>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE EVENT?
>> HOUSTON, THIS IS SPACE
STATION.
WE ARE READY FOR THE EVENT.
>> HOUSTON, ACR, THIS IS MISSION
CONTROL HOUSTON.
PLEASE CALL STATION FOR A VOICE
CHECK.
>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON ACR,
HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
>> DEPUTY ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATION FOR STEM
ENGAGEMENT HERE AT NASA.
I'M DELIGHTED TO KICK OFF OUR
EVENT TODAY.
CHRIS, WE ARE THRILLED YOU COULD
SPEND TIME WITH OUR SPRING
INTERNS.
WE HAVE A COHORT OF INTERNS OF
OVER 360 STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN
WITH US OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
WEEKS.
THESE STUDENTS HAVE EXHIBITED
RESILIENCE, TENACITY AND
COMMITMENT TO THEIR WORK.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING
US.
THANKS TO YOU NASA INTERNS WITH
US TODAY AND WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR
QUESTIONS.
WITH THAT, LET'S GO TO THE FIRST
QUESTION.
>> HI, I'M OLIVER.
I'M FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
TORONTO IN KANSAS.
I'M CURRENTLY AT THE JET
PROPULSION LABORATORY WHERE I
WORK ON IMPROVING THE LONG TERM
AUTONOMY OF ROVER.
HOW CAN WE INCREASE THIS AMONG
THE PUBLIC AND ENCOURAGE THE
FUTURE GENERATION TO INSPIRE TO
THE MOON, MARS AND BEYOND?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
WELCOME TO THE TEAM.
YOU ARE PART OF THAT ANSWER NOW.
IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE MESSAGE
OUT JUST LIKE WE HOPE THAT YOU
CAN DO WHEN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR
UNIVERSITY OR HOME TOWN AND TALK
TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE THINGS YOU
HAVE DONE.
IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING TIME AT
NASA, YOU ARE NOT SO INVOLVED
WITH THE BUILDINGS AND LABS
BECAUSE OF THE SHUTDOWN.
IT TAKES ALL OF US WHO HAVE
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE EXCITING
THINGS WE ARE DOING AT NASA AND
OUR INTERNATIONAL SPACE
COOPERATION.
I INVITE YOU TO HELP SOLVE THAT
PROBLEM AND GET THE WORD OUT.
THANK YOU, OLIVER.
>> HELLO.
I'M MURIEL.
I ATTEND GEORGIA TECH.
I'M WORKING ON A SYSTEM THAT
CONVERTS TRASH INTO USABLE
GASSES.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND WITH
CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH YOUR
GOALS?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> HOW I BALANCE LIVING IN THE
MOMENT AND BALANCING MY GOALS
FOR THE FUTURE.
REALLY, IT'S SOMETHING I LEARNED
A LITTLE BIT IN THE SEAL TEAMS
AND A LITTLE BIT AT NASA.
NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU
ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
IN THE COCKPIT OF THE SPACE
SHUTTLE YOU COULD BE DISTRACTED
AND PUT YOUR FINGER ON THE WRONG
SWITCH, SHUT DOWN A MAIN ENGINE.
HERE WE CAN DO THE SAME THING,
BE THINKING ABOUT OTHER
ACTIVITIES.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO IN TWO
HOURS.
THAT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE
FACT THAT AN HOUR AGO I HAD MY
HANDS ON ELECTRICAL CABLES AND
WAS CONNECTING THINGS TOGETHER.
THAT'S A VALUABLE LESSON I HAVE
LEARNED THROUGHOUT LIFE, PAY
ATTENTION, BE HERE IN THE NOW.
AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAN
WHAT IT IS, TALKING TO YOUR
FAMILY, DOING YOUR HOMEWORK,
STUDYING FOR A FINAL OR WHETHER
IT'S MAKING SURE YOU ARE NOT
SHUTTING DOWN THE MAIN ENGINE ON
THE SHUTTLE.
WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO FOCUS THAT
WAY, AND THEN HAVE OTHER LISTS
THAT ALLOW YOU TO THINK IF THE
FUTURE WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO
DO THAT, THAT HELPS ME SORT
THROUGH WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE
CARE OF IMMEDIATELY RIGHT NOW
AND A LITTLE FOCUS DOWN ON THE
FUTURE TIME WHEN I SET ASIDE
TIME TO DO THAT.
>> HI, I'M PATRICK.
I STUDY AERONAUTICS.
I AM DOING CARBON MONITORING OF
PANELS WITH THE GOAL OF
IMPROVING COMPOSITE MATERIALS.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST
MISCONCEPTION PEOPLE HAVE ON
EARTH ABOUT ASTRONAUTS WHO LIVE
AND WORK ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION?
>> THAT'S A FUN QUESTION.
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU HAVE
MISCONCEPTIONS ON BECAUSE YOU
ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND INTERNS
AND PART OF THE NASA TEAM.
BUT IN THE GREATER COMMUNITY,
WHEN I TALK TO FOLKS, THERE ARE
A LOT OF THINGS PEOPLE THINK.
FOR INSTANCE, WE SQUIRT OUR FOOD
OUT OF A TUBE OF GOO AND IT
DOESN'T RESEMBLE NORMAL FOOD OR
THAT WE ARE IN COMPLETE
ISOLATION.
THE FOOD IS YUMMY.
IT COMES IN DIFFERENT PACKAGING,
MEATS, FISH, VEGETABLES, YOU
NAME IT.
ALL THAT, AND SNACKS.
AND WE ARE WELL CONNECTED TO THE
GROUND.
I DON'T FEEL ISOLATED AT ALL.
I CAN TALK TO MY FRIENDS AND
FAMILY ON THE PHONE, WE HAVE
VIDEO CONFERENCE WITH MY WIFE
AND CHILDREN.
WE HAVE DAILY COMMUNICATION,
HOURLY COMMUNICATION WITH THE
GROUND TEAM.
SO I FEEL VERY CONNECTED TO
EARTH PLUS I CAN LOOK OUT THE
WINDOW AND SEE IT.
AND THE HUMAN STUFF, EATING,
GOING TO THE BATHROOM, FEEL VERY
NORMAL TO ME.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M DOING
THOSE THINGS IN A STRANGE
ENVIRONMENT.
>> HI, I'M A STUDENT AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE
PARK.
I'M AN INTERN AT NASA
HEADQUARTERS WHERE I CONDUCT
RESEARCH.
MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE
EMISSIONS OBSERVED FROM THE ISS.
I KNOW YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN
ABOARD THE ISS, AND GIVEN THE
SITUATION WITH COVID-19 ON
EARTH, IF THERE IS A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THEN AND NOW WITH THE CO
2 EMISSIONS?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IT'S COME UP A FEW TIMES IN THE
SHORT TIME I HAVE BEEN ON BOARD
THE SPACE STATION THIS MISSION.
I HAVE TO BE HONEST, THERE IS
NOTHING OBSERVABLE TO MY EYE.
IT WAS SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN I
WAS LAST YEAR, I HAVE CHEWED A
LOT OF GUM IN THOSE SEVEN YEARS.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE I'M
REMEMBERING THE PERFECT PICTURE.
HOWEVER, TO ME IT LOOKS
RELATIVELY THE SAME.
WE HAVE LOTS OF SCIENTIFIC
INSTRUMENTS THAT CAN MEASURE
THAT ACCURATELY.
TO THE NAKED EYE, IT'S NOTHING I
CAN OBSERVE.
>> HI, CHRIS.
I ATTEND [INDISCERNIBLE] I WORK
AT THE FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER IN
THE FLIGHT DATA PORTAL.
MY QUESTION IS CAN THE ISS BE
REPAIRED CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT
REACHING [INDISCERNIBLE].
THANK YOU.
>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING
QUESTION.
FROM A DESIGN POINT OF VIEW AND
ALL PRACTICALITY, THE SPACE TAGS
IS MODULAR, ON A BIG SCALE DOWN
TO THE SMALLER SCALE.
THE MODULES WE CAN RELEASE AND
ATTACH NEW ONES.
INSIDE WE HAVE RACKS, THEY CAN
BE CHANGED OUT.
INSIDE EACH RACK THERE ARE
COMPONENTS TO THE SPACE STATION,
WHETHER IT'S SYSTEMS THAT KEEP
US ALIVE AND THE POWER,
COMPUTER, DATA, AIR CONDITIONING
SYSTEM, EACH COMPONENT CAN BE
CHANGED OUT.
SOME OF THOSE ARE MORE IMPACTFUL
THAN OTHERS.
TODAY I JUST CHANGED OUT A
COMPUTER CARD, THAT WAS EASY,
TURNED OFF THE COMPUTER, PULLED
OUT THE OLD ONE, STUCK IN THE
NEW ONE, TURNED IT BACK ON.
A WHOLE MODULE WOULD INVOLVE
MUCH TIME, MUCH MONEY, A PLAN ON
HOW TO GET THAT HERE.
WITH VARYING DEGREES OF YES, WE
CAN KEEP THE SPACE STATION GOING
AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE DESIRE
AND FUNDING TO, I BELIEVE.
>> HI, CHRIS.
MY NAME IS DANIEL.
I ATTEND SCHOOL AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS.
I AM AN INTERN LANGLEY RESEARCH
WORKING ON SPACECRAFT
DEVELOPMENT.
MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS IF YOU
COULD GROW ANY PLANT YOU WANTED
ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, WHICH PLANT WOULD YOU
GROW?
THANK YOU.
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE TO
SAY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS,
MY DAUGHTER GOES THERE.
SO GO MEAN GREEN.
SECOND, IF I COULD GROW ANY
PLANT UP HERE, WHAT WOULD IT BE,
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING
THAT HAD SMELL TO IT.
WHAT WE HAVE UP HERE IS A
RELATIVELY STERILE ENVIRONMENT
IN TERMS OF SMELL.
WHAT YOU ASSOCIATE NICE SMELLS
ON EARTH, THE SEA SHORE, FRESH
COOKED GRASS, SOMETHING COOKING
IN THE OVEN OR A NICE CITRUS
FRUIT OR FLOWER, WE DON'T HAVE
THOSE.
LIKE AN ORANGE TREE OR SOMETHING
ALONG THOSE LINES.
PROBABLY AN ORANGE.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A BIG
MODULE.
BUT IF THE PIE IN THE SKY IS THE
ANSWER, I WOULD SAY AN ORANGE.
>> HI, CHRIS.
MY NAME IS CARL.
I STUDY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING.
I GET TO WORK WITH A FLIGHT
CONTROL SYSTEM.
MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS YOUR
LEADERSHIP STYLE AND WHAT HAVE
YOU LEARNED ABOUT LEADERSHIP
THROUGH LEADING HIGH ACHIEVERS
SUCH AS ASTRONAUTS AND NAVY
SEALS.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEFINE MY
OWN LEADERSHIP STYLE.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT
LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT MY
PROFESSIONAL CAREER, EVERYBODY
ON THE TEAM APPRECIATES AND
LIKES BEING INCLUDED AND
UNDERSTANDING THE WHY TO HOW
SOMETHING IS GOING ON.
IT'S EASY TO BE A LEADER,
FOLLOWER AND EVERYTHING IS GOING
GREAT.
IN TIMES LIKE CORONAVIRUS OR
OTHER TIMES WHERE IT'S
CHALLENGING TO THE WORK FORCE,
CHALLENGING TO THE TEAM, IT'S
THERE WHERE IDEAS CAN COME FROM
ANYBODY WITHIN.
AS LONG AS PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY
HAVE A PATH TO HAVE THEIR IDEAS
SUBMITTED, WHETHER THEY ARE
ACTED UPON OR NOT, THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING A LEADER CAN DO
IS INCLUDE THE PEOPLE IN THE
DECISIONS AND ARTICULATE WHAT
THE RATIONALE IS FOR WHY WE ARE
GOING A CERTAIN DIRECTION.
BECAUSE OFTENTIMES YOU CAN'T
INCLUDE EVERYBODY'S OPINION.
YOU HAVE TO PICK ONE AND GO.
THAT'S THE TOUGH TIME ABOUT
LEADING THROUGH DIVERSITY,
LEADING THROUGH ADVERSITY IN
TIMES LIKE THESE.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING I
HAVE LEARNED AS A FOLLOWER AND
THEN AS A LEADER IS IT REALLY
FEELS GOOD TO BE INCLUDED.
>> HI, MY NAME IS MEREDITH I'M A
STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
MINNESOTA.
I ALSO ASSIST THE TEAM IN
DEVELOPING A MACHINE.
MY QUESTION IS WHY DID YOU
DECIDE TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT?
>> WELL, I DIDN'T DECIDE TO
BECOME AN ASTRONAUT.
NASA DECIDED TO ALLOW ME TO BE
ONE.
I DECIDED TO APPLY.
I THOUGHT IT SOUNDED LIKE A
SUPER COOL JOB, SOUNDED AMAZING
TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO GO TO
SPACE.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ASTRONAUTS
DID BEYOND FLY A ROCKET INTO
SPACE.
AS I BEGAN MY INTEREST AND READ
ABOUT IT AND LEARNED A LITTLE
MORE, THE WHOLE JOB INTERESTED
ME.
I WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT
APPLYING, I LIKED MY JOB I WAS
DOING IN THE NAVY AND SEAL
TEAMS, I FELT LIKE EITHER WAY IT
WOULD WORK OUT EITHER WAY F I
GOT SELECTED, IT WOULD BE
WONDERFUL, IF I DIDN'T, IT WOULD
BE WONDERFUL, TOO.
WHEN I GOT CALLED AND WAS TOLD
BY NASA IT WAS AN OPTION FOR ME
TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT, I WAS
SUPER-EXCITED.
THERE WAS NO LOOKING BACK.
I HAVE LOVED MY CAREER EVER
SINCE THAT DAY.
>> HI, I'M ALEXANDER.
I'M AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
AND INTERN AT MARSHALL SPACE
FLIGHT CENTER.
I'M DEVELOPING SYSTEM
ENGINEERING TOOLS.
MY QUESTION IS IF YOU WISH YOU
HAD KNOWN OR HAD ANY SKILLS
PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED TO BE AN
ASTRONAUT, WHAT WOULD IT HAVE
BEEN HELPFUL IN TRAINING OR ON
THE JOB?
>> THE ANSWER IS VERY
NONTECHNICAL.
I FOUND THAT THE TRAINING SYSTEM
AT NASA IS FANTASTIC.
ALL THE TECHNICAL THINGS,
WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE SKILL IN
THE BEGINNING, YOU CAN GET THERE
IN THE END.
THE ANSWER IS MORE FOR THE OTHER
SIDE OF MY BRAIN, THAT'S TO
SPEAK A LANGUAGE.
IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING FOR ME
OVER THE YEARS TO LEARN THE
LITTLE BIT OF RUSSIAN THAT I CAN
SPEAK NOW.
AND I WISH THAT I HAD THE
ABILITY TO THOROUGHLY ARTICULATE
MY THOUGHTS IN RUSSIAN TO MY
CREWMATES.
WE DO GET ALONG FIND WITH OUR
LANGUAGE.
WE SPEAK A MIX OF ENGLISH AND
RUSSIAN.
AND IT WORKS.
BUT SOMETIMES I'M AT A LOSS TO
REALLY CONVEY THE NUANCE OF THE
SITUATION OR IF IT'S A JOKE OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I WISH I WAS A BETTER LINGUIST,
THAT WOULD SERVE ME WELL HERE ON
THE SPACE STATION.
>> HI, I ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY
OF HOUSTON.
I'M CURRENTLY HE AT NASA AND I
SUPPORT SOFTWARE
[INDISCERNIBLE].
MY QUESTION FOR YOU, CHRIS, WHEN
YOU ARE IN AN ISOLATED
ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
WHAT IS THE BEST WORKOUT ROUTINE
FOR YOURSELF?
>> WELL, MAYBE IT'S THE MILITARY
GUY IN ME, IT'S EASY TO FOLLOW A
LEADER WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING
OUT.
I LIKE IT VERY MUCH WHEN THERE
IS A PRESCRIBED PROGRAM AND ALL
I HAVE TO DO IS PUT OUT EFFORT
TO EXECUTE THAT PROGRAM.
THAT'S THE CASE HERE.
WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL ASTRONAUTS
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONS COACHES,
THEY WRITE THE EXERCISE PROGRAM.
IT'S MY JOB TO EXECUTE IT.
THAT WORKS VERY WELL FOR ME.
ALL OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS
BACK AT HOME IN A NORMAL GYM
WHERE YOU GO TO THE GYM AND SHOW
UP THERE AND YOU ARE AT A LOSS
FOR WHAT TO DO.
I THINK ABOARD THE SPACE STATION
WE ARE SO BUSY IT, WOULD BE HARD
TO THINK OF ANOTHER PROGRAM.
I'M THANKFUL WE HAVE THE
EXERCISE PROGRAM IN PLACE.
IT'S A MIX OF WEIGHT LIFTING,
RIDING ON A TREADMILL AND
EXERCISE BIKE.
>> HI, I'M MARK.
I'M STUDYING COMPUTER SCIENCE IN
SWEDEN.
I HAVE BEEN AN INTERN AT AIMS
RESEARCH CENTER.
MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HOW HAS
YOUR MILITARY BACKGROUND
PREPARED YOU TO BECOME AN
ASTRONAUT?
>> I THINK MY MILITARY
BACKGROUND, AS YOU GET A COMMON
ANSWER IF YOU TALK TO ANY
MILITARY ASTRONAUT, WE HAVE
BECOME IN AN OPERATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT, YOU GET USED TO
LOOKING AROUND, THINKING IN A
THREE DIMENSIONAL WAY AND
TALKING ON THE RADIO ALL AT THE
SAME TIME.
AND IT'S CALLED SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS, PASSING YOUR
KNOWLEDGE TO OTHERS SO THE WHOLE
COLLECTIVE GROUP CAN HAVE THE
SAME AWARENESS IN THE MILITARY,
THE BATTLE FIELD OR PROBLEM YOU
ARE TRYING TO SOLVE.
THAT TRANSLATED NATURALLY TO ME
AT THE BEGINNING OF MY ASTRONAUT
CAREER, TALKING ON THE RADIO,
LOOKING AROUND THE COCKPIT.
PROCESSING THAT INFORMATION AND
COLLECTIVELY SHARING THAT WITH
THE GROUP.
NOW, IN SHORT ORDER, THAT
ADVANTAGE, IF YOU WILL, WENT
AWAY BECAUSE WE DO SO MANY
TRAINING AS ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES
THAT THE CLASS BECOMES KIND OF
ONE AND WE ALL END UP WITH THE
SAME SKILL LEVEL IN THAT REGARD.
AND WE, WITHIN THE ASTRONAUT,
PUT A HIGH VALUE ON SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS.
IT'S A SKILL THAT'S ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN
HAVE AT AS AN ASTRONAUT.
>> HI, I ATTEND THE HEBREW
UNIVERSITY IN ISRAEL.
I WORK ON A PROJECT TO PREDICT
[INDISCERNIBLE].
MY QUESTION IS WHAT CHANGES
MIGHT BE AFFECTED DUE TO THE
CORONAVIRUS SITUATION.
WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WITH
NAKED EYES.
>> WELL, THE ONLY THING THAT I
CAN NOTICE WITH MY NAKED EYE IS
I THINK THERE IS A FEW LESS
AIRPLANE CON TRAILS.
IN MY LAST MISSION I RECALL
EVERY DAY YOU COULD SEE I WAS
PAYING ATTENTION TO THE UNITED
STATES, I'M SURE IT WAS OVER
EUROPE AND OTHER PARTS OF THE
WORLD AS WELL.
CRISSCROSSING, ZIGZAG OF
CONTRAILS AS THEY FLY PEOPLE
OVER THE WORLD.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRLINES ARE
DEFINITELY FLYING LESS PLANES.
HOWEVER, I DON'T OBSERVE AS MANY
CONTRAILS AS BEFORE.
>> HI, CHRIS.
AS YOU KNOW, I LEAD NASA'S
EFFORTS IN ENGAGING STUDENTS.
IT'S BEEN A GOOD TIME WATCHING
YOU AS YOU ANSWER QUESTIONS.
IT'S NO SURPRISE YOU WOULD BE
GREAT, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WE
WATCHED OUR SONS PLAY BASKETBALL
HERE IN TEXAS.
YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM SOME GREAT
ADVICE.
TODAY HAS BEEN GREAT TO BE ABLE
TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND
LEARN ABOUT YOUR LIFE ON BOARD
SPACE STATION.
OUR FAMILIES LOOK FORWARD TO
OBSERVING YOU ON SPACE STATION.
>> THANK YOU.
TO ALL YOU INTERNS, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SERVICE TO NASA.
IT'S BEEN A CRAZY TIME FOR YOU
TO JOIN.
WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING
YOU ON BOARD AND HELPING US IN
THE LONG HAUL GETTING --
CONTINUING OUR EXPLORATION IN
SPACE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON ACR,
THAT ENDS OUR EVENT.
