>>> STATION THIS IS HOUSTON ARE
YOU READY FOR THE EVENT?
>> YES, WE ARE READY FOR THE
EVENT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE HAND HELD MIC
THEY ARE READY.
>> THIS IS MISSION CONTROL
HOUSTON.
>> THIS IS WEATHER NATION
METEOROLOGIST MEREDITH FOR A
VOICE CHECK.
HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE HAVE YOU LOUD AND CLEAR
MEREDITH.
>> LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE
ROAD.
FROM SPACE TO WEATHER CENTER.
WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE TWO
ASTRONAUTS.
WE HAVE MARK VANDE HEI AND ALSO
THOMAS PESQUET ALMOST 200 MILES
ABOVE EARTH.
HOW IS IT GOING?
>> THEY ARE GOING FANTASTIC.
WE ARE GETTING A LOT DONE EVERY
DAY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF LAUGHS AND GOOD
WORK.
>> THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE WE CAN'T
TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY, RIGHT.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WATCH IT'D
FROM ABOVE.
ONE QUESTION I ALWAYS GET ABOUT
THE SPACE STATION AND
ASTRONAUTS.
WHAT IS IT LIKE CALLING THE
SPACE STATION YOUR HOME, BE UP
THERE, AND LIVE, WORK, AND
BREATHE.
>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
FOR MARK AND MYSELF WE REALLY
GET TO CALL IT HOME BECAUSE WE
LIVE AND WORK ON THE SPACE
STATION.
MORE THAN 200 DAYS.
IT FEELS LIKE HOME.
THINGS ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE
ARE FLOATING AND YOU HAVE TO EAT
SHOWER.
IT MAKES IT EASIER IN THE
MORNING.
IT TAKES GETTING USED TO.
IT'S A NEW ENVIRONMENT.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU IF YOU
COULD DO BACK FLIPS?
HAVE YOU MASTERED THAT.
>> MARK IS THE GRAND MASTER OF
BACK FLIPS.
HE WILL DEMONSTRATE, LOOK AT
THIS.
>> WOW.
>> VERY NICELY DONE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> IT'S LIKE THE OLYMPICS IN
SPACE.
>> MAYBE IN THE NEXT DECADE WE
WILL HAVE THAT.
>> I'M A SCIENTIST AND
METEOROLOGIST HERE AND I FIND
THE WORK YOU ARE DOING
FASCINATING FROM THE RESEARCH,
EXPERIMENTS, MICROGRAVITY.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO
ACCOMPLISH ON THE CURRENT TRIP?
>> I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE
PREVIOUS MISSION AND IMMUNITY
EXPERIMENT BACK TO YOU.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN
SEMILATING HUMAN SYSTEMS ON THE
EARTH AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF.
THEY HAVE A HUGE IMPACT AND UP
HERE IN SPACE THOSE ARE VERY
MINIMAL IN FREE FIRST OF ALL
AROUND THE PLANET.
WE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
WE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT
TO STUDY THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING A GOOD
CHUCK OF EVERY DAY IN THE LAST
WEEK OR SO WORKING ON THAT.
>> THAT'S SO COOL HOW YOU PASS
THE MIKE.
THOMAS, HOW ABOUT FOR YOU?
>> FOR ME, THERE IS A NICE
EXPERIMENT CALLED GRIT AND
GRASP.
IT'S A EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT I
COMMISSIONED WHILE I WAS HERE.
I'M CLOSING THE LOOP AND IT'S
NICE TO DO THIS FROM BEGINNING
TO END.
IT LOOKS AT THE WAY YOUR BRAIN
IS WIRED IN SPACE.
BEING IN SPACE IS A LEARNING
EXPERIMENT.
IT'S LIKE LEARNING TO RIDE A
BIKE.
IT'S NOT MANY EXAMPLES OF THE
REWIRING OF YOUR BRAIN AS AN
ADULT AND LOOKING AT WHAT
HAPPENS.
YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT NEW
CONNECTIONS IN THE BRAIN AND
HELP CURE PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AND THINGS LIKE
THAT.
THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT I TOOK A
LOT OF PRIDE IN AND I'M HAPPY TO
CONCLUDE THE CYCLE OF THESE
EXPERIMENTS TODAY.
>> THAT'S VERY EXCITING AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO SEE THE RESEARCH
THAT COMES OUT OF IT IN THE
FUTURE.
ON EARTH WE RELY ON SATELLITES
AND FOR YOU UP IN SPACE WHAT
KIND OF INSTRUMENTS ARE
OPERATING ON THE SPACE STATION
AND WHAT ARE THEY STUDYING?
>> SO, THERE ARE A FEW
EXPERIMENTS WHERE WE LOOK AT THE
ATMOSPHERE.
ONE I LIKE IS CALLED AZ ASIM.
IT'S DANISH MADE AND HE OPERATES
ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SPACE
STATION.
HE LOOKS AT WHAT HAPPENS DURING
A STORM.
WE ARE TALKING TO MEGAN, SHE SAW
ONE YESTERDAY.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S REALLY COOL.
A BLUE KIND OF ELECTRICAL
DISCHARGE.
IT GOES UP FROM A THUNDERSTORM
INSTEAD OF DOWN FROM THE GROUND.
THIS INSTRUMENT IS TRACKING THEM
AND PREFORMING A SURVEY.
IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT
HAPPENS IN A STORM CELL AND DEAL
WITH THEM ON THE GROUND.
THAT'S ONE I REALLY LIKE.
>> YOU GET TO OBSERVE OUR PLANET
EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR MORE THAN
200 MILES FROM ABOVE.
WHAT UNIQUE PHENOMENON HAVE YOU
DEALT WITH.
WE HAVE TYPHOONS AND HURRICANES.
>> MEREDITH, ON MY LAST FLIGHT I
SAW A HURRICANE.
THAT WAS A DEVASTATING.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE SOMETHING
WE SAW UP HERE CAUSED THAT MUCH
DAMAGE.
WHEN TRAVELING OVER AFRICA I SAW
STORMS, LIGHTNING STORMS FROM
SPACE.
YOU CAN SEE SO MANY FLASHES OF
LIGHTNING ALL OVER THE PLACE AND
IT'S A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
IT'S SHOCKING HOW DID BROAD AND
INTENSE THE STORMS COULD BE.
>> HOW ABOUT FOR YOU, THOMAS.
>> YEAH, I CAN ONLY AGREE WITH
MARK.
STORMS AT NIGHT ARE ACTUALLY
WONDERFUL AND COOL TO LOOK AT.
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE A
PICTURE OF, I HAVE TRIED.
I STILL HAVE TIME ON THE MISSION
TO SUCCEED.
OBVIOUSLY, TROPICAL STORMS ARE A
BIG ONE.
YOU CAN SEE SOME PICTURES THAT
WERE TAKEN BY A COLLEAGUE NOT SO
LONG AGO.
YOU CAN LOOK STRAIGHT DOWN IN
THE EYE OF THE STORM WHICH IS
HUGELY IMPRESSIVE.
YOU CAN SEE THE MASSIVE WALLS
THAT ARE KILOMETER TALL.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST
IMPRESSIVE PICTURES I HAVE SEEN
TAKEN FROM THE SPACE STATION.
>> WELL, I'D LOVE TO TRADE
PLACES WITH YOU AND SEE THAT
MYSELF BEING A SIGN AND SPACE
GEEK.
LET ME ASK BOTH OF YOU WE WERE
CALLING UP TO SPACE AND WHAT HAS
IT BEEN LIKE BEING AN ASTRONAUTS
IN YOUR PREVIOUS CAREERS?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND
WE GENERALLY LOVE TO ANSWER TO
HELP OUT THE KIDS DECIDING WHAT
TO DO.
MARK HAS THE BEST ADVICE.
FOR ME, IT'S REALLY JUST DON'T
LIMIT YOURSELF.
DON'T SENSOR YOURSELF.
I ALMOST DIDN'T APPLY FOR THE
PROGRAM BECAUSE I THOUGHT I
COULD NEVER DO THIS.
MY FRIEND SAID YOU ARE A PILOT.
HE WAS RIGHT.
I ALMOST DIDN'T DO IT AND JUST
TRY TO DO THESE THINGS AND EVERY
TIME YOU TRY SOMETHING TAKE A
STEP-ON THE PATH AND WON'T LEAD.
THE ISSUE ENGAGED AND STARTS ON
THE PATH.
THIS IS SOMETHING COMING OUT OF
IT.
>> MEGAN DEMONSTRATING FLYING
THROUGH SPACE FOR US.
>> YEAH, I'LL ADD TO THAT BY
SAYING MUCH LIKE WHAT THOMAS
SAID GIVE IT A SHOT.
ALSO, ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST AND
PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON PEOPLE
AROUND YOU.
THIS IS BEING THE BEST OF THE
GROUP.
>> I'M SURE MANY ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO BECOMING ASTRONAUTS.
IT'S VERY MOTIVATING AND
INSPIRATIONAL.
HOW ABOUT WE HAVE SOME FUN.
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN WHEN YOU
DO RESEARCH OR CONDUCT
EXPERIMENTS?
>> SO, THE GOOD THING IS WE ARE
ALL GOOD FRIENDS AND FROM THE
SAME CLASS AS MARK.
I SAY WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER AND
THAT'S FOR NONE BE IN THE
EVENINGS.
EVERYBODY IS TAKING PICTURES.
SOME PEOPLE WRITE A JOURNAL.
THEY MIGHT WANT TO WRITE A BOOK.
PEOPLE ARE SOMETIMES COMING FOR
FUN GAMES.
THE ENTREPRENEUR FIRE --
ENVIRONMENT OF MICROGRAVITY.
FUN IDEA TO DO BUSINESS.
THERE IS A LOT TO FIND AN
ENVIRONMENT NOT SO OFTEN.
WE CAN DO AND MAKE USE OF THAT
ENVIRONMENT.
WE CANNOT DO IT ON EARTH LIKE
DOUBLE BACK FLIPS.
I PRACTICE THIS ON THE WEEKENDS.
>> I HOPE I WOULDN'T GET IN
TROUBLE FOR SHARING THIS BUT WE
PLAYED A GAME WITH THE PREVIOUS
CREW.
YOU CAN SEE THE SPACE STATION IS
REALLY LONG AND THERE IS A LONG
PATH THROUGH HERE.
WE WOULD HAVE SOMEONE PUSH OFF
THE FRONT END AND SEE HOW FAR
THEY COULD GO TO MAKE CONTACT.
SOME PEOPLE WERE REALLY GOOD AND
YOU HAVE TO DO A LOT OF
GYRATIONS NOT TO MAKE CONTACT.
>> THAT'S A GAME I'D LIKE TO
TRY.
WE ALL GET OUT TO SPACE.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALWAYS TALK
ABOUT ON WEATHER NATION.
THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE WE'LL
MAKE FOR THE ARTEMIS LOCATION.
WHAT IS THE HOPE ON YOUR CURRENT
MISSION THEY COULD TAKE TOWARDS
GOING TOWARDS THE MOON.
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE ARE DOING SIGNS AND RESEARCH
THAT BENEFIT THE EARTH.
IT'S PART OF OUR GOALS.
WE HAVE BIGGER GOALS AND LONGER
TERM GOALS.
ONE IS TO GO FORWARD TO THE MOON
AND MARS.
WE HAVE A WIDE ARRAY OF
EXPERIENCES TO PREPARE THOSE
MISSIONS.
ONE OF THEM, I DID NOT SO LONG
AGO, IN A LABORATORY HOW DO YOU
PIOLET A SPACECRAFT OR ROVER QB
ORBITING IN THE SPACE STATION OR
AROUND THE PLANET AND REMOTE
CONTROLLING THEM AROUND THE
GROUND.
THIS ASK SCENARIO FOR FUTURE
EXPLORATION.
WE ARE PREPARING THEM ONBOARD
FOR FUTURE EXPLORATION.
>> HOW ABOUT FOR YOU, MARK.
>> UM, ACTUALLY, UNDERSTANDING
HOW TO HAVE THE HUMAN BODY
PREFORM WELL AFTER BEING IN
ORBIT FOR MONTHS AT A TIME IS
PART OF THE EXPERIMENT FOR US TO
EXPLORE FARTHER INTO THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
WE HAVE THE BABY FIT OF RETURN
TO EARTH OF COURSE, IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT IN THE FUTURE WENT
PEOPLE GET TO ESTABLISH HUMAN
PRESENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME WE
UNDERSTAND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO
PREFORM AFTER A LONG TRIP AND
ENVIRONMENT PROBABLY SMALLER
THAN THIS.
CERTAINLY WITH THE WE HAVE THE
REGIONTIVE SYSTEMS THAT HELP US
RECYCLE THE WATER.
WE ARE ABOUT TO INSTALL IT.
WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW FUTURE
SYSTEMS ARE IMPROVED SYSTEMS TO
USE FOR SPACECRAFT.
>> A BETTER TOILET BENEFITS
EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.
WE ARE APPRECIATIVE OF
EVERYTHING YOUR TEAM IS DOING.
NOT SURE IF YOU CAN GO OUT WITH
A DOUBLE BACK FLIP BUT WE
APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU, MEREDITH.
IT WAS A PLEASURE TALKING TO YOU
AND WE'LL KEEP LOOKING FOR THE
WEATHER PHENOMENONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YES, WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> THIS IS HOUSTON ACR, THANK
YOU, THAT CONCLUDES OUR EVENT.
>> THANK YOU SO ALL FROM WEATHER
NATION.
STATION WE ARE RESUMING
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS.