>>> ALL RIGHT.
>>> ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK EVERYONE TO "VELSHI
WELCOME BACK EVERYONE TO "VELSHI AND RUHLE."
AND RUHLE." 50 YEARS AGO TODAY THREE
50 YEARS AGO TODAY THREE ASTRONAUTS WERE APPROACHING THE
ASTRONAUTS WERE APPROACHING THE MOON IN A CRAFT WITH A FRACTION
MOON IN A CRAFT WITH A FRACTION OF THE COMPUTING POWERS USED BY
OF THE COMPUTING POWERS USED BY YOUR SMARTPHONE THAT IS PROBABLY
YOUR SMARTPHONE THAT IS PROBABLY IN YOUR POCKET RIGHT NOW.
IN YOUR POCKET RIGHT NOW. TODAY NASA IS WORKING TO HARNESS
TODAY NASA IS WORKING TO HARNESS THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO
THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO PROPEL A NEW GENERATION OF
PROPEL A NEW GENERATION OF ASTRONAUTS BACK TO THE LUNAR
ASTRONAUTS BACK TO THE LUNAR SURFACE AND BEYOND.
SURFACE AND BEYOND. THE NASA ADMINISTRATOR IS HERE
THE NASA ADMINISTRATOR IS HERE WITH ME NOW WITH MORE TO TALK
WITH ME NOW WITH MORE TO TALK ABOUT.
ABOUT. THIS IS VERY FASCINATING.
THIS IS VERY FASCINATING. SO MANY ASPECTS I’M EXCITED TO
SO MANY ASPECTS I’M EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
TALK TO YOU ABOUT. LET’S START WITH THE OBJECTIVE
LET’S START WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IN
OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IN OUR SPACE EXPLORATION.
OUR SPACE EXPLORATION. HOW REALISTIC IS IT TO GET
HOW REALISTIC IS IT TO GET SOMEBODY TO THE MOON AND TO
SOMEBODY TO THE MOON AND TO MARS?
MARS? >> WONDERFUL QUESTION.
>> WONDERFUL QUESTION. THE ANSWER IS IT IS VERY
THE ANSWER IS IT IS VERY REALISTIC.
REALISTIC. I THINK WE CAN DO IT, IN FACT I
I THINK WE CAN DO IT, IN FACT I KNOW WE CAN WITHIN FIVE YEARS.
KNOW WE CAN WITHIN FIVE YEARS. A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TO GO RIGHT
A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TO GO RIGHT AND OF COURSE THE BUDGETS HAVE
AND OF COURSE THE BUDGETS HAVE TO MATERIALIZE.
TO MATERIALIZE. THE GOAL IS TO GO BACK TO THE
THE GOAL IS TO GO BACK TO THE MOON THIS TIME, SUSTAINABLY.
MOON THIS TIME, SUSTAINABLY. THIS TIME WHEN WE GO TO THE MOON
THIS TIME WHEN WE GO TO THE MOON WE STAY AND WE GO THIS TIME WITH
WE STAY AND WE GO THIS TIME WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS AND WITH
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS AND WITH COMMERCIAL PARTNERS AND WE
COMMERCIAL PARTNERS AND WE UTILIZE THE RESOURCES OF THE
UTILIZE THE RESOURCES OF THE MOON.
MOON. WE DISCOVERED IN 2009 THAT
WE DISCOVERED IN 2009 THAT THERE’S HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
THERE’S HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF TONS OF WATER ICE ON THE SOUTH
TONS OF WATER ICE ON THE SOUTH POLE OF THE MOON.
POLE OF THE MOON. WATER ICE REPRESENTS AIR TO
WATER ICE REPRESENTS AIR TO BREATHE AND WATER TO DRINK.
BREATHE AND WATER TO DRINK. IT’S ALSO ROCKET FUEL.
IT’S ALSO ROCKET FUEL. HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN.
HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN. WHEN YOU CRACK H2O INTO HYDROGEN
WHEN YOU CRACK H2O INTO HYDROGEN AND ROCKET THAT IS THE SAME FUEL
AND ROCKET THAT IS THE SAME FUEL THAT TOOK NEIL ARMSTRONG AND
THAT TOOK NEIL ARMSTRONG AND BUZZ ALDRIN TO THE MOON.
BUZZ ALDRIN TO THE MOON. IT IS AVAILABLE IN HUNDREDS OF
IT IS AVAILABLE IN HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF TONS ON THE SOUTH
MILLIONS OF TONS ON THE SOUTH POLE OF THE MOON.
POLE OF THE MOON. THERE IS A LOT MORE WE NEED TO
THERE IS A LOT MORE WE NEED TO LEARN.
LEARN. ULTIMATELY, WE GO TO THE MOON SO
ULTIMATELY, WE GO TO THE MOON SO WE CAN LEARN TO LIVE AND WORK ON
WE CAN LEARN TO LIVE AND WORK ON ANOTHER WORLD USING THE
ANOTHER WORLD USING THE RESOURCES OF THAT WORLD SO WE
RESOURCES OF THAT WORLD SO WE CAN GO ON FURTHER.
CAN GO ON FURTHER. IN THIS CASE WE WANT TO GO TO
IN THIS CASE WE WANT TO GO TO MARS.
MARS. >> I THINK SOME FOLKS MAY BE
>> I THINK SOME FOLKS MAY BE WATCHING AND SOMETIMES WE GET A
WATCHING AND SOMETIMES WE GET A LITTLE SPOILED BY THE FACT THAT
LITTLE SPOILED BY THE FACT THAT WE’VE SEEN IT AND DONE IT.
WE’VE SEEN IT AND DONE IT. SOME PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHY
SOME PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHY HAVEN’T WE DONE THIS ALREADY?
HAVEN’T WE DONE THIS ALREADY? WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG TO GO
WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG TO GO BACK TO THE MOON?
BACK TO THE MOON? WHAT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME?
WHAT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME? >> IN THE PAST, WE TRIED IT
>> IN THE PAST, WE TRIED IT BEFORE.
BEFORE. IN THE 1990s WE HAD THE SPACE
IN THE 1990s WE HAD THE SPACE EXPLORATION INITIATIVE AND THE
EXPLORATION INITIATIVE AND THE CHALLENGE THEN WAS SOME PEOPLE
CHALLENGE THEN WAS SOME PEOPLE WERE SUGGESTING THAT WE TAKE THE
WERE SUGGESTING THAT WE TAKE THE MONEY FROM THE INTERNATIONAL
MONEY FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
SPACE STATION. IT BECAME POLITICALLY UNTENABLE
IT BECAME POLITICALLY UNTENABLE BECAUSE OF DELEGATIONS FROM
BECAUSE OF DELEGATIONS FROM TEXAS AND FLORIDA AND ALABAMA
TEXAS AND FLORIDA AND ALABAMA AND IT ENDED UP DYING.
AND IT ENDED UP DYING. THEN WE HAD THE DIVISION FOR
THEN WE HAD THE DIVISION FOR SPACE EXPLORATION IN THE EARLY
SPACE EXPLORATION IN THE EARLY 2000s WHICH WAS AN EFFORT TO GO
2000s WHICH WAS AN EFFORT TO GO BACK TO THE MOON AND ON TO MARS
BACK TO THE MOON AND ON TO MARS AND AT THE TIME THE EFFORT WAS
AND AT THE TIME THE EFFORT WAS TO CUT THE SCIENCE MISSION
TO CUT THE SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTOR OF NASA.
DIRECTOR OF NASA. THAT CREATED A PARTISAN FIGHT
THAT CREATED A PARTISAN FIGHT WHICH, OF COURSE, THEN KILLED
WHICH, OF COURSE, THEN KILLED THE PROGRAM EVENTUALLY DOWN THE
THE PROGRAM EVENTUALLY DOWN THE ROAD.
ROAD. WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE
WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THIS TIME WHEN WE GO TO THE
SURE THIS TIME WHEN WE GO TO THE MOON WE GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
MOON WE GET ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT ENABLE US TO GO WITHOUT
THAT ENABLE US TO GO WITHOUT CREATING THE PARTISAN OR
CREATING THE PARTISAN OR POLITICAL OR PAROCHIAL DIVIDES
POLITICAL OR PAROCHIAL DIVIDES THAT ULTIMATELY HAVE KILLED IT
THAT ULTIMATELY HAVE KILLED IT IN THE PAST.
IN THE PAST. >> YOU TALK ABOUT THIS EXCITING
>> YOU TALK ABOUT THIS EXCITING OPERATION TO GO FORWARD BOTH TO
OPERATION TO GO FORWARD BOTH TO THE MOON AND ULTIMATELY TO MARS.
THE MOON AND ULTIMATELY TO MARS. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE IN
WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE IN TERMS OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND
TERMS OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT?
PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT? WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE
WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE FROM BOTH OF THESE GROUPS TO
FROM BOTH OF THESE GROUPS TO HELP MAKE THAT OBJECTIVE A
HELP MAKE THAT OBJECTIVE A REALITY?
REALITY? >> IT’S A PERFECT QUESTION.
>> IT’S A PERFECT QUESTION. THIS TIME WHEN WE GO WE HAVE
THIS TIME WHEN WE GO WE HAVE THESE COMMERCIAL PARTNERS DOING
THESE COMMERCIAL PARTNERS DOING AMAZING WORK RIGHT NOW IN LOWER
AMAZING WORK RIGHT NOW IN LOWER EARTH ORBIT.
EARTH ORBIT. WE HAVE COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY
WE HAVE COMMERCIAL RESUPPLY GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE
GOING BACK AND FORTH TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WHERE NASA ISN’T PURCHASING,
WHERE NASA ISN’T PURCHASING, OWNING, AND OPERATING THE
OWNING, AND OPERATING THE HARDWARE.
HARDWARE. WE’RE BUYING A SERVICE FROM A
WE’RE BUYING A SERVICE FROM A VERY ROBUST COMMERCIAL
VERY ROBUST COMMERCIAL MARKETPLACE AND LOWER EARTH
MARKETPLACE AND LOWER EARTH ORBIT.
ORBIT. WE HAVE IN FACT WITHIN THE NEXT
WE HAVE IN FACT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR WE’RE GOING TO LAUNCH
YEAR WE’RE GOING TO LAUNCH AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS FROM
AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS FROM AMERICAN SOIL FOR THE FIRST TIME
AMERICAN SOIL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE RETIREMENT OF THE
SINCE THE RETIREMENT OF THE SPACE SHUTTLES.
SPACE SHUTTLES. THAT IS AGAIN, WE’RE GOING TO DO
THAT IS AGAIN, WE’RE GOING TO DO IT COMMERCIALLY, BUY THE SERVICE
IT COMMERCIALLY, BUY THE SERVICE NOT OWN AND OPERATE THE ROCKETS.
NOT OWN AND OPERATE THE ROCKETS. NOW WHEN WE GO TO THE MOON WE’LL
NOW WHEN WE GO TO THE MOON WE’LL BUY LANDERS, COMMERCIALLY.
BUY LANDERS, COMMERCIALLY. WE’LL BUY THE SERVICE.
WE’LL BUY THE SERVICE. AND OF COURSE WHAT THAT DOES IS
AND OF COURSE WHAT THAT DOES IS IT ENABLES US TO ACCELERATE THE
IT ENABLES US TO ACCELERATE THE SCHEDULE AND ULTIMATELY SAVE
SCHEDULE AND ULTIMATELY SAVE COSTS AND THE PRIVATE COMPANIES
COSTS AND THE PRIVATE COMPANIES ARE INVESTING THEIR OWN MONEY.
ARE INVESTING THEIR OWN MONEY. THE QUESTION OF WHY WOULD THEY
THE QUESTION OF WHY WOULD THEY INVEST THEIR OWN MONEY?
INVEST THEIR OWN MONEY? THEY’RE LOOKING FOR CUSTOMERS
THEY’RE LOOKING FOR CUSTOMERS THAT ARE NOT NASA.
THAT ARE NOT NASA. THERE IS A RETURN FOR THEM DOWN
THERE IS A RETURN FOR THEM DOWN THE ROAD THEY’RE LOOKING FORWARD
THE ROAD THEY’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO.
TO. >> ADMINISTRATOR, I HAVE TO ASK
>> ADMINISTRATOR, I HAVE TO ASK YOU AND NOT TO GET INTO THE
YOU AND NOT TO GET INTO THE POLITICS OF THIS BUT AS WE WERE
POLITICS OF THIS BUT AS WE WERE TALKING ON THE BREAK YOU SAID
TALKING ON THE BREAK YOU SAID THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND NASA RELIES ON THE
AND NASA RELIES ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR SCIENTISTS AND HELP.
SCIENTISTS AND HELP. >> YES.
>> YES. >> IT IS TRULY AN INTERNATIONAL
>> IT IS TRULY AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT.
EFFORT. WE RELY ON A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS
WE RELY ON A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE COME TO THIS COUNTRY
WHO HAVE COME TO THIS COUNTRY WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF NASA’S
WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF NASA’S SUCCESS.
SUCCESS. WHAT DO YOU MAKE WHEN YOU HEAR
WHAT DO YOU MAKE WHEN YOU HEAR THE PRESIDENT TALK ABOUT THE
THE PRESIDENT TALK ABOUT THE KIND OF RHETORIC WE’RE HEARING
KIND OF RHETORIC WE’RE HEARING ABOUT IMMIGRANTS AND COUNTRIES
ABOUT IMMIGRANTS AND COUNTRIES BEYOND OUR BORDERS IN TERMS OF
BEYOND OUR BORDERS IN TERMS OF HOW DIFFICULT THAT MAKES YOUR
HOW DIFFICULT THAT MAKES YOUR JOB?
JOB? WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUR
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO YOUR EMPLOYEES AT NASA?
EMPLOYEES AT NASA? >> KNOW THIS.
>> KNOW THIS. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SPACE
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION, IN THE 1960s THIS
EXPLORATION, IN THE 1960s THIS WAS A CONTEST OF GREAT POWERS.
WAS A CONTEST OF GREAT POWERS. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION.
AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION. AND THE GOAL WAS OF COURSE TO
AND THE GOAL WAS OF COURSE TO PUT AN AMERICAN FLAG ON THE MOON
PUT AN AMERICAN FLAG ON THE MOON TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE WORLD THAT
TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE WORLD THAT WE HAD TECHNOLOGICAL
WE HAD TECHNOLOGICAL SUPERIORITY.
SUPERIORITY. THAT WE HAD A POLITICAL AND
THAT WE HAD A POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT WOULD
ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT WOULD SURVIVE.
SURVIVE. INTERESTINGLY, AFTER WE ACHIEVED
INTERESTINGLY, AFTER WE ACHIEVED THAT OBJECTIVE, RUSSIA REACHED
THAT OBJECTIVE, RUSSIA REACHED OUT TO THE UNITED STATES AND
OUT TO THE UNITED STATES AND SAID WE WANT TO PARTNER.
SAID WE WANT TO PARTNER. 1975.
1975. THE AAPOLLO SOYUZ PROGRAM CAME
THE AAPOLLO SOYUZ PROGRAM CAME TOGETHER AND WE WERE LIVING AND
TOGETHER AND WE WERE LIVING AND WORKING TOGETHER IN SPACE.
WORKING TOGETHER IN SPACE. THEN WE HAD THE SHUTTLE MIR
THEN WE HAD THE SHUTTLE MIR PROGRAM LIVING AND WORKING
PROGRAM LIVING AND WORKING TOGETHER IN SPACE.
TOGETHER IN SPACE. EVEN TODAY 20 YEARS ON THE
EVEN TODAY 20 YEARS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. KNOW THIS.
KNOW THIS. SPACE HAS THE ABILITY TO
SPACE HAS THE ABILITY TO TRANSCEND GEO POLITICS.
TRANSCEND GEO POLITICS. IN FACT, IT HAS THE ABILITY TO
IN FACT, IT HAS THE ABILITY TO TRANSCEND EVEN DOMESTIC
TRANSCEND EVEN DOMESTIC POLITICS.
POLITICS. NASA IS VERY FORTUNATE.
NASA IS VERY FORTUNATE. WE HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
WE HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. ULTIMATELY BECAUSE PEOPLE SEE IT
ULTIMATELY BECAUSE PEOPLE SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS.
FOR WHAT IT IS. THIS IS ABOUT HUMANITY GOING
THIS IS ABOUT HUMANITY GOING FURTHER THAN WE’VE EVER GONE
FURTHER THAN WE’VE EVER GONE BEFORE AND IT IS ALL OF
BEFORE AND IT IS ALL OF HUMANITY.
HUMANITY. >> DO YOU CONDEMN THE RHETORIC
>> DO YOU CONDEMN THE RHETORIC WE HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT ABOUT
WE HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND IMMIGRANTS TO
IMMIGRATION AND IMMIGRANTS TO THIS COUNTRY?
THIS COUNTRY? >> I WANT TO BE CLEAR.
>> I WANT TO BE CLEAR. WHAT I DO AS A NASA
WHAT I DO AS A NASA ADMINISTRATOR IS SCIENCE.
ADMINISTRATOR IS SCIENCE. I DON’T GET INTO THE POLITICS.
I DON’T GET INTO THE POLITICS. I STAY AWAY FROM THE POLITICS.
