AND SO IT'S REALLY
EXCITING FOR MY GENERATION AND
FOR THE ARTEMIS GENERATION TO GO
TO THE MOON AND BEYOND.
IF YOU WATCH THE PHOTOS AND THE
IMAGERY FROM THE LAST TIME WE
WERE THERE, THE DIVERSITY OF THE
WORKFORCE OF PEOPLE WHO HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE WAS
NOT WHAT IT IS TODAY, AND I
THINK THAT'S A POINT OF PRIDE,
BUT I THINK IT'S IN A WAY
SURPRISING BECAUSE WE'VE ALL
GROWN IN THAT DIRECTION.
WHEN I WAS INTERVIEWING TO
BECOME A FLIGHT DIRECTOR, I MADE
A BIT OF A FAUX PAS BECAUSE I
SAID I CAN'T WAIT TO BE A FLIGHT
DIRECTOR WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE
MOON, AND IT WAS A BIT OF A
FAUX PAS BECAUSE FLIGHT
DIRECTORS DON'T STICK AROUND
THIS LONG.
>> IF IT'S YOUR FIRST LAUNCH IN
A NEW POSITION IN THE FIRING
ROOM, AFTER THE LAUNCH, CHARLIE
CUTS YOUR TIE.
I DON'T HAVE A TIE TODAY BECAUSE
IT WAS CUT, BUT IT WAS PRETTY
AMAZING TO HAVE OUR SUPPORT TEAM
BE A FEMALE.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE A QUESTION
FROM THE PHONE, DAVID WITH
DISCOVERY.
>> MIKE SERAPIN, CAN YOU TALK
ABOUT DAY 26.
THAT'S YOUR PRIMARY GOAL ON THIS
MISSION, AND THE HEAT SHIELD,
AND WHAT WILL YOU BE THINKING
ABOUT THE NEXT 25 DAYS?
>> YEAH, DAVID, THANK YOU FOR
THE QUESTION.
AS I SAID, WE BROUGHT DOWN HALF
OF OUR PRIORITY ONE ALREADY
THROUGH THE ROCKET, SETTING UP
THOSE INITIAL CONDITIONS.
WE DO HAVE A LONG FOUR-WEEK
MISSION AHEAD OF US, AND WE'RE
JUST GOING TO WORK IT DAY BY
DAY, AND WE NEED TO WORK IT WITH
VIGILANCE, AND WE ARE GOING TO
DO SOME EXTRAORDINARILY HARD
STUFF.
WE'RE GOING TO FLY WITHIN 62
MILES OF THE SURFACE OF THE MOON
AND USE THE LUNAR GRAVITY ASSIST
TO MOVE US INTO WHAT'S CALLED A
LUNAR RETROGRADE ORBIT AND THEN
SHAKE DOWN THE SPACECRAFT WHEN
IT'S OUT THERE, AND THEN ANOTHER
FLIGHT 62 MILES FROM THE SURFACE
OF THE MOON, AND WE NEED TO DO
IT WITH ENOUGH PRECISION THAT WE
HIT FROM 250,000 MILES AWAY.
WE NEED TO DO IT WITH ENOUGH
PRECISION THAT WE DON'T SKIP
BACK OUT INTO DEEP SPACE OR THAT
WE DON'T COME IN TOO STEEP AND
DESTRESS THE VEHICLE.
THERE'S A LOT AHEAD OF US AND
WE'VE GOT A LOT TO DO ALONG THE
WAY.
WE'RE GOING TO SHARE IMAGERY
LIKE WE DID EARLIER OF THE FIRST
SHOTS OF THE EARTH FROM THE
SPACECRAFT.
WE'RE GOING TO SHARE IMAGERY
FROM INSIDE THE COCKPIT, WE'RE
GOING TO SHARE IMAGERY CLOSE UP
FROM THE MOON, BUT THERE'S A LOT
OF STUFF THAT WE'VE GOT TO
DEMONSTRATE.
WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AT
MACH
32 OR 24,500 MILES PER HOUR AND
THEN SLOW DOWN THAT DEPLOYMENT
AND SPLASHDOWN IN THE PACIFIC.
WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, IT
WILL SIGNAL THE ARRIVAL OF OUR
DEEP SPACECRAFT AND HOW MANY
TRANSPORTATION, AND IT WILL SHOW
THAT WE'VE GOT A CAPABILITY IN
PLACE IN COMBINATION WITH THE
ROCKET THAT WE'VE ALREADY
DEMONSTRATED THAT PUTS US ON A
PATH TO ACCOMPLISH THE REST OF
THE ARTEMIS MANIFEST IN FRONT OF
US, SO AGAIN, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE
IT DAY BY DAY.
WE'RE GOING TO LEARN STUFF AS WE
GO.
WE'VE GOT THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF MEASUREMENTS AND
DATA AND THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING
TO DO ALONG THE WAY, AND IF
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN
WE THOUGHT THEY WERE, WE'VE GOT
TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT BEFORE WE
PUT HUMANS ON THE MOON.
IF WE'RE LUCKY AND FLY RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE, IT'LL BE A
GREAT DAY, AND IF WE LEARN FROM
IT, THAT GOES BACK TO WHY WE'RE
HAVING AN UNCREWED TEST FLIGHT
AND WHY WE PURPOSEFULLY SET UP
AN UNCREWED MISSION BEFORE WE
FLY ASTRONAUTS ON THE NEXT
MISSION.
>> THANKS, MIKE.
WE'RE RUNNING UP ON OUR HOUR,
BUT WE DO HAVE TIME FOR A COUPLE
MORE QUESTIONS IN THE ROOM.
YEP, IN FRONT.
>> JOHN [indiscernible] COUPLE
OF THINGS.
HOW MUCH DO YOU LOSE BY NOT
FLYING THE 40 DAYS, PLUS YOU'RE
DOWN TO 25 DAYS.
YOU HAVE THE MANNEQUINS ON BOARD
AND YOU'RE GATHERING ALL THIS
DATA, FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO
ANSWER THAT.
AND THE NEXT THING IS OVER THE
COURSE OF THE MONTH, WE'VE
TALKED TO SO MANY FOLKS ON YOUR
TEAM WHO HAVE BEEN WITH YOU
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE
PROGRAM, OVER TEN YEARS.
AS YOU SAID, MR. ADMINISTRATOR,
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING?
>> I'LL ANSWER YOUR SECOND
QUESTION.
I'M A LONG TIMER MYSELF, AND
I'VE BEEN WITH THE ORION PROGRAM
SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING.
I WOULD SAY TO MY COLLEAGUES AND
PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE ME,
WE'VE WORKED HARD AND PERSEVERED
THROUGH A LOT OF CHALLENGES IN
TERMS OF CHANGES IN
ADMINISTRATION AND STUFF, BUT
JOHN SAID IT VERY WELL.
THE HARDWARE IS THE PEOPLE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IN
EUROPE, AS WELL, WORKING WITH
US, SPENDING LONG HOURS, TRYING
TO MAKE THIS ENDEAVOR HAPPEN,
AND I THINK IT'S A VERY PROUD
MOMENT, AND I LOOK AT WHAT WE
DID TODAY, AND I REFLECT BACK ON
ALL THE LATE NIGHTS AND I LOOK
BACK ON ALL THE PEOPLE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY AND EUROPE TRYING TO
MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND WE SHOULD
ALL BE PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE
ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR, BUT WE'VE
GOT A WAYS TO GO.
EACH DAY IS GOING TO BE
IMPORTANT IN THIS MISSION AND
WE'VE GOT TO LEARN A LOT AS WE
GO FORWARD, SO THAT'S HOW I
WOULD RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION.
>> YEAH, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH
HOWARD.
PERSEVERANCE IS THE WORD OF THE
DAY.
THE FOLKS IN THIS HAVE HAD TO
PERSEVERE OVER THE YEARS AND
MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS OF
PREPARATION AND TESTING AND
WORKING ON THE GROUP, LEARNING
WHAT THE SYSTEMS ARE CAPABLE OF
ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF WHERE WE
GOT TO TODAY.
BUT IN TERMS OF WHETHER WE LOSE
OBJECTIVES THROUGH A 26-DAY
MISSION INSTEAD OF A
40-TO-42-DAY MISSION, IT IS IN
THE MARGINS OF EXTRA DATA TAKES.
WE WOULD STILL ACCOMPLISH ALL OF
THE OBJECTIVES.
WHEN WE BASELINED THE ARTEMIS I
MISSION, IT WAS ORIGINALLY JUST
A 26-DAY MISSION.
WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE
MISSION AVAILABILITY, WE
REALIZED THAT WE COULDN'T LAUNCH
AS MUCH AS WE WOULD WANT.
SO WE CAME UP WITH A LONG STAY
AND A SHORT STAY MISSION, AND
THAT DOUBLED OUR AVAILABILITY SO
WE COULD LAUNCH TWO WEEKS PER
MONTH OR ROUGHLY HALF THE MONTH.
THAT WAS SEEN AS A WIN IN TERMS
OF MISSION AVAILABILITY AND ALSO
IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, BUYING
DOWN RISK.
BUT WE'RE FLYING A 26-DAY
MISSION, AND THAT IS ORIGINALLY
WHAT WE HAD INTENDED.
IT JUST GIVES US FUTURE
DAY-TO-DAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR A
WHOLE HOST OF THINGS, BUT WE ARE
CONFIDENT IN THE TIME FRAME THAT
WE'RE FLYING WE CAN GET ENOUGH
ENGINEERING DATA TO SAY THAT WE
CAN FLY A CREW WITH CONFIDENCE
ON THE NEXT MISSION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE
MORE QUESTION.
NOT HEARING ANY IN THE ROOM SO
ONE ON THE PHONE.
JIM McKENNA WITH AEROSPACE TECH
REVIEW.
SPACETEC --
>> WHEN DOES ORION ARRIVE AT
THOSE [indiscernible].
>> EMILY, YOU WANT TO START?
>> LET ME SEE IF I CAN REMEMBER
IT.
>> I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU
OUT.
IN TERMS OF THE NEXT BIG
MILESTONE, IT WOULD BE WHAT WE
CALL THE OUTBOUND TRAJECTORY
MANEUVER.
WE PURPOSEFULLY HAVE A 30-SECOND
FIRING OF THE SERVICE MODULE
ENGINE, AND THAT HAPPENS JUST
UNDER EIGHT HOURS INTO THE
MISSION, SO 7:47 INTO THE
MISSION.
AND THEN, I'M SORRY, JIM, I LOST
THE -- [indiscernible] I'VE GOT
IT HERE.
GIVE ME JUST A SECOND.
>> HOPEFULLY A WEEK, AND THEN,
WE SPEND ABOUT A WEEK IN THE
ORBIT, AND THEN WE SPEND ABOUT A
WEEK COMING HOME.
>> THERE'S A REASON I WRITE THIS
STUFF DOWN, JIM.
HANG ON JUST A SECOND.
WE ACTUALLY ISSUE MEMOS ON THIS,
STALLING FOR TIME, JUST TO KEEP
EVERYBODY SYNCHRONIZED.
I WILL FIND IT, JIM, HERE IN
JUST A SECOND.
ALL RIGHT.
SO OUTBOUND PART FLY BY IS ON
THE 21 AT 7:44 EASTERN TIME IN
THE MORNING, SO THAT IS THE
FIRST OF THE TWO-MANEUVER
SEQUENCE THAT DOES THAT LUNAR
FLY BY AND SLING SHOT AT 62
MILES ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE
MOON.
WE DO THAT BEHIND THE MOON, BY
THE WAY, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO
SEE IT UNTIL AFTER THE MANEUVER
IS COMPLETE.
WHEN WE GET ACQUISITION OF THE
SIGNAL FROM THE SPACECRAFT,
WE'LL KNOW THAT IT WAS
SUCCESSFUL.
I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR
QUESTION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS
MORNING, BUT THE ARTEMIS I
MISSION IS JUST BEGINNING.
IN JUST A FEW HOURS, WE'LL HAVE
LIVE T.V. COVERAGE AND
COMMENTARY OF ARTEMIS' FIRST
TRAJECTORY BURN, SO STAY TUNED,
AND GO ARTEMIS.
>> SERVE, SIX, FIVE, FOUR --
STAGE ENGINE START -- THREE,
TWO, ONE, AND LIFT OFF OF
ARTEMIS I MISSION.
WE LIFT OFF TOGETHER, BACK TO
THE MOON AND BEYOND.
>> ALL FOUR RS-25 BOOSTER
ENGINES NOW PROPELLING THE
VEHICLE AT 128 MILES PER HOUR.