NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Launch (Official NASA Broadcast) – Video

The official NASA broadcast of the SpaceX Crew-8 launch is a captivating event filled with anticipation, excitement, and a touch of humor. The video takes viewers behind the scenes as three astronauts and one cosmonaut prepare for their journey to the International Space Station.

The video begins with technical tests and captions, building up the suspense for the upcoming launch. As the countdown progresses, viewers are treated to aerial views of the rocket at the pad and Endeavor, the spacecraft that will carry the crew into space. The commentary is informative and engaging, providing insights into the preparation process and the history of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Viewers also get a glimpse of the astronauts suiting up in the iconic Neil Armstrong Operations building at Kennedy Space Center. The meticulous process of putting on the spacesuits is explained, highlighting the importance of attention to detail and safety protocols.

As the T-0 time approaches, the team brief confirms that all systems are go for launch. The weather conditions are favorable, with a 75 percent chance of a successful launch. The astronauts’ final preparations and the countdown to liftoff create an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement.

Overall, the video offers a fascinating look into the world of space travel and the incredible feats of technology and human ingenuity that make it possible. It serves as a reminder of the awe-inspiring achievements of NASA and SpaceX in their mission to explore the cosmos.

Watch the video by NASA

Video Transcript

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>> THE EAGLE HAS LANDED. >> LIFT OFF. AMERICA’S RETURN TO SPACE AS DISCOVERY CLEARS THE TOWER. >> DISCOVERY UP. >> COPY THAT. ♪ ♪ [ MUSIC ] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN FLORIDA WHERE WE HAVE THREE ASTRONAUTS

AND ONE COSMONAUTS ABOUT TO SUIT UP FOR THEIR JOURNEY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IN JUST ABOUT FOUR HOURS. THESE ARE THE AERIAL VIEWS OF WHAT THEIR LIVES WILL BE LIKE LATER TODAY. THE ROCKET AT THE PAD AND ENDEAVOR. AFTER YESTERDAY’S STANDDOWN DUE TO WEATHER, WE HAD ELEVATED WINDS ALONG THE COORDINATE DOOR

BUT TODAY THINGS ARE LOOKING MUCH MORE PROMISING. THE T-0 IS 10:53 EASTERN TIME AND THE WEATHER BETTER THAN YESTERDAY, 75 PERCENT GO HERE AT THE LAUNCH SITE AND CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED ALONG THE CORRIDOR BUT TEAMS WILL BE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE CORRIDOR THROUGH THE T-MINUS 1 HOUR WEATHER BREAKS.

KUWAIT IS A REGULAR CONTINUATION OF THE SPACE FLIGHTS AS PART OF NASA’S COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM. WHAT YOU ARE SEEING ON YOUR SCREEN. DRAG DONE ENDEAVOR WILL FLY FOR THE FIFTH TIME ON THIS LAUNCH AND OVER THE NEXT FOUR AND A HALF HOURS, WE WILL SHOW YOU ALL THE ACTION LIVE.

NASA’S CREW, THIS IS THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH BROADCAST OF CREW LAUNCH AND WITH ME TO COMMENTATE ON WHAT IS HAPPENING TONIGHT, WE HAVE ANOTHER ASTRONAUT. >> HEY, THANKS MEGAN. I THINK I MAY HAVE MISQUOTED MY WIFE A LITTLE BIT, SHE WAS NOT WEARING HER KOOLAID SHIRT YESTERDAY BUT HAS IT ON TONIGHT

SO WE’RE GOOD TO GO. >> SOME QUICK BACKGROUND BEFORE WE TURN. WE HAVE NASA ASTRONAUT MATTEW DOMINICK. ON MARCH 20, 2023, HE WATCHED HIS FIRST LAUNCH FROM THE GROUND AND OF COURSE WE’RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU BACK TO CREW 8. >> HAPPY TO BE HERE AND STILL

GOING FOR THREE IN A ROW. AFTER MY FIRST LAUNCH ON THE ROCKET, THEN GOT TO SEE CREW 6, LUCKY ENOUGH TO COME TO CREW 7’S LAUNCH, GOT TO BE WITH ONE OF MY CLASSMATES FAMILIES AND ANOTHER TURTLE TO KEEP THAT STRING ALIVE. >> AND OF COURSE THAT IS MATT DOMINIC, THE COMMANDER.

SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE 2 MINUS 4 HOURS TILL LIFTOFF AND IN ABOUT FOUR MINUTES, WE EXPECT TO TAKE YOU ALL INSIDE THE SUIT-UP ROOM. THAT IS A ROOM INSIDE ASTRONAUT CREW QUARTERS AND THE ASTRONAUT CREW QUARTERS IS A SECTION OF THE HISTORIC NEIL ARMSTRONG OPERATIONS HERE AT KENNEDY.

THESE ARE THE DOORS THAT LEAD INTO THAT BUILDING, FAMOUS DOORS WHERE ASTRONAUTS HAVE WALKED OUT FOR THEIR RIDE TO SPACE SINCE APOLLO 7, 1968. >> THE NAME AS YOU MENTIONED AND AS THE NAME IMPLIES, IS THE OPERATION ‘S FACILITY. IT HAS HARDWARE, LABS, AND THE DOORS IN A H WHERE THE CREW

ENTERS THE BUILDING BUT THE REST OF THE BUILDING HAS CREW AND DRAGON AND STAR LINER WORK GOING ON, THERE IS PART OF ORION THERE, ACTUALLY A COOL PLACE TO WALK AROUND, BUT THE FOLKS IN QUARANTINE CAN ACTUALLY CHECK OUT SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS GOING ON AT THE SPACE CENTER

WHICH IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE AND THEN IN THAT CENTER, YOU DON’T HAVE THE OPTION TO LEAVE SO IT IS A SELF-CONTAINED HOTEL WITH EVERYTHING YOU WOULD NEED TO BE THERE FOR THE DAYS PRIOR TO LAUNCH. >> TALK TO ME HOW THE CREW HAS BEEN AT CREW QUARTERS LIVING

THERE FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS? >> THEY START SOFT QUARANTINE IN HOUSTON. THEY AND ANY MEMBERS OF THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY THAT YOU WILL SEE LATER ON TONIGHT GO INTO QUARANTINE WITH THEM, THAT STARTS IN HOUSTON. THEN WHEN IT GETS CLOSER TO THE LAUNCH, THEY FLY DOWN AND GO TO

THE HARDCORE BUILDING AT OSC HELL QUARTERS AND FROM THERE THEY ARE HARD-QUARANTINED. THEY WILL DO REHEARSELS, PAD TOURS, THINGS LIKE THAT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE BLOCKED OFF FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND ALL PROTOCOL FROM PRE-COVID SO NOTHING TO DO WITH JUST COVID, IT IS A LONG HISTORY, DECADE’S

WORTH OF TRYING TO KEEP FROM TAKING ON A PASSENGER OF ANY BACTERIA OR PATHOGEN THAT DOESN’T BELONG IN SPACE. >> AND HERE WE ARE, INSIDE THE ROOM WHERE WE ARE SEEING THREE ASTRONAUTS, ONE COSMONAUT AND ABOUT TO BE FITTED INTO THE SUITS. >> YES, MIKE IS IN THE TOP LEFT

OF THE SCREEN, JEANETTE IN THE BOTTOM HALF. WE WILL SEE MATTHEW WORKING HIS FINGERS IN THE GLOVES. HE HAS TWO PEOPLE THERE TO HELP HIM WITH THE SUIT, YOU HAVE THE ORANGE ZIPPER AND WILL ATTACH THAT WITH VELCRO AND THEN THE OUTER ZIPPER IS THE WHITE ZIPPER.

WHEN YOU PULL IT CLOSED, IT IS A WHITE SUIT AND THAT IS HOW YOU KNOW IT IS COMPLETELY SEALED AND THEN THE DIRECTOR WITH THE IPAD RUNNING AROUND IN THE SUIT-UP ROOM. >> HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUT ON THE SUITS? >> WE ACTUALLY TRAINED — ONE OF

THE EMERGENCY AREAS WE TRAIN FOR IS THE SUIT-UP OF THE CREWS. A LOT OF TIMES IN THE CAPSULE THEY WILL HAVE THE SUIT OFF BUT STILL HAVE TO PUT IT ON — >> T-MINUS COUNTDOWN. THE CREW HAS STARTED WITH CHECKS AND PREPARATION TO START IGRESS ACTIVITIES AND TO THE PAD.

DRAGON PROP TANKS ARE PREPPED. WEATHER OVERALL LOOKS MUCH BETTER THAN YESTERDAY WITH A 25 PERCENT VIOLATION FOR PRECIP IN THOSE CLOUDS. TRENDS ARE FOR THE NEXT HOUR TO BE MORE FAVORABLE. THE WINDS AT RISK LIKE YESTERDAY BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT FOR THE NEXT HOUR.

THE IF IT IS SCRUMMED, THE NEXT HOUR WILL BE MARCH 4TH. AS A REMINDER, THE LAUNCH GOES TO THE ARMS AND ALL PERSONNEL REQUESTING TO STAY IN THEIR LOCATION TILL LOCKDOWN IS COMPLETE. >> FALCON 9 IS HELPING AND CHECKING WITH NO ISSUES AT THIS TIME. READY TO PROCEED. >> DRAGON TEAM?

>> DRAGON TEAM LOOKING GOOD, READY TO PROCEED. >> OKAY, COPY ALL, THAT CONCLUDES THE TEAM BRIEF, WAIT FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS. >> THAT WAS THE T-MINUS 4 HOURS SITUATIONAL AWARENESS BREAK CONFIRMING WE ARE GO FOR LAUNCH. AT 10:53 AND 38 SECONDS EASTERN TIME. WEATHER YOU HEARD IS MUCH MORE FAVORABLE THAN YESTERDAY AT

75 PERCENT GO AS WELL AS THE ASCENT CORRIDOR WEATHER BUT THEY WILL BE WATCHING PRECIPITATION AND OTHER CONDITIONS THERE TILL THE 2T-MINUS 1 SPOT. SO EVERYTHING SOUNDS GOOD. >> YES, THE PRESTAGING AREA, THE WEATHER IN THE CORRIDOR BETTER THAN YESTERDAY WHICH ALSO HAD SOME WINDS WAFTING THAT RAIN AND

AS IT MOVES ON HOPEFULLY IT WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH. >> WE’RE GETTING A LOOK AT DOMINICK LAUGHING NOW, GETTING HIS SUIT ON. >> YES, THEY TAKE A LITTLE LONGER FOR THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS COMFORTABLE AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE

SUIT BUT IT IS MASKED OFF, YOU DON’T NEED TWO PEOPLE TO DO IT ONCE THEY ARE ON THE SPACE STATION. ONCE THE ARMS GO DOWN, THAT IS WHEN THE GAS STARTS FLOWING AND THEY START TO PRESSURIZE. UNLIKE THE SPACE WALK SUITS WE USE WITH THEIR OWN CO2, THEY ARE

ACTUALLY LEAKING IN THAT THE GAS IS FLOWING AND LEAKING OUT SO THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE REFERRING TO. THAT MAINTAINS THAT PRESSURE BASICALLY AND YOU WILL SEE THERE THERE IS ARMS AND LEGS IN PLACE. >> AND NOW WHY DON’T WE TAKE THE TIME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MATT DOMINICK FROM COLORADO, MARRIED

AND THEY HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS. HE HAS A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FROM THE NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL AND DESIGNATED A NAVAL AVIATOR IN 2007. MADE TWO DEPLOYMENTS TO THE ARABIAN SEA FLYING IN CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION AND IN ENDURING FREEDOM. HE HAS 1600 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME

IN 28 DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT, 400 CARRIER LANDINGS AND 61 COMBAT MISSIONS. THIS IS GOING TO GO HIS FIRST SPACE FLIGHT. >> AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY, MEGANNUAL N, AS A FELLOW TURTLE, IT IS GREAT TO SEE ANOTHER ONE GOING INTO SPACE. HE WILL JOIN THE THREE OF THEM

ONBOARD BUT GOOD TO SEE MATT FLYING. HE IS ONE OF THE MOST HILARIOUS PEOPLE IN ANY ROOM YOU ARE IN BUT ALSO REALLY COMPETENT AND KNOWS HOW TO GET THE JOB DONE SO EXCITED HE IS COMMANDING THIS COMMISSION AND JOINING THE REST OF THE CREW UP ON THE ISS.

>> AND NOW THAT THE PRESSURE CHECK IS COMPLETED, HE HAS PILOT MICHAEL BARRATT SITTINGS NEXT TO HIM. HE WAS SELECTED BY NASA IN 2000. HE IS THE ONLY CREW MEMBER WHO HAS BEEN IN SPACE BEFORE, PART OF 2019 FLIGHT. HE SPENT 212 DAYS IN SPACE. HE IS BOARD CERTIFIED IN

INTERNAL AND AEROSPACE MEDICINE. HE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN AWARDED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR CONTRIBUTION TO SPACE MEDICAL RESEARCH, HE LIVES IN TEXAS WITH HIS WIFE MICHELLE AND THEY HAVE FIVE CHILDREN. PERSONAL INTERESTS INCLUDE SAILING, BOAT RESTORATION, COOKING IN AUSTERE PLACES. >> YEAH, HE IS GREAT AND THE ONE ON THE CREW WITH PREVIOUS SPACE

FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AND COULDN’T HAVE A BETTER MENTOR. HE IS JUST A GREAT HUMAN. I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO SEE IF THEY WOULD UNZIP ONE OF THE ZIPPERS FOR US, HE HAS A MAP IN ONE OF THOSE POCKETS BECAUSE HE IS FAMOUS AS IT MAY BE FOR COOKING ON MISSIONS AND OVERALL

HAVING A LOT OF SNACKS. AND YEAH, YOU MENTIONED, HE — IF YOU GOOGLE HIM, HE IS THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE BOOK ON SPACE FLIGHT MEDICINE. IF YOU ARE A SPACE FLIGHT MEDICINE STUDENT, YOU CERTAINLY KNOW THE WORK YOU ARE STUDYING FROM. >> VERY PREPARED AND VALUABLE UP

THERE FOR SNACKS AND IF ANYONE GETS ILL. NOW THIS IS JEANETTE EPPS WE’RE TAKING A LOOK AT. CIRCUMSTANCE CUTE, NEW YORK NATIVE WHERE SHE WENT TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AND WORKED AT FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHERE SHE RECEIVES A U.S. PATENT. THEN SHE JOINED THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY FOR SEVEN

YEARS AND WORKED AN A TECHNICAL OFFICER BEFORE BECOMING A ASTRONAUT IN 2006. A MASTER OF SCIENCE, DOCTORATE IN PHILOSOPHY. >> YES, INDEED. YEAH, JEANETTE IS ACTUALLY — CAN’T TALK ABOUT WHAT SHE DID BEFORE SHE SHOWED UP AT NASA BASED ON WHERE SHE WORKED BUT SINCE SHE HAS GOTTEN TO NASA,

SHE HAS WORKED WITH DRAGON AND THE STARLINER, ONE OF THE FEW WHO HAVE SEEN BOTH VEHICLES, WHICH IS A PRETTY COOL EXPERIENCE. I THINK ONE THING I CAN TALK ABOUT IN HER PAST, SHE IS AN AMAZING INNOVATER. WE HAD A T-38 FLIGHT, SOMETHING GOT BLOWN DOWN THE OUTTAKE AND

SHE FIGURED A WAY TO GET IT OUT OF THE ENGINE IN FLIGHT SO WE’LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT AS THEY KEEP WALKING IN THEIR SUITS. >> YES, THE WHOLE TEAM AND LET’S INTRODUCE YOU TO THE LAST CREW 8 MEMBER. THIS IS ALEXANDER GREBENKIN, FIGURES SPECIALIST, FIRST TIME

FLYER, GRADUATED FROM THE RUSSIAN MILITARY ENGINEERING INSTITUTE MAJORING IN ENGINEERING AND REPAIR OF AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, ATTENDED THE MOSCOW UNIVERSITY GRADUATING WITH A DEGREE OF COMMUNICATIONS, BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION. ACCEPTED IN THE COSMONAUT CORE IN 2018 AND WILL SERVE AS FLIGHT ENGINEER ONBOARD THE SPACE STATION. WE WILL HAVE A PICTURE OF HIM THERE.

>> YES, ALEXANDER IS ONE OF THE NEWER GROUPS OF THE COSMONAUT CLASSES. LAUREL GOT UP THERE VIA SOYUZ, ALEXANDER GOING IN DRAGON AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER. >> WE TALKED A LITTLE ABOUT THIS IN THE PODCAST BUT RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE THEM DOWN

TIME, JUST HANGING OUT. WHY IS THIS? >> THE PURPOSE IS FOR THEM TO CHECK THE SUITS. THEY WILL DO IT AGAIN ON THE DRAGON BUT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, IT DELAYS THE LAUNCH WHERE YOU CAN SEE HERE THEY HAVE LOTS OF EQUIPMENT, PEOPLE, THEY CAN MOVE AROUND AND IF ANYTHING

IS WRONG, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO FIX IT. SO THEY HAVE FILLED IN AN ASSUMPTION OF A LEAK ON THE CHECKLIST, MADDIE HAS THE TIMELINE THERE AND IS RUNNING EVERYTHING BUT THEY HAVE FIGURED IN EXTRA TIME SO THAT IF THEY HAVE TO FIX A SUIT COMPONENT,

THEY HAVE TIME TO DO IT NOW. SO EVERYONE PASSED ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO RELAX A LITTLE BIT. RIGHT NOW THEY ARE NOT ON THE MOBILE COOLING UNITS YET. SO RIGHT NOW THIS IS A GOOD CHANCE TO GET THE CORE BODY TEMPERATURE DOWN BECAUSE ONCE

THEY GET OUTSIDE IN THE HOT HUMID FLORIDA AIR, THEY WILL GET WARMER, FASTER. SO THIS IS A CHANCE FOR THEM TO COOL OFF. AND ALSO 11:34, THERE’S LOTS OF DIFFERENT FAMILIES THAT ASTRONAUTS WORK WITH. THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY THEIR LOVED ONES, THE SPACEX FAMILY, MISSION CONTROL FAMILIES, AND EVERY ONE

OF THOSE FAMILIES IS SPECIAL, WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR 18-24 MONTHS. >> THIS IS A SHOT OF THE ASTRONAUT SUPPORT PERSON, WEARING THE NUMBER 21, AND SHE IS A NASA ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE, GRADUATING IN TWO DAYS AND WHAT IS HER ROLE HERE? >> DENISE IS WHAT WE CALL THE

AFT SUPPORT PERSON. THEY USED TO CALL IT IN THE SHUTTLE THE CAPED CRUSADERS BUT SHE IS EYES AND EARS LEADING UP TO THE LAUNCH FOR THE CREW. SHE HAS BEEN COORDINATING THE SYSTEM IN THE SHUTTLE AREA, THE ONLY OTHER PERSON WHO WOULD GO INSIDE, WHAT DENISE HAS BEEN DOING THE WHOLE TIME IN

QUARANTINE, AS THEY SCHEDULE THE SHIFTS, LAUNCH, WEATHER BRIEFINGS, IF THE CREW IS UNABLE TO COVER ALL THAT, SHE WILL ASSIST WITH THAT. THE OTHER THING IS THERE IS A PHONE ON THE PAD BUT THE THING YOU WON’T SEE WHEN THEY CUT THE FEED HERE, ALL THE LITTLE THINGS LIKE GETTING GLASSES READY, IF

SOMEONE HAS A TIMER, EXACTLY WHERE THEY WANT THE IPAD TO FIT. AFTER THOSE SEEM VERY LITTLE BUT AFTER A WHILE BEING VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT WHERE YOU WANT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS, LIKE MAYBE A TIMER LOCATED OR WHERE YOU WANT YOUR WATCH SO SHE IS THE EXPERT AND KNOWS FROM EACH

PERSON EXACTLY HOW THEY WANT THEIR THINGS TO INCLUDE MAYBE JENN NEAT WANTS HER VOLUME SET AT THIS SETTING THIS WEEK SO THAT ONCE THEY ARE IN DRAGON, EVERYBODY IS READY TO GO. >> AND I WOULD POINT OUT THE ONLY PERSON IN THE NASA BLACK SUIT IS DENISE. >> YES, CORRECT.

YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER FOLKS IN THE ROOM BUT THEY ARE IN QUARTERS AND BASICALLY WATCHING THE CLOCK AT THIS POINT. >> YES, YOU WERE SAYING IT IS MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THEM TO BE SITTING BECAUSE THEIR SUITS SCRUNCH THEM DOWN? >> YES, FORGOT TO MENTION THAT AGAIN TONIGHT.

THEY ARE NOT SLOUCHING, IT IS THE PHYSICAL SITUATION. IN THE PRESSURE CHECKS, THE HELMETS EXPAND AND IT IS VERY TIGHT SO WHEN YOU STAND UP, IT KIND OF HUNCHES YOU OVER, REALLY OBVIOUS WHEN THEY GO TO THE PAD, TRY TO LOOK UP AT THE ROCKET, IF YOU HAVE TO LEAN BACKWARDS, IT

PUTS PRESSURE ON YOUR HEAD AND SHOULDERS AND BACK SO THE LONGER YOU CAN BE IN A RECLINED POSITION, THE MORE COMFORTABLE IT IS. >> RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THIS ROOM UNTIL ABOUT 3 HOURS AND 24 MINUTES SO THEY HAVE TIME, AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. NO PROBLEM THERE.

>> YOU CAN SEE THAT BLUE THING DANGLING OUT OF HER HELMET IS HER EAR PIECE AND THE REASON THEY HAVE IT POPPED OUT IS THEY ARE NOT GETTING COM IN THE UMBILICAL, THEY HAVE ONE IN, ONE OUT SO THEY CAN HEAR PEOPLE TALKING TO THEM. WHEN THEY DO THE UMBILICAL

CHECK, THEY ARE TALKING THROUGH THEIR EAR PIECES SO IT IS KIND OF A 50/50 SITUATION. >> I DO KNOW THEY GOT COMS. ALTHOUGH I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. AS YOU TAKE A LOOK AT MATT AND MIKE THERE. HOW LONG HAS THE CREW TRAINED TOGETHER? >> BETWEEN 18-24 MONTHS IS THE WHOLE TRAINING.

KIND OF DEPENDS WHETHER YOU ARE DOING BACKUP FLOW OR NOT BUT IT IS NOT JUST THE DRAGON TRAINING. YOU CAN SEE MIKE SUITING UP LAST, PRACTICING WITH ALL THE OPTIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT. WE USE THE T-38 AS A GREAT ANA LOG AS FAR AS TALKING TO ANOTHER

PERSON, TALKING TO ANOTHER CREW, THE ISS. THIS IS WHERE WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING SPACE STATION TRAINING FOR NOMINAL AND PHENOMENAL SCENARIOS, WORKING ON SOME OF THE PAYLOADS YOU SEE, WHAT WE WILL BE DOING ON THE SPACE STATION, THE WHOLE REASON WE ARE THERE. THIS IS A SHOT OUT OF HAWTHORNE

WHERE THE HIGH FIDELITY TRAINING IS AT AND THAT WILL BE IN ENDEAVOR TODAY. ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAPPENING IN 18-24 MONTHS INCLUDING ROBOTICS TRAINING, SPACE WALK TRAINING AS WELL. >> ALSO LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER, THE COMARADERIE BUT LEARNING WHAT PEOPLE LIKE TO DO, DON’T LIKE TO DO, HOW THEY RESPOND TO THINGS, RIGHT?

>> YES, AND THAT IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST PIECE OF IT. THERE IS THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF IT BUT THEN THE SOFT SKILLS AND AT THIS POINT KNOWING HOW TO READ WHEN SOMEONE IS STRESSED, HOW TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION SO YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN SIMS

KIND OF DEWE HAVE AING HOW THINGS WENT AND THEN MOVING FORWARD. SO YOU SEE THE DEPUTY CHIEF IN THERE, FLIGHT OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, THEY HAVE ALL BEEN IN QUARANTINE THIS WHOLE TIME. TO THE LEFT IS DENISE WHO WAS ON THE SPACE STATION WITH ME, SPENT A YEAR UP THERE WITH ME AND A

COSMONAUT AND HAS BEEN IN QUARANTINE WITH ALEXANDER AND LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE ON THE MOBILE COOLING UNITS. >> AND THOSE ARE THOSE BLUE BOXES WE SEE TETHERED TO THEM, RIGHT? >> SIMILAR TECHNOLOGY FOR WHAT WAS USED IN THE SPACE PROGRAM, A GOOD CONCEPT THEN, GOOD CONCEPT NOW AND THAT ALLOWS THEM TO KEEP

COOLING AS THEY WALK OUT TO THE PAD. >> YOU CAN TELL THAT SOB VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE SO WE ARE INVITINGS YOU TO CHALLENGE HIM WITH YOUR QUESTIONS FOR THE NEXT FOUR AND A HALF HOURS, ON YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK, AND X. LOOK FORWARD TO AS MANY QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE LIVE. HAD SOME GOOD ONES YESTERDAY.

>> YES. >> AND ONE OF THE PROGRAMMING NOTES RIGHT NOW YOU WILL NOTICE THAT ROGER AND I ARE COMMENTATING RIGHT NOW OFF CAMERA, JUST AUDIO COMMENTING BUT AN HOUR FROM OUR COVERAGE, WE WILL COME ON CAMERA, AN HOUR BEFORE LIFTOFF AND THEN UNTIL OUR THREE ASTRONAUTS AND ONE

COSMONAUT ARE IN ORBIT, WE WILL WALK YOU THROUGH ALL OF THAT AS WELL. >> IT IS FOUR HOURS AS YOU HEARD FROM THE VOICE UP HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY ARE HUNCHED OVER FROM THE HELMET WEIGHT AND SUIT WEIGHT. AT THIS POINT THE SUITS THEMSELVES, THEIR HANDS ARE STILL IN THE TPWHROFS.

WHEN THEY HAVE DONE THE PRESSURE CHECK, YOU WILL SEE THE VISOR GO UP AND DOWN, THEY WILL DO ANOTHER CHECK TO SEE IF THEY ARE GETTING WARM OR NOT. WHAT THEY DON’T WANT TO DO IS GET OUT OF THE SUIT RAISING ANY CONCERN OF A LEAK CHECK IN CASE SOMETHING SHOULD CHANGE.

THERE ARE SOME VELCRO TABS AND HOOKS UNDER THE SUIT AND THOSE ALLOW THEM TO MAKE IT TIGHT SO THEY DON’T GET CAUGHT OR GET TANGLED IN THERE. HALF ERGONOMICS, HALF KEEPING THINGS CLEAN. >> WHILE IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE POSING FOR THINGS THERE IN THE SUIT-UP ROOM, WHY DON’T WE TALK

ABOUT THEIR DAY SO FAR, BEFORE THEY GOT IN THERE. AFTER YESTEE TALKED ABOUT THE FLEET SHIFTING, THEY WENT TO BED AT 2:00 P.M., WOKE UP AT 8:00 A.M., HAD BREAKFAST, FAMILY TIME AND THEN LUNCH AND DINNER WERE MOVED UP 22 MINUTES FROM YESTERDAY. THEY HAD THAT AT ABOUT 4:10 AND

NOW THEY ARE SUITING UP AND ABOUT READY TO PLAY A CARD GAME. >> >> THEY ARE. IT IS A LONG-STANDING TRADITION, GETTING A GAME PLAYED BY THE CREWS BEFORE HEADING OUT TO LAUNCH. THE IMPORTANT FACT IS THAT THE LEADERSHIP IS THERE. THE CREW 5 COMING BACK FROM THE

PACIFIC OCEAN DOING A MASSIVE TRAINING EVENT, PRACTICING RECOVERING THEM. >> SO LOOKS LIKE HE HAS SPLIT THE DECK, NOW DEALING AND THE POINT OF THIS CARD GAME IS SO THE COMMANDER LOSES TO USE UP HIS BAD LUCK SO THE WHOLE TEAM PROCEEDS WITH GOOD LUCK THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MISSION.

AND I THINK HE DID NOT LOSE SO WE’RE REDEALING. [LAUGHTER] DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS CARD GAME? >> IT IS WILL CHANGE FROM CREW TO CREW. NOT EXACTLY SURE. I THINK MIKE WON. >> AND THIS IS REALLY A MOMENT OF LEVITY, RIGHT, BEFORE — >> YEAH, ESPECIALLY IF EVERYTHING IS ON TIMELINE, THEY

DON’T HAVE ANY SUIT ISSUES, YOU KNOW, AHEAD OF THE TIMELINE, SO IT IS A NICE CHANCE TO KIND OF HANG OUT AND RELAX WITH THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED YOU AND WORKED WITH YOU NOT ONLY THE LAST FEW WEEKS BUT THE LAST 18-24 MONTHS. >> AND IT IS HIGH CARD.

LOOKED LIKE HE LOST BUT — >> HE IS LAUGHING WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR MATT. I THINK AT THIS POINT THEY ARE JUST HAVING FUN. >> IT IS VERY LIGHT HEARTED, RIGHT? >> THEY ARE AND THEY HAVE HAD TIME TO MAKE SURE ALL THESE DECISIONS ARE RIGHT.

I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THEM AFTER THE SCRUB. LOOKS LIKE EVERYTHING IS WORKING. >> LOOKS LIKE HE LOST AND THERE WERE CHEERS. VERY COUNTERINTUITIVE BUT THE IDEA IS A REALLY NICE MOMENT FOR THE CREW TO DO SOMETHING WITH EACH OTHER BEFORE THEY GET THE EMOTIONS.

>> YOU SEE THE CAMERA ON THE WALL THERE, WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE ABOUT YESTERDAY THIS TIME, YOU SEE A STICKER KIND OF ACROSS THE LEFT. THOSE ARE THE STICKERS OF THE PREVIOUS — [INDISCERNIBLE] >> WE ACTUALLY HAVE VIDEO OF THEM DOING THAT. >> THERE YOU GO, SORRY. [LAUGHTER]

>> SO THIS IS MATTHEW HOLDING THE COOLING BOX, STEPPING TO THE WALL THERE, A TRADITION THAT ROGER MENTIONED AND THEN THERE IS ALL THE STICKERS. ALSO PATCHES LINE THE OUTER ROOM OF THE DOOR THAT THEY WILL SOON WALK OUT OF. SCHEDULED FOR T-MINUS HOURS AND 20 MINUTES.

>> A LOT OF HISTORY WITH APOLLO 7 WALKING THROUGH THAT DOOR SO A CHANCE TO GO OUT THERE, SEE THE SHUTTLE PATCHES, A LOT OF HISTORY THERE. NOW FOLKS ABOUT TO WALK OUT. >> AND LET ME GET A LIVE SHOT. WE WILL SEE THREE ASTRONAUTS LINED UP, MIKE AND MATT WILL GET

IN THE SECOND TESLA AND THEN JEANETTE AND ALEXANDER WILL GET IN THE FIRST TESLA. SO THIS IS THE GATHERING OF MEDIA THAT ARE HERE TO COVER THE CREW WALK-OUT. >> KIND OF LIKE THREE ROWS IF YOU WILL, THE AFT-MOST ONE, PEOPLE WHO HAVEN’T BEEN IN ANY QUARANTINE. THE IMMEDIATE ONE IS THE FAMILY,

EXTENDED FAMILY WHO MAY HAVE BEEN RAY LOUD TO GO UP TO QUARANTINE AND THEN THE FIRST ONE, THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND BEEN IN QUARANTINE. YOU CAN SEE MATT’S FAMILY, JUST TO THE LEFT OF HER, DENISE, ONE OF THE NEW ASTRONAUTS IN THE NEW CLASS, AND THEN CAN’T QUITE SEE,

IT IS OFF-CAMERA BUT I THINK TO THE RIGHT IS MIKE BARRATT’S FAMILY MEMBER AND THEN FURTHER RIGHT YOU WILL SEE LATER THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS GROUP ARE THE NASA ADMINISTRATOR, OTHER SENIOR LEADERS OUT HERE SUPPORTING THE CREW OUT TO LAUNCH. >> NOW, WE ASKED PEOPLE TO ASK

QUESTIONS OF YOU ROGER AND WE HAVE SOME, WE LOVE THAT. SO OUR FIRST NASA QUESTION, THIS IS FROM SEBASTIAN ON YOUTUBE, AND HE SAYS DO YOU HAVE A COOLING GARMENT UNDER THE SEAT — YOUR SEAT? HE MEANS THE CREW. >> YES, THE ROOM YOU ARE SEICKING, THERE IS A COOLING

SEAT THERE BUT THE SPANNEDEX DRY MATERIAL THEY ARE WEARING, AND YOU CAN SEE SEBASTIAN, THE CREW, THE CIVIL SERVANT OF NASA, ADMINISTRATOR, THEN THE GUY WITH THE GLASSES, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR AND ONCE THE CREW COMES OUT, THEY WILL GO BEHIND THAT AND THEN FOUR OF THEIR FAMILIES, WHERE THEY WILL BE AT.

>> THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE NASA COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM, SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM SENDING ASTRONAUTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION REALLY EVERY SIX MONTHS. >> PRETTY IMPRESSIVE AND, YEAH, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, IN THE SPACEX U2, THERE IS NOT A COOLING GARMENT BUT AIR FLOW AND IT IS THE CONVECTION THAT TAKES

THE HEAT OFF THE BODY AND THEN THE AIR COMES OUT AND THAT IS WHAT KEEPS YOU COOL. IN THESE SUITS THAT WE WEAR FOR SPACE WALKS, THOSE DO HAVE THE COOLING GARMENTS SO IN THAT CASE IT IS WATER ACTIVELY GOING THROUGH TUBES AND A DOUBLE LAYER

JUST TO CHILL IT AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE WORKLOAD AND HEART RATE. IT IS NOT REALLY MEANT TO BE DOING A SPACE WALK NOW AS THEY ARE STILL STRAPPED IN TO THE SEAT. YOU SEE THEIR ARMS AND LEGS PUFFED OUT, NOT MEANT TO BE MOBILE.

SO YOU ARE NOT WORKING VERY HARD OR GETTING HOT BUT IN A EM2 SUIT, YOU ARE DOING A SPACE WALK AND YOU NEED SOMETHING TO TAKE THE HEAT OFF OF YOUR BODY. >> SO NOW WE SEE THE TESLAS AS THEY GET READY FOR THEIR RIDES. AND THE LICENSE PLATE, NICE TO SEE, YAYSPA8CE.

>> YES, I MENTIONED LAST NIGHT, WE ALWAYS TRY TO GET THE CREW NUMBER IN THE LICENSE PLATES OF THE VEHICLES THAT TAKE THEM. >> THERE WAS ONE THAT HAD SEVEN LETTERS IN IT, TYBEEEE AND THEN THE DRAGON, THERE WAS A 6 AND FOR 5, IT WAS BLACK OPPOSITE.

AGAIN, FUN MOMENTS THAT WE LIKE TO INCORPORATE INTO THE MISSION. AND REALLY HAVE JUST THE WALK-INS, NASA ASTRONAUTS PLAYING WITH — I THINK THAT IS MATT’S DAUGHTER? >> YES, IT IS NOT THE WHOLE CREW THAT FLEET SHIPS BUT THE FAMILY AND IT IS MY EXPERIENCE THAT FLEET SHIPPING THE WHOLE FAMILY

IS A CHALLENGE. >> AND THE PERSON TO THE RIGHT OF MORGAN, THERE IS A WHOLE TEAM OF FAMILY SUPPORT FOLKS THAT HELP OUT AS WELL. THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB COORDINATING AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, KEEPING TRACK OF WHO CAN BE WHERE, WHO CAN GET CLOSE AND NOT CLOSE TO THE CREW, THIS WHOLE

WEEK THEY HAVE BEEN HELPING WITH EXTENDED FAMILY, DOING EVENTS, TRYING TO LET EVERYONE BE AS PART OF IT AS THEY CAN BUT KEEPING THE CREWS SAFE AND HEALTHY. >> IT IS NICE TO FEEL LIKE THE WHOLE OFFICE IS SUPPORTING THE FAMILY AS YOU ARE IN SPACE. >> YES, OTHER THAN BEING OUT OF

THE ROCKET, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE FAMILIES WHO IS LOVED ONES ARE NOT ON THE ROCKET. >> SO-MINUS 3 HOURS, 6 MINUTES, THEY WILL BE WALKING DOWN THE HALL OUT OF THE EL VARIETY AND THEN THROUGH THE HALL WITH THEIR NAMES ON IT, AND THE MISSION

PAD, THEY ARE ACTUALLY WALKING OUT OF THE DOORS RIGHT NOW. >> YES, YOU WILL START TO SEE THE SPACEX VEHICLES COMING OUT, AT THIS POINT IT IS HELPING TO DO THAT FINAL CONFIGURATION FOR THEM, GETTING THINGS ARRANGED IN THEIR POCKETS, TO GO COORDINATION WITH ANYONE OUT AT THE PAD RIGHT NOW, WHAT STATE

THE VEHICLE IS IN, ALL THAT, SO ALL OF THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE BACKGROUND BEFORE WE GET HERE. >> WE HAVE A CAMERA READY SO YOU WON’T MISS IT AND WILL BRING YOU THAT LIVE. >> YOU ARE STARING DOWN HALF OF THE HALLWAY, PART OF THAT GOES BEHIND THE CAMERA AS WELL BUT

THE SUIT-UP ROOM ON THE LEFTHAND SIDE AND THEN THE MEDICAL AREA AND THEN BEYOND THAT, ACTUAL HOTEL ROOMS, DORM ROOMS, THAT KIND OF THING. AND THEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE THERE IS A CONFERENCE ROOM WHERE I ASSUME THEY WOULD HAVE GOT TEN THE WEATHER BRIEFING EARLIER THIS EVENING.

>> YEAH, I DIDN’T HEAR IT BUT I LOOKED IT UP AND THOUGHT WOW THERE IS A LOT IN THERE. >> YES, IT IS HALF LODGING, THE OTHER PART IS WORK SPACE AND A PRETTY SIZEABLE SET OF REFRIGERATORS AND KITCHENS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PACK FOR AT LEAST 14 DAYS WITH THE

QUARANTINE SO KIND OF LIKE A GIANT CAMPING TRIP THAT YOU CAN’T LEAVE. >> SIZEABLE CROWD OUT HERE AS WE TAKE A AERIAL SHOT FROM THE FLIGHT OPPOSITE TEAM HERE AT KENNEDY. >> THE OTHER FOLKS YOU ARE NOT SEEING THIS AFTERNOON BUT ARE ON HAND AND GOT A CHANCE TO SEE

THEM YESTERDAY AFTER THE SCRUB, SOME FAA FOLKS WHO ARE ON HAND AND HUGE SHOUTOUT TO THE FAA FOLKS WHAT THEY DO. YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THIS ROCKET IS GOING UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD, THAT MEANS PLANES CAN’T BE THERE. SO THEY ARE A BIG PIECE OF THE OPERATION.

>> WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THIS IS JENNY ON INSTAGRAM AND SHE ASKS WHAT MEAL DID YOU GUYS HAVE BEFORE FLIGHT, MEANING THE CREW. >> YES, MEGAN HAS THE ANSWER FOR THEM BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT WE HAD FOR CREW 3. >> WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR CREW 3?

>> WE ACTUALLY HAD TWO. BUT THE GREAT THING WE DID ON OUR SECOND ONE WAS HAVE A GROUP MEAL AND I THINK IT WAS THAI FOOD WITH KEY LIME PIE, I THINK. >> THAT SOUNDS GREAT. YOU MAY WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHY THEY CALL IT THE ULTIMATE MEAL.

>> WE AVOID CALLING IT THE LAST MEAL BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE LAST MEAL BUT THE ALTERNATE MEAL FROM BEFORE YOU LEAVE AND ALL OF THEM ARE MADE BY THE STAFF, THEN THEY HAVE TO BE CHECKED TO COME INTO THE FACILITY FOR QUARANTINE BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE MEALS ARE

BASICALLY GIVING EVERYONE THE SAME THING, THAT IS WHAT EVERYONE HAS BUT THE ULTIMATE MEAL, CREW MEMBERS MAY MAKE REQUESTS AND THEY WILL HAVE THAT FOR A MEAL. >> SO FOR PILOT MIKE BARRAT, IT WAS GRILLED MEAT AND VEGGIES. THEN MATTHEW DOMINICK, WHATEVER HE MADE PROBABLY. JEANETTE ASKED FOR CHICKEN AND

ALEXANDER HAD SOUP MEAT AND VEGGIES. WE’RE CLOSE TO THE TIME WHEN WE SEE THE CREW WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY FROM THE EL VARIETY AND CROWD OF FOLKS WANTING TO WISH THEM GOOD LUCK FOR THE SIX-MONTH MISSION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> THE DIRECTOR THERE OF THE SPACE CENTER, THAT IS PAM

PH*ELROY TALKING WITH MIKE BARRATT’S FAMILY. HERE THEY COME. >> OKAY, HERE THEY COME, MIKE AND MATT, COMMANDER AND PILOT, THEN MISSION SPECIALISTS, ALEXANDER AND JEANETTE. APPLAUSE FROM FOLKS AROUND THEM AS THEY WALK TOWN THE HALLWAY TO THE CREW QUARTERS. THEY ARE GETTING INSIDE AN EL VARIETY, THE FIRST PIECE OF THEIR BIG TREK.

>> AND I DON’T KNOW IF THEY GOT THIS FAR YESTERDAY ON THE FEED BUT I AT LEAST DIDN’T KNOW THERE WOULD BE THAT BANNER THERE WHEN THEY GOT INSIDE. IT IS A REALLY COOL THING TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND TURN AROUND AND SEE ALL THE SIGNATURES OF THE FOLKS YOU HAVE WORKED WITH

AS A SURPRISE FACTOR. >> A GOOD NOTE TO POINT OUT FROM YESTERDAY. YESTERDAY THEY DECIDED TO STAND DOWN FROM THE LAUNCH ATTEMPT RIGHT BEFORE THIS MOMENT, ACTUALLY. THEY WERE WAITING FOR CREW 8 TO WALK DOWN THE HALLWAY WHEN THE LAUNCH DIRECTOR CAME ON THE MISSION AUDIO LOOP AND YOU HEARD

THAT LIVE FOR YOURSELVES, THAT IS WHEN THEY SAID THEY WERE STANDING DOWN FROM YESTERDAY’S LAUNCH ATTEMPT BEFORE THEY WENT DOWN THE CORRIDOR. BUT WE ARE LOOKING MUCH BETTER TODAY AND I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE WEATHER OFFICER TELLING THE TEAM A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE T-MINUS 4 HOUR MARK,

LOOKING LIKE A GOOD DAY TO FLY. NOW, WE ARE EXPECTING THE CREW TO WALK OUT IN ABOUT 3 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS. IT DOESN’T TAKE THEM THAT LONG TO GET THERE, RIGHT, BUT AGAIN WE’RE STICKING TO A VERY STRICT SCHEDULE. >> IT HAS A PAD BUILT INTO IT

AND THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THE ACTUAL LAUNCH, THERE’S LESS ABILITY ON THAT PAD SO YOU BUILD THAT IN SO IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, YOU DON’T HAVE TO RUSH. YOU HEARD THEM CALL THE LAUNCH WINDOW AND THAT COMES OUT OF THE FACT THE FUEL STARTS ON THE PAD

AND STARTS TO BOIL OFF DUE TO THE TEMPERATURES. UNLIKE SOME VEHICLES WHERE YOU SIT THERE FOR A WHILE IN LAUNCH HOLD BUT THAT IS NOT THE WAY THEY DO IT HERE. INSTEAD OF HAVING A LAUNCH HOLD, THEY BUILD THE PAD IN WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT TO STOPPING THE CLOCK. >> RIGHT.

YOU SAID THIS YESTERDAY BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT BE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE ON THE — >> YES, THE RIGHTHAND SIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME THERE, YOU CAN SEE IT IS THE RECENT SPACEX MISSION. THE TOP RIGHT, THERE’S 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 AND 8. WE HAVE TWO SPOTS LEFT SO WE

EITHER HAVE TO GO OVER THE RAILING OR JUMP OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE. I AM SURE THEY WILL COME UP WITH SOMETHING. MAYBE ADD ANOTHER COLUMN TO THE DOORS. >> IT IS A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE WITH ALL THE SPACE FLIGHTS HAPPENING. HERE WE ARE LOOKING AT KENNEDY AGAIN.

YEAH, IT IS KIND OF MIND BOGGLING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH IT HAS CHANGED FOR HUMAN SPACE FLIGHTS IN FIVE YEARS WHERE WE WENT FROM THE ABILITY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUR ASTRONAUTS TO SPACE ON THEIR OWN TO NOW THE 8TH OPERATION OF A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE THAT IS

PRETTY AMAZING, ONE WITH A BOOSTER, ONE WITH A CAPSULE. THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME WE’RE USING ENDEAVOR CAPSULE WHICH IS ALSO A RECORD, JUST AMAZING. >> REAL TESTAMENT TO WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN WE PUT OUR MINDS TO IT. CREATING THIS COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM TO PARTNER WITH COMMERCIAL COMPANIES SO WE CAN

DO THIS MORE FREQUENTLY AND BE RELIABLE. >> AND AGAIN ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL SEE LATER TONIGHT, WILL TALK ABOUT HAWTHORNE AND USED BUT WHAT A LOT OF FOLKS DON’T REALIZE IS THERE IS A HOLD ON THE TEAM ON THE CAPE SIDE, THAT IS PACKED WITH FOLKS FROM NASA

AND SPACEX WORKING ON THE LAUNCH OF THE VEHICLE. >> YOU CAN SEE THE FOCUS ON THE DOORS OUT OF THE OPERATIONS AND CHECKOUT BUILDING HERE AT KENNEDY. LESS THAN 30 SECONDS, WE EXPECT CREW 8 TO WALK OUT INTO A CROWD OF FOLKS. WE ARE HOPING TO WISH THEM WELL ON THEIR TRIP.

>> SPACE BEHIND THE WINDOW THERE, SO LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE ON TIME. >> HERE THEY COME! CREW 8 TAKING THEIR FIRST STEPS OUTSIDE BEFORE THEIR JOURNEY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. YOU CAN HEAR THE CHEERS, SOME WAVING, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU, MISSION SPECIALIST ALEXANDER GREBENKIN,

THEN WE HAVE THE PILOT, MICHAEL BARRATT, MATTEW DOMINICK, THE COMMANDER AND THEN JEANETTE ESPN. THEY HAVE SIGNS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE. >> EXACTLY. WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS THEY WON’T GO ANY FURTHER DOWN SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN IN QUARANTINE AND THEN THE IMMEDIATE FAMILIES STAYING THERE AND ONCE THEY GET INTO THE

VEHICLES, THE FAMILIES HAVE TO UNFORTUNATELY TALK TO THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WINDOWS. >> NOW WE HAVE A SHOT OF MICHAEL. YOU RECOGNIZE THESE KIDS? >> THE ONE IN FRONT OF THEM RIGHT NOW IS THE ADMINISTRATOR. I THINK THEY ARE TALKING TO THEM. AND I THINK THERE ARE ADULT KIDS

BEHIND STEVE. >> WE’RE GETTING AUDIO FROM THE TEAM. LET’S LISTEN IN TO WHAT FOLKS ARE SAYING. >> HALEY GIVING THEM THE WRAP-IT-UP, NUMBER 34. ONE OF THE MEMBERS THE CREW IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH, HELPING THEM TO RUN THE FULL-TIME OPERATION AND THEN THE FAMILIES TALKING TO THEM THROUGH THE WINDOWS.

>> WE ARE EXPECTING THEM TO LEAVE AS WE ARE T-MINUS 3 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES, ANOTHER GREAT CHEER FROM THE CROWD AS WE SEE JEANETTE TAKING HER BOW, THEN ALEXANDER GREBENKIN AND THEN IN FRONT OF THEM, MATT AND MIKE. >> AND THE PEOPLE WITH THEM ARE THE SPACEX AND USUALLY TWO TECHS

OR FLIGHT DOC, KIND OF A MIX. SO YOU ARE ALWAYS READY TO RESPOND IF ANYONE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE SUIT. >> AND SO THEY ARE ALSO GOING TO ATTACH THEM TO THEIR UMBILICAL COOLING UNITS. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO GO UP?

>> YES, THEY LIMITED THEM ON TIME, IT CAN GET PRETTY HOT IN THE VEHICLE SO THEY HOOK THEM UP FOR THE COOLING. AND IT IS MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THE CREW TO BE SITTING THAN STANDING, THEN THE WEIGHT OF THE SUIT IS OFF THEIR SHOULDERS. >> SO THE ONES IN THE CARS HAVE

BEEN IN QUARANTINE. >> YES, EXTENDED FAMILY CAN’T COME UP TO THE WINDOWS BUT THE OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN QUARANTINE THE WHOLE TIME CAN. >> MATT’S TWO DAUGHTERS THERE, A PICTURE OF THEM WITH MATT IN THE CAR. >> STILL LOOKS LIKE MIKE’S ADULT CHILDREN WERE ALLOWED TO GO TO

THE FRONT OF THE CAR, NOT JUST AT THE WINDOW. PRETTY STANDARD FOR THE FOLKS WHO WERE ACTUALLY IN QUARANTINE GETTING CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEAR WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. >> AND I THINK WE DID SEE THAT MATT HAS YOUNGER CHILDREN. I KNOW YOU HAD YOUNGER CHILDREN WHEN YOU FLEW.

HOW DID YOU PREPARE THEM FOR THIS MOMENT OR HOW WAS THAT MOMENT FOR THEM? >> WELL, IT IS INTERESTING. I THINK THE FAMILY KIND OF DEALS WITH IT IN THEIR OWN WAY. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT BEFOREHAND. >> AND NOW YOU CAN SEE THE CREW IS DEPARTING THE CHECKOUT

BUILDING BEGINNING THE 20-MINUTE DRIVE WITH A FULL SECURITY ESCORT TO THE LAUNCH PAD 39A. AND IN THE WORDS OF THEIR LICENSE PLATE, YAYSPA8CE. >> AND WE WANT TO INVITE THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING TO PARTICIPATE BY ASKING QUESTIONS. AS YOU SEE THE CONVOY HANG A RIGHT, THEY WILL BE DRIVING TO

THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. SEND YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE WILL ANSWER AS MANY AS WE CAN. AND AS THEY BEGIN THEIR DRIVE OUT, USUALLY LESS THAN 20 MINUTES BUT AS WE BEGIN THE DRIVE, ONCE AGAIN, HEAR FROM COMMANDER MATT DOMINICK, FIRST SPACE FLIGHT BUT 1600 FLIGHT HOURS AND 400 COMBAT POSITIONS

AS NAVAL OPERATOR. >> I AM SO EXCITED TO BE IN SPACE FLIGHT FOR AN INFLECTION POINT I FEEL IS COMING. IF YOU LOOK AT CIVIL OCCASION AND VARIOUS INFLECTION POINTS, THINGS TAKE OFF. I AM MATT DOMINICK, COMMANDER OF NASA’S CREW 8 MISSION TO THE SPACE STATION. I GREW UP WITH TWO PARENTS AND

HAD AN OLDER BROTHER. THEY ENCOURAGED THE OUTDOORS, SO MANY THINGS TO DO AND SEE. I ALWAYS WANTED TO EXPLORE AND SATIATE WITH THE WORLD AROUND ME. KEPT PUSHING THROUGH MY LIFE. I JOINED THE NAVY BECAUSE I WANTED TO GO FASTER, FLY AIRPLANES AND IT WAS A CHANCE TO

KEEP PUSHING MYSELF FURTHER IN CURIOSITY OF THE WORLD AROUND ME. I HAVE BEEN IN NASA FOR SIX YEARS AND EXCITED ABOUT GETTING TO FLY IN SPACE. WORKING WITH CREW 8 IS ABSOLUTE AWESOME. WE HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF ACADEMIC BACKGROUNDS COMING TOGETHER AND SO EXCITING TO SEE THE TEAM DYNAMICS AS WE GET

READY TO LAUNCH, SEE WHAT MAKES THEM TICK, WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO EACH OTHER. I VIEW CREW 8 AS A TORCH BEARER, WE ARE A TORCH BEARER ON THAT PATH TO THE FUTURE AS WE MOVE HUMANITY FORWARD. WE ARE RELIEVING CREW 7, CREW 9 WILL RELIEVE US AND KEEPING THE

HISTORY OF SPACE IN LOWER ORBIT ALIVE. TO UNDERSTAND THE THINGS YOU ARE STUDYING, JUST LAUNCHING 1, 2 OR 15 PEOPLE TO SPACE LEAVES YOU WITH A VERY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE. EVERY TIME WE LAUNCH 4 MORE PEOPLE TO SPACE, WE’RE BUILDING OUR SAMPLE SIZE AND THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO YOUR BODY AS YOU

GO UP TO IT. THAT SETS US UP TO GO TO MARS. MANY PEOPLE THINK WE’RE USING CRAZY CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE SPACE WORK. THERE IS NO SMOKE AND MIRRORS, IT IS JUST HARD WORK IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY AND PHYSICS. WE ARE PART OF A MASSIVE TEAM OF

PEOPLE WHO NEED TO CONTINUE THAT PRESENCE IN LOWER ORBIT AND NOT LETTING THAT LIGHTING OUT. WE ARE A LINE OF SOLDIERS ON THE GROUND MAKING SURE THIS CONTINUES AND BEING A SMALL PART OF THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT. >> THE CONVOY CONTINUING ITS DRIVE TO THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, LAUNCH PAD 39A.

MICHAEL BARRATT HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN IN 2009 AND 2011. HERE IS MORE. >> THE ISS IS, I WOULD SAY, A VERY CRITICAL STEPPING POINT IN HUMAN EXPLORATION BELOWER EARTH ORBIT. I AM PILOT MICHAEL BARR ATT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. I GREW UP IN VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON, A SMALL CITY, RAISED

SHEEP AND CATTLE AND THERE WAS MUCH IN THE WORLD AROUND ME TO BE FASCINATING. I HAD AN INTEREST IN ASTRONOMY, OCEANOGRAPHY, PHOTOGRAPHY, I BUILT T*ELS SCOPES IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HAD THIS COMMANDING DARK SKY OUT THERE THAT WAS MAGNIFICENT AND I WENT THROUGH THESE PHASES OF ONLY WANTING TO BE AN ASTRONOMER OR

OCEANOGRAPHER AND ALWAYS HAVING TO FIX THINGS, GETTING UP WITH THE ANIMALS AND I DIDN’T APPRECIATE IT THEN BUT I DO NOW AND PROBABLY WHAT LED ME TO WHERE I AM TODAY. I CAME TO JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN ’91 AND NEVER LEFT EXCEPT WHEN I LEFT THE PLANET. SPENT NINE YEARS AS A FLIGHT

SURGEON AND I WOULD SAY THAT IS ONE OF THE DREAM JOBS OF MASS IS A. THE POINT IS HOW WE ADAPT, PREPARE FOR SPACE, REHAB WHEN WE COME BACK AND HOW OUR PHYSIOLOGY CHANGES. THAT JOB ALLOWS YOU TO DABBLE IN ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND BEING THE LAST OF THE PEOPLE TO SEE

THE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY LAUNCH, FIRST TO SEE THEM WHEN THEY LAND AND THAT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. I WAS LUCKY TO TRANSFER TO THE ASTRONAUT KO*RPS IN 2007. I WAS FORTUNATE TO FLY THE SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY AND WE PUT THE MODULE INTO PLACE. WE KIND OF CONSIDERED THE SPACE

STATION COMPLETE AT THAT TIME AND IT WAS NOT SMALL. SINCE THAT TIME SHE HAS ACTUALLY GROWN QUITE A BIT. SO WHAT I EXPECT TO FIND IS THE CORE OF THE STATION THAT I LOVED SO MUCH AND SPENT 200 DAYS ON PLUS NEW MODULES AND RESEARCH CAPABILITIES AND MORE THAN

ANYTHING, NEW DOCKING PORTS FOR THE NEW GENERATION SPACECRAFT. WHAT I REMEMBER MOST FONDLY FROM MY FIRST MISSION WAS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND CHANGING OUT WITH MY GALLEY MEATS AT THE END OF A LONG WORKDAY. MY GOAL IS TO SEE MY CREW BE PART OF IT, HELP BUILD IT AND

COME DOWN SO MUCH BETTER THAN WE WERE. IF WE DO THAT AND EXECUTE OUR MISSION AND ARE FATIGUED, TIRED, BUT GIDDY WITH SUCCESS, THAT IS WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR. >> CREW 8 CONVOY NOW PASSING KENNEDY’S EYE CONIC VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING. THIS IS WHERE NASA WILL STAFF THE SPACE ROCKET AND ORION

SPACECRAFT FOR ARTEMIS2 THAT IS EXPECTED TO LAUNCH NEXT YEAR AND WILL SEND FOUR ASTRONAUTS TO THE MOON. >> WORKING WITH THE CREW ON RECOVERY, STACKING THE ORION ON TOP OF THE LNS AND IN NO TIME AT ALL, IT WILL FLY BY, SENDING HUMANS TO THE MOON FOR THE FIRST

TIME IN A LONG TIME. >> AND THERE OR THE LEFT SCREEN, THE ZIGGY BALL, YOU CAN’T MISS THAT. >> ON A DRY DAY IN THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT, CLEAR AND DRY AND SO MASSIVE. >> WE HAVE THE FORMER TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICER AND PATENT

HOLDER ON CREW 8, HERE IS MORE ON SPECIALIST JEANETTE ESPN. >> WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION IS LEARNING NEW THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD FIND IN OUR LIFETIME. MY NAME IS JEANETTE EPPS, I AM FROM SYRACUSE, NEW YORK WHERE IT IS VERY COLD. I AM ONE OF 7 CHILDREN.

MY TWIN SISTER, JANET, JANET AND JEANETTE, WE BOTH LOVED SCIENCE AS KIDS. JANET WENT ON TO BE A MOLEC ULAR CELL BIOLOGIST AND I WENT ON TO BE AN ENGINEER. I THINK I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A ASTRONAUT BUT DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD BE OBTAINABLE. IN 2008, A FRIEND OF MINE CALLED

ME AND SAID THEY WERE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE NEXT CLASS. IT WAS MY CHANCE TO APPLY AND SO I DID. IN 2009 I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM PEGGY WHITMAN WHO ASKED WOULD I LIKE TO JOIN THE ASTRONAUT CORPS. IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL AND OVERWHELMING FOR ME TO GET THAT CALL.

FRYER NASA, I WORKED FOR THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. I LEARNED TO DIG DEEP IN OPERATIONAL MATTERS AND TECHNICAL MATTERS. MY MISSION WILL INVOLVE TAKING CARE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND THEN OUR EXPERIMENTS. EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL BE A EXPERIMENT IN AND OF THEMSELVES, HOW OUR CELLS CHANGE, BLOOD

CHANGES, MUSCLE MASS, LOOKING AT THE HUMAN BODY SO IT CAN LIVE LONGER AND LONGER OUTSIDE THE EARTH’S PROTECTION. NOT ONLY WILL WE BE AN EXPERIMENT BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER EXPERIMENTS WE CONDUCT. THE EXPERIMENTS WE CONDUCT WILL HOPEFULLY GET THE HUMAN BODY AND OTHER THINGS TO THE MOON AND

THEN FROM THE MOON TO MARS. I WILL BE THE JEM SPECIALIST, AND I WILL GET A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THE ROBOTIC ARM TO DO EXPERIMENTS FOR THE SPACE STATION. THIS WILL BE MY FIRST TRIP TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO OBSERVING EARTH FROM AN INTERESTING VANTAGE POINT AND

ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT. AS WE ARE STRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE, WHAT I BELIEVE I WILL BE FEELING IS SURREALISM, PURE JOY AND THEN TO SEE THE EARTH FROM THAT VANTAGE POINT AND THINKING WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON THE SPACE STATION THAT WILL HELP OUR HOME TEAM.

WHEN I GET TO THE SPACE STATION, I AM EXPECTING IT WILL BE LIKE HOME. WE HAVE TRAINED SO MUCH HERE ON EARTH IN A MOCK-UP THAT LOOKS LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THE BIGGEST THING I WILL HAVE TO DO IS ADAPT TO SPACE THE FIRST TWO WEEKS WE ARE THERE AND THEN

I WILL SETTLE IN TO HOME. >> AN AERIAL VIEW, GETTING THE MISSION COSMONAUT ALEXANDER GREBENKIN WITH A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING AND COMMUNICATIONS AND BROADCAST. [ SPEAKING RUSSIAN ] >>> LOOKING LIVE NOW, THE CREW CONVOY ARRIVING AT LAUNCH PAD 39A. WE WILL BE DRIVING AROUND THE BACK, RIGHT?

>> YES, AROUND THE TRAILERS, A BIOBREAK IF THEY NEED IT BEFORE THEY HEAD UP IN THE ROCKET. >> A BATHROOM BREAK. >> WE HAVE LOTS OF POSITIVE VIDEO THERE OF THE CREW. >> AND THIS IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE, RIGHT? >> RIGHT. THEY HAVE WHAT IS CALLED MAGS

WHICH IS A FANCY ACRONYM BUT IT WILL ALLOW THEM TO NOT BE DIVERSE. >> AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A ASTRONAUT TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE OF FLYING IN SPACE. JUST CHECK OUT HOW YOU CAN GET A VIRTUAL PASSPORT. >> DID YOU KNOW THERE HAS BEEN OVER A MILLION REGISTER STATIONS

IN THE NASA GUEST PROGRAM SINCE MAY 2020. IF YOU ARE A NEIGHBOR TO A CREW 5 ASTRONAUT, YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED WHO IS A VIRTUAL GUEST. >> YOU HAVE MARS 2020? >> SURE DO. >> I HAVE CREW 8 HERE AND YOU GUYS ARE HERE. >> WE CONDUCTED OVER 200 EXPERIMENTS AND TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS.

WE LOVED BEING PART OF THE CREW 8. >> EVEN IF YOU ARE DOING A SEARCH, NEVER MISS A CHANCE TO BE IN THE GUEST PROGRAM, WHETHER ENROUTE TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION OR LOCATED ANYWHERE AROUND THE GLOBE, REGISTER AT N ASA.GOV/VIRTUALGUEST TO RECEIVE UPDATES ON MISSIONS AND MILESTONES.

AS YOU ARE A GUEST, YOU WILL SEE A RESOURCE AND A PASSPORT WITH A STAMP FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH. >> REMEMBER, YOU ONLY GET THE STAMP IF YOU REGISTER. >> I JOINED. I WILL MAKE IT NEXT TIME. >> AND THE QR CODE FOR THE WEBSITE THAT THEY HAD ON THE

SCREEN, WE WILL BRING IT UP FOR YOU ONE MORE TIME, THE QR CODE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, SCAN IT OR IT IS NASA.GOV/VIRTUALGUEST. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE HERE AT NASA, BRINGING YOU UP WITH WHAT WE HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH BY HEADING INTO SPACE.

>> ONLY SO MANY PEOPLE CAN GET ONSITE HERE AND LATE AT NIGHT WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE WE CAN BRING IN AND WATCH, THE MORE THE BETTER AND HOPEFULLY THE NEXT GENERATION OF KIDS OUT THERE CAN SOLVE ALL THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE. WE DON’T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS BUT HOPEFULLY SOMEONE OUT THERE DOES.

>> THE CREW HAS ARRIVED EARLY TO THE PAD. THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR T-MINUS 2 HOURS AND 55 MINUTES. THEY ARE HAVING THEIR LAST REAL BATHROOM BREAK BEFORE THEY GET INTO THE LAUNCH TOWER, WALK ACROSS AND INTO THE DRAGON SPACECRAFT. DRAGON ENDEAVOR. >> AND MORE THAN LIKELY THEY ARE ALSO PROBABLY GETTING UPDATES ON

THE WEATHER. WE MENTIONED BEFORE, DIFFERENT CREW MEMBERS HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF SETTING UP THINGS ON THEIR LEGS AND SUITS IN TERMS OF A CARD OR WHETHER THEY PUT NOTES IN THE IPAD THEY HAVE ON SO FOR ANY OF THESE FREE MOMENTS, THEY ARE A TIME TO SORT OF GO THROUGH

THAT TO PUT THINGS WHERE YOU WANT THEM. ALWAYS NICE TO BE A LITTLE BIT AHEAD AND HAVE THAT SET UP AHEAD OF TIME. >> RIGHT. JUST TO SET UP THE EXPECTATION WHAT WE WILL SEE, SO WE WILL SEE THE COMMANDER MATT AND THE PILOT MIKE, THEY WILL BE THE FIRST TO

TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAUNCH PAD. >> YEAH, EXACTLY AND IT IS MAINLY DRIVEN BY WHEN YOU GET TO THE STRAP-IN PART, TRYING TO HAVE ALL FOUR PEOPLE STRAP IN AT THE SAME TIME WOULD BE A BIT CROWDED SO FOR THAT REASON, THEY DO TWO AT A TIME AND THEY DO THE

TWO MIDDLE TWO FIRST SO MATT AND MIKE WILL GET IN AND THEN THEY WILL DO THE TWO OTHER SEATS. >> WE WILL TAKE OUR VIEWERS INSIDE, THE COLLAPSING ARM ROOM BEFORE THEY GET IN THE SPACECRAFT AND THEY WILL SHE IT IS TIGHT. >> YEAH, AND THE REASON IT IS

TIGHT PARTIALLY IS YOU ARE ON TOP OF A GIANT TOWER BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT IS ESSENTIALLY A CLEAN ROOM. THEY CALL IT THE WHITE ROOM WHICH HARKENS BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DAYS OF SPACE FLIGHT, IT IS A MOBILE CLEAN ROOM AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THAT PLASTIC AND

RUBBER, THOSE ARE SEALS AND YOU CAN SEE THE AIR HOSE RUNNING INTO THE CABIN. SO IT IS NOT HOT AND HUMID LIKE IT IS OUTSIDE SO THEY ARE TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY-CONTROLLING IT BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY CONTROLLING FOR DEBRIS BECAUSE EVEN A HUMAN LAYER ACROSS THAT HATCH CAN KNOCK THINGS OFF.

THAT IS WHY THEY WEAR THOSE SUITS WITH THE HELMETS, THAT QUITE SQUARE THING IS STICKY MATERIAL, THAT CATCHES ANY LINT, LITTLE PIECES OF PEBBLES THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PICKED UP AS THEY WENT BY THE EL VARIETY, THE CREW WILL HAVE THE BOOTS ON AND THEN GO THROUGH THE CLEAN ROOM

AND THAT WILL CATCH ANYTHING ELSE. SO YOU CAN SEE OVER THE HAMP SEAL, EVERYTHING IS PROTECTED. NOW HERE THEY ARE COMING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROCKET. >> THAT’S RIGHT. THERE IS MATT AND MIKE WALKING OVER TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THEIR RIDE TO SPACE.

>> AND IT IS HARD TO SEE BECAUSE THE HELMET IS HEAVY AND YOU HAVE TO KIND OF LEAN BACKWARDS. >> YEAH. [LAUGHTER] >> THERE YOU SEE HIM RAISING HIS CHIN TRYING TO TILT THE HELMET UP. >> TAKING A NICE LONG LOOK. >> HE MENTIONED THE CAPSULE BEING USED AS A BRAND-NEW

BOOSTER AND PIONEER THE REUSE OF THE BOOSTERS AND THE CAPSULES, PRETTY AMAZING. >> YEAH, THIS TIME DRAGON. AND HERE THEY ARE GETTING INTO AN EL VARIETY THAT WILL TAKE THEM UP THE LAUNCH TOWER. WE WON’T BE JOINING THEM INSIDE THE EL VARIETY BUT WE DO HAVE A PICTURE OF THE BUTTONS INSIDE

THERE IF WE CAN PULL THAT UP AS THEY WALK INSIDE. YOU CAN SEE THE BOTTOM FLOOR THERE AND WHERE THEY WILL BE GOING TO SHORTLY. >> VERY EASY TO KNOW WHICH BUTTON YOU HAVE TO PUSH. >> NO CONFUSION THERE, HUH? WAS IT LIKE THAT FOR YOU? >> I THINK THIS IS A NEW

ADDITION. THE NUMBERS CORRESPOND TO THE FEET OFF THE GROUND AND YOU CAN IMAGINE WITH ARTEMIS, IT WILL BE A BIGGER NUMBER. THEY COME OUT HERE AND THEN WRAP AROUND AND GO UP ANOTHER SHORT SET OF STAIRS AND IT GOES UP TO THE ACTUAL LEVEL. AND YOU SAW SINCE THEY ARE GOING

INTO THE CLEAN ROOM, THEY HAVE THE ADDITIONAL HOODS ON FOR THEIR HAIR AS WELL. AND 21 LIKE YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT DENOTES THE APP AND HARDER TO TELL NOW THAT EVERYBODY HAS THEIR HOODS ON. >> SO MATT AND MIKE WALKING UP ANOTHER SET OF STAIRS AND THAT WILL BRING THEM TO THE FINAL

LEVEL. >> YES, THE YELLOW CHEVRON YOU SEE ON THE GROUND, IF THEY HAVE TO EGRESS, THEY ARE SLIDE WIRES THAT GO FROM THE TOP OF THE TOWER TO THE GROUND SO IF THERE ARE BAD VISUAL CONDITIONS, YOU CAN LOOK DOWN AND KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO. >> BECAUSE THEY WILL BE WALKING

AGAINST THEM TO GET INTO THE CRAFT. AND IF THERE WERE A EMERGENCY, THEY WOULD BE GOING DOWN. >> YES, YOU CAN SEE THE ACCESS ARM AND ALEXANDER AND JEANETTE TAKING THEIR TIME TO GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE ROCKET. >> YES, SOME ROCKET TIME AND A WAVE FROM ALEXANDER.

>> KIND OF A COOL VIEW WITH ALL THE LIGHT ON IT AT NIGHT. >> I WONDER HOW THEY ARE FEELING IN THIS MOMENT? TO SEE THEM ARRIVE AND ALSO AT THE BASE OF THIS ROCKET, SOME BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF IT BUT TO REALLY BE AT THE BOTTOM LOOKING UP, THAT IS WHEN IT BECOMES

REALLY — >> IT IS PRETTY EXCITING AND WHY I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WE SEE, EVEN THOUGH IT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, TILT THE HEAD UP AND THE HELMET TO GET A SENSE OF SCALE. REALLY HARD TO COMPARE IT TO, YOU LOSE THAT SENSE ON HOW BIG IT IS.

>> A GREAT SHOT FROM THE FLIGHT OP TEAM HERE, A HELICOPTER THAT IS ORBITING THE PAD RIGHT NOW GIVING YOU THAT BEAUTIFUL SHOT OF MIKE AND MATT. THEY ARE MAKING PHONE CALLS. >> YEP, YOU CAN SEE IN THE LEFTHAND PICTURE, THE VIEW OF WHERE THEY ARE AT ON THE PAD ARM

AND ON THE RIGHTHAND VIEW, YOU ARE SEEING THE NUMBER 21 BENEATH THERE OPERATING THE PAD PHONE THERE FOR THEM TO CALL TO THEIR FAMILY BEFORE THEY GO INTO THE ARM. >> ABOUT TO GET IN THE CAPSULE WITH SKPHO*EUT MIKE THERE. YOU MENTIONED THAT THEY NEED HELP AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE

GLOVES AND NEEDING TO DIAL? >> YES, AND AGAIN SUPER CONSERVATIVE ABOUT ANYTHING GETTING CONTAMINATED OR TOUCHING ANYTHING BUT YEAH WITH, THE PADDED GLOVE, THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF MISDIALING. >> AND SOME OF THE FOLKS YOU DID JUST SEE, AND COULD BE OTHERS? >> YES, MAYBE PEOPLE WHO COULDN’T TRAVEL HERE, AREN’T

WELL ENOUGH TO TRAVEL BUT IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THEIR LIFE AND I THINK THEY ARE THE OTHER PEOPLE THEY MIGHT TALK REACH OUT TO. YOU SEE THERE GETTING RID OF THE COOLING UNITS THERE. THEY LEFT THEM — YOU SEE LIKE THE BOTTOM, MIDDLE, NOW THEY TRANSITION TO THE CREW ACCESS ARM.

>> AND THERE WE HAVE COMMANDER MATT DOMINICK, PILOT MICHAEL BARRATT WALKING AS PART OF THE CREW, WAVING TO THE CAMERA. AND INTO THE WHITE ROOM SO LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE REMOVING THE GLOVES NOW. >> YES, LOOKS LIKE THEY MIGHT BE GETTING STARTED THERE. >> YES, SO THEY SIGN THEIR NAMES AROUND IT?

>> YES, AND AS MANY TRADITIONS START, ONE CREW HAS DONE IT AND THEY KEEP DOING IT. >> RUNNING OUT OF SPACE THERE TOO. >> RIGHT NEXT TO THE MEAT BALL IS ACTUALLY THE SPACEX LOGO AND THAT IS SIGNED BY THE CREWS OF AXIOM 1, 2, AND 3, THE FIRST COMMERCIAL COMPANY TO TRANSPORT

PRIVATE CREWS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND THEN THE FIRST ALL-CIVILIAN CREW TO ORBIT THE EARTH. SO THIS IS LIKE A PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION OF ALL WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. >> LIKE A PERFECT REPRESENTATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP, TOO. YOU CAN SEE THE PUBLIC AND THE

PRIVATE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND ENABLING PRIVATE SPACE BY UTILIZING GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE SAME PAD, SAME FACILITY, SAME SPACE CENTER TO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN. >> SO WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE, FOREIGN DEBRIS CHECK? >> LOOKS LIKE THEY TOOK THEIR HANDS OUT OF THE GLOVES TO SIGN.

IT IS CREW PREFERENCE WHERE YOU WANT TO WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE TPWHROFS BUT THEY ELECTED TO TAKE THEM OFF, NOW THEY ARE GETTING THEM BACK ON AND WILL REVERIFY THAT THE ZIPPERS CLOSED. MADDIE WITH THE WHITE COM CHECK, NUMBER 11, ALSO WATCHING ALL THE TIME AND KEEPING THEM ON THE TIMELINE.

>> AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING THEM ON, EVEN SOMETHING AS SMALL AS A HAIR THAT GOT INTO THE FIELD FOR CREW 5 LAUNCH, THEY HAD TO REOPEN THE FIELD BEFORE THEY COULD LAUNCH. >> YES, YOU SEE THEM PULL THE UMBILICAL COVER, AVOIDING ANY FOREIGN AGENT GETTING INTO THE LOOP THERE.

THE SPACECRAFT BASICALLY KEPT COMPLETELY CLEAN SO ONCE YOU ARE IN THERE, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE. AND LOOKS LIKE THEY GOT THEIR BOOTIES OFF NOW, THE LAST THING BEFORE THEY MOVE OFF. AND JEANETTE AND ALEXANDER? >> YES, OUR TWO MISSION SPECIALISTS FOR CREW 8, ALEXANDER FROM THE U.S.S. R,

ABOUT TO JOIN HIS CREWMATES IN DRAGON. SAW THE THUMBS-UP AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY ACROSS THE ACCESS ARM. >> THEY WILL DO THE SIGNING OF THE MEATBALL HERE WHILE THE OTHER TWO DROP IN. >> YES, THE OTHER TWO ARE IN. WE HAVE MATT AND MIKE ALREADY INSIDE DRAGON, GOING INTO DRAGON.

THAT IS CALLED INGRESSING INTO DRAGON. THIS CREW IS MOVING. >> BETTER TO BE AHEAD THAN BEHIND. >> EXACTLY. >> SO THAT’S ALEXANDER SIGNING RIGHT THERE. AND NOW JEANETTE. >> AND LIKE WE ALLUDED TO EARLIER, WHY THEY DON’T ALL FOUR TRY TO GET IN AT THE SAME TIME.

IN MICROGRAVITY IT IS EASY TO DO BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE VERTICAL SPACE AND ARE NOT CONSTRAINED TO ONE PLANE BUT TO HAVE ALL FOUR TRY TO CROWD IN AND SIGN IN THE SAME SPOT, KIND OF CROWDED. >> YES, ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN — AT LEAST

EIGHT PEOPLE IN THE CAPSULE OR THE WHITE ROOM RIGHT NOW. THE ESSENTIAL LOOP COVERING, WALKING ON THAT STICKY TAPE TO GRAB ANYTHING OFF THE SOLES OF THEIR SHOES BEFORE THEY INGRESS AS WELL. >> THE TECHS MAKING SURE THEIR HELMETS ARE PROTECTED ON THE WAY IN SO YOU DON’T BUMP THE HAT

SHIELD OR DAMAGE THE HELMET. >> HOW BIG OF A SPACE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA HOW WIDE IT IS IN THERE? >> INSIDE THE DRAGON? >> YEAH. >> WELL, YOU CAN SEE THE FOUR SEATS ACROSS AND THEN BELOW THE SEATS, IT GETS A LITTLE WIDER

BUT WIDE ENOUGH YOU CAN LAY HEAD TO FOOT PRETTY COMFORTABLY, WITH TWO PEOPLE DOWN THERE AND THEN IT GOES UP SO WITH THE DISPLAYS WE ARE SEEING NOW, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIT ONE PERSON LAYING HORIZONTALLY BUT IT IS ACTUALLY PRETTY COMFORTABLE. >> ACTUALLY DRAGON IS CONFIGURED FOR SEVEN PASSENGERS IN NEEDED,

RIGHT? >> YES, THE ORIGINAL MOBILE WHERE YOU SEE THE CAR GO BAGS, IT WAS CONSIDERED EARLY IN THE DESIGN FOR EXTRA SEATS. IT IS NOT WHAT IT IS CERTIFIED FOR NOW BUT IT WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT. YOU SEE NUMBER 22, THE PRODUCT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, THAT

EACH CREW RUNS A LITTLE DIFFERENT LINEUP CARD, SOME USING THE IPAD — A WAVE FROM MATT THERE. >> FINDING THE CAMERA. I THINK THAT WAS FOR YOU. FROM A TURTLE TO ANOTHER TURTLE. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, MATT AND MIKE HAVE THEIR HARN NET ON, THE 5-POINT HARNESS.

>> YES, SO THERE IS THE HARNESS AND ALSO WHERE THEIR BOOTS ARE AT, THERE IS A CONNECTION IN THE SOLE OF THEIR BOOTS THAT LOCK THEIR FEET INTO THE FOOT PADS AND THEN YEAH, YOU ARE SEEING THEM GIVE ALEXANDER LIKE A ROTARY TO BE IN AND DROP THOSE IN TOO.

>> AND IT LOOKS LIKE ON MIKE’S RIGHT LEG, THAT IS WHERE THE UMBILICAL WILL BE CONNECTED TO, RIGHT? >> YES, THEY ARE ALL CONNECTED RIGHT NOW. ON ALL OF THEIR RIGHT LEGS, IT IS CONNECTED AND AT SOME POINT WILL START DOING CONTACTS SO THEY CAN HEAR EACH OTHER I WOULD GUESS.

THEY WILL USUALLY WAIT FOR THE TECHS TO GET OUT OF THERE BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU WILL HEAR A LOT OF BACKGROUND NOISE. >> EXPLAIN WHAT THE UMBILICAL SYSTEM DOES, WHAT DO THEY GET FROM WHAT THEY ARE BEING ATTACHED TO? >> IT IS BREATHING AND COOLING AIR AND ATTACHED TO THE COM LINK.

THAT IS THE BIG THING, SO ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND COMMUNICATION. AND THEN ON THE ARM RESTS ARE THE ACTUAL CONTROLS FOR TALKING, FOR VOLUME, WHAT IS CALLED THE BOX WHICH IS A SETTING OF HOW LOUD YOU HAVE TO TALK FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE TO HEAR YOU, DIDN’T WANT TO HEAR PEOPLE BREATHING SO

THEY HAVE THAT ON THE HAND REST THAT THEY HAVE CONTROL OF. YOU CAN SEE — THEY ARE PUTTING ON THE CREW-CONFIGURED ITEMS. LOOKS LIKE MAYBE THAT IS A MIRROR, WRIST MIRROR, SO PRETTY COMMON TO SEE THAT ON LIKE THE SUITS BECAUSE ONCE YOU ARE AT PRESSURE, IT IS HARD TO RIG

THINGS ON YOUR OWN SUIT. >> I SEE. AND THE TEAM ACTUALLY WILL RECEIVE ANOTHER WEATHER BRIEF AND RIGHT NOW LAUNCH WEATHER HERE AT KENNEDY IS 85 PERCENT GO. AND WE HAVE THAT THERE. YOU HAVE SOME ADMINISTRATION AND CLOUD RULES, EXPLAIN WHY THEY KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE WEATHER?

>> SURE, IT IS THE VEHICLE GOING FAST, YOU CAN IMAGINE DRIVING IN YOUR CAR 25 MILES PER HOUR — >> DRAGON SPACEX LOUD AND CLEAR FROM HAWTHORNE, HOW ARE YOU DOING? >> COM CHECK NOW. >> COPY. >> YOU HEARD THAT CALLOUT, GETTING READY FOR COM CHECKS. >> IN THEIR SEAT, YEAH. SO QUICKLY?

>> YEAH, SO AT THAT SPEED WITH THE RANGE HITTING STRUCTURE OF THE ROCKET, THERE IS A CONCERN IT COULD CAUSE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AND THEN THE. >> LOUD AND CLEAR. >> CHARLIE 2, GOOD TO BE WITH YOU GUYS. >> YOU AS WELL, MIKE. >> THAT IS HAWTHORNE AND THEN THE ANVIL CLOUDS, LIKE THUNDER

CLOUDS WHICH COULD CONTAIN LIGHTNING AND HAIL IN THE UPPER PART OF THE ANVIL THAT COULD PUSH THEM HIGHER. >> 85 PERCENT GO HERE AT THE LAUNCH SITE AND IMPROVING ALONG THE ASCENT CORRIDOR. SO GROWING MORE OPTIMISTIC THAT TODAY WE WILL SEE CREW 8 LAUNCH TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

>> LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE CONFIGURING THE STRAPS ON WHAT THEY CALL THE SATCHELS THAT HAVE A MIX LIKE PRODUCTS LIKE THE EGRESS CARD, THINGS THEY NEED TO GET TO THE CHECKLIST QUICKLY. NEXT TO MIKE’S RIGHT ARM, A TRADITION PUTTING CREWS IN THAT CAPSULE, ENDEAVOR, ALONG THE BULKHEADS.

>> OOH, LOOK AT THIS VIEW. A REALLY TIGHT SPACE BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CAMERAS GIVING US THESE GREAT VIEWS OF OUR CREW. SO AS WE REPORTED OUT, THEY ARE IN THEIR SEATS STRAPPED IN. THEY EXPECT CONTACT, FOLLOWED BY STATION AND THEN TWO SUIT CHECKS. THEY ARE READY. THUMBS UP FOR THOSE THINGS

COMING UP FOR ALL FOUR CREW MEMBERS. NICE TO SEE THEM LOOKING CALM AND COLLECTED AND READY. >> THERE YOU GO. PRETTY GOOD VIEW, MIKE AND MATT’S FEET, YOU CAN SEE NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE GOING UP THERE BUT THE CARGO SO THE WHITE CANVAS BAGS AND THE PAYLOAD MEANING PROBABLY SCIENCE,

COOLING, HEATING, AIR, SOMETHING TO PRESERVE WHATEVER IT IS NEEDS POWER SO THE DRAGON HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE HIGH VALUE AND HIGH END SCIENCE TO AND FROM THE SPACE STATION BECAUSE WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO EARTH FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. SO ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE PERISHABLE, DON’T NECESSARILY

HAVE THE EQUIPMENT ON THE SPACE STATION TO GET IT BACK. >> AND THE REASON WHY THEY ARE GOING UP THERE. >> RIGHT, ALL ABOUT THE SCIENCE AND IF YOU CAN KEEP THE SCIENCE PRESERVED, THAT WOULD BE HUGE. >> IF YOU ARE JOINING US, T-MINUS 2 HOURS, 38 MINUTES AND

YOU CAN SEE THE CREW THERE ON THE WAY TO THE SPACE STATION AS PART OF THE CREW 8 PROGRAM. YOU SEE MATTEW DOMINICK AND MICHAEL BARRATT ALONG WITH JEANETTE EPPS AND ALEXANDER GREBENKIN IN THEIR SEATS. >> WHAT YOU ARE NOT SEEING IS THE HATCH BEING PREPARED FOR CLOSURE, WORKING ON THE WHITE

ROOM. GETTING READY FOR COM CHECKS WHICH MIKE AND MATT WERE DOING, YOU CAN SET UP DIFFERENT RELEVANT BOUNDS BETWEEN DIFFERENT VIEWS SO IF YOU WERE TALKING TO ME AND SOMEONE ELSE WAS TALKING AT THE SAME TIME, I CAN BURY THAT MIX AND LIKELY THE CREW HAS A PREFERENCE HOW THEY

WANT THAT SET UP AND SO THEY DO CHECKS ONE AT A TIME TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO BLEEDOVER. >> READY FOR COM CHECK. >> NOW WE’LL LISTEN IN AS THEY RUN THROUGH. >> LET’S DO IT, GO FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ACROSS THE VEHICLE. M S1 PILOT COMMANDER, COM CHECK.

>> ONE, COM CHECK. >> JEANETTE, LOUD AND CLEAR. >> LOUD AND CLEAR AS WELL. >> COM CHECK. >> MATT, LOUD AND CLEAR. >> THREE COM CHECK. >> MIKE, FIVE BY FIVE. >> AND ALEXANDER, LOUD AND CLEAR. THANKS CREW 8. THAT’S THE UMBILICAL COM CHECK AND NEXT IS HEAT ROTATION AND

REPORT WHEN READY FOR THAT. >> READY. >> COPY, STAND BY ONE. >> NOW THE UMBILICAL CONTACT, THEY WILL DO ANOTHER CHECK LATER ON. >> THERE IS DIFFERENT KINDS OF COMS, GROUND STATIONS — >> YES, DIFFERENT PATHWAYS SO THEY WILL ROTATE THE SEATS, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ALL THEIR HANDS

AND LEGS WITHIN THE CAPSULE, NOTHING SOUTH AND ABOUT OR STUCK. >> WHY DO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE OF THAT? >> THE POSITION THEY ARE IN RIGHT NOW IS PART OF THE INGRESS, WOULDN’T BE THE BEST POSITION FOR LAUNCH. >> DRAGON INITIATING SEAT ROTATION. >> THE POSITION THEY ARE IN NOW

AS THE VEHICLE LOOKS UP, THE FORCE OF THE ACCELERATION, THE GAFFE TREE SECTOR WILL PULL THE BLOOD DOWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE CAPSULE SO THE POSITION THEY HAD BEEN IN WOULD PULL THE BLOOD OUT OF THEIR BRAINS. SO VERY SIMILAR TO WHEN FIGHTER PILOTS FLY, THEY DO THE SAME

THING BUT THIS IS A MUCH LONGER TIME SO THEY ELEVATE THE SEAT AND STILL PULLS THE BLOOD FROM THE BRAIN AND MAKES IT A MORE SUSTAINABLE BODY POSITION TO HAVE. >> BASICALLY THEY ARE SAYING IF THEY WERE TO STAY IN THE POSITION THEY WERE IN, THEY COULD PASS OUT.

>> YES, DEFINITELY THEY WOULD PASS OUT. >> BASE TECH, WE SEE FOUR SEATS IN THE LAUNCH POSITION. >> HOW MUCH ARE THEY FACING — >> CHECK FOR SECTION 2. >> IT IS ABOUT 4-5G’S AND IT BUILDS RIGHT BEFORE FIRST STAGE CUTOFF AND 2ND STAGE IGNITION AND THEN THE SECOND STAGE BUILDS

SLOWLY FROM 2-5G’S, ABOUT 5G’S. >> AND YOU JUST HEARD ON THE MISSION AUDIOS AGAIN THAT THEY ARE CONFIRMING — HAVE CONFIRMED THE SEATS HAVE BEEN ROTATED FOR LAUNCH POSITION AND YOU SAW THEM DO THE SUIT CHECKS IN THE SUIT-UP ROOM SO THIS SHOULD BE MORE FAMILIAR TO YOU.

NOW THAT THEY ARE IN DRAGON, THEY WANT TO CHECK ONE MORE TIME. >> YOU SAW THEM BEFORE THEY WERE IN POSITION, THEY TOOK OFF THE TPWHROFS, IF THEY HAD TO USE THE RESTROOM, THEY HAD TO BREAK THAT OUTER ZIPPER BUT THEY WANT TO CHECK TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG.

>> COPY, WE SEE IT. YOU ARE GO FOR SECTION 3. >> THE BACK AND FORTH WE’RE HEARING IS REFERRING TO STEPS IN THE PROCEDURES. OVERALL PROCEDURE NUMBERS AND STEPS WITHIN THE PROCEDURES AND THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. THERE ARE DIFFERENT ONES THEY WANT TO VERIFY ON THE GROUND.

>> AND YOU COULD TELL THE CHECKS WERE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOOD VIEW OF ALEXANDER HERE BUT THE TOP OF HIS SUIT IS APPROACHING HIS HEAD BECAUSE THEY DEPRESSURIZE THE SUIT. >> AND YOU WILL SEE THEM KIND OF JUST SIT THERE, CHECKING FOR THE PRESSURIZATION AND DEPRESSURIZATION AS THE AIR COMES OUT.

>> UNLIKE THE CHECK IN THE SUIT-UP ROOM, IN THIS CASE IT ALSO CUTS OFF THEIR ABILITY TO SEE THE DISPLAYS. THE HELMET UP ON YOUR HEAD, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR CHIN AND NECK INTERFACED SO THAT YOU COULD STILL SEE THE DISPLAYS IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR SUIT.

>> AND THE TIME T-MINUS 2 HOURS, 29 MINUTES, SO YOU CAN SEE WE ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. >> UNLIKE BEFORE EARLIER IN THE FLOW THERE WAS A WHOLE PLATE FOR THE TIME EVERYTHING WOULD BE DONE BUT AT THIS POINT THEY WILL LET THEM GET AHEAD. IF THERE ARE ANY UNFORESEEN

PROBLEMS LATER, YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT TIME. >> INSIDE THE SCREEN ROOM, TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, SHINING A LIGHT ON — THEY ARE DOING HATCH SEAL INSPECTIONS RIGHT NOW SO MORE THAN LIKELY VISUALLY INSPECTING AND PHOTO DOCUMENTING, RUNNING VIDEO OVER IT SO THEY HAVE DOCUMENTATION OF WHAT THE SEAL

LOOKS LIKE ONCE THEY CLOSE IT AND THEN ONCE THEY HAVE DONE THAT AND CLOSE THE HATCH, THEY WILL FINISH THE SUIT CHECKS. THEY DON’T WANT TO CLOSE THE HATCH UNTIL THEY HAVE THE SUIT CHECKS DONE SO THEY CAN TROUBLESHOOT RIGHT AWAY IF THERE IS A PROBLEM. >> FROM THE GRAPHIC ON THE

SCREEN, YOU CAN SEE THE HATCH IS CLOSED. THEY HAVE TO SUCCESSFULLY CHECK THE SEAL OF THE HATCH AND THEN WILL CLOSE THE HATCH AND THAT WILL BE THE LAST TIME THEY OPEN THE HATCH TILL IT SPLASHES DOWN, RIGHT? >> YES, THAT HATCH IS NOT THE ONE THEY USE FOR DOCKING ON THE

SPACE STATION. YOU CAN SEE IT AT THE TOP OF THE CONFIGURATION AND THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WILL BE THERE WHEN THEY SPLASH DOWN AS WELL. AND YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE LEAD FREE CLOTH THERE. >> HATCH CHECK. >> COPY, DRAGON, WE SEE THE SAME. RECHECK, AT THIS TIME THE TEAM

WILL HOP BACK IN THE VEHICLE FOR FINAL STEPS BEFORE EXITING THE CAPSULE WITH REPORT. >> NOW THEY KNOW THE SUITS ARE GOOD AND NOW THE SPACEX FOLKS WILL COME INSIDE, DO A ONCEOVER INSIDE THE CAPSULE TO MAKE SURE NOTHING HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND, ONE MORE CONFIGURATION TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS TIGHT.

AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS AS THE SUIT EXPANDS, IT COULD LEAK SO THEY WILL CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT IS AS GOOD AS IT WAS. >> SO LET’S TALK ABOUT THE COM CHECKS COMING UP. CHECKS THROUGH THE UMBILICAL, THAT HAPPENED BUT WE HAVE OTHER CHECKS. COULD YOU TALK US THROUGH THE

DIFFERENT ONES AND WHY THERE ARE DIFFERENT ONES? >> YES, WE HAVE RADIO FREQUENCY CHANGE, THEY MAY CALL THEM LEAKS BUT IT IS JUST DIFFERENT WAYS TO REFERRING TO THE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS OF THE RS FLOW. THE TRACKING AND DATA SYSTEM, THAT IS ONE WAY THERE IS DIRECT RADIO COMS SO THEY ARE TRYING TO

MAKE SURE ALL THE PATHWAYS WORK ON THE GROUND AND THE OTHER THING THEY DO IS TALK TO DIFFERENT STATIONS WITH THE LOOPS AND ELECTROMAGNETICS, ALL THAT FLOWS. AND IN THE CONTROL ROOM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT SUBLOOPS BUT THE CREW ONLY HEARS A VERY SMALL SUBSET OF THAT THAT THE CORPS RELAYS TO THEM.

BUT ON THE LAUNCH, THERE IS THE ABILITY TO TALK DIRECTLY TO THE CREW SO THEY WILL CHECK ALL OF THOSE PATHS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A PATH THAT GOES ALL THE WAY FROM THE CHAIR THEY ARE SETTING AND THE CONSOLE THEY ARE ON ALL THE WAY TO THE CREW IN THE VEHICLE.

>> AND THAT IS GOOD FOR VIEWERS AS WELL. THEY ARE HEARING CHATTER ON THE LOOP BUT THERE IS A LOT MORE GOING ON TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS WORKING PROPERLY. >> THE AVERAGE AVERAGE CONTROLLER HAS ABOUT 14, 15 LOOPS SO A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND THEN THE ONE THAT COMES FROM

AVIATION, ONE PERSON FILTER’S THAT INFORMATION AND THEN PASSES IT ON TO THE CREW AND AT SPACEX PBX, THE SAME HERE ON ISS AND MERCURY AND BEYOND. >> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE ACRONYMS? >> YES, CAPCOMS CORPSE. >> CREW AND ENGINE SPACE ENGINEERS. ACRONYMS ARE HERE AT NASA SO

EASY TO FORGET ONE. >> IT IS A FUN GAME TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ACRONYM MEANS. >> SO THE SATCHELS ON THEIR LEGS — >> SPACEX CAPSULE COM CHECK. >> THEY ARE MONITORING EVERYTHING. >> COPY LOUD AND CLEAR. THAT WAS OVER THE NETWORK, LAUNCH CONFIGURATION, STAND BY

FOR COM CHECK FOR TD, MD AND LD. >> CHECK. >> DRAGON DC ON COUNTDOWN 1 COM CHECK. >> DC DRAGON. >> LOUD AND CLEAR. STAND BY FOR COM CHECKS WITH ND. >> DRAGON ND COUNTDOWN 1, COM CHECK. >> CLEAR, STAND BY FOR COM CHECK OVER DRAGON GROUND. >> DRAGON GROUND COM CHECK.

>> DRAGON GROUND COM CHECK. >> LOUD AND CLEAR. >> DAG I DON’T KNOW IF GROUND COM LD COM THEY CAN. >> LD, DRAGON LIVE AND WELL, WE’RE EXCITED. >> GOT YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. >> DRAGON GROUND, COM CHECK. >> LD DRAGON NOT YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. >> LD LOUD AND CLEAR.

>> AND DRAG GONE THAT WILL DO IT, LAUNCH CONFIGURATION COM CHECKS COMPLETE. >> SO MATT IS PRETTY EXCITED TO BE TALKING TO SOME OF THOSE FOLKS. I MENTIONED FAMILIES EARLIER. THAT IS THE DRAGON FAMILY, THEN THERE IS THE ISS FAMILY, THE F9 FAMILY AND SO A YEAR PRIOR TO

LAUNCH, THE CREWS START INTERACTING WITH THE SAME FOLKS ON THE LOOP WITH THEM THIS EVENING. THEY WILL ACTUALLY KIND OF WORK — WORKED IT OUT LAST NIGHT, A BIG PART OF THE TEAM BUILDING, GROWING A BEARD AND HIS HAIR WAS LONGER BUT AS SOON AS I MARRIED HIS VOICE, I RECOGNIZED HIM.

SO YOU LEARN OVER TIME AND HEARING THE INTONATION OF THE VOWS, JUST LIKE THE CREW, YOU LEARN TO WORK WITH THE CONTROLLERS AND THE CREW MEMBERS TO GET AN INDICATION WHAT IS GOING ON. SOME OF THEM ARE COMING FROM ISS, SOME FROM HAWTHORNE AND SOME FROM HOUSTON. SO THE THREE DIFFERENT LOOPS WE

ARE NOT HEARING ARE NOT JUST FOR TRACKING BUT FINDING OUT IF THEY ARE READY TO GO SO AN AMAZING ORCHESTRA OF STUFF HAPPENING AND YOU SEE IN THE FRONT ROOM, HAWTHORNE ON THE FRONT AND ANOTHER IN THE BACK SO A LOT OF INFORMATION FEEDING UP TO THEM. >> THE TIP OF THE SPEAR.

>> YES, THE TIP OF THE SPEAR THAT THEY ARE ALL SUPPORTING AND AN AMAZING JOB TO DO THAT. SOUNDS LIKE SKPHO*EUT HIS CREW ARE READY TO GO. >> WE ARE NOW AT 2 HOURS, 22 MINUTES FROM LIFTOFF OF THE FALCON 9 FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN FLORIDA. CREW 8, YOU SEE THEM THERE,

CURRENTLY INSIDE DRAGON ENDEAVOR. WE HAVE THREE FIRST-TIME FLYERS ON THE MISSION, COMMANDER MATT DOMINICK, MIKE BARRATT, JEANETTE EPPS AND ALEXANDER GREBENKIN. >> EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO VISIT YESTERDAY AND PASS PICTURES BACK AND FORTH AND THE THIRD TURTLE GOING TO BE UP THERE FOR A WHILE BUT THEY ARE READY AS ENDEAVOR

DOCKS WITH THE SPACE STATION. >> YES, CREW 7 WROTE ON TWITTER TODAY THAT WE SHOULD SAY CREW 8 IS CREW-LATE AND THEY ARE ALL EXCITED TO SEE THEM. [LAUGHTER] >> YES, WEIRD THINKING ABOUT WE TRAIN A LOT TOGETHER AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CREW IN

FRONT OF YOU IS GONE AND THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE THEM, THEY ARE IN SPACE. A PRETTY SURREAL PLACE TO HAVE THEM. >> THE CREW FINISHING UP IN THE DRAGON CAPSULE IN THE WHITE ROOM AS THEY WORK TO CLOSE THE SIDE HATCH. SO FAR WE ARE RUNNING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ACTUALLY.

ASTRONAUTS HAVE COMPLETED THEIR COM CHECKS, THE DIFFERENT ONES RAJA MENTIONED TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN COMMUNICATE TO THE TEAMS HERE ON THE GROUND, WITH SATELLITES AROUND THE WORLD, COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER. THEIR SEATS ARE ROTATED TO THE SUPINE LAUNCH POSITION WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO SEE THE DISPLAY PANEL.

YOU CAN SIGH MIKE AND MATT OFF CAMERA TOUCHING THE DISPLAY SCREENS THEY HAVE IN FRONT OF THEM. THEY HAVE ALSO COMPLETED THE SUIT CHECKS TO MAKE SURE THE SPACE SUITS ARE WORKING PROPERLY AND THEN THE TEAM WILL VERIFY THE CABIN ENVIRONMENT IS STABLE AND ARE WORKING TO CLOSE THE

SIDE HATCH OF THE DRAGON SPACECRAFT. LOOKS LIKE THEY JUST REMOVED SOMETHING? >> YES, THOSE ARE PADS TO REMOVE THE SEALS AND MAKING SURE THE HELMETS DON’T GET STRAPPED, TAKING OFF THAT EQUIPMENT. A BIG PIECE OF THE TIMELINE AND BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, VERY PROCEDURE-DRIVEN AND INTRICATE.

WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE ONE PERSON RUNNING THE PROCEDURE AND ANOTHER PERSON CHECKING THE PROCEDURE, ANOTHER DOCUMENTING IT ALL SO ALL THE PIECES ARE COMING OUT. BASICALLY CHECKING OFF A LIST OF MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS OFF THE SPACECRAFT AND ACCOUNTED FOR. >> AND SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN MONITORING THROUGH THE CAMERAS

IN THERE, EVERYTHING LOOKING GOOD? >> YEAH, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE LOOKING GOOD. WE SEE THEY ARE TAKING THE TECH RIGHT BY THE DOOR, WIPING DOWN THE SURFACE. >> SO NOW ALL THE PADDING IS GONE. >> YEP. >> NOW IF YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING US SINCE WE CAME ON AIR, IT IS

7:15 P.M. EASTERN TIME AND I AM MEGAN ALONG WITH ASTRONAUT RAJA WHO COMMANDED THE CREW 7 MISSION. WE WILL EXPAND OUR COVERAGE AN HOUR BEFORE LAUNCH AND COME ON CAMERA TO HAVE A COMMENT ATOR WALK US THROUGH THE LAUNCH. LET’S TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THE CREW GOING INTO SPACE TODAY.

COMMANDER MATT DOMINICK BORN IN WHEATBRIDGE, COLORADO, MARRIED WITH TWO DAUGHTERS. MATT EARNED A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FROM POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, DESIGNATED NAVAL AVIATOR IN 2007, FLEW TWO DEPLOYMENTS TO NORTH ARABIAN SEA FLYING CLOSE SUPPORT MISSION IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. HE HAS OVER 1600 HOURS OF FLIGHT

TIME IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT, 400 CARRIER LANDINGS AND 61 COMBAT MISSIONS AND THIS IS THE COMMANDER’S FIRST SPACE FLIGHT. >> EXCITED TO GO AS YOU HEARD DOING HIS GROUND CHECK AND EXCITED TO GET HIS CREW UP TO THE SPACE STATION. >> YOU KNOW HIM WELL? >> I DO.

WE STARTED TOGETHER IN 2017 SO IT HAS BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY AND ALWAYS A JOY TO WORK WITH HIM. HE MAKES EVERY CLASS, TRAINING EVENT FUN AND ALWAYS ONE OF THE FAVORITE THINGS I LIKES TO SAY, SO MANY QUESTIONS. HE IS KNOWN FOR HAVING LOTS OF QUESTIONS FOR INSTRUCTORS BUT I

THINK AS A RESULT WE COME AWAY LEARNING SOMETHING NEW THAT WE WOULDN’T HAVE KNOWN AT THE TIME. >> THAT’S RIGHT, NO BAD QUESTIONS. >> YES, ONLY THE UNASKED ONES ARE BAD ONES. >> EXACTLY. MICHAEL BARRATT, CREW 8 PILOT SELECTED BY NASA IN 2000. THE ONLY ONE OF CREW 8 WHO HAS

BEEN IN SPACE BEFORE, THE ONLY VETERAN FOR THIS PART OF EXPEDITION 20 IN 2009 AND SPF3 IN 2011. IN TOTAL, 212 DAYS IN SPACE. BORED CERTIFIED IN AEROAND SPACE MEDICINE, AWARDED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SAFE — SPACE MISSION RESEARCH, LIVES IN TEXAS WITH HIS WIFE MICHELLE AND THEY HAVE FIVE CHILDREN.

I AM TOLD THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO IS GOING TO MAKE THE SNACKS FOR THE CREW ONCE THEY GET TO THE SPACE STATION. [LAUGHTER] >> ONE, BECAUSE HE HAS EXPERIENCE AND TWO, HE LIKES TO COOK IN WEIRD PLACES. >> HE HAS SOME EXPERIENCE WITH SPACE, HAVING ASSEMBLED THE

SPACE STATION, LIVED ON THE SPACE STATION AND NOW IN THIS EXPANDED FORM TO SEE HOW IT IS GROWING AND THE SCIENCE HAS MATURED AND IT IS TRULY A ORBITING LABORATORY WITH ALL THE RESEARCH GOING ON. NEAR AND DEAR TO HIS HEART. A COOL CIRCULAR JOURNEY WITH HIM

JUST STARTING TO BE ONE OF THE LEADING FLIGHT MED AT NASA, NOW GETTING TO DO THE SCIENCE AND ADD TO THAT. HE HAS WRITTEN THE BOOK ON SPACE MEDICINE SO HE WILL HAVE MORE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND NEED ADD A FEW CHAPTERS. >> THE MONITORS WORKING TO CLOSE THE SIDE HATCH.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE HOUSTON SPECIALIST. ALSO A FIRST TIME FLYERER FROM SYRACUSE, NEW YORK. A NASA GRADUATE AND WORKED FOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHERE SHE RECEIVES A PATTON FOR AN INVENTION AND THEN WENT TO THE CIA BEFORE BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT IN 2009. HAS A MASTER OF SCIENCE AND A

DOCTORATE IN PHILOSOPHY AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND YOU SAW A PICTURE OF HER EARLIER IN THE BROADCAST. >> I HAD NOT SEEN A YOUNG PICTURE OF MIKE OR JEANETTE AND JANET, BEING TWINS, CONFUSING ENOUGH BUT TO HAVE THEM THERE ON THE SAME DAY. SO EXCITING FOR JEANETTE, SUCH A COOL BACKGROUND FOR HER,

EVERYTHING FROM FORD TO THE CIA AND VERY ANALOGOUS TO HER TIME AT NASA, HAVING THE DIFFERENT VEHICLES AND UNIQUE INSIGHT AND TAKING THAT TO THE SPACE STATION AND HER KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. YOU HEARD IN HER VIDEO SHE IS VERY EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND PAYLOAD

EXPERIMENTS GOING ON, FUN TO WATCH HER IN HER ELEMENT. >> AND ON THE FAR LEFT SCREEN, WE HAVE ALEXANDER GREBENKIN LOOKING REALLY RELAXED AS THEY AWAIT HATCH CLOSURE. FIRST TIME FLYER, GRADUATING FROM THE MILITARY SPACE INSTITUTE IN 2002, IN ENGINEERING, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR. HE THEN ATTENDET THE UNIVERSITY OF COMMUNICATIONS, GRAD WAITED

WITH A DEGREE IN RADIO COMMUNICATIONS, BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION. ACCEPTED PRETTY RECENTLY IN THE COSMONAUT CORPS IN 2019 AND WILL BE FLIGHT ENGINEER WHICH IS WHAT YOU SERVED AS. >> EXACTLY. ALEXANDER WAS THE EQUIVALENT CLASS OF THE TURTLES, WE WERE 2018, HE WAS 2019 BUT GREAT TO SEE THEM AT THE SPACE STATION

WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE AND CONTINUING THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE SOYUZ AND SPACE STATION. AND AT THIS POINT, PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS GOING THROUGH — YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW ALEXANDER’S EYES ARE TOWARDS THE SCREEN AND MIKE’S ON — THIS IS KIND OF THE CREW’S CHANCE, THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING ACTIONS

IN THE HATCH CLOSURE SO THIS IS A CHANCE FOR THEM TO GO THROUGH THE PROCEDURES AND TALK THROUGH THOSE AGAIN. SO WHEN THEY TALK THROUGH THE CAPSULE, WE DON’T HEAR IT ON THE GROUND. ONLY WHEN THEY PUSH THE BUTTON AT THEIR HAND DOES IT GO OUT SO LIKELY THEY ARE GOING THROUGH

ALL THE SCENARIOS WITHIN THE HATCH THERE, BASICALLY MENTALLY PREPPING FOR WHAT IS TO COME AND COMING UP LATER IF YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT, THEY ARE DOING THAT NOW. >> SO YES, A LOT GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND AS WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR WHAT IS GOING ON IN

DRAGON RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, INSTAGRAM FROM VAVA, HOW DO YOU GET ACCEPTED TO NASA? >> WELL, FIRST YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR THE JOB, THE 2021 CLASS IS GRADUATING IN A FEW DAYS AND I WOULD EXPECT WE WILL SOON BE HIRING FOR THE NEXT CLASS SHORTLY.

SO GO TO NASAJOBS.GOV, GET A FEEL OF THE CONTACT DEM MICK REQUIREMENTS. FROM THERE IT IS A YEAR-LONG PROCESS, APPLY ONLINE, THEY REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS AND THEN TWO ROUNDS OF INTERVIEWS BEFORE THEY SELECT YOU FOR THE NEXT CLASS IN TRAINING. >> AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE

SOMEONE IN A STEM BACKGROUND TO GET A JOB AT NASA. WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF JOBS THAT SUPPORT SPACE EXPLOSION SO JUST BECAUSE MATH AND SCIENCE ARE NOT YOUR FAVORITE SUBJECT — >> ABSOLUTELY. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE SITTING IN THE CONTROL ROOMS, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORK AROUND THE

CONTROL ROOM, IT IS A HUGE FIELD. AND FOR ANYBODY WHO GOT TO VISIT ANY OF THE CENTERS, THEY ARE ALL ALMOST LITTLE CITIES IN THEMSELVES. SO YOU ARE RIGHT, IT TAKES A WHOLE COMMUNITY TO GET THE CREWS IN SPACE AND WHATEVER YOUR TALENTS AND ABILITIES ARE, WE DEFINITELY CAN USE THEM BECAUSE

THE CHALLENGES ARE MANY AND DIFFICULTY. WE CAN USE ALL THE HELP AND TALENT WE CAN GET. >> AND ARTEMIS IS NASA’S CAMPAIGN TO ESTABLISH A LONG-TERM PRESENCE ON THE MOON AND FROM WHAT WE LEARN FROM THAT, WE CAN FURTHER EXPLORE MARS. SO WALK US THROUGH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WHITE ROOM

RIGHT NOW. LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE BACK TO INSPECTING THE SEAL? >> YES, THEY HAVE THE HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT THERE, JUST CHECKING. THERE’S TWO SURFACES. THERE IS THE CAPSULE SIDE AND THE HATCH SIDE, THEY HAVE TO CONFIRM THE SEALS ON BOTH OF THOSE AND THEN DUAL SEAL AND THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE CHECKING.

>> WOW. >> SO SOMETIMES WHAT CAN HAPPEN, AND IT IS PRETTY COMMON ON THE SPACE STATION, MAYBE THERE IS LIKE A DISCOLORATION, A DIVOT ON THE IPAD ON THE RIGHT SIDE, SOME OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS MAKING SURE THAT, SAY THE PLATE IS SLIGHTLY A DIFFERENT COLOR, THEY

WANT TO GO BACK AND MAKE SURE IF THAT IS NEW OR AN EXISTING DOCK AND THEY WANT TO GO THROUGH AND CHECK THOSE. PROBABLY WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW. WANT TO TOTALLY MAKE SURE THERE IS NO NEW — CAN DAMAGE IS THE WRONG WORD BUT CHECKING TO MAKE

SURE THERE IS NOTHING NEW THAT THEY ARE’ SING. >> YEAH, LIKE YOU SAID CREW 5, A HAIR WAS IN THE FIELD. >> AND THIS IS A PRETTY BIG TIME THAT IF YOU FAIL THE HATCHERY CHECK, IF IT GOES WELL, WE WILL HAVE SOME MORE TIME BUT THAT IS

ONE OF THE SUIT RE-CHECK AND HATCH CHECKS, VERY IMPORTANT IN CASE THERE ARE ANY PROBLEMS THERE, IT CAN DELAY THINGS. >> AND WE ARE IN A DEFINED TIME TO LIFTOFF, DEFINE HATCH CLOSE IS SET FOR 2-MINUS 1 HOUR AND 55 MINUTES SO WE STILL HAVE SOME TIME TO GET THAT DONE.

>> THE OTHER THING THAT IS HAPPENING IS YOU CAN’T GET TOO FAR AHEAD BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COMMAND PRESSURIZATION CHANGES ARE HAPPENING AT HAWTHORNE AND PART OF THE AUTO SEQUENCE SO THERE IS A CHANCE WHEN YOU GET TOO FAR AHEAD, YOU THROW THINGS OFF. SO THERE IS A PAUSE POINT.

IF THEY CLOSE THE HATCH, HAWTHORNE WOULD WANT TO COOPERATE THAT THEY ARE ON TIME. SO THERE IS BACK AND FORTH THERE. >> TARGETED FOR 10:53 P.M. AND 38 SECONDS EASTERN TIME FOR LIFTOFF AND WE ARE COUNTING DOWN WITH 85 PERCENT GO FOR LAUNCH HERE AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. >> UPDATE, TEAM WORKING TOWARDS

SIDE HATCH CLOSURE AND BEING EXTRA CAUTIOUS ABOUT A HAIR THEY FOUND ON THE SEAL, NOT A CONCERN BUT JUST BEING CAUTIOUS. >> CHECK AND COPY, THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, SO REPORTING THAT OUT TO THE CREW, YOU HEARD MATT COPY THAT HE KNOWS THEY ARE DEALING WITH A COUPLE OF HAIRS.

>> THEY TAKE THAT LEAD-FREE CLOTH, TAKING PICTURES KIND OF LIKE WE SAW AND SUSPECTED, A HAIR, PHOTO DOCUMENTING WHERE THE HAIR WAS AT AND MAKING SURE THAT WIPING IT OFF DIDN’T DAMAGE THE HATCH OR LEAVE ANY OILS OR ANYTHING BEHIND. SO JUST THE OILS ON YOUR SKIN WOULD BE ENOUGH TO DEGRADE THEM.

>> AND SO METICULOUS. THEY HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL. >> LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE CLOSING THE HATCH NOW. HAPPY WITH WHAT THEY HAVE GOT TEN FOR DOCUMENTATION AND LIKE YOU SAID, STILL ABOUT NINE MINUTES AWAY FROM PLAN TIME. >> GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION, A LOT COMING IN TO

YOU, RAJA, THIS FROM LESLIE ON TWITCH. HOW COME LAUNCH IS SO LATE IN THE DAY, WHY NOT EARLIER? >> LESLIE, IT IS JUST DRIVEN BY THE ORAL DYNAMICS. SOMETIMES THEY ARE IN THE DAY, SOMETIMES THE EVENING, DRIVEN BY THE PHASING. >> HATCH CLOSURE, DRAGON THIS TRANSITION FOR HATCH CLOSE AND

ENSURE NOW CLOSED FOR HATCH LAUNCH. >> CONFIRMATION SIDE HATCH CLOSED. >> YEAH, SO IT IS COMPLETELY DICTATED BY THE ORBIT OF THE SPACE STATION. THAT IS THE ULTIMATE TARGET FOR WHERE DRAGON IS GOING SO BASED ON WHERE THE SPACE STATION IS AND THE PHASE OF THE LAUNCH, THAT IS WHAT DRIVES THE WINDOW

AND TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF PROPELLANT YOU USE TO DO THAT SO YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A BACKUP RENDEZVOUS. YOU HEARD THEM CONFIRM SO THE CREW NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THE CREW IS WATCHING FOR ON DRAGON, A MAJOR SHIFT IN WHAT THE VEHICLE IS DOING AND THAT DRIVES

THE MAIN FLIGHT COMPUTERS AND MAKING SURE THAT IF THE HATCH IS NOT CLOSED AND THEY DROP SOMETHING, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THE TIME SO PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THEN IS ATTACHED TO THEM OR WILL STAY ON THEIR LEGS SO THERE IS NO CHANCE OF IT FALLING AND THE REASON THAT IS A

PROBLEM IS NOT SO MUCH A BOD ISSUE, AFFECTING SOMETHING MECHANICALLY WITH THE VEHICLE BUT WHAT IS CALLED A FLAIL SO IF THAT LOOSE THING WERE TO START FLYING AROUND IN DESCENT, WORST CASE, IT CAN HIT THE EQUIPMENT AND CAUSE DAMAGE. SO IF YOU DROP AN IPAD ON YOUR

TOE NOW, IT WOULDN’T HURT BUT UNDER 5GS, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HURT OR DAMAGE SOMETHING. >> MUCH LIKE IF YOU WERE FLYING ON A COMMERCIAL PLANE, LIKE DURING TAKEOFF, WE’RE TOLD TO STOW OUR BELONGINGS. >> RIGHT, EXACTLY. >> SO RIGHT NOW THEY ARE CROUCHED BY THE SIDE HATCH.

ARE THEY ABOUT TO PERFORM THE HATCH CLOSURE? >> THEY ARE. NUMBER 17 IS BLOCKING AND YOU CAN’T SEE IN FRONT OF HIM BUT THERE IS A PANEL THEY WILL EVENTUALLY COVER UP BEFORE THE LAUNCH AND THEY HAVE TEST EQUIPMENT ATTACHED TO THAT. SO MAKE SURE NOW THAT THEY HAVE

IT SEALED AND THE SEAL IS GOOD, IT SHOULD BE HOLDING POSITIVE PRESSURE TO THE VEHICLE AND MAKING SURE THAT VALUE IS HOLDING. IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE EFFECTS OF THE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE. SO PEOPLE WHO ARE, I GUESS IN HIGH SCHOOL WOULD UNDERSTAND THE

GAS LAWS AND HOW PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE ARE ALL RELATED SO YOU HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT AND GIVE IT TIME TO STALLIZE AND THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, MAKING SURE IF YOU ADD PRESSURE TO THE VEHICLE, IT IS NOT GOING TO ESCAPE SOMEHOW. >> YES, ESSENTIALLY A CHECK TO

MAKE SURE THE HATCH IS GOOD. >> AND THAT PANEL THERE IS WHERE THEY RUN THE EQUIPMENT THROUGH, BASICALLY ADD AIR AND CHECK THE VALUES. >> SO THOSE FOLLOWING ALONG OUR COMMERCIAL CREW LAUNCHES, YOU KNOW EVERY CREW BRINGS A CERTAIN SWAY INTO SPACE AS A ZERO GRAVITY INDICATORS. WITH THE CREW STRAPPED IN THEIR

SEATS, THAT IS THE ONLY CONFIRMATION THEY HAVE REACHED MICROGRAVITY. SO THE PREVIOUS CREW, CREW 7 FROM LAST YEAR, THEY BROUGHT A STUFFED TOY. THE CREW COMMANDER SAYING IT WAS HIS FAMILY WHO INSPIRED THE SELECTION. >> WE HAVE PRE-FLIGHT CHECK, WELCOME TO SPACE. >> THIS WAS YOUR CREW AND YOU

HAD A SPECIFIC REASON FOR DOING THAT? >> WE DID. OUR WAS A BLEND OF ALL PARTS OF THE CREW SO CLEARLY A TURTLE AND WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE TURTLES IN SPACE TOGETHER. WE NAMED IT FAU WHICH IS GERMAN FOR TURTLE BECAUSE WE HAD A GERMAN ASTRONAUT IN THERE WITH US.

>> DRAGON SPACEX CLOCK TICKING PAST T-MINUS 2 HOURS, WE ARE IN A HEALTHY CHECK FOR THE FLIGHT SYSTEM, A SECONDARY CHECK AND THEN BE BACK IN HATCH CLOSE. >> CHECKING. >> TALK A LOT MORE ABOUT THE LAUNCH SYSTEM COMING UP REALLY QUICKLY. GO AHEAD. >> SO BASICALLY THE SYSTEM, ONCE

THERE IS PROPELLANT ON THE ROCKET, IF THERE IS ANY PROBLEM AND THE CREW FEDS TO GET AWAY FROM THE ROCKET, THEY WILL SEPARATE THE CAPSULE FROM F9 AND BRING IT BACK UP ON ITS SEWN. — OWN. SO WHAT YOU ARE WATCHING THERE, JUST INDICATING A CHECK AS OPPOSED TO ANYTHING BEING WRONG

WITH THE LAUNCH SYSTEM. >> RIGHT, JUST CHECKING THAT QUICK. A CRITICAL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, SO WANT TO MAKE SURE IN THE EVENT OF A LIKELY EMERGENCY, THAT THE CREW IS SAFE. REAL QUICK, THE ZERO INDICATOR WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, OF COURSE THAT LEAVES US WONDERING WHAT IS THE CREW 8 INDICATOR?

>> DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT? >> NO, IT IS A VERY CLOSELY-HELD SECRET. >> IT HAS TO BE HIDDEN IN THERE SOMEWHERE BUT THEY DO A GREAT JOB MAKING SURE IT IS OUT OF SIGHT. ACTUALLY, IT IS A TRADITION THAT HAS GONE BACK QUITE A WAYS. IT SEEMS SILLY BUT WHEN YOU ARE

STRAPPED IN THERE THAT TIGHTLY, UNLIKE A ROLLER COASTER OR CAR, WHEN IT BRAKES, YOU MOVE FORWARD. SO THEY DON’T ACTUALLY MOVE ALTHOUGH THEY MAY FEEL THEIR INTERNAL ORGANS MOVE AROUND. ONE WAY TO KNOW FOR SURE, A GOOD MECHANICAL ANA LOG AND IF THAT IS FLOATING, YOU ARE DEFINITELY IN SPACE.

>> AND WE WILL FIND OUT WHAT THE CREW 8 INDICATOR IS SOON AFTER THEY LAUNCH. WE WILL HEAR WORDS FROM THEM AND THEY CAN EXPLAIN THAT. ALSO A NICE THING FOR THE WHOLE CREW TO DO. LIKE THEY DESIGN A MISSION PATCH TOGETHER, DO THE INDICATOR TOGETHER, IT JUST REVEALS THE

COMARADERIE AND FEELING OF THE TEAM. >> IN SPACE, IT IS SO MUCH MORE COMPLICATION SO THE ZERO TEAM WILL ACTUALLY TEST IT HERE AS WELL. THE ONE I HAVE IS ACTUALLY THE TEST ARTICLE FOR FAU, THE DEDOCK TURTLE AND WE HAD TO DO FULL TESTING OF ALL THOSE SEQUENCE TO

MAKE SURE NOTHING WOULD COME LOOSE. SO ONE FAU WAS ON THE SPACE STATION BUT THE TEST ARTICLE IS HERE ON THE EARTH WITH ME. >> BECAUSE THE SEQUENCE COULD BE — >> YES, EXACTLY, IF THEY BECOME LOOSE, THROW SOMETHING OFF. SO THE FAU I HAVE IS A LITTLE BIT BEAT UP.

>> SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CLOCK ON THE SCREEN, THEY ARE A LITTLE UNDER TWO HOURS FROM THE LIFTOFF OF THE SPACEX CREW 8 MISSION. INSIDE DRAGON ENDEAVOR ATOP A NEW FALCON 9 ROCKET HERE AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. THEY ARE HEADED TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TO

CONTAIN AN ORBITING LAB AND CONDUCT SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS AND DEMONSTRATIONS. THINKING OF THE 6-MONTH TRIP, RAJA, IT WILL BE A REALLY BUSY ONE, FIRST INCLUDING THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE BOEING STARLINER AIRCRAFT. >> YES, I MENTIONED THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF GET TO SEE THAT ON THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM WITH MATT, AND WORKED

WITH BOEING STARLINER SO PRETTY EXCITING TO HAVE TWO VEHICLES CLOSE TO TAKE ASTRONAUTS TO THE SPACE STATION. SO IT IS ALWAYS BUSY AT LANDING TIME BUT ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRIMARY CREW FLYING THE STARLINER SOON. >> IT WILL BE A TWO-PERSON CREW. THE MISSION WILL BE NASA’S BOEING FLEW FLIGHT TEST AND

WOULD MOVE THE BOEING STARLINER SPACECRAFT ONE STEP CLOSER FOR CERTIFYING IT FOR REGULAR CREW TRIPS TO AND FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> I PATCH LEAK CHECK. >> GREAT NEWS, THANK YOU. >> YOU SEE THEM CLOSING OUT THAT ACTIVE PANEL, WHEN THE CHECK IS DONE, THEY WILL PUT THE PANEL BACK ON THERE.

>> SO IN ADDITION TO CFT, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER CAR GO LAUNCH, ANOTHER ASTRONAUT WHO WILL ARRIVE ABOARD A SOYUZ SPACECRAFT A REAL DYNAMIC TIME FOR THE CREW TO BE UP THERE AND DOING WORK. >> YES, THE SPACE STATION CONSTANTLY AND REPEATEDLY HAS TRAFFIC GOING TO AND FROM IT SO

WHEN NEW SCIENCE SHOWS UP, IT IS A HIGHLIGHT TO SEE THE CREWS THAT COME WITH THE VEHICLES, WHETHER CRS, IT IS HOW THEY REFRESH AND CHANGE OUT THE PERSONNEL FOR CUTTING EDGE INSURANCE. WE’LL GET SOME OVERLAPS WITH CREW 7, WITH LAUREL AND HER SOYUZ CREW AND THEN QUICKLY THEY

WILL BE THE ONES RUNNING EVERYTHING UP THERE. >> AND WILL ALSO PERFORM AT LEAST THREE SPACE WALKS. LOOKING AT THE SUMMER/SPRINGTIME FRAME. ONE IS GOING TO REMOVE RADIO FREQUENCY HARDWARE. ANOTHER TO PRESS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF TWO NEW IROSAS AND THE THIRD TO INSTALL A NEW HD CAMERA.

>> SO DEFINITELY A LOT OF WORK OUT THERE, A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND THEY WILL BE KEPT VERY BUSY. I THINK SPACE WALK TRAINING IS THE HARDEST AND PHYSICAL PART OF THE TRAINING FLOW IN THE ASTRONAUT PROGRAM BUT ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING ONES.

WE TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN SPACE WITH ROBOTICS OR AUTOMATION BUT IF YOU HAD SOMETHING BROKE ON THE OUTSIDE, THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS GO OUT THERE AND FIX IT. SO THEY WILL BE DOING THAT, FIXING THE HARDWARE, AN ANTENNA THAT IS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS,

CAN’T BE FIXED IN ORBIT SO THEY WILL PUT A NEW ONE UP, TAKE THAT ONE DOWN AND BRING IT BACK TO EARTH. IT IS BASICALLY TO IMPROVE THE ROLEOUT SOLAR ARRAY. SO IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR 25 YEARS AND NOW WE HAVE BETTER TECHNOLOGY, MORE EFFICIENT SOLAR PANELS, PUTTING NEW SCIENCE

ONBOARD AND WILL BE INSTALLING TWO NEW SETS OF SOLAR PANEL ARRAYS. PRETTY INGENIUS THEY CAME UP WITH A WAY, FOR PEOPLE SEEING THE SPACE STATION ONLINE, SOLAR RAY WINGS ARE MASSIVE, HUGE, SO IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE THOSE AWAY, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT. THEY ACTUALLY ROLL ON TOP OF THE EXISTING ONE.

A PRETTY INGENIUS SOLUTION SO MUCH OF THE SPACE WALK INVOLVED REWIRING THE NEW ONES ATTACH TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THEN DETACH THE ROLLOUT OF THE OLD ONE. >> THEY ARE ON THE SPACE STATION FOR SIX MONTHS, ALL THE VISITING VEHICLES, THEN CREW 8 WILL ALSO

DO A LOT OF SCIENCE AS WE HAVE BEEN SAYING, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY WE HAVE THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THEY ARE GOING TO HELP FACILITATE RESEARCH INCLUDING WHETHER ALGAE MAY IMPROVE SPACECRAFT SUPPORT SYSTEMS. MANY OF THE RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN MICROGRAVITY HAVE IMPLICATIONS HERE ON EARTH THAT IMPROVE OUR EVERYDAY LIFE.

>> AND I THINK FOR ME, MEGAN, THAT IS THE MOST EXCITING THING ABOUT WORKING ON THE SPACE STATION AND WHY I BECAME A ASTRONAUT TO BEGIN WITH. IT IS REALLY ABOUT SAVING LIVES HERE ON THE PLANET SO I THINK THE MOST EXCITING RESEARCH THAT WE DO TO HELP US GET TO THE MOON

AND MARS ALSO CHANGES WHAT WE DO HERE WHETHER IT IS CLEANING WATER TECHNOLOGY, ASH DONE DIOXIDE, WE NEED THEM TO LIVE ON ANOTHER PLANET BUT IT WOULD ALSO CHANGE HUMANITY HERE ON EARTH. SO AMAZING TO KNOW YOU ARE A SMALL PIECE OF THE PROGRAM, A SMALL PIECE OF THE RESEARCH THAT

DOES THAT, IT IS REALLY AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF THAT AND KNOWING THAT YOU ARE SUPPORTING PART OF THE RESEARCH AND SCIENCE THAT HAS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. YOU CAN SEE THEM REMOVING SOME MORE OF THE PARTS AND PIECES THAT CONNECT THE WHITE ROOM AND

THAT CLEAN ROOM, NOW THE HATCH IS CLOSED AND THE COVER IS ON, THEY WILL START DISASSEMBLING THE PIECES THERE SO WHEN THE CREW ARM RETRACTS, THERE IS NOTHING ATTACHED TO THE CAPSULE. >> SEEMS LIKE A GOOD TIME NOW TO TAKE ANOTHER SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION. THIS ONE IS FROM MARS86 ON INSTAGRAM.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO TRAVEL TO SPACE? >> I THINK THE BEST DESCRIPTION IS KIND OF LIKE A SUPERHERO, ABILITY TO FLIGHT. I THINK THAT IS THE THING I MISS THE MOST, BEING ABLE TO FLOAT AROUND. IT TAKES A WHILE TO ADJUST. YOU HEARD JEANETTE MENTION IN

HER VIDEO THAT IN TWO WEEKS, SHE WILL BE ACCLIMATED. IT TAKES A FEW DAYS TO TWO WEEKS TO HAVE YOUR BODY ADJUSTED AND THEN ONCE YOU ARE ADJUSTED, IT IS TRULY A JOY. >> GREAT QUESTIONS. KEEP THEM COMING. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR ANY PLATFORM YOU

ENJOY WATCHING US, HASHTAG ASKNASA AND RAJA WILL TRY TO ANSWER THEM. >> I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY MORE THAN I CAN ANSWER. YOU SEE THEM BASICALLY REACHING OUT OVER THE PLATFORM AND THEY ARE BASICALLY TAKING OFF THE SEALS. AGAIN UP TILL NOW, THIS HAS BEEN A COMPLETELY SEALED ENVIRONMENT.

YOU TAKE THE SEALS OFF, YOU ARE GETTING THE AMBIENT FLOOR TO — FLORIDA AIR INTO THE CAVITY AND NONE OF THAT IN THE SPACECRAFT. >> T-MINUS 1 HOUR AND 47 MINUTES, AND COUNTING. SO FAR, A VERY SMOOTH AHEAD OF SCHEDULE COUNTDOWN. AS RAJA SAID, YOU ARE WATCHING

THE CLOSEOUT TEAM ON THE PAD IN THE WHITE ROOM, PREPARING FOR THE CREW ACCESS ARM TO RETRACT. >> ACCESS? >> GO AHEAD. >> CREW 8 TIMELINE IS TICKING DOWN TO LAUNCH DON’T. WE HAVE THE SIDE HATCH CLOSED AND LEAK CHECKED WITH EMERGENT. CREW IS STILL ON THE ARM AND

WILL GIVE YOU A FURTHER UPDATE WHEN THEY ARE DOWN. >> COPY THAT. >> NO SIGNIFICANT UPDATES ON CREW AND GROUND SYSTEM. DRAGON CONTINUES TO LOOK HEALTHY AND WILL CONTINUE TO TICK DOWN. I HAVE A WEATHER UPDATE. IT HAS BEEN TRAINING BETTER THAN OUR PREVIOUS BRIEF, DOWN TO A PROBABILITY OF VIOLATION OF

15 PERCENT. WE HAVE THE MANAGEMENT CONTINUING TO TRACK THE WEATHER AS USUAL, ISSUE MINOR DEVIATIONS BUT IT IS LOOKING GOOD OUT THERE. >> GREAT NEWS, GREAT TO HEAR THAT, THANK YOU. >> AGREE, GREAT NEWS AND THAT IS ACTUALLY ALL I HAD. HOW ARE YOU DOING IN THERE? >> LOVING LIFE, HANGING OUT.

>> ALL RIGHT. AND I DID GET SOME LAST-MINUTE WORD FROM RICK FROM THE TRAINING TEAM, HE WANTED TO PASS ON SOME ADVICE, PARTICULARLY TO YOU, MATT, JUST DON’T BREAK ANYTHING. >> COPY THAT. WE WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT. >> SOME FUN BANTER BACK AND FORTH THERE ON THE AUDIO LOOP,

HEARD THEM TELL MATT NOT TO BREAK ANYTHING BECAUSE RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GREAT. SO THE WEATHER TRENDING BETTER THAN YESTERDAY, AGAIN, 85 PERCENT GO. THEY ARE LOOKING AT SOME RAIN FARTHER ALONG THE DESCENT CORRIDOR BUT LOOKING GOOD FOR LAUNCH, 85 PERCENT. >> YEAH, THE FACT IT IS BETTER IS GOOD.

>> ESPECIALLY SINCE WEATHER HAS BEEN PLAGUING US THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AND WAS THE REASON WHY WE WOULDN’T LAUNCH YESTERDAY. >> GOT IT. >> SO A LIVE VIEW OF FALCON 9 WITH DRAGON ENDEAVOR AND CREW 8 INSIDE ON PAD 39A. LET’S TAKE THEM INSIDE MISSION CONTROL.

IT IS THE HUB OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT AT NASA WITH FLIGHT CONTROLLERS WHO STUDENTSLY MONITOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND PEOPLE LIVING ABOARD. THEY ARE GETTING READY FOR CREW 8 ARRIVAL. LET’S HEAR FROM THEM THERE. >> THANKS, MEGAN, SUCH AN EXCITING MISSION AHEAD FOR CREW 8. I AM HERE IN THE INTERNATIONAL

SPACE STATION FLIGHT CONTROL ROOM AND ANYTHING ROLE HOUSTON. INCLUDING DEMO 2, TODAY WILL BE THE NINTH TOTAL CREW LAUNCH UNDER THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM WHICH HAS THE ABILITY TO LAUNCH ASTRONAUTS FROM THE AMERICAN SOIL. HOWEVER IT IS NOT JUST PROFESSIONAL ASTRONAUTS THAT LAUNCH INTO SPACE STATION ANYMORE. THE LABORATORY HAS BEEN ADDED

AX3 WITH A CREW FROM FOUR NATIONS. NASA IS ENABLING THESE MISSIONS TO OPEN UP SPACE AND LAY THE FRAMEWORK WHERE SPACE ECONOMY WILL BECOME JUST ONE OF MANY CUSTOMERS. JUST THIS YEAR, THEY LAUNCHED FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER WHERE CREW 8 IS LAUNCHING FROM TODAY. THEY CONDUCTED DOZENS OF EXPERIMENTS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.

CURRENT LIE AWAITING CREW 8 IS THE EXPEDITION 70 CREW. WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT THE SPACE STATION, THEY WILL NO LONGER BE KNOWN AS CREW 8 BUT RATHER JOIN THE EXPEDITION 70 FLIGHT ENGINEERS. WE HAVE A CREW ONSTATION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR NEW CREWMATES. ON THE LEFT, EXPEDITION

COMMANDER AND EUROPEAN GNAT ANDY MOG ESON. COSMONAUTS NIKOLEI CHU. NEXT WE HAVE HITOSHI AND THEN ON THE FAR RIGHT, MO OHARA. THE LABORATORY CREW WILL JUMP RIGHT IN WITH EXPERIMENTS FOR NEW RESEARCH UPCOMING ON CARGO FLIGHTS. IT WILL PROVIDE THE GOVERNMENT WITH SAFE AND RELIABLE SERVICES WHILE SUPPORTING AN ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.

THAT IS SALARY BE JUST ONE OF MANY CUSTOMERS. AND TO LEARN MORE, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO. >> LO, STANDS FOR LOW ORBIT, THE SPACE CENTER 250 MILES OUT AND KNOWN AS THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THE SPACE STATION HAS ENABLED SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING BREAKTHROUGHS THAT WEREN’T HOBBLE ON EARTH.

IT TAUGHT US MORE ABOUT OUR PLANET, PHYSICS AND BIOLOGY AND ALLOWED US TO TRAVEL FROM HOME FARTHER THAN EVER BEFORE. AND AS IT ENDS LIFE, AMERICA WILL MAINTAIN THAT THROUGH LEO. WORKING WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE EXPLORATIONS. THESE WILL BE OPERATELY OWNED AND OPERATED SPACE FACILITIES

WHERE THAT IS SALARY BE JUST ONE OF MANY CUSTOMERS. THIS ECONOMY WILL STIMULATE COMMERCE AND USHER IN THE NEXT GENERATION, OPENING UP THE DOOR FOR SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES AND PRIVATE ASTRONAUTS. ALLOWING NASA TO CONTINUE ITS CRITICAL WORK ON LEO. SUPPORTING DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION AND BRINGING THEM BACK HOME TO EARTH.

>> T-MINUS 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES FROM LAUNCH. TAKING A LIVE LOOK INSIDE THE WHITE ROOM, THE CREW ACCESS ARM, HOW THE CREW INGRESSED INTO THE DRAGON SPACECRAFT, NOW CLOSED AND WILL NOT REOPEN TILL THE CREW SPLASHES DOWN SIX MONTHS FROM NOW. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE CREW’S DESTINATION, THE ISS AND

HOW ITS INCREDIBLE ORBITING LAB EXISTS AND SO LET’S CHECK OUT SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS HELPED US DOWN HERE. >> THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IS A STATE-OF-THE-ART MICROGRAVITY LABORATORY TO MAKE DISCOVERIES NOT POSSIBLE ON EARTH. >> EVERY DAY WE’RE ANSWERING BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT EARTH, SPACE, ABOUT WHERE WE CAME FROM AND

WHERE WE’RE GOING BUT THE OTHER THING IS WE’RE LEARNING MORE QUESTIONS TO ASK. >> MICROGRAVITY TURNS ALMOST EVERYTHING WE KNOW UPSIDE DOWN. LIQUIDS BEHAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. FIRE BURNS IN NEW WAYS. BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS REVEAL SURPRISES. >> THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT HAVE MADE BEE GASP OUTLOUD WATCHING THESE EXPERIMENTS.

>> EXCITING NEW WAYS TO GROW FOOD IN MICROGRAVITY. >> THIS IS PRETTY AMAZING. >> LEARNING HOW HUMAN BODIES REACT TO LIGHT AND SPACE AND HOW TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND STRONG THROUGHOUT THE MISSION. >> THEY ARE IN ZERO GRAVITY. >> AND TESTING TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL BE KIT CALL FOR OUR RETURN

TO THE MOON AND EVENTUALLY TO MARS. OUR RESEARCH IS CONTRIBUTING TO RESEARCH ON OUR OWN PLANET, ALLOWING US TO FIND NEW WAYS FOR THINGS ON EARTH AND DELIVER CLEAN WATER TO COMMUNITIES IN NEED. HOVERING 200 MILES ABOVE EARTH, IT SUPPORTS OUR CLIMATE, NATURAL DISASTERS AND PLANT LIFE.

>> THE PERSPECTIVE WE HAVE HERE ON ISS IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. EARTH IS GORGEOUS. >> THE GROWING SPACE ECONOMY SO VITAL TO OUR CONTINUED PROGRESS IN SPACE. WE’RE INSPIRING FUTURE GENERATIONS FROM A PLATFORM THAT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLABORATIONS OF OUR TIME. DOING SCIENCE AT 17,500 MILES PER HOUR.

COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE. ♪ ♪ >> DURING THAT VIDEO, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THE TEAM OVER THE MISSION AUDIO LOOP SAYING THE CLOSEOUT TEAM HAS DEPARTED THE PAD. SO NOW YOU SEE THEY ARE NOT IN THE WHITE ROOM ANY LONGER, DOWN ONE LEVEL AND BE LEAVING THE PAD SHORTLY.

AND ALL THAT INFORMATION IS TELLING THEM, YOU CAN SEE THE SHADOWS, THE CREWS CAN SEE OUTSIDE THE WINDOW AND SEE MOVEMENT OUTSIDE THE WINDOW SO ALERTING THEM THEY SHOULDN’T BE SEEING THAT ANYMORE. IF THEY ARE, THAT MEANS SOMETHING ELSE IS HAPPENING WITH EQUIPMENT. AND ALSO GIVES THEM AWARENESS TO

ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, EMERGENCY EG RESS. THE CREW ALWAYS KEEPS TRACK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THE PAD BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE TO USE THE FLY WIRE BASKETS, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALL ACCOUNTED FOR SO IT IS SURFACE COMMUNICATION TO LET THEM KNOW

WHO IS THERE AND NOT THERE. >> SO THANKS FOR THAT INSIGHT, RAJA. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE CREW 8 MISSION PATCH. THEY DESIGNED IT TOGETHER. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT IT NOW. YOU HAVE THE DRAGON BOWING TO THE ISS AS IT WATCHES OVER ENDEAVOR, THE FLYING CREW TO THE ISS.

THEY ARE ENABLING A CONTINUED HUMAN PRESENCE ON THE LAB IN LOWER ORBIT, THE DRAGON HOLDING IT BY THE TAIL AND NUMBER 8. AND YOU SEE THE WORLD MAP IN THE BACKGROUND. AND EACH ASTRONAUT IS ALLOWED TO KEEP A FEW PERSONAL ITEMS FOR THEIR 6-MONTH STAY IN SPACE.

LET’S HEAR THE THINGS CREW 8 SAYS THEY ARE TAKING UP. LEFT TO RIGHT, ALEXANDER, FAMILY PHOTOS AND THINGS THAT REMIND HIM OF HOME. MIKE BARRATT, THE PILOT, HE SAYS THE COOLEST THING HE IS TAKING WITH HIM IS HIS CREW, BUT HE ALSO PLANS TO FLY MOMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED HIM

THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE AND HARD COPY PHOTOS OF HIS FAMILY. THEN WE HAVE MATT, THE COMMANDER. HE SAYS HIS DAD HAS THE SAME STYLE WATCH PROVIDED TO APOLLO ASTRONAUTS AND HIS DAD GIFTED THAT WATCH TO HIM SO HE WILL BE BRINGING THAT UP TO THE SPACE STATION WITH HIM. AND THEN JEANETTE WILL BE

BRINGING UP A PHOTO OF HER MOM AND FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, HER MOM PASSED AWAY FIVE DAYS AFTER JEANETTE WAS SELECTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT IN JUNE 2009. AND JEANETTE SAYS SHE WOULDN’T BE SITTING IN TAG GONE ENDEAVOR WITHOUT HER MOM’S WORK ETHIC AND EMPHASIS SHE INSTILLED IN HER ON

EDUCATION, GROWING UP. >> I THINK THERE IS NOT A LOT OF ROOM TO PUT THINGS IN YOUR POCKETS BUT SOME OF THE MOST PRECIOUS THINGS FOR YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES, PICTURES, MY WEDDING RING AND BASICALLY PIECES I WOULD LIKE THE CHILDREN TO USE IN THE FUTURE FOR THEIR WEDDING

IF THEY ARE GOING TO DO THAT. GIVING THEM THE OPTION TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WENT INTO SPACE FOR THEIR EVENTUAL MARRIAGES. >> THAT IS A GREAT THOUGHTFUL THING. >> NOT MY IDEA, IT WAS PASSED ON TO ME BY SOMEONE ELSE AND PASSED ON TO THEM FROM SOMEONE ELSE.

>> NICE OF YOU TO ADMIT THAT. >> YES. >> AND SPEAKING OF JEANETTE’S WORK ETHIC, SHE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST THOROUGHLY CROSS-TRAINED ASTRONAUTS IN THE CORPS, TRAINED ON SOYUZ, STARLINER AND NOW DRAGON. >> YES, MATT HAS BEEN ON DRAG GONE AND STARLINER BUT IT IS A GOOD THING FOR ASTRONAUTS TO

HAVE AND TO BE ABLE TO KEEP TRACK OF THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS ON THE DIFFERENT VEHICLES AND SHE IS UNIQUELY QUALIFIED HAVING SEEN ALL OF THEM. >> AND AGAIN, A BEAUTIFUL SHOT OF THE LAUNCH PAD. FLYING A NEW FALCON 9 BOOSTER. DRAGON ENDEAVOR FLYING ON ITS 5TH FLIGHT. THAT IS THE MOST FOR ANY

SPACECRAFT, RIGHT? >> YES, THE FLEET LEADER AND ORIGINAL CERTIFICATION DONE BY THE PROGRAM, JUST THE FACT WE WERE USING CAPSULES TO BEGIN WITH, NEW BOUNDARY BREAKING AND PRECEDENT FOR THIS BACKUP PROGRAM AND SPACEX PULLED THAT OFF TOGETHER. SO I AM SURE AFTER THIS THERE WILL BE A LOT OF ANALYSIS,

TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT HOW TO BE FORWARD WITH SPACE FLIGHTS AND WHAT THE STEPS ARE. PRETTY AMAZING, LIKE YOU MENTIONED FIVE YEARS AGO, OH, IT IS AN ASSISTED FLIGHT BUT WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN IN THE VERNACULAR THEN. THE IMPOSSIBLE HAS BECOME COMMON. >> RIGHT, AND THE PLAN FOR THE

COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM IS AFTER ENDEAVOR FLIES ON ITS 5TH FLIGHT, THEY WILL EVALUATE IT AND WORK WITH SPACEX TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT COULD BE RECERTIFIED TO SUPPLY ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS. >> EXACTLY AND I THINK THEY WILL BE, LIKE YOU MAY NOT HAVE TO RESURFACE THE WHOLE CAPSULE, MAYBE JUST COMPONENTS OR

PARTICULAR PIECES BUT WILL DIG IN WITH THE HELP OF THE FOLKS AT KSC AND ALL THE NASA CENTERS IN THE PROGRAM TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTINUE USING IT. >> T-MINUS 1 HOUR, 31 MINUTES, 40 SECONDS AND COUNTING TILL DRAGON ENDEAVOR AS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FLIES ITS FOUR-PERSON CREW TO THE

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THE ASTRONAUTS WE’RE TRACKING TODAY, COMMANDER MATT DOMINICK, PILOT MICHAEL BARRATT, SPECIALIST JEANETTE EPPS AND ALEXANDER GREBENKIN. UP NEXT, WILL THERE BE A LAUNCH TEST NOW? >> THEY CALLED ONE EARLIER, NOT SURE IF THEY WERE AHEAD OF THINGS TO KNOCK IT OUT BUT WE WILL SEE IT BEFORE THEY START

TOP LOADING AND HAVE TO ARM IT FOR REAL, JUST LIKELY CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT CAN TRANSIT SAFELY. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEING IMPORTANT IN THE DRAG GONE ARCHITECTURE, THE STATE DICTATES WHAT THINGS YOU CAN DO. SO IF IT IS IN THE LAUNCH STATE, YOU CAN HAVE A LAUNCH ESCAPE

TRIGGER BUT ONCE IT IS IN ORBIT, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE ANYMORE. SO THAT IS WHY IT IS A KEY VEHICLE PARAMETER, ALWAYS WATCHING WHAT STATE THEY ARE IN BECAUSE THAT ENABLES THE COMMAND. >> I SEE AND DRAGON’S LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM POWERED BY SUPER D.J. UAL ENGINES IN PAIRS

AROUND THE CAPSULE AND EACH ENGINE IS CAPABLE OF GENERATING 16,000 POUNDS OF THRUST AND THERE IS A SENSOR THROUGHOUT FALCON 9 WHICH FEED TELEMETRY TO THE SHIP’S FLIGHT COMPUTER THAT MONITORS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS. SO IF THERE IS A MAJOR MALL MALFUNCTION, IF THAT IS DETECTED, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY

FIRE THE ENGINES TO PRO TELL AWAY FROM THE ROCKET AT A HALF MILE IN 7 SECONDS AND REALLY THE SYSTEM CAN MOVE THE CREW AWAY FROM THE ROCKET IF THERE WERE AN EMERGENCY. >> THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST IMPROVEMENTS TO CREW SAFETY THAT THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM HAS

BROUGHT US, TO BOTH DRAGON AND THE STARLINER, A ROBUST LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. LIKE YOU MENTIONED, IT IS DESIGNED TO BE AUTOMATED BUT ALSO ABLE TO BE ACTIVATED MANUALLY BY THE COMMANDER AND PILOT WHO HAVE A WAY TO FORCE LAUNCH ESCAPE AND THAT ACCELERATION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE KEEP IN MIND IT IS

HAPPENING DURING LAUNCH AND THE ROCKET IS STILL ACCELERATING SO YOU HAVE TO ACCELERATE FASTER THAN THE ROCKET TO GET AWAY FROM IT. >> AND TO BE TRIGGERED WHILE STILL ON THE PAD AND ALSO ULTIMATELY IN FLIGHT. >> CORRECT, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE LAUNCH ESCAPES IN BOTH POSITIONS.

>> SO THEY WILL BE ARMING THAT LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM BEFORE PROPELLANT LOADING OF FALCON 9. NOW THE CREW GOING UP, THAT MEANS CREW 7 WILL BE RETURNING HOME. NASA ASTRONAUT BEDRABELLI AND OTHERS, YOU SEE THEM THERE, LAUNCHED FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR. THEY HAVE BEEN LIVING AND

WORKING ON THE SPACE STATION FOR SIX MONTHS AND ONCE CREW 8 ARRIVES, THERE WILL BE WHAT IS CALLED A HANDOVER FOR FIVE DAYS AND THEN CREW 7 WILL UNDOCK FROM THE ISS NO EARLIER THAN MARCH 11TH. SO WHAT IS THE HAND OVER PERIOD, WHAT HAPPENS DURING THAT TIME?

>> USUALLY IT IS FIVE DAYS THE CREW WILL OVERLAP WITH THE OUTGOING CREW. ALL OF THE CREWS ARE TRAINED WHEN THEY SHOW UP THERE AND THE MANY THINGS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE, WHERE IS THE CAMERA RECOVER, THE MICROPHONE FROM THAT CAMERA, EVERY CREW ORGANIZES FOOD DIFFERENTLY, MAYBE WE HAVE BREAKFAST FOOD

HERE AND LUNCH FOOD HERE, MEATS IN THIS DRAWER, SO IT IS ALL THOSE LITTLE DAY IN THE LIFE THINGS AND AS YOU MARRIED MIKE SAY EARLIER, THE SPACE STATION IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING. EVERY CARGO VEHICLE THAT SHOWS UP IS CHANGED CONFIGURATION SO WHAT YOU SEE IN ONE MAY NOT BE

THE SAME IN OTHERS SO GETTING THE CREW TO TELL THEM THAT IS PRETTY IMPORTANT. AND THEN GETTING A HANDLE ON THE EX ZERO SIZE EQUIPMENT. SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAVE MAINTENANCE THINGS BASED ON USE. >> SPECIFIC TO THE HANDOVER, I THOUGHT THIS WAS INTERESTING, THE ASTRONAUTS WILL BE TESTING NEW WATER BOTTLES?

>> YES, SOFT WEAR BAGS THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL USE ON FUTURE DRAGON LAUNCHES, THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM AS WELL. THE IDEA IS THE HARD PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES YOU CAN’T GET ALL THE WATER OUT OF THEM, WHERE THE SOFT WATER BOTTLE, YOU CAN SQUEEZE AND GET ALL THE MODIFY

CHEWER OUT OF IT AND ON THE ORORION AS WELL. SO A MORE EFFICIENT WAY TO GET OBJECTS UP IN SPACE. >> A LOT OF PLANNING ASK COORDINATION HAS TO HAPPEN TO GET THEM UP AND DOWN SAFELY SO HERE IS THE COMMERCIAL RECOVERY DIRECTOR FOR THE CREW PROGRAM.

>> MY JOB IS TO COORDINATE AND LEAD THE NASA TEAM THAT BRINGS THE ASTRONAUTS HOME FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AFTER THEIR SIX MONTH MISSION IS COMPLETE. THE THING WITH SPACEX IS REAR LANDING CAPSULES IN THE GULF AND ON THE ATLANTIC SIDE OF FLORIDA. SO BOUNCING BOTH COASTS TO BRING THE ASTRONAUTS HOME.

WE ARE CONTINUALLY LEARNING ABOUT THE HARDWARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAPSULE, THE PARACHUTE, RECOVERY VEHICLE AND THE TEAM ITSELF, THE ASTRONAUTS. MY MISSION, I WAS NEW TO THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM WITH THE CREW 3 RETURN MISSION. WE WERE STILL COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC WHICH WAS A CHALLENGE FOR EVERYBODY AROUND THE WORLD

BUT INCLUDING NASA, FINDING WAYS THAT YOU ARE A ASTRONAUTS WOULD MAKE THE LANDING RECOVERIES SAFE, OUR PARTNERS AT SPACEX WERE SAFE. SO BEING ON THAT MISSION, THE CHALLENGES WE SAW AND THE WAY WE OVERCAME THAT AS A TEAM AND HAVING THAT BE SUCCESSFUL AS MY FIRST COMMERCIAL CREW IS

SOMETHING THAT WILL STAY WITH ME FOR A LONG TIME. >> AND THANKS TO ALL THE FOLKS WHO MAKE A MISSION LIKE THIS POSSIBLE >> WE HAVE ANOTHER QR CODE FOR YOU. THIS ONE WILL SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN DOWNLOAD NASA’S NEW SPACE STATION APPS. FOR THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW, THE

SPACE STATION IS THE THIRD BRIGHTEST OBJECT IN THE SKY AND THAT APP, IF YOU SCAN THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN WILL HELP YOU SEE IT AS IT ORBITS THE EARTH AT 17,500 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WILL BE A PUSH NOTIFICATION, LOOKS LIKE THIS AT THE TOP THERE, YOU CAN SELECT

THE VIEWING APPLICATION, AND TRACK THE SPACE STATION IN REALTIME, SHOWING YOU WHERE IN THE SKY TO LOOK AND YOU CAN SHARE A VIDEO DIRECTLY FROM THE APP. PRETTY COOL. OKAY, LOOKING AT THE CLOCK AGAIN, 1 HOUR, 33 MINUTES, 34 SECONDS FROM LAUNCH. CREW 8 TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

THE CREW HAS INGRESSED AS YOU CAN SEE HELPED BY THE CLOSEOUT TEAM, UMBILICALS ARE ATTACHED AND THOSE PROVIDE BREATHING AIR AND COMS TO DRAGON. THEIR SUITS WERE CHECKED FOR PRESSURE CHECKS, COM CHECKS ARE COMPLETED. THE CLOSEOUT TEAM ALSO CLOSED THE SEAL, CLOSED THE HATCH WHICH ALSO GETS ITS OWN LEAK CHECK.

AND THAT TEAM HAS NOW DEPARTED AND WE WILL BE CARRYING A FINAL WEATHER CHECK BEFORE A NO-GO — A GO-NO-GO CHECK. BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, SPACEX WILL DO EXTERNAL POLLS TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE RIGHT WITH SYSTEM. >> THAT IS A LOT OF MOVING PARTS, A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS.

REALLY THE EPITOME OF THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NASA AND SPACEX THAT MAKES THAT HAPPEN. YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT BEFORE BUT WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE IS JUST THE AMOUNT OF DATA AND RIGOR THAT GO THROUGH THESE CREW LAUNCHES, WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AT NASA

AND SPACEX, EVEN DOWN TO THE ENGINE COMPONENTS. SO A LOT OF THE COMPONENTS OF SPACEX 9 EXPERTS ARE POURING OVER THE DATA AS THEY START THE FINAL COUNTDOWN, FOLKS FROM THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM, SUBJECT MATTERS IN ALL DIFFERENT SYSTEMS WHO ARE ESSENTIALLY ALSO MONITORING THE TELEMETRY, KIND OF OVERSEEING EVERYTHING AND AT

ALL POINTS, CONFERRING WITH SPACEX TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE AGREES THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, THAT THE TEAM HAS CONTINUED THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS WORKED REALLY GOOD. >> A NICE SHOT NOW OF CREW 8’S RIDE IN SPACE ON SPACEX FALCON 9, THE FIFTH TIME THAT FALCON WILL FLY THE ENDEAVOR DRAGON.

>> GOOD JOB, GODSPEED, GOOD JOB. >> THE CAPSULE T06 LAUNCHED DOUG HURLEY AND BOB RANKIN TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. IT HAD BEEN NINE YEARS SINCE A LAUNCH OCCURRED FROM U.S. SO I WILL. IN A TOUR OF THE SPACECRAFT AFTER THE LAUNCH, THEY ANNOUNCED WHY THEY NAMED THE CAPSULE ENDEAVOR.

>> WE BOTH HAD OUR FIRST FLIGHT ON SHUTTLE ENDEAVOR AND IT JUST MEANT SO MUCH TO US TO CARRY ON THAT NAME. THAT IS WHAT WE DECIDED TO GO WITH. >> ENDEAVOR WAS ALSO THE NAME OF THE APOLLO COMMAND MODULE THAT ORBITED THE MOON WHILE A

PAIR OF ASTRONAUTS WORKED ON THE SURFACE. CREW 2 LAUNCHED FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER CARRYING TWO ASTRONAUTS ALONG WITH EXTRA ASTRONAUTS. ENDEAVOR SPLASHED DOWN OFF THE COAST OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA AFTER SPENDING 199 DAYS IN ORBIT, A RECORD FOR THE SPACECRAFT. A YEAR LATER, THE SPACE FLIGHT PRIVATELY FUNDED AND OPERATED LEAVING THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE

STATION. MICHAEL LOPEZ ALLEGRIA AND A CIVILIAN BEFORE SPLASHING DOWN. THEN A YEAR LATER, CREW 7. ENDEAVOR SPLASHED DOWN OFF THE COAST OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA AFTER 3000 ORBITS OF EARTH AND 79 MILLION MILES TRAVELING SIX MONTHS IN SPACE. OVER ITS FOUR FLIGHTS, IT SPENT OVER 450 DAYS IN ORBIT, SURPASSING SPACE SHUTTLE

“DISCOVERY”‘S 365 DAYS. CREW 8 AND ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE FIRST VEHICLE IN A GENERATION TO MAKE FIVE FLIGHTS. AND THE COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCHING THE NEXT CREW OF 4 IN ENDEAVOR TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, LET’S GET A CHECK OF OUR ARTEMIS 2 ASTRONAUTS. YOU CAN SEE WORK ON THEIR LAUNCH

PAD IS UNDERWAY AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE HISTORIC MISSION AROUND THE MOON. ♪ ♪ >> EARLIER THIS YEAR, TEAM’S WITH EXPLORATION GROUND SYSTEMS BEGAN INSTALLING AND TESTING THE EMERGENCY EGRESS BASKETS AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA. THEY ARE PART OF THE MISSION WITH ARTEMIS2. IF EVACUATION OF THE LAUNCH PAD IS NECESSARY, ASTRONAUTS AND

OTHER PERSONNEL WILL USE THE EGRESS BASKETS TO QUICKLY EVACUATE FROM THE MOBILE LAUNCHER. YOU ARE GETTING A SPED-UP FIRST-PERSON VIEW OF THAT RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE LIKE GONDOLAS IN A SKI LIFT THAT SLIDE DOWN CABLES TO THE GROUND. EACH IS THE SIZE OF A SMALL SUV AND CAN CARRY FIVE PEOPLE.

ONCE ON THE GROUND, TEAMS OPERATING EMERGENCY VEHICLES WILL DRIVE THEM AWAY FROM THE LAUNCH PAD. AND THAT IS YOUR ARTEMIS MOON MINT. >> AND NEXT FOR THE EMERGENCY EGRESS SYSTEM, THEY WILL TEST THE BASKETS IN WATER TANKS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS TO SIMULATE THEM FILLED WITH PASSENGERS AND ONCE THAT IS DONE, THEY WILL

SEND THEM BACK. >> WE TALKED ABOUT CREW 8 KNOWING WHO IS ON THE TOWER AND NOT ON THE TOWER, SIMILAR THINGS WITH THE CREW 8 CREW, THE DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS YOU CAN HAVE AND TESTING THEM WITH BALANCE BEFORE YOU PUT PEOPLE ON THEM. >> AND YOU ARE HAVING A BIG HAND

IN RUNNING THIS CAMPAIGN, YEAH? >> YEAH, I THINK OUR ENTIRE OFFICE IS INVOLVED BUT AN EXCITING PART OF OUR JOB, IT IS GREAT BUT MOST OF THE DAY JOBS WITH THE OTHER ISS PROGRAMS, WHETHER SPACEX, BOEING, MULTITUDE OF ARTEMIS PROGRAMS, YOU KIND OF HEARD ABOUT THEM IN THE VIDEO.

ALL OF THE WORK WITH STATE ZERO FOR BUILDING THE PAD, I AM WORKING WITH SPACEX ON THE LUNAR LANDER, THE ROCKETS, THERE IS THE ORION CAPSULE, SO NO SHORTAGE OF WORK GOING ON FOR ARTEMIS RIGHT NOW AND EVERYONE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THAT. >> ALL HANDS ON DECK. >> EXACTLY.

>> MUST BE EXCITING FOR YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT THAT AND THE SPEED AT WHICH WE ARE MAKING SUCH PROGRESS IN HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT. WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS IN THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM AS YOU HAVE BEEN SAYING SINCE 2020 AND NOW LOOKING AHEAD IN THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM.

>> YEAH, A GREAT TIME TO BE WORKING AT NASA, WHETHER YOU HAVE THE MARS ARCHITECTURE, THE LUNAR LANDER, HOW WE GET IT THERE, STAY THERE, THE SCIENCE THAT HAPPENS WHILE ON THERE, THERE IS NO LACK OF SUPPORT THAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED RIGHT NOW FOR THE SPACE AGENCY.

>> AND NOW WE WILL SHOW YOU A QR CODE, BRING THAT UP ON YOUR SCREEN. IF YOU ARE WATCHING THIS ON YOUR PHONE, YOU CAN’T SCAN IT BUT YOU CAN CLICK ON IT AND TYPE IN ARTEMIS2. WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO FLY ALONG WITH US AS WE EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE.

>> NOT JUST THE DEVELOPMENT GOING ON BUT ALL THE TRAINING WITH THE ARTEMIS CREW IS INVOLVED, BEING OUT ON THE PACIFIC. WE HAVE OPERATIONS ON BOTH COASTS WITH HELP FROM OUR DOD PARTNERS ON THE EAST COAST WITH DRAGON AND THEN THE PAST FEW DAYS ON THE WEST COAST IN THE PACIFIC WITH ARTEMIS.

>> NOW AT 1 HOUR, 14 MINUTES BEFORE THE LIFTOFF OF CREW 8 ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THE LATEST CREW TO FLY AS PART OF NASA’S COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM WHICH USES PRIVATE COMPANIES TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE TO AND FROM THE ORBITING LAB FROM RIGHT HERE ON U.S. SO I WILL.

YOU CAN SEE THE CREW THERE. THEY ARE FLYING ABOARD A SPACEX DRAGON NAMED ENDEAVOR. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT. A RECORD 5TH FLIGHT FOR THIS SPACECRAFT. BEING LAUNCHED TODAY ON A NEW FALCON 9 BOOSTER AND YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE IT DOESN’T HAVE THAT TELL TALE SOOT ON IT. NICE AND CLEAN.

OFTENTIMES WE ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. WEATHER WAS THE BIG WATCH ITEM FOR US BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE 85 PERCENT GO HERE AT THE LAUNCH SITE. WE ARE ALSO KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE CORRIDOR AND WHETHER IT HAS BEEN TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR US SO EXCITEMENT

REALLY PICKING UP AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE P-0. >> YEAH, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES FOR THE CREW BECAUSE YOU ARE SO READY TO GO, BUT EVERYTHING GOING PHENOMENALLY, IT IS KIND OF QUIET TIME SO AS I MENTIONED, MOST LIKELY GOING THROUGH ALL

THE DIFFERENT STEPS FOR THE ASCENT, DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES, TALKING THROUGH THE NOTES THEY HAD BEFORE FROM DIFFERENT SIMS AND JUST REEMPHASIZING EVERYTHING ONE MORE TIME. >> AND FOR SOME IT MIGHT MEAN SETTING AN ALARM SO THEY DON’T MISS TONIGHT’S LAUNCH. T-0 IS 10:53 AND 38 SECONDS EASTERN TIME.

WE HAVE TIME NOW FOR ANOTHER ASK NASA QUESTION SO LET’S PULL ONE UP ON THE SCREEN FOR RAJA WHO HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB AND ACTUALLY SOMEBODY RECORDED A VIDEO FOR YOU. THIS WILL BE COOL. SO THIS ONE IS FROM A FORMER NASA ENGINEER TURNED STEM INFLUENCER ON SOCIAL MEDIA, HIS

NAME IS MARK GROVER AND WAS HERE VISITING KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AND HE HAD A QUESTION THAT ONLY AN ASTRONAUT CAN ANSWER. >> HOW IS IT GOING, MARKOVER HERE. I HAVE A NASA QUESTION. I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I LOOKED THROUGH AN ACTUAL TELESCOPE AND JUST HAD SEEN

STARS WITH MY OWN EYES LIKE I HAD NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE. FOR THE ASTRONAUTS, WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOU GOT IN SPACE AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOWS AND NOT ONLY DO YOU LOOK OUT IN SPACE AND SEE STARS WITH NO LIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER BUT ALSO

LOOKING BACK ON EARTH, WHAT DID THAT MOMENT FEEL LIKE? >> FOR ME IT WAS PRETTY SURREAL. I DON’T REALLY KNOW HOW TO TOTALLY PUT IT IN WORDS. TOM’S WHOLE GOAL AFTER WE MADE ASCENT WAS JUST TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND SEE OUR REACTIONS AND THE JOY WE HAD AND JOY TO

ANOTHER PERSON SEEING THAT JOY. THE STARS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT I THINK FOR ME WHAT WAS MORE POWERFUL WAS SEEING EARTH FROM THAT VANTAGE POINT AND SEEING REALLY THE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE EARTH, IT IS PRETTY HUMBLING. AND THE IDEA, TOO, WHAT YOU CAN DO IN MINOR GRAVITY, YOU CAN

ROTATE YOUR BODY TO SEE IT IN DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS. SO YOU CAN SEE IT IN A HORIZONTAL SURFACE BUT THEN ROTATE YOUR BODY WHICH GIVES IT THE SENSE OF IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLANET BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT USED TO SEEING IT IN THAT ORIENTATION. A POWERFUL VISUAL EXPERIENCE AND

FOR ME TO EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO TAKE CARE OF THE PLANET WE LIVE ON. >> A BEAUTIFUL SHOT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL ANSWER, AGAIN, OF THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN SPACE. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. AND A QUICK NOTE, IF YOU ARE IN BREVARD COUNTY ON FLORIDA’S

SPACE COAST, YOU CAN LISTEN ALONG ON AMATEUR LOCAL RADIO FREQUENCIES THAT YOU COULD SEE THEM ON YOUR SCREEN. I MIGHT MESS THEM UP IF I WERE TO SAY THEM OUTLOUD SO TAKE THE TIME TO WRITE THEM DOWN. AGAIN, ONLY AVAILABLE IF YOU ARE HERE IN BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA.

>> NICE VIEW OF THE ROCKET THERE. IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US, WELCOME TO THE LIVE COVERAGE OF NASA AND SPACEX FLIGHT OF CREWS 8 TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER HERE IN FLORIDA. WE HAVE RAJA HERE, A MEMBER OF A FORMER CREW AND I AM MEGAN.

WE HAVE BEEN HERE A LITTLE MORE THAN AN HOUR TO TELL YOU ABOUT HOW THIS HAS BEEN GOING WITH THE COUNT. >> I THINK WE HAVE SEEN WHERE THE CREW IS AHEAD OF THE TIMELINE, LAUNCH CONTROL IS AHEAD OF THE TIMELINE WHICH IS ALWAYS A GOOD FEELING TO HAVE.

THAT TIME DURING THE PRETIME IN THE VEHICLE, GOING THROUGH ALL THE PRE-CHECKS WITH THE CREW. ANOTHER WEATHER UPDATE, SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL AND THE LAUNCH HOPEFULLY WILL GO FROM THERE. >> THEY SCRUBBED THE LAUNCH YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER CORRIDOR BUT TODAY, IT IS 85 PERCENT GO AT THE LAUNCH SITE

AND THE WEATHER HAS IMPROVED OVER THE ASCENT CORRIDOR AS WELL. LOOKING LIKE A GOOD DAY. >> YES, KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED AND AS TRENDS CONTINUE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEND CREW 8 ON THE WAY TO THE SPACE STATION. >> LAUNCH TEAMS KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE WEATHER AND WILL BE

LISTENING IN AT THE T-MINUS 1 HOUR MARK. SO IT IS 10:43 AND 38 SECONDS AND HAVE YOU SEE THE FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD, A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. >> READY TO GO. AND AS YOU HEARD SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT WITH MATT AND THE CREW TALKING WITH THE AIR CONTROLLERS, THEY ARE EXCITED

AND READY TO GO. LOOKS TO BE A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT FOR FOLKS HERE AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER TO WATCH. THEY HAD THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY, THE ONES IN QUARANTINE, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH THE LAUNCH AND THEN EXTENDED FAMILY AND LOTS OF FOLKS HERE TO SEE THE 5TH FLIGHT OF ENDEAVOR WHICH IS

AMAZING TO THINK OF FIVE LIVES OF A VEHICLE THAT WAS BUILT FOR ONE. >> AND NOW THE CREW IS GETTING READY FOR THEIR TRIP TO SPACE. IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US, WE HAVE IN THE COMMANDER SEAT, NASA ASTRONAUT MATT DOMINICK MAKING HIS DEBUT SPACE FLIGHT, FROM WHEATRIDGE COLORADO AND A FORMER

NAVAL AVIATOR. SITTING NEXT TO HIM IS MICHAEL BARRATT, PILOT MAKING HIS THIRD TRIP TO LOWER ORBIT, BOARD CERTIFIED IN INTERNAL AND AEROSPACE MEDICINE. UP NEXT, NASA ASTRONAUT JEANETTE EPPS WILL BE DOING MISSION WORK AND PRIOR TO NASA, WORKED AS A CIA INTELLIGENCE OFFICER. AND RUSSIAN COSMONAUT ALEXANDER GREBENKIN, HIS FIRST TRIP IN SPACE.

>> MICHAEL BARRAT, SUCH A GREAT LEADER AND REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO FLY WITH HIM. YOU SAW MATT AND MIKE AT DIFFERENT PLACES PREVIOUSLY SO PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. >> IMPRESSIVE WITH THE CREW AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO GET HERE TODAY. >> LET’S TAKE A MOMENT TO RECAP

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN COVERING. WAKING UP, HAVING A BITE TO EAT, FIT THE ASTRONAUTS INTO THEIR HISTORIC PRE-FLIGHT SUIT-UP ROOM. YOU CAN SEE MATT LOOKING THERE HAPPY AND READY. AND THEN THE CARD GAME FOR THE COMMANDER TO USE UP ALL OF THEIR BAD LUCK DURING THE FLIGHT.

AND THEN THE CREW WALKS THE SAME FOOT AT THE SAME TIME OF EVERY CREW SINCE APOLLO 8, SAYING GOODBYE TO THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. ABOUT A 15-MINUTE RIDE TO LAUNCH PAD 39A. FOLLOWING THEIR ARRIVAL, THEY GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROCKET, A LOOK INTO SPACE AND INTO THEIR SPACECRAFT.

NOW WE ARE WATCHING THEM LIVE WHILE WE AWAIT THE NEXT BIG MILESTONE, FUELING OF THE FALCON 9 ROCKET AND ARMING THE ROCKET SYSTEM. >> KIND OF THE REASON THEY ARE USING ALL THIS TIME NOW IS ONCE THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM IS ARMED, THE CREW WILL PRETTY MUCH BE STILL, KEEPING THEIR ARMS,

HANDS AND LEGS INSIDE THE RESTRAINTS AND IF THERE WAS AN ESCAPE, IT IS PRETTY FORCEFUL AND HAPPENS FAST SO YOU WOULDN’T TO WANT HAVE YOUR HAND OUT. THIS IS THE TIME TO GET ALL THE LITTLE MOVEMENTS OUT, GET YOURSELF COMFORTABLE, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS CONFIGURED THE WAY

YOU WANT AND THEN DO ALL THE SCROLLING TO GO THROUGH THE PROCEDURES. THEY WILL TRY TO MINIMIZE ONCE THE ROCKET IS ARMED. >> AND BEAUTIFUL AERIALS FROM A HELICOPTER WE HAVE ORBITING THE PAD. WE HAD ANOTHER WEATHER BRIEFING AND WE ARE NOW 90 PERCENT GO. >> GOOD NEWS. GETTING BETTER. >> GREAT WEATHER.

>> SO MY GUESS IS WHEN THEY DO THE NEXT UPDATE WITH THE CREW, THEY MIGHT DO THAT WITH THEM. >> AT THIS TIME WE ARE EXPANDING OUR COVERAGE AND LIKE TO WELCOME SPACEX AND NASA COMMENTATOR FROM CALIFORNIA WHERE THE SPACEX MISSION TEAM IS LOCATED, SAND DEBORAH, WELCOME. >> THANKS, WELCOME TO EACH AND

EVERY ONE OF YOU, I AM SANDRA JONES. WE ARE JOINING YOU FROM SPACEX IN CALIFORNIA AS WE COUNT DOWN THE CREW 8 LAUNCH. OF COURSE CREW 8 IS OUR 8TH MISSION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. CREW 8 WILL HAVE THREE FIRST TIME FLYERS AS WELL AS A VETERAN ASTRONAUT.

TODAY’S CREW WILL FLY ABOARD THE DAG GONE ENDEAVOR WHICH PREVIOUSLY FLEW SEVERAL CREWS IN ADDITION TO AX1, THE FIRST COMMERCIAL ASTRONAUT MISSION TO THE SPACE STATION. FOR THOSE OF YOU FOLLOWING ALONG, ENDEAVOR WILL BE THE FIRST DRAGON SPACECRAFT TO FLY FIVE TIMES. >> HAS ALSO BEEN THE FIRST TIME

FOR THE DEMO 1 MISSION TO THE SPACE STATION. >> ALL GOOD TO GO FOR SECTION 5F5. WHEN READY GO FOR LAUNCH. >> COPY, SECTION 5 WILL GO. >> AND GREAT COMS BETWEEN THE COMS AND THE CREWS ON PROCEDURE. IT IS ALREADY MARCH AND ALREADY BEEN A VERY BUSY YEAR FOR SPACEX AND NASA.

SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE HAVE LAUNCHED TWO SPACE FLIGHTS, ONE AXIOM 3 AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, SPACEX USED A GRUMMAN SUPPLY MISSION. THAT HAD A POLAR TRAJECTORY FROM THE CAPE. >> AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAD OUR C — CLPS PROGRAM TO HELP THE CREW AS THEY GO FURTHER IN

SPACE. >> COPY CREW 8 LAUNCH, LET’S DO IT. >> AND GREAT NEWS THERE, WE ARE GO FOR LAUNCH. IT IS AN EXCITING TIME FOR ALL THINGS, HISTORY MAKING EVERY DAY. T-MINUS 45 MINUTES THE TEAM WILL REPORT THEIR READINESS FOR PROPELLANT LOAD WITH A GO/NO-GO POLL AND SO TO HELP US WITH THAT

IS REBECCA TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE THAT. >> THE CREW WILL BE MAKING ITS JOURNEY FROM LOW EARTH ORBIT WHICH YOU MAY HAVE HEARD CLASSIFIED AS LEO. THAT IS 1200 MILES OR LOWER INCLUDING THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE AND THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. IT AVERAGES IT 250 MILES ABOVE

EARTH BEVARIES DEPENDING ON THE LOWEST POINT OF ITS ORBIT. AS DISCUSSED EARLIER, IT WAS RECENTLY HOME TO WILL AX3 WITH A CREW REPRESENTING FOUR NATIONS. IT WOULD ALLOW THE COMMERCIAL CREW TO UPDATE THE MISSION FOR THE ECONOMY AND CONDUCTED SPACE EXPERIMENTS. THEY TOOK BEAUTIFUL SHOTS OF THE EARTH LIKE THIS ONE.

AND ONE TOOK THIS PICTURE OF THE MOON. NASA’S CREW 7 IS CURRENTLY ABOARD THE STATION AND CAPTURED AMAZING SHOTS RECENTLY. THEN THERE IS THIS RARE PHOTO OF RARE LOCTULUCENT CLOUDS. THEY ARE MADE OF ICE CRYSTALS WHERE OTHER CLOUDS ARE PREYED MIAMILY OF WATER DROPLETS. WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT CREW 8 RECORDS.

NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> I VIEW CREW 8 LIKE A TORCH BEARER. EACH NATION THAT HOSTS THE OLYMPICS HAS, YOU KNOW, THESE TORCH BEARERS THAT GO ALONG AND EACH PERSON LIGHTS THE TORCH AND PASSES IT TO THE NEXT PERSON AND

THAT IS WHERE I SEE CREW 8. WE ARE KEEPING LOWER ORBIT ALIVE WHILE CONTINUING TO GO INTO THE SPACE STATION AND DO SCIENCE. >> IT IS THE LARGEST LABORATORY WE HAVE EVER HAD IN SCIENCE IN LOWER ORBIT. >> WHATEVER WE CAN DO IN SPACE TO LOOK AT OURSELVES, WITHOUT

THE FORCE OF GRAVITY, WE CAN DEVELOP BETTER COUNTER MEASURES HERE ON EARTH. >> THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION BECOMES A LOWER ORBIT WIND TRUMP AND GIVES US A WAY TO TEST THINGS BEFORE WE MOVE AWAY TOWARDS THE MOON AND LONG TRANSSITS, MARS AND AS ASTROIDS. [ SPEAKING RUSSIAN ]

>> EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL BE AN EXPERIMENT IN AND OF ITSELF, HOW OURSELVES BEHAVE, HOW OUR BLOOD CHANGES, OUR BONE DENSITY, MUSCLE MASS, WE ARE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT MEASURES THE HUMAN BODY SO IT CAN LIVE LONGER AND LONGER OUTSIDE THE EARTH’S PROTECTION. >> WORKING AND TRAINING WITH

CREW 8 IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. WE HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF ACADEMIC AND INTELLECTUAL BACKGROUNDS THAT COME TOGETHER AND INTERNATIONAL COMPONENTS. >> I WOULD SAY WE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. [ SPOKING RUSSIAN ] >> THE CHEMISTRY WE HAVE KIND OF DEVELOPED I THINK IS QUITE MAGIC.

THIS MISSION HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER IN A WAY I DON’T THINK ANY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES EVER WOULD. >> THE ISS IS A VERY CRITICAL STEPPING STONE IN HUMAN EXPLORATION BELOW ORBIT. EVERY TIME WE LAUNCH ANOTHER CREW IN SPACE WE ARE DOING EXPERIMENTS ON THE BODY AND HOW

TO MANAGE IT IN THE LOWER ORBIT. THAT SETS US UP TO GO TO THE MOON AND TO MARS. IT IMPROVES HUMAN KNOWLEDGE OF SPACE TRAVEL FURTHER. >> IT WILL MAKE MORE SPACE TRAVEL KEEN. THIS IS A FULLY REUSABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT WILL TRANSFORM HOW WE ACCESS SPACE

BECAUSE IT IS DESIGNED TO CARRY A LARGE AMOUNT OF CARGO AND LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE TO THE ORBIT, MOON, MARS AND BEYOND. IT WILL BE CAPABLE OF CARRYING 150 METRIC TONES AT ORBIT AND UP TO 100 PASSENGERS. WE’RE STILL IN TESTING PHASE AND WE’RE ALSO BUILDING A SECOND LAUNCH TOWER TO INCREASE THE

FLIGHT OPPORTUNITIES. THIS WILL PROVIDE UPGRADES TO THE TOWERS WHILE CONTINUING TO LAUNCH. THIS WILL MAKE A TRIP TO THE MOON POSSIBLE SUCH AS PROPULSION, LIFE SUPPORT AND AN ELEVATOR THAT WILL TAKE THE CREW FROM THE STARSHIP HATCH TO THE LUNAR SURFACE. >> STARSHIP WILL PUT THE FIRST ASTRONAUTS ON THE BOONE.

IT WILL PERFORM ONE CREW DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT BEFORE ARTEMIS3 MISSION WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST HUMAN EXPEDITION SINCE 1972. >> HARD AT WORK GETTING READY FOR THE MOON MISSION. WITH ITS ABILITY TO DELIVER PEOPLE AND CARGO TO THE LUNAR SURFACE, IT WILL HELP US LEARN HOW TO MAKE THE TRIP TO MARS.

THE FIRST LUNAR LANDING SINCE THE APOLLO PROGRAM ENDED 25 YEARS AGO. >> BY INTUITIVE MACHINE, A LUNAR LANDER WAS SENT TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOON. NASA WAS ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS TO HITCH A RIDE TO DELIVER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS TO THE SOUTH POLE AND IS PART OF THE PAYLOAD SERVICE INITIATIVE

TO LEARN MORE BEFORE THE ARTEMIS CAMPAIGN. THIS PICTURE WAS CAPTURED OF ODYSSEUS AS IT FLEW AWAY FROM EARTH. THEN ANOTHER PHOTO SIX DAYS LATER AS IT ENTERED THE LUNAR ORBIT WITH NASA’S FIXED INSTRUMENT. THEN ODYSSEUS ON THE MOON, NASA GATHERED AS MUCH INFORMATION UNTIL THE SOLAR PANELS WERE NO LONGER EXPLORED TO LIGHT.

>> WHEN IT IS TIME FOR HUMANS TO DISCOVER THE MOON AND BEYOND, THEY WILL HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING WITH THEM. HUGE AMOUNTS OF CARGO AND CREW WILL BE NECESSARY AND THAT IS WHERE THE NEXT STARSHIP COMES IN. RIGHT NOW WE ARE GETTING READY FOR THE THIRD TEST FLIGHT. EVERY LAUNCH YIELDS CRITICAL

DATE IT FOR CONTINUING TO IMPROVE AND PAVE THE WAY FOR OUR TRIPS IN SPACE. >> RIGHT NOW WE ARE PAVING THE WAY WITH TODAY’S EXCITING MISSION WHICH WILL CONDUCT OVER 200 SCIENTIFIC DEMONSTRATIONS AS WELL AS HUMAN RESEARCH ON ED SPED ADDITIONS BELOW ORBIT AND HELP THOSE ON EARTH.

>> NASA IS IN THE PROCESS OF GATHERING AS MUCH DATA AS POSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND HOW LONG DURATION TRIPS TO SPACE AFFECT THE HUMAN BODY. FOR MORE ON THAT, LET’S GO TO OUR NEXT COMMENTATOR. >> THANKS SO MUCH, WE ARE HERE IN ONE OF THE MAIN VIP LOCATIONS, AND I HAVE KRISTEN

HERE TO PROVIDE US WITH THAT INFORMATION. >> THANK YOU, IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE RESEARCH PROGRAM. >> SO WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO? >> WE FOCUSES ON THE RISK AND HOW TO REDUCE RISK TO HUMANS IN SPACE FLIGHT, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, STRESS, SLEEP, BONE, MUSCLE, HOW DOES EXERCISE AFFECT THAT,

NUTRITION, FOOD, MEDICAL CAPABILITIES. REALLY HOW WE UNDERSTAND THOSE RISKS AND HOW WE COUNTER THOSE RISKS. WE CALL THEM COUNTER MEASURES, ALL THAT HELP US WITH FUTURE ORBITS. >> AND THE RESEARCH PROGRAM LONG-STANDING EXPERIMENT CALLED VIPIR, THERE HAVE BEEN LIKE 14 OVER THE YEAR AND TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> IT WASN’T THAT LONG AGO THAT I WAS STANDING HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT STARTING THE PROGRAM AND TO EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, 14 STUDIES IN ONE RESEARCH COMPONENT SO THAT IS SHOWING OUT THE RISKS IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES AND WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO IS

CONNECT ALL THE DOTS HOW THEY ACT AND IMPACT THE HUMAN OVERALL IN ENVIRONMENTS LIKE MICROGRAVITY. SO A LOT GOES INTO THIS. >> ESPECIALLY LOW EARTH ORBIT BECAUSE THAT IS A STEPPING STONE. WE WANT TO GO TO THE MOON AND THEN ON TO MARS SO HOW IS THAT GETTING US THERE?

>> AS WE TALK ABOUT ARTEMIS GOING TO MARS, WE HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED SPACE FLIGHT HAZARDS THAT HUMANS HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED. SO THAT COULD BE RADIATION, COGNITIVE CHANGES, DISTANCE, THE SURFACE, LIKE MARTIAN DUST. SO ALSO EXTREMELY HIGH MICROGRAVITY AND IT GIVES US A WONDERFUL CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES IN THE VESTIBULAR OR

SENSORY MOTOR FUNCTION. IT IS HELPING US UNDERSTAND ALL THE CHANGES TO MICROGRAVITY SO WE CAN USE THIS TO HELP US GET READY FOR FUTURE EXPLORATIONS AND REDUCE THOSE RISKS. >> A LOT IS GOING INTO THAT SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. >> APPRECIATE IT.

>> OKAY WE WILL TOSS IT BACK TO SPACEX IN CALIFORNIA. >> THANKS SO MUCH. WE ARE COMING UP ON 47 MINUTES TO LAUNCH AND OUR TEAMS ARE MOVING CAREFULLY PRIOR TO LIVEOFF. A LOT HAS GONE INTO THIS POINT INCLUDING A DRY RUN EARLIER THIS WEEK. WE DID STAND DOWN FROM A LAUNCH

ATTEMPT YESTERDAY DUE TO WEATHER BUT FOR NOW EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT FOR LAUNCH AT 15:53 EASTERN. NOW IN A FEW MINUTES, OUR LAUNCH DIRECTOR WILL CHECK IN WITH THE DIRECTOR FOR LAUNCH. THEY WILL INDICATE THEY ARE A GO BY VOTING ELECTRONICALLY. THEY WILL ALSO CHECK IN WITH THE MISSION DIRECTOR AND LAUNCH

DIRECTOR TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD AS WELL. AND AS JESSE MENTIONED, THE DRAGON TEAM AND KEY MEMBERS ARE ON THE LAUNCH PAD AND HANGAR IN FLORIDA. HERE YOU HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF THE SPACECRAFT IN POSITION. RIGHT NOW CREW 8 IS ABOARD DRAGON WAITING FOR THE GREEN

LIGHT TO STOW FOR THE LAUNCH. WE SHOULD GET A GOOD LOOK AT THE ACCESS ARM MOVING AWAY FROM THE DRAGON. THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IS LOOKING GOOD FOR LAUNCH BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR SOME RAIN AND STORMS. AND AS YOU KNOW, IT IS 54 DEGREES OUTSIDE WITH LIGHT WINDS.

SO OVERALL LOOKING GOOD FOR LAUNCH IN 45 MINUTES WITH JUST A 10 PERCENT CHANCE OF A WEATHER VIOLATION. IF NEEDED, PLANS FOR ESCAPE ARE ALSO A GO. OUR TEAMS WILL BE STAFFED AROUND-THE-CLOCK IN MISSION CONTROL TO MONITOR DRAGON, NOT JUST FOR TODAY BUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MISSION. FROM LIFTOFF TO CREW 8’S ARRIVAL

ON THE SPACE STATION ALL THE WAY TO WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS COME BACK HOME. THERE ARE SIX KEY MISSIONS. THE MISSION DIRECTOR IS IN CHARGE OF THE ROOM AND MAKING REALTIME DECISIONS. THE PERSON YOU MAY HEAR TALKING TO THE ASTRONAUTS IS THE CREW OPERATIONS AND RESOURCE DIRECTOR

WHO YOU WILL HEAR US REFER TO AS THE CORPS. AND THE FOUR ADDITIONAL CREW MEMBERS INCLUDE I HAVE A I DON’T KNOW TICKS, NAVIGATION AND CONTROL, SOFTWARE, PROPULSION, LIFE SUPPORT AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE GROUND SUPPORT TEAM. FALCON 19 IS ALSO CURRENTLY LOCATED IN THE LAUNCH AND LANDING CONTROL CENTER.

NOW WITH LESS THAN AN HOUR BEFORE T-0, ALL TEAMS ARE CHECKING IN FOR PROPELLANT LOADING AND LIFTOFF. AND RIGHT NOW STANDING BY FOR THAT. >> LAUNCH CONTROL ROOM GO INTO LOCKDOWN FOR NEXT 45 MINUTES TO REMOVE ARM. ALL OPERATORS ARE TO MAINTAIN ZERO COCKPIT UNTIL IT IS

DETERMINED IT IS A SUCCESSFUL REMOVAL OF THE ARM SYSTEM TILL COUNTDOWN OR TO SCRUB. OPERATIONAL OUTCOME WILL SHOUT HOLD, HOLD, HOLD SHOULD THAT HAPPEN. OPERATORS ADVICE INSTRUCTIONAL BREAKUPS PER DRAGON’S RULES. [INDISCERNIBLE] >> WITH THAT, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TOWARD LAUNCH. PROPELLANT LOADING WILL BEGIN IN ABOUT TEN MINUTES AND CREW 8 ARM

RETRACTION HAS BEGUN SO NOW LET’S CHECK BACK IN WITH MEGAN AND RAJA. >> THE COUNTDOWN CLOCK CONTINUES TO TICK. AT THE TIME OF LAUNCH, THE SPACE STATION WILL BE FLYING 260 MILES OVER THE SOUTHERN ARABIAN SEA SOUTHWEST OF INDIA. THE CREW ACCESS ARM WILL RETRACT FROM DRAGON AND ACTUALLY IT IS

HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THIS IS A CRITICAL MILESTONE, RAJA? >> IT IS. >> BASIC FOR COUNTDOWN TIMING. >> GO AHEAD. >> MATT WE’RE LOOKING AT ONE CLOSEOUT PHOTO OF THE SIDE HATCH, DOING SOME ANALYSIS ON IT AND LOOKING FOR YOU TO BE CRISP WITH THE ARM LOTTING. TEAMS UNDER PRESSURE TO GET A

CALL-IN. >> OKAY. >> CHECK COMPLETE. >> NOW THAT THE ARM IS OUT OF THE WAY, THE NEXT BIG STEP IS TO ARM THE ESCAPE AND YOU HEARD THE MD SAYING KEEP IT CRISP WITH THE ANALYSIS FROM THE SIDE HATCH PHOTOS. THE LAUNCHSCAPE SYSTEM, THE CREW WILL ACTUALLY HEAR A NUMBER OF

THUNKS AND THUDS FROM THE VALUES WE SHOWED YOU EARLIER, THE TEAM WILL HEAR THAT, WITH THE VIBRATIONS, AND YOU LISTEN TO THOSE SOUNDS BEFORE YOU SEAL THE CAPSULE. WHAT YOU CAN’T FEEL IS THE CAPSULE VIBRATING AS THAT HAPPENS. >> DRAGON WILL PULL THE CREW AWAY FROM THE PAD IF THERE WERE

TO BE AN ISSUE. WHY ISN’T THE LAUNCH SYSTEM ARMED SOONER? >> YOU WANT TO WAIT TILL WE DON’T HAVE ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVE AND WAIT TO START LOADING PROP ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEN ESSENTIALLY IT IS LIVE FOR WHAT GENERATES THE THRUST FOR THE ROCKET BUT COULD CAUSE A HAZARD.

SO AT THAT POINT YOU WANT THE ABILITY TO IMMEDIATELY CLEAR. THERE IS STILL A CHALLENGE TO FUELING THE ROCKET AND IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS, THEY CAN REFUEL IT BUT ONCE THEY ARE ONBOARD, THEY WANT THAT DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. AND YOU CAN SEE THE CREW INITIATE THAT BEFORE THE ARMING

SYSTEM. MATT AND MIKE WILL PULL UP A SCREEN TO SEE THOSE TRIGGERS AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS ACTIVATED PROPERLY FOR THAT. >> AND THE WAY TO MAKE A PATH FOR EVACUATION, RIGHT? >> THERE ARE TWO SYSTEMS. ONE WILL ALLOW THE CREW TO SWING BACK AND GET OUT AND THEN THE LAUNCH.

>> DRAGON RETRACT EXPECT A DECISION AT 35 MINUTES. AT THIS TIME YOU ARE GO FOR ARMING THE PROCEDURE, YOU ARE NOT GO FOR ARMING THE COMMAND. DRAGON COPY. >> COPY. CAN WE PREEMPT THE CLOSE? >> YES, SIR, GO FOR THAT. >> SO THERE ARE STEPS AND PROCEDURES AND THEY SAID YOU CAN

REVIEW BUT DON’T EXECUTE. SO HE IS LOOKING AT THE STEPS TO ARM THE ESCAPE SYSTEM BUT TOLD TO HOLD OFF FOR ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO TILL THEY GET THE CALL TO DO THAT AND YOU HEARD THEM TALKING ABOUT THE PHOTOS OF THE HATCH, THE ANALYSIS OF LOOKING AT EVERYTHING, IS THIS NEW, OLD,

PROBABLY SOMETHING THEY ARE LOOKING AT IN THOSE PHOTOS WITH THE LIGHTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE HAPPY WITH WHAT THEY SAW. >> MAKING SURE THE HATCH AND THE SEAL ALL GOOD BEFORE PROCEEDING. >> YES, AND THE REASON IS WHERE THEY WANT TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT THAT NOW BECAUSE ONCE YOU

ARM THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM, NOW YOU ARE SITTING ON A ARMED SET OF PROP IN THE DRAGON WHICH IS ACTIVE. SO RIGHT NOW THE CLOSEOUT CREW IS GONE AND BEFORE YOU TAKE THAT NEXT STEP, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CLEAR PATH TOWARDS LAUNCH. >> AND AGAIN, WE’RE EXPECTING

THAT DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT TO GO FORWARD WITH ARMING THE FALCON BEFORE IT CAN GO AND WE’RE EXPECTING THAT IN A MINUTE. THAT IS THE TIME WHERE THEY WILL MONITOR WITH MATT AND THE CREW. AND SO ARMING THE ARM SYSTEM WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AT 39

MINUTES, OBVIOUSLY IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN LATER, IT IS STILL OKAY? >> ABSOLUTELY. THE DRIVING FACTOR AS THE VEHICLE GETS CLOSER TO LAUNCH, THE MARGIN OF TIME THEY BUILD IN GETS A LITTLE TIGHTER BUT YEAH, THERE IS A FACTOR OF HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THE FUEL INTO

FALCON 9 BEFORE LAUNCH TIME AND AS LONG AS THE ARM, IT IS A PRETTY QUICK COMMAND FOR THE FALCON BUT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS THEY WILL BACK OUT THE FUELING OF THE ROCKET AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE TIME. >> WE’RE GOING TO STAND BY FOR WHAT WE EXPECT A DECISION —

>> AT THIS TIME YOU ARE READY TO GO FOR ARM ESCAPE SYSTEM, TEAM IS CONFIDENT WE UNDERSTAND WELL ENOUGH AND PROCEED WITHIN EXISTING ANALYSIS. >> CHECK AND COPY. HATCH IS CLOSED AND WE ARE ARMING THE ESCAPE SYSTEM. >> COPY. >> AND WITH THAT CALLOUT, ARMING THE ESCAPE SYSTEM, ONE OF THE

MAJOR MILESTONES BEFORE LIFTOFF TODAY. 10:53P.M. AND 38 SECONDS HOUSTON TIME FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER HERE IN FLORIDA, SENDING THREE ASTRONAUTS AND ONE COSMONAUT TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, THIS IS THE CREW 8 LAUNCH LIVE BROADCAST. >> AND YOU HEARD THE NOD FOR THEM TO GO AHEAD AND COMPLETE PROCEDURE —

>> KEY SYSTEM, VERIFIED ARM. >> THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM, JUST A POSSIBILITY YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR. NO ONE WANTS TO THINK ABOUT IT BUT IT IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR. >> IT MAKES THE OVERALL LAUNCH SAFER IF YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH

THE F9 ROCKET SO YEAH, CORRECT, YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO HAVE TO USE IT PUT THE FACT WE BUILD THAT INTO THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES HAS LED TO A HUGE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT OVER THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE STARTING — LOADING PROP NOW WHICH IS THE NEXT MAJOR STEP AND

NOW THAT THE ESCAPE SYSTEM IS ARMED, THEY START PUTTING PROP ON THE VEHICLE AND YOU WILL HEAR THE CALLS. THE CREW CAN ACTUALLY FEEL SOME OF THESE THINGS. THEY DON’T HAVE DIRECT INSIGHT INTO THE FUEL LEVELS INSIDE FALCON 9 BUT THEY HAVE A TIMELINE INSIDE THE DRAGON. >> THE LOADING HAS STARTED.

>> CONFIRMING THE PROPELLANT LOAD HAS STARTED ON SCHEDULE AT T-MINUS 35 MINUTES FROM LIFTOFF. >> SO AT THIS POINT, THE CREW LIKE I MENTIONED WITH THE LOCK ESCAPE SYSTEM, PRETTY MUCH ARMED IN FLIGHT MODE SO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY ARE WATCHING THE TIMELINE AND MONITORING THE CALLS THEY

GET FROM THE GROUND THAT KIND OF LAYOUT IF THE PROP LOADING IS HAPPENING ACCORDING TO TIMELINE AND FOR US WATCHING IT ON TV, IT IS SUPER EASY TO SEE HOW FULL IT IS AS THE CONDENSATION COMES OFF THE ROCKET. THAT LETS YOU KNOW HOW FAR UP THE FUEL IS AS THE COOLED

PROPELLANT GOES INTO THE TANKS AND EVAPORATES. >> SO NOW WE HAVE PROPELLANT GOING IN AND LIQUID OXYGEN. >> AND AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE SKIP LOADING, THEY MAKE THOSE CALLS TO CREWS SO WHEN YOU HEAR THE THUNKS AND THUDS AND RINGING OF THE VEHICLE, YOU KNOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AS OPPOSED TO

WITHOUT A TIMELINE YOU HEAR A VERY LOUD THUD AND GO WHAT WAS THAT. SO IT KEEPS EVERYONE IN SYNC IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING THEY ARE FEELING AND HEARING ARE NORMAL. >> DRAGON ENDEAVOR RIGHT NOW HAS COMMANDER MATT DOMINICK, MARRIED WITH FIVE CHILDREN. FIRST TIME IN SPACE BUT HAS MORE

THAN 1600 HOURS IN FLIGHT TIME IN VARIOUS AIRCRAFT. >> GO AHEAD. >> I WANTED TO GET BACK WITH YOU AND CHAT ABOUT THAT LES ARMING TIME PRESSURE. WE SAW A SMALL CRACK ON THE SIDE HATCH STEEL AT THE TOP OF THE HATCH. THE MAIN CONCERN IS REENTRY SOAKING THROUGH THE STEEL.

WE DO BELIEVE IT IS WITHIN MARGINS OF THE ANALYSIS THE TEAM IS STILL WORKING IT AND DOUBLE-CHECKING. OUT COPY. >> CHECK, COPY. >> SO TO GET THE CALL THERE ESSENTIALLY SAYING THEY HAVE GIVEN THE OKAY TO ARM THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE TOTALLY

COMFORTABLE FOR FINISHING THE ANALYSIS FOR WHAT THEY SAW IN THE HATCH PHOTOS AND THEY WILL NOT LAUNCH IF THEY ARE NOT CONFIDENT BUT BELIEVE THAT IT IS WITHIN MARGINS, MENTIONING THAT. BASICALLY WHAT THEY ARE DOING NOW IS PROP LOADING IN PARALLEL WITH THAT. >> RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT CALLOUT

GAVE US INSIGHT INTO WHY THERE WAS A DELIGHT IN ARMING THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. THEY BASICALLY SAID THERE WAS A SMALL CRACK IN THE SIDE HATCH STEEL AND THE CONCERN OF THAT CRACK WOULD BE DURING REENTRY. >> CORRECT, YES. SO I THINK OBVIOUSLY LIKE WE TALKED MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE

BROADCAST, WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST EXPERTS IN THE WORLD WITH SPACEX AND NASA SIDE LOOKING AT THE DATA. IT SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE EARLY ON BEING AHEAD OF TIME AND WITH ALL THE PICTURES AND PHOTOS TAKEN OF THE HATCH STEEL, THIS IS WHY THEY DO THAT BECAUSE NOW WHEN WE

DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO THE HATCH, THEY CAN OPEN THOSE UP AND GO BACK THROUGH THE PHOTOS WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND USE THAT PHOTO EVIDENCE WITH A VALIDATION OR ARRANGEMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT EVERYTHING IS GOOD TO GO. >> STAGE 1 CRACK. >> YES, RP1 IS THE FUEL AND

LIQUID OXYGEN IS THE OXIDIZER AND WHAT PRESSURIZES THOSE ELEMENTS IS THE HELIUM. SO YOU LOAD THE GAS AND THEN PUSH THOSE FUELS INTO THE ENGINE. >> T-MINUS 30 MINUTES, 19 SECONDS AND COUNTING. AS RAJA WAS SAYING, PROPELLANT LOADING IS HAPPENING ON THE FALCON 9, BUT THERE IS AN ISSUE

STILL IN REVIEW WHICH IS A SMALL CRACK IN THE SIDE HATCH STEEL. THE TEAM BRIEFED THE CREW JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO SAYING THAT THEY ARE REVIEWING IT, THEY BELIEVE IT IS SMALL ENOUGH TO FIX AND THAT IS WHY PROPELLANT LOADING WILL CONTINUE. >> CORRECT, YEAH.

YEAH, AT THIS POINT THE CREW IS KIND OF GOING THROUGH PROCEDURES AND TALKING TO THE EXTENT, AGAIN, THE NEXT BIG POINT FOR THEM WILL BE AT T-MINUS 10 MINUTES WHERE THEY WILL BEGIN TALKING ABOUT THE PROPELLANT AND MIKE GET A WEATHER UPDATE AS WELL FROM THE CONTROL TEAM.

>> AS WE WAIT FOR UPDATES, WE ASKED THE CREW 8 ASTRONAUTS WHY THEY BELIEVE SPACE FLIGHT IS SO IMPORTANT AND HERE IS WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. ♪ ♪ >> EVERYTHING YOU LEARN ON SPACE STATION ENABLES OUR TECHNOLOGY, INCREASES OUR KNOWLEDGE AND BURNS DOWN OUR RISK AS WE GO FURTHER.

AND WE’RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO FURTHER OUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. [ SPEAKING RUSSIAN ] >> PEOPLE ARE SO DIFFERENT ON EARTH AND THE MORE WE GET IN SPACE, THE MORE WE LEARN WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BODY IN SPACE, THE MORE WE CAN PLAN FOR THE MOON AND MARS.

>> THE SCIENCE WE CONDUCT OUT IN SPACE, HOW TO GET HUMAN BODIES TO LAST LONGER OUTSIDE EARTH PROTECTION. >> WE HAVE ACTUALLY DISCOVERED PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES HOW THE BODY WORKS THAT WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW EXISTED WITHOUT FINDING THEM FIRST IN SPACE THAT. INCLUDES MECHANISMS TO LOWER YOUR BLOOD VOLUME TO ADAPT TO A

WEIGHTLESS ENVIRONMENT. MECHANISMS THAT STORE SODIUM IN YOUR BODY WE DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED. WAYS TO CONTROL THE HUMAN CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM. >> EVERYTHING HAPPENS BY OUR PLANET EARTH. >> IF WE WANT TO GO FURTHER, WE HAVE TO MAKE OURSELVES ABLE TO DO IT. >> GO FURTHER WE MUST BUT WE

WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN THE BEST SHAPE POSSIBLE AND OUR MISSION WILL DEFINITELY ASSIST THAT. >> SO NOW LET’S HEAD BACK TO DEVIN WHO IS WITH BILL NELSON AND PAM PH*ELROY. >> THANKS SO MUCH, MEGAN, AN HONOR TO HAVE THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP HERE FOR A LAUNCH.

BOTH OF OUR LEADERS HERE HAVE BEEN TO SPACE BEFORE. SO WILL YOU TALK ABOUT WHY SAFETY IS SO PARAMOUNT FOR SPACE FLIGHT? >> YOU ARE DEALING WITH A VERY UNFORGIVING ENVIRONMENT WITH A LOT OF EXPLOSIVE POWER AND YOU ARE DEFYING THE LAWS OF GRAVITY AND AS A RESULT, EVERYTHING HAS

TO BE RIGHT SO YOU DON’T LAUNCH TILL IT’S RIGHT. NOW, PAM IS AN ASTRONAUT SPACE SHUTTLE COMMANDER. SHE’S FLOWN THREE TIMES IN SPACE. I HAVE FLOWN ONCE. AND YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS MANY TIMES. YOU DIDN’T HAVE AS MANY SCRUBS AS WE HAD ON OURS. WE GOT IN, STRAPPED IN, READY TO

GO AND SCRUBBED FOUR TIMES OVER THE BETTER PART OF A MONTH BUT THAT PRETTY WELL TELLS YOU, YOU DON’T LAUNCH A VILLAGE, RIGHT? >> YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT, BILL, I HAD SEVERAL SCRUBS OF MY OWN, DELAYED SIX DAYS FOR THE FIRST FLIGHT, THREE DAYS FOR THE SECOND, NOT AS MANY STRAP-INS AS

YOU BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE CREW IS VERY FOCUSSED ON ITS MISSION AT THE SPACE STATION AND NOT LIKE THEY ARE SEAING HEY, I HAVE TO GET HOME FOR SOMETHING. THEY WILL MAKE TILL THEY ARE SAFE — >> PHASE 2 HELIUM LOADING.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT AND OF COURSE WE’RE ON YOU ARE A EIGHTH FLIGHT AND JUST YESTERDAY, P2 LAUNCHED. SO BILL, CAN YOU TALK TO THE P2 PROGRAM? >> WELL, IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. JUST THINK OF HOW MUCH THE COST HAS COME DOWN WITH REUSING ROCKETS. AND FALCON 9, JUST THIS PAST

YEAR, THEY LAUNCHED IT 96 TIMES. THIS YEAR, THEY WILL LAUNCH 146 TIMES AND NEXT YEAR, 200 TIMES — WOW! IT IS A WORK HORSE. >> YEAH, IT DEFINITELY IS AND WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN SPACE ALREADY, THIS YEAR WITH THE LAUNCH OF PACE WHERE WE STUDIED OUR CLIMATE AND A

SUCCESSFUL LANDING ON THE MOON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 50 YEARS SO WHAT IS NEXT FOR SPACEX? >> WELL, IT IS AMAZING. FIRST OF ALL THE CREW WILL HAVE A VERY EXCITING INCREMENT. THEY HOPE TO HAVE OVER 200 SAOEUBZ EXPERIMENTS THAT HE WILL BE RUNNING INCLUDING SEVERAL MEDICAL EXPERIMENTS THAT WILL

BENEFIT ALL HUMANITY. BUT WHILE THEY ARE THERE, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME VERY EXCITING VISITORS. WE’RE REALLY LOOKING FORD TO SEEING SONNY WILLIAMS AND BILL LAUNCH ON THE FIRST SPACE FLIGHT VEHICLE. THEY WILL BE VISITING THE STATION AND THEN IF WE STAY ON SCHEDULE, THE INCREMENT WILL

ALSO SEE A NEW CARDINAL VEHICLE GOING UP IN SPACE WITH DREAMCHASER. AND YOU LOOK AT THE REST OF WHAT WE’RE DOING WITH SCIENCE, WE HAVE AN ECLIPSE COMING UP, THE LAST ECLIPSE VISIBLE IN NORTH AMERICA FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES. THEN WE WILL BE LAUNCHING NISAR WHICH IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH

INDIA TO LOOK AT THE EITHER. THEN WE HAVE OUR X PLANE, QUIET SUPER SONIC BOOM COMING UP AND THEN THE ARTEMIS CREW WHO YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF THEM HERE TRAINING FOR THEIR MISSION NEXT YEAR SO A LOT GOING ON. >> YES, AND WE STILL WANT TO

KEEP OUR EYES ON CREW 8, THANKS SO MUCH. BACK TO YOU. >> AS WE CONTINUE TO COUNT DOWN, LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE VEHICLES THAT WILL BE TAKING CREW 8 TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. SITTING ATOP OF FALCON 9, DRAGON STANDS 206 FEET TALL, THERE ARE

TWO EXITS, ONE THE NOSE CONE THAT WILL CONNECT WITH THE SPACE STATION. DRAGON’S TRUNK HOLDS SOLAR CELLS WHICH POWERS DAG I DON’T KNOW IF IN THE PREFLIGHT. IT CAN ALSO CARRY UNPRESSURIZED CARGO AND THRUSTERS THAT CAN BE USED IN SPACE TO NAVIGATE THE CRAFT TO ITS DESTINATION. THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE TWO

BOOSTERS USED IN AN ABORT WHICH ARE NO LONGER ACTIVE ONCE THE CREW IS IN HORT. >> FOR THOSE FOLLOWING ALONG, YOU WILL KNOW THAT DRAGON HAS PLAYED QUITE A ROLE IN HUMAN EXPLORATION BY DOCKING FOUR TIMES TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> CREW 8 WILL FLY ABOARD ENDEAVOR TONIGHT WHICH

PREVIOUSLY FLEW CREW 2, 4 AND 6. THE VERY FIRST COMMERCIAL ASTRONAUT COMMISSION TO THE INTERNATIONAL. ALTOGETHER, THE REUSABLE DRAGON SPACECRAFT HAS COMPLETED 7 MISSIONS ON BEHALF OF NASA AND VISITED THE SPACE STATION 38 TIMES UNDER NASA’S COMMERCIAL REFLY AND CREW PROGRAM. AS ALWAYS, IT WILL BE DELIVERED TO ORBIT BY SPACEX FALCON 9

ROCKET. ONCE THE FIRST AND SECOND STAGES SEPARATE, THESE ENGINES ARE USED TO LAND THE FIRST STAGE. THERE ARE THREE BURNS, THE FIRST ONE THE PRE-BURN. THE SECOND BURN IS THE ENTRY BURN AND THAT IS WHERE A SINGLE ENGINE WILL REIGNITE TO SLOW FALCON 9 DOWN AS IT PREPARES TO ENTER THE EARTH ATMOSPHERE.

FINALLY THE LANDING BURN WHERE THREE ENGINES WILL PERFORM A PRECISION LANDING BACK DOWN ON LAND. OVER 220,000 POUNDS OF THRUST. THE ENTRY IN LOW EARTH ORBIT AND WE DID JUST HEAR THE CALLOUT THAT STAGE 1RP1 LOAD IS COMPLETE. THAT IS GREAT. WE’RE CONTINUING TO CHECK THROUGH THE MILESTONES, ALMOST

LESS THAN 20 MINUTES BEFORE TONIGHT’S LAUNCH. SO THE STAGE WILL CONTINUE TO SEPARATE AND FALL TO EARTH WHILE DRAGON WILL CONTINUE TO THE SPACE STATION ON ITS OWN THRUSTERS. >> WITH T-ZERO COMING UP IN 19 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS, OUR TEAMS ARE DOING A SERIES OF SYSTEM CHECKS TO MAKE SURE

FEDERAL CON 9 IS READY. >> WE ARE STILL LOOKING GOOD FOR A ON-TIME LAUNCH, ABOUT 19 MINUTES FROM NOW AND WE WILL KEEP MONITORING ALL SYSTEMS CLOSER TO LIFTOFF. BOTH FALCON 9 AND DRAGON ARE HEALTHY. THE LIQUID OXYGEN BEGAN AT T-MINUS 35 MINUTES. WE ALSO HEARD THAT IT IS NOW ARMED.

AND THEY ARE GO TO SUPPORT TONIGHT’S LAUNCH. WEATHER ALSO LOOKS GOOD AND WE ARE STILL TRACKING LESS THAN A 10 PERCENT VIOLATION. WE HAVE AN INSTANTANEOUS ORBIT WINDOW OF TWO DAYS. THE TECHNICAL TURN FOR THAT IS A RENDEZVOUS. THE REASON WE NEED TO LAUNCH AT THIS SPECIFIC TIME IS DRAGON IS

TRYING TO CATCH UP TO THE ISS WHICH AS WE SPEAK IS ORBITING THE EARTH AT MORE THAN 17,000 MILES PER HOUR. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO DIRECT ORGAN TO ITS ORBIT AND TIME IT TO THE RELATIVE LABORATORY SO THEY ARE IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME.

A TIMELY LIFTOFF IS CRUCIAL FOR MEETING A TIMELY RENDEZVOUS. IF FOR ANY REASON WE DON’T LIFT OFF, WE WILL HAVE A BACKUP LAUNCH AT 10:30 P.M. SO NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO REBECCA FOR A STATUS UPDATE. >> THANKS. THE CREW 8 ARE READY, RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING IS PROCEEDING AS PLANNED.

THE TEAMS HERE AT MISSION CONTROL, TEAM AT HAWTHORNE AND ASTRONAUTS ABOARD THE SPACE STATION WILL MONITOR THE DOCKING OF DRAGON ON TUESDAY WHEN THEY ENTER JOINT OPERATIONS WHICH HAPPENS WHEN THE SPACECRAFT APPROACH THE ELIPSOI WHICH IS AN INVISIBLE BEAT RETHAT HELPS IN THE DOCKING. >> EXPECT CHECK IN FEW MINUTES,

MINUS 10 MINUTES TO GET YOUR BRIEFING. >> AND WE JUST RECEIVED AN UPDATE THAT WE ARE PROCEEDING TOWARDS LAUNCH. ONCE THE CREWS PERFORM THIS SERIES OF LEAK CHECKS ONBOARD, THEY WILL WORK TO OPEN HATCHES BOTH ON THE DRAGON SIDE AND INSIDE THE STATION’S LEADING ADAPTOR. WE EXPECT IT TO TAKE PLACE AN

HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE DOCKING. THEN THEY WILL PREPARE SPACE STATION CREW REMARKS. >> THE SPACE CREW DIRECTOR IS ON THE SCENE FOR LAUNCH AND PAUL WILL BE ON HAND FOR THE DOCKING. WITH THAT, MEGAN, HOW IS IT LOOKING? >> T-MINUS 16 MINUTES, 17 SECONDS AND COUNTING FOR THE

CREW 8 ABOARD THE DRAGON ENDEAVOR ABOARD THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS FALCON 9. WE HEARD ANOTHER CALLOUT SAYING WE EXPECT ANOTHER CREW BRIEF ABOUT THE CRACKS THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY MONITORING IN THE SIDE HATCH. >> YEP, AND THAT IS PRETTY STANDARD AT T-MINUS 10 WHEN THEY HAVE DONE THE FINAL POLLING AND

GIVEN UPDATES TO THE CREW TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE READY TO GO INSIDE THE CAPSULE AS WELL, THERE IS JUST ONE TECHNOLOGICAL ISSUE ON WHICH THEY WILL GET A UPDATE. NOT TO SAY THEY WON’T CONTINUE WORKING ON IT BUT THAT IS THE CHECKPOINT THEY GIVE THE CREW WHEN THEY GIVE THEM INFORMATION

ABOUT IT. SO ALL EXCITING AND I THINK THEY SAID EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT AND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO OF COURSE WE WANT TO SEE THEM LAUNCH AND CREW 8 WANTS TO SEE’BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SAFE SO WE DO WHAT WE DO. >> TAKING THE STEPS TOWARDS

LAUNCH BUT STILL MONITORING. >> RIGHT, DOING STUFF IN PARALLEL SO THEY WILL BE READY TO GO BUT JUST MAKING SURE THEY ARE SAFE. >> SO ONCE THEY GET TO THE SPACE STATION, THEY WILL BE JOINING THE SEVEN CREW MEMBERS ABOARD. >> HEY, CREW 8, I AM SO STOKED

FOR THE LAUNCH AND LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. I REMEMBER MY FIRST DAY ON THE SPACE STATION SO LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO RELIVE THOSE DAYS THROUGH YOUR EYES AND TRY NOT TO LAUGH TOO MUCH. MATT, IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING 7

YEARS SO FAR, REALLY GLAD TO GET TO FLY WITH YOU AND KNOW IT WILL BE ONE OF THE BEST MISSIONS YET. MIKE, CAN’T WAIT TO SPEAK TO YOU. JEANETTE, LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE AMAZING TIMES WE HAD AT STAR CITY TOGETHER. ALEXANDER, WE HAVE OTHER GAMES PLANNED UP HERE.

I HOPE YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LAUNCH, THAT YOU ENJOY THE SPECIAL TIME YOU GET THE DRAGON TOGETHER AND WE WILL BE ONBOARD WAITING WITH ALL THE FOODS WE DON’T LIKE. SO WITH THAT, SAFE TRAVEL AND I WILL SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HATCH ON SPACE STATION.

>> TRYING NOT TO LAUGH SO MUCH AS THEY INVITE THREE NEW FIRST-TIME FLYERS. >> LORAL IS KNOWN FOR GETTING A CASE OF THE GIGGLES. SO FUN TO WATCH HER AND THE INSTRUMENT CREW WORKING IN SPACE. SO SHE IS EXCITED AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE CREW 7 TO SEE CREW 8

AND LORAL, IN TIME, WILL GET A LAUNCH FOR CREW 9, TEEING UP AT MARCH 21ST. >> WE ARE COUNTING DOWN TO A T-MINUS 10 BREACH WITH THE CREW TO TALK THROUGH AN ISSUE THE TEAM IS WORKING AND RAJA, WHAT ARE YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS AS WE APPROACH THAT?

>> I THINK WE KIND OF HAD AN INKLING WATCHING THE HATCH CLOSEOUT IN THE PICTURES AND IT TOOK MORE TIME, WE THOUGHT MAYBE THE REASON WAS THEY SAW A HAIR BUT AS WE GO THROUGH AND ANALYZE THE PICTURES, THERE WAS MORE THAT WE DIDN’T HEAR AND THE

ANALYSIS OF A CRACK THEY SAW IN THE PHOTOS, WHETHER THAT MEANS WE HAVE MARVIN, MEANING THERE IS NOT ANY CONCERNS FOR THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO BUT REENTRY. THAT EMPHASIS IS ONGOOGLE. IT WOULD NOT BE UNION USUAL TO TELL THE CREW WE’LL GET YOU AN UPDATE PRIOR TO LAUNCH BECAUSE

THE MORE TIME YOU HAVE TO DO THE ANALYSIS, THE MORE CONCLUSIVE OF A RECOMMENDATION THEY CAN COME TO. SO I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO BE POURING OVER THE DATA AND AS WE TALKED EARLIER IN THE SHOW, WHY WE HAVE ALL OF THESE CHECKS WITH THE DATA. THERE IS NO MORE THING IMPORTANT

TO HAVE SAFETY ON A HUMAN FLIGHT SO WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE GOOD TO GO TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> WE SEE THE PROPELLANT LOADING. >> SPACEX FOLLOW UP. >> GO AHEAD. >> ALL RIGHT, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AND WE CAN STILL FLY THE WHOLE

MISSION SAFELY. WE ARE CAMMABLE PROCEEDING BECAUSE OF THE ANALYSIS MENTIONED, WE EXPECT THE GAP TO CLOSE WITH REENTRY HEATING AND ON THE HEATING SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DURING REENTRY, THE ENGINEERING TEAM HERE IS CAPABLE WITH PROCEEDING. COPY? >> COPY THAT. >> OKAY, WITH THAT, CREW 8 CONFIRMS AND TAKE US TO LAUNCH.

>> SEEMS LIKE WE ARE A GO FOR LAUNCH, THE TEAM SAYING THEY ARE CONFIDENT. >> SAFE FOR LAUNCH. >> CREW 7, THIS IS CREW 8 COMING FOR YOU. TIME FOR CREW 8 TO RELIEVE YOU OF THE WATCH AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. DREW DRAGON, WE ARE READY FOR

YOU TO LIFT OFF ON THIS VOYAGE. >> SO THERE YOU HAVE IT, APPLYING THE MISSION END-TO-END SO ON THIS FINAL COUNTDOWN, WE WILL HEAD OVER TO THE CENTER IN CALIFORNIA. >> COPY, CREW 8. >> THANKS SO MUCH. SO WITH THAT AND CREW 8 SOUNDING EXCITED FOR LIFTOFF, OUR NEXT

MAJOR COUNTDOWN EVENT WILL BE AROUND THE T-MINUS 9 1/2 MINUTE MARK WHERE THE TECH CRITERIA ON THE COMPUTERS ARE CHECKED. THEY CONTAIN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM ON THE ROCKET. OF COURSE WE HAVE MANY SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THE ROCKET AND CREW ARE BOTH SAFE LEADING UP TO LIFTOFF AND DURING FLIGHT.

OUR TEAMS ARE PERFORMING ALL THOSE FINAL CHECKS BEFORE LAUNCH. >> BACK IN MISSION CONTROL, HOUSTON, THERE IS A VARIETY OF SYSTEMS AND CONCEAL POSITIONS ALSO BEING WORKED IN TANDEM. THESE INCLUDE CAMERAS ABOARD THE SPACE STATION, REBOOT CAPABILITIES AS WELL AS A CON STEEL MONITORS TRAJECTORY TO ENSURE EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD.

IT WILL BE A NINE MINUTE RIDE TO ORBIT AND THAT IS ABOUT THE TIME WE WILL SEE THE SECOND STAGE CUT OFF. WE WILL SEE CREW DRAGON SEPARATE FROM THAT SECOND STAGE AND THEN YOU WILL HEAR PERFORMANCE CALLS AS WE GET INTO THE LIFTOFF. THESE ARE CONTROLLERS REPORTING ON TRAJECTORY, SPEED, BOOSTER

PERFORMANCE AND KEY MILESTONES BUT THERE ARE OTHER CALLS YOU WILL HEAR AS WELL AFTER LIFTOFF. THE CREW WILL REPORT OUT DIFFERENT LETTER AND NUMBER COMBINATIONS FOR THE FLIGHT UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD. THE FIRST TWO, 1A AND 1B HAVE THAT NAME BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE FIRST STAGE AND GOING TO NORTH CAROLINA.

2A AND 2B WILL KICK IN ONCE THE SECOND STAGE KICKS IN ALL THE WAY TO NEW FOUNDLAND IN THE NORTHERN ATLANTIC. THEN FOR THE OTHER SYSTEMS, YOU WILL HEAR THE CALL FORWARD TO SHANNON WHICH REFERS TO SHANNON IRELAND WHICH MEANS THEY WILL TARGET OFF THE COAST OF IRELAND

IF THEY WERE LATER IN THE SECOND STAGE AND NEED TO ABORT. SO YOU WILL HEAR THOSE STAGES CALLED OUT ALONG WITH KEY PERFORMANCE FROM GUIDANCE AND CONTROL OFFICERS AND YOU WILL HEAR CALLS FROM THEM ON TRAJECTORY AND PROPULSION AS WELL. >> SO ONE OF THE NEXT CALLOUTS WE’RE LIVING FOR IS THE

ANNOUNCEMENT OF STAGE 1 ENGINE IS STARTED. RIGHT NOW PROPELLANT IN THE TANKS IS ISOLATED FROM THE ENGINE BUT AT T-MINUS 7 MINUTES, WE WILL OPEN THE PREVALVE AND PASS A TRICKLE OF FUEL INTO THE MERLIN PUMP FOR THE NEXT SEQUENCE. >> THERE WE GO, RIGHT ON TIME.

>> WE DO THIS BECAUSE THE SUPER BENZ LICKS QUID OXYGEN IS REALLY COLD AND WE USE THIS TO COOL IT DOWN IN TEMPERATURE. FALCON 9 AT LIFTOFF IS CONSUMING 7700 GALLONS OF FUEL PER SECOND SO WE DO THAT TO PREVENT THERMAL SHOCK AND ENGINE PERFORMANCE. SO WE SHOULD BE LISTENING OUT

FOR THE NEXT CALL. >> SO WITH THAT ENGINE CHILL NOW UNDERWAY, WE’RE LOOKING AHEAD TO THE CALLOUT THAT RP1 LOADED — AND THERE YOU HEARD IT, RP LOAD IS COMPLETE. IT IS DENSE FIGHT KEROSENE OR ROCKET FUEL THAT WILL PROPEL THE CREW INTO ORBIT. ALL OF THAT WAS LOADED IN THE

FIRST STAGE AND WE DID HEAR THE SECOND STAGE WAS COMPLETED A SHORT TIME AGO AS WELL. WE ARE WAITING FOR THE OXIDIZER THAT NEEDS TO COMBINE WITH THE KEROSENE THAT JUST FINISHED LOADING. THEN WE WILL LOOK FOR THE TRANSITION COUNT. THEN THAT THE TANKS ARE GETTING READY TO PRESSURIZE ADDING RIGIDITY SUPPORT.

AT FIRST IT WILL MOVE A COUPLE OF DEGREES AND THEN WE WILL SEE IT SWING OPEN COMPLETELY AT LIFTOFF. THAT ALLOWS LINES FOR BOTH LOADS AND PROPELLANTS FOR THE FLIGHT. WE WILL LISTEN FOR THE SECOND CALLOUT WHERE WE HEAR THE LIQUID OXYGEN HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE SECOND STAGE.

>> DRAG GONE IS CONFIGURED ON COUNT. >> TANKS PRESSURIZING ON CHECK. >> AND WE DID JUST HEAR THAT DRAGON IS IN TERMINAL COUNT AND THEY ARE NOW TAKING CONTROL OF THE SPACECRAFT. LIQUID OXYGEN WILL BE LOADED IN THREE MINUTES FOLLOWED BY SECOND STAGE OX LOADING ONE MINUTE LATER.

>> DRAW RECHECK HAS STARTED. >> THERE IS A CALLOUT OVER THE NET WE ARE MOVING FORWARD INTO THAT. THE NEXT THING YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE ON YOUR SCREEN WILL BE THE CLAMPONS OPENING UP AROUND THE SECOND STAGE. THAT WILL ALLOW IT TO DECLINE TWO DEGREES AWAY FROM THE

VEHICLE AND WE KNOW FALCON 9 IS STRONG ENOUGH TO STAND ON ITS OWN. THEN THE STRONG BACK WILL LIFT OFF 45 DEGREES FROM THE VEHICLE. HERE YOU CAN SEE THE CLAMP ARM HAS FULLY OPENED AROUND THE BASE OF THE TRUNK OF DRAGON ON STAGE 2. >> AND SO THE NEXT MAJOR

MILESTONE WE’RE TRACKING TODAY IS STAGE 1 LOCKS LOADING, EXPECT THAT CALL AT ABOUT THREE MINUTES WHEN IT WILL CAN COMPLETELY FINISHED. SO ALL THAT WHITE CLOUD VAPOR YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN QUITE NOW ARE NORMAL AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THEM AS WE GET CLOSER TO LAUNCH. LIQUID OXYGEN IS SUPER CHILLED

AND BOILS OFF A LITTLE BIT IN THE WARM FLORIDA AIR. AND THEN THE CALLOUGHT THAT THE STAGE 1 LOCK LOAD IS COMPLETE. >> STAKE 1 LOCK LOAD COMPLETE. >> THERE IS THE CONFIRMATION THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED LOADING LIQUID ACTION GENUINE ONBOARD STAGE 1 BUT WILL STILL CONTINUE ANOTHER MINUTE ON STAGE 2.

THEN WE WILL PREPARE TO VENT DOWN THE PE. >> TERMINAL COUNT, ON TERMINAL POWER. >> THERE IS CONFIRMATION DRAGON IS ON INTERNAL POWER. YOU MAY ALSO HEAR AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE CREW ABOUT THAT VENTING PROCEDURE. >> SO EVERYTHING CONTINUING TO GO AS PLANNED THIS EVENING. WE ARE NOW TWO MINUTES AND 20

SECONDS AWAY FROM THE LAUNCH OF CREW 8. STANDING BY IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS, WE SHOULD HEAR THE CALLOUT THAT THE LAUNCH LOAD IS COMPLETE AND DRAGON IS IN IDLE. >> STAGE 2 LOCK LOAD COMPLETE. >> AND WITH THAT, YOU DID HEAR THAT LOCK LOAD IS COMPLETE. GAS CLOSEOUT HAS ALSO BEGUN SO

WE’RE ISOLATING ALL THE FEED LINES FROM THE FALCON 9 ROCKET. THEY WILL THEN GET — GREAT NEWS CONTINUING TO MOVE TOWARDS LAUNCH AND YOU CAN HEAR SOME OF THOSE GAS LINES BEING VENTED OVER JUST SHORTLY. AND YOU CAN HEAR IT EVEN BETTER NOW. SOMETHING ELSE YOU MIGHT SEE

HERE IN A FEW MOMENTS IS WATER BEING POURED ON TO THE PAD BECAUSE ROCKETS ARE SUPER LOUD AND THE SOUND CAN IMPART LOADS ON THE ROCKET ITSELF SO THAT WATER HELPS ABSORB AND KEEP FROM HITTING THE STRUCTURE BACK ON THE ROCKET. COMING UP ONE MINUTE TO LAUNCH. >> DRAGON IS IN COUNT DOWN.

>> THE FLIGHT TERMINATION SYSTEM IS ARMED AND WE ARE IN COUNTDOWN. >> DRAGON, GO FOR LAUNCH. >> DIRECT GO FOR LAUNCH. >> CREW REPORTS GO. NOW 30 SECONDS AWAY FROM LIFTOFF. >> TWO MINUS 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, IGNITION, FULL POWER AND LIFTOFFER OF NASA CREW 8, GO

FALCON, GO DRAGON AND GO NASA. [ CHEERS AND APLUS ] >> ENDEAVOR ASCENDS, A BEACON OF HUMAN AMBITION, 1.7 MILLION POUNDS OF THRUST NOW PROPELLING FALCON AND CREW 8. THE MISSION IS PITCHING DOWN RANGE. >> NOMINAL POWER ACHIEVED. >> AND WE ARE GETTING GOOD CALLOUTS ON PROPULSION.

FALCON 9 ENGINES NOW THROTTLING DOWN TO HELP PASS THROUGH THE PERIOD OF MAXIMUM DYNAMICASTER SPEED OF SOUND. >> ONE BRAVO. >> AND WITH THAT CALLOUT, WE KNOW FALCON 9 IS THROTTLING BACK UP AND THAT ONE CALLOUT FOR ONE BRAVO MEANS WE ARE IN THE SECOND AND FINAL ABORT MODE CONTINUING

TO GET GOOD PERFORMANCE FROM FALCON 9. THEY ARE ALREADY PULLING OVER 2G’S AND THE SECOND STAGE ENGINE STAGE HAS NOW BEGUN. WE ALSO KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER EVENTS HAPPENING IN RAPID SUCCESSION. SECOND WE WILL HAVE ENGINE CUTOFF WHERE THE NINE ENGINES WILL CUT OFF AHEAD OF FIRST AND

SECOND STAGE OPERATION. THEN MERLIN WILL IGNITE AND CARRY THE CREW 8 ASTRONAUTS TO ORBIT WHILE THE FIRST STAGE BEGINS ITS JOURNAL KNEE BACK TO EARTH. AT THIS POINT IN THE FLIGHT, THE 9 MERLIN IS STARTING TO THROTTLE DOWN AND WE’RE STANDING — THERE IS THAT CALLOUT FOR THROTTLING

DOWN AND WE’RE STANDING BY FOR MEKO. >> MEKO. >> SEPARATION CONFIRMED. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> THOSE INCREDIBLE VIEWS ON YOUR SCREEN AND OF COURSE THE CHEERING BEHIND ME MEANS WE HAVE HAD SUCCESSFUL MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF, PHASED OPERATION AND FUEL IGNITION ONBOARD THE PHASE 2 AND NOW AT 2 ALPHA FOR THE

EVENT. OF COURSE THE SECOND STAGE IS BEING ILLUMINATED ON THE RIGHTHAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN BY THE CENTENNIAL MERLIN VACUUM ENGINE ONBOARD STAGE 2. NOW THE NEXT MILESTONE WE’RE TRACKING IS THE BOOST-BACK BURN ON THE LEFTHAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN. AND WE ARE EXPECTING COMPLETION OF THAT BURN IN JUST ABOUT 10 SECONDS.

>> AND SO CREW 8 IS NOW TRAVELING AT OVER 4000 MILES PER HOUR. WE’RE CONTINUING TO GET GOOD CALLOUTS, EVERYTHING GOING REALLY SMOOTHLY TODAY. THAT SECOND STAGE WILL CONTINUE FIRING TILL WE HAVE REACHED 8 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT. >> TRACKING NOMINAL. >> ON THE LONE MERLIN VACUUM

ENGINE ON THE SECOND STAGE, THE CREW’S G LOAD DIPS RIGHT WHEN WE HIT THE SEPARATION EVENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO FIELD UP NOW AND WE JUST HEARD ANOTHER CALLOUT FOR NOMINAL DIRECTORY, THAT WAS THE GUIDANCE AND CONTROL OFFICERS STATING EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD, DRAGON POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND CONTINUING ITS

FLIGHT UPHILL. THIS SECOND STAGE WILL CONTINUE TO FIRE UNTIL A LITTLE OVER 8 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT ACCELERATING DRAGON TO A LITTLE MORE THAN 17,000 MILES PER HOUR AND PLACING THE CREW IN ORBIT. RIGHT NOW THE CREW IS TRAVELING AT 4500 MILES PER HOUR AND OVER 93 MILES IN ALTITUDE.

THAT SINGLE MERLIN VACUUM ENGINE CAN PRODUCE OVER 220 POUNDS OF THRUST IN THE VACUUM OF SPACE AND YOU REALLY SEE IT DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING RIGHT NOW. >> AND WHILE CREW 8 CONTINUES ON ITS WAY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, THE FIRST STAGE BOOSTER IS ON ITS WAY BACK TO LAND.

CONFIRMATION THE TRAJECTORY FOR BOTH VEHICLES IS LOOKING GOOD. NOW THE FIRST STAGE HAS A COUPLE OF EVENTS ITSELF IN ORDER TO LAND. AT T PLUS 6 MINUTES AND 16 SECONDS, STAGE 1 WILL BEGIN THE ENTRY BURN, THE FIRST OF TWO BURNS DURING THE LANDING. THE FALCON 9 WILL IGNITE ONLY

FOR TEN SECONDS TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN BEFORE IT REACHES THE DENSER PARTS OF THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE. THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE LANDING BURN AT T20 SECONDS AND ENDING JUST ABOUT A MINUTE BEFORE WE EXPECT DRAG GONE TO BE INSERTED IN ORBIT. >> AND SO WE DID ALSO HEAR A

COUPLE OF OTHER GROUND STATION CALLOUTS LIKE BERMUDA, ONE OF THE GROUND STATIONS WE’RE RECEIVING TELEMETRY FROM AND EVERYTHING CONTINUES TO LOOK REALLY GOOD WITH THE TRAJECTORY, THE CREW TRAVELING OVER 6000 MILES PER HOUR. AGAIN, THIS SECOND PHASE WILL CONTINUE TO LIGHT FOR A COUPLE MORE MINUTES BEFORE SECOND ENGINE CUTOFF.

AT THAT POINT, THE VEHICLE WILL COAST FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE SEPARATION. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE’RE STARTING TO GET SOME VIEWS OF THE FLORIDA COAST THERE ON THE FIRST STAGE AS IT CONTINUES TO MAKE ITS WAY BACK TO EARTH. >> DRAGON STRETCHED YOUR NOMINAL. >> GETTING GOOD CALLOUTS,

EVERYTHING GOING SMOOTHLY, NOW SEVEN MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT OF CREW 8. >> SO THE NEXT MILESTONE WE’RE TAPPING BY FOR IS STAGE 1 LANDING BURN START. IT APPROACHES THE SPACE COAST TO TOUCH BACK DOWN AT LANDING ZONE 1. [ CRASHING SOUND ] >> STAGE 2FTS IS SAFE.

>> AND IT IS GREAT SO SEE THAT FIRST STAGE BACK ON EARTH. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> NEXT ON THE SECOND ENGINE CUTOFF, YOU CAN HEAR THE EXCITEMENT HERE AT HAWTHORNE SPACE HEADQUARTERS AS THAT STAGE LANDED SUCCESSFULLY ON EARTH. SO THE NEXT PHASE WILL LAND IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES ONCE THE

MERLIN STOPS FIRING AND WILL COAST FOR 3 MINUTES TILL DRAGON IS COMMANDED TO SEPARATE. AT THIS POINT, DRAGON WILL SEPARATE FROM THE SECOND STAGE AND ENTER ORBIT. >> COPY THAT. >> AND CALLOUT FOR SHANNON, INDICATIVE FOR SHANNON, IRELAND, THE LAST ABORT ZONE IN THE SECOND STAGE. THE MERLIN ENGINE ABOUT TO SHUT

DOWN. YOU JUST SAW IT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN. >> DRAGON NOMINAL ORBIT INSERTION. >> GOOD CALLOUTS FOLLOWING SECOND STAGE CUTOFF, THE CREW IS IN A NORMAL OR EXPECTED ORBIT. THAT IS GREAT NEWS. THAT LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM, WE ARE GETTING OUR FIRST VIEW OF CREW 8 INSIDE ENDEAVOR, THE

THREE OF THEM IN SPACE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. SO AGAIN, WE’LL CONTINUE TO COAST FOR THESE FEW MINUTES AFTER THE SECOND STAGE JUST SHUT DOWN. IT HELPS TO ALLOW RATES AND MOTION TO SETTLE OUT. THERE ARE MOTION THRUSTERS ON THE SECOND PHASE TO COUNTERACT ANY MOTION. WE EXPECT THE SEPARATION TO

OCCUR AT ABOUT THE 12 MINUTE MARK INTO THE FLIGHT. SO AGAIN, WE DID HEAR THE CREW HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY INSERTED INTO A GOOD ORBIT. THIS IS THE CREW IN MICROGRAVITY, THREE OF THEM FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, ALL GOOD CALLOUT OS. >> SO RIGHT NOW THE SECOND STAGE IS PERFORMING A SERIES OF

CHECKOUTS AS WE PREPARE TO SEPARATE DRAGON FROM STAGE 2. >> AND SO WE WILL SEE THAT SEPARATION COMING UP IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES AFTER WHICH A NUMBER OF ACTIVATION CHECKOUTS OCCUR. AUTOMATICALLY FIRST CHECKING OUT THE 12DRAGO MANEUVERING THRUSTERS ALL AROUND THE DRAGON SPACECRAFT AND TO GET READY FOR

THE NOSE CONE OPENING TO HELP PROTECT ALL THE GUIDANCE AND NAVIGATION CONTROL CENTERS. IT ALSO COVERS FOUR THE DRAGO THRUSTERS USED FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DIFFERENT PHASE BURNS THAT REQUIRE DRAGON TO CATCH UP TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. SO WE ARE STANDING BY FOR DRAGON SEPARATION TO OCCUR HERE IN JUST

ABOUT 30 SECONDS FROM NOW. >> THE VIEW YOU HAVE ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW, OR ACTUALLY NOW THAT IT HAS TRANSITIONED, YOU ARE GETTING A GREAT VIEW OF THE DRAGON HEAT SHIELD. THIS IS CAMERA IS ON TOP AND LOOKING INTO DRAGON’S TRUNK. >> SO IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US

THIS EVENING, WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF CREW 8. THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THE FIRST STAGE IS ALREADY RETURNED TO EARTH AND LANDED SUCCESSFULLY AND THE SECOND STAGE HAS SHUT DOWN AND AWAITING SEPARATION AND YOU SEE IT NOW ON YOUR SCREEN, RIGHT THERE.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> DRAGON ENDEAVOR NOW FLYING FREE. >> DRAGON SPACEX, THIS IS CHIEF ENGINEER, WELCOME TO ORBIT. IT RULY IS A GREAT HONOR TO LAUNCH US IN SPACE, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND TRUST ALL THAT YOU WILL DO WILL PROPEL HUMANITY INTO THE STARS.

PLEASE SEND OUR MESSAGE TO CREW 7 AND WE WILL LET THEM KNOW IT IS FASHIONABLE TO BEING LATE. >> HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY TO THE SPACE STATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU HOME IN SIX MONTHS. >> SPACEX, O HE MY GOODNESS, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE RIDE TO ORBIT.

I AM SO GLAD AND NOT GLAD THAT YOU DON’T HAVE A COPY OF OUR ICS THE WHOLE WAY UP. IT IS INCREDIBLE. A BIG THANK YOU TO SPACEX FOR INSTRUCTORS, TYLER I AM TUCKING TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM NOW, INCREDIBLE INSTRUCTORS AND ENGINEERS, YOU ARE THE REASON YEAR SAFELY IN ORBIT.

TALKING TO NASA, COSMOS, MAKING SPACE TRAVEL WORK FOR US ALL. AND A GOOD PART OF US BEING HERE TODAY, OVER TO YOU MIKE. >> KIND OF LIKE A ROLLER COASTER RIDE WITH A BUNCH OF REALLY EXCITED TEENAGERS. JUST A WARM ENVIRONMENT OF THINGS. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE PLACE FOR

ME TO GROW THE PAST 30 PLUS YEARS AND I AM REALLY HONORED TO FLY THIS NEW GENERATION SPACESHIP AND CREW. THANKS TO MY FAMILY FOR TOLERATING MY OTHER WORLDLY HABITS AND THANK YOU FOR NASA BEING THE BACKBONE THAT YOU ARE, AND THANK COL COLLEAGUES AT SPACEX FOR THE AWESOME RIDE,

GREAT TO BE BACK IN SPACE AGAIN. >> I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND MIKE IN WORDS THAT WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE. THE WORDS THAT COME TO MY MIND, I AM SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO GOT US TO THIS POINT. THERE IS NO WAY WE WOULD HAVE

BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT ALL THE PEOPLE, FROM THE INSTRUCTORS, THE PEOPLE SUPPORTING US ON THE JOB, THE FOLKS IN THE KITCHEN WHO KEPT US FED, THE LEADS OUT AT SPACEX, I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE AND JUST WANT TO GIVE A BRIEF THANKS TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO

CAME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO SEE THIS. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING ME DREW ALL THE DAY UP TO THIS POINT. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. AND I WANT TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUTOUT TO MY ASSIST — SISTER, BRENDA AND PATTY, YOU SUPPORTED ME THROUGH EVERYTHING AND I AM

IN A NEW YORK STATE OF MIND RIGHT NOW. IT IS AMAZING AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. [ ALEXANDER GREBENKIN SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN ] >> TO ALL MY SPACEX FRIENDS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. GOODBYE, SEE YOU SOON. [ SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN ] >> WE COPY ALL AND SEE THE

VEHICLE CHASING DOWN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ON ORBIT. NODE CUT OPENING IS IN PROGRESS. WE SAW NOMINAL DEHUMIDIFIER ACTION IN CHECKOUT AND WE HAVE ONE FINAL NOTE. WE HAVE A TRADITION ONBOARD THIS SPACECRAFT FOR TRAVELERS TO BRING A SMALL TOKEN, A ZERO G INDICATOR TO DEMONSTRATE THE FREE FLOATING NATURE OF OBJECTS

FLIGHTING FREE OF EARTH AND I WONDER IF YOU BROUGHT ANYTHING THAT FITS THAT DESCRIPTION? >> FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK. [LAUGHTER] OH, MAN, SO PER TRADITION, OF COURSE WE ARE A ZERO-G INDICATOR THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DEPLOYED. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INDICATOR IS NOT ACTUALLY WHAT IT IS BUT WHO CHOSE IT.

MANY PARENTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE JOBS THAT TAKE THEM AWAY FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, THEIR COMMUNITY, COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. FAMILIES ARE A PRIME EXAMPLE THAT MANY JOBS INCLUDING OUR OWN SHARE THIS TRAIT. THIS WAS GIVEN BY MY DAUGHTER FOR THE SACRIFICE THAT PARENTS

MAKE BEING AWAY FROM HOME. SHE CHOSE THE STUFFED DOG THAT IS FREE FLOATING HERE TODAY. >> MAN, WE COPY, ALL GOOD WORDS. I THINK WE DON’T HAVE VIDEO INSIDE THE CAPSULE. WE WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU IN A MINUTE FOR THE SUP-DOG. >> NO WORRIES, THANKS.

>> SO RIGHT NOW ON YOUR SCREEN, YOU HAVE THE INITIAL VIDEO OF NOSE CONE DEPLOYMENT AND AGAIN, THE NOSE CONE IS OPENING TO EXPOSE THE TWO SETS OF HOOKS THAT DRAGON WILL USE TO DOCK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. OF COURSE HEARING THE CREW’S DESCRIPTION OF THEIR ZERO-G INDICATOR AND WE’RE STANDING BY

FOR THOSE VIEWS. THEY BECOME AN IMPORTANT SYMBOL OF MICROGRAVITY FLIGHT AND THOSE BEHIND THE MISSION. SO IF YOU FOLLOW ALONG, OUR FIRST ZERO-G INDICATOR WAS A SMALL EARTH. TODAY JUST FIVE YEARS LATER, WE HAVE REACHED 50 PEOPLE IN SPACE. FROM ZERO TO 50 IN FIVE YEARS IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE. AND HERE?

HAWTHORNE, I HAVE THE REAL LITTLE EARTH THAT WENT TO SPACE SAFELY BACK HERE IN HAWTHORNE. THE EARTH IS A SYMBOL OF ZERO-G GRAVITY FROM EARTH. ZERO GRAVITY INDICATORS HAVE BECOME A WAY FOR US TO CELEBRATE HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT. IT HAS COME SO FAR IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

WE HAVE LAUNCHED NINE HUMAN MISSIONS ON BEHALF OF NASA AND FOUR ASTRONAUT MISSIONS. THAT IS A TOTAL OF 50 CREW MEMBERS SINCE 2020. 54 ON BEHALF OF NASA AND 16 ASTRONAUTS INCLUDING THE FIRST ALL CIVILIAN MISSION TO SPACE AND THE FIRST CIVILIAN MISSION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> IT ALSO ENABLES RESEARCHERS

THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY CRITICAL SCIENCE IN ORBIT. CONDUCTING OVER 1000 RESEARCH EXPERIMENTS FROM ORBIT TO THE SPACE STATION AND TRANSPORTED 300,000 POUNDS. IT USES THAT RESEARCH TO STUDY DISEASE ON EARTH, DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS AND TO EXAMINE THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE HUMAN BODY. FROM EVERY SUBJECT FROM MISS SIX TO MICROWINE.

IT IS CRITICAL LEARNING BUT HELPS MAKE LIFE ON HEART AND IN SPACE BETTER. STUDIES ON THE SPACE STATION TEST A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES, SYSTEMS AND MATERIAL THAT WILL BENEFIT LIFE ON EARTH AND BE NEEDED FOR FUTURE EXPLORATION MISSIONS. >> WE SEE AN UPCOMING BURN IN 23 MINUTES, TWO, THREE.

>> GETTING GREAT VIEWS OF CREW 8 ONBOARD THEIR CAPSULE AND STANDING BY HOPING WE GET ARE A SHOT — THERE IS THE ZERO-G INDICATOR. WAITING– HEARING WHO CHOSE THIS AND WHY AND OBVIOUSLY MEANS A LOT TO THESE FOUR ASTRONAUTS. >> AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HEARD SOME GREAT WORDS FROM THE

CREW EXPRESSING THEIR THANKS AND EXCITEMENT TO BE ON ORBIT, REALLY GREAT TO SEE THEM SUCCESSFULLY ON THEIR WAY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL NOSECON DEPLOY, EVERYTHING CONTINUING TO GO REALLY SMOOTH. SO FOR NOW WE WILL END OUR COVERAGE FROM HERE IN HAWTHORNE UNTIL WE PICK UP WITH OUR

DOCKING COVERAGE IN 26 HOURS. >> SO WE WILL HAND IT BACK OVER TO MEGAN AND RAJA AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. >> WE JUST LAUNCHED CREW 8 LIFTOFF AT LAUNCH PAD 39A, ONE COSMONAUT AND THREE ASTRONAUTS ENROUTE TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE LAUNCH AND NIGHT. >> ENVIRONMENT LOOKS GOOD FOR

TWO DOCKING, YOU ARE GOOD TO GO. >> THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WE WENT BACK ONLINE, FIRST THEY WAIT FOR THE NOSE CONE TO OPEN, THEY WAIT FOR THE DRAGO BEING STRAIGHT AND THEN WAIT FOR THE CALL FOR EXTERNAL AND THAT IS WHEN THEY ARE TAKING OFF THEIR SPACE SUITS.

PRETTY SWEATY LYING ON THEIR BACKS FOR A WHILE BUT YOU CAN HEAR THE EXCITEMENT AND WHAT AN AMAZING NIGHT IT WAS HERE DOWN AT THE CAPE. YOU COULD SEE THE STAGING AND IT WAS — AMAZING VIEW, GOT TO SEE THE FIRST STAGE COME BACK ON A SUPER CLEAR NIGHT, SEE THE

SECOND STAGE TURN INTO A VERY FAINT SCAR ON THE WAY. >> AND GREAT FRIENDS OF YOURS, YOU ARE CLOSE TO MATT AND MIKE AND REALLY WAITED TILL THE FINAL TEN MINUTES TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY WERE GOING TO GO. >> IT IS ALWAYS EXCITING FOR SPACE FLIGHT BUT THE TEAMS HAVE

TO COME UP WITH THE SOLUTIONS, LOOK AT THE DATA AND THE CREW THAT WE HEARD MANY TIMES TONIGHT, THE CORPORATION IS WHO THEY ARE TALKING TO BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT ENGINEERING DECISIONS AND PULLING THE DATA TOGETHER AS THEY ALWAYS DO. >> AND TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE A

SAFE LAUNCH. GREAT TO SEE THEM LAUNCH AGAIN AND ONCE THEY GET INTO THE SPACE STATION, THEY WILL HAVE A HAND IN INCREDIBLE SCIENCE AND HERE IS MORE ON THAT. >> THANKS SO MUCH, MEGAN. JOINING US NOW IS A DOCTOR FROM EMERY UNIVERSITY TO TALK ABOUT THE PROJECT EAGLE, WHAT IS PROGRESS EAGLE?

>> GOING TO INVESTIGATE THE MICROGRAVITY ON HUMAN HEART. THIS TISSUE GENERATED FROM CELLS THAT ARE PRONE TO REGENERATION. THE STEM CELLS NOT MATURE MEANING THEY ARE NOT AS FULLY DEVELOPED AS OTHER CELLS NO OUR BODY SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO PUSH THESE CELLS EVEN FURTHER IN CASES OF

COMPLICATION. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE FOUND THESE CELLS BECOME MORE MATURE ON GROUND AND SIMILARLY MICROGRAVITY BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONFIRM THAT IN REAL SPACE. >> SO TAKING WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED ON EARTH AND APPLY IT TO SPACE. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, YOU HAVE BEEN STUDYING HEALTH HEALTH AND

DOES THIS TIE INTO ANY OF THE OTHER RESEARCH YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE? >> GREAT QUESTION. YES, ACTUALLY OUR ASTRONAUTS HAVE DONE SEVERAL STUDIES ON THE SPACE STATION INCLUDING OUR OWN. FOR EXAMPLE, IN SPACE STEM CELLS OR PRECURSOR CELLS GROW FASTER THAN IN EXTENDED GRAVITY. BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO LEARN IF

THEY CAN DEVELOP FURTHER AND BECOME MORE MATURE IN SPACE EXPERIMENTS. >> AND GIVEN THE NEXT STEP, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE IT GOING DEEPER IN SPACE SO THINGS LIKE PROJECT EAGLE, COULD THAT HELP US ON EARTH? WILL IT BENEFIT OUR HEART HEALTH ON EARTH AS WELL? >> YES. >> ANOTHER GOOD ADVANTAGE.

>> YES, SO WE HOPE TO IDENTIFY MOLECULES OR CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE HELPFUL TO PRELOAD NATURALLY STEM CELLS AND ALLOW US A WAY TO HELP CELLS BECOME MORE MATURE EASILY ON EARTH. THE HEART STEM CELLS ARE ALSO USEFUL TO HELP DEVELOP NEW MEDICATIONS FOR THOSE TISSUES. >> GREAT, AND SO NICE TO SEE

THOSE EXPERIMENTS IN SPACE AND BENEFITTING OUR LIFE HERE. MEGAN AND RAJA BACK TO YOU. >> WE’RE ABOUT TO WRAP UP OUR COVERAGE HERE BUT I WANT TO TAKE ONE LAST QUESTION BECAUSE THIS IS SUPER CUTE. THIS IS FROM 4-YEAR-OLD ROBBIE AND HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT IS THE

CREW DOING WHEN THEY ARE IN SPACE? >> HOPEFULLY ROBBIE, YOUR PARENTS ARE TYPING THAT AND YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT ACCOUNT BUT THIS TIME ON THE DRAGON ON THE WAY UP AND DOWN IS TIME TO LOOK OUT AT THE WINDOW AND ENJOY BEING IN SPACE. WE HAVE TRAINED ALMOST ALL OF

OUR LIVES TO GET READY FOR THIS MOMENT AND SO THAT IS A CHANCE TO ENJOY THAT. AND YOU HEARD MIKE WHOOP END INDICATING THE JOY IN THE CAPSULE RIGHT NOW. AND ON THE SERIOUS SIDE, THEY WILL BE DOING WORK WITH CAMERAS, TAKING PHOTOS BUT MOSTLY JUST GETTING THE CARGO READY.

THEY HAVE TO START WORRYING ABOUT THE RAND VIEW TIMELINE AND EACH TIME THERE IS A PHASED BURN, IT WILL GET THEM CLOSER TO THE SPACE STATION, THEY WILL GET BACK IN THEIR SUITS AND START MONITORING SYSTEMS AND BE READY FOR ANYTHING THAT COMES UP. SO THEY KEEP BUSY, PLENTY OF

WORK TO BE DONE BUT IT IS A NICE TIME TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY THE FACE OF IT AND THAT THEY ARE IN SPACE AND THE ISS HAS A BIGGER VOLUME SO IT IS HELPFUL IN DRAGON, YOU CAN’T GO VERY FAR WITHOUT RUNNING INTO SOMETHING SO YOU CAN USE THE DRAGON AS A

TRAINING WHEEL, TO GET USED TO THE LACK OF GRAVITY BEFORE THEY GET ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> WHEN YOU HEARD THEM SAYING THEY WERE DOING SUIT DOCKING, THEY ARE TAKING THE SUITS OFF, PUTTING ON MORE COMFORTABLE CLOTHES AND DEPENDING ON THE TIMELINE, THEY MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT, GO TO SLEEP,

IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE TIMELINE. >> SO ROBBIE THANKS SO MUCH FOR A QUESTION. YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG ON THE MISSION BY LISTENING TO REALTIME MISSION AUDIO AND YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT ON THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN, GRAB IT AND CLICK ON IT LATER. MATTHER, MILE KEL, JEANETTE AND

ALEXANDER ARE SET TO ARRIVE AT THE SPACE STATION ON TUESDAY. DOCKING AND ARRIVAL WILL RESUME TWO HOURS BEFORE ON NATIONAL T R AND THAT IS ALWAYS FUN TO WATCH. >> I THINK WE SHOWED YOU CANNABIS BEFORE, EXCITING WHEN YOU ARE COMING ON THE SPACE STATION AND SO BIZARRE HAVING

TRAINED IN THE MOCK-UP AND TO SEE THE REAL THING AND IT IS UPSIDE DOWN, SIDEWAYS, YOUR MIND TRYING TO TAKE THAT IN. LORAL SAYING EVERYONE IS EXCITED TO SEE CREW 8, A WEIRD FAMILY REUNION BUT FUN TO HAVE. >> AND BEFORE WE SIGN OFF FROM KENNEDY, WE WANT TO THANK RAJA

FOR JOINING US, HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME. >> SO WE OUTWORE THE JINX THIS TIME. >> AND YOU WILL SEE RAJA IN CREW 9. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY, THANKS TO YOU ALL FOR WATCHING AND FOR EVERYONE HERE AT NASA AND SPACEX, HAVE A GREAT MORNING OR EVENING, AND WE LEAVE YOU

WITH A LOOK AT SUIT-UPS TO LIFTOFF. >> INSIDE THE SUIT-UP ROOM WE HAVE OUR THREE ASTRONAUTS AND ONE COSMONAUT AND THE PLAY OF THE GAME IS THAT THE COMMANDER LOSES TO USE UP HIS BAD LUCK BEFORE THEY TAKE THEIR JOURNEY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THE CREW IS DEPARTING TO THE

CHECK-OUT BUILDING TO LAUNCH PAD 39A, WHERE THEY WILL GET A GOOD LOOK AT SPACE. >> THE CREW ARMS — >> THE HELL MEL PROTECTS ON THE WAY IN. >> AND JEANETTE EPPS AND ALEXANDER GREBENKIN, WALKING ON THE STICKY TAPE BEFORE THEY PROCEED. >> THEY ARE CLOSING THE HATCH NOW.

POWER AND LIFTOFF OF NASA CREW 8, GO FALCONS, GO SPACEX AND GO NASA. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> ENDEAVOR ASCENDS A HUMAN BEACON OF MISSION, 1.6 MILLION POUNDS OF THRUST PROPELLING CREW 8, THE MISSION IS HEADING DOWN RANGE.

Video “NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Launch (Official NASA Broadcast)” was uploaded on 03/04/2024 to Youtube Channel NASA