>> THIS IS HOUSTON, ARE YOU
READY FOR THE EVENT?
>> HOUSTON, WE ARE READY.
>> THIS IS MISSION CONTROL,
HOUSTON.
PLEASE CALL STATION FOR A VOICE
CHECK.
>> STATION THIS IS RICH WITH THE
HALO TEAM.
HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?
>> HEY, RICK.
WE HAVE YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
>> HI, MEGAN THANKS FOR TALKING
TO US TODAY.
WE'RE CALLING YOU FROM THE
DULLES, VIRGINIA, MISSION
OPERATION CENTER FOR THE
NORTHROP GRUMMAN CYGNUS VEHICLE
THAT JUST ARRIVED.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN SPACE IS
DESIGNING AND BUILDING THE
HABITAT OUTPOST FOR THE NASA
GATEWAY.
WITH ME ARE THE KEY FOLKS TO
BUILD THE HABITAT THAT'S SAFE
FOR THE CREW AND WILL PROVIDE
ACCESS TO THE SURFACE OF THE
MOON FOR MANY YEARS AND DECADES.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE NASA
ASTRONAUTS AND ENGINEERS BUT WE
WANT TO GIVE THE CREW ON ORBIT A
CHANCE FOR INPUT.
I'LL GIVE A QUICK INTRO AND THEN
I'LL HAND IT OVER TO THEM FOR
THEIR QUESTION.
HOW DO YOU HEAR?
>> AND RICK, WE COPY ALL THAT
LOUD AND CLEAR.
IT'S GREAT TO BE TALKING WITH
ALL YOU TODAY.
I KNOW YOU BRING A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE 0 SOLVING THESE
PROBLEMS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO GET TO CHIP IN
OUR $0.02 AS WELL.
>> THAT'S GREAT, MEGAN.
FIRST UP IS KATHERINE LUDWIG.
SHE'S A MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND
LEAD FOR THE INTERNAL DESIGN AND
LAYOUT.
CATHERINE?
>> HI.
IN THE HALO MODULE AND THE
EXPANDED GATEWAY HUMANS WILL BE
SPENDING MORE TIME FARTHER FROM
EARTH THAN EVER BEFORE.
WE'RE AWARE THIS IS A HUGE STEP
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PART OF
IT.
WHAT CAN NG DO IN OUR DESIGN IN
THE LAYOUT TO MAKE THE
EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN LUNAR
SPACE COMFORTABLE AND FAMILIAR
AND TO HELP THE CREW FEEL
CONNECTED TO HOME?
>> WELL, WE LOVE TO LOOK OUT THE
WINDOW.
WE'RE ACTUALLY STANDING RIGHT BY
THE WINDOW IN THE LAB AND I GOT
SOME CAMERAS OVER HERE AND ONE
OF OUR FAVORITE PASTIMES.
SO HAVING THE ABILITY TO LOOK
OUTSIDE IT'S OUT OF WINDOWS OR
USING CAMERAS WOULD BE VALUABLE
TO THE CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD TO
SORT OF SEE THAT.
OF COURSE THERE WILL BE MUCH
FARTHER AWAY THAN WE ARE FROM
THE EARTH WHEN ORBITING THE MOON
BUT I THINK THAT ABILITY TO LOOK
AROUND IS IMPORTANT ANOTHER
THING THAT IS IMPORTANT IS AUDIO
QUALITY.
WE EXPECT THE ENVIRONMENT TO
HAVE A BACKGROUND NOISE BUT WHAT
YOU DON'T WANT IS LOUD AND
DISRUPTIVE THAT WHEN SOMETHING
CYCLES ON IT MAKES A STARTLING
NOISE.
SO UNEXPECTED NOISES ARE NOT A
GOOD THING, BUT WE REALIZE
OBVIOUSLY THAT IT'S GOING TO BE
NOISY ENVIRONMENT.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I'LL
MENTION THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR
FOSTERING A GOOD TEAM
ENVIRONMENT IS THE ABILITY FOR
EACH CREW MEMBER TO HAVE SOME
PRIVACY.
A SPACE THEY CAN RETREAT TO AND
A SPACE THAT CAN FOSTER A GROUP
GATHERING.
SO IT'S FUN TO GET TOGETHER FOR
A MEAL AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SWAP STORIES AND THAT KIND OF
THING.
I THINK BOTH OF THOSE THINGS THE
ABILITY TO HAVE SOME PRIVACY AND
ABILITY TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF
GROUP TIME TOGETHER ARE
IMPORTANT FOR A STRONG TEAM.
>> THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
SO NEXT UP PLAYING WE HAVE
MICHAEL, THE HARNESS SUB SECTION
LEAD ENGINEER.
MICHAEL?
>> SIMILAR TO THE ISS WE'LL HAVE
EXTERNAL EQUIPMENT AND PAYLOADS
AND DESIGNING OPTIONS TO ALLOW
EVA OPERATIONS FOR MAINTENANCE
ACTIVITIES.
WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART
OF EVA OPERATIONS ON THE ISS AND
ARE THERE SOME ASPECTS THAT THE
ENGINEERS DESIGNING THE HALO
EXTERIOR SHOULD BE CAN
CONSIDERING IN ORDER TO INCREASE
THE EFFICIENCY OF THE EVA
OPERATIONS?
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK I'D SAY THE DIFFICULT
PART OF EVA'S IS WHEN YOU'RE
INSIDE PREPARING TO GO OUT AND
TAKES A LONG TIME AND VERY
COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT
PROCEDURE AND INVOLVING FOR
WHOEVER IS HELPING THEM GETTING
PREPARED AND GETTING YOU ALL THE
TOOLS READY AND TRYING TO MAKE
IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE TO GET
THAT PART DONE, THAT WOULD
ALREADY BE GREAT.
ONCE OUTSIDE STANDARDIZATION IS
KEY.
SOMETIMES ON THE ISS IT'S SO
HUGE AND BUILT IN DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE,
SO WE GO OUT WITH A BUNCH OF
TOOLS BECAUSE DIFFERENT FAST
FASTENERS ARE DIFFERENT SIZES SO
TRY TO MAKE EVERYTHING AS
STANDARD AS POSSIBLE.
AND GET TO YOUR WORKSHOP AND
ONCE YOU'RE CAN STABLE THE TASK
IS EASY TO PERFORM.
SO TRY TO THINK AND HAVE THAT IN
MIND WHEN YOU DESIGN THE LAYOUT
OF THE OUTSIDE HOW THEY'RE ABOUT
TO GET THERE AND STABILIZE
THEMSELVES AT THE WORK SITE AND
FINALLY I'D SAY THE CONCEPT OF
ORU, ORBITAL REPLACEMENT UNIT IS
HUGELY IMPORTANT.
YOU CANNOT GET AN ELECTRONIC'S
BOX OPEN OUTSIDE.
SO TO DO IT A STANDARD WAY EVERY
SINGLE TIME.
IF YOU TAKE THAT ACCOUNT THEN IT
WILL BE A PLEASURE TO DO ANY EVA
CLOSER TO THE MOON.
>> YEAH, THANKS, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION.
NEXT IS THE UTILIZATION SYSTEM
LEAD ENGINEER.
>> HI, WE PLAN TO HAVE
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR 8 PAYLOAD
BLOCKERS INSIDE HALO WITH
CONNECTIONS BUILT IN THE BACK.
DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDED
IMPROVEMENTS FOR PAYLOAD
INSTALLATIONS OR REMOVAL OR
MOVING PAYLOADS FROM ONE
LOCATION TO ANOTHER?
>> SO, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW WE
HAVE MODULAR PAYLOAD LOCKERS UP
HERE AS WELL AND WE HAVE AN
EXAMPLE WE CAN SHOW YOU.
THERE ARE TRICKS ASSOCIATED WITH
WORKING WITH THOSE.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ATTACH
THIS LOCKER USING THIS LONG TOOL
THAT HE HAS WITH THE BOLTS UP
AGAINST THE BACK OF THE RACK.
SO WE HAVE THIS ALIGNMENT GUIDE
THAT HELPS US TO DO THAT, BUT
THERE'S NOTHING HELPS US ALIGN
WITH THE BOLTS.
YOU'RE KIND OF JUST EYEBALLING
IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU
NOTICE ON SPACE STATION WE HAVE
CABLING EVERYWHERE.
THAT MAKES IT SIMILAR WHEN YOU
CHANGE OUT PAYLOAD REMARKS BUT
DOESN'T GIVE THAT SLEEK LOOK.
SO A BLIND MATE CONNECTION WHEN
YOU NEED ROBUST CONNECTIONS AND
GOOD ALIGNMENT GUIDE AND YOU
NEED A SOLID FEEDBACK TO THE
CREW TO TELL THEM WHEN
EVERYTHING IS PROPERLY ALIGNED
AND CONNECTED.
SO THAT WE DON'T DAMAGE ANY OF
THE CONNECTORS WHEN WE'RE MOVING
THINGS AROUND.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE KIND OF THE
BIG THINGS TO BE THINKING ABOUT
WHEN DESIGNING MODULAR PAYLOADS
AND I THINK IT WOULD LOOK GREAT
TO NOT HAVE ALL THE CABLING
EVERYWHERE.
>> WE AGREE ON THAT ONE.
AMAZING THE NUMBER OF CABLES UP
THERE.
OKAY, IN EQUITY WE HAVE KEANNAN
WOLF.
HE'S ON THE FAULT MANAGE.
AND SYSTEM AUTONOMY TEAM.
KEANNAN?
>> THANK YOU, RICK.
THANK YOU, PLAYING FOR TAKING
THE TIME.
HALO WILL HOST THE TOP LEVEL
VEHICLE SYSTEM SOFTWARE AND HALO
MODULE SOFTWARE THAT WILL
BALANCE GROUND AND ON BOARD CREW
AND COMMAND AND CONTROL OF THE
GATEWAY SYSTEM.
WHAT ARE YOU TASKED WITH AT
REGULAR INTERVALS THAT YOU WISH
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO OR YOU THINK
COULD BE HANDLED AUTONOMOUSLY.
>> A GREAT QUESTION AND I THINK
THERE'S ALREADY QUITE SOME
AUTONOMY ON BOARD.
MAYBE NOT ON BOARD BUT VISIBLE
TO US BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKEN BY
THE GROUND ALL THE SYSTEM.
SOMETIMES WE DON'T EVEN KNOW
WHICH ONE IS TAKING CARE OF
WHICH.
BUT I THINK SOME TASKS THAT SEEM
TO BE COMING BACK REGULARLY IS
MOSTLY RELATED TO THE E-CLASS
SYSTEM.
WE SEEM TO BE DRAINING TANKS
INTO OTHER SWITCHES VALVES ET
CETERA TO KEEP THE SYSTEMS IN
GOOD SAFE AND KEEP THE WATER
BALANCE NICE AND HAPPY.
I THINK IT SEEMS LIKE IF THIS
COULD BE AUTOMATED A LITTLE BIT
MORE THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE
GREAT.
>> THANKS.
WHEN YOU ASKED ME THAT QUESTION
I SAID VACUUMING, BUT YOURS IS
MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE SHONETTE ADAMS.
SENIOR HUMANS INTEGRATION
ENGINEER.
HELLO.
HALO IS BEING PRODUCED WITH
DETAILED ATTENTION TO CREW
SAFETY AND RELIABILITY.
BASED ON YOUR PREVIOUS FLIGHT
EXPERIENCE AND CURRENT
EXPERIENCE ON ISS WHAT EQUIPMENT
WOULD YOU CONSIDER SAFETY
CRITICAL BASED ON CURRENT USAGE.
>> WELL, I KNOW YOU'VE GOTTEN
LOTS OF REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENTS
THAT TALK ABOUT WHAT THINGS ARE
SAFETY CRITICAL SO I KNOW YOU'RE
ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THOSE
THINGS AND FOR US THE OBVIOUS
ONES ARE OF COURSE THE ABILITY
TO RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY THAT
WE MIGHT ENCOUNTER.
SO A FIRE, DEPRESSURIZATION OR
TOXIC CHEMICAL RELEASED INTO OUR
ENVIRONMENT.
HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THAT AND
PROTECT OURSELVES AND U.S.A. THE
SYSTEM AND IF NECESSARY HOW DO
WE SAFELY GET BACK TO OUR
VEHICLE THAT WILL TAKE US AWAY
FROM THERE?
ALL OF THOSE THINGS I KNOW
YOU'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT.
WE HAVE THINGS AS SIMPLE AS GLOW
IN THE DARK DOTS THAT TELLS US
WHICH DIRECTION TO GO WHEN ALL
THE POWER GOES OUT AND THERE ARE
ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THOSE
SAFETY MEASURES AS WELL AS
REDUNDANCY IN ALL OUR CRITICAL
STEMS.
SO COMMAND AND CONTROL OBVIOUSLY
THE LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM WILL BE
ESPECIALLY CRITICAL AND THAT
WILL INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO
RECYCLE THE AIR AND THE WATER OF
COURSE.
ALL THOSE THINGS ARE SAFETY
CRITICAL.
I WOULD ADD ON TO THAT IN TERMS
WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY THE ABILITY
TO EXERCISE AND TO STAY HEALTHY
IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE CREW
AS WELL TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, MEGAN.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE SAFETY IS
NUMBER ONE CONCERN AND WE'RE
DOING A GREAT JOB TO BUILD AND
KEEP YOU SAFE AND MAKING A
COMFORTABLE PLACE FOR YOU TO
WORK AND LIVE.
NEXT UP WE HAVE SALLY RICHARDSON
AND SHE'S PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND
LEADING THIS GREAT TEAM OF
FOLKS.
SALLY?
>> THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO
ANSWER ALL OUR DESIGN TEAM
QUESTIONS.
THIS IS GREAT.
SO, WE ALSO GOT A NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS FROM OUR TWITTER FEED,
AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SOCIAL
MEDIA QUESTIONS THAT WE WANTED
TO POST TODAY.
ONE QUESTION IS FROM STEVE, AND
HE'S ASKING ABOUT WINDOWS ON
HALO.
AND WE HAD ONE FROM MUMBAI ON
HOW SIMILAR GATEWAY WILL BE TO
ISS.
I'LL ANSWER BOTH QUESTIONS FIRST
AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION FOR
THE CREW.
HALO IS BASED ON NORTHROP
GRUMMAN CYGNUS MODULE AND
DESIGNED TO USE WITH ISS, ABOUT
THE SIZE OF A SMALL STUDIO
APARTMENT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE WINDOWS EXCEPT
IN THE HATCHES BUT WE'LL BE
GETTING A CUPOLA-LIKE MODULE
THAT DOES HAVE WINDOWS COMING UP
AND BEING SUPPLIED.
AND THAT WILL DOCK WITH ONE OF
HALO'S RADIO PORTS.
BUT WITHIN THE SMALLER DESIGN,
MY QUESTION TO THE CREW IS GOING
TO BE HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE SPACE
UTILIZATION FOR YOURSELF CARE
AND PERFORMING EXPERIMENTS, EVEN
THOUGH GREAT WAY WILL NOT BE
OCCUPIED YEAR ROUND.
IT'S STILL IMPORTANT THAT WE
PROVIDE WITH SAFE AND USEFUL
ACCOMMODATIONS AND WE PROVIDE
STANDARD SELF-CARE UTILITIES.
WHAT SIGNIFICANT CONSIDERATIONS
WOULD BE CONSIDER THAT WE HAVE
ON OUR PRIORITY LIST AS WE'RE
LAYING OUT OUR INITIAL DESIGN?
>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION
AND GREAT CONCERN TO HAVE.
I WOULD THINK -- I KNOW HALO
WON'T BE HUGE, IF YOU COULD TRY
TO SEPARATE BASED ON WHICH
UTILIZATION YOU'RE MAKING IT'S
NOT GREAT TO HAVE EVERYTHING AT
THE SAME PLACE IF YOU CAN
EXERCISE SLEEP, WORK, LIVE IN
THOSE TWO METER SQUARE IS LIKE
EVERYBODY IS GETTING IN
EVERYBODY'S WAY AND YOU'RE
MISSING THAT PRIVACY SOMETIMES
THAT MEGAN SAID WAS BEFORE.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE HERE UP ON
THE ISS IS A REAL SHOWER AREA,
HYGIENE AREA.
SO WE MAKE DUE WITH WHAT WE
HAVE.
BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE AN
AREA THAT IS DEDICATED TO THIS
WHICH YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR STUFF
AND YOU WOULDN'T CARE ABOUT
DROPLETS FLOATING EVERYWHERE.
IF YOU MANAGED TO SOMEHOW IN
THAT SMALL VOLUME KIND OF
SEPARATE AND DEDICATE SOME AREAS
TO THE DIFFERENT USES THAT ARE
BEING MADE, I THINK IT'S GOING
TO GO A LONG WAY AS FAR AS EASE
OF USE AND CREW MORALE.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TIME FOR
ONE MORE QUESTION.
SO I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER FOR
A FOLLOW-UP.
>> HI AGAIN.
SO, BONUS QUESTION.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES
WHEN WITH WORKING WITH PAYLOADS
AND PERFORMING PAYLOADS OR
ROBOTICS OPERATIONS?
AND LIKEWISE, WHAT WORKS WELL?
>> SO, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE FACE ON REGULAR BASIS IS
THAT PAYLOADS COME UP ALL THE
TIME AND THEY'RE OFTEN THINGS
THAT WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT AND ABOUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN
THEM BEFORE AND WE'RE OPERATING
THEM BASED ON A STANDARD SET OF
SKILLS THAT WE HAVE AND TRAINED.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE.
I'M LEARNING SOMETHING NEW EVERY
DAY AND I'M LEARNING ABOUT
DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S RESEARCH AND
REPRESENTING THEM IN SPACE AND
CONDUCTING RESEARCH FOR THEM.
SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING.
BUT IT CAN BE CHALLENGING IF YOU
DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE
EXPECTED OUTCOME IS AND YOU
DON'T KNOW HOW THE EQUIPMENT
OPERATES AND YOU MAYBE HAVEN'T
SEEN IT BEFORE.
MAKING SURE THAT THE SYSTEMS ARE
ROBUST AND WELL DESIGNED AND THE
CREW HAS RESOURCES TO GET
ANSWERS TO ANSWERS WHEN THEY
COME UP WHEN THINGS DON'T WORK
AS WELL.
SO THAT MIGHT BE REAL TIME AND
BEING ABLE TO SPEAK TO THE
INVESTIGATORS ON PRESIDENT
GROUND BUT ALSO MIGHT RESOURCES
THAT CREW HAS ACCESS TO ON BOARD
SO THEY CAN RESPOND TO ANY
QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ABOUT THE
PAYLOAD OPERATION REAL TIME.
>> THANK YOU, MEGAN OF THE YOU
GUYS ARE GETTING ALL THE
QUESTIONS RIGHT.
SO WE'RE GOING INTO THE BONUS
ROUND NOW.
WE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION FROM
SHONETTE.
>> HELLO.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE
CREW TASKS AND WHAT SUGGESTIONS
DO YOU HAVE FOR CREW
EFFICIENCIES?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK FOR LONG DURATION
MISSIONS ROUTINE IS A FACTOR.
WHATEVER YOU DO, IF YOU END UP
DOING IT EVERY DAY AT SOME POINT
IT TAKES THE FUN OUT OF IT.
WE TRY TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND
REALIZE WE'RE IN SPACE AND IT
BECOMES COOL AGAIN.
BUT SOMETIMES I THINK EVERYTHING
THAT'S NEW AND EVERYTHING THAT'S
GOING TO SURPRISE YOU A LITTLE
BIT OR CHALLENGE YOU A LITTLE
BIT OR REQUIRE YOU TO ADAPT OR
TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU'RE DOING
THINGS, I THINK GENERALLY
SPEAKING IS WHAT WE LIKE.
WE LIKE WHEN THE NEW VEHICLE IS
COMING UP BECAUSE THERE ARE NEW
EXPERIMENTS THAT WILL BE
DEPLOYED AND IT'S EXCITING FOR
EVERYBODY.
WE LIKE WHEN THERE'S AN EVA THAT
COMES UP BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT
EVERY SINGLE TIME.
SO I THINK THAT ELEMENT OF
BREAKING THE ROUTINE IS
IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHAT THE
TASK IS.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU, BOTH OF YOU, FOR
THE GREAT HELP TODAY.
WE'RE WORKING HARD DOWN HERE.
HALO TEAM IS WORKING HARD TO
GIVE YOU THE GREATEST VEHICLE
THAT WE CAN GET FOR YOU UP AT
THE GATEWAY.
ENJOY THE SS ELLISON ON ONIZUKA
UP THERE AND WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED
THE CARGO AND HELPS YOU CLEAN
HOUSE ONCE THAT VEHICLE LEAVES.
HAVE A GOOD DAY AND WE
APPRECIATE YOUR GREAT ANSWERS.
>> THANKS A LOT, RICK.
IT WAS A PLEASURE BEING WITH YOU
AND THEY'RE WORKING ON THE
CYGNUS CARGO AS WE'RE TALKING TO
YOU.
IF YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE BAGS
FLOATING BECAUSE THOSE GUY ARE
WORKING HARD ON THE CARGO.
THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE
RESULTS OF YOUR WORK ORBITING
THE MOON.
>> YOU BET.
THANK YOU.
>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON ACR.
THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR EVENT.
>> THANK YOU TO ALL
PARTICIPANTS FROM THE HALO TEAM.
STATION, WE'RE NOW RESUMING
OPERATIONAL AUDIO