FOLKS, YOU'VE COME ON A GREAT
NIGHT.
MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS
AMERICA'S FAVORITE
ASTROPHYSICIST.
PLEASE WELCOME THE DIRECTOR OF
THE HAYDEN PLANETARIUM AT THE
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL
HISTORY, NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON!
♪ ♪ ♪
( APPLAUSE )
♪ ♪ ♪
( APPLAUSE )
>> GOTTA DO THE VEST GLI LOVE
YOU'RE WEARING THE VEST DON'T.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, YOU DON'T
ALWAYS WEAR THE VEST.
>> IF IT'S HOT OUT, I DON'T WEAR
THE VEST.
BUT IT'S FREEZING IN THIS
STUDIO.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE WELCOME.
WE HAVE THE STARS OUT TONIGHT.
>> I ALWAYS NOTICE YOUR STARS.
THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.
THEY'RE ACCURATE.
>> Stephen: AND WE HAVE THE
PLANETS ON THE DOME.
>> THOSE ARE NOT ACCURATE.
>> Stephen: THEY'RE NOT, BUT
THEY'RE FUN.
>> THEY'RE FUN, THEY'RE FUN.
>> Stephen: I NEED TO ASK YOU
ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING
BOTH IN SPACE AND IN POLITICS
RIGHT NOW, IF YOU DON'T MIND
TOUCHING ON THAT.
THE SPACE FORCE THAT DONALD
TRUMP IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT.
HE ANNOUNCED SPACE FORCE.
PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF IT, I AMONG
THEM.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: I LIKE SPACE
EXPLORATION.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT US CONQUERING
SPACE SCIENTIFICALLY AND THROUGH
KNOWLEDGE.
WHY DO WE NEED THE SPACE FORCE?
WHAT DON'T WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT
IT BECAUSE YOU SAY YOU'RE ON
BOARD.
>> JUST BECAUSE IT CAME OUT OF
TRUMP'S MOUTH, DOESN'T REQUIRE
THAT IT THEN BE A CRAZY THING.
JUST-- I'M JUST SAYING.
>> Stephen: IT DON'T HELP.
( LAUGHTER )
>> SO --
>> Stephen: BUT WHY DO WE NEED
A SPACE FORCE, NEIL?
>> I DON'T HAVE A HORSE IN THAT
RACE.
I CAN TELL THAT YOU MANY PEOPLE
ARE THINKING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE
A SPACE FORCE BEFORE, AND NOW
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPACE
FORCE.
WE HAVE A SPACE FORCE.
IT'S CALLED THE UNITED STATES
SPACE COMMAND AND UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE AIR FORCE.
>> Stephen: REALLY.
>> THE AIR FORCE LAUNCHES
SATELLITES.
THE AIR FORCE PUT G.P.S.
SATELLITES IN ORBIT.
>> Stephen: NASA DIDN'T DO
THAT.
THE AIR FORCE DID IT?
>> THE AIR FORCE DID IT BECAUSE
IT WAS A MILITARY PROJECT.
>> Stephen: AND THEY HAVE THAT
SECRET SPACE PLANE THAT STAYS UP
FOR, LIKE, TWO YEARS AT A TIME?
>> I CANNOT COMMENT.
>> Stephen: THEY DO.
IT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE SHUTTLE.
>> IT'S A SECRET PLANE.
WHY ARE YOU TELLINGY EVERYBODY
WHAT IT LOOK S.
>> Stephen: THEY LET US SEE
IT LAND, THEY JUST WON'T TELL US
WHAT IT'S-- AND IT'S UNMANNED,
RIGHT?
NEIL!
>> WHAT I'M SAYING IS--
>> Stephen: DO YOU ACTUALLY
KNOW WHAT IT'S DOING UP THERE?
>> I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.
>> Stephen: OH, YOU SO KNOW.
I'M GOING TO GET YOU DRUNK.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> ALL I'M SAYING IS THE UNITED
STATES SPACE COMMAND IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE SPACE
ACTIVITIES THAT THE MILITARY HAS
ENGAGED IN FOREVER, EVER SINCE
THE 1960s, BASICALLY.
AND SO TO HAVE A SPACE FORCE,
YOU JUST SLIDE IN ALL THESE
ACTIVITIES UNDER THIS NEW
UMBRELLA, AND YOU MIGHT ADD A
FEW THINGS.
IN FACT, IF I HAD ANY SAY IN THE
MATTER I MIGHT SAY WHY DON'T YOU
THROW IN SOME ASTEROID DEFENSE.
WE NEED THAT.
AND WHY DON'TY YOU CLEAN UP
SPACE WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, GET
RID OF THE SPACE DEBRIS.
>> Stephen: HOW BAD IS OUR
SPACE DEBRIS PROBLEM?
AND WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
>> IT'S RANDOM CHIPS OF PAINT
AND BOLTS AND NUTS-- THERE'S A
LOT OF HARDWARE IN SPACE.
PIECES FALL OFF EVERY NOW AND
THEN, AND IF YOU'RE IN ORBIT AND
IT FALLS OFF, THAT PIECE IS
GOING 18,000 MILES PER HOUR.
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HIT BY
THAT.
>> Stephen: DO YOU HAVE A
SPACE VACUUM?
ISN'T SPACE ALREADY A VACUUM?
HOW DO YOU SUCK IT UP OUT OF
SPACE?
>> IT'S NOT A CLEAR SOLUTION TO
THAT PROBLEM.
>> Stephen: THERE ISN'T.
A BIG NET.
>> DISMATS AIR FORCE TRACKS
THESE PARTICLES SO LAUNCH
WINDOWS ARE PATROLLED WHETHER
SOMETHING WILL GET HIT OR NOT.
>> Stephen: HONEST TO GOD,
SPACE COMMAND OR NASA THEY'RE
TRACKING, LIKE, A BOLT?
>> YES, WELL, DEPENDING ON THE
SIZE, YEAH, YEAH.
THEY'RE TRACKING THING THAT
COULD HARM SUBSEQUENT
ACTIVITIES.
AND ALL I'M SAYING IS THIS IS
NOT A NEW THING BECAUSE WE'VE
HAD SPACE ASSETS, MILITARY SPACE
ASSETS SINCE THE 60s.
WHAT IS A SPY SATELLITE?
IT'S A SPACE ASSET IN THE
SERVICE OF THE MILITARY.
THE 2003 GULF WAR WAS ENABLED BY
SPACE ASSET S.
>> Stephen: OKAY, BUT HERE'S
MY THING IS THAT IF YOU CALL IT
A "SPACE FORCE" YOU'RE INNATELY
EMBRACING THE IDEA OF SPACE WAR.
>> YEAH, SPACE MUSCLE.
>> Stephen: SPACE MUSCLE,
SPACE MILL IT TIRRIZATION.
ISN'T THE PROBLEM THE FUTURE IN
SPACE, WE HAVE PEACE FRONTIERS.
WE DON'T HAVE WAR FRONTIERS.
>> WE TRIED.
IN 19 SCWEF, THERE WAS A TREATY
PUT FORECAST BY THE U.N. AND
SIGNED BY PARTIES --
>> Stephen: INCLUDING THE
UNITED STATES.
>> INCLUDING THE NIGHTS YOOUTS.
TODAY 107 COUNTRIES HAVE SIGNED
IT.
IT'S THE PEACEFUL USE OF OUTER
SPACE.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL-- YOU WANT TO
SING KUMBAYA.
SPACE AND PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
IF YOUR ASTRONAUT IS IN TROUBLE,
WE'LL SEND SOMEONE TO HELP YOU.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
>> Stephen: BUT WITH SPACE
FORCE IT'S LIKE, "YOU'RE ON YOUR
OWN."
>> THERE'S A GRAY AREA IN THERE.
IT ALLOWS TO YOU DEFEND YOUR
ASSETS IN SPACE.
SUPPOSE I HAVE A LAYS SCER
YOU'RE COMING AT ME WITH YOUR
BAD SATELLITE AND I TAKE YOU
OUT.
WELL, THAT'S DEFENSIVE.
SUPPOSE YOU'RE COMING AT ME AND
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO
SOMETHING BAD AND I TAKE YOU OUT
PREEMPTIVELY, IS THAT DEFENSIVE?
>> Stephen: WHO ARE WE GOING
TO BE FIGHTING IN SPACE?
IS THERE ANYBODY MILITARIZING
SPACE IN AN, OVERT WAY THAT WE
HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR?
>> WE'RE USING "MILL TIRRIZATION
OF SPACE" AND YOU'RE THINKING
WEAPONS AND BOMBS DISPLI AM.
>> ISN'T SPACE ALL RIGHT
MILITARIZED IF WE HAVE SOME
COUNTLESS NUMBER OF SATELLITES
IN THE SERVICE OF MILITARY
OPERATIONS ON EARTH'S SURFACE.
>> Stephen: COULD WE FIGHT
EACH OTHER UP THERE?
COULD OUR SATELLITE FIGHT A
CHINESE SATELLITE?
>> YOU COULD, BUT IT'S KIND OF
NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BECAUSE
IF YOU TAKE OUT THAT SATELLITE
WITH A KINETIC KILL --
>> Stephen: MEANING A BOMB--
>> IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE A
BOMB.
A FAST-MOVING OBJECT IS KIND OF
LIKE A BOMB.
>> Stephen: FIRE ONE OF THOSE
18-MILE-AN-HOUR PARTICLES.
>> CORRECT.
EACH BIT IS A PROJECTILE THAT
CAN TAKE OUT YOUR OWN
SATELLITES.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT
FIGHTING AND-- IT'S NOT
REALISTIC FOR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IN SPACE.
IN FACT, THERE'S SOMETHING
CALLED THE KESSLER EFFECT,
ADVANCED IN 1978.
THE GUY CALCULATED, IF YOU HAVE
A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SATELLITES
IN ORBIT, THERE'S A THREB HOLD,
ABOVE WHICH IF YOU TAKE OUT ONE
OF THOSE SATELLITES INTO 10
PIECES THOSE 10 PIECE WILL TAKE
OUT 10 SATELLITES AND THOSE WILL
TAKE OUT ANOTHER 10, FROM ONE TO
10 TO 1,000 --
>> Stephen: THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENS IN THE MOVIE "GRAVITY."
>> EXACTLY.
OTHER THAN THE ISSUES "GRAVITY"
HAD, LIKE SANDA BULLOCK'S HAIR
NEVER WENT ZERO G.
>> Stephen: THEY HAVE
HAIRSPRAY IN SPACE.
>> SO, SO, IT'S A DEVASTATING
FACT THAT IF YOU TAKE OUT ONE
SATELLITE ABOVE A CERTAIN
THRESHOLD, ALL SATELLITES CAN
GO.
AND THEN WAR IS DONE IN SPACE.
SO IT'S NOT REALISTIC.
LIKE IN WORLD WAR I WHERE THEY
HAD MUSTARD GAS BECAUSE YOU
COULDN'T SHOOT PEOPLE IN THE
TRENCHES.
BUT THE WIND CHANGED DIRECTION,
AND NOW THE MUSTARD GAS IS IN
YOUR OWN DAMN FACE.
SO CERTAIN MILITARISTIC OPTIONS,
WHICH SOUND LIKE SOMETHING THAT
WOULD HAPPEN, STRATEGICALLY
WON'T HAPPEN.
>> Stephen: BAD IDEA IN SPACE.
>> BAD IDEA GR I W.
>> Stephen: I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT HOW WE GREW OUR SPACE
PROGRAM DETAILED IN YOUR NEW
BOOK "ACCESSORY TO WAR."
AND WE WILL BE BACK WITH THIS
AND MORE NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON IN
JUST A MOMENT.
