IGNITION SEQUENCE STARTS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON AT NASA'S
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AND
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
FLIGHT CONTROL WHO ARE
MONITORING THE OPERATIONS WHILE
ASSISTING THE EXPEDITION 63
CREW MEMBERS.
COMMANDER CHRIS CASSIDY AND
FLIGHT ENGINEERS ANATOLYI
IVANISHIN AND EVAN WAGNER
WRAPPED UP OPERATIONS AND THEY
STARTED GETTING READY TO RECEIVE
A JAPANESE CARGO VEHICLE THAT'S
DUE TO LAUNCH NEXT WEEK.
>> WELCOME TO SPACE TO GROUND.
THIS WEEK A CARGO VEHICLE
DEPARTS AND BEGINS ITS SECOND
MISSION WHILE ANOTHER CARGO
VEHICLE PREPARES FOR LAUNCH.
THE NORTHROP GRUMMAN CYGNUS
CRS-13 COMPLETED ITS THREE MONTH
CARGO MISSION.
NAMED THE HHS ROBERT H. LAWRENCE
IN THE HONOR OF THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE FIRST
ASTRONAUT AND 700 POUNDS OF
SUPPLIES ON STATION.
IT NOT ONLY CARRIED AWAY
THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF TRASH BUT
BEGAN A SECONDARY MISSION
HOLDING THE SAFETY EXPERIMENT 4
OR SAFFIRE-IV.
THE SAFFIRE-IV WILL INVESTIGATE
LARGE SCALE GROWTH IN MATERIAL
COMBUSTIBILITY LIMITS AND
PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTED CYGNUS
VEHICLE.
IT'S CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND HOW
FIRE BEHAVES IN MICROGRAVITY AND
HOW DIFFERENT MATERIALS
PROPULGATE IN SPACE.
THE ALWAYS BUSY INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION IS PREPARING FOR
H2 WOULD TRANSFER VEHICLE LAUNCH
ON MAY 20TH.
THIS WILL BE THE NINTH DELIVERY
FOR H2V.
THE VEHICLE WILL CARRY OVER 6
TONS OF CARGO TO THE ISS,
INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE CREW WILL
TRAVEL IN THE PRESSURIZED
LOGISTICS CARRIER AND ISS
LITHIUM ION BATTERY WILL TRAVEL
IN THE UNPRESSURIZED LOGISTICS
CARRIER.
IT WILL LAUNCH AND WILL BE
COVERED ON NASA TV BEGINNING AT
1:00 P.M. EASTERN ON MAY 20TH.
THE ENTIRE NASA TEAM IS EXCITED
ABOUT THE UPCOMING SPACEX FLIGHT
TEST ON MAY 27TH.
THEY'LL LAUNCH FROM THE KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER.
NASA TV WILL AIR THE NEWS
CONFERENCE FROM KENNEDY ON MAY
20TH, WEDNESDAY EASTERN AND ON
THURSDAY, MAY 21ST AT 6:00 P.M.
EASTERN.
STAY TUNED TO BE PART OF THE
EXCITEMENT.
KEEP SENDING YOUR QUESTIONS AT
#ASKNASA AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT
WEEK.
>> AS KATHERINE REMINDED US ALL,
NASA AND SPACEX HAVE A BIG
LAUNCH COMING UP IN LESS THAN
TWO WEEKS.
ASTRONAUTS DOUG HURLEY AND BOB
BEHNKEN ARE TARGETED TO MAKE
HISTORY WHEN THEY LAUNCH OF TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
FROM A FLORIDA LAUNCH PAD ON THE
NEW SPACEX DRAGON CREW
SPACECRAFT.
>> 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2,
1, 0.
>> CERTAINLY WHEN YOU GO THROUGH
THE LAUNCH DAY PREPARATIONS
THERE ARE A LOT OF MOMENTS THAT
STAND OUT TO YOU WHEN THE
ENGINES LIGHT YOU KNOW YOU ARE
GOING AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING
SOMEWHERE PRETTY FAST.
WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF YOU GO
FROM 3G'S TO ZERO G'S
INSTANTANEOUSLY AND THINGS START
FLOATING AND I REMEMBER THINKING
DISTINCTLY, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
SAME THING HAPPENS AT SPACE
STATION.
BY SHARING THIS EXPERIENCE WITH
SPACEX AND CREATING ANOTHER
PARTNER THAT HAS THE SAME
CAPABILITY I THINK WE SET THE
FUTURE UP TO CONTINUE TO BLOSSOM
AND THIS ILL WITH BE THE FIRST
TIME HUMANS HAVE RIDDEN ON THE
FALCON 9.
SO TAILING IN THAT EXPERIENCE
AND THE SOUNDS AND ALL THOSE
THINGS WE CAN RELATE TO FUTURE
CREWS WILL BE SOMETHING
IMPORTANT TO DO TOO.
>> WHEN THE CREW DRAGON REACHES
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
DOUG HURLEY AND BOB BEHNKEN WILL
BECOME MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION
63 CREW AND SUPPORTING
MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS RESEARCH.
ON THIS SEASON OF THE NASA
EXPLORER SERIES WE'RE FOCUSSING
ON THE SCIENTISTS AND TODAY YOU
MEET RESEARCHERS AS THEY GET SET
TO LAUNCH AN EXPERIMENT INTO
SPACE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
THEIR CAREERS.
>> THESE TWO SITES ARE FROM THE
SPHERE'S EXPERIMENT WHICH WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON UP HERE.
>> MICROGRAVITY HAS A LOT TO
TEACH US.
THE GREEN LIQUID IS SHOWING US
HOW FUEL SWIRLS AROUND IN THE
TANK WHILE IT MOVES THROUGH
SPACE.
WHAT WE LEARN COULD HELP US
DESIGN SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT
SPACECRAFT.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME, WE ARE
CONDUCTING CLOSE TO 300
DIFFERENT EXPERIMENTS ABOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
RESEARCH LIKE THIS IS PREPARING
FOR US FOR THE FUTURE OF SPACE
EXPLORATION.
WE REALLY CAN'T MIMIC THE
ENVIRONMENT OF THE SPACE STATION
ANYWHERE ON THIS PLANET.
WHAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL AND WHY
SCIENTISTS FROM MANY
UNIVERSITIES AND COMPANIES LIKE
TO SEND SCIENCE UP, BECAUSE ONCE
YOU REMOVE GRAVITY MANY THINGS
ACT DIFFERENTLY.
THIS SEASON WE'RE EXPLORING WHY
WE SEND SCIENCE TO SPACE AND
WHAT IT TAKES TO GET IT THERE.
SPOILER ALERT: YOU DON'T HAVE TO
BE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO DO
RESEARCH IN MICROGRAVITY.
>> OUR FIRST PROJECT WORKING
WITH ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE
SPACE PROGRAM SO IT'S A VERY
EXCITING TIME.
>> THE TRANSITION FROM WHAT AM I
GOING TO DO WITH MY LIFE IN THE
MIDDLE OF GRADUATE SCHOOL TO
HERE I AM SITTING IN HOUSTON
GETTING READY FOR OUR LAUNCH, I
CAN'T BELIEVE IT IT'S HAPPENING
>> MEET ELAINE, ONE OF THE
COFOUNDERS OF A MEDICAL DEVICE
START-UP BASED IN VIRGINIA.
HER COMPANY IS DEVELOPING A GEL
PATCH THAT CAN SERVE AS A
REPLACEMENT FOR EAR SURGERY.
IT CAN HAVE HUGE BENEFITS.
BUT LAUNCH IT TO SPACE AND THE
OPPORTUNITY GROW EVEN MORE.
FIRST WE HAVE TO BACK UP A FEW
STEPS.
PUTTING YOUR LIFE'S WORK ON TOP
OF A ROCKET MAY SEEM LIKE A
DAUNTING TASK, BUT THERE IS A
SYSTEM IN PLACE TO HELP
SCIENTISTS GET THEIR RESEARCH
INTO ORBIT.
YOU SEE NASA AND ITS
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS AREN'T
THE ONLY SOURCE OF SCIENCE
ABOARD THE SPACE STATION.
THE ISS U.S. NATIONAL LABORATORY
CREATES PATHWAYS TO SPACE FOR
COMPANIES AND UNIVERSITIES AND
YOUNG STUDENTS.
IF YOU'RE STARTING A JOURNEY
INTO THE UNKNOWN, IT HELPS TO
HAVE AN EXPERT TO NAVIGATE.
THEY CONNECT RESEARCHERS WITH
IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS TO
PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO TAKE AN
EXPERIMENT FROM EARTH TO
MICROGRAVITY.
>> WE HAVE THE PLATE READER THAT
WILL BE USED FOR A PROJECT AND
THEY'RE GETTING ALL THE
MATERIALS TOGETHER FOR US.
WE'RE GLAD WE'RE WORKING WITH
THEM BECAUSE WE'RE GLAD SOMEBODY
HAS DONE THIS BEFORE AND CAN
HELP US ALONG.
>> THE PROCESS WE'RE SENDING AND
LOOKING AT HOW HYDROGELS BEHAVE
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW THE
CHANGES IN GRAVITY.
>> I'M COFOUNDER AND I'VE BEEN
DOING IT SINCE STAGE ZERO.
HYDROGELS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT
MATERIAL.
THEY ARE HIGH VOLUME WATER THAT
CAN VERY WELL MIMIC THE EXTRA
CELLULAR MATRIX OF OUR BODY.
SO WE THOUGHT ANSWERING THIS
QUESTION CAN REALLY HELP THE
SCIENCE COMMUNITY.
>> CONFUSED?
DON'T WORRY, WE HAVE YOU
COVERED.
IT'S LIKE A SCOOP OF GELATIN.
NOT A LIQUID OR SOLID BUT MADE
UP OF WATER.
WE CAN USE THEM TO COVER WOUNDS
AND DELIVER ANTIBODIES TO
PROMOTE HEALING.
THEY'RE STUDIED FOR WOUND CARE
FOR SOLDIERS ON BATTLE FIELDS.
IF YOU ARE FAR AWAY FROM A
HOSPITAL OR CLINIC AND YOU CAN'T
GET GOOD MEDICAL CARE AND A
SOLDIER HAS A WOUND, YOU COULD
APPLY THAT HYDROGEL DIRECTLY TO
THE WOUND SITE AND BEGIN TO
TREAT ANY INFECTION COMING ON?
WHAT ABOUT IN SPACE?
WHAT IF WE'RE FAR AWAY FROM THE
EARTH'S SURFACE ON OUR WAY TO
MARS AND WE HAVE A WOUND TO AN
ARM OR LEG AND WE NEED A BETTER
WAY TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T
BECOME INFECTED.
SO IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE
DUAL PURPOSE TECHNOLOGY.
NOT ONLY CAN WE USE IT ON EARTH
BUT UP IN SPACE.
IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW
MICROGRAVITY CAN OFFER NEW
INSIGHTS INTO SYSTEMS WE ALREADY
EXPLORED ON EARTH.
>> THE DATA WE'RE COLLECTING IS
SO BASIC SCIENCE THAT IT'S HARD
TO FIND THOSE SORTS OF PROJECTS
AT THIS STAGE AS OUR RESEARCH IS
GOING AND IT'S IN SPACE.
>> WHEN IT GETS TO SPACE, IT
GOES INTO THE HANDS OF
ASTRONAUTS WHO WILL RUN THE
EXPERIMENT IN ORBIT.
JUST LIKE TRAINING FOR LAUNCH,
LANDING AND SPACEWALKS, THEY
PARTICIPATE IN HOURS OF TRAINING
TO RUN THE HUNDREDS OF
EXPERIMENTS.
READY TO GO TO CLASS WITH AN
ASTRONAUT?
WE'LL TAKE YOU ALONG.
>> A LOT HAS CHANGED IN 11
YEARS.
THERE WAS A NEW EXPERIMENT SO HE
HADN'T SEEN THAT EITHER.
THEY TELL US, HEY, THIS IS A LOT
EASIER IF THIS IS UPSIDE DOWN.
YOU'LL BE IN MICROGRAVITY AND IT
WILL WORK DIFFERENTLY.
>> SCIENTISTS ARE USING THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TO
DEVELOP ROBOTS TO DO SIMPLE
TASKS SO THAT THE ASTRONAUTS
HAVE MORE TIME AVAILABLE TO DO
THINGS THAT ONLY ASTRONAUTS CAN
DO.
STATION COMMANDER CHRIS CASSIDY
GIVES US A SNEAK PEEK WITH HIS
WORK WITH THREE FLYING ROBOTS
DEVELOP BY NASA'S AMES RESEARCH
CENTER.
>> THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR ONE ON THE RIGHT
DOCKING STATION IT GOES IN
UPSIDE DOWN.
WENT AND GOT SOME SNACKS AND HOT
CHOCOLATE.
THE SCIENTIFIC TEAM IS IN
CALIFORNIA AND CONTROL CENTER IN
HUNTSVILLE AND OF COURSE I'M
HERE. WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS AND WE'RE ALL WORKING
TOGETHER.
>> THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION HOSTS EXPERIMENTS IN A
RANGE OF SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES.
LIKE WHAT?
WELL, LIKE RESEARCH INTO USING
3-D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY TO
MANUFACTURE BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
IN MICROGRAVITY WHICH COULD
ALLOW CELL GROWTH IN THREE
DIMENSIONS.
CUTTING EDGE BIOMANUFACTURING
ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
PRESENTED BY SCIENCE AT NASA.
MOST LIKELY YOU'RE AWARE OF 3-D
PRINTING WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO
DESIGN AND PRODUCE ONE OF A KIND
PIECES FOR A VARIETY OF
PURPOSES.
BUT WHAT IF YOU COULD USE THAT
SAME TECHNOLOGY TO MANUFACTURE
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS LIKE NEW
TISSUE OR BLOOD VESSELS?
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF 3-D
BIOMANUFACTURING A CUTTING EDGE
PRACTICE ON EARTH THAT IS BEING
TESTED ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, OR ISS.
DR. MIKE ROBERTS, DEPUTY CHIEF
SCIENTIST AT THE ISS U.S.
NATIONAL LABORATORY EXPLAINS WHY
THE SPACE STATION IS CRITICAL
FOR BIOMANUFACTURING'S FUTURE.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW CELLS IN
A LAB FOR WELL OVER A CENTURY
BUT GRAVITY LIMITS IT.
CELLS CAN GROW OUTWARD BUT NOT
UP AND DOWN LIKE THEY DO THE
HUMAN BODY AND OFTEN THEY'RE IN
CONTACT WITH THE GLASS OR
PLASTIC THAT CONTAINS THEM.
BUT OTHER ABOARD THE SPACE
STATION EXPERIMENTS ARE
CONDUCTED IN MICROGRAVITY AND
ALLOWS TO BUILD THEM IN THREE
DIMENSIONS WITHOUT BEING
CONFINED WITH THE BOTTOM OF A
DISH OR CONTACT WITH LOTS OF
OTHER CELLS.
BIOMANUFACTURING IMAGINES THE
ABILITY TO GROW A VIABLE HUMAN
ORGAN.
THEY'RE COMPOSED OF SPECIFIC
TISSUE INTERSECTED BY BLOOD
VESSELS.
MOST ORGANS AND THICKER TISSUES
HAVE A RICH COMPLEX NETWORK OF
BLOOD VESSELS THAT PROVIDE
NUTRIENTS AND WASTE THAT MAKE UP
THE TISSUE.
WE LACK THE TOOLS ON EARTH.
ANOTHER MEDICAL ADVANTAGE TO
MANUFACTURING BIOLOGICAL PARTS
IN SPACE IS THE POTENTIAL TO
BYPASS THE BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM.
TODAY ORGAN TRANSPLANTS FROM
DONORS ARE PRONE TO REJECTION
BECAUSE THE PATIENT'S BODY
PERCEIVES IT AS A FOREIGN OBJECT
AND THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM TRIES TO
ATTACK IT.
WITH THEIR ABILITY TO GROW IT IN
SPACE A PERSON COULD CONCEIVABLY
HAVE THEIR OWN CELLS USED TO
MAKE THEIR NEW ORGAN WHICH MIGHT
AVOID THE BODY'S REJECTION.
THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
BIOMANUFACTURING FACILITIES WILL
BE TESTED ABOARD THE SPACE
STATION.
THEY EXTRUDE CELLS IN LAYERS TO
BUILD TISSUE.
THE THIRD TYPE USES POWERFUL
MAGNETS AND EACH OF THESE WILL
BE AVAILABLE TO MEDICAL
RESEARCHERS SEEKING TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND HOW TO ENGINEER
TISSUES AND ORGANS FOR USE IN
REPAIRING INJURY AND CARRYING
DISEASE ON EARTH.
AS THE DOCTOR NOTES THE 3D
BIOPRINTERS COULD CLEARLY
BENEFIT HEALTH OUTCOMES ON
EARTH.
I THINK THE ABILITY TO
MANUFACTURE A FULLY FUNCTIONING
HUMAN ORGAN MAY TAKE SOME TIME,
MAYBE A DECADE OR MORE, BUT THE
KNOWLEDGE WE ACQUIRE WILL CREATE
INTERIM BENEFITS AS WE LEARN
MORE ABOUT CELL REGENERATION IN
SPACE AND ITS APPLICATION TO
HUMANS ON EARTH.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT
WWW.NASA.GOV/ISS-SCIENCE.
FOR MORE, GO TO
SCIENCE.NASA.GOV.
>> NASA'S ARTEMIS PROGRAM WILL
EXPAND ON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
AND OPEN THE DOOR FOR HUMANITY
TO LIVE AND WORK SUSTAINABLY ON
ANOTHER WORLD FOR THE FIRST
TIME, FIRST ON THE MOON AND THEN
ON THE PLANET MARS.
ACTRESS KELLY MARIE TRAN TELLS
US HOW WE'LL PUT THE FIRST WOMAN
AND NEXT MAN ON THE MOON
BY 2024.
>> BETWEEN 1968 AND 1972,
AMERICA LAUNCHED NINE HUMAN
MISSIONS TO THE MOON, SIX OF
WHICH SUCCESSFULLY TOUCHED DOWN
ALLOWING TWELVE MEN TO WALK ON
THEW LUNAR SURFACE.
NASA'S NEXT CHAPTER CALLED
ARTEMIS HAS THE TASK OF NOT JUST
GOING TO THE MOON TO CREATE A
LONG TERM HUMAN PRESENCE BUT
PREPARE FOR EVERMORE COMPLEXED
HUMAN MISSIONS TO MARS.
IN SHORT, EVERYTHING WE MUST BE
ABLE TO DO HERE WE MUST DO HERE.
SO WHAT WILL AN ARTEMIS MISSION
LOOK LIKE?
EVERYTHING IS DESIGNED AND
TESTED WITH OUR MOST IMPORTANT
ELEMENT IN MIND, THE ASTRONAUTS.
THIS IS THEIR DEEP SPACE HUMAN
RATED SPACECRAFT CALLED ORION
BUILT IN 3 PARTS.
THE CREW MODULE WHERE UP TO 4
ASTRONAUTS WILL LIVE AND SERVICE
MODULE WITH LIFE SUPPORT FOR
CREW AND FUEL RESERVES AND
LAUNCH ABORT SYSTEM WITH ENGINES
CAPABLE OF PULLING THE CREW
MODULE TO SAFETY.
NASA IS BUILDING THE SPACE
LAUNCH SYSTEM COMPRISING OF A
CARGO HOLD AND EXPLORATION UPPER
STAGE AND MASSIVE CORE STAGE AND
TWO EXTENDED SOLID ROCKET
BOOSTERS.
ALL TOGETHER THIS IS THE WORLD'S
MOST POWERFUL ROCKET AND EXCEEDS
THE SATURN V OF THE APOLLO ERA
IN NUMEROUS WAYS.
SITTING ON THE LAUNCH PAD FULLY
SEALED WITH JUST OVER 6,000
POUNDS.
5.2 MILLION IS JUST THE FUEL.
ONCE IGNITED THERE IS NO
STOPPING WHAT COMES NEXT.
ALL 4 ENGINES AND THE 2 SOLID
ROCKET BOOSTERS COME TO LIFE
THUNDERING OUR CREW UPWARDS AND
TWO MINUTES AFTER, SOLID ROCKET
BOOSTERS, AND CORE STAGE IS
COMPLETED AND SEPARATED 8
MINUTES AFTER.
UPPER STAGE FIRES BRIEFLY
PLACING IT INTO A PARKING ORBIT
AROUND THE EARTH.
HERE CREW CHECKS TO CONFIRM
EVERYTHING IS READY FOR DEEP
SPACE TRAVEL.
WITH A GO FROM MISSION CONTROL,
THE CREW REIGNITES THE
EXPLORATION UPPER STAGE ENGINE
TO LEAVE EARTH ENTIRELY, THE
EXACT TIMING OF THIS MANEUVER IS
CRITICAL TO REACH A SPEED THAT
CAN ESCAPE EARTH'S GRAVITATIONAL
PULL BUT ALSO PUT ORION ON A
COURSE THAT ENTER SECRETARIES
THE MOON DAYS LATER.
UPPER STAGE OF THE SLS IS
EJECTED AND CREW COASTS SEVERAL
DAYS FOR SEVERAL DAYS FOR WHAT
AWAITS THEM AT THE MOON.
APPROACHING THE MOON WE SEE THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ARTEMIS AND
APOLLO.
ARTEMIS MISSION WILL TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF A DIFFERENT
APPROACH.
PRE STAGING.
EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR LUNAR
MISSIONS WILL BE POSITIONED BY
COMMERCIAL AND INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS.
THIS INCLUDES ROVER SCIENCE
EXPERIMENTS AND HUMAN SYSTEMS ON
THE SURFACE.
BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES A DEDICATED
LUNAR STATION IF ORBIT AROUND
THE MOON CALLED GATEWAY.
HERE AT THE STATION WE CAN PRE
STAGE A LUNAR LANDING AND
ESTABLISH A STRONG
COMMUNICATION.
IT CAN BE DISBANDED AS
PARTNERSHIPS DEVELOP ALLOWING
MULTIPLE HUMAN MISSIONS ON THE
MOON AT THE SAME TIME AND
ENABLING ONGOING SCIENCE TO BE
CONDUCTED EVEN BETWEEN.
THE GATEWAY IS ALSO CAPABLE OF
ADJUSTING ITS ORBIT TO ALLOW
ACCESS TO EVERY PART OF THE
MOON, SOMETHING THE APOLLO
MISSION COULD NOT DO.
BUT THE REAL KEY IN THIS
APPROACH IS PLACING GATEWAY IN A
UNIQUE WAY IN ORBIT TO PERFECT
THE MANEUVERS NEEDED FOR MARS
MISSION AND WITH THE GROWING
LIST OF COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
GATEWAY IS THE IDEAL HUB BETWEEN
EARTH AND ALL THAT LIES AHEAD.
THE ORION MUST WATCH THE
ELLIPTICAL ORBIT IN ORDER TO
SUCCESSFULLY DOCK.
CREW MEMBERS TRANSFER TO THE
LUNAR LANDER.
THOSE ASSIGNED TO GATEWAY REMAIN
ON STATION.
THE LUNAR LANDER SYSTEM ITSELF
IS BUILT FOR 3 UNIQUE STEPS.
DESCENDING FROM THE HALO ORBIT.
DESCENDING FROM LUNAR ORBIT.
AND ONCE THE MISSION IS
COMPLETE, LAUNCHING FROM THE
SURFACE OF THE MOON AND
ASCENDING ALL THE WAY BACK TO
THE ORBITING GATEWAY.
ONCE ABOARD THE ORION
SPACECRAFT, THE CREW FIRE THEIR
ENGINE ONES TO BREAK OUT OF THE
HALO ORBIT AND ONCE AGAIN TO
SLING THE SPACE SYS CRAFT AROUND
THE MOON FACING ON A MULTIDAY
TRAJECTORY BACK TOWARDS EARTH.
AS THEY NEAR THE END OF THE
JOURNEY THE SERVICE MODULE IS
RELEASED AND THE CREW MODULE IS
ORIENT HEAT SHIELD FIRST.
25 MILES PER HOUR THE 46 OF AIR
SLOWS ORION CONSIDERABLY AND
SUBJECTING IT TO TEMPERATURES OF
5,000 DEGREES.
WITH THE ORION NOW AT 300 MILES
AN HOUR A SERIES OF PARACHUTES
UNIQUELY TESTED DEPLOY.
WITH EACH SUCCESSFUL MISSION,
ARTEMIS USHERS IN THE NEXT WAVE
OF MEN AND WOMAN TO EXPLORE OUR
MOON AND PROVE THAT TOGETHER WE
ARE READY TO GO BEYOND.
>> ACCORDING TO REPORTS FROM
THE SELECT FEW WHO HAD THE
CHANCE TO SEE IT, THE EXPERIENCE
OF SEEING EARTH FROM 250 MILES
UP IS A PROFOUND ONE NOT.
SOME OF THE LUCKY ASTRONAUTS WHO
HAVE BEEN TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION MULTIPLE TIMES SAY
THEY SEE MORE AND MORE DETAILS
OF THE PLANET AND OF SPACE
BEYOND WITH EACH OPPORTUNITY.
ASTRONAUT DON PETTIT, A THREE-
TIME VISITOR IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
I THOUGHT I KNEW WHAT THE EARTH
WAS ALL ABOUT JUST BECAUSE I
LOOKED AT IT WITH PICTURES AND
VIDEO AND ALL THESE THINGS AND
IT'S LIKE SEEING SOME TRAVEL LOG
AT SOME EXOTIC PLACE ON EARTH
AND CALLING THAT YOUR VACATION,
RIGHT?
WE DO NOT DO THAT AS HUMAN
BEINGS.
WE WANT TO PHYSICALLY GO TO
THESE PLACES BECAUSE THE
EXPERIENCE IS DIFFERENT.
AND IT'S THE SAME THING WHEN YOU
GO INTO SPACE AND YOU LOOK AT
EARTH.
YOU KNOW INTELLECTUALLY WHAT
EARTH IS LIKE FROM SPACES
BECAUSE WE'VE ALL SEEN THE
PICTURES, BUT IT'S NOT BEING
THERE.
THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE ASPECT OF
SPACE DOESN'T COME UNTIL YOU CAN
RELAX A LITTLE BIT.
NOW THAT HAPPENED FOR ME WHEN I
WAS TAKING MY SPACE SUIT OFF AND
I REMEMBER FLOATING UP TO THE
FLIGHT DECK AND YOU LOOK IT HE
OVERHEAD WINDOWS AND EARTH WAS
THERE AND IT WAS SUCH AN INTENSE
BLUE.
SOMEWHERE OVER THE OCEAN AND IT
WAS AN INTENSITY OF COLOR THAT
NO PHOTOGRAPHY, NO VIDEO, NO
MOVIE, NO FILM CAN CAPTURE.
YOU CAN PARSE MORE AND MORE
DETAILS OUT.
WHEN YOU FIRST LOOK AT EARTH YOU
CAN SAY, WOW, THAT'S AN A
CONTINENT.
AND THEN YOU LOOK AT IT AGAIN
AND SAY, WOW THERE ARE MOUNTAIN
RANGES AND THEN YOU LOOK AT IT
AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND IT'S LIKE
I CAN SEE ANTICLINES IN THE
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE THERE'S THE
RAIN SHADOW EFFECT AND ON AND ON
AND ON.
THE MORE TIME YOU HAVE TO LOOK
AT EARTH OVER A LONG PERIOD OF
TIME, THE MORE YOU CAN SEE.
SO THERE'S MORE TO SEE IN SPACE
THAN JUST LOOKING AT EARTH.
YOU LOOK OUT AT THE COSMOS AND
THERE ARE MANY THINGS IN THE
COSMOS THAT ARE NOTEWORTHY TO
GAZE AT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE CLOUDS.
THOSE SHOW UP BRIGHT AND VIVID
BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE
ATMOSPHERE.
YOU CAN SEE ANDROMEDA.
WITH GOOD VISION YOU CAN FAINTLY
MAKE OUT ANDROMEDA, BUT IT
BASICALLY JUST STANDS OUT
BECAUSE THE CONTRAST IS SO
STARK.
SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OTHER
THINGS TO SEE.
THERE'S THE MOON.
IT GOES THROUGH IN PHASES.
THE ANGLE THAT THE MOON MAKES
WHEN IT RISES RELATIVE TO YOUR
SPACECRAFT CHANGES WITH TIME.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOUR SPACECRAFT
ITSELF BECOMES A GIANT
ASTRONOMICAL MACHINE AND IT'S
LIKE, OKAY, THE MOON WAS RISING
OVER HERE TWO WEEKS AGO AND NOW
IT'S RISING OVER THERE AND WHY
IS THAT?
THEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE ORBITAL
DYNAMICS WHERE HE WITH ARE IN
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND THIS AND
THAT AND IT ALL MAKES SENSE.
THERE IS SO MUCH TO OBSERVE.
MORE SO THAN JUST PLANET EARTH.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES WITH ALL
THE PEOPLE WHO, AS OF TODAY,
DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO GO INTO
SPACE.
BECAUSE THE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE
CAN GET OFF THIS PLANET TO HAVE
THESE KINDS OF EXPERIENCES, THE
MORE GROWTH YOU WILL SEE IN
IDEAS AND VIABILITY OF YOUR
CULTURE WILL INCREASE.
>> IF YOU'D LIKE ANOTHER LOOK
AT THE STORIES WE FEATURE TODAY,
CHECK OUT ON YOUTUBE AND
FACEBOOK.
THERE ARE THE ADDRESSES.
BE SURE TO LOOK AROUND BECAUSE
THERE IS A TON OF COOL STUFF TO
SEE THERE.
WHILE YOU'RE OUT ON THE INTERNET
ANYWAY YOU CAN CHECK OUT HOUSTON
WE HAVE A PODCAST.
IT'S CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS
ABOUT THEIR WORK IN MANY ASPECTS
OF SPACE EXPLORATION.
NEW EPISODES POST EVERY FRIDAY.
TODAY, GARY JORDAN TALKS WITH
TWO OF THE CREW SYSTEM
INSTRUCTORS WHO TEACH NASA
ASTRONAUTS HOW TO USE THE
PERSONAL HYGIENE SYSTEMS ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
YES, THEY WILL ANSWER THAT
QUESTION.
GO TO NASA.GOV.PODCAST FOR THIS
WEEK'S EPISODE, AND YOU'LL FIND
ALL THE PREVIOUS EPISODES AND
THE FULL LIBRARY OF ALL THE NASA
PODCASTS ALL THE OF WHICH YOU
CAN ALSO LISTEN TO ON APPLE
PODCAST, GOOGLE PODCAST AND
SOUND CLOUD.