>> IGNITION SEQUENCE.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME TO A VIEW OF THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
FLIGHT CONTROL ROOM.
THIS IS THE ORBIT 2 TEAM OF
FLIGHT CONTROLLERS.
MONITORING OPERATION OF THE
STATION SYSTEMS AND ASSISTING
THE EXPEDITION 62 CREW MEMBERS
AS THEY FINISH UP THEIR FRIDAY,
LOOKING AHEAD TO A WEEKEND OF
HOUSECLEANING, FAMILY
CONFERENCES, EXERCISE, AND TIME
OFF DUTY.
THE TEAM IS IN A DIFFERENT
CONTROL ROOM THAN USUAL.
THAT'S PART OF NASA'S PLAN TO
KEEP FACILITIES HERE DISINFECTED
TO PROTECT THE TEAM MEMBERS.
I'M IN A DIFFERENT SPOT TOO.
PART OF THE SAME PLAN.
BUT THE MISSION ON ORBIT
PROCEEDS A PACE.
HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK.
>> WELCOME.
AS WE WELCOME TO SLOW THE SPREAD
OF CORONAVIRUS HERE ON EARTH,
THREE HUMANS CONTINUE CRITICAL
WORK ON BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
THE PLATFORM WAS ROBOTICALLY
REMOVED FROM THE TRUNK OF THE
SPACEX DRAGON CARGO VEHICLE.
NAMED FOR THE YOUNGER BROTHER OF
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, THE
PLATFORM HAS THE CAPABILITY TO
HOST EXTERNAL PLAY LOAD,
OFFERING THE ONLY UNOBSTRUCTED
VIEW TOWARDS PLANET EARTH AND
INTO OUTER SPACE.
APPLICATION AREAS INCLUDE BUT
ARE NOT LIMITED TO EARTH
OBSERVATION, ROBOTICS, MATERIAL
SCIENCE AND ASTROPHYSICS.
THE EXPEDITION 63 CREW ARRIVED
AT THE LAUNCH SITE IN KAZAKHSTAN
THIS WEEK, COUNTING DOWN TO AN
APRIL 9th LIFTOFF TO THE
STATION.
NASA ASTRONAUT CHRIS SHARED HOW
HE AND THE SPACE CREW ARE
STAYING SAFE PRIOR TO LAUNCH.
>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH THE
PREPARATION HAS BEEN NO
DIFFERENT.
THE QUARANTINE FOR US AS CREW
MEMBERS AS BEEN SIMILAR TO WHAT
I'M USED TO AS QUARANTINE.
THE REAL WEIRD PART IS EVERYONE
ELSE BEING IN QUARANTINE ALSO
AND THE SOCIAL DISTANCING
CONCEPT IS NOT JUST PERTAINING
TO THE THREE CREW MEMBERS BUT
IT'S EVERYBODY.
THE OTHER PART THAT'S NOT SO
OPERATIONAL BUT MORE ON THE
SUPPORT SIDE IS TRYING TO
NAVIGATE THROUGH ALL THE
UNCERTAINTIES OF WHICH PEOPLE
WILL GET TO COME TO LAUNCH,
FRIENDS, FAMILY, NASA SUPPORT
PERSONNEL, ALL THIS KIND OF
STUFF HAS BEEN QUITE DYNAMIC AS
I'M SURE YOU HAVE BEEN
EXPERIENCING IN YOUR OWN LIFE
OVER THE LAST SEVEN DAYS.
>> ONE THING ASTRONAUTS HAVE TO
BE GOOD AT, LIVING IN CONFINED
SPACES FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
TWO VETERAN ASTRONAUTS RECENTLY
SHARED TIPS TO SUCCEED IN
SELF-ISOLATION AS WE PRACTICE
SOCIAL DISTANCING WORLDWIDE.
VETERAN NASA ASTRONAUT SCOTT
KELLY WHO COMPLETED A HISTORIC
340-DAY MISSION ABOARD THE SPACE
STATION IN 2016 SHARED A FEW
TIPS IN A RECENT OP-ED PUBLISHED
IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES."
KELLY RECOMMENDS YOU FOLLOW A
SCHEDULE, PACE YOURSELF, GO
OUTSIDE, AND CONSIDER GETTING A
HOBBY.
KELLY STATED, YOU WILL FIND
MAINTAINING A PLAN WILL HELP YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY ADJUST TO A
DIFFERENT WORK AND HOME LIFE
ENVIRONMENT.
VETERAN NASA ASTRONAUT PEGGY
WHITSON, WHO SPENT A TOTAL OF
665 DAYS IN SPACE, ALSO SHARED
HER OWN TIPS ON "CBS THIS
MORNING."
FOR THOSE WORKING AND PARENTING
FROM HOME, SHE NOTED IT'S
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE
BIGGER PURPOSE TO GIVE YOU
REASON AND RATIONALE FOR
CONTINUING TO PUT UP WITH THE
SITUATION.
SHE RECOMMENDS WORKING ON
COMMUNICATING WITH THE PEOPLE
YOU ARE LIVING WITH TO MAXIMIZE
YOUR TIME AT HOME.
KEEP SENDING IN YOUR QUESTIONS
USING THE HASHTAG ASK NASA.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THE EXPEDITION 62 CREW
MEMBERS ARE THREE WEEKS AWAY
FROM THEIR SCHEDULED RETURN TO
EARTH.
THAT'S GOING END TO 272
DAY-LONG-FLIGHT FOR DREW MORGAN.
HE'S A GUY WHO HAD TO KNOW A LOT
ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT
SUBJECTS TO GRADUATE FROM WEST
POINT AND THEN TO BECOME A
DOCTOR AND THEN TO BECOME AN
ASTRONAUT WHEN HE HAD TO KNOW
SOME OF IT IN RUSSIAN.
WE FOUND OUT HE CAN ALSO THINK
FAST ON HIS FEET WHEN HE HAD
FIRE WITH A RAPID FIRE Q AND A
HERE IN HOUSTON BEFORE HE
LAUNCHED TO SPACE LAST JULY.
>> WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?
>> BAND OF BROTHERS.
>> FAVORITE FOOD.
>> ANYTHING SPICY.
>> FAVORITE COLOR.
>> OLIVE.
>> MORNING OR NIGHT PERSON?
>> MORNING PERSON.
>> FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR.
>> MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP.
>> WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENT IF YOU
MOST PROUD OF?
>> MY KIDS.
>> WHO IS THE PERSON WHO MAKES
YOU LAUGH THE MOST?
>> MY WIFE.
>> WHAT'S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE
CAREER MOMENT.
>> GRADUATING AND BEING PROMOTED
TO MAJOR.
>> IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE
SUPERPOWER ONLY?
>> TIME TRAVEL.
>> FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING.
>> LOTS AND LOTS OF CHEESE.
>> FAVORITE ANIMAL.
>> ARMADILLO.
>> FAVORITE DANCE MOVE.
>> AIR GUITAR.
>> WHO INSPIRES YOU?
>> WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE
REND FOR?
>> BEING A GOOD HUSBAND AND
FATHER.
>> WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD THEME
SONG?
>> LIVE IT WELL BY SWITCHFOOT.
>> IF YOU COULD SPEND ONE DAY ON
MARS, WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR FUN?
>> TAKE PICTURES.
>> WHAT IS A LIFE GOAL YOU PLAN
TO ACHIEVE THIS YEAR?
>> COME HOME SAFELY FROM SPACE.
>> ONE PRIORITY OF INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION SCIENCE RESEARCH
IS TO LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
ABOUT HOW THE HUMAN BODY IS
AFFECTED BY LIVING IN SPACE.
SHORTLY BEFORE SHE CAME HOME
LAST YEAR, FLIGHT ENGINEER ANNE
McCLAIN AND HER CREWMATES
WRAPPED UP DATA GATHERING ON THE
AIRWAY MONITORING EXPERIMENT
WHICH EXAMINES AN ASTRONAUT'S
EXHALED BREATH FOR SIGNS OF
INFLAMMATION.
THEY'RE GATHERING DATATA WILL BE
ROLLED INTO THE DESIGN OF FUTURE
SPACESHIPS TO MAKE THEM SAFER
FOR THEIR HUMAN CREW MEMBERS.
>> THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION IS A NATIONAL ORBITING
LABORATORY.
EVERY SINGLE DAY WE ARE
ANSWERING BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT
EARTH, ABOUT SPACE, ABOUT WHERE
WE CAME FROM AND ABOUT WHERE
WE'RE GOING.
HUMAN RESEARCH, EXPERIMENTS ON
OUR HUMAN BODY.
HOW WE REACT IN MICROGRAVITY.
ONE I'VE BEEN A PART OF IS
AIRWAY MONITORING.
WHEN WE'RE BREATHING THE AIR,
THE SMALL PARTICLES IN THE AIR
DON'T JUST FALL TO THE GROUND
LIKE DUST ON THE GROUND SO WE
TEND TO INHALE MORE FINE
PARTICLES THAN WE WOULD ON EARTH
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR
RESPONSE, OUR BODY'S RESPONSE TO
THAT BY MEASURING NITRIC OXIDE
EXHALATION AS AN INDICATION FOR
AIRWAY INFLAMMATION.
HOW CLEAN DOES OUR AIR NEED TO
BE, HOW DOES OUR BODY REACT TO
THE AIR.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOING BACK TO
THE MOON, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
AWARE THE MOON DUST IS A VERY,
VERY FINE PARTICLE, ALMOST LIKE
POWDERED SUGAR FINE PARTICLE.
IF THAT'S IN THE AIR AND WE'RE
BREATHING THAT FOR MONTHS ON
END, IF WE'RE DOING EXTENDED
STAYS ON THE LUNAR SURFACE, WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF HOW
THAT AFFECTS THE HUMAN BODY.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THE SCIENTISTS WHO IMAGINE
AND CREATE EXPERIMENTS LIKE
AIRWAY MONITORING DEVOTE YEARS
TO GETTING THEIR EXPERIMENT JUST
RIGHT BEFORE THEY THEN HAND THEM
OVER TO SOMEBODY TO LAUNCH THEM
INTO SPACE, WHERE THE STATION
CREW MEMBERS HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO EXECUTE THE
PROTOCOLS.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE EXPERIMENT
RESULTS COME BACK TO EARTH?
IN THIS FINAL EPISODE OF THE NEW
NASA EXPLORER SERIES, TAKE A
LOOK AS THE SCIENTISTS CARRY
THEIR RESEARCH ACROSS THE FINISH
LINE.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THIS IS ANIL.
HE'S ALMOST EIGHT MONTHS OLD NOW
HE WAS PRESENT FOR A LOT OF THE
TESTING WE DID.
HE WAS ALSO PRESENT FOR THE
LAUNCH.
OVER THE COURSE OF OUR FIRST
PROJECT, WE MADE AN ENTIRE NEW
HUMAN WHILE THE TESTING THAT WE
DID.
THIS FLIGHT SUIT HE'S WEARING WE
GOT DOWN AT THE CAPE CANAVERAL
LAUNCH IN DECEMBER.
THAT'S HIS FAVORITE FACE HE
MAKES RIGHT NOW, WITHOUT ANY TOP
TEETH.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> WE'RE RUNNING EXPERIMENTS ON
EARTH AND ON STATION SO THEY HAD
GELS ON THEIR FACILITY AND WE
WERE GETTING DATA.
WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW THE GELS
FORMED STRUCTURE AND HOW THE
PROFILE WAS CHANGING GIVEN THE
DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS.
>> WE ALL MADE SURE WE WERE HERE
AND WE ALL HAD THE PLATES ALL
TOGETHER AND WE HAD THE SAME
TEXTBOOKS WE HAD AT THE KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER.
>> IT'S ALREADY EXCITING.
OH, MY GOD, THESE ARE WHAT THE
ASTRONAUTS TOUCHED, AND WE OPEN
THEM UP AND THEY'VE BEEN TO
SPACE AND BACK AND NOW THEY'RE
IN OUR LAPS.
>> WE COULD AT LEAST LOOK AT
THEM AND SEE HOW IT'S DIFFERENT,
IF THE STRUCTURAL CHANGES ARE
SOMETHING YOU CAN OBSERVE JUST
BY LOOKING AT THE GELS.
>> WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE DATA WE
GOT FROM THE EQUIPMENT ON
STATION AND THE EQUIPMENT FROM
NANORACS, THERE WERE RELEASES
FROM THE GELS HAPPENING AT THE
SAME TIME.
>> WE OBSERVED CHANGES WE HOPED
TO DO ACTUAL STRUCTURAL TESTS
AND MORE IN-DEPTH STUDIES.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE
SOME CHANGES.
>> WHILE THE THRILL OF THE
ROCKET LAUNCH MAY BE OVER, THEY
STILL HAVE ONE OF THE MOST
EXCITING PARTS OF THEIR JOURNEY
AHEAD.
PUBLISHING THEIR RESULTS.
THIS INFORMATION COULD HELP
INFORM FUTURE RESEARCH ON EARTH
AND IN SPACE.
>> WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW IS
COMPILING ON THAT DATA AND
TELLING A GOOD STORY AROUND IT
SO THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
CAN OF COURSE PUBLISH AND GIVE
BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
WE'VE GOT REALLY INTERESTING
DATA FROM THESE EXPERIMENTS THAT
WERE SUPER SIMPLE BUT THE STORY
COULD REALLY INFORM MATERIAL
SCIENCE AS A WHOLE.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> YOU DEFINITELY FEEL A HUGE
RESPONSIBILITY PERFORMING THIS
RESEARCH FOR OTHERS BECAUSE YOU
KNOW HOW MANY YEARS YOU'VE BEEN
WORKING ON THE GROUND AND WE
OFTEN LIKE TO KNOW THE RESULTS
SO PERSONALLY, I STAYED IN TOUCH
WITH A LOT OF SCIENTISTS AND
THAT GIVES US A LOT OF GOOD
FEEDBACK AND IT GIVES US SOME
CLOSURE TOO TO KNOW HOW
IMPORTANT THE SCIENCE THAT WE
WERE DOING UP THERE REALLY WAS.
[ Laughter ]
>> OH, MY GOD.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> WE WERE DOING, WE WOULD LIKE
TO SET UP AT LEAST A FACETIME
CALL OR SOMETHING AND I WAS LIKE
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, THIS IS GREAT.
>> WHERE ARE YOU GUYS LIVING?
>> WE'RE IN OUR LABORATORY IN
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.
OUR OTHER FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES
ARE ALSO WOMEN.
WE'RE ENTIRELY A WOMEN-RUN
COMPANY.
>> FANTASTIC!
>> JUST TURNED OUT THAT WAY.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.
>> WHOO-HOO!
>> THAT'S GREAT.
>> THESE ARE THE SAMPLES.
>> THAT'S SO COOL.
>> IT'S NEAT WE GET TO SEE THE
SCIENCE BACK DOWN IN YOUR HANDS.
SOMETIMES IT DOES GO LITERALLY
IN A BLACK BOX WHEN WE'RE UP
THERE.
THANKS A LOT FOR LETTING ME
INVADE YOUR SPACE A LITTLE BIT
TODAY AND GOOD LUCK WITH
EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO
SCIENTIFICALLY PERSONALLY AND
PROFESSIONALLY IN THE FUTURE.
[ Laughter ]
>> BYE!
>> YEAH, IT'S HARD TO READ THIS.
>> I'M TRYING TO THINK OF
ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE BETTER
THAN WATCHING MY OWN LAUNCH OF
RESEARCH TO THE SPACE STATION.
I ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE MY
BACKGROUND OF MY CELLPHONE IS
ACTUALLY A PICTURE OF US
STANDING WITH THE SPACE STATION.
PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED ABOUT THIS
KIND OF EXPERIENCE AND HAVING
DELIBERATED MUCH.
I STILL LOOK AT THE SKY AND I
REALLY THINK EVERYTHING IS SO
FAR AWAY AND LIKE WE LOOK AT THE
STARS AND EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE
NOTHING IS ACHIEVABLE.
BUT THEN JUST BEING A PART OF
THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE IS JUST A
DREAM COME TRUE.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THEY NOW JOIN THE THOUSANDS
OF SCIENTISTS WHO PERFORMED
RESEARCH ABOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
MAKING THE MOST OF WHAT
MICROGRAVITY HAS TO TEACH US.
THIS DEDICATED GROUP IS BRINGING
WHAT THEY LEARN BACK TO EARTH,
HELPING IMPROVE LIVES AND
ADVANCE EXPLORATION.
>> WHAT SPACE STATION GIVES US
IS A DIFFERENT SORT OF
LABORATORY.
WHAT'S REALLY MEANINGFUL TO ME
IS TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK DOWN
AND TALK WITH MY PATIENTS AND
LET THEM KNOW THE DISCOVERIES
WE'VE MADE, THIS MEANS A LOT TO
ME AS A CLINICIAN, SO IT WAS
REALLY NEAT TO BE ABLE TO FORM
THAT SCIENCE FOUNDATION.
>> THE ENERGY EVERYONE HAS WHO
IS INVOLVED IN SPACE RESEARCH IS
EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS.
I JUST GET HYPED UP ABOUT IT
BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS SO
EXCITED ABOUT IT.
YES, THE TIMELINES ARE LONG BUT
EVERYONE IS SO POSITIVE AND
CERTAIN THEY ARE DOING A GOOD
THING AND THE MONEY IS WELL
SPENT.
THAT IS WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE TO
KEEP DOING THIS SORT OF
RESEARCH.
>> MICROGRAVITY STILL HAS MORE
INSIGHTS TO REVEAL AND THIS
LABORATORY LIKE NO OTHER WILL
CONTINUE TO UNCOVER THEM.
ONE EXPERIMENT AT A TIME.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THE SPACE TRAVELERS OF TODAY
AND THOSE OF TOMORROW HAVE AT
LEAST ONE THING IN COMMON WITH
EXPLORERS OF OLD.
THEY'RE ALL AT THE MERCY OF THE
WEATHER.
THE ASTRONAUTS AND THE SYSTEMS
OF THEIR FUTURE SPACE VEHICLES
WILL HAVE TO BE PROTECTED FROM
THE RADIATION OF DEEP SPACE.
THAT'S WHY TODAY'S SCIENTISTS
ARE WORKING HARD TO IMPROVE OUR
ABILITY TO ACCURATELY FORECAST
DANGEROUS SPACE WEATHER.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THE SPACE WE TRAVEL THROUGH.
PRESENTED BY SCIENCE AT NASA.
WHEN SEA FERRY NATIONS BEGAN TO
EXPLORE NEW REGIONS OF THE
WORLD, ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST
CONCERNS IN MAKING THE JOURNEY
SAFELY WAS HOW TO COPE WITH
WEATHER.
THEY COULD HARNESS THE WIND FOR
POWER, THEY COULD RELY ON THE
SUN AND THE STARS FOR
NAVIGATION.
THEY COULD BUILD STURDY SHIPS
BUT IF A STORM ROSE SUDDENLY,
THEY WERE AT NATURE'S MERCY.
MORE THAN FIVE CENTURIES LATER,
OUR NATION IS ONCE AGAIN ON THE
CUSP OF EXPLORING NEW WORLDS AND
ONCE AGAIN, ONE OF OUR CONCERNS
ABOUT TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES
IS THE WEATHER.
SPACE WEATHER.
WHILE SPACE IS A VACUUM, IT'S
NOT 100% EMPTY.
PARTICLES, ENERGY, AND MAGNETIC
FIELDS TRAVEL THROUGH THE VOID.
MUCH OF THESE EMANATE FROM THE
SUN'S CORONA AS PART OF A
CONSTANT OUTWARD FLOW KNOWN AS
THE SOLAR WIND WHICH STRETCHES
WELL BEYOND THE ORBIT OF
NEPTUNE.
THERE ARE ALSO HIGH-ENERGY
PARTICLES OR COSMIC RAYS IN THE
MIX WHICH TRAVEL VAST DISTANCES
FROM DYING STARS OR SUPERNOVA.
EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD AND
RELATIVELY THICK ATMOSPHERE ACT
AS A SHIELD AGAINST THE MOST
HARMFUL FORMS OF THIS RADIATION
BUT IN SPACE THERE IS NO SUCH
DETERRENT.
IF WE WANT TO TRAVEL THROUGH
THIS SPACE, WE NEED WAYS TO
PROTECT OUR ASTRONAUTS.
THESE PARTICLES CAN AFFECT OUR
TECHNOLOGY, TRIPPING ONBOARD
ELECTRONICS.
Dr. VEGA, SPACE WEATHER
SCIENTIST AT NASA'S GODDARD
SPACE CENTER NOTICE WE ARE
WORKING HARD TO KNOW WHEN THESE
PARTICLES WILL BE AT THEIR PEAK
SUCH AS DURING SOLAR FLARES OR
MASS EJECTIONS.
A CUTE EXPOSURE TO THE SOLAR
ENERGETIC PARTICLES IS A SERIOUS
CONCERN FOR ASTRONAUTS AND
INSTRUMENTS.
THEREFORE, HAVING A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN TO EXPECT
SOLAR ACTIVITY IS IMPORTANT FOR
SAFELY SENDING OUR ASTRONAUTS
AND SPACECRAFT THROUGH SPACE.
IRON CLIFF, SUCH SPACE WEATHER
ACTIVITY CAN ACTUALLY PROTECT
AGAINST ANOTHER THREAT TO
ASTRONAUTS.
THE SUN'S ACTIVITY CAN BLOCK
DANGEROUS COSMIC RAYS COMING
FROM OTHER STARS WHICH ARE
CONSTANTLY PRESENT, ILLUSTRATING
THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SYSTEM
NASA TRIES TO UNDERSTAND AND
MITIGATE FOR OUR SPACE
TRAVELERS.
OVER TIME, SEA CAPTAINS LEARNED
WHEN TO SAIL THEIR SHIPS AND
WHEN TO STAY IN HARBOR BASED ON
THEIR ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE OF
THE WEATHER.
IT'S MORE RISKY TO BE ON THE
WATER IN THE CARIBBEAN DURING
HURRICANE SEASON AND YOU WOULD
WANT TO CONSIDER AVOIDING THE
NORTHEAST COAST OF AMERICA
DURING THE HEIGHT OF WINTER.
Dr. VEGA SAYS IT'S VERY
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING
TODAY.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY DEVELOPING AND
TESTING NEW MODELS TO PREDICT
SPACE WEATHER AND WE'RE
CONSTANTLY SEEKING NEW DATA TO
REFINE THOSE MODELS.
A HOST OF HELIOPHYSICS MISSIONS
OBSERVED SPACE FROM A VARIETY OF
VANTAGE POINTS.
NOT UNLIKE TERRESTRIAL WEATHER
SENSORS WHICH WORK IN TANDEM TO
PAINT A BIGGER PICTURE OF OUR
SPACE ENVIRONMENT.
IN AUGUST 2018, NASA LAUNCHED
THE PARKER SOLAR PROBE TO HELP
US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SUN'S
ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY WHAT
DRIVES THE SOLAR WIND AND HOW
ENERGETIC PARTICLES GET
ACCELERATED.
THIS DATA COULD BE USED TO
IMPROVE MODELS OF SPACE WEATHER
FORECASTING, ULTIMATELY HELPING
US FIND NEW AND BETTER WAYS TO
SHIELD OUR SPACECRAFT AND
PROTECT OUR ASTRONAUTS.
WHETHER IT WAS THE OCEAN'S
ANCIENT SHIPS TRAVEL THROUGH OR
TO SPACE WE WILL ONE DAY TRAVEL
THROUGH, WE KNOW THIS: KEEPING A
WATCHFUL EYE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
AROUND US IS KEY TO ENSURING
SAFE PASSAGE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT
MATTERS IN SPACE, VISIT
SCIENCE.NASA.GOV.
>> THE EFFORT TO PUT AMERICANS
OUT INTO DEEP SPACE STARTING
WITH RETURNING ASTRONAUTS TO THE
MOON IN JUST A FEW YEARS IS
MAKING PROGRESS ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE
RECENT MILESTONES OF THE ARTEMIS
PROGRAM AS THEY GET THE ORION
SPACECRAFT AND THE LAUNCH SYSTEM
ROCKET AND THE EXPLORATION
GROUND SYSTEMS INFRASTRUCTURE
ALL IN PLACE FOR THE NEXT GIANT
LEAP.
[ ♪♪ ]
>> THE ASTRONAUTS WHO WILL
COMPLETE THE JOURNEYS AT THE
ARTEMIS PROGRAM WILL START EACH
OF THOSE MISSIONS WITH AN
OPPORTUNITY MOST HUMAN BEINGS
DON'T EVER GET, TO SEE THE
PLANET EARTH FROM ABOVE.
IT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT'S BEEN
TRANSFORMATIVE FOR MANY OF THOSE
LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN THERE.
CANADIAN ASTRONAUT DAVID
SAINT-JACQUES HAD HIS FIRST
WIDE-ANGLE VIEW OF EARTH IN
DECEMBER 2018 BUT HE REMEMBERS
IT LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY.
>> LAUNCHING TO SPACE, OF COURSE
WAS A MOMENTOUS EXPERIENCE.
IT WAS QUITE FAMILIAR BECAUSE OF
ALL THE TRAINING WE HAD.
THOSE TEN MINUTES IN THE CAPSULE
RIDING THE SOYUZ ROCKET, THE
PRESSURE, BUT AFTER THOSE EIGHT
MINUTES OF BUSY TIME AND
HYPERAWARENESS, IF YOU WANT, OF
OUR ENVIRONMENT IS WHEN I HAD MY
FIRST VIEW OF THE EARTH FROM
SPACE.
[ ♪♪ ]
THE LAUNCH WAS AT DUSK INTO THE
NIGHT.
BY THE TIME WE REACHED ORBIT IT
WAS PITCH BLACK OUTSIDE AND
SHORTLY AFTER BECAME OUR FIRST
ORBITAL SUNRISE DURING THE
RENDEZVOUS ISS.
I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT SIGHT,
THE THIN BLUE LINE OF THE
ATMOSPHERE, THE CURVE OF THE
HORIZON.
THAT'S WHEN IT BECAME REAL,
REALLY AT A GUT LEVEL.
I'M ACTUALLY IN SPACE.
WE ARE ON ORBIT.
THIS IS NOT A SIN.
BECAUSE YOUR MIND TENDS TO GO
THE REASSURING ROUTE IT'S JUST A
GAME BUT THIS IS REALITY.
WE ARE IN SPACE IN ORBIT AND
THAT VIEW, THAT SUNRISE I'LL
NEVER FORGET THAT.
THROUGH THE SIDE WINDOW OF THE
SOYUZ, STILL IT'S AMAZING.
IT'S LIKE BURNED IN MY MEMORY.
[ ♪♪ ]
I OF COURSE SPENT A LOT OF TIME
AT THE CUPOLA LOOKING AT THE
EARTH.
WHAT STRUCK ME EVERY TIME I WENT
THERE IS HOW BEAUTIFUL THE EARTH
IS, HOW FRAGILE IT LOOKS, HOW
ALIVE IT OBVIOUSLY IS, WITH THE
CLOUDS, THE WATER, IT'S LIKE
IT'S BREATHING.
AURORAS.
THE HUMANS.
AT NIGHT IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE
LIGHTS BUT IT'S THE DEATH AROUND
THE EARTH THAT'S STARTLING.
HOW THIS BEAUTIFUL SHINING OASIS
OF LIGHT IS THERE NAKED IN THE
MIDDLE OF PITCH BLACK, DEATH,
THE VACUUM OF SPACE.
AND THEN THERE'S THE DANCE OF
THE CELESTIAL BODIES, THE MOON
IS THERE BUT THE MOON IS JUST A
ROCK.
THE SUN IS JUST A BALL OF FIRE
AND HERE'S THE EARTH.
THIS PERFECT OASIS, SO EVEN
THOUGH I KNEW THIS, ABSTRACTLY,
LIKE EVERYBODY DOES NOW, WE ARE
ALL SEEING THOSE IMAGES, TO SEE
IT WITH YOUR OWN EYES, YOU
DEVELOP A SENSE OF AWE AND ALSO
YOU CANNOT GO TO SPACE AND
CONTINUE IF YOU WERE THINKING
THAT IT'S INFINITE.
IT'S A FINITE SYSTEM.
IT'S A CLOSED SYSTEM.
THERE'S NO NEW AIR, NO NEW
WATER, IT'S ALL RECYCLED AND
IT'S BEEN FOR BILLIONS OF YEARS
AND IT IS PERFECTLY BALANCED AND
PERFECTLY MATCHED TO OUR NEEDS.
WE ARE MATCHED TO HER.
THAT CONCRETE REALIZATION THAT
WE BELONG TO EARTH AND NOT VICE
VERSA, IT'S KIND OF A MENTAL
SHIFT.
THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE WE COULD
GO.
WE COULD TALK ABOUT COLONIZING
OTHER PLANETS, BUT IT'S KIND OF
SMARTER AND CHEAPER TO JUST TAKE
CARE OF EARTH AS SHE IS.
THAT WAS VERY ENDEARING, THAT
VISION.
I CAN CLOSE MY EYES AND ALWAYS
GO BACK TO THE CUPOLA LOOKING AT
THE PLANET.
THAT BLUE LINE, UNBELIEVABLE.
IT MAKES THE EARTH LOOK ALIVE.
SHE'S GLOWING.
THE LITTLE BUBBLE WE LIVE IN,
IT'S TINY.
IN A WAY, SOBERING PERSPECTIVE,
HOW FRAGILE, UNIQUE AND JUST
SACRED OUR RELATIONSHIP TO EARTH
IS AND THE RESPONSIBILITY WE
HAVE TO BE GOOD SHEPHERDS OF
EARTH.
IT IS THE HOME OF BILLIONS OF
HUMANS AND BILLIONS OF OTHER
SPECIES.
COMPLETELY AUTONOMOUS IN THE
VACUUM OF SPACE.
IT'S JUST A MIRACLE.
YOU WANT TO PROTECT EARTH
BECAUSE IT IS OUR ONLY
SPACECRAFT.
THE WHOLE OF US, WE'RE ALL
ASTRONAUTS LIVING IN A DEADLY
VACUUM OF SPACE BEING KEPT ALIVE
BY THIS BEAUTIFUL PERFECT
MACHINE.
>> IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET
ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT FEATURE OR
ANY OF THE OTHER STORIES WE
SHOWED YOU TODAY, AND WHO COULD
BLAME YOU, CHECK US OUT ON
YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK.
THERE ARE THE ADDRESSES AND LOOK
AROUND BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF
OTHER FEATURES YOU WOULD LIKE TO
SEE ABOUT NASA AND AMERICA'S
HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT PROGRAM.
CHECK OUT HOUSTON WE HAVE A
PODCAST WHERE WE TALK TO FOLKS
ABOUT THEIR WORK IN ALL ASPECTS
OF SPACE EXPLORATION.
NEW EPISODES POST EVERY FRIDAY
AND TODAY AS NASA PRESSES AHEAD
WITH PROJECT ARTEMIS MISSIONS
THAT WILL TAKE US BACK TO THE
MOON, GARY JORDAN TAKES WITH
SPECIALISTS HERE IN HOUSTON THAT
HAVE JUST OPENED FOR THE FIRST
TIME SAMPLES OF LUNAR MATERIAL
THAT WERE BROUGHT BACK ON APOLLO
17 IN 1972.
GO TO NASA.GOV/PODCASTS FOR
TODAY'S EPISODE.
IT'S ALSO WHERE YOU WILL FIND
ALL THE OTHER PREVIOUS EPISODES
AND THE FULL LIBRARY OF ALL THE
NASA PODCASTS, ALL OF WHICH YOU
CAN ALSO LISTEN TO ON APPLE
PODCAST, GOOGLE PODCAST AND
SOUNDCLOUD.