>> GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO
NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER FOR
A NEWS CONFERENCE WITH NASA
SpaceX CREW-3 ASTRONAUTS.
WE ARE HAPPY TO BE JOINED BY
NASA ASTRONAUTS TOM MARSHBURN,
RAJA CHARI AND KAYLA BARRON
HERE IN HOUSTON, AND WE ARE
HOPING TO CONNECT WITH EUROPEAN
SPACE AGENCY ASTRONAUT MATTHIAS
MAURER MOMENTARILY WHO WILL BE
JOINING US FROM GERMANY.
WELCOME HOME, CREW-3!
>> THANKS, MEGAN, HAPPY TO BE
BACK, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING
MATIAS AS WELL.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN HIM SINCE WE
GOT OFF THE PLANE, IT'S HARD TO
BELIEVE WE WENT TO SPACE LAST
NOVEMBER AND GOT BACK THIS PAST
FRIDAY AND WE'RE THRILLED TO BE
BACK, AND THE RECOVERY PROCESS,
AND YEAH, IT'S GREAT TO BE --
WE SAY HOW WEIRD IT IS, I GET
TO SEE TOM AND KAYLA NOW, FOR
THE LAST SIX MONTHS, SEEING
THEM ALL THE TIME, IT'S LIKE A
MINI REUNION GETTING TO SEE
THEM IN THE STUDIO AGAIN.
HAPPY TO BE BACK.
AND WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT BACK
TO YOU FOR QUESTIONS.
>> SOUNDS GREAT, THANKS, RAJA.
WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM MEDIA
ON THE PHONE, AND QUESTIONS
FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THERE ASK
THEM USING #ASKNASA.
IF YOU ARE MEDIA ON THE LINE
AND HAVE A QUESTION, PRESS STAR
1 TO ASK A QUESTION OR STAR 2
TO WITHDRAW A QUESTION.
WE WILL START WITH MARK FROM
AVIATION WEEK AND SPACE
TECHNOLOGY.
MARK?
.
>> Reporter: 2012 AND 2013 FOR
FIVE MONTHS ON THE SPACE
STATION, AS I SEE.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT
OFFER SOME PERSPECTIVE ON SORT
OF THE PRODUCTIVITY AND
EFFICIENCY AND ALSO THE
CAMARADERIE AMONG THE
INTERNATIONAL CREW NOW VERSUS A
DECADE AGO?
REMARKABLE CHANGES?
ABOUT THE SAME?
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME
CONCERN ABOUT THE RUSSIAN
MILITARY ACTIVITIES IN UKRAINE,
AND SOME HAVE COMMENTED THAT'S
HAD AN EFFECT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU SIZE THAT
OVERALL OVER THAT PERIOD OF
TIME IN YOUR TWO FLIGHTS?
>> I'D SAY THE SPACE STATION
ITSELF HAS GROWN SO MUCH.
NOT A LOT OF STRUCTURES HAVE
BEEN ADDED TO THE STATION SINCE
I FLEW LAST, BUT THE AMOUNT OF
WORK GOING ON, THE COMPLEXITY
OF IT, THE NUMBER OF
EXPERIMENTS, THE FULL
CAPABILITY AS A SCIENTIFIC
LABORATORY IS BEING REALIZED
NOW, SO ACTUALLY IT'S A LITTLE
BEWILDERING WHEN I FIRST
ARRIVED AND WHEN WE ARRIVED TO
SEE EVERYTHING GOING ON.
HARDLY ANY FREE SPACE ANYWHERE
BECAUSE IT'S PACKED WITH
SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT.
VERY EXCITING TO BE UP THERE.
AS FAR AS THE INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS GO, THAT HAS NOT
CHANGED AT ALL.
WE'VE HAD A 40+-YEAR
RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS AND
RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES AS WELL, AND
BEING IN SPACE TOGETHER, IN MY
OPINION, ONE OF THE GREATEST
LEGACIES OF THE SPACE STATION
WILL BE THAT WE ARE ALL LIVING
TOGETHER, ALL THE INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS TOGETHER, WORKING
TOGETHER, DOING WHAT I BELIEVE
TO BE GREAT THINGS, AND WE RELY
ON EACH OTHER FOR SURVIVAL, SO
ON THE SPACE STATION, THAT HAS
NOT CHANGED AT ALL.
WORKING WITH ALL OF OUR
PARTNERS HAS BEEN NOT ONLY
PRODUCTIVE BUT ALSO VERY
PLEASANT, AND SO, WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT
RELATIONSHIP TO STAY SAFE, STAY
ALIVE, GET A LOT OF GOOD WORK
DONE, MAINTAIN THE SPACE
STATION AND KEEP IT GOING.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS, TOM.
LET'S TAKE THE NEXT QUESTION
FROM STEVEN CLARK WITH
SPACEFLIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU, AND
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR
MISSION.
I THINK MY QUESTION IS ALSO FOR
TOM MARSHBURN.
YOU JOINED A SMALL BUT GROWING
LIST OF ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE
LAUNCHED AND NOW RE-ENTERED ON
THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
SPACECRAFT VEHICLES.
WANT TO GET YOUR IMPRESSION A
LITTLE BIT ON THE LAUNCH, BUT
MOSTLY THE RE-ENTRY AND
SPLASHDOWN SINCE THAT WAS THE
MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE YOU HAD,
COMPARING THAT WITH THE SHUTTLE
AND ALSO THE SOYUZ.
THANKS.
>> YEAH, WHAT'S NICE ABOUT IT
IS THE PHYSICS IS THE SAME.
CERTAINLY LAUNCHING, YOU'RE
GOING FROM 0 MILES PER HOUR
RELATIVE TO THE EITHER TO
17,500 MILES AN HOUR IN
LOW-EARTH ORBIT.
MAYBE LESS DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE THREE CRAFT ON LAUNCH.
I THINK THE SpaceX WAS QUITE A
BIT SMOOTHER, PARTICULARLY
THROUGH THE STAGING ASPECT OF
IT.
THAT WAS QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT.
WHEN THE FIRST STAGE CUTS OUT,
YOU'RE STARTING ON PARABOLIC
VELOCITY ON ORBIT.
RE-ENTRY IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT
OF FUN, A LOT LIKE THE SOYUZ,
YOU COME THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE
4.5Gs, WHEN THE DROGUES COME
OUT, IT'S A WILD RIDE AND THE
MAINS COME OUT AS WELL.
VERY SIMILAR BETWEEN DRAGON AND
SOYUZ.
SHUTTLE, VERY SMOOTH, I WAS ON
THE MID DECK SO I DIDN'T KNOW
WHEN WE LANDED BECAUSE IT'S A
GLIDER COMING ONTO THE RUNWAY.
THE DISTINCT DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE THREE WERE VERY
ENJOYABLE TO OBSERVE, BUT
OVERALL, IT'S A LOT OF FUN,
LAUNCH AND LANDING.
>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE THE
NEXT QUESTION FROM DAVID KERLEY
WITH DISCOVERY CHANNEL.
>> Reporter: I'D LIKE TO ASK
THE ROOKIES, I'M SURE YOU
TRUMPED ABOUT GOING TO SPACE.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT YOU THOUGHT IT WAS GOING
TO BE LIKE, AND WHAT IT ENDED
UP BEING LIKE?
AND RAJA, YOU ASKED STEVEN
CLARK, AS A ROOKIE COMMANDER,
YOU WERE GOING TO BE MORE OF A
COACH THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKED, AND WE
TALKED ABOUT THE STASH, ALMOST
LIKE A TED LASSO STASH.
>> FOR ME, IN TERMS OF
EXPECTATIONS VERSUS REALITY,
FROM THE JOB STANDPOINT, IT WAS
A TESTAMENT TO THE TRAINING
TEAM.
I DON'T THINK THERE WERE HUGE
SURPRISES WORKING ON A SYSTEM,
WOW, I NEVER HEARD OF THIS OR
TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
FROM THAT STANDPOINT, THE
TRAINING TEAMS HERE AT MISSION
CONTROL AND HOUSTON AND THE
PARTNERS WE TRAVEL AS PART OF
THE TRAINING TO ALL THE
DIFFERENT CENTERS.
I THINK THAT MET EXPECTATIONS
AND I FELT WELL PREPARED.
WHAT DIDN'T FEEL OR EXCEEDED MY
EXPECTATIONS IS THE JOY OF
LIVING AND WORKING WITH THE
CREW.
WE TRAINED TOGETHER THAT WHOLE
YEAR AND A HALF PRIOR, BUT
LIVING AND WORKING WITH MARK AS
WELL AS THE RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES,
IT IS LEGITIMATELY FUN.
EVERY DAY IT'S REALLY COOL TO
WAKE UP AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO SPEND THE NEXT 24
HOURS NOT ONLY WORKING BUT
HANGING OUT WITH THE SAME
PEOPLE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I MISS
THE MOST TOO, COMING BACK, I
LOVE MY FAMILY AND ECSTATIC
ABOUT THAT.
NOW GOING BACK TO WORK, WHERE I
DON'T HAVE THE SAME CLOSENESS
EVERY DAY AT WORK, IT'S KIND OF
LIKE A -- GOING TO TAKE
ADJUSTING TO.
THAT'S THE MOST UNEXPECTED
THING.
IN TERMS OF THE COMMAND JOB.
WITH HIGH-FUNCTIONING PEOPLE
HERE, NOT A LOT OF COMMANDING
TO BE DONE, IT'S MORE
FACILITATING, AND THAT'S WHAT
YOU'RE TALKING TO WHEN I TALKED
WITH STEVEN CLARK, LIKE A
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE COACH.
NBA COACH ISN'T TEACHING THE
PLAYER HOW TO SHOOT BASKETS,
JUST FACILITATING THE TEAM.
THAT IS WHAT I DID ON DRAGON.
WHAT TOM DID AS ISS COMMANDER,
WHAT WE ALL DO WHEN WE TAKE
ROLES ON THE STATION.
THE STASH, I TOOK THE ROLE BUT
MY WIFE WOULD NOT TOLERATE THE
MUSTACHE AND WOULD THROW OFF
THE CENTER OF GRAVITY, SO I HAD
TO SHAVE IT.
>> THAT'S AWESOME.
KAYLA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO
ADD ABOUT YOUR FIRST MISSION?
>> I ECHO A LOT OF WHAT RAJA
SAID, TRAINING IS SO
PHENOMENAL.
WE TRAIN IN PEACE PARTS.
WE HAVE THE CENTRIFUGE TRAINING
TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE VEHICLE
IS GOING TO FEEL.
THE TRAINER SIMULATOR AT SpaceX
TO UNDERSTAND THAT PART OF THE
STATION.
WE HAVE A MOCK-UP OF THE SPACE
STATION IN THE LAB, AND I THINK
ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER
GIVE YOU THIS EXCELLENT
STRUCTURE OF WHAT TO EXPECT,
BUT YOU DON'T REALLY REALIZE
THAT THAT'S JUST A HOLLOW
STRUCTURE THAT'S GOING TO BE
FILLED IN BY THIS INCREDIBLE
EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND I
THINK SIMILAR TO RAJA, THAT'S
WHAT SURPRISED ME THE MOST, WE
WERE PREPARED, WE WERE
TECHNICALLY READY, REALLY READY
TO LAUNCH WHEN WE LAUNCHED AND
GO UP THERE AND DO INCREDIBLE
THINGS BUT IT WAS THIS
AWE-INSPIRING EXPERIENCE AND
INCREDIBLE HONOR TO REPRESENT
THE NASA TEAM AND FAMILY IN
THAT ROLE AND ALSO TO HAVE OUR
RELATIONSHIPS AS A CREW GROW
THROUGH THAT EXPEDITIONARY
LIVING AND REALLY SUPPORTING
EACH OTHER SO WE COULD GET THE
MOST OUT OF EVERY SINGLE DAY IN
TERMS OF ACCOMPLISHING OUR
MISSION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL GO TO MARCIA SMITH WITH
SPACE POLICY ONLINE.
>> Reporter: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'D LIKE TO ASK ABOUT THE
SPACEWALKS AND ABOUT THE
UNCERTAINTY IN YOUR SCHEDULES
AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU FOUND
THAT FRUSTRATING?
ON THE SPACEWALK SIDE OF
THINGS, I MEAN, TOM, YOU'VE
DONE A LOT OF SPACEWALKS, KAYLA
AND RAJ, JUST STARTED DOING
THOSE.
WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE ON THE
SPACEWALKS AND WHAT DID YOU
THINK ABOUT THE SPACE SUITS?
AND ARE YOU WORKING ON THE
DESIGN OF THE NEW SPACE SUITS
TO REPLACE THEM?
AND, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE
SPACEWALKS HAD TO BE POSTPONED
BECAUSE OF A DEBRIS STRETCH.
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO GET READY
FOR A SPACEWALK AND HAVE IT
POSTPONED AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE
WHEN YOU WERE GETTING HOME AND
THAT KEPT GETTING POSTPONED.
HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
>> CERTAINLY, PART OF THE JOB
BEING AN ASTRONAUT IS DEALING
WITH UNCERTAINTY.
WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE ABSOLUTELY
PREPARED WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT
BUT MENTALLY PREPARED FOR SOME
OTHER MOMENT WHEN SOMETHING IS
GOING TO COME UP AND DELAY
THINGS.
SPACEWALKS ARE COMPLICATED.
ANY NUMBER OF FACTORS CAN DELAY
IT.
I WAS ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO GO
BACK OUT AGAIN, AND KAYLA, IF
YOU HAVE ANY FEELINGS ABOUT
YOUR FIRST MOMENTS GOING OUT
THE HATCH?
>> I MEAN, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY
INCREDIBLE.
WE PUT SO MUCH TIME INTO THAT
TRAINING AND HAVE SUCH A
FANTASTIC SUPPORT TEAM DOWN
HERE TO HELP US PREPARE, BUT
AGAIN, KIND OF LIKE THE
EXPERIENCE OF LAUNCHING AND
ARRIVING ON THE SPACE STATION,
THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN
PREPARE FOR UNTIL YOU GO OUT
HATCH AND SEE THE EARTH FROM
THAT PERSPECTIVE FOR THE FIRST
TIME, SO I FELT LUCKY I GOT TO
BOOK END THE MISSION WITH
SPACEWALKS.
MY FIRST ONE WITH TOM, LEARNING
FROM HIS INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE,
AND TOWARDS THE END OF THE
MISSION, RAJ AND I GOING
TOGETHER AFTER 4 1/2 YEARS
TRAINING SO CLOSELY DURING
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE FLOW, SO
FOR US, THAT'S THE ULTIMATE
EXPERIENCE, AND TO HAVE THAT
TOGETHER WAS REALLY
SPECTACULAR, AND TO TOM'S
POINT, I THINK WE -- YOU KIND
OF HAVE -- YOU'RE HYPED UP FOR
THE MOMENT.
WE WOKE UP THINKING WE'RE GOING
TO DO A SPACEWALK AND HEARING
IT'S DELAYED.
YOU HAVE THE MINUTE OF LETDOWN,
BUT WE USED THE EXTRA TIME TO
PREPARE MORE AND FEEL MORE
READY, AND WENT OUT AND DID
AWESOME WORK.
I THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE AN
INCREDIBLE SUPPORT TEAM AND
INCREDIBLE RELATIONSHIP WITHIN
THE CREW, WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE
THE RESILIENCE TO BE PREPARED
FOR THOSE MOMENTS OF
UNCERTAINTY.
>> I THINK SOMEONE ASKED IF YOU
WERE FRUSTRATED WHEN IT WAS
POSTPONED AND UNDOCKED.
NO ONE FEELS RUSHED TO DO
SOMETHING.
WE SHOULD BE BASED ON WHEN
WE'RE READY.
THE TEAMS ON THE GROUND HAVE
THE TURN, IT'S TUESDAY,
WEDNESDAY, TELL US WHEN YOU
WANT TO UNDOCK, WE'LL DO IT.
THE TEAMS ARE CONSTANTLY
PLANNING AND REPLANNING.
THE HIGH BETA SET IN, THE ORBIT
DYNAMICS, THE PHASE, THE
WEATHER.
PEOPLE DOING WORK STAYING UP
LATE DOING THAT.
FOR US, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT
THING TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE
WILLING TO SAY THIS ISN'T THE
RIGHT TIME, REPLAN IT, AND BE
WILLING TO MAKE THAT CALL AND
DO IT IS A GOOD THING AS
OPPOSED TO BEING TIED FOR SOME
ARTIFICIAL REASON TO SOMETHING
IT HAS TO BE ON THIS DATE AND
TIME.
I'D MUCH RATHER BE SAFE AND
READY THAN MEET A DATE.
IT'S A GREAT THING.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU, AND I THINK
WE HAVE MATTHIAS ON THE LINE,
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> I CAN.
>> GREAT, WE'LL KEEP GOING WITH
QUESTIONS HERE.
NEXT QUESTION FROM ELIZABETH
HOWELL WITH SPACE.COM.
>> Reporter: HELLO, THANKS FOR
YOUR TIME.
WELCOME BACK.
THIS IS FOR ANYBODY, I WANTED
TO GET INSIGHT WHAT IT'S LIKE
TO WORK WITH THE AXIOM 1 CREW
AND THE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE
MISSIONS ON THE SPACE STATION.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR FROM ANY OF
YOU.
>> FIRST OF ALL, HI, MATTHIAS,
WE HAVEN'T SEEN OR TALKED TO
HIM SINCE RIGHT AFTER WE
LANDED.
IT WAS NICE TO BE A PART OF
HISTORY WHICH THIS MOMENTOUS
OCCASION, PRIVATE ASTRONAUTS
COMING UP TO THE SPACE STATION,
STARTING TO REALIZE THE DREAM
OF HAVING A COMPLETELY
COMMERCIAL PROGRAM IN LOW-EARTH
ORBIT, THIS IS THE FIRST STEP.
WE ALL HAD OUR CHALLENGES, THEY
DID COMING UP, EXPERIENCING
SPACE FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND
HAVING JUST A FEW MONTHS TO
TRAIN ON WHAT THEY BROUGHT UP
WITH THEM, WHICH WAS A COMPLEX
SUITE OF EXPERIMENTS,
CHALLENGING FOR US TO GET OUR
WORK DONE AS WELL AS TO ASSIST
THEM, BUT OVERALL, IT'S
EXTREMELY POSITIVE, WE ENJOYED
GETTING TO KNOW THEM, THEY'RE
GRACIOUS AND KIND AND HOPEFULLY
WE WERE HELPFUL TO THEM TO GET
THEIR GOALS ACCOMPLISHED.
SO IT IS ALL VERY MUCH A
POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FROM I
THINK EVERYBODY'S STANDPOINT ON
THE CREW.
>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO KEN
CHANG WITH "NEW YORK TIMES."
>> Reporter: HI.
THANK YOU.
THIS IS FOR EVERYONE.
I HAVE A QUESTION GOING BACK TO
THE VARIOUS STAR MISSION.
YOU HAD JUST GOTTEN UP THERE
AND THERE WAS THE RUSSIAN TEST,
YOU HAD TO GO TO THE CREW
DRAGON FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS
AND CLOSE THE HATCH.
WAS IT SCARY, DISRUPTIVE?
WHAT WAS IT LIKE DURING THESE
TWO DAYS?
>> IN RETROSPECT, WASN'T A GOOD
THING TO HAVE HAPPEN, BUT IT
WAS A GOOD CREW TRAINING
EXERCISE AS WELL.
WE ARE NEW, INTEGRATING WITH
MARK AND THE COSMONAUTS, SO
PART OF THE DEBRIEF, IT WAS A
GOOD THING, WE ALL GOT TO SEE
SORT OF HOW THE CULTURE OF THE
FLOW WAS AND WORK TOGETHER AS A
TEAM, AND ACTUALLY CHECK OUT
USING THE DRAGON AS A SAFE
HAVEN GOING THROUGH ALL THE
PROCEDURES AND IT WAS A GREAT
INTRODUCTION TO RESPONSES.
I THINK IT WAS JUST ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF THE GROUND TEAMS
SUPPORTING US.
TO YOUR POINT, WERE WE SCARED?
SCARED WOULD BE THE WRONG WORD.
ACTING WITH A PURPOSE,
DEFINITELY THE FIRST CALL FROM
THE GROUND WAS PRETTY MUCH LIKE
WE TRAINED IN BUILDING 9.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE
PROCEDURE?
START WORKING THROUGH IT.
WHAT STEPS ARE YOU WORKING?
NOT WORKING?
WE DIVVIED UP AS A CREW AND DID
WHAT WE WERE TRAINED TO DO.
I THINK WE WERE ALL PRETTY
COMFORTABLE AND PREPARED FOR
WHATEVER THE WORST POSSIBLE
OUTCOMES AND NOT THE WORST
POSSIBLE OUTCOMES AND BACKING
OUT OF THE SAFE HAVEN.
OTHER THOUGHTS?
>> TESTAMENT TO THE TRAINING.
WE KEPT THINKING HERE'S ANOTHER
SIM, SIMULATION THEY'RE GIVING
US TO, IT WAS GREAT TO ACTUATE
THE HATCHES.
WE GOT TO KNOW THE SPACE
STATION BETTER AS A RESULT OF
HAVING GONE THROUGH THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT, AND I WANT TO GO
BACK TO AN EARLIER QUESTION FOR
MATTHIAS, IT'S YOUR FIRST
SPACEFLIGHT ALONG WITH RAJA AND
KAYLA.
WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?
YOU'VE BEEN DREAMING ABOUT
THIS.
DID THE REALITY MEET THE
EXPECTATIONS FOR YOUR MISSION?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK LIKE THE REALITY WAS
MUCH BETTER THAN TRAINING.
WE WERE TOGETHER IN TRAINING.
WE MET EACH OTHER BEFORE, BEING
UP THERE IN SPACE, SO NOW I
HAVE ONE SPACE SISTER AND TWO
SPACE BROTHERS.
WE BECAME SPACE FAMILY AND IT
WAS A TREMENDOUS ADVENTURE
LIVING IT, THE FOUR OF US, THE
TEN OF US, DEPENDING HOW MANY
THERE WERE AT ANY GIVEN POINT
IN TIME.
THE MISSION HAD ALL ELEMENTS I
WAS HOPING FOR, OUTSTANDING
LAUNCH.
PERFECT MISSION WITH A LOT OF
SCIENCE IN BETWEEN, BUT ALSO A
SPACEWALK FOR EVERYONE WAS
ACTUATING THE ROBOTIC ARM.
HAVING THE TOURISTS OR
PROFESSIONAL-PRIVATE ASTRONAUTS
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SPACE, SO
THE TRANSITION FROM THE OLD AGE
OF SPACEFLIGHT TO THE NEW AGE
OF MORE COMMERCIAL ORIENTED
SPACEFLIGHT, I THINK IT'S
DIFFICULT TO BEAT THIS MISSION.
I'M SUPER, SUPER HAPPY AND I
THINK IT WAS FUN, MY DREAM
FULLY CAME TRUE, BETTER THAN MY
DREAM.
>> THAT'S AWESOME, THANK YOU.
TO DANIEL?
>> Reporter: HI, THANK YOU FOR
TAKING MY QUESTION.
I WANT TO START WITH A PHRASE,
HE SAID IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A
MACHINE, IT SOUNDS LIKE AN
ANIMAL COMING THROUGH.
SO FAR I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO
SEE VIDEO RETURNING TO EARTH.
YOU CAN EXPLAIN THE SENSATION
SOUNDS THAT YOU EXPERIENCE
DURING RE-ENTRY TO EARTH?
THERE IS A QUESTION FROM OUR
AUDIENCE THAT IS VERY OFTEN
HERE.
THE FOUR-MAN PARACHUTES DON'T
WORK AS EXPECTED, IS THERE A
PLAN B TO REDUCE THE MOMENT OF
IMPACT WITH THE SEA?
>> SO FOR RE-ENTRY, THERE'S
DIFFERENT PHASES.
THERE'S ENTRY PREP AND ENTRY 1
AND 2.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT PHASES.
TO BOB'S DESCRIPTION, I THINK
WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT DRAGON, I
DON'T KNOW IF IT'S UNIQUE,
SINCE YOU ARE SITTING RIGHT
NEAR IN A CLOSED VEHICLE, YOU
CAN HEAR THE BOUGHS, YOU CAN
HEAR PRESSURIZATIONS CHANGING,
IT'S A COOL EXPERIENCE ON THE
SPACE STATION, WHERE THERE'S
BACKGROUND FAN NOISE AND YOU
DON'T HEAR THRUSTERS FIRING,
WHEN YOU'RE BACK IN THE DRAGON,
YOU HEAR THE THINGS ACTUATING,
IT'S NEAT.
AND WHEN SENSES COME BACK
ALIVE, AS THE Gs COME BACK OUT,
TO ADD THE AUDIO DYNAMIC TO IT.
YOU ARE ACCELERATING, FEELING G
FORCES, HEARING SOUND, THE
WHOOSHING, YOU ARE SEEING THE
CONSTANT PAINT GLOW FROM THE
PLASMA AND THE SPARK GLOWS,
PRETTY MUCH ALL YOUR SENSES ARE
ENERGIZED AND COMING BACK ALIVE
AS YOU'VE BEEN IN MICROGRAVITY,
SO YOUR BRAIN IS PROCESSING
THIS NEW INFORMATION.
SO IT ADDS THIS INCREDIBLENESS
TO IT THAT IS BEYOND EVEN WHAT
YOU'RE EXPERIENCING.
FOR THE CHUTES, THERE'S A WHOLE
BUNCH OF BACKUP SYSTEMS TO
INCLUDE MANUAL BACKUPS AND HARD
WIRED SYSTEMS TO THE CONTROL
PANEL.
THERE IS NO RETROROCKET SYSTEM,
NOTHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD
FIRE AT THE LAST SECOND.
THERE'S TWO LEVELS OF FAILURE
BACKUP AND REDUNDANCY,
BAROMETRIC AND GPS ALTITUDES
AND YOU CAN MANUALLY ACTUATE
THE CHUTE.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF WAYS TO GET
THE CHUTE TO DEPLOY.
WE'VE SEEN PREVIOUS ONES,
LAGGING CHUTE OR THINGS WE'VE
TESTED TO HAVING A WHOLE CHUTE
NOT FUNCTION AND IT WORKS JUST
FINE.
QUITE A BIT OF REDUNDANCY IN
THE DESIGN AND TO DATE HAS
PROVEN TO BE A VERY SOFT RIDE.
FOR LANDING, TOM HAS HAD THE
EXPERIENCE OF LANDING MULTIPLE
WAYS AND EXPECTING TO HAVE THE
WIND KNOCKED OUT OF ME.
IT WAS MORE LIKE GETTING PUSHED
IN THE BACK.
IT WAS SURPRISINGLY GENTLE A
LANDING, WHICH I WAS VERY HAPPY
ABOUT.
>> ABSOLUTELY, AND ALONG THE
SAME LINES OF LANDING AND
SPLASHDOWN, WE HAVE A QUESTION
FROM TWITTER.
IS IT HARD TO FLY THE DRAGON
BACK TO EARTH?
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO PAY
ATTENTION TO THE MOST?
>> LARGELY THE MONITORING ROLE
ON THE WAY BACK, THE AUTOMATICS
OF THE SYSTEM ARE ALWAYS, AT
LEAST FOR US, CERTAINLY SEEMED
TO BE RIGHT ON THE MARK AND
VERY ACCURATE, SO LARGELY WE'RE
WATCHING, WE KNOW WHAT'S
SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
WE HAVE THE TOOLS WE NEED TO
MONITOR WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE'RE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT IT,
THE NEXT STEP DOESN'T WORK,
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO.
RAJ WAS GOOD AT LEADING THE
TEAM THROUGH.
HERE WE ARE COMING UP TO THE
NEXT STAGE OF RE-ENTRY AND ALL
THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO IF
IT DOESN'T COME OUT AS PLANNED.
WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE
TRAINING THROUGH THAT, BUT IT
WAS A SMOOTH RIDE.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE'LL TAKE ONE
LAST QUESTION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
FOR EVERYONE.
IS IT BETTER TO LIVE ON EARTH
OR IN SPACE?
>> EARTH IS PRETTY COOL.
[LAUGHTER]
>> SPACE IS A WONDERFUL PLACE
TO VISIT.
I'M NOT SURE MY FAMILY WOULD
WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF THEIR
LIVES IN SPACE.
IF THEY DID, WE MIGHT CONSIDER
LIVING THE REST OF OUR LIVES IN
SPACE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
WE ALL HAD SUCH A FANTASTIC
EXPERIENCE.
I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THAT IN
SOME OF EACH OF OUR ANSWERS.
JUST BECAUSE OUR CREW WAS SO
CLOSE, NOT JUST THE FOUR OF US
BUT THE AMAZING INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS WE GOT TO WORK WITH UP
THERE AND MARK VANDE HEI DURING
HIS HISTORIC ONE-YEAR MISSION.
IT WAS SPECIAL TO REPRESENT THE
NASA TEAM AND A HUGE PRIVILEGE
TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE, THAT
VANTAGE POINT, TO REPRESENT OUR
LARGER CREW IN THE FLIGHT
CONTROL TEAMS ALL OVER THE
WORLD, BUT I THINK, I CAN'T
SEPARATE THE IDEA OF LIVING IN
SPACE FROM LIVING ON EARTH.
WE LOOK OUT THE WINDOW BACK AT
THE PLANET AND OUR HOME IS
HERE, AND SO I THINK FOR ME,
IT'S KIND OF TOTALLY CONNECTED
EXPERIENCES, AND THE CHANCE TO
COME HOME AT THE END OF AN
INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE IS WHAT
MAKES THAT ADVENTURE SO
SPECIAL.
>> THAT MAKES SENSE, MATTHIAS,
DID YOU HAVE FINAL THOUGHTS FOR
US?
>> I FULLY AGREE WITH KAYLA.
DEFINITELY I WANT TO LIVE ON
PLANET EARTH, BUT EXPERIENCING
SPACE IS TEMPORARY.
I COULD NOT IMAGINE BEING FOR
THE REST OF MY LIFE IN SPACE.
>> YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ALL THE TIME
WE HAVE FOR TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO TOM,
RAJA, KAYLA AND MATTHIAS AND
FOR EVERYONE ONLINE.
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