THE VIDEO IS APPROPRIATELY
TITLED WE PERSEVERE.
>> WE ARE A SPECIES OF
EXPLORERS.
>> WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON,
NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY, BUT
BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD.
>> WE ARE WILLING TO DO THE HARD
THINGS TO OVERCOME THE MANY
CHALLENGES.
THIS IS WHAT BRINGS OUT THE BEST
IN US.
>> WE ARE GO FOR A MISSION TO
THE MOON.
>> OUR PATH HAS LED TO SUCCESS
AND BITTER LOSSES.
>> WE COME TOGETHER TO MOURN THE
LOSSES OF SEVEN GREAT AMERICANS.
>> YET EVEN WHEN FACED WITH
TRAGEDY, SETBACKS, WE PERSEVERE.
WE KEEP STRIVING.
FROM SPACE, WE SEE OUR PLANET AS
A WHOLE.
WE SEE THE CHALLENGE WE ARE
FACING AND WE FACE THOSE
CHALLENGES.
TOGETHER.
WE WILL NOT GIVE UP.
WE CHALLENGE, WE REFUSE TO
ACCEPT THE FACT THE
WE'VE LIFT OFF.
>> WE BELIEVE MANY OBSTACLES ON
OUR WAY TO MARS, BUT WE WILL NOT
GIVE UP.
WE WILL ALWAYS PERSEVERE.
>> WOW, THAT WAS INSPIRING
VIDEO.
HELLO, I'M THOMAS WITH THE SPACE
FOUNDATION.
IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO MODERATE
TODAY'S EVENT AND OUR LIVE
DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO INVITE THE NASA TEAM
TO JOIN US AND IF I CAN ASK JIM,
THE ADMINISTRATOR, THOMAS,
ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR, MICHAEL
WATKINS, DIRECTOR OF NASA'S JET
PROPULSION.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND
YOUR TEAM FOR JOINING US.
THAT WAS TRULY AN INCREDIBLE AND
INSPIRING VIDEO.
>> WELL, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
THE SPACE FOUNDATION.
THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP THAT I
HAVE HAD WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION
THAT GOES BACK TO MY DAYS IN THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIV THE
GREAT SCHOLARLY WORK AND STUDIES
THAT THE COMMITTEES ARE PUTTING
TOGETHER.
IT REALLY HAS BEEN A REAL
PLEASURE WORKING WITH THE SPACE
FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF THESE
YEARS.
AS THE HEAD OF NASA NOW, IT'S A
RELATIONSHIP THAT I SEE
CONTINUING ON INTO THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT WORK
AND THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS.
>> AND THANK YOU.
WE HAVE A GREAT, STRONG
RELATIONSHIP AND LOOK FORWARD TO
KEEPING THAT GOING IN THE
FUTURE.
WE'LL BEGIN FROM OPENING
COMMENTS FROM NASA FOLLOWED BY
QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION.
FEEL FREE TO ASK A QUESTION
USING THE #ASKSF.
>> I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH
THE TEAM.
BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WANTED
TO CONGRATULATE THE UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES.
THAT'S AN AMAZING
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WE HAVE HAPPY TO JOIN THEM SOON
WITH PERSEVERANCE.
HOPE AND PERSEVERANCE.
IT'S THE HOPE TO STUDY AND
EXPLORE THE RED PLANET.
NEXT WEEK THE UNITED STATES
RETURNS TO MARS.
IT'S THE NEXT STEP IN PUTTING
TOGETHER A PUZZLE WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON FOR CENTURIES WHICH
HAS ACCELERATE IN THE LAST 55
YEARS BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST
FLY-BY BY MARS.
THEY SENT BACK PICTURES OF THE
SURFACE OF ANOTHER PLANET FOR
THE FIRST TIME AND THE WORLD GOT
TO SEE THE COLOR MARS RED WITH
ITS OWN EYES.
WE SAW HOW IT RESEMBLED OUR
GREAT AMERICAN DESERT-SCAPES.
WE WONDERED WHAT OUR TWO PLANETS
MIGHT HAVE IN COMMON.
WERE ALL THE INGREDIENTS
NECESSARY FOR LIFE, WERE THEY
PRESENT ON MARS AND PRODUCE
MICROBES IT IS A DID ON EARTH.
WE STRIVE AND FLOURISH HERE ON
EARTH AS LIFE IS AN IMPORTANT
PART OF OUR PLANET.
THESE ARE QUESTIONS SCIENTISTS
HAVE PONDERED FOR DECADES AND
MORE.
NOW WE SEND PERSEVERANCE, THE
MOST CAPABLE ROBOTIC SCIENTIST
FROM A PLACE WE CAN DETERMINE
THAT COULD HAVE SUPPORTED LIFE,
AN ANCIENT RIVER DELTA.
IT WAS BUILT ON THE PROGRAM AND
JOINS A FLEET THAT INCLUDES A
ROVER, A LANDER AND MULTIPLE OR
ORBITERS.
PERSEVERANCE IS OUR FIRST
MISSION FOR ASTRO BIOLOGY, THE
SEARCH FOR ANCIENT LIFE AS PART
OF ITS GOALS.
THE CURRENT FLEET TO MARS
INCLUDING CURIOSITY WHICH IS
STILL ROVING FIVE YEARS IN AND
ALL THE OTHER MISSIONS HAVE ALL
FOUND THINGS THAT LED US TO KEEP
GOING DOWN THIS PATH, HAVING
FOUND ORGANICS, METHANE, EVEN
NOW PERSEVERANCE'S INSTRUMENTS
WILL TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
PERSEVERANCE IS THE BRIDGE
BETWEEN SCIENCE AND HUMAN
EXPLORATION THAT DEMONSTRATES
HOW THE TWO CAN SUPPORT AND
REINFORCE EACH OTHER WHILE DOING
INCREDIBLE THINGS WITH THEIR
ABILITY TO MAKE JUDGMENTS AND
ABLE TO WALK THE SURFACE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT
PERSONALLY.
MANY OF US DO.
AND IT ADVANCES THE SET OF TOOLS
TO HAVE ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.
55 YEARS AGO WE GOT THE QUICK
IMAGE AS THE SPACECRAFT WENT BY.
NOW WE CAN EVALUATE SAMPLES,
COLLECT THEM AND BRING THEM BACK
TO EARTH.
WHAT WILL PERSEVERANCE DO?
PLANET STORIES HAVE BEEN TOLD BY
CLIMATE.
IT WILL TELL US ABOUT THE
CLIMATE.
THEY WILL PROBE BENEATH THE
SURFACE, PERHAPS FINDING ICE.
THEY WILL SURVEY AND STUDY THE
ENVIRONMENT AND TURN AMAZING
IMAGES, BASICALLY PERSEVERANCE
WILL BRING ALL HUMAN SENSES TO
MARS.
SCAN THE HORIZON, HEAR THE
PLANET WITH MICROPHONES ON THE
SURFACE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
PICKS UP SAMPLES AND PERHAPS
EVEN TASTE THEM IN A SENSE OF
OTHER SAMPLES OF CHEMICALS IN
THE ROCKS.
AS HUMANS PREPARE FOR THE
GREATEST ADVENTURE HERE IN
PERSON IN THE EXPLORATION OF
MARS, OUR ROBOTS CAN HELP.
MOXY WILL DEMONSTRATE HOW WE
MIGHT LIFT OFF THE LAND.
SHERLOCK, IN ADDITION TO
SEARCHING FOR ORGANICS, HELP US
LEARN HOW IT DEGRADES ON MARS
AND NAVIGATION, IT WILL HELP OUR
ROVER ON THE SURFACE AND PROVIDE
DATA THAT IS IMPORTANT TO
LANDING FUTURE HUMAN MISSIONS ON
MARS.
JIM IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS
IN CONTEXT OF EXPLORATION.
A HELICOPTER WILL DEMONSTRATE
FLIGHT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS
MARTIAN "WRIGHT BROTHERS"
MOMENT.
WE'LL HOLD A PIECE OF MARS IN
OUR HAND, NOT JUST A METEORITE,
BUT A PIECE OF A SURFACE WITH
ITS CONTEXT, ANALYZED WITH THE
BEST INSTRUMENTS FOR US TO STUDY
WITH THE BEST INSTRUMENTS, NOT
ONLY TODAY BUT IN THE FUTURE.
THIS IS THE FIRST FLANK OF THE
FIRST ROUND TRIP TO ANOTHER
PLANET.
THIS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN READY
FOR LAUNCH WITHOUT THE
PERSEVERANCE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND WORLD WHO STRUGGLED AND
SACRIFICED THROUGH THE GLOBAL
PANDEMIC COULD KEEP THEIR SIGHTS
ON THIS MILESTONE OF HUMANITY.
THEY EMBODY OUR NATION'S SPIRIT
OF PERSEVERANCING EVEN IN THE
MOST CHALLENGING OF SITUATIONS,
PROVIDING SCIENCE AND
EXPLORATION.
THE MISSION PERSONIFIES THE
HUMAN IDEA OF THE FUTURE.
MIKE WILL TELL US MORE ABOUT
THIS.
PERSEVERANCE CARRIES OUR HOPES
AND DREAMS, THE HOPES OF
11 MILLION PEOPLE FROM ACROSS
THE WORLD WHO SENT IN THEIR
NAME.
BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE NO LONGER
WITH US, THEIR NAMES ARE THERE.
THAT'S MEANINGFUL TO ME, AS WELL
AS MY FAMILY WHO IS HERE, ALL OF
THEIR NAMES ARE ON THIS LIST.
AND PERSEVERANCE CARRIES THE
GOOD WILL OF THE ENTIRE SPACE
COMMUNITY THAT WE AND OTHER
NATIONS SEND TO MARS.
IT REINFORCES NASA'S COMMITMENT
TO WORK WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS TO ACCOMPLISH STUNNING
ACHIEVEMENTS.
WHEN PERSEVERANCE LAUNCHES, IT
TAKES US ALL, EVERY ONE OF US
WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM
AND BE INSPIRED BY THIS MISSION.
ANY TIME WE ATTEMPT SOMETHING
THAT PUSHES US TO THE NEXT
THRESHOLD, IT'S A TIME TO
CELEBRATE, IT'S A BIG MOMENT.
A MILESTONE FOR HUMANITY THAT WE
ALL SHARE.
WE EXPLORE AND DISCOVER TOGETHER
AND TOGETHER WE PERSEVERE.
AND WITH THAT, THOMAS, I'M
SENDING IT BACK TO YOU.
>> THANKS.
THAT WAS A GREAT OVERVIEW.
IT FRAMED THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT
JUST THIS MISSION, BUT WHAT NASA
IS DOING AT LARGE WITH THE
SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATIONS.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE
DR. WATKINS TO MAKE COMMENTS.
MAKE, OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, THOMAS AND THOMAS.
EXACTLY AS THOMAS SAID, THE NAME
PERSEVERANCE, TO A CERTAIN
EXTENT IT MEANS TWO THINGS A
ROVER, IT ALSO MEANS THE
THOUSAND TEAM MEMBERS OR MORE
THAN A THOUSAND THAT BUILT
PERSEVERANCE AND WILL OPERATE IT
ON THE SURFACE.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT TEAM
BEFORE WE TALK MORE ABOUT THE
MACHINE.
YOU KNOW, TO MAKE A MISSION LIKE
THIS BE SUCCESSFUL, TO GET IT
FINISHED, TO GET IT TO MARS, IT
TAKES A LOT OF PERSEVERANCE, A
LOT OF BRILLIANT, HARD WORK IN
THE BEST OF TIMES.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF US
ANTICIPATED THIS COVID PANDEMIC.
RIGHT DURING THE MOST BUSY TIME
OF THE MISSION, THE TIME WHEN WE
ARE WORKING THREE SHIFTS A DAY,
24 BY 7, TRYING TO FINISH UP THE
FINAL ASSEMBLY, DO THE FINAL
TESTING AND MAKE SURE WE ARE
READY TO GO.
THAT'S WHEN WE WERE HIT BY THE
PANDEMIC.
SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE, OF COURSE,
IS PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS AND
MAKING SURE THAT OUR TEAM STAYED
SAFE.
THAT MEANS LOTS OF TELEWORK,
LOTS OF FOLKS STAYING HOME,
TRYING TO WRITE SOFTWARE, TRYING
TO DO LOTS OF WORK FROM HOME.
WHENNER IN THE OFFICE, WHEN THEY
GET IN THERE AND TOUCH THE
HARDWARE, LOTS OF PPE, LOTS OF
SOCIAL DISTANCING AND LOTS OF
MENTAL STRESS.
ALL OF US EXPERIENCED THAT.
THIS TEAM HAD IT DOUBLY.
WE HAD HUNDREDS OF FOLKS DOING
THE FINAL ASSEMBLY.
THAT'S WHERE PERSEVERANCE IS
RIGHT NOW.
ANOTHER SEVERAL HUNDRED AT JPL,
WORKING ON THE FINAL TESTING AND
IN SOME CASES THE FINAL HARDWARE
WE SHOULD TALK TO RECENTLY.
THOSE FOLKS NOT ONLY HAD TO DEAL
WITH HAVING THE FAMILY AT HOME,
IN SOME CASES THEY WERE
SEPARATED.
THEY HAD TO SELF-ISOLATE OR BE
QUARANTINED AND THEY COULDN'T
HAVE THE NORMAL BEHAVIORS.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW
INCREDIBLE THIS TEAM WAS.
IT IS A HEROIC EFFORT IN THE
BEST OF TIMES AND THIS TEAM
REALLY KNUCKLED DOWN AND
COMPLETED THIS REALLY ON
SCHEDULE AND WE ARE READY TO GO.
I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE NOT JUST THE
JPL TEAM, BUT THE LAUNCH TEAM, A
LOT OF OUR INSTRUMENT FOLKS AND
THE KSC TEAM AS WELL.
IT'S A TEAM EFFORT.
NASA AGENCY CAME TOGETHER AS A
FAMILY IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTING
PEOPLE, TRANSPORTING CRITICAL
HARDWARE OUT AND IT'S JUST BEEN
A SURPRISINGLY SMOOTH EXPERIENCE
GIVEN ALL THE TROUBLES WITH
COVID.
AND SO HERE WE ARE BASICALLY AT
THE PAD, READY TO GO, SO WE
INTEND TO LAUNCH AT THE END OF
JULY.
WE WILL GET TO MARS IN FEBRUARY.
NOW, WHEN WE GET TO MARS, WE ARE
HEADING FOR A LANDING SPOT.
THE SCIENTISTS HAVE POURED OVER
EVERY IMAGE WE HAVE, FROM THE
RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER IN TERMS
OF WHAT IS THE BEST SITE ON MARS
THAT HAD ANCIENT HABITABILITY,
WE LEARNED A LOT FROM CURIOSITY.
BUT ALSO CAN PRESERVE SIGNS OF
THAT HABITABILITY.
MAYBE SIGNS OF BIOSIGNATURES IF
THEY EXISTED.
THE SCIENTISTS SELECTED THE
CRATER ON MARS, IT HAS A RIVER
DELTA IN IT.
LOOKS LIKE A RIVER DELTA THAT
YOU FIND ON PLANET EARTH.
BUT IT DRIED UP ABOUT 3 BILLION
YEARS AGO.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANCIENT
BIOSIGNATURES, THE CLAY RICH
ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY COULD
HAVE BEEN PRESERVED.
WHEN WE LAND, EVEN WITH OUR
.
>> WE CAN USE X-RAYS,
ULTRAVIOLENT, A WHOLE RANGE OF
THINGS BESIDES CAMERAS TO HONE
IN ON WHETHER THESE ARE THE
RIGHT SITES.
WE HAVE THIS CORING MACHINE THAT
COLLECTS A SAMPLE OF THAT ROCK.
SEALS IT UP IN A TUBE AND LATER
WE ARE GOING BRING IT BACK.
THAT, AS THOMAS SAID, THAT'S THE
FIRST STEP IN OUR RETURN TRIP.
REALLY, THIS MISSION, WE ARE OUT
THERE TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING
WE HAVE NEVER FOUND BEFORE ON
ANOTHER PLANET AND TRYING TO
CAPTURE IT AND ISOLATE IT AND
BRING THOSE SAMPLES Facebook
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THEM LIKE
WITH THE MOON ROCKS.
BECAUSE WE DON'T LAND ON MARS
THAT OFTEN, WE HAVE DONE IT
EIGHT TIMES, THIS IS OUR 9th,
HOPEFULLY OUR 9th SUCCESSFUL
LANDING.
WE USE THESE ADVANTAGES TO TEST
OUT NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
WE WANT TO KEEP PUSHING THE
ENVELOPE FORWARD.
WE CARRY A COUPLE OF TECHNICAL
DEMONSTRATION EXPERIMENTS.
SO THOMAS, I WILL KICK IT BACK
TO YOU.
>> THANKS FOR THAT.
YOU REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE
COMPLEXITY AND TEAM EFFORT FROM
START TO FINISH, NOT JUST NOW,
BUT ONCE WE LAND ON THE PLANET.
IT'S GREAT TO HEAR HOW THE
PUBLIC CAN FOLLOW ALONG THROUGH
THAT PROCESS.
LET'S HEAR FROM MS. UNG WHO IS
LEAD CAN THE EFFORT WITH THE
HELICOPTER.
>> YES, THANK YOU, MIKE.
THANK YOU, THOMAS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
IT'S EXCITING TO BE HERE.
AND AS MIKE MENTIONED, THERE ARE
THREE TECHNOLOGIES BEINGHE POTE.
AT MARS, TODAY WE EXPLORE MARS
FROM SPACECRAFT IN ORBIT AND
ROVERS ON THE SURFACE.
IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE
ASTRONAUTS ON THE SURFACE.
A HELICOPTER CAN SERVE AS SCOUT
FOR ROVERS AND ASTRONAUTS.
HELICOPTER CAN ALSO ALLOW US TO
REACH PLACES THAT ARE SIMPLY NOT
ACCESSIBLE TODAY WITHOUT BEING
ABLE TO FLY.
SO A TECH DEMO ON MARS
HELICOPTER IS NEVER DONE BEFORE,
WHY?
IT'S NOT EASY TO BUILD A
ROTOCRAFT TO FLY ON MARS.
IT HAS TO SPIN REALLY FAST.
WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY
DEMONSTRATION, THE HELICOPTER IS
NAMED INGENUITY.
IT HAS A ROTOR SYSTEM 1.2-METER
IN DIAMETER.
AND THE ENTIRE HELICOPTER HAS TO
WEIGH LESS THAN 4 POUNDS.
SO TO BUILD THIS VEHICLE, HAVING
THE CAPABILITY TO FLY AND LAND
AUTONOMOUSLY AND TO SURVIVE AND
OPERATE AUTONOMOUSLY AT MARS,
REMOTELY OPERATED FROM EARTH,
THAT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE.
SO IT BUILD THIS, THERE IS A
SIGNIFICANT TEAM BEHIND THIS
TEAM.
I WISH, REALLY, OUR TEAM, I'M
HERE TO REPRESENT OUR TEAM.
I WISH EVERYBODY ON OUR TEAM
COULD BE HERE TO SHARE THIS
STORY.
WE HAD EVERYONE FROM DIFFERENT
DISCIPLINES FROM THE
FUNDAMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL
EQUATIONS, TO ELECTRICAL,
SOFTWARE.
THERMAL, I HAVE ON I CANS AND
EVEN THE FACILITIES IT TAKES TO
BUILD AND TEST SOMETHING FOR THE
VERY FIRST TIME.
EVERYBODY IN EAC OF OUR
DISCIPLINE HAD TO REACH OUT OF
THE BOX, EXCEL IN OUR OWN
DISCIPLINE AND WORK AS A TEAM.
ALL TO PACK IT INTO A 4-POUND
LIMIT.
AND THE DAY OUR VEHICLE WEIGHED
IN, IT WEIGHED IN A HAIR UNDER.
THAT WAS A HUGE DAY.
WE PERFORMED THE TEST FLIGHT IN
A SIMULATED MARS ATMOSPHERE.
IN 25-FOOT DIAMETER SIMULATOR
HERE AT JPL.
WE COMPARED FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
TO THE MATHEMATICAL MODELS.
WE TESTED THE VEHICLE AND
SIMULATED THERMAL ENVIRONMENT,
DYNAMICS ENVIRONMENT.
WE HAVE TESTED IT WITH
PERSEVERANCE, ROVER AND VERY
IMPORTANTLY, PERSEVERANCE HAS
TESTED DEPLOYING US SUCCESSFULLY
TO THE SURFACE.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE PERFORMED
ALL THE TESTS THAT WE CAN ON
EARTH.
AND THE NEXT STEP REALLY IS NOW
TO DO IT IN THE REAL ENVIRONMENT
THAT MARS HELICOPTER INGENUITY
IS DESIGNED FOR.
IN SPACE VACUUM, AFTER LAUNCH,
AND FINALLY ON THE SURFACE OF
MARS.
AT THIS MOMENT IS ACCOMMODATED
ON PERSEVERANCE ROVER WAITING
FOR THE UPCOMING LAUNCH.
AFTER IT LANDS ON THE SURFACE
AND HEADS DOWN THE CHECKOUT, THE
ROVER WILL DEPLOY THE HELICOPTER
TO THE SURFACE OF MARS.
THEN WE HAVE 30 DAY WINDOW.
WE HAVE UP TO FIVE FLIGHT PLANS
TO BE PERFORM IN THAT TIME
PERIOD.
AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE MOST
IMPORTANT FOR US, IS THE VERY
FIRST FLIGHT WHEN IT WILL REPEAT
THE FLIGHT WE HAVE TESTED
MULTIPLE TIMES IN OUR TEST
CHAMBER HERE ON EARTH.
SO DOING THAT ON MARS, IN THE
MARS ENVIRONMENT, WILL CONFIRM
THE ALGORITHMS, THE TESTS WE
PERFORMED ON EARTH.
THEN AFTER GETTING THE FIRST
FLIGHT, THEN WE WILL BE
PERFORMING MORE BOLDER AND
BOLDER FLIGHTS OF HIGHER HEIGHTS
AND FURTHER DISTANCES.
SO HERE WE ARE, EXCITING DAYS
AHEAD.
HELICOPTER IS ABOUT TO BE
LAUNCHED, OUR TEAM IS THRILLED.
IT'S TRULY THE HIGH RISK, HIGH
REWARD PHASE OF OUR PROJECT.
HIGH RISK BECAUSE EVERY STEP
FORWARD, STARTING FROM LAUNCH,
EVERY EVENT THAT WE HAVE WILL BE
A FIRST TIME EVENT, RIGHT?
FOR INSTANCE, SPACE VACUUM, AND
THEN THE ENVIRONMENT OF MARS.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HIGH
REWARD.
OUR ALGORITHMS AND THE TESTINGS
WE HAVE DONE ON EARTH AND
OPERATING AND LEARNING FROM HOW
TO OPERATE THE VERY FIRST
ROTOCRAFT VEHICLE FROM SPA
ALL THOSE EXPERIENCES WILL BE
FEEDING INTO FUTURE, MUCH MORE
CAPABLE ROTOCRAFT THAT WE
ENVISION AND REALLY ADD THE
AERIAL DIMENSION TO SPACE
EXPLORATION.
FOR OUR TEAM, THAT'S THE
ULTIMATE REWARD THAT WE HAVE
WORKED REALLY, REALLY, REALLY
HARD FOR.
ALONG THAT LINE, WHILE I HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THE
SAME VIRTUAL ROOM WITH YOU, WITH
YOU, JIM, THOMAS, MIKE, I REALLY
WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY ON
BEHALF OF OUR TEAM FOR HAVING
BEEN THERE, FOR YOUR UNWAIVERING
SUPPORT ON TAKING ON THIS
ENDEAVOR.
IT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT
UNWAIVERING SUPPORT AS WE TOOK
ON THIS CHALLENGE.
FINALLY, ALSO, IF I MAY, A
PERSONAL NOTE, I CAME TO NASA
INSPIRED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CONTRIBUTE TO SPACE EXPLORATION.
ALONG THE WAY I FELL IN LOVE
WITH MAKING FIRST OF A KIND
CAPABILITIES WORK OR
INCREASINGLY AUTONOMOUS ADVANCED
SPACE SYSTEMS.
HERE TODAY IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT
DREAM COME TRUE.
HERE WE ARE ON A HISTORICAL
MISSION, PERSEVERANCE, WORKING
ON A TECH MEMO, MARS HELICOPTER
INGENUITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
I CAN SENSE YOUR ENTHUSIASM
WHICH YOU SHOW FOR THE WHOLE
TEAM.
WE ARE ALL EXCITED TO WATCH AND
SEE INGENUITY TAKE FLIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SUCH A TREMENDOUS TEAM OF
EXPERTS AND PLENTY OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE SHOTS
WITH OUR VIEWERS?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I WANT TO SAY TO ALL THE YOUNG
PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE WATCHING
TODAY, MIMI IS A SHINING EXAMPLE
OF THE HOPE THAT NASA BRINGS TO
THE WORLD.
THINK OF A YOUNG GIRL WHO WAS
GROWING UP DURING DIFFICULT
TIMES WHO HAD A DREAM OF ONE DAY
COMING TO THE UNITED STATES AND
WORKING FOR NASA.
THAT IS WHO MIMI IS.
SHE IS LEADING A TEAM THAT WILL
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HUMANITY
FLY A HELICOPTER ON ANOTHER
WORLD.
THIS IS A GREAT -- IT REALLY IS.
YOUR STORY, MIMI, THIS
PERSEVERANCE WITH INGENUITY IS
EMBLEMATIC.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT
WE LEARNED FROM TWO LITTLE
ROVERS, SPIRIT AND OPPORTUNITY.
WE LEARNED FROM THESE TWO ROVERS
YEARS AGO THAT THE NORTHERN
HEMISPHERE OF MARS WAS LARGELY
COVERED WITH WATER.
TWO-THIRDS WAS COVERED WITH
WATER.
WE LEARNED THAT MARS AT ONE TIME
HAD A VERY THICK ATMOSPHERE.
AND SO IT LIKELY ALSO HAD A
MAGNETOSPHERE.
MARS WAS AT ONE TIME HABITABLE.
I'M NOT SAYING IT WAS INHABITED,
NOBODY KNOWS.
I DON'T KNOW, NEITHER DOES
ANYBODY ELSE.
BUT AT ONE TIME IT HAD THE
INGREDIENTS NECESSARY FOR HAVING
LIFE EVEN ON ITS SURFACE.
NOW WE LINK ABOUT WHAT WE
LEARNED BECAUSE OF CURIOSITY AND
SOME OF OUR INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS, WE LEARNED THAT MARS
HAS COMPLEX ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON
ITS SURFACE, ALL OVER THE
SURFACE.
SO THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE
EXIST ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.
THEY DON'T EXIST ON THE MOON AT
ALL.
THEY ARE ALL OVER THE SURFACE.
WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE METHANE
CYCLES OF MARS ACTUALLY MATCH
THE SEASONS OF MARS.
THE PROBABILITY OF FINDING
ANOTHER WORLD WENT UP AGAIN.
WE HAVE DISCOVERED WHAT WE
BELIEVE TO BE LIQUID WATER
12 KILOMETERS UNDER THE SURFACE
OF MARS.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT LIQUID
WATER ON EARTH?
WHERE IT IS, THERE IS LIFE.
IS THAT TRUE MAYBE ON ANOTHER
PLANET?
WE DON'T KNOW.
BUT WE NEED TO GO FIND OUT.
AND RECENTLY WE HAVE SEEN PLUMES
OF METHANE COMING FROM MARS THAT
INCREASE THE PROBABILITY OF FIND
CAN LIFE EVEN MORE.
THESE ARE VERY, VERY EXCITING
TIMES FOR A MISSION LIKE
PERSEVERANCE AND LIKE INGENUITY
TO HELP US MAKE MORE DISCOVERIES
IN THIS EFFORT.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CRATER
WHICH WAS TALKED ABOUT, YES, WE
BELIEVE AT ONE TIME THE JEZERO
CRATER WAS A LAKE BED.
WE ARE NOT JUST LOOKING FOR A
DRY LAKE BED, WE ARE LOOKING AT
WHAT FILLED THAT LAKE BED AND
WHAT WE HAVE AS WE HAVE A RIVER
THAT AT ONE TIME FLOWED INTO THE
JEZERO CRATER AND A RIVER DELTA
WHERE THERE COULD BE.
I'M NOT SAYING THERE IS.
BUT THERE COULD BE SIGNATURES OF
BIOLOGY FROM AN ANCIENT PAST.
THESE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO
LOOK FOR.
AND IF WE LOOK AT THE ROCKS, THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA, FOR
EXAMPLE, WE LOOK AT THE ROCKS
AND SENTIMENT, WE CAN FIND
BIOSIGNATURES.
CAN WE LEARN FROM THAT AND MAKE
DETERMINATIONINGS WHETHER THERE
WAS OR WAS NOT LIFE THERE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY IS WE ARE GOING
TO CACHE SAMPLES.
WE ARE GOING TO THE PLACES THAT
WE BELIEVE HAVE THE HIGHEST
SCIENTIFIC VALUE.
WE ARE GOING TO CACHE SAMPLES
FOR A MARS RETURN MISSION IN
2026.
WE ARE SCIENTISTS, AMERICAN
SCIENTISTS.
SCIENTISTS CAN LOOK AT THOSE
SAMPLES AND MAKE SPECIFIC
DETERMINATIONS ABOUT THE HISTORY
AND FORMATION AND THE EVOLUTION
OF MARS AND, AGAIN, DETERMINE
WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE THERE
COULD HAVE AT ONE TIME BEEN LIFE
ON MARS.
SO THESERE SUCH EXCITING
TIMES.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT
ALL OF THESE ROBOTIC PRECURSOR
MISSIONS ARE LEADING UP TO
SOMETHING THAT IS MORE
MAGNIFICENT.
THAT IS TO A DAY WHEN WE PLANT
AN AMERICAN FLAG ON MARS.
THIS IS IN THE PRESIDENT'S
DIRECTIVE ONE.
HE WANTS US TO LEAD AN EFFORT TO
GO TO MARS.
HE WANTS US TO GO TO MARS, WHEN
WE THINK ABOUT THE MOON TO MARS
PROGRAM, WE ARE GOING TO THE
MOON IN A WAY WE HAVE NEVER DONE
BEFORE.
WE ARE DOING IT WITH A PURPOSE.
HOW DO WE LIVE AND WORK IN
ANOTHER WORLD WHERE WE CAN GO
MARS AND LIVE FOR LONG PERIODS
OF TIME IN ORDERER TO DO WHAT WE
NEED TO DO.
THE MOON IS A PROVING GROUND.
MARS IS THE DESTINATION.
WITH THE MOON PROGRAM TO MARS
AND THE ROBOTIC PRECURSORS, ALL
OF THIS IS LEADING TO A DAY WHEN
WE HAVE HUMANS LIVING AND
WORKING NOT JUST ON THE MOON,
BUT ON ANOTHER PLANET, IN THIS
CASE MARS.
SO THE FUTURE IS VERY BRIGHT.
THERE IS LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES.
NASA'S BUDGET IS AS HIGH NOW AS
IT'S BEEN IN HISTORY.
THE BUDGET REQUEST NOW BEFORE
THE HOUSE AND SENATE, TAKES IT
UP EVEN MORE SO THAN IT IS RIGHT
NOW.
BUT IT'S INTENTIONAL.
WE ARE BUILDING WHAT IS
NECESSARY TO MAKE MORE
DISCOVERIES, LEARN MORE ABOUT
OUR OWN SOLAR SYSTEM, LEARN MORE
ABOUT OUR OWN GALAXY AND
UNIVERSE THAN WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO KNOW BEFORE.
THIS IS JUST A REALLY, REALLY
EXCITING TIME, TO BE AT THE HELM
OF THIS STORIED AGENCY THAT IS
MAKING HISTORY EVERY DAY AND
THIS MISSION IS YET ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF THAT HISTORY IN THE
MAKING.
SO, THOMAS, I WILL TURN IT BACK
OVER TO YOU.
I'M HERE FOR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT YOU ALL FOR THOSE INITIAL
COMMENTS.
LET'S MOVE INTO SOME QUESTIONS
AND DISCUSSION.
AND WE ARE GETTING SOME GOOD
FEEDBACK IN FROM OUR AUDIENCE.
SO I WANT TO START WITH WHERE
YOU LEFT IT.
IT IS THIS IDEA ABOUT BOTH NASA,
WHAT IT'S DONE HISTORICALLY
THROUGH JPL, NASA AND ITS
PARTNERS, THESE INSPIRATIONAL
ENDEAVORS.
IN THESE TIMES WHY IS IT
IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THESE
EXPLORATION MISSIONS?
YOU HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THEM.
BUT HOW WILL THIS INSPIRE A
NATION AND HOW WILL IT ENABLE
THE NEXT GENERATION OF MARS
EXPLORATION?
>> IT'S IMPORTANT.
THERE WAS A 7th GRADER, YOU
HAD HIM IN THE VIDEO AT THE
BEGINNING.
ALEX WHO NAMED THE PERSEVERANCE
ROVER.
IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN IT WAS
WHEN HE CAME TO ME AND SAID
HERE'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
WE WANT TO NAME IT PERSEVERANCE.
WE HAVE THE 7th GRADER'S NAME
AND WE THINK IT'S THE RIGHT
NAME.
OF COURSE, AT THE TIME, SOUND
GREAT TO ME.
AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BROKE OUT
WHICH, OF COURSE, HAS REEKED A
LOT OF HAVOC AND MADE EVERYTHING
CHALLENGING FOR EVERYBODY.
THE PERSEVERANCE MISSION IS
ABOUT PERSEVERING.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT A 7th
GRADER THAT NAMED IT, WE THINK
ABOUT A 5th GRADER, 4th
GRADER, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE
INSPIRED BY THESE MONUMENTAL
ACHIEVEMENTS.
WHAT IS IT THEY ARE GOING TO DO
AND BECOME.
HOW ARE THEY GOING TO LIVE THEIR
LIVES.
THIS IS ABOUT INSPIRATION AND
ABOUT BRINGING THE NATION TO THE
WORLD TOGETHER IN A MEANINGFUL
WAY AT A TIME WHEN THERE IS A
LOT OF GEOPOLITICAL CHALLENGES
IN THE WORLD.
SPACE EXPLORATION BRINGS PEOPLE
TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT'S
INSPIRATIONAL IN AND OF ITSELF.
THERE ARE SOME VERY SPECIFIC
CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO MARS
WHERE WE HAVE A SHORT WINDOW OF
OPPORTUNITY EVERY 26 MONTHS TO
LAUNCH SOMETHING TO MARS.
IF WE DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH
PERSEVERANCE, OUR PERSEVERANCE
ROVER WOULD GO INTO STORAGE FOR
THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
OF COURSE, THAT ENTAILS A WHOLE
HOST OF RISKS IN ITSELF.
IT COSTS HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.
SO THERE IS A LOT OF REASONS SO
MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MISSION.
I WILL TELL YOU IT WHEN, I LOOK
AT WHAT MIKE AND HIS TEAM HAVE
DONE, WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT TORRE
HAS DONE, THOMAS AND HIS TEAM AT
NASA, WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING IN
OUR POWER TO MAKE WORKING AS
SAFE AS YOU WOULD BE IF YOU WERE
AT HOME.
WHETHER IT'S DIVIDING UP THE
SHIFTS, WHETHER THE PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, ALL OF
THESE THINGS, SOCIAL DISTANCING,
THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDERER TO
KEEP THIS MISSION ON TRACK.
AND WE HAVE DONE IT WITH GREAT
SUCCESS.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE
TEAM.
WITHOUT QUESTION, WE NEED
PERSEVERE IN THESE CHALLENGING
TIMES.
>> THANKS.
IT'S FUNNY.
IN LIGHT OF EVERYTHING GOING ON,
SUCH AN APPROPRIATE NAME,
PERSEVERANCE.
REALLY.
AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HAD A
CHANCE TO SEE ALEX'S ESSAY, FROM
A YOUNG MAN, A YOUNG FUTURE
LEADER, THAT'S AN AMAZING NAME.
>> I WANTED TO ADD ONE THINGS IN
TERMS OF INSPIRATION.
AFTER WE LAND, THAT'S THE
BEGINNING OF THE MISSION.
WE ALL CELEBRATE THAT WE LANDED,
BUT REALLY, THAT'S THE BEGINNING
OF THIS JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY ON
MARS.
WE SHARE THAT WITH THE PUBLIC
EVERY DAY.
SO EVERYBODY CAN GO IN THERE,
EVERY SCHOOL KID, EVERY PERSON
CAN TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S
HAPPENING TODAY WITH THE ROVER,
WHAT NEW DISCOVERY WAS MADE
TODAY.
THERE ARE DISCOVERIES COMING
CONSTANTLY.
THAT'S A FANTASTIC WAY FOR FOLKS
TO FOLLOW ALONG.
THERE'S A FANTASTIC HUMAN TEAM
WORKING.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FOLKS CAN
LIVE ALONG WITH THE MISSION.
IT'S UNUSUAL.
>> YEAH.
THAT'S GREAT.
WE SEE IT TODAY, WE HAVE A
LARGEAUDIENCE.
WE HAVE 2,000 PEOPLE FOLLOWING
ALONG.
SIMILAR QUESTION ON KIND OF WHY
NOW, BUT A LITTLE DIFFERENT
ANGLE, THIS QUESTION COMES FROM
OUR COSPONSOR, THE QUESTION IS,
WITH CURIOSITY AND INSIGHT STILL
ACTIVE ON MARS, WHY SEND
PERSEVERANCE NOW?
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF
RETURNING WITH A NEW PROBE SO
SOON?
WE HIGHLIGHTED THAT.
THOMAS, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT
QUESTION?
>> SO FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S
THE IDEAL TIME.
FRANKLY, THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT
OPINIONS, BUT IT WILL BE
DIFFICULT DOING THIS 20 YEARS
AGO OR EVEN TEN YEARS AGO.
THE INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE THERE
AND SITTING ON TOP OF THE ROCK,
TOGETHER, OF COURSE, WITH MIMI'S
INGENUITY, THEY ARE THE BEST
THAT WE CAN DO NOW.
AND I THINK TOGETHER WITH THE
ACADEMY'S ENDORSEMENT AND
ENCOURAGEMENT, THIS IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT QUESTION WE CAN
ADDRESS RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE LUCKY THAT CURIOSITY IS
THERE AND IS CONTINUING TO DO
AMAZING RESEARCH.
DON'T THINK OF THOSE THINGS OF
MISSIONS THAT STEP ON EACH
OTHER'S FEET.
THE CURIOSITY MISSION IS
CONTINUING TO DO AMAZING WORK.
FOCUSED ON ORGANICS, THERE IS A
NEW WORK THAT RECENTLY CAME OUT.
I KNOW RECENTLY BEING IN TOUCH
WITH THE MISSION TEAM, THERE'S
NEW INSIGHTS COMING FROM THERE
THAT ARE ALSO INFORMING WHAT'S
GOING ON WITH PERSEVERANCE.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT
PERSEVERANCE, THE REASON WE
WANTED TO DO IT NOW, WE CAN'T
WAIT TO GET THOSE SAMPLES BACK.
THE QUESTIONS WE WANT TO ADDRESS
ARE SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE
ONES THAT 20 YEARS AGO WE MIGHT
HAVE ASKED, WE WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE THESE SAMPLES IN OUR LABS
NOW.
MIKE, HOW WOULD YOU HAVE ANSWER
IT HAD?
>> ALMOST THE SAME WAY.
IT IS CLEAR, WE WANTED TO
UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF MARS,
FOLLOW THE WATER, FIND A
HABITABLE ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE
DONE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
FROM THE SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE,
IT'S ABOUT ASTROBIOLOGY.
CAN WE FIND BIOSIGNATURES.
THIS IS THE NEXT STEP.
IT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GO, WHERE
THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN BUILDING UP
TO.
THAT'S RECOGNIZED BY THE ACADEMY
AS WELL.
I WOULD ADD ONE OTHER ITEM
BEYOND THE ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE
THAT WE HAVE GAINED THROUGH
THESE MISSIONS.
THAT IS THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE ON
MARS.
WE RELIED HEAVILY ON ORBITERS TO
RELAY OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
SO WE CAN GET MUCH HIGHER BAND
WIDTH.
THE VIDEOS COME BACK FROM THE
ROVER TALKING BY UHF.
AND THEN THOSE ARE RELAYED AT
HIGH RATE BACK TO THE EARTH.
GOING BACK AND DOING SAMPLE
RETURN WHILE WE HAVE THAT
INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE AND WE
DON'T NEED TO REBUILD OR REPLACE
THAT ENTIRE INFRASTRUCTURE OF
CONTENT AND PHOTOGRAPHIC
RECONNAISSANCE IS ANOTHER
EFFICIENCY THAT IS WORTH IT TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT
SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT AND
BUILDING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE,
BOTH ENGINEERING AND
BUDGET-WISE.
>> CURIOSITY AND PERSEVERANCE,
LOOK, MIKE AND I WERE TALKING
EARLIER.
WE THINK ABOUT THE TOTAL LAND
MASS OF MARS.
IT'S EQUIVALENT TO THE TOTAL
LAND MASS OF THE WORLD WHEN YOU
TAKE AWAY THE OCEAN.
IMAGINE IF YOU WERE TO STUDY
EARTH FOR THE FIRST TIME AND YOU
LANDED IN NORTHERN AFRICA.
FROM THAT YOU MADE A
DETERMINATION AS TO WHAT THE
REST OF THE EARTH WAS LIKE.
YOU WOULD MISS A LOT OF THINGS.
SO IT IS A BIG PLANET.
THERE IS A LOT TO LEARN.
AND YES, THESE MISSIONS DON'T
STEP ON EACH OTHER.
THEY REALLY DO COMPLEMENT EACH
OTHER.
WE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MORE
THAN ONE FOOTPRINT ON A REALLY
BIG PLANET.
>> LET ME PROBE INTO THAT ONE.
MIMI, YOUR INITIATIVE IS GETTING
THE MOST QUESTIONS.
JPL HAS LONG BEEN A PIONEER WITH
SPACE EXPLORATION AND
INNOVATION.
THE QUESTION ON INGENUITY
HELICOPTER, CAN YOU SPEAK MORE
OF THE CHALLENGES?
I'M GOING TO THROW SOME OF THIS
OUT THERE THAT I GET FROM THE
QUESTIONS.
THE CHALLENGE IN THE ABSENCE OF
ATMOSPHERE, AND THEN THE NEXT
QUESTION IS A RAPID FIRE TO LET
YOU GET THIS OUT THERE, WITH
LESS GRAVITY AND POSSIBILITY OF
EXTREME MARTIAN WIND, CAN WE
ABLE TO OVERCOME THESE
CHALLENGES.
AND THE LAST THING, IF THE FIRST
FIVE FLIGHTS ARE SUCCESSFUL,
WILL THERE BE TIME AND ENERGY TO
DO SOME MORE.
>> OKAY.
I WILL START IT OFF.
DEFINITELY THE CHALLENGE, FIRST
AND FOREMOST, IS LIGHT WEIGHT.
THE WAY WE ADDRESSED IT IS
REALLY REMOVING ALL THE
TRADITIONAL WALLS BETWEEN THE
DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES THAT WE
TEND TO HAVE.
SO WE REALLY HAD TO LEARN TO
WORK TOGETHER, STARTING FROM
THIS AERODYNAMIC CHALLENGES,
OPTIMIZING THE LIFT, EVEN THE
WIDTH OF THE BLADES.
HOW CAN WE MAXIMIZE THE LIFT AND
BUILD THE BLADE.
IT HAS TO BE STRONG ENOUGH AND
SPIN ENOUGH.
AND ALL THE LAWS BETWEEN
AERODYNAMICS AND THE POWER, THE
THERMAL, THE STRUCTURE, ALL OF
THAT REALLY HAD TO GO AWAY.
WE WERE REALLY FORCED BECAUSE OF
THE MASS CONSTRAINT.
IT'S A DREAM ENGINEERING
PROJECT.
THEN IN TERMS OF THE ATMOSPHERE,
WE WORKED WITH THE SCIENTISTS
AWAY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING IN
TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THE
ATMOSPHERIC DENSITY AND THE
WINDS.
WE DID TAKE THE SCIENTISTS'
KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARTIAN WIND
AND BUILT A HELICOPTER, THE
RESPONSE RATES OF THE BLADE
CONTROL SYSTEMS AND ALL OF THAT
ARE SIZED TO EXCEED THE EXPECTED
LEVEL OF WIND WE EXPECT.
TO ADD TO THAT, IN INVENTING
THIS FIRST HELICOPTER, IT THATS
TO KEEP ITSELF WARM AND THAT
CAPABILITY, WE HAD TO INVENT IN
PARALLEL THE TEST SYSTEM.
WE HAVE NEVER BUILD AN AERIAL
VEHICLE FOR MARS.
PARALLEL TO INVENTING THE
HELICOPTER, WAS A PARALLEL
SYSTEM TO INVENT THE ENTIRE TEST
SYSTEM.
AFTER WE BUILD IT, WE HAD TO
INCREMENTALLY CHECK ALL THE
ASSUMPTIONS WE MADE IN OUR
MODEL.
AND THEN THERE IS A THIRD LEG WE
DON'T TALK AS MUCH ABOUT IS HOW
TO GET IT TO MARS.
THE PERSEVERANCE ROVER TEAM DID
AN INCREDIBLE JOB ACCOMMODATING.
NOW THAT IT'S ALL WORKING, IT
LOOKS EASY, THERE IT IS SIT ON
THE BELLY PAN.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST TEDIOUS
THINGS TO ACCOMMODATE ON THE
ROVER TEAM.
THEY PUT US IN A NICE LOCATION
AND MINIMIZE THE LOCATION.
WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO PUT IT ON
THE SIDE ON THE HELICOPTER.
WE HAD TO ADJUST SOME OF THE
FEATURES.
AND THERE IT IS, ACCOMMODATED
AND READY TO DEPLOY.
QUITE A
FOR NASA TO COLLABORATE?
HOW CAN WE COLLABORATE WITH
NATIONAL PARTNERS FOR MARS
EXPLORATION AND PLACES BEYOND
THAT?
>> THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
AND WE DO THAT QUITE FREQUENTLY
THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE
RIGHT NOW OVER 700 AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN NASA AND OTHER SPACE
AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND EVEN OTHER COUNTRIES THAT
DON'T HAVE SPACE AGENCIES YET.
WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GET A
SPACE AGENCY, BECAUSE WE WANT
THEM TO PARTNER WITH US ON OUR
BIG MISSIONS.
NASA IS A GREAT TOOL OF
DIPLOMACY, OF BRINGING NATIONS
TOGETHER.
IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS N
NOVEMBER, WE'LL CELEBRATE OF 20
YEARS OF AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS AND
RUSSIAN COSMONAUTS LIVING AND
WORKING TOGETHER ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THAT 20 YEARS WORKING TOGETHER
ON THAT PROJECT, GOING BACK TO
1975, WE HAD THE SUBTLE MEIR
PROGRAM IN THE '80s.
WE HAD THE APOLLO SOYUZ PROGRAM.
WE LIKE TO THINK THAT NASA AND
SPACE EXPLORATION TRANSCENDS
POLITICS, REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS, EVERYBODY LOVES SPACE
EXPLORATION.
IT'S TRANSCENDS POLITICS.
WE HAVE MANY INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS ON PERSEVERANCE.
IT'S AN EXCITING TIME.
>> SOMEONE ASKED A FOLLOW-UP ON
THAT.
YOU MAKE PERSUASIVE ARGUMENTS
FOR WHAT NASA DESERVES AND THE
SUPPORT AND IT RESONATES ACROSS
A LARGE VARIETY OF PEOPLE.
COURTNEY FROM MARYLAND SENDS
THIS IN.
CLEARLY, THIS RESONATES WITH
SPACE NERDS LIKE ME.
WHAT AND HOW DO YOU PERSUADE
YOUR COLLEAGUES IN CONGRESS WHO
ARE
POSSIBLE BACK IN THOSE DAYS.
THE WAY WE DO COMMUNICATIONS.
XM RADIO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE TALK
ABOUT HOW WE NAVIGATE, GPS,
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED BY NASA,
OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE.
AGAIN, THE WAY WE PREDICT
WEATHER, THE WAY WE DO DISASTER
RELIEF.
A LOT OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY
CAPABILITIES OF THE NATION.
THE WAY WE ACCESS SPACE IN
GENERAL FOR A WHOLE HOST OF
COMMERCIAL REMOTE SENSING
CAPABILITIES.
THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT
NASA HAS CONTRIBUTED TO ON THE
ECONOMIC SIDE.
WE THINK ABOUT THE -- WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT MARS, RIGHT?
THE CAMERA IN YOUR CELLPHONE WAS
CREATED BECAUSE OF A MISSION
REQUIREMENT THAT NASA HAD TO
CREATE A SMALL CAMERA WHEN WE
EXPLORE MARS.
THAT'S ONE OF SO MANY EXAMPLES,
WE THINK ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS
OF THE HUMAN CONDITION BECAUSE
OF WHAT NASA HAS BEEN ABLE TO
ACHIEVE.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
JPL, THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF
IMPRESSIVE MISSIONS.
THE GRACE FOLLOW ON MISSION
HELPING US UNDERSTAND WHERE THE
DROUGHT IS IN THE WORLD.
ECOSTRESS, ENABLING US TO
UNDERSTAND, CAN WE INCREASE CROP
YIELDS WHILE REDUCING WATER
USAGE.
THESE ARE MISSIONS THAT NASA CAN
DO THAT NOBODY ELSE IN THE WORLD
IS DOING.
SO LOOK, WE ARE EVERY DAY
IMPROVING THE HUMAN CONDITION IN
WAYS THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY
IMMEASURABLE.
AS A NASA ADMINISTRATOR, I HEAR
ABOUT TANG AND VELCRO.
WE DIDN'T INVENT IT BUT USED IN
THE APOLLO ERA.
IT GOES BEYOND THAT.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A RETURN
ON INVESTMENT, THERE IS NOTHING,
NOTHING BETTER THAN THE AMERICAN
GOVERNMENT COULD INVEST IN THAN
NASA.
THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW WITH
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
SO IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO BE RIGHT
NOW.
>> THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.
I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE, WE ARE
ALMOST OUT OF TIME.
I HAVE TO ASK, COMMERCIAL CREW
LAUNCHED JUST OVER A MONTH AGO
ANOTHER HISTORIC THING.
HOW ARE BOB AND DOUG DOING AND
HOW LONG BEFORE THEY RETURN TO
EARTH ON DRAGON?
>> BOB AND DOUG ARE DOING
FANTASTIC.
THREE SPACE WALKS.
OF COURSE, DOUG HAS BEEN INSIDE
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
SUPPORTING THAT FROM THE INSIDE.
AND NOW WE HAVE GOT ONE MORE
SPACE WALK TO GO.
AND THEN THEY ARE GOING TO BE
FOCUSED LIKE A LASER ON COMING
HOME.
WE ARE TARGETING A DATE OF
AUGUST 2 FOR A RETURN.
AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE BASED
ON A LOT OF CONDITIONS TO
INCLUDE WEATHER IN KEY STATES
AND OTHER THINGS.
SO WE ARE TARGETING EARLY
AUGUST.
BUT SO FAR THAT MISSION HAS GONE
VERY, VERY WELL, BETTER THAN
EX
I'M KNOCKING ON WOOD BECAUSE IT
IS NOT OVER UNTIL BOB AND DOUG
ARE HOME.
WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE THERE.
>> I APOLOGIZE.
WE ARE OVER TIME.
REAL QUICK, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS
BEFORE WE SIGN OFF?
>> SURE.
THANK YOU.
AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE SPACE
FOUNDATION AND BOEING FOR
HOSTING THIS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS MISSION
THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH IS
HISTORIC IN AND OF ITSELF.
WHAT IT'S BUILDING TOWARDS IS
SOMETHING EVEN BIGGER.
WE ARE GOING TO MARS AS HUMANITY
WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS,
COMMERCIAL PARTNERS.
THE FIRST STEP TO DO THAT, WE
HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE AND WORK
ON ANOTHER WORLD.
WE HAVE THIS MOON THAT'S A THREE
DAY JOURNEY AWAY.
WE LEARNED IN APOLLO 13 THAT
THINGS CAN GO VERY WRONG ON THE
WAY TO THE MOON, AND WE CAN
STILL MAKE IT HOME.
THINGS CAN GO WRONG ON THE
SURFACE OF THE ROOM AND STILL
MAKE IT HOME.
WHEN WE SEND HUMANS TO MARS, WE
HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE
ARCHITECTURE ESTABLISHED AND
SYSTEMS PROVEN.
WE ARE GOING TO THE MOON TO
LEARN HOW TO LIVE AND WORK IN
ANOTHER WORLD.
WE ARE DOING THE ROBOTIC
MISSIONS TO MARS, SO WHEN HUMANS
GO TO MARS, WE KNOW WHERE TO GO,
WHAT TO DO, WE HAVE THE BEST
LOCATIONS PICKED OUT.
ALL OF THIS WORKS TOGETHER.
ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON SINCE I HAVE BEEN THE
NASA ADMINISTRATOR, WHEREVER
THERE IS DEVISION, PEOPLE NEED
TO DRIVE IT OUT.
PEOPLE SAY IT'S THE MOON OR
MARS.
IT'S NOT TRUE.
WE NEED TO DO BOTH.
IT'S EITHER HUMAN EXPLORATION OR
ROBOTIC EXPLORATION.
WE NEED TO DO BOTH.
THEY WORK TOGETHER SIDE BY SIDE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY
AND BRINGING EVERYBODY TOGETHER
IS WHAT'S GOING TO ENABLE IT TO
HAPPEN.
AGAIN, WE HAVE GOT RIGHT NOW
STRONG BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
WE ARE WORKING EVERY DAY TO GROW
THAT.
ANYTHING PEOPLE OUT THERE CAN DO
TO HELP IS WHAT MAKES THESE
PROGRAMS SUSTAINABLE.
WE NEED TO THINK NOT JUST IN
TERMS OF ADMINISTRATIONS.
WE NEED TO THINK IN TERMS OF
GENERATIONS.
WE NEED LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE
PROGRAMS THAT CAN GROW ONE
GENERATION TO THE NEXT.
IF WE DO THAT, WE WILL IN FACT
BE ON THE SURFACE OF MARS IN THE
NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE WITH
HUMANS.
>> THANK YOU, JIM.
THANKS FOR THAT.
AND THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION
ALL OF YOU BRING.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO HOST YOU.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
>> APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
TUNING IN TODAY, ESPECIALLY
THOSE PARTICIPATING USING OUR
#ASKSF.
ALSO THANK BOEING.
THIS EVENT WILL BE POSTED
ON-LINE FOR LATER VIEWING AT
SPACEFOUNDATION.ORG.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
FROM ALL OF US, STAY HEALTHY AND
HAVE A GREAT DAY.
