1 00:00:07,490 --> 00:00:05,329 hey everyone I'm Marina jurika and I am 2 00:00:09,830 --> 00:00:07,500 joining you live from NASA's jet 3 00:00:11,810 --> 00:00:09,840 propulsion laboratory here in Southern 4 00:00:14,930 --> 00:00:11,820 California we're going to talk to you a 5 00:00:17,090 --> 00:00:14,940 little bit today about the SWAT Mission 6 00:00:19,670 --> 00:00:17,100 which launched from Vandenberg space 7 00:00:22,130 --> 00:00:19,680 Force Base last month now the swap 8 00:00:25,429 --> 00:00:22,140 mission is a joint Mission between NASA 9 00:00:27,710 --> 00:00:25,439 and the French space agency kness and it 10 00:00:30,769 --> 00:00:27,720 is going to track water on the Earth's 11 00:00:33,590 --> 00:00:30,779 surface at over 90 percent which is 12 00:00:36,889 --> 00:00:33,600 pretty amazing now joining me in just a 13 00:00:39,410 --> 00:00:36,899 few moments is Christine Jabara who is a 14 00:00:41,150 --> 00:00:39,420 test and integration engineer here at 15 00:00:43,069 --> 00:00:41,160 JPL and she's going to tell us a little 16 00:00:44,810 --> 00:00:43,079 bit about basically what SWAT has been 17 00:00:46,970 --> 00:00:44,820 doing since launch she's going to give 18 00:00:49,729 --> 00:00:46,980 us an update and we're going to be just 19 00:00:51,229 --> 00:00:49,739 eagerly awaiting all of this SWAT 20 00:00:53,569 --> 00:00:51,239 science data that's going to be coming 21 00:00:54,830 --> 00:00:53,579 down here in the next few months we're 22 00:00:56,750 --> 00:00:54,840 also going to be answering some 23 00:00:59,930 --> 00:00:56,760 questions from you that have come in 24 00:01:02,450 --> 00:00:59,940 over the last couple of weeks and we're 25 00:01:04,910 --> 00:01:02,460 going to be discussing lot with 26 00:01:06,649 --> 00:01:04,920 Christine here in just a few seconds so 27 00:01:10,130 --> 00:01:06,659 just bear with me because I'm going to 28 00:01:13,490 --> 00:01:10,140 invite her in here to our chat from our 29 00:01:19,730 --> 00:01:13,500 sister station which is at Nasa Earth 30 00:01:25,070 --> 00:01:23,510 to come alive and be able to tell us all 31 00:01:27,950 --> 00:01:25,080 these really interesting things about 32 00:01:29,570 --> 00:01:27,960 what it's doing orbiting the Earth right 33 00:01:31,249 --> 00:01:29,580 now so we've just invited her in and 34 00:01:33,890 --> 00:01:31,259 there she is 35 00:01:36,469 --> 00:01:33,900 hi Christine how are you good how are 36 00:01:39,530 --> 00:01:36,479 you I'm doing great well I've got a 37 00:01:41,270 --> 00:01:39,540 one-third scale model of SWAT behind me 38 00:01:43,130 --> 00:01:41,280 here so you're going to be able to talk 39 00:01:45,289 --> 00:01:43,140 a little bit about that but you're in a 40 00:01:46,789 --> 00:01:45,299 really interesting cool location on Labs 41 00:01:49,249 --> 00:01:46,799 so tell us where you're joining us from 42 00:01:51,230 --> 00:01:49,259 yeah I am at the top of the hill here at 43 00:01:53,149 --> 00:01:51,240 NASA JPL in the advanced Deployable 44 00:01:55,310 --> 00:01:53,159 structures lab this is actually where 45 00:01:57,469 --> 00:01:55,320 the Deployable antennas on SWAT were 46 00:01:59,210 --> 00:01:57,479 first prototyped and tested but we test 47 00:02:01,789 --> 00:01:59,220 all sort of Deployable space structures 48 00:02:04,910 --> 00:02:01,799 up here so right here is a little paper 49 00:02:05,990 --> 00:02:04,920 concept kind of origami of a technology 50 00:02:07,789 --> 00:02:06,000 we're developing in here called 51 00:02:09,589 --> 00:02:07,799 starshade and what we do for all our 52 00:02:11,690 --> 00:02:09,599 projects here is we start with small 53 00:02:18,770 --> 00:02:11,700 prototypes and we make them bigger like 54 00:02:24,290 --> 00:02:21,229 so it's like it's like a flower waking 55 00:02:25,910 --> 00:02:24,300 up absolutely so I just closed it but in 56 00:02:27,530 --> 00:02:25,920 reality it's meant to deploy in space 57 00:02:29,930 --> 00:02:27,540 and then over here on the right is an 58 00:02:32,089 --> 00:02:29,940 even higher Fidelity more mature 59 00:02:34,670 --> 00:02:32,099 technology uh prototype that we have 60 00:02:35,630 --> 00:02:34,680 here and so uh yeah that's what we do in 61 00:02:37,850 --> 00:02:35,640 this building 62 00:02:40,369 --> 00:02:37,860 and and when you say it's on the top of 63 00:02:41,869 --> 00:02:40,379 lab it really is a it's a really you 64 00:02:43,490 --> 00:02:41,879 know hundreds of acres here and you have 65 00:02:45,410 --> 00:02:43,500 to hook it all the way to the top of the 66 00:02:48,170 --> 00:02:45,420 hill to get where you are so you're in 67 00:02:49,910 --> 00:02:48,180 super shape absolutely we call it the 68 00:02:51,890 --> 00:02:49,920 Alps the advanced large Precision 69 00:02:53,809 --> 00:02:51,900 structures lab and it's a it's a it's a 70 00:02:56,150 --> 00:02:53,819 pot but absolutely 71 00:02:57,710 --> 00:02:56,160 climbing up the Alps for sure and that's 72 00:02:59,930 --> 00:02:57,720 also where the Karen instrument was born 73 00:03:02,930 --> 00:02:59,940 right absolutely so the Karen instrument 74 00:03:05,809 --> 00:03:02,940 is a radar interferometer that that uses 75 00:03:07,670 --> 00:03:05,819 two Deployable antennas and the antennas 76 00:03:09,410 --> 00:03:07,680 kind of are one on each side of the 77 00:03:11,390 --> 00:03:09,420 satellite and deploy out you can see one 78 00:03:15,350 --> 00:03:11,400 kind of behind your head poking towards 79 00:03:17,089 --> 00:03:15,360 you yeah yeah and this building has a 80 00:03:18,949 --> 00:03:17,099 grid of structure on the ceiling and we 81 00:03:21,830 --> 00:03:18,959 can hang things off of it to simulate 82 00:03:24,290 --> 00:03:21,840 the microgravity of space or of orbiting 83 00:03:26,270 --> 00:03:24,300 Earth and we'll test the deployments 84 00:03:28,130 --> 00:03:26,280 using that grid so we actually built a 85 00:03:29,990 --> 00:03:28,140 prototype of the booms in this building 86 00:03:31,970 --> 00:03:30,000 and made sure that we could deploy it 87 00:03:33,830 --> 00:03:31,980 before before we actually built the real 88 00:03:36,710 --> 00:03:33,840 thing to send a space 89 00:03:38,930 --> 00:03:36,720 now SWAT stands for surface water and 90 00:03:41,750 --> 00:03:38,940 ocean topography so tell us a little bit 91 00:03:44,390 --> 00:03:41,760 Christine about what it is and what your 92 00:03:46,670 --> 00:03:44,400 role was in this mission absolutely so 93 00:03:48,649 --> 00:03:46,680 SWAT is an Earth orbiting satellite and 94 00:03:50,390 --> 00:03:48,659 it'll do the first Global survey of our 95 00:03:52,850 --> 00:03:50,400 surface water and so what that means 96 00:03:55,070 --> 00:03:52,860 it'll tell us to a level of precision 97 00:03:57,890 --> 00:03:55,080 and accuracy that we haven't had before 98 00:03:59,930 --> 00:03:57,900 where the water is moving how much water 99 00:04:01,910 --> 00:03:59,940 is where and how that water may be 100 00:04:04,789 --> 00:04:01,920 ebbing and flowing in our Lakes River 101 00:04:06,410 --> 00:04:04,799 seas and oceans and what I did on the 102 00:04:09,289 --> 00:04:06,420 project I've I've been working on a 103 00:04:11,690 --> 00:04:09,299 great team of American and French 104 00:04:13,610 --> 00:04:11,700 Engineers along with many other partners 105 00:04:16,129 --> 00:04:13,620 to help integrate and test the satellite 106 00:04:17,629 --> 00:04:16,139 what that means is I helped assemble the 107 00:04:20,090 --> 00:04:17,639 mechanisms when they were tiny piece 108 00:04:22,850 --> 00:04:20,100 parts and starting with like a Lego kit 109 00:04:24,530 --> 00:04:22,860 all the way up to a giant satellite we 110 00:04:25,909 --> 00:04:24,540 would assemble something then test it 111 00:04:28,790 --> 00:04:25,919 then it would get bigger go to the next 112 00:04:30,469 --> 00:04:28,800 level and assemble it and test it until 113 00:04:31,490 --> 00:04:30,479 we have the entire satellite and what we 114 00:04:32,990 --> 00:04:31,500 would do is we would put it through 115 00:04:35,270 --> 00:04:33,000 Environmental Testing which means 116 00:04:37,189 --> 00:04:35,280 putting it in a thermal vacuum chamber 117 00:04:39,110 --> 00:04:37,199 to simulate space or putting it on a 118 00:04:40,550 --> 00:04:39,120 vibration table to shake it to simulate 119 00:04:42,770 --> 00:04:40,560 the rocket and make sure nothing would 120 00:04:45,050 --> 00:04:42,780 break so when we send it to space we 121 00:04:47,390 --> 00:04:45,060 were confident it would work 122 00:04:48,710 --> 00:04:47,400 and that's what it is doing right now 123 00:04:51,290 --> 00:04:48,720 yeah absolutely 124 00:04:53,210 --> 00:04:51,300 so tell me a little bit about where SWAT 125 00:04:55,010 --> 00:04:53,220 is right now and and what are the next 126 00:04:56,810 --> 00:04:55,020 steps that have to be taken absolutely 127 00:04:59,030 --> 00:04:56,820 so we launched SWAT a little over a 128 00:05:00,650 --> 00:04:59,040 month ago and since then we've deployed 129 00:05:03,050 --> 00:05:00,660 the solar panels we've deployed the 130 00:05:04,430 --> 00:05:03,060 antennas and or some of the antennas 131 00:05:06,950 --> 00:05:04,440 there's lots of antennas on Swap that 132 00:05:08,749 --> 00:05:06,960 don't deploy and they uh the team in 133 00:05:10,430 --> 00:05:08,759 Mission operations in Toulouse France 134 00:05:12,050 --> 00:05:10,440 has actually been slowly turning on the 135 00:05:13,189 --> 00:05:12,060 satellite making sure all the 136 00:05:15,290 --> 00:05:13,199 temperatures are reading right making 137 00:05:17,270 --> 00:05:15,300 sure all the instruments are behaving 138 00:05:19,129 --> 00:05:17,280 the way we expect them to and kind of 139 00:05:20,689 --> 00:05:19,139 learning how the satellite operates in 140 00:05:23,689 --> 00:05:20,699 space because it's in a new environment 141 00:05:25,490 --> 00:05:23,699 and it's been really exciting to get the 142 00:05:26,930 --> 00:05:25,500 updates and say oh this instrument's on 143 00:05:29,090 --> 00:05:26,940 this instrument's on here's the first 144 00:05:31,010 --> 00:05:29,100 little bit of data and seeing something 145 00:05:33,409 --> 00:05:31,020 that we've worked on the ground for 146 00:05:34,670 --> 00:05:33,419 years doing its job and outside of a 147 00:05:36,590 --> 00:05:34,680 cleaner 148 00:05:38,629 --> 00:05:36,600 and for folks who are just joining us 149 00:05:40,310 --> 00:05:38,639 we're with Christine Jabara and we're 150 00:05:42,110 --> 00:05:40,320 talking about the swap Mission which is 151 00:05:44,270 --> 00:05:42,120 a satellite that we just launched over a 152 00:05:46,129 --> 00:05:44,280 month ago and Folks at home they don't 153 00:05:47,990 --> 00:05:46,139 realize this is a pretty lengthy process 154 00:05:49,610 --> 00:05:48,000 to turn this thing on and get it working 155 00:05:52,070 --> 00:05:49,620 and then make sure that it's working 156 00:05:54,350 --> 00:05:52,080 properly and correctly yeah absolutely 157 00:05:56,270 --> 00:05:54,360 so SWAT actually is kind of in the 158 00:05:58,010 --> 00:05:56,280 commissioning phase and will be in a 159 00:05:59,570 --> 00:05:58,020 calibration orbit for almost six months 160 00:06:01,189 --> 00:05:59,580 where it's kind of going over the same 161 00:06:03,230 --> 00:06:01,199 part of Earth over and over again and 162 00:06:05,150 --> 00:06:03,240 calibrating itself to known Targets on 163 00:06:07,790 --> 00:06:05,160 the ground and so that when it finally 164 00:06:10,070 --> 00:06:07,800 starts doing data for all over the world 165 00:06:11,810 --> 00:06:10,080 we really know that that data is good 166 00:06:14,510 --> 00:06:11,820 data and true science 167 00:06:16,850 --> 00:06:14,520 and as you mentioned we have a video 168 00:06:18,830 --> 00:06:16,860 camera at launch which was pretty cool 169 00:06:20,450 --> 00:06:18,840 and as it was getting deployed and you 170 00:06:21,890 --> 00:06:20,460 can see a bit of the solar panels right 171 00:06:23,390 --> 00:06:21,900 here behind me as you pointed out 172 00:06:24,710 --> 00:06:23,400 Christine and a bit of the Karen 173 00:06:27,469 --> 00:06:24,720 instrument which is the main science 174 00:06:28,850 --> 00:06:27,479 instrument on board tell me a little bit 175 00:06:30,650 --> 00:06:28,860 about and if you didn't get to see the 176 00:06:31,969 --> 00:06:30,660 video head back to our social media 177 00:06:33,050 --> 00:06:31,979 accounts and watch it because it was it 178 00:06:34,610 --> 00:06:33,060 was really cool it's the first time 179 00:06:36,890 --> 00:06:34,620 we've had the video on an Earth 180 00:06:39,469 --> 00:06:36,900 satellite which was awesome but tell me 181 00:06:41,809 --> 00:06:39,479 a little bit about how these instruments 182 00:06:43,430 --> 00:06:41,819 deploy and tell me a little bit about 183 00:06:44,990 --> 00:06:43,440 the instruments themselves on the 184 00:06:47,090 --> 00:06:45,000 spacecraft and why they are Next 185 00:06:48,469 --> 00:06:47,100 Generation so I'm going to talk about 186 00:06:50,029 --> 00:06:48,479 the deployments and I'll talk about the 187 00:06:52,490 --> 00:06:50,039 instruments a little bit our French 188 00:06:54,469 --> 00:06:52,500 partners and atkiness actually built the 189 00:06:55,850 --> 00:06:54,479 solar panels that deployed out and those 190 00:06:58,610 --> 00:06:55,860 provide the power and those are actually 191 00:07:00,469 --> 00:06:58,620 huge they're about the width of a tennis 192 00:07:01,909 --> 00:07:00,479 court and so they deploy out and when 193 00:07:03,650 --> 00:07:01,919 you see that you know the satellite's 194 00:07:05,809 --> 00:07:03,660 gonna get power it's gonna stay warm and 195 00:07:08,510 --> 00:07:05,819 it's always like a you're like okay game 196 00:07:11,749 --> 00:07:08,520 on a little bit and the karat antennas 197 00:07:14,090 --> 00:07:11,759 deploy and those allow us to do the good 198 00:07:15,890 --> 00:07:14,100 science the new novel science that the 199 00:07:18,469 --> 00:07:15,900 Karen instrument will do and actually 200 00:07:20,150 --> 00:07:18,479 those antennas are so big that we can't 201 00:07:21,770 --> 00:07:20,160 fully test them on the ground we test 202 00:07:25,070 --> 00:07:21,780 them kind of in segments on the ground 203 00:07:27,529 --> 00:07:25,080 and so seeing the cameras uh on orbit 204 00:07:30,110 --> 00:07:27,539 and seeing them deploy was amazing 205 00:07:32,570 --> 00:07:30,120 because that antenna hadn't fully been 206 00:07:34,070 --> 00:07:32,580 tested on the ground as one giant 207 00:07:36,290 --> 00:07:34,080 assembly it had been tested very 208 00:07:38,330 --> 00:07:36,300 deliberately very carefully very 209 00:07:40,249 --> 00:07:38,340 intentionally on the ground we were sure 210 00:07:43,070 --> 00:07:40,259 it's going to work but seeing it kind of 211 00:07:45,890 --> 00:07:43,080 in space altogether was really wonderful 212 00:07:47,930 --> 00:07:45,900 and and on that same topic how 213 00:07:50,990 --> 00:07:47,940 fulfilling has it been to see something 214 00:07:52,730 --> 00:07:51,000 like literally spread its wings for you 215 00:07:54,950 --> 00:07:52,740 after all those years of work that you 216 00:07:56,990 --> 00:07:54,960 put into it oh yeah so personally I'm 217 00:07:58,129 --> 00:07:57,000 very used to seeing the satellite in a 218 00:08:00,290 --> 00:07:58,139 clean room in a very controlled 219 00:08:02,749 --> 00:08:00,300 environment we're all wearing hair nets 220 00:08:04,430 --> 00:08:02,759 and gowns and gloves and we're cleaning 221 00:08:07,490 --> 00:08:04,440 it and making sure that everything we 222 00:08:10,189 --> 00:08:07,500 add is very documented and perfect or as 223 00:08:12,469 --> 00:08:10,199 perfect as can be and uh seeing it in 224 00:08:14,210 --> 00:08:12,479 space it's very gratifying but part of 225 00:08:15,650 --> 00:08:14,220 me is also like who who let this happen 226 00:08:17,570 --> 00:08:15,660 why is it outside of a clean room 227 00:08:19,309 --> 00:08:17,580 because to me I'm so used to seeing it 228 00:08:21,110 --> 00:08:19,319 in a clean room but it's so exciting to 229 00:08:23,749 --> 00:08:21,120 see it doing what it was meant to do 230 00:08:25,850 --> 00:08:23,759 right it's gonna be doing science 231 00:08:27,230 --> 00:08:25,860 that'll help us understand our home so 232 00:08:29,629 --> 00:08:27,240 that'll be great 233 00:08:31,490 --> 00:08:29,639 home is where the heart is for sure and 234 00:08:33,769 --> 00:08:31,500 Christine you've had some many exciting 235 00:08:35,389 --> 00:08:33,779 adventures and also the SWAT team had a 236 00:08:37,550 --> 00:08:35,399 lot of hurdles because covet happened 237 00:08:40,250 --> 00:08:37,560 right in the middle uh really your 238 00:08:41,570 --> 00:08:40,260 processing yeah so SWAT has gone through 239 00:08:43,310 --> 00:08:41,580 lots of phases of integration and 240 00:08:46,070 --> 00:08:43,320 testing and kind of in the middle of all 241 00:08:48,290 --> 00:08:46,080 of it uh the pandemic hit and our 242 00:08:50,509 --> 00:08:48,300 partners half of the satellite was built 243 00:08:52,009 --> 00:08:50,519 in France and so it added some new 244 00:08:54,170 --> 00:08:52,019 challenges of how do you build a 245 00:08:55,970 --> 00:08:54,180 satellite with our partners who can't 246 00:08:57,710 --> 00:08:55,980 travel to us and we can't necessarily 247 00:09:00,110 --> 00:08:57,720 travel to them and we figured it out 248 00:09:02,810 --> 00:09:00,120 over time but at first it took a lot of 249 00:09:04,550 --> 00:09:02,820 flexibility we learned how to video 250 00:09:06,410 --> 00:09:04,560 conference in the clean room so our 251 00:09:08,329 --> 00:09:06,420 French Partners would watch us assemble 252 00:09:11,449 --> 00:09:08,339 various parts of the satellite that they 253 00:09:13,130 --> 00:09:11,459 had uh they had some authority over and 254 00:09:15,290 --> 00:09:13,140 it was really exciting but it was 255 00:09:17,210 --> 00:09:15,300 sometimes difficult to be like oh this 256 00:09:18,350 --> 00:09:17,220 team in France is the one or the experts 257 00:09:20,990 --> 00:09:18,360 on this thing but we need to be doing 258 00:09:22,970 --> 00:09:21,000 this here in LA or in Pasadena and hat 259 00:09:25,070 --> 00:09:22,980 and they just caused some flexibility 260 00:09:27,490 --> 00:09:25,080 but it was definitely an adventure 261 00:09:29,690 --> 00:09:27,500 yes an adventure worth taking for sure 262 00:09:31,370 --> 00:09:29,700 and now we're just starting to see the 263 00:09:33,290 --> 00:09:31,380 results and we got some really great 264 00:09:35,389 --> 00:09:33,300 questions over the last couple of weeks 265 00:09:36,769 --> 00:09:35,399 from our viewers and you would just be 266 00:09:38,269 --> 00:09:36,779 the perfect person to answer some of 267 00:09:40,310 --> 00:09:38,279 these are you up for it yeah let's do it 268 00:09:42,490 --> 00:09:40,320 all right okay great first question 269 00:09:45,650 --> 00:09:42,500 comes from Muhammad on Twitter 270 00:09:48,410 --> 00:09:45,660 congratulations on a successful in-orbit 271 00:09:51,350 --> 00:09:48,420 deployment of SWAT how long does it take 272 00:09:53,930 --> 00:09:51,360 to fully deploy the solar arrays is this 273 00:09:56,630 --> 00:09:53,940 spring back effect normal in solar array 274 00:09:58,190 --> 00:09:56,640 deployment but I have to say I'm not an 275 00:09:59,570 --> 00:09:58,200 expert on these solar panels because 276 00:10:01,550 --> 00:09:59,580 they were built by our French Partners 277 00:10:03,050 --> 00:10:01,560 but the solar panels opponent does have 278 00:10:05,329 --> 00:10:03,060 about two phases there's like an initial 279 00:10:07,250 --> 00:10:05,339 kickoff so the solar panels are kind of 280 00:10:09,710 --> 00:10:07,260 kick off and then there's like a 281 00:10:11,329 --> 00:10:09,720 spooling like a wire that gets spooled 282 00:10:13,490 --> 00:10:11,339 in and that deploys the solar panels 283 00:10:15,829 --> 00:10:13,500 fully it takes like 20 to 30 minutes 284 00:10:18,410 --> 00:10:15,839 about in that order of magnitude to 285 00:10:19,910 --> 00:10:18,420 deploy but that uh is relatively quick 286 00:10:21,769 --> 00:10:19,920 when you want to be very careful in 287 00:10:23,269 --> 00:10:21,779 space and make sure these work but our 288 00:10:24,710 --> 00:10:23,279 partners have done this many times so 289 00:10:26,930 --> 00:10:24,720 it's exciting to see that they 290 00:10:28,490 --> 00:10:26,940 successfully deploy and it takes a 291 00:10:30,590 --> 00:10:28,500 little while doesn't it Christine it's 292 00:10:32,389 --> 00:10:30,600 not you know just automatic in 60 293 00:10:33,650 --> 00:10:32,399 seconds they're deployed I mean it just 294 00:10:36,230 --> 00:10:33,660 actually takes some time and even 295 00:10:38,090 --> 00:10:36,240 sometime over the course of days yeah so 296 00:10:40,070 --> 00:10:38,100 we don't always have communication with 297 00:10:42,050 --> 00:10:40,080 the satellite and so you carefully plan 298 00:10:43,850 --> 00:10:42,060 activities so that you know that you're 299 00:10:45,350 --> 00:10:43,860 going to do really big activities like 300 00:10:47,090 --> 00:10:45,360 that one like deploying a solar panel 301 00:10:49,130 --> 00:10:47,100 you do a lot you can do preparation for 302 00:10:52,150 --> 00:10:49,140 weeks just to do it for like 30 minutes 303 00:10:54,470 --> 00:10:52,160 to deploy and the other part of it is 304 00:10:55,910 --> 00:10:54,480 you don't want to break anything or you 305 00:10:58,009 --> 00:10:55,920 don't want anything to snack with 306 00:11:00,590 --> 00:10:58,019 Deployable snagging is always a concern 307 00:11:02,150 --> 00:11:00,600 and so we design a way the chance of 308 00:11:03,290 --> 00:11:02,160 snagging but the faster you should 309 00:11:05,750 --> 00:11:03,300 deploy something the more likely 310 00:11:07,730 --> 00:11:05,760 something is to crack or snag or 311 00:11:09,590 --> 00:11:07,740 something so you want to kind of do it 312 00:11:11,389 --> 00:11:09,600 in a controlled way as much as possible 313 00:11:13,190 --> 00:11:11,399 but that initial kickoff is important 314 00:11:16,250 --> 00:11:13,200 because you kind of want to get away 315 00:11:18,350 --> 00:11:16,260 from the body as quick as possible 316 00:11:21,949 --> 00:11:18,360 awesome okay so next question comes from 317 00:11:23,690 --> 00:11:21,959 Travis Ramirez on YouTube asking if you 318 00:11:26,750 --> 00:11:23,700 could have included one more instrument 319 00:11:29,269 --> 00:11:26,760 or experiment to do with SWAT what would 320 00:11:30,949 --> 00:11:29,279 it be okay so I'm an engineer I like 321 00:11:32,329 --> 00:11:30,959 engineering and Building Things I'm not 322 00:11:33,829 --> 00:11:32,339 a scientist so I don't have a good 323 00:11:35,750 --> 00:11:33,839 understanding of what sort of climate 324 00:11:38,150 --> 00:11:35,760 science might be the most valuable but 325 00:11:39,530 --> 00:11:38,160 SWAT creates a lot of data and that data 326 00:11:41,810 --> 00:11:39,540 is hard to get to the ground because we 327 00:11:43,670 --> 00:11:41,820 only have can only talk to swat during 328 00:11:45,710 --> 00:11:43,680 some time we can't we don't have live 329 00:11:47,150 --> 00:11:45,720 streaming from SWOT all the time and so 330 00:11:49,250 --> 00:11:47,160 what I would do is actually add another 331 00:11:51,530 --> 00:11:49,260 technology called Optical communication 332 00:11:53,210 --> 00:11:51,540 SWOT which is essentially using lasers 333 00:11:55,850 --> 00:11:53,220 to communicate data back to the ground 334 00:11:58,009 --> 00:11:55,860 and that helps us get a higher bandwidth 335 00:11:59,870 --> 00:11:58,019 of data to the ground so I think it'd be 336 00:12:01,190 --> 00:11:59,880 really cool to communicate have SWAT 337 00:12:02,930 --> 00:12:01,200 communicate with lasers back to the 338 00:12:05,210 --> 00:12:02,940 ground space lasers are always kind of 339 00:12:06,769 --> 00:12:05,220 fun to think about but that's what I 340 00:12:08,509 --> 00:12:06,779 would add but I'm not a science expert 341 00:12:09,949 --> 00:12:08,519 I'm just an engineer who wants as much 342 00:12:12,530 --> 00:12:09,959 data as possible 343 00:12:15,050 --> 00:12:12,540 I think lasers in any capacity sounds 344 00:12:16,610 --> 00:12:15,060 really cool absolutely and it's a 345 00:12:18,290 --> 00:12:16,620 technology that JPL is going to launch 346 00:12:20,269 --> 00:12:18,300 on the psyche Mission soon so that's 347 00:12:23,090 --> 00:12:20,279 it's coming it just didn't make it on 348 00:12:25,430 --> 00:12:23,100 the Spot Great next question comes from 349 00:12:27,110 --> 00:12:25,440 Rachel on Instagram what made you want 350 00:12:29,389 --> 00:12:27,120 to become an engineer and do you have 351 00:12:32,150 --> 00:12:29,399 any advice for anyone out there who is 352 00:12:35,569 --> 00:12:32,160 interested in this field yeah so I was 353 00:12:37,069 --> 00:12:35,579 super super lucky to be uh a student in 354 00:12:38,630 --> 00:12:37,079 the Girl Scout sailing program in 355 00:12:40,850 --> 00:12:38,640 Houston Texas as well as a first 356 00:12:43,430 --> 00:12:40,860 robotics student and those two programs 357 00:12:45,889 --> 00:12:43,440 well sailing taught me aerodynamics and 358 00:12:48,170 --> 00:12:45,899 like mechanics of a sailboat and the 359 00:12:50,269 --> 00:12:48,180 robotics taught me engineering and a 360 00:12:52,129 --> 00:12:50,279 little bit of that and so I got exposed 361 00:12:54,110 --> 00:12:52,139 to a lot of stem Concepts without even 362 00:12:55,850 --> 00:12:54,120 knowing I was being exposed to it I just 363 00:12:58,970 --> 00:12:55,860 thought I was sailing and I didn't know 364 00:13:00,769 --> 00:12:58,980 I was learning stem and uh through those 365 00:13:02,870 --> 00:13:00,779 programs I slowly learned that I wanted 366 00:13:04,370 --> 00:13:02,880 to be an engineer now the advice I would 367 00:13:06,769 --> 00:13:04,380 give to someone is to follow your 368 00:13:08,269 --> 00:13:06,779 curiosity I was really privileged to 369 00:13:09,829 --> 00:13:08,279 have access to those programs but if 370 00:13:12,530 --> 00:13:09,839 you're curious about something follow 371 00:13:14,870 --> 00:13:12,540 that Curiosity and don't let a lack of 372 00:13:17,269 --> 00:13:14,880 skills away stop you there's plenty of 373 00:13:18,769 --> 00:13:17,279 resources online on YouTube on all sorts 374 00:13:21,050 --> 00:13:18,779 of places where you can learn something 375 00:13:22,970 --> 00:13:21,060 and don't be intimidated that you might 376 00:13:24,769 --> 00:13:22,980 not know how to use a tool someone is 377 00:13:27,050 --> 00:13:24,779 always willing to teach you or you can 378 00:13:28,430 --> 00:13:27,060 maybe find a resource in your library to 379 00:13:30,889 --> 00:13:28,440 follow your curiosity and learn the 380 00:13:34,190 --> 00:13:30,899 tools you need to follow your curiosity 381 00:13:36,290 --> 00:13:34,200 and so brilliant Christine I was a girl 382 00:13:37,610 --> 00:13:36,300 guide in Canada as well and so I 383 00:13:39,889 --> 00:13:37,620 absolutely loved even just going on 384 00:13:41,990 --> 00:13:39,899 nature walks and and just just getting 385 00:13:43,850 --> 00:13:42,000 out there and figuring out what it is 386 00:13:45,829 --> 00:13:43,860 that you're passionate about and what 387 00:13:48,590 --> 00:13:45,839 you love yeah all right we've got some 388 00:13:51,710 --> 00:13:48,600 more questions coming in so how far from 389 00:13:54,470 --> 00:13:51,720 Earth is SWAT and that's from akawi 390 00:13:56,810 --> 00:13:54,480 Returns on Instagram yeah so swats as 391 00:13:59,090 --> 00:13:56,820 you said is about 550 miles above Earth 392 00:14:00,829 --> 00:13:59,100 it's kind of in a low earth orbit which 393 00:14:03,050 --> 00:14:00,839 allows us to collect that really good 394 00:14:05,410 --> 00:14:03,060 science data without being too far away 395 00:14:08,150 --> 00:14:05,420 and is always going to stay at 550 miles 396 00:14:10,009 --> 00:14:08,160 uh it'll be about there for the rest of 397 00:14:12,050 --> 00:14:10,019 its life but it will switch from like a 398 00:14:13,610 --> 00:14:12,060 holding orbit for calibration to a 399 00:14:16,910 --> 00:14:13,620 slightly different orbit that lets it 400 00:14:18,410 --> 00:14:16,920 see all of our surface water okay and 401 00:14:21,170 --> 00:14:18,420 then we've got another question coming 402 00:14:24,050 --> 00:14:21,180 in from Jeremy on Instagram it's hard to 403 00:14:26,389 --> 00:14:24,060 tell from photos how big SWAT is can you 404 00:14:27,710 --> 00:14:26,399 help us better understand how big this 405 00:14:29,990 --> 00:14:27,720 thing is and it's hard too because this 406 00:14:31,310 --> 00:14:30,000 is the one-third model behind me you 407 00:14:33,410 --> 00:14:31,320 can't even hardly see it because 408 00:14:34,610 --> 00:14:33,420 basically it's it's just the center part 409 00:14:37,670 --> 00:14:34,620 of it and it's not everything that's 410 00:14:40,610 --> 00:14:37,680 included yeah so a lot of people will 411 00:14:42,530 --> 00:14:40,620 compare it to an SUV before it deploys 412 00:14:45,290 --> 00:14:42,540 so it's about the size of like a really 413 00:14:46,730 --> 00:14:45,300 large SUV before it deploys I when I 414 00:14:49,490 --> 00:14:46,740 think about it I think of it more of as 415 00:14:51,530 --> 00:14:49,500 like a small school bus 416 00:14:52,850 --> 00:14:51,540 um so that's about how it is when it's 417 00:14:54,829 --> 00:14:52,860 on the top of the rocket and then when 418 00:14:56,810 --> 00:14:54,839 it goes to space the solar panels and 419 00:14:58,670 --> 00:14:56,820 the antennas the Karen antennas deploy 420 00:15:01,009 --> 00:14:58,680 and it ends up being about the size of a 421 00:15:03,170 --> 00:15:01,019 half tennis score so it becomes quite 422 00:15:04,970 --> 00:15:03,180 large like it has a large footprint once 423 00:15:06,530 --> 00:15:04,980 it's in space but that doesn't fit in 424 00:15:08,569 --> 00:15:06,540 the rocket so it has to kind of go up 425 00:15:10,550 --> 00:15:08,579 all package together 426 00:15:12,230 --> 00:15:10,560 and then everything slowly surely as 427 00:15:14,629 --> 00:15:12,240 it's been doing over the last 40 days 428 00:15:17,030 --> 00:15:14,639 starts to unfold yeah absolutely piece 429 00:15:20,449 --> 00:15:17,040 by piece all right so now I know that 430 00:15:22,490 --> 00:15:20,459 you are a big advocate of women in stem 431 00:15:24,769 --> 00:15:22,500 and I heard you talk a lot about your 432 00:15:26,269 --> 00:15:24,779 you're in France uh we got to spend a 433 00:15:28,610 --> 00:15:26,279 lot of time on Instagram together and I 434 00:15:30,530 --> 00:15:28,620 love seeing all of your posts so tell me 435 00:15:32,509 --> 00:15:30,540 a little bit about how that experience 436 00:15:35,210 --> 00:15:32,519 was spending the year in France working 437 00:15:37,250 --> 00:15:35,220 on SWAT with that team and it was a team 438 00:15:39,050 --> 00:15:37,260 the mechanical team was made up of women 439 00:15:41,509 --> 00:15:39,060 which you also said was just fascinating 440 00:15:42,769 --> 00:15:41,519 yeah absolutely so me along with some of 441 00:15:45,290 --> 00:15:42,779 my colleagues we actually moved to 442 00:15:46,790 --> 00:15:45,300 France for a year to help integrate the 443 00:15:48,889 --> 00:15:46,800 American half of the satellite with the 444 00:15:50,389 --> 00:15:48,899 French half of the satellite and that 445 00:15:51,889 --> 00:15:50,399 was an incredible experience we had 446 00:15:53,389 --> 00:15:51,899 worked with our French Partners remotely 447 00:15:56,150 --> 00:15:53,399 over the pandemic and meeting them in 448 00:15:57,470 --> 00:15:56,160 person was really exciting and uh 449 00:15:59,210 --> 00:15:57,480 personally it was really exciting 450 00:16:01,189 --> 00:15:59,220 because I got to explore France and I 451 00:16:02,810 --> 00:16:01,199 got to work in a new facility and see 452 00:16:04,970 --> 00:16:02,820 how they built satellites and kind of 453 00:16:07,730 --> 00:16:04,980 mesh jpl's 454 00:16:10,189 --> 00:16:07,740 processes with our partners processes at 455 00:16:12,170 --> 00:16:10,199 kness so that was exciting and then the 456 00:16:13,970 --> 00:16:12,180 JPL mechanical team is mostly women and 457 00:16:15,530 --> 00:16:13,980 we actually got to go to France and meet 458 00:16:17,689 --> 00:16:15,540 many of our counterparts who were also 459 00:16:20,810 --> 00:16:17,699 women and stem is a male-dominated field 460 00:16:23,269 --> 00:16:20,820 but it was exciting to see like that 461 00:16:25,790 --> 00:16:23,279 some of the kness project was managed by 462 00:16:27,470 --> 00:16:25,800 an awesome woman and I love rock 463 00:16:30,050 --> 00:16:27,480 climbing and I actually talked to her 464 00:16:31,670 --> 00:16:30,060 and she's a manager high up in her 465 00:16:33,170 --> 00:16:31,680 career and she had grown up rock 466 00:16:35,569 --> 00:16:33,180 climbing in France and we got to bond 467 00:16:37,550 --> 00:16:35,579 over that and just learning and seeing 468 00:16:39,410 --> 00:16:37,560 all of our colleagues on the French side 469 00:16:41,329 --> 00:16:39,420 and the American side kind of merge 470 00:16:43,970 --> 00:16:41,339 cultures and work together in various 471 00:16:45,650 --> 00:16:43,980 ways was really exciting and science has 472 00:16:47,509 --> 00:16:45,660 no boundaries and that's what's so 473 00:16:49,730 --> 00:16:47,519 amazing about projects like these 474 00:16:52,610 --> 00:16:49,740 absolutely especially earth science we 475 00:16:54,829 --> 00:16:52,620 all care about uh making sure that Earth 476 00:16:57,110 --> 00:16:54,839 we know as much as we can about the 477 00:16:59,569 --> 00:16:57,120 climate and so our partners are as 478 00:17:01,730 --> 00:16:59,579 invested in that as we are well thank 479 00:17:03,710 --> 00:17:01,740 you so much for joining us here today 480 00:17:05,090 --> 00:17:03,720 Christine it's been such a pleasure 481 00:17:06,710 --> 00:17:05,100 working with you and I know that you 482 00:17:08,150 --> 00:17:06,720 can't wait for that data to come down 483 00:17:10,130 --> 00:17:08,160 every little piece that comes down is 484 00:17:11,569 --> 00:17:10,140 just as exciting yeah we've gotten the 485 00:17:13,370 --> 00:17:11,579 first little bits of data but I can't 486 00:17:15,110 --> 00:17:13,380 wait for this the satellite to be 487 00:17:16,370 --> 00:17:15,120 calibrated and we'll get real data and 488 00:17:18,110 --> 00:17:16,380 it's been an honor and a pleasure to 489 00:17:21,049 --> 00:17:18,120 work on SWAT with the entire team here 490 00:17:23,210 --> 00:17:21,059 at JPL and across the ocean 491 00:17:25,250 --> 00:17:23,220 well thank you so much Christy and 492 00:17:26,990 --> 00:17:25,260 thanks to all of you guys for being here 493 00:17:29,510 --> 00:17:27,000 with us today if you want to learn more 494 00:17:32,330 --> 00:17:29,520 about the swap Mission you can follow us 495 00:17:34,730 --> 00:17:32,340 here at NASA JPL and also at our sister 496 00:17:37,070 --> 00:17:34,740 station at Nasa Earth that Christine has 497 00:17:38,630 --> 00:17:37,080 been on today and it's a really great 498 00:17:41,270 --> 00:17:38,640 Mission so I hope you have the chance to 499 00:17:43,370 --> 00:17:41,280 go back and and forward with us as we 500 00:17:45,890 --> 00:17:43,380 look forward to that first science data 501 00:17:48,890 --> 00:17:45,900 coming down here in just a few months 502 00:17:51,409 --> 00:17:48,900 and remember at Nasa earth science your 503 00:17:53,330 --> 00:17:51,419 home is our mission thank you so much