1 00:00:03,830 --> 00:00:02,629 hi everybody this is Mission Control 2 00:00:05,990 --> 00:00:03,840 Houston we want to welcome you guys 3 00:00:08,540 --> 00:00:06,000 there at the Heritage middle school in 4 00:00:10,430 --> 00:00:08,550 Idaho I'm joined by dottie 5 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:10,440 metcalf-lindenburger who is an astronaut 6 00:00:13,730 --> 00:00:12,330 I'm Josh Byerly here and Doddy is 7 00:00:14,870 --> 00:00:13,740 willing to take your questions she'll 8 00:00:18,260 --> 00:00:14,880 probably take all the hard ones I'll 9 00:00:29,450 --> 00:00:18,270 take the easy ones I think we're ready 10 00:00:30,529 --> 00:00:29,460 to go what's our first question okay you 11 00:00:32,150 --> 00:00:30,539 guys there we're ready to take your 12 00:00:33,229 --> 00:00:32,160 questions here inside Mission Control so 13 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:33,239 if you're all ready to go ahead go ahead 14 00:00:56,930 --> 00:00:35,010 and step up and ask whatever you want to 15 00:00:58,520 --> 00:00:56,940 ask are there any stressful or 16 00:01:01,369 --> 00:00:58,530 life-or-death situations well we do have 17 00:01:04,939 --> 00:01:01,379 emergencies arrive arise while we are 18 00:01:07,670 --> 00:01:04,949 doing spaceflight but as you can see 19 00:01:08,780 --> 00:01:07,680 probably earlier you were looking at 20 00:01:10,490 --> 00:01:08,790 Mission Control and that's where we're 21 00:01:12,710 --> 00:01:10,500 sitting we've got a whole team of people 22 00:01:14,090 --> 00:01:12,720 here on earth as well as the whole crew 23 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:14,100 that can work through emergencies 24 00:01:19,850 --> 00:01:16,890 together so if there were a fire or a 25 00:01:22,370 --> 00:01:19,860 depressurization or any of the ammonia 26 00:01:24,230 --> 00:01:22,380 leak we have procedures that we would 27 00:01:26,150 --> 00:01:24,240 run and we practice these here on earth 28 00:01:28,700 --> 00:01:26,160 just like you guys probably practice 29 00:01:31,790 --> 00:01:28,710 fire drills maybe even some earthquake 30 00:01:34,130 --> 00:01:31,800 drills there in the northwest so we 31 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:34,140 practice those things anytime a medical 32 00:01:37,610 --> 00:01:36,330 situation could arise and we have crew 33 00:01:39,260 --> 00:01:37,620 members who are trained as the medical 34 00:01:41,420 --> 00:01:39,270 officers unless they're already a doctor 35 00:01:43,610 --> 00:01:41,430 and then they're completely certified so 36 00:01:45,620 --> 00:01:43,620 we do have ways of dealing with 37 00:02:03,890 --> 00:01:45,630 emergencies that can arise arise on 38 00:02:05,630 --> 00:02:03,900 station for the next question what would 39 00:02:08,119 --> 00:02:05,640 I say that is NASA's greatest 40 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:08,129 accomplishment well I think putting 41 00:02:13,420 --> 00:02:11,050 humans in space is quite an amazed 42 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:13,430 accomplishments oh I'm I'm very glad 43 00:02:18,490 --> 00:02:16,370 that we pursue that back in the 50s and 44 00:02:20,650 --> 00:02:18,500 60s when we finally were launching folks 45 00:02:23,290 --> 00:02:20,660 into space but it also say we've done a 46 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:23,300 lot of amazing things in exploration 47 00:02:30,340 --> 00:02:26,650 that is also non human spaceflight so 48 00:02:32,350 --> 00:02:30,350 but putting a human in space is is quite 49 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:32,360 a feat because of all the things we as 50 00:02:37,540 --> 00:02:35,090 humans need besides you know just food 51 00:02:40,199 --> 00:02:37,550 and water I mean thinking about how we 52 00:02:42,460 --> 00:02:40,209 have to provide air that's clean and 53 00:02:44,830 --> 00:02:42,470 fresh and then scrub the carbon dioxide 54 00:02:47,740 --> 00:02:44,840 from it and how we need to take care of 55 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:47,750 our bodily needs besides just eating 56 00:02:50,949 --> 00:02:49,130 that we made that bathrooms and things 57 00:02:52,780 --> 00:02:50,959 like that so all those things need to be 58 00:02:55,180 --> 00:02:52,790 designed and taken care of for 59 00:02:57,970 --> 00:02:55,190 spaceflight and I'm really impressed how 60 00:02:59,890 --> 00:02:57,980 we have we had we first did that and we 61 00:03:02,110 --> 00:02:59,900 have continued to evolve it through time 62 00:03:04,780 --> 00:03:02,120 and how it's it's really working great 63 00:03:21,390 --> 00:03:04,790 on the space station now all right next 64 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:24,850 that's a great question there's not a 65 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:27,110 lot of free time in space but when you 66 00:03:31,750 --> 00:03:29,450 have it there are two favorite things 67 00:03:33,550 --> 00:03:31,760 that I did and one was look out the 68 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:33,560 window and I actually looked down on 69 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:35,450 Idaho when I was up there because I 70 00:03:40,150 --> 00:03:37,970 thought not far away from Idaho I taught 71 00:03:42,069 --> 00:03:40,160 in Vancouver Washington and so I'm very 72 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:42,079 familiar with the Pacific Northwest I 73 00:03:45,699 --> 00:03:43,730 love the volcanoes and have climbed a 74 00:03:47,979 --> 00:03:45,709 couple of them and so I would look out 75 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:47,989 the window down at the United States and 76 00:03:51,610 --> 00:03:49,610 then places I've never been in the world 77 00:03:53,890 --> 00:03:51,620 never been south of the Equator and so 78 00:03:57,009 --> 00:03:53,900 it was amazing to look at South America 79 00:03:59,319 --> 00:03:57,019 Australia Africa all these places that I 80 00:04:01,870 --> 00:03:59,329 really want to travel to someday and 81 00:04:05,410 --> 00:04:01,880 there's just also looking at space the 82 00:04:07,509 --> 00:04:05,420 Moon stars planets I enjoy looking at 83 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:07,519 the moon because it was in a crescent 84 00:04:11,740 --> 00:04:09,530 phase while I was there so it just it 85 00:04:12,849 --> 00:04:11,750 looks really neat against the dark sky 86 00:04:14,890 --> 00:04:12,859 it's really beautiful 87 00:04:17,470 --> 00:04:14,900 my other favorite pastime of course is 88 00:04:20,140 --> 00:04:17,480 floating and doing cool tricks 89 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:20,150 with being around in space you know 90 00:04:22,780 --> 00:04:21,410 Dottie talked about them not having a 91 00:04:24,460 --> 00:04:22,790 whole lot of free time a lot of things 92 00:04:25,570 --> 00:04:24,470 that some people don't really understand 93 00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:25,580 it's back whenever they used to fly the 94 00:04:29,530 --> 00:04:27,290 shuttle and station missions together 95 00:04:30,970 --> 00:04:29,540 these crews were actually scheduled and 96 00:04:32,260 --> 00:04:30,980 five-minute increments so they would be 97 00:04:34,300 --> 00:04:32,270 handed a schedule every day that had 98 00:04:35,860 --> 00:04:34,310 five-minute chops of time that they had 99 00:04:37,420 --> 00:04:35,870 to basically stick with throughout the 100 00:04:38,470 --> 00:04:37,430 entire day so they it kind of gives you 101 00:04:56,350 --> 00:04:38,480 a sense of exactly what they were doing 102 00:04:59,310 --> 00:04:56,360 all day how often do we have to help 103 00:05:01,810 --> 00:04:59,320 with extreme situations not very often 104 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:01,820 we've had a couple of things in the last 105 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:03,650 few years come up of sometimes we have 106 00:05:07,930 --> 00:05:05,330 to do debris avoidance maneuvers because 107 00:05:10,570 --> 00:05:07,940 their space junk and so we are tracking 108 00:05:12,940 --> 00:05:10,580 this junk here on earth and then we have 109 00:05:15,250 --> 00:05:12,950 to maybe move the space station or 110 00:05:16,540 --> 00:05:15,260 sometimes we just are aware of the junk 111 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:16,550 and we don't have to move but crews 112 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:19,490 might have to shelter for a while other 113 00:05:26,230 --> 00:05:23,170 we did have a pump module go down almost 114 00:05:30,580 --> 00:05:26,240 to August oh yeah almost two years ago 115 00:05:32,530 --> 00:05:30,590 in August and that was is very important 116 00:05:34,330 --> 00:05:32,540 because it helps cool our space station 117 00:05:36,010 --> 00:05:34,340 it keeps all of the equipment cold and 118 00:05:38,950 --> 00:05:36,020 it moves all this fluids around so it 119 00:05:40,630 --> 00:05:38,960 keeps things cool so that was an 120 00:05:42,310 --> 00:05:40,640 emergency but it wasn't such an 121 00:05:43,810 --> 00:05:42,320 emergency that we had to like go out the 122 00:05:45,790 --> 00:05:43,820 door immediately into this spacewalk we 123 00:05:47,500 --> 00:05:45,800 had timed the planet here on earth make 124 00:05:50,050 --> 00:05:47,510 really good decisions and then go to the 125 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:50,060 spacewalks and repair it and we worked 126 00:05:54,550 --> 00:05:51,890 as a team and repaired it and now the 127 00:05:57,850 --> 00:05:54,560 space station is back functioning 100% 128 00:05:59,860 --> 00:05:57,860 so it's just amazing what we can do but 129 00:06:00,850 --> 00:05:59,870 yeah sometimes emergencies come up but 130 00:06:02,430 --> 00:06:00,860 like I said we have a good way of 131 00:06:04,870 --> 00:06:02,440 handling them they train a lot 132 00:06:06,790 --> 00:06:04,880 absolutely we the crew train but also 133 00:06:09,550 --> 00:06:06,800 the ground team trains I do they do 134 00:06:11,530 --> 00:06:09,560 simulations all the time here I mean we 135 00:06:13,090 --> 00:06:11,540 the flight controllers here there's 136 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:13,100 there's probably 20 people in this room 137 00:06:16,270 --> 00:06:14,450 they all have different jobs but they 138 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:16,280 practice it pretty much worst-case 139 00:06:19,840 --> 00:06:17,930 scenario is a lot of times with you know 140 00:06:22,330 --> 00:06:19,850 what's kind of the worst bad Bay you can 141 00:06:23,530 --> 00:06:22,340 have and how it react to that so so 142 00:06:24,820 --> 00:06:23,540 whenever it comes time for the actual 143 00:06:37,020 --> 00:06:24,830 flight it's it's a little bit easier 144 00:06:47,770 --> 00:06:40,029 when you found out that you are going to 145 00:06:50,559 --> 00:06:47,780 be up in the space station what oh great 146 00:06:51,790 --> 00:06:50,569 question well training for us for the 147 00:06:53,529 --> 00:06:51,800 flight that I went on which was a 148 00:06:56,110 --> 00:06:53,539 shuttle flight going to Space Station 149 00:06:58,059 --> 00:06:56,120 you find out about a year year and a 150 00:06:59,529 --> 00:06:58,069 half out and so that's the mental 151 00:07:01,150 --> 00:06:59,539 preparation as you start actually 152 00:07:03,999 --> 00:07:01,160 training as a team and there were seven 153 00:07:05,890 --> 00:07:04,009 of us on this team and and we were going 154 00:07:07,900 --> 00:07:05,900 to classes and you you start out you 155 00:07:09,870 --> 00:07:07,910 have your assignments so I was like the 156 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:09,880 flight engineer and I was the inside 157 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:12,410 coordinator of the spacewalks and so you 158 00:07:16,510 --> 00:07:13,970 have your job and then you start 159 00:07:17,710 --> 00:07:16,520 learning it and then and then you start 160 00:07:18,700 --> 00:07:17,720 doing these simulations like I talked 161 00:07:20,710 --> 00:07:18,710 about then they start throwing in 162 00:07:22,930 --> 00:07:20,720 failures and pretty soon you're you're 163 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:22,940 really working as a smooth team so that 164 00:07:28,629 --> 00:07:25,250 was again about a year and a half out 165 00:07:31,629 --> 00:07:28,639 and and then physically I mean we are 166 00:07:33,129 --> 00:07:31,639 always training we work out here on 167 00:07:35,770 --> 00:07:33,139 earth a couple times a week as 168 00:07:37,450 --> 00:07:35,780 astronauts we have a gym we wait lift we 169 00:07:39,850 --> 00:07:37,460 do a lot of things to just prepare that 170 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:39,860 way and we also for the people that are 171 00:07:43,450 --> 00:07:41,330 going to go do a spacewalk they're in 172 00:07:45,339 --> 00:07:43,460 the neutral buoyancy lab for about six 173 00:07:47,469 --> 00:07:45,349 hours at a time and they do that 174 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:47,479 multiple times for each spacewalk so we 175 00:07:53,770 --> 00:07:49,610 might practice a spacewalk four to seven 176 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:53,780 times before we go do that and now with 177 00:07:57,159 --> 00:07:55,370 the international space station crews 178 00:07:59,550 --> 00:07:57,169 are preparing and starting training two 179 00:08:02,649 --> 00:07:59,560 and a half years before they fly so 180 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:02,659 that's quite a commitment and of course 181 00:08:07,209 --> 00:08:04,370 it's not just the astronaut it's the 182 00:08:09,249 --> 00:08:07,219 whole family that is um it's kind of in 183 00:08:11,399 --> 00:08:09,259 training and so there's travel and all 184 00:08:13,749 --> 00:08:11,409 these things that are involved but 185 00:08:16,570 --> 00:08:13,759 you're just really open with your family 186 00:08:18,580 --> 00:08:16,580 you discuss what you'll do when things 187 00:08:20,709 --> 00:08:18,590 come up and how to deal with that so 188 00:08:29,850 --> 00:08:20,719 that's how we prepare mentally and 189 00:08:39,719 --> 00:08:35,819 oh I would have NASA without spacecraft 190 00:08:40,980 --> 00:08:39,729 the space station boarding how do you 191 00:08:45,569 --> 00:08:40,990 hook up spacecraft to the space station 192 00:08:48,090 --> 00:08:45,579 for boarding okay that's a great 193 00:08:49,620 --> 00:08:48,100 question we have different docking 194 00:08:51,030 --> 00:08:49,630 compartments and we also have different 195 00:08:53,310 --> 00:08:51,040 vehicles that come to the space station 196 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:53,320 so for humans coming to the space 197 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:54,730 station they're coming on a Soyuz right 198 00:08:58,560 --> 00:08:57,010 now and there are specific docking 199 00:09:00,720 --> 00:08:58,570 compartments for the Soyuz that are at 200 00:09:03,750 --> 00:09:00,730 the back of the station in the Russian 201 00:09:04,769 --> 00:09:03,760 module and then you have hatches that 202 00:09:06,569 --> 00:09:04,779 you go through there's all these 203 00:09:09,750 --> 00:09:06,579 pressurization before you open hatches 204 00:09:11,730 --> 00:09:09,760 and and this so that's how we get humans 205 00:09:13,290 --> 00:09:11,740 into space right now when we had the 206 00:09:14,490 --> 00:09:13,300 shuttle we also had another docking 207 00:09:16,259 --> 00:09:14,500 compartment and it worked a little bit 208 00:09:17,430 --> 00:09:16,269 differently for such a big vehicle and 209 00:09:21,540 --> 00:09:17,440 that was out in the front of the space 210 00:09:23,940 --> 00:09:21,550 station currently we have the ATV the 211 00:09:25,170 --> 00:09:23,950 European cargo vehicle that stocked a 212 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:25,180 space station and that came up 213 00:09:30,300 --> 00:09:28,050 robotically and so it just stocks 214 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:30,310 without the need of humans although 215 00:09:34,290 --> 00:09:32,050 humans know how they could intervene if 216 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:34,300 they need to and then we're going to be 217 00:09:39,990 --> 00:09:36,010 having the summer a visiting vehicle 218 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:40,000 called htv-3 and that's from the 219 00:09:46,079 --> 00:09:44,290 Japanese space agency and that will dock 220 00:09:48,180 --> 00:09:46,089 at the front of station and that uses 221 00:09:51,810 --> 00:09:48,190 the robotic arm and so crew member 222 00:09:54,810 --> 00:09:51,820 actually is needed the last few meters 223 00:09:56,970 --> 00:09:54,820 to take the robotic arm and grapple the 224 00:09:58,699 --> 00:09:56,980 HTV three and then berth it to the space 225 00:10:01,259 --> 00:09:58,709 station so lots of different ways that 226 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:01,269 people and cargo come to Space Station 227 00:10:04,230 --> 00:10:02,890 and if you ever watched it on TV and you 228 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:04,240 see you know back where we head settle 229 00:10:07,230 --> 00:10:05,290 and it would docked with the station or 230 00:10:09,389 --> 00:10:07,240 anything rash and stuff it looks so slow 231 00:10:11,370 --> 00:10:09,399 on TV and you forget that they're going 232 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:11,380 more than 17,000 miles an hour both of 233 00:10:14,910 --> 00:10:12,610 those spacecraft and they each weigh 234 00:10:16,019 --> 00:10:14,920 hundreds of thousands a pound so it's a 235 00:10:17,819 --> 00:10:16,029 little bit misleading when we see it on 236 00:10:19,769 --> 00:10:17,829 TV it looks so slow and cautious and 237 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:19,779 it's really going pretty fast 238 00:10:40,519 --> 00:10:22,050 right so it's right all relative 239 00:10:43,750 --> 00:10:43,500 Wow the most stressful part well you 240 00:10:45,189 --> 00:10:43,760 know 241 00:10:47,769 --> 00:10:45,199 the great thing about all the training 242 00:10:50,290 --> 00:10:47,779 was that you feel very prepared but I 243 00:10:51,610 --> 00:10:50,300 will say that I was definitely excited 244 00:10:53,980 --> 00:10:51,620 maybe had a little bit of butterflies 245 00:10:56,860 --> 00:10:53,990 when I went out to the pad on that day 246 00:10:58,600 --> 00:10:56,870 they launched because you've got so much 247 00:11:01,269 --> 00:10:58,610 propellant and you've got two solid 248 00:11:02,590 --> 00:11:01,279 rocket boosters that you know and you 249 00:11:04,629 --> 00:11:02,600 know how you get to space all this 250 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:04,639 thrust and energy so you want that 251 00:11:08,590 --> 00:11:05,810 energy to be going the right direction 252 00:11:10,509 --> 00:11:08,600 so and that you don't have control of 253 00:11:12,759 --> 00:11:10,519 that has been designed by really 254 00:11:15,069 --> 00:11:12,769 talented engineers and that's you just 255 00:11:16,540 --> 00:11:15,079 have trust and you know that we have 256 00:11:19,810 --> 00:11:16,550 done this many times and you've seen it 257 00:11:21,370 --> 00:11:19,820 so I was really excited but I think that 258 00:11:23,829 --> 00:11:21,380 was the first time I felt a bit nervous 259 00:11:27,610 --> 00:11:23,839 before getting into the spaceship and 260 00:11:29,139 --> 00:11:27,620 then not a not a lot of stress in space 261 00:11:30,699 --> 00:11:29,149 because even when things went wrong like 262 00:11:33,490 --> 00:11:30,709 we had things go wrong on our spacewalks 263 00:11:35,889 --> 00:11:33,500 but we had trained for what to do and we 264 00:11:37,689 --> 00:11:35,899 talked about contingency situations and 265 00:11:39,069 --> 00:11:37,699 we had plans and again like I said we 266 00:11:41,620 --> 00:11:39,079 talked to the ground a lot and they have 267 00:11:45,310 --> 00:11:41,630 really good ideas too so as we do all 268 00:11:47,019 --> 00:11:45,320 this team work I just felt like we were 269 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:47,029 all very prepared and very calm and we 270 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:49,250 had good rationale for why we were doing 271 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:49,850 what we were doing 272 00:11:54,879 --> 00:11:52,850 so during flight no stressful situations 273 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:54,889 it was awesome it's Dottie 274 00:11:57,340 --> 00:11:55,850 mentioned something very interesting 275 00:11:59,050 --> 00:11:57,350 that even whenever it's stressful it's 276 00:12:00,430 --> 00:11:59,060 it's pretty calm and it's the same way 277 00:12:02,470 --> 00:12:00,440 as somebody who's been inside Mission 278 00:12:04,150 --> 00:12:02,480 Control and kind of watched a certain 279 00:12:05,590 --> 00:12:04,160 challenges come up during flight it's 280 00:12:07,150 --> 00:12:05,600 not like the movies where you see you 281 00:12:10,540 --> 00:12:07,160 know a lot of chaos I stuff like that I 282 00:12:11,829 --> 00:12:10,550 mean the team is very focused they've 283 00:12:13,660 --> 00:12:11,839 trained for these kind of things and 284 00:12:16,059 --> 00:12:13,670 even whenever you know certain semi 285 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:16,069 major things have happened it's just 286 00:12:19,269 --> 00:12:17,810 very calm and professional it's not like 287 00:12:29,519 --> 00:12:19,279 what you would what you would expect so 288 00:12:35,740 --> 00:12:33,250 money spent well we get a budget from 289 00:12:38,350 --> 00:12:35,750 the government and we just get a portion 290 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:38,360 of that for human spaceflight and for 291 00:12:42,730 --> 00:12:40,850 the ISS operations so you can actually 292 00:12:45,910 --> 00:12:42,740 go look up the exact details maybe you 293 00:12:47,290 --> 00:12:45,920 want to fill in a little bit out of the 294 00:12:49,689 --> 00:12:47,300 entire federal budget you know a lot of 295 00:12:51,430 --> 00:12:49,699 people have they think that NASA gets a 296 00:12:53,380 --> 00:12:51,440 huge chunk of money and we do relatively 297 00:12:55,509 --> 00:12:53,390 speaking we get about 17 18 billion 298 00:12:57,560 --> 00:12:55,519 dollars a year but out of the entire 299 00:13:00,650 --> 00:12:57,570 federal budget that is less than 300 00:13:02,330 --> 00:13:00,660 half of 1% of all the money so so our 301 00:13:04,850 --> 00:13:02,340 share NASA share the entire federal 302 00:13:06,170 --> 00:13:04,860 budget actually not that big at all the 303 00:13:07,610 --> 00:13:06,180 biggest that it ever was was back during 304 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:07,620 Apollo and I was only about four percent 305 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:09,330 of the entire federal budget so it's 306 00:13:14,270 --> 00:13:11,610 it's you know it's it's a relatively 307 00:13:15,650 --> 00:13:14,280 small chunk of money in terms of the 308 00:13:16,910 --> 00:13:15,660 entire federal government spending but 309 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:16,920 but you get a lot of benefits out of it 310 00:13:20,690 --> 00:13:18,930 in terms of spin-offs and and and what 311 00:13:22,700 --> 00:13:20,700 this agency is able to do yeah I think 312 00:13:25,250 --> 00:13:22,710 of course one of the big benefits is 313 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:25,260 that we learn about how we can go 314 00:13:29,330 --> 00:13:27,330 explore better and and we want to 315 00:13:31,850 --> 00:13:29,340 continue human spaceflight so we want 316 00:13:33,350 --> 00:13:31,860 you guys to be explorers to just like 317 00:13:35,780 --> 00:13:33,360 the people that came to the northwest 318 00:13:37,370 --> 00:13:35,790 when when they were exploring for the 319 00:13:49,700 --> 00:13:37,380 early United States so we want you guys 320 00:13:51,820 --> 00:13:49,710 to be explorers to something 321 00:13:55,250 --> 00:13:51,830 uncomfortable about space travel well 322 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:55,260 this is really hot yes and that's not 323 00:13:59,780 --> 00:13:56,610 kidding and it's heavy 324 00:14:01,370 --> 00:13:59,790 a bit heavy um so for all crew members 325 00:14:02,750 --> 00:14:01,380 even though sort of launched an Soyuz 326 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:02,760 you're going to have a specific suit 327 00:14:07,370 --> 00:14:05,370 that you launch in and you have to sit 328 00:14:09,530 --> 00:14:07,380 for a while you go out to the vehicle 329 00:14:12,350 --> 00:14:09,540 and you get loaded in and then you sit 330 00:14:13,970 --> 00:14:12,360 and you wait and in the soil you see 331 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:13,980 wait you wait with your knees scrunched 332 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:15,450 up against you and in the shuttle you're 333 00:14:20,750 --> 00:14:17,930 laying down on your back too and and so 334 00:14:22,070 --> 00:14:20,760 to keep us cooled off in the shuttle we 335 00:14:24,260 --> 00:14:22,080 had this long underwear with little 336 00:14:25,580 --> 00:14:24,270 hoses in it that ran cold water through 337 00:14:27,470 --> 00:14:25,590 it you could keep pretty cool 338 00:14:30,290 --> 00:14:27,480 and there was blowing air circulating 339 00:14:31,940 --> 00:14:30,300 air so that helps you and thankfully the 340 00:14:34,730 --> 00:14:31,950 April morning that we launched on two 341 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:34,740 years ago was pretty cool for Florida 342 00:14:38,570 --> 00:14:37,050 but it could get really hot there's even 343 00:14:40,370 --> 00:14:38,580 mosquitoes sometimes a kit in the 344 00:14:41,930 --> 00:14:40,380 vehicle so that part could all be a 345 00:14:44,930 --> 00:14:41,940 little uncomfortable until you know you 346 00:14:46,250 --> 00:14:44,940 finally launch and then um returning 347 00:14:48,860 --> 00:14:46,260 same thing you have to get back into 348 00:14:50,570 --> 00:14:48,870 that suit and you know you've been in a 349 00:14:53,270 --> 00:14:50,580 normal clothes I mean I wore this shirt 350 00:14:54,050 --> 00:14:53,280 in space and you've been in these normal 351 00:14:55,970 --> 00:14:54,060 clothes and then you have to get back 352 00:14:58,790 --> 00:14:55,980 into the suit and it's not really 353 00:15:00,710 --> 00:14:58,800 comfortable but you would totally do it 354 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:00,720 for a few moments of space light well 355 00:15:03,260 --> 00:15:02,010 they have to drink a lot to talk about 356 00:15:04,610 --> 00:15:03,270 fluid loading that's it they have to 357 00:15:05,570 --> 00:15:04,620 drink a lot of like sport drinks and 358 00:15:06,980 --> 00:15:05,580 things like that they use have to drink 359 00:15:09,070 --> 00:15:06,990 kind of some like basically chicken soup 360 00:15:11,410 --> 00:15:09,080 water right there's no chicken consomme 361 00:15:12,940 --> 00:15:11,420 and then also we did water and salt 362 00:15:15,790 --> 00:15:12,950 tablets that's what I personally chose 363 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:15,800 to do and you do that just before you're 364 00:15:21,850 --> 00:15:18,410 deciding to make the burn to do orbit 365 00:15:23,110 --> 00:15:21,860 and so this is maybe an hour two hours 366 00:15:26,620 --> 00:15:23,120 before you're gonna be landing you're 367 00:15:29,020 --> 00:15:26,630 drinking lots of bags of water I mean I 368 00:15:32,350 --> 00:15:29,030 think I was trying to drink six eight 369 00:15:34,030 --> 00:15:32,360 ounce bags of water and and you're still 370 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:34,040 trying to push buttons and you know 371 00:15:38,140 --> 00:15:35,330 follow the normal checklist while 372 00:15:41,260 --> 00:15:38,150 drinking this stuff needless to say it 373 00:15:43,930 --> 00:15:41,270 is not super comfortable to drink all 374 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:43,940 that well and then re-enter gravity yes 375 00:15:47,650 --> 00:15:46,130 before all those floors are kind of 376 00:15:48,970 --> 00:15:47,660 floating in your stomach no big deal but 377 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:48,980 then when you start to reenter you start 378 00:15:52,860 --> 00:15:50,330 to feel it on your bladder and that's 379 00:15:59,820 --> 00:15:52,870 not super comfortable in there yeah 380 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:03,550 like this answer you don't really take a 381 00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:06,530 shower per se it's it's kind of like 382 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:08,510 camping a little bit cleaner since 383 00:16:15,070 --> 00:16:10,690 you're not hanging out with the dirt but 384 00:16:17,650 --> 00:16:15,080 you use baby wipes to just kind of wash 385 00:16:19,900 --> 00:16:17,660 your skin off there's also some wet 386 00:16:21,820 --> 00:16:19,910 towels and and so prints that you can 387 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:21,830 get on your scanning and clean yourself 388 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:24,410 with and there's a no rinse shampoo that 389 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:26,090 you work through your hair and it 390 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:28,610 becomes quite messy because if you think 391 00:16:32,470 --> 00:16:31,010 about it when you wash your hair you 392 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:32,480 know you have extra hair that falls out 393 00:16:36,580 --> 00:16:34,370 or you have skin that's lufs off and 394 00:16:38,050 --> 00:16:36,590 where does that stuff go in space it 395 00:16:39,430 --> 00:16:38,060 goes floating around you so you have to 396 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:39,440 make sure you keep your hair like we 397 00:16:43,690 --> 00:16:42,410 stick it to gray tape and we just kind 398 00:16:45,220 --> 00:16:43,700 of accumulate that way then put it in 399 00:16:47,290 --> 00:16:45,230 the trash so that's not floating around 400 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:47,300 and getting in everyone's way especially 401 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:49,010 in my hair that'd be kind of messy so 402 00:16:53,770 --> 00:16:51,530 that's how we keep ourselves clean in 403 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:53,780 but you can do it daily or you can do it 404 00:16:57,610 --> 00:16:56,210 after your exercise so you do need to 405 00:16:59,830 --> 00:16:57,620 keep yourself clean it's definitely part 406 00:17:01,600 --> 00:16:59,840 of the important hygiene part in space I 407 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:01,610 mean you don't want to be up there six 408 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:03,290 months and not be keeping yourself clean 409 00:17:16,390 --> 00:17:06,050 so who wants to be an astronaut now who 410 00:17:18,370 --> 00:17:16,400 wants to be around the other say that 411 00:17:20,370 --> 00:17:18,380 what kind of education is required to go 412 00:17:23,490 --> 00:17:20,380 up in space is that what you're asking 413 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:23,500 okay oh great you have good ears 414 00:17:29,410 --> 00:17:26,450 you need to have a at least a bachelor's 415 00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:29,420 in math engineering or science and then 416 00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:31,910 of course further degrees are definitely 417 00:17:37,330 --> 00:17:34,370 encouraged and an experience in those 418 00:17:41,050 --> 00:17:37,340 degrees so doing research or teaching 419 00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:41,060 etc in those degrees and so that's why 420 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:43,310 we really hope that you are studying 421 00:17:50,410 --> 00:17:45,530 math science technology and engineering 422 00:17:51,940 --> 00:17:50,420 those good core stem classes and also 423 00:17:54,010 --> 00:17:51,950 you know this is one thing we always try 424 00:17:55,510 --> 00:17:54,020 to tell students and even college kids 425 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:55,520 too that if you want to come work at 426 00:17:57,940 --> 00:17:56,930 NASA and maybe you're not gonna be an 427 00:18:00,460 --> 00:17:57,950 astronaut but if you want to come work 428 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:00,470 here we hire all kinds of backgrounds me 429 00:18:03,310 --> 00:18:01,850 I've got a degree in communications and 430 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:03,320 there's other people in our office that 431 00:18:06,790 --> 00:18:05,690 have journalism degrees and marketing 432 00:18:09,610 --> 00:18:06,800 degrees and we've got people that have 433 00:18:11,650 --> 00:18:09,620 Human Resources degrees we've got budget 434 00:18:13,390 --> 00:18:11,660 people I mean there's all kinds so it's 435 00:18:14,950 --> 00:18:13,400 me come work at NASA and be part of this 436 00:18:17,500 --> 00:18:14,960 it's one of the coolest jobs on the 437 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:17,510 planet and you know you can get there 438 00:18:21,220 --> 00:18:19,010 too all through all sorts of that's 439 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:21,230 right so so be passionate about what 440 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:23,570 you're doing right go for something that 441 00:18:26,740 --> 00:18:24,770 you really want to do and it's funny 442 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:26,750 what doors tend to tend to open up 443 00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:45,460 actually no it's the way do we design 444 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:49,310 the the shuttle and our vehicles is so 445 00:18:54,070 --> 00:18:51,770 that you've really have very little 446 00:18:56,650 --> 00:18:54,080 change and pressure you do get a little 447 00:18:58,060 --> 00:18:56,660 a slight change but it's minimal 448 00:19:00,250 --> 00:18:58,070 compared to what you would experience in 449 00:19:01,780 --> 00:19:00,260 an airplane or what you would experience 450 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:01,790 driving up into the mountains 451 00:19:09,610 --> 00:19:05,930 so not a change because the the idea is 452 00:19:11,980 --> 00:19:09,620 that as you as you go up and and 453 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:11,990 decrease the air pressure on the outside 454 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:15,770 of the vehicle you have the vehicle has 455 00:19:20,830 --> 00:19:19,250 to maintain the pressure inside very 456 00:19:23,500 --> 00:19:20,840 well I mean you don't want any leaks out 457 00:19:24,700 --> 00:19:23,510 and I don't wouldn't want it to burst 458 00:19:26,890 --> 00:19:24,710 because it would be higher pressure 459 00:19:28,270 --> 00:19:26,900 inside and it would burst out so we've 460 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:28,280 designed their aircraft so that it 461 00:19:32,980 --> 00:19:30,530 maintains about fourteen point seven psi 462 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:32,990 which is roughly equal to what seed 463 00:19:35,820 --> 00:19:34,730 pressure is so you have a little bit 464 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:35,830 less air pressure 465 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:37,930 and Idaho cause you're up higher and 466 00:19:42,510 --> 00:19:40,690 altitude but that is that's what we 467 00:19:44,430 --> 00:19:42,520 maintain within our spacecraft and the 468 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:44,440 same with the space station it's roughly 469 00:20:02,340 --> 00:19:59,160 control how many different jobs are 470 00:20:04,230 --> 00:20:02,350 there oh that is a great question Mike 471 00:20:09,540 --> 00:20:04,240 Joshua see we're counting hang on 472 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:09,550 there's there's about 20 people that we 473 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:11,410 have all sorts of jobs from the flight 474 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:14,650 controller and flight director who's in 475 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:17,770 charge of everyone is overseen to the 476 00:20:21,150 --> 00:20:19,450 person who talks with the crew members 477 00:20:23,460 --> 00:20:21,160 that's the cap Capcom capsule 478 00:20:25,530 --> 00:20:23,470 communicator and then we have people who 479 00:20:28,110 --> 00:20:25,540 are looking at trajectory people that 480 00:20:31,260 --> 00:20:28,120 are maintaining the life-support systems 481 00:20:35,730 --> 00:20:31,270 the thermal systems the computers the 482 00:20:38,220 --> 00:20:35,740 daily calendar the public outreach all 483 00:20:39,990 --> 00:20:38,230 these different jobs in Mission Control 484 00:20:41,340 --> 00:20:40,000 all working as a team 485 00:20:42,690 --> 00:20:41,350 there's flight doctors there's and 486 00:20:44,250 --> 00:20:42,700 there's a there's an interesting 487 00:20:45,690 --> 00:20:44,260 position called ground control or DC 488 00:20:46,590 --> 00:20:45,700 which is here in the back of the room 489 00:20:48,630 --> 00:20:46,600 and in the shuttle room is up at the 490 00:20:50,310 --> 00:20:48,640 front but those guys run the entire 491 00:20:51,690 --> 00:20:50,320 Mission Control Center and they got more 492 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:51,700 computer screens over there than I've 493 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:53,170 ever seen in my life I mean these guys 494 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:55,690 know how to run every exactly he's a 495 00:20:59,220 --> 00:20:57,730 system in this entire building every 496 00:21:00,660 --> 00:20:59,230 mile of wire that we have here so 497 00:21:02,070 --> 00:21:00,670 they've got a pretty pretty tough job 498 00:21:03,990 --> 00:21:02,080 they're also the ones that actually help 499 00:21:05,700 --> 00:21:04,000 us communicate with the space station 500 00:21:08,430 --> 00:21:05,710 and the shuttle back in a day so it's 501 00:21:11,460 --> 00:21:08,440 there's it takes it takes a big and wide 502 00:21:37,020 --> 00:21:11,470 a pretty big variety of people to help 503 00:21:39,150 --> 00:21:37,030 make all this work while I was up in 504 00:21:42,330 --> 00:21:39,160 space I was just there about 15 days and 505 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:42,340 the job that I did the most was to 506 00:21:47,070 --> 00:21:44,890 actually be a mover we brought up six 507 00:21:49,210 --> 00:21:47,080 tons of equipment and we needed to move 508 00:21:51,610 --> 00:21:49,220 that all out of 509 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:51,620 basically this big u-haul vehicle called 510 00:21:57,010 --> 00:21:53,770 the multi-purpose Logistics Module and 511 00:21:58,990 --> 00:21:57,020 get that out and get it under station 512 00:22:02,290 --> 00:21:59,000 and then we had to return trash and 513 00:22:04,390 --> 00:22:02,300 equipment and so we repacked so most of 514 00:22:06,130 --> 00:22:04,400 my time was as a mover the other 515 00:22:08,950 --> 00:22:06,140 significant portion of my time is as a 516 00:22:12,220 --> 00:22:08,960 as the choreographer inside of a 517 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:12,230 spacewalk so I talked to the two Rick 518 00:22:15,730 --> 00:22:14,510 Mastracchio and clay Anderson as they 519 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:15,740 were doing their spacewalks the whole 520 00:22:19,420 --> 00:22:17,330 time so I was a lot of talking that was 521 00:22:21,940 --> 00:22:19,430 three days about six and a half to seven 522 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:21,950 hours of talking telling them about the 523 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:23,090 bolts they were going to be turning 524 00:22:28,330 --> 00:22:26,810 about where their next move was going to 525 00:22:29,740 --> 00:22:28,340 be where the robotic arm is going to 526 00:22:32,050 --> 00:22:29,750 pick up an ammonia tank where it was 527 00:22:34,540 --> 00:22:32,060 going to drop it off etc so that was my 528 00:22:37,150 --> 00:22:34,550 next job and then my final big job was 529 00:22:39,250 --> 00:22:37,160 as the flight engineer but that was just 530 00:22:41,230 --> 00:22:39,260 on launch an entry so that was just kind 531 00:22:42,370 --> 00:22:41,240 of a small job she got to set up on the 532 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:42,380 flight deck and I helped the other one 533 00:22:54,340 --> 00:22:52,720 when you're in space how much sleep do 534 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:54,350 you get well we can actually get just as 535 00:22:58,600 --> 00:22:55,850 much sleep here on the ground and I 536 00:23:00,730 --> 00:22:58,610 slept really well in space I didn't 537 00:23:03,190 --> 00:23:00,740 usually here on earth I try to get about 538 00:23:04,540 --> 00:23:03,200 8 hours of sleep because I exercise a 539 00:23:08,170 --> 00:23:04,550 lot I just kind of need eight hours to 540 00:23:10,150 --> 00:23:08,180 be a happy person but in space it didn't 541 00:23:11,740 --> 00:23:10,160 seem I think because you're not having 542 00:23:13,750 --> 00:23:11,750 to put as much resistance since you're 543 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:13,760 not working with working against gravity 544 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:15,770 the whole time I didn't need it quite as 545 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:17,330 much asleep so I found about seven hours 546 00:23:20,770 --> 00:23:19,130 was actually really great and the funny 547 00:23:23,380 --> 00:23:20,780 thing is when we sleep in space we sort 548 00:23:28,750 --> 00:23:23,390 of look like zombies because our arms 549 00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:28,760 float out but you sleep so well because 550 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:31,910 you're not forced onto a bed you're just 551 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:33,770 kind of floating above it and so you 552 00:23:37,300 --> 00:23:35,570 strap yourself into your sleeping bag 553 00:23:40,300 --> 00:23:37,310 sometimes you stick yourself to the wall 554 00:23:42,550 --> 00:23:40,310 don't you have to Velcro yourself or in 555 00:23:45,490 --> 00:23:42,560 our case we do use French hooks and and 556 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:45,500 put ourselves onto the wall and if you 557 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:48,170 want firmness you can put bungees around 558 00:23:52,690 --> 00:23:50,090 you and like really set yourself to the 559 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:52,700 wall but I kind of like that feeling of 560 00:24:01,720 --> 00:23:56,330 you're loading so that's how you sleep 561 00:24:02,890 --> 00:24:01,730 in space oh say it again what is going 562 00:24:05,950 --> 00:24:02,900 through your mind 563 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:05,960 when you realize you're up in space in 564 00:24:16,270 --> 00:24:12,650 year 9 well I think you definitely 565 00:24:18,910 --> 00:24:16,280 realize kind of the precarious position 566 00:24:21,070 --> 00:24:18,920 or the the position where if something 567 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:21,080 went wrong you would want to fix it fast 568 00:24:25,330 --> 00:24:22,970 because your vehicle is your life 569 00:24:28,540 --> 00:24:25,340 support it is your only way of staying 570 00:24:31,750 --> 00:24:28,550 alive in space and so you definitely 571 00:24:33,490 --> 00:24:31,760 take care of the vehicle and but it was 572 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:33,500 just such a beautiful experience I mean 573 00:24:38,260 --> 00:24:35,690 looking at the earth and the floating 574 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:38,270 and so getting used to that floating 575 00:24:41,799 --> 00:24:39,170 getting used to the fact that when you 576 00:24:43,630 --> 00:24:41,809 drop something it doesn't fall to the 577 00:24:45,850 --> 00:24:43,640 ground it floats somewhere and gets 578 00:24:48,130 --> 00:24:45,860 caught up in some fan or filter or 579 00:24:50,980 --> 00:24:48,140 wherever you have to go find it so that 580 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:50,990 took some getting used to but just you 581 00:24:56,470 --> 00:24:54,050 really look at the beauty of the earth 582 00:24:58,570 --> 00:24:56,480 and just how amazing it is that you can 583 00:25:11,680 --> 00:24:58,580 be in space that that we designed these 584 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:11,690 vehicles to be in space that it'd say 585 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:17,690 one more time what was that the most 586 00:25:23,230 --> 00:25:21,170 exciting thing well looking back at 587 00:25:26,380 --> 00:25:23,240 where my family was right at the moment 588 00:25:28,390 --> 00:25:26,390 so when we could pick out there was one 589 00:25:31,030 --> 00:25:28,400 particular path I remember early on in 590 00:25:32,380 --> 00:25:31,040 the flight and Jim Dutton is from Oregon 591 00:25:36,970 --> 00:25:32,390 so the two of us were looking through 592 00:25:39,610 --> 00:25:36,980 the cupola and we found crater lake and 593 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:39,620 then we could find all these places that 594 00:25:44,380 --> 00:25:41,450 we had either lived in or we had family 595 00:25:46,270 --> 00:25:44,390 living in and so we went from the Oregon 596 00:25:48,310 --> 00:25:46,280 Washington coast all the way across the 597 00:25:50,260 --> 00:25:48,320 United States down to Houston and that 598 00:25:52,690 --> 00:25:50,270 was it was just this neat pass and and 599 00:25:54,910 --> 00:25:52,700 all along the way we had people that we 600 00:25:56,980 --> 00:25:54,920 knew or cared about so my parents are in 601 00:25:59,200 --> 00:25:56,990 Colorado my husband's family's in the 602 00:26:00,730 --> 00:25:59,210 northwest and my family right now my 603 00:26:03,340 --> 00:26:00,740 husband and daughter are here in Houston 604 00:26:06,669 --> 00:26:03,350 so that was a really special special 605 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:06,679 moment all right it looks like that's 606 00:26:10,150 --> 00:26:07,970 all the time that we have for questions 607 00:26:12,100 --> 00:26:10,160 but I would like to have you guys say 608 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:12,110 goodbye to each other so let's start 609 00:26:16,850 --> 00:26:14,330 with a heritage middle school would you 610 00:26:19,220 --> 00:26:16,860 like to thank our special guests for 611 00:26:33,670 --> 00:26:19,230 coming to your school live virtually 612 00:26:37,820 --> 00:26:36,200 thank you guys - you're really good you 613 00:26:38,930 --> 00:26:37,830 had great questions I enjoyed this thank 614 00:26:40,340 --> 00:26:38,940 you yeah I want to thank you guys for 615 00:26:41,990 --> 00:26:40,350 joining us it's always fun to talk to 616 00:26:42,890 --> 00:26:42,000 you guys so we hope to we hope to see