FROM THE SPACE SHUTTLE AND
TOWARDS PRIVATE SECTOR, THAT’S
BEEN ON THE WAY SINCE THE BUSH
AND OBAMA ADMINISTRATIONS.
>> THE LIFTOFF, FINAL LIFTOFF OF
ATLANTA.
>> Reporter: IT WAS NEARLY NINE
YEARS AMERICANS LIFTED OFF FROM
AMERICAN SOIL ON AN AMERICAN
ROCKET.
EVERY SINCE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN
PAYING RUSSIA TO FERRY
ASTRONAUTS TO THE SPACE STATION.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IT’S UP TO A
PRIVATE AMERICAN COMPANY,
SPACEX, TO DO THE JOB.
USING A SPACE CAPSULE NAMED
DRAGON SITTING ON TOP OF FALCON
9.
INSIDE VETERAN ASTRONAUTS DOUG
HURLEY AND BEN BEHNKEN.
>> IT TAKES TENACITY BUT YOU
HAVE TO BE PARANOID THINGS CAN
GET COMPLICATED QUICK AND YOU
NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
>> CORONAVIRUS HAS FORCED HALF
THE ENGINEERS TO WORK FROM HOME.
THE ASTRONAUTS THEMSELVES
REGULARLY TESTED FOR COVID AND
ISOLATED SINCE MARCH.
>> WE’VE BEEN IN QUARANTINE
PROBABLY LONGER THAN ANY SPACE
CREW HAS IN THE HISTORY OF THE
SPACE PROGRAM.
>> SPACEX HAS BEEN FLYING A
CARGO VERSION OF THE SAME ROCKET
TO THE SPACE STATION FOR YEARS.
THE COMPANY HAS SUFFERED VERY
PUBLIC SETBACKS, ALSO RACKED UP
A STRING OF SUCCESSES.
IT WAS FOUNDED BY ELON MUSK WHO
ALSO FOUNDED NASA AND ONCE SENT
AN ASTRONAUT MANNEQUIN INTO
ORBIT AROUND THE SUN.
FOR THIS MISSION, HURLEY AND
BEHNKEN WILL SPORT NEW
STATE-OF-THE-ART SPACE SUITS AND
ARRIVE IN, WHAT ELSE, A TESLA.
>> HOW TRUSTING ARE YOU OF
SPACEX AND ITS TECHNOLOGY AND
GETTING THIS DONE.
>> I’M VERY TRUSTING OF SPACEX.
I’M NOT FEARFUL FOR MY FRIEND.
I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC AND VERY
EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY.
>> AS NASA ENTRUSTS SPACEX WITH
LAUNCHING HURLEY AND BEHNKEN TO
THE SPACE STATION AND BRINGING
THEM HOME SAFELY AGAIN, NASA
ITSELF IS FOCUSED ON A NEW
MISSION, RETURNING TO THE MOON
WITHIN FOUR YEARS.
>> THESE ARE DIFFERENT TIMES.
IT IS ALSO A TIME WHEN WE NEED
TO BE DOING AMAZING THINGS AS A
NATION AND INSPIRING THE ENTIRE
WORLD, AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE
DOING.
>> TOM, I WAS READING UP ON THIS
AND THEY DON’T YET KNOW HOW LONG
THE MISSION WILL LAST.
REALLY?
IT’S INDEFINITE.
>> CAN YOU IMAGINE, PLANNING A
TRIP OUT OF TOWN AND YOU DON’T
KNOW HOW MUCH UNDERWEAR TO
BRING?
THAT’S THEIR SITUATION.
THEY COULD BE GOING FOR ONE
MONTH, ONE TO FOUR MONTHS UP TO
THE SPACE STATION.
THEY WANT TO TEST-DRIVE THE
ROCKET AND TEST-DRIVE THE SPACE
CAPSULE AND GET A FEEL FOR HOW
WELL IT PERFORMS AND HOW WELL IT
HANDLES.
THIS IS DEPENDENT ON HOW WELL
THINGS COME TOGETHER.
LAUNCH TIME 4:30 P.M. EASTERN
TOMORROW FROM LAUNCH PAD 39, A,
