T
BACK TO EARTH SO WE COULD STUDY 
ITFOR BENEFIT OF FUTURE 
LANDINGS. 
>> ASSUMING ALL CONTINUES ON 
TRACK, STARLINER'S ORBITAL 
MANEUVERING AND ATTITUDE CONTROL
THRUSTERS OR OMATS, SHOULD 
TOUCHDOWN AT 6:45 A.M. 
>> AT THE MOMENT, NASA IS -- THE
TEAM HERE IN THE MISSION CONTROL
ROOM HAS STILL GOT A LOT OF WOR
TO DO TO FINISH PREPARING FOR 
THAT LAUNCH.
>> AND EARLIER IN THIS SHIFT, 
THIS TEAM GOT A BRIEFING ON THE 
WEATHER AT WHITE SANDS, WHICH IS
LOOKING PROMISING TODAY.
IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE 
CHILLY FOR THE LING TEAM 
HEADING OUT TO MEET STARLINER.
TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DIP
DOWN TO 22º OR 23º FAHRENHEIT 
RIGHT BEFORE SUNRISE, WHICH IS 
WHEN STARLINER'S GOING TO COME 
DOWN, AND THAT'S ABOUT THE -- 
AND THEN, THE CLOUDS ARE 
SCATTERED, BUT THE WINDS ARE 
LIGHT.
ALL IN ALL, IT LOOKS GOOD. 
>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE CHOSEN
THE LONGEST NIGHT TO BRING 
STARLINER HOME.
BRING STARLINER HOME, BUT 7 TO 
UNFORTUNATELY, SUNRISE ISN'T 
UNTIL ABOUT 7:04.
WE'LL SHOW YOU AS MUCH AS 
POSSIBLE, BUT IT WILL BE DARK 
FOR A WHILE. 
>> BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO 
THE MISSION, WE WANT TO SHOW YOU
THE LAUNCH OF STARLINER, HEADING
TO THAT MORNING LIFT OFF AT CAPE
CANAVERAL.
[VIDEO]
>> SO THERE YOU SEE THE UNITED 
LAUNCH ALLIANCE ATLAS V HEADING 
INTO THE SKIES ABOVE CAPE 
CANAVERAL. 
>> CROWDS GATHERED THERE TO 
WATC AS IT LIFTED OFF ON ITS
JOURNEY. 
>> LAUNCH WAS TIMED PRECISELY TO
CATCH UP TO THE INTERNATIONAL 
SPACE STATION'S
.
[VIDEO]
>> 1:27 IN FLIGHT.
BODY RATE RESPONSES LOOK GOOD.
1:30 IN.
STANDING BY FOR S.R.V. BURNTOUT,
AND WE HAVE BURNOUT ON BOTH 
ROCKETS.
1:50 IN.
ATLAS IS NOW 17 MILES IN 
ALTITUDE, 11.5 MILES DOWN RANGE 
DISTANCE, TRAVELING AT 12,300 
MILES PER HOUR.
NOW PASSING TWO MINUTES INTO 
FLIGHT.
ORIGINAL OPERATING PARAMETERS 
CONTINUING TO LOOK GOOD AT FULL 
THRUST.
AND AT 2:11 IN FLIGHT, THE ATLAS
ROCKET NOW WAITS -- 
>> SO I REALLY WAS A BEAUTIFUL 
LAUNCH, AND DESPITE THE FACT 
THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE 
VISITING THE SPACE STATION, WE 
ARE STILL ACCOMPLISHING A LOT OF
STARLINER'S MISSION OBJECTIVES. 
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
FIRST WAS THE LAUNCH ITSELF 
WHICH CONFIRMED TATING
OF THE ROCKET.
IT WAS ABLE TO ESTABLISH 
COMMUNICATION WITH THE STATION 
WHILE THE STATION WAS ABOUT 500 
KILOMETERS AWAY.
WE ALSO GOT A GOOD REPORT CARD 
ATTITUDE LOGGING DEMONSTRATION.
THE UNITS WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE 
REALLY GOOD NAVIGATION. 
>> AND WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE A
GOOD CHECKOUT OF THE SYSTEM THAT
WOULD HAVE ALLOWED US TO CONNECT
TO THE SPACE STATION'S DOCKING 
METRIC.
AND ROSY THE ROCKETEER IS STILL 
STRAPPED INTO THE SAFETY SEAT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FOLKS 
ASKING ABOUT ROSY, AND SHE IS 
STILL UP THERE.
>> ROSY AND STARLINER SHOULD BE 
LANDING IN 1:05 NOW, BUT A LOT 
STILL HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE 
TOUCHDOWN, SO WE'RE GOING TO 
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S AHEAD IN 
THE MISSION PROFILE.
>> 3.5 G ACCELERATION LIMIT.
ENGINE RESPONSES ALL LOOK GOOD.
3:55 INTO FLIGHT.
AND CENTAUR'S BEGUN THE CHILL 
DOWN SEQUENCE. 
>> AND LIFT OFF.
THE RISE OFNER AND NEW 
SPACE FLIGHT. 
>> STARLINERS MANEUVERING AND 
ATTITUDE STORE THRUSTER SLOW HER
DOWN FROM ORBIT VELOCITIES AND 
ALLOW HER TO FALLBACK TO EARTH.
AT THE END, STARLINER ANGLES 
ITSELF FOR REENTRY, BUT 
STARLINER ISN'T READY TO ENTER 
YET.
FIRST, THE HEAVY SHIELD PREPARES
THE CREW MODULE TO KEEP THE HEAT
SHIELD POINTED A EXACTLY THE 
RIGHT ANGLE.
NEXT UP IS THE ENTRY INTERFACE.
AT 400,000 FEET ABOVE THE 
PLANET, IT FACES EXTREMELY HIG 
TEMPERATURES FROM ENTERING THE 
ATMOSPHERE.
AT 30,000 FEET, STARLINER 
JETTISONS AND PREPARES TO LAND.
NEXT, ITS PARACHUTE IS DEPLOYED 
TO ALLOW IT TO DRIFT DOWN TO THE
RECOVERY SITE.
TH THE BASE HEAT SHIELD THAT 
PROTECTED STARLINER THROUGH 
REENTRY SEPARATES AT 3,000 FEET,
UNCOVERING THE LANDING AIR BAGS.
NEXT, THE BAGS FILL WITH 
HYDROGEN, MAKING IT THE FIRST 
ORBITING CREW CAPSULE TO LAND ON
LAND.
FINALLY, IT REACHES ITS TARGET, 
AND RECOVERY TEAMS MOVE IN TO 
RECOVER THE VEHICLE.
>> AND FLIGHT DIRECTOR RICHARD 
JONES HAS GIVEN A GO TO COMMENCE
THE DEORBIT RECOVERY AT THE 
DESIGNATED TIME.
>> AND SPENDING ONE BIT OF WORK 
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE 
PROPULSION ORBITER'S SIDE.
>> SO THE FIRST STEP IN GETTING 
THERE, OF COURSE, AND GETTING 
BACK TO NEW MEXICO IS THE 
DET BURN, AND THAT IS -- 
THAT IS COMING UP AT 6:23 
EASTERN TIME.
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE A 
ECOND BURN, FIRING USING 
FOUR OF THE ORBITAL MANEUVERING 
AND CONTROL ENGINES ON 
STARLINER.
TO GET READY FOR THAT, THE TEAM 
HERE ON THE GROUND IS 
DISCONNECTING STARLINER'S SOLAR 
ARRAYS AND RADIATOR
IT HAS ENOUGH FUEL TO GET HOME 
NOW, AND ITS SUBLIMATORS WILL 
TAKE OVER COOLING.
AND AS WE PROMISED, WE HAVE A 
NUMBER OF TEAMS AROUND AMERICA 
TAKING PART IN TODAY'S LANDING 
OPERATIONS.
ONE OF THOSE TEAMS IS, OF 
COURSE, DOWN AT WHITE SANDS, NEW
MEXICO, AT THE LANDING SITE, AND
WE'RE GOING DOWN TO JOSH AND 
DAN. 
>> I IMAGINE THIS SET UP LOOKS 
QUITE A LOT DIFFERENT.
HOW DO YOU EXPECT THIS TO GO?
>> YEAH, IT WAS VASTLY 
DIFFERENT.
IF YOU FOLLOW THE SPACE STATION,
WE'VE BEEN LANDING OUR ASSETSN
THE KAZAKHSTAN DESERT.
IT'S AN EXTREMELY REMOTE AREA, 
SO THERE'S NO WAY TO DRIVE ON, 
EXCEPT WITH LIMITED ACCESS 
VEHICLES.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT LANDING 
HE IS WE HAVE A LOT MORE 
ACCESS.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE ACCESS 
TEAMS LINED UP.
ACCESS IS RUNNING LIKE A 
WELL-OILED MACHINE NOW.
EVERYBODY IS COLOR CODED, SO 
THEY ALL HAVEHEIR SPECIFIC 
JOBS, SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE.
WHY DON'T WE WALK-THROUGH SOME 
OF THE TEAMS, AND WHAT THEY'RE 
GOING TO BE DOING. 
>> YEAH, TIM -- OR JIM, WHY 
DON'T YOU FOLLOW ME.
LET'S GO UP HERE.
WE'LL KIND OF GO LINE BY LINE.
WE HAVE THE CONVOY.
THAT'S WHERE OUR RECOVERY 
DIRECTOR, IN CHARGE OF THE WHOLE
OPERATION, MAKES SURE EVERYTHING
GOES EXACTLY AS PLANNED.
RIGHT BEHIND IS THE GOAL TEAM.
THEY'RE THE FIRST TO THE VEHICLE
AND THEY ACTUALLY SNIFF 
HYDROZINE.
IT CAN BE DAMAGING IF YOU INHALE
IT.
THEY WILL BE SPECIALLY SUITED 
UP, HAZMAT SUITS, AND MAKE SURE 
THE REST OF THE TEAM CAN COME UP
TO THE VEHICLE.
NEXT UP, WE HAVE SILVER TEAM 
RIGHT BEHIND GOLD TEAM, AND 
THEIR FIRST JOB IS TO GROUND THE
VEHICLE.
THE VEHICLE WILL BE POWERED 
DOWN, BUT THERE TO BE SOME 
RESIDUAL ELECTRICITY.
SO BEFORE ANYONE TOUCHES THE 
VEHICLE, THEY'RE GOING TO GROUND
THE VEHICLE BEFORE ANYONE 
TOUCHES IT.
NEXT UP IS BLUE TEAM.
WE'RE BLUE TEAM.
SITUATIONAL CAMERAS, ALL THE 
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT TO GET BACK 
TO OUR UPLINK AND MAKE SURE YOU 
SEE THIS RECOVERY EF.
NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO THE GREEN 
TEAM.
YOU SEE THESE BIG HVAC UNITS, 
THEY'RE GOING TO HOOKUP SOME 
COOLING UNITS, BUT FIRST, SINCE 
IT'S 22º, THEY'RE GOING TO PUT 
AN ENVIRONMENTAL INSULATION TO 
WRAPAROUND THE VEHICLE, HUG IT, 
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME WARM
UP ON THE CREW MODULE AND MAKE 
SURE THE COOLING LINES DON'T 
FREEZE.
AND THEN, AFTER THAT, THEY'RE 
FUN TO WATCH.
THEY'RE MY BOEING FIRE 
RESCUE EMPLOYEES.
LET'S GO UP HERE SO I CAN SHOW 
YOU THE MOBILE ACCESS LAS FORM.
SO HERE, THAT PLATFORM WILL GET 
BACKED UP TO THE HATCH ON THE 
CREW MODULE.
THAT GIVES OUR TEAMS ACCESS TO 
THE HATCH.
RIGHT NOW SINCE THERE'S NO 
ASTRONAUTS ON BOARD, WE'RE JUST 
GOING TO COPE UP THE HATCH.
ONE OF OUR ENGINEER -- OPEN UP 
THE HATCH.
ONE OF OUR ENGINEERS IS GOING TO
GO IN AND RUN A TEST.
BUT IN A CREW LANDING, THAT'S 
WHEN THE CREW LANDING WILL EXIT 
AND BE TAKEN TO THIS TRUCK 
BEHIND ME FOR THEIR MEDICAL 
CHECKUPS, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH
THE CONVOY, SO I'M GOING TO GO 
OVER HERE WITH DAN. 
>> YEAH.
AS YOU CAN TELL, HE'S WANTING TO
KEEP MOVINGSE IT IS PRETTY
COLD FOR THE TEAMS HERE TODAY.
WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING YOU 
A COUPLE OF VIEWS OF THE TEAM 
HERE.
THERE'S SOME TRACKERS ON SOMOF
THE TRUCKS THAT DRIVE OUT HERE, 
THE MDTV. 
>> IT'S THE MOBILE DATA AND 
TRACKING VEHICLE.
SINCE IT'S INFRARED, IT'S SO 
DARK OUT, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL 
BE DEPENDING ON.
NEXT IS OUR MOBILE COMMAND.
THOSE GUYS ARE HOOKED UP TO 
HOUSTON, AND THAT IS WHERE THE 
NOTIFICATION THAT THE CREW 
MODULE HANDED WILL COME 
THROUGH.
THEY WILL RELAY THIS THROUGH 
THEIR CREW RADIOS, AND THAT'S 
HOW THIS THING WILL START 
HAPPENING. 
>> ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO 
HAVE A WB-57 IN THE AIR, 
HOPEFULLY GETTING SOME VIEWS IN 
IR AS IT'S DOING THAT 
INTERFACE, WATCHING THE 
PARACHUTES COME OUT, THE HEAT 
SHIELD JETTISON, ALL THOSE 
THINGS.
IT IS DARK, SO WE ARENOING 
TO THE PRETTIEST PICTURE, 
BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE 
SOME NICE SHOTS OF STARLINER 
COMING DOWN. 
>> AND I SHOULD REPORT, WE WERE 
TRAINING IN SIMILAR CONDITIONS.
IT WAS QUITE A BIT WARMER. 
>> IT WAS.
IT WAS. 
>> THE TEAM IS READY FOR IT.
WE'VE BEEN ON-SITE SINCE 
1:00 A.M.
WE'RE READY TO EXECUTE AND 
RECOVER THE FIRST AMERICAN 
ORBITER TO LAND ON LAND. 
>> I KNOW THAT STEVE AND BRANDY 
ARE GOING TO WALK YOU GUYS 
THROUGH THIS QUITE A BIT, BUT 
WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR 
THESE THINGS QUITE A BIT.
THE FORWARD HEAT SHIELD IS GOING
TO COME OFF UNDER PARACHUTES.
THE DRONES ARE GOING TO COME 
OUT, AND THEN, THE PILOT WILL 
DEPLOY AND BRING OUT THE MAIN 
PARACHUTE, AND THEN ABOUT 3,000 
FEET OFF THE GROUND, THE HEAT 
SHIELD IS GOING TO POP OFF AND 
REVEAL THE LANDING AIR BAGS, AND
THEY'RE GOING TO INFLATE AND 
ALLOW STARLINER TO COME DOWN 
NICE AND SOFT ON THE GROUND. 
>> AND HOW FAST WHEN THEY LAND?
I KNOW YOU ASKED FOR MILES PER 
HOUR. 
>> ABOUT 19 MILES PER HOUR WHEN 
THEY LAND.
THEDS ON THE CREW WERE 
ACTUALLY LOWER THAN WE PREDICTED
IN OUR ANALYSES, SO THAT'S A 
GOOD SURPRISE TO HAVE. 
>> YEAH.
AND A LOT OF THE OPERATIONS THAT
WE'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY ARE THE
EXACT SAME AS WHEN WE HAVE A 
CREW ON BOARD.
SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES ARE 
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE PULLING 
ANYBODY OUT OF THE CAPSULE 
TODAY.
IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN A SOYUZ 
LANDING, IT'S VERY COMMON TO 
HAVE THE CREW COME OUT, AND 
THEN, FLIGHT SURGEON, 
NURSES, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER 
PERSONNEL WHO ARE JUST KIND OF 
THERE ON LOCATION FOR THE CREW.
WE KNOW COMING HOME FROM SPACE 
AFTER SIX MONTHS IS A LITTLE 
SURE TO DO OUR BEST TO TAKE CARE
OF THESE SPACE MEMBERS ONCE 
THEY'RE BACK ON TERRA FIRMA.
>> WE TAPPED OUR FIRE RESCUE -- 
BOEING FIRE TEAMS HERE.
THEY'RE TRAINED IN ENCLOSED AREA
RESCUE.
THEY'RE GOING TO GO IN AND 
 
EXTRICATE THE CREW MEMBERS, SO 
THAT'S WHAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS 
WILL BE DOING, AND I WILL SAY 
THEY'RE FANTASTIC.
THEY WORK SO WELL TOGETHER.
I KNOW EVERYONE IS CURIOUS HOW 
ROSY IS DOING.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE HER BEING
PULLED OUT O THE VEHICLE TODAY.
SHE'S PRETTY HEAVY.
IT'LL BE WORK TO GET HER OUT.
>> WE DO HAVE TEAMS MONITORING 
HER.
WE HAVE SONNYLLIAMS FROM NASA
WITH HER, AND SHE'S GOING TO BE 
FLYING IN STARLINER. 
>> YEAH.
I'M SURE SHE'S GOING TO BE 
EXCITED TO SEE HER VEHICLE COME 
DOWN.
>> THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL 
OPERATION. 
>> YEAH.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO BRING YOU 
AS MUCH VIDEO AS WE POSSIBLY CAN
ON THE WAY OUT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME CAMERAS
RIGGED OUT, AND WE'LL BE ON TH 
GROUND WITH THE CASTLE ONCE IT'S
DOWN, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR 
SOME CAMERAS TO PROVIDE SOME 
VIEWS, PROBABLY PITCH-BLACK, AND
WE'RE LOCKED IN AND LOADED HERE 
AND READY TO GO. 
SO STEVE AND BRANDY, WE'LL GO 
BACK TO YOU FOR UPDATES AT THE 
FLIGHT CONTROL THAT THE LANDING 
SHOULD BE COMING UP SOON. 
>> THANK YOU, STEVE AND DAN.
WE REALLY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SOW US A 
LITTLE BIT LATER. 
>> AND SPEAKING OF THINGS THAT 
ARE COMING UP, STARLINER IS OVER
THE SOUTH INDIAN OCEAN, HEADING 
BELOW AUSTRALIA BEFORE IT COMES 
OVER THE PACIFIC WHERE IT WILL 
ORM THE DEORBIT BURN IN 
ABOUT 16:18.
AND IT WILL SEPARATE ON ITS OWN.
IT WILL BE DISPOSED OF, AND THE 
CREW MODULE WILL BE WHAT WILL 
FLY THROUGH THE HEAT OF REENTRY 
AND ON OVER THE SKIES OF NEW 
MEXICO WHERE DAN AND JOSH ARE 
WAITING TO RETRIEVE IT. 
>> AND THAT WILL ALL GET KICKED 
OFF WITH A DEORBITN COMING 
UP IN 15 MINUTES NOW.
BUT WHEN WE WAIT FOR A FEW 
MINUTES FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE, 
WE ARE GOING TO TALK WITH 
STARLINER ENGINEER JIM MAY TO 
TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE
LANDING PROCESS AND WHAT WE'VE 
ALRE ACCOMPLISHED ON THIS 
MISSION.
>> THE RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS 
PROGRAM IS MAKING SURE THAT THE 
WAY WE TRAIN IS SAFE ENOUGH FOR 
US TO FLY.
THE ASTRONAUTS ARE PRETTY EASY 
FOR US TO WORK ROUGH.
NORMALLY, WE WANT IT TO GO FULLY
AUTONOMOUS, BUT WE MAKE IT AS 
DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE 
E THINGS GO AS SMOOTH AS 
POSSIBLE.
CHRIS FERGUSON WAS THE ONE WHO 
TRAINED ME ON THIS MISSION.
YOUR ASTRONAUTS REPRESENTING 
YOUR COUNTRY IS VERY SAFE IS 
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ME. 
>> WELCOME, JIM. 
>> GOOD MORNING. 
>> JIM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS 
THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED IS WHETHER
THE MISSION ELAPSED TIME PROBLEM
THAT CREPT INTO THE ORBIT 
INSERTION BURN COULD CAUSE A 
PROBLEM T DURING THIS PHASE,
DURING THIS DEORBIT LANDING 
PHASE.
TELL US HOW THE SOFTWARE HAS 
BEEN CONFIRMED IN THE PAST TWO 
DAYS TO SHOW THAT THIS PROBLEM 
ISN'T GOING TO SHOW ITSELF 
AGAIN?
>> SURE.
THE SOFTWARE HAS BEEN UPDATED.
MISSION CONTROL WAS ABLE TO 
CHANGE ITS MISSION ELAPSED TIME 
WHICH THEN GOES INTO THE FLIGHT 
COMPUTERS.
SO THE MISSION ELAPSED TIME HAS 
BEEN ADJUSTED, AND ALL OF THE 
COMPUTERS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING IT
AND HAVE BEENUCCESSFULLY 
FOLLOWING IT EVER SINCE. 
>> THAT'S GREAT NEWS.
SO I KNOW THAT THE SOFTWARE IS 
REALLY ABLE TO DO A LOT FOR 
STARLINER AND HANDLES A LOT OF 
THE MISSION EVENTS, BUT HOW DOES
THAT AFFECT THE TEAM HERE AT 
MISSION CONTROL. 
>> THERE ARE PARTS OF THE 
SPACECRAFT INSIDE THE FLIGHT 
SOFTWARE THAT SAY HEY, THIS IS 
WHERE THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO 
POINT, AND THIS IS WHERE THE 
VEHICLE IS GOING TO GO TO IN THE
FUTURE IN ORDER TO DEORBIT OR 
RENDEZVOUS AND THINGS OF THAT 
NATURE.
SO THE TEAM IS LOOKING AT IT AND
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS IN CASE IT 
WANTS TO CHANGE SOMETHING IN THE
FUTURE.
BUT EVERYTHING THAT IT WANTS TO 
DO REMAINS ON THE FLIGHT PLAN AS
DESIGNED. 
>> JIM, YOU'VE BEEN WORKING THIS
PLAN FOR A WHILE.
TELL US, HOW ARE YOU FEELING 
WITH THE WAY, JUST TO SEE THAT 
STARLINER'S UP IN SPACE, AND 
THERE, IT'S GETTING READY TO 
COME HOME.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS ON
YOUR MIND NOW?
>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE THAT WE
TRAIN THE CREW FOR QUITE 
EXTENSIVELY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE 
VEHICLE FLYING THE REENTRY PLAN 
ONCE WE DESIGNED.
THE THING WE CARE ABOUT MOST IS 
THE SAFETY OF THE FLEW.
SO SEEING THAT THE AUTO MATED 
FLIGHT PLAN CAN GO AS PLANNED IS
GREAT BECAUSE THE CREW NEEDS TO 
BE ABLE TO TAKE OVER IF THERE 
ARE ANY ISSUES IF THEY NEED TO.
>> AND JIM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT 
SOME OF THE -- AT SOME OF THE 
OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS FLIGHT, 
YOU KNOW, THE BRILLIANT LAUNCH 
YESTERDAY, HOW TOUGH WAS IT FOR 
THE TEAM TO EXECUTE SOME OF THE 
THOSE DEMONSTRATIONS THAT WERE 
PERFORMED.
WAS I A PROBL AT ALL OR DID 
THE SPACECRAFT PERFORM THE WAY 
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO?
>> YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GOT IT IN A
STABLE ORBIT, WE WERE ABLE TO 
PERFORM THE TESTS AS PLANNED, 
JUST WITH A DIFFERENT ORBIT.
SO BEING ABLE TO TEST THE 
PROPULSIONS, THE NAVIGATION, 
BEING ABLE TO CHECKUT THE STAR
TRACKER, WHICH IS TELLING THE 
VEHICLE WHERE IT IS RELATIVE TO 
THE STARS, RELATIVE TO THE SUN, 
ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN 
WORKING AS PLANNED.
THE FLIGHT TEAM HAS BEEN 
FOLLOWING THE TRACKER FOR ALL 
THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO DO 
FOR IT
>> AND I GUESS COMING UP WILL BE
ANOTHER BIG DEMONSTRATION WITH 
STARLINER MAKING ITS WAY BACK TO
EARTH. 
>> EXACTLY. 
>> CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH SOME 
OF THE EVENTS THAT WE'LL BE 
SEEING OVER THE COURSE OF THE 
VIEWING BID AND LANDING?
>> SURE.
WE ARE GOING TO DO A DEORBIT 
BURN AND TAKE STARLINER AND 
LOWER IT WHERE IT COMES INTO THE
ATMOSPHERE.
WHERE IT COMES INTO THE 
ATMOSPHERE IS A PLACE CALLED 
ONCE IT ENTERS THE ATMOSPHERE, 
IT'S GOING TO START DOING TURNS 
AND FIRING ITS THRUSTERS TO KEEP
COMING DOWN TOWARDS ITS 
PREFERRED LANDING ZONE IN WHITE 
SANDS.
SO WHILE THE SPACECRAFT IS 
MANEUVERING, CAN CHANGE HOW 
FAR LEFT OR RIGHT IT'S GOING TO 
GO, IT CAN CHANGE HOW CLOSE TO 
THE GROUND IT'S GOING TO GO, AND
ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAN BE DONE 
BY THE AUTOMATED FLIGHT SYSTEM.
ONCE IT'S COME LOW ENOUGH, WE'RE
GOING TO FIRE SOME DRONE 
PARACHUTES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE 
DOWN.
ONCE THAT HAPPENS, WE'LL DEPLOY 
SOME MAJOR PARACHUTES AND GET 
READ FOR THE LANDING. 
>> YOU KNOW, JIM, WE HAD SOME 
PROBLEMS WITH THE ELAPSED 
TIMERS, AND ALL THE TEAMS HAVE 
BEEN WORKING SINCE THEN, AND 
NONE OF THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS 
HAVE BEEN -- YOU KNOW, HAVE 
BEEN -- THE TEAMS HAVE BEEN 
WORKING THE WHOLE TIME.
GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE 
INSIGHT -- WE TALKED ABOUT THIS 
EARLIER.
BUT GIVE US A LITTLE MORE 
INSIGHT INTO WHAT THAT 
EVALUATION PROCESS HAS BEEN.
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH A
LOWER ORBIT THAN EXPECTED, BUT 
IT I STILL SOMETHING THAT'S 
MANAGEABLE, AM I CORRECT ON 
THAT?
>> YES.
THE STARLINER IS CAPABLE OF 
FLYING AT A LOWER ORBIT.
THE PROCESSES WE'VE BEEN GOING 
THROUGH WORK THEXACT SAME WAY 
AS IF WE WERE AT A SLIGHTLY 
HIGHER ORBIT.
IT'S JUST THAT WE GO AROUND THE 
EARTH A LITTLE BIT FASTER 
BECAUSE OUR ALTITUDE IS A LITTLE
BIT LOWER.
BUT THE TEAMS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO 
OPERATE THE SPACECRAFT USING THE
EXACT SAME NDING, THE EXACT 
SAME PLAN FOR THE ORDER THEY 
WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO FOR 
THE MISSION PROFILE. 
>> AND I GUESS WE'LL HAVE A 
LITTLE BIT SHORTER JOURNEY.
NORMALLY, IT TAKES STARLINER 
ABOUT 45UTES TO GET DOWN, 
AND THIS TIME, IT'LL BE 30. 
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S BECAUSE IT'LL BE COMING 
DOWN IN A LOWER PATH. 
>> AND WE CAN SEE FROM OUR 
MONITORS HERE IN MISSION CONTROL
THAT STARLINER IS GOING THROUGH 
THE ORIENTATION STEPS COMING UP 
ON THIS BURN COMING UP IN JUST A
FEW STEPS.
JIM.
YOU'RE WATCHING THIS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS SO 
FAR?
>> EVERYTHING'S LOOKING GOOD.
WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO DO
TO DO THE DEORBIT BOARD.
I'M REALLY HAPPY BECAUSE THIS IS
EVERYTHING THAT I'VE STUDIED 
FOR. 
>> WE'RE HEARING HERE IN MISSION
CONTROL THAT STARLINER IS BACK 
ON ITS WAY TO BURN ATTITUDE NOW,
SO THAT'LL GET US IN PLACE FOR 
THE DEORBIT BURN 7:07 RT NOW.
>> AND AT THIS MOMENT, STARLINER
IS CROSSING AUSTRALIA ON ITS WAY
OVER THE PACIFIC.
IT'S GOING TO FLY BACK ON AN 
ASCENDING NODE, WHICH BASICALLY 
MEANS IT'S COMING ON A SOUTHO 
NORTH PATH, OVER BAJA CALIFORNIA
AND THEN OVER MEXICO ON ITS WAY 
TO WHITE SANDS.
PART OF THE --ART OF THE TEAM 
HERE, OF COURSE, THAT'S BEEN 
WORKING THROUGHOUT THIS MISSION,
THE FLIGHT DIRECTORS, THEY EACH 
HAVE THEIR OWN TEAMS, AND THE ON
ORBIT TEAM IS LED BY BOB 
DEMPSEY.
BOB DEMPSEY IS AN ASTRONOMER AT 
FLIGHT AND IS A FLIGHT 
CONTROLLER FOR SPACE STATION AND
NOW FOR STARLINER.
HERE'S A LOOK AT BOB DEMPSEY.
>> -- THAT NASA WAS DOING, SPACE
SHUTTLE, PROBES AROUND JUPITER 
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WHEN I CAME HERE AND BECAME 
A FLIGHT DIRECTOR, I REALIZED 
IT'S NOT THE FLIGHT, IT'S THE 
PEOPLE.
MY CALL SIGN IS GALILEO FLIGHT.
THAT REFLECTS THAT BY NATURE, I 
AM AN ASTRONOMER.
WHEN THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR CALLED 
ME, I WAS SURPRISED.
I HAD APPLIED, BUT I THOUGHT THE
ODDS WERE REALLY LIMITED.
IT'S A SMALL CONTINGENT.
IN FACT, THERE'S BEEN FEWE 
FLIGHT DIRECTORS THAN ASTRONAUTS
IN THE HISTORY OF NASA. 
>> AND AS WE MENTIONED, RICHARD 
JONES IS BACK ON CONSOLE TODAY 
TO BRING US IN FOR A LANDING.
HERE'S A LOOK AT WHAT HE HAD TO 
SAY. 
>> THE ROLE OF THE FLIGHT 
DIRECTOR, TO PUT IT SIMPLY, THE 
FLIGHT DIRECTOR MAKES DECISI
I MAKE DECISIONS, AND AS THE 
MISSION IS CONTINUING, WHATEVER 
TIMELINE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING, 
WHETHER IT'S PRELAUNCH, ON 
ASCENT, ORBIT, DOCKED ON ENTRY, 
A LOT OF TIMES, WE HAVE TO STOP 
PROCEED BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOOD 
FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE MAY SUFFER A FAILURE, REACT 
TO DIFFERENT PRIORITIES, 
WHATEVER HAS CHANGED, AND SO THE
FLIGHT DIRECTOR'S ROLE IS TO 
TAKE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IN,
INFORMATION, THE HUMAN ELEMEN
IF ASTRONAUTS ARE ON THAT 
VEHICLE, AND MAKE A DECISION ON 
HOW TO PROCEED OR NOT TO 
PROCEED.
SOMETIMES THE ANSWER IS NOT TO 
GO FORWARD WITH SOMETHING, SO 
IT'S REALLY A SPECS ISSUE.
 OTHER MEMRS OF OUR STAR
TEAM OF FLIGHT DIRECTORS ARE ED 
VAN CISE, AND ALSO MIKE GLAMORS 
WHO IS THE FLIGHT DTOR FOR 
LANDING.
ALSO, YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF 
CAPCOMS ON SHIFT WITH US, TRACEY
CALDWELL DYSON AND JOSH, WHO IS 
SCHEDULED TO TAKE HIS OWN FLIGHT
ON STARLINER.
HE'LL BE ON THE SECOND CREWED 
FLIGHT OF STARLINER.
EACH OF THOSE MISSIONS SPENT ONE
THEY'VET STARLINER IN THE SHIFT.
BEST POSITION THUS FAR FOR A 
SUCCESSFUL LANDING, COMING UP IN
JUST 37 MINUTES NOW. 
>> 37 MINUTES DOWN TO NEW 
MEXICO.
THE G.N.C. POSITION HERE REPORTS
THAT STARLINER IS IN THE CORRECT
ATTITUDE FOR ITS DEORBIT BURN 
THAT IS COMING UP.
AT THIS POINT, THE SERVICE 
MODULE AND THE CREW MODULE ARE 
BOTH STILL ATTACHED TO EACH 
OTHER.
IT'LL BE THE SERVICE MODULES 
OMAT ENGINES THAT WILL POWER THE
DEORBITBURN.
THEY ARE EACH 1500-BOUND GLASS 
THRUSTERS, MEANING THAT THIS 
55-SECOND BURN WILL BE ABOUT 
6,000 POUNDS OF THRUST THAT WILL
SLOW STARLINER FROM ITS CURRENT 
ORBITAL VELOCITY AND FALL INTO 
THE ATMOSPHERE AND ULTIMATELY 
FLY TO NEW MEXICO AND TOUCHDOWN 
IN WHITE SANDS. 
>> AND WILL THE OMATS ARE 
JUST -- AND THE OMATS ARE JUST 
ABOUT DONE WITH THEIR MISSION, 
BUT THEY WILL HELP MOVE AWAY 
FROM THE SERVICE MODULE AFTER 
THE ORBIT BURN.
THAT BURN'S COMING UP IN JUST A 
LITTLE OVER TWO MINUTES HERE.
EVERYONE'S QUIET IN THE ROOM, 
WORKING THROUGH THEIR LAST STEPS
TO GET READY FOR IT. 
>> AFTER THE DEORBIT BURN, WE'LL
BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING CALLED 
REENTRY INTERFACE, WHICH IS WHEN
THE HOTTEST PART OF REENTRY 
BEGINS.
THIS IS WHEN THE STARLINER'S 
HEAT SHIELD WILL FACE ITS 
BIGGEST TEST.
IT'S GOING TO GET OVER 3,000º, 
AND THE HEAT SHIELD IS GOING TO 
PROTECT THE STARLINER FROM THAT.
IT'S AN ABLATING SHIELD. 
>> IT'S HOTTER THAN LAVA, AND IT
HAS TO PROTECT IT FROM THAT. 
>> WE ARE ABOUT 3:16 FROM 
DEORBIT BURN.
THIS'LL BE STARLIR'S 33 
ORBIT OF THE EARTH THAT THIS IS 
HAPPENING ON.
>> 30 SECONDS TO GO NOW UNTIL 
THE DEORBIT BURN BEGINS.
AGAIN, IT'LL LAST ABOUT 55 
SECONDS.
>> TEN SECONDS TO DEORBIT BURNS.
EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR, 
THREE, TWO, ONE.
DEORBIT BURN IN PROGRESS.
FLIGHT CONTROL REPORTED.
FORWARD OMAT THRUSTERS FIRING 
ABOUT 55 SECONDS TO SLOW 
STARLINER DOWN TO BEGIN ITS 
RETURN TO EARTH. 
>> ALL LOOKING GOOD THUS FAR.
>> 40 SECONDS IN, ABOUT 15 MORE 
TO GO. 
>> STARLINER, WE CAN SEE, IS 
MAINTAINING ITS ATTITUDE.
SMALLER R.C.S. THRUSTERS ARE 
KEEPING THE AIRCRAFT IN ITS 
POSITION.
GOOD BURN REPORTED.
ENGINES CUTOFF.
WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO WHITE 
SANDS, RICHARD JONESELLS HIS 
TEAM. 
>> STARLINER IS READY TO COME 
HOME NOW.
NEXT IS REENTRY, BUT BEFORE 
THAT, STARLINER WANTS TO GET RID
OF THE SERVICE MODULE SO THAT 
THE COMMAND MODULE CAN MAKE ITS 
WAY HOME.
THAT MAKES ITS WAY FOR THE HEAT 
SHIELD AND THE PARACHUTES THAT 
WILL LOWER STARLINER SLOWLY DOWN
TO EARTH. 
>> SO STARLINER IS ON A PATH 
COMING HOME NOW.
ITS SPEED IS DROPPING, AND WE 
WILL SOON BE -- WE'LL SOON BE 
JETTISONNING THE SERVICE MODULE 
AS NOTED, BUT WE ARE ON OUR WAY 
TO WHITE SANDS. 
>> MOVING INTO ATTITUDE TO GET 
RID OF THE SERVICE MODULE NOW.
>> AND FLIGHT CONTROLLERS REPORT
THAT WE ARE IN THE RIGHT 
ATTITUDE, AND SERVICE MODULE HAS
JETTISONNED.
SERVICE MODULE WILL BE RID OVER 
THE PACIFIC WHILE OUR FLIGHT 
SERVICE MODULE WILL CONTINUE TO 
WHITE SANDS WHERE OUR NASA CREWS
WILL BE READY TO RECOVER. 
>> RIGHT NOW, IT WILL POINT BACK
AROUND TO GET ITS HEAT SHIELD 
BACK INTO WHAT WILL BE THE HOT 
SPOT, MAKE SURE IT'S READY FOR 
REENTRY.
>> AT STARLINER MISSION CONTROL 
IN HOUSTON, WE CONTINUE TO 
MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF 
STARLINER AS IT CONTINUES TO 
HEAD BACK TO WHITE SANDS, NEW 
MEXICO.
EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD.
THE CREW MODULE IS POSITIONI
IT FOR THE REENTRY.
WE HAVE ENTRY INTERFACE COMING 
UP IN 13:40.
>> AND ANOTHER STARLINER 
ENGINEER JOINING US THIS MORNING
IS TORY WILLS PADRADE.
TORY IS AN EXPERT ON THE HEAT 
SHIELD OF STARLINER AND MANY OF 
THE OTHER SYSTEMS.
TORY, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING 
RIGHT NOW AS WE PROCEED TOWARDS
THIS REENTRY WITH STARLINER IN A
GOOD ATTITUDE AND HEADING OVER 
THE PACIFIC ON THE WAY TO WHITE 
SANDS. 
>> SO THANKS, STEVE.
THIS IS REALLY EXCITING MORNING 
FOR STARLINER TO BE ABLE TO SHOW
NOT ONLY A GOOD F.M. SEPARATION 
BUTLSO A GOOD ATTITUDE COMING 
DOWN INTO THE WHITE SANDS.
THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE IN 
FOR THE VEHICLE.
WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TEST 
THE HEAT SHIELD.
WE HAVE TESTED THE HEAT SH 
HERE AT AMES, BUT THERE'S 
NOTHING LIKE A FLIGHT TEST TO 
CONFIR THE SAFETY AND 
RELIABILITY OF A HEAT SHIELD. 
>> AND NOW, IT'S REALLY COMING 
DOWN TO THE CRUNCH TIME. 
>> YEAH, IT IS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST REALLY 
EXCITING, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A
REALLY GOOD TEST OF THAT HEAT 
SHIELD.
NOW, A GOOD THING TO REMEMBER 
ABOUT THE HEAT SHIELD IS IT'S A 
GAME OF THREES, SO THE HEAT 
SHIELD IS GOING TO SEE ABOUT 
3,000º AT ENTRY INTERFACE, AND 
IT'S GOING TO CONVERT THAT TO 
ABOUT 300º ON THE INTERIOR OF 
THAT INNER MOLD LINE WITH ABOUT 
3 INCHES OF ABLATOR.
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO TEST 
THAT HERE.
WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY TESTED THAT
HERE.
 PS OF THIS, WE'VE 
ALREADY SEEN, BUT RIGHT NOW, 
WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO SEE HOW 
THE ABLATOR PERFORMS DURING THIS
TEST. 
>> HOPEFULLY, IT'LL ALL GO AS 
EXPECTED, AND NEXT ME, WE'RE 
BACK WITH CREW ON BOARD, WHAT 
WOULD THEY BE FEELING AT THIS 
POINT?
>> SO AT THIS POINT, FROM A 
THERMAL PERSPECTIVE, THEY WOULD 
NOT BE FEELING ANYTHING 
DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY'RE 
FEELING THE REST OF THE TRIP.
THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE IS 
AROUND 70, 75º.
IT'S VERY COMFORTABLE.
THEY WOULD BE SEEING A VERY COOL
LIGHT SHOW OUTSIDE OF THIS 
WINDOW RIGHT NOW AS SOME OF THAT
THERMAL HEATING STARTS TO TAKE 
PLACE, AND YOU SEE SOME OF THAT 
AEROHEAT SPARKING AROUND THE 
VEHICLE.
>> AND THE WHOLE THING HAS 
THERMALT SHIELD, THA 
CORRECT?
>> YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
ALL OF THAT GRAY STUFF THAT 
LOOKS LIKE A BLANKET, THAT IS A 
THERMAL BLANKET MADE UP OF A 
BUNCH OF DIFFERE LAYERS AND 
THICKNESSES OF A MATERIAL THAT 
IS SEWN TOGETHER AND GLUED ONTO 
THE STARLINER.
WHILE THAT WILL NOT SEE THE HEAT
THAT THE BASE SHIELD WILL, IT 
STILL PROTE TH VEHICLE NOT 
ONLY FROM THE HIGH HEAT OF 
REENTRY, BUT ALSO FROM THE 
REALLY COLD TEMPERATURES WHEN 
WE'RE IN ORBIT, SO BOTH OF THOSE
ARE IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE 
THINKING ABOUT THERMAL 
PROTECTION SYSTEMS. 
>> GREAT POINT, TORY.
STARLINER IS IN ITS CURRENT -- 
IS IN THE PROPER ATTITUDE 
CURRENTLY, ITS BASE HEAT SHIELD 
POINTED IN ITS DIRECTION OF 
TRAVEL.
TORY, ENTRY INTERFACE, IT'S 
SOMETHING THAT YOU'VEEEN 
LOOKING AT FOR A LONG TIME, AND 
NOW WE'RE COMING UP TO IT. 
>> YES.
WHEN WE WERE DOING DESIGN ON THE
HEAT SHIELD AND TESTING IT, 
ENTRY INTERFACE IS WHEN WE WOULD
START CARING ABOUT THE THERMAL 
LOADS THE HEAT SHIELD WOULD SEE.
BEFORE THAT, THE HEATHIELD IS 
PROTECTED BY THE S.M. BECAUSE WE
DON'T WANT IT TO BE AFFECTED BY 
ANY MICROMEDIA OR DEBRIS OR 
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO COVERING THE HEAT SHIELD IS 
REALLY IMPORTANT UNTIL WE WANT 
IT TO USE IT BECAUSE WE WANT IT 
TO BE TO THE EXACT THICKNESS 
THAT WE WANTED IT TO SO IT CAN 
PERFORM TO THE BEST OF ITS 
ABILITY.
EACH AREA OF THE HEAT SHIELD IS 
ACTUALLY LOFTED, SO IF YOU LOOK 
AT THE HEAT SHIELD AS LIKE A 
GRID, EACH POIN THAT GRID IS
AT A DIFFERENT THICKNESS TO BE 
ABLE TO COVER ALL OF THE HEATING
THAT WE WOULD SEE DURING 
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT REENTRY 
TRAJECTORIES BUT ALSO ABLE TO 
HAVE IT AS THIN AS POSSIBLE TO 
BE AS LIGHT WEIGHT AT POSSIBLE.
SO WE REALLY WORKED TO MAKE THE 
HEAT SHIELD AS EFFICIENT AS IT 
COULD BE AND ALSO AS LIGHT 
WEIGHT AS IT COULD BE SO WE'RE 
ABLE TO CARRY MORE CARGO OR CREW
TO SPACE STATION WHEN WE 
EVENTUALLY GO THERE. 
>> AND WHEN WILL YOU SAY THAT 
THE HEAT SHIELD HAS DONE ITS 
JOB?
>> UPON RELEASE.
THAT'S WHEN THE HEAT SHIELD HAS 
DONE ITS JOB, AND WHEN IT'S 
READY TO DROP THOSE DROGUES, 
THAT'S WHEN WE'RE READY TO SAY 
HEAT SHIELD IS READY.
THE ABLATOR IS GOING TO LOOK 
BLACK, IT'S GOING TO BE CHARRED,
HAVE THAT SORT OF CRUSTY-LOOKING
APPEARANCE, AND THAT IS EXACTLY 
WHAT WE EXPECT BECAUSE WHEN -- 
HOW AN ABLATOR WORKS IS BY 
CHANGING HEAT INTO GAS, AND BY 
DOING THAT, IT STARS THE 
MATERIAL.
WHEN THE MATERIAL IS NEW, 
HASN'T SEEN ANY HEAT YET, IT'S 
WHITE.
BUT WHEN IT'S BLACK, WE KNOW 
IT'S WORKED, AND IT'S 
TRANSFERRED HEAT INTO GAS. 
>> AND TORY, YOU'RE AN EXPERT ON
ANOTHER SYSTEM, THE INTERIOGAS
STEM.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INTEREST ON 
THAT, BUT AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, 
WE THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE 
THOSE INTERIOR VIEWS OF ROSY IN 
THE COMMANDER'S SEAT FROM THIS 
MISSION. 
>> YES, THAT'S CORRECT, STEVE.
SO THE INTERIOR SYSTEM FOR THE 
CAMERA, FOR O.F.T., IT'S 
RECORDED -- IT WAS SUPPOSED TO 
RECORD THE ENTIRE FLIGHT.
WE DEFINITELY GOT ALL OF THE 
UPHILLS, AND WHEN WE WERE IN 
ORBIT AND STATIONARY, WE HAD TO 
POWER DOWN.
SO THE CAMERA WAS POWERED DOWN 
FOR A SHT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT 
THEN, WE POWER IT HAD BACK ON AS
WE STARTED REENTRY.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE ROSY AND
SNOOPY, NOT ONLY ON THE INTERIOR
RIDE, BUT HOW SHE'S AFFECTED BY 
THE LANDING WITH HER SENSOR 
DATA.
WE HAVE FOUR CAMERAS IN THE 
VEHICLE, AND ONE OF THOSE IS 
ACTUALLY POINTED OUT THE WINDOW,
SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME 
REALLY COOL HOPEFULLY VIEWS OF 
THE TH, AND THEN, YOU KNOW 
THAT HEAT WE SEE ARC THE HEAT 
SHIELD FOR REENTRY, SO EXCITED 
TO SEE IT AROUND THE VEHICLE 
WHEN IT GETS HOME. 
>> WE HAD A STARLINER DEORBIT 
BURN AT 6:23 TODAY, PUTTING IT 
BACK ON LANDING IN NEW MEXICO 
JUST 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM NOW.
WE'LL BE COMING UP ON THAT ENTRY
INTERFACE IN ABOUT 4.5 MINUTES, 
SO WE'LL KEEP TALKING ABOUT TORY
A LITTLE BIT LONGER. 
>> SO TORY, SPEAKING OF THE 
CAMERA SYSTEM, IT'S MADE FOR THE
CREW THAT'S GOING TO BE FLYING 
THIS SAME VEHICLE AFTER P.C.M., 
AND OF COURSE BEFORE THAT, IT'LL
BE THE MISSION WITH CHRIS 
FERGUSON AND NICOLE MANN.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT, WHAT THE CREW 
WANTS TO SHOW?
WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM. 
>> SO WE DESIGNED THIS 
EXTENSIVELY WITH CHRIS FERGUSON 
AND MAKING SURE THAT HE WAS 
COMFORTABLE WITH THE VIEWS AND 
MAKING SURE WITH HOW UP CLOSE 
AND PERSONAL WE WOULD BE INSIDE 
THE CREW CABIN.
SO THAT SORT OF DATA THAT WE'RE 
GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET FROM 
FOUR DIFFERENT CAMERA VIEWS ON 
THE INTERIOR OF THE STARLINER IS
GOING TO BE REALLY VALUABLE TO 
TRAINING ASTRONAUTS IN HOW TO 
USE OUR SYSTEMS DOWN THE ROAD 
AND ALSO IN SHARING THE 
STARLINER SYSTEM FOR THE PUBLIC.
NOW FOR C.F.T., WE'RE GOING TO 
HAVE SOME ENHANCED CAPABILITY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE 
DOCKINGH THE I.S.S.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE CREW 
WITH THE I.S.S. GREETING THE 
CREW FOR C.F.T.
SO THAT MOMENT, BEING ABLE TO 
CAPTURE, IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT 
FOR THE CREW TO BE ABLE TO 
UNDERSTAND HOW THE SYSTEMS WORK 
AND TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN OTHERS 
PAST THEM, BUT ALSO JUST TO BE 
ABLE TO SHARE THE STORY AND SHOW
EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE 
HAD A SUCCESSFUL DOCKING. 
>> THANK YOU, TORY.
WE ARE LESS THAN THREE MINUTES 
AWAY FROM STARLINER'S ENTRY 
INTERFACE WITH THE ATMOSPHERE, 
2:43.
THISUTS AT 18:31 FROM LANDING 
AT WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO.
>> ALREADY BEGINNING TO SEE THE 
ALTITUDE DROP FOR STARLINER 
REALLY STEADILY, ABOUT 95 MILES 
ABOVE THE EARTH RIGHT NOW AND 
QUICKLY FALLING. 
>> FLIGHT DIRECTOR RICHARD JONES
AND HIS TEAM ARE MONITORING 
EVERY MOMENT OF THIS.
CURRENTLY, STARLINER REPORTS 
147,000 FEET.
MOVING UNDER THE MACH 25 ORBITAL
VELOCITY, CURRENTLY AT 26 MACH.
>> AND AT STARLINER MISSION 
CONTROL IN HOUSTON, WE ARE 40 
SECONDS -- WE ARE 40 SECONDS 
AWAY FROM ENTRY INTERFACE, NOW 
34 SECONDS.
STARLINER CONTINUES IN THE 
PROPER ATTITUDE.
ALTITUDE, 127,000 FEET -- 
127,000 METERS, APOLOGIES.
126,000 METERS. 
>> AND WE ARE RIGHT -- RIGHT ON 
TOP OF THAT ENTRY INTERFACE.
THIS IS WHEN STARLINER WOULD BE 
SEEING THOSE 3,000º FAHRENHEIT 
TEMPERATURES.
SHOULD BE JUST ABOUT 75 MILES 
ABOVE THE EAR AT THIS POINT.
WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE, AS 
PEOPLE ARE TUNING IN, THAT 
FOLLOWING STARLINER'S TOUCHDOWN,
WE WILL BE POSTING A POST 
TOUCHDOWN NEWS CONFERENCE AT 
7:00 A.M. CENTRAL STANDARD TIME.
THAT'S GOING TO BE FEATURING JIM
BRIDENSTINE AND STEVE STICH.
>>ND STARLINER IS A MINUTE 
INTO ENTRY INTERFACE INTO THAT 
PHASE OF MAXIMUM HEATING DURING 
THIS REENTRY BACK OVER THE 
PACIFIC.
STARLINER IS FLYING AS A CREW 
DULE ALONE.
THE SERVICE MODULE HAS BEEN 
JETTISONNED AND DISPOSED OF.
ALTITUDE, 104,000 METERS. 
>> THE ENTIRE TEAM IN THE WORLD 
HERE IS QUIETLY WATCHING, MAKING
 ALL THE SYSTEMS CONTINUE TO
LOOK GOOD.
WE'VE ALSO GOT A NUMBER OF 
V.I.P.s IN THE VIEWING ROOM, AS 
WELL.
WE'VE GOT NASA'S DIRECTOR JIM 
BRIDENSTINE AS WELL AS JIM 
CHILTON, AS WELL. 
>> AND WE ARE SEEING ON THE 
LANDING TRACK HERE IN MISSION 
CONTRO AS STARLINER MOVES OVER
THE PACIFIC.
STARLINER IS 13:27 MINUTES FROM 
LANDING AT WHITE SANDS SPACE 
HARBOR, NEW MEXICO.
>> STARLINER IS ENTERING THE 
EXPECTED BLACKOUT REGION, WHEN 
THE PLASMA FORMS OVER THE 
SPACECRAFT AND THE ANTENNAS 
CANNOT ADEQUATELY COMMUNICATE 
WITH THE OVERHEAD SATELLITES.
>> CURRENTLY 51 MILES ABOVE THE 
EARTH, MAKING ITS WAY INTO THE 
INTERFACE.
THE NEXT THING SHOBE T 
FORWAREAT SHIELD JETTISON.
THAT SHOULD BE COMING UP IN LESS
THAN TEN MINUTES NOW. 
>> FLIGHT REPORT, GOOD POSITION,
GOOD ROLL TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO
BE IN.
STARLINER AT 75,000 METERS.
LINER MOVING THROUGH EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE, GOING THROUGH THE 
REENTRY FACE, 11:30 UNTIL 
LANDING AT WHITE SANDS, WHERE A 
TEAM OF RECOVERY SPECIALISTS 
WILL BE RECOVERING THE VEHICLE.
THIS VEHICLE WILL BE USED AFTER 
THIS MISSION.
IT'LL BE TAKEN TO THE STARLINER 
FACTORY IN FLORIDA AND 
REFURBISHED AND THEN FLOWN ON 
THE FIRST OPERATIONAL.
IT'LL BE FLOWN -- SLATED FOR THE
FIRST OPERATIONAL MISSION.
FIVE MINUTES INTO ENTRY 
INTERFACE, WE ARE NOW 10:34 
BEFORE LANDING AT WHITE SANDS, 
NEW MEXICO.
STARLINER'S CONTROLLERS REPORT 
THAT THE SPACECRAFT IS IN GOOD 
ATTITUDE.
>> ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM
WHEN W EXPECT THAT FORWARD HEAT
SHIELD JETTISONNED.
THE FIRST HEAT SHIELD WILL BE 
JETTISONNED.
THE STARLINER WILL BE HEADING 
OVER THE BAJA PENINSULA SECTION 
OF MEXICO, AND THEN ONTO NEW 
MEXICO AND THE WHITE SANDS SPACE
HARBOR. 
>> AND WE HAVE NEWS THAT THE 
TRACKING VEHICLE AT WHITE SANDS 
IS TRACKING STARLINER RIGHT NOW.
SYSTEMS ARE LOOKING GOOD.
9:30 TO LANDING.
>> AND REPORTS THAT STARLINER IS
ON TRACK TO WHITE SANDS, NEW 
MEXICO.
51,000 METERS. 
>> THAT'S ABOUT 32 MILES OVER 
MEXICO AT THE MOMENT.
>> GETTING OUR FIRST VIEWS. 
>> WE ARE GETTING OUR FIRST 
VIEWS FROM THE NASA WB-57.
WE SEE THEIR STARLINER 
CONTINUING ITS PLUNGE THROUGH 
THE ATMOSPHERE.
WE ARE 8:08 FROM LANDING.
THAT IMAGE IS INFRARED BECAUSE 
OF IT BEING DARK, OF COURSE,
OVER THE SKIES OF NEW MEXICO 
RIGHT NOW.
>> STILL ABOUT 28 MILES ABOVE 
THE EARTH AS IT CONTINUES MAKING
ITS WAY, JUST ABOUT CROSSING 
OVER THE NEW MEXICO BORDER NOW.
THIS COMING FROM ONE OF NASA'S 
WB-57 PLANES USING INFRARED 
CAMERA. 
>> ALL SENSORS REPORT SPACECRAFT
IS DOING WELL.
ALTITUDE ABOUT 57,000 METERS. 
>> JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE WE 
SHOULD HEAR ABOUT THE FORWARD 
HEAT SHIELD JETTISON.
GREAT VIEW HERE.
CAN'T SEE MUCH BECAUSE IT'S 
DARK, BUT IT'S GREAT TO KNOW 
THAT STARLINER IS ON ITS WAY 
HOME, AND THIS IS A LITTLE 
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S IN THE 
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IN NEW 
MEXICO. 
>> VERY GOOD TO SEE THIS.
THAT IMAGE IS EXACTLY WHAT WE 
EXPECT.
THE THERMAL PROTECTION SYSTEM ON
STARLINER, OF COURSE, PROTECTING
THE SPACECRAFT FROM THE HEAT 
OF -- OF ENTRY.
SLOWING SPEED NOW, NOW SPEED 
MACH 3.5.
OF COURSE, ENTRY VELOCITY IS 
MACH 25, SO THAT GIVES YOU AN 
IDEAF THE VELOCITY CHANGE. 
>> NOW 17 MILES ABOVE NEW 
MEXICO.
>> SIX MINUTES TO LANDING AT 
WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO.
STARLINER REMAINS AT ITS PROPER 
ATTITUDE, PROPER COURSE.
SPEED, MACH 1.1, 19,000 METERS.
>> LANDING RECOVERY TEAM AS 
VISUAL ON STARLINER AS IT COMES 
DOWN.
10,000 FEET.
>> THAT'S ABOUT 6.2 MILES STILL 
ABOVE NEW MEXICO, BUT WE DID 
JUST -- 
>> FORWARD HEAT SHIELD DEPLOY. 
>> -- JUST CONFIRMATION OF THAT 
FORWARD HEAT SHIELD DEPLOY. 
>> DROGUES OUT. 
>> THEY WILL START SLOWING THE 
STARLINER DOWN AND THE MAINT
SHIELDS DEPLOYMENT AFTER THAT --
MAIN PARACHUTES, RATHER, NOT 
HEAT SHIELD. 
>> VEHICLE IS SLOWING RAPIDLY.
MACH .2.
AND LANDING SITE REPORTS THE 
SONIC BOOMS AS STARLINER CAME 
OVER.
>> AND RIGHT THERE, WE SEE THE
 
TWO SHEETS.
>> 3:30 FROM LANDING.
MAIN'S DEPLOYED.
AND WE SEE THREE MAIN CHUTES, 
THREE MAIN CHUTES BILLOWING UP.
THREE MAIN CHUTES.
WE SEE THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE 
AS STARLINER DESCENDS.
2:53 FROM TOUCHDOWN.
>> THE BASE HEAT SHIELD HAS 
JETTISONNED.
>> AND ALL THAT'S LEFT IS FOR 
STARLINER TO FLOAT DOWN TO THE 
SURFACE OF THE DESERT IN NEW 
MEXICO.
EVERYTHING LOOKING GOOD, AND THE
INFRARED CRAS GIVING US A 
GOOD VIEW. 
>> 3:02 TO LANDING, GIVING US A 
GOOD VIEW OF STARLINER'S MAIN 
CHUTES.
>> ALL SIX AIR BAGS ARE 
CONFIRMED TO HAVE DEPLOYED AND 
ARE INFLATED AS STARLINER 
DESCENDS DOWN TO WHITE STANDS. 
>> LESS THAN HALF A MILE TO GO. 
>> GREAT IMAGERY THERE OF IT 
DESCENDING.
>> LESS THAN ONE MINUTE TO 
LANDING, LESS THAN ONE MINUTE TO
TOUCHDOWN AT WHITE SANDS, NEW 
MEXICO.
STARLINER FLOATING SMOOTHLY AND 
SOFTLY UNDER THREE MAIN 
PARACHUTES.
>> VERY CLOSE NOW.
>> 20 SECONDS, 20 SECONDS TO 
LANDING THE FIRST STARLINER 
FLIGHT TEST VEHICLE.
>> AND STARLINER TOUCHES DOWN IN
THE DESERT IN NEW MEXICO.
THE FIRST TIME AN AMERICAN MADE 
HUMAN RATED CAPSULE HAS LANDED 
ON LAND. 
>> THAT TOOACE AT 6:58 
CENTRAL TIME, TWO DAYS, ONE 
HOURS AND 21 MINUTES INTO 
STARLINER'S MISSION.
CONGRATULATIONS, STARLINER. 
>> CONGRATULATIONS, INDEED.
FLAWLESS FLIGHT BACK TO EARTH.
GOOD LANDING THIS MORNING.
NOW THE SPOTLIGHT'S GOING TO 
SHIFT AITTLE BIT TO THE 
LANDING RECOVERY TEAM WAITING 
FOR IT OUT THERE IN NEW MEXICO.
THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR CLEARANCE 
BEFORE THEY START HEADING OVER 
TO THE VEHICLE, BUT STARLINER 
HAS TOUCHED DOWN AT WHITE SANDS 
SUCCESSFULLY THIS MORNING.
IN CHUTES ARE JETTISONNED. 
>> THAT WILL KEEP THOSE MAIN 
CHUTES FROM PULLING STARLINER 
AWAY AS THE RECOVERY TEAM IS 
MAKING THEIR WAY TOWARD IT.
>> ONCE AGAIN, THE TOUCHDOWN WAS
6:58 MOUNTAIN TIME OR 5:58 LOCAL
TIME FOR STARLINER.
THAT WAS TWO DAYS, 1 HOUR, AND 
21 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT MODE. 
>> AND STARLINER IS IN GROUND 
MODE.
THAT MEANS THE VEHICLE IS TAKING
THE STEPS THAT IT NEEDS.
MISSION CONTROL IS IN COMMAND OF
THE VEHICLE, AND WE WILL SOON 
SEE THE LANDING RECOVERY TEAM 
HEAD OUT.
AND WE'RE GOING NOW TO BOEING'S 
JOSH BARRETT OUT WITH THE 
LANDING RECOVERY TEAM.
JOSH, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL 
LANDING.
I CANONLY IMAGINE HOW IT W
FROM THERE. 
>> STEVE, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL 
LANDING FROM HERE.
WE HAD A SPOTLIGHT FROM THE 
GROUND.
WE COULD SEE THE STROBING LIGHT 
ON THE VEHICLE ALL THE WAY DOWN,
AND THEN, WHEN THOSE PARACHUTES 
DEPLOYED IN THE SPOTLIGHT, IT 
LOOKED ALMOST GHOSTLY AS IT 
DRIFTED DOWN AND TOUCHED DOWN.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE MOVING IN 
THE CONVOY RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT OUR H-2, WHICH IS OUR 
CONNECTION THAT I'M TALKING TO 
RIGHT NOW.
OUR RECOVERY OPERONS LATER, 
WE CALL HIM ROL, THAT'S ROCK AND
ROL FOR YOU, THEY ARE LEADING US
OUT TO THE CREW MODULE.
I CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT STROBING 
OUT IN THE DISTANCE ON THE 
HORIZON.
WE HAVE THE GPS COORDINATES 
LOCKED IN.
WE ARE JUST GOING TO FOLLOW THAT
ALL THE WAY TO THE CREW MODULE.
AND GOLD TEAM WILL BE THE FIRST 
TO APPROACH THE VEHICLE.
WE HEARD THE RADIO THAT THERE'S 
NO HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR THE 
L.R.T.
THAT'SHE LANDING RECOVERY 
TEAM.
GOLD TEAM IS GOING TO APPROACH 
THE VEHICLE, SNIFF OUT, MAKE 
SURE THERE'S NO HYDROZINE AROUND
THE VEHICLE, THERE'S NO S, 
AND TH THEY'RE GOING TO GET 
SOME CLOSURE AROUND THE VEHICLE.
AND I THINK WE'LL WRAP THIS 
BROADCAST AROUND HATCH CLOSURE, 
BUT TODAY, GETTING THE HATCH 
OPEN IS REALLY THE BIG MILESTONE
FOR THE LANDING AND RECOVERY 
TEAM.
OVER TO THE EAST, WE'RE STARTING
TO SEE THE SUN COME UP, SO 
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL H A LITTLE 
BETTER CONDITIONS AS WE GET INTO
THESE LANDING OPERATIONS, BUT 
JUST A GREAT FEELING OUT HERE, 
LANDING OPERATIONS, JUST GAVE 
EVERYONE CHILLS.
VERY HAPPY TEAM, AND THEY'RE 
READY TO ROCK.
BACK TO YOU GUYS, STEVE. 
>> THANK YOU, JOSH.
GREAT TO HEAR THAT.
RICHARD JONES, FLIGHT DIRECTOR 
HERE AT MISSION CONTROL SAID 
THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO
BE A SMOOTH RIDE FOR C.F.T., 
JUDGING BY HOW SOFTLY AND 
SMOOTHLY THIS O.F.T., THIS TEST 
VEHICLE CAME DOWN THIS MORNING. 
>> I' SURE THE TEAMS WILL GET 
THEIR ASSESSMENTS, AS WELL, AND 
BE JUST AS ENTHUSIASTIC AS THAT.
THEY'RE EXCITED TO BE THERE.
JUST A REMINDER, WE'VE GOT A LOT
OF WORK LEFT FOR THIS TEAM IN 
THEIR ROOM, BUT IN JUST A LITTLE
WHILE, WE WILL BE GOING TO A 
POST LANDING NEW CONFER.
THAT'S GOING TO BE AT 9:00 A.M. 
CENTRAL TIME, SO WE'VE STILL GOT
A COUPLE OF HOURS TO FOLLOW 
ALONG WITH STARLINER ACTIVITIES 
HERE ON THE GROUND, AGAIN, 
9:00 A.M. CENTRAL. 
>> AND ALSO, THE LANDING TEAM 
THERE NEW MEXICO, THERE IN 
WHITE SANDS, REPORTS THAT "WE 
HIT THE BULL'S EYE," SO 
STARLINER CAME DOWN RIGHT WHERE 
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO AT WHITE 
SANDS, RIGHT WHERE IT NEEDED TO 
BE.
IT WAS A SPECTACULAR ENTRY THIS 
MORNING, AND OF COURSE 
REMARKABLE IMAGES COMING DOWN AS
IT -- WE'RE ALSO GETTING OUR 
FIRST LOOK THROUGH THE DARKNESS 
AT THE STARLINER CAPSULE AS IT 
SIN THE DESERT FLOOR THERE 
IN WHITE SANDS.
THIS PICTURE'S FROM OUR -- THIS 
PICTURE'S FROM OUR LANDING 
RECOVERY TEAM AS THEY MOVE OUT 
TOWARDS THE SPACECRAFT.
AND YOU HEARD FROM TWO OF OUR 
STARLINER ENGINEERS, JIM MAY AND
TORY WILLS PEDRADE.
THEY ARE STANDING BY IN THE 
STUDIO.
JIM AND TORY, IT LOOKED GREAT 
FROM HERE.
NEW MEXICO REPORTS IT LOOKED 
GOOD.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE -- THE 
FEELINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE 
EXRIENCED TODAY. 
>> THANKS, STEVE.
IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTELY 
AMAZING MORNING.
REALLY TRYING JUST TO KEEP IT 
TOGETHER, NOT CRY, ON LIVE T.V.,
BUT IT -- IT IS A FULFILLMENT OF
7.5 YEARS OF WORK TO SEE THIS 
HAPPEN AND HAPPEN SO 
SUCCESSFULLY AND MAKE IT LOOK SO
EASY, SO THIS IS -- THIS IS JUST
AN ABSOLUTELY GREAT MORNING FOR 
ME. 
>> YOU KNOW, I -- I FEEL THE 
SAME WAY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TRAINING.
IT'S NOT JUST US AS ENGINEERS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE PUT A LOT OF 
WORK INTO TRAINING ALL THE 
HT CREW, AND THE MON 
CONTROLLERS, AS WELL, SO BEING 
ABLE TO GET THEM READY FOR THIS 
FLIGHT AND HAVE THEM CONTROL THE
VEHICLE, COMMAND THE VEHICLE TO 
COME DOWN SAFELY IN THE DESERT 
MEANS GOOD THINGS LOOKING 
FORWARD FOR OUR FUTURE CREWED 
MISSIONS, AS WELL. 
>> YEAH, JIM.
IT'S SUCH GREAT SYNERGY FOR 
NOT ONLY THE TECHNICAL SYSTEMS, 
BUT THE PEOPLE SYSTEMS.
WE HAVE SUCH GREAT PEOPLE ON 
CONSOLE, AND SUCH GREAT PEOPLE 
IN THE DESERT, AND REALLY GREAT 
TECHNICAL TEAM.
TEAM EFFORT IS JUST GREAT TO 
SEE. 
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THE TEAM EFFORT IS JUST GREAT. 
>> AND FOR THOSE JUST JOINING 
US, STARLINER TOUCHED DOWN ON 
THE SANDS OF WHITE SANDS, NEW 
MEXICO AT 6:58 A.M. CENTRAL 
TIME, 5:5 A.M. LOCAL, OUT AT 
WHITE SANDS.
>> SEEING THE REPLAY HERE OF 
THAT TOUCHDOWN.
AGAIN, EVERYTHING HAPPENED RIGHT
ON TIME, THE HEAT SHIELDS 
JETTISONS, THE CHUTE DEPLOYMENT,
EVERYTHING GIVING GOOD 
INDICATIONS FOR ALL OF THE 
LANDING SYSTEM ELEMENTS.
>> A LOT OF -- LOT OF 
ACTIVITIES, OF COURSE, TOOK 
PLACE, THE SPACECRAFT IN CONTROL
OF THEM DURING THATINAL 
DESCENT.
TORY AND JIM, A LOT OF THINGS 
FOR THE SPACE TEAM TO DO, BUT IT
WENT WELL, IT LOOKED LIKE.
FROM YOUR TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE, 
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> SO I HAVE TO SAY, THAT HEAT 
SHIELD JETTISON WAS ONE OF THE 
MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS I'VE EVER 
SEEN.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE MORE 
OF THE UP-CLOSE IMAGES THAT I'M 
SURE WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM THE
GROUND TEAM AND ALSO BE ABLE TO 
DIG INTO THE DATA.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE HAD 
A BETTER FLIGHT. 
>> YEAH.
WE SIMULATE THIS REENTRY FOR THE
MISSION CONTROLLERS, BUT SEEING 
THE FLIGHT, WE NAILED THE BULL'S
EYE, AND ALL OF THE EXECUTION 
AND OINANCES EXACTLY WHAT WE 
WANT TO, MEAN THAT WE'VE PLANNED
IT RIGHT.
IT MEANS THAT WE'VE GOT A GOOD 
BACKGROUND MOVING FORWARD INTO 
OUR FUTURE FLIGHTS. 
>> AND JUST A REMINDER THAT HERE
WE ARE, ABOU TEN MINUTES AFTER 
LANDING, AND THE STARLINER 
RECOVERY TEAM IS MAKING THEIR 
WAY OUT TO THE SPACECRAFT.
WE WILL HEAR MORE FROM JOSH 
BARRETT AND NASA'S DAN HEWITT AS
THEY GET CLOSER TO THE 
SPACECRAFT COMING A LITTLE BIT 
LATER.
WE ARE TALKGIGHT NOW WITH 
BOEING'S TORY WILLS PEDRADE AND 
JIM MAY, BOTH ENGINEERS IN THE 
STARLINER SYSTEMS.
YOU'RE ALSO SEEING SOME OF THE 
REPLAYS OF STARLINER'S VERY 
SUCCESSFUL, VERY SMOOTH LANDING 
THIS MOR IN NEW MEXICO.
JIM, YOU HAVE THE -- YOU BOTH OF
COURSE HAVE BEEN WORKING 
THROUGHOUT THE LAST COUPLE DAYS.
WHEN DID YOU -- JIM, WHEN DID 
YOU FIRST BREATHE YOUR SIGH OF 
RELIEF AS YOU WATCHED IT COME 
DOWNS MORNING?
>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I LET
MYSELF START DEEPLY BREATHING 
UNTIL WE HAD THE LANDING.
THE MAINS CAME DOWN SLOWLY, BUT 
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE 
VEHICLE COMES DOWN SOFT AND 
SAFELY BECAUSE THAT MEANS SOFT 
AND SAFELY FOR THE CREW.
ONCE IT CAME DOWN, I LET OUT A 
BIG SIGH, BUT A HAPPY ONE. 
>> IT'S A HAPPY MOMENT.
WE LANDED AN AMERICAN AIRCRAFT 
ON LAND WITH A LANDING SYSTEM.
THIS IS JUST REALLY EXCITING TO 
BE A PART OF THIS. 
>> AND COMING DOWN SAFELY ON 
LAND MEANS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 
THE VEHICLE SAFE AND READY FOR 
SONNY WILLIAMS TO FLY ON HER 
NEXT MISSION.
THAT AND -- THAT MEANS THAT WE 
CAN SAFELY BRING BACK THE CARGO 
THAT WE'RE PLAG ON BRINGING 
BAROM STATION ON THE FUTURE 
FLIGHTS SO WE CAN GET THE 
RESEARCH CONTINUING, YOU KNOW, 
IMMEDIATELY AFTER LANDING.
>> WE'RE HEARING THAT RICHARD 
JONES HAS HANDED AUTHORITY OF 
THE VEHICLE OVER TO LANDING AND 
RECOVERY TEAM.
FOR TORY AND JIM, I KNOW THAT 
YOU WOULD PROBABLY LOVE TO BE 
THERE.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR IF
YOU WERE ABLE TO BE ON-SITE?
>> SO I WOULD PROBABLY BE IN AN 
A.T.V., PROBABLY TRYING TO GO 
PICK UP MY HEAT SHIELD FROM 
SOMEWHERE OUT IN THE DESERT.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PICK UP 
PARTS THAT WE JETTISONNED 
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING 
TO BE MOVING FORWARD.
IT'S GETTING THAT DATA AND 
SEEING THOSE SYSTEMS AFTER 
REENTRY, WH GOING PUT 
US IN A GREAT PLACE WHEN CREW 
GETS ON THE VEHICLE. 
>> AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE 
TRAINING SYSTEMS IN THE 
SIMULATIONS THAT WE USED TO 
TRAIN EVERYBODY.
SO SPECIFICALLY I'M LOOKING TO 
GET SOME OF THE FLIGHT RECORDER 
DATA, AND THE DATA THAT ROSY THE
ROCKETEER HA SO WE CAN TAKE 
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED EXACTLY FROM 
THE VEHICLE FLIGHT AND TURN THAT
INTO A BETTER TRAINING PRODUCT 
FOR THE FUTURE. 
>> AND SPEAKING OF ROSY THE 
ROCKETEER, YOU KNOW, WE WERE 
EXPECTING BEFORE THIS THAT -- 
THAT STARLINER WOULD BE COMING 
DOWN ABOUT THE SPEED OF AN 
EXPRESS ELEVATOR IN A SKY 
SCRAPER.
THAT KIND OF -- REALIZING THAT 
YOU'RE NOT IN THE CONTROL ROOM, 
BUT IS THAT THE WAY IT SEEMED TO
BE?
>> YES.
THE LANDING LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE 
SIMULATION.
NICE SOFT LANDING FOR ROSY. 
>> CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT DATA, 
I'M SURE.
LOOKS LIKE WE'RE STARTING TO GET
SOME CLEARER PICTURES OUT AT THE
LANDING SITE AS THE TEAMS MOVE 
IN.
AGAIN, WE'VE JUST LANDED IN NEW 
MEXICO ABOUT 13 MINUTES AGO.
6:58.
IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US, YOU 
MISSED A LOT OF GOOD STUFF, BUT 
WE'VE STILL GOT A LOT TO SHOW 
YOU. 
>> ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WILL 
BE TO PUT AN ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION COVER OVER STAR LINE.
WE CAN SEE THE LANDING RECOVERY 
VEHICLES GOING OUT TO MEET 
STARLINER.
>> AND L.R.T. IS DIVIDED INTO 
DIFFERENT TEAMS, DEPENDING ON 
THEIR TASKS FOR STARLINER 
RECOVERY.
 15 MINUTES AFT THE LANDING 
OF STARLINER OUT IN WHITE SANDS,
NEW MEXICO.
STARLINER LANDED AFTER 33 ORBITS
OF THE EARTH.
>> DURING THAT TIME, IT WAS ABLE
TO CHECK OFF THE NUMBER OF 
MISSION OBJECTIVES.
ALTHOUGH IT DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT
TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE 
STATION, IT WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT 
OUT TO THE ATLAS V ROCKET AND OF
COURSE ALL THE LANDING SYSTEMS 
THAT WE SAW TODAY, AND A NUMBER 
OF OTHER SYSTEMS THAT WOULD BE 
USEFUL IN THE FUTURE.
>> A NUMBER OF USEFUL 
DEMONSTRATIONS WERE 
ACCOMPLISHED.
MISSION CONTROLLERS, OF COURSE, 
EXECUTED THEIR OPERATIONS ALL 
WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON 
STARLINER. 
>> AND STARLINER NEXT WAS ABLE 
TO CONNECT WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, 
ALTHOUGH IT DIDN'T VISIT, AND 
TEAMS ON THE GROUND WERE ABLE TO
SEND COMMANDS FROM THE STATION 
TO STARLINER.
ONCE AGAIN, A REMINDER THAT 
COMING UP IN ABOUT 1:45, THAT 
WE'RE AIMING FOR 9:00 A.M. 
CENTRAL TIME, WE WILL HAVE THAT 
POST LANDING BRIEFING, WHEN WE 
EXPECT TO HEAR FROM JIM 
BRIDENSTINE, JIM CHILTON, AND 
STEVE STICH.
>> HERE IN MISSION CONTROL 
HOUSTON, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF 
SPECIAL GUESTS COMING IN TO SAY 
HI WHO HAVE BEEN WATCHING FROM 
THE VIEWING ROOM, INCLUDING NASA
ADMINISTRATOR JIMBRIDENSTINE, 
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER DIRECTOR 
MARK GEYER.
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LOT OF 
HIGH FIVES AND A LOT OF SMILES. 
>> AND THIS FOLLOWS A LOT OF 
HAR WORK BY LOT OF FOLKS.
ALSO JOINING BRIDEN -- NASA 
ADMINISTRATOR JIM BRIDENSTINE 
THIS MORNING IS BOEING'S LEE ANN
CARETT.
>> WE DID MENTION EARLIER THAT 
THE TEAM HERE IN MISSION CONTROL
HANDED AUTHORITY ALREADY OVER TO
THE LANDING AND RECOVERY TEAM 
ON-SITE WITH STARLINER, SO 
THEY'REE TO RELAX A LITTLE 
BIT AND START SOME OF THE 
CELEBRATIONS. 
>> AND WE HAVE A REPORT FROM THE
LANDING TEAM.
"THE VEHICLE LOOKS FANTASTIC."
>> WE HOPE TO HEAR MORE FROM 
THEM SOON.
WE'RE STANDING BY TO GET SOME 
UPDATES FROM JOSH BARRETT AND 
DAN HEWITT FROM THE SCREEN 
THERE. 
>> AND AS YOU CAN SEE, NASA 
DIRECTOR JIM BRIDENSTINE AND 
BOEING DIRECTOR MARK GEYER, AND 
JIM CHILTON, AND LEE AN CARETT, 
WHO IS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF 
BOEING DEFENSE AND SPACE.
>> JIM BRIDENSTINE WILL BE 
JOINING US FOR THAT POST LANDING
NEWS CONFERENCE AT 9:00 A. 
CENTRAL TIME, AND THIS WILL BE 
JOINED BY -- THEY WILL BE JOINED
BY STEVE STICH.
>> THERE WE SEE LEE ANN WITH 
FLIGHT DIRECTOR JONES AND BOB 
DEMPSEY.
>> MORE TEAM MEMBERS CONTINUING 
TO FILENTO THE ROOM.
I DON'T THINK THE CONGRATS ARE 
GOING TO STOP ANY TIME SOON.
IT'S BEEN 20 MINUTES NOW SINCE 
STARLINER LANDED IN NEW MEXICO.
THAT TOOK PLACE AGAIN AT 6:58 
A.M. CENTRAL TIME OR 5:58 
MOUNTAIN IN NEW MEXICO. 
>> AND TOOK PLACE AT 7:58 
EASTERN TIME THERE AT THE LAUNCH
SITE.
>> ONCE AGAIN, WE'VE GOT A 
NUMBER OF V.I.P.s PILING INTO 
THE ROOM.
SOME OF THEM, YOU MIGHT 
RECOGNIZE.
NASA DIREC JIM BRIDENSTINE 
AND JIM CHILTON, SENIOR VICE 
PRESIDENT FOR SPACE FLIGHT.
ALSO, LEE ANN CARETT, THE BOEING
SPACE FLIGHT DIRECTOR.
AND MARK GEYER.
I THINK WE'VE GOT ALL OF THE 
STARLINER FLIGHT DIRECTORS IN 
HERE.
RICHARD JONES, WHO WAS ON 
CONSOLE FOR THE LANDING AND THE 
LAUNCH.
ALSO MILLING AROUND, BOB 
DEMPSEY, TAKING PART IN THE 
CONGRATS.
>> MEANWHILE, OUT AT WHITE 
SANDS, NEW MEXICO, THE LANDING 
RECOVERY TEAM IS GETTING CLOSER 
TO THE STARLINER VEHICLE.
THEY WILL BE PUTTING AN 
ENVIRONMENTAL ENCLOSURE UP OVER 
THE VEHICLE.
IT IS, OF COURSE, FREEZING IN 
WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO THIS
 
MORNING.
AND WE ARE SEEING SOME IMAGERY, 
SOME REGULAR IMAGERY COMING FROM
WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO, HERE IN
THE CONTROL ROOM.
THE TEAM, OF COURSE, BRINGS A 
LOT OF LIGHTS WITH THEM.
>> AND WE ARE HOPING TO 
RECONNECT WITH THE BLUE TEAM, 
PART OF THE LANDING RECOVERY 
TEAM.
WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR THE 
COMMUNICATIONS LINK TO BE 
COMPLETED.
STARLINER'S IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.
LANDED 23, ALMOST 24 MINUTES 
AGO, WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A REPORT 
FROM -- WE HAVE A REPORT FROM 
ALL THE PARACHUTES DETACHED 
AFTER LANDING TO PREVENT THE 
PARACHUTES FROM PULLING THE 
VEHICLE OVER IN HIGH WINDS.
THE VEHICLE IS LOOKING GOOD.
THERE'S ALSO THE REPORT AND THE 
LANDING WENT VERY SMOOTHLY 
TODAY.
I THINK THE TEAM WILL BE VERY 
PLEASED WITH THE WAY TODAY'S 
DEORBIT AND LANDING WENT. 
>> WANT TO SNEAK IN ANOTHER 
REMINDER OF OUR POST LANDING 
NEWS CONFERENCE.
THAT'LL B AT 9:00 A.M. CENTRAL 
TIME.
MEDIA WHO ARE INTERESTED IN 
TAKING PART IN THE NEWS 
CONFERENCE CAN CALL THE JOHNSON 
SPACE CENTER NEWS ROOM AT 
281-483-5111.
CALL THE JOHNSONPACE CENTER 
NEWS ROOM FOR MEDIA TO TAKE PART
IN THE NEWS CONFERENCE COMING UP
AT 9:00 A.M. CENTRAL TIME, 
FEATURING JIM BRIDENSTINE, JIM 
CHILTON, AND STEVE STICH.
AND WE ARE GETTING SE NEW 
VIEWS OF STARLINER FROM THE 
LANDING SITE. 
>> YOU CAN SEE THE OUTLINES OF 
THE DIFFERENT COLORS OUTLINING 
THE SPACECRAFT.
>> AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE
FIRST MEMBERS OF THE LANDING 
TEAM RECOVERING STARLINER.
THEY NEED TO CONFIRM BEFORE THE 
WHOLE TEAMS GET THERE THAT THE 
ENVIRONMENT IS SAFE FOR THE 
LANDING RECOVERY TEAM.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE IN THIS THE 
PARTIALLY DEFLATED AIR BAGS.
THEY HAVE VENTS ON THEM TO 
CUSHION -- JUST LIKE A CAR AIR 
BAG, TO CUSHION THE TOUCHDOWN 
IMPACT. 
>> SUPPOSED TO COME DOWN AT 
ABOUT 18 MILES PER HOUR, SO NOT
NEARLY AS FASTS WHEN IT STARTS
ITS JOURNEY, BUT YOU STILL LIKE 
A LITTLE CUSHION THERE. 
>> ALL INDICATIONS OF THE LOADS 
ON LANDING ARE THAT IT WAS 
EXTREMELY SMOOTH, AND AGAIN, 
RICHARD JONES -- FLIGHT DIRECTOR
RICHARD JONES, HIS COMMENT WAS, 
LOOKS LIKE I GOING BE A 
SMOOTH LANDING, WHEN THE C.F.T. 
CREW -- THE ASTRONAUTS OF THE 
CREW AND FLIGHT TEST MAKE THEIR 
FLIGHT INTO TEST. 
>> NEXT CREW THAT WILL BE ON 
BOARD IS OUT AT THE LANDING 
SITE.
 FINK AND NICOLE MAN 
AND MIKE FERGUSON.
WE'RE HOPING TO HEAR A LITTLE 
BIT MORE FROM THEM AS WE'RE ABLE
TO GET JOSH AND DAN UP AND 
RUNNING. 
>> AND OF COURSE WE'RE GOING TO 
STAY FOCUSED ON THE CAPSULE.
THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF THE 
TEAMS THAT GO OUT AND RECOVER 
THE BASE HEAT SHIELD AND THE 
FORWARD HEAT SHIELD AND THE 
PARACHUTES.
THPACECRAFT ITSELF WILL BE 
TAKEN OVER TO BOEING'S STARLINER
FACTORY IN FLORIDA AND 
REFURBISHED.
THE BASELINER HEAT SHIELD DOES 
NOT GET REUSED.
AND THIS SPACECRAFT WILL BE 
REUSED.
IT CAN BE REUSED UP TO TEN 
TIMES.
THIS VEHICLE, OF COURSE, COMES 
DOWN ON LAND.
WE DESIGNED IT TO COME DOWN ON 
LAND TO GET THAT REUSABILITY
THOU DON'T GET WHEN YOU 
SPLASH DOWN ON WATER.
LANDING TEAMS CONTINUING TO 
INSPECT THE VEHICLE.
>> NASA ADMINISTRATOR JIM 
BRIDENSTINE JUST WRAPPING UP 
SOME ENCOURAGING WORDS TO THE 
TEAM IN THE ROOM.
HE HAD A LOT TO SAY, INCLUDING 
CONGRATULATIONS.
THE LAST 48 HOURS WEREN'T EASY, 
BUT IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL TEST 
FLIGHT 
>> AND HE POINTED OUT WE'VE 
LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS.
WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OF DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF FLYING IT, OF COURSE.
>> AND NASA ADMINISTRATOR JIM 
BRIDENSTINE TOLD THE ROOM 
WATCHING TODAY WAS A THING OF 
BEAUTY.
A LOT OF THINGS WERE 
ACCOMPLISHED DURING THIS FLIGHT.
WE LEARNED A LOT.
THAT'S WHY YOU TEST, AND THIS 
WAS A CHALLENGE FOR THE FLIGHT 
TEAM BECAUSE YOU HAD TO DO SOME 
OF THE FLYING IN A NONOPTIMUM 
SITUATION, BUT THEY STILL 
MANAGED TO DO A LOT OF THINGS 
RIGHT, AND WE LEARNED A LOT 
ABOUT THIS VEHICLE.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE 
SPACE-PROVEN MODELS OF THE 
STARLINER SPACECRAFT.
WE HAVE A CREWED FLIGHT TEST 
VERSION BACK IN FLORIDA THAT'S 
BEING PREPARED FOR THE CREWED 
FLIGHT TEST TO CARRY ASTRONAUTS,
AND WE HAVE A PAT ABORT TEST 
VEHICLE, ALSO, SO IT'S -- THE 
FLEET NOW HAS A VEHICLE THAT HA 
TIMES, AND LANDED BACK IN NEW 
MEXICO.
>> THAT'S A GREAT START.
BRIDENSTINE ALSO MENTIONED THAT 
HE CALLED VICE PRESIDENT MIKE 
PENCE FROM THIS ROOM, AND PENCE 
MENTIONED THAT HE KNOWS THAT WE 
J MADE HISTOR HERE, SO KUDOS
COMING IN FROM ALL OVER THE 
PLACE AT THE MOMENT.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO GET ONE OF 
THE FIRST STILL PHOTOGRAPHS FROM
OUR NASA PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE 
FIELD.
THIS CAME FROM AUBREY, ONE OF 
OUR NASA PHOTOGRAPHERS, TAKEN OF
STARLINER MAKING ITS WAY DOWN TO
THE LANDING IN NEW MEXICO AT 
6:58 CENTRAL TIME. 
>> AND YOU CAN SEE THAT 
ARLINER IS THE SMALL CONICAL 
SHAPE AT THE END OF THE THREE 
PARACHUTES, AND THIS CAME AT THE
END OF THE BASE HEAT SHIELD, 
BEFORE IT JETTISONNEDIT.
OF COURSE IT CAME IN AT THE 
3,000º REENTRY, AND ITS WORK 
DONE, IT WAS JETTISONNED IN 
FLIGHT.
>> TEAM HERE IN THE ROOM'S ABOUT
TO TAKE A GROUP PHOTO, BUT 
BEFORE THEY DID, FLIGHT DIRECTOR
RICHARD JONES GAVE HIS FLIGHT 
CONTROLLERS THE GO-AHEAD TO 
CONSIDER THEMSELVES DONE WITH 
THE MISSION AND ADVISED THEM TO 
GO HOME AND RELISH IT. 
>> AND INDEED, THEY'VE -- ALL 
THE MISSION CONTROLLERS HAVE 
BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK DURING 
THE DURATION OF THIS MISSION.
>> STILL WAITING FOR OUR 
COUNTERPARTS THERE ON THE GROUND
IN WHITE SANDS TO BE ABLE TO GET
 POSITION TO GIVE US ANOTHER
UPDATE.
WE'RE HOPING THAT WILL COME 
PRETTY SOON, BUT IN THE 
MEANTIME, GOING TO GIVE YOU 
ANOTHER REMINDER THAT WE'VE GOT 
A POST LANDING NEWS CONFERENCE 
COMING UP AT 9:00 A.M. CENTRAL 
TIME.
THAT'S GOING TO FEATURE NASA 
ADMINISTRATOR JIM BRIDENSTINE, 
SENIOR V.P. OF SPACE AND LAUNCH 
JIM CHILTON, AND DEPUTY FLIGHT 
DIRECTOR STEVE STICH.
MEDIA THAT WOULD LIK TO 
PARTICIPANT CAN CALL THE JOHNSON
MEDIA NEWS ROOM AT .
>> AND TORY AND JIM, YOU CAN SEE
THE VISUAL IMAGERY FROM WHITE 
SANDS.
YOU SEE THE FIRST VEHICLE 
RECOVERY GETTING CLOSE TO THE 
HATCH, BUT YOU'VE SEEN THE 
DETAILS OF THE HATCH, DETAILS OF
THE UPPER STRUCTURE.
WHAT YOUINKING WHEN YOU 
SEE THIS?
>> YOU KNOW, THE VEHICLE LOOKS 
CLEAN, MEANING WE HAD A GREAT 
REENTRY PROFILE LIKE WE PLANNED.
YOU SEE THE VEHICLE SITTING 
THERE, CURB -- CUSHION AIR BAGS 
ON THE GROUND, SO WE HAD A SAFE 
RECOVERY AND LANDING SYSTEM. 
>> I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE 
WAY THE HEAT SHIELD PERFORMED, 
AND LOOKING AT THIS AND HOW WE 
LANDED, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE
GREAT FOR SONNY'S FIRST RIDE IN 
P.C.M. ONE.
THAT'S GREAT TO SEE SUCH A CLEAN
>> ONE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLRS
STOPPED BY MISSION CONTROL, AND 
I THINK HE LOOKED EXCITED AND 
READY TO GET ON BOARD.
>> WE CAN SEE THERE ARE FLIGHT 
RECOVERY TEAMS MOVING AROUND, 
DOING THEIR CHECKS.
WE'RE HOPING TO HEAR FROM THE 
BLUE TEAM, WHO ARE RIGHT WITH 
THAT LANDING RECOVERY CONVOY.
>> AND AT THIS POINT, IF YOU ARE
JUST JOINING US, THE STARLINER 
ORBITAL FLIGHT TEST ENDED WITH A
FLAWLESS DEORBIT, ENTRY, AND 
LANDING IN WHITE SANDS, NEW 
MEXICO.
>> ONCE AGAIN, AT THIS POINT, WE
ARE SEEING THE STARLINER 
SPACECRAFT SAFELY ON THE GROUND 
IN WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO.
TH FIRST VEHICLE TO 
LAND -- THE FIRST AMERICAN MADE 
HUMAN RATED CAPSULE, I SHOULD 
SAY, TO LAND ON LAND.
CAME DOWN UNDER THREE 
PARACHUTES, TOUCHED DOWN ON SIX 
INFLATED AIR BAGS, VERY SMOOTH 
LANDING.TOUCHDOWN WAS 6:58 CENT 
HERE AT MISSION CONTROL, 5:58 
MOUNTAIN TIME, THE LANDING SITE,
AND 7:58 WHERE IT LAUNCHED FROM.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TEAM IS 
WORKING ON GETTING ACCESS.
>> AND WE HAVE BOEING'S JOSH 
BARRETT ON PHONE OUT FROM WHITE 
SANDS.
WE ARE GOING TO STAY ON THIS 
IMAGE FROM THE DESERT FLOOR.
JOSH, WHERE DO WE STAND?
>> HEY, GUYS, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
I'MKING AT STARLINER WITH MY
OWN TWO EYES.
WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING OUR 
CLOSER HANDHELD CAMERAS UP FOR 
YOU.
HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET THAT UP 
FOR YOU SOON.
RIGHT NOW, THE FIRE RESCUE TEAMS
ARE MOVING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT 
OF THE MODULE.
THEY ARE WORKING ON SETTING UP 
AND INFLATING THE MODULE.
YOU'LL SEE KIND OF THAT BIG 
INFLATABLE ENCLOSURE KIND OF HUG
THE VEHICLE, AND THEY'RE GOING 
TO START GETTING SOME HEAT ON 
THERE TO MAKE SURE THOSE 
PROPULSION LINES DON'T FREEZE.
GOLD TEAM HAS MOVED IN AND DONE 
THEIR ASSESSMENT.
SILVER TEAM HAS GROUNDED THE 
VEHICLE AND NOWHEY'RE MOVING
ONTO RECOVERING THE PARACHUTES.
THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL PINK-ORANGE 
HORIZON TO THE EAST AS THE SUN 
IS SETTING UP.
REALLY, A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUT HERE
IN THE DESERT.
ALTHOUGH IT IS STILL PRETTY 
COLD, THE TEAMRE WORKING 
HARD, WORKING THROUGH THE COLD.
NEXT UP, YOU SHOULD START TO SEE
THE MEDICAL TRUCKS START TO MOVE
INTO PLACE BESIDE THAT PLATFORM.
THAT IS JUST AN EXERCISE FOR 
TODAY.
THAT MEDICAL TRUCK WON'T BE USED
TODAY.
THE CREW IS ACTUALLY JUST 
GETTING OUT OF THE TRUCKS IN 
FRONT OF ME HERE.
YOU MIGHT SEE THEM START 
APPEARING IN AN S.A. CAMERA IN 
THEIR PINK VESTS, BUT REALLY, 
IT'S OVERALL A GREAT MORNING.
WHAT THEY HAVE TRAINED FOR OVER 
AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND 
HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET SOME 
BETTER VIEWS AS OUR CAMERA GUYS 
MOVE INTO A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.
WE ARE TRYING TO REESTABLISH A 
MICROWAVE FEED.
WE'RE  YOU'RE GETTING A
LOOK AT STARLINER ON THE GROUND,
SO I'LL LET YOU GUYS TAKE IT 
FROM HERE. 
>> THANK YOU, JOSH.
THIS HAS BEEN AN EXCITING 
MORNING.
CERTAINLY ONE THAT WE'VE NOT 
SEEN BEFORE WITH AN AMERICAN 
HUMAN RATED CAPSULE TOUCHING 
DOWN ON LAND. 
>> I CAN'T -- I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> WE CAN SEE THE ENVIRONMENTAL 
ENCLOSURE BEING PUT INTO PLACE.
THEY'RE GOING TO PUT THAT OVER 
THE STARLINER VEHICLE, AS JOSH 
JUST MENTIONED, AND THAT'S GOING
TO CLEAR THE WAY TO OPEN THE 
SIDE HATCH.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENCLOSURE, OF 
COURSE, PROTECTS THE VEHICLE AND
ITS COMPLEX SYSTEMS FROM THE -- 
FROM THE COLD.
OF COURSE STARLINER HAS BEEN 
THROUGH AN EXTREME ENVIRONMENT 
DURING THIS DEORBIT BURN, HAVING
GONE THROUGH 3,000ºF HEAT 
BEFORE COMING DOWN SOFTLY UNDER 
THREE MAIN PARACHUTES AND 
LANDING ON SIX AIR BAGS IN A 
FLAWLESS RETURN TO EARTH.
>> STEVE, WHILE WE WAIT TO HEAR 
BACK MORE FROM THE LANDING TEAM,
TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT 
HOW STARLINER GETS BACK TO 
FLORIDA.
WHAT'S THAT JOURNEY LIKE?
>> WELL, THEY'LL MOVE -- AFTER 
THEY GET STARLINER SAFE ON THE 
GROUND, THEY WILL PUT IT ON A 
TRUCK INSIDE A CRATE THAT'LL 
CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND 
IT, AND THEN IT'S A SIMPLE DRIVE
FROM WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO, TO
KENNEDY SPACE STAR. 
>> SURE, THAT SOUNDS SIMPLE. 
>> WHERE THE ENGINEERS WILL PORE
THROUGH IT AND ULTIMATELY 
 IT AND WE WILL FLY IT
AGAIN.
WE ARE NOT ONLY USING THESE 
CAPSULES ONE TIME.
EACH OF THESE CAPSULES IS 
DESIGNED TO GO IN SPACE TEN 
TIMES. 
>> WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO 
SEEING THIS LAND ON ITS TENTH 
TIME.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE JOSH 
AGAIN TO GIVE US ANOTHER UPDATE.
HEY, JOSH, CAN YOU HEAR US?
>> YES.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GREEN TEAM 
HAS JUST GOTTEN THE 
ENVIRONMENTAL COVER IN PLACE.
WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE CONTACT 
WITH THE VEHICLE AND POTENTIALLY
DAMAGE THE THERMAL PROTECTION 
SYSTEM BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED,
THIS VEHICLE WILL BE REUSED.
THE THERMAL SYSTEM NEEDS TO 
MAINTAIN INTEGRITY.
WE WILL REPLACE THE BASE HEAT 
SHIELD AND THE FORWARD HEAT 
SHIELD.
THE FORWARD HEAT SHIELD LANDED 
ABOUT 600 FEET AWAY, ON ITS 
NOSE.
THE BASE HEAT SHIELD IS 
SOMEWHERE AROUND HERE.
YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE HEARD ME TALK
ABOUT PINK TEAM.
PINK TEAM IS THE OBSERVERS.
THEY ARE IN AN OBSERVATIONAL 
ROLE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE 
VISIBLE, AND THE OPERATIONAL 
TEAMS KIND OF AVOID THEM -- OR 
THEY AVOID THE OPERATIONAL TEAMS
AND DON'T GET IN THE WAY OF THE 
OPERATION.
BUT AGAIN, THAT ENVIRONMENTAL 
ENCLOSURE, THEY'RE JUSTIND OF 
ADJUSTING IT A LITTLE BIT RIGHT 
NOW TO GET RED TEAM CLOSE TO THE
HATCH.
THERE YOU SEE THE MOBILE ACCESS 
TEAM BACKING EVER SO SLOWLY.
THEY'RE BACKING VERY CAREFUL NOT
TO DAMAGE THAT THERMAL 
PROTECTION SYSTEM. 
>> JOSH, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE 
TO TALK WITH ANY OF THE 
ASTRONAUTS, GET ANY OF THEIR 
THOUGHTS ON WATCHING THE 
LANDING?
>> I HAVE NOT.
THEY GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND 
WALKED STRAIGHT UP TO THE 
VEHICLE WHILE WE WERE GETTING 
EVERYTHING SET UP.
I WILL BE SURE TO GRAB THEM AS 
SOON AS I CAN. 
>> UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THEY WANT
TO HURRY OVER. 
>> YEAH.
I KNOW THAT JOSH IS BACK IN 
HOUSTON, WATCHING.
SONNY'S HERE, AND I'M SURE SHE'S
EXTREMELY PLEASED, SEEING HER 
VEHICLE BACK ON EARTH AFTER A 
FLAWLESS LANDING.
THREE MAIN CHUTES, SIX AIR BAGS,
THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO SEE EVERY
TIME. 
>> AND JOSH, HOW DOES THIS 
COMPARE TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN AFTER
THE PAT ABORT TEST?
>>WELL, SO I -- I WAS HONESTLY 
EXPECTING A LITTLE BIT OF KIND 
OF A THERMAL SCORCH MARKS ON THE
VEHICLE, BUT IT LOOKS ALMOST AS 
GOOD AS THE DAY IT LEFT THE 
FACTORY IN FLORIDA.
IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, EVEN ALL OF 
THE LOGOS, THE NASA LOGOS, THE 
BOEING LOGOS, EVEN THE HATCH 
MARKS NEAR THE TOP WHERE THE 
HEAT SHIELDS MEET THE VEHICLE, 
THOSE ARE ALMOST
.
ONCE AGAIN, WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS 
COME OUT OF THE HATCH, THEY'RE 
GOING STRAIGHT INTO THAT MEDICAL
TRUCK JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT 
THEY'RE HEALTHY AFTER SPENDING 
AN EXTENDED TIME IN ORBIT.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU SEE -- I CAN SEE
HER STANDING TO  LEFT OF THE 
PLATFORM, ONE OF OUR FLIGHT 
ENGINEERS, WITH THE HARD HAT ON.
>> AND JOSH, TELL US A LITTLE 
BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE PRACTICE 
STUFF.
WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS, JUST 
LIKE THE FLIGHT CONTROL TEAM 
DOES SIMULATIONS, JUST LIKE THE 
THE LANDING TEAM HAS WALKED , 
THROUGH THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES 
OUT IN WHITE SANDS, CORRECT?
>> YEAH.
THEY HAVE DONE IT ABOUT FOUR OR 
FIVE TIMES AS A FALL TEAM, AND 
THAT'S FOUR OR FIVE SEPARATE 
TIMES WHEN THE WHOLE -- YOU 
FROM CHARLESTON, SEATTLE, A LOT 
OF THE MAJOR BOEING FACILITIES 
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEN, 
THE STARLINER PROGRAM TEAMS COME
FROM HOUSTON AND FLORIDA MOSTLY,
SO THEY HAVE TAKEN, OVER THE 
PAST COUPLE YEARS, FOUR OR FIVE 
TIMES, THEY ALL COME TOGETHER 
AND RUN THROUGH THESE EXERCISES,
D THEN INDIVIDUALLY, EACH TEAM
KIND OF PRACTICES THEIR ROUTINES
MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE 
YEAR, MAKES SURE THAT EVERYONE 
STAYS FRESH, KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT 
THEY'RE DOING.
PRETTY DELICATE OPERATION, AND 
THERE'S SOME TIME CRITICAL 
WE GET CREW ON BOARD.IALLY WHEN 
THIS TIME, SINCE THE TEAM IS 
ACTUALLY DOING IT FOR REAL, 
WE'RE TAKING OUR TIME.
THERE'S NOT CREW INSIDE, BUT WE 
DO HAVE A REQUIREMENT TO GET 
CREW OUT OF VEHICLE ONE HOUR 
AFTER TOUCHDOWN.
THIS TIME, THE VEHICLE LANDED 
AND POWERED ITSELF OFF, SO THAT 
GAVE THE TEAM PLENTY OF TIME TO 
MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING 
THIS RIGHT, THEY'RE DOING THIS 
DELIBERATELY AND INTENTIONALLY, 
AND REALLY, THE BIGGEST THING 
WAS GETTING THAT ENCLOSURE OVER 
THE VEHICLE AND HEATING IT UP A 
LITTLE BIT IN THIS FRIGID DESERT
AIR.
[Please stand by]
. 
>> AGAIN, WE'RE JUST DOING THAT 
TO MAKE SURE THE VEHICLES STAY 
SAFE AND HEALTHY SO WE CAN U
IT AGAIN. 
>> AND JOSH, WE WANT YOU TO 
STAND BY.
WE WANT TO GO TO TORY WILLS 
PEDRADE WHO'S ONE OF THE 
ENGINEERS WHO WORKED WITH THIS 
HEAT SHIELD.
TORY, YOU HEARD JOSH'S 
DESCRIPTION OF THE SPACECRAFT.
LIGHT SCORCH MARKS, LOOKING A 
LOT LIKE WHAT IT DID WHEN IT 
FIRST WENT INTO SPACE.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?
>> SEEING IT AND HEARING THAT 
THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 
EVEN BETTER THAN WE EXPECTED, 
JUST IS -- IT'S SUCH A GREAT 
FEELING TO KNOW THAT WE DID -- 
WE NOT ONLY DID OUR JOB BUT 
BETTER THAN WE HOPED IT WOULD 
PERFORM, SO THAT'S REALLY, 
REALLY GOOD TO HEAR, AND I THINK
THAT PUTS A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN
THESE SYSTEMS GOING FORWARD.
>> TORY, I THINK WE LOST THE 
FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION.
CAN WE GET YOU TO RUN BACKVER 
IT?
>> YEAH.
I WAS JUST SAYING THAT LISTENING
TO JOSH AND SEEING THAT THE 
VEHICLE WAS AS CLEAN AS IT WAS, 
THE VEHICLE LOOKS FANTASTIC ON 
THE GROUND THERE.
WHITE, CLEAN, WAY BETTER THAN 
WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING TO SEE.
WE WERE EXPECNG TO SEE SOME 
CHAR MARKS.
IT'S REALLY GOOD-LOOKING OUT 
THERE, AND IT REALLY PUTS 
CONFIDENCE IN THE ANALYSIS THAT 
WE'VE DONE AND THE MODELS THAT 
WE HAVE.
>> JIM, DOES THIS LOOK THE WAY 
THAT YOU EXPECTED IT TO?
>> YOU KNOW, IT LOOKED BETTER 
THAN I EXPECTED IT TO, SO I WAS 
REALLY -- I WAS REALLY THINKING 
THAT WE WERE GOING TO SEE AT 
LEAST A LITTLE BIT OF SCORCHING 
RIGHT AROUND WHERE THE SHOULDER 
COMING UP ONTO THE VEHICLE, BUT 
THOSE TILES ARE IN ALL OF THE 
RIGHT PLACES, AND THEY LOOK LIKE
WHAT THEY DID WHEN THEY LEFT THE
FACTORY, SO THAT WAS PHENOMENAL 
TO SEE.
>> THANK YOU, TORY.
AND JIM, YOU'RE SEEING WHAT THE 
CREWS ARE GOING TO SEE.
>> SO FOR T CREW INVOLVEMENT, W?
ONE, THE VEHICLE LOOKING THE WAY
IT DOES MEANS GOOD THINGS FOR 
THEM COMING BACK, BUT IT ALSO 
MEANS GOOD NEWS FOR THE PARTS ON
THE INSIDE OF THE SPACECRAFT, AS
WELL.
SO WE ARE GOING TO REUSE THINGS 
LIKE THE TABLETS THAT WE WERE 
USING TO DO THE CREW PROCEDURES 
AND ALSO FOR SOME OF THEIR 
TRAINING WHILE THEY'RE UP IN 
ORBIT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE 
WHILE THEY'RE UP IN THE 
SPACECRAFT ARE GOING TO BE 
REUSED ON LATER FLIGHTS, SO IT'S
A GOOD THING TO SEE IT THE WAY 
IT IS. 
>> AND WE ARE SEEING REALLY GOOD
IMAGERY OF THE TEAM COMING OUT.
JOSH, DO WE HAVE STILL YOU OUT 
THERE IN WHITE SANDS?
>> AGAIN, STARLINER WORKING ON 
OPENING THE H.
RIGHT NOW, SHE IS -- SHE'S GOT A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TOOLS, SO 
THAT THE HATCH SEALS ITSELF.
IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE DIFFICULT
TO OPEN.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE TWO SUCTION 
CUPS STUCK TOGETHER, SO SHE'S 
KIND OF WORKING ON WHAT'S CALLED
BURPING THE SEAL, WORKING ON A 
E TO GET ENOUGH TO OPEN THE 
HATCH.
SHE'S WORKING ON BURPING THE 
SEAL RIGHT NOW.
IF THAT DOESN'T QUITE WORK, 
THERE'S ANOTHER RELIEF VALVE 
THAT SHE'LL USE TO POP THE SEAL,
AND THA -- THAT'S IN THE 
MIDDLE OF THE HATCH, WHAT SHE'LL
BE WORKING ON.
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S WHAT 
THEY'RE PROBABLY WORKING ON 
RIGHT NOW.
NO, SHE'S STILL WORKING ON THAT 
LOWER VALVE, AGAIN, TRYING TO 
BURP THAT SEAL.
AGAIN, THAT IS THE TECHNICAL 
TERM. 
>> THAT'S VERY DESCRIPTIVE.
>> IF THEY GET ENOUGH AIR INTO
THAT SEAL, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO 
RELEASE THAT SEAL AND OPEN UP 
THE HATCH, SO THAT'S WHAT 
THEY'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
>> WE'RE GETTING REALLY GOOD 
VIEWS RIGHT OVER THE SHOULDER, 
SO THESE ARE GREAT, JOSH. 
>> YEAH.
I WISH WE GOT IT A LITTLE 
EARLIER BECAUSE THE FIRE RESCUE 
TEAM, WHEN THEY'RE PUTTING THAT 
PLATFORM INTO PLACE, THEY WORK 
TOGETHER SO WELL HERE ON KIND OF
THEIR CALLS, AND THEY 
ORCHESTRAIGHT THE OPERATION, 
IT'S REALLY -- ORCHESTRATE THE 
WATCH.
IT'S REALLY FUN.
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET ALL THIS 
LIVE.
AND GETTING A T.V. INSTALL OUT 
OF A REMOTE SITE IN THE DESERT 
PRESENTS ITS OWN TECHNICAL 
CHALLENGES, BUT I'M GLAD WE'RE 
GETTING THIS FEED NOW.
WE'RE OPENING THE HATCH. 
>> AND JOSH, WE'RE GETTING 
CONFIRMATION THAT LOOKS LIKE 
THEY'VE RELIEVED PRESSURE ON THE
SEAL.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GETTING 
CLOSE TO PULLING IT OPEN HERE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WHILE THEY WORK ON THAT, 
STEVE AND BRANDY, I'M GOING TO 
STEP AWAY.
WE ARE GOING TO GO FIND THE CREW
MEMBERS AND HEAR FROM THEM, 
THEIR PERSPECTIVE, AND HOW THAT 
WENT, MOMENTARILY. 
>> SINCE WE ARE HITTI THE TOP 
OF THE HOUR, I JUST WANTED TO 
REMIND EVERYONE THAT 9:00 A.M. 
CENTRAL IS OUR TARGET TIME.
WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE OUR POST
LANDING NEWS CONFERENCE THAT 
WILL FEATURE NASA DIRECTOR JIM 
BRIDENSTINE, NASA DIRECTOR OF 
SP AND LAUNCH, JIM CHILTON, 
AND NASA DIRECTOR OF COMMERCIAL 
CREW PROGRAM, STEVE STICH.
THEY'LL BE JOINING US AT 
9:00 A.M. POST LANDING 
CONFERENCE.
MEDIA THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE 
IN THAT CAN CALL THE JOHNSON 
SPACE CENTER NEWS ROOM AT 
281-483-5111. 
>> AND FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST 
JOINING US AT THE TOP OF THE 
HOUR -- AND WE DO HAVE VIEWS 
NOW, THE HATCH IS OPEN.
STARLINER'S O.F.T. HATCH IS 
OPEN.
ROSY, SNOOPY INSIDE.
ROSY, THE ROCKETEER, AND THE LOW
GRAVITY INTOR,SNOOPY, BOTH 
MADE THE TRIP ALONG WITH A LOT 
OF COMMEMORATIVE CARGO, FLAGS, 
COINS, AND TREE SEEDS THAT WILL 
BE PLANTED IN COMMEMORATION OF 
THIS MISSION.
OF COURE, A LOT OF THINGS WERE 
LEARNED ON THIS FLIGHT.
THIS IS THE FIRST FLIGHT TEST OF
BOEING STARLINER SPACECRAFT.
GROUND CREWS GETTING THEIR FIRST
LOOK INSIDE THE CABIN.
AND THE FRAME THAT YOU SAW 
PUSHED INTO PLACE IN THE HATCH 
IS ACTUALLY A COVER FOR THE SAME
SEALS THAT THEY WERE JUST 
RELIEVING THE PRESSURE ON BEFORE
THEY COULD OPEN THE HATCH.
>> AND WE CAN SEE THE GROUND 
TEAM GOING THROUGH THEIR 
CAREFULLY PLANNED STEPS AS THEY 
PREPARE THE SPACECRAFT, PUTTING 
A COVER OVER THAT HATCH THAT 
THEY JUST OPENED A FEW MINUTES 
AGO.
FIRST, THEY'RE GOING TO CONFIRM
THAT THE CABIN AIR IS SAFE.
THIS FLIGHT TEST PRODUCED A LOT 
OF DATA FOR ENGINEERS, A LOT OF 
INFORMATION, AND A LOT OF 
OPERATIONAL PROCESS -- PROCESSES
TO SEE HOW IT PERFORMS IN SPACE.
AND OF COURSE, TWO OF THE BIG 
PARTS OF THAT ARE THE LAUNCH AND
THEN THE RETURN TO EARTH.
THESE ARE VERY DYNAMIC EVENTS, 
SHOULDN'T BE OVERLOOKED, AND WE 
SEE R NOW THAT STARLINER IS 
AND WE HAVE OUR FIRST LANDING 
RECOVERY TEAM ENGINEER ABOUT TO 
GO INSIDE THE STARLINER VEHICLE,
SELENA DOBART.
FOR THOSE OF US JUST JOINING US,
STARLINER TOUCHED DOWN IN WHITE
SANDS, NEW MEXICO, 1:06 AGO.
NOW WE SEE SELENA DOBART MOVING 
INTO THE VEHICLE.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TEST OF THE 
FLIGHT VEHICLE IN SPACE, BUT WE 
DO HAVE ROSY THE ROCKETEER IN 
SPACE, AN
 
VEHICLE IN SPACE.
>> AND WE DO HAVE REPORTS FROM 
THE LANDING RECOVERY TEAM THAT
ROSY THE ROCKETEER IS STILL 
STRAPPED IN IN THE COMMANDER'S
 
SEAT.
>> W STANDING BY ON THIS.
WE DO HAVE ANOTHER PHOTO THAT 
CAME IN AFTER STARLINER'S 
TOUCHDOWN FROM OUR NASA 
PHOTOGRAPHERS THERE ON THE 
SCENE.
>> SORRY.
SLIGHT DELAY THERE, BUT THERE 
WAS THAT PHOTO THAT I WAS 
PROMISING TAKEN BY NASA 
PHOTOGRAPHERS ON THE SCENE.
THERE WAS THE ONE WE GOT OF 
STARLINER JUST AFTER IT LANDED 
AT 5:58 MOUNTAIN TIME, 6:58 A.M.
CENTRAL TIME.
YOU CAN SEE THAT'S RIGHT AT 
LANDING BECAUSE OF THE POSITION 
OF THE PARACHUTES.
THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS COMING IN FROM
AUBREY, ONE OF OUR NASA 
PHOTOGRAPHERS THERE AT THE 
SCENE. 
>> IT REALLY WAS A GREAT VIEW 
THIS MORNING AS STARLINER 
TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1:10 AGO.
NOW WE'RE BACK TO LIVE IMAGERY 
OF THE LANDING RECOVERY TEAM AS 
THEY LOOK BACK ON THECH.
>> WE EXPECTO HEAR MOMENTARILY
FROM THE LANDING SCENE ON-SITE 
WHO WE THINK ARE JUST ABOUT TO 
GET INTO PLACE WITH THE NEXT 
CREW TO FLY ON A STARLINER -- 
THE NEXT CREW TO FLY ON A 
STARLINER, MI FINK AND CHRIS 
FERGUSON.
JUST WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM, 
WAITING FOR THEM TO GET INTO 
PLACE, BUT WE'RE HOPING TO GET 
SOME WORDS FROM THEM SOON.
>> AND JUST A NOTE ON THE 
INTERIOR CABIN CONDITIONS AS 
THEY ARE REPORTED.
THE INSIDE HUMIDITY WAS 51%.
TEMPERATURE INTERNALLY, AROUND 
54º, SO THIS SPACECRAFT HANDLED 
VERY, VERY WELL.
IN FACT, BETTER PERFORMANCE THAN
WAS ANTICIPATED.
>> AND WE'RE LOOKING NOW AT SOME
OF THE ASTRONAUTS IN THEIR BLUE 
PANTS AND THEIR ASTRONAUT 
JUMPSUITS HERE IN WHITE SANDS, 
NEW MEXICO.
THEY FLEW O TO NEW MEXICO TO 
FOLLOW STARLINER'S RETURN TO 
EARTH.
WE SEE TWO MORE COMING DOWN 
JOINING THE -- JOINING THE GROUP
THERE WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE 
STARLINER SPACECRAFT.
ASTRONAUTS AS THEY -- AS THEY 
SHUFFLE AROUND WITH THE LANDING 
RECOVERY TEAM.
A LOT OF ACTIVITY OUT BY THAT 
CAPSULE.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY 
AROUND THE CAPSULE.
THIS IS REMINISCENT OF THE 
SHUTTLE YS, WHEN THE CREWS 
WOULD GATHER AROUND IT WHEN IT 
LANDED. 
>> THIS IS A LITTLE LESSER 
REMOTE THAN THE SHUTTLE BUT NOT 
QUITE AS REMOTE AS THE 
KAZAKHSTAN LANDING.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE MAY BE 
GETTING CLOSE TO HAVING THE CREW
TALK TO US.
IN FACT I'M GOING TO TOSS IT TO 
DAN IN THE FIELD. 
>> HEY, DAN, I DON'T THINK HAS 
HIS PROGRAM LINE WORKING, SO I'M
GOING TO TAKE IT FROM HERE.
WE'RE HERE WITH NASA'S NICOLE 
MANN, CHRIS FERGUSON, AND MIKE 
FINK.
NICOLE, I THINK THIS WAS YOUR 
FIRST LANDING?
>> THIS WAS MY FIRST LANDING.
WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR SPACE 
FORCES AND RECOVERY TEAM.
THEY DID A GOOD JOB. 
>> WATCHED ALL OF THE 
PYROTECHNIC ORDINANCES, TOUCHED 
DOWN ON A CRYSTAL CLEAR COLD 
MORNING. 
>> AND MIKE, YOUR INITIAL 
THOUGHTS?
>> THREE PARACHUTES, SIX AIR 
BAGS, AND A BEAUTIFUL SOFT 
LANDING.
CAN'T WAIT TO TRY IT OUT. 
>> SO WE HAVE A FLAWLESS LAUNCH.
WE HAD A COUPLE ISSUES ONCE IT 
WAS UP THERE.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SEE THIS 
VEHICLE COME DOWN WHEN IT'S 
PICTURE PERFECT. 
>> FLIGHT TEST DATA, FLIGHT TEST
DATA, FLIGHT TEST DATA.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION 
ON THE ORBITAL PORTION OF THE 
FLIGHT, THE ENVIRONMEL LIFE 
SUPPORT, EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT,
AND THEN, WE BROUGHT IT OPEN, 
AND EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO ANALYZE IT, 
AND SEE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO
FIX FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT, BUT 
IT'S LOOKING GOOD. 
>> NOW CHRIS, I REMEMBER WHEN I 
WAS WITH YOU DOWN IN THE 
SIMULATOR IN HOUSTON.
YOU SAID IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE
SHUTTLE BECAUSE IT'S COMING DOWN
BACKWARDS. 
>> YEAH.
THE SHUTTING GLIDED DOWN INTO 
THE ATMOSPRE, ANDT THE END 
GAME, IT IS PRETTY STEEP.
THIS WAS REALLY STEEP, AND IT 
LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO 
E
OVERSHOOT THE LANDING SITE, BUT 
IT JUST CAME DOWN.
BEING ABLE TO WATCH THIS COMING 
DOWN WAS GREAT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO 
LOOK AT.
I THINK REALLY CLEAN LANDING. 
>> NOW THE REASON WE TOOK A 
LITTLE BIT TO GET YOU GUYS OVER 
SEEING T CREW MODULE AND THE  
HEAT SHIELD, WHAT DID IT LOOK 
LIKE TO YOU?
>> I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT WENT 
THROUGH THOSE TEMPERATURES.
OTHER THAN A LITTLE DAMAGE FROM 
LANDING ON THE GROUND, IT WAS IN
GREAT SHAPE. 
>> WELL, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE 
COLD OUT HERE.
WE'LL LET YOU BUNDLE BACK UP AND
TALK TO YOU GUYS, BRANDY AND 
STEVE, BACK IN HOUSTON, AND I 
WANT TO BUNDLE BACK UP.
IT'S FREEZING. 
>> AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE NOW
JOINED BY FLIGHT DIRECTOR 
RICHARD JONES COMING OFF A GREAT
LANDING.
THANKS FOR JOINING US. 
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
>> HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE 
GOTTEN TO THIS POINT?
>> IT'S A RE BUT EXCITEM
AT THE SAME TIME.
IT WAS -- A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE 
LOOKING AT THIS MISSION, THAT WE
DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING THAT WE 
SHOULD HAVE, BUT IN MY EYES, IT 
WAS A HUGE SUCCESS, HUGE 
SUCCESS. 
>> AND YOU HEARD THE NASA 
ADMINISTRATOR SOON AFTER TALKING
ABOUT HOW MUCH INFORMATION IS 
COMING FROM THIS MISSION.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF 
THE THINGS THAT YOU AND YOUR 
TEAM WORKED THROUGH, ISSUES AT 
THE BEGINNING, BUT THEN, YOU GOT
A LOT OF STUFF DONE, AND TODAY'S
LANDING WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
>> YOU KNOW, WE PROVED CLEARLY 
THE ASSET AND ENTRY SYSTEMS 
WORKED GREAT,UT WE ALSO HAD 
THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY 
UNDERNEATH THE SPACE STATION.
WE MADE VOICE COMMUNICATIONS 
WITH THEM, NOT NECESSARILY 
THROUGH A VOICE COMMUNICATION, 
BUT WE HAD A POSITIVE LINK WHERE
WE TESTED COMMANDS, SO WE GOT 
SOME OBJECTIVES DONE
>> TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR 
TEAM.
YOU DON'T DO ALL OF THIS BY 
YOURSELF.
NONE OF THIS DO ALL OF THIS BY 
OURSELVES. 
>> NO, I AM DEFINITELY A PART OF
ONE OF THE MOST EXCEPTIONAL 
TEAMS THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF.
IT'S -- WE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH 
WITH THIS -- WITH THIS FLIGHT.
THEAM MEMBERS, THEY -- EVERY 
SINGLE ONE CONTRIBUTED TO THE 
SUCCESS OF THIS MISSION, EVERY 
SINGLE ONE. 
SUCCESSES ARE D TO A WHOLE LOT
OF TRAINING ON YOUR SIDE. 
>> YEAH.
WE'VE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF 
TRAINING ON THESE THINGS.
IT'S JUST PERFORM UNDER -- 
SOMETIMES UNDER THE FACE OF 
ADVERSITY AND PERFORM WHEN 
SO IT'S JUST -- IT'S PART OF 
WHAT WE DO. 
>> YOU ALL SEEMED VERY CALM WHEN
WE WERE RIGHT HERE WITH YOU, AND
YOU ALL SEEMED AMAZING TO US. 
>> IT'S LIKE A DUCK WITH THEIR 
FEET PADDLING UNDERWATER.
WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET 
THROUGH SOME CHALLENGES, BUT ON 
THE SURFACE, YEAH, THAT'S OUR 
DEMEANOR. 
>> WHEN YOU HAD, OF COURSE, THIS
GREATT WHEN YOU SAW THE 
TELEMETRY OF THE VEHICLE AS IT 
LANDED, WHEN IT CAME DOWN, SOFT 
AS CAN BE, YOU SAW THE NUMBERS.
HOW DID IT LOOK TO YOU?
>> THE DATA LOOKED, I MEAN, JUST
GREAT.
WE -- THERE WAS A PERIOD DURING 
REENTRY WHERE WE HAD A LITTLE 
BIT OF A BLACKOUT, BUTT 
HAPPENED EXACTLY WHERE IT SHOULD
HAVE BEEN.
ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS WERE 
PERFORMING EXACTLY LIKE WE 
PREDICTED.
IN FACT A LOT PERFORMED BETTER 
THAN WE WERE EXPECTING, SO IT 
WAS REALLY GOOD TO SEE THE 
VEHICLE BEHAVE THE WAY IT DID. 
>> AND WE'RE SEEING SOME LIVE 
LOOKS FROM THE ASTRONAUTS INSIDE
THE VEHICLE.
YOU HAD A GOOD SEAT, BUT IT'S 
HARD TO COMPETE WITH THAT ONE. 
>> NO, NO, NO.
YOU'RE RIGHT, I CANNOT COMPETE 
WITH THAT.
IT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING TO SEE
NECESSARILY THIS VEHICLE, BUT 
THEIR VEHICLE TO FLY TO THE 
SPACE STATION, IT'S GOING TO BE 
A GREAT DAY TO SEE THAT HAPPEN. 
>> HOW DO YOU THINK ROSY THE 
ROCKETEER DID DURING THIS 
FLIGHT?
>> I'M SURE SHE DID JUST FINE.
YOU KNOW, SHE GOT A G RIDE.
THE ATLAS V PERFORMED 
FLAWLESSLY.
ONCE WE GOT IN ORBIT, SHE GOT TO
SEEOW THE CABIN PERFORMED.
IT'S LIKE A SOUTHWEST FLIGHT, 
PERFORMED FLAWLESSLY.
>> WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THIS 
MISSION, WHAT'S GOING TO STAND 
OUT TO YOU?
>> EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I WILL LOOK BACK ON THIS AND 
JUST REMEMBER THE PEOPHAT 
WERE A PART OF IT.
THERE WERE JUST SO MANY PEOPLE, 
NOT JUST IN THIS ROOM.
THE ENGINEERING TEAM, WHETHER 
THEY WERE JUST DOWN THE HALL, IN
FLORIDA, THE U.L.A. TEAM THAT WE
HAD, THE MISSION TEAM MEETINGS 
THAT WE HAD.
IT'S REALLY SPECIAL TO SEE SO 
MANY PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT 
BACKGROUNDS COME TOGETHER AND 
JUST PERFORM SO FLAWLESSLY, 
THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO 
REMEMBER. 
>> WE'RE GETTING SOME OF OUR 
FIRST IMAGES FROM INSIDE THE 
CABIN OF STARLINER.
RICHARD, YOU'RE SEEING THESE 
FRESH JUST AS WE ARE.
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
>> GOSH.
I'M LOOKING INSIDE THAT CABIN, 
AND IT LOOKED LIKE ALL OF THE 
CARGO DID JUST FINE.
I WOULD LOVE  SEE ROSY THERE 
TO SEE HOW ROSY DID, BUT LOOKS 
FINE TO ME. 
>> LOTS OF GOOD NEWS TODAY.
YOU CAN SEE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF
ROSY THERE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF 
THE SCREEN. 
>> I DO SEE HERE.
>> YEAH, LOOKED LIKE SHE HAD A 
GREAT RIDE. 
>> WELL, AND RICHARD, RETURNING 
TO KIND OF YOUR JOURNEY SO FAR, 
YOU WERE ON HAND FOR THE LAST 
FLIGHT OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE AND 
NOW THIS FIRST FLIGHT.
THAT'SME INTERESTING BOOK 
ENDS. 
>> IT IS.
BEING A PART OF S.T.S. 135, 
SHUTTING DOWN THAT PROGRAM, IT 
WAS VERY SPECIAL, IT WAS VERY 
EMOTIONAL.
CHRIS FERGUSON WAS A PART OF 
THAT MISSION, SO I'M PAIRED WITH
HIM COMING UP ON THIS UPCOMING 
C.M.T.
BUT COMING UP ON ALL OF THE 
YEARS OF HARD WORK THAT PEOPLE 
PUT INTO THIS, I'LL ALWAYS 
REMEMBER THAT. 
>> YEAH, I'M SURE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS TEAM 
NEEDS TO DO AND GET READY FOR 
THE NEXT MISSION?
>> YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO LOOK AT 
THE DATA.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL THE 
DATA THAT WE COLLECTED, TAKE IT 
DOWN.
LOOK WHERE WE NEED TO IMPROVE, 
DON'T NEED TO IMPROVE BECAUSE 
THERE'S A LOT THAT FALLS INTO 
BOTH OF THESE CATEGORIES WITH A 
EYE IN TERMS OF WHAT HAS TO 
HAPPEN, WHAT HAS TO CHANGE 
BEFORE WE GO FLYING. 
>> WELL, RICHARD, THANK YOU SO 
MUCH FOR JOINING US.
WE REALLYRECIATE IT. THINK WE'R 
TO THE FIELD AND HEAR FROM SONNY
WILLIAMS WHO'S GOING TO BE ON 
THIS CAPSULE NEXT TIME. 
>> THAT'S GREAT NEWS.
>> AND THEY MAY NOT QUITE HAVE 
HEARD US LAST TIME.
SUNNY AND REBECCA, CAN YOU HEAR 
US?
 HEY.
I CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
I AM HERE WITH SONNY WILLIAMS.
SHE IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST 
POST CERTIFICATION COMMANDER OF 
A MISSION.
SONNY, I'VE BEEN IN A TON OF 
FLIGHT READINESS TESTS WITH YOU.
I SAW YOU AT THE LAND AND 
RERY PREBRIEF MEETING.
EVERY TIME, LIKE, YOU HAVE GOT 
TO BRING THE SHIP BACK HOME SO I
CAN GET INTO SPACE WITH JOSH AND
FLY IT AGAIN.
GIVE US A RECAP OF WHAT YOU'RE 
FEELING, LOOKING AT STARLINER 
OUT HERE. 
>> EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING FROM 
SEEING THE TAIL AS IT FLEW IN --
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, SEEING IT 
FLY IN WAS PRETTY COOL, SEE ALL 
OF THE PIECES AND PARTS START TO
COME OFF THE FORWARD HEAT 
SHIELD, THROUGH THE BASE HEAT 
SHIELD, THE BASE PLATES HEAT UP.
IT WAS JUST PICTURE PERFECT.
WE HAD AN AMAZING TEAM OUT HERE 
TO SUPPORT.
EVERYBODY WAS PUMPED UP, 
EVERYBODY WAS SPECTACULAR, 
EVERYBODY WAS CHEERING.
SHE'S BACK, SHE'S HOME. 
>> SONNY, DATING BACK TO 
MERCURY, GEMINI, AND APOLLO, ALL
OF THE COMMANDERS OF THEIR SPACE
CAPSULES, THEY'VE HAD THE 
ABILITY TO NAME THEIR SPACE 
SHIPS.
ANY THOUGHTS ON A NAME?
>> YEAH.
LITTLE HOMAGE TO SPACESHIPS THAT
OTHER PEOPLE HAVE RODE ON, 
CALYPSO. 
>> JACQUES COSTEAU.
GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF 
BACKGROUND ON THE NAME?
>> WELL, THERE'S SO MUCH TO 
DISCOVER IN THE OCEAN, AND 
THERE'S SO MUCH TO DISCOVER IN 
SPACE.
JUST SEEMED LIKE A NATURAL 
MARRIAGE. 
>> BACK TO YOU IN HOUSTON. 
>> THE GOOD SHIP CALYPSO.
WE HAVE A NAME FOR THE GOOD SHIP
SPACECRAFT THAT'S BEEN RETURNED 
TO THE DESERT. 
>> SONNY WILLIAMS, WHO ALONG 
WITH HER CREW MATES, WILL BE 
FLYING ON THIS VERY VEHICLE THE 
NEXT TIME IT GOES TO SPACE. 
THE SPACECRAFT TODAY.TY OUT AT 
>> YEAH.
IT'LL BE A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE 
THESE CREWS ARE ABLE TO COME 
BACK IN.
ONE MORE REMINDER, WE DO HAVE 
THAT 9:00 A.M. CENTRAL TIME POST
LANDING NEWS CONFERENCE.
THAT'S A LITTLE OVER 30 MINUTES 
AW
YOU WILL GET A CHANCE TO HEAR 
FROM NASA DIRECTOR JIM 
BRIDENSTINE, JIM CHILTON, AND 
STEVE STICH, AGAIN AT 9:00 A.M. 
CENTRAL STANDARD TIME HERE ON 
NASA T.V.
[Please stand by]
