>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE EVENT?
>> HOUSTON, THIS IS STATION.
WE ARE READY FOR THE EVENT.
>> KGW NEWS THIS IS MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON PLEASE CALL
STATION FOR A VOICE CHECK.
>> STATION, THIS IS DEVIN WITH
KGW NEWS.
HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE HAVE YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?
>> I CAN HEAR YOU PRETTY WELL.
VERY WELL ACTUALLY.
>> GREAT.
LOVELY TO BE TALKING TO YOU
TODAY.
>> I GUESS WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
CONSTANTLY MOVING, YOU CAN TELL
ME WHERE THE SPACE STATION IS AT
THE MOMENT?
WHAT ARE YOU SEEING OUTSIDE
RIGHT NOW?
>> WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AROUND
BECAUSE WE NEED TO DOUBLE-CHECK.
WE'VE BOTH BEEN WORKING PRETTY
DILIGENTLY ALL DAY SO WE HAVEN'T
LOOKED OUT IN A FEW HOURS.
WE CAN TELL YOU WE'RE 400
KILOMETERS ABOVE THE EARTH AND
SINCE I'M IN THE NAVY I LIKE TO
SAY WE'RE 220 NAUTICAL MILES
ABOVE THE EARTH.
>> WORKS FOR ME.
THIS IS YOUR FIRST TRIP TO
SPACE.
YOU CAN TALK ME THROUGH YOUR
FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS AS YOU
WERE LAUNCHING INTO THE -- UP TO
THE SPACE STATION?
>> YEAH.
WE HAD KIND OF A UNIQUE CREW ON
CREW 3 DRAGON HEADED UP HERE TO
MEET MARK WHO HAS BEEN UP HERE
ALREADY FOR 6 MONTHS.
BUT WE HAD THREE ROOKIES ON OUR
CREW IT WAS THEIR FIRST LAUNCH
AND THEN WE HAD TOM MASHBURN WHO
HAS THE DISTINCT HONOR TO HAVE
LAUNCHED ON THE SHUTTLE, SOYUZ
AND NOW THE CREW DRAGON.
SO THREE DIFFERENT VEHICLES.
I THINK FOR US WE FELT REALLY
WELL TRAINED.
THE NASA ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE
COME BEFORE US ON THE CREW
DRAGON AND THE SPACE EX TRAINING
TEAM DID AN AWESOME JOB
PREPARING US.
HONESTLY SOMETIMES WE WEREN'T
SURE THAT IT WAS REAL.
BUT IT WAS JUST AN INCREDIBLE
EXPERIENCE, THE FALCON 9 IS AN
AWESOME RIDE AND WE HAD A REALLY
SMOOTH AND NOMINAL FLIGHT UP
INTO ORBIT.
>> YOU WERE ABLE TO DO YOUR
FIRST SPACEWALK JUST A COUPLE
WEEKS AGO.
TELL ME WHAT THAT WAS LIKE?
>> IT WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WAS
REALLY HOPING I WOULD GET THE
CHANCE DO WHILE I WAS ABOARD THE
SPACE STATION FOR THIS MISSION,
AND SO THE CHANCE TO DO IT SO
EARLY IN MY MISSION WAS A HUGE,
HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AND THE
ENTIRE TEAM.
WE WERE REALLY LUCKY WE HAD AN
EXPERIENCED TEAM WITH A LOT OF
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE WE
LAUNCHED SO WE GOT THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE IT IN
THE NEUTRAL BUOYANCY LAB WHICH
IS THE BIG POOL THAT WE PRACTICE
SPACEWALKS UNDERWATER AND IN OUR
SIMULATOR AND THEN WE GOT UP
HERE AND HAD AN INCREDIBLE TEAM.
MARK AND RAJA SUITED US UP AND
WE HAD AN AMAZING TEAM ON THE
GROUND SUPPORT WILLING US
THROUGHOUT THE PROCEDURE.
SO EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY AND
IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE VIEW.
THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL
ABOUT LOOKING DOWN ON THE EARTH
THROUGH A VISOR OF A HELMET
BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING
BLOCKING YOUR PERIPHERAL VISION.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING OUT THE
WINDOW IT'S INCREDIBLE BUT YOU
KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING OUT A
WINDOW.
IN THE HELMET NOTHING IS
BLOCKING YOUR FIELD OF VIEW SO
YOU GET A GOOD PICTURE.
MARK, DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES
FROM YOUR FIRST SPACEWALK WHAT
STUCK WITH YOU?
>> I WAS DEFINITELY --
EVERYTHING KAYLA SAID I AGREE
WITH.
I CERTAINLY WAS EXTREMELY HAPPY
TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DO EVERY SPACEWALK, BUT ALSO
VERY HAPPY WHEN I GOT BACK IN
AND EXHAUSTED AND HUNGRY BY THE
TIME I FINISHED.
>> I THINK IT WAS 6 HOURS MORE
THAN A COUPLE HOURS THAT YOU
WERE OUT THERE.
LOOKING AT YOUR INSTAGRAM PAGE,
KAYLA YOU HAVE TAKEN AMAZING
PHOTOS.
YOU CAN DESCRIBE FROM UP THERE
WHAT A SUNRISE LOOKS LIKE?
>> YEAH, WE LOVE WATCHING
SUNRISES AND SUNSETS UP HERE AND
WE GET TO SEE ONE EVERY 90
MINUTES OR SO.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES TO VIEW THEM AND
ACTUALLY ONE OF MY GOOD FRIENDS
ASKED CAN ME ABOUT WHAT THEY
LOOK LIKE FROM SPACE SO THAT'S
WHAT STARTED MY PROJECT IN
TRYING TO CAPTURE IN PHOTOS
BECAUSE I TRIED TO DESCRIBE IT
TO HER.
BUT IT'S INCREDIBLE.
WE CALL THE THAT DIFFERENTIATES
BETWEEN THE SUNLIGHT AND THE
SHADOW THE TERMINATOR.
WHEN YOU'RE OVER THE LIT PART OF
THE EARTH YOU CAN SEE THE
TERMINATOR COMING INTO VIEW AND
IT SLOWLY COVERS THE EARTH.
SO AS YOU'RE GETTING THE LAST
SLICE OF LIT EARTH YOU GET
PASTEL COLORS BUT ONCE THE SUN
IS FULLY BLOCKED BY THE EARTH
YOU GET THIS INCREDIBLE SORT OF
OMBRE EFFECT FROM REALLY BRIGHT
ORANGE TO YELLOW TO THESE REALLY
BEAUTIFUL BLUE COLORS, COBALT
BLUE AND LIGHTER TEAL BLUE AND
SEE THE CLOUDS LIT UP FROM AN
OBLIQUE ANGLE.
SO IT'S A REALLY COOL THING TO
SEE AND WE HAD A LUCKY PERIOD.
WE HAD KIND OF A UNIQUE ORBIT
AND IS ANGLE OF THE SUN WHERE
THE SUNSET WAS ALMOST PERMANENT
FOR A WHILE.
SO ALMOST ANY TIME YOU WENT IN
THE CUPOLA IT WAS REALLY
BEAUTIFUL COLORS AND REALLY LIT
UP AND YOU COULD SEE THE CLOUDS
FROM THE SIDE WHICH IS PRETTY
NEAT.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR
TIME IN THE NAVY.
HOW HAS LIFE IN A SUBMARINE
HELPED YOU IN THESE QUARTERS OF
THE ISS?
>> I COMPARE THE TIME UP HERE TO
A SUBMARINE ALL THE TIME AND I'M
ALWAYS FINDING NEW PARALLELS.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY NORMAL
FOR ALL OF US TO COMPARE IT TO
OUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE BECAUSE
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT
PREPARED US TO BECOME ASTRONAUTS
IN THE FIRST PLACE.
BUT FOR ME THERE ARE A LOT OF
SIMILARITIES FROM THE
ENGINEERING SIDE ALL THE THINGS
THAT IT TAKES TO KEEP HUMAN
BEINGS ALIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT
THAT WE'RE NOT DESIGNED TO BE IN
BUT THE OTHER PARALLELS THAT I
THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND
THAT I RELY ON IS THE KIND OF
TEAM AND TEAM WORK IT TAKES TO
DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO SEND
HUMAN BEINGS INTO AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE THEY'RE NOT NORMALLY
HANGING OUT AND NOT ONLY SURVIVE
THERE BUT THRIVE AND ACCOMPLISH
A MISSION AND WORK TOGETHER.
NO ONE PERSON CAN DO SOMETHING
THAT CRAZY ON THEIR OWN AND ON
THE SUBMARINE WE HAD THE WHOLE
CREW ABOARD, 165 PEOPLE, EXPERTS
IN EVERY SYSTEM AND HERE IT'S A
LITTLE DIFFERENT IN THAT A FEW
OF US ARE IN SPACE BUT THAT TEAM
OF EXPERTS IS ON THE GROUND.
IN OUR MISSION CONTROL AROUND
THE WORLD SUPPORTING EVERYTHING
WE DO HERE. I RELY ON THE
LESSONS I LEARNED BEING A MEMBER
OF A TEAM ABOARD A TEAM AND CREW
EVERY SINGLE DAY AS I WORK UP
HERE EXECUTING THINGS HERE FOR
NASA AND THE MISSION ABOARD THE
SPACE STATION.
>> WHAT'S YOUR MISSION THAT --
SORRY.
WHAT IS YOUR MISSION AND WHAT
WILL YOU BE DOING WHILE THERE?
>> WE ARE LIKE LABORATORY
TECHNICIANS.
WE GET TO BE THEIR EYES AND
HANDS AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE
THE RESOURCES TO KEEP THE
EXPERIMENTS GOING.
FOR ME THIS WEEK OR LAST WEEK
AND THIS WEEK I INSTALLED AND
TORE DOWN AN EXPERIMENT THAT IS
ASSOCIATED WITH THE FLOW AND
FORMATION OF AMYLOIDS.
IT'S AN EXPERIMENT THAT TAKES
ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT WE
CAN DO NOT TAKEN THINGS IN SPACE
BY JUST USING SURFACE TENSION
AND IT WILL HELP US BETTER
UNDERSTAND THINGS THAT MIGHT
RESULT IN A BETTER ABILITY TO
DEAL WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
>> HOW DID YOU SPEND CHRISTMAS?
WHAT WAS FOR DINNER?
HOW DID THAT HOLIDAY WORK UP
THERE?
>> WE HAD A FANTASTIC CHRISTMAS
ACTUALLY.
WE WERE LUCKY WE HAD A CARGO
VEHICLE ARRIVE ON DECEMBER 22ND
A CARGO DRAGON SO WE GOT A LOT
OF FRESH CHRISTMAS TREAT AND
FRESH FOOD AND SPECIAL HOLIDAY
FOOD AND WE HAD A BIG CHRISTMAS
EVE DINNER WITH THE ENTIRE SPACE
STATION CREW, OUR COSMONAUT
COLLEAGUES JOINED US AND ON
CHRISTMAS DAY WE HAD A CHRISTMAS
COOKIE DECORATING CONTEST WHICH
WE INVITED THE GROUND CONTROL
CENTERS AROUND THE WORLD TO
JUDGE.
AND ACTUALLY MARK WON A FEW
AWARDS THERE.
I THINK YOU WON BEST IN SHOW ON
THE 3-D DECORATING CONTEST AND
BEST SPACE THEMED ON THE 2D
DECORATING CONTEST.
WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD TIME AND A
LOT OF CHRISTMAS CHEER UP HERE.
>> TO EACH OF YOU, WHY DID YOU
WANT TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT?
>> I ALWAYS THOUGHT BEING AN
ASTRONAUT WOULD BE AN AMAZING
THING AND NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD
BE A REAL POSSIBILITY.
BUT THE THING THAT ALWAYS
INSPIRED ME ABOUT IT WAS THIS
IDEA THAT WE ARE GET TO EXPLORE
AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT BENEFITS
ALL OF HUMANITY.
AND IT'S -- FOR THOSE REASONS
AND THE FACT THAT IT'S A JOB
THAT COMBINES MENTAL AND
PHYSICAL CHALLENGES, EVERYTHING
ABOUT IT IS APPEALING TO ME.
AND EVEN THE FACT THAT LOOKING
OUT THE WINDOW HELPS JUST --
GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE
A PERSPECTIVE ON DISTANCE THAT
YOU DON'T HE NORMALLY GET.
>> FOR ME, I DIDN'T GROW UP
DREAMING SPECIFICALLY OF
BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT.
I WAS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR
OPPORTUNITIES IN SPORTS,
ATHLETICS AND EVENTUALLY IN
JOINING THE MILITARY THAT WOULD
BE CHALLENGING BUT ALSO FUN AND
THINGS I WOULD BE PASSIONATELY
AND I WOULD BE DOING WITH THE
BEST TEAM AND BEST AND THAT'S
WHAT TOOK ME TO THE NAVAL
ACADEMY AND SUBMARINE FORCE AND
IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTER MY TIME I
BECAME INSPIRED TO BE AN
ASTRONAUT.
I HAPPENED TO MEET AN ASTRONAUT
WHO IS ALSO A NAVAL ACADEMY
GRADUATE AND GOT THE CHANCE TO
TALK TO HER AND HEARING HER
STORIES REALLY INSPIRED ME
BECAUSE OF ALL THE PARALLELS
WITH WHAT I HAD JUST GOT DONE
DOING ABOARD THE SUBMARINE.
AND I THINK IF IT WASN'T FOR
THAT EXPERIENCE AND WASN'T FOR
THE PEOPLE WHO SURROUNDED ME AND
SUPPORTED ME AND MOLDED ME INTO
A YOUNG LEADER WHO HELPED ME
DEVELOP AS AN ENGINEER I
WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THE CONFIDENCE
TO EVEN APPLY IN THE FIRST PLACE
LET ALONE DREAM I WOULD ACTUALLY
GET IT.
SO, FOR ME I WAS JUST ATTRACTED
TO THE MISSION, THE COMMUNITY TO
CONTINUE TO SERVE AND THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THE
INCREDIBLE TEAM THAT NASA HAS.
>> I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN THE
SECOND GRADE THEY ASKED WHAT DO
YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP.
ON MY SHEET OF PAPER IT SAYS I
WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT.
OBVIOUSLY I TOOK A DIFFERENT
CAREER PATH.
BUT FOR THOSE KIDS OUT THERE
SAYING I WANT TO BE AN ASTRONAUT
OR MAYBE THE YOUNG ADULTS IN
HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, WHAT
WOULD YOU TELL THEM TO THOSE
SAYING I WANT TO BE AN
ASTRONAUT?
>> I WOULD SAY FIND THINGS THAT
PUSH YOUR BOUNDARIES AND LOOK
FOR CHALLENGES AND ALWAYS BE A
TEAM PLAYER AND TRY TO DO YOUR
BEST BUT PUT MORE EFFORT INTO
GETTING THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU TO
BE THEIR BEST THAN YOU STANDING
OUT ALL THE TIME THAN YOU BEING
BETTER THAN OTHER FOLKS.
AND DO YOUR BEST AND TAKE
EVERYBODY ELSE ALONG WITH YOU.
>> IF ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO
THAT IS JUST RECOGNIZE THERE'S
NO ONE PATH TO BECOMING AN
ASTRONAUT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO IN OUR
OFFICE WHO ARE INCREDIBLE
ASTRONAUTS FROM SO MANY
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, SO MANY
DIFFERENT ACADEMIC INTERESTS AND
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS AND SO I
THINK SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT
IS FINDING THINGS THAT YOU'RE
PASSIONATE ABOUT AND THAT ARE
INTERESTING TO YOU LIKE WE
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN IN
SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAD TO DO
THINGS THAT ARE REALLY HARD THAT
WE ALSO DON'T ENJOY AND THAT'S
NO WAY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE OR
DEVELOP YOURSELF.
FOR ME IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT
FINDING THINGS THAT ARE
CHALLENGING AND I KNEW I WOULD
ENJOY BECAUSE THAT'S THE RIGHT
PLACE TO BE AND IF IT HAPPENS TO
GET YOU TO THE POINT THAT YOU
GET TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT
THAT'S FANTASTIC BUT IF IT
DOESN'T YOU'RE ALREADY DOING
SOMETHING THAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
>> KAYLA, YOU'RE PART OF THE
ARTEMIS MISSION.
THE PLAN TO LAND ON THE MOON IN
A COUPLE OF YEARS.
HOW DOES THIS MISSION PREPARE
YOU FOR THAT?
>> I THINK THERE IS NO BETTER
POSSIBLE TRAINING FOR ARTEMIS
AND RETURN TO THE MOON THAN
BEING ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
CONTINUOUSLY FOR MORE THAN 2
DECADES NOW WITH U.S. ASTRONAUTS
UP HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THE
PAST 20 YEARS PLUS.
IT'S KIND OF INCREDIBLE TO THINK
ABOUT.
SO WE HAVE A REALLY MATURE
OPERATIONAL PHILOSOPHY HERE. WE
REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW TO RUN THE
SPACE STATION FOR MISSION
CONTROL AND ALL THESE EXPERTS
WITH TONS OF EXPERIENCE BOTH
HERE AND THE WE GET TO DO THINGS
LIKE SPACEWALKS AND FIX THINGS
THAT BREAK AND KEEP OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM
RUNNING.
FOR ME THERE IS NO BETTER WAY TO
PUSH THE BOUNDARIES TO DO THINGS
NEVER DONE BEFORE AND FACE
CHALLENGES THAT WE CAN'T FORESEE
THAN TO LEARN FROM THAT
EXPERIENCE LIKE I'M DOING NOW
ABOARD THE SPACE STATION.
THE
>> MARK, WITH YOUR 6 MONTHS OF
EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO KAYLA
SHOWING UP, WHAT KIND OF ADVICE
DO YOU GIVE HER?
HOW DO YOU SLEEP AND TAKE BREAKS
AND MENTALLY HANDLE WHAT YOU'RE
LIVING IN?
>> I WOULD SAY THE BIGGEST PIECE
OF ADVICE THAT I GAVE EVERYBODY
WAS RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE ALL
GOING TO MAKE MISTAKES AND BE
REALLY KIND TO YOURSELF.
SO I KNOW FOR ME, AND I KNOW
DISCUSSING WITH SOME OF MY
CREWMATES THAT IT'S REALLY EASY
WHEN YOU TAKE A LITTLE LONGER ON
SOMETHING THAN THE PLAN WAS,
JUST TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU DOING
YOUR BEST IS REALLY GOOD AND
ROLL WITH IT AND TRY TO BE IN
THE MOMENT, NOT STRESS ABOUT
WHAT'S COMING UP AND FOCUS ON
WHAT YOU'RE DOING ALL THE TIME
AND TRY TO FIND WAYS TO ENJOY
IT.
AND ALSO, CERTAINLY FOR ME AS A
PHILOSOPHY, TO RECOGNIZE THAT
THEY HAVE SPENT YEARS TRAINING
FOR THIS.
AND EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES THEY
WILL FEEL LIKE, GOSH, I CAN'T
BELIEVE I MADE THAT MISTAKE,
THEY'RE THE HIGHEST TRAINED
PEOPLE WE CAN GET UP HERE AND
JUST TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND HAVE
GREAT RESPECT EVERYBODY HAS FOR
EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE TEAM.
>> ARE YOU GUYS ABLE TO TALK
WITH YOUR FAMILY UP THERE AND
HAVE REGULAR CONVERSATIONS,
WHETHER IT'S OVER A SKYPE
CONVERSATION OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT?
I'M CURIOUS HOW YOU CONTACT
HOME?
>> YEAH, WE ARE ACTUALLY REALLY
LUCKY.
ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO NAVY
DEPLOYMENTS.
WE ACTUALLY OF INTERNET PROTOCOL
PHONE THAT WE CAN USE AS LONG AS
WE HAVE GOOD SATELLITE WE CAN
CALL.
PEOPLE CAN'T CALL US BUT WE CAN
CALL THEM.
AND IS THEN WE ALSO HAVE AT
LEAST ONCE A WEEK WE HAVE A
VIDEO CHAT WITH OUR FAMILIES
WHERE WE GET TO ACTUALLY SEE
THEM AND HEAR THEM, SO WE'RE
ABLE TO STAY IN PRETTY GOOD
CONTACT WITH OUR FAMILY BACK
HOME.
>> THAT'S FUN.
KAYLA, I JUST TALKED WITH YOUR
MOM YESTERDAY AND WAS ASKING FOR
SOME PICTURES OF YOU DURING YOUR
TIME AND SHE SAID SHE NEEDS GET
PERMISSION FROM YOU.
I'M WONDERING THAT YOU CAN GIVE
HER TO SEND ME THAT YOU'RE
WILLING TO HAVE OUT THERE?
>> YOU CAN TELL SHE'S WELL
TRAINED.
I'M GLAD THAT WAS HER ANSWER.
YEAH, I'LL CHECK IN HER AND MAKE
SURE WE GET YOU SOME PHOTOS.
[LAUGHTER]
>> ALL RIGHT.
TO THE BOTH OF YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
TECHNOLOGY TO ME IS AMAZING.
THE FACT THAT MY VOICE IS IN
SPACE AND I'M ABLE TO TALK WITH
YOU GUYS.
I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME
OUT OF YOUR DAY TO TALK WITH ME
THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
IT WAS AWESOME TALKING WITH YOU.
>> STATION THIS IS HOUSTON ACR
THAT CONCLUDES THE EVENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU TO ALL PARTICIPANTS
FROM KGW NEWS AND WE'RE RESUMING