>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON, ARE
YOU READY FOR THE EVENT?
>> WE ARE READY FOR THE EVENT.
>> CNBC, THIS IS MISSION CONTROL
HOUSTON.
PLEASE CALL STATION FOR A VOICE
CHECK.
>> STATION, THIS IS SHEPARD
SMITH OF CNBC.
HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?
>> SHEPARD, WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND
CLEAR.
>> VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THAT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE QUICK
HOUSEKEEPING, SOUNDS LIKE WE
HAVE ABOUT A 5 SECOND DELAY.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
>> OKAY.
ARE WE READY?
>> YEAH, WE ARE READY.
>> WITH US NOW, COLONEL MIKE
HOPKINS AND KATE RUBINS.
GUYS, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
YOU RECENTLY HAD SOME LEAKS.
IT SOUNDS SCARY DOWN HERE.
HOW WAS IT FOR YOU AND HOW DID
YOU HANDLE IT?
>> THE LEAKS STARTED BEFORE WE
ARRIVED ON BOARD.
IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE
TEAMS UP HERE, THE TEAMS ON THE
GROUND HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT FOR
QUITE A WHILE NOW.
THEY HAVE GOT PLANS FOR IT, FOR
HOW WE ARE GOING TO FIX THAT.
IN GENERAL, IT WAS AN EVENT THAT
WASN'T SUDDEN OR ANYTHING OF
THAT NATURE.
IT WAS A SLOW LEAK.
SO WE HAD TIME TO TRY AND FIGURE
IT OUT AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THE
PROBLEMS ARE AND TO GET THEM
FIXED.
>> A CAN OF FIX-A-FLAT USUALLY
WORKS FOR ME.
KATE, YOU ARE ONE OF THE
ASTRONAUTS THAT WILL START
TRAINING FOR THE FIRST MISSION
TO THE MOON.
WHAT WILL IT MEAN FOR YOU TO BE
THE FIRST WOMAN TO SET FOOT ON
THE MOON?
>> WELL, THANK YOU.
IT'S ACTUALLY AN INCREDIBLE
GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE ARE
TRAINING WITH HERE AND, REALLY,
THIS IS THE SUPPORT TEAM FOR THE
ENTIRE ASTRONAUT CORPS IS
WORKING ON THIS.
I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO JOIN
THE TEAM.
IT'S PRETTY AMAZING TO SEE WHAT
WE ARE DOING.
SLS HAS ABOUT A THOUSAND POUNDS
OF THRUST.
THIS IS THE HEAVIEST ROCKET WE
HAVE BUILT.
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT IT WILL
MEAN GOING TO THE MOON AS
AMERICANS AND OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, THERE'S AN
AMAZING AMOUNT OF SCIENCE ON THE
MOON.
WHEN WE GO TO MARS, WE ARE GOING
TO LOOK FOR MICROBES.
THE MOON IS THE GREATEST BED.
WE'LL LOOK TO TEST OUT A LOT OF
OUR FUTURE DEEP SPACE
EXPLORATION PLANS.
>> THE THOUGHT OF I WILL BE THE
FIRST WOMAN, THAT'S NOT PART OF
IT FOR YOU, IT'S
SCIENCE-CENTERED.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
HOPPER KNOWS ME WELL.
HE WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING.
>> UNDERSTOOD.
COLONEL, LAST MANY YOU WERE
SWORN IN TO THE SPACE FORCE.
THE FIRST SPACE FORCE GUARDIAN
ACTUALLY IN SPACE.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE THIS NEW BRANCH
OF THE MILITARY IS ABLE TO
ACCOMPLISH?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S A MISSION THAT
THE AIR FORCE HAS HAD FOR QUITE
SOME TIME NOW.
SO, REALLY, I THINK THE SPACE
FORCE IS GOING TO JUST ENSURE
THAT SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR
EVERYBODY.
FOR AMERICANS, BUT REALLY FOR
ALL OF OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS AS WELL.
SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE
DONE.
IT'S NOT EASY STARTING UP A NEW
SERVICE AND IT WAS A PRIVILEGE
FOR ME TO GET TO COME OVER AND
JOIN THE NEWEST SERVICE IN THE
U.S. MILITARY.
>> YOU HAVE BOTH BEEN UP THERE
FOR MONTHS.
I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND
YOURSELF DOING THAT YOU NEVER
WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF AND WHAT
MAY BE YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT
THINGS DOWN HERE.
>> WELL, SO WE ARE PRETTY BUSY.
WE HAVE 12 HOUR SHIFTS DURING
THE DAY.
WE ARE DOING A LOT OF SCIENCE UP
HERE AND THE MAINTENANCE TO KEEP
THE STATION HEALTHY.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DOWN
TIME.
WE GOT THE ENTIRE SEVEN CREW
TOGETHER, THE RUSSIAN CREW, THE
U.S. CREW, JAPANESE CREW MATE
AND DECIDED TO TRY A LITTLE
FORMATION FLYING.
WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE
LIKE THE BLUE ANGELS.
WE ARE NOT THE BLUE ANGELS, SO
WE'LL GET A LITTLE MORE PRACTICE
IN.
[LAUGHTER]
>> THAT SOUND LIKE FUN.
ARE YOU READING ANYTHING GOOD?
HOW DO YOU PASS THE TIME?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY TO PASS
THE TIME UP HERE.
SOMETIMES WE ARE DOING THINGS
SIMILAR TO EARTH.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES IS AS
NIGHT WHEN WE ARE AROUND THE
DINNER TABLE.
WE COME FROM DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES, THERE IS A LOT OF
STORIES TO SHARE.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING
THAT AFTER THE LONG DAYS ARE
OVER.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS YOU GET
TO DO IS UNIQUE.
WE ARE PRACTICING OUR GREEN
THUMB, TRYING TO GROW SOME
PLANTINGS UP HERE.
WE ARE BOK CHOY AND LETTUCE
GROWING.
IT'S FUN TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF
EARTH HERE IN SPACE.
AND THE OTHER THING IS LOOKING
OUT THE WINDOW.
IT'S A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE, A
UNIQUE VIEW.
TO SPEND SIX MONTHS UP HERE AND
NOT SPEND TIME DOING THAT WOULD
BE A SHAME.
>> OH, MAN, OBVIOUSLY, I CANNOT
EVEN IMAGINE.
BUT SITTING AROUND THE TABLE,
SHARING STORIES WITH PEOPLE FROM
A WORLD AWAY WITH ENTIRELY
DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCES, I
WONDER IF THERE IS ONE THAT YOU
HAVE SAID, MAN, I'M GOING TO
REMEMBER THAT, I'M GOING TO TELL
PEOPLE ABOUT THAT WHEN I GET
HOME BECAUSE THAT PERSPECTIVE
WAS INTERESTING AND IT MADE ME
THINK.
>> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE STORIES
I OFTEN RELATE IS MY FIRST
FLIGHT, WHEN I WAS UP HERE IN
2013.
THERE WAS SOME WORLD EVENTS
GOING ON AT THAT TIME WITH OUR
RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES.
SO THERE WAS DEFINITELY A
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THOSE
EVENTS.
YET, AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE
ABLE TO SIT AROUND THAT DINNER
TABLE, HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS,
UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S
PERSPECTIVES.
IT'S STUCK WITH ME THAT WHEN YOU
GET DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL
LEVEL, YOU CAN FIND MORE IN
COMMON THAN THE THINGS THAT
DIVIDE US.
>> THAT'S THE TRUEST THING I
HAVE HEARD ALL DAY.
IF WE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER
BETTER, HISTORY SAYS WE'LL BE
BETTER OFF TOGETHER.
SINCE YOU BRING IT UP, THERE IS
SOME STUFF GOING ON DOWN HERE,
YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, I WONDER
WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SEE THESE
HISTORIC MOMENTS, CHANGING OF
THE GUARD POLITICALLY AND ALL
THAT SURROUNDED IT AT THE
CAPITOL LAST WEEK.
I WONDER WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A
WITNESS TO THAT FROM A WORLD
AWAY AND IF THAT'S PART OF YOUR
DISCUSSIONS AT ALL.
>> YEAH, WE DO TRY TO STAY IN
TOUCH WITH HOME.
THERE IS AN INTERESTING THING
THAT HAPPENS UP HERE.
WE ARE CLOSE, BUT WE ARE FAR
AWAY.
SO CERTAINLY OUR HEARTS ARE WITH
EVERYBODY WHO IS GOING THROUGH
AN INCREDIBLE DIFFICULT TIME
RIGHT NOW.
BUT WE DO GET A UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVE UP HERE.
WE CIRCLE THE GLOBE EVERY 90
MINUTES.
WE GET TO SEE PLACES THAT
PROBABLY WE'LL NEVER GO IN OUR
LIFETIME.
IT'S CLOSE.
WE PASS OVER HOUSTON, WE WAVE,
WE PASS OVER WASHINGTON D.C. AND
WE WAVE.
SO WE ARE VERY FAR AWAY, BUT WE
ARE ALSO CLOSE.
AND OUR THOUGHTS JUST ARE GOING
OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT'S GOING
THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME.
WE KNOW THIS IS A TOUGH TIME NOT
JUST FOR AMERICA, BUT FOR THE
WHOLE WORLD.
SO WE ARE WITH YOU.
>> WELL, I WON'T SPEAK FOR
EVERYONE ELSE, BUT THANK YOU FOR
THAT.
KNOWING THIS INTERVIEW WAS
COMING, I WONDERED WHAT MUST IT
BE LIKE TO BE SO CLOSE BUT SO
FAR AWAY AND WITNESSING THESE
HISTORIC MOMENTS.
I WONDER IF THERE IS A THING YOU
DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WOULD MISS UP
THERE ALL THIS TIME THAT YOU
CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK TO WHEN
THE TIME COMES.
>> THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS YOU
MISS.
EARTH IS A GREAT PLACE.
IT'S GOOD TO BE ON EARTH AS
WELL.
BUT IT'S ALSO VERY UNIQUE AND
FUN TO BE UP HERE.
THERE IS A FEW THINGS THAT I
DIDN'T REALIZE, ACTUALLY, AFTER
MY FIRST MISSION THAT I MISSED
UNTIL I GOT BACK ON EARTH.
ONE OF THOSE WAS THE WEATHER.
UP HERE IT'S ALWAYS NICE, 70,
72°, NO BREEZE, NO RAIN, NO
SNOW.
NO WIND.
YET WHEN I GOT BACK TO EARTH, IT
WAS ONE OF THE FIRST WEEKENDS, I
WAS IN MY BACKYARD AND IT'S
RAINING.
I WAS LETTING THE RAIN FALL ON
ME.
I REALIZED HOW MUCH I MISSED
THAT.
I MADE A PLEDGE THAT I WILL
NEVER COMPLAIN ABOUT THE
WEATHER.
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT UNTIL YOU
MISS IT THAT YOU REALIZE HOW
MUCH YOU ENJOY IT.
>> NO RAIN IN SPACE.
I LOVE IT.
OVER THE YEARS I HAVE HAD THE
REAL PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO
SPEAK TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT
ARE SITTING IN PLACES YOU ARE.
I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT, BUT
MOST WERE MEN AND MOST HAD SHORT
SHARE.
WE HAVE A UNIQUE THING GOING ON
HERE.
IT'S LIKE AN ELEPHANT IN THE
ROOM.
HOW DO YOU HANDLE YOUR HAIR
WHICH AT THIS MOMENT SEEMS TO BE
DOING IT'S OWN THING IN ITS OWN
WAY?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IT DEFINITELY DOES IT OWN THING.
I KEEP IT LONG BECAUSE YOU CAN
GO FROM VERY IMPORTANT TO
QUICKLY TALKING IT DOWN WHEN WE
GOT TO DO A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT.
THIS IS PART OF WHO I AM.
I THINK ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS
ABOUT BEING UP HERE WITH PEOPLE
FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE IS THE
BOYS GET TO LEARN WHAT IT'S LIKE
TO HAVE LONG HAIR UP HERE.
>> WHEN YOU STARTED TO ASK THAT
QUESTION, I THOUGHT YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT ME.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I HAVE
HAD A HAIR CUT.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S GETTING A
LITTLE LONG.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWN HERE IN
COVID QUARANTINE WOULD SAY THE
SAME THING.
YOU ARE IN THE POSITION, I KNOW
YOU ARE SCIENTISTS AND MISSION
DRIVEN, BUT YOU ARE ALSO IN A
POSITION WHERE LITTLE BOYS AND
LITTLE GIRLS LOOK UP AND GO OH,
MAN, LOOK AT THAT, I SO WANT TO
DO THAT.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE LITTLE
KIDS WHO SAY I WANT TO BE YOU?
>> WELL, WHEN I WAS 12 I HAD THE
CHANCE TO GO TO A CONFERENCE ON
RECOMBINANT DNA.
I WAS THINKING I COULD DO THIS
SCIENCE.
NASA DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF
PUTTING THIS ON THEIR EDUCATION
WEBSITE AND IT GOES OUT TO
SCHOOLS.
WHEN WE ARE DOING THINGS THAT WE
KNOW A KID IN A CLASSROOM OR
VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM MIGHT
BE WATCHING A NASA EVENT AND
LEARNING HOW WE GROW HEART CELLS
IN SPACE, HOW HOPPER IS GROWING
PLANTS IN SPACE, HOW WE ARE
STUDYING THE HUMAN BODY IN
SPACE.
THIS IS A GREAT THING TO DO
EDUCATIONALLY.
WE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE
MISSION DRIVEN AND MISSION
FOCUSED, BUT WE KEEP IN MIND THE
EDUCATIONAL ASPECT.
WE KNOW KIDS EVERYWHERE ARE
STUDYING SPACE AND SCIENCE.
THEY HAVE BIG DREAMS.
THAT'S A PRETTY MOTIVATING
FACTOR.
>> COLONEL HOPKINS, IF THERE IS
A LITTLE ONE DOWN HERE WHO SAYS
I WANT TO DO THAT WHEN I GROW
UP, WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE GO
AHEAD OR MAYBE LEARN BANKING?
>> NO, IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH IT.
I WILL STEAL A FEW WORDS FROM
VICTOR GLOVER.
YOU GOT TO BE GRITTY.
THIS IS GOING TO BE HARD.
IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO GET
INTO STEM AND FIND YOUR WAY INTO
THE ASTRONAUT CORPS OR FIND YOUR
WAY INTO SPACE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF
GRIT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
THE OTHER THING, YOU GOT TO BE A
LIFETIME LEARNER.
THAT'S TRUE.
I MEAN, I'M GETTING UP THERE AND
I'M STILL LEARNING SOMETHING
EVERY DAY.
YOU ARE ALWAYS LEARNING AND
EMBRACE THAT.
IT'S GREAT TO DO.
SOMETHING THAT I ALWAYS BELIEVE
IS YOU HAVE TO BE PASSIONATE.
ASTRONAUTS COME FROM ALL WALKS
OF LIFE.
IF YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT,
THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT'S
GOING TO SHINE THROUGH AND YOU
ARE GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE TO
PURSUE THIS DREAM OF COMING UP
INTO SPACE.
>> WELL, YOU INSPIRE US AND YOU
MAKE US SO PROUD.
I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR
YOUR SERVICE TO OUR NATION AND
YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO A BETTER
WORLD.
GODSPEED AND BE WELL.
I HOPE I GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK
WITH YOU WHEN YOU RETURN TO
EARTH.
MANY, MANY THANKS TO YOU AND
YOUR COLLEAGUES.
>> THANK YOU, SHEPARD.
ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE CREW,
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AS
WELL AND TO ALL YOUR AUDIENCE
OUT THERE.
>> VERY GOOD.
NASA, THANK YOU ALL.
WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO PUT
SOMETHING GREAT TOGETHER HERE.
MANY THANKS.
>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON ACR.
THAT CONCLUDES THE EVENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU TO ALL THE
PARTICIPANTS FROM CNBC.
STATION, WE ARE NOW RESUMING
AUDIO COMMUNICATIONS.