STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON, ARE
YOU READY FOR THE EVENT?
>> WE ARE READY FOR THE EVENT.
>> GOOD DAY L.A. THIS IS MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON.
PLEASE CALL STATION FOR A VOICE
CHECK.
>> STATION, THIS IS GOOD DAY
L.A. HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
WELCOME TO THE SPACE STATION.
IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.
>> IT IS SO GOOD TO BE WITH YOU,
THOMAS, MEGAN, WHAT AN EXCITING
TIME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK
WITH YOU.
WE WERE JUST TAKING A LOOK AT
SOME OF THE WORK YOU DID JUST
LAST WEEK.
WE KNOW EVERY MOMENT IS
ACCOUNTED FOR UP THERE IN SPACE.
EACH MOMENT IS VITAL.
TELL US WHAT YOU'VE BEEN BUSY
WITH IN TERMS OF ASSIGNMENTS AND
RESEARCH.
>> WE'VE DONE A LOT THESE LAST
FEW WEEKS.
WE GOT BUSY WITH A COUPLE OF
SPACEWALKS.
WE'RE GOING TO INSTALL SOME
BADLY NEEDED POWER TO KEEP
EVERYTHING WORKING INSIDE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW FACILITIES.
AT THE SAME TIME WHAT WE'RE
DOING THIS OUTSIDE, OTHER CREW
MEMBERS WERE TAKING CARE OF
SCIENCE INSIDE THE SPACE
STATION, WORKING ON PLANT GROWTH
AND THEN A LOT OF OTHER
EXPERIEMENTS.
SO IT WAS AN EXCITING TIME
WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, AND
WE KNOW THE PACE IS GOING TO
KEEP PACE FOR THE REST OF THE
MISSION.
>> MEGAN, YOU'RE IN THE COOLEST
LABORATORY A SCIENTIST COULD ASK
FOR.
DO YOU SOMETIMES LOSE YOURSELF
IN THE SCIENCE AND FORGET WHERE
YOU ARE FLOATING HIGH ABOVE THE
EARTH'S SURFACE?
>> ACTUALLY, YOU CAN KIND OF
NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU ARE
BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO
IS COMPLICATED A LITTLE BIT BY
THE FACT IN A YOU ARE FLOATING
HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH'S SURFACE.
THINGS THAT WE WOULD THINK ARE
VERY EASY ON EARTH, LIKE
SAMPLING A SURFACE, BECOME VERY
CHALLENGING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO PLACE YOUR
BODY AND HOW TO PLACE ALL OF
YOUR SUPPLIES.
WE HAVE VELCRO ON OUR PANTS, SO
WE'RE STICKING THINGS TO OUR
LEGS BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A
SURFACE TO SET THEM DOWN ON.
I'VE WORKED ON FOUR EXPERIMENTS
TODAY, WHICH IS JUST AN AMAZING
THING.
BUT YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOU
ARE WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT.
>> PART OF SCIENCE IS THE THRILL
OF THE ACADEMIC DISCOVERY.
PART OF IT IS ALSO ABOUT THE
PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THOSE
DISCOVERIES.
YOU LOOK TALK ABOUT THE VELCRO.
WHICH IS GETS YOU MORE EXCITED,
THE THRILL OF THE SCIENTIFIC
DISCOVERY OR THE APPLICATION?
>> I THINK WHAT IS FANTASTIC, WE
GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
SOME OF THE RESEARCH WE'RE
WORKING ON IS THEORETICAL.
WE LOOK AT THE UNIVERSE AND DEEP
QUESTIONS, AND THEN SOME OF THE
THINGS WE'RE DOING IS
TECHNOLOGY-ORIENTED.
THIS IS TECHNIQUES AND
TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING
ON THE SPACE STATION FOR EARTH.
METAL ALLOYS, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS
IS STUFF THAT WE USE EVERY DAY.
WHETHER YOU'RE BUILDING CARS,
PLANES, YOU NEED THOSE
MATERIALS, AND WE'RE BLAZING THE
TRAIL ON THE ISS.
SO BOTH THEORETICAL AND THE MOST
MUNDANE APPLICATION, IT'S
DEVELOPED HERE ON THE SPACE
STATION, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES
IT SO SPECIAL.
>> YES, IN FACT, THOMAS, WHILE
YOU HAVE THE MICROPHONE, I HEARD
THERE IS A TOILET MILESTONE IN
SPACE.
DO YOU WANT TO TELL VIEWERS WHAT
THAT WAS?
>> SORRY, I DIDN'T GET THE
QUESTION, CAN YOU SAY THAT
AGAIN?
>> WE WILL JUST MOVE ON.
DON'T WORRY.
I UNDERSTAND LAST WEEK YOU MADE
A CREPE, IS THAT TRUE?
YOU WERE ABLE TO MAKE A CREPE
FOR THE REST OF THE MEMBERS OF
THE SPACE STATION?
WERE YOU COOKING ABOARD?
>> MEGAN SAID SHE DIDN'T GET
ANY.
I LIKE YOUR VERSION OF THE
STORY.
BUT THE REAL STORY IS THAT I
USED A READY MADE TORTILLA,
WHICH IS THE BASIS OF EVERYTHING
THAT WE DO HERE ON THE SPACE
STATION.
I SMEARED CHOCOLATE AND
REHYDRATED STRAWBERRIES AND
CALLED IT A PARISIAN CREPE.
IT WAS THE EXTENT OF MY CUISINE
HERE ON BOARD OF THE ISS.
IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS I'LL TRY
TO DO BETTER THAN THAT.
>> I THINK IF A FRENCHMAN CAN
PERFECTA CREPE IN SPACE, I
BELIEVE IT.
ONE THING WE DO KNOW, MEGAN, IS
THAT YOU'RE A PROUD BROWN, AND
YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO BE PART OF
THE COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS TO UCLA
RECENTLY.
A FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT, I IMAGINE.
>> IT VERY MUCH WAS.
I WAS SO HONORED TO BE INVITED
TO GIVE THE COMMENCEMENT
ADDRESS.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT IT WORKED
OUT THAT I COULD DO IT FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
I CLEARLY REMEMBER SITTING IN
THE AUDIENCE OF MY OWN
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY MANY YEARS
AGO AS AN ENGINEER GRADUATE,
DREAMING ONE DAY OF BEING HERE.
IT WAS VERY MEANINGFUL FOR ME TO
PARTICIPATE THAT WAY AND
ENCOURAGE THE NEXT GENERATION OF
EXPLORERS AS THEY'RE SETTING OUT
ON THEIR CAREER PATHS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
LOOK, THE SPACE STATION VERY
MUCH IS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IN
YOUR FAMILY, I UNDERSTAND.
YOUR HUSBAND, BOB, SPENT MONTHS
ON BOARD THE ISS LAST YEAR AS
WELL.
HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCES, YOU SWAP
STORIES?
DO YOU SWAP EXPERIENCES?
>> ONE OF THE REALLY NICE THINGS
ABOUT HAVING A SPOUSE WHO HAS
ALSO IN THIS BUSINESS, HE LIVED
HERE FOR TWO MONTHS AS YOU SAID,
AND WE'VE BOTH FLOWN SHUTTLE
MISSIONS AND NOW DRAGON
MISSIONS.
HE UNDERSTANDS THE GOODS AND
BADS OF DOING THIS JOB, AND HE
UNDERSTANDS WHEN THINGS ARE
MAYBE NOT GOING SO WELL, AND HE
UNDERSTANDS WHEN THINGS ARE
GOING REALLY WELL.
SO IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE
THAT WITH HIM AND WE CAN TALK
ABOUT OTHER THINGS BECAUSE I
DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO HIM
WHAT I'M DOING ON A DAILY BASIS
BECAUSE HE HAS DONE IT FOR
HIMSELF.
SO WE TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE
GOING ON AT HOME, AND THINGS
THAT ARE GOING ON WITH OUR
FAMILY AND OUR SON.
>> OH, I LOVE THAT, THOMAS, WE
SAW THAT YOU TWEETED OUT A
SELFIE, HOPEFULLY WE CAN PULL
THAT UP FROM SPACE DURING YOUR
SPACEWALK.
YOU'VE DONE I THINK 33 HOURS OF
SPACEWALKS IN TOTAL.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A PHOTO
BOMB?
>> YEAH, IT WAS ACTUALLY DONE ON
BURPS.
I KNEW THAT SHEA WAS BEHIND ME.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO TAKE A PICTURE
WITH THOSE BIG PRESSURIZED
GLOVES, THEY'RE LIKE BOXING
GLOVES AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE SHOOTING AT.
BUT I KNEW SHAH SHEA WAS HANGING
OUT BEHIND ME AND I TOOK 25
SHOTS IN ONE OF THEM CAME OUT
PRETTY GOOD.
BUT I LIKE THE SHOT HAVING SHEA
IN THE BACKGROUND AND ME IN THE
FOREGROUND BECAUSE WE WORKED AS
A TEAM.
IT'S A GOOD MEMORY OF
SPACEWALKS.
WE'VE DONE FIVE SPACEWALKS
TOGETHER.
IT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN
THAT CREW MEMBERS WILL GO OUT
FIVE TIMES TOGETHER.
SO I HAD TO TAKE A PICTURE TO
REMEMBER IT.
>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON.
PLEASE STAND BY WHILE WE
RECONNECT THE CLIENT.
>> THE CLIENT IS CURRENTLY IN A
COMMERCIAL BREAK AND WE'LL BE
BACK TO YOU IN ONE MINUTE AND 20
SECONDS.
>> SO GLAD WE COULD RE-ESTABLISH
CONTACT.
WHY DON'T YOU TELL US ABOUT THE
THIRD ASTRONAUT OR THE
PENGUIN-NAUT.
WHO IS YOUR FRIEND.
>> THIS IS OUR FRIEND GUIN-GUIN.
IT'S A TRADITION THAT WE GOT
FROM THE COSMONAUTS.
THEIR SOYUZ VEHICLE WOULD BRING
A SMALL TOY AND IT WOULD FLOAT
WHEN YOUR ENGINE WOULD BE CUT
OFF.
THIS WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE DEMO
2 CREW.
MY SON AND AKI'S SON CHOSE A
REPRESENTATIVE TO COME ALONG
WITH US.
>> IS GUIN-GUIN ALWAYS TETHERED
TO YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT HE
DOESN'T GET LOST IN A PART OF
THE SPACE STATION?
>> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT HE'S TETHERED
TO ME NOW.
HE USUALLY STAYS IN ONE OF OUR
CREW QUARTERS.
WE'LL BRING HIM OUT ON SPECIAL
OCCASIONS SO HE CAN HAVE A LOOK
AROUND.
WE TAUGHT HIM TO FLY RECENTLY,
TOO.
>> #LEARN TO FLY, IT LOOKS LIKE
HE'S DOING JUST FIND ON BOARD
THE SPACE STATION.
I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE EXPECTING A
DELIVERY FROM RUSSIA THIS
WEEKEND.
TALK ABOUT HOW DELIVERIES COME
THERE, THOMAS.
IT'S NOT AS EASY AS WHEN YOU GET
AN AMAZON PRIME SHIPMENT
ARRIVING AT YOUR HOUSE.
>> NO, THE PRINCIPLES ARE A
LITTLE BIT OF THE SAME.
PEOPLE BRING YOU STUFF, BUT IT
IS MUCH MORE CHALLENGING,
OBVIOUSLY.
ALL OF THE SUPPLIES HAVE TO BE
LAUNCHED ON THE RESUPPLY CHIP.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES.
THERE IS A RUSSIAN CARGO AS YOU
SAID THAT IS ABOUT TO COME AND
DOCK ON THE SPACE STATION.
WE HAVE THE AMERICAN VEHICLE,
THAT'S HOW WE WERE SUPPLIED WITH
EVERYTHING WE NEED, FOOD,
CLOTHING, OXYGEN, WATER WHEN WE
NEED IT, AND ALSO SCIENCE
EXPERIMENTS AND ALL THE SUPPLIES
WE NEED TO KEEP THE SEPARATION
RUNNING AND PERFORM A MISSION
AND DO OUR RESEARCH.
SO IT IS ALWAYS FUN TO HAVE A
NEW VEHICLE COMING UP.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE SURPRISES,
SOMETIMES THERE ARE ATTENTION
FROM OUR LOVED ONES.
WHO WE THINK ABOUT ON EARTH, AND
THEY THINK ABOUT US.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THE
CLEVERRY COMING VERY SOON.
IT'S A BIT LIKE CHRISTMAS AND
OPENING CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO THAT.
>> A GIANT CARE PACKAGE FROM
EARTH.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.
MEGAN, OBVIOUSLY, THIS WEEKEND
IS FOURTH OF JULY, AND WHAT KIND
OF WAYS WILL YOU CELEBRATE
FOURTH OF JULY OR AT LEAST HONOR
THE OCCASION FROM THE ISS?
>> WELL, THERE ARE THREE OF US
HERE FROM THE UNITED STATES
ALONG WITH OUR FRENCH CREW MATE
AND JAB NEAT--JAPANESE CREW MATE
AND TWO RUSSIAN CREW MATES BUT
WE'LL HAVE BARBECUE BRISKET AND
HAMBURGERS WITHOUT THE BUNS AND
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING
THOSE TRADITIONS WITH OUR CREW
MATES.
WE'LL LOOK FOR FIREWORKS, TOO.
>> TELL US ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES
OF SEEING FIREWORKS FROM THERE.
>> SO, ACTUALLY, WE'VE NEVER
SEEN CHOIR WORKS FROM SPACE.
YOU SEE THUNDERSTORMS REALLY
WELL.
BIG FIREWORKS YOU COULD SEE.
WE HAVE BIG LENSES.
YOU WOULD NEED TO LOOK VERY
CLOSELY.
BUT WHAT YOU SEE IS REALLY THE
SHOW THAT MOTHER NATURE PUTS
TOGETHER FOR YOU.
SO THUNDERSTORMS AND THINGS LIKE
THIS ARE EXTREMELY SPECTACULAR
WHEN YOU SEE THEM FROM ABOVE.
IT FLASHES IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND
IT'S REALLY LIKE FIREWORKS.
THAT'S THE CLOSEST I'VE SEEN ON
BOARD THE SPACE STATION.
BUT WHO KNOWS OVER THE FOURTH OF
JULY AS WE FLY OVER THE U.S.
WE'LL PEEK OUT THE WINDOW AND
TRY TO SEE SOMETHING.
>> I LOVE THAT.
WELL, BEFORE WE WRAP YOU UP, WHY
DON'T EACH OF YOU SEND A MESSAGE
TO YOUR FAMILY OR LOVED ONE WHO
IS COULD POTENTIALLY BE WATCHING
FROM EARTH HERE OR ANY OF YOUR
COUNTRYMEN WHO WILL BE WATCHING,
YOU CAN SAY IT IN FRENCH IF YOU
CHOOSE, THOMAS.
CALIFORNIA IS HOME FOR YOU,
MEGAN?
>> THAT'S RIGHT, CALIFORNIA IS
MY HOME STATE, SO I WILL
DEFINITELY SEND A SHOUT OUT TO
MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE
GOLDEN STATE.
BOTH IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I LOVE YOU GUYS.
THANKS FOR ALL OF THE LOVE AND
SUPPORT.
>> SAME HERE.
IT IS GOOD TO BE HERE BUT
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE FAR FROM OUR
LOVED ONES.
IT'S NOT EASY.
WE THINK ABOUT THEM AND THE
DISTANCE, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH
IT.
BUT WE'LL BE REUNITED AFTER THE
MISSION AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THIS, AND
THERE WILL BE GOOD TIMES AFTER
THE MISSION.
>> OH, I JUST--I'M THRILLED TO
BITS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH
BOTH OF YOU AND GUIN-GUIN,
THANKS FOR COOPERATING.
I'LL GET MY PHONE READY FOR A
SELFIE.
AND I'M GOING TO COME OVER HERE
AND DO A SELFIE WITH BOTH OF YOU
GET READY AND SMILE.
THERE WE GO.
A SELFIE FROM SPACE.
ASTRONAUT MEGAN McARTHUR, AND
THOMAS FROM SPACE.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY.
AND WE'LL TALK WITH YOU WHEN YOU
GET BACK HERE ON EARTH.
>> MERCI.
>> STATION, WE'RE RESUMING
OPERATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS.