>> HELLO EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE IN
HOUSTON, TEXAS, AS WE DISCUSS
THE SPACEFLIGHT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
AM JOINED TODAY BY SEVERAL
LEADERS THAT ARE GOING TO GIVE
US THE OPENING REMARKS AHEAD OF
MEDIA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, AS
WE PREPARE FOR THIS UPCOMING
SEASON OF SPACEFLIGHT.
JOINING ME TO MY LEFT IS
ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE
SPACE OPERATIONS MISSION
DIRECTOR AT NASA HEADQUARTERS,
STEVE STITCH, MANAGER OF THE
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM, MANAGER
OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION AND BENJI REED SENIOR
DIRECT FOR THE HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT
PROGRAM AT SPACEX.
BACK IN THE ROOM WE HEAD OF THE
ESA HOUSTON OFFICE, ALSO,
ON-LINE, WE HAVE VICE PRESIDENT
AND DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR THE
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT TECHNOLOGY
DIRECTOR AT JAXA.
WE WILL START WITH OUR OPENING
REMARKS.
WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, KEN.
KEN: WELCOME, EVERYBODY.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AS
WE GET A CHANCE TO SHARE A
LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION WITH
YOU ABOUT THE NEXT SETTLE OF
CREW ROTATIONS TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
I AM SO AMAZED, THAT EVERY TIME
I READ, THAT WE HAD CREWS
CONTINUOUSLY ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FOR
ALMOST 20 YEARS.
EVERYONE OF THOSE YEARS HAS BEEN
A BUSY YEAR, WHETHER IT HAS BEEN
ASSEMBLY, MAINTENANCE OR REALLY
GREAT SCIENCE, AND I AM ALWAYS
IMPRESSED WITH HOW OUR TEAMS
HANDLE THE WORKLOAD.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW, IN OUR
RHYTHM, IS THAT EVERY LATE
WINTER, SPRING, LATE SUMMER,
FALL, WITH CREW ROTATIONS, IT
GETS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT.
AN THE TEAM PAYS EXTRA SPECIAL
ATTENTION TO ALL THE WORK GOING
ON, EVERY MINUTE OF THE YEAR,
BUT THEY, THEY PAY SPECIAL
ATTENTION TO THE LAUNCHES AND
RETURNS OF THE CREW.
I AM REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE
REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR TWO MAJOR
PROBLEM PROGRAMS, INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS, COMMERCIAL PARTNERS ON
THE TELECONFERENCE TODAY.
THEY ARE HERE TO SHARE MORE
DETAILS, THAN I WOULD BE ABLE TO
SHARE WITH YOU.
AND THEN, AFTER THAT, YOU WILL
BE HEARING FROM THE CREWS
THEMSELVES.
ONE THING I DO WANT TO MENTION
RIGHT UPFRONT IS THAT WE HAVE
TAKE AND LOOK FOR THE LAUNCH
DATE FOR CREW 7.
AND WE ARE LOOKING AT MOVING IT.
STEVE HERE WILL GIVE YOU MORE
DETAILS ON THAT LAUNCH DATE
ADJUSTMENT.
BUT I WANTED TO THANK YOU ONE
MORE TIME FOR JOINING US, AND
NOW I WILL PASS IT OVER TO
STEVE.
STEVE: THANKS, KEN.
IT IS HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY
REPRESENTING ALL THE COMMERCIAL
CREW PROGRAMS TEAM ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
I CAN'T THANK THE NASA TEAM
ENOUGH FOR THE HARD WORK GETTING
READY FOR CREW 7.
THE NASA AND THE SPACEX TEAM
PREPARING FOR THE VEHICLE TO FLY
AND ALL THE A23458 SIS IS
GETTING READY TO HAVE THE
SEVEN-CREW ROTATION FLIGHT.
AT KEN SAID, WE ARE GOING TOED A
JUST THE LAUNCH DATE, A FEW DAYS
TO THE RIGHT, SPACEX IS FLYING
AN ECHOSTAR MISSION, FALCON 9
HEAVY OFF THE SAME LAUNCHPAD WE
ARE GOING TO USE, PAD 39A, THAT
VEHICLE IS UNDERGOING PROCESS
FOR A LAUNCH ON WEDNESDAY
EVENING EASTERN TIME.
AND SO, BECAUSE OF THE
TURNAROUND OF LAUNCHPAD FROM
THAT FALCON 9 CONFIGURATION TO
THE CONFIGURATION WE USE FOR
CREW, WE WILLED A JUST THE
LAUNCH DATE TO THE 16th OF
AUGUST, SO THE LAUNCH TIME ON
AUGUST17th WILL BE
6:56:00A.M. EASTERN TIME WITH
THE DOCKING ONE DAY LATER AT
2:45 EASTERN TIME AS WELL.
THAT WILL SET US UP FOR THE CREW
HAND OVER, AND THEN WE'LL UNDOCK
THE DRAGON, THE CREW-6 DRAGON,
WITH STEPHEN BOWEN AND THE CREW
ON THE 25th OF AUGUST.
THE VEHICLES ARE GETTING READY
BEING PREPARED FOR FLIGHT.
AL THE HARDWARE AT KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER AT DRAGON LAND FOR
FLIGHT.
I GOT A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE
CREW THIS MORNING.
YOU WILL HEAR LATER TODAY.
THEY ARE EXCITED AND READY FOR
THE LAUNCH.
THE DRAGON, THAT WE ARE GOING TO
USE, IS FLYING THE THIRD FLIGHT,
AND DRAGON ENDEAVOR FLEW ON
CREW-5 THEN WE HAVE A NEW
BOOSTER FOR THE FALCON 9 FIRST
STAGE AND OBVIOUSLY THE SECOND
STAGE, AND ALL OF THAT HARDWARE
IS BEING PREPARED FOR FLIGHT.
WE WILL START FLIGHT-READINESS
REVIEWS.
JOEL WILL HAVE THE FIRST REVIEW
THIS WEEK.
THEN COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM FRR
WILL BE AUGUST THEN SET UP FOR
AGENCY LIKELY ON THE 11th OF
AUGUST FUST, AND WE ARE GOING
THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
HE IS AN HONOR FOR THE
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM TO FLY
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
EACH OF THE INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS WITH WILL HAVE ESA CREW
MEMBER ON THE FLIGHT, A JAXA
CREW MEMBER AND ROSCOSMOS CREW
MEMBER, SO IT IS HONOR TO HAVE
THOSE FLYING FOR THE FLIGHT.
ALSO, WE HAVE THE FIRST PILOT,
ANDY, WILL BE THE PILOT ON ESA.
ERIC WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.
WE ARE GETTING EXCITED AND READY
TO GO FOR THE FLIGHT.
THE LAUNCH OPPORTUNITIES ARE A
LITTLE BIT UNIQUE FOR THIS
TIMEFRAME.
IT IS A BUSY TIMEFRAME ON ISS
LIKE IT ALWAYS IS IN.
SO WE WILL HAVE LAUNCH
OPPORTUNITIES ON THE 17th
AND 18th THEN WE HAVE TO
TAKE BREAK TO ALLOW PROGRESS
OPERATIONS AT THE SPACE STATION,
THEN WE WOULD PICK BACK UP ON
THE 21st WITH A LAUNCH
OPPORTUNITY, AND THEN, WE WOULD
STAND DOWN AGAIN FOR PROGRESS
OPERATIONS AND PICK BACK UP
AROUND THE 25th OF AUGUST
WHICH IS A LAUNCH OPPORTUNITY.
FOR US, IT IS IMPORTANT
TIMEFRAME IN NASA.
THERE IS IMPORTANT MISSION DOWN
THE ROAD AND A SCIENCE MISSION
THAT IS GOING TO LAUNCH IN
OCTOBER, SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
CLOSELY WITH THE LAUNCH SUPPORT
PROGRAM, SET UP FOR THAT MISSION
AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, I AM EXCITED TO BE
HERE.
I AM EXCITE FOR THE MISSION.
THE CREW IS EXCITED AS WELL.
THEY ARE READY TO GO.
I WILL TURN IT OVER.
>> THANK YOU, KEN.
THANK YOU, STEVE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
ADDS WE SAID, WE ARE HERE TO
TALK ABOUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF
HANDOVER MISSIONS, SO CREW 7,
INTEGRATED CREW, AS STEVE TALKED
TO YOU ABOUT, THEY WILL STAY
DOCKED TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, ABOUT 190 DAYS OR
SO, IT MIGHT BE 193 OR SO, BUT
190 DAYS.
THEY WILL TALK TO THE ZENITH
PORT OR THE DOCKING PORT ON TOP
OF SPACE STATION.
THEY WILL HAVE A FIVE-DAY
HANDOVER WITH THE CREW-6 TEAM.
AND SO THEY WILL BE HANDING OVER
ALL THE CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT
THEY HAVE GAINED WHILE THEY WERE
ONBOARD THE SPACE STATION.
THEN CREW 7 WILL BE ROCKING AND
ROLLING AFTER THAT WITH A WELL
VERSED SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
PROGRAM, THAT WE HAVE.
LOOKING TO THE SOYUZ MISSION,
LOOKING AT MID, UM,
MID-SEPTEMBER FOR THAT.
NASA ASTRONAUT WILL BE FLYING ON
THE SOYUZ AND ALSO DOCKED TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
ABOUT 190 DAYS.
TO ME, IT IS EXCITING TO
CONTINUE THE INTEGRATED CREW
WORK THAT WE STARTED ABOUT A
YEAR AGO OR SO.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ROSCOSMOS
COSMONAUTS ON THE DRAGON VEHICLE
AND U.S. ASTRONAUTS ON THE
RUSSIAN SOYUZ VEHICLE.
LOOKING JUST TO THE NEXT COUPLE
OF WEEKS, VERY HAVE NORTHROP
GRUMMAN 19 MISSION SCHEDULED TO
LAUNCH TUESDAY AUGUST FIRST AT
8:31 EASTERN TIME OUT OF WALLOPS
ISLAND, SO CONTINUING THE
CRITICAL SUPPLY DONE BY THE
CYGNUS SPACECRAFT.
WE HAVE A RUSSIAN EVA SCHEDULED
FOR AUGUST9 ONBOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, THE
SERGY AND DMITRI WILL BE
SOMEBODY-- SERGEY WILL BE
INSTALLING TO THE PANELS, SO
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
EARLIER THIS MORNING, ABOUT 8:00
CENTRAL, WE HAD A POWER PROBLEM
IN THE MISSION CONTROL CENTER
HOUSTON, WHERE WE LOST COMMAND,
TELEMETRY, VOICE TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FROM
MISSION CONTROL CENTER HOUSTON.
ONBOARD, THERE WAS NOT ISSUE
ONBOARD.
IT WAS CLEARLY A GROUND PROBLEM.
WE DID TALK TO THE CREW.
WE ARE ABLE TO TALK TO THE CREW
ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER THE
FAILURE, EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT
WAS GOING ON NO TIME WITH THE
CREW OR THE VEHICLE WAS IN ANY
DANGER AM WE HAD BEEN DOING SOME
UPGRADES, AT JOHNSON SPACE
CENTER, IN ORDER TO ADD
RELIABILITY TO OUR POWER
SYSTEMS.
TODAY AND SOME RECONFIGURATION
IS WHEN WE LOST THE POWER, THAT
TELEMETRY, THE COMMAND AND THE
VOICE TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
TELEMETRY.
WE KNEW THIS WORK WAS GOING ON.
IN PREPARATION FOR THAT, WE HAVE
BACKUP COMMAND AND CONTROL
SYSTEMS, THAT WE WOULD USE IF WE
HAVE TO CLOSE THE CENTER FOR
EMERGENCY.
ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING THE
HURRICANE SEASON T. THAT
HARDWARE WAS READY TO GO.
AND THE TEAM TRANSITIONED TO
THAT HARDWARE AND WITHIN ABOUT
90 MINUTES, WE WERE UP AND
RUNNING WITH FULL COMMAND,
TELEMETRY AND VOICE TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE'LL SPEND TODAY STUDYING WHAT
HAPPENED, UNDERSTANDING THE
PROBLEM, AND THE FIX, AND MY
HOPE IS BY THE END OF THE DAY,
WE WILL BE UM TO NOMINAL
CONFIGURATION.
AGAIN, AGAIN, NO IMPACT TO WHAT
THE SAFETY OF THE CREW OR THE
SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE, AND WE'LL
BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED,
AND THEN TAKE LESSONS LEARNED
AND MOVE FORWARD.
IN CLOSING, JUST A HUGE THANKS
THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WHERE
SHALL SPACEX, COMMERCIAL CREW
PROGRAM, MY COLLEAGUES AND THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
PROGRAM.
IT IS EXCITING TO CONTINUE
FLYING ONBOARD WITH THE
INTEGRATED CREWS AND ARE EXCITED
TO BE HERE.
SO WITH THAT, LET ME HAND IT
OVER TO BENJI AT SPACEX.
>> THANKS, JOEL.
AND THANK YOU EVERYBODY, ALWAYS
GOOD TO BE ON THE BRIEFINGS AND
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PARTICIPATE, AS ALWAYS, IT
CONTINUES TO BE INCREASINGLY
EXCITING TIME IN HUMAN
SPACEFLIGHT.
AS WE MOVE INTO OUR SEVENTH
OPERATIONAL MISSION, ON THE CCP
PROGRAM, I THINK IT IS FAIR TO
SAY, YOU KNOW, OUR DEEP
GRATITUDE TO NASA FOR HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER MOVING
INTO THE OPERATIONal flight,
and to all of the, you know,
different members the
international space station.
It is fantastic to be able to
work with all of them and be
able to transport their cruise,
so again, thank you very much
FROM all of us here at SpaceX.
-- crew.
In TERMS of crew 7 readiness.
We are moving along as planned.
The crewmembers completed their
test-drive, over the past
weekend.
That is when they have the
opportunity to sit in their
dragon another first time, you
know, completed on the inside,
check it all out.
Make sure they feel ready, that
their vehicle is ready for them
to fly in and identify anything
they need.
That went so well.
So, um, the next thing to talk
about, a couple of issues I
WANTED to bring up just to note.
That we identified, so in June,
early June, June6th, WE HAD
INS ON SOME OF THE HARDWARE AT
THE PAD, 39A, A GROUND EQUIPMENT
ISSUE.
UM, IT WAS BASICALLY OUR SYSTEM
THAT WE USE TO SUPPLY LIQUID
OXYGEN PROPELLANT TO THE HEAT
EXCHANGER THAT INVOLVES LIQUID
NITROGEN, AND IN THAT, IN THAT
SITUATION, WHAT HAPPENED SOME OF
THE LIQUID NITROGEN WAS TRAPPED
IN THE LINE, OF COURSE, WHEN
THAT LIQUID BOILS OFF, IT TURNS
TO A GAS AND INCREASES THE
PRESSURE SIGNIFICANTLY AND HAD A
RUPTURE IN THAT LINE.
THERE IS NO ACTIVE WORK
OCCURRING AT THE TIME.
THE AREA WAS CLEAR.
PERSONNEL, NO NASA KENNEDY
PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED AND
EVERYTHING SINCE THEN, WE
RESOLVED THAT ISSUE.
EVERYTHING SINCE HAS BEEN
REOPENED AND FULLY READY, FULLY
TESTED AND READY FOR WORK.
WE CHANGED THE CONFIGURATION A
LITTLE BIT IN THAT HARDWARE, SO
WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF A
TRAP WITH LIQUID NITROGEN ISSUE
AGAIN.
SO THAT IS ALL RESOLVED AND
READY TO GO FOR CREW 7.
THE OTHER ISSUE THAT I WANTED TO
TALK A LITTLE BIT TODAY IS THE
ISOLATION VALVE.
HE NOTED THIS HAD BEEN ISOLATION
VALVE THAT WAS ON AND REMAINED
ON THROUGHOUT THE MISSION.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THIS PARTICULAR VALVE IS
MANIFOLD NEAR THE DRACO ENGINE
AND ONLY USED IF THERE IS A
THRUSTER VALVE LEAK, OK?
SINCE THIS WAS NO LEAK DURING
THE MISSION, SO THERE WAS, YOU
KNOW, THERE WASES NO NEED TO
HAVE ISOLATION VALVE-- THERE
WAS NO NEED, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH
IT WAS STUCK ON OR STUCK OPEN,
IT DIDN'T IMPACT THE MISSION AT
ALL.
THERE WAS NO LEAK OF ANY KIND OF
PROPEL ANT.
WE ARE PROACTIVELY INSPECTING
THE VALVES ACROSS THE DRAGON
VEHICLES INCLUDING THOSE ESCAPED
FROM THE 28 CAPSULE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
IDENTIFIED IS CORROSION IN
CERTAIN UNITS SO WE ARE
UNDERGOING TESTING TO DETERMINE
THE CAUSE OF THE CORE ROWINGS,
THE IMPACT OF-- CORROSION AND
THE IMPACT OF THE VALVE AND WE
ARE INVESTIGATING THAT TO
PREVENT ANY KIND OF CORROSION IN
THE FUTURE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TONLET THAT WE
IMMEDIATELY TESTED ALL THE
MANIFOLD ISOLATION VALVE THAT
ARE ON THE CREW-6 DRAGON RIGHT
NOW.
AND WE CONTINUE TO DO SO AS PART
OF THE NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND
PREDEPARTURE CHECKOUT
PROCEDURES.
AT THIS POINT, NO NOMINAL
BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN APPLIED AND
THEY ARE ALL OPERATING OPENING
AND CLOSING APPROPRIATELY, AND
SO WE, WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE
CREW-6 VEHICLE, THAT IS ON THE
STATION.
WE PEEL CONFIDENT IN THE CREW
VEHICLE-- WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN
THE CREW 7 VEHICLE THAT IS ABOUT
TO FLY, AND WITH THAT, I CAN SAY
THAT OVERALL, DRAGON, ALL THE
PADS, OUR TEAMS ARE IN THEIR--
GOING THROUGH THE FINAL
PREPARATIONS AND GETTING READY
FOR FLIGHT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY
WITH NASA AND WITH ALL THE
SPACEX TEAMS TO ENSURE WE ARE
READY TO FLY AND, AND WE'LL ONLY
FLY WHEN WE ARE READY AND ONLY
FLY WHEN IT IS SAFE TO FLY, THE
CREWMEMBERS.
WE'LL CONTINUE OUR, MINI TEST
AND REVIEWS, WE GIVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO STEP BACK, REVIEW
THE DATA.
LISTEN TO THE HARDWARE, THEN
MITIGATE ANY RISKS PRIOR TO
HAVING A SPACEFLIGHT TOOL AND
MAKE SURE WE DO THAT THROUGH THE
NEXT FEW WEEKS.
ONE MORE TIME AGAIN, WE THANK
YOU, THANK YOU TO ESA, JAXA,
COSMOS, AND THE 5th FOR THE
TRUST AND THE PARTNERSHIP AND
THE CLOSE COLLABORATION ON THE
CREW 7 LAUNCH.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BENJI.
NOW BACK IN THE ROOM, WE WILL
HEAR FROM ERIC VAN DER WAL.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING.
AS MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE ESA
ASTRONAUTS IN THE CENTER, THAT
WILL FLY FOR ESA ON THIS FLIGHT.
THIS IS A FIRST FOR HIM.
HE FLEW IN 2015 ON A TEN-DAY
MISSION TO SS, BUT THIS TIME, IT
WILL BE A LONG-DURATION,
SIX-MONTH FLIGHT.
HE IS VERY EXCITED.
ESA IS EXCITED, TOO.
FOR US SHALL THERE IS LASS
FIRST, STEVE STOLE IT A LITTLE
BIT.
BUT ANDY WILL BE THE FIRST ESA
ASTRONAUT THE FIRST NON-U.S.
ASTRONAUT TO PILOT THE DRAGON
VEHICLE.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
HE IS VERY, VERY EXCITED.
ESA IS ALSO THE FOURTH ASTRONAUT
THAT IS FOG FLY ON THIS DRAGON
VEHICLE-- THAT IS GOING TO FLY
ON THIS DRAGON VEHICLE.
WE HAD ASTRONAUT COME UP ON
CREW-2 FOLLOWED BY CREW-3 AND ON
CREW WE HAD SOMEONE, SO WE ARE
VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE THIS FLIGHT SEQUENCE
AND BE BACK ON THE DRAGON, AND
ANDY WILL STAY SIX MONTHS ON THE
SPACE STATION AND THEN, HE WILL
DO MORE THAN 30 EUROPEAN
EXPERIMENTS.
THEY FOCUSED AROUND CLIMATE,
HEALTH, SPACE RESEARCH, THAT IS
RELEVANT FOR THE PEOPLE ON
EARTH.
I THINK THAT THIS, THIS FLIGHT
DOESN'T ATTEST TO THE CAPABILITY
THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED TODAY IN
THE EXPLORATION, BUT IT ALSO
DEMONSTRATES THE ABSOLUTELY
EXILEMENT PARTNERSHIP,
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, THAT
WE HAVE FOSTERED OVER THE YEARS.
LAST YEAR, ESA EXPAND OUR
PARTICIPATION IN THE ISS PROGRAM
IN 2030, SO WE HAVE A NEW
ASTRONAUTS THAT HAVE BEEN
ASSIGNED RECENTLY.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
COOPERATION FOR THE FLIGHT.
FOR NOW, WE ARE LOOKING VERY
MUCH FORWARD TO THE CREW-7
LAUNCH.
>> THANK YOU, ERIC.
JOINING US VIRTUALLY WE WILL
HEAR FROM HIROSHA.
THANK YOU.
I AM HIROSHA.
I AM WITH JAXA AND SPACE
EXPLORATION.
ON BEHALF OF NASA, I WANT TO
EXTEND THANKS TO ALL THE MEMBERS
WORKING SO HARD FOR THE
OPERATIONS AND CONTINUING THE
ISS OPERATIONS.
THIS IS THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR
OF LAUNCH OF JAPANESE ASTRONAUTS
BY THE CREW DRAGON SINCE 2020.
I THINK THIS PROVIDES A CLOSE
TIE BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, AND
APPRECIATE THE COOPERATION TO
MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
FOUR ASTRONAUTS HAVE RECEIVED
POWER, THIS IS THE SECOND,
LONG-TERM MISSION ON THE ISS.
I BELIEVE THIS EXPERTISE IN
SPACE AND ON THE GROUND AS
MEDICAL EXPERT WILL BE THE
INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS ONBOARD
FROM THREE DIFFERENT SPACE
AGENCIES AND ENSURE THE SUCCESS
OF THE CREW-7.
DURING THE DAY, THEY PLAN TO
PROVIDE RANGING FROM THE SPACE
EXPLORATIONS, LIFE SCIENCE, TO
MISSIONS.
ONE EXAMPLE IS TAKE
DEMONSTRATION ON THE NEXT WATER
RECOVERY SYSTEM.
JAXA IS PROCEEDING WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE EXPLORATION,
SUCH AS LUNAR GATEWAY EXPANSIONS
AND THE CREW.
THE WATER RECOVERY SYSTEM IS
KEY.
CHANNELING IS ANOTHER SAMPLE, BY
DISCOVERING GRAVITY IN
MICROGRAVITY ENVIRONMENT, WE
WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
TREATMENT METHODS IN SPACE.
AS WELL AS CONDITIONS ON EARTH.
IN ADDITION, NASA, JAXA IS GOING
TO HOLD A PROGRAM.
IT IS OPEN TO THE STUDENTS FROM
THE UNITED NATIONS MEMBER STATE
AND HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 1600
APPLICATIONS FROM 30 COUNTRIES
AND REGIONS.
THE SPRING SELECTED TWO NEW
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO
PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN HUMAN
SPACEFLIGHT.
THROUGH ASTRONAUTS AND ISS
PROGRAMS,WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING
BENEFITS TO EARTH AND OPERATE.
AND PREPARATION, PREPARE FOR
EXPLORE RIGS ON THE MOON, AND
BEYOND.
EXPLORATION ON THE MOON AND
BEYOND.
IN ADDITION THOUGH INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS THROUGH THE PROGRAM, WE
AIM TO EXPAND FRONTIER AND GAIN
NEW KNOWLEDGE.
>> THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE
BRIEFERS FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE QUESTION
AND ANSWER PORTION OF THE
SESSION.
IF YOU ARE ON THE PHONE LINES,
PLEASE PRESS STAR 1 TO RAISE
YOUR HAND AND ASK A QUESTION AND
PLEASE PRESS STAR 2 TO REMOVE
YOUR QUESTION IF IT HAS ASKED.
ADDITIONALLY, MAKE SURE TO
ANNOUNCE YOUR NAME AND
AFFILIATION AND TO WOMAN YOUR
QUESTION IS DIRECTED AND IF
POSSIBLE, PLEASE LIMIT ONE
QUESTION AT A TIME.
WE WILL START HERE IN THE ROOM
WITH YOU.
REPORTER: VENUS, ABC NEWS.
FOR JOEL, YOU TALKED ABOUT A
POWER OUTAGE, THAT DOES THAT
MEAN?
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
THE LIGHTS GO OFF IN THE
AIR-CONDITIONING GO OFF?
>> OK.
GOOD QUESTION.
WE LOST POWER ON THE FIRST FLOOR
OF THE BUILDING, AND SO THE
WHOLE LIGHTS, AIR-CONDITIONING
ON THE FIRST FLOOR, NOW WHERE
THE FLIGHT CONTROLLERS WERE,
THEY ARE NOT LOCATED ON THE
FIRST FLOOR, THEY DID HAVE
LIGHTS, BUT THE HARDWARE THAT IS
USED TO POWER UP THE COMMAND,
THE TELEMETRY, THE VOICE SYSTEM,
ALL OF THAT, WAS UNAVAILABLE AND
UNPOWERED.
>> OK.
WE WILL GO TO QUESTION ON THE
PHONE.
REPORTER: GOOD AFTERNOON.
A QUESTION FOR JOEL.
I AM CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY
UPDATES ON THE INVESTIGATION
INTO THE SOYUZ AND PROGRESS
COOLANT LEAKS AND IF ANYTHING
MORE NEEDS TO BE WRAPPED UP ON
THAT BEFORE THE SOYUZ CREW
LAUNCH IN SEPTEMBER.
>> GOOD QUESTION, JEFF.
A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, KEN
BOWERSOX AND I WERE BOTH IN
MOSCOW.
WE MET WITH ROSCOSMOS.
WE MET WITH THE STAR CITY FOLK.
THEY CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE--
WHAT HAD HAPPENED.
THEY HAVE REVIEWED THE
PROCEDURES FOR PREPARING THE
VEHICLE, NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
THEY LOOKED-- DID THEY USE ANY
NEW TOOLING IN NO NEW TOOLING
HAS BEEN CHANGED F. THEY LOOKED
AT TECHNICIANS.
DID THEY CHANGE OUT A
TECHNICIAN.
AGAIN, NOTHING HAS CHANGED ON
THAT?
TODAY, THE CONCLUSION OF
ROSCOSMOS IS THAT SOME TYPE OF
EXTERNAL FORCE WAS THE RESULT OF
THE LEAK, LIKE SOME TYPE OF
DEBRIS EVENT.
THE NASA TEAM HAS ALSO LOOKED AT
IT.
PENT OF THE RUSSIAN TEAM, WE
ALSO CANNOT FIND ANYTHING--
PENT OF THE RUSSIAN TEAM, WE
CANNOT FIND ANYTHING BASED ON
THE INFORMATION WE HAVE BEEN
GIVEN BY THE RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES,
ANYTHING OR THAN FORCE OR DEBRIS
OR SOMETHING ELSE LIKE THAT.
EXTERNAL FORCE OR DEBRIS.
WHAT YOU SAW WAS A
PERFECTLY-OPERATING THERMAL
SYSTEM, THEN YOU HAD A LOSS OF
COOLANT.
I WASES A PRETTY SHARP CHANGE,
AND-- IT WAS A PRETTY SHARP
CHANGE, JUST MATERIALS IN HOW
THEY FAIL, WE CANNOT REPRODUCE
ANY OF THIS ON THE GROUND, SO
WHAT WE'LL DO, AS STEVE
MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE READINESS
REVIEW TOMORROW.
WE WILL GO THROUGH THE RESULTS
OF THE DIFFERENT INVESTIGATION
TEAM ON THE U.S. SIDE, AND THEN
WE'LL HAVE A FLIGHT READINESS
REVIEW ON THE 11th ALSO AS
MENTIONED WE'LL DO THE FINAL
WORK, AND IN PARALLEL, AS WE
CONTINUE, WE WILL CONTINUE
TRAINING WITH THE COSMONAUT COG
COLLEAGUES IN PREP OPERATION FOR
SEPTEMBER MISSION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
BILL HARWOOD.
>> CAN YOU PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT
MORE INFO ON WHAT THE CONCERN
WAS?
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IS THE
THREAT POSED BAY STUCK-OPEN
ICING SEW VALVE?
AND FINALLY, FOR YOU, I HEARD
YOU GUYS MAY BE CONTROLLING THE
CREW-7 LAUNCH FROM HANGAR X.
IS THAT TRUE?
WOULD ANY OTHER FLIGHTS BE AHEAD
OF THAT IN TERMS OF SWITCHING
FROM THE LCC TO HANGAR X
ASSUMING THAT IS ACTUALLY
HAPPENING.
THANKS.
>> I THINK THAT WAS FOR BENJI.
>> BILL, THANKS FOR THE
QUESTION.
I WILL TAKE THE SECOND ONE
FIRST.
THAT IS CORRECT.
WE ARE CONTROLLING THE MISSION
FROM HANGAR X.
SO THE FIRST OF THE CREW MESSING
ARE MISSIONS WE IMAGINED FROM
THERE, SO A BEAUTIFUL NEW
FACILITY.
WE ARE EXCITED TO BE DOING THAT.
IN TERMS OF THE CROSS VALVE,
ISOLATION VALVE, IT IS ONLY EVER
USED IF THE DRACO THRUSTER VALVE
STARTS TO LEAK, OK.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS
SUPPOSED TO STAY ALWAYS OPEN.
IN THIS CASE, THOUGH.
WHAT WE DISCOVERED IT WAS STUCK
OPEN.
SO IT IS A FUNNY NOW LIKE, STAY
OPEN UNLESS THERE IS A PROGRAM
IN THE THRUSTER VALVE ITSELF.
IN THIS CASE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH THE THRUSTER VALVE
BUT WE DID DISCOVER THE VALVE
WAS ACTUALLY STUCK OPEN.
SO IT STARTS TO LEAK WE WOULD
HAVE HAD TO INCLUDE THE OTHER
VALVES TO BE CLOSED AND THE
VALVE AND MULTIPLE VALVE SYSTEMS
HAVE A LOT IN IT.
WE COULD HAVE SEALED OFF THE
PROPEL AND PRESERVED THIS
PROPELLANT AND BASICALLY, WE
WOULD KIND OF ISOLATED PART OF
THE SYSTEM THEN, THEN REROUTED
AND CHANGED HOW WE WERE GOING TO
OPERATION COMING HOME, BUT THAT
DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN, AND SO,
THERE WAS NEVER LIKE, NEVER LIKE
A GREAT RISK TO, YOU KNOW, TO BE
THE CREW, OR TO THE CARGO, AND
TO THAT VEHICLE.
BECAUSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW,
MULTIPLE LAYERS AND ABILITY TO
MITIGATE THIS AND WITH THE
HARDWARE AND IN OPERATION.
BUT JUST, SPECIFICALLY, THIS
VALVE IS ACTUALLY NORMALLY
OPENED AND ONLY USED WHEN THERE
IS A LEAK ELSEWHERE.
BUT, BUT, WITH THE GOOD NEWS,
THOUGH, LIKE DISCOVERING THIS
KIND MUCH THING.
YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE GOOD, I
WOULD GUESS IS THAT IT ALLOWS US
TO DISCOVER, HEY, THERE IS
INTERESTING CORROSION ISSUE WE
ARE SEEING IN A FEW VALVES AND
UNDERSTAND THAT THOROUGHLY AND
HAVE GOOD MITIGATION FOR THAT
GOING FORWARD, SO WE ARE WORKING
THAT OUT.
SO AS ALWAYS, WE LISTEN TO THE
HARDWARE, RIGHT.
WE LISTEN TO THE DATA AND THAT
IS WHAT IT IS.
IT IS GOING, OK.
THE NORMAL CHECKOUT PROCESS, WE
DISCOVERED SOMETHING, THEN WE
ARE GOING TO GO AND MAKE SURE
THAT WE FLY THAT ACROSS THE
SYSTEM OF LEARNING SOMETHING AND
MAKE IT BETTER AND SAFER FOR THE
FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU, BENJI.
WE WILL COME BACK IN THE ROOM TO
MARK.
REPORTER: I BELIEVE THIS IS FOR
JOEL.
DURING THE NORTHROP GRUMMAN
RESUPPLY MISSION, WILL YOU BE
DOCKED?
OR THERE ANY PLANS-- WILL YOU
DOCKED IN A GOOD PLACE ANY PLANS
TO SOME SORT OF ORBITAL
MANEUVERING DEMONSTRATION TO
CONTINUE YOUR EVALUATION OF ITS
ABILITY TO MANEUVER THE SPACE?
>> GOOD QUESTION.
WE ARE GOING TO BERTH THE
NORTHRUP GRUMMAN MISSION TO THE
NODE 1 NADIR PORT AND THAT WILL
ALLOW US TO REBOOST.
WE DO HAVE A REQUIREMENT WHEN
THERE IS A RUSSIAN SOYUZ AT THE
MR1 OR THE PORT NEXT TO IT THAT
WE DON'T DO A REBOOT, SO THAT
SOYUZ WON'T GET THERE UNTIL
SEPTEMBER, SO WE WILL HAVE
FROM-- ONCE WE GET BIRTH TO ISS
AND UNTIL THAT SOYUZ GETS THERE,
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A REBOOST.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT A
METER AND A HALF, 1. 5-METER
PER SECOND REBOOST CAPABILITY BE
WITH THE VEHICLE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO
TEST THAT CAPABILITY.
AS YOU KNOW, IT WILL BE THE
THIRD TIME WE ARE DONE IT WITH
CYGNUS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO
CONTINUING TO USING THAT
CAPABILITY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS ON THE
PHONE WITH ERIC BERGER.
REPORTER: HI.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR DOING THIS.
A QUESTION FOR KEN OR STEVE, I
THINK.
I WANT TO GET UPDATES ON
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES, THAT WE
HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT YET.
THE FIRST IS THE STARLINER HOW
THE ISSUE IS DOING ON THE WIRING
HARNESS, IS THIS A TARGET FOR
WHEN THAT MISSION WILL FLY?
SECOND, IS DREAM CHASER-- WE
HAVE NOT HEARD TOO MUCH ABOUT
IT.
THE ROCK KETTLE TO FOR THAT HAS
HAD DELAYS.
DREAM CHASER DOES SEEM CLOSER TO
FLIGHT.
I AM WONDERING WHAT NASA
EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR WHEN WE MAY
SEE THAT MISSION.
THANKS.
>> WELL, WILL SAY UPFRONT, BOTH
OF THOSE MISSIONS ARE MAKING
STUDY PROGRESS.
YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGES ARE
PRETTY BIG.
DOING WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO
DO, SO IT HAS TAKEN LONGER THAN
THEY HOPED WHEN THEY GOT
STARTED, BUT WE ARE MOVING
FORWARD STEADILY.
THE DREAM CHASER QUESTION, THAT
IS PROBABLY BELONGS TO JOEL, SO
I WILL LET HIM TALK ABOUT THAT
AND STEVE CAN TALK ABOUT THE
OTHER.
JOEL?
JOEL: SO DREAM CHASER, AS KEN
SAID, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE
PROGRESS.
THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO GO THE
ARMSTRONG TEST FACILITY.
THEN, THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO DO
SOME TESTING THERE.
OUT OF THAT TESTING, THEN THEY
WILL BE MOVED TO KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER AND THEN PREPARED FOR
LAUNCH.
THE SIERRA TEAM CONTINUES TO
WATCH THE PROGRESS OF IT.
THEY ARE CONTINUING, AGAIN, BOTH
TO WATCH THE VULCAN AS WELL AS
CONTINUING TO PROCESS ON THE
DREAM CHASER.
I EXPECT THE VEHICLE TO FLY NEXT
YEAR.
FIRST OR QUARTER IS WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT NOW BUT WE ARE
WATCHING PROGRESS.
AND ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.
WILL HAND IT OVER TO STEVE FOR
BOEING.
YEAH, THANKS FOR THE QUESTION ON
STARLINER.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FOUND THE
PROBLEM WITH THE PARACHUTE JOINT
AND THE FLAMMABLE BACK IN JUNE,
WE TOOK A STEP BACK AND DECIDED
TO PAUSE REALLY EVERYTHING THAT
WE ARE GOING WITH THE VEHICLE
AND, AND AS YOU MAY REMEMBER,
THERE WAS ASAP RECOMMENDATION TO
DO THE SAME THING.
ON THE NASA SIDE, WE STENNED
BACK AND TAKING A LOOK AT ALL
ASPECTS OF FLIGHT PREPARATION.
RELATIVE TO THE MAJOR ITEMS, IN
TERMS OF THE PARACHUTE
TESTIMONY.
THE TEAM HAS MADE A LOT OF GREAT
PROGRESS BETWEEN THE BOEING AND
NASA TEAM.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A JOINT
IDENTIFIED THAT WE'LL MEET THE
FACTOR OF SAFETY OF 2. 0 FOR
THE MAIN PARACHUTES, THAT JOINT
IS IN TESTING RIGHT NOW AND WE
ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF LOOKING
THAT AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET
IT INTO THE CHUTES FOR FLIGHT
AND SO THAT TEAM HAS MADE
INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS,
THERE WAS RECENT CHANGE MEETING
AT THE SUPPLIER OF THE PARACHUTE
SYSTEM.
THEY WENT THROUGH ALL THE OTHER
JOINS ON THE PARACHUTE AND WE
DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS FOR ALL
THE OTHER JOINTS WE ACTUALLY
EXECUTED THE PARACHUTE TEST ON
NOT THE MAIN PARACHUTE AND THAT
PARACHUTE SYSTEM PERFORMED
REALLY WELL AND THAT, THAT
SYSTEM IS IN GOOD SHAPE FOR
FLIGHT.
THEN, RELATIVE TO THE TAPE
ISSUE, THE FLAMMABLE TAPE, THE
TEAM HAS ACTUALLY GOT INTO THE
VEHICLE AROUND IN THE PROCESS OF
REMOVING A LOT OF THAT TAPE OUT
OF STARLINER THEN THERE IN THE
CREW COMPARTMENT AREA WITH
THIBLE PANELS OFF.
AS OF YESTERDAY, THEY REPORTED
THEY MOVED ABOUT THREE PONDS OF
THAT TAPE AND WE THINK WITH HAVE
ANOTHER NONFLAMMABLE TAPE WE
COULD APPLY THIS TAPE WAS
APPLIED TO WIRE PUN DELLS TO
PROTECT THE BUNDLES IN THE WORK
IN THE AREA OR CHASING OR
RUBBING IN THE FLIGHT AND ABLE
TO MOVE THAT TAPE AND PROGRESSED
VERY WELL.
SO THAT WORK ON STARLINER HAS
DONE WELL.
WE NEED TO STEP BACK A LITTLE
BIT AND TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THIS
WORKS.
WE ARE NOT READY TO TALK ABOUT A
LAUNCH OPERATION OPPORTUNITY
THEN WE'LL SIT DOWN WITH THE
BOEING TEAM WHEN THE TIME IS
RIGHT AND PICK A LAUNCH.
>> OK.
OUR NEXT QUESTION ON THE PHONE
IS FROM MARSHA DUNN.
REPORTER: OH, HI.
THIS IS FOR JOEL.
I AM WONDERING, HAVE YOU
ACTUALLY RELOCATED MISSION
CONTROL OPERATIONS AND STAFF OUT
OF JSC AND OUT OF HOUSTON?
I RECALL THERE BEING A COMMAND
POST MANY MILES AWAY IN CASE
EVERYONE THERE IN HOUSTON NEEDS
TO EVACUATE FOR A HURRICANE, IF
THAT IS THE CASE, DO YOU HAVE
CONTROLLERS THERE AT THE READY
JUST IN CASE?
YOU SAID YOU WERE PREPARED FOR A
POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGE GIVEN THE
WORK.
IT IS THIS A FIRST?
HAS SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED
BEFORE?
THANKS.
JOEL: LET'S SEE THE FLIGHT
CONTROL TEAM STAYED IN HOUSTON.
THE FACILITIES THAT JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER CAN REMAIN
OPERATIONAL, AND LIKE I SAID, WE
HAD THAT ISSUE ON THE FIRST
FLOOR, WHERE THE FLIGHT CONTROL
TEAM WAS, THEY WERE ON THE--
NOT ON THE FIRST FLOOR, SO THEY
WERE ABLE TO OPERATE THE
VEHICLE.
SO AGAIN, WE WERE READY TO GO.
WE DO HAVE THE CAPABILITY, AS
YOU SAID, IF WE DID HAVE BAD
WEATHER, OR SOME OTHER ACTIVITY
WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO OPERATE
IN THE MISSION CONTROL CENTER,
WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE AND
BUT WE DID NOT MOVE TODAY.
THEN YOU HAD A SECOND PART.
WHAT WAS THE SECOND PART OF THE
QUESTION?
>> JUST THE FIRST OCCURRENCE
LIKE THIS OR HAVE THERE BEEN
EPISODES BEFORE WHERE YOU LOST
TOUCH WITH THE STATION
TEMPORALLY.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT, THIS IS THE
FIRST OCCURRENCE WHERE WE
ACTUALLY ACTIVATED THE BACKUP
CONTROL HARDWARE AND AUTOED IT
IN BILLING 30 AND, HUMAN
SPACEFLIGHT, YOU KNOW,
THROUGHOUT HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT,
YOU DO HAVE OCCURRENCES WHERE
MAYBE YOU WILL DO UPGRADE IN THE
LEG, A SOFTWARE UPGRADE THAT MAY
NOT GO AS WELL, AND YOU WILL
LOSE POWER, OR COMMAND.
COMMUNICATION TO THE CREW FOR 30
MINUTES OR MAYBE A MISSED A
SATELLITE PASS, YOU WILL LOSE
IT, SO IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE,
BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE
ACTUALLY FIRED UP ALL THE
EQUIPMENT AND THEN OPERATED IN
THE MISSION CONTROL CENTER IN
BUILDING 30 HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
THEN THE NEXT QUESTION COMES
FROM WILL ROBINSON SMITH.
REPORTER: YES, HI, THANKS FOR
DOING THIS THIS AFTERNOON.
FOLLOW-UP ON BILL HARDWOOD'S
QUESTION TO BENJI REED.
WILL SPACEX BE CONTROLLING
EITHER OF THE FALCON HEAVY FOR
THE ECHOSTAR MISSION OR ANOTHER
LAUNCH PRIOR TO CREW-7 FROM
HANGAR X OR WILL CREW-7 BE THE
FIRST FROM THERE AND THEN, FOR
JOEL, DOES NASA/SPACEX PLAN TO
LARCH THE 29 MISSION, WILL IT BE
READY BY THEN?
OR WILL THAT NEXT CARGO RESUPPLY
WITH CARGO DRAGON STILL BE FROM
39A?
THANKS.
EYE CAN START WITH ECHOSTAR AND
THE HANGAR X.
THE FIRST FLIGHT OUT OF HANGAR X
WILL BE THE ECHOSTAR.
ACTUALLY, SPACEX HAS FLOWN MANY
FLIGHTS OUT.
ECHOSTAR WILL BE THE FIRST HEAVY
OUT OF HANGAR X.
WE HAVE BEEN PRACTICING FOR CREW
ALREADY WITH SPACEX TEAMS LAUNCH
TEAMS THERE IN HANGAR X THAT WE
ARE DONE A LONG SIMULATION WHERE
WE STARTED LUNCH AND GONE ALL
THE WAY THROUGH DOCKING AND
USING THAT FACILITY WE HAVE THE
STAR LINK FLIGHTS OUT OF THAT
FACILITY SO WE HAVE BEEN
PREPARING ALL ALONG TO USE THAT
FACILITY FOR LAUNCH AND WE'LL
GET BACK ON.
>> YEAH.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
I GOT MUTED.
YEAH.
STEVE GOT IT RIGHT.
WE ARE CONTROLLING OUT OF HANGAR
X.
AND IN THE RUN-UP TO CREW-7, SO
NO WORRIES THERE.
>> SPACEX 29 WILL LAUNCH OFF PAD
39A.
THE FIRST ISS MISSION OFF THE 40
PAD, SPACE LAUNCH COMPLEX 40
WILL BE THE NORTHRUP GRUMMAN
MISSION.
WE ARE TARGETING THAT IN
DECEMBER.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN.
OK.
THE NEXT QUESTION FROM ROBERT
PEARLMAN.
REPORTER: HI.
FOR ERIC VANDERWALL.
HE MENTIONED THE NUMBER FIRST
THAT ANDY WILL BE SETTING THE
FIRST TILE THAT ESA LEAD DESIGN
OF THE EXPEDITION PATCH.
I KNOW IT MAY BE A SMALL
MILESTONE BUT HOW DOES THAT COME
TO BE IT HAS TAKEN 69 MISSIONS
FOR SOMEONE OTHER THAN NASA OR
ROSCOSMOS TO DESIGN A PATCH AND
ESA SPECIFICALLY REQUEST THE
OPPORTUNITY.
>> WELL, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
BACKGROUND ON IT.
I THINK EVERY PARTNER COMES
FORWARD WITH PROPOSALS AND THEY
LOOK AT IT.
THEY JOIN TO DECIDE WHAT IS THE
BEST PROPOSAL, THEN THEY GO FROM
THERE.
THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC REQUEST
FROM ESA TO BE THE DRIVER.
>> ALL RIGHT.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM MICAH
MAIDENBERG.
REPORTER: HI, THERE.
HI, BEN WHICH HAVE WITH THE
GROUND EQUIPMENT ISSUE, WAS THE
PROBLEM COMMON ACROSS VARIOUS
SITES OR IS THIS ISOLATED TO
39A?
DOES THAT ISSUE CAUSE ANY LAUNCH
DELAYS?
DID YOU HAVE TO SHIFT ANY
FLIGHTS FROM THE 39A?
THANKS.
>> HEY, THAT IS A GREAT
QUESTION.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT ONE.
ONE THING YOU WANT TO DO IS YOU
WANT TO LOOK ACROSS TO COMPLETE
OR YOUR SYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE YOU
ARE NOT SEEING THAT ISSUE IN A
SIMILAR SITUATION OR
CONFIGURATION OR APPLICATION
THEN, THAT IS WHAT WE DID.
IN FACT WHEN WE, WHEN IT
HAPPENED, 39A, WE IMMEDIATELY
ARE BOOKED ACROSS ALL OF THE
FACILITIESES TO REHAB THESE KIND
OF HEALTH EXCHANGERS THEN
ACTUALLY AS A PRECAUTION, WE
IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW, BLOCKED
OFF SO PERSONNEL COULD NOT
APPROACH THIS AND TO ENSURE THAT
AS WE WERE DIGGING INTO EACH ONE
CONFIGURATION UNDERSTANDING THE
DESIGN AND THERE COULD NOT BE
THAT KIND OF ISSUE SO WE TOOK
IMMEDIATE PROACTIVE ACTION AND
THEN WE ACCESS ALL OF THEM IN
DESIGN AND ENSURE NONE OF THEM
WOULD HAVE THE SAME KIND OF
ISSUE WITH TRAPPED LIQUID GOING
TO GAS, SO I APPRECIATE THAT,
THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT QUESTION ON THE PHONE
COMES FROM CHRIS LAZARINO.
REPORTER: HI, THERE.
THANKS FOR TAKING MY CALL.
I AM CALLING FOR KANSAS ALUMNI
MAGAZINE AT THE YOUTH OF KANSAS
AND SO I AM CALLING ABOUT OUR
FOURTH JAYHAWK TO FLY IN SPACE,
SO EVERYBODY IS EXCITED ABOUT
THAT?
I ASSUME IT IS INTERESTING
EXCITING TIME AT NASA WHENEVER
YOU HAVE ASTRONAUT PREPARING TO
MAKE THE FIRST TRIP INTO SPACE.
I AM WONDERING IF YOU COULD
COMPLETE, PLEASE, ABOUT THE
PROGRESS AND COMPLETING THE
TRAINING AND WHAT MAKES HER THE
RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR THIS
MISSION.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> SO SHE HAS BEEN DOING AWESOME
IN TRAINING.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO
HER MULTIPLE TIMES.
IN FACT, WHEN HER MISSION WAS
DELAY, SHE TOOK SOME TIME AND I
WOULD SAY FLIGHT FOLLOWING WITH
MYSELF AND MY DEPUTY WHERE SHE
PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETINGS AND
WAS LOOKING AT THE SPACE STATION
FROM THE NON-ASTRONAUT SIDE.
SHE IS READY TO GO.
SHE HAS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE.
SHE HAS ENERGY.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I LOOK FOR, AND
FIRST FLYERS IS ASKING QUESTIONS
AND THE ENERGY AND THE
EXCITEMENT AND I SEE ALL OF THAT
IN HER.
I AM EXCITED TO SEE IT AND KEN
AND I HAVE EXCITED TO GO DOWN TO
BAIKONUR IN SEPTEMBER AND BE
THERE FOR HER LAUNCH.
LET ME HAND IT OVER TO KEN.
KEN: YEAH.
JOEL AND I GOT TO VISIT DOWN AT
BAIKONUR WHEN SHE WAS BACK UP
FOR FRANK RUBIO'S LAUNCH, AND WE
ARE LOOKING FOR FORWARD TO
SEEING HER GO TO PAD AND
LAUNCHING TO NICE SPACE AND SHE
IS LOOKING FORWARD, TOO.
SHE IS DEMONSTRATING GREAT FLEX
K, SMART ENERGY THEN I KNOW SHE
WILL CONTINUE THAT ON ORBIT WHEN
SHE GETS BACK.
>> ALL RIGHT.
OUR NEXT QUESTION ON THE LINE
COMES FROM LANKA WHITE.
THANK.
REPORTER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
A QUESTION FOR JOEL, PLEASE.
HOW IS YOUR COOPERATION WITH
ROSCOSMOS ON CREW-7 IN
COOPERATION TO CREW-6 AND ANY
CHANGES FOLLOWING THE SOYUZ
ACCIDENT.
THANKS SO MUCH.
>> OUR COOPERATION WITH
ROSCOSMOS HAS NOT CHANGED AT
ALL.
WE CONTINUE, AS I SAID, KEN AND
PRI OVER IN MOSCOW JUST A WEEK
AND A HALF AGO, SO TALKING WITH
OUR RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES, BOTH
TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS AND THEN
KEN AND I ALSO HAD SOCIAL EVENTS
WITH OUR COLLEAGUES.
IN HOUSTON, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE
RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES IN MISSION
CONTROL CENTER WORKING
SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH OUR U.S.
SPECIALISTS, GAIN, NOTHING HAS
CHANGED, SO WE ARE READY TO
GOVERNMENT NO MAJOR CHANGES IN
OUR COOPERATION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT
WE HAVE TODAY.
HOWEVER, IT IS NOT THE LASTING
YOU WILL HEAR FROM US.
WE WILL BE BACK FOR THE CREW
NEWS CONFERENCE, WHERE YOU CAN
SPEAK TO THE ASTRONAUTS
THEMSELVES AT 1:00 P.M. CENTRAL
TIME.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR JOINING
US.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO CREW-7
MISSION ON AUGUST16th AND
SHORTLY AFTER THE FLIGHT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ON
SEPTEMBER16th.
THAT WILL DO IT FOR NOW.
WE'LL SEE YOU LATER THIS