WHEREVER YOU ARE TUNING IN,
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS
EARLY MORNING.
THE AX-2 MISSION IS THE 27
ALL-PRIVATE CREW TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
DEDICATED TO EXPANDING ACCESS TO
LOW EARTH ORBIT FOR ALL.
YOU ARE WATCHING DOCKING
COVERAGE AS NASA, SPACEX AND
AXIOM SPACE BEGIN CLOSE
PROXIMITY OPERATIONS.
HELLO.
I AM DUKE BRADY, A MULTIMEDIA
SPECIALIST WITH AXIOM SPACE WITH
ME IS KATE TICE HERE AT SPACEX.
OUR FOUR-PERSON CREW WILL
EXPERIENCE TEN DAYS ON ORBIT.
EIGHT DAYS ONBOARD THE ISS.
THE WEB CAST IS A JOINT
BROADCAST BETWEEN NASA, SPACEX
AND AXIOM SPACE AS WE WILL WALK
YOU THROUGH DOCKING WITH THE ISS
AND CARRY THE COVERAGE THROUGH
THE WELCOME CEREMONY THAT IS
AWAITING THE CREW ONCE THEY ARE
ONBOARD.
AX-2 MISSION OFFICIALLY STARTED
YESTERDAY, SUNDAY, MAY 21st
WHEN THE AXIOM CREW LIFTED OFF
AT 2:37P.M. PACIFIC.
5:37P.M. EASTERN.
THE CREW INSIDE OF DRAGON
SPACECRAFT IS NOW IN POSITION TO
BEGIN APPROACHING THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
NOW LET'S CHECK IN WITH THE TEAM
AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER WHO ARE
ACTIVELY MONITORING DRAGON'S
PROGRESS.
>> GOOD MORNING KATE AND LUKE.
DRAGON HAS BEEN CHASING DOWN
ALMOST 14 HOURS NOW AND SECONDS
AWAY FROM THE APPROACH
INITIATION BURN.
NOW THE APPROACH INITIATION BURN
IS GOING TO BRING DRAGON UP
400METERS BEYOND THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, SO
A QUARTER OF A MILE, THEN ALSO
WE HEARD THE CALL THE AI BURN
HAS BEGUN AND PROBABLY HEAR SOME
CHATTER BETWEEN THE CREW AND THE
GROUP HERE THROUGHOUT THE
MORNING.
THE TEAMS HERE IN MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON ARE BEING LEAD
BY FLORES AND MONITORING ALL
SYSTEMS ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
>> OK.
WE ARE MOVING TO GROUND 37 THEN.
AND TO THE RIGHT OF MARCUS
FLORES IS OUR CAPCOM.
HE IS WORKING WITH THE TEAMS
ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION THERE.
IT IS 790 SECOND BURN.
IT IS GOING TO BRING US
400METERS.
>> COPY THAT.
COMPLETE.
>> THAT CALL FROM PEGGY WHITSON
ABOARD DRAGON.
THEY ARE NOW IN THEIR SUITS AND
THEY HAVE GOOD COM CHECKS.
>> WE HAVE GOOD CONFIRMATION OF
A GOOD AI OR APPROPRIATION BURN.
AGAIN, STATION-- LINKED AND
LOST FOR TEN MINUTES WITHOUT
GROUND ACTION, DRAGON WILL
PERFORM A BREAK OUT.
MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE
EVENT DETAILS.
>> COPY.
>> DRAGON ON THE BIG LOOP.
LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN.
CHANGE YOUR PTT TO ISS THEN
INITIATE CONTACT WITH SPACEX,
HOUSTON AND STATION.
>> DRAGON I BELIEVE YOU STILL
HAVE GROUND WITH YOUR PTT.
>> SPACEX GROUND DRAGON, HOW DO
YOU READS US ON THE BIG LOOP?
>> AND DRAGSON SPACEX ON DRAGON
TO GROUND.
>> SPACEX DRAGON ON THE BIG LOOP
NOW.
HOW DO YOU READ ME?
>> I HAVE YOU 5X5 ON THE BIG
LOOP.
>> OK.
>> STATION, DRAGON ON THE BIG
LOOP, HOW DO YOU READ?
>> DRAGON, STATION HAS YOU LOUD
AND CLEAR.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
GUYS.
>> LIKEWISE.
>> HOUSTON, STATION ON THE BIG
LOOP, HOW DO YOU READ ME?
>> HOUSTON READS YOU
COPY.
>> WE HAVE YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
SPACEX DRAGON, DRAGON TO GROUND.
HOW DO YOU READ?
>> I HAVE YOU 5X5.
>> SOUNDS GOOD, THANKS.
>> AS YOU CAN HEAR, WE ARE UP
AND RUNNING THIS MORNING.
YOU HEARD A LOT OF COM CHECKS
AND THEY WERE DISCUSSING THE BIG
LOOP.
THIS IS A LOOP CREATED SO THE
SPACE STATION, DRAGON WHERE AND
THE TEAMS ON THE GROUND IN
HAWTHORNE AND HERE IN MISSION
CONTROL ALL COMMUNICATE ON THE
CONTROL LOOP.
>> ALL RIGHT, DRAGON.
>> HI, JOHN, YOU HAVE A GO TO
PERFORM 47.011 TO START YOUR
SUIT LEAK CHECKS.
>> OK SOUNDS GOOD.
DRAGON.
>> THE AX-2 CREWMEMBERS ARE
ALREADY IN THEIR SUITS THIS
MORNING.
AND WE DID, AT THE START OF
TODAY'S BROADCAST, DRAGON IS NOW
400METERS BELOW THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
IT HAS ALSO PASSED THAT THE
APPROACH ELLIPSOID.
WE CALL THAT THE AE.
THAT IS IMAGINARY SHAPE
MEASURING A 4X2X2 A LARGE
3-DIMENSIONAL OVAL.
>> LOW PRIORITY.
>> JOHN WAS JUST WONDERING.
DID THAT ECHO RESOLVE ITSELF?
>> CLEAR NOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR.
THANKS.
>> STILL REPORTING HEARING AN
ECHO JUST MOMENTS AGO BEFORE WE
JOINED THE BROADCAST TODAY WHEN
THEY HAD MULTIPLE LOOPS SET UP
FOR COMMUNICATION, BUT NOW
EVERYONE IS ESTABLISHED AND ON
THE BIG LOOP.
MEANING ALL TEAMS INVOLVED CAN
HEAR THE COMMUNICATION.
>> WE ARE TRACKING DOCKING TO
THE SPACE FACING PORT THIS
MORNING AT THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION AT 8:10A.M.
CENTRAL TIME.
9:10 EASTERN TIME.
SO MOVING RIGHT ON TIME.
NOW 1:47:02 SINCE LAUNCH
YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
>> SPACEX DRAGON.
DRAGON TO GROUND.
>> DRAGON SPACEX, YOU ARE A GO
TO INITIATE SUIT LEAK CHECKS.
>> DRAGON COPY.
AGAIN WE ARE HERE IN MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON THIS MORNING
MONITORING DRAGON'S DOCKING TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SCHEDULED FOR 8:10A.M. CENTRAL
TIME.
WE HAVE TEAMS IN MISSION CONTROL
HAWTHORNE MONITORING DRAGON'S
FLIGHT SINCE LAUNCH YESTERDAY AS
WELL.
SO I WILL SEND IT BACK TO KATE
AND DUKE.
>> AWESOME.
THANKS SO MUCH, LEAH.
WE DID HEAR THE CALL-OUT.
THE CREW NOT THE OK TO BEGIN THE
SUIT LEAK CHECK AND THEY DONNED
THEIR SUITS A LITTLE BIT AGO.
THEY ARE MONITORING THE PRESSURE
FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO MAKE
SURE ALL THE ZIPPERS ARE IN THE
RIGHT PLACE AND THE VISOR IS
LATCHED AND LOCKED AND READY TO
APPROACH.
>> GREAT.
GREAT TO HEAR THOSE HEALTHY COM
CHECKS AS WELL.
AS DRAGON BEGINS APPROACH TO
SPACE STATION.
LET'S LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THE AX-2 CREW.
THE AX-2 MISSION IS COMMANDED BY
RETIRED NASA ASTRONAUT PEGGY
WHITSON BORN AND RAISED IN IOWA.
SHE WAS INSPIRED WHEN SHE
WATCHED THE APOLLO 11 CREW WALK
ON THE MOON.
SHE HAS SINCE BECOME THE MOST
EXPERIENCED AMERICAN ASTRONAUT
AND ONE OF THE MOST DECORATED
WHICH INCLUDES THREE LONG
DURATION MISSIONS TO THE ISS AND
HAS MORE CUMULATIVE TIME IN
SPACE THAN ANY U.S. ASTRONAUT
AND MORE THAN ANY WOMAN IN THE
WORLD.
SHE HAS CONDUCTED TEN SPACEWALKS
WITH OVER 60 HOURS OUT IN THE
VACUUM OF SPACE AND PERFORMED
HUNDREDS OF RESEARCH EXPERIMENTS
ONBOARD THE ISS NOT ONLY THE
COMMANDER FOR THIS MISSION, BUT
PEGGY ALSO SERVES AS DIRECTOR OF
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT FOR AXIOM
SPACE.
>> THE PILOT FOR AX-2 IS PRIVATE
ASTRONAUT JOHN SHOFFNER, BORN IN
ALASKA, RAISED IN KENTUCKY,
SCHOFFNER IS A EDUCATION
ADVOCATE, BUSINESS ENGINEER, A
PILOT SINCE THE AGE OF 17.
JOHN HAS OVER 78500 FLIGHT HOURS
HOLDING COMMERCIAL, INSTRUMENTS,
ENGINE AND LAND AND SEA AIRCRAFT
AS WELL AS HELICOPTER.
HE ALSO HOLDS RATINGS IN FORMER
MILITARY JET AND HIGH
PERFORMANCE--
>> DRAGON TO GROUND, FOUR SUIT
LEAK CHECKS HERE.
>> CONCURRED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
GOOD NEWS THERE.
JUST LETTING US KNOW THAT ALL OF
THE SUIT LEAK CHECKS CHECKED
OUT.
AS AN ATHLETE JOHN HAS YEARS OF
COMPETITIVE EXPERIENCE IN WATER
SKIING, CYCLING, HANG GLIDING,
SKYDIVING AND SPACE JUMPING.
JOHN TRAINED AS AX-1 BACKUP
PILOT AND DURING THIS MISSION
PLANS TO INVEST A LOT OF THE
TIME IN STEM EDUCATION
ACTIVITIES AIMED AT INSPIRING
TEACHERS.
>> AND REPRESENTING THE SAUDI
SPACE COMMISSION AND SERVING AS
A MISSION SPECIALIST, ALI
ALQARNI WAS BORN IN MARCH OF
1992 IN SAUDI ARABIA.
ALI IS FLUENT IN ENGLISH AS WELL
AS HIS NATIVE ARABIC, AND AS AN
AIR FORCE CAPTAIN, ALI HAS 12
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE PRIMARILY ON
THE F-15 IN SERVICE TO THE ROYAL
SAUDI AIR FORCE.
ALI GRADUATED WITH A BACHELOR IN
2013 FROM THE AIR ACADEMY IN
SAUDI ARABIA.
THE AIR ACADEMY IN SAUDI ARABIA.
>> ALSO REPRESENTING THE SAUDI
SPACE COMMISSION AND SERVING AS
A MISSION SPECIALIST, RAYYANAH
BARNAWI WAS BORN IN SAUDI ARABIA
IN SEPTEMBER.
RAYYANAH HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE
FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND RIYADH,
SAUDI ARABIA AND A BACHELOR'S
DEGREE IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
ZEALAND.
SHE IS FLUENT IN ENGLISH, AND
TURKISH AS WELL AS NATIVE
ARABIC.
SHE HAS BEEN A RESEARCH LAB
TECHNICIAN SINCE 2013 AND THE
STEM CELL AND TISSUE
REENGINEERING PROGRAM AT THE
SPECIALIST HOSPITAL AND RESEARCH
CENTER LOCATED IN RIYADH, SAUDI
ARABIA.
>> AND THERE YOU HAVE IT.
THE AX-2 CREW.
THIS IS A FANTASTIC WONDERFUL
GROUP OF PEOPLE, WHO HAVE SPENT
MONTHS AND THOUSANDS OF HOURS
PREPARING FOR THIS MOMENT.
WE ARE SO PROUD OF THEM AND IT
IS SO AWESOME TO FINALLY SEE
THEM IN SPACE.
>> YEAH.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ACTUALLY HEAR FROM THE CREW
JUST, LIKE ABOUT THREE HOURS
AFTER THEY MADE IT TO SPACE.
>> YEAH.
THAT IN ORBIT ON ORBIT MEDIA
EVENT WAS AWESOME.
WE GOT TO SEE AND HEAR FROM
PEGGY, JOHN, ALI AND RAYYANAH
AND IT WAS SO COOL TO SEE THEM
FLOATING AROUND, AND SPINNING
THEIR WATER BOTTLES AND PLAYING
WITH THE 0G INDICATOR AND YEAH,
IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO SEE THEM
PLAY.
>> YEAH.
IT REALLY WAS GREAT.
NOW TODAY'S CREW, AS WE SAID,
PEGGY WHITSON, JOHN SHOFFNER,
ALI ALQARNI AND RAYYANAH BARNAWI
HAVE GONE THROUGH EXTENSIVE
TRAINING AROUND THE GLOBE TO
SPEND THE TEN DAYS IN SPACE.
EACH CREW MEMBER HAS 700 TO
1,000 LOGGED HOURS OF TIME SINCE
MID 2021 DEDICATED TO LEARNING
ISS SYSTEMS AND TO PREPARE FOR
THE SCIENCE AND OUTREACH
ACTIVITIES THAT THEY WILL BE
CONDUCTING WHILE IN SPACE.
PRIVATE ASTRONAUT TRAINING IS
RIGOROUS TO THE AX-2 CREW FOR
THE ISS.
THE TEAMS HERE AT SPACEX HAVE
SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS
TEACHING THE CREW ABOUT ORBITAL
MECHANICS AND RUNNING
STIMULATION FULL OF MISSIONS
FROM INSIDE OUR DRAGON TRAINING
CAPSULES, THE TRAINING PROGRAM
INCLUDES NEARLY 100 DIFFERENT
LESSONS COVERING ALL ASPECTS OF
THE FLIGHT.
>> AND THE LIST OF TRAINING GOES
ON.
THERE IS A LOT MORE THAT THEY
DID AND WE'LL TRY TO RECAP IT.
THE AX-2 SPENT TIME IN
SIMULATORS TO ORIENT THEIR
BODIES INCLUDING CENTRIFUGE HERE
SIMULATING HIGHER G FORCES.
ALTERNATIVELY, THE CREW
PARTICIPATED IN A 70G FLIGHT
THAT SIMULATED THE LACK OF G
FORCES TO EXPERIENCE
WEIGHTLESSNESS WHICH SEEMS
AWESOME.
ASIDE FROM THE GRAVITATIONAL
FORCES THEY ALSO UNDERWENT
ALTITUDE TRAINING IN HYPERBARIC
CHAMBER WHERE OXYGEN LEVELS ARE
LOW AND THE CREW USES THIS TO
IDENTIFY HOW THEIR BODIES
RESPOND TO SITUATIONS AS WELL AS
RECOGNIZING THOSE EFFECTS IN THE
CREW MATES.
BE READY TO SPEND EIGHT DAYS
ONBOARD AND WORKING ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THEY SPENT TIME LEARNING FROM
MISSION CONTROLLERS EXPERTS IN
SAFETY AND EMERGENCY ISS
PROCEDURES AS WELL AS ESSENTIALS
TO LIVING ONBOARD THE LABORATORY
HOW TO HEAT UP YOUR FOOD.
THE GOAL IS TO CONFIDENTLY
COMPLETE EVERY TASK ON THEIR
TIMELINE, BUT ALSO TO BE
CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE
SPACE STATION AS A WHOLE AS
OTHER ASTRONAUTS CARRY OUT THEIR
DUTIES.
AND TO THAT AND THIS CREW WILL
BE WORKING ON AREAS AS THEY ARE
OWNED AND OPERATED BY OTHER
COUNTRIES, SO THE CREW TRAVELED
TO GERMANY AND JAPAN TO BE
QUALIFIED ON THOSE SYSTEMS.
THE COLUMBUS MODULE WAS IN
GERMANY WHERE THEY TRAINED ON
SYSTEMS AND OPERATION FOR DAILY
TASKS AS WELL AS RESPONDING.
SEPARATELY TO QUALIFY HER TO
JAPANESE EXPLORATION MODULE.
THE CREW TRAVELED TO JAPAN TO
LEARN THE INSTRUCTORS OF THE
JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION
AGENCY.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE INTERNATIONAL
COLLABORATION IS A CONSTANT
THROUGHOUT THIS MISSION SO ONE
THING TO LEARN THE SYSTEMS OF
ISS, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT HOW
TO LIVE AND WORK IN A TEAM IN A
SHARED SPACE, SO THE TEAM SPENT
FIVE DAYS TRAINING IN THE HUMAN
EXPLORATION RESEARCH ANALOG AT
THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER THIS IS
A CONFINED EXPERIENCES THAT IS
DESIGNED TO ISOLATE THE CREW TO
BUILD COHESIVENESS AND TEAM
WORK.
THIS EXPERIENCE INCLUDED A
CHANCE TO SIMULATE WORK AND
RESEARCH AND REHEARSE OUTREACH
EFFORTS AND EVEN HE RESPONDED TO
MOCK EMERGENCIES ALL WHILE
LIVING IN QUARTERS UNABLE TO
LEAVE.
THE TEAM ALSO SPENT TIME AT THE
LAUNCHPAD IN THE SUIT UP ROOM
AND WORKING THROUGH EMERGENCY
PROCEDURES THAT MIGHT BE
NECESSARY IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT
OF A PAD ABORT SCENARIO.
>> THAT IS COOL TO SEE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW ALL OF THIS TRAINING
CULMINATED IN A FINAL PATCH
CEREMONY TO MARK THE END OF THIS
CREW TRAINING.
IT IS A TRADITION OF NASA THAT
DATES BACK TO BEGINNING OF ISS
20 PLUS YEARS AGO.
ALL OF THAT IS TO SAY THIS TEAM
IS READY TO GO AND THE LAST FEW
MONTHS HAVE ALL LEAD TO THE HERE
AND NOW AND WHAT THEY
ACCOMPLISHED ON STATION IS GOING
TO HELP RIGHT THE GUIDE FOR THE
NEXT MISSION IN HOW WE
COORDINATE EFFORT ON THE FUTURE
AXIOM STATION.
NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS
IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR THOSE
TRAINING CREWS AS REALLY THEY
BECOME A FAMILY AND FEEL SO
CONNECTED AFTER ALL OF THAT TIME
TOGETHER.
NOW, ON THE SCREEN, WE HAVE OUR
FIRST VIEW OF DRAGON, THE VIEW
COMES TO US FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
WE CAN SEE THE LOCATION AND THIS
IS THE FURTHEST AWAY IT WILL BE
ON CAMERA.
APPROACHING THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, FOR THOSE THAT
HAVE JUST RECENTLY JOINED US, WE
HAD CONFIRMATION THE CREW
COMPLETED THE SUIT LEAK CHECKS
AND THOSE LEAK CHECKS LOOKED
GOOD, SO THEY ARE IN THEIR SEATS
AND STRAPPED IN, AND THEY ARE
MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF THEIR
APPROACH TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
>> THIS IS WHAT TRAFFIC LOOKS
LIKE AT THE ISS.
>> VERY TRUE.
>> THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT
INCREDIBLE EFFORTS OVER THE LAST
TWO DECADES HAVE SET THE STAGE
FOR WHAT IS POSSIBLE IN LOW
EARTH ORBIT.
THE AX-2 MISSION IS A CRITICAL
STEP TOWARD OPENING THOSE
POSSIBILITIES TO A HOST OF NEW
PARTICIPANTS, GOVERNMENT'S
DIVERSE RESEARCHES,
MANUFACTURERS AND MORE.
HERE ON EARTH, WE ARE ALREADY
SEEING BENEFITS FROM RESEARCH
CURRENTLY CONDUCTED ON THE ISS
FROM WATER AND AIR PURIFICATION
SYSTEMS TO TESTING MEDICAL
DEVICE AND THERAPEUTICS.
PRETTY AMAZING STUFF.
>> IN ADDITION TO TECH DEMO AND
MEDICAL RESEARCH, ACCESSES TO
LOW EARTH ORBIT ALLOWS FOR A
CONNECTION TO ARTS AND OTHER
OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES.
AX-2 IS THE FIRST OF SEVERAL
PROPOSED MISSIONS IN ADVANCE OF
AXIOM STATION THE WORLD'S FIRST
COMMERCIAL SPACE STATION.
A SUSTAINABLE LOWER EARTH ORBIT
MEANS EXPAND ACCESS TO WORK IN
SPACE AND ALSO FREES UP NASA AND
THE PARTNERS TO PUT THEIR BUDGET
TOWARD OTHER EXPLORATION
PROGRAMS WHILE GRANTING SPACE
AGENCIES AROUND THE WORLD MORE
OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH COMMERCIAL
EFFORTS.
>> AND OVER AT THE FLIGHT TIME,
THE ISS HAS ACCOMPLISHED
UNPRECEDENTED FLEET CONTINUOUSLY
SUSTAINED OPERATIONS FOR MORE
THAN 22 YEARS THIS IS NOT ONLY A
TRUE TESTAMENT TO TECHNOLOGY
REQUIRED TO PHYSICALLY ACHIEVE
THAT, BUT LOSS TO THE
COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE
EFFORTS.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE
WORLD TO ENSURE THAT MULTIPLE
NATIONS, AGENCIES, BOTH PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE WORK TOGETHER TO
PUSH HUMANITY FORWARD PRIVATE
INDUSTRIES HEAD TO TIME TO LEARN
TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE
RELATIONSHIPS EFFECTIVELY.
SO BY FLYING PRIVATE ASTRONAUT
MISSIONS LIKE AX-2 TO THE ISS,
AXIOM IS TAKING ESSENTIAL STEPS
TO GET THIS ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
AS WE WORK TOWARD BUILDING THE
WORLD'S FIRST COMMERCIAL SPACE
STATION.
AXIOM STATION IS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO CONTINUE THE STORY OF THE
ISS, SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
THROUGH COOPERATION AND
COLLABORATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF
ALL.
AX-2 IS THE NEXT CHAPTER.
>> ONCE AGAIN WE ARE OBSERVING
DRAGON FREEDOM.
THE CREW HAS THEIR SUITS ON.
THEY ARE IN THEIR SEATS.
THEY ARE INSIDE OF THE BLINKING
LIGHTS.
AND WE WILL SEE THE BLINKING
LIGHTS GET CLOSER AND CLOSER
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.
EVERYTHING WHEN YOU ARE
APPROACHING OR DEPARTING THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IS
HIGHLY CHOREOGRAPHED AND IT IS
REALLY SLOW.
THAT IS FOR SAFETY PURPOSES.
IT IS THE SAFER WAY AND THE BEST
WAY TO DO IT, SO WE WILL SEE
DRAGON GET CLOSER AND CLOSER.
YOU KNOW, EVEN THOSE TWO LIGHTS
THAT WE SEE THE RED ONE AND THE
GREEN ONE, THEY REPRESENT THE
PORT STARBOARD SIDE, AND I NEVER
REMEMBER WHAT COLOR GOES TO WHAT
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE WILL
START TO SEE THOSE GET CLOSER AS
WE HAVE BEEN EVEN OVER THE LAST
FEW MINUTES.
>> YOU MAY BE SEEING SOME STARS
ON THE SCREEN, BUT MOST OF THOSE
DOTS ARE DEAD PIXELS IN THE
CAMERA SENSOR.
THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE HIGH
RADIATION IN SPACE.
>> NOW DRAGON IS CAPABLE OF
CARRYING UP TO SEVEN PASSENGERS
TO AND FROM EARTH'S ORBITER AND
BEYOND.
IT IS THE ONLY SPACECRAFT
CURRENTLY FLYING THAT IS CAPABLE
OF RETURNING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS
OF CARGO TO ETHER AND.
IT'S THE FIRST PRIVATE
SPACECRAFT TO TAKE HUMANS TO THE
SPACE STATION.
DRAGON IS FULLY ANTONYMOUS WHICH
MEANS THAT IT FLIES ITSELF.
BUT IT ALSO FEATURES FULL MANUAL
OVERRIDE CAPABILITIES IN CASE OF
AN EMERGENCY.
STANDING AT ALMOST 27FEET TALL
FROM BOTTOM OF THE TRUNK TO THE
TOP OF THE NOSE CONE, CREW
DRAGON IS COMPOSED OF TWO MAIN
ELEMENTS THE CAPSULE WHICH IS
DESIGNED TO HOLD CREW AND
PRESSURIZED CARGO AS WELL AS
UNPRESSURIZED SECTION WHICH IS
KNOWN AS THE DRINK.
THE NOSE CONE AT THE TOP OF THE
CAPSULE PROTECTS THE DOCKING
SYSTEM AND THE GUIDANCE
NAVIGATIONAL CONTROL SYSTEM
WHICH IS THE SYSTEM THAT IS
BEING PRIMARILY UTILIZED RIGHT
NOW AS DRAGON IS APPROACHES THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THAT NOSE CONE OPENS FOR DOCKING
AND REMAINS ATTACHED TO THE
SPACE STATION, OR ATTACHED TO
THE CREW DRAGON SPACECRAFT
UNLIKE PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF
DRAGON AND THAT HELPS TOWARD THE
EFFORTS TOWARD REUSABILITIES.
NOW OPPOSITE OF THE NOSE CONE IS
THE TRUNK.
IT PROVIDES ATTACHMENT POINTS
FOR FALCON 79.
THE DRAGON CAPSULE AND CARGO.
ONE-HALF OF THE TRUNK IS COVERED
IN SOLAR PANELS.
THAT IS THE BLACK SIDE OF THE
TRUNK ON THE EXTERIOR.
AND THOSE PROVIDE POWER TO
DRAGON DURING FLIGHT AND WHILE
ON THE STATION.
THE OTHER HALF CONTAINS A
RADIATOR AND IT REJECTS THREAT
THE ACTIVE THERMAL CONTROL
SYSTEM TO SPACE USING SPACEX'S
NEW TILING TECHNOLOGY.
THE TRUNK ALSO NOW HAS A NEW
AERODYNAMIC FINS WHICH PROVIDES
STABILITY AT THE EVENT OF AN
EMERGENCY ABORT.
NOW, IN THE EVENT OF AN
EMERGENCY ABORT, CREW DRAGON IS
OUTFITTED WITH EIGHT SUPER DRACO
THRUSTERS AS OPPOSED TO THE
REGULAR DRACO THRUSTERS THEN
THOSE POWER THE ASTRONAUTS TO
SAFETY.
DRAGON'S SUPER DRACO LAUNCH
ESCAPE SYSTEM IS A KEY SAFETY
FEATURE OF CREW DRAGON THAT
GIVES THE CREW THE ABILITY TO
QUICKLY SEPARATE FROM FALCON 79
AND SAFELY ESCAPE THE TIME OF
LAUNCH ALL THE WAY TO ORBIT.
IT IS A FEATURE THAT NO OTHER
SPACECRAFT IN HISTORY HAS.
SO IT IS PRETTY AWESOME AND IT
IS, IT IS A GREAT SAFETY
FEATURE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU, KATE.
WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO TOSS
BACK NOW TO LEAH AT MISSION
CONTROL AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER.
>> THANK YOU.
THE ISS IS IN ORBITAL NIGHTTIME
CURRENTLY FLYING OVER THE SOUTH
PACIFIC OCEAN ABOUT 261MILES
ABOVE EARTH AND OF COURSE DRAGON
IS SLIGHTLY BELOW IT.
AS THE APPROACH INITIATION BURN
BROUGHT DRAGON TO .0 AT
400METERS BELOW THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THE SYSTEMS HAVE CHECKED OUT AND
NOW MOVING UP TOWARD WAY .1 THAT
IS WHEN DRAGON IS ACTUALLY
220METERS ABOVE THE SPACE
STATION.
IT WILL BE IN THE DOCKING ACCESS
MEANING IT IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT
OF THE DOCKING PORT SO THE CREW
ARE HEADED TO THE ZENITH PORT
THE SPACE FACING PORT OF NODE 2.
AND THE OTHER DRAGON THAT IS
CURRENTLY ONBOARD WHICH BROUGHT
THE CREW, EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT
IS DOCKED TO THE FORWARD PORT OF
THE HARMONY MODULE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE GO IN AND OUT
OF RECEIVING FEEDS FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION THAT
HAPPENS WHEN WE GO TO SATELLITE
HANDOVER PERIODS INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION IS ORBITING EARTH
AND SEEING THE SUNRISE AND THE
SUNSET EVERY 45 MINUTES, SO WE
CONSTANTLY HAND OVER TO
DIFFERENT SATELLITES THAT
RECEIVE THE FEEDS FROM THE
STATION AND SEND IT BACK TO US
ON THE GROUND, AND SO YOU WILL
SEE THAT A LITTLE BIT THIS
MORNING.
AFTER WE REACHED WAY .1 WE WILL
PAUSE UNTIL DRAGON GETS A GO TO
MOVE TO WAVE .27 AND ONLY
280METERS AWAY THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND
SPACECRAFT IS FOCUSED ON
ALIGNING THE DOCKING SYSTEM THE
INTERNATIONAL DOCK ADAPTER.
>> SLOW AND STEADY WINS
THE RACE, AT THIS POINT IN THE
MISSION.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE MOVING LESS
THAN FIVE MILES PER HOUR AND AS
WE MOVE IN FROM WAVE .2 WE WILL
BE MOVING SLOWER AND MAY HEAR
THE CALL-OUT A LITTLE LESS THAN
30 SECONDS BEFORE DOCKING THAT'S
THE CREW HANDS OFF POINT WHEN
ANY ABORTS NEED TO BE DONE
AUTOMATICALLY BY DRAGON AND
TRACK DOCKING TO COME IN AT
8:10A.M. CENTRAL TIME THIS
MORNING.
THE CREW ARE IN THEIR SUITS.
THEY HAVE COMPLETED GOOD SUIT
LEAK CHECKS.
EVERYTHING CONTINUING TO MOVE
ALONG VERY SMOOTHLY TODAY.
A LOOK BACK AT WHAT WAS
COMPLETED LAST NIGHT.
SHORTLY AFTER LAUNCH AT
57:23P.M. CENTRAL TIME, DRAGON
EXECUTED THE PHASE BURN NOW THAT
WAS THE FIRST OF THE FIVE MAJOR
BURNS REQUIRED TO RAISE DRAGON'S
ORBIT AND POSITION IT FOR
APPROACH TO THE SPACE STATION.
SEVEN HOURS LATER, WE HAVE THE
BOOSTING BURN THAT PUTS THE CREW
ON THE ORBIT WHERE THE HIGHEST
POINT IS TEN KILOMETERS LOWER
THAN THE STATION.
AFTER THAT WE EXECUTED THE
CLOSED ECLIPTIC BURN AT
12:51A.M. CENTRAL TIME.
>> IT IS TEN KILOMETERS LOWER
THAN THE STATION THE ENTIRE WAY
AROUND THE EARTH INSTEAD OF
BEING AT THE HIGHEST POINT.
WE SAW THE TRANSFER BURN AT
2:47A.M. CENTRAL TIME THIS
MORNING.
THAT IS THE FOURTH MAJOR
MANEUVER WJERE WE RAISED
DRAGON'S APOGEE AGAIN TO
2.57-KILOMETERS LOWER THAT IN
THIS SPACE STATION.
>> DRAGON SPACEX ON THE BIG
LOOP.
MIDCOURSE BURN COMPLETE AND
NOMINAL.
WE HEARD CONFIRMATION OF A GOOD
MIDCOURSE MANEUVER TO MAKE SURE
DRAGON IS POSITIONED RIGHT UNDER
THE STATION AGAIN ABOUT
400METERS BELOW, SO
CONFIRMATION THEY DID, INDEED,
CONDUCT THIS MORNING AND
EVERYTHING CONTINUES TO LOOK
GOOD FOR DRAGON.
WE ARE IN INTEGRATED OPERATIONS.
THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRAGON GETS
CLOSE FOR THE SPACE STATION WHEN
THEY ENTER THE APPROACH
ELLIPSOID BOUNDARY AROUND WHERE
THEY CARRY CARGO OR THE CREW.
WE ARE ALSO HEARING GOOD WORDS
ABOUT TEAMS BEING A GO TO MOVE
INSIDE OF THE KEEP-OUT SPHERE
THAT CONSIST OF IMAGINARY SPHERE
AROUND THE STATIONS WITH A
RADIUS OF 200METERS.
THE KEEP-OUT SPHERE REQUIRES A
SIMILAR THAT IF DRAGON WERE TO
LOSE CONTROL OF THE THRUSTER.
IT'S THE SPACE STATION WOULD BE
SAFE FOR SIX HOURS OR FOUR
ORBITS HOWEVER EVERYTHING
LOOKING GOOD ON DRAGON THIS
MORNING.
AGAIN, WE ARE IN ORBITAL
NIGHTTIME.
THIS VIEW COMING FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AS
WE ARE TRACKING DRAGON AND ITS
APPROACH TO THE ORBITING
LABORATORY.
>> ONCE DRAGON ARRIVED AT THE
SPACE STATION TODAY, THEY WILL
BE GREETED BY SEVEN CREWMEMBERS
CURRENTLY LIVING ON ORBIT.
THAT INCLUDES NASA'S FRANK
RUBIO, STEVE BOWEN AND WOODY
HOBURG AND SULTAN AL NEYADI AND
ANDREY FEDYAEV, DMITRI PETELIN
AND SERGEY PROKOPYEV.
THAT WILL BRING THE CREW UP TO
11 FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
WE ARE LOOKING AT EIGHT-DAY
DOCKED MISSION FOR THE AX-2 CREW
ABOUT TEN DAYS IN ORBIT IN
TOTAL.
>> THE CREW WILL BE MONITORING
ARRIVAL THIS MORNING
SPECIFICALLY WOODY HOBURG OF
NASA AND SULTAN AL NEYADI OF THE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES WILL BE
USING SPECIAL SOFTWARE TO MAKE
SURE IT STAYS IN THE EXPECTED
ZONE.
ONCE DRAGON IS DOCKED, HOBURG
WILL BE THE PRIME TO START THE
HATCH OPENING OPERATIONS.
HE WILL START BY OPENING THE
LARGE HATCH ON THE NODE 2
FORWARD OR NODE 2 ZENITH THAT IS
GIVING HIM ACCESS TO THE
PRESSURIZED MATING ADAPTER? THEY
WILL THEN PRESSURIZE THE
VESTIBULE.
THAT IS THE SMALL SPACE ON THE
HATCHES AND THE DRAGON AND THE
SPACE STATION AND EXPOSED TO
VACUUM HERE TO DOCKING FOR THE
CREW.
>> BIG LOOP, DRAGON RANGE IS
APPROXIMATELY 1,000METERS.
MONITOR LONG RANGE APPROACH FOR
STEPS 1 TO 4 AND 1.102 AND
RETREAT MONITORING.
ISS CREW IS NOW PRIMED FOR
VEHICLE APPROACH MONITORING.
THAT CALL TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION JUST AS WE WERE
EXPLAINING, THEY ARE PRIMED TO
MONITOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE AX-2
CREW TODAY.
AGAIN WE ARE HEADING TOWARD THE
400-METER BELOW STATION MARK.
WE ARE NOW 950 METERS FROM THE
STATION CLOSING IN AT 2.79MILES
PER HOUR.
>> COPY.
SO ONCE WE DOCK AT 8:10A.M.
CENTRAL TIME,
TAKES TWO HOURS TO PRESSURIZE
THE VESTIBULE THE SPACE BETWEEN
THE HATCHES.
FLIGHT CONTROLLERS HERE IN
HOUSTON WILL MONITOR AND VERIFY
THE PRESSURE READINGS TO MAKE
SURE EVERYTHING IS READY.
>> APPROACH SETUP.
>> GO AHEAD FOR APPROACH SETUP.
GROUND HAS PULLED GO FOR
APPROACH 70 AND ENABLING THE
MANEUVER SHORTLY.
THE EXPECTED START TIME IS PART
OF THE DISPLAYS REMINDER THAT
DRAGON WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 2
WAVE .27 WITHOUT STOPPING AT
WAVE .1.
>> COPY.
TAP INTO 0 TO 1.
GOOD READBACK.
GOOD NEWS FROM THE GROUND TO THE
CREW THAT COMING FROM THE CORE.
THE CREW OPERATIONS RESPONSIBLE
ENGINEER IN HAWTHORNE,
CALIFORNIA, AS SPACEX
HEADQUARTERS TO COMMANDER PEGGY
WHITSON ABOARD DRAGON.
THE TEAM WILL NOT HAVE TO PAUSE
AT WAVE .1 AND SOMETIMES THERE
IS A PAUSE ASSOCIATED THERE, SO
THEY CAN CHECK OUT ALL SYSTEMS,
BUT THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD THIS
MORNING TO CONTINUE THROUGH.
DRAGON NOW 800METERS AWAY FROM
THE SPACE STATION.
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
CREWMEMBERS HAVE BEEN PREPARING
FOR ARRIVAL OF DRAGON BY MOVING
AND SETTING UP LAPTOPS AS WELL
AS CREW ALTERNATE SLEEP
ACCOMMODATIONS THEN AGAIN WE
HAVE 11 CREWMEMBERS, FEELS LIKE
A FULL HOUSE ABOARD THE STATION
ONCE THE AX-2 CREW ARRIVES TODAY
THE TEAM WILL DO THINGS LIKE
MANEUVER THEM, SO THEY AVOID ANY
PLUMES FROM DRAGON ONCE IT GETS
CLOSER TO THE STATION.
IT HAS BEEN A BUSY TIME ON THE
SPACE STATION WITH ANOTHER
VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES INCLUDING
A PORT RELOCATION.
JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THE
CREW-6 CREW BOARDED THEIR DRAGON
SPACECRAFT AND MOVED IT FROM
ZENITH THE SPACE FACING PORT
NODE 2 TO THE FORWARD FACING
PORT WHERE IT WILL DOCK TODAY.
THE MANEUVER WAS TO PREPARE FOR
THE ARRIVAL OF CR 28 THE
28th COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY
MISSION TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION AND THAT WILL
BRING WITH IT SOME NEW SOLAR
ARRAYS THOSE ARE INTERNATIONAL
ROLLOUT SOLAR ARRAYS AND THOSE
ARE STORED IN THE TRUNK OF
DRAGON THE ZENITH PORT MAKES IT
MUCH EASIER FORM THE CANADAARM 2
TO HAVE ON THE SPACEWALKS LATER
THIS YEAR.
WE HAD A HANDFUL OF SPACEWALKS
HAPPEN OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS
AT THE SPACE STATION.
INCLUDING THREE SPACE WALKS TO
MOVE AND CONNECT AND DEPLOY A
RADIATOR.
>> HOUSTON, COPY.
>> WE RECENTLY HAD SPACEWALK TO
PREPARE FOR THOSE UPCOMING SOLAR
ARRAY INSTALLATIONS AND HEARING
CONFIRMATION IN THE CREW ABOARD
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
THAT THEY THEMSELVES HAVE THEIR
SIGHTS SET ON THE APPROACHING
DRAGON.
AHEAD OF ARRIVAL TODAY, THE
SPACE STATION CREW MOVING
THROUGH THE MORNING INCLUDING
PREPARING THE NODE 2 AREA FOR
DOCKING AND HATCH OPENING AS
WELL AS GETTING THE REQUIRED
EXERCISE FOR THE DAY.
HERE WE HAVE A NEW VIEW OF
DRAGON APPROACHING THE SPECIAL
SPACE STATION THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION ITSELF.
AGAIN, WE ARE LOOKING AT DOCKING
EXACTLY AN HOUR FROM NOW AT
8:10A.M. CENTRAL TIME.
THIS VIEW FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION WHILE DRAGON IS
STILL 30METERS AWAY.
AGAIN THIS IS AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT
FOR DRAGON.
THE CREW ABOARD HAS BEEN TRAINED
THAT THEY CAN TAKE OVER IF
NEEDED; HOWEVER, THINGS CONTINUE
TO MOVE SMOOTHLY THIS MORNING.
THE CREW OFF-DUTY TIME ENDED AT
5:30A.M. CENTRAL TIME.
THE CREW GOT SUITED UP SHORTLY
AFTER, AND THE BIG LOOP WAS
CONFIGURED MEANING THAT TEAM
MEMBERS HERE IN HOUSTON CAN
SPEAK WITH TEAMS IN HAWTHORNE AS
WELL AS ON THE SPACE STATION AND
ON DRAGON ONE BIG COMMUNICATION
LOOP RATHER THAN ON VARIOUS
DIFFERENT LOOPS.
BEING IT IS AN AUTONOMOUS
FLIGHT,
NASA ASTRONAUT WOODY HOBURG AND
SULTAN AL NEYADI WILL BE IN THE
CUPOLA TO MONITOR THE ARRIVAL OF
DRAGON AND SEND COMMANDS IF
NEEDED, BUT THAT IS NOT
ANTICIPATED.
HOBURG WILL THEN BE PRIMED FOR
ASSISTING AND PRESSURIZATION OF
THE VESTIBULE AND THE HATCH
OPENING OPERATIONS.
AFTER DOCKING AND THE WELCOME
CEREMONY, ALL CREWMEMBERS WILL
THEN MOVE TO ISS SAFETY BRIEFING
MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ON
EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO KNOW
WHILE LIVING ABOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FOR
SAFETY PURPOSES AND, OF COURSE,
THEY GO THROUGH THAT TRAINING
HERE ON THE GROUND BUT IT IS A
GREAT REFRESHER ONCE THEY MOVE
ONBOARD YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN A
LITTLE BIT OF LIGHTING CHANGE
AND WE ARE NOW ENTERING THE
ORBITAL DAYTIME AGAIN, WE SEE 16
SUNRISES AND SUNSETS A DAY
ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION MOVING AT 1500 PER HOUR
GIVING US A BETTER VIEW OF
DRAGON AS IT GETS CLOSER NOW
500METERS FROM THE ORBITING
LAB.
THE SPACE STATION AND DRAGON ARE
NOW FLYING 27 STATUTE MILES JUST
WEST OF CHILE.
AGAIN WE ARE HEADED 400METERS
BELOW THE SPACE STATION.
WE ARE NOW 480METERS BELOW THE
SPACE STATION.
THE CREW WILL NOT STOP AT WAY
.70
AND CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH.
ONCE THEY MAKE THEIR WAY TO WAY
.1 THERE WILL BE CONTINUED GO NO
GO TO ALLOW DRAGON TO BEGIN THE
APPROACH AND THAT IS LOCATED
INSIDE OF THE KEEP-OUT SPHERE
ABOUT 20-METERS AWAY WE DO NOT
HAVE TO HOLD AT WAY .1 ALL THE
SYSTEMS HAVE CHECKED OUT AND SO
WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTINUE MOVING TOWARD .2 AND
HOWEVER WE DO CONDUCT A HOLD TO
MAKE SURE DRAGON IS COMPLETELY
ALIGNED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
DOCKING ADAPTER ON THE NODE 2
ZENITH OR SPACE FACING PORT.
SO AT THE 20-METER DISTANCE
DRAGON WILL SLOW ITSELF DOWN
EVEN FURTHER BRINGING THE
APPROACH IN AND EVENTUALLY MAKE
INITIAL SOFT CONTACT WITH THE
ADAPTER SOFT CAPTURE RING AND
BRING DRAGON IN TO THE HARD
CAPTURE SEQUENCE.
AGAIN, WE ARE INTEGRATED
OPERATION WITH TEAMS HERE IN
MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON
MONITORING DRAGON'S APPROACH TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
ALONG WITH TEAMS IN HAWTHORNE,
CALIFORNIA.
THE CREW ARE IN THE SUITS THEY
HAD GOOD SUIT LEAK CHECKS
EARLIER TODAY, AND THEY ARE ALSO
SEATED.
WE HAVE THEM GET IN THE SUITS
AND THEIR SEATS DURING DYNAMIC
PHASES OF FLIGHT EVEN THOUGH IT
LOOKS LIKE THE CREW DRAGON IS
MOVING SLOWLY WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THEY ARE IN THE SUITS AS A
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE DURING THE
DOCKING PROCESS.
THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET
OUT OF THOSE SUITS AND HAVE FREE
TIME AS KATE AND DUKE MENTIONED
EARLIER AND THEY WERE ABLE TO
CALL DOWN TO THE GROUND LAST
NIGHT AND DISCUSS WHAT IT WAS
LIKE TO BE IN MICROGRAVITY AND
THEY ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO GET
SOME REST AND MAYBE EAT SOME
MEALS THEN EVENTUALLY THEIR CREW
REST TIME ENDED AT 5:30A.M.
CENTRAL THIS MORNING.
AGAIN YOU ARE WATCHING LIVE
COVERAGE OF THE AX-2 MISSION TO
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THESE ARE NASA ASTRONAUTS
ARRIVING ABOARD DRAGON TODAY.
ONE OF THEM, HOWEVER, IS A
FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT PEGGY
WHITSON.
THIS IS HER THIRD SPACECRAFT TO
FLY ON AND SHE JOINS SMALL ELITE
GROUP OF ASTRONAUTS, WHO HAVE
FLOWN ON THREE SEPARATE
SPACECRAFT AND FLOWN ON THE
SPACE SHUTTLE AND NOW ON DRAGON.
SINCE NASA OPENED UP FOR
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IN 2019, WE
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH PRIVATE
INDUSTRY TO PREPARE FOR THE
FUTURE OF LOW EARTH ORBIT AND
THE LONG TERM GOAL IS TO NOR BE
A PROVIDER OF THE LOW EARTH
DESTINATION, BUT TO BE A
CUSTOMER.
WE WANT TO BE ONE OF MANY
CUSTOMERS PURCHASING OWNED AND
OPERATED SERVICE, SO WE NEED TO
WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT
PATH OF TOMORROW ENABLING THE
PRIVATE ASTRONAUT MISSIONS HELPS
US REFINE THE PROCESSES WE NEED.
SO NASA ASTRONAUTS ARE WORKING
SIDE BY SIDE.
>> APPROACH 0 HAS STARTED AND
TRAJECTORY CONVERGED ON.
EXPECTED ARRIVAL AT WAVE .1 IS
PER THE FOUR DISPLAYS.
>> DRAGON, COPY.
>> AGAIN WE HAVE REACHED THE
400METERS DIRECTLY BELOW THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
COMING UP.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FROM WAY
.70 TO WAY 3.1 CAUSE PAUSING AT
220 METERS PUTTING DRAGON ON THE
DOCKING AXIS MEANING IT IS
LIKELY IN FRONT OF THE DOCKING
PORT.
AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY ALL OF
THE VISITING SPACECRAFT TAKE THE
PHASED APPROACH TO THE ISS THEY
STOP AT PREDETERMINED GATES FOR
THE TEAMS TO RUN QUICK CHECKS ON
THE VEHICLE PERFORMANCE BEFORE
APPROACHING THE ORBITING LAB.
WHEN IT COMES TO BRINGING TWO
SPACECRAFT TODAY, SLOW AND
STEADY WINS THE RACE.
DOCKING OPERATIONS REQUIRE A
GREAT DEAL OF PRECISION TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE KEEPING THE
SPACECRAFT AND THE CREW SAFE, SO
WHEN WE SAY SLOW AND STEADY WINS
THE RACE, WE ARE NOW TRAVELING
AT LESS THAN HALF MILE PER HOUR.
AGAIN, WE ARE INTEGRATED
OPERATIONS DURING THAT TIME
MEANING TEAMS FROM BOTH
HAWTHORNE ON THE LEFT OF THE
SCREEN AND MISSION CONTROL
HOUSTON ON THE RIGHT ARE
MONITORING DRAGON AND THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> HOUSTON COPY.
THE AXIOM WILL WORK ABOARD THE
SPACE STATION THIS WEEK TO
ENSURE ALL OF THE PAYLOAD
OPERATIONS THAT THEY WILL BE
CONDUCTING AS WELL AS ANY OF THE
DOWN LINKS WITH TEAM MEMBERS ON
THE GROUND AS WELL AS MEDIA AND
POTENTIALLY SOME STEM OUTLETS
WILL BE EXECUTED SMOOTHLY.
AGAIN SATELLITE HANDOVER OF THE
TRACKING DATA AND RELAY
SATELLITE SYSTEMS THESE ARE
TRACKED THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT.
WE SEE THIS WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AS
WELL AS ON DRAGON.
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS
AROUND THE WORLD USED THESE
SATELLITE SYSTEMS.
ALL SEVEN CREWMEMBERS ABOARD
CURRENTLY MOVING ABOUT THEIR
DAY.
SOME OF THEM EXERCISING.
SOME OF THEM ENJOYING THE MIDDAY
MEAL.
OTHERS ARE WORKING ON VARIOUS
PAYLOADS AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
THERE ARE SOME CONSTRAINTS AS WE
MOVE INTO INTEGRATED OPERATIONS
SPECIFICALLY DURING DOCKING AND
ONCE THE SPACECRAFT IS SOFT
DOCKED THERE WILL BE EXERCISE
CONSTRAINT.
WE DON'T WANT ANY ADDITIONAL
LOADS IMPARTED ON DRAGON ANY
VIBRATIONS CAN BE CAUSED FROM
USING THE TREADMILL OR THE
STATIONARY BICYCLE.
WE WANT TO KEEP THAT AGAIN FROM
IMPARTING THE LOADS TO ENSURE A
SAFE AND DOCKING FOR DRAGON THE
CREW WILL BE ASKED NOT TO
PERFORM ANY ACTIVITIES DURING
THAT TIME.
THIS VIEW FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION CURRENTLY FLYING
266 STATUTE MILES ABOVE THE
SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.
DRAGON IS 400 METERS AWAY FROM
THE SPACE STATION.
AGAIN WE REACHED WAVE .0 AND THE
GO TO MOVE TO WAY .1 WHICH WILL
PUT US 220 METERS FROM THE SPACE
STATION ABOVE OR ON THE DOCKING
ACCESS ABOVE THE NODE 2 ZENITH
PORT.
AFTER WE REACH E'LL MOVE TO THE
200-METER SPHERE WITH RADIUS OF
200METERS AROUND THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
AGAIN THIS IS INVISIBLE BOUNDARY
THAT HELPS US MONITOR ALL
VEHICLES THAT ARRIVE AND DEPART
THE ORBITING LABORATORY.
FOR ANY MANEUVERS AT THAT POINT,
WE ARE SEEING DRAGON USE THE
SERVICE SECTION DRACO THRUSTERS
EACH PROVIDE 90POUNDS OF FORCE
THEIR 126 THOSE DRACOS THOSE ARE
ONLY USED IN THE VACUUM OF SPACE
GOOD FOR THE ATTITUDE CONTROL
MANEUVERS AND THOSE ARE GROUPED
INTO FOUR CLUSTERS OF THREE
THRUSTERS EACH.
ONBOARD DRAGON ALSO HAS SUPER
DRACOS THOSE ARE ONLY USED FOR
PAD OR ASSENT ABOARD SCENARIOS
CURRENTLY DISABLED AFTER THE
ASSENT PORTION OF THE MISSION.
THERE ARE ALSO FOUR FORWARD
BULKHEAD DRACO THRUSTERS
UNDERNEATH THE NOSE CONE AND
USED FOR LARGER BURNS LIKE THE
DEORBIT BURN, AND WE ARE NOT
LOOKING AHEAD THAT CURRENTLY WE
EXPECT THAT TO COME ABOUT EIGHT
DAYS FROM NOW.
WE ARE PLANNING FOR CREW TO
SPEND EIGHT DAYS ABOARD THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
ALSO LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE NOSE
CONE IS THE DOCKING HATCH.
THIS IS THE PORTIONS THAT WILL
CHECK TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION AND THE HATCH
CREWMEMBERS WILL USE TO FLOAT IN
AND OUT OF DRAGON.
THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO THE SIDE
HATCH THE CREW USED FOR THE
SPACECRAFT YESTERDAY, AND THEY
WILL ALSO USE TO DEPART THE
SPACECRAFT AFTER SPLASH DOWN AND
BEING PULLED ABOARD THE SPACEX
RECOVERY SHIP.
PRETTY QUIET HERE IN MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON AS WELL AS
OBVIOUSLY ABOARD DRAGON IN THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AS
THE FULLY AUTONOMOUS FLIGHT AND
EVERYTHING CONTINUES TO GO WELL
FOR DRAGON AND ITS ARRIVAL THIS
MORNING.
AGAIN THE DRAGON IS MAKING THE
WAY TO 220METERS OF THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND
THE INTENDED DESTINATION THIS
MORNING WHICH IS THE SPACE
FACING HATCH ON NODE 2.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL SEND IT
BACK OVER TO HAWTHORNE FOR A
STATUS UPDATE.
KATE AND DUKE.
>> THANKS.
CONTINUING TO FOLLOW DRAGON'S
PROGRESS AS IT GETS CLOSER AND
CLOSER TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
WE ARE NOW JUST .475-KILOMETERS
WAY FROM THE ISS.
AND AS LEAH MENTIONED, SLOW AND
STEADY WINS THE RACE.
NOW THERE ARE TEAMS SUPPORTING
THIS MISSION FROM MULTIPLE
LOCATIONS.
THIS IS JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
LOCATED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
THIS MISSION CONTROL ROOM IS
STAFFED 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN
DAYS A WEEK AT 365 DAYS A YEAR.
TEAM MEMBERS ARE TRAINED IN A
VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES AND
MONITOR ALL STATION SYSTEMS.
IN ADDITION TO THIS CONTROL
ROOM, WE HAVE THE MISSION
CONTROL ROOM HERE AT SPACEX
HEADQUARTERS IN HAWTHORNE,
CALIFORNIA, THAT IS THE VIEW
THERE ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF
THE SCREEN.
THAT IS WHERE OUR TEAMS ARE
MONITORING DRAGON AND CHECKING
IN ON ALL OF THE SYSTEMS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE AXIOM
CONTROL ROOM ON THE RIGHT-HAND
SIDE.
YEAH.
FOR AXIOM SPACE.
THE TEAM THERE IS IN MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON AS WELL.
IT IS PRETTY FANTASTIC FROM THIS
SECURE FACILITY.
WE HAVE LIVE ACCESS TO THE VOICE
VIDEO AND DATA FROM THE ISS AND
CAN WORK ALONGSIDE THE NASA
COUNTERPARTS TO RUN ON ORBIT
OPERATIONS AND MONITOR EVERY
ASPECT OF THE MISSION IN
REAL-TIME.
IT IS LEAD BY WHAT WE CALL THE
AXIOM OPERATIONS LEAP AND THEY
THERE ARE VARIOUS POSITIONS IN
THE ROOM FOR RESEARCH
COMMUNICATIONS AND STOWAGE,
TIMELINE OPERATIONS, ET CETERA.
PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STEP IN OUR
JOURNEY AS A COMPANY TO EXPAND
ACCESS TO LOWER EARTH ORBIT AS
THE ONLY THE 12th GROUND
SEGMENT PART FOR THE ISS PROGRAM
SO THROUGH THE FACILITY WE ARE
ENABLING THE CUSTOMERS IN THE
GLOBAL COMMUNITY FRONT ROW SEATS
TO THE WORK BEING DONE ON
STATION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, LOTS OF PEOPLE
SUPPORTING THIS MISSION FROM ALL
DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND IT
REALLY IS A TEAM EFFORT TO
EXECUTE THESE INTEGRATED
OPERATIONS SUCCESSFULLY AND PART
OF THE REASON IS, AS YOU CAN
SEE, IT IS NOT JUST THE FOUR
CREWMEMBERS THAT ARE INSIDE
DRAGON FREEDOM RIGHT NOW
APPROACHING THE SPACE STATION,
IT IS THE WHOLE INTEGRATED
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TEAM
AS A WHOLE ONCE THE AX-2 CREW
ARRIVES ON THE STATION THERE
WILL BE ACTUALLY 11 CREWMEMBERS
TOTAL AND, IT IS GOING TO BE
EXCITING.
LIKE LEAH SAID,
A FULL HOUSE.
BUT THE AX-2 IS GOING TO BE
SUPER BUSY.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH PLANNED, THEN THEY WILL
BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE STATION
AS WELL AS THE OTHER CREW MATES
THAT ARE UP THERE WITH THEM.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THIS CREW HAS A VERY FULL
SCHEDULE WHILE ON STATION.
AND ACTUALLY A LOT OF THAT TIME
WILL BE FOCUSED ON PRETTY
FASCINATING EFFORTS.
FOR THE SAKE OF THIS
CONVERSATION, THAT WE'LL HAVE
RIGHT NOW, THE SILENCE THAT THEY
ARE DOING IS ORGANIZED INTO TWO
CATS FOU ARE LIKE LIFE SCIENCES,
PHYSICAL SCIENCE, TECH
DEMONSTRATIONS, ET CETERA.
SO WITH PHYSICAL SCIENCE,
INCLUDES SOME RADIATION
PROTECTION RESEARCH AS WELL AS
SOME STORM-RELATED RESEARCH TO
HELP CREATE RAIN AND CLOUD
SEEDING AND FASCINATING STUFF
LIKE THAT AND ENHANCE THE
UNDERSTANDING OF THE DANGEROUS
THUNDERSTORMS THERE IS A
PHENOMENAL CALLED TRANSIENT
LUNAR EFFECTS WHICH ARE
LIGHTNING.
>> IT IS AWESOME TO RESEARCH
POTENTIALLY HELP OPERATIONS AT
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.
THERE WAS A CLOUD ROLLING IN AND
YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY
INTERESTING THIS RESEARCH THAT
AX-2 CREW WILL DO COULD
POTENTIALLY FEED BACK TO SPACE
OPERATION ON THE GROUND.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
A VERY FULL CIRCLE MOMENT THERE
BY THE TIME WE ARE LAUNCHING
AX-3, HE WILL HAVE THE DATA BACK
AND WILL BE EVIDENCE THAT GAME
SO IN THIS TECH SIDE OF RESEARCH
BEING CONDUCTED, THIS CREW WILL
ALSO DEMONSTRATE WAYS TO
AUTOMATE THE TASK THAT TAKE UP
PRECIOUS CREW TIME THINGS LIKE
TRANSFERRING DATA OR TRACKING
SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS ARE
ONBOARD THE SPACE STATION AND
ALSO AN EFFORT TO MAKE
COMMUNICATING WITH EARTH EASIER
SO THE HEART OF THE SPACE IS THE
MANTRA TO BUILD HISTORY TO
EXPAND TO LOWER EARTH ORBIT FOR
ALL AND DEDICATED TO CREATING
PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMPANIES THAT
YOU WOULDN'T TYPICALLY EXPECT TO
HEAR ABOUT GOING TO SPACE.
WE GROW THE VOLUME OF THOSE TO
CONDUCT MEANINGFUL RESEARCH AND
RESEARCH ONBOARD AND OUTREACH AS
WELL ABOUT SCIENCE AND
EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO A LOT GOING ON UP THERE AS
THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE THEIR
HANDS FULL ONCE THEY DOCK WHICH
WE SHOULD BE SEEING SHORTLY
HERE.
WE ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD
TO IT.
I WILL LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS THE FIRST VIEW INSIDE
THE DRAGON CAPSULE.
I LOVE THIS VIEW, SO ON THE
LEFT-HAND SIDE, WOULD BE THE
COMMANDER PEGGY WHITSON AND ON
THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THAT VIEW
WAS PILOT JOHN SHOFFNER.
NOW THIS VIEW IS ALSO VERY COOL
BECAUSE THIS IS LOOKING AT THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FROM
THE DRAGON.
>> WHAT A GREAT SHOT.
>> JUST INCREDIBLE WE CAN GET
THE LIVE VIEWS TO SEE WHAT
DRAGON IS SEEING AS IT IS
APPROACHING THE ISS.
>> LIKE WE MENTIONED BEFORE, WE
ARE HEADING TO THE NODE 2 ZENITH
PORT THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE PASSED THROUGH WAVE .70
IT'S THE 400-METER MARK WHICH IS
400 METERS AWAY FROM SPACE.
WE ARE HEADING UP AND AROUND
OVER THE STATION TO WAVE .1,
WHICH IS ABOUT--
>> DRAGON, STATION, ON THE BIG
LOOP.
EXPECT RECONFIGURATION OF THE
C2V2 RETURN LINK SHORTLY.
>> THAT WAS SPACEX LETTING THE
CREW KNOW OF THE UPCOMING EVENT
REFERRING TO C2V WHICH IS THE
COMMON COMMUNICATION FOR
VISITING VEHICLE AND THAT IS
BASICALLY THE LINK FOR THE
VISITING VEHICLE AND IN THE
CASE, DRAGON FREEDOM, BUT YEAH,
THIS VICE OVER THE SHOULDERS OF
OUR COMMANDER AND PILOT AND I
LOVE THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY
ARE SEEING AND IN THE CENTER WE
CAN SEE THEY ARE FOLLOWING ALONG
WITH THE UPCOMING EVENTS.
THE VIEWS ON THE FAR LEFT AND
FAR RIGHT PANEL WILL ILLUSTRATE
WHICH THRUSTERS ARE FIRING WHEN.
SO I DON'T REALLY SEE ANY-- OH,
LOOK, WE CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT OF
LIGHTS FLASHING, SO IF YOU LOOK
AT THE FAR LEFT PANEL ON THE
UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER, WE SAW
ILLUMINATION INDICATING THE
DRACO THRUSTERS WERE FIRING THEN
ONE THING THAT I LOVE ABOUT OUR
VIEW AS WE GET CLOSE FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, THE
VIEWS THAT WE WILL GET FROM THE
ISS LOOKING AT DRAGON WE SHOULD
ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE
DRACO THRUSTERS FIRING AS DRAGON
IS AUTONOMOUSLY GEARING THE
ITSELF TOWARD THE ZENITH PORT.
WHEN WE SAY AUTONOMOUS THAT IS
WHAT THAT MEANS.
DRAGON IS DOING ALL THE
CALCULATIONS AND, AND SEARING
AND FLYING.
AUTOMATICALLY, IT IS FLYING
ITSELF THAT BEING SAID, OUR
PILOT JOHN SHOFFNER HAS THE
CAPABILITY TO TAKE OVER MANUAL
CONTROL AT ANY TIME IF
NECESSARY.
BUT IT IS INCREDIBLE TO SEE WHAT
THEY ARE SEEING.
THE VIEW ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE
THERE, WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THOSE
THRUSTERS, AS I MENTIONED.
IT ALMOST LOOKS AS IF DRAGON IS
SPITTING OUT A LITTLE BIT.
IT IS JUST REALLY COOL TO BE
ABLE TO SEE THAT PROPULSION
SYSTEM IN ACTION.
AS DRAGON IS FLYING ITSELF TO
THAT ZENITH PORT.
I LOVE IT WITH TWO VIEWS WE JUST
HAD BECAUSE IT IS DRAGON LOOKING
AT STATION AS WELL AS DRAGON
LOOKING AT DRAGON WHICH REMINDS
ME OF THE SPIDER MAN MEME OF
THEM POINTING AT EACH OTHER.
>> OH, YEAH.
A VERY META MOMENT.
>> YEAH.
>> ON THE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THE
COMMANDER PEGGY WHITSON ON THE
LEFT AND PILOT JOHN SHOFFNER ON
THE RIGHT AND OUT OF FRAME IS
THE MISSION SPECIALIST RAYYANAH
BARNAWI AND ALI ALQARNI.
EVERYBODY EVERYBODY ONBOARD IS
ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THIS MOMENT
OF DOCKING.
>> NOW WE ARE ROUGHLY 20 MINUTES
AWAY FROM HITTING THAT APPROACH
1, OR THAT WAVE .1, WHICH LIKE I
MENTIONED BEFORE, IT IS
220-METERS AWAY FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
SO WE CAN SEE THAT THE CREW HAS
THE VISORS UP.
WE DON'T REQUIRE THEM TO PUT
THEIR VISORS DOWN UNTIL THEY ARE
CLOSER TO THE SPACE STATION FOR
THAT DOCKING PROCEDURE.
SO THEY ARE STILL HANGING OUT.
CONTINUING TO MONITOR DRAGON'S
PROGRESS.
AS WE SAID BEFORE ONCE THE FOUR
AXIOM 2 CREWMEMBERS ON STATION,
THEY ARE GOING TO BE THERE FOR
EIGHT DAYS.
AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE VERY
BUSY.
WHEN YOU ARE ON STATION, YOUR
SCHEDULE IS PACKED WITH SILENCE,
RESEARCH, SLEEPING, YOUR SLEEP
PERIODS ARE SCHEDULED TO ENSURE
THAT EVERYBODY IS GETTING THE
APPROPRIATE REST, THE MEALTIMES
THEN YOU HAVE TO BUILD IN
EXERCISE TIME AS WELL.
YEAH.
THE CREW WILL BE VERY BUSY ONCE
THEY GET ON THE STATION SO THE
FINAL MOMENTS BEFORE THEY
ACTUALLY ARRIVE MIGHT ACTUALLY
BE VERY CALM AND RESTFUL BECAUSE
LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, THE CREW
RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE MONITORING.
THEY ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON
DRAGON'S SYSTEMS.
AND OF COURSE, KEEPING IN
CONTACT WITH THE INTEGRATED
OPERATION TEAMS FROM ALL THREE
MISSION CONTROL CENTERS THAT WE
MENTIONED BEFORE.
ONCE AGAIN THIS IS A LIVE VIEW
OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION FROM DRAGON.
IT ALMOST LOOKS FAKE.
IT IS SO CLEAR AND BEAUTIFUL.
AS WE GET CLOSER, YOU SHOULD BE
ABLE TO MAKE OUT MORE CLEARLY
THE VARIOUS VEHICLES THAT ARE
DOCKED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION.
ONCE WE GET CLOSER, DEFINITELY
WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON THOSE
VARIOUS PORTS.
AS WE MENTIONED, WE DID A PORT
RELOCATION MANEUVER FOR THE CREW
CAPSULE.
>> DRAGON, STATION, ON THE BIG
LOOP.
RECONFIGURATION COMPLETE.
>> AS I MENTIONED, WE DID A PORT
LOCATION MANEUVER.
IT WAS RELOCATED TO THE NODE 2
FORWARD PORT.
AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE
THAT AS WE GET CLOSER.
I JUST LOVE IT WHEN THERE IS A
DRAGON CAPSULE GETTING A VIEW OF
ANOTHER DRAGON CAPSULE, THAT IS
ON THE STATION.
WE HAD THAT VIEW DURING THE
CREW-6 DOCKING, IF I REMEMBER
CORRECTLY.
SO THIS IS A LIVE VIEW COMING TO
US FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION OF DRAGON FREEDOM AS IT
APPROACHES.
ALL RIGHT.
AS WE ARE CONTINUING TO GET
CLOSE THOROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, WE ARE HEADING
TOWARD THAT WAY .1 AND CHECK
BACK IN WITH LEAH OVER AT
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER TO HEAR HOW
THINGS ARE CONTINUING TO
PROGRESS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION'S PREPARATION FOR
DRAGON FREEDOM.
>> HI, KATE.
HI, DUKE.
THANKS FOR CARRYING US THROUGH
THAT.
THAT IS DRAGON APPROACHING THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
AS YOU HEARD, WE REACHED WAVE
.70 THE 400METERS AWAY FROM
SPACE STATION.
WE ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT BELOW
THAT NOW.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE MADE
QUITE A BIT OF MOVEMENT.
OUR PREVIOUS VIEW OF DRAGON HAD
THE EARTH IN BACKGROUND, NOW WE
HAVE SPACE IN THE BACKGROUND.
THE SPACE CRAFT HAS MOVED OUT IN
FRONT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION STILL LESS THAN 400
METERS AWAY WHICH ABOUT 380
METERS NOW AND MOVING UP TO WAVE
.1.
AGAIN WAVE .1 IS 220 METERS A
WAY FROM THE SPACE STATION THAT
WILL BE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE NODE
2 ZENITH OR SPACE FACING PORT.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK
OUT ANY SYSTEMS IF NEEDED THEN
EXPECT I HAVE ARRIVAL IN ABOUT
TEN MINUTES.
ONCE DRAGON REACHES WAVE .1 THE
NEXT STOP IS WAVE .27 THAT IS
ONLY 20 METERS AWAY FROM ISS.
THAT IS WHEN WE HOPE TO GET THE
CRYSTAL CLEAR VIEW OF DRAGON
FREEDOM AND THE FOUR CREWMEMBERS
INSIDE.
WE DO CONDUCT A HOLD AT .2 TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE PROPERLY
ALIGNED WITH THE DOCK TARGET ON
>> This is a view of mission
control at SpaceX in Hawthorne,
California, these teams have
been monitoring the flight of
Dragon freedom since launch
yesterday afternoon.
Actually before launch yesterday
afternoon.
That launch coming at 5:37 p.m.
eastern time from Florida.
And flawless launch and then
about a 16-hour rendezvous to
the international space station
well got into integrated
operations earlier this morning
once we crossed through the
approach ellipsoid four by
two-by-two kilometer invisible
boundary around the space
station that helps us govern
visiting spacecraft and their
arrival and departure.
Teams here at mission control
Houston now on your screen are
being led by vincent LaCourt,
flight director.
They are working with astronauts
aboard the international space
station and staff this room
24/7, 365 to insure the
astronauts and the space station
systems remain supported.
We have had continuous presence
aboard the international space
station for over 23 years now.
And we'll be welcoming four crew
members shortly as part of the
AX-2 mission.
The second private astronaut
mission to the international
space station, this view coming
from their mission control also
here in Houston, Texas.
They'll remain on console all
week to monitor the status.
Astronauts as well as help them
step through their research,
payloads and any down link
opportunities that they have.
>> And we are expecting to
regain video communications with
the space station and Dragon
shortly.
Just a few moments from now
we'll see the AX-2 crew float
through the hatch and bring the
number of crew members living on
the station to 11.
>> Everything looking good ahead
of hatch opening on both sides
of the station and dragon.
We are just standing by to
regain video communications
before we go before that hatch
opens so we can insure we see
the smiling faces of our four
new crew members joining the 69
crew on the international space
station we expect them to stay
for about a week before return
on the ground Dragon freedom
back to earth.
>> Dragon SpaceX O big loop S
band will be deactivated
shortly.
Dragon ground will no longer be
available for comes, please set
to I.S.S.
>> Will do.
>> Teams in Hawthorne speaking
with the crew still aboard
Dragon freedom letting them know
that shortly they will not have
the ability to communicate from
or through the Dragon to ground
loop itself.
However, they will start using
the loops aboard the
international space station to
talk with teams here in mission
control Houston as well as in
Hawthorne.
Again, we are getting close to
hatch opening, docking this
morning occurring at 8:12 a.m.
central time.
So about an hour and a half ago.
It was a very smooth ride to
orbit yesterday launching at
5:37 p.m. eastern time and a 16
hour transit the fastest on
record for a Dragon crew to the
international space station.
>> Take a look inside Dragon
freedom as the crew members of
axiom two --
>> We have all the suits stowed
and seat procedure 4.012
complete.
>> Copy all, Peggy, 4.012
complete.
>> Again, this view of the crew
inside Dragon freedom, our four
astronauts who have arrived as
part the axiom mission would the
second private mission to the
international space station up
in the center.
Screen still order of in her
seat, that's former NASA
astronaut Peggy Whitson the
commander.
Crew.
Over year the window you can see
Ali AlQarni representing the
Saudi space commission, down
below him, holding on to one of
the foot rests is John Shoffner
the pilot and just off camera,
you can see her hand right now.
That's Rayyanah Barnawi also
representing the Saudi space
commission.
We are standing by for hatch
opening of dragon freedom.
>> Again, you are looking live
inside Dragon freedom as we
prepare for the hatch to be
opened and these four crew
members to float into the
international space station on
what is the second private
astronaut mission to the
orbiting laboratory.
They will remain at the space
take for eight days before
undocking and returning to
earth.
While they are on board we will
have a total of 11 people living
and working aboard the space
station.
>> Again this, crew launched at
5:37 p.m. eastern time docking
this morning at 9:12 a.m.
eastern time.
The hatches are configured to be
open so we are just standing by
for that final go call to the
crew.
We'll remain on air through
their welcome ceremony.
Where you get to hear some words
from the crew themselves on
their flight.
As well as what they plan for
this time on board.
Afterwards, we will wrap our
show.
As the crew steps into their
safety briefings and eventually
gets to work aboard the space
station.
>> Dragon SpaceX on 2 for hatch
open.
>> Go for Dragon.
>> Hey, Peggy, just big picture,
following hatch open, we would
like you to complete part "C" of
2.102 prior to station ingress,
we are still ahead of the
timeline so we have time to
complete these tasks in the
nominal sequence.
With that, you are go for hatch
opening per decal.
Followed by the remaining
actions and procedure 4.400
section 6.
>> Copy hatch open per detail
and section "C."
>> That's affirmative, Peggy and
section 6 of 4.400 as well.
>> Yes, copy section 6 of 4.400
as well.
>> And we've got a view here in
Dragon freedom as Ali
AlQarni works to open the
Dragon side of the hatch.
Outta other side of the Dragon
hatch is NASA astronaut woody
Hoburg waiting to welcome the
crew on board after having
completed all the preparations
this morning.
>> Houston and SpaceX, Dragon
hatch is open.
>> Houston copies.
>> SpaceX copies.
>> At 10:00 a.m., central time,
the Dragon hatch is open.
Preparing to see our crew
members float through and join
the international space station.
>> Houston, the IMV duct is
installed and we are ready for
IMV activation.
>> Houston copies.
>> Again, Dragon hatch open at
sen a.m. central time after
docking at 8:12 a.m. central
time, following their
approximately 16 hour journey
from the space coast of Florida
to the international space
station.
>> And Houston station, in the
dragon, we are at 6.3 ready for
the procedures for the lie out.
>> Copy that, Peggy, Houston is
checking.
>> Dragon Houston on the big
loop you have a gee for step 6.3
and procedure 2.102.
>> 6.3.
2.102.
Thanks.
>> Again, we are preparing for
the AX-2 crew to float drew the
Dragon hatch and join the stays
space rue Otto try inside you
see woody Hoburg who has Montana
toured their arrival first in
the copula and then worked to
prepare these hatches,
pressurizing the vestibule that
space between both hatches and
eventually assisting in opening
the A pass hatch as well as Ali
AlQarni just at 10:00 a.m.
central time.
Five minutes ago, opening the
dragon hatch.
>> Again, this is live coverage
of the arrival of the AX-2 crew
to the international space
staying we are just standing by
for the crew members to make
their way out of Dragon and into
the space station moments from
now.
UAE Astro fall Sultan Alneyadi
floating out of screen on the
right-hand side there.
He has been working alongside
woody Hoburg this morning to
prepare the hatches for the crew
to float through.
As well as monitoring their
arrival.
Both Hoburg and Alneyadi arrived
as par of the Crew-6 crew and
part of composition 69 living
and work ago board the
international space station.
Teams are also preparing the
inner module vicinity laying,
that was the tube that we saw
earlier that woody Hoburg was
working with, they'll route that
from the station side into the
Dragon side to help equalize the
Hal atmospheres between both the
Dragon and station.
Currently the international
space station is flying 264
statute miles south west of
finally.
They are in an orbital nighttime
and here we have a great view of
four of our crew members on the
international space station.
On the far left that's NASA
astronaut Steve Bowen down not
bottom left NASA astronaut Frank
Rubio.
>> Cartridge is sealed per the
decal at 1508.
>> Copy.
>> That's woody Hoburg was on
the right of your screen in the
center Sultan Alneyadi.
Again, preparations to he agrees
Dragon continue.
You can hear commander Peggy
Whitson that they are stepping
through the final checks.
>> SpaceX dragon for procedure,
do you want us to continue on
step 7?
>> Yes, affirmative on section
step 7.
>> Again, hatches between both
Dragon and the international
space station are open.
Teams in Dragon -- or the
astronauts in Dragon continuing
their final checkouts before
moving into the space station
side where they will -- on two,
all the valves are closed
including the iso.
>> SpaceX copies, thanks.
>> Again, this is a view from
inside node 2 also known as
harmony.
The X2 crew today docked to the
zenith or space-facing port.
There is another Dragon
spacecraft docked to the forward
facing port --
>> Houston, or SpaceX dragon is
complete.
Step 8.9 of 2012.
>> Houston copies.
>> SpaceX copies.
>> This crew, part of the seven
that are on the international
space station patiently waiting
their four new crew members to
arrive for the next eight days.
Not pictured in this frame,
there are also three rose cosmo
not on board including sergey
Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin, and
Andrey fedyaev.
We will have 11 total astronauts
now on station.
>> And we have our first views
of the axiom crew members
floating aboard, first is
commander Peggy Whitson.
Rejoining the international
space station.
Next up is pilot John Shoffner,
making his first visit.
Also on his first trip to space
you can see Ali AlQarni
representing the Saudi space
commission.
All smiles as he floats through
the Dragon hatch.
And rounding out the axiom
2 crew, that's Rayyanah Barnawi
also of the Saudi space
commission.
>> The crew of the space station
is now 11 crew members.
Big smiles from Rayyanah
Barnawi.
She is now the first female
Saudi to go to space.
>> With commander Peggy Whitson
at the helm they are in good
hands, Peggy has 665 days
already lived in space, she's
just adding to that together on
this mission.
>> John Shoffner in his first
trip to space getting help out
from woody Hoburg who is on his
first trip to space, he's been
there now for 81 days.
Again, the total number of
astronauts and cosmonauts on on
board the international the
space station now at 11.
Three.
Astronauts on the space station
represent NASA, three represent
Roscosmos.
Two rent the kingdom of Saudi
Arabia.
One relates the united Arab
Emirates.
Again, we are standing by for
the start.
Welcome ceremony.
The crew will take some time do
some seen and voice checks and
make sure that their microphones
are set up properly.
As well as that we have them all
in frame before going into their
welcome remarks and, of course,
afterward we will wrap our
coverage before they step into
their work and life aboard the
international space station for
the next eight days.
>> Station Houston for Frank
NPIO.
Frank, I just want to tag up
with you on the PAO event, we
are thinking about doing a seen
and voice in seven members for
now, will that work for you?
>> That will be perfect.
We'll call you back in about --
yeah, we can even do five
minutes if you want, but we'll
call you back in seven minutes.
>> Copy that, we prefer closer
to seven minutes as we have a
hand over in about five minutes
from now.
>> Okay, great.
>> As you heard the capcom relay
to NASA astronaut Frank ratio,
we are expecting a hand over.
-- we are expecting that
shorthand over in a few minutes,
we want to make sure that we
have great audio and video from
our visiting astronauts so we
are holding for that shorthand
over and then we will start the
welcome ceremony.
This morning at 8:12 a.m.
central time, the Dragon hatch
opening at 10:00 a.m. central
time.
And then crew members floating
aboard just moments ago Ali
AlQarni looks like he
already has the hang of things
on his first flight to space.
The axiom crew has train today
months in preparation for this
mission.
The axiom crew has been training
for months in preparation for
this mission here at Johnson
space center as well as at
SpaceX.
Working with teams on the
research that they will be
conducting as well as learning
space station systems.
Three countries represented
here, we've got Sultan Alneyadi
of the UAE.
Two course ros cosmonauts as
well as our two new astronauts
representing the Saudi space
commission on their 8-day stay
on the international space
station.
Just above Barnawi and
AlQarni's heads you can see
the 2EMUs, extravehicular
mobility units used by the U.s.
astronauts on space walks.
Those have been moved from the
airlock to allow a little more
space for the axiom crew during
this flight.
Of course, we do have 11 crew
members on board now.
So we have to make some room for
sleep spaces.
Again, we are standing by
anticipating a satellite hand
over here momentarily.
Once we have regained
communications we'll go through
voice checks with the astronauts
and there it is as expected.
That hand over from our
satellites we'll do those seen
and voice checks when we come
back it make sure that we have a
picture-perfect view of the crew
members before they give us some
welcome remarks.
This view from international
space station flight control
room here in Houston, Texas,
teams continue to monitor the
arrival of our four new
visitors.
As well as all of the systems
aboard the international space
station and the astronauts and
cosmonauts that live there.
Just over two hours now since
the AX-2 crew arrived to the
zenith or space-facing port on
the harmony module also known as
node two that docking coming at
812 a.m. central time.
Hatch opening about 20 Sox
minutes ago, 10:00 a.m. central
time.
We should regain that video and
audio communication with the
space station momentarily.
>> Houston station on two for
voice check.
>> Hey, Frank, we are red for
seen and voice wherever you are
ready.
As a reminder you will be on the
hands-held mic for today's
event.
>> Sound good.
And let us know if that works
for you and then I can do the
countdown wherever you are
ready.
>> Frank being if you wouldn't
mind if you could gather
everybody into their spots,
we'll take a look at the scene
once everyone is in place.
>> Crew members begins to move
into their locations for the
welcome ceremony.
Obviously we have regained
communications the tracking data
and relay satellite system.
>> Say again for seen and voice.
>> Woody, we want to get
everyone into position before we
do our seen check.
>> All right, we copy, we'll
group up.
>> Like I said earlier, looking
at pretty full house here aboard
the international space station.
We have the crew that will fly
on so juice MS23 to return home
later this year as well as the
crew that arrived on Crew-6 and
now the AX-2 crew.
>> Frank, Houston on two, good
seen check we didn't hear audio
on the hand-held mic, can you
check the switch position.
>> Frank, we are checking on the
configure on the ground.
Stand by.
Frank, if you wouldn't mind give
us another long count, we needed
to sync things up.
Thanks, Frank, we are good on
seen and voice.
Station, this is Houston, are
you ready for the event?
>> Houston, this is station, we
are ready for the event.
>> Please begin the welcome
ceremony.
>> Houston and SpaceX,
congratulations on a beautiful
launch and a beautiful docking.
And it's great to have new
friends up here and so on behalf
of expedition 69 it's an honor
to welcome or new crewmates I'll
pass it off to the I.S.S.
commander Sergey Prokopyev.
>> Welcome aboard, dear friends.
This is really nice to see you
here, mission 69 so glad you are
here.
On station.
And we look forward to you --
your arrival here, and watched
yesterday your amazing launch,
and this is returning the third
stage of falcon 9 on the launch
pad so grateful.
Congratulations on the
successful launch and your
docking and for me this is very
great honor to work next to
Peggy Whitson, the most
experienced and decorated
astronaut in the U.S. astronaut
corps and congratulations, you
astronauts, Rayyanah, John, Ali
and my congratulations to all of
us.
We have now 11 person on the
space station and my deep
congratulations to the Saudi
space commission and I am sure
you will have a great
achievement in the future in
your space exploration.
Thank you so much.
And welcome aboard.
>> Thank you so much, Sergey.
Thank you so much.
We are really excited to be
here.
It was a great launch, a great
ride.
We had a lot of fun on the way
up and we are really excited got
a lot of work done up here.
But it's great for me to come
back personally.
It does feel like home.
You might need to get some help
for a while.
I can help you with some of
these things.
It's a lot of fun to be here and
to see this place again.
It means so much to me.
It actually brings people
together.
I wanted you to meet my crew.
I want each of them to talk a
little bit about their
objectives and why they are here
and maybe a little bit about the
ride.
>> Hi.
I am John Shoffner.
Part.
AX-2 crew.
It's an honor to be here and
make new friends in space, first
time I have done that for sure.
I have been dreaming or working
toward this since I was eight in
a young astronauts club watching
gemini pilots do their things,
we have cardboard boxes
pretending to be gemini pilots.
You would think having that much
time to prepare I would have
better words than that.
But having a chance to be here
and fly with this amazing new
crew, Ali and Ray, and of
course, with Peggy Whitson, the
awesome Peggy Whitson and to
join expedition 69 say fabulous
thing for me fox, anyone to do.
I am honored.
I would like to thank NASA for
creating the opportunity and
opening the doors for private
and commercial space exploration
and also the ingenuity of SpaceX
and developing the platforms for
everyone.
I want to say thanks to my
lovely life for those magic
words one day she look odd the
news and said, look, you can
finally go to space.
[ Laughter ]
>> She was right.
Thank you for that, Jeanine.
Otherwise, we look forward to
some great work for stem
education outreach and some
amazing science that we have
going on up here and open you
guys will follow us.
Thank you very much.
>> Thank you, John.
This is Ali AlQarni.
If you will just allow me to
start speaking air big first.
[ speaking Arabic ]
>> Thank you, everybody, for the
great welcome.
It is such an honor and a
privilege to be here and meet
all of you.
As John said, making space
friends.
So, I am really excited to work
alongside with you all of you,
and eager to just share the --
your expertise with you.
I learn from you.
Thank you -- thank you to our
king and his crown prince for
their support and trust in us.
Thank you to the Saudi people
this mission is not just for me
and Rayyanah.
This is for the people with
ambition and dreams and also you
can dream big in our country
with the support that we have
you will be able to reach it.
Thank you, everybody.
>> Hello, everything, so this is
Rayyanah Barnawi.
If you will allow me I am a bit
nervous first.
[ speaking Arabic ]
>> So greetings from outer
space.
I am here not only representing
myself, but representing the
hopes and dreams of everyone
back home.
Everyone in the region.
We are here gathering with
different cultures and with this
international collaboration.
This shows how space brings
everyone together.
It brings everybody different
backgrounds.
Some of us are doctors some of
us are researchers, engineers
and so on.
I am very happy to be here
representing the dreams and
homes of everyone back home.
And at the same time, I am very
glad that I have received
extensive training from trainers
who have trained previous
astronauts.
Like NASA, Jaxa, ISA and SpaceX
and axiom.
Age very happy to be here and
thank you all for listening.
Thank you for letting me share
my feelings and I am going to
live this experience to the Max.
>> Great.
Well, we all are excited for all
of the new astronauts here and
we have something special.
Ray, would you hold this while I
pin John.
>> Oh, wow.
Giving him an official astronaut
pen.
John is the 598th astronaut.
[ Applause ]
>> Wow.
>> I don't think I am ready for
clapping yet.
>> And Ali.
>> Mic is off.
>> So Ali is the 599th
astronaut.
>> Thank you.
>> And our little Ray is 600.
[ Applause ]
>> I am going to stick myself
more than anything.
Okay, there we go.
All right.
So thanks to inviting all of us
up here.
And welcoming three new
astronauts.
[ Applause ]
>> Okay, that concludes the
ceremony.
Thank you guys so much.
Again, it really feels like the
international space station up
here.
This will be an awesome week.
We are all excited and super
happy to have you guys up here.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you so much.
>> Station, this is Houston ACR.
Thank you.
That con clouds our event.
>> Thank you, to all
participants, station, we are
now resuming operational
communications.
>> Copy.
>> And with completion of the
welcome ceremony, another big
welcome to the axiom 2 crew our
second private astronaut mission
crew to arrive at the
international space station, we
now have 11 people living and
work on this international space
station, again, we are looking
for the AX-2 crew members to
live and work on the orbiting
lab for the next eight days.
We saw docking this morning at
812 a.m. central time.
9:12 a.m. eastern and hatch
opening from Dragon to the
international space station at
10:00 central.
11:00 he's tear, all following
launch yet at 5:37 p.m. eastern
from Florida.
Smooth ride uphill approximately
16 hours ahead of the docking
today and now we are expecting
the crew members to live and
work on the space station for
about eight days before
beginning their journey home to
earth.
So for future updates on NASA
missions as well as what you can
expect from the AX-2 crew on
their return coverage, you can
keep an eye on NASA.gov W that,
that will wrap us up here in
mission control Houston and I am
going to send it back to my
friends at SpaceX.
>> Thank you so much, Leah,
excellent coverage from Johnson
space centering really following
along with all of the integrated
operations that ultimately led
us to what a touching welcoming
ceremony.
Now with that, we are going to
wrap up our live joint coverage
of Peggy, John, Ali and
Rayyanah's arrival to the
international space station.
It's been an honor to support
the AX-2 mission thus far.
We wish the Axiom crew a subit
is.
Time on station and we will look
forward to joining you when it's
time to bring them back home.
>> Absolutely and Kate I want to
say from launch to docking it's
been an absolute pleasure
sharing this deck with you.
Thank you.
Over the course of our crew's
time on station, we will be
providing daily mission updates
from axiom mission control to
highlight the range of science
research and stem education
event the crew will be
conducting over the course of
their eight days on station
think be sure to visit
axiomspice.com and follow the
Axiom social media channels for
real-time updates.
>> With that on behalf of
SpaceX.
Axiom space, and NASA, thank you
all for tuning in to watch.