 
PROCEED.
L.D.
>> L.D. 
>> N.L.M. 
>> N.L.M. 
>> AFLD. 
>> AFLD. 
>> PLEASE PROCEED. 
>> LOOKING AT YOUR SATELLITE 
IMAGE, NOTHING OF CONCERN.
NOTHING ON RADAR, NOT EXPECTING 
ANY PRECIPITATION.
OURD SPEEDS HAVE MAXED OUT, 
PEAKS TO 22 KNOTS OVER THE LAST 
HOUR.
OUR MAIN WIND DIRECTION IS FROM 
100.
WE'RE GOOD ON ALL T.C.s.
LESS THAN 10% P.O.V. FOR CROWN 
WINDS.
TEMPERATURES 68º FAHRENHEIT, AND
EXPECTED TO REMAIN SO THROUGH 
THE COUNT.
CONCLUDES THE WEATHER BRIEF.
>> AND THERE YOU HEA IT.
THAT WAS JESSICA WILLIAMS, THE 
LAUNCH OFFICER FOR THE 45th 
WEATHER.
SHE MENTIONED THERE WAS A 
22-KNOT WIT WAS SUSTAINED.
THAT CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE 
ROCKET, BUT THERE'S YOUR 
FORECAST UP ON YOUR SCREEN NOW.
THE WINDS, 20 KNOTS, OBSERVED AT
22 KNOTS JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO.
THE TEMPERATURE 68º, AND ONLY A 
10% VIOLATION.
 MICK, THOSE WINDS COULD BE A
FACTOR. 
>> YEAH.
LOOKING AT WINDS HERE AT SLIP 
41, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE 
EVERYTHING IS GOOD, THAT 
EVERYTHING IS IN GOOD SHAPE.
REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR A 10 % 
P.O.V. TONIGHT.
>> THERE IT IS, THE ATLAS FIVE 
IN ITS VERTICAL INTEGRATION 
FACILITY.
NOT FAR FROM THE PAD, BUT WE 
WERE THERE TH DAY IT MOVED OUT,
SATURDAY, AS THE ATLAS FIVE, 
190-FOOT TALL ROCKET WENT BY. 
>> 58 METERS. 
>> 58 METERS FOR OUR EUROPEAN 
FRIENDS. 
>> MICK HAS BEEN DOING THE 
METRICS, CONVERTING IT FOR OUR 
EUROPEAN FRIENDS.
>> I HAD A GREAT TIME WITH YOU 
ON THE ROLLOUT SHOW YESTERDAY, 
PAD.THE ATLAS GET READY FOR THE 
IT A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A 
ROLLOUT YESTERDAY AND EXCITING 
TO WATCH THAT 411 GO THERE. 
>> IT WAS AND WE'LL FIND OUT 
MORE ABOUT THIS ROCKET AND ITS 
UNIQUE CONFIGURATION ON THE BAD.
BUT YOU CAN SEE IT THERE.
EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MON THE 
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE 
LAUNCH PADS, BUT NOW, WE'RE 
GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU, 
JOSHUA.
>> WE WANT TO BRING YOU ANOTHER 
UPDATE THIS AFTERNOON.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE SPACE 
ENTHUSIASTS, YOU WILL KNOW THAT 
WE PLANNED TO LA AN ANTERES 
ROCKET, BUT NASA HAS PUSHED IT 
TO NO EARLIER THAN FEBRUARY 14 
AT 905.
BE SURE TO TUNE IN IN JUST FEW
DAYS.
WE ARE GOING TO SEND YOU OVER 
NOW TO UNDERSTAND THE INCREDIBLE
PARTNERSHIP HAPPENING BETWEEN 
ESA AND NASA.
>> I AM JOINED BY NASA'S SCIENCE
MISSION DIRECTORATE, AND THE 
DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE.
THE COLLABORATION. US M ABOUT
>> OKAY.
BOTH AGENCIES HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE
SUITE OF MISSIONS OUT THERE IN 
THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND FOR 
ASTROPHYSICS, BUT MANY PROJECTS 
ARE DONE IN COLLABORATION.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE SUN, 
THERE HAVE BEEN TWO MISSIONS.
ULYSSES SOHO, WHICH WE'VE DONE 
20 YEARS AGO, AND THIS ONE. 
>> AND NASA'S PROJECTS ARE 
USED TO IT.ND SO WE'RE 
WHAT HAPPENS IS THE SCIENCE 
COMMUNITY WORKS TOGETHER AS ONE.
WHEN WE DO, IT'S AN 
INTERNATIONAL LOCKING OF ARMS.
IT'S NOT EASY, BECAUSE IT'S 
DIFFERENT CULTURES, B WE LEARN
TO DO IT.
MOST SPACE INSTRUMENTS ARE DONE 
IN EUROPE.
COUPLE SENSOR INSTRUMENTS, ONE 
FULL HEAD DONE HERE IN THE U.S.,
AND OF COURSE WE'RE SO PROUD TO 
LAUNCH IT HERE IN THE UNITED 
STATES.
>> AND GUNTER, SOLAR ACTIVIES 
ARE GOING TO MONITOR THE SUN.
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT TO 
NASA'S ACTIVITY PLANS?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, THE SUN GIVES
US LIVE, BUT IT POSES DANGERS.
IT'S A STRONG, UNKNOWN HIDDEN 
FORCE, THE MAGNETIC FIELD.
THE MAGNETIC FIELD CAN CREATE 
EXPLOSIONS THAT CREATE MAGNETIC 
STORMS THAT CAN AFFECT THE LIFE 
OUT THERE, AFFECT OF LIFE OF 
ASTRONAUTS, SO TO UNDERSTAND THE
SUN IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR
ALL OF US AND THEREFORE FOR THE 
SPACE AGENCIES. 
>> SO WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A 
LOT.
NOW THOMAS, YOU HAD AN EARLY 
TOUCH ON THIS PROJECT.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT 
ABOUT THAT?
>> YEAH.
OF ALL THE MISSIONS THAT WE'RE 
WORKING ON, OVER 100, AS SCIENCE
DIRECTOR, THIS IS ONE THAT 
USED TO WORK ON WHEN I WAS A LOT
YOUNGER.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS OVER A DOZEN 
YEARS AGO.
I WAS PART OF THE SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY DEFINITION TEAM, AN 
INTERNATIONAL TEAM THAT CAME UP 
WITH THIS DESIGN, AND ACTUALLY, 
IT WAS PART OF THE MISSION TEAM,
TOO.
BECAUSE I, ALONG WITH THE TEAM 
CAME UP WITH A SENSOR THAT IS 
NOW SITTING ON TOP OF THIS 
ROCKET.
HOW EXCITING IS THAT?
>> YOU'RE SUPER EXCITED. 
>> YEAH. 
>> WELL, JOSHUA, THE 
COLLABORATORS HAVE GOTTEN ATLAS 
READY, SO LET'S GET BACK TO 
LAUNCH. 
>> WE'RE GOING TO HEAD OUT NOW 
TO THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER 
PRESS SITE, WHERE NASA EDGES 
BLAIR ALLEN HAS MORE ON NASA'S 
HELIO PHYSICS EFFORTS. 
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOSHUA.
JOINING US NOW IS NICKY FOX, AND
NICKY, I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU 
ON THE SHOW.
NASA EDGES, WE'RE SO EXCITED 
ABOUT HELIO PHYSICS.
I'M WONDERING, FROM A SOLAR 
ORBITER POINT, HOW CAN- 
STANDPOINT, HOW CAN BOTH 
AGENCIES BENEFIT FROM THIS 
PARTNERSHIP?
>> WELL, I COME FROM EUROPE, SO 
I'M PARTICULARLY HAPPY TO SEE AN
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP.
ESA-NASA LAUNCHING, IT IS A 
WONDERFULTIME, AND WE CANNOT 
WAIT TO WELCOME SOLAR ORBITER UP
TO THE FLEET.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE 
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARKER SOLAR
FLEET AND SOLAR ORBITER.
PARKER EXPLO A REGION WE'VE 
NEVER BEEN TO, SOLAR ORBITER 
IMAGING, MONITORING THE POLES OF
A STAR FOR THE FIRST TIME.
JUST INCREDIBLE. 
WHERE THEY'LLK AT THE SAME IDE 
AREA AT ONE POINT.
TELL US ABOUT THAT. 
>> THERE ARE MANY TIMES THEY'LL 
LOOK AT THE SAME AREA.
WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT AREAS
OF THE SUN, AND THAT'S JUST AS 
EXCITING.
ORBITER MISSION, SHE'LL STILL BE
IN THAT ELLIPTICAL PLANE, SO 
WILL PARKER ORBITER.
AND THEN, AS SHE MOVED OUT OF 
THE ECLIPTIC, YES, THE ORBITER 
GIVING SOLAR VIEWS.
IT'S JUST FABULOUS. 
>> I'M SO EXCITED.
WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF 
IMAGES, AND IT' FABULOUS, BUT 
WE'VE GOT TO GET IT BACK TO 
JOSHUA. 
>> THE WORK OF ORBITER IS A 
PARTNERSHIP EFFORT, BUT IT'S NOT
THE FIRST TIME WE'VE MONITORED 
THE SUN.
>> THREE, TWO, ONE.
LIFTOFF OF THE MIGHTY DELTA FOUR
ROCKET WITH THE SOLAR PROBE. 
>> YOU MAY REMEMBER THIS, SEEN 
HERE IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS 
AUGUST 12, 2018.
THE MISSIONS ARE COMPLIMENTARY, 
FOCUSED ON STUDYING DIFFERENT 
AFFECTS OF THE SUN.
JUST AS WITH PARKER, THE SOLAR 
ORBITER MISSION THERE WE SEE 
POISED TO FLY TONIGHT HAS BEEN 
LAUNCHED HERE BY SOLAR SERVICES 
PROGRAM, OR S.S.P.
THEY ENSURE THAT MISSIONS GET 
OFF THE GROUND AND ON THEIR WAY 
TO THE CORRECT CELESTIAL 
DESTINATION.
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS
YEAR'S FLIGHT MANIFEST.
[♪♪♪]
[♪♪♪]
. 
>> LOTS OF GREAT SCIENCE AHEAD 
FOR L.S.P. THIS YEAR.
DARRELL AND MICK, OVER TO YOU 
FOR A LAUNCH COUNT DOWN UPDATE. 
>> THANKS, JOSHUA.
WE JUST ENTERED THE PLANNED 
FOUR-MINUTE HOLD.
THIS IS A 15UTE PERIOD OF 
TIME WHERE THEY HOLD UP 
EVERYTHING AND MAKE SOME 
EVALUATIONS AT THIS POINT IN 
TIME. 
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
THE TEAM WILL USE THIS 15 
MINUTES TO TAKE A LAST LOOK AT 
ALL THEIR SYSTEMS, MAKE SURE 
EVERYTHING'S GOOD, EVERYTHING'S 
READY TO GO, VERIFY ALL THEIR 
RED LINE LIMITS AND OPERATIONAL 
LIMITS, AND THAT THEY'RE DOWN 
FOR THE COUNT.
THIS IS THE LAST TIME FOR THIS 
HOLD.
SO FAR, WE'RE NOT WORKING ANY 
ISSUES, AND CHIEF SERVICES 
ENGINEER PULLED HIS TEAM, AND 
THEY'RE READY TO GET OUT OF THE 
COUNT AFTER THIS HOLD. 
>> IN THE CAMERA VIEW THAT WE'RE
SHOWING YOU, YOU CAN SEE THE 
CONDENSATION VIEW.
JUST WHERE IT LINES UP WITH THE 
U, L, AND A, THAT IS ALL ICE, 
CHILLED DOWN TO WHERE 
IT'S - 184º CELSIUS.
HEY, YOUKNOW, THIS IS AN 
INTERESTING ROCKET BECAUSE IT IS
CONFIGURED IN A VERY UNIQUE WAY.
TELL US ABOUT THAT. 
>> YEAH.
THE VEHICLE WE'RE FLYING THIS 
EVEN IS A -- EVENING IS A UNIQUE
CONFATION BECAUSE WE'RE 
FLYING ONE BOOSTER ROCKET.
THIS CONFIGURATION HAS FLOWN 
FIVE TIMES, INCLUDING NASA'S 
OSIRIS REX MISSION.
OUR FIRST STAGE OR BOOSTER IS 
POWERED BY RU-180 ENGINE.
IT BURNS R.P.-1 OR LIQUID 
NITROGEN.
THE R.P.-1 HELPS DELIVER THE 
THRUST WE NEED,OUT 160,000 
POUNDS OR 1.2 MILLION POUNDS 
WITH THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER --
THAT'S 1.2 NEWTONS, IN CASE 
YOU'RE WONDERING. 
>> THANK YOU. 
>> WE MOVE UP TO THE 
CENTAUR R.L.-10 ENGINE.
IT'S A CRYOGENIC ENGINE.
IT PRODUCES ABOUT 22,000 POUNDS 
OF THRUST OR 99.2 KILO-NEWTONS. 
>> I WAS HOPING YOU HAD THAT 
METRIC CONVERSION. 
>> UNIQUE CONFIGURATION THAT 
WE'RE HAPPY TO FLY TONIGHT. 
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, MICK, AND TO THIS 
POINT, THE COUNT HAS GONE 
THROUGH SMOOTH.
WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOSHUA IN 
THE STUDIO AND CONTINUE TO 
MONITOR. 
>> THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.
HERE'S W GOING TO HAPPEN AHEAD.
THROUGH LAUNCH AFTER SPACECRAFT 
SEPARATION.
>> AND LIFTOFF OF THE UNITED 
LAUNCH ALLIANCE ATLAS FIVE 
ROCKET. 
>> AT IGNITION, IT GENERATES 
MORE THAN 1.5 NEWTONS OF THRUST 
TO LIFT IT TO A HYPERBOLIC 
TRAJECTORY.
THE ATLAS FIVE REACHED MACH 1, 
THE SPEED OF SOUND, AT 58 
SECONDS.
THE SINGLE S.R.B. IS JETTISONNED
AT 2:03.
THE VEHICLE NOW WEIGHS LESS THAN
14% OF WHAT IT DID AT LIFTOFF.
TEN SECONDS LATER, THE FIRST 
BURN OF THE CENTAUR MAIN ENGINE 
BEGINS.
APPROACHING PAY LOAD FERRY 
JETTISON, IT'S TRAVELING AT MORE
AT 4:27, THE PAY LOAD FERRING IS
JETTISONNED.
IT NOW WEIGHS LESS THAN 7% OF 
NEXT, THE MISSION ENTERS A COAST
PHASE IN PREPARATION FOR THE 
SECOND BURN.
BECAUSE THIS TARGETED EARTH 
ESCAPE TRAJECTORY VARIES BY DAY,
THE ROCKET WILL ADJUST TO 
COMPENSATE FOR THIS.
NEARLY SEVEN MINUTES LATER, 
FINAL CUTOFF OF THE CENTAUR MAIN
ENGINE OCCURS.
AT 52:47, CENTAUR RES THE 
ORBITER TO BEGIN ITS NEARLY 
TWO-YEAR JOURNEY TO THE SUN.
IT WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW 
THE SUN CONTROLS THE HELIO 
SPHERE. 
>> FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST JOINING
US, WELCOME TO TEAM COVERAGE OF 
THE LAUNCH OF THE SOLAR ORBITER 
MISSION, DESTINED FOR 
UNPRECEDENTED VIEWS OF OUR SUN, 
A STAR. 
>> THE ATLAS FIVE ROCKET FOR 
THIS MISSION IS IN A 411 
CONFIGURATION, SENDING SOLAR 
ORBITER TO A HIGH LATITUDE 
H
ORBIT, ENABLING VIEWS OF THE 
SUN'S POLES.
AFTER LIFTOFF, IT WILL TAKE JUST
UNDER TWO YEA TO REACH ITS 
OPERATIONAL ORBIT FOR A 
SEVEN-YEAR PLANNED MISSION. 
>> WE DO HAVE A TWO-HOUR LAUNCH 
WINDOW, BUT LAUNCH IS STILL 
SCHEDULED FOR 11:03 M. EASTERN
TIME, AND THERE, YOU SEE THE 
ROCKET ON SCREEN.
THIS IS AN INTERNATIONAL 
COLLABORATIVE MISSION BETWEEN 
THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY AND 
NASA.
THE SPACECRAFT HAS BEEN 
DEVELOPED BY AIRBUS DEFENSE AND 
SPACE.
ENGINEERING AND TEST CENTER IN 
THE NETHERLANDS IS MANAGING THE 
EFFORT, AND THE OPERATIONS SPACE
CENTER IN GERMANY WILL OPERATE 
SOLAR ORBITER'S FLIGHT AFTER 
LAUNCH.
IT WILL EXPERIENCE SUN LIGHT 13 
TIMES MORE INTENSE THAN WE 
EXPERIENCE HERE ON EARTH, AND IT
CAPABLE OF ABSORBING HEAT OF D 
900º FAHRENHEIT OR 500º CELSIUS.
ONE PHENOMENON TO BE EXPLORED IS
THAT THE SUN GOES THROUGH AN 11 
YEAR CYCLE THAT INVOLVES 
EMERGING AND VANISHING SUN 
SPOTS, AS WELL AS A SHIFT OF ITS
ENTIRE MAGNETIC FIELD.
THE MISSION TENDS TO ANSWER SOME
CAUSE AND EFFECT QUESTIONS SUCH 
ASOW DO THE ENERGYIC PARTICLES
ORIGINATE THAT LEAD TO SUPREME 
SPACE WEATHER?
THE ANSWERS CANNOT ONLY HAVE AN 
IMPACT ON OUR DAILY LIVES AND 
THE ELECTRONICS WE DRAW ON, BUT 
AN IMPACT ON OUR RE SPACE 
MISSIONS AS WE HEAD TO THE MOON,
MARS, AND BEYOND.
LET'S HEAD BACK TO DARRELL AND 
MICK FOR MORE ON THE COUNT. 
>> THANK YOU, JOSHUA.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A HOLD, 
T-MINUS FOUR MINUTES AND 
HOLDING.
>> EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
U.L.A. LAUNCH CONDUCTOR SCOTT 
BARNEY IS GIVING HIS BRIEFING TO
HIS TEAM OF WHAT'S GOING TO 
HAPPEN AS THEY GET READY TO PICK
UP THE POLE AT T-MINUS FOUR 
MINUTES AND COUNTING, BUT AS WE 
SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE IS THE 
TEAM AND THE MISSION DIRECTOR 
CENTER AT E., WHICH OUR 
ESA FOLKS UP FRONT. 
>> AND JUST A FEW MILES AWAY IS 
THE OPERATIONS CENTER, WHERE THE
U.L.A. LAUNCH TIME IS GOING 
THROUGH THEIR COUNT.
AND IN DENVER, WE HAVE A TEAM 
THE DENVER OPERATIONS SUPPORT 
CENTER IN DENVER, COLORADO.
AND WE HAVE OPERATIONS TEAMS IN 
GERMANY. 
>> WE HAVE ESA TEAMS SRTING 
FROM GERMANY, WHERE THEY WILL 
CONTROL THE SPACECRAFT AFTER IT 
SEPARATES THIS EVENING. 
>> WE'VE HAD SOME FUN TALKING 
ABOUT THE CONVERSIONS BETWEEN 
STANDARD AND METRIC, BUT WE WERE
TALKING EARLIER, MICK.
THAT ACTUALLY -- THAT PLAYED A 
ROLE IN WORKING WITH THIS 
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION 
BECAUSE MUCH OF WHAT WE DO HERE 
IS STANDARD, AND OVERSEAS IS 
METRICS, SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT
OF CONVERSION THAT'S GONE ON 
BETWEEN?
>> YEAH.
IT'S BEENUN WORKING WITH OUR 
INTERNATIONAL TEAM.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROBLEMS 
WITH CONVERSIONS AND 
COMMUNICATION, BUT THAT IS KEY, 
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE 
TEAMS.
ALL OF US HAVE DONE VERY WELL, 
AND AS TIM DUNN PUT IT, WE ALL 
SPEAK THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE
OF MISSION SUCCESS, AND THAT'S 
WHAT'S GOTTEN US HERE THIS 
EVENING.
WORKING WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL 
PARTNERS HAS BEEN FUN, AND WE'RE
EXCITED TO SEE THIS ATLAS FIVE 
GET ON ITS WAY AND GET US SOME 
SCIENCE. 
>> WE LOOK AT THE SHOT ON THE 
GROUND AS THE WATER CONDENSES 
AROUND THE SUPER COOLED LIQUID 
OXYGEN.
IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, WE ARE 
GOING TO GET A STATUS PULL FRO 
LAUNCH DIRECTOR SCOTT BARNEY OF 
U.L.A., AND HE'S GOING TO GIVE 
THAT, BEFORE A FINAL CHECK 
BEFORE WE BEGIN TO RESUME THE 
COUNT.
LET'S LISTEN IN AS SCOTT 
CONDUCTED THAT POLL AT UNITED 
LAUNCH ALLIANCE. 
>> ATLAS SYSTEMS, PROPULSION.
GO. 
>> HYDRAULIC. 
>> GO. 
>> PNEUMAT
GO.
WATER.
GO.
L.H. 2.
GO. 
>>
>> GROUND.
FACILITY.
GO.
RFFTS. 
>> GO. 
>> FLIGHT CONTROL. 
>> GO.
G.C.Q. 
>> GO. 
>> OPERATIONS SUPPORT. 
>> GO. 
>> COM. 
>> UMBILICALS. 
>> GO. 
>> E.C.S. 
>> GO. 
>> RED LINE MONITOR. 
>> QUALITY. 
>> GO. 
>> OP SAFETY MEASURE. 
>> U.L.A. SAFETY OFFICER. 
>> GO.
RANGE COORDINATO
>> CLEAR TO PROCEED. 
>> LAUNCH DIRECTOR. 
>> YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO 
LAUNCH. 
>> A.L.C. VERIFIED IS SET FOR 
2303. 
>> AND WE ARE CONFIRMED TO GO TO
LAUNCH AT 11:03.
WE JUST GOT THE CONFIRMATION 
FROM BARNEY. 
>> IT'S AWESOME TO HEAR THERE'S 
A GO FROM THE TEAM.
TARGETING AN 11:03 P.M. EASTERN 
TIME LIFTOFF.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I 
AM TO HEAR THAT POLL. 
>> AND NOW, THEY'RE CONFIGURING 
THE SPACECRAFT TO GO OFF LAND 
POWER AND PREPARE FOR LAUNCH 
POWER. 
>> THEY'RE PREPARING THE SOLAR 
ORBITER TO GET READY.
WE JUST HEARD THAT SPACECRAFT IS
ON INTERNAL POWER.
EVERYTHING IS READY TO GO, SO 
WE'VE HEARDM THE SPACECRAFT 
AND LAUNCH VEHICLE THAT 
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD TO GET 
SOLAR ORBITER OFF THE GROUND.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING TO 
HEAR. 
>> AND NOW TIM DUNN, NASA'S 
LAUNCH DIRECTOR WILL BE LOOKING 
AT HIS TEAM AND CONDUCT HIS 
PORTION OF THE BUSINESS. 
>> YES.
HE'LL CHECK IN WITH HIS NASA 
ENGINEER AND L.S.P. AND MAKE 
SURE THAT THEY'RE READY TO 
PROCEED FORWARD, SO WE'LL HEAR 
W THINGS GO. 
>>S A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT IF YOU
ARE IN THE AREA AND READY TO 
WATCH THIS ROCKET LAUNCH, IT'S 
GOING TO BE A BEAUTY.
THIS SPOT RIGHT HERE IS OUR 
BANANA CREEK VIEWING AREA.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE HUNDRED 
PEOPLE OUT THERE, PROBABLY A 
THOUSAND ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA.
LET'S COUNT IT DOWN, THREE, TWO,
AND ONE, AND HAVE RESUMED OUR 
COUNT DOWN.
WE ARE 3:53 AWAY FROM LIFTOFF.
. 
>> AND THIS IS -- YOU MENTIONED 
THIS EARLIER ABOUT THE 
CONFIGURATION WITH THAT ONE 
SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER ON T 
SIDE.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, HOW
DOES THAT WORK WITH THE BOOSTER 
ON THE ONE SIDE OF THE ROCKET?
DOESN'T THAT KIND OF PUSH IT 
OVER?
>> YEAH, BUT THE R.D.-180 HAS A 
LOT OF CONTROLT THAT IT CAN 
OFFSET THAT ONE SOLID ON THE 411
VEHICLE.
THE 411 IS A GREAT VEHICLE TO 
PROVIDE A GREAT RIDE FOR 
TONIGHT'S MISSION AS IT HAS FOR 
MISSIONS IN THE PAST.
IT MAKES SURE THAT THE MISSION 
GETS OFF THE PAD AND HEADS TO 
SPACE LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO. 
>> 2:45 AS WE GET DOWN TO THE 
FINAL COUNT.
TEAMS ARE IN A FINAL FLURRY OF 
ACTIVITY, TALKING TO VARIOUS 
TEAM MEMBERS BEFORE THIS LAUNCH 
TAKES OFF.
IT'S AN EXCITING TIME BEFORE WE 
GET DOWN TO THE FINAL FEW 
MINUTES.
TALK ABOUT THE TEAMS AND THE 
ACTIVITY THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT 
NOW. 
>> YEAH.
IT TAKES A LOT OF CONTROL 
BETWEEN THE TEAMS, MAKE SURE 
THEY'RE ALL TALKING TOGETHER.
HEY'RE ACTUALLY PREPARING THE 
TANKS, GETTING TO FLIGHT 
PRESSURES, GETTING ALL THE 
VALVES IN THE RIGHT POSITION, 
AND TOPPING OFF THE AVIATION 
TANKS FOR CENTAUR BOOSTER.
 >> VERY GOOD,ND THE COUNT NOW
GOING UNDER 1:40.
LET'S LISTEN IN AS THE ACTIVITY 
BEGINS TO PICK UP ON THE COUNT 
DOWN NET.
. 
>> OUR FRIENDS AT THE UNITED 
SPACE FORCE WILL FOLLOW. 
>> F.D.R. HAS STARTED, 1:15.
>> 1:10. 
>> LOCKING THE VENT VALVES WILL 
BRING THE BOOSTER AND TANKS UP 
TO FLIGHT PRESSURE, GETTING 
EVERYTHING READY FOR LAUNCH THIS
EVENING.
WE JUST HEARD FROM THE RANGE 
OFFICER THAT THE RANGE IS GREEN 
AND READY TO MOVE FORWARD. 
>> THE RANGE IS GREEN,T IS A
BEST STEP MOVING FORWARD.
EVERYTHING'S CLEAR.
BASICALLY MEANS THAT THERE'S 
NO -- NOTHING TO EXCEED LAUNCH, 
NOTHING OUT THERE IN THE WATER, 
NOTHING OUT THERE IN THE AIR.
>> T-MINUS 30 SECONDS AS WE 
COUNT DOWN TO THE LAUNCH OF THE 
ATLAS FIVE ROCKET. 
>> 25 SECONDS. 
>> GO, PLEASE. 
>> GO SOLAR ORBITER.
>> THERE, YOU HEARD THE FINAL 
SPACE CHECK FOR CENTAUR AND 
BOOSTER SPACECRAFT.
THERE WE GO.
T-MINUS TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN,
SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, 
ONE, ZERO.
AND LIFTOFF OF OUR SOLAR 
ORBITER, AN INTERNATIONAL 
COLLABORATION TO GIVE US NEW 
IMAGES AND A BETTER 
UNDERSTANDING OF OUR LIFE-GIVING
STAR.
>> AFTER 15 SECONDS. 
>> NOW, YOU HEAR THE VOICE OF 
U.L.A.'S LAUNCH COMMENTATOR. 
>> NOW 25 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT.
CHAMBER PRESSURE ON THE S.R.B. 
LOOKS GOOD.
ENGINEERING PARERS ON THE 
R.D.-80 ALSO LOOK GOOD.
35 SECONDS IN, VEHICLE IS 
COMPLETING THE PITCH-OVER 
MANEUVER.
NOW 41 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT. 
>> 45 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT, 
EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD. 
>> WED THAT THE R.D.-180 
ENGINE IS THROTTLING DOWN.
GOING TO PULL THOSE ENGINES DOWN
FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT.
>>GHT ENGINE IS NOW SUPER 
SONIC.
VEHICLE'S NOW PASSING THROUGH 
MAX-X, MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE.
>> MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE IS 
THE HIGHEST PRESSURE ON THE 
ROCKET BECAUSE IT'S REACHED THE 
HIGHEST RESISTANCE FROM EARTH'S 
ATMOSPHERE.
MATE IT THROUGH, AND THEY'RE 
THROTTLING BACK UP.
>> AND WE HAVE BURNOUT ON THE 
SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO LET THAT GO 
AT 2:47.
>> ALL SPEEDS AND INJECTOR 
PRESSURES LOOK GOOD.
>> ALL RIGHT.
STAND BY NOW FOR BOOSTER 
JETTISON. 
>> AND COMING INTO TWO MINUTES 
INTO FLIGHT, THE ATLAS VEHICLE 
IS NOW JUST ONE HALF OF ITS 
LIFTOFF WEI
R.D.-180 CONTINUES TO LOOK GOOD.
AND STANDING BY FOR S.R.V. 
JETTISON SHORTLY. 
>> AND LOOK TO YOUR SCREEN, 
YOU'LL SEE IT.
THERE IT GOES.
>> ATLAS FIVE HAS GONE TO 
Q-ALPHA CLOSED LIMITED STEERING.
VEHICLE BODY WEIGHTS LOOK GOOD.
NOW 2:35 INTO FLIGHT.
>> IN THE SECOND STAGE, R.C.M. 
PRESS STAGE IS NOW OPEN.
SYSTEMS NOW PRESSURIZING TO 
FLIGHT LEVELS. 
>> FLYING AT OVER 5,000 MILES 
PER HOUR. 
>> NOW THREE MINUTESTO 
FLIGHT.
APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE TO 
BECO.
PUMP SPEEDS AND INJECTOR 
PRESSURES LOOK GOOD.
3:15 IN.
ABOUT TO CUT THAT BOOSTER. 
>> VEHICLE BODY RATES LOOK 
STABLE.
>> NOW 3:30 IN, RD-180 NOW 
THROTTLING TO MAINTAIN A 
CONSTANT 3-G ACCELERATION.
AND WE'VE BEGUN BOOST PHASE 
CHILL DOWN.
CHILL DOWN PHASE HAS ENDED.
STANDING BY FOR BECO.
AND WE HAVE BECO, BOOSTER ENGINE
CUTOFF.
AND WE HAVE GOOD INDICATION OF 
ATLAS-CENTAUR SEPARATION.
WE HAVE PRESTART ON THE R.L.-10,
STANDING BY FOR IGNITION. 
>> NEXT MAJOR MILESTONE IS THE 
FERRING.
>> BODY RATES LOOK GOOD.
AND WE HAVE GOOD INDICATION OF 
PAY LOAD FERRING JETTISON.
THIS FIRST BURN OF TODAY'S 
MISSION WILL LAST APPROXIMATELY 
EIGHT MINUTES.
AND THE R.C.S. SYSTEM IS NOW 
PERFORMING THE INITIAL FIRINGS 
TO WARM UP THE R.C.S. CATALYST 
BED.
JUST IN RESPONSE LOOKS GOOD.
AND THE CENTAUR IS NOW 100 MILE 
IN ALTITUDE, 450 MILES DOWN 
RANGE DISTANCE, TRAVELING AT 
11,800 MILES PER HOUR.
5:10 INTO FLIGHT. 
>> YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE VOICE
OF PATRICK MOORE,U.L.A.s LAUNCH
COMMENTATOR.
CENTAUR PROPELLING UTILIZATION 
HAS GONE TO CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL.
>> FLIGHT IS LOOKING VERY GOOD 
AT THIS POINT.
AND R.C.S. IS NOW PERFORMING 
INTERNAL FIRING FOR INTERNAL 
RESPONSE OF THE SYSTEM.
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD, AND 
INITIAL REVIEW OF BOOSTER 
PERFORMANCE SHOWED BOOSTER 
PERFORMED CLOSE TO PREFLIGHT 
PREDICTIONS.
>> SO THE NEXT MAJOR MILESTONE 
BEEN THE CENTAUR FIRST MAJOR 
ENGINE CUTOFF, AND WE'VE GOT 
FIVE OR SIX MINUTES BEFORE THAT.
LET'S BRING NICK WOLTMAN IN.
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT FROM 
HERE?
>> YEAH.
HEAR ALL THE MARKET EVENTS, AND 
SEEMS THAT FIRST STAGE PERFORMED
REALLY NOMINAL TO GET THROUGH 
THE FIRST STAGE AND GET CENTAUR 
ON ITS WAY. 
>> CENTAUR PERFORMING A THRUST 
OF ABOUT 22,000 POUNDS AND 
FLYING.
DESCRIBED TO ME AS A VERY EXACT 
ORBIT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT, 
BUT IT DOES HAVE TO BE WITH 
PRECISION. 
>> IT WILL GET CENTAUR INTO A 
SEMI CIRCULAR ORBIT AS WE GO 
AROUND THE EARTH, AND WE WILL 
GET READY FOR OUR MAIN ENGINE 
START NUMBER TWO, AND THAT WILL 
GET US ONTO OUR TRANSFER 
TRAJECTORY ORBIT OR TRANSFER 
TRAJECTORY TO GET US HEADED TO 
THE SUN.
>> AND IT'S A LOT OF POWER 
THATEEDED IN ORDER TO GET 
THIS THING GOING BECAUSE SHE'S 
GOING OFF INTO THE DEEPER PART 
OF SPACE, HEADED TO THE SUN.
WE'RE GETTING A REPORT OF GOOD 
PERFORMANCE, SO FAR, AND THAT'S 
GOOD NEWS.
THE TEAM HERE, MICK TALKED ABOUT
THE REACTION OF THE LAUNCH TEAM.
WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF A 
CELEBRATION BEHIND US. 
>> YEAH.
THE TEAM DOESN'T GET TOO EXCITED
AROUND HERE, BIS A MARK 
EVENT.
GETTING MAIN ENGINE START IS 
IMPORTANT, AS YOU MENTIONED, 
CENTAUR ON ITS WAY.
THE R.L.-10 ENGINE PERFORMING 
VERY WELL.
BUT THE TEAM IS CONTINUING TO 
LOOK AT THE DATA, FOLLOWING THE 
CENT IN FLIGHT ON REAL-TIME 
DATA.
THE BOOSTER TEAM IS LOOKING AT 
AFTER FIRST STAGE DATA TO MAKE 
SURE EVERYTHING WENT WELL.
THINGS ARE PERFORMING VERY WELL 
FOR THIS FLIGHT FOR SOLAR 
ORBITER ON ITS WAY. 
>> THAT'S GOOD NEWS, CERTAINLY 
FOR OUR EUROPEAN PARTNERS, WHO 
ARE COLLABORATING IN THIS 
EFFORT.
THE SOLAR ORBITER PLANS TO 
UNLOCK QUITE A FEW MYSTERIES OF 
THE SUN, AS WE HAVE LEARNED IN 
THE WEEKS ROLLING UP TO THIS.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TIME AND 
EFFORT THAT THE TEAMS HAVE PUT 
INTO BUILDING THIS SPACECRAFT 
AND OF COURSE PREPARING FOR 
LAUNCH.
MANY YEARS IN THE MAKING.
AS WE LISTEN IN NOW, WE ARE 
GETTING A LITTLE MORE OF AN 
UPDATE.
SO FAR, CONTINUES TO HAVE GOOD 
FLIGHT.
TH ORBIT, YOU WERE TALKING A 
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS TRANSFER 
ORBIT.
IT'S USING A PLANETARY ASSIST TO
GET TO ITS LOCATION ULTIMATELY, 
RIGHT?
>> ULTIMATELY.
ONCE WE GET INTO OUR ORBIT AND 
SOLAR ORBITER IS ON ITS WAY TO 
THE SUN, EVENTUALLY, THEY'LL USE
THE ASSIST OF VENUS TO MAINTAIN 
THE TRAORY AND KEEP GOING.
AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, 
CENTAUR PERFORMING VERY WELL ON 
THE FIRST BURN, AND THE TEAMS 
ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT DATA 
AND HOW IT'S PERFORMING.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE 
AT THIS POINT IN THE FLIGHT, BUT
AS YOU SAID, IMPORTANTO OUR 
ESA FRIENDS AND SOLAR ORBITER 
AND NASA.
WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO 
BEFORE PAY LOAD SEPARATION.
MISSION IS GOING WELL SO FAR, 
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW 
THIS AND SEE HOW CENTAUR 
PERFORMS TO GET OUR PAY LOAD 
DEPLOYED SUCCESSFULLY. 
>> THIS IS A VERY TENSE TIME, 
BUT NO NEED TO WORRY BECAUSE AT 
THIS POINT, CENTAUR HAS TAKEN 
HER TO THE SPOT THAT SHE NEEDS 
TO GO.
E CENTAUR, WE WERE TALKING 
ABOUT IT EARLIER.
IT'S THE LAST OF ITS KIND THAT 
IS IN FLIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S 
GETTING SOME UPGRADES.
IT'S PERFORMING GREAT, BUT WHAT 
KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS IS IT 
GETTING?
>> YEAH.
I WOULD SAY NOT CENTAUR MAINLY, 
BUT THE R.L.-10, THE ENGINE.
IT'S THE LAST SINGLE VERSION OF 
R.L.-10 THAT WE'LL FLY.
ALL VEHICLES FROM THIS POINT OUT
WILL FLY R.L.C.
HOWEVER, R.L.-10 WILL BE USED 
FOR HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT TO GET 
ASTRONAUTS BACK TO THE MOON AND 
THEN ONTO MARS.
SO R.L.-10-4-A WILL STILL BE 
USED, BUT IN A SINGLE 
CONFIGURATION.
>> AND THAT DUAL ENGINE HAS TO 
PROVIDE A LOT OF POWER WHEN IT 
COMES TO, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE 
ASTRONAUTS, WHO ARE GOING TO BE 
GOING BACK UP THE 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FROM
AMERICAN SOIL ONCE BOEING GETS 
THE GO-AHEAD TO FLY THAT DUAL 
ENGINE.
THAT POWER IS NEEDED BECAUSE 
IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT HEAVIER. 
>> A LOT HEAVIER AND MORE POWER 
AND ENERGY FROM THE CENTAUR.
WE ALSO HAVE THAT YOU KNOW, 
DUAL-ENGINE SET UP FOR 
REDUNDANCY AND CONTROLLABILITY 
THERE. 
>> WE'RE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE 
IN JUST A MOMENT FROM U.L.A. 
SCOTT MESSER.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT A GRAPHICAL 
REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE'RE 
EXPECTING THE FLIGHT TO LOOK 
LIKE, AND EVERYTHING IS LOOKING 
GOOD AT THIS POINT. 
>> AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE JUST 
HEARD, WE'VE GOT MAIN ENGINE 
CUTOFF, SO CENTAUR HAS SHUTDOWN 
ITS ENGINE FOR THE FIRST FIRING.
THINGS LOOK GOOD.
BODY RATES HAVE DAMPED OUT, AND 
EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD FOR THIS 
MISSION SO FAR.
AS WE GET READY TO GO, CENTAUR 
WILL CONTINUE BY ROLLING AND 
TURNING TO THETION IT NEEDS
TO GET READY FOR STAGE TWO, THE 
TRANSFER OR ORBIT TRAJECTORY 
THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
THIS FLIGHT PERIOD THAT WE'LL BE
IN WILL BE ABOUT 30 MTES TO 
GET INTO POSITION BEFORE WE HAVE
TO FIRE UP THE CENTAUR ENGINE 
AGAIN.
THAT'LL BE ABOUT 38, 39 MINUTES 
INTO THE MISSION THAT WE WILL DO
THAT, AND IT WILL FIRE FOR 
ROUGHLY SIX MINUTES TO GE 
THAT TRANSFER ORBIT.
CENTAUR PERFORMING VERY WELL.
ATLAS, CENTAUR, AND SOLAR 
ORBITER ARE ON ITS WAY. 
>> THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD 
DESCRIBE AS A BIT OF A COAST 
PHASE. 
>> COAST PHASE RUNNING VERY 
WELL, AND DOING SOME MANEUVERS 
HIS COAST PHASE. 
>> AND SO WHILE WE MONITORING 
COASTING OF THE CENTAUR STAGE, 
WE WILL ALSO BE MONITORING THE 
LAUNCH TEAMS TO LET YOU KNOW 
WHEN THEY FIRE THOSE ENGINES 
BACK UP.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE GOING TO
SEND IT BACK TO JOSHUA, W 
JOINED BY SCOTT MESSER. 
>> HEY, A LOT MORE AHEAD, BUT WE
APPRECIATE YOU WALKING US 
THROUGH THOSE FIRST DYNAMIC 
MINUTES OF FLIGHT.
I'M HERE WITH SCOTT MESSER, THE 
DIRECTOR OF FLIGHT MISSIONS.
SO THE BOOSTER HAS FIRED, THE 
ROCKET IS ON HER WAY.
WHAT'S IT LIKE?
>> ONE OF THE QUIETEST COUNT 
DOWNS I'VE EVER BEEN THROUGH. 
>> INDEED. 
>> EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD SO FAR.
ALL THE DATA THAT WE'RE GETTING 
BACK IS LOOKING REALLY POSITIVE.
>> WE'VE STOLEN YOU AWAY AND THE
JOB IS STILL HAPPENING, BUT HOW 
ARE YOUING?
>> BEGINNING OF THE WINDOW, AND 
EVERYTHING LOOKING GREAT.
I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED AND 
THRILLED TO BE MEETING CUSTOMER 
REQUIREMENTS. 
>> YEAH.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE NAME OF THE 
GAME, RIGHT?
>> IT CERTAINLY IS. 
>> SO WHAT'S LEFT AHEAD FOR US?
THE U.L.A. PORTION OF THE DAY IS
NOT DONE YET.
SO WHAT'S STILL TO COME?
>> WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A 
30-MINUTE COAST.
THE SECOND STAGE WILL START 
AGAIN, SHORT, TWO-COAST, AND 
THEN SEPARATION AT ABOUT 11:55. 
>> 11:55, IS THAT A TYPICAL 
TIMELINE?
BECAUSE IN TYPICAL FLIGHTS, THE 
BOOSTER IS ONLY USED FOR TEN OR 
15 MINUTES OR  BUT THIS 
FLIGHT, THE BOOSTER IS USED FOR 
AN HOUR.
IS THAT TYPICAL?
>> YEAH.
I THINK BOOSTERS ARE USED FOR 
ABOUT AN HOUR, SO IN MOST NASA 
MISSIONS, THAT'S ON AVERAGE. 
>> OKAY.
WE WANT EVERYTHING TO LOOK 
GREAT, BUT LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT'S
THE FUTURE FOR U.L.A.?
>> WELL, THIS IS THE FIRST 
MISSION OF THE YEAR FOR U.L.A.
137th SUCCESSFUL MISSION SO FAR,
SO WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OTHER 
MISSIONS FOR NASA C DOWN 
THE LINE.
WE'VE GOT A MARS MISSION IN JULY
OF THIS YEAR. 
>> MARS 2020. 
>> YEAH, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A 
BIG YEAR FOR U.L.A. 
>> AWESOME.
AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN JUST A TEEN
BIT MORE OF YOUR ROLE?
IS THAT -- YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF
NASA MISSIONS.
IS THAT TRUE?
>> THAT'S TRUE.
I WORK WITH ALL THE NASA SCIENCE
MISSIONS, SO SOLAR ORBITER, MARS
2020 COMING UP HERE, AND IT'S 
OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL 
THE SPACECRAFT REQUINTS ARE 
MET.
WE INTEGRATE WITH THE SPACECRAFT
CLOSELY FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND 
MAKE SURE THAT THE ROCKET 
PROVIDES ALL THE NECESSARY 
REQUIREMENTS THE SPACECRAFT ASKS
FOR. 
>> GREAT.
WELL SCOTT, WE APPRECIATE YOU, 
APPRECIATE UNITED LAUNCH 
ALLIANCE AND EVERYTHING TO 
UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF THE SUN 
AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG 
WITH THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU GET BACK 
TO MONITORING THE REST OF THE 
FLIGHT, AND I'M GOING TO SEND 
YOU BACK OUT TO BLAIR WITH 
SPECIAL GUESTS WITH HIM. 
>> YEAH.
I'M HERE WITH HOLLY MUELLER AND 
DANIEL GILBERT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE 
LAUNCH, HOLLY?
>> WOW, FLOORED.
I GOT TO SHARE IT WITH MY 
HUSBAND AND DAUGHTERS AND WITH 
MY PARTNER IN CRIME. 
>> NOT CRIME, BUT ON THE GOOD 
SCIENCE.
GOOD SCIENCE. 
>> RIGHT. 
>> AND DANIEL, WHAT ABOUT YOU?
>> IT'S PICTURE PERFECT, AND 
SUDDENLY, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE 
CONNECTED THE ENTIRE SOLAR 
SYSTEM.
YOU'RE CONNECTED TO SOMETHING 
THAT WILL BE CLOSE TO THE SUN 
AND OUT IN SPACE. 
>> YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WERE 
STARVING SCIENTISTS, JUST 
GETTING OUT OF SCHOOL, DID YOU 
EVER THINK YOU WOULD BE HERE AT 
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, NOT JUST 
WATCHING A ROCKET LAUNCH, BUT 
HEARING A MISSION AND SPACECRAFT
THAT'S SO NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR 
HEART?
HOLLY, HOW ABOUT YOU?
>> I COULD NOT HAVE EVEN 
IMAGINED THIS.
EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN IN SOLAR 
PHYSICS TO THIS, I NEVERHOUGHT
I WOULD WITNESS SOMETHING COME 
TO FRUITION LIKE THIS AND 
ACTUALLY LAUNCH.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. 
>> DANIEL?
>> SAME THING FOR ME.
I MET HOLLY ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO 
AT A Ph.D. SCHOOL, AND I 
IMMEDIATELY KNEWHIS LADY WOULD
GO VERY FAR.
I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED TO GO 
ALONG WITH HER AT THIS POINT, 
AND SO NOW, AFTER MANY YEARS OF 
HARD WORK AND SET BACKS, WE'VE 
NOW REALLY MADE IT ON OUR 
JOURNEY, AND THAT'S A BIG THING 
FOR ME. 
>> THAT'S GREAT, TOO, 
BECAUSE THIS WHOLE WEEK, LEADING
UP TO THE LAUNCH AND ALL THE 
STUFF WE'VE DONE LEADING UP TO 
THE LAUNCH IN TERMS OF PREPARING
FOR THE SHOW, WE'VE BEEN HEARING
THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP 
AND OUR FRIENDS AT ESA, AND 
SEEING YOU GUYS HERE.
TA LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE 
RELATIONSHIP AND WORKING 
TOGETHER ON THE MISSION. 
>> YEAH.
IT'S FANTASTIC.
I COULDN'T ASK FOR A BETTER 
PROJECT SCIENTIST TEAM.
IT'S A CHALLENGING TEAM HAVING 
AN INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, SO
WE -- ESPECIALLY DANIEL HAS HAD 
TO WORK HARD AT MAKING THAT ALL 
WORK.
TEN STUMT TEAMS, IT'S JUST AN 
AMAZING PARTNERSHIP. 
>> AND I WAS LUCKY THAT I HAD 
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE 
SOHOMISSION BEFORE, SO I COULD 
REALLY FORM PERSONAL BONDS WITH 
PEOPLE THAT I STILL WORK WITH 
TODAY. 
>> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
BECAUSE AS AN OBSERVER TO 
THIS -- I'M ON THE LIBERAL ARTS 
SIDE, IT'SRESSIVE TOEE 
THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE 
SEPARATED BY MILES AND MILES OR 
KILOMETERS IN SOME CASES, IN THE
SCIENCE COMMUNITY, THE 
BOUNDARIES SORT OF DISAPPEAR, 
YOU HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVES AND
IT'S GOT TO BE A REALLY GREAT 
FEELING TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN 
TRUST AND WORK WITH PEOPLE OF 
DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS TO GET 
SUCH IMPORTANT DATA. 
>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
WE HAVE ONE COMMON GOAL AND THAT
IS TO GET THE GOOD SCIENCE OUT 
OF THIS MISSION, AND I THINK 
WE'RE GOING TO SUCCEED. 
>> YEAH, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
I TRY TO POINT OUT TO STUDENTS 
AND YOUNGER CHILDREN.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU'RE 
FROM, PARTICULARLY IF YOU HAVE A
GOOD COLLABORATION OF COUNTRIES 
ON THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL, IT 
DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU COME 
FROM. 
>> OH, THAT'S GREAT.
THANKS, GUYS.
CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE, AND WE'LL
GO BACK TO JOSHUA ON THE ASOT. 
>> WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SEND 
YOU BACK OUT NOW TO A, W 
HAS CAUGHT UP WITH ANOTHER ONE 
OF THOSE SPECIAL PEOPLE WORKING 
BEHIND THE SCENES FOR YEARS 
LEADING UP TO THESE MISSIONS.
LAURA, TAKE IT AWAY. 
>> THANK YOU, JOSHUA.
I'M JOINED BY ANA PACROS, AND 
SHE IS SOLAR ORBITER'S PAY LOAD 
MANAGER.
ANA, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT 
LAUNCH?
>> WELL, IT WAS A RANGE OF 
EMOTIONS.
I WAS A BIT ANXIOUS, YOU KNOW, 
TO SEE IS EVERYTHING GOING TO GO
WELL?
IS THE SIGNAL GOING TO BE 
ACQUIRED IN A FEW MOMENTS?
>> SO ANA, I KNOW YOU'RE AN 
ENGINEER, BUT TELL US A LITTLE 
BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THE PAY LOAD
MANAGER'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE. 
>> AS PAY LOAD MANAGER, I'M
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THE 
SPACECRAFT IS COMPLIANT FOR WHAT
THE INSTRUMENTS WANT TO DO, AND 
MAKING SURE THE INSTRUMENTS ARE 
READY TO BE INTEGRATED ON THE 
SPACECRAFT, AND ALSO CHASING 
THEM FOR A PERIOD OF ME.
IT WAS A BIG JOB FOR MY TEAM TO 
TAKE CARE OF THE TEN INSTRUMENTS
ON THIS MISSION.
IT'S LIKE TEN DIFFERENT 
CHILDREN, AND ALL OF THEM HAVE 
DIFFERENT NEEDS, SO SOMETIMES IT
WAS A BIT OF A PROMISE TO MAKE 
SURE THEY COULD ALL FIT ON BOARD
AND LIVE TOGETHER ON THIS 
MISSION.
THE POINT OF THE SOLAR ORBITER 
IS TO MAKE THE COMPROMISE 
BETWEEN SCIENCE AND REMOTE 
SENSING OBSERVATIONS, SO WE HAD 
TO MAKE THEM FIT TOGETHER TO 
TAKE THEIR MEASUREMENTS 
TOGETHER. 
>> SO THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY, SO 
WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?
>> SO WE ARE GOING TO ACQUIRE 
THE FIRST SIGNAL AND WE ARE 
GOING TO START DEPLOYING ALL OUR
ANTENNAS, THE BOOM, AND AFTER 
THAT, WE HAVE TO CHECK TO MAKE 
SURE ALL THE INSTRUMENTS ARE 
WORKING AS EXPECTED.
THIS IS CALLED THE COMMISSIONING
PHASE, AND IT LASTS ABOUT THREE 
MONTHS.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE FIRST 
MEASUREMENTS ALREADY TO MAKE 
SURE THAT HING IS WORKING 
FINE.
BUT IN JUNE, WE DECLARE IT A 
MISSION, AND EVERYTHING CAN GO 
UNDERWAY WITH THE CRUISE PHASE 
AND THE SCIENCE PHASE. 
>> ALL RIGHT.
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO 
DO, BUT JOSHUA, YOU CAN SEE 
AFTER A LOT OF YEARS OF HARD 
WORK, YOU CELEBRATE BY COMING 
ALL THE TO FLORIDA, TO 
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, TO WATCH A
ROCKET LAUNCH. 
>> WE APPRECIATE THAT ENERGY AND
ENTHUSIASM AND EXCITEMENT FROM 
PEOPLE LIKE ANA JUST BECAUSE 
THAT HELPS US BE ALL THE MORE 
EXCITED TO SEE THEM SUCCEED AND 
PEOPLE LIKE THEM SUCCEED IN THIS
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION.
AND WE'RE GOING TO SEND IT BACK 
TO DARRELL AND MICK FOR MORE. 
>> WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE WAYS 
TO GO TO GET SEPARATION, BUT SO 
FAR, IT'S BEEN A GREAT LAUNCH.
VERY QUIET AND VERY EXCITED FOR 
THIS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT'S BEEN 
VERY NOMINAL. 
>> IT ALL STARTED AT 11:03 
EASTERN, 00, RIGHT ON TIME. 
>> I DON'T HAVE A CONVERSION FOR
THAT. 
>> YOU LET ME DOWN.
WHAT HAPPENED?
>> NO, IT WAS RIGHT DOWN AT 
11:03 LIFTOFF.
THE NASA AND ESA T DID A 
WONDERFUL JOB OF GETTING THIS 
LIFTED OFF TODAY. 
>> TRUST ME, THE SPACECRAFT TEAM
AT THIS POINT IS STILL VERY 
MUCH, VERY FOCUSED ON THE 
TELEMETRY THAT'S COMING IN FROM 
THE SPACECRAFT. 
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
TH LOOKING THAT.
THE U.L.A. AND NASA SPACE TEAMS 
ARE LOOKING AT THE TELEMETRY AND
MAKING SURE THINGS ARE READY TO 
GO.
ALL SYSTEMS ARE LOOKING NOMINAL 
WITH THE R.C.S. THRUSTERS AND 
THE PROPELLANT SETTLING BACK 
INTO THE TANKS TO GET US BACK 
ONTO THE TRANSFER TRAJECTORY. 
>> TALK US THROUGH THE NEXT 
STEPS THAT ARE COMING.
WE'VE GOT KIND OF A LITTLE BIT 
OF TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE CENTAUR SECOND MAIN ENGINE 
WILL START AND FIRE FOR A PERIOD
OF TIME.
TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN 
IT'S LIT AND THEN CUTOFF AGAIN. 
>> CENTAUR IS IN ITS COAST PHASE
AND SEMI CIRCULAR ORBIT, THE 
PARKING ORBIT TO GET US STARTED.
VEHICLE IS PERFORMING A FEW 
MANEUVERS, MAKING SURE THAT THE 
LIQUID HYDROGEN IS SETTLED BACK 
IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK FOR 
ANR START.
THAT'S ONE THING ABOUT THE 
R.L.-10, IS YOU CAN DO MULTIPLE 
STARTS.
IN THIS NEXT START, THEY WILL 
FIRE THE ENGINES FOR SEVEN 
MINUTES TO GETS INTO THAT 
TRANSFER ORBIT TO HEAD ON 
TOWARDS THE SUN AND START ITS 
SCIENCE MISSION.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ORBIT TO
MAKE SURE WE GET ON TOWARDS THE 
SUN. 
>> WE CAN SEE IN THIS ANIMATION 
THAT THERE'S SETTLE LITTLE 
FIRINGS THERE. 
>> YEAH.
THAT'S THE R.C.S. THRUSTERS 
SETTLING THE VEHICLE AND GETTING
READY FOR THAT MAIN ENGINE 
START, TOO. 
>> WE'LL SEND IT BACK TO AS 
JOSHUA, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO 
MONITOR BETWEEN THE LAUNCH TEAMS
AND CENTRAL ROCKET IN COAST 
PHASE. 
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GUYS.
WE ARE EXCITED.
AND AS SOLAR ORBITER CONTINUES 
PRESSING ONTO SEPARATION, LET'S 
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S AHEAD FOR 
THIS MITOEXPLORER.
-- MIGHTY EXPLORER.
 
AN CIRCLING THE SUN, AND SO WE 
ALREADY HAVE SOME VELOCITY ONE 
WAY.
IF WE WANT TO MOVE OUTSIDE THE 
ECLIPTIC, WE HAVE TO MOVE 
OUTSIDE THE PLANE.
FLY OVER THE POLES WAS ULYSSES, 
BUT SOLAR ORBITER WILL BE THE 
FIRST TO CAPTURE PHOHS OF 
THIS PORTION.
EVERY 11 YEARS, THE SUN'S 
MAGNETIC FIELD FLIPS.
NORTH BECOMES SOUTH, AND VICE 
VERSA.
THIS HAS DIRECT EFFECTS ON 
EARTH.
BEFORE THE POLES FLIP, SOLAR 
ACTIVITY REACHES ITS PEAK. 
>> WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD 
UNDERSTANDING OF THE GLOBAL 
SOLAR BEHAVIOR. 
>> ANOTHER ONE OF THE MISSION'S 
GOALS IS TO MONITOR HOW THESE HE
 -- ERUPTIONS AND SOLAR 
EXPLOSIONS AFFECT SPACE. 
>> SOLAR ORBILL GIVE US A 
COMPREHENSIVE FULL VIEW OF THE 
ENTIRE SUN AND HOW THE SUN IS 
IMPACTING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE 
SOLAR SYSTEM. 
>> SOLAR ORBITER WILL BE CLOSER 
TO THE SUN THAN MERCURY, A 
MERE DISTANCE 26 MILLION 
MILES AWAY, THE IDEAL DISTANCE 
TO GET A GREAT LOOK AT THE SUN 
AND PHOTOGRAPH ITS SURFACE.
A LARGE TITANIUM SHIELD PROTECTS
THE INSTRUMENTS.
OTHER INSTRUMENTS WILL DIRECTLY 
MEASURE SOLAR MATERIAL FROM 
BEHIND THE SHADOW OF THE SHIELD.
ALL OF THESE OBSERVATIONS WILL 
WE'VE EVER KNOWN BEFORE, AND BY 
THE END OF THE SEVEN-YEAR 
MISSION, WE WILL HAVE SEEN OUR 
STAR IN A COMPLETELY NEW WAY. 
>> OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUN 
WILL CHANGE DRAMATICALLY.
I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE LIVING IN
A REVOLUTION MOMENT IN OUR 
FIELD.
>> SO WE'LL GETACK TO SOLAR 
ORBITER IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT 
RIGHT NOW I'M JOINED BY KENNEDY 
SPACE CENTER DIRECTOR, SECOND 
LONGEST RUNNING CENTER DIRECTOR 
NOW, COMING UP ON THE FIRST IN 
NOT T LONG, BOB CABANA.
SO I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE TO SEE 
THE BIG PICTURE AND TALK ABOUT 
THE BIG PICTURE WHEN IT COMES TO
THE WORK THAT NASA AND KENNEDY 
SPACE CENTERS DOING.
HOW IS THIS A PART OF OUR 
UNIVERSE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO SOLAR ORBITER IS ON ITS WAY 
TO STUDY THE SUN, RIGHT?
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE 
HAVE IS SENDING ASTRONAUTS 
BEYOND OUR HOME PLANET.
SO WITH ARTEMIS, WE'RE GOING 
BACK TO THE MOON, AND THE 
ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GO ONTO 
MARS, RIGHT?
AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE 
SUN AND ENVIRONMENT BEYOND OUR 
HOME PLANET IN ORDER TO PROTECT 
ASTRONAUTS FROM THAT 
ULTRAVIOLENT RADIATION, FROM ALL
THAT'S GOING ON IN SPAC
I T THIS IS GREAT.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A COMBINATION OF
SCIENCE AND OUR EXPLORATION 
PROGRAMS WORKING TOGETHER SO WE 
UNDERSTAND.
RIGHT NOW AT KENNEDY, I'M 
FOCUSED ON TWO THINGS.
FIRST OFF, I WANT TO SEE 
COMMERCIAL CREW FLIGHTS.
I WANT TO SEE U.S. PEOPLE WITH 
U.S. PARTNERS IN A FLIGHT 
PROGRAM.
AND THEN, THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM.
KENNEDY IS GOING TO BE READY HE.
THE CORE PHASE IS AT STENNIS 
RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE GOING TO REALLY DOCUMENT
THE ROCKET BEFORE THEY SHIP IT 
TO US FOR PROCESSING HERE.
THE ORION SPACECRAFT, THE 
LOCKHEED MARTIN SPACECRAFT, IT 
UP IN OHIO, AND IT'S GOING TO BE
BACK HERE AROUND APRIL TIME 
FRAME, AND THEN IT'LL BE READY 
FOR PROCESSING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET A 
SPACECRAFTRE, AND THEN, THE 
CORE STAGE.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOLID ROCKET 
MOTOR SEGMENTS ARRIVING, AND 
WE'RE GOING TO SEND ORION ON A 
TEST WITHOUT A CREW IN AND 
AROUND THE MOON -- THEY'RE NOT 
GOING TO LAND.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE WITHOUT 
CREW.
WE'RE GOING TO REDOCUMENT THE 
SPACECRAFT, HOW IT OPERATES, AND
MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE SO THAT WE 
CAN RELAUNCH ASTRONAUTS TO THE 
MOON, AND THE FIRST MAN AND THE 
WOMAN BACK ON THE MOON BY 2024.
WE'VE BEEN GIVEN BY THE  
PRESIDENT, WE ARE GOING TO DO 
OUR BEST TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
>> AND A NICE LITTLE BUMP UP IN 
THE BUDGET BY THE PRESIDENT.
SUPER HELPFUL. 
>> I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
WE'VE GOT THE MONEY, NOW WE NEED
TO GO DO IT. 
>> AND SOLAR ORBITER, AGAIN, 
GIVING US THAT UNDERSTANDING OF 
THE WORLD BEYOND THE VAN ALLEN 
BELT.
ANYTHING ELSE COMING UP?
MARS 2020. 
>> MARS 2020 SHIPS TO US FROM 
IT WAS NG.
I GOT TO SEE IT WHEN IT WAS IN 
THE pH S. AND EVERYTHING, AND 
THEN, I WENT TO J.P.L. WHEN IT 
LANDED.
IT'S ANOTHER ROVER THE SAME SIZE
AS CURIOSITY THAT WE'RE PUTTING 
DOWN ON THE SURFACE OF MARS.
I THOUGHT IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
IT IS ALL DELAYED, ALL AUTO 
MATED -- THEY'RE SEEING IT EIGHT
MINUTES AFTER IT HAPPENED.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING 
THINGS I'VE EVER DONE.
IT WAS SO COOL, GETTING THE 
REPORTS BACK AND WATCHING IT, 
AND THEN, TO SEE THAT ROVER ON 
MARS. 
>> WE'VE GOT SOME AMAZING DATA 
BACK. 
>> ROVERS, THEY'RE THE 
PRECURSORS TO SENDING HUMANS, 
BUT THAT'S THE GOAL.
IN THE 2030s, HAVING HUMANS ON 
THE SURFACE OF MARS.
I WAIT FOR THAT
>> OBVIOUSLY, THIS ROVER IS THE 
SAME SIZE, BUT NOT PLANNED 
INSTRUMENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE A HELICOPTER ON 
BOARD, SUPER EXCITING. 
>> I'M GOING TO LET YOU GET BACK
TO WORK.
LET'S GET BACK TO BLAIR.
>> YEAH, I LOVE THOSE GUYS OUT 
THERE.
>> SAY HI. 
>> HEY, BLAIR. 
>> WITH BOB, YOU GET SEVEN 
MINUTES OF PURE, UNADULTERATED 
ENTHUSIASM.
BUT WE'RE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT 
SOLAR ORBITER, AND BEFORE THE 
LAUNCH, I HAD A CHANCE TO SIT 
DOWN WITH CESAR GARCIA, THE 
PROJECT MANAGER FOR SOLAR 
ORBITER.
CESAR, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING 
HERE. 
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>> TELL US ABOUT THE MISSION OF 
SOLAR ORBITER?
>> SOLAR ORBITER, AS THE 
SHOWS, IT WILL BE A MISSION THAT
WE ORBIT AROUND THE SUN IN WAYS 
WHICH WE HAVE NOT DONE BEFORE.
WE WILL BE DIFFERENT IN THAT WE 
WILL BE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE 
SUN, AND WE WILL CHANGE THE 
ORBITAL S, ANDE CAN 
INSPECT THE SURFACE OF THE SUN, 
AND THE HELIO SPHERE, AND 
FINALLY, THEY WILL INVESTIGATE 
THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE THIS 
11-YEAR CYCLE AND WHAT DRIVES
SOLAR ABILITY.
>> SOME OF THE ORBITS ARE GOING 
TO BE CAPTURING IMAGES.
WHAT ARE THOSE IMAGES GOING TO 
BE LIKE?
>> THEY DON'TKE WHAT WE CALL 
WIDE FLIGHT PICTURES.
WE TRY TO TAKE THEM IN A SMALL 
FREQUENCY BAND, AND THEN WE 
COMBINE THEM TO PROVIDE WIDE 
BAND ES.
WE TAKEICTURES IN THE 
ULTRAVIOLENT SPECTRUM AND ALSO 
TO THE X-RAYS, SO THE VARIOUS 
INSTRUMENTS WILL DETECT THESE 
IMAGES IN VARIOUS WAYS, AND THEY
COMBINE VARIOUS PICTURES LINE 
THE ONES WE HAVE -- LIKE THE 
ONES HAVE I THE BACKGROUND 
HERE.
THE SECOND THING IS THE VARIOUS 
INSTRUMENTS, THEY HAVE VARIOUS 
ANGLES OF VIEW, AND THEY WILL B
ABLE TO LOOK AT VARIOUS VIEWS OF
THE SUN.
WHEN ONE INSTRUMENT DID HE 
HE  -- 
DETECTS AN ANGLE OFINTEREST,T
WILL SEND A SIGNAL TO OTHER 
INSTRUMENTS TO CAPTURE MORE OF 
IT.
IF IT CHANGES TO SOLAR MATERIAL 
OR SOLAR PARTICLES, THEN, THE 
ABLE TO SENSE THAT PARTICULAR N 
FEATURE.
SO THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON THE 
SURFACE OF THE SUN AND THEN 
LATER AT THE LOCATION OF THE 
SPACECRAFT IS ONE OF THE UNIQUE 
FEATURES OF SOLAR ORBITER. 
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF IMPORTANT 
FEATURES ON THE SPACECRAFT.
IF THE SCIENTISTS SEE SOMETHING 
UNIQUE DURING AN OBSERVATION, DO
THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO READAPT
AND ORIENT AND TAKE A LOOK AT 
THAT EVENT?
>> YEAH.
THEY WANT TO TAKE THE 
OPPORTUNITIES OF COURSE, AND 
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS OF DOING 
THAT.
ONE OF THOSE WAYS IS WITH A 
SHORT-TERM PLAN AS OPPOSED TO A 
LONG-TERM PLAN.
LONG-TERM PLAN IS THEY PLAN 
EVERY OPERATION SIX MONTHS IN 
ADVANCE.
HOWEVER, EVERY 24 HOURS IF THEY 
SEE A UNIQUE FEATURE OR 
DIFFERENT SIGNAL OR FEATURE 
COMING FROM THE GROUND, THEN, 
THEY CAN ADJUST WHAT THE 
INSTRUMENTS WILL BE DOING ON THE
NEXT OBSERVATION DAY. 
>> WELL, IT MUST FEEL VERY GOOD 
NOW BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS HERE 
ON THE SPACECRAFT, AND GOING TO 
BE READY TO GO AND GOING TO BE A
GOOD SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. 
>> I THINK SO.
I THINK OVERALL, WHEN YOU 
DEVELOP A SPACE MISSION, THERE 
ARE ALWAYS MANY CHALLENGES.
THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT YOU DON'T
REALLY KNOW THERE IS A TECHNICAL
SOLUTION FOR THE MOMENTS YOU'RE 
FACING.
WORK.KES TIME, EFFORT, TEAM 
ANOW ONCE YOU MOVE TO THE 
LAUNCH STAGE, IT'S LIKE AN ARMY.
DIFFERENT ARMYS, SOMETIMES 
PEOPLE YOU NEVER MET, BUT YOU 
WORKED ON THE SAME PROJECT  
S.
I THINK IT'S A REAL SENSE OF 
ACCOMPLISHMENT, YEAH.
>> WELL, AND HERE WE HAVE IT, A 
SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH, AND THAT TEAM
THAT CESAR MENTIONED IS VERY 
PROUD AND EXCITED AT THIS TIME.
AND WE JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE
THEMAND BACK TO  JOSHUA.
TAKE IT AWAY. 
>> HEY THANKS, BLAIR.
YEAH, OBVIOUSLY, THAT 
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION IS A
THEME RUNNING THROUGHOUT THIS 
PROGRAM AND THIS MISSION.
WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE THEM ON 
BOARD.
WE DID WANT TO CYCLE BACK AND 
ANNOUNCE THAT THERE WAS A 
NORTHRUP-GRUMMAN LAUNCH THAT WAS
SCHEDULED, AND IT WAS SCRAPPED 
BECAUSE OF SOME UNUSUAL 
READINGS.
THE ROCKET AND SPACECRAFT REMAIN
HEALTHY.
A LAUNCH ON THURSDAY WOULD 
RESULT IN A CAPTURE OF CYGNUS ON
FEBRUARY 15.
WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU BACK 
OVER NOW TO MICK AND DARRELL 
WHO'S GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH 
SPACECRAFT SEPARATION.
THAT'S NOT QUITE THE END OF THE 
MISSION TODAY, BUT ANOTHER HUGE 
MILESTONE.
>> THANKS, JOSHUA.
IT'S A BIG MOMENT THAT EVERYBODY
IS ANTICIPATING AT THIS PORTION 
OF THE MISSION.
>> AND I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S 
EXCITING EVERY TIME WE LAUNCH.
THE NEXT MISSION IS THE MOST 
IMPORTANT, AND TONIGHT, IT WAS 
GREAT TO SEE SOLAR ORBITER GET 
OFF THE GROUND, AND WE STILL 
HAVE SOME THINGS TO DO TO MAKE 
SURE IT'S MISSION SUCCESS.
BUT WE'RE MOVING ALONG, AND 
SETTLING PROPONENTS, SO THINGS 
ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD. 
>> AND HE'S NOT JUST SAYING 
THAT, FOLKS.
I LITERALLY GOT TO WATCH HIM GET
A LITTLE GID -- GIDDY.
YOU CAN SEE IN THIS GRAPHICAL 
REPRESENTATION THAT THERE ARE 
THRUSTERS THAT ARE BEING FIRED 
FROM TIME TO TIME TO SETTLE THAT
FUEL INSIDE -- INSIDE OF THE 
CENTAUR, AND THAT WILL ALLOW IT 
TO RESTART.
IT'S RY ONE OF THE KEYS TO 
THIS VEHICLE.
AND THIS VEHICLE, IN FACT, IS 
PRETTY RELIABLE.
IT'S GOTTEN REALLY GOOD AT DOING
THIS.
IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE 
1960'S. 
>> YEAH.
CENTAUR WAS DESIGNED FOR 
MULTIPLE STARTS AND MISSIONS 
LIKE THIS, SO IT'S A VERY 
RELIABLE VEHICLE TO GET THAT 
WAY.
WE'RE SEEING THAT WE HAVE 
PRECHILL NOW ON THE ENGINE, SO 
THAT MEANS THAT THE ENGINE IS 
CHILLING DOWN AND GETTING READY 
FOR FUELS TO GET THROUGH AND 
START-UP IGNITION.
THE IGNITERS WOULD FIRE, AND WE 
WOULD GET MESS TWO.
WE SHOULD BE GETTING THAT CALL, 
FOR MAIN ENGINE START SHORTLY. 
>> WE JUST HEARD THAT WE HAVE 
FULL THRUST AND MAIN ENGINE HAS 
STARTED, AND BODY RATES LOOK 
GOOD FOR THIS SEVEN-MINUTE BURN 
OF THE CENTAUR ENGINE. 
>> THIS IS A KEY BURN, AS IT 
REFIRES THAT ENGINE AND STARTS 
TO GET INTO THAT TRANSFER ORBIT,
RIGHT?
IT'S PARTIALLY GONE AROUND THE 
EARTH, AND NOW IT NEEDS TO GET 
ONTO ITS DESTINATION. 
>> YEAH.
IT'S GOING TO FIRE AND GET US 
INTO THAT TRANSFER TRAJECTORY TO
GET SOLAR ORBITER ON ITS WAY TO 
THE SUN, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT
FOR US.
SO ONCE THIS BURN HAPPENS, WE 
GET THROUGH THIS SUCCESSFUL 
SEVEN-MINUTE BURN, WE'LL BE 
COMING UP ON SPACECRAFT 
SEPARATION, WHICH WILL BE 
ANOTHER MAJOR MILESTONE FOR US.
HOWEVER, WE WILL NOT BE 
CELEBRATING QUITE YET.
SOLAR ORBITER HAS TO GET MOVING 
ON ITS WAY, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE 
SURE WE ACQUIRE SIGNAL FROM THE 
SATELLITE, WHICH WILL HAPPEN 
MAJOR MILESTONE FOR THE E A 
SPACECRAFT CREW AND THE LAUNCH 
TEAM, BUT THIS MILESTONE OF MAIN
ENGINE START AND BURN -- SECOND 
BURN THAT WE REFER TO IS A MAJOR
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 
>> AND OF COURSE, THIS IS KIND 
OF THE SAFE PERIOD OF TH 
ENTIRE LAUNCH AND MISSION.
THE TOUGHEST PART IS GETTING IT 
OFF THE GROUND.
GO BACK TO 11:03 P.M. EASTERN 
TIME, WHEN IT LIFTED OFF.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS A -- THAT IS A
BIG MOMENT TO SEE THAT THING 
COMING OFF THE PAD, RIDING A 
CONTROLLED EXPLOSION INTO SPACE.
>> YEAH.
THEY MAKE IT LOOK EASY.
AS WE HEARD FROM SCOTT MESSER, 
THIS IS THE QUIETEST COUNT DOWN 
HE'S HEARD IN A ILE, AND 
THAT'S CREDIT TO THE 
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, NASA, 
ESA, U.L.A., ALL THE PARTNERS 
WORKING TO MAKE SURE THE CRAFT 
GOT OFF ON TIME.
THAT'S ALWAYS EXCITING TO ME TO 
WATCH THAT.
EVERY LAUNCH IS JUST AMAZING TO 
SEE THAT FIRE AND LIFTOFF. 
>> WE'VE BEEN FLYING FOR ABOUT 
45.5 MINUTES TO THIS POINT IN 
TIME, AND U.L.A. MANAGERS HAVE 
BEEN WORKING THIS LAUNCH FOR 
THAT ENTIRE TIME.
AND AS MICK SAID, THEY ARE 
CONTINUING TO BE VERY DILIGENT 
IN TRACKING THE TELEMETRY AND 
TRACKING THE FLIGHT OF THE 
CENTAUR, UPPER STAGE.
IT IS IN THE MIDST OF A 
SEVEN-MINUTE BURN.
A FEW MINUTES LEFT IN THAT ONE 
AS IT POSITIONS ITSELF TO GET 
INTO THAT PROPER ORBIT.
IT IS GOING TO USE A GRAVITY 
ASSIST EVENTUALLY, MUCH LATER 
DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THAT IS PART 
OF THE DEAL IN ORDER TO GET THIS
THINGSE TO THE SUN SO IT CAN
START GATHERING ITS DATA.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF INTERESTING 
INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD.
IN PARTICULAR, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I FIND -- ONE OF THE 
ASPECTS OF THE SPACECRAFT THAT I
FIND ISERESTING IS THE 
ABILITY TO OPEN UP LITTLE PORTS 
ON ITS HEAT SHIELD.
IT'S GOING TO GET SO CLOSE TO 
THE SUN, IT'S GOING TO POINT ITS
HEAT SHIELD TO THE SUN, BUT IT'S
GOING TO OPEN LITTLE PORTS IN 
THE SHIELD TO ALLOW ITS 
INSTRUMENTS TO COME THROUGH. 
>> YEAH.
THE HEAT SHIELD IS A SPECIFIC 
PART OF THIS SPACECRAFT THAT'S 
REQUIRED.
AS YOU SAID, IT GETS REALLY 
CLOSE TO THE SUN.
A COUPLE MILLION MILES, WHICH IS
REALLY CLOSE FOR A SPACECRAFT.
BUT THOSE APERTURES GET OPENED 
AT TIMES AND CLOSED TO HELP 
PROTECT THE INSTRUMENT.
THE SATELLITE RIDES AROUND THE 
SUN WITH THAT HEATHIELD 
POIN THE SUN AT ALL TIMES.
ANOTHER THING THAT I LIKED WAS 
THE SOLAR PANELS COME OUT.
THESE, BECAUSE WE'RE SO CLOSE TO
THE SUN, THEY -- THE TEAM 
ACTUALLY HAS TO TURN THESE SOLAR
PANELS ALMOST AT 78º TO KEEP 
THEM FROM GETTING TOO HOT, AND, 
YOU KNOW, COLLECTING.
BUT THEY HAVE -- AS IAN WALTERS 
FROM AIRBUS WHO DESIGNED THIS 
SPACECRAFT SAID, WE DO NOT HAVE 
A PROBLEM WITH POWER ON THE 
SOLAR PANEL, WE HAVE A PROBLEM 
WITH HEAT. 
>> HEAT. 
>> THAT'S WHAT I FOUND 
INTERESTING. 
>> JUST LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 
TWO MINUTES FROM THE UPPER STAGE
AS IT GETS READY TO TRANSFER 
INTO THE UPPER ORBIT AND LOOKING
FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE 
SPACECRAFT WHICH IS COMING UP A 
FEW MINUTES AFTER THAT, A SIGNAL
ACQUISITION.
IT TELLS THE PEOPLE I'M HERE AND
I'M HEADING IN THE RIGHT CTION. 
>> YEAH.
THE TEAM KNOWS THE SPACECRAFT IS
WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, AND 
THE CENTAUR HAS DELIVERED IT ON 
THE RIGHT ORBIT.
WE'VE HAD TWO BURNS.
THIS IS THE SECOND BURN, AND THE
SECOND BURN OF THE CENTAUR WILL 
PUT IT IN THAT TRANSFER 
TRAJECTORY.
SO ACQUISITION SIGNAL IS 
IMPORTANT.
WE'RE STILL GETTING THERE.
49 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT, AND 
CENTAUR PRESSURES ON THE ENGINE 
D.
R.C.S. THRUSTERS CONTINUE TO 
KEEP CENTAUR WHERE IT NEEDS TO 
BE. 
>> LITTLE LESS THAN A MINUTE 
UNTIL MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF.
YOU CAN SEE THAT CENTAUR 
CONTINUES TO FLY WITH SOLAR 
ORBITER AT THE VERY FRONT OF IT.
THAT R.L.-10 FIRING BEHIND IT AS
IT GOES.
AND JUST ABOUT 20 SECONDS UNTIL 
WE SEE THAT ENGINE CUTOFF AND GO
INTO THAT NEXT COAST PHASE, SO 
LET'S WATCH NOW AND LISTEN IN AS
THEYET CLOSE T THAT MOMENT.
THIS IS THE CENTAUR'S SECOND 
MAJOR CUTOFF. 
>> CENTAUR CONTINUES TO PERFORM 
NOMINALLY, AND STANDING BY HERE 
FOR MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF.
>> AND WE HAVE MECO. 
>> MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF.
THE SECOND BURN HAS PERFORMED, 
SO NOW, WE'RE ABOUT THREE 
S AWAY FROM SPACECRAFT 
SEPARATION, THE NEXT BIG 
MILESTONE.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THE LAUNCH 
TEAM IS VERY HAPPY WITH THE WAY 
THAT CENTAUR PERFORMED, AND 
LOOKING AT THE DATA, CENTAUR 
PERFORMED VERY WELL WITH THE 
SOLAR ORBITER, GETTING IT ONTO
TH TRAJECTORY. 
>> IF WE CAN TAKE A SHOT OF THE 
MISSION DIRECTOR CENTER HERE, WE
HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A 
CELEBRATION AFTER THE CUTOFF.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE SPACE 
TEAM THAT WAS CHEERING. 
>> I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A 
>> LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. 
>> BECAUSE CENTAUR PERFORMED 
VERY WELL, LOOKING AT THE DATA 
HERE. 
>> A LOT OF PRIDE, AND 
DESERVEDLY SO.
TALK ABOUT HOW WHAT THE CENTAUR 
IS DOING AS ITPARES FOR TSEPARA 
>> YEAH.
CENTAUR'S MANEUVERING INTO 
POSITION, GETTING READY TO 
SEPARATE SPACECRAFT ON THE 
TRAJECTORY THAT IT NEEDS TO HEAD
OFF INTO THIS TRANSFER 
TRAJECTORY, SO THE R.C.S. 
THRUSTERS ARE MOVING IT AROUND, 
AND IT'S MOVING SOLAR ORBITER 
ONTO ITS TRANSFER TRAJECTORY. 
>> AND YOU CAN SEE IN THAT 
REPRESENTATION HOW IT IS 
MANEUVERING TO GET INTO THAT 
POSITION, JUST A FEW SECONDS 
AWAY FROM THAT SEPARATION NOW.
IN FACT, JUST LESS THAN A 
MINUTE.
THE CENTAUR CONTINUES TO PERFORM
WELL, AND IT IS POSITIONING 
ITSELF AT THIS VERY MOMENT.
WHAT'S THE- MICK, WHAT'S THE 
ACTUAL MECHANICAL PROCEDURE THAT
TAKES PLACE IN ORDER FOR THIS 
SPACECRAFT TO SEPARATE FROM THE 
CENTAUR?
>> WELL, FIRST THING, AS WE 
SAID, MAIN ENGINE START, MAIN 
ENGINE CUTOFF ON THAT SECOND 
FIRE WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
THE R.C.S. CONTINUES TO FIRE TO 
SETTLE OUT THE BODY RATES AND 
THE CENTAUR TO GET IT INTO 
POSITION AND A STABLE MODE TO 
SEPARATE THIS SPACECRAFT.
SO IT KEEPS FIRING TO STABLIZE 
IT.
WE WANT TO NULL ALL THE BODY 
RATES OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE 
GEOOD BODY SEPARATION AND TIP
OFF. 
>> JUST A FEW SECONDS AWAY FROM 
SEPARATION.
YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE CELEBRATIONS
AT MISSION CONTROL AND AT 
VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND THE 
COUNTRY.
GOOD INDICATION OF SEPARATION.
THAT IS A HUGE MILESTONE FOR THE
SOLAR ORBITER TEAM.
DARRELL, AS YOU SEE IN THE ASOT 
THERE, THEY ARE CELEBRATING. 
>> AND THEY WERE CELEBRATING 
HERE IN THE MISSION DIRECTOR 
CENTER, AS WELL.
YOU CAN SEE SOME HUGS AND 
HANDSHAKES GOING AROUND.
THIS IS A BIG MISSION FOR 
U.L.A., ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE 
COLLABORON THAT TOOK PLACE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 22 
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT WERE 
INVOLVED IN THIS SPACECRAFT, THE
SOLAR ORBITER.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DECADE OR 
MORE IN THEPLANNING.
SO CINLY UNITED LAUNCH 
ALLIANCE HAS A LOT TO BE HAPPY 
ABOUT AS THEY CELEBRATE JUST A 
COUPLE OF MILES FROM US THERE.
FOLKS STANDING UP FROM THEIR 
CONSOLES, I BELIEVE THAT'S TIM 
DUNN IN THE CORNER THERE, NASA'S
LAUNCH DIRECTOR, GIVING SOME
GOOD HANDSHAKES ALL-AROUND FOR 
THEIR HARD WORK THIS EVENING, 
LATE IN THE EVENING. 
>> YEAH.
THE LAUNCH TEAM IS VERY HAPPY.
I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE DATA 
FOR CENTAUR, AND IT LOOKS LIKE 
CENTAUR PERFORMED VERY WELL, 
WELL WITHIN OUR PREFLIGHT 
PREDICTIONS TO GET SOLAR ORBITER
WHERE IT NEEDED TO BE.
AS YOU JUST SAW, A SUCCESSFUL 
SEPARATION.
NOW WE'RE JUST WAITING TO HEAR 
FROM OUR SPACECRAFT TEAM, 
HOPEFULLY TWO MINUTES FROM NOW 
THAT WE WILL GET ACQUISITION OF 
SIGNAL AND MAKE SURE THAT 
EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL WITH 
THE SOLAR ORBITER SPACECRAFT.
SO THE MISSION IS SUCCESSFUL SO 
FAR, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE 
BIT MORE TO GET THROUGH TO GET 
SOLAR ORBITER ON ITS WAY. 
>> LITTLE BIT MORE AFTER 
SEPARATION
WE KNOW THAT THE SPACECRAFT TEAM
IS BEHIND US HERE IN THE MISSION
DIRECTOR'S CENTER.
THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY CALM AND 
COLLECTED THROUGHOUT THEIR WORK,
AND YOU KNOW THAT. 
>> YEAH.
THE SPACECRAFT TEAM, AND YOU'RE 
GOING TO TALK TO THEM A LIT
BIT LATEROM THAT ASPECT.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THE DENVER OPS 
CENTER IN DENVER, COLORADO, AND 
THE U.L.A. TEAM IS STILL LOOKING
AT LAUNCH DATA.
AGAIN, A VERY EXCITING MOMENT.
I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE ARE 
HERE, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GET
ACQUISITION FOR THAT.
SO THINGS ARE GOING WELL WITH 
THE TEAMS AND AS WE PROCEED 
FORWARD.
SEPARATED AWAY, AND THERE'S A 
LITTLE BIT OF BUSINESS THAT 
ACTUALLY HAS TO DO AS IT LEAVES 
THE SPACECRAFT. 
>> YEAH.
NOW AS THE SPACECRAFT HAS LEFT, 
CENTAUR HAS TO PERFORM A COUPLE 
OF MANEUVERS TO GET OUT OF THE 
WAY AND MAKE SURE IT'S DONE WITH
ITS MISSION.
SO IT'S GOING TO FIRE ITS 
THRUSTERS A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO
MAKE SURE IT'S WELL AWAY FROM 
SOLAR ORBITER AS WE CONTINUE 
WITH THE MISSION AND WAIT FOR 
K
ACQUISITION OF SIGNAL.
AS YOU SEE THERE ON YOUR SCREEN,
THAT'S A PICTURE OF THE MISSION 
DIRECTOR CENTER AT ESA.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING AND 
HEARING THAT FROM THEM, AND HOW 
EXCITED THEY ARE TO MAKE SURE 
THAT SOLAR ORBITER ARE OUT 
THERE, DOING ITS THING. 
>> JUST A FEW MINUTES AWAY.
ONCE THE CONFIRMATION COMES IN 
THAT THE SPACECRAFT HAS INDEED 
SENT ITS SIGNAL AND THEY VERIFY 
THAT IT IS IN THE PLACEAT IT 
IS EXPECTED, YOU CAN PROBABLY 
EXPECT TO SEE A GREAT AMOUNT OF 
RELIEF AND CELEBRATION FROM THAT
FRONT ROW HERE AT THE MISSION 
CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION.E 
OF COURSE WE'RE IN THE BROADCAST
BOOTH IN THE UPPER RIGHT. 
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT DATA, TOO, 
AND WE'RE WAITING TO SEE THAT.
HOPEFULLY, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR 
THAT WE GET ACQUISITION FROM 
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WAIT AND HEAR 
THAT FROM THE -- FROM OUR ESA 
FRIENDS.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE ARE 
READY TO THROW IT BACK OVER TO 
JOSHUA IN THE ASOT WHO'S WITH MY
GOOD FRIEND AND WHO'S EXCITED 
ABOUT THIS LAUNCH, MY FAVORITE 
NASA LAUNCH MANAGER, MR. TIM 
DUNN. 
>> CAN'T DO MUCH BETTER 
INTRODUCTION THAN THAT.
TAKE IT AWAY, JOSH. 
>> IS HE SAYING THAT BECAUSE 
OMAR IS NOT HERE?
>> ONLY BECAUSE OMAR IS NOT 
HERE. 
>> YOU KNOW, MICK, OMAR IS IN 
THE NEXT ROOM. 
>> NASA LAUNCH MANAGER TIM DUNN 
IS HERE.
WE KEEP SAYING THIS, THAT WE'RE 
NOT DONE, BUT WE'RE CLOSE.
WE KEEP GETTING THERE. 
>> WE KEEP GETTING THERE. 
>> SO TELL US ABOUT THE FLIGHT.
HOW DID WE DO?
>> WE'RE DOING WELL SO FAR.
I'M A LITTLE TAMPED DOWN ON MY 
ENTHUSIASM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A 
FEW MORE THINGS TO GO ON THE 
SPACECRAFT, BUT OBVIOUSLY, 
EVERYTHING WENT WELL.
GORGEOUS WEAT RANGE 
LIMITATION.
THE U.L.A. TEAM, I CAN'T SAY 
ENOUGH ABOUT THE U.L.A. TEAM, 
HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO PROCESS AND 
PREPARE THIS ROCKET.
GREAT COUNT DOWN, BEAUTIFUL 
NIGHT HERE ON THE SPACE COAST.
I HOPE FOLKS LOCALLY, YOU 
ENJOYED IT.
I HOPE FOLKS ON NASA T.V., YOU 
SHOWED THEM SOME GREAT SHOTS.
WE FELT SOME RUMBLES HERE IN THE
ASOT.
NOTHING LIKE A GREAT LAUNCH.
NOW WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR A FEW
LOCK EVENTS AND WE'RE EXCITED TO
SHARE THE WHOLE STORY. 
>> IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT, 
CLEAR SKIES, SO IF YOU WERE 
OUTSIDE, YOU WERE TREATED TO 
BEAUL LAUNCH.
YOU COULD SEE THAT THING GO 
ALMOST TO THE HORIZON. 
>> YEAH.
GORGEOUS. 
>> TIM, I APPRECIATE YOU 
STOPPING BY.
I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU TOO 
LONG BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU'RE 
STILL FOCUSED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU 
IN A FEW MINUTES. 
>> IF THIS IS NOT SUPER EXCITED,
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE SUPER EXCITED 
TIM. 
>> WE WANT TO LOOK AT ONE OF THE
GREATEST MYSTERIES OF THE SUN, 
ACTUALLY MILLIONS OF DEGREES S 
HOTTER THAN THE SURFACE OF THE 
SUN. 
>> THE SUN'S CORONA IS THE 
HOTTEST PART OF THE SUN, BUT IT 
DOESN'T BEHAVE AS YOU WOULD 
EXPECT.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 27 MILLION 
DEGREES, AND IT'S DENSER THAN 
GOLD.
SOMETHING HAPPENS, HOWEVER, WHEN
YOU REACH THE OUTERMOST LAYER.
THE -- CORONA IS USUALLY HARD TO
SEE.
IT'S TOO DIM TO BE SEEN NEXT TO 
THE SUN'S BRIGHT BODY, BUT IT 
CAN BE SEEN WHEN THE MOON BLOCKS
THE SUN DURING A LUNAR SOLAR 
ECLIPSE.
IN THE EARLY 1800s, INSTRUMENTS 
NAMED SPECTROSCOPES WERE 
INVENTED TO IDENTIFY ITEMS THAT 
ARE HEATED.
WHILE SUN LIGHT CONTAINS EVERY 
WAVE LENGTH, SCIENTISTS 
DISCOVERED EVERY COMPOUND 
CONTAINS DIFFERENT WAVE LENGTHS,
AND IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE 
ASTRONOMMISTS STARTED EXTRACTING
LIGHT FROM DIFFERENT OBJECTS.
IN 1869, TWO SCIENTISTS DECIDED 
TO POINT A SPECTROSCOPE AT THE 
SUN DURING A SOLAR ECLIPSE.
THEY FOUND A BRIGHT LINE THAT 
DID NOT RELATE TO ANY ELEMENT ON
EARTH.
FOR A SHORT TIME, SCIENTISTS 
NAMED IT CORONIUM.
THE GREEN LINE SHOWS THE ION HAS
BE STRIPPED OF 13 OF ITS 26 
ELECTRONS, INDICATING THAT THE 
CORONA NEEDED TO BE HOTTER BY 
MILLIONS OF DEGREES.
EORY SUGGESTS THAMALL 
WAVES IN THE SUN'S SURFACE 
PUSHING PARTICLES AND HEAT INTO 
THE ATMOSPHERE, A BIT HOW OCEAN 
WAVES PUSH SURFACE.
ANOTHER SUGGESTS THAT BOMB LIKE 
EXPLOSIONS FROM THE SUN'S 
MAGNETIC FIELD CREATE HEAT.
MANYENTISTS FEEL IT MAY BE A
MIX OF BOTH.
WE'VE STUDIED THE CORONA FROM 
EARTH DURING MANY OF ECLIPSES, 
BUT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IT, WE 
HAVE TO STUDY IT FROM THE REGION
ITSELF.
>> WE JUST HEARD GREAT NEWS.
THE SIGNAL CQUISITION HAS BEEN 
CONFIRMED, SO ANOTHER CHECK ON 
THE LIST OF THINGS THAT NEED TO 
GO RIGHT TODA SO THAT LIST IS 
COMING TOGETHER VERY 
BEAUTIFULLY.
WE'RE GOING TO SEND YOU OUT TO 
NASA EDGES FRANKLIN FITZGERALD 
TO TAKE A LOOK AND TALK TO A 
SOLAR  ASTROPHYCYSIST.
>> NOW, I KNOW YOU ARE VERY 
INTERESTED IN GETTING TO THE 
SCIENCE OF SOLAR ORBITER.
TELL MEUT W YOU MOST ARE 
LOOKING FORWARD TO?
>> WELL, I MEAN, ONE OF THE MOST
OBVIOUS THINGS THAT COMES TO 
MIND IS THE UNIQUE VIEW OF THE 
POLES.
WE HAVE NEVER IMAGED THE POLES 
OF THE SUN.
WE'VE NEVER GATHERED DETAILED 
MAGNETIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE 
POLES DIRECTLY, AND THAT'S A 
REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THING 
FOR UNDERSTANDING THE SUN'S 
ACTIVITY CYCLE, AND SO THAT IS 
REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL BECAUSE 
ACTIVITY DRIVES SPACE WEATHER.
AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A 
GAME CHANGER WITH THESE KIND OF 
OBSERVATIONS FROM SOLAR ORBITER.
>> NOW, YOU GOT A COUPLE YEARS 
FROM SOLAR ORR, BUT YOU DO ATA 
HAVE A RECENT SOLAR MISSION 
WHERE YOU'VE BEEN RECEIVING 
DATA, AND THAT'S PARKER SOLAR 
PROBE.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE FOR 
THAT?
>> YEAH.
PARKER SOLARE HAS ALREADY 
BEEN AROUND THE SUN THREE TIMES.
IT'S GOING TO MAKE 24 ORBITS, 
AND EVERY TIME IT PASSES VENUS, 
IT WILL GET A LITTLE CLOSER AND 
CLOSER.
BUT THEY'VE ALREADY BROUGHT BACK
DATA.
THEY'VE ALREADY BROUGHT BACK 
TONS OF DATA AAVE GATHERED 
AN AMAZING NUMBER OF QUESTIONS 
THAT THEY HADN'T EXPECTED.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE MADE AMAZING 
DISCOVERIES ALREADY.
THEY HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THE 
FINAL GOAL, AND WE H A NEW 
UNDERSTANDING OF THE TURBULENCE,
SORT OF THE REGION WHERE THE 
SOLAR WIND BECOMES TURBULENT, 
WHERE THE SOLAR WIND SORT OF 
RELAXES.
WE'VE FOUND OUT THAT THE FIELD 
THAT COME AWAY FROM THE 
ALLY DO THESE CRAZY 180 
TURNS BACK.
WE CALL THOSE SWITCHBACKS.
AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE 
SCIENTISTS HAVE EVEN DISCOVERED 
SOMETHING NONSOLAR.
THEY'VE SEEN SOME OF THE DUST 
TRAILS THAT ARE WHAT CAUSE 
METEOR SHOWERS HERE ON EARTH, 
AND ASTEROIDS.
THEY'RE SO DIFFICULT TO FIND 
BECAUSE SO CLOSE TO THE SUN IS 
BUT WE'VE USED REALLY SENSITIVE 
CAMERAS ON THE SIDE TO GET THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS DOES
IS IT LEADS TO MOREIONS 
THAN ANSWERS. 
>> ONE MORE QUESTION.
IS THERE GOING TO BE ANY OVERLAP
BETWEEN THE TYPE OF DISCOVERIES 
YOU MAKE BETWEEN SOLAR ORBITER 
AND PARKER?
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
THESE ARE REALLY TWO 
COMPLEMENTARY MISSIONS BECAUSE 
SOLAR ORBITER IS GOING TO GET 
REALLY, REALLY CLOSE AND GIVE US
A LOT OF DETAIL OF WHAT'S 
HAPPENING IN THE REGIONS WHERE 
WE THINK SOLAR WIND HAS 
ACCELERATED AWAY FROM THE SUN, 
WHERE WE THINK ENERGETIC 
PARTICLES ARE AWAY FROM THESUN.
BUT SOLAR ORBITER IS GOING TO BE
SLIGHTLY FURTHER OUT AND GIVE US
MORE DETAILS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN THESE TRANSITION REGIONS AS 
THINGS ARE MOVING OUT, AS WELL 
AS THIS PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, 
OUT OF THE PLANE OF THE SOLAR 
SYSTEM.
AND SO HAVING ALL OF THESE 
MISSIONS SO CLOSE, EVEN THOUGH 
SOLAR ORBITER IS NOT AS CLOSE AS
PARKER SOLAR PROBE, IT'S STILL 
IN AN UNKNOWN AREA.
IT'S STILL IN A REGION WHICH 
WE'VE BARELY SAMPLED.
IT'S C THAN WE'VE BEEN 
BEFORE, NOT INCLUDING SOLAR 
ORBITER, IT'S CLOSER THAN WE'VE 
EVER BEEN BEFORE.
SO BOTH OF THESE ARE SAMPLING A 
REALLY UNIQUE AREA AND AN 
IMPORTANT AREA IN THE SUN, AND 
DATA IS GOI TO CONTINUE TO 
SURPRISE US. 
>> ALEX, IT'S GREAT HAVING YOU 
ON THE SHOW.
GREAT SEEING YOU AGAIN, AND WE 
LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING MORE 
DATA FROM THE PARKER SOLAR PROBE
AND THE SOLAR ORBITER. 
>> THANK YOU. 
>> JOSHUA, BACK TO YOU. 
>> I'M JOINED NOW BY OMAR BAEZ 
WHO IS THE NASA PROJECT MANAGER.
-- MANAGER ASSISTANT.
YOU AND TIM FLIP-FLOPPED FOR 
THIS MISSION.
YOU ARE THE ASSISTANT, AND TIM 
IS THE MANAGER.
WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT MISSIONS 
COMING UP?
>> THE ARTEMIS IS NEXT.
PARTS OF IT HAVE ARRIVED, AND 
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO 
THAT.
THAT'S GOING TO GO ON AN ATLAS 
WITH A COUPLE MORE SOLID ROCKET 
MOTORS THAN THIS ONE HERE TO GET
IT OUT TO MARS FOR ITS 
SEVEN-MONTH VOYAGE.
WE PLAN TO LAUNCH THAT ON JULY 
17 AND LAND ON MARS ON FEBRUARY 
18, 2021.
REALLY EXCITING MISSION WHEN WE 
SEE THIS HELICOPTER AS ITS PAY 
LOAD.
A LOT OF STUFF THAT THE PUBLIC'S
GOING TO REALLY LOVE.
THE MISSION'S OUT THERE TO CACHE
SOME SAMPLES AND GET THE 
CONTINUITY GOING, AND WE'RE 
SUPER EXCITED TO DO THAT THIS 
SUMMER. 
>> THAT'S GREAT.
SO YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR -- 
>> I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR THE 
MARS 2020 MISSION. 
>> THAT'S WONDERFUL.
TELL US ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP 
THAT YOU AND HAVE ON LAUNCH 
DAY.
OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF YOU IS THE 
LAUNCH MANAGER, AND ONE OF YOU 
IS THE ASSISTANT LAUNCH MANAGER.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> WE'RE COMPLETELY 
INTERCHANGEABLE.
IF WE GET REALLY BUSY, THE OTHER
CAN TAKE THE MAIN LOAD OFF THE 
PRIMARY GUY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I CAN 
DO.
IF HE'S TIME CRUNCHED, I CAN 
HELP HIM OUT WITH.
LIKEWISE, IF HE'S -- STUFF 
HAPPENS.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, 
YOU HAVE TO EAT. 
>> SURE, SURE, THE PRACTICAL 
THINGS. 
>> YOU HAVE TO STEP IN. 
>> I THINK IT'S KEY TO HONE IN 
ONTO IT'S PRACTICAL.
THERE'S ONE PERSON IN CHARGE, 
BUT YOU ALL CARRY THAT TOGETHER.
>> CORRECT. 
>> SO WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THE 
MARS 2020?
I THINK WE'RE COMING UP ON 20 
YEARS OF EXISTENCE, SO WHAT'S 
COMING UP FOR THE LAUNCH 
SERVICES PROGRAM?
>> I'VE BEEN WITH THE LAUNCH 
SERVICES PROGRAM FOR THE 20 
YEARS AND A COUPLE OF YEARS 
BEFORE  WH WE WERE THE 
PREDECESSOR ORGANIZATION, AND 
WE'VE ASSAULTED ALL THE PLANETS,
AND -- 
>> IN A VERY RESEARCH-ORIENTED 
WAY. 
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND IT'S PHENOMENAL TO THINK 
BACK, AN ORGANIZATION THA 
VERITINELY, A VERY SMALL PORTION
OF THE AGENCY, WE WEREN'T EVEN 
NOTICED, WERE ABLE TO REACH OUT 
TO THE VARIOUS PLANETARY BODIES 
AROUND US.
AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASUREND 
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING 
THAT.
AND AS BOB SAID EARLIER, THESE 
MISSIONS ARE PRECURSOR TO THE 
HUMANS GOING OUT BEYOND EARTH'S 
ORBIT, AND WE REALLY LOOK 
FORWARD TO DOING ALL THE PREWORK
THAT WE CAN WITH AUTO MATETION 
BEFORE THE HUMAN GETS OUT THERE.
>> DOES THIS EVER GET OLD?
>>
M MOST FORTUNATE IN THE JOB 
THAT I DO.
I REALLY LOVE IT.
SOMEDAY, THERE WILL BE A SUNSET 
FOR ME.
JUST THIS PRIOR WEEK, I BECAME 
ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT. 
>> OH. 
>> -- UH-OH. 
>> NOT THAT I'M GOING, BUT I 
INTEND TO STICK AROUND FOR 
ANOTHER FEW YEARS. 
>> DO YOU HAVE YOUR EYES ON 
ANYTHING?
WHAT'S BETTER THAN A LAUNCH 
DIRECTOR?
>> I CAN'T THINK OF IT, EXCEPT 
BEING RETIRED AND HAVING A 
MARGA SOMEWHERE. 
>> WITH THAT, I WILL LET YOU GET
BACK TO SUPPORT TIM AS WE CLOSE 
OUT THIS MISSION, CLOSE OUT THIS
LAUNCH ACTIVITY OF TODAY. 
>> OKAY. 
>> THANKS SO MUCH, OMAR.
WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOU NOW 
WITH THIS VIDEO WE SHOWED 
EARLIER.
THIS IS A PREVIEW OE L.S.P. 
MISSIONS FOR THIS YEAR, 2020.
>> WE'RE JUST WAITING TO HEAR 
FROM THEM IF SOLAR RAY 
DEPLOYMENT AND THAT THEY'RE
GETTING GOOD SUN SIGNALS. 
>> ABOUT 1:15 AGO, WE LAUNCHED 
HERE FROM THE CAPE CANAVERAL AIR
FORCE STATION ON AN ATLAS FIVE 
ROCKET BOUND FOR THE SUN.
THE SOLAR ORBITER SPACECRAFT ON 
TOP.
IT WAS A GOOD FLIGHT INITIALLY 
OFF THE GROU AND NOW WE'RE 
GETTING SOME CELEBRATION HERE AT
THE M.D.C., GETTING MORE 
INFORMATION ON THAT SOLAR ARRAY 
DEPLOYMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, IT JUST 
ERUPTED IN APPLAUSE ON THE FRONT
ROW.
THAT IS THE SPACECRAFT TEAM, ALL
FROM OVERSEAS.
THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY AND 
THEIR PARTNER WITH AIRBUS 
DEFENSE AND SPACE, THEY HAVE 
CELEBRATED. 
>> YEAH.
WE'VE SEEN THE CELEBRATION HERE 
IN THE M.D.C.
HAVEN'T CONFIRMED WHETHER SOLAR 
ARAISE WERE DEPLOYED, BUT I'M 
GOING TO ASSUME BASED ON THEIR 
CELEBRATION THAT SOMETHING IN 
THE SEQUENCE HAPPENED THE WAY IT
WAS SUPPOSED TO.
BASED ON THAT, I WOULD SAY THAT 
THINGS ARE GOING VERY WELL FOR 
SOLAR ORBITER, AND WE'LL JUST 
WAIT FOR THATCONFIRMATION, 
VERBAL CONFIRMATION, THAT SOLAR 
ARRAYS WERE JUST DEPLOYED.
IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING NIGHT WITH
THE LIFTOFF OF THE SOLAR ORBITER
ON THE ATLAS FIVE VEHICLE. 
>> IT'S A GOOD MOMENT IN TIME 
FOR THIS MISSION WHICH HAS BEEN 
GOING FOR 1:17 AS WE APPROACH 
JUST 20 MINUTES AFTER 12:00 
MIDNIGHT ON THE EAST COAST.
ERE WAS A MOMENT, WE CAN'T 
SHOW IT YET, BUT WE SAW IT ON 
OUR SCREENS, THAT WE SAW THE 
REPLAY OF A SPACECRAFT 
SEPARATION EVENT.
OF COURSE, THERE WAS SEPARATION,
BUT TO SEE THAT VISUALLY, IT 
LOOKED REALLY GOOD. 
>> YEAH.
THE TEAM HAD A CAMERA ON BOA
FORTUNATELY, BASED ON THE 
FLIGHT AND ORBIT THAT WE WERE 
PUTTING SOLAR ORBITER INTO, WE 
COULD NOT AIR THAT.
BUT THEY'RE VERIFYING THAT VIDEO
AND MAKING SURE IT'S ALL GOOD, 
SO I'M SURE IN DAYS TO COME,
YOU WILL SEE SOME LIVE VIDEO OF 
SOLAR ORBITER'S SEPARATION FROM 
THE ATLAS FIVE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS 
GOOD TO GET THAT CONFIRMATION 
FROM THE SPACECRAFT AND FROM THE
TEAM, THAT EVERYTHING'S GOING 
WELL.
AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN THERE, 
WE HAVE LIVE CGE FROM THE 
M.D.C. HERE AT A.E. ON THE 
RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
AND ON THE LEFT, WE HAVE A LIVE 
SHOT OF THE ESOC IN GERMANY, 
FROM THE GERMANY TEAM.
SO WE HOPE THAT ALL IS 
PROGRESSING FORWARD FOR SOLAR 
ARRAY DEPLOYMENT ON SOLAR 
ORBITER.
>> THAT IS A LIVE VIEW OF THE 
CONTROL TEAM THERE, AND THE 
OPERATIONS THAT HAVE BEENNG 
 THERE.
THOSE PEOPLE, VERY EXCITED 
BECAUSE THERE ARE 22 DIFFERENT 
COUNTRIES THAT ALL CAME TOGETHER
IN ORDER TO MAKE SOLAR ORBITER 
HAPPEN, AND THAT CONTROL ROOM 
WAS PART OF THE LAUNCH TODAY, 
AND WE'RE GETTING A LIVE PEEK IN
TO HOWY DO THINGS OVERSEAS. 
>> YEAH.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A VERY 
IMPORTANT PART OF THIS MISSION.
THE ESOC IS WHERE THE TEAM -- 
THE E.S.A. TEAM, AS YOU STATED, 
IT CONTROLLING SOLAR ORBITER 
RIGHT NOW, AND PERFORMING THEIR 
ARRAYS DEPLOYED AND IN POSITION.
THAT TEAM IS MONITORING THE 
SPACECRAFT VERY CLOSELY.
THEY'RE RELYING THAT STATUS BACK
TO CESAR GARCIA HERE IN THE 
M.D.C.
THAT TEAM IS MAKING SURE THAT 
SOLAR ORBITER IS PERFORMING WELL
AND DOING WHAT THEY HAVE TO 
ACCOMPLISH TO GET THE SOLAR 
ARRAYS OUT.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR 
THAT SITUATION. 
SOLAR ARRAY DEPLOYMENT, LOY 
CERTAINLY THEY HAVE A LOT OF 
WORK TO DO IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE
IT WILL BE SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE 
SOLAR ORBITER IS IN POSITION TO 
START GATHERING DATA AND DOING 
ITS SCIENCE ON THE SUN.
SO THAT OPERATION CENTER IN 
GERMANY THAT YOU'REOOKING AT 
ON THE LEFT, THEY'VE GOT A LOT 
OF WORK AHEAD OF THEM. 
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY, AND JUST IN 
THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THEY HAVE A
LOT OF CHECKOUT THAT THEY WANT 
TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT 
EVERYTHING IS SMOOTH AND WORKING
ON THE ATLAS FIVE TONIGHT.
TRIPLE CHECK ALL THAT STUFF  
BEFORE THEY HEAD ON THEIR WAY.
CHECK OUT THOSE LITTLE APERTURES
ON THE HEAT SHIELD THAT YOU 
LIKE. 
>> ON THE HSHIELD. 
>> THE TEAM WILL BE DOING A LOT 
OF CHECKOUT ON THE SATELLITE IN 
THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND COMING 
YEAR TO MAKE SURE IT'S READY FOR
THAT.
THEY'LL GET INTO THEIR GRAVITY 
ASSIST AROUND MERCURY AND VENUS.
THE TEAM WILL BE WORKING HARD 
OUT OF THAT ESOC. 
>> FROM OUR PRELAUNCH BRIEFING, 
WE HEARD FROM CESAR GARCIA, 
THERE WERE 800 PEOPLE THAT HAD 
COME OVER FROM EUROPE TO BE 
HERE, NOT ONLY TO MONITOR THE 
LAUNCH -- THEY ARE IN THE FRONT 
ROW OF THE MISSION DIRECTOR'S 
CENTER, BUT JUSTS TO WITNESS 
THE LAUNCH, TO ALSO SUPPORT IT 
IN MANY WAYS.
AND WE ALSO JUST HEARD AN 
ERUPTION OF APPLAUSE. 
>> WE SEE THEM APPLAUDING IN THE
MISSION DIRECTOR'S CENTER.
HAVEN'T HEARD WHAT THAT'S FOR 
YET, BUT WE'RE ASSUMING THAT'S 
PHASE TWO OF THE SOLAR ARRAY 
DEPLOYMENT.
THERE'S SEVERAL STEPS FOR THAT 
TO HAPPEN, SO WE'LL HOPEFULLY 
HEAR THAT SOON FROM CESAR 
GARCIA, AND THINGS WILL BE 
MOVING FORWARD.
SO I'M HEARING NOW FROM CESAR 
THAT SOLAR ARRAYS ARE DEPLOYED, 
AND THEY'RE POSITIVE CONF 
SO GO CESAR. 
>> WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO HIM IN
JUST A FEW MINUTES WHEN CESAR 
GARCIA MAKES HIS WAY OVER TO THE
BROADCAST BOOTH.
THAT WAS A PRETTY EXCITED REPORT
THAT HE JUST GAVE, AND GOT A 
CONGRATULATIONS FROM TEAM AT 
NASA LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM. 
>> AS YOU SEE HIM ON THE M.D.C.,
THESE FOLKS DESERVE IT.
THEY SENT A LOT OF YEARS ON THE 
SOLAR ORBITER.
THAT'S A HUGE THING.
THEY'LL GET STARTED, AND THEY'RE
HAPPY, BUT THEY WILL GET STARTED
IN THE ESOC AND GET THINGS 
CHECKED OUT.
AS YOU HEARD FROM OMAR EARLIER, 
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING FOR 
US AT THE LAUNCH SERVICES 
PROGRAM.
WE'VE GOT MARS 2020 COMING UP 
NEXT, WHICH IS ANOTHER ATLAS 
FIVE WITH A FEW MORE SOLIDS THAN
WE HAD TONIGHT, BUT THINGS ARE 
GOING GREAT FOR SOLAR ORBITER.
SO DARRELL, I'D LIKE TO SAY 
THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW
TONIGHT.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING 
MISSION. AND FOLLOWING THIS 
AS USUAL, YOU DID A GREAT JOB, 
AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME. 
>> WELL, THANK YOU, MICK.
THANKS FOR YOUR EXPERTISE.
YOU HAVE BEEN A WEALTH OF 
KNOWLEDGE DURING THIS MISSION.
'S N TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO 
NOT ONLY KNOWS THE ROCKET, BUT 
KNOWS IT WELL.
YOU WERE GIVING US INSIGHT NOT 
ONLY INTO THE FLIGHT, BUT FLIGHT
CONVERSIONS.
WATCHING YOU PECK AWAY AT YOUR 
CALCULATOR TO GET THE FIGURES 
WRITTEN DOWN. 
>> THAT'S GOING TO WRAP IT UP 
FOR US AT THE MISSION DIRECTOR'S
CENTER.
LET'S SEND IT BACK TO JOSHUA AND
TIM DUNN. 
>> THANK YOU.
NOW, WE CAN SAY WE DID IT.
TIM, CONGRATS TO YOU AND YOUR 
TEAM AND EVERYONE HERE AT ESA.
PHENOMENAL EFFORT. 
>> JUST GOT OFF THE NET WITH OUR
CESAR GARCIA, AND AS YOU CAN 
IMAGINE, HE GAVE ME THE FINAL 
TWO MILESTONES THAT THE SOLAR 
ARRAYS WERE COMPLETELY DEPLOYED 
AS WELL AS THE SOLAR ARRAYS
ACQUG THE SUN.
THE VEHICLE'S HEALTHY, 
COMPLETELY HEALTHY AND ON ITS 
WAY TO THE SUN NOW. 
>> AWESOME. 
>> REALLY GOOD NEWS.
NOW I CAN CELEBRATE. 
>> AWESOME.
DO YOU ALL CELEBRATE 
COLLECTIVELY OR DO YOU JUST GO 
HOME AND TAKE A NAP?
>> I THINK GIVEN THE HOUR OF 
DAY, PROBABLY CELEBRATE A 
LITTLE BIT TONIGHT, GO HOME, 
WE'VE GOT A FEW CELEBRATIONS 
PLANNED FOR TOMORROW DURING THE 
DAY. 
>> YEAH.
SO PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, ON THE 
BUSINESS SIDE OF DAYS, WHAT 
HAPPENS FOR L.S.L. AFTER THE 
LAUNCH?
YOU'RE DONE OR IS THERE MORE 
WORK FOR SOLAR ORBITER?
>> WELL, FOR SOLAR ORBITER, WE 
HAVE TO REVIEW ALL OF THE DATA 
FOR THE ROCKET, SO THAT'S A 
PROCESS THAT TAKES MAYBE ON THE 
PROCESS OF A MONTH, A MONTH AND 
A HALF.
WE WANT TO LOOK AT EVERY LITTLE 
BIT OF DATA THAT HAPPENED DURING
THE FLIGHT, ON THE FLIGHT.
EVERYTHING THAT THE DATA IS 
TELLING US, WE'RE ALL A BUNCH OF
ENGINEERS.
WE WANT TO SCRUTINIZE THE DATA, 
AND IF WE SEE SOMETHING A LITTLE
FUNNY, ADDRESS IT BEFORE WE HAVE
OUR NEXT LAUNCH.
AND CERTAINLY, IF WE WERE TO SEE
SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE WOULD 
LET THE U.L.A. TEAM KNOW.
WE'RE GOING TO BE FLYING THIS 
MAGNIFICENT ROCKET ONE MORE TIME
THIS YEAR.
THE ATLAS FIVE IS JUST 
INCREDIBLE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, THE 
LAUNCH SERVICES PROGRAM TEAM, MY
TEAM, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO WORKING
RIGHTNGSIDE US, MAKING IT
HAPPEN TONIGHT.
AND THEN WE WORKED ALONGSIDE OUR
COLLEAGUES AT THE 45th EASTERN 
SPACE WING.
AND I CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT 
THANKING SPACECONTRACTOR, 
THE E.S.A.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION, 
TEN-PLUS YEARS IN THE MAKING.
A LOT OF CHALLENGES, BUT I'LL 
TELL YOU WHAT, WHEN A TEAM IS 
FOCUSED ON MISSION SUCCESS,
THAT'S A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE THAT
WE ALL SPEAK, AND HERE WE ARE, 
ALL ABLE TO CELEBRATE THAT. 
>> AND I WISH WE COULD SHARE 
SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC WITH 
PEOPLE TO KIND OF LET THEM 
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO 
THANK THAT MANY TEAMS.
THE FACT THAT THERE'S ALL THOSE 
TEAMS, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON 
THAT, DOING THEIR PART OF THE 
PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TO BRING IT 
ALL TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS 
BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF A 
SPACECRAFT IN FLIGHT ON THE WAY 
TO THE SUN HAPPEN. 
>> ABSOLUTELY. 
>> TIM, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR 
TEAM.
APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S WORK AND 
EFFORT.
IT'S A TEAM SPORT.
SPACE FLIGHT IS A TEAM SPORT.
TIM, I'LL LET YOU GO, AND WE'RE 
GOING TO GO BACK OVER TO CESAR 
IN HANGAR A.E. 
>> WE ARE HERE WITH CESA
GARCIA, THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR 
SOLAR ORBITER.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OVER TO 
TALK WITH US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
VERY GOOD MOMENT. 
>> TELL ME ABOUT THE MOMENT JUST
A FEW MINUTES AGO WHEN YOU MADE 
THE ANNOUNCEMENT?
>> YEAH.
THERE'S SO MUCH A BIT OF TENSION
BEFORE YOU GET THE SIGNAL, AND 
WE GOT THE SIGNAL FROM THE 
SPACECRAFT PRETTY QUICKLY, AND 
THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.
AND THEN, WE HAD TO POINT TO THE
SUN AND DEPLOY THE SOLAR ARRAYS.
THEN, THERE WAS DEPLOYMENT OF 
THE ANTE, AND A LITTLE BIT 
LONGER FOR THE INFORMATION TO 
RECEIVE, SO WE WERE A LITTLE BIT
TENSE.
AND THEN, THERE WAS 
CONFIRMATION, SO THE WATER'S 
CALM AND THEN IT'S THE MOM 
THAT GET EXTREMELY HAPPY AND
START HUGGING SO MANY PEOPLE 
AROUND.
THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT YOU'VE 
WAITED AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF 
WORK.
GO SOLAR ORBITER.
IT'S A FANTASTIC MOMENT AND 
SOMETHING UNIQUEF I MAY SAY. 
>> YOU MAY, AND IT WAS CAPPED BY
CELEBRATION.
SAW YOU HUGGING PEOPLE IN THE 
ROOM, GIVING HANDSHAKES.
GOING BACK TO 11:03 P.M., FROM 
THE LAUNCH HERE AT CANAVERAL AIR
FORCE STATION, WHAT WAS THAT 
LIKE FOR YOU HERE INSIDE THE 
MISSION DIRECTOR CENTER?
>> WELL, I HAVE TO SAY I 
ABANDONED MY POST.
I ACTUALLY PICKED UP THE PHONE 
AND CALLED OUR COLLEAGUES IN 
ESOC SO I COULD HAVE PERMANENT 
CONTACT WITH THEM ON THE PHONE, 
AND I RUSHED OUT TO SEE THE 
LAUNCH.
IT'S A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE.
AND THEN, LIKE, 15 SECONDS
LA STARTED NOT HEARING, BUT 
FEELING THE ROAR.
AND THEN, YOU SEE ALL THE 
DREAMS, THE EXPECTATIONS, GOING 
UP IN THE SKY.
IT WAS A VERY CLEAR SKY.
WE COULD SEE IT MANY SECONDS 
GOING SOUTH-SOUTHEAST.
I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S DIFFICULT FOR TO
DESCRIBE IT BUT IT'S LIKE WELL, 
WE'RE UNSTOPPABLE. 
>> I LOVE THAT YOU ACTUALLY GOT 
UP, GOT ON THE PHONE SO THAT YOU
COULD STAY CONNECTED AND GOT 
OUTSIDE TO SEE A LAUNCH.
OPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND EVEN 
THOUGH WHAT TRAVEL FROM 
DISTANCES TO WATCH IT, IT'S A 
VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. 
>> YEAH.
WE'VE BEEN HERE A FEW MONTHS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE SOME 
OTHER LAUNCHES BEFORE, BUT 
NOTHING COMPARES TO ACTUALLY 
SEEING YOURS. 
>> WHEN YOUR SPACECRAFT IS GOING
UP, AND AS I SAID, THE DREAMS 
AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF SO MANY 
PEOPLE GOING UP WITH THE ROCKET 
AND WITH THE SPACECRAFT IN THIS 
CASE. 
>> RIGHT. 
>> AND IT WAS FANTASTIC TO SEE 
IT UP, AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO
SEE THE TRAJECTORY, THE COASTING
TIME, AND THE SEPARATION, AND 
THEN, WHEN THEY START GETTING 
THE GOOD SIGNS THAT THE 
SEPARATION WAS ADEQUATE, THE 
TRAJECTORY WAS ADEQUATE, AND 
NOW, WE HAVE POWER ON THE 
SPACEC
NOW, THE SPACECRAFT IS POINTED 
TO THE SUN, AND IT'S STARTING 
THE NEXT PHASE WHERE WE'LL START
USING DEPLOYABLES AND SYSTEMS. 
>> YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK 
AHEAD OF YOU, NO DOUBT.
TOUGH PART ISOVER, BUT A COUPLE
YEARS BEFORE THE SCIENCE STARTS,
RIGHT?
>> WELL, THE FIRST FEW DAYS 
WHERE WE DO THE BASIC DEPLOYMENT
AND THE BASIC TESTS.
THEN IN FEBRUARY, WEL DO A 
COMPLETE CHECKUP OF ALL THE 
SYSTEMS.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE 
SYSTEMS ARE COMPLETELY 
OPERATIONAL AND CAN SWITCH TO 
DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, AND WE WILL 
EXPECT TOALIZE THIS TESTING 
THE END OF JUNE.
SOME INSTRUMENTS WILL START 
MEASURING IMMEDIATELY, BUT SOME 
INSTRUMENTS WILL WAIT A BIT 
LONGER.
BUT YEAH, IN SEVERAL MONTHS, WE 
WILL BE ABLEO START TAKING 
DATA. 
>> WELL, THAT'S EXCITING. 
>> YEAH.
WE ALWAYS SAY WE WANT TO WAIT 
FOR 1.5 YEARS UNTIL THE 
PERIHELIOS GETS CLOSER, BUT I 
THINK WE WILL NOT WAIT TO TAKE 
DATA. 
>> FIRE UP THOSE INSTRUMENTS AT 
THE SUN, GET THEM FIRING UP. 
>> ABSOLUTELY. 
>> YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE HERE, 
AND BELIEVE YOU'VE GOT SOME 
TATTOO. 
>> OH, YEAH. 
>> THAT'S A SOLAR ORBITER 
TEMPORARY TATTOO. 
>> IT'S A TEMPORARY TATTOO, AND 
I THINK I WILL WEAR IT WITH 
PRIDE. 
>> DON'T WASH IT OFF FOR A LONG 
TIME. 
>> I THINK I MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE 
A SHOWER ONE OF THESE DAYS. 
>> WELL, CERTAINLY, YOUR IMPRINT
WILL LAST ALONG ON THESE 
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES. 
>> YEAH.
I THINK THE PURPOSE OF THIS 
MISSION IS THE PURPOSE 
MISSIONS BEFORE US, AND IT'S THE
PURPOSE OF GROUND 
INSTRUMENTATION, WHICH IS ALSO 
INVESTIGATING THE SUN.
AND I THINK IT'S A GROWING 
COMMUNITY.
SPACE WEATHER IS GROWING VERY 
STRONG.
WE WILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND OUR 
SUN BETTER TO SUPPORT OUR 
INFRASTRUCTURE BUT ALSO SO WE 
CAN MOVE DEEPER INTO THE SOLAR 
SYSTEM.
>> CESAR GARCIA, PROJECT MANAGER
FOR THE PROJECT TONIGHT.
ALL RIGHT.
JOSHUA, WE'LL THROW IT BACK TO 
YOU AT ASOT. 
>> EVERYBODY, WHAT A PHENOMENAL 
SHOW.
THIS IS GOING TO CONCLUDE OUR 
LIVE COVERAGE OF SOLAR ORBITER, 
DESTINED TO PROVIDE MORE 
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SOL 
COMMUNITY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT 
NASA.GOV.
THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO WORKED 
DILIGENTLY BEHIND THE SCENES TO 
MAKE THIS BROADCAST HAPPEN.
WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.
I'M JOSHUA SANTORA.
FROM ALL OF HERE AT NASA AND 
THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, THANK 
YOU FOR JOINING US.
HAVE A GOOD MORNING.
REMEMBER, EVEN THE SKY ISN'T THE
LIMIT.
>> 25 SECONDS. 
>> GO, PLEASE. 
>> GO SOLAR ORBITER.
>> THERE, YOU H THE FINAL
 
SPACE CHECK FOR CENTAUR AND 
BOOSTER SPACECRAFT.
THERE WE GO.
T-MINUS TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN,
SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, 
 ZERO.
AND LIFTOFF OF OUR SOLAR 
ORBITER, AN INTERNATIONAL 
COLLABORATION TO GIVE US NEW 
IMAGES AND A BETTER 
UNDERSTANDING OF OUR LIFE-GIVING
STAR.
>> AFTER 15 SECONDS. 
>> NOW, YOU HEAR THE VOICE OF 
U.L.A.'S LAUNCH COMMENTATOR. 
>> NOW 25 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT.
CHAMBER PRESSURE ON THE S.R.B. 
LOOKS GOOD.
ENGINEERIN
