>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE EVENT?
>> HELLO, HOUSTON.
THE EXPEDITION CREW 63 IS READY 
FOR THE EVENT.
>> JSCPAO, CALL IN FOR A VOICE 
CHECK. 
>> EXPEDITION CREW 63, THIS IS 
JCSPAO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. 
>> WHEN YOU OPENED THE DRAGON, 
DID IT HAVE THAT NEW CAR SMELL?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU COULD TELL WHEN WE OPENED 
THE VEHICLE.
>> WE'LL START OFF WITH A 
QUESTION FROM BILL HARWOOD, CBS.
LET'S START OFF WITH A QUESTION 
FROM BILL HARWOOD, CBS. 
>> HEY, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW.
TESTING, ONE, TWO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> I CAN HEAR YOU, BILL. 
>> THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT 
BOB WAS DESCRIBING THE RIDE, 
KIND OF LIKE GOING UPHILL.
IN THE SECOND STAGE FEEL, YOU 
MADE IT SOUND LIKE IT WAS A 
LITTLE ROUGHER THAN THE SHUTTLE 
IN THE MAIN ENGINE.
I WONDER IF THERE WAS EVER A 
POINT WHEN YOU LOOKED OVER AT 
DOUG AND WENT WOW, THIS WASN'T 
WHAT I WAS QUITE EXPECTING. 
>> WELL, BILL, YOU TOOK THE 
WORDS QUITE OUT OF OUR MOUTH.
YESTERDAY FIRST STAGE WAS 
SMOOTHER THAN SECOND STAGE, WHAT
ANY OF US WERE EXPECTING.
I THINK WHEN WE WERE GOING 
UPHILL, WE TRIED TO VERBALIZE 
THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE WERE 
HAVING.
BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, WE WERE 
SENSING THE SAME THINGS. 
>> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO TO QUESTION FROM STEVEN
CLARK.
>> HI.
THANKS FOR TAKING MY QUESTIONS.
STEVEN CLARK FROM SPACE FLIGHT 
NOW.
JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT -- 
[Inaudible]
>> -- THAT WAS NOT EXPERIENCED 
REALLY DURING SHUTTLE, IGNITE A 
SHUTTLE DURING FLIGHT.
I ALSO WONDERED WHAT YOUR SPACE 
SUITS WERE LIKE DURING FLIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I THINK THE QUESTION WAS THE 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STAGING THE 
SPACE SHUTTLE AND THE DRAGON 
SINCE WE DIDN'T SHUTDOWN THE 
ENGINES ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE 
LIKE WE DID FOR FIRST STAGE AND 
SECOND STAGE.
THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 
THE BOOSTERS ON THE SHUTTLE AND 
THAT SECOND STAGE.
I THINK WE ALL FELT AND HEARD 
THE CLUNK ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
I THINK DOUG COMMENTED ON IT 
FIRST, THAT WE FELT SOME EARLY 
ZERO G WHEN WE WERE GETTING 
READY TO TRANSITION TO THE 
SECOND STAGE FROM THE FIRST 
STAGE, AND WE COMMENTED ON IT.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS ABOUT THE 
SUITS, AND DOUG, DO YOU WANT TO 
COMMENT ABOUT THE SUITS IN 
GENERAL?
>> YEAH.
BOB AND I HAVE HAD PLENTY OF 
TIMES IN THE SUITS.
I THINK WE'VE DONNED AND DOFFED 
THOSE SUITS A COUPLE OF HUNDRED 
TIMES.
THE SUITS, IF YOU'RE NOT 
FAMILIAR WITH, THEY'RE 
CUSTOM-MADE.
THEY'RE MUCH EASIER TO GET IN 
AND OUT OF IN ZERO G, AS WE'VE 
LEARNED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF 
DAYS.
THEY WORKED VERY WELL, AND 
EVERYTHING WE EXPECTED GOING 
UPHILL.
>> LON GRESH, THE VERGE. 
>> IS THERE ANY CHANGES THAT YOU
WOULD MAKE IN THE FUTURE WHEN 
FLYING CREW DRAGON?
>> WAS THERE ANY CHANGES THAT 
YOU WOULD MAKE, IS THAT YOUR 
QUESTION?
I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY THAT 
WE WOULD MAKE.
>> WE'RE NOT HEARING YOU, LAURA.
LET'S MOVE ONTO ROSA ARAGON.
>> HI.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY 
QUESTION, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE 
YOU WELL UP THERE.
AS YOU KNOW, HOUSTON IS THE HOME
FOR MANNED SPACE FLIGHT, AND THE
PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOU FROM TIMBER 
GROVE, THOSE WHO KNOW YOU FROM 
NASA, YOU KNOW, SEEING YOU TRAIN
AND YOUR JOURNEY TO GET TO WHERE
YOU'RE AT TODAY, SOME OF YOU MAY
BE LIKE YOUR SONS, WHO ARE 
YOUNGER, AND MAY BE INSPIRED BY 
WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THOSE 
WHO ARE WATCHING FROM HOUSTON, 
FROM ALL OF THOSE AREAS IN SPACE
CITY?
WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM?
>> WELL, I THINK MY FIRST THING 
I WOULD SAY ABOUT THAT, YOU 
KNOW, IS JUST NEVER QUIT WHAT 
YOU'RE DOING.
THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY LONG ROAD 
FOR BOB AND I.
WE LAST FLEW IN 2010 AND 2011, 
AND WHEN NASA STOPPED FLYING 
SHUTTLES, THAT WAS IN THE MIDDLE
OF 2011, AND IT'S JUST TAKEN 
THAT HARD WORK AND DEDICATION 
OVER THE LAST EIGHT, ALMOST NINE
YEARS NOW TO LAUNCHING ROCKETS 
BACK FROM THE UNITED STATES, 
BACK TO STATION, DOCKING WHERE 
SHUTTLE USED TO DOCK.
I WOULD JUST SAY TAKE A MESSAGE 
FROM NASA IN THAT ANYTHING IS 
POSSIBLE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD A REALLY ROUGH 
COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND JUST TO BE
ABLE TO SHOW THE COUNTRY WHAT 
THE AGENCY'S MADE OF, THE 
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM DID, AND
WHAT SPACEX DID.
I HOPE THEY TAKE SOME PRIDE AND 
SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AT 
SEEING THAT.
>> I THINK FOR BOTH OF US, ALSO,
THE HOUSTON AREA IS WHERE WE 
CALL HOME NOW, AND IT CERTAINLY 
IS TRUE THAT THE HOME OF JOHNSON
SPACE CENTER, THE HOME OF HUMAN 
SPACE FLIGHT, THAT IS OUR HOME, 
THE HOME OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT.
WE HAVE EXCELLENT SUPPORT THERE.
I HAD A PARADE, INTERESTINGLY, 
SOCIAL DISTANCING NEIGHBORS 
LINING MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE 
HALF MILE OR SO AS I DEPARTED MY
WAY TO ELLIGTON FIELD DOWN IN 
FLORIDA.
TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY 
BACK HOME, THANKS FOR 
EVERYTHING, AND WE JUST COULDN'T
HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT ALL OF YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I KNOW THAT PROBABLY MEANS SO 
MUCH TO THEM.
GODSPEED. 
>> LET'S GO TO QUESTION FROM 
CHRIS DAVENPORT. 
>> HI.
IT'S CHRIS DAVENPORT FROM THE 
"WASHINGTON POST."
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME ON 
YOUR FLIGHT.
I WON'T TAKE UP MUCH OF YOUR 
TIME.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD WALK US 
THROUGH SOME OF THE 
TECHNOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES 
BETWEEN THE SHUTTLE, AND THEN 
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE DURING 
THE CENTRAL PHASE THAT STOOD OUT
TO YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU. 
>> HEY, CHRIS.
GOOD TO TALK WITH YOU.
I THINK JUS GENERICALLY, THE 
SHUTTLE ROCKETS HAD ENGINES THAT
BURNED FOR 2.5 ENGINES.
THE FALCON 9s ENGINES BURNED FOR
ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.
THE PHASE THAT BOB AND -- THAT 
WE COMMENTED ON WAS IN FIRST 
STAGE.
THE FIRST STAGE ENGINE SHUT OFF,
AND IT TAKES A SECOND -- ALMOST 
A SECOND.
MAYBE LESS THAN THAT, BUT IT 
SEEMED LIKE IT TOOK SOME TIME 
BETWEEN THE BOOSTER SEPARATING 
AND THEN THE MERLIN VACUUM 
ENGINE STARTING.
SO AT THAT POINT, WE GO FROM 
ROUGHLY 3 Gs TO ZERO Gs FOR HALF
A SECOND.
AND THEN, WHEN THAT MERLIN 
VACUUM ENGINE STARTS AGAIN, WE 
GO TO 3 Gs AGAIN FOR A FEW 
MINUTES.
IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO TALK TO 
THE SPACEX FOLKS TO FIND OUT WHY
IT WAS ROUGH DURING SECOND STAGE
THAN THE SHUTTLE FROM THOSE 
THREE ENGINES. 
>> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GO TO MARSHA FROM THE 
ASSOCIATED PRESS. 
>> HI, EVERYONE UP THERE.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU'VE CAPTURED
THE FLAG YET, HAVE YOU PUT YOUR 
HANDS ON IT YET, AND IS IT 
ABOARD YET, AND IF YOU'RE 
 -- 
SINCE YOU PUT IT OUT THERE NINE 
YEARS AGO. 
>> IT WAS RIGHT ON THE HATCH 
WHERE CHRIS LEFT IT NINE YEARS 
AGO, AND I THINK HE'S GOT A 
NOTE, DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE WITH
CREW DRAGON.
SO DEPENDING ON HOW LONG WE STAY
UP HERE, YOU CAN BET WE'LL TAKE 
IT WITH US WHEN WE DEPART BACK 
TO EARTH.
FROM THAT STANDPOINT, I THINK, 
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT 
THIS FLAG BEFORE MANY TIMES OVER
THE LAST YEARS SINCE WE LEFT IT 
HERE ON S.C.S. 135.
AS I SAID, JUST RETURNING LAUNCH
CAPABILITY TO AND FROM THE 
UNITED STATES, THAT'S WHAT THIS 
FLAG REALLY MEANS.
AND I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE, 
IT'S TO THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE 
THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE, FROM THE 
FOLKS AT SPACEX TO THE FOLKS AT 
NASA TO THE FOLKS WITHIN THE 
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM, AND WE 
JUST ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE
TO TAKE IT HOME WITH US, AND 
THAT'LL BE OUR PLAN HERE IN A 
MONTH OR TWO OR THREE OR FOUR, 
DEPENDING ON, AS BOB SAYS, WHAT 
UNCLE KIRK LETS US DO. 
>> LET'S GO TO A QUESTION FROM 
MARK CROW, AVIATION WEEK. 
>> MARK CROW, AVIATION WEEK.
MY QUESTION IS FOR CHRIS 
CASSIDY.
FROM SKILLS, WHAT DO BOB AND 
DOUG BRING TO THE I.S.S., AND 
HOW WILL OPERATIONS RAMP UP 
INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY IN THE
COMING WEEKS?
>> WELL, EXPERIENCE GOES A LONG 
WAY, AND THESE GUYS ARE IN THEIR
THIRD FLIGHT.
IN MY OPINION, IT DOESN'T MATTER
EXPERIENCE.
IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH 
UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEM AND THE
METHODOLOGY WITH WHICH WE WORK 
HAND IN HAND WITH MISSION 
CONTROL, AND ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND
THAT AND GRASP ALL THOSE 
CONCEPTS, THE WORK PART IS -- I 
DON'T WANT TO SAY EASY, BUT IT 
JUST HAPPENS TOGETHER.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THAT.
TODAY IS DAY ONE, AND THEY'RE 
HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING, 
UNLOADING THE VEHICLE.
WE'VE GOT HTV AT OUR FEET, AND 
WE'LL BE WORKING IN THERE VERY 
SHORTLY, PROBABLY AFTER HANGING 
UP FROM THIS CONVERSATION.
TOGETHER, THE THREE OF US WILL 
BE TACKLING THE OVERALL MISSION 
OF THE SPACE STATION, WHICH IS 
IS CONDUCTING SCIENCE, ALLOWING 
THAT SCIENCE TO OVERALL RUN THE 
SPACE STATION, AND THEN, THERE'S
SOME OBJECTIVES IN THE MIX.
WE'LL GET SOME TIME FOR 
POTENTIAL SPACEWALKS.
WE DON'T JUST SIT UP HERE AT 
DINNER AND DECIDE WHEN ALL OF 
THOSE ARE GOING TO BE DONE.
THE PRIORITIZATION IS MADE IN 
HOUSTON, AND THEN, WE EXECUTE 
THE PLAN, SO THE THREE OF US ARE
EXCITED TO GET AFTER IT 
TOGETHER. 
>> JOY ROULETTE WITH REUTERS. 
>> HEY.
I WAS WONDERING SINCE YOU GUYS 
MADE IT TO THE SPACE STATION AND
NOT KNOWING HOW LONG YOU'RE 
GOING TO STAY THERE FOR, DOES IT
FEEL WEIRD?
AND I WAS WONDERING IF DURING ON
YOUR WAY TO THE SPACE STATION, 
YOU NOTICED ANYTHING UNEXPECTED 
THAT YOU DIDN'T EXPERIENCE 
DURING TRAINING OR SIMS.
THANKS. 
>> WELL, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK SEVERAL RECENT CREWS 
HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE 
UNCERTAINTY HISTORICALLY FOR HOW
LONG THEIR MISSION DURATION WAS 
GOING TO BE, BUT I GUESS MAYBE 
ON THE PERCENTAGE SCALE, DOUG 
AND I HAVE MAYBE THE MOST 
UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE IT COULD BE 
RELATIVELY SHORT OR WE COULD 
POTENTIALLY DOUBLE OR TRIPLE 
MAYBE WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY 
EXPECTED FOR US JUST A FEW SHORT
MONTHS AGO.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT STRANGE.
I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT TO MY 
SON, JUST SIX YEARS OLD, AND 
FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE, HE'S JUST 
EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET 
A DOG WHEN I GET HOME.
HE'S ACCEPTING THAT UNCERTAINTY,
AND CONTINUING TO SEND MESSAGES 
TO ME WHILE I'M ON ORBIT.
AR AS UNEXPECTED THINGS, 
WHEN WE WERE HEADING UPHILL, I 
THINK I SAID THIS YESTERDAY, BUT
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES IS JUST 
THE DYNAMICS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
THE VIBRATION, THE EXPERIENCES 
THAT WE FELT ACTUALLY RIDING A 
REAL ROCKET, GOING THROUGH THE 
FUELING OPERATION, THAT WAS A 
NEW EXPERIENCE FOR US.
AS YOU KNOW, THE SPACE SHUTTLE 
WAS FUELLED WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS 
ARRIVED.
DOUG AND I WENT THROUGH THE 
FUELING OPERATION ON BOARD THE 
DRAGON, SO GOING THROUGH AND 
HEARING THE VALVE SOUNDS AND THE
LITTLE SOUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH 
THAT OPERATION, THAT WAS A NEW 
EXPERIENCE FOR US, BUT NOTHING 
OUT OF TRAINING.
THE TEAM DID A GREAT JOB OF 
RECORDING THAT INFORMATION AND 
PLAYED THAT BACK FOR US TIED TO 
THE AUDIO, SO WE'VE HEARD ALL 
THOSE SOUNDS PRETTY MUCH BEFORE.
THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
WE'VE GOT THE SAME TOOL COMING 
HOME, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE 
HOW THAT MATCHES UP WITH OUR 
EXPERIENCE. 
>> ROBERT PERLMAN. 
>> THANK YOU.
HI CHRIS, DOUG, AND BOB.
FOR DOUG AND BOB, I WONDER IF 
DURING THE ASCENT OR DURING YOUR
OVERNIGHT PERIOD, WAS THERE A 
POINT WHERE THE SENSE OF HISTORY
SORT OF SEEPED IN WHERE YOU 
ALLOWED YOURSELF TO JUST 
CONSIDER THE HISTORY THAT YOU 
WERE MAKING, WHAT -- AND WHAT 
WERE THOSE SPECIFIC MOMENTS?
THANKS.
>> HONESTLY, ROBERT -- GOOD TO 
TALK TO YOU -- I DON'T KNOW IF 
WE EVER REFLECTED ON IT OVER THE
19-HOUR RENDEZVOUS.
YOU MAY HAVE RANDOM THOUGHTS 
GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD NOW AND 
THEN, BUT I THINK OVER THE LAST 
NINE YEARS, BOB AND I HAVE BEEN 
FOCUSED ON THIS MISSION AND 
FLYING THIS MISSION, AND THAT'S 
WHAT WE REALLY PUT OUR ENTIRE 
EFFORT MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY 
INTO, FROM THE TIME WE WALKED 
OUT OF THE O.N.C. BUILDING.
AND SO WE DOCKED WITH SPACE 
STATION, AND OF COURSE, WE'RE 
STILL DOING IT, BUT IT WAS JUST 
FOCUSING ON EVERYTHING WE COULD 
DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID 
EVERYTHING WE COULD DO TO MAKE 
SURE WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL 
RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING, AND THEN
TAKING IN MANEUVERS, NUANCES, 
ANYTHING WE CAN LET FOLKS BE 
AWARE OF WHEN THEY FLY THAT 
VEHICLE.
FOR ME, ANY WAY, THE HISTORICAL 
ASPECT OF IT IS CERTAINLY 
NOTABLE, BUT I THINK IT'S 
SOMETHING TO MAYBE CONSIDER 
AFTER THIS MISSION'S COMPLETE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT EVEN IN ANY 
WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM HALFWAY 
THROUGH THE MISSION YET.
WE'VE JUST DOCKED.
WE'VE STILL GOT TO DO OUR 
MISSION HERE WITH CHRIS, AND 
THEN UNDOCK, DEPART, AND DO A 
REENTRY AND THEN A LANDING AND 
THEN A RECOVERY.
SO PLENTY OF WORK TO DO, AND, 
YOU KNOW, WE'LL PROBABLY THINK A
LOT MORE ABOUT THAT WHEN THE 
TIME COMES.
>> HANAKKA WHITERING WITH 
SPACE.COM. 
>> HEY, GUYS.
HANAKKA WHITERING WITH 
SPACE.COM.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, HAS THE 
SPACE STATION CHANGED MUCH SINCE
YOU WERE THERE OR DOES IT SEEM 
LIKE HOME FOR YOU?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU,
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE BEST 
THINGS WAS BEING ABLE TO MAKE A 
CALL HOME.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE
GONE INTO ORBIT, AND I'VE GOT A 
LITTLE BOY WHO GOT TO WATCH THAT
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I WANTED TO SHARE THAT 
EXPERIENCE WITH HIM WHILE I WAS 
FRESH IN HIS MIND.
HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE TRIP 
BACK TO HOUSTON AFTER WATCHING 
THE DOCK DOWN IN FLORIDA, SO 
THAT WAS A WONDERFUL THING FOR 
ME.
AS FAR AS THE SPACE STATION 
GOES, I'LL TELL YOU, IT SEEMS A 
LOT LIKE IT WAS WHEN I WAS HERE 
LAST.
THERE'S QUITE A BIT MORE SCIENCE
GOING ON, AND A LOT MORE 
EQUIPMENT ON SOME OF THE RACKS, 
ESPECIALLY IN NODE THREE.
WE DID COMMENT ABOUT THE AIR 
LOCK CONFIGURATION, IT'S NOT AS 
CLEAN AS HOW CHRIS AND I 
REMEMBER IT FROM OUR SHUTTLE 
EXPERIENCES, BECAUSE THOSE 
FLIGHTS WERE REALLY ABOUT THE 
ASSEMBLY OF SPACE STATION, AND 
THE AIR LOCKS WERE READY TO GO.
I KNOW YOU HAVE TO CONFIGURATE 
EACH AREA FOR THE TASK AT HAND, 
AND STOWAGE WAS MOVED AROUND FOR
OUR ARRIVAL.
PROBABLY A LOT OF CARGO WAS 
MOVED AROUND FOR THE ARRIVAL 
FROM JAPAN.
THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON THAT 
YOU'VE GOT MORE STUFF THAN YOU 
HAVE PLACES TO JUST STOW IT 
WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, FULLY BEING 
ABLE TO CONDUCT THE OPERATION.
ANYTHING TO ADD, DOUG?
>> LET'S GO ACROSS THE POND TO 
JACKIE GODDARD FOR THE TIMES. 
>> THANK YOU.
JACKIE GODDARD FOR THE TIMES OF 
LONDON.
FOR THIS MISSION, 
CONGRATULATION.
THIS FEELS FUNKY FROM EVERYTHING
TO THE SPACECRAFT, TO THE TOUCH 
SCREENS, TO THE SUITS.
DOES THIS FEEL LIKE THE JETSONS?
CAN YOU DESCRIBE SOMETHING ABOUT
THE RIDE UPHILL?
SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US, THE 
CHILD IN US NEEDS TO KNOW IS HOW
WAS THE CREW DRAGON TOILET?
THANK YOU. 
>> WELL, IT'S GOOD TO TALK TO 
YOU.
LET ME THINK.
FROM A FUTURISTIC STANDPOINT, 
SPACEX, THAT COMPANY HAS TRIED 
TO BE VERY FORWARD THINKING AND 
CUTTING EDGE, AND IT IS ONE OF 
THE FACTORS THAT WENT INTO THE 
DESIGN OF THE CREW DRAGON AND 
OUR SPACE SUITS AND EVERYTHING 
ABOUT THE VEHICLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOR US, AS THE 
TEST PILOTS, SO TO SPEAK, YOU 
KNOW, WE'RE THERE TO EVALUATE 
HOW IT DOES THE MISSION, AND SO 
FAR, IT'S DONE JUST ABSOLUTELY 
SPECTACULARLY.
IT'S A VERY CLEAN VEHICLE.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK IT'S A
REALLY COOL LOOKING VEHICLE.
I KNOW MY SON THINKS SO, AND IT 
DOES EVERYTHING WE NEED IT TO DO
FOR THIS MISSION, SO WE'RE VERY 
HAPPY WITH THAT PART OF IT.
LET'S SEE...THE TOILET.
I THINK WE HAD A BET TO SEE WHEN
THAT QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE 
ASKED ABOUT DRAGON, AND IT WORKS
VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE WE WERE 
USED TO IN THE SPACE SHUTTLE, 
AND IT WORKED VERY WELL.
WE HAD NO ISSUES WITH IT. 
>> ALL RIGHT.
NEXT IS PETER KING. 
>> GOOD MORNING.
PETER KING WITH CBS NEWS RADIO.
AND I KNOW, BOB, YOU WERE YOU 
WERE THERE TO HELP DOUG AND 
CHRIS WITH THAT SHORTHAND 
SITUATION.
IT ALSO GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO 
EVALUATION DRAGON'S PERFORMANCE 
IN LONG-TERM EXPOSURE TO THE 
ELEMENTS.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR?
>> WELL, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY 
RIGHT, THAT WE'LL PUT THE DRAGON
THROUGH ITS PACES IN PREPARATION
FOR THE CREW ONE FLIGHT.
WE ALREADY SPENT QUITE A BIT OF 
THE DAY PREPARING BASICALLY 
DRAGON TO SERVE ITS PURPOSE AS A
LIFE BOAT OR AN EMERGENCY 
DEPARTURE VEHICLE, SO DOUG AND I
SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME 
GETTING THE EQUIPMENT PREPARED 
SO THAT THAT VEHICLE IS READY TO
GO AND EXECUTE THAT MISSION.
AND WE PROBABLY DID A LITTLE 
MORE AS A PART OF THAT THAN 
OTHER CREWS WILL DO IN THE 
FUTURE.
WE'VE PERFORMED SOME CONNECTIONS
WITH THE SYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE 
THAT WE CAN CONFIGURE THE 
COMMUNICATIONS WITH EVERYTHING 
FROM THE SOYUZ BACK TO HOUSTON 
IF WE NEED TO DO THAT INSIDE OUR
SMALL VEHICLE.
ALL THAT WORKS, AND WE'LL 
CONTINUE TO DO SMALL THINGS LIKE
THAT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO POWER DOWN 
DRAGON AND TAKE IT TO ITS 
HIBERNATED STATE.
SINCE IT'S HER FIRST FLIGHT, WE 
ARE PUTTING HER THROUGH THE 
STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING
WE NEED, IT'S READY FOR THE 
MISSION, INCLUDING A SAFE HAVEN,
IF WE NEED TO GO FROM ON BOARD 
THE SPACE STATION, AND THEN 
WE'LL FOCUS ON HELPING TLIS OUT 
ON THE SPACE STATION SIDE. 
>> LEO ENRIGHT.
>> I HAVEER QUESTION ABOUT
LAUNCH AND ABOUT SOMETHING THAT 
WAS DIFFERENT THIS TIME.
YOUR FINAL CALLOUT BEFORE CECO 
WAS SHANNON, TO WHICH MISSION 
CONTROL REPLIED, COPY, SHANNON.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN IRELAND WERE 
WONDERING, WHAT WAS THAT ALL 
ABOUT?
>> WELL, HELLO, IRELAND.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
THE ASCENT TRAJECTORY OFFERS US 
SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES IF 
NEEDED WITH THE LAUNCH VEHICLE 
TO ABORT, AND SOME OF THOSE 
SCENARIOS INVOLVE ABORTING 
FAIRLY CLOSE TO KENNEDY SPACE 
CENTER ON THE EAST COAST OF THE 
UNITED STATES, ALL THE WAY UP TO
CLOSE TO NEWFOUNDLAND IN CANADA.
WHEN WE GET UP HIGH ENOUGH, WE 
WERE GOING TO ABORT FORWARD TO 
THE U.K., THE IRELAND AREA, 
SPECIFICALLY, BEFORE THE ENGINES
SHUTDOWN.
THAT'S OUR CALL TO MISSION 
CONTROL IN HAWTHORNE THAT WE SEE
THE CHANGE IN THE ABORT 
DESTINATION IF THAT EVENTUALITY 
IS NEEDED. 
>> SOPHIE SANCHEZ, CHICAGO NOW. 
>> HELLO FROM CHICAGO.
DOUG, AS A TEST PILOT, WHAT WAS 
IT LIKE TAKING CONTROL OF THE 
ENDEAVOR FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND
IF YOU COULD SHARE A LITTLE BIT 
ABOUT THE DOCKING PROCEDURE AND 
HOW IT COMPARED TO THE SOYUZ 
DOCKING PROCEDURE.
THANK YOU.
>> FLYING THE DRAGON WAS EXACTLY
HOW WE EXPECTED IT TO BE, AND 
THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT
WE WANTED TO DO THE MANUAL 
FLIGHT TEST TWICE.
SO WE DID IT SHORTLY AFTER WE 
GOT TO ORBIT ON OUR FIRST DAY, 
AND THEN, WHEN WE WERE ON THE 
FINAL PORTION OF THE DOCKING 
AXIS, WE DID IT AGAIN YESTERDAY,
AND IT'S ALL TO PROVE THAT THAT 
CAPABILITY WORKS FOR FUTURE 
CREWS IF NEED BE.
MOST FOLKS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE
FACT THAT DRAGON IS DESIGNED TO 
BE TOTALLY AUTOMATED FROM THE 
TIME IT LAUNCHES TO THE TIME IT 
RETURNS TO EARTH.
IF THERE ARE ANY SYSTEMS 
GLITCHES, WE LIKE TO KNOW IF WE 
TAKE IT OVER MANUALLY, THE 
VEHICLE WILL DO WHAT WE NEED IT 
TO DO. 
>> DAVE MOSIER. 
>> CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 
FLIGHT.
IT WAS AMAZING TO WATCH.
CHRIS, WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST 
THING YOU FELT OR THOUGHT ASSEN 
 -- AS ENDEAVOR APPROACHED THE 
I.S.S.
AND I WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION 
A DIFFERENT WAY: WHAT'S A 
FIVE-STAR REVIEW, AND WHAT'S 
YOUR REVIEW OF THE SPACE SUITS 
IF YOU HAD TO REVIEW THEM 
ON-LINE?
THANK YOU. 
>> I'LL TAKE THE FIRST PART OF 
THE QUESTION.
WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH MY MIND?
WELL, THERE WAS SEVERAL PHASES.
ONE WAS DURING LAUNCH, AND THAT 
WAS QUITE EXCITING FOR THE THREE
OF US ON BOARD.
WE FLEW DIRECTLY OVER THE 
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER A FEW 
MINUTES AFTER LAUNCH.
WE WERE OUT OVER THE OCEAN 
DURING THE TIME OF IGNITION, 
PLUS, WE WERE IN THE DAY, AND 
K.S.C. WAS IN THE DAY, SO WE 
DIDN'T SEE THE ACTUAL LAUNCH, 
BUT THAT WAS VERY, VERY 
EXCITING, AND THE THREE OF US 
WERE CHEERING MUCH LIKE YOU 
WERE, I'M SURE.
FAST FORWARD TO YESTERDAY, WHEN 
YOU WERE WATCHING THE VEHICLE DO
ITS STAIR STEP UP TO ALTITUDE.
WE COULD SEE IT FAR AWAY, 19 OR 
20 KILOMETERS, AND IT GOT 
BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER.
AND IT GOT TO ME, THAT LITTLE 
TINY DOT WAS GOING TO BE FIXED 
ABOUT 15 METERS FROM WHERE I WAS
STANDING, SO TO SPEAK.
AND THEN, THEY CAME UP TO OUR 
SAME ALTITUDE AND STARTED COMING
IN DIRECTLY ON THE DOCKING AXIS.
I HAD THE CAMERA OUT AT ONE 
PARTICULAR POINT, AND I REALIZED
THAT INSIDE THAT SPACECRAFT WERE
TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES AND 
FRIENDS, AND THEY'RE GOING 
17,500 MILES PER HOUR, AND WE'RE
GOING 17,500 MILES PER HOUR, AND
THEM WITH A COMPUTER AND BACKING
IT UP, AND WE COULD MONITOR THE 
PROCESS ON THE TELEMETRY.
IT WAS A PRETTY AMAZING THING, 
JUST REALIZING WHAT WAS 
HAPPENING.
AND THEN, YOU PULL IN THE 
HISTORIC ASPECT OF THE WHOLE 
DAY, WHAT IT MEANS TO AMERICA, 
WHAT IT MEANS TO THE WHOLE SPACE
PROGRAM, WHAT IT MEANS TO 
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL 
COOPERATION, IT JUST WAS 
AWE-INSPIRING.
BACK TO OPERATIONS, BUT IT WAS A
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE DAY, AND I'M 
JUST HONORED TO BE A PART OF IT.
>> AS FAR AS THE DOCKING WAS 
CONCERNED, DRAGON FLEW PRETTY 
SIMILAR TO SHUTTLE.
IT HAD VERY SIMILAR 
CHARACTERISTICS.
THE AUTOMATION WOULD HAVE BEEN 
THE SAME AS BOB AND I WERE 
COMING IN.
I THINK THE THING WE MENTIONED 
WAS WHEN WE WERE DOCKING, WE 
DIDN'T FEEL THE DOCKING.
IN SHUTTLE, YOU FELT A LITTLE 
BIT OF A JOLT.
NOTHING REAL HEAVY, BUT YOU FELT
IT, AND WE ASKED THE GUYS ON 
BOARD STATION THE SAME QUESTION,
AND THEY DIDN'T FEEL IT, EITHER,
WHICH WAS TYPICAL.
THAT REALLY SURPRISED ME.
EITHER JUST THE VELOCITIES OR 
THE STRENGTH OF THE DOCKING 
MECHANISM REALLY ABSORBED ANY --
ANY INERTIA AS WE CAME INTO 
DOCK, AND IT WAS PRETTY NEAT 
THAT WE COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING 
ON BOARD ENDEAVOR. 
>> I THINK FOR BOTH DOUG AND I, 
WE'D HAVE TO GIVE THE SUITS A 
FIVE-STAR RATING.
EACH SUIT IS POINT DESIGNED FOR 
A VERY SPECIFIC MISSION.
THIS ONE IS POINT DESIGNED FOR 
US TO SIT IN OUR SEATS AND 
PROTECT US IF THERE'S A FIRE OR 
A PROBLEM WITH THE ATMOSPHERE ON
BOARD THE DRAGON -- IT'S SMOKING
OR LEAKING OUT.
THESE SUITS DIDN'T HAVE TO DO 
THAT JOB FOR US, SO THAT WAS 
NICE.
BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY WERE 
READY.
WE HAD GREAT CHECKS OF THE SUITS
AS THEY CONTINUED UPHILL, AND 
PRELAUNCH.
I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT 
THE SPACEX TEAM.
CHRIS, TRIGG, MARIA, AND ALL THE
MEMBERS OF THE TEAM HAVE DONE A 
GREAT JOB, GETTING THEM TAYLORED
TAYLORED
 -- TAILORED FIT ON US, AND WE 
LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THEM ON.
>> HOUSTON, THAT CONCLUDES THE 
EVENT AS WE COUNT DOWN TO 20 
CONTINUOUS YEARS ON THE 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR EVENT 
AS WE COUNT DOWN TO 20 
CONTINUOUS YEARS ON THE INCIDENT
SPACE STATION SPACE STATION.
-- ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE 
STATION.
THANK YOU FROM MISSION CONTROL 
AND JSCPAO.
WE ARE NOW RESUMING NORMAL 
COMMUNICATIONS.
