1 00:00:02,030 --> 00:00:03,210 >> [Background noise] Welcome back inside 2 00:00:03,210 --> 00:00:05,920 of Mission Control Houston, pretty special treat right now 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,960 if former Exhibition 29 Commander Mike Fossum with me. 4 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:11,110 Mike, thanks so much for joining me here today. 5 00:00:11,110 --> 00:00:11,610 >> Hey, you bet. 6 00:00:11,610 --> 00:00:13,210 It's great to be back in Mission Control. 7 00:00:13,210 --> 00:00:15,020 >> Yeah, we always love having you on. 8 00:00:15,020 --> 00:00:17,100 So we have three more astronauts getting ready 9 00:00:17,100 --> 00:00:18,650 to launch this Saturday. 10 00:00:18,650 --> 00:00:20,330 So why don't you walk us through a little bit 11 00:00:20,330 --> 00:00:22,990 about what they're doing, you know, the week before launch. 12 00:00:22,990 --> 00:00:23,600 >> Oh, you bet. 13 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,170 It's exciting right now for the -- 14 00:00:26,170 --> 00:00:31,490 Yuri Malenchenko the [inaudible] commander, Suni -- 15 00:00:31,490 --> 00:00:34,500 Sunita or Suni Williams and Aki Hoshide. 16 00:00:34,500 --> 00:00:35,980 They've been in training 17 00:00:35,980 --> 00:00:38,350 for about [background noise] two and a half years. 18 00:00:38,350 --> 00:00:41,140 And so it's really a neat time right now as they're -- 19 00:00:41,140 --> 00:00:42,280 after all of this training. 20 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,160 They've been training around the globe, you know, 21 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:49,150 the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada, Germany and... 22 00:00:49,150 --> 00:00:49,910 >> All over the place. 23 00:00:49,910 --> 00:00:53,330 >> All over, and have been on -- for Suni and Aki they've been 24 00:00:53,330 --> 00:00:55,900 on the road about 50% of the time for the last two 25 00:00:55,900 --> 00:00:59,910 and a half years, and all those trainings finally coming 26 00:00:59,910 --> 00:01:02,710 together and they've been in Kazakhstan 27 00:01:02,710 --> 00:01:06,720 and Baikonur Cosmodrome for about a week and a half. 28 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,060 We arrived there two weeks before the launch. 29 00:01:09,060 --> 00:01:10,660 And so it's really a -- 30 00:01:10,660 --> 00:01:13,300 it's a fascinating time because it's [Background noise] very 31 00:01:13,300 --> 00:01:17,120 different and that two and a half years is busy 32 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:22,260 but in ways it feels -- it feels like you're just moving 33 00:01:22,260 --> 00:01:23,840 or you're not really moving. 34 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:25,020 You're not getting any closer. 35 00:01:25,020 --> 00:01:26,440 You're just going through the motions, 36 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:27,900 you're packing your bag, you're going -- 37 00:01:27,900 --> 00:01:31,170 you're doing more training and you get closer and closer, 38 00:01:31,170 --> 00:01:34,810 and at this point though, as they're in Baikonur going 39 00:01:34,810 --> 00:01:36,760 through the fit checks -- 40 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,570 final training and you can feel things picking up speed 41 00:01:39,570 --> 00:01:42,290 and just your life seems to be accelerating. 42 00:01:42,290 --> 00:01:42,790 >> Oh yes. 43 00:01:42,790 --> 00:01:45,750 >> As your -- I think of it as like floating on a big long, 44 00:01:45,750 --> 00:01:48,350 lazy river [background chuckle] and that river is dropping 45 00:01:48,350 --> 00:01:51,060 into a slight canon now and you can feel it. 46 00:01:51,060 --> 00:01:53,960 Everything's a little more -- a little more frantic. 47 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:55,770 A little busier [Background noise] and you're going 48 00:01:55,770 --> 00:01:59,280 through some of these things for the last time finally 49 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,100 and so your whole world is picking up speed and it's going 50 00:02:02,100 --> 00:02:05,090 to continue to accelerate for them all the way up to 51 00:02:05,090 --> 00:02:08,170 when they head out to the launch pad on Monday, and it's -- 52 00:02:08,170 --> 00:02:10,660 there's a lot of traditions and stuff too. 53 00:02:10,660 --> 00:02:12,460 So it's a very exciting time, 54 00:02:12,460 --> 00:02:16,120 it's a neat thing [background noise] and Suni 55 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,370 and Aki both launched on the space shuttle 56 00:02:19,370 --> 00:02:20,820 for their first flights. 57 00:02:20,820 --> 00:02:24,380 And so this is very different for them to be going -- 58 00:02:24,380 --> 00:02:26,010 through the preparations to launch 59 00:02:26,010 --> 00:02:28,830 on the Russian Soyuz Rocket and there's all -- 60 00:02:28,830 --> 00:02:30,900 but the training of course is very different, 61 00:02:30,900 --> 00:02:34,780 as they have gone through so many different things. 62 00:02:34,780 --> 00:02:36,860 When they get to Baikonur though, 63 00:02:36,860 --> 00:02:42,210 part of what they do is actual fit checks with the real rocket. 64 00:02:42,210 --> 00:02:45,090 We -- the crews don't -- we spend a lot of time in trainers 65 00:02:45,090 --> 00:02:48,430 which are actually flown Soyuz capsules that have been modified 66 00:02:48,430 --> 00:02:53,840 to make into trainers, but not a real -- a real ship. 67 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,780 And so a couple of times during these two weeks here they go 68 00:02:57,780 --> 00:03:01,520 into the real ship in suits and make sure 69 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,400 that everything is where they expect it. 70 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,590 It gives them a chance to put a little bit of Velcro 71 00:03:05,590 --> 00:03:09,070 on the walls, to put their timers up and things like that. 72 00:03:09,070 --> 00:03:11,400 You become accustomed to what it's 73 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,430 like to climb [background noise] down into the ship 74 00:03:13,430 --> 00:03:14,910 through the hatches up above you. 75 00:03:14,910 --> 00:03:18,250 It's at the top of the capsule that we launch in 76 00:03:18,250 --> 00:03:22,410 and in the trainers we usually come through an add-on hatch. 77 00:03:22,410 --> 00:03:24,000 It's added to the side. 78 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,530 And so here you practice going, dropping down in there, 79 00:03:26,530 --> 00:03:29,150 getting into your seat and it's really tight as you can see 80 00:03:29,150 --> 00:03:30,580 from the videos that we have. 81 00:03:30,580 --> 00:03:30,900 >> Oh yeah. 82 00:03:30,900 --> 00:03:34,230 >> It's very tight inside the Soyuz and the crew is -- 83 00:03:34,230 --> 00:03:36,270 you know, they're not sitting in a chair; they're really lying 84 00:03:36,270 --> 00:03:40,490 on their backs in a seat pan that's molded to their bodies 85 00:03:40,490 --> 00:03:41,420 to help protect them 86 00:03:41,420 --> 00:03:44,230 from landing loads -- the dynamics of that. 87 00:03:44,230 --> 00:03:45,610 >> So really their first chance 88 00:03:45,610 --> 00:03:47,840 to get inside the space craft that's going to carry them 89 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:50,740 to orbit and that like you said two years coming 90 00:03:50,740 --> 00:03:53,260 to fruition just this last week, moving really quickly. 91 00:03:53,260 --> 00:03:54,650 >> Right, that's exactly right. 92 00:03:54,650 --> 00:03:59,080 And so it's a very busy time, it's exciting and -- 93 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,000 you know, you go through it and you look at it 94 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,730 and you just put your hands on everything, touch it, 95 00:04:03,730 --> 00:04:05,700 make sure that it's where you expect I, 96 00:04:05,700 --> 00:04:07,130 and kind of get comfortable. 97 00:04:07,130 --> 00:04:09,320 And that's a way of -- okay 98 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,560 on launch day then okay I've already strapped 99 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:12,760 in a couple of times. 100 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:14,970 I've been in here; we're ready to rock and roll. 101 00:04:14,970 --> 00:04:15,820 We're ready for it. 102 00:04:15,820 --> 00:04:16,680 >> Ready for the ride. 103 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:17,770 >> We're ready, yeah. 104 00:04:17,770 --> 00:04:19,960 >> Okay, well aside from some of these final tests 105 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,010 and the fit checks and things like that I know there are a lot 106 00:04:22,010 --> 00:04:24,210 of ceremonies and different traditions that come 107 00:04:24,210 --> 00:04:26,820 when you're flying on these Russian vehicles. 108 00:04:26,820 --> 00:04:29,010 What are some of the things that they're doing this week? 109 00:04:29,010 --> 00:04:32,340 >> Yeah, some of those traditions are very different 110 00:04:32,340 --> 00:04:34,480 from the American side. 111 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,050 One of the really neat ones is the crew is staying 112 00:04:37,050 --> 00:04:40,660 in a quarantine facility that we stay in Baikonur, 113 00:04:40,660 --> 00:04:43,260 it's called the Cosmonaut Hotel. 114 00:04:43,260 --> 00:04:45,050 It's not a classic hotel. 115 00:04:45,050 --> 00:04:46,720 >> It's not a five-star resort. 116 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:47,880 >> No, no it's not a five star. 117 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:49,680 It's definitely a government facility. 118 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,580 It's nice, it's no problem. 119 00:04:51,580 --> 00:04:54,320 But out behind there this -- 120 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:58,290 this facility is kind of a compound. 121 00:04:58,290 --> 00:05:02,870 I mean it's fenced and guarded and stuff to a -- because we -- 122 00:05:02,870 --> 00:05:05,340 the crew needs to be in a quarantine during that time. 123 00:05:05,340 --> 00:05:05,460 >> Yeah. 124 00:05:05,460 --> 00:05:07,250 >> So nobody comes in contact with the crew 125 00:05:07,250 --> 00:05:09,260 that hasn't been medically cleared 126 00:05:09,260 --> 00:05:11,660 and we minimize the amount of contact because you don't want 127 00:05:11,660 --> 00:05:13,990 to launch just on the verge of getting sick. 128 00:05:13,990 --> 00:05:14,520 >> Yep. 129 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,410 >> The transition to space is bad enough. 130 00:05:17,410 --> 00:05:20,050 We're not adding a cold or something on top of it too 131 00:05:20,050 --> 00:05:21,470 and sharing it with your crew mates 132 00:05:21,470 --> 00:05:23,110 which everybody would really love. 133 00:05:23,110 --> 00:05:26,870 So you're kind of cooped up in this facility, but out behind it 134 00:05:26,870 --> 00:05:29,670 within the compound walls and you're on the banks 135 00:05:29,670 --> 00:05:34,380 of the Syrdarya River that's a very historic place. 136 00:05:34,380 --> 00:05:35,800 It was actually the border 137 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,800 of Alexandra the Great's domain right there. 138 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:39,330 >> Wow. 139 00:05:39,330 --> 00:05:42,850 >> And this location is also on the Silk Highway 140 00:05:42,850 --> 00:05:45,300 for the ancient trade from China to Europe 141 00:05:45,300 --> 00:05:48,510 and so it's a very historic kind of location 142 00:05:48,510 --> 00:05:52,470 on a way -- on a post out there. 143 00:05:52,470 --> 00:05:57,680 But behind the cosmonaut hotel inside the compound it's called 144 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:01,080 the Cosmonaut Allay or Cosmonaut Way 145 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,710 and there's trees lining this. 146 00:06:03,710 --> 00:06:06,270 The first tree was planted by Yuri Gagarin. 147 00:06:06,270 --> 00:06:07,800 >> Oh, so this goes all the way back to... 148 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,380 >> This goes all the way back 50 years and so, 149 00:06:10,380 --> 00:06:12,410 I'm not sure Eerie planted it before he flew 150 00:06:12,410 --> 00:06:14,330 but it was pretty close there. 151 00:06:14,330 --> 00:06:17,320 And so each crew before -- 152 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:21,050 if you've not yet flown on a Russian rocket then as part 153 00:06:21,050 --> 00:06:23,910 of this final preparation you go out and plant your tree, 154 00:06:23,910 --> 00:06:26,890 [Background noise] and it's such a cool thing to go out 155 00:06:26,890 --> 00:06:32,550 and walking down these path ways here, is a walk through history 156 00:06:32,550 --> 00:06:36,530 as you see the names of the famous people from space history 157 00:06:36,530 --> 00:06:40,930 and the Apollo Soyuz crew have their names out there too. 158 00:06:40,930 --> 00:06:42,730 They were recognized by the Russians 159 00:06:42,730 --> 00:06:43,830 and have trees out there. 160 00:06:43,830 --> 00:06:47,040 And so it's really a cool thing to take part in and to go out 161 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,290 and actually plant your tree and know that on this -- 162 00:06:50,290 --> 00:06:53,260 and this place is on the edge of the earth. 163 00:06:53,260 --> 00:06:57,510 It is way out -- out there and there's now a tree 164 00:06:57,510 --> 00:07:00,200 with a little sign post on it with my name on it. 165 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:00,390 >> Wow. 166 00:07:00,390 --> 00:07:03,400 >> As just one of these people that has stood there 167 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:04,470 with these other explorers. 168 00:07:04,470 --> 00:07:08,930 And so it's really a -- kind of a neat tradition to be a part 169 00:07:08,930 --> 00:07:12,370 of that and [Background noise] walk through and see the -- 170 00:07:12,370 --> 00:07:16,360 again the Russians and going way back to the Soviet days, 171 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,730 as well as many of the Americans now who have flown 172 00:07:18,730 --> 00:07:22,750 with the Russians and other partners from around the globe. 173 00:07:22,750 --> 00:07:25,160 >> So a place really just heaved in tradition. 174 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,880 What are some of the other things that you guys are doing? 175 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,110 During the weekend I know there's a Red Square visit 176 00:07:30,110 --> 00:07:30,950 at some point. 177 00:07:30,950 --> 00:07:34,710 >> Yeah a lot of the other things the Red Square visit 178 00:07:34,710 --> 00:07:36,420 and the Kremlin visit takes place 179 00:07:36,420 --> 00:07:38,840 in the Moscow region before we leave there. 180 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:39,490 >> Okay. 181 00:07:39,490 --> 00:07:43,030 >> The crew goes through a final exams which they finish those 182 00:07:43,030 --> 00:07:47,380 up around three and a half to four weeks before launch. 183 00:07:47,380 --> 00:07:49,920 Their big final exams in Russia and then there's a little bit 184 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:54,140 of down time week and a half or so, where you can finish -- 185 00:07:54,140 --> 00:07:56,070 you're done with exams you're doing with training 186 00:07:56,070 --> 00:07:57,790 and you can get your stuff packed up. 187 00:07:57,790 --> 00:07:58,500 >> School's out. 188 00:07:58,500 --> 00:08:00,730 >> School's out, but you can't relax too much. 189 00:08:00,730 --> 00:08:02,100 Kind of get your things packed up. 190 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:05,100 Take care of all the things you need to take care 191 00:08:05,100 --> 00:08:08,850 of before leaving the planet for half a year and included 192 00:08:08,850 --> 00:08:12,770 in that is a trip to Red Square to lay flowers 193 00:08:12,770 --> 00:08:16,290 on the Kremlin wall to recognize the graves of some 194 00:08:16,290 --> 00:08:22,110 of the early explorers like Yuri Gagarin and Serge Chaloff 195 00:08:22,110 --> 00:08:25,180 who was the chief rocket designer back in the day 196 00:08:25,180 --> 00:08:27,040 and it's a neat part of the tradition and -- 197 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,060 and as an American, it was pretty humbling to be part 198 00:08:31,060 --> 00:08:36,390 of that and to imagine because the -- 199 00:08:36,390 --> 00:08:39,930 my early memories of seeing pictures of Red Square were not 200 00:08:39,930 --> 00:08:41,080 in a positive light... 201 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:41,420 >> Yeah. 202 00:08:41,420 --> 00:08:44,590 >> ...and it was an exotic place but it was also a scary place 203 00:08:44,590 --> 00:08:46,900 and we were at odds with each other. 204 00:08:46,900 --> 00:08:50,680 And so, now for me to actually be walking on Red Square 205 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:52,960 and to be participating in these kinds 206 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,170 of ceremonies is very humbling. 207 00:08:56,170 --> 00:08:58,920 Hard to -- would have been impossible 208 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:01,990 to imagine twenty or so years ago. 209 00:09:01,990 --> 00:09:02,650 >> Oh yeah. 210 00:09:02,650 --> 00:09:07,630 >> But now we're doing those kinds of things and now also 211 00:09:07,630 --> 00:09:10,330 in Baikonur we're doing their quarantine time here. 212 00:09:10,330 --> 00:09:13,630 I know the crews -- Suni especially she's a runner 213 00:09:13,630 --> 00:09:17,110 and I know she's running along the banks of the Syrdarya River 214 00:09:17,110 --> 00:09:18,550 out there -- just about every day. 215 00:09:18,550 --> 00:09:19,420 >> I think she's training 216 00:09:19,420 --> 00:09:22,410 to do a triathlon [chuckle] during her space slide 217 00:09:22,410 --> 00:09:23,130 at some point. 218 00:09:23,130 --> 00:09:26,800 >> Summer Olympics are coming up and so I don't think she's going 219 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,980 to run -- do a crazy long distance but -- 220 00:09:29,980 --> 00:09:33,880 she's definitely athletic and for me that was a great thing. 221 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:35,720 I really loved running there. 222 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:40,570 With escort we can get out and take a jog along the river 223 00:09:40,570 --> 00:09:43,680 and it's a very different place. 224 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:46,770 You don't -- there were times we had to change our route 225 00:09:46,770 --> 00:09:50,150 because there were camels, literally camels like, 226 00:09:50,150 --> 00:09:52,150 laying on the trail and it's like, 227 00:09:52,150 --> 00:09:53,420 "Okay, don't go too close." 228 00:09:53,420 --> 00:09:56,180 >> You were really out on the edge of nowhere 229 00:09:56,180 --> 00:09:56,810 when you're out there. 230 00:09:56,810 --> 00:09:58,450 >> Yeah, it really feels like it and that's -- 231 00:09:58,450 --> 00:10:00,960 that's kind of a neat feeling and for me, you know, 232 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,450 I like to get out and jog too, get out in the fresh air 233 00:10:03,450 --> 00:10:05,870 and do a lot of things outside and knowing that I was going 234 00:10:05,870 --> 00:10:08,120 to be inside half a year. 235 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:08,650 >> Yep, yep. 236 00:10:08,650 --> 00:10:10,830 >> I wanted to go out there and soak up a little bit of sun 237 00:10:10,830 --> 00:10:13,670 and just to smell the earth and that kind of thing. 238 00:10:13,670 --> 00:10:16,640 So I know that they're doing those kinds of things too. 239 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:18,590 They're doing final -- some 240 00:10:18,590 --> 00:10:22,410 of the training they were doing yesterday was some 241 00:10:22,410 --> 00:10:23,220 rendezvous training. 242 00:10:23,220 --> 00:10:25,470 So they're practicing the manual flying skills 243 00:10:25,470 --> 00:10:27,550 and that's mostly Yuri doing the flying 244 00:10:27,550 --> 00:10:31,070 with Suni and Aki assisting. 245 00:10:31,070 --> 00:10:31,230 >> Yeah. 246 00:10:31,230 --> 00:10:33,970 >> And actually Suni is practicing doing some other 247 00:10:33,970 --> 00:10:35,240 flying too. 248 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:40,310 She's able to back him up if need be which we don't expect 249 00:10:40,310 --> 00:10:42,760 to happen, but you -- you train for those kind of things. 250 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:46,060 And so they -- they're shown here training 251 00:10:46,060 --> 00:10:47,720 on the simulator on these controls. 252 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,180 Of course it's not like laying on the Soyuz 253 00:10:50,180 --> 00:10:54,010 but those are the actual controls that they use 254 00:10:54,010 --> 00:10:57,070 on the space craft and he's looking at a screen 255 00:10:57,070 --> 00:11:00,610 that shows him an image like the image you'll see 256 00:11:00,610 --> 00:11:02,940 through what we call the periscope. 257 00:11:02,940 --> 00:11:04,940 There's final procedure reviews where you're going 258 00:11:04,940 --> 00:11:08,310 through your final books, your main Soyuz instructor who's been 259 00:11:08,310 --> 00:11:11,820 with you a lot especially in that last year and he'll go 260 00:11:11,820 --> 00:11:14,490 through and you're going through everything you're going to do 261 00:11:14,490 --> 00:11:15,790 and reviewing it one more time 262 00:11:15,790 --> 00:11:17,750 and making sure you understand all the details 263 00:11:17,750 --> 00:11:19,610 and you're ready to go. 264 00:11:19,610 --> 00:11:22,510 >> The training really just does not stop until you are strapped 265 00:11:22,510 --> 00:11:24,910 into that space craft ready to go. 266 00:11:24,910 --> 00:11:27,590 Let's touch on that real quick, the difference between launching 267 00:11:27,590 --> 00:11:29,220 on the Soyuz and a shuttle. 268 00:11:29,220 --> 00:11:30,200 Different sensations? 269 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:31,760 >> Oh yeah, it's very different. 270 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:33,660 For me the first time I saw the [inaudible] Soyuz 271 00:11:33,660 --> 00:11:37,140 because we'd never seen it, was when I was there 272 00:11:37,140 --> 00:11:40,250 as a back crew member for Katy Colman [Background noise] 273 00:11:40,250 --> 00:11:46,220 and the -- "Wow that's it." 274 00:11:46,220 --> 00:11:48,960 [Laughter] I'm used to the signs of a shuttle 275 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:50,600 which is what the external tank 276 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:52,140 and solid rock boosters and everything. 277 00:11:52,140 --> 00:11:53,840 It's a really massive a -- 278 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,010 massive rocket and the Soyuz is not a big truck. 279 00:11:57,010 --> 00:12:00,340 It's very efficient at delivering people though. 280 00:12:00,340 --> 00:12:03,470 So it hauls people and a couple of hundred pounds of supplies 281 00:12:03,470 --> 00:12:07,500 and it's very efficient at that but it's a lot smaller vehicle 282 00:12:07,500 --> 00:12:11,720 to -- what it's like out there though -- 283 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:13,870 there's a little bit of difference. 284 00:12:13,870 --> 00:12:17,090 One thing that we'll see on Saturday [Background noise] 285 00:12:17,090 --> 00:12:22,200 as the crew is going out to their launch is they'll go 286 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,030 through a full suit up and a pressure check of their suits 287 00:12:25,030 --> 00:12:28,680 and where in the American program for shuttle flights 288 00:12:28,680 --> 00:12:30,110 that was all done in a suit room 289 00:12:30,110 --> 00:12:32,380 with just the technicians and stuff. 290 00:12:32,380 --> 00:12:32,470 >> Yeah. 291 00:12:32,470 --> 00:12:35,020 >> And then you do a final walkout and a wave to the crowd 292 00:12:35,020 --> 00:12:39,450 and get in the bus and go to the pad, and in Kazakhstan 293 00:12:39,450 --> 00:12:42,420 and in the Baikonur Cosmodrome, we're doing that with the press 294 00:12:42,420 --> 00:12:43,780 on the other side of glass. 295 00:12:43,780 --> 00:12:44,360 >> Oh wow. 296 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,840 >> And our families and usually some of our guest that come 297 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:49,720 over are allowed to watch this too. 298 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,040 So it's really strange thing to have all 299 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,260 of these people watching and observing as you're going 300 00:12:54,260 --> 00:12:56,820 through a real pressure check of the suit. 301 00:12:56,820 --> 00:13:00,490 The backup crew will be standing right behind them, they're ready 302 00:13:00,490 --> 00:13:04,210 to take their place if need be. 303 00:13:04,210 --> 00:13:08,870 And so, you know, you go through that and then they'll walk 304 00:13:08,870 --> 00:13:12,830 out of that building and they'll actually salute into the head 305 00:13:12,830 --> 00:13:15,810 of the Russian Space Agency or the space program depending 306 00:13:15,810 --> 00:13:18,740 on who the highest ranking person there might be 307 00:13:18,740 --> 00:13:20,220 and the crew goes out and reports in. 308 00:13:20,220 --> 00:13:22,950 And this is the iconic image that we've seen, you know, 309 00:13:22,950 --> 00:13:26,140 in history and in all our lives what it's like for the Russians 310 00:13:26,140 --> 00:13:29,940 to walk out and salute in like that and then get in on the bus 311 00:13:29,940 --> 00:13:33,610 and go for a fairly short ride -- you know, to the launch pad. 312 00:13:33,610 --> 00:13:36,210 Another thing that surprised me about going 313 00:13:36,210 --> 00:13:37,900 out to the launch pad was just the number 314 00:13:37,900 --> 00:13:40,560 of people that were out there. 315 00:13:40,560 --> 00:13:44,170 There were quite a few people out there to document it 316 00:13:44,170 --> 00:13:47,950 and a lot of the managers take you all the way 317 00:13:47,950 --> 00:13:53,510 out to the rocket itself and, you know, shake your hand 318 00:13:53,510 --> 00:13:56,890 and wave goodbye as you get on the elevator and head 319 00:13:56,890 --> 00:13:58,420 up to climb into the rocket. 320 00:13:58,420 --> 00:13:59,820 So I was a little surprised 321 00:13:59,820 --> 00:14:01,910 at how many people are actually involved 322 00:14:01,910 --> 00:14:03,780 and finally you get on the elevator. 323 00:14:03,780 --> 00:14:07,520 It's a really tiny elevator [chuckle] and go up to the top. 324 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:10,270 And it's like, "Okay, now we're alone it's just us 325 00:14:10,270 --> 00:14:12,960 and a very small crew that's helping us strap in 326 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,390 and secure the hatches behind us. 327 00:14:15,390 --> 00:14:18,770 As you drop in kind of a side hatch 328 00:14:18,770 --> 00:14:21,640 in the very top part there's two pieces to the Soyuz 329 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:25,180 that we can get into the main capsule that we ride up and down 330 00:14:25,180 --> 00:14:26,980 in is kind of in the middle of the stack. 331 00:14:26,980 --> 00:14:27,610 >> Yeah. 332 00:14:27,610 --> 00:14:30,760 >> The orbit module up above has a side hatch that we go 333 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:34,240 through there into that small volume and it's about a total 334 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:39,410 of six cubic meters and then we drop down into the, 335 00:14:39,410 --> 00:14:43,790 descent module I call it and -- so we have the orbit module it's 336 00:14:43,790 --> 00:14:46,810 at the very top and we come through a side hatch in that, 337 00:14:46,810 --> 00:14:51,120 and then we drop down through a hatch into the middle part. 338 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,350 Kind of a gum drop shape descent module 339 00:14:54,350 --> 00:14:56,990 and all three crew members are in the descent module 340 00:14:56,990 --> 00:15:00,090 and you take turns, the two guys on the outside, you know, 341 00:15:00,090 --> 00:15:03,430 getting strapped in and there's a lot of hoses and connectors 342 00:15:03,430 --> 00:15:06,990 to have oxygen line and ventilation line, communication 343 00:15:06,990 --> 00:15:11,640 and a bio medical so the doctors are actually monitoring heart 344 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:16,600 rate, some basic parameters and you do that you start strapping 345 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,540 in a little over -- about two 346 00:15:18,540 --> 00:15:20,400 and a half hours prior to launch. 347 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,950 >> Okay like I said you're not sitting up, 348 00:15:23,950 --> 00:15:25,290 you're down on your back. 349 00:15:25,290 --> 00:15:25,970 >> You're on your back. 350 00:15:25,970 --> 00:15:28,740 >> You're almost kind of tuned in there. 351 00:15:28,740 --> 00:15:32,220 >> Yeah, he seat itself it's a big metal pan 352 00:15:32,220 --> 00:15:35,750 that from your bottom up to the top of your head 353 00:15:35,750 --> 00:15:39,570 and your knees are up and actually held 354 00:15:39,570 --> 00:15:41,530 by straps up into position. 355 00:15:41,530 --> 00:15:45,250 And there's the seat right there and you see the liner 356 00:15:45,250 --> 00:15:47,750 around it is actually form-fitted. 357 00:15:47,750 --> 00:15:50,440 These are just training unit we see here but the ones 358 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:52,420 for flight are form-fitted to your body. 359 00:15:52,420 --> 00:15:55,520 They actually pour a mold over your body and build it. 360 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:57,510 So it's like a Jell-O mold that's holding your 361 00:15:57,510 --> 00:15:59,200 body perfectly. 362 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,880 And so at this point pre-launch you're getting in 363 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,200 and you just -- you just -- you fit in that thing. 364 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:10,510 You don't just -- [noise and chuckling] and a there's no -- 365 00:16:10,510 --> 00:16:13,060 the downside is there's very little room 366 00:16:13,060 --> 00:16:14,930 to move around by intent. 367 00:16:14,930 --> 00:16:15,280 >> Yeah. 368 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,210 >> It's designed so it's really tight. 369 00:16:17,210 --> 00:16:18,540 You go through the system checks. 370 00:16:18,540 --> 00:16:21,060 You check all the parameters, you check that the handles 371 00:16:21,060 --> 00:16:25,960 and everything nothing bumped in the process of getting in. 372 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:28,810 You have flight procedures that you're looking 373 00:16:28,810 --> 00:16:30,680 at strapping those down 374 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,240 and making sure you've got the right pages kind 375 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:35,350 of earmarked there, little tabs on them 376 00:16:35,350 --> 00:16:40,210 so you can find important things and to through. 377 00:16:40,210 --> 00:16:43,930 And then as the close-out crew is closing hatches behind you 378 00:16:43,930 --> 00:16:47,040 or activating the systems inside the space craft -- 379 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:50,180 make sure ventilation radios all this carbonate oxide removal 380 00:16:50,180 --> 00:16:52,510 system is working and stuff like that 381 00:16:52,510 --> 00:16:56,340 and the close-out crew is backing their way out. 382 00:16:56,340 --> 00:17:00,380 And the hatch at the top here is the one that we will not open 383 00:17:00,380 --> 00:17:02,710 until after we've attached to the station. 384 00:17:02,710 --> 00:17:07,310 It's a great video of the inside of the orbit module. 385 00:17:07,310 --> 00:17:08,540 There's a little more room in here 386 00:17:08,540 --> 00:17:11,330 that the silver container has a -- 387 00:17:11,330 --> 00:17:14,340 has a few days' worth of food and stuff. 388 00:17:14,340 --> 00:17:16,380 This looks like there's a lot of room in the capsule 389 00:17:16,380 --> 00:17:18,220 but there's really not -- 390 00:17:18,220 --> 00:17:21,810 that little shelf area there is covered -- 391 00:17:21,810 --> 00:17:24,040 filled up with supplies that are all tied down. 392 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:24,440 >> Oh, okay. 393 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,700 >> That was a little surprise when you get into the real one. 394 00:17:27,700 --> 00:17:30,100 But anyway you get strapped in about two 395 00:17:30,100 --> 00:17:30,930 and a half hours prior. 396 00:17:30,930 --> 00:17:32,690 You go through the system checks and stuff 397 00:17:32,690 --> 00:17:37,760 and then there's extra time added in to the scheduling 398 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:40,780 in case something needs to be repaired, 399 00:17:40,780 --> 00:17:43,230 a communication line's not working or something like that. 400 00:17:43,230 --> 00:17:43,440 >> Yep. 401 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,050 >> So they leave a little bit of time and every once 402 00:17:45,050 --> 00:17:47,950 in a while something comes up and you need it. 403 00:17:47,950 --> 00:17:49,570 So it's a good thing to do. 404 00:17:49,570 --> 00:17:52,320 Ours went perfectly fine, so we had time 405 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,690 to just sit there kind of talk a little bit. 406 00:17:54,690 --> 00:17:56,540 The ground is talking to us 407 00:17:56,540 --> 00:17:58,390 and you spend a little quiet time too kind 408 00:17:58,390 --> 00:18:01,590 of heading the game and looking at the procedures again, 409 00:18:01,590 --> 00:18:02,710 going through it one more time. 410 00:18:02,710 --> 00:18:06,710 Thinking, okay this is going to happen this is going to happen 411 00:18:06,710 --> 00:18:11,880 and making sure I can touch my controls that I was responsible 412 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:13,730 for -- that kind of stuff. 413 00:18:13,730 --> 00:18:16,160 When it's going really well, they have time 414 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:17,220 to play a little music... 415 00:18:17,220 --> 00:18:17,510 >[Inaudible]. 416 00:18:17,510 --> 00:18:18,720 >> ...that's it. 417 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:22,390 Kind of a neat tradition that the Russians have. 418 00:18:22,390 --> 00:18:25,120 They actually pump some crew choice music 419 00:18:25,120 --> 00:18:28,020 out to the launch pad as just a way of kind 420 00:18:28,020 --> 00:18:29,470 of helping the crew relax a little bit. 421 00:18:29,470 --> 00:18:31,400 >> Do they take requests before you guys hop out? 422 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,710 >> They do take requests, that's right [chuckle]. 423 00:18:34,710 --> 00:18:38,840 >> Well that's an amazingly in depth. 424 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:42,370 So we know our next three crew members are going 425 00:18:42,370 --> 00:18:44,210 to be looking forward to doing that. 426 00:18:44,210 --> 00:18:47,250 They have all their ceremonies this week, steeped in tradition, 427 00:18:47,250 --> 00:18:48,870 it sounds like an amazing place. 428 00:18:48,870 --> 00:18:51,670 >> Oh yeah I missed some of them for the walk out. 429 00:18:51,670 --> 00:18:54,660 The crew is staying in this quarantined facility 430 00:18:54,660 --> 00:18:58,330 and when it's actually time to walk 431 00:18:58,330 --> 00:19:00,380 out they sign the door to their rooms... 432 00:19:00,380 --> 00:19:00,710 >> Oh. 433 00:19:00,710 --> 00:19:03,080 >> ...and so we'll see that Saturday. 434 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,380 There's a door signing ceremony. 435 00:19:05,380 --> 00:19:08,060 So everybody gets to sign the door to their room 436 00:19:08,060 --> 00:19:09,860 and then these doors are getting. 437 00:19:09,860 --> 00:19:12,620 When they fill up I guess they remove the doors to a museum 438 00:19:12,620 --> 00:19:16,160 and they get start -- the next crew starts with a fresh door. 439 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:17,150 >> Are they getting full yet? 440 00:19:19,130 --> 00:19:18,060 >> They're getting there. 441 00:19:19,130 --> 00:19:21,410 >> Yeah, and then you walk out 442 00:19:21,410 --> 00:19:27,020 and they'll be a Russian Orthodox priest will bless 443 00:19:27,020 --> 00:19:28,270 the crew. 444 00:19:28,270 --> 00:19:29,210 >> Okay. 445 00:19:29,210 --> 00:19:32,300 >> And then that's part of their tradition there. 446 00:19:32,300 --> 00:19:36,510 It involves kind of a liberal application of holy water 447 00:19:36,510 --> 00:19:39,520 which is always a little bit amusing to watch the crew 448 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:41,470 as they get slightly drenched. 449 00:19:41,470 --> 00:19:46,230 [Chuckle] And from there, its walk out to the -- 450 00:19:46,230 --> 00:19:48,840 there's a large crowd of people there... 451 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:49,320 >> Yeah. 452 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,820 >> ...waving and as the crew heads out. 453 00:19:51,820 --> 00:19:53,490 So it's all part of the tradition 454 00:19:53,490 --> 00:19:55,880 so we're living up to it. 455 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,170 And once you get, you know, into the rocket 456 00:19:58,170 --> 00:20:01,500 and it's finally go time, the big difference 457 00:20:01,500 --> 00:20:05,340 from a shuttle flight was how quiet it is. 458 00:20:05,340 --> 00:20:07,700 On a space shuttle a lot of the dynamics were 459 00:20:07,700 --> 00:20:12,410 from the solid rocket boosters that burn with a lot of popping 460 00:20:12,410 --> 00:20:14,600 and crackling and the people that were fortunate enough 461 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:17,140 to see one in person you could actually feel that. 462 00:20:17,140 --> 00:20:19,320 >> I remember it just hits you like a weight 463 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,200 when the sound wave gets to you. 464 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:25,240 >> Yeah exactly, and it -- it kind a -- you know, pounds on, 465 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,620 you can feel it and you can feel that -- 466 00:20:28,620 --> 00:20:32,250 those dynamics coming up through the shuttle stack 467 00:20:32,250 --> 00:20:36,120 and it actually makes it, you know, a little hard 468 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:37,660 to read the displays and controls 469 00:20:37,660 --> 00:20:41,150 because everything's moving for the first two minutes. 470 00:20:41,150 --> 00:20:42,920 For the Soyuz it's real quiet. 471 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:45,700 It starts off and it's a little disconcerting to people 472 00:20:45,700 --> 00:20:46,970 that are used to watching the shuttle 473 00:20:46,970 --> 00:20:49,720 because the main engines come up and a few seconds 474 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:51,500 of checking and then boom. 475 00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:54,610 The Soyuz' light and you leap off the pad. 476 00:20:54,610 --> 00:20:57,060 Soyuz moves off the pad more slowly 477 00:20:57,060 --> 00:20:58,370 and the engines are running -- 478 00:20:58,370 --> 00:21:02,490 it's about eight seconds before it starts to move 479 00:21:02,490 --> 00:21:05,220 and so it seems -- like is everything okay? 480 00:21:05,220 --> 00:21:05,850 >> Is it going? 481 00:21:05,850 --> 00:21:06,910 Is it really going? 482 00:21:06,910 --> 00:21:09,090 >> Yep. And -- it's kind of neat 483 00:21:09,090 --> 00:21:12,340 because the way the launch pad works is the rocket it's not 484 00:21:12,340 --> 00:21:14,680 really bolted down the way we would bolt -- 485 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:16,380 traditionally bolted ours down. 486 00:21:16,380 --> 00:21:19,250 It's held down by the weight. 487 00:21:19,250 --> 00:21:23,860 There's these big pads that are literally push-holding the side 488 00:21:23,860 --> 00:21:26,420 of the rocket and the way that the rocket pushes them down 489 00:21:26,420 --> 00:21:28,430 and creates the friction that holds it in place. 490 00:21:28,430 --> 00:21:32,150 So the rocket is suspended there and once the rocket starts 491 00:21:32,150 --> 00:21:39,050 to lift off it releases this and it releases the arms 492 00:21:39,050 --> 00:21:41,440 which just spring out of the way then. 493 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:47,610 And so it's a very odd looking thing. 494 00:21:47,610 --> 00:21:51,090 As they -- the first arms that are coming back that's just some 495 00:21:51,090 --> 00:21:52,030 of the support stuff 496 00:21:52,030 --> 00:21:55,000 that includes elevator and everything. 497 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,910 At this point the rockets is just held in place by these -- 498 00:21:58,910 --> 00:22:02,830 by these smaller arms that are literally just held there 499 00:22:02,830 --> 00:22:05,790 by the weight of the rocket itself and you see those 500 00:22:05,790 --> 00:22:08,900 down around the base as the rocket comes to life 501 00:22:08,900 --> 00:22:11,750 and it starts to light up. 502 00:22:11,750 --> 00:22:16,550 It's about eight seconds and it's a little slow motion here 503 00:22:16,550 --> 00:22:21,700 but it's -- and just watch as the rocket starts to lift off 504 00:22:21,700 --> 00:22:23,250 and then those are released. 505 00:22:23,250 --> 00:22:24,940 Now they're not bolted on it's just held there 506 00:22:24,940 --> 00:22:28,330 by just the mechanics of the weight. 507 00:22:28,330 --> 00:22:30,730 The ride's smooth. 508 00:22:30,730 --> 00:22:33,530 There are very little vibration in it, 509 00:22:33,530 --> 00:22:36,360 very little really sensation of sound or anything. 510 00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:38,170 I mean you are inside the capsule... 511 00:22:38,170 --> 00:22:38,240 >> Yeah. 512 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,640 >> ...inside the comet and everything but after the -- 513 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:48,620 in about a minute and a half or so the escape rocket fires off, 514 00:22:48,620 --> 00:22:53,410 the Soyuz have some strap-on boosters, four boosters 515 00:22:53,410 --> 00:22:57,050 that around the base to help get moving, get off the pad 516 00:22:57,050 --> 00:22:59,420 and start to clear the atmosphere too. 517 00:22:59,420 --> 00:23:01,270 And so it's multiple stages. 518 00:23:01,270 --> 00:23:05,930 This is the end of the second stage here, as it falls away. 519 00:23:05,930 --> 00:23:09,260 We call it the second stage and then the third stage lights up 520 00:23:09,260 --> 00:23:10,570 and that pushes you to orbit. 521 00:23:10,570 --> 00:23:13,580 The whole thing just takes about nine minutes. 522 00:23:13,580 --> 00:23:14,640 >> Really quick really cool. 523 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,080 >> It's like you go from sitting still on the ground to going 524 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:19,860 over 17,000 miles an hour 525 00:23:19,860 --> 00:23:25,120 and you are zero G weightless then in just nine minutes. 526 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:29,580 And the way we do it now, well once the vehicle gets to orbit 527 00:23:29,580 --> 00:23:32,830 of course it has to get activated now and things 528 00:23:32,830 --> 00:23:37,120 like unfurling the solar rays which the Soyuz uses sunlight 529 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:38,250 to generate electricity. 530 00:23:38,250 --> 00:23:40,180 So you have to unfurl the solar rays, 531 00:23:40,180 --> 00:23:42,940 go through the other systems checks and then there's a couple 532 00:23:42,940 --> 00:23:47,060 of burns typically to circularize the orbit and then 533 00:23:47,060 --> 00:23:49,330 to set up the [Background noise] rendezvous 534 00:23:49,330 --> 00:23:52,490 and what they'll be doing is setting up a rendezvous 535 00:23:52,490 --> 00:23:54,620 about two days after launch, almost -- 536 00:23:54,620 --> 00:23:57,150 it's about 50 hours after launch, 537 00:23:57,150 --> 00:24:01,870 the crew will be docking to the space station. 538 00:24:01,870 --> 00:24:04,120 And so that's a real precise maneuver 539 00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:06,490 to get the orbit fine-tuned. 540 00:24:06,490 --> 00:24:09,770 So after the first few orbits surround the earth 541 00:24:09,770 --> 00:24:11,210 after launch they'll be doing some 542 00:24:11,210 --> 00:24:13,330 of those little maneuver corrections. 543 00:24:13,330 --> 00:24:16,610 >> Just a little cramped in there for two days I'd imagine. 544 00:24:16,610 --> 00:24:20,440 >> Well if you were just inside the capsule it would be almost 545 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:22,490 intolerable because there's just -- 546 00:24:22,490 --> 00:24:25,670 there's no room to stretch your legs out it's really tight. 547 00:24:25,670 --> 00:24:29,520 Once you get to orbit and take care of the maneuvers 548 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:31,590 that you need to do and there's some pressure checks 549 00:24:31,590 --> 00:24:33,720 to make sure that that orbital module, 550 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:36,420 the top part is holding pressure. 551 00:24:36,420 --> 00:24:38,330 So you go through very careful checks. 552 00:24:38,330 --> 00:24:39,640 >> Yeah. 553 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,050 >> Once that all checks out then you could open up the hatch 554 00:24:43,050 --> 00:24:47,280 and get out of your seats and get changed out of the suits. 555 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,640 You don't spend the full two days in the suits... 556 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:50,600 >> Yeah. 557 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,610 >> ...and it's nice to have a little bit of room to stretch 558 00:24:53,610 --> 00:24:55,400 out and get a bite to eat. 559 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:59,100 And your food and your water are up there, things like that. 560 00:24:59,100 --> 00:25:02,170 >> Then once you dock you have more room then you know to do it 561 00:25:02,170 --> 00:25:02,880 since you're on board. 562 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,850 >> Oh, it's such a big difference, you bet. 563 00:25:05,850 --> 00:25:09,330 Even the two habitable parts 564 00:25:09,330 --> 00:25:13,170 of the Soyuz space craft have just 10 cubic meters total 565 00:25:13,170 --> 00:25:16,780 before you add seats, instrument panels and all of these... 566 00:25:16,780 --> 00:25:18,100 >> It takes up a lot. 567 00:25:18,100 --> 00:25:20,130 >> ...which take up half of it. 568 00:25:20,130 --> 00:25:23,110 So there's not much volume to work with. 569 00:25:23,110 --> 00:25:25,110 Once you get to the station it's really fun 570 00:25:25,110 --> 00:25:29,100 to watch especially new guys as they're coming across the hatch 571 00:25:29,100 --> 00:25:30,760 because it's like wow. 572 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,630 In the Soyuz you can stick [Background noise] out your arms 573 00:25:33,630 --> 00:25:37,990 and touch both walls and there's not -- 574 00:25:37,990 --> 00:25:40,480 you're floating but you're not traveling. 575 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:40,550 >> Yeah. 576 00:25:40,550 --> 00:25:41,750 >> You're not flying anywhere. 577 00:25:41,750 --> 00:25:44,670 You're floating there but you're not really propelling yourself 578 00:25:44,670 --> 00:25:45,030 and moving around. 579 00:25:45,030 --> 00:25:46,360 >> You don't get to have fun with it yet. 580 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:47,830 >> You're not having fun with it yet. 581 00:25:47,830 --> 00:25:50,010 No time for stupid astronaut tricks yet. 582 00:25:50,010 --> 00:25:52,040 But when you get into the station though it's actually 583 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:55,640 very disorienting first because it's so big and you're trying 584 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:56,850 to figure out how to move, 585 00:25:56,850 --> 00:25:58,580 because you haven't had any practice moving. 586 00:25:58,580 --> 00:25:59,200 >> Yeah. 587 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,140 >> And so it's like you watch -- you watch them. 588 00:26:02,140 --> 00:26:03,400 Of course none of these -- 589 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,130 none of these guys going up this time are rookies. 590 00:26:06,130 --> 00:26:06,230 >> Yeah. 591 00:26:06,230 --> 00:26:07,500 >> So they're -- I guarantee there's going to be... 592 00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:09,090 >> So they'll all be pros by the time -- 593 00:26:09,090 --> 00:26:11,120 they don't have to crawl before they run. 594 00:26:11,120 --> 00:26:12,410 >> No, no, they'll be fine. 595 00:26:12,410 --> 00:26:15,430 They'll be a little bit tentative right 596 00:26:15,430 --> 00:26:15,940 at [Background noise] first 597 00:26:15,940 --> 00:26:17,920 as they're getting their space legs back. 598 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:19,270 >> It's like riding a bike though. 599 00:26:19,270 --> 00:26:22,040 >> It's like riding a bike, oh yeah [chuckle]. 600 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,420 >> All right, well we'll certainly be looking forward 601 00:26:24,420 --> 00:26:26,590 to that launch coming up this Saturday. 602 00:26:26,590 --> 00:26:26,690 >> Yeah. 603 00:26:26,690 --> 00:26:28,570 >> Expedition 29 Commander Mike Foss. 604 00:26:28,570 --> 00:26:31,380 Thanks so much for coming on and giving us this great insight 605 00:26:31,380 --> 00:26:33,070 into everything that they're going through this week 606 00:26:33,070 --> 00:26:35,280 and what they have to look forward to a little bit later. 607 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:37,750 >> It's exciting times, so I'm really excited for them. 608 00:26:37,750 --> 00:26:41,720 It's a long training road and a, you know, I wish I was there. 609 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,050 It's a good time and I can't wait to watch it. 610 00:26:44,050 --> 00:26:45,750 >> Yep, well we'll be following on. 611 00:26:45,750 --> 00:26:48,690 Hopefully we see you up there again sometimes soon.