>>> THEY HOPPED INTO TESLAS. 
THIS IS AN ELON MUSK OPERATION 
AFTER ALL AND THEY DROVE TO THE 
LAUNCH PAD. THEY WENT UP TO THE 
VERY TOP OF THE FALCON 9 ROCKET 
AND CLIMBED INTO 
THE CREW DRAGON CAP SELL. 
>>> WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE ON 
THOSE ASTRONAUTS IN A MOMENT. 
FIRST JOINING ME FROM THE 
WASHINGTON POST NEWSROOM, 
REPORTER, FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT 
AND DIRECTOR OF THE SMITHSONIAN 
AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM. 
>> IT IS SO NICE TO SEE ALL OF 
YOU AND TALKING ABOUT SUCH A 
HISTORIC MOMENT. YOU WERE ALSO 
ONCE NASA'S CHIEF SCIENTIST. 
WHAT DOES THIS DAY MEAN? 
>> IT IS EXCITING ON SO MANY 
LEVEL TOSS SEE COMMERCIAL CREW 
WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT NASA HAS
BEEN WORKING ON ESPECIALLY WHEN 
I WAS AT NASA AND SEEING IT 
FINALLY COMING TO FRUITION IS 
AMAZING BUT AS A SCIENTIST, ALSO
KNOWING THAT RETURNING LAUNCH TO
AMERICAN SOIL ALLOWS US TO SEND 
MORE CREW UP TO THE SPACE 
STATION WHICH MEANS MORE SCIENCE
GETTING DONE. 
>> PAM, AS A FORMER ASTRONAUT 
WHAT IS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND 
TODAY? DO YOU WISH YOU WERE ONE 
OF THESE ASTRONAUTS GOING ON 
THIS MISSION? 
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY. ARE YOU 
KIDDING? EVERY ASTRONAUT LOVES 
TO BE ON THE FIRST OF SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, IT IS AN EXPLORATION 
JOB AFTER ALL AND YOU KNOW IT IS
ALWAYS EXCITING TO DO SOMETHING 
THE FIRST TIME. THIS IS SO 
SIGNIFICANT, THOUGH, BECAUSE THE
CAPABILITY TO LAUNCH PEOPLE INTO
SPACE IS A SPECIAL ONE AND ONLY 
A FEW COUNTRIES HAVE IT AND IT 
HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE A NEW
VEHICLE WAS DEVELOPED FOR HUMAN 
SPACE FLIGHT HERE IN OUR COUNTRY
AND GETTING TO THE POINT OF 
SENDING SOMEONE TO ORBIT. IT IS 
THE ULTIMATE TEST FLIGHT. 
>> THERE HAS BEEN THIS 
COMPETITION BETWEEN SpaceX AND 
BOEING AS THEY WERE JOCKEYING TO
SEE WHO COULD BE THE FIRST TO 
GET TO THIS MOMENT. HOW 
SURPRISING IS IT THAT SpaceX IS 
THE ONE PUTTING A CREW UP INTO 
ORBIT? 
>> I HAVE TO ADMIT, LIBBY, I'M 
SURPRISED AND IMPRESSED THAT 
ELON HAS PULLED THIS OFF. 
REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS 
TODAY, AND YOU KNOW BECAUSE OF 
THE WEATHER, WE DON'T KNOW FOR 
SURE IF THIS LAUNCH IS GOING TO 
BE SCRUBBED, THIS IS A 
TREMENDOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT 
HE TOOK A START-UP COMPANY, 
SpaceX BACK IN 2002. HE MADE A 
BUNCH OF MONEY OFF THE INTERNET 
AND HE HAS BUILT A ROCKET 
COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN VERY 
SUCCESSFUL.       
>>> IT IS NOT JUST NASA OWNING 
THE ROCKET AND DOING IT IN 
TRADITIONAL WAY AND THEY DID 
WITH OTHER BIG CONTRACTORS GOING
BACK HALF A CENTURY. 
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ELON MUSK 
AND HIS ROLE AND THE PRESIDENT 
WHO LED THIS EFFORT TO GET TO 
THIS DAY, PAM, I WANT TO HEAR 
WHAT IT MEANS TO 
YOU TO BE A PART OF A TEST. WHAT
MAKES A TEST ASTRONAUT? WHAT 
MAKES THEM CUT OUT FOR THAT JOB?
>> RIGHT. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT 
OUT THAT A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION 
DID SEND A HUMAN TO SPACE. WE 
HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE VIRGIN -- 
ACTUALLY SPACESHIP 1 AND SCALED 
COMPOSITES REACHING SUB ORBITAL.
THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE 
BETWEEN SUB ORBITAL AND ORBITAL 
FLIGHT THOUGH. AS A TEST PILOT, 
YOUR APPROACH TO THESE THINGS IS
WHAT WE CALL A BUILD-UP 
APPROACH. YOU START BY TAXIING 
AN AIRPLANE AND THEN YOU MIGHT 
DO A HIGH SPEED PASS DOWN THE 
RUNWAY. THEN YOU DO A TAKEOFF 
AND THEN YOU COME BACK RIGHT 
AWAY AND LAND. THEN YOU VERY 
GRADUALLY APPROACH THE LIMITS OF
THE AIRCRAFT. WHEN YOU'RE GOING 
ORBITAL, IT IS ALL OR NOTHING, 
YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT. THE ABORT 
IS ALWAYS BUILT IN. THAT IS 
ESSENTIAL BUT THAT IS NOT 
SOMETHING YOU EVER WANT TO 
ACTUALLY DO, SO I THINK FROM MY 
STANDPOINT AS A TEST PILOT, THE 
CHALLENGE IS TO THINK THROUGH 
ALL THE SCENARIOS, REALLY 
UNDERSTAND THE HARDWARE, AND, 
YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THE ENTIRE 
MISSION PROGRAM FILE INTUITIVELY
BECAUSE SOMETHING UNEXPECTED 
WILL HAPPEN, WE JUST DON'T KNOW 
WHAT IT IS YET AND YOU WANT TO 
BE PREPARED FOR THAT. 
>> ELLEN, THE ROLE OF THE AIR 
AND SPACE MUSEUM IS SO VITAL IN 
GETTING AMERICANS INTERESTED IN 
SPACE AND THEN REFLECTING ON OUR
SHARED HISTORY LOOKING TOWARDS 
THE FUTURE. THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A
STRANGE TIME WITH THE PANDEMIC. 
CLOSING DOWN MUSEUMS, CUTTING 
OFF THE PHYSICAL ACCESS SO MANY 
OF US HAVE. WHAT DOES IT MEAN 
FOR YOU AS THE DIRECTOR TO HAVE 
THIS SORT OF COME TOGETHER TO 
WATCH THIS HAPPEN TODAY? 
>> YOU KNOW TO ME IT IS JUST 
REMINDING US THAT SPACE IS 
TRUELY INSPIRING. IF YOU THINK 
BACK TO THAT CALL PRESIDENT 
KENNEDY'S TO GET US TO THE MOON 
AND 8 1/2 YEARS LATER WE LANDED 
THE APOLLO THOUGHTS ON THE MOON,
IT SHOWS THE SPIRIT WE AN 
ACHIEVE TO PUT OUR MINDS 
TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS SO 
WHETHER IT IS LANDING ON THE 
MOON OR APOLLO 13 WHERE THEY HAD
TO BE BROUGHT BACK SAFELY, ALL 
THE WAY TO TODAY, THE SPACE 
PROGRAM INSPIRES. WE MAKE THE 
IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE. AT THIS 
PARTICULAR TIME, WHEN EVERYONE 
IS FEELING FAIRLY MAYBE A LITTLE
UNDONE BY A CRISIS, THE SPACE 
PROGRAM REMINDS US, WE CAN DO 
ANYTHING WE PUT OUR MINDS TO. 
>> YOU MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY
OF SCRUBBING A SCRUBBED LAUNCH. 
ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO. ASTRONAUTS 
HAVE TAKEN THE JOURNEY AS WE SAW
THE FOOTAGE. THEY ARE IN CREW 
DRAGON RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE YOUR 
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT WHY
A MISSION AT THIS POINT COULD BE
SCRUBBED? 
>> THEY NEED TO HAVE TO MAKE 
SURE THEY GET THIS RIGHT. THIS 
IS A FAIL -- FAILURE IS NOT AN 
OPTION KIND OF THINGS. THEY HAVE
ALL KINDS OF ABORT SYSTEMS IN 
CASE THERE IS A PROBLEM ON THE 
PAD, THERE IS A PAD ABORT. THEY 
CAN SEPARATE THE CAPSULE FROM 
THE ROCKET OUT OVER THE OCEAN 
AND COME DOWN IN THE NORTHERN 
ATLANTIC. WHAT STRUCK ME, LIBBY,
JUST IN ONE OF THE FEEDS WE SAW 
FOR MAYBE 20 MINUTES AGO, WITH 
THE ASTRONAUTS, THEY ARE IN THE 
CAPSULE NOW AND ONE OF THEM, I 
THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN COLONEL 
HURLEY APPEARED TO BE SLEEPING. 
THEY TRAINED AND TRAINED AND 
TRAINED AND THEY ARE COMFORTABLE
IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT IN A 
SITUATION THAT, I WOULD BE VERY,
VERY NERVOUS. THIS IS A FIRST 
TIME THAT HUMANS HAVE RIDDEN IN 
THE DRAGON AND ON TOP OF THE 
FALCON 9 BUT THAT IS WHAT THEY 
DO. AND THEY HAVE TRAINED. AS 
PAM SAID, THESE ARE SPECIAL 
PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL SKILLS THAT 
INCLUDE WHAT YOU WOULD CALL 
COURAGE AND THE ABILITY TO 
PERFORM VERY DIFFICULT TASKS AND
TO DO IT WITH KIND OF NERVES OF 
STEEL TRUTHFULLY. 
>> LET'S HEAR FROM DOUG HURLEY 
AND BOB BEHNKEN. WHEN THEY WERE 
ASKED WHAT THE LAUNCH MEANS TO 
THEM AND THE UNITED STATES. 
LET'S LISTEN. 
>> THE EXPERIENCE IN THE LAUNCH 
OFF U.S. SOIL IS JUST DIFFERENT.
IT IS A SPECIAL IN A VERY BOTH 
PATRIOTIC. YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT 
LEVEL OF PRIDE. I HAVE A 
DIFFERENT LEVEL OF PRIDE BEING 
PART OF THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM THAN
BEING A PART OF THE SOY YES 
PROGRAM. IT IS PART OF OUR DNA 
TO BE A SPACE FARING NATION AND 
AS WE HAVE CONTINUED TO FLY IN 
SPACE AND NOT HAVE THE INHERENT 
LAUNCH CAPABILITY HAS BEEN A 
REAL CHALLENGE. THE RUSSIANS 
HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS AND 
THEIR VEHICLE IS A SAFE VEHICLE,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS TIME. IT IS
PAST TIME IN MY OPINION TO HAVE 
THIS CAPABILITY BACK IN THE 
UNITED STATES. WE DON'T HAVE THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR SPACE GETTING
PEOPLE TO AND FROM THE SPACE 
STATION AND THAT COMES WITH 
PRIDE ASSOCIATED WITH IT SO I 
WAS EXCITED FROM THAT PER STECK 
TIVE AND I'M EXCITED BECAUSE NO 
TEST SPOT SCHOOL GRADUATE COULD 
HAVE DREAMED OF ANYTHING MORE 
OFTEN THAN BEING A PART OF THE 
TEST FLIGHT OF A BRAND-NEW 
SPACESHIP SO I'M REALLY EXCITED 
ABOUT THAT. 
>> THAT IS THE INTERVIEW. THE 
WASHINGTON POST DID IT AND THOSE
ARE THE TWO ASTRONAUTS THERE IN 
CREW DRAGON WAITING FOR THIS 
COUNTDOWN CLOCK TO CONTINUE. 
THEY TALKED ABOUTED PRIDE AND 
PATRIOTISM WITH AMERICA BEING 
ABLE TO GO UP FROM OUR SOIL. 
RUSSIA HAS BEEN CHARGING THE 
UNITED STATES TO TAKE RIDES UP 
TO THE HIT EL. BACK IN 2006, THE
RUSSIANS CHARGED $21 MILLION A 
SEAT AND IN 2015 IT WENT UP TO 
$82 MILLION A SEAT, SO A 300% 
INCREASE. THERE IS AWAY FOR NASA
TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN 
DOMESTICALLY. 
>> I COVERED THE SHUTDOWN OF THE
SHUTTLE FLEET. THIS WHOLE THING 
THAT IS HAPPENING TODAY HAS DEEP
ROOTS BACK WITH THE COLOMBIA 
SHUTTLE DISASTER AND THE 
DECISION TO RETIRE THE SHUTTLE 
FLEET. THE IDEA WAS THERE WOULD 
BE A LITTLE GAP AND MAYBE THREE 
YEARS TO RELY ON THE RUSH SLIPS 
TO GET TO ORBIT AND THREE YEARS 
TURNED INTO NINE YEARS. YES, AS 
THE ASTRONAUT JUST SAID, THE 
U.S. SPACE PROGRAM IS A PREMIER 
SPACE PROGRAM. WE OUGHT TO BE 
ABLE TO LAUNCH OUR ASTRONAUTS 
OURSELVES AND THERE ARE REAL 
PROBLEMS WHEN YOU RELY SOLELY ON
THE RUSSIANS. THEY WIND UP WITH 
SORT OF A DISPROPORTIONATE 
NUMBER OF CREW ON THE SPACE 
STATION WHICH WE LARGELY PAID 
FOR, SO IT HAS BEEN AN UNHAPPY 
ARRANGEMENT BUT IT HAS WORKED 
AND THANK YOU RUSSIANS, EVEN AT 
THE WORST MOMENTS OF 
U.S.-RUSSIAN RELATIONS, NASA AND
THE RUSSIAN SPACE AGENCY MANAGED
TO KEEP IT TOGETHER AND 
ASTRONAUTS IN ORBIT KEPT WORKING
TOGETHER, AND SO THAT 
COLLABORATION HAS PATCHED OVER 
THIS HUGE NINE-YEAR GAP IN 
LAUNCH CAPABILITY WHICH ENDS 
TODAY. 
>> PAM, DID YOU THINK IT WOULD 
TAKE THIS LONG, THAT IT WOULD BE
A NINE-YEAR GAP BEFORE WE SAW 
ANOTHER SPACECRAFT LAUNCH FROM 
AMERICAN SOIL HEADING TO THE 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IN 
PARTICULAR? 
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY THAT
DOES TAKE A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP
A NEW HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT 
SPACECRAFT. OF COURSE NASA HAS 
BEEN WORKING ON ONE THAT IS LIEU
NER CAPABLE OH RYAN FOR ALL THAT
TIME, BUT THE FOCUS WAS SHIFTED 
AT SOME POINT TO 0 RYAN WAS 
FOCUSED ON THE LUNAR MISSIONER 
AND THE CREW PICKED UP THE ONE 
TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE 
STATION. THE TRUTH IS, SOME OF 
IT WAS ENGINEERING AND A LOT WAS
POLITICS. IT WAS JUST CHANGING 
BACK AND FORTH ON THE GOALS OF 
WHAT THE HUMAN SPACE LIFE 
PROGRAM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, AND 
THOSE CHANGES HAVE IMPACTS. YOU 
HAVE CONTRACTS, YOU HAVE TO STOP
PEOPLE FROM DOING ONE THING, 
START SOMETHING ELSE IN THOSE 
EFFORTS AS WELL AND THAT HAS 
BEEN A HUGE CHALLENGE. I THINK 
WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO 
FASTER IF THERE HAD BEEN 
AGREEMENT AND THEN THE ABILITY 
TO HAVE STABILITY THROUGH 
POLITICS. 
>>> PAM, I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT
WE'RE SEEING ON THE SCREEN. YOU 
CAN SEE THE CREW DRAGON AT THE 
TIP OF THE FALCON 9 ROCKET AND 
YOU'RE SEEING IN THE LOWER PART 
OF THE SCREEN, AND THIS IS 
MISSION CONTROL. WE WILL BE 
KEEPING AN EYE ON WHAT IS 
HAPPENING THERE AND WE WILL BE 
LOOKING AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER 
AND WE'LL LISTEN TO THE LIVE 
CALL WHEN THE COUNTDOWN FINALLY 
HITS. FOR THE MOMENT, THOUGH, 
LET'S CHECK IN WITH WHITNEY. SHE
IS A VIDEO JOURNALIST COVERING 
THIS STORY FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS 
DURING THE BUILDUP AND SHE JOINS
US NOW FROM PORT CANAVERAL, 
FLORIDA. WHAT IS THE ENERGY 
LIKE? 
>> Reporter: YES, I AM HERE AT 
RUSTY'S SEAFOOD AND OYSTER BAR 
AND THE HISTORIC 39A LAUNCH PAD 
IS ACROSS THE WATER AWAY FROM 
US, THE SAME PLACE APOLLO 11 
LAUNCHED FROM AND OTHER HISTORIC
LAUNCHES. WE'RE HOPING TO GET A 
GOOD STRU. EARLIER THERE WAS A 
CROWD BUT THERE WAS RAIN AND IF 
IT CLEARS UP MORE, PEOPLE WILL 
BE OUT HERE. THERE WERE GREAT 
EXPECTATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF
THIS FOR THE RETURN OF HUMANS TO
GO BACK TO SPACE FROM U.S. SOIL,
AND WE TALKED TO THE ASTRONAUTS 
A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN WE FIRST
STARTED THIS PROJECT AND NA 
TALKED ABOUT HOW MUCH IT MATTERS
FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND WATCH
THIS, WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE 
REENVYINGRATION OF NASA AND, OF 
COURSE COVID-19, CORONAVIRUS HAS
CHANGED EVERYTHING. ORIGINAL 
ESTIMATES BEFORE THIS WERE 
THAT'S ABOUT 500,000 PEOPLE 
WOULD COME TO THE SPACE COAST AS
IT IS CALLED TO WATCH 
THIS AND THAT IS DOWN BY BY 
ABOUT HALF. THEY SAID PEOPLE 
SHOULD STAY HOME AND WATCH FROM 
THEIR COMPUTERS AND TVs US B THE
BREVARD COUNTY SHERIFF AND WE'RE
HERE IN BREVARD COUNTY SAID 
WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND THAT
THERE IS A 50% CAP CITY RULE 
THAT IS ALLOWED HERE AT 
RESTAURANTS, SO, YES, WE'RE 
SEEING PEOPLE. WE TALKED TO SOME
PEOPLE DOWN THE ROAD EARLIER AND
PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO WATCH 
THIS. 
>> WELL, WHITNEY, YOU TALK ABOUT
THE CORONAVIRUS. WE'RE ALSO 
SEEING HAWTHORNE COME PLANNED 
AND WE SEE PEOPLE WITH MASKS ON 
SO IT IS A NEW MOMENT FOR ALL OF
US. YOU HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTING 
THIS TRAINING FOR THE LAST 
COUPLE OF YEARS LEADING UP TO 
TODAY. WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT 
OF RISKS WITH SPACE FLIGHT 
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT INVOLVES 
PEOPLE. WHAT DID YOU SEE FOR THE
SAFETY PREPARATIONS? 
>> Reporter: YES. SPACE TRAVEL 
IS VERY RISKY LIKE YOU SAID. 
BEING PREPARED FOR ANY EMERGENCY
THAT MIGHT HAPPEN IS REALLY 
CRUCIAL. WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST 
COUPLE OF YEARS DOCUMENTING THE 
COMMERCIAL CREW AND A LOT OF 
TIME 
WE SPENT WAS SEEING THEM PREPARE
FOR EMERGENCIES. IF A FIRE 
HAPPENS, IF AIR PRESSURE DROPS, 
WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY HAVE DONE 
THIS ON THE REPLICA AT THE SPACE
STATION. THEY HAVE COLLEAGUES 
ROLL PLAY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TO
DO, HOW DO THEY COORDINATE WITH 
THEM IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, 
SO ALL THIS TRAINING IS REALLY 
THOROUGH AND METICULOUS. 
>>> IS THERE TRAINING THAT 
STANDS OUT TO YOU? 
>> YES. THE EGRESS TRAINING IS 
THE MOST INTERESTING EMERGENCY 
TRAINING THAT I SAW. IF YOU 
THINK ABOUT IT, WHEN THE 
ASTRONAUTS GO TO LAUNCH FROM 
SPACE, THEIR SPACECRAFT IS 
ATTACHED TO A ROCKET AND IN THE 
CASE OF SpaceX THAT ROCKET IS 
ABOUT 230 FEET HIGH. FOR BOEING 
WHICH IS THE OTHER COMPANY THAT 
PLANS TO LAUNCH HUMANS INTO 
SPACE WITH NASA, THAT IS 170 
FEET TALL OR 15 STORIES HIGH. SO
WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS GO TO GET 
INTO THEIR SPACECRAFT, THEY HAVE
TO GO UP THIS TOWER ALONGSIDE 
THE ROCKET AND THEY CLIMB IN 
FROM THE TOP. IF THERE IS AN 
EMERGENCY, IF THERE IS A FUEL 
LEAK AND THERE IS A FEAR NAT 
THERE MIGHT BE AN EXPLOSION OR 
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY HAVE 
TO GET TO THE GROUND PRONTO, 
RIGHT? SO WALKING DOWN THAT 
TOWER IS PROBABLY NOT QUICKLY 
ENOUGH. WHAT THEY DID, THEY 
DESIGNED A ZIP-LINE SYSTEM AND 
IT ALLOWS THE ASTRONAUTS TO HOP 
INTO THESE SEATS AND ZIP DOWN AT
SPEEDS OF UP TO 40 MILES PER 
HOUR AND WHEN THEY GET TO THE 
BOTTOM, THEY ARE ABOUT 1300 FEET
AWAY FROM THE ROCKET. WHAT THEY 
DO, THEY CLIMB INTO THESE 
ARMORED MILITARY VEHICLES AND 
THEY DRIVE TO A DESIGNATED SAFE 
SPOT. YOU KNOW, I GOT TO FILM 
THIS FROM THE TOP AND FROM THE 
BOTTOM AND FROM THE MILITARY 
VEHICLE. YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY
IN A LOT OF WAYS IT LOOKED LIKE 
FUN. IT LOOKED LIKE BEING IN 
COSTA RICA AT A ZIP LINE OR REC 
CENTER AND IT TURNS OUT THAT A 
COMPANY THAT DESIGNS THESE FOR 
RECREATIONAL PURPOSES DESIGNED 
THIS ONE. THE ASTRONAUTS WERE 
HAVING A LOT OF FUN FOR SURE, 
BUT IT IS ALSO JUST REALLY 
IMPORTANT THAT THEY KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT THEY ARE DOING. IT IS 
IMPORTANT THEY KNOW HOW TO USE 
THE BRAKES AND HOW TO DRIVE 
THOSE VEHICLES, AND THEY HAVE TO
KNOW WHERE TO GO, SO IT IS A 
VERY SERIOUS EXERCISE THAT THEY 
DO. BACK TO YOU LIBBY. 
>>> THANK YOU. WE WILL BE 
TALKING TO YOU THROUGHOUT THE 
AFTERNOON. 
>>> TALK TO US ABOUT THE SAFETY 
TRAINING THAT GOES INTO THIS. 
FOR THE ASTRONAUTS AND ALL 
PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES. 
>> Reporter: YES. THAT IS A 
GREAT POINT. ACTUALLY I LOVE 
WHITNEY'S DESCRIPTION AND I WAS 
STYLING BECAUSE OF COURSE THERE 
WERE BASKETS AND ZIP LINES FROM 
THE SHUTTLE PAD, BUT THEY 
WOULDN'T LET THE CREW PRACTICE 
IT. ONLY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, 
CHARLIE BOLDEN INCLUDING THE 
FORMER NASA AND MIN VAY TOR AND 
SPACE COMMANDER WAS THE 
ASTRONAUT SELECTED TO TEST THAT 
SYSTEM FOR THE SPACE SHUTTLE SO 
HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT GOT THE 
FUN RIDE. IT IS JUST REALLY 
IMPORTANT. IF ANYTHING GOES 
WRONG, OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A LOT 
OF PROPELLANT ON THE PAD AND ONE
OF THE JOBS THAT I HAD WHEN I 
WAS AN ASTRONAUT WAS TO BE PART 
OF THE CLOSE OUT CREW TO PUT 
THEM IN THE SHUTTLE. THERE WERE 
SUIT TECHNICIANS AND AN 
ASTRONAUT. YOU KNOW, YOUR KIND 
OF THE LAST ONE TO SEE THE CREW.
YOU HELP THEM STRAP IN. THEN YOU
GET THE HECK OUT OF THERE AND 
YOU DRIVE A MINIMUM OF A COUPLE 
MILES AWAY TO WATCH THE LAUNCH 
FROM A DISTANCE, SO SAFETY 
TRAINING IS JUST INCREDIBLY 
IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR THE CREW.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IS 
FUNDAMENTALLY AN AMAZING 
INDUSTRIAL LOCATION. IT HAS THE 
ABSOLUTE CUTTING-EDGE IN GROUND 
SUPPORT EQUIPMENT FOR SPACE 
FLIGHT HARDWARE AND THAT MEANS 
THAT PEOPLE AROUND MACHINERY, 
BIG EQUIPMENT, CRANES AND SO 
FORTH, AND SO IT IS ABSOLUTELY 
CRITICAL THAT WE TAKE THAT 
TRAINING SERIOUSLY. BUT LIKE 
WHITNEY SAID IT IS KIND OF FUN. 
I HAVE GOTTEN UP IN A FIRE FLAME
PROOF SUIT AND HAD FIRE TRAINING
AND THAT WAS FUN. 
>> 
[ LAUGHTER ] 
>> YOUR IDEA OF FUN MIGHT BE A 
LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN MINE, PAM,
BUT THAT IS WHAT MAKES YOU AN 
ASTRONAUT. 
>>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS 
QUESTION IN SAFETY. THEY HAD TO 
PROVE THEY CAN DO THIS SAFELY 
FOR NASA TO GREEN LIGHT THIS 
PROCESS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT 
SOME OF THE SPECIAL STEPS ARE 
THAT SpaceX HAS TAKEN TO FRY TO 
INSURE SAFETY, BUT WHY AND HOW 
HAS -- DID SpaceX BE ABLE TO 
PROVE TO NASA THEY ARE READY FOR
THIS? 
>> BECAUSE THEY ARE A START-UP 
COMPANY AND COMMERCIAL COMPANY 
AND THEY ARE NOT BOEINGS, 
ALTHOUGH BOEING ALSO HAS A 
COMMERCIAL CONTRACT LIKE SpaceX,
SpaceX, THEY REALLY HAVE TO 
PROVE THAT THEY ARE RELIABLE AND
THAT THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE 
GAMBLE ON COMMERCIAL CREW AND 
TOOK A GAMBLE AND SAID LET'S LET
THESE PRIVATE COMPANIES DO IT 
UNDER COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS, THEY
HAVE TO PROVE THAT THAT WAS 
WORTH THE GAMBLE WHICH WAS MADE 
REALLY THE INITIAL CONTRACTS 
WERE CAR GO AND IT GOES BACK TO 
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION AND 
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION STARTED THE
CREW PROGRAM, BUT WHAT THE 
SPECIFIC THINGS THEY HAD TO DO, 
THEY HAD TO HAVE AWAY TO RESCUE 
THE ASTRONAUTS IF THERE WAS AN 
ANOMALY, SUCH AS AN EXPLOSION ON
THE PAD OR EXPLOSION AS THE 
ROCKET IS IN THE A SCENT STAGE. 
THEY HAVE GREAT ENGINEERS, I 
BELIEVE IN PART BECAUSE AND 
MAYBE THE OTHER PANEL LISTS CAN 
WEIGH IN ON THIS. ELON MUSK IS 
NOT JUST ABOUT LAUNCHING INTO 
ORBIT. HE WANTS TO GO TO MARS 
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IN 
THAT. 
>>> JOEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I 
WOULD LIKE TO BRING IN CHRISTIAN
DAVENPORT NOW WHO IS JOINING US 
FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. HE 
COVERS THE SPACE INDUSTRY AND 
NOT ONLY HAS HE CHRONICLED THIS 
FOR YEARS, BUT WROTE A BOOK 
ABOUT THE COMPETITION AMONG THE 
COMPANIES CALLED THE SPACE 
BARRONS. THANK YOU. YOU'RE DOING
DUB DUTY AS WELL AS TALKING TO 
US. I WANT TO FOLLOW-UP ABOUT 
SAFETY. SpaceX DESIGNED THIS SO 
THE DRAGON, THE CREW DRAGON 
CAPSULE CAN ACT LIKE A LIFE BOAT
IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY. IF THE
ROCKET BLOWS UP, IT CAN SEPARATE
AND TRY TO BRING THE ASTRONAUTS 
TO SAFETY USING THESE DRAGO 
THISSERS. HOW INNOVATIVE IS 
THIS? 
>> YES. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY 
RIGHT LIBBY. THINK OF AN EJECTS 
SEAT. THE DRAGON SPACECRAFT HAS 
EIGHT TO PROPEL THE SPACECRAFT 
AWAY FROM THE BOOSTER IF THERE 
IS ANY KIND OF EMERGENCY AT ALL.
IT IS LIKE A CORK POPPING OFF A 
CHAMPAGNE BOTTLE. THEY DID DO 
THIS A FEW YEARS AGO. THEN CAME 
BACK AND DID AN IN-FLIGHT ABORT 
TEST SO THEY SHOT THE ROCKET 
INTO SPACE AND IT WAS RIGHT NEAR
ONE OF THE MOMENTS WHEN THE 
ROCKET WAS UNDER THE MOST 
ARROW DYNAMIC PRESSURE POINTS IN
A SCE NT SYSTEM AND SHOOTING IT 
AWAY. THAT WAS A SUCCESS S, BUT 
WE SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT AND 
THAT IS A FEATURE THE SPACE 
SHUTTLE DID 
HAVE. BUT THAT SHUT S EL WAS 
ATTACHED TO THE SIDE AND THERE 
WAS NO WAY TO EJECT FROM THE 
BOOSTER. THIS IS SORT OF A NEW 
TECHNOLOGY IN THAT IT CAN POP 
OFF AND THAT WAY IT GIVES NASA A
LOT OF PEACE OF MIND. BUT THAT'S
VERY SAME SYSTEM WHEN THEY 
TESTED IT, THEY WERE TESTING THE
ABORT ENGINES 
>>> THIS 
IS ONE OF THE COOLEST EXERCISES.
>> YOU HEARD FROM SUNNY WILLIAMS
AND WE FILMED HER AMONG OTHER 
ASTRONAUTS. THIS IS AT THE 
BUOYANCY LAB. IT IS A GIANT POOL
AND 10 OLYMPIC SIZE SWIMMING 
POOLS SIT INSIDE THIS ONE POOL 
AND IT ACTUALLY I UNDERSTAND 
TOOK AN ENTIRE MONTH TO FILL 
THIS POOL WITH WATER, SO THAT 
SHOULD GIVE YOU A SENSE OF JUST 
HOW BIG IT IS. AND YOU KNOW, 
WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS GO DOWN 
UNDER WATER, THE REASON THEY ARE
DOING THIS TRAINING, THEY ARE 
ABLE TO PRACTICE AS THEY WOULD 
FOR A SPACEWALK SO THEY ARE 
DOING SOME OF THE TASKS THEY 
WOULD DO DURING THAT TIME AND IT
ALSO SIMULATES WEIGHTLESSNESS IN
A WAY THAT'S NOTING ELSE DOES ON
EARTH. BEFORE THEY GO DOWN, THEY
PUT ON RETIRED SPACESUITS AND I 
LEARNED THAT SPACESUITS COST 
TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO 
MAKE. TENS OF MILLIONS OF 
DOLLARS. SO THIS IS KIND OF COOL
THAT THESE SUITS ARE GETTING A 
SECOND LIFE DURING THIS 
TRAINING, RIGHT? AND YOU KNOW, A
WHOLE CREW OF SUPPORT DIVERS GO 
WITH THEM UNDER WATER. THESE ARE
PEOPLE THAT HELP THE ASTRONAUTS 
AND THOSE WHO ARE FILMING SO THE
CONTROL CENTER UPSTAIRS CAN SEE 
WHAT IS HAPPEN AND DIRECT THE 
ASTRONAUTS AND MY COLLEAGUE 
WHITNEY WHOM I HAVE BEEN WORKING
WITH FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF 
YEARS, ALSO NAMED WHITNEY, SHE 
IS DIVE CERTIFIED AND SHE GOT TO
GO DIVE WITH THE ASTRONAUTS. IT 
WAS A RIGOROUS TEST THEY MAKE 
HER TAKE BUT SHE EVENTUALLY WENT
DOWN AND SHE MADE ME 
SUPERJEALOUS. SHE HAS HER DIVE 
CERTIFICATION AND SIGH DON'T BUT
WE GOT THIS GREAT FOOTAGE. 
>> HOW DOES IT CHANGE TO THE 
TRAINING IN THE POOL? 
>> I'M NOT DIVE CERTIFIED. I 
HAVE DIVED ONCE ON ASSIGNMENT 
HERE IN FLORIDA IN THE FLORIDA 
KEYS FOR A CLIMATE CHANGE STORY 
AND I LEARNED THAT RECREATIONAL 
DIVERS GO UNDER FOR ABOUT A 
HALF-HOUR AT A TIME ON AVERAGE. 
THAT IS WHAT THEIR TANKS CAN DO 
WITH THE OXYGEN. THEY GO FOR 
OVER SIX HOURS. THE REASON IS 
THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY 
WOULD SPEND ON THEIR SPACE WALK 
AND TECHNICALLY THEY ARE ABLE TO
DO IT BECAUSE IT IS PUMPING 
OXYGEN INTO THEIR SPACESUIT. 
THEY ARE DOWN THERE DOING ALL 
THESE TASKS AND FOR EVERY HOUR 
THEY SPEND ON A SPACEWALK, THEY 
HAVE TO SPEND SEVEN TO EIGHT 
HOURS IN THE POOL TRAINING SO IT
IS A LOT OF TIME IN THE POOL BUT
VERY CRUCIAL TRAINING THEY ARE 
DOING DOWN THERE. BACK TO YOU 
LIBBY. 
>> LET'S TALK TO ONE OF THOSE 
ASTRONAUTS THAT WE SAW TRAINING 
IN THE POOL. SUNNY WILLIAMS, 
WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING FOOTAGE OF
YOU AND GOING DOWN A ZIP LINE. 
WHAT DO YOU DO THESE DAYS TO 
STAY IN SHAPE AND KEEP SHARP? 
>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, 
BECAUSE THERE ARE A WHOLE CREW 
OF US STILL TRAINING. BOB AND 
DOUG ARE THE TIP OF THE SPHERE 
HERE AND LEADING THE WAY FOR THE
REST OF US TO GO ON COMMERCIAL 
CREW AND WE HAVE DRAGON WITH 
SpaceX AND WE HAVE SOMETHING 
WITH BOEING AND THAT IS WHAT I'M
ON. I'M ON THE STARLINER AND 
I'LL BE THE COMMANDER OF THAT 
MISSION AND I'M PREPARING FOR 
THAT SO THAT MEANS LIVING ON THE
SPACE STATION AND DOING TRAINING
AND VISITING VEHICLES, SCIENCE 
EXPERIMENT TRAINING SO IT HAS 
BEEN BUSY. WE'RE IN THE DEVELOP 
THE PHASE OF STARLINER SO WE'RE 
COMING UP WITH TECHNIQUES HOW TO
MANUALLY FLY THE SPACECRAFT AS 
WELL AS REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND 
THE AUTOMATION. THERE IS A LOT 
GOING ON PARALLEL TO SpaceX. 
YOU'LL SEE NEW SUITS, NEW SPACE 
CRAFTS. YOU'LL SEE IT LOADND ON 
AN ATLAS 5. IT WILL BE AWE SUM 
WHEN YOU SEE THE DRAGON AND THE 
STARLINER AND THEN THE SOYUZ. IT
IS A SPECTACULAR TIME PAVING IT 
WAY FOR THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM. 
>> THOSE SPACE SUITS ARE SO 
EXCITING TO HOW IT HAS CHANGEND 
AND MODERNIZE THE. TELL US ABOUT
THE SPACESUITS VERSUS THOSE. 
>> THE BIG DIFFERENCE EVERYONE 
WILL SEE IS THE COLOR. THESE 
GUYS ARE IN THE SLICK WHITE 
SUITS AND THEY HAD SOMETIME OUT 
AT SpaceX WORKING WITH THE 
WONDERFUL PEOPLE DESIGNING THEM.
THE THAT IS BLUE. IT IS MADE BY 
A COMPANY IN MASSACHUSETTS, 
DAVID CLARK. THEY HAVE MADE MANY
PRESSURE SUITS IN THE PAST BUT 
LIGHTER WEIGHT, NEWER MATERIAL, 
THE QUOTE, UNQUOTE BOOTS ARE 
LIKE SNEAKERS SO YOU CAN MOVE IN
THOSE QUICKLY AND THEY DON'T 
WEIGH VERY MUCH. THE HELMET 
DESIGN IS INTEGRATED INTO THE 
SPACESUIT LIKE THE SpaceX SUIT, 
BUT IT IS CLOSED WITH A ZIPPER 
SO THIS IS REALLY AMAZINGLY NEW 
TECHNOLOGY THAT IS ALLOWING US 
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE 
LIGHTS WEIGHT MATERIALS AND MAKE
THESE SUITS A LITTLE MORE 
COMFORTABLE, A LOT MORE 
COMFORTABLE AND JUST AS SAFE TO 
PROTECT US WHENWAY GO INTO SPACE
AND LAUNCH AND COME BACK FOR 
ENTRY. 
>> WELL, WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM 
NA SATURDAY WE'RE WATCHING FOR 
WEATHER. THEY WILL TELL US MORE 
IN A COUPLE MINUTES. JOEL IS THE
QUESTION OF IF THINGS WILL BE 
ABLE TO PROCEED BECAUSE OF THE 
WEATHER. 
>> YES. I MEAN, THINGS CAN 
CHANGE SO QUICKLY IN FLORIDA 
WITH THESE POPCORN THUNDERSTORMS
AND SO I THINK THAT IS THE BIG 
QUESTION, IS WHETHER OR NOT 
WE'RE GOING TO GET LUCKY AND GET
A LAUNCH OR -- I THINK ONE OF 
THE QUESTIONS YOU ASKED EARLIER 
ABOUT JIM BRIDENSTINE TWEETING 
OUT LIKE A POLL. IS IT AGO, NO 
GO? WHAT IS YOUR VOTE? 
>> GIVEN THE HISTORY OF WHAT 
HAPPENED WITH THE CHALLENGER IN 
198, NO ONE IS GOING TO TAKE ANY
CHANCES FOR POLITICAL REASONS 
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IS THERE. 
THAT WOULD BE A TRAGIC ERROR TO 
EVEN THINK OF THAT. YOU WANT TO 
GO WITH BEST PRACTICES AND NOT 
MESS WITH THE WEATHER. 
>> FRANK, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE 
CHECKS AND THE SYSTEMS THAT WERE
IN PLACE WHEN YOU WERE FLYING 
THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN 
BEHIND THE SCENES. WE SEE 
HAWTHORNE COMMAND WHERE SpaceX 
IS. WE CAN SEE THE ROCKET READY 
TO GO ON LAUNCH PAD 39A BUT WHAT
ELSE IS HAPPENING BEHIND THE 
SCENES WITH PEOPLE MAKING THESE 
BIG DECISIONS? 
>> THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE 
ON THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM THAT WERE
MAKING THESE DECISIONS AND THESE
INPUTS ALL GOING THE TO THE 
LAUNCH DIRECTOR WITH A VOTE FROM
THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR AND THE 
HOUSTON TEAM AND THEY WERE 
MONITORING EVERYTHING GOING ON 
ON THE SHUTTLE WHICH WAS 
EXTREMELY COME COMPLICATED 
VEHICLE OF COURSE. ON THE SHRUBS
I HAD, THEY WERE ALL SYSTEM 
PROBLEMS, NO WEATHER PROBLEMS, 
BUT ON MY THIRD MISSION IT WAS A
WEATHER PROBLEM AND WE HAD 
PEOPLE JUST LIKE HERE ALL OVER 
THE WORLD CHECKING THE WEATHER 
FOR ABORT SITES, FOR THE WEATHER
OFF THE COAST IN CASE YOU HAD TO
BAIL OUT. ALL OF THE THINGS THAT
MIGHT AFFECT THE CREW'S SAFETY 
AND LIKE PAM, WE WERE SITTING IN
THE NINE-MINUTE HOLE TRYING TO 
DECIDE WHAT TO HAVE FOR DINNER 
THAT NIGHT, PIZZA AND THEY SAID 
WE'RE GOING PICKING IN THE COUNT
RIGHT NOW, BOOM. NINE MINUTES 
LATER WE LAUNCHED AND WE 
LUCKILYWAY WERE NOT UNSTRAPPING,
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE 
CHECKING THEIR SYSTEMS VERY 
CAREFULLY. I HAD A GUY TELL ME, 
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE THINGS 
DO, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE 
NOT GOING TO FAIL BECAUSE OF MY 
SYSTEM. THAT IS THE GREAT THING 
ABOUT AMERICAN INGENUITY AND 
CAN-DO SPIRIT OF GETTING US BACK
INTO SPACE. 
>> HE MENTIONED THE ARTEMIS 
PROGRAM. PAM, WHAT ARE YOU 
WATCHING FOR FOR THE ARTEM MUS 
PROGRAM? 
>> OH IT IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING.
TO THINK ABOUT GOING BACK TO THE
MOON, NOT JUST ON A CAMPING 
TRIP WHICH IS WHAT APOLLO WAS. 
BASICALLY CARRIED SOME -- 
EVERYTHING WE NEEDED WITH US AND
BRUT A LITTLE EXTRA BACK HOME IN
TERMS OF ROCKS AND THINGS LIKE 
THAT, BUT IT IS ABOUT 
UNDERSTANDING HOW TO LIVE IN 
SPACE AND DO SCIENCE AND EXPLORE
IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY, SO TO ME 
THAT IS REALLY EXCITING. THE 
PIECES. IT IS NOT A CAMPING 
TRIP. IT IS THE MAYFLOWER. WE 
ARE GOING AND WE'RE GOING TO 
UNDERSTAND HOW TO HAVE A 
PERMANENT PRESENCE IN DEEP 
SPACE, BEYOND EARTH'S ORBIT. WE 
HAVE DONE THAT WITH THE SPACE 
STATION AND LEARNED A LOT AND 
NOW WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO 
THAT ON OTHER PLANETS. 
>> ARTEMIS IS THE TWIN OF 
APOLLO. ARTEMIS IS A WOMAN SO 
SUNNY WILLIAMS, IS THERE A REAL 
PUSH INNA SA TO MAKE SURE THERE 
IS A DIVERSE CREW TO BE READY TO
GO INTO SPACE? 
>> YOU KNOW, LIBBY, IT HAS JUST 
COME NATURALLY AS WOMEN HAVE 
OVER THE PAST COUPLE DECADES 
HAVE REALLY MOVED UP IN THE 
S.T.E.M. CAREERS AND WE'RE 
FINDING AS WE HAVE SELECTED 
ASTRONAUTS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
GROUPS, WE'RE GETTING ALMOST 
EQUALLY AS MANY WOMEN EQUALLY 
QUALIFIED IF NOT MORE THAN THE 
MEN SIGNING UP, AS EL W. OF 
COURSE IT IS A NATIONAL 
PROGRESSION AND IT WILL HAPPEN. 
WE HAVE 
GOT IN THE LATEST CLASSES, 
CHRISTINA AND ANNE MCCLAIN, 
SPACEWALK KERR NUMBER ONE. THESE
ARE AMAZING, TALENTED LADIES 
WHO ARE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. 
NICOLE. STARLINER. SHE IS RIGHT 
THERE. THE NEWEST CLASS AS WELL.
ALL THESE GUYS, I THINK WE HAVE 
DONE OUR BEST TO SELECT THE BEST
AND THEY WILL BE UP FOR THE 
CHALLENGE WHEN IT COMES. 
>>> SUNNY WILLIAMS, PART OF THE 
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM. WE'RE 
WATCHING TO SEE NEXT STEPS HERE.
IT IS CLOSE TO LAUNCH TIME. THE 
SCHEDULED LAUNCH TIME IS 4:33:00
P.M. LET ME REMIND YOU, IF IT 
GETS SCRUBBED FOR ANY REASON, 
THE NEXT LAUNCH WINDOW IS THIS 
SATURDAY AND THEN THE FOLLOWING 
ONE AFTER THAT IS SUNDAY. 
>>> LET'S LISTEN UP. 
>> LAUNCH CONTROL. WE WOULD 
PROCEED INTO THE LAUNCH ABORT 
AUDIENCE SEQUENCE PLEASE. 
>>> STARTED. 
>>> LAUNCH ABORT HAS STARTED. 
SUNNY WILLIAMS, WHAT DOES THAT 
TELL YOU? 
>> DID I HEAR WHAT YOU SAID, 
LAUNCH ABORT HAS STARTED? 
>> YES. 
>> OH, WOW. WELL THIS HAPPENED 
TO FRANK AND ME. PAM, I AM NOT 
REMEMBERING BUT YOU HAVE WAITED 
FOR THIS MOMENT FOR A LONG TIME.
THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO 
TURN IT AROUND AND DO IT AGAIN. 
>> WE'RE STILL WATCHING TO SO 
WHAT WILL HAPPEN, SO LET'S KEEP 
MONITORING JOEL. THE BIG 
QUESTION NOW IS, IS THIS 
SCRUBBING? 
>> YES. I MEAN, THAT IS WHAT 
THEY SAID. IT HAS TO BE THE 
WEATHER. JUST MONITORING THE 
ONLINE WORD, WE HAVEN'T HAD AN 
OFFICIAL WORD BUT PRESUMABLY THE
WEATHER HAS CAUSED THIS ISSUE 
AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY AGAIN ON 
SATURDAY UNLESSWAY MISS HEARD 
THAT ANNOUNCEMENT BUT IT LOOKS 
LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO THE 
SEQUENCE OF -- THEY ARE NOT 
GOING TO LOAD THE NEXT BIT OF 
PROPELLANT THEY WERE GOING TO 
PUT IN, THE LIQUID OXYGEN. 
>> I WANT TO SAY NASA IS 
CONFIRMING THIS LAUNCH IS 
OFFICIALLY SCRUBBED AND I'M SO 
SORRY TO TELL YOU ALL THAT. IT 
WILL NOT HAPPEN TODAY. THAT IS 
THE WORD FROM NA SATURDAY. THE 
NEXT POSSIBLE LAUNCH WINDOWS ARE
THIS WEEKEND. FIRST WINDOW IS 
SATURDAY,  MAY 30th AT 3:22:00 
P.M. EASTERN TIME. THE SECOND 
POSSIBLE WHIP DOUGH, THE NEXT 
DAY, SUNDAY MAY 31st AT 3:00 
P.M. EASTERN TIME. PLEASE STAY 
WITH US AS WE MONITOR WHAT IS 
HAPPENING NEXT. 
>> YOU WERE TAKING US THROUGH 
THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE. JOEL, 
PLEASE CONTINUE. 
>> NO, I MEAN THIS IS REALLY 
DISAPPOINTING, BUT THIS IS ALSO 
IN A WAY IT IS A SIGN OF THE 
PROFESSIONALISM OF THE PEOPLE 
INVOLVED. THEY ARE NOT MESSING 
AROUND. THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE 
SURE THEY GET THIS RIGHT, AND I 
THINK IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE 
WHEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES AND FIRST LADY AND VICE 
PRESIDENT AND THE HEAD OF NASA 
AND EVERYONE ELSE IS THERE WITH 
THE BIG PLANE HAVING FLOWN INTO 
SAY, 16 MINUTES IN ADVANCE OF 
THE SCHEDULED LAUNCH, OR 17 
MINUTES TO SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING 
TO DO THIS. THAT JUST SHOWS NASA
AND SpaceX UNDERSTAND THE 
WEATHER AND THEY SAW -- THEY 
KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW. I DON'T 
KNOW THE EXACT LAUNCH ABORT 
SEQUENCE, BUT GIVEN THE FUEL, 
PROPELLANT WAS ON THE ROCKET OR 
BEING LOADED, THE CARO SEEN 
FIRST AT SOME OF THE LIQUID 
OXYGEN, I THINK THAT THIS WILL 
TAKE AWHILE FOR THEM TO GO 
THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF THE 
LAUNCH ABORT. 
>> SO WE HAVE IT THAT IT IS 
WEATHER THAT IS THE REASON FOR 
THIS SCRUBBED LAUNCH. FRANK, YOU
HAVE BEEN IN THIS POSITION 
BEFORE. REMIND US FRANK, YOU HAD
A MISSION SCRUBBED FIVE TIMES? 
>> ACTUALLY,WAY SCRUBBED THREE 
TIMES AND THEN WE HAD OTHER ONES
WE NEVER GOT STARTED AND THEN WE
FINALLY LAUNCHED ON THE FIFTH 
TRIP TO THE PAD. THE ONE BEFORE 
THAT, WE GOT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
THREE SECONDS WITH THE ENGINES 
RUNNING SO YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT 
THE ADRENALIN LEVEL IS AT THAT 
POINT AND WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT 
DOWN, HE SAID I THOUGHT WE WOULD
BOW A LOT HIGHER WHEN THE ENGINE
SHUT OFF. I BLAMED MY PILOT, BUT
IT WASN'T HIS FAULT. IT WAS THE 
RIGHT THING TO DO BECAUSE 
SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE WASN'T 
WORKING CORRECTLY BUT IT IS VERY
DIGS A POINTING AND IT TOOK THEM
AN HOUR TO GET TO THE LAUNCH PAD
TO UNLOAD US FROM THE SHUTTLE 
AND THAT IS WHAT IT WILL TAKE 
FOR THIS, TOO. KNOWING YOU HAVE 
ALL THAT FUEL ON BOARD AND VERY 
CLOSE TO YOU AND THERE IS NOBODY
WITHIN 3 1/2 MILES, SO DOUG AND 
BOB ARE PROFESSIONALS AND THEY 
ARE DOING ALL THE THINGS THAT 
THEY NEED TO DO ON THE CHECKLIST
BUT IT IS DISAPPOINTING BUT WHAT
I TOLD ONE OF THE NEWS AGENCIES 
AFTER THAT SCRUB WHEN THEY ASKED
ME TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON,
JUST LIKE THIS, ALL YOU'RE DOING
IS DELAYING ANOTHER SUCCESS. IT 
IS NOT A FAILURE AT ALL. IN 
FACT, IT IS 
THE RIGHT THING TO DO. 
>> WELL, JIM SIGNED THE -- NO 
LAUNCH TODAY. SAFETY FOR OUR 
CREW MEMBERS. YOU CAN USE 
TWITTER HANDLES 
>>> BOB BEHNKEN AND DOUG HURLEY 
ARE OUR TOP PRIORITY. HE SAID 
WE'LL TRY, TRY AGAIN TO LAUNCH 
AMERICA ON SATURDAY AT 3:22:00 
P.M. EASTERN TIME. THAT IS 
COMING FROM THE NASA 
ADMINISTRATOR HIMSELF. SUNNY 
WILLIAMS, THIS IS PART OF THE 
JOB, RIGHT, FOR THE ASTRONAUTS 
AND ALL EL PEOPLE WORKING? 
>> ABSOLUTELY. FRANK MENTIONED 
IT. IT IS THE PROFESSIONALISM. 
JOEL MENTIONED IT ALSO. THE 
PROFESSIONAL LIVE AND MATURITY 
FOR THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE THAT 
THEY KNOW WHEN IT IS THE RIGHT 
TIME TO LAUNCH AND WHEN IT IS 
NOT. WEATHER WAS A FACTOR TODAY,
BUT WE'RE READY FOR THAT. WE 
KNOW THAT COULD HAPPEN. THIS 
VEHICLE IS STILL FUELED AND IN A
DANGEROUS POSITION, SO EVERYONE 
HAS TO MAINTAIN AND CONTINUE TO 
DO THEIR JOB PROFESSIONALLY TO 
SECURE THE LAUNCH ABORT SYSTEM 
AND GET OUT TO THE LAUNCH PAD 
AND GET BOB AND DOUG OUT OF THE 
SPACECRAFT AND GET IT REFUELS. 
WE KNOW THIS PROCESS. WE 
PRACTICED THIS. WE KNOW WHAT 
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. SO WE'RE 
READY FOR IT. IT IS A LITTLE 
EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER LIKE 
JOEL SAID, BUTWAY UNDERSTAND IT 
AND WE GET OUR FAMILIES READY 
FOR IT. THEY ARE PREPARED FOR 
IT. 
>> BOTH OF THESE ASTRONAUTS ARE 
MARRIED TO ASTRONAUTS. THEY ARE 
MARRIED TO PEOPLE WHO KNOW THIS 
INTIMATELY. LET'S GO TO CHRIS 
DAVENPORT WHO IS DOWN IN 
FLORIDA. YIS, WHAT CAN YOU TELL 
US ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW? 
WE KNOW THE LAUNCH WAS SCRUBND 
AND THAT WEATHER WAS A FACTOR. 
>> Reporter: YES. THAT IS ALWAYS
A DISAPPOINTMENT. YOU COVER 
SPACE LONG ENOUGH, YOU REALIZE 
THESE THINGS SCRUB ALL THE TIME.
I HAVE BEEN ON A LOT OF 
LAUNCHES, BIG ANTICIPATION, NOT 
QUITE LIKE THIS, BUT LAUNCHING 
SATELLITE AND CAR GO AND NO 
HUMANS AND THEY HAVE SCRUBBED 
REPEATEDLY. COMPUTER BACK ON 
SATURDAY AND IT MIGHT NOT WORK, 
BUT FOR HUMAN ASTRONAUTS ON 
BOARD, THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH. 
ANY LITTLE THING THAT IS OFF, 
THEY ARE GOING TO CALL IT. THEY 
HAVE TO. THE NASA ADMINISTRATOR 
TWEETED THAT SAFETY IS THE TOP 
PRIORITY. THAT IS WHAT IS GOING 
TO HAPPEN NOW. HERE IS WHERE 
THEY ARE. BOB AND DOUG ARE STILL
ON TOP OF THE ROCKET. THEY HAVE 
TO GET ALL THE PROPELLENTS OUT 
OF THE ROCKET AND DE FUEL IT AND
MEANTIME THE ABORT SYSTEM WILL 
STAY ACTIVE THE WHOLE TIME IN 
CASE THERE ARE PROBLEMSN'T ONCE 
IT IS CLEAR, 
THEY WILL GET BOSTON BRUINS AND 
BOB AND DOING OUT AND TRY IT 
ANOTHER DAY. THE ADMINISTRATOR 
TALKED ABOUT THIS AND ASKED 
LEADING IN THE DAYS LEADING UP 
TO THE LAUNCH, WILL YOU FEEL 
PRESSURE OR LAUNCH FEVER WITH 
THE PRESIDENT HERE AND ALL THE 
PRESS HERE? WITH ALL THIS 
ATTENTION, AND HE SAID SAFETY 
HAS TO BE THE TOP PRIORITY. SO 
HE TEXTED WITH BOB AND DOUG AND 
SAID IF YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE 
IN ANY WAY, I'LL CALL IT OFF. IT
IS SpaceX'S LAUNCH BUT NASA 
COULD STEP IN THERE SO IT IS A 
DISAPPOINTMENT BUT THESE THINGS 
HAPPEN. 
>> DOES THE CORONAVIRUS AND 
PANDEMIC COME COMPLICATE THINGS?
THEY WERE IN QUARANTINE LEADING 
UP TO THIS, BUT HOW DOES THAT 
AFFECT HAVING TO GET EVERYTHING 
ROLLING AGAIN FOR SATURDAY? 
>> Reporter: YES. I MEAN, THEY 
HAVE THE CREWS HERE AND THEY 
HAVE SAID LEADING UP TO THIS 
LAUNCH, TO GET EVERYTHING READY,
THEY WERE PRACTICING SOCIAL 
DISTANCING, AND 
ALL OF THAT. BOB AND DOUG HAVE 
BEEN IN QUARANTINE EXTREME FOR 
MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AND TESTING 
EVERYONE ELSE AROUND THEM SO 
OBVIOUSLY ALL OF THAT WILL 
CONTINUE. THEY HAVE TO TAKE CARE
NOT JUST OF THE ROCKET AND THE 
SPACECRAFT BUT MAKE SURE BOB AND
DOUG STAY HEALTHY AND THE PEOPLE
AROUND THEM STAY HEALTHY AND 
INSURE ANOTHER LAYER OF 
DIFFICULTY WHERE NOTHING CAN GO 
WRONG. THERE IS NO MARGIN OF 
ERROR AND THAT DOES COME 
COMPLICATE THINGS. 
>> CHRIS DAVENPORT LIVE FROM 
FLORIDA. THANKS. JOEL, WHAT 
QUESTIONS ARE YOU GOING TO BE 
ASKING AS WE LOOK TO LAUNCH ON 
SATURDAY? 
>> WELL, THE FIRST THING, AT THE
MOMENT BOB AND DOUG ARE 
STILL IN THE CAPSULE THAT HAS TO
HAVE THE PROPELLANT REMOVED. 
>> IT TAKES 40 MINUTES TO GET 
ALL THE PROPELLANT OUT. 
>> THEY ONLY STARTED THAT LOAD 
AT T-35 MINUTES AND I BELIEVE IT
WAS AROUND 17 MINUTES THAT THEY 
CALLED IT. I'M SURE THAT CHRIS 
AND OTHERS WILL ASK THEM, WHAT 
CHANGED IN THOSE MOMENTS BETWEEN
T-35 AND T-17 BECAUSE IDEALLY 
YOU WOULD WANT TO CALL THE ABORT
PRIOR TO LOADING THE PROPELLANT 
AND MAYBE EVEN 45 MINUTES BEFORE
LAUNCH, SO THE WHOLE PROCEDURES 
OF IT, BUT RIGHT NOW, LET'S 
WATCH AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY 
GET OUT OF THERE SAFELY AND CAN 
DO IT AGAIN IN THREE DAYS, BUT 
IT IS STILL KIND OF A DICEY 
SITUATION WITH ALL THAT FUEL AND
AS FRANK SO PERFECTLY PHRASED 
IT, NO ONE AROUND FOR 3 1/2 
MILES. 
>> PAM MEL ROY, NEXT STEPS 
YOU'LL BE WATCHING GOING FORWARD
HERE? 
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS
GREAT IF -- SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS 
THE WEATHER WHICH IS WONDERFUL. 
IT IS TERRIBLE IF IT IS A 
PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE YOU'RE 
TRYING TO PARS OUT AND FIGURE IT
OUT AND SO FORTH. I GUESS I'M 
LOOKING AT THIS AS A DRESS RAE 
HER SAL AND IT WENT INCREDIBLY 
SMOOTHLY KNOCK ON WOOD 
FOR THE A PREACH TO THIS, FOR 
THE APPROACH FOR THIS SO IT 
GIVES EVERYONE ON THE TEAM A 
TIME TO REST AND RELAX. WHAT IS 
REALLY TOUGH WHEN YOU TRY TO DO 
TWO OR THREE DAYS IN A ROW 
BECAUSE IT IS A LOT OF TENSION, 
IT IS VERY INTENSE, SO THIS IS A
GOOD THING. IT WILL GIVE 
EVERYONE A BIT OF A BREAK AND 
THE CREW WILL GET TO SEE THEIR 
FAMILIES, THEIR SPOUSES TONIGHT.
>> EXPLAIN WHY THESE WINDOWS? 
WHY WON'T WE SEE ANOTHER LAUNCH 
WINDOW UNTIL SATURDAY AND THEN 
SUNDAY 
AFTERNOON AS ANOTHER BACKUP DAY?
>> WELL, SO I'M NOT 100% SURE ON
THE SHUTTLE WE SLIPPED EVERY 20 
MINUTES EVERY DAY. MY 
UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE 
ASPECTS OF THE VEHICLE AND 
ORBITAL MECHANICS BUT IT MAY BE 
BECAUSE THEY SAW THE WEATHER 
FORECAST, AS WELL. YES, THERE IS
ABSOLUTELY A WINDOW. YOU'RE 
CHASING THE SPACE STATION OFF 
THE PAD. THERE IS A NARROW 
WINDOW TO GET INTO THE SAME 
ORBITAL PLANE AND IT TAKES A LOT
OF PROPELLANT TO SHIFT YOUR 
ORBITAL PLANE TO CATCH UP WITH 
THE STATION SO YOU NEED TO BE AL
LINED WITH IT SO YOU JUST SIMPLY
HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT 
OPPORTUNITY. 
>> AND SUNNY WILLIAMS, WHEN WE 
TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER, WE'RE 
NOT JUST LOOKING FATHER WEATHER 
RIGHT THERE AT KENNEDY SPACE 
CENTER. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 
REGION IN CASE SOMETHING WENT 
WRONG AND THE ASTRONAUTS HAD TO 
EJECT AND GO TO SAFETY, SO WE'RE
REALLY LOOKING AT A COMPLEX OF 
VARIABLES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
WEATHER. 
>> ABSOLUTELY. IT IS ALL UP THE 
EAST COAST AND LIKE AIRPLANES 
FLY THE CIRCULAR ROUTE. WE'RE 
FLYING A CIRCULAR ROUTE AS WELL,
ACROSS CANADA, ICELAND, IRELAND.
ALL THAT WEATHER ALSO HAS TO BE 
SLIGHTLY COMPATIBLE JUST IN CASE
YOU HAVE AN ABORT AND THEN 
HOPEFULLY THE RESCUE FORCES WILL
BE ABLE TO GO AND PICK YOU UP IN
THOSE AREAS. WE'RE LOOKING AT 
ALL THAT WEATHER. THERE ARE 
HIGHER PROBABILITY AREAS SO 
MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT 
FRANK WAS TALKING ABOUT, ALL THE
PEOPLE MAKING THE BIG DECISIONS,
THEY ARE WEIGHING ALL THOSE 
FACTORS IN WHEN THEY ARE 
DECIDING WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO 
LAUNCH OR NOT LAUNCH. IT IS A 
BIG JOB TO FIGURE OUT ALL THAT. 
HATS OFF TO THEM FOR DECIDING 
TODAY THE WEATHER OFF THE COAST 
IS JUST TRICKY IN FLORIDA IN THE
SUMMERTIME. WE ALL KNOW THAT, 
BUT THEY WILL GET OFF. THEY WILL
BE PLAYING BEFORE LONG. WEATHER 
WILL BE NICE. 
>> WILL YOU AND OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE COMMERCIAL CREW TEAM GET TO 
TALK TO BOB AND DOUG OR MESSAGE 
WITH THEM IN SOME WAY? 
>> OH, YES. THEY WILL BE -- THEY
WERE PROBABLY DREADING THEY ARE 
GOING TO LOOK AT THEIR E-MAIL 
AGAIN, BUT I'M SURE THEY WILL BE
E-MAILING AND MESSAGING AND 
PROBABLY CHATTING ABOUT HOW 
EVERYTHING WENT AND WAS IT AS 
YOU EXPECTND AND STUFF LIKE THAT
AND ALSO GIVING THEM TIME, 
BECAUSE LIKE PAM SAID THIS GIVES
THEM A BREATHER AND THEY CAN 
RELAX AND SEE THEIR FAMILIES AND
THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
FOR THEM. WE'RE ALL NOSEY AND WE
WANT TO KNOW HOW THINGS WENT AND
THEY ARE GRACIOUS AND 
PROFESSIONAL SO AIM SURE THEY 
WILL WANT TO GIVE US FEEDBACK AS
WELL. 
>> WE CAN SEE JUST THE TOP OF 
YOUR SHIRT BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU
HAVE THE OLD SCHOOL NASA LOGO, 
THE WORLD, WHO GREW UP A COUPLE 
DECADES AGO REMEMBER IT. THIS IS
BRINGING BACK THE OLD SCHOOL 
NASA LOOK INSTEAD OF THE 
MEATBALL AS THEY CALL IN THE. 
TELL US ABOUT SORT OF HOW THIS 
BRINGS THE OLD AND THE NEW 
TOGETHER? 
>> YES. I STAU IT'S ON THE 
SPACES. I WAS MENTIONING WE HAVE
WORKED WITH SpaceX FOR A LONG 
TIME AND GETTING THEIR SUITS 
READY TO GO AND 
WHEN I SAW THE WORM ON THE SUIT,
I SAID WE HAVE TO BE PART OF 
THIS EVENT. AND IT BRINGS A 
DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE 
WATCHING WHAT IS GOING ON. IT 
HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT TODAY LIKE
JIM MENTIONED WE WANT TO GET THE
YOUNGER GENERATION TO GET 
INSPIRED AND PSYCHED ABOUT THE 
AMAZING THINGS THE PEOPLE AT 
NASA AND ALL OF THE SPACE 
AGENCIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE 
DOING. THIS IS GREAT STUFF. 
THESE ARE LIKE THE SMARTEST 
AMAZING ENGINEERS WHO ARE 
HELPING WITH COVID-19 SOLUTIONS 
AS WELL AS DOING THEIR SPACE 
JOB. WE WANT MORE PEOPLE TO JOIN
IN, BECAUSE IT IS REALLY GOOD. 
BRINGING THAT BACK, THE OLD LOGO
WITH THE KNEW IS JUST RETRO IS 
IN AND I THINK WE LIKE IT. IT IS
JUST AS MUCH AS WE LIKE THE 
MEATBALL. 
>> FINALLY, WHAT DO YOU DO 
TOMORROW? WHAT DO YOU DO 
TOMORROW AND ONCE WE DO SEE THIS
SpaceX ROCKET GOING INTO ORBIT 
WE SEE IT JOINED THE 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, ARE
YOU JUST GLUED TO MONITORING 
WHAT IS GOING ON? HOW MUCH ARE 
YOU TOTALLY FOCUSED ON THAT AND 
HOW DIFFERENT WILL TOMORROW BE 
BECAUSE YOU WON'T BE DOING THAT?
>> IT IS INTERESTING. I THINK 
WOE ALL WANT TO KNOW AND SEE HOW
THE MISSION GOES. WE HAVE SEEN 
DRAGON GO TO THE SPACE STATION 
BEFORE. WE HAVE SEEN THE PROFILE
HOW THEY ARE GOING TO GET THERE,
BUT WITH TWO PEOPLE IT IS A 
LITTLE DIFFERENT SO IT WAS 
DEFINITELY GOING TO BE ON 
EVERYONE'S LIST TO WATCH THAT 
DOCKING AND HATCH OPENING AND 
SEA THEM GO IN, BUT WE'RE 
PROBABLY GOING TO DO THAT ON 
SUNDAY SO THAT IS OKAY. TOMORROW
WE TRUST THE WORK AT HAND WHICH 
IS FOR ME, AGAIN, JUMPING IN THE
BOEING STARLINER SIMULATOR AND 
WORKING THROUGH THE MANUAL 
FLYING PROCEDURES THAT WE'LL 
HAVE TO BACK US UP FOR THE 
AUTOMATION SO IT IS WORK AS 
USUAL. WE HAVE OTHER SPACECRAFT 
GOING TO THE SPACE STATION 
AS WELL. 
>> TTHANK YOU SO MUCH. 
>> FRANK, FINAL THOUGHTS? 
>> THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS I 
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A POINT OF 
BUT BEFORE THAT, I WANT TO POINT
OUT THAT SUNNY, WHO IS YOUNGER, 
MEATBALL WAS RETT FROE THAN THE 
WORM IS NOW BECAUSE THAT WAS THE
FIRST EMBLEM AND WE BROUGHT IT 
BACK IN THE '80s OR '90s. THE 
TWO IMPORTANT POINTS ARE IN 
BETWEEN MY COMMAND I WAS IN 
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT. AS A NEW 
PROGRAM MANAGER, ONE OF THE 
SMARTEST MANAGERS I KNEW, POINT 
THE OUT TO ME WHEN WE WERE UNDER
A LOT OF STRESS AND PRESSURE, 
LOOK, FRANK, NO ONE IS GOING TO 
REMEMBER WHAT DAY YOU LAUNCHED 
ON, THEY WILL JUST GOING TO 
REMEMBER WHETHER YOU LAUNCHED 
SAFELY OR NOT. DO NOT FEEL YOU 
HAVE TO LAUNCH ON A PARTICULAR 
DAY. JUST MAKE SURE IT WORKS. 
WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE PAD 
ON THE PICTURE WE HAVE HERE NOW,
THE PRESS IS GOING TO GET AN 
ANGLE WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE 
WEATHER IS NOT A PROBLEM. THEY 
WILL SEE A LOT OF BLUE SKY AND 
EVERYONE WILL SAY NASA WAS TOO 
CONSERVATIVE. IF YOU LOOK BEHIND
THE CAMERA, IT IS PROBABLY 
REALLY BLACK SO DON'T BE MISLED 
BY CAMERA ANGLES THAT CAN MAKE 
THINGS LOOK DIFFERENT THAN WHAT 
THEY ARE. 
>>> THANKFULLY CHRIS DAVENPORT 
CAN TELL US EVERYTHING HE SEES. 
FRANK THANKS SO MUCH. 
>> PAM, FINAL THOUGHTS FROM YOU?
>> THIS IS WELCOME BACK TO HUMAN
SPACE FLIGHT, RIGHT? THIS IS 
NORMAL BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE 
SCRUBS BUT IT IS STILL EXCITING.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, ONE OF THE 
THINGS THAT I LOVED ABOUT THE 
SPACE SHUTTLE WAS PEOPLE CAN GO 
AND WATCH THEIR SPACE PROGRAM 
AND PARTICIPATE AND WATCH A 
LAUNCH. UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN'T 
SHARE THAT MOMENT WHEN WE DOCK 
TO THE SPACE STATION BECAUSE IT 
IS EVERY BIT EXCITING AND 
ASTOUNDING BUT I AM GLAD TO SEE 
US WHERE WE'RE BACK TO WATCH A 
LAUNCH FROM AMERICAN SOIL AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU. WE'LL LEAVE IT 
WITH JOEL FOR FINAL THOUGHTS WHO
I WILL SEE BACK HERE ON SATURDAY
HOPE YOUR CALENDAR IS CLEAR, 
JOEL. 
>> LET ME COLLECT. I'M OKAY. 
YES. JUST A QUICK NOTE, SpaceX 
TWEETED OUT THE WEATHER 
CONDITIONS WERE UNFAVORABLE IN 
THE FLIGHT PATH WHICH MAKES ME 
THINK TO WHAT FRANK SAID. 
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THERE WERE
POPCORN THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE
CAPE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLY 
IN THE PROGRAM, THEY WANT TO 
MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS 
FAVORABLE WEATHER ALL THE WAY UP
THE SEABOARD IN CASE THERE WAS 
AN ABORT AND THEY HAD TO SPLASH 
DOWN IN THE OH CEN SO THAT IS 
POSSIBLE THAT IS THE CULPRIT, 
ALTHOUGH I'M STILL CURIOUS AS TO
IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS YOU
KNOW IN THE OCEAN 100, 200, 300,
500 MILES AWAY THAT IT TOOK SO 
LONG TO MAKE THAT CALL. WHEN YOU
HAVE THE AWKWARD SITUATION WITH 
THE PROPELLANT ALREADY ON THERE.
BUT I WILL SAY AS I SAID AT THE 
BEGINNING OF THIS, WHATEVER 
HAPPENS TODAY, I THINK I SAID, 
QUOTING MYSELF, IT IS A BIG 
DEAL. IT IS A BIG DEAL THAT 
SpaceX HAS GOTTEN HERE. THAT THE
COMMERCIAL YOU PROGRAM HAS 
GOTTEN TO THIS POINT. THAT THE 
SYSTEMS AS PAM SAID THE SYSTEMS 
WORKED. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG 
WITH THE ROCKET OR WITH THE 
HARDWARE AND SO THIS IS GOING TO
LIKELY WE'RE GOING TO SEE A 
LAUNCH AND THAT IS A HISTORIC 
TRANSITION MOMENT FOR THE SPACE 
PROGRAM AND IT IS APPROPRIATE 
THAT WE'RE MAKING A BIG DEAL 
ABOUT IT. 
>> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK 
YOU SO MUCH. JOEL AND THANKS TO 
PAM, FRANK AND SUNNY. YOU CAN 
SEE THE COUNTDOWN CLOCK STUCK AT
MORE THAN 16 MINUTES OUT FROM 
LAUNCH, BUT WE WILL BE BACK ON 
SATURDAY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK 
YOU FOR SHARING THIS 
ROLLERCOASTER DAY WITH US HERE 
AT THE WASHINGTON POST. THANK 
YOU FOR JOINING US. COME BACK 
SATURDAY WHEN THEY TRY AGAIN. IT
IS DAYS LIKE THIS WHEN WE BEAR 
WITNESS TO DREAMS AND INGENUITY 
AND WEATHER AND SAFETY THAT ARE 
REMINDERS ABOUT WHY THIS TEAM 
HERE CHOOSES TO WORK AT THE 
WASHINGTON POST TO BRING THE 
NEWS THAT MATTERS AND AS QUICKLY
AND COMPLETELY AS WE POSSIBLY 
CAN. WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT 
THE SUPPORT OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU 
SO IF YOU'RE NEW TO WATCHING THE
WASHINGTON POST, TAKE A MOMENT 
TO SUBSCRIBE. IF YOU'RE WATCHING
ON THE HOME PAGE, CLICK THE LINK
IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OR 
CLICK SUBSCRIBE IN YOU, BECAUSE 
WE WILL THEN LET YOU KNOW, WE 
CAN BRING YOU THE NEWS AND WHEN 
THE NEXT LAUNCH WINDOW OPENS, WE
WILL BE RIGHT THERE FOR YOU TO 
FIND US. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO 
SEEING YOU BACK HERE ON 
SATURDAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO 
NASA TV.          
