 
IN FLORIDA AS YOU AND I SPEAK 
HERE, NICOLE, BECAUSE THIS IS A 
VERY BIG DAY IN PART BECAUSE, AS
I SAID, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME 
THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LAUNCH
FROM AMERICAN SOIL IN ALMOST TEN
YEARS' TIME.
>> YEAH, THIS IS HISTORIC FOR 
MANY REASONS.
I MEAN, ONE, THE SHUTTLE 
[INDISCERNIBLE] IN 2011, THERE 
WAS NO SPACECRAFT TO GET THERE 
TO FERRY THE ASTRONAUTS TO THE 
SPACE STATION.
SO [INDISCERNIBLE] INCLUDING US 
ON THE RUSSIANS SOYUZ ROCKETS, 
AND THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE.
IT'S NICE TO SEE THIS COMING 
BACK TO U.S. SOIL, I GUESS, JUST
WHAT WE'RE USED TO.
>> Michael: YEAH, A BIT MORE OF 
WHAT WE'RE USED TO, AS YOU SAY.
IT WAS INTERESTING, BOB McDONALD
WAS MENTIONING HOW IT WAS A 
LITTLE BIT EMBARRASSING FOR THE 
AMERICANS TO HAVE TO RELY ON THE
RUSSIANS FOR ANY SPACE LAUNCH.
SO HERE THEY ARE RE-ESTABLISHING
THE U.S. SPACE PROGRAM.
BUT ALSO CONSIDERED A 
SIGNIFICANT LAUNCH, A 
SIGNIFICANT MISSION HERE IN PART
BECAUSE OF THAT CAPSULE THAT 
PEOPLE ARE NOW SEEING AT HOME.
TALK TO US ABOUT THIS CAPSULE 
AND HOW THIS VEHICLE, THIS 
SPACECRAFT DIFFERS FROM THE 
SPACE SHUTTLE THAT, OF COURSE, 
SO MANY PEOPLE GREW UP WITH.
>> WELL, I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT -- 
JUST LOOK AT THAT SPACECRAFT OR 
THAT CAPSULE.
IT'S AMAZING.
IT IS DEFINITELY STATE OF THE 
ART.
EVEN LOOK AT THEIR SPACE SUITS, 
IT'S INCREDIBLE.
THEY HAVE TOUCH SCREENS.
THIS IS SOMETHING OUT OF SCIENCE
FICTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE 
THOUGHT OF AT THE TIME THE 
SHUTTLE WAS BEING BUILT, EVEN UP
UNTIL IT WASN'T AN OPTION IN 
2011.
THE SEATS, FOR EXAMPLE, AS WELL,
THEY GET IN, THEY ARE SITTING 
MOSTLY FORWARD AND THEN THEY 
ROTATE TO AN ALMOST LYING DOWN 
POSITION THAT YOU SEE THERE.
IT IS A STATE-OF-THE-ART AMAZING
THING.
THIS CAPSULE CAN ALSO TAKE UP 
TO -- SORRY, EXPLORE TO 
[INDISCERNIBLE] SO IT'S ACTUALLY
AN AMAZING VEHICLE.
>> Michael: AMAZING VEHICLE.
TWO ASTRONAUTS WILL BE ON BOARD,
AS WE SAID, ROBERT BEHNKEN AND 
DOUGLAS HURLEY, BOTH AMERICAN 
ASTRONAUTS, BEST FRIENDS, BY THE
WAY, AND CHRIS HADFIELD EARLIER 
TODAY HE NOTED THE FACT THAT 
IT'S BOB AND DOUG GOING UP IN 
SPACE.
SO MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF 
CANADIAN CONTENT BEING BROUGHT 
TO THIS.
>> OH, YEAH, EH?
[LAUGHTER]
>> Michael: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
SIGNIFICANCE HERE.
NOT ONLY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A 
CAPSULE GOING UP INTO SPACE 
THAT'S VERY DIFFERENT, BUT 
SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT COULD 
CHART A DIFFERENT PATH GOING 
FORWARD WHEN IT COMES TO SPACE 
TRAVEL.
>> WELL, YES.
FIRST OF ALL -- BY THE WAY, I 
JUST WANT TO SPEAK TO THE IMAGE 
THERE, WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS 
THE ENGINE SHOW, AND IT IS NOW, 
BY THE WAY, ON INTERIM POWER, SO
WE ARE GOOD.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT, I 
DON'T WANT TO JINX IT, BUT IT'S 
LOOKING GOOD.
BUT YEAH, THE FUTURE, FIRST OF 
ALL, IT'S THE FIRST COMMERCIALLY
DEVELOPED ROCKET AND CAPSULE 
THAT'S TAKING ASTRONAUTS INTO 
SPACE, AND THAT COULD PAVE THE 
WAY FOR OTHER COMPANIES TO DO 
IT.
[INDISCERNIBLE] BUT ALSO SpaceX,
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SAID THAT 
THEY WANT TO COMMERCIALIZE -- 
ISS, THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE 
STATION.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PEOPLE, 
ALTHOUGH PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF 
MONEY, UP INTO SPACE, JUST 
ORDINARY CIVILIANS, SO THAT WILL
BE AMAZING FIRST.
>> Michael: MM-HM, AN AMAZING 
FIRST AMONG MANY, AND GOOD TO 
SEE THAT THE SKIES HAVE CLEARED 
UP OVER CAPE CANAVERAL, BECAUSE 
IT REALLY WAS TOUCH AND GO 
THROUGHOUT THIS DAY, AND NOTING 
THE FACT THAT THIS MISSION WAS 
SCRUBBED EARLIER IN THE WEEK.
>> YEAH, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I 
WAS HIGHLY SKEPTICAL THAT THIS 
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
I WAS WATCHING RADAR, LISTENING 
TO THE [INDISCERNIBLE] WENT FROM
50/50, AND THEN IT BECAME 70/30,
OKAY, WAIT, THIS IS HAPPENING, 
YOU KNOW.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS THERE ON 
SITE, AND SHE WAS SAYING THAT IT
WAS -- [INDISCERNIBLE] HUMIDITY 
FROM STORMS, AND I THOUGHT 
[INDISCERNIBLE] WE WERE JUST 
GOING TO SEE MORE STORMS.
SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT WE ARE 
MOVING AHEAD.
>> Michael: YEAH, MOVING AHEAD, 
AND IT WAS ALSO INTERESTING TO 
SEE THE TWO ASTRONAUTS THERE 
GETTING READY FOR LIFTOFF.
AGAIN, A VERY DIFFERENT CAPSULE.
YOU WERE NOTING THE FACT THAT 
THEY WERE USING COMPUTER SCREENS
AS OPPOSED TO PHYSICAL TOGGLES 
AND DIALS, AND ALSO THE FACT 
THAT IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT 
SPACE SUIT.
IT SEEMS LIKE A WHOLE DIFFERENT 
ERA WHEN IT COMES TO NASA RIGHT 
NOW.
>> IT REALLY IS, AND YOU KNOW, 
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO 
TALK ABOUT TOO IS THAT THIS IS 
THE FIRST TEST LAUNCH WITH 
HUMANS ON BOARD SINCE 1981, THE 
SPACE SHUTTLE.
THIS IS -- IT'S BEEN THAT LONG.
I WAS AN 8-YEAR-OLD KID AT THE 
TIME, AND SO I'M AGING MYSELF, 
BUT THIS IS WHY IT IS SUCH AN 
HISTORIC MOMENT, AND IT'S 
THRILLING TO WATCH.
AND OH, DON'T FORGET, THE 
[INDISCERNIBLE] SCHEDULED TO 
LAND ON A DRONE SHIP OFF THE 
COAST, AND THAT WILL BE ANOTHER 
FIRST.
WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF FIRSTS.
>> Michael: A LOT OF FIRSTS, BUT
ALSO UNDERLYING THE FACT THAT 
THIS DOES COME WITH RISK.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TWO 
ASTRONAUTS WHO ARE BEST FRIENDS,
BOTH OF WHOM HAVE FLOWN UP 
BEFORE ON SHUTTLES, BUT THIS IS 
ALSO A TEST FLIGHT.
SO THIS IS PART OF THE REASON 
WHY PEOPLE ARE WATCHING WITH 
BOTH EXCITEMENT BUT ALSO BATED 
BREATH HERE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU ARE SEEING BY THE WAY THE 
WATER IS PART OF THE SYSTEM TO 
LAUNCH.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S SPILLING 
WATER AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY TO 
KEEP -- DAMPEN THE AREA, JUST 
BECAUSE OF THE FORCES THAT ARE 
THERE.
THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT 
PEOPLE [INDISCERNIBLE]. 
>> Michael: OKAY.
>> [INDISCERNIBLE]. 
>> Michael: WE ARE GETTING TO 
THE POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO 
BE -- SORRY, AND IS THE STEAM 
COMING OFF OF THE ROCKET THERE, 
IS THAT ALSO THE WATER THAT 
YOU'RE REFERRING TO?
>> NO, THAT IS THE VENTING 
STAGE.
THEY VENT, AND THAT STARTS AT 
ROUGHLY SEVEN MINUTES.
IT'S A CHILL.
>> Michael: OH, THAT'S THE CHILL
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER 
ON.
>> YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING
PARTS TO THIS, OF COURSE.
I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE 
WHAT THEY ARE THINKING RIGHT 
NOW.
THESE ARE TWO SEASONED TEST 
PILOTS AND ASTRONAUTS.
>> Michael: AND AT THIS POINT, I
DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE CAN 
ACTUALLY SEE THIS ON THEIR 
SCREENS, BUT WE ARE NOW T MINUS 
51 SECONDS BEFORE TAKEOFF.
SO, NICOLE, LET'S JUST TAKE IN 
SOME OF THE SIGHTS AND THE 
SOUNDS HERE OF THE ROCKET AND 
LISTEN TO NASA RIGHT NOW.
[SILENCE]
>> T MINUS 30 SECONDS.
[SILENCE]
>> STAGE ONE TANKS PREPPING FOR 
FLIGHT. 
>> T MINUS 15 SECONDS.
>> TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX,
FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE, 
ZERO.
IGNITION.
LIFTOFF!
THE FALCON NINE AND CREW DRAGON 
SpaceX, GODSPEED BOB AND DOUG!
>> AMERICA HAS LAUNCHED!
AND SO RISES A NEW ERA OF 
AMERICAN SPACE FLIGHT.
A NEW GENERATION CONTINUING THE 
DREAM.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
20 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT STAGE ONE
PROPULSION IS PHENOMENAL.
>> T PLUS 30 SECONDS INTO THIS 
HISTORIC MISSION.
FLYING CREW ON BOARD DRAGON AND 
FALCON NINE, AND LOOK AT THEM 
GO.
>> FALCON POWER NOMINAL.
>> THROTING DOWN.
>> WE'RE THROTTLING DOWN TO GET 
READY FOR THE PERIOD OF MAXIMUM 
DYNAMIC PRESSURE.
WE'RE IN THE THROTTLE.
REPORTS SAY ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO.
>> VEHICLE IS SUPERSONIC.
>> WE HAVE EXCEEDED MACH ON THE 
FALCON 9.
>> THROTTLE UP.
>> WE'RE THROTTLING BACK UP TO 
FULL POWER AS WE ARE THROUGH THE
MAX Q. 
>> COPY ONE BRAVO.
>> WE HEARD THAT ONE BRAVO CALL 
OUT.
THAT'S JUST THE SECOND ABORT 
ZONE THEY ARE IN.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THIS 
UNTIL THE FIRST STAGE HAS DONE 
ITS JOB AND IT SWITCHES OVER.
AT THIS POINT, BOB AND DOUG 
PULLING ABOUT 2.3GS, 2.3 TIMES 
THE EARTH'S GRAVITY, ALREADY 
OVER AT 1500 MILES PER HOUR.
>> WE'VE HEARD THE CALL OUT FOR 
M VAC ENGINE CHILL.
THAT WILL COME IN ABOUT 2:44 
INTO FLIGHT.
RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING CONTINUING 
TO LOOK GOOD.
NEXT MAJOR EVENT, COMING UP, IS 
GONNA BE THE TRIPLE.
WE'LL HAVE MAIN ENGINE CUT-OFF 
OF THE NINE FIRST STAGE ENGINES,
STAGE SEPARATION, AND THEN 
IGNITION OF THE SECOND STAGE 
ENGINE TO CONTINUE TO CARRY 
ASTRONAUTS INTO ORBIT.
>> COMING UP IN ABOUT 20 
SECONDS.
>> AND ONE D THROTTLE DOWN.
>> YOU HEARD WE ARE THROTTLING 
DOWN THE MERLIN ENGINES ON THE 
FIRST STAGE.
[SILENCE]
AND WE HAVE MIKKO. 
>> STAGE SEPARATION CONFIRMED.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> M VAC IGNITION.
>> LET'S GO!
>> ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE STAGE 
SEPARATION CONFIRMED.
THE FIRST STAGE BEGINNING ITS 
FLIGHT BACK, THE SECOND STAGE 
BEING POWERED BY THAT SINGLE 
MERLIN 1D VAC YOU MENTIONED AS 
IGNITED AND IS NOW CARRYING BOB 
AND DOUG INTO ORBIT.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE 
UNDER THE POWER OF THIS 
SECOND -- 
>> SECOND STAGE PROPULSION IS 
NOMINAL.
>> WHICH WILL CUT OFF AT SECOND 
ENGINE CUT-OFF AT ABOUT EIGHT 
MINUTES AND 44 SECONDS INTO 
TODAY'S FLIGHT.
A LITTLE OVER FIVE MINUTES STILL
TO GO ON THIS SECOND STAGE.
YOU HEARD THE CALL OUT, THE 
LONGER ABORT ZONE THAT CARRIES 
THEM FROM NORTH CAROLINA UP THE 
EASTERN SEABOARD ALMOST TO 
CANADA.
THINGS LOOKING GOOD, THOUGH, 
GETTING GOOD CALLOUTS.
NOMINAL PROPULSION ON THAT 
SECOND STAGE.
BOB AND DOUG CONTINUING TO MAKE 
THEIR WAY INTO ORBIT.
[SILENCE]
>> DRAGON SpaceX NOMINAL 
TRAJECTORY.
>> [INDISCERNIBLE]. 
>> SpaceX DRAGON NOMINAL 
TRAJECTORY.
>> ALL RIGHT, HEARING NOMINAL 
TRAJECTORY, CONTINUING TO MAKE 
THEIR FLIGHT UP HILL.
ONE OF THE GROUND STATIONS THEY 
ARE USING TO GET TELEMETRY TO 
GET DATA BACK.
>> PROPULSION IS STILL NOMINAL.
[SILENCE]
>> A LITTLE OVER FOUR MINUTES 40
SECONDS INTO THE FLIGHT.
BOB AND DOUG FLYING AT MORE THAN
5600 MILES PER HOUR.
>> NOMINAL TRAJECTORY.
>> ALREADY ALMOST 200 MILES DOWN
RANGE FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE 
CENTRE.
NOMINAL TRAJECTORY CONTINUING.
>> Michael: AND YOU ARE WATCHING
"CBC NEWS NETWORK" AS WE BRING 
YOU LIVE COVERAGE OF THE FALCON 
ROCKET THAT JUST LAUNCHED, 
CARRYING UPON IT THE CREW DRAGON
CAPSULE, BOTH OF WHICH CREATIONS
OF ELON MUSK'S SpaceX.
A HUGE MOMENT FOR NASA AS THEY 
RETURN TO SPACE FLIGHT, 
LAUNCHING FROM AMERICAN SOIL FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS.
NICOLE MORTILLARO JOINS ME RIGHT
NOW, CBC'S SENIOR SCIENCE 
REPORTER, TO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS
THIS.
YOU KNOW, NICOLE, STILL A FEW 
MORE MINUTES HERE BEFORE THE 
SECOND STAGE.
SO FAR WHAT HAS STUCK OUT FOR 
YOU?
>> THAT IT'S FLAWLESS.
IT'S BEEN FLAWLESS, AND ACTUALLY
KIND OF -- THEY HAD A SMOOTH 
RIDE.
IT WAS -- IT PERFORMED EXACTLY 
THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO, AND 
I SHOULD SAY THAT HAD ANYTHING 
GONE WRONG, THEY HAD THE LAUNCH 
ABORT SYSTEM READY TO GO, AND 
THEY STILL HAVE IT, BUT AS WE 
HEARD EARLIER THAT IT WOULD TAKE
THEM OFF THE COAST, THE NORTHERN
COAST OF CANADA.
SO THIS IS JUST A FANTASTIC 
LAUNCH.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST HONESTLY SO 
EXCITED, AND I THINK EVERYBODY 
SHOULD BE, BECAUSE IT'S JUST 
SUCH A MOMENTOUS OCCASION, AND 
IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO SEE, 
AND PERHAPS ESPECIALLY DURING 
THE TIMES WE ARE IN NOW WITH THE
PANDEMIC.
>> Michael: MM-HM, AND IT IS 
ACTUALLY QUITE INTERESTING TO BE
WATCHING THIS GIVEN THE TIME.
SO MANY PEOPLE ISOLATED AT HOME 
REALLY PERHAPS FEELING A LITTLE 
BIT HOPELESS, AND THEN YOU HAVE 
THIS LAUNCH OF THE DRAGON X, AND
ON IT THAT CAPSULE, AND IT 
BRINGS NEW HOPE ONCE AGAIN TO SO
MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING 
THIS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS
HAS, THOUGH, ON NASA ITSELF, 
BECAUSE IT ESSENTIALLY DID, WITH
SOME CONTROVERSY, I GUESS, 
DECIDE THAT IT WAS GOING TO 
PURSUE A DIFFERENT PATH NINE 
YEARS AGO WHEN IT UNDID THE 
SHUTTLE PROGRAM.
>> YEAH, IT WAS A LITTLE 
DISAPPOINTING TO PEOPLE IN THE 
SPACE COMMUNITY THAT NOTHING WAS
THERE TO REPLACE THE SHUTTLE.
NOT THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME 
BECAUSE THERE IS A GAP TOO 
BETWEEN APOLLO AND THE SHUTTLE, 
BUT IT TOOK A LONG TIME, AND IT 
WAS CONTROVERSIAL TO GO THE 
PRIVATE ROUTE, BUT HERE WE ARE, 
AND IT'S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD, 
AND IT'S SAVING MONEY.
IT'S RE-USABLE.
SO I THINK IT SHOWS A LOT OF 
PROMISE.
AND THERE'S ALSO [INDISCERNIBLE]
ON THE HORIZON, ANOTHER PRIVATE 
SPACE LAUNCH COMPANY AND THAT'S 
RUN BY JEFF BEZOS FROM AMAZON, 
SO THERE ARE NEW PLAYERS HERE, 
AND IT'S KIND OF OPENING UP 
SPACE.
IT'S THE NEW SPACE RACE.
>> Michael: MM-HM, AND THIS IDEA
THAT ENTREPRENEURSHIP WILL 
REVOLUTIONIZE SPACE.
YOU MENTIONED THE DOLLAR FIGURE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS BOB THAT WAS 
SAYING WITH THE SPACE SHUTTLE IT
WAS BASICALLY A BILLION DOLLARS 
EVERY TIME YOU WANTED TO SEND A 
SHUTTLE UP IN SPACE.
THIS ONE, CONSIDERING THAT IT'S 
RE-USABLE, IT WILL MAKE IT 
CHEAPER?
>> ABSOLUTELY, BY A LOT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND AS WELL, 
NOT JUST THE SHUTTLE, BUT ALSO 
PAYING FOR FLIGHTS ON THE 
RUSSIAN SOYUZ ROCKET, AND THERE 
IS ALSO ANOTHER FACTOR TO THIS.
THERE IS, YOU KNOW, AMERICAN 
PRIDE.
YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO HITCH 
A RIDE ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S ROCKET
TO BRING YOUR ASTRONAUTS TO 
SPACE.
SO I THINK THIS IS WHY IT'S SUCH
A MOMENT OF PRIDE FOR THE U.S., 
FOR NASA.
FACE IT, THIS IS AMERICAN-MADE, 
AMERICAN-BUILT, ALL AMERICAN 
PARTS, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY
BRINGING IT HOME.
IT'S LAUNCH AMERICA IS WHAT THIS
IS CALLED.
>> Michael: AS WE WERE LISTENING
TO NASA TV, HARD NOT TO ALSO 
HEAR IN THE BACKGROUND THE MANY 
PEOPLE THAT WERE CHEERING AT 
JUST THE EXCITEMENT OF WATCHING 
THAT ROCKET TAKE OFF.
PERHAPS SIGNALLING, ONCE AGAIN, 
AS YOU SAY, A SENSE OF PRIDE IN 
THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM.
WE ALSO SAW A GLIMPSE OF INSIDE 
THE CAPSULE, AND WE SAW THOSE 
COMPUTER SCREENS THAT YOU WERE 
TALKING ABOUT.
TALK TO US ABOUT THIS 
DEVELOPMENT AND HOW THAT CHANGES
THE INTERFACE OF SPACECRAFTS 
GOING FORWARD.
>> WELL, IT'S [INDISCERNIBLE] 
CLUNKY BUTTONS THAT THEY HAD FOR
APOLLO, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT ALSO 
THE SPACE SHUTTLE.
AND IT JUST MAKES IT MORE USER 
FRIENDLY.
THE ASTRONAUTS THEMSELVES, BOB 
BEHNKEN AND DOUG HURLEY.
IT TOOK GETTING USED TO, AND 
SO -- BUT IT IS SOMETHING NEW, 
BECAUSE THESE WERE SHUTTLE 
ASTRONAUTS, BUT IT IS HIGH TECH 
AND IT IS -- I MEAN, THE 
TECHNOLOGY ITSELF HAS -- OH, 
LOOK!
WE HAVE -- WAIT, THAT'S 
FANTASTIC THERE!
>> Michael: TALK ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT WHAT
WE SAW HAPPEN HERE.
>> YES, THIS IS THE FIRST STAGE 
OF THE FALCON 9 ROCKET.
THE REMOVABLE PART OF IT, THAT 
MADE IT BACK AND MADE IT 
SUCCESSFULLY ON THE DRONE SHIP 
[INDISCERNIBLE] AND IT'S -- 
THAT'S HONESTLY THE WHOLE THING 
IS AMAZING, AMAZING STEP FORWARD
IN THE LAUNCHING -- IN SPACE IN 
GENERAL BECAUSE WE CAN ALSO TAKE
THIS.
LET'S SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
WITH, YOU KNOW, THE MISSION TO 
THE MOON OR THE MISSIONS TO 
MARS.
SpaceX IS TALKING ABOUT DOING A 
JUMP SHIP TO MAKE THINGS -- OH, 
THERE YOU HAVE THE -- THE 
ASTRONAUTS ALWAYS HAVE 
SOMETHING, BRING SOMETHING UP 
WITH THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, TO 
SHOW WHEN THEY ARE IN ZERO G, 
AND APPARENTLY WE HAVE A LITTLE 
DINOSAUR THERE.
>> Michael: A SPARKLY DINOSAUR 
AT THAT.
[LAUGHTER]
>> BUT IT'S GREAT, AND YOU KNOW,
HEY, BOB AND DOUG TOOK OFF.
THIS IS FANTASTIC!
[LAUGHTER]
THIS IS, I THINK CANADIANS ALL 
AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE THINKING 
THE SAME.
>> Michael: CERTAINLY CANADIANS 
OF A CERTAIN AGE WHEN YOU SAY 
BOB AND DOUG, THEY CERTAINLY 
HAVE AN IDEA IN THEIR MIND.
IN THIS CASE WE ARE TALKING 
ABOUT TWO AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS AS
I SAID EARLIER BEST FRIENDS 
SINCE THEY ENTERED THE ASTRONAUT
TRAINING PROGRAM.
BOTH OF THEM TEST PILOTS, BOTH 
OF THEM HAVING BEEN IN SPACE 
BEFORE, FLYING ON SEPARATE 
SHUTTLE MISSIONS.
AND BOTH OF THEM, ACTUALLY, 
HAVING FAMILIES AS WELL, SO THIS
IS NO SMALL FEAT THAT THEY ARE 
ACTUALLY TAKING THE TASK AT HAND
OF FLYING THIS CAPSULE FOR THE 
FIRST TIME, BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS 
IS -- THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN
BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.
>> IT IS, [INDISCERNIBLE] 
PARTICULARLY AS TEST PILOTS.
YOU KNOW, EARLIER CHRIS 
HADFIELD, OUR ASTRONAUT, A TEST 
PILOT, MENTIONED THAT THEY GO 
INTO IT KNOWING WHAT THE RISKS 
ARE, BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT 
IT'S TAKEN LIGHTLY.
THAT'S WHY IT'S BEING TESTED 
OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THE LAUNCH 
ABORT SYSTEM.
SO THE PARACHUTES, BUT IT'S 
SCARY, BECAUSE ALSO THINKING OF 
THE FAMILIES, FELLOW ASTRONAUTS 
FROM THEIR CLASS.
SO THE FAMILIES REALLY 
UNDERSTAND THE RISK INVOLVED IN 
DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
>> Michael: YEAH, AND ALSO WHEN 
YOU TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY 
PRECAUTIONS THEY TOOK, IT ALSO 
EXPLAINS WHY THEY SCRUBBED THE 
INITIAL LAUNCH ON WEDNESDAY 17 
MINUTES BEFORE IT WAS ACTUALLY 
MEANT TO LIFTOFF.
>> YEAH, AND -- OH, THEY HAVE A 
SEPARATION.
>> Michael: THE SECOND 
SEPARATION.
>> SO YEAH -- 
>> Michael: AND SORRY, NICOLE, 
CAN YOU CLARIFY SOMETHING FOR 
ME?
IS EVERY PORTION OF THIS ROCKET 
INTENDED TO BE RE-USABLE AGAIN?
IS IT MEANT TO BE RETRIEVABLE 
AFTER THIS LAUNCH?
>> THIS IS THE GOAL.
OBVIOUSLY THEY ALSO HAVE A 
[INDISCERNIBLE] SO THAT'S WHAT 
THEY LAUNCH FOR EXAMPLE 
SATELLITE.
IT PROTECTS THE SATELLITES.
THEY ARE USING THAT TO BE 
RE-USABLE AS WELL.
THEY HAVE THIS GIANT SHIP OUT IN
THE OCEAN THAT -- I CAN'T 
REMEMBER HOW MANY TIMES THEY 
SUCCESSFULLY CAUGHT THOSE 
THINGS, BUT EVERYTHING IS MEANT 
TO BE RE-USABLE.
I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE IF THAT 
IS, BUT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO 
THE BEST TO MAKE THE ENTIRE 
THING RE-USABLE, AS MUCH AS THEY
CAN.
>> Michael: IT WOULD CERTAINLY 
CHANGE THE NATURE AND THE COST 
OF ANY SPACE TRAVEL IF THEY WERE
TO DO THAT.
SO LET'S LOOK FORWARD HERE, 
THEN, NICOLE.
TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT WE'RE 
GOING TO BE WATCHING FOR IN THE 
NEXT FEW HOURS, WHAT ARE YOU 
GOING TO BE KEEPING AN EYE ON AS
YOU WATCH THIS MISSION PROGRESS?
>> SO -- WELL, RIGHT NOW THE 
CAPSULE ITSELF, THE CREW DRAGON,
IT FUNCTIONS AUTONOMOUSLY, BUT 
THE ASTRONAUTS THEMSELVES WILL 
BE CONDUCTING TESTS.
THEY WILL BE WATCHING AND 
MONITORING TO ENSURE THAT 
EVERYTHING IS WORKING AS YOU -- 
WE OFTEN HEAR THE WORDS WHEN WE 
WATCH A LAUNCH NO, MA'AM KNOLL.
THAT IS A WORD THAT NEONS IT'S 
GOOD, NOMINAL.
THEY ARE ENSURING THAT 
EVERYTHING IS WORKING NOMINAL, 
AND THEN AFTER THAT COMES THE 
DOCKING, AND THAT -- I MEAN, THE
DRAGON ITSELF HAS BEEN DOING 
THIS FOR A WHILE BECAUSE IT HAS 
BEEN -- IT'S BEEN DOCKING AT THE
SPACE STATION, AND THIS IS THE 
CARGO SHUTTLE, THE DRAGON.
AND BRINGING SUPPLIES TO THE 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 
WITH, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS, 
NO PROBLEM.
SO YOU KNOW, BUT THIS IS A 
DIFFERENT -- IT'S SIMILAR BUT 
IT'S DIFFERENT.
SO WE'LL BE WATCHING TO SEE IF 
THIS -- IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL,
IF EVERYTHING -- ALL THE 
COMPUTERS DO WHAT THEY ARE MEANT
TO DO AND DOCK SUCCESSFULLY.
>> Michael: MM-HM.
AND YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING 
ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF SPACE 
TRAVEL BECOMING FAR MORE 
AFFORDABLE FOR, WELL, I GUESS 
RICH PEOPLE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AFFORDABLE 
FOR YOU AND I ANY TIME SOON.
>> YEAH, NO, NO.
>> Michael: BUT IT ALSO DOES, AS
YOU SAY, FURTHER POSSIBLE 
EXPLORATION CERTAINLY AMERICA 
HAS STATED THAT IT WANTS TO 
RETURN TO THE MOON.
PEOPLE KEEP TALKING ABOUT A 
POTENTIAL MISSION TO MARS.
HOW DID THIS FIT INTO THE PUZZLE
OF BOTH OF THOSE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL,
I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE -- 
WATCHING 2001, FOR EXAMPLE, AND 
YOU KNOW, THE SPACE ODYSSEY, 
SEEING PEOPLE JUST TRAVELLING 
AROUND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, 
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN BY 2001, BUT IT
MAY HAPPEN BY 3001.
MAYBE THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TO 
ACTUALLY TAKING US TO BEING ABLE
TO LOWER THE PRICE OF TRAVEL, 
FOR EXAMPLE, IN SPACE.
BUT MOVING FORWARD, OF COURSE 
THIS IS -- NASA IS LOOKING AT 
GOING TO THE MOON, AND REMEMBER 
THE SpaceX, WE HAD SOMEBODY SIGN
UP TO BE A MOON TOURIST, JUST 
FLY AROUND THE MOON AND RETURN.
BUT ALSO SpaceX IS TALKING ABOUT
FLYING TO MARS.
THIS IS ELON MUSK'S BIG GOAL, IS
TO GO TO MARS.
SO NOW THAT HE HAS SUCCESSFULLY 
LAUNCHED TWO HUMAN BEINGS SAFELY
INTO SPACE, THIS REALLY COULD 
MOVE THINGS A LOT FURTHER ALONG 
THAN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN AT.
AND THINGS HAVE BEEN MOVING 
QUICKLY SINCE SpaceX ENTERED THE
SCENE, BUT MAYBE IT'S GOING TO 
BE AN EVEN FASTER JUMP.
>> Michael: IF ANYONE'S 
WONDERING WHEN THIS CAPSULE WILL
ACTUALLY BE DOCKING WITH THE 
ISS, THAT'S WHAT NICOLE AND I 
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING, NICOLE, WE'RE 
LOOKING NOT UNTIL TOMORROW 
MORNING, AROUND 10:30 A.M. 
EASTERN TIME?
>> YEP, YEP, AND WHAT'S 
HAPPENING IS IT'S CATCHING UP.
IT'S GOT TO CATCH UP WITH THE 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, YOU
KNOW, WHICH IS 400 KILOMETRES 
ABOVE EARTH'S SURFACE.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S A TRICKY 
THING.
THE SPACE SHUTTLE DOESN'T ALWAYS
STAY IN THE SAME PLACE 
NECESSARILY.
IT MOVES IN ALTITUDE ITSELF HERE
AND THERE.
AND IT HAS TO BE THE CORRECT 
ORBIT.
SO THIS IS WHY IT TAKES SO LONG.
SOMETIMES IT CAN TAKE A LOT 
SHORTER.
IT HAS IN THE PAST WITH CARGO, 
FOR EXAMPLE, BUT IN THIS CASE 
IT'S GOT TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT 
LONGER.
>> Michael: OKAY.
WELL, I GUESS YOU AND I MAY BE 
SPEAKING AGAIN TOMORROW MORNING,
NICOLE.
I HOPE YOU HAVE NOTHING PLANNED 
FOR YOUR SUNDAY.
>> INDEED.
SPEAKING WITH YOU WOULD BE 
GREAT. 
>> Michael: OKAY, WELL, LISTEN, 
IT WAS GREAT TO SHARE THIS WITH 
YOU.
AS WE SAY, A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH, 
IT WAS NOT CERTAIN THAT IT WOULD
ACTUALLY HAPPEN, BUT NOW WE'VE 
SEEN IT SUCCESSFULLY DONE.
NICOLE MORTILLARO, THANK YOU, SO
GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM 
TODAY.
>> THANKS, MICHAEL.
>> Michael: AND NICOLE IS OUR 
SENIOR SCIENCE REPORTER HERE AT 
CBC.
DO STAY WITH US.
WE HAVE MUCH MORE TO COME.
♪
♪
>> THIS IS NO LONGER ABOUT 
PROTESTING.
THIS IS NO LONGER ABOUT VERBAL 
EXPRESSION.
THIS IS ABOUT VIOLENCE, AND WE 
NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT STOPS.
>> Michael: WELL, YOU'RE 
LISTENING THERE TO THE MAYOR OF 
MINNEAPOLIS AS OFFICIALS IN 
MINNESOTA ARE VOWING TO END THE 
AT-TIMES VIOLENT PROTESTS THAT 
HAVE CONTINUED TO GRIP PARTS OF 
THE CITY.
MINNEAPOLIS SUFFERED THROUGH A 
FOURTH STRAIGHT NIGHT OF UNREST 
FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF GEORGE 
FLOYD IN POLICE CUSTODY, AND THE
RIOTS COMING DESPITE MURDER 
CHARGES BEING CHARGED AGAINST 
ONE OF THE OFFICERS ALSO FIRED 
OVER THE INCIDENT.
MORE THAN A THOUSAND ADDITIONAL 
NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN
MOBILIZED IN AN ATTEMPT TO 
RESTORE ORDER. 
>>> THE U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL 
WILLIAM BARR SAYS JUSTICE WILL 
BE SERVED IN THE GEORGE FLOYD 
CASE, BUT HE IS ALSO CONDEMNING 
WHAT HE IS CALLING OUTSIDE 
AGITATORS, ESPECIALLY WHAT HE 
REFERRED TO AS "FAR LEFT" GROUPS
WHICH BARR IS CLAIMIN
