>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE EVENT?
>> HOUSTON, I AM READY
FOR THE EVENT.
>> "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE, THIS IS
MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON.
PLEASE CALL STATION FOR A VOICE
CHECK.
>> STATION, THIS IS TOM.
HOW DO YOU HERE ME?
>> HELLO, TOM.
I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
>> HI, MEGAN.
GOOD TO TALK WITH YOU AGAIN.
>> YES, GOOD TO TALK WITH YOU
AGAIN, TOM.
>> THIS IS A FIRST FOR ME.
BUT THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS.
WHERE ARE YOU NOW EXACTLY IN THE
ISS?
>> SO RIGHT NOW I AM IN THE
COLUMBUS MODULE WHICH IS THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY'S
LABORATORY MODULE AS PART OF THE
U.S. OPERATING SYSTEM ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> AND WHAT COUNTRY ARE YOU
OVER?
>> WELL, WHEN I JUST CHECKED OUR
MAP, WE ARE OVER AUSTRALIA RIGHT
NOW.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME OVER THE
OCEAN, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE OVER
AUSTRALIA AND IT'S DARK RIGHT
NOW.
>> IT'S NIGHTTIME.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN UP THERE
ABOUT A MONTH.
HOW'S IT GOING?
>> WELL, IT'S GOING REALLY
GREAT, ACTUALLY.
IT'S AN AMAZING THING TO GET TO
SPEND THIS MUCH TIME IN SPACE
AND GET USED TO IT, START TO
ADOPT TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND GET
EFFICIENT MOVING AROUND AND
LIVING AND WORKING IN SPACE.
IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE.
>> I BET.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE,
OBVIOUSLY.
I KNOW THE ISS HAS BEEN ON THE
NEWS THIS MORNING WITH REGARDS
TO THE SPACE DEBRIS THAT PUT A
HOLE THROUGH THE ROBOTIC ARM.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A
LITTLE?
>> SO WE LEARNED RECENTLY THAT
THERE WAS A STRIKE ON THE
ROBOTIC ARM.
IT OCCUR IN FEBRUARY OF THIS
YEAR.
JUST A RECENT SURVEY BROUGHT
THAT TO LIGHT WITH SOME
PHOTOGRAPHS.
THE TEAM ON THE GROUND HAS
WORKED VERY HARD TO ABSOLVE
THAT, TO LOOK IN DETAIL AT WHAT
THAT ACTUALLY IS.
YOU HAVE MORE DETAIL IN THE NEWS
RIGHT NOW.
BUT WHAT WE UNDERSTAND IS THAT
THE ARM IS OPERATING COMPLETELY
NORMALLY.
IT HAS DONE SOME SIGNIFICANT
TASKS SINCE IT GOT THAT HIT AND
IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETELY
OPERATIONAL.
>> YOU HAVE TO DODGE SPACE
DEBRIS ON THE WAY IN THE SPACE
DRAGON.
>> WE WERE ALERTED THERE WAS
DEBRIS NEAR OUR VEHICLE, IT WAS
A LATE NOTIFICATION, OUR TEAM
FOUND OUT ABOUT IT LATE.
WE GOT INTO OUR SPACE SUITS AND
ZIPPED UP.
IT WAS NOT ANY DEBRIS, IT WAS A
FALSE ALARM.
BUT WE PROVED THAT WE CAN GET
INTO OUR SPACE SUITS REALLY
QUICK.
>> SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO
ANY -- MAKE ANY MANEUVERS IN
ORDERER TO AVOID.
>> CORRECT.
WE JUST CONTINUED ON OUR REGULAR
PATH.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THIS PAST MONTH.
WHAT'S THE COOLEST THING YOU
HAVE SEEN SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN UP
THERE?
>> WELL, TOM, ONE OF THE THINGS
I LOVE TO DO WHEN I HAVE THE
TIME IS TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW.
WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
WINDOWS ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME OVER THE
OCEAN.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE THESE VERY
LARGE THUNDERSTORMS OUT OVER THE
OCEAN.
I SAW SOMETHING RECENTLY I HAVE
NEVER SEEN BEFORE, WHICH I THINK
IS SORT OF LIGHTNING RELATED BUT
IT WAS LIGHTNING THAT CAME UP
AWAY FROM THE SURFACE OF THE
EARTH.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT SCIENTISTS
CALL A BLUE JET.
I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE
PHENOMENON.
I TOLD MY CREW MATES YOU NEVER
GUESS WHAT I JUST SAW.
THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE BLUE
JET.
AND COOL TO SEE THAT.
>> THAT IS VERY COOL.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE
HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR MISSION SO
FAR?
>> WELL, CERTAINLY LAUNCH AND
DOCKING WAS A BIG HIGHLIGHT FOR
US.
ONCE ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, I WOULD SAY THAT FROM A
SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE, GETTING TO
OPERATE WITH THE CELESTIAL
IMMUNITY PROJECT, CONTRIBUTING
TO DEVELOPING VACCINES FOR BACK
ON EARTH.
I'M NOT A BIOLOGIST, BUT HAD A
CAMERA WITH SOMEONE TALKING ME
THROUGH IT.
THAT WAS HANDS ON.
WE HAVE A LAUNCH OF THE SpaceX
CARGO BRINGING 7,000 POUNDS OF
MORE SCIENCE.
THAT WILL INCLUDE A COUPLE OF
SPACEWALKS.
WE ARE PREPARING FOR THAT AS
WELL.
I KNOW THOSE ARE GOING TO BE A
HIGHLIGHT, TOO.
>> WOW.
ARE YOU EXPECTING ANY TREATS
FROM BOB, DID HE SEND ANYTHING
UP TO YOU?
>> I THINK WE CAN EXPECT A CARE
PACKAGE.
I KNOW THE TEAM BACK HOME WILL
FOCUS ON SENDING US FRESH FOOD,
MAYBE SOME CITRUS.
I KNOW THERE WILL BE SOME
SPECIAL CARE PACKAGE FROM BOB
AND THEO AS WELL.
>> DO YOU HAVE A PACKET OF FOOD
WITH YOU NOW?
>> I DO HAVE FOOD I CAN SHOW
YOU.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT KIND OF FOOD
UP HERE, SOME IS DEHYDRATED THAT
WE HAVE TO REHYDRATE.
SOME HAS BEEN HEATED TO BE
PRESERVED.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO REHEAT IT.
I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT THAT
PACKAGING IS LIKE.
THIS IS FOOD THAT IS ALREADY
HYDRATED.
WE JUST HAVE TO HEAT IT.
THIS IS BROWN RICE IN THIS
PACKET RIGHT HERE.
AND I HAVE SOME DEHYDRATED FOOD
IN THIS PACKET.
THIS OUTER PACKET IS A
PROTECTIVE PACKET TO HELP KEEP
THE FOOD STAY SHELF STABLE FOR
LONGER.
YOU HAVE TO OPEN THIS OUTER
PACKET TO GET INSIDE.
SO I WILL TAKE A QUICK SECOND TO
DO THAT.
>> SURE.
>> THIS IS CASHEW CHICKEN CURRY.
IT'S DEHYDRATED, I HAVE TO ADD
WATER IN THROUGH THIS OPENING
HERE AND I WILL PUT IT IN THE
WARMING OVEN FOR HALF AN HOUR.
WE HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
DRINKS.
THE FOOD LAB PACKED ME MY
FAVORITE TEA I TURN INTO ICE
TEA.
WE HAVE A TINY REFRIGERATOR THAT
WE CAN COOL OFF DRINKS OR SMALL
FOOD PACKETS.
THEY TRY TO GIVE US A VARIETY IN
FLAVORS, TEXTURES AND
TEMPERATURES AS WELL.
>> YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY CRUMBS
WHEN YOU ARE EATING, IS THAT
RIGHT?
>> WELL, WE DO TRY TO MINIMIZE
CRUMBS.
WE HAVE SOME CRACKERS AND
COOKIES THAT WILL MAKE CRUMBS.
THE LIQUID, YOU CAN SPRAY
DROPLETS OF LIQUID EVERYWHERE.
AND YOU DON'T WEAR YOUR NICE
SHIRT TO DINNER.
>> WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR
BREAKFAST THIS MORNING?
>> THIS MORNING I HAD, LET'S
SEE, I HAD GRITS WITH BUTTER AND
SOME SAUSAGE.
>> THAT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD.
TELL ME, WHAT IS IT LIKE VIEWING
THE STARS FROM UP THERE?
I IMAGINE IT'S INCREDIBLE WITH
NO LIGHT POLLUTION, THE STARS
MUST LOOK PHENOMENAL.
>> THEY DO LOOK PHENOMENAL.
VERY SIMILAR.
THE PATTERNS ARE THE SAME.
WE ARE STILL JUST AS FAR AWAY AS
YOU ARE WHEN YOU ARE ON EARTH.
BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE
ATMOSPHERE BETWEEN YOU AND THE
EARTH, THERE ISN'T THAT
TWINKLING AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT
COLOR THEY ARE.
WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT EARTH, WE
ARE LOOKING AT CITY LIGHTS AND
LOOKING AT HOME.
>> A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING TO
YOU.
>> YEAH.
IT'S NICE TO THINK ABOUT THE
DIFFERENT CITIES AROUND THE
WORLD AND WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE
DOING AND THINK ABOUT WHAT
PLACES MIGHT I WANT TO VISIT NOW
THAT I HAVE SEEN THEM GOING
OVERHEAD.
>> HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET TO CHAT
WITH BOB AND THEO?
>> I TRY TO SPEAK TO THEM EVERY
DAY, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR A
COUPLE OF MINUTES TO SAY HELLO.
ONCE A WEEK WE HAVE A NICE VIDEO
CHAT WHERE WE GET TO CHAT FOR
ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHICH IS NICE.
>> IS THEO DOING OKAY?
IS HE HANDLING YOUR BEING IN
SPACE OKAY?
>> HE'S DOING GREAT.
HE AND HIS DAD ARE HAVING A TON
OF FUN.
HE'S GLAD SCHOOL IS OUT.
HE'S LOVING SPENDING TIME AT THE
SWIMMING POOL.
HE'S DOING WELL.
>> HOW DOES IT FEEL TO LOOK AT
EARTH FROM SPACE?
>> WELL, I WILL TELL YOU WHAT,
TOM, WE HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL
PLANET, THE MOST OVERWHELMING
FEELING IS ONE OF WONDER.
EVEN WHEN YOU ARE GOING OVER THE
OCEAN AND YOU JUST SEE CLOUDS,
ALL OF THE DIFFERENT VARIED
PATTERNS OF CLOUDS, THEY ARE
JUST BEAUTIFUL.
YOU END UP FEELING PROTECTIVE
TOWARDS THE EARTH.
EVERY TIME WE GET A SUN RISE OR
SUN SET, YOU SEE THAT LENS OF
THE ATMOSPHERE ILLUMINATED, YOU
SEE HOW SMALL THAT IS COMPARED
TO THE VAST BLACKNESS OF SPACE.
YOU FEEL VERY PROTECTIVE, VERY
PROPRIETARY ABOUT THIS PLANET WE
HAVE.
>> GIVES YOU A WHOLE NEW
PERSPECTIVE, I'M SURE.
LITERALLY.
WHAT DO YOU SPEND MOST OF YOUR
TIME ON?
>> WELL, ONE OF THE REALLY COOL
THINGS ABOUT THIS JOB, EVERY DAY
IS DIFFERENT.
WE SPEND TIME ON THINGS EVERY
DAY.
TOO BIG CATEGORIES, WE SPEND
TIME DOING MAINTENANCE, KEEPING
THE SPACE STATION RUNNING AND WE
SPEND TIME DOING THE ACTUAL
SCIENCE.
THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG
CATEGORIES.
EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT.
THAT'S WHAT MAY BEINGS IT
INTERESTING.
WE ALSO HAVE TO SPEND TIME
MOVING THINGS AROUND BECAUSE WE
DO KEEP A LOT OF EQUIPMENT ON
BOARD THE SPACE STATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE WE ARE
GETTING READY TO DO SPACEWALKS,
WE HAD TO CLEAR A LOT OF
EQUIPMENT OUT OF OUR AIR LOCKS
WHICH IS WHERE THEY WILL EXIT
AND REENTER THE SPACE STATION.
I HAVE A SPARE SPACE SUIT THAT
WE ARE NOT GOING TO USE IN THE
NEXT SPACEWALK.
WE DO SPEND TIME MOVING THINGS
AROUND AND LOOKING FOR THE
THINGS THAT WE NEED.
>> WHAT ABOUT MICROGRAVITY, HAVE
YOU GOTTEN USED TO THAT YET?
>> I TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S GREAT.
IT'S A TON OF FUN.
I FEEL LIKE I GET A LITTLE
BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENT EVERY
DAY.
I'M TRYING DIFFERENT MANEUVERS
AS I TAKE THE CORNER AT HIGH
SPEED OR CHANGE SPEED.
YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN INTO
ANYBODY ELSE OR RUN INTO THE
STUFF WE HAVE.
IT'S FUN EVERY DAY, FUN ALL THE
TIME WORKING IN MICROGRAVITY.
IT MAKES SOME SIMPLE, YOU CAN
MOVE A SPACE SUIT THAT'S
HUNDREDS OF POUNDS, I CAN MOVE
IT EASILY.
IT ALSO MAKES THINGS DIFFICULT.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO MOVE
YOUR BODY SO IF YOU DO NEED TO
MOVE SOMETHING.
>> WHAT ABOUT SLEEPING IN
MICROGRAVITY, YOU HAVE A LOCKER
LIKE THE SIZE OF A PHONE BOOTH,
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
IT'S ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PHONE
BOOTH FOR THOSE WHO REMEMBER
WHAT IT IS.
IT'S QUIET.
YOU HAVE YOUR LAPTOP AND
SLEEPING BAG IS TACKED TO THE
WALL.
SLEEPING, PLUSES AND MINUSES,
IT'S COMFORTABLE IN THE SENSE
THAT YOU ARE FLOATING, BUT ALSO
YOUR BRAIN IS WIRED TO FEEL THAT
SENSATION OF LYING DOWN, IT'S
WHAT RELAXES YOU.
I DO FIND IT HARDER TO FALL
ASLEEP BECAUSE MY BRAIN IS NOT
QUITE PROGRAMMED TO FALL ASLEEP
IN MICROGRAVITY.
SO IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE EXTRA
TIME.
>> FASCINATING TO HEAR.
GOING BACK TO FOOD FOR ONE
SECOND.
I KNOW I READ THAT YOUR TASTE
BUDS ARE A BIT MUTED UP IN
SPACE, IS THAT CORRECT?
SO ASTRONAUTS ENJOY SPICIER
FOODS FOR THAT REASON?
>> I HAVE HEARD THAT PEOPLE'S
TASTES WILL CHANGE IN SPACE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT MY TASTES HAVE
CHANGED.
THE FOOD WE GET IS VERY HEALTHY.
VERY LEAN AND LOW SODIUM.
ONE SOLUTION IS TO ADD HOT SAUCE
WHICH IS ONE OF THE CONDIMENTS
WE HAVE.
WE GET SALT AND PEPPER, KETCHUP,
MUSTARD.
PEPPER HAS TO COME IN LIQUID
FORM, OTHERWISE IT WOULD MAKE A
HUGE MESS.
THIS IS A BOTTLE OF LIQUID
PEPPER.
YOU CAN SQUIRT THIS INTO YOUR
FOOD PACT INSTEAD OF SPRINKLING
ON YOUR FOOD.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT
DEMONSTRATION.
HOW DO YOU DECOMPRESS AFTER A
LONG DAY?
>> WELL, EVERYBODY IS DONE
AROUND THE SAME TIME, WE'LL OVEN
GATHER AROUND THE DINNER TABLE
IN THE GALLEY AND EAT DINNER
TOGETHER AND TELL STORIES LIKE
YOU WOULD BACK ON EARTH.
IF I'M ON MY OWN, I WILL HOLD UP
IN MY CREW QUARTERS, I WILL READ
A BOOK.
IF I TRY TO GET READY FOR BED, I
DON'T WANT TO LOOK OUTSIDE AT
THE SUN.
WE HAVE OPTIONS, MOVIES, PHONE
CALLS.
A LOT OF WAYS TO WIND DOWN.
>> YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH ONE
MONTH, YOU HAVE FIVE MONTHS UP
THERE, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S ONE MONTH DOWN AND FIVE
MONTHS TO GO.
WE GOT A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF
US, SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
IT.
>> WHAT IN PARTICULAR WILL YOU
BE FOCUSING ON FOR THE REST OF
YOUR JOURNEY?
>> WELL, LIKE I SAID, EVERY DAY,
EVERY MONTH IS GOING TO BE
DIFFERENT.
THIS NEXT MONTH IS GOING TO BE
EXTRAORDINARILY BUSY FOR US WHEN
WE GET THE NEW CARGO VEHICLE.
LOTS OF NEW SCIENCE PROJECTS AS
WELL AS THE SPACEWALKS WHICH
INVOLVES SOME ROBOTICS.
THAT'S THE HORIZON I'M LOOKING
AT.
THAT ONE MONTH AHEAD OF US.
EVERY MONTH IS GOING TO HAVE
SOME BIG EVENT THAT'S HAPPENING
FOR US TO FOCUS ON, WHICH IS A
GREAT WAY TO GET THROUGH A LONG
PERIOD OF TIME LIKE THAT.
>> RIGHT.
AND YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE ABOUT
TWO HOURS A DAY, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
WE GET EXERCISE EVERY DAY WHICH
IS GREAT.
WE HAVE A TREADMILL AND WE ALSO
HAVE A STATIONARY BIKE.
WE HAVE AN EXERCISE MACHINE THAT
KEEPS OUR MUSCLES AND BONES
LOADED SO WE DON'T LOSE MUSCLE
MASS OR BONE MASS UP HERE AS
WELL.
>> THAT'S FASCINATING TO HEAR
HOW THAT CAN HAPPEN UP THERE IN
SPACE.
OBVIOUSLY, THE IMPORTANCE OF
THAT IS FOR MISSIONS TO MARS AND
LONGER SPACE MISSIONS, WE HAVE
TO KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE
HUMAN BODY ON THOSE LONG TRIPS
COMING UP.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE DO
UP HERE, A BIG AREA OF RESEARCH
IS WHAT WE WOULD CALL COUNTER
MEASURES.
FOR THE EFFECTS OF MICRO-G ON
THE BODY.
IF YOU ARE GOING AS FAR AS MARS
AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE AN
EARTH G OR MARS G, YOU HAVE TO
KNOW HOW TO STAY HEALTHY SO YOU
CAN GET OUT AND WALK AROUND ON
MARS.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO UP HERE AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR CHATTING WITH
ME TODAY, MEGAN.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD
LIKE TO ADD BEFORE I LET YOU GO?
>> JUST THANKS FOR JOINING US,
THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN
WHAT'S GOING ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO LOOK US UP,
GET OUTSIDE AND WAVE AS WE GO
OVERHEAD.
>> I ACTUALLY HAVE, YOU CAN LOG
ON TO SPOT THE STATION DOT-ORG
OR DOT-COM.
IT'S BEEN CLOUDY, BUT I'M
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU UP
THERE.
>> DON'T FORGET TO WAVE.
>> I WILL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THAT CONCLUDES THE EVENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THAT YOU TO ALL PARTICIPANTS
FROM "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE.
WE ARE NOW RESUMING NORMAL RADIO
COMMUNICATIONS.