1 00:00:00,006 --> 00:00:01,456 [ Silence ] 2 00:00:01,456 --> 00:00:03,946 >> My name is Clair, I live in Tacoma. 3 00:00:04,186 --> 00:00:06,886 How many jobs are there on the Mission Control? 4 00:00:08,346 --> 00:00:11,986 >> In Mission Control, there are a lot of different jobs. 5 00:00:11,986 --> 00:00:14,866 There are -- right now, there are probably 6 00:00:14,866 --> 00:00:17,266 about 30 people here at Mission Control. 7 00:00:18,066 --> 00:00:22,266 They -- their team is led by a flight director and then 8 00:00:22,546 --> 00:00:25,016 that flight director is in charge of the entire team 9 00:00:25,016 --> 00:00:28,266 and then each of these folks has a specific area that they work 10 00:00:28,266 --> 00:00:31,026 in whether it's space walking, 11 00:00:31,026 --> 00:00:33,916 or whether it's environmental control systems 12 00:00:33,916 --> 00:00:35,616 or communication systems. 13 00:00:36,166 --> 00:00:38,176 And that whole team works together here and then 14 00:00:38,176 --> 00:00:41,956 in addition there are back rooms, as we call them, 15 00:00:42,276 --> 00:00:44,206 where they have additional specialists 16 00:00:44,206 --> 00:00:47,366 that may have a particular part of that system 17 00:00:47,366 --> 00:00:49,176 that they're really expert at. 18 00:00:49,646 --> 00:00:52,606 And then those folks all work together to bring 19 00:00:52,606 --> 00:00:54,906 that into the full team and make sure 20 00:00:54,906 --> 00:00:57,456 that we make the right decisions for the astronauts on orbit. 21 00:00:57,456 --> 00:00:59,606 And then of course, we're also connecting 22 00:00:59,996 --> 00:01:02,796 with Mission Control centers around the world 23 00:01:02,796 --> 00:01:05,596 since we have five different space agencies working 24 00:01:05,596 --> 00:01:07,126 on the International Space Station, 25 00:01:07,706 --> 00:01:09,556 representing 15 different countries. 26 00:01:09,836 --> 00:01:10,636 And so these folks here 27 00:01:10,636 --> 00:01:14,756 in Mission Control have similar counterparts in Munich 28 00:01:14,756 --> 00:01:20,186 and Moscow, in Scuba, Japan, in [inaudible] Canada, 29 00:01:20,736 --> 00:01:25,816 and also in other areas of the country 30 00:01:25,816 --> 00:01:27,726 that helps support their work here, 31 00:01:28,096 --> 00:01:31,236 areas like Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, 32 00:01:31,746 --> 00:01:33,406 where they help coordinate all the research 33 00:01:33,406 --> 00:01:34,246 on the Space Stations. 34 00:01:34,246 --> 00:01:36,896 A really big team, I couldn't give you an exact number 35 00:01:36,896 --> 00:01:38,426 but here in Mission Control right now, 36 00:01:38,426 --> 00:01:43,876 there's about 30 people. 37 00:01:43,876 --> 00:01:45,876 >> My name is Emma. 38 00:01:45,876 --> 00:01:51,126 I live in Seattle, and my question is, "Do -- 39 00:01:51,706 --> 00:01:54,556 do you always work at the same job 40 00:01:54,556 --> 00:01:56,346 and do the same thing in Mission Control?" 41 00:01:57,376 --> 00:02:01,386 >> You know, I'm going to bring Mark in on this a little bit. 42 00:02:01,816 --> 00:02:07,026 Most people work in a particular area and focus on that area 43 00:02:07,026 --> 00:02:10,006 at least for a portion of their time in Mission Control. 44 00:02:10,456 --> 00:02:13,916 However, a lot of people move around into different areas 45 00:02:13,916 --> 00:02:16,866 because you've got basically engineers and scientists 46 00:02:16,866 --> 00:02:18,856 for the most part that work in Mission Control, 47 00:02:19,156 --> 00:02:22,546 and they have a broad background in whatever area they're in. 48 00:02:22,836 --> 00:02:24,806 And so they sometimes can translate those 49 00:02:24,806 --> 00:02:28,106 over in different areas and they like to do 50 00:02:28,106 --> 00:02:30,936 that to expand their careers because a lot 51 00:02:30,936 --> 00:02:33,536 of these folks would like to in addition to just working 52 00:02:33,536 --> 00:02:35,776 in Mission Control, they'd like someday maybe 53 00:02:35,776 --> 00:02:37,516 to be a flight director and be in charge. 54 00:02:37,516 --> 00:02:40,416 And so in order to get experience in different areas, 55 00:02:40,766 --> 00:02:42,676 they do that kind of thing. 56 00:02:42,676 --> 00:02:45,356 We also have people like Mark who work with the crews 57 00:02:45,356 --> 00:02:47,236 and help prepare them and maybe you can talk 58 00:02:47,236 --> 00:02:49,256 about all the other support work. 59 00:02:49,976 --> 00:02:52,956 >> Well, yeah, I mean I -- I've been here about 20 years. 60 00:02:52,956 --> 00:02:54,396 I started off, I worked 61 00:02:54,396 --> 00:02:57,746 in the Exercise Physiology Lab doing research for about four 62 00:02:57,746 --> 00:03:00,676 or five years and I've been currently in my job 63 00:03:00,676 --> 00:03:02,316 that I have now as the Strength 64 00:03:02,316 --> 00:03:04,296 and Conditioning coach for about 16 years. 65 00:03:04,856 --> 00:03:08,406 >> Okay. Does that answer your question? 66 00:03:09,376 --> 00:03:09,443 >> Yeah. 67 00:03:12,736 --> 00:03:14,486 >> Hello. My name is Natia [assumed spelling]. 68 00:03:14,836 --> 00:03:17,466 I live in Burnham, B.C. and my question is, 69 00:03:17,706 --> 00:03:19,516 "What kind of education do you need 70 00:03:19,516 --> 00:03:20,846 to work in Mission Control?" 71 00:03:22,456 --> 00:03:24,656 >> Well, again, most of the folks that work 72 00:03:24,656 --> 00:03:27,326 in Mission Control are scientists or engineers. 73 00:03:27,656 --> 00:03:30,216 There are a lot of different engineering backgrounds. 74 00:03:30,216 --> 00:03:32,966 There's electrical engineering, there's mechanical engineering. 75 00:03:32,966 --> 00:03:35,066 There is aeronautical engineering. 76 00:03:35,416 --> 00:03:39,036 There's physics, Math, essentially for education, 77 00:03:39,036 --> 00:03:42,526 you want to get a broad education in science, 78 00:03:42,576 --> 00:03:44,196 technology, and engineering. 79 00:03:44,606 --> 00:03:47,786 But what's really key is to find something that you love to do, 80 00:03:48,206 --> 00:03:52,836 because whenever you are trying to improve yourself 81 00:03:52,836 --> 00:03:56,266 and get ready for a career, it's important to be doing something 82 00:03:56,266 --> 00:03:58,506 that you like to do because that's going 83 00:03:58,506 --> 00:04:01,106 to help you do it better and it's going to help you focus 84 00:04:01,106 --> 00:04:02,566 on learning what you need to know. 85 00:04:02,956 --> 00:04:07,596 And then continuing as you get older and maturer, 86 00:04:07,916 --> 00:04:10,446 to learn more all the time and it's going to inspire 87 00:04:10,446 --> 00:04:13,616 in you the idea of continuing to learn throughout your life 88 00:04:13,666 --> 00:04:15,726 which everybody here in this room is -- 89 00:04:15,726 --> 00:04:17,346 is definitely focused on doing 90 00:04:17,346 --> 00:04:21,906 that because every time we do something in space, 91 00:04:21,966 --> 00:04:24,406 on the space station, or on a space craft, 92 00:04:24,496 --> 00:04:25,546 we learn something new. 93 00:04:25,546 --> 00:04:28,056 Yesterday, we had a problem on the space walk 94 00:04:28,056 --> 00:04:32,516 and we had a brand new problem that we'd never had before. 95 00:04:32,516 --> 00:04:34,906 We had a bunch of water collected inside Luca 96 00:04:34,906 --> 00:04:36,456 Parmitano's helmet and they had 97 00:04:36,456 --> 00:04:37,886 to come home early on the space walk. 98 00:04:38,346 --> 00:04:39,206 That's a new thing. 99 00:04:39,206 --> 00:04:40,176 We're learning from that. 100 00:04:40,176 --> 00:04:43,896 We're trying to figure out now, what exactly happened and it's 101 00:04:43,896 --> 00:04:47,116 that kind of learning attitude that you need to develop as much 102 00:04:47,116 --> 00:04:54,716 as anything as you're studying to try to get to work here. 103 00:04:55,636 --> 00:04:57,866 >> My name is Jeanie and I live in Seattle. 104 00:04:58,266 --> 00:05:00,396 This is my question, "Can people who work 105 00:05:00,396 --> 00:05:03,116 in Mission Control become astronauts and vice versa?" 106 00:05:04,626 --> 00:05:06,326 >> As a matter of fact, yes. 107 00:05:06,326 --> 00:05:09,716 There are a number of astronauts who started out as -- 108 00:05:09,716 --> 00:05:11,426 as flight controllers. 109 00:05:11,756 --> 00:05:13,866 Mark, you've worked with some of them. 110 00:05:13,866 --> 00:05:16,146 Maybe you can remember somebody who did that. 111 00:05:16,276 --> 00:05:17,536 >> You know, I -- off the top 112 00:05:17,536 --> 00:05:20,776 of my head I can't remember actually somebody although I 113 00:05:20,776 --> 00:05:20,936 know [crosstalk]. 114 00:05:21,006 --> 00:05:22,346 >> I know that Shannon Walker... 115 00:05:22,346 --> 00:05:22,436 >> Oh yeah. 116 00:05:22,436 --> 00:05:25,896 >> ...one of the Houston native and Mark's a Houston native too. 117 00:05:26,156 --> 00:05:29,236 She started out as a flight controller and worked a variety 118 00:05:29,236 --> 00:05:32,336 of different jobs here before she became an astronaut. 119 00:05:32,836 --> 00:05:35,856 I'm trying to think of others -- off the top of my head -- 120 00:05:35,856 --> 00:05:37,456 but there are -- have been five 121 00:05:37,456 --> 00:05:39,036 or six different astronauts at least. 122 00:05:39,036 --> 00:05:41,236 >> You also have in here at Mission Control, 123 00:05:41,236 --> 00:05:42,366 you have flight surgeons, 124 00:05:42,366 --> 00:05:44,726 and there's been a few flight surgeons that have also moved 125 00:05:44,726 --> 00:05:47,136 from being a flight surgeon into the Astronaut Office. 126 00:05:47,446 --> 00:05:50,246 >> Mike Barrett was a flight surgeon and he moved 127 00:05:50,246 --> 00:05:53,026 into the [inaudible], spent six months on the space station. 128 00:05:54,846 --> 00:05:54,056 Tom... 129 00:05:54,846 --> 00:05:57,186 >> ...Marshburn who just got back from a six month stay 130 00:05:57,186 --> 00:05:58,596 on the space station, is a doctor, 131 00:05:58,596 --> 00:05:59,906 and was also a flight surgeon. 132 00:06:00,726 --> 00:06:03,776 So yes, definitely a lot of people work in Mission Control 133 00:06:03,776 --> 00:06:05,166 and then become astronauts. 134 00:06:05,246 --> 00:06:06,546 And then once you're an astronaut, 135 00:06:06,546 --> 00:06:09,256 you work in Mission Control often because you serve 136 00:06:09,256 --> 00:06:12,846 as a space craft communicator, talking with the team on orbit 137 00:06:12,906 --> 00:06:14,996 and in a way becoming a translator. 138 00:06:14,996 --> 00:06:16,176 Since you're an astronaut, 139 00:06:16,176 --> 00:06:19,096 you understand how an astronaut thinks and the kind 140 00:06:19,096 --> 00:06:22,526 of questions an astronaut might have and how best 141 00:06:22,526 --> 00:06:25,596 to present the information that needs to go to the astronaut. 142 00:06:25,846 --> 00:06:29,006 And so we utilize them a lot to help relay information back 143 00:06:29,006 --> 00:06:30,196 and forth to the crews. 144 00:06:30,616 --> 00:06:33,176 Thank you. 145 00:06:34,126 --> 00:06:35,916 >> Hi. My name is Eula. 146 00:06:35,946 --> 00:06:37,506 I live on British Island. 147 00:06:38,086 --> 00:06:41,426 Can you eat or drink or nap inside the Mission Control? 148 00:06:43,166 --> 00:06:44,636 >> Yes, you can. 149 00:06:44,636 --> 00:06:47,926 Not so much napping but people do have to eat 150 00:06:47,926 --> 00:06:51,236 and drink throughout their day and a lot of times 151 00:06:51,236 --> 00:06:53,736 when you see the pictures of us here at Mission Control 152 00:06:53,736 --> 00:06:56,796 on NASA television, you'll see folks that have cookies 153 00:06:56,796 --> 00:06:59,326 up on the back deck of their consoles 154 00:06:59,326 --> 00:07:01,876 or they'll be eating their lunch and it's kind 155 00:07:01,876 --> 00:07:04,686 of a catch-as-catch-can kind of a think. 156 00:07:04,686 --> 00:07:08,856 Everybody used to -- Mission Control teams generally work 157 00:07:08,856 --> 00:07:11,196 about a 10-hour shift. 158 00:07:11,196 --> 00:07:14,946 They've got eight hours worth of work that they do in the middle 159 00:07:14,946 --> 00:07:16,856 of the shift where they're the main person 160 00:07:17,236 --> 00:07:20,126 but then they've got an hour before and an hour 161 00:07:20,126 --> 00:07:24,026 after when they are handing off from their off-coming 162 00:07:24,106 --> 00:07:27,846 and ongoing team members because this is a 24/7 operation 163 00:07:27,846 --> 00:07:31,546 over here and you have to be able to share what happened 164 00:07:31,546 --> 00:07:33,176 on the previous shift so that you're ready 165 00:07:33,176 --> 00:07:34,376 to begin your next shift. 166 00:07:34,376 --> 00:07:36,576 And then when you go off, you got to make sure 167 00:07:36,576 --> 00:07:38,856 that your relief has all the information they need 168 00:07:38,856 --> 00:07:39,876 to do their jobs. 169 00:07:39,876 --> 00:07:42,036 And so we all bring our lunches here 170 00:07:42,036 --> 00:07:44,946 and we usually eat them on console. 171 00:07:45,386 --> 00:07:47,226 We have very brief breaks here and there 172 00:07:47,226 --> 00:07:48,966 where we can leave the control room, 173 00:07:49,306 --> 00:07:51,036 but most of the time we have good communication 174 00:07:51,036 --> 00:07:52,096 with the space station. 175 00:07:52,096 --> 00:07:55,406 And so it's only -- you only get about five 176 00:07:55,406 --> 00:07:58,136 or 10 minutes per orbit. 177 00:07:58,186 --> 00:07:59,926 It takes 90 minutes for the space station 178 00:07:59,926 --> 00:08:00,816 to go around the world. 179 00:08:01,216 --> 00:08:02,706 And so about five or 10 minutes 180 00:08:02,706 --> 00:08:04,566 of that each orbit is your chance 181 00:08:04,566 --> 00:08:07,546 to go take a restroom break or grab something to drink. 182 00:08:07,546 --> 00:08:09,836 So you do have to kind of measure what you -- 183 00:08:10,026 --> 00:08:12,446 what you consume because you don't want to have to run 184 00:08:12,446 --> 00:08:13,406 to the bathroom a lot. 185 00:08:13,836 --> 00:08:15,756 >> Thank you. 186 00:08:17,196 --> 00:08:22,166 >> I'm Sam and I live in Seattle and my question is, 187 00:08:22,166 --> 00:08:25,866 "What has been the most exciting event that you have had to deal 188 00:08:25,866 --> 00:08:27,406 with while in Mission Control?" 189 00:08:28,936 --> 00:08:33,866 >> Wow. I have been working in Mission Control myself for more 190 00:08:33,866 --> 00:08:37,066 than 20 years and I've -- 191 00:08:37,226 --> 00:08:39,976 I've been involved in a lot of different events, 192 00:08:40,546 --> 00:08:42,586 some interesting space walks. 193 00:08:42,616 --> 00:08:44,146 You know, yesterday's space walk, 194 00:08:44,146 --> 00:08:49,036 they got cut short was the second shortest space walk ever. 195 00:08:49,036 --> 00:08:50,796 It was an hour and 32 minutes long. 196 00:08:51,256 --> 00:08:55,346 I actually was here doing the voice of Mission Control work 197 00:08:55,696 --> 00:08:59,106 when Mike Fincke did the shortest space walk ever. 198 00:08:59,176 --> 00:09:01,386 That was actually a Russian space walk. 199 00:09:01,836 --> 00:09:07,346 It was on Expedition 9 a number of years ago, and he got outside 200 00:09:07,346 --> 00:09:11,356 and his life support system was not properly connected 201 00:09:11,356 --> 00:09:13,726 and so he had to come back in after only 202 00:09:13,726 --> 00:09:15,266 about 10 minutes outside. 203 00:09:15,666 --> 00:09:18,426 That has to be one of the most exciting 204 00:09:18,426 --> 00:09:20,806 and interesting times I had here in Mission Control. 205 00:09:21,376 --> 00:09:27,356 >> My name is Brian Lender [assumed spelling]. 206 00:09:27,356 --> 00:09:28,716 I live in Covington, Washington. 207 00:09:28,946 --> 00:09:31,976 My question is, "Is there a common language that -- 208 00:09:31,976 --> 00:09:33,626 that all the space agency's use -- 209 00:09:33,976 --> 00:09:37,316 like do the Russian cosmonauts talk 210 00:09:37,316 --> 00:09:39,876 to the Russian Mission Control in Russian or do they talk 211 00:09:40,046 --> 00:09:42,196 to the Mission Control in English and vice versa? 212 00:09:42,576 --> 00:09:44,786 Is everything on the space station written in English 213 00:09:44,786 --> 00:09:47,406 or is some of it still written in Russian?" 214 00:09:47,976 --> 00:09:52,326 >> The -- the common language we use aboard the space station 215 00:09:52,366 --> 00:09:57,856 for everybody is English and for Mission Control, we always deal 216 00:09:57,856 --> 00:10:00,976 in English when we go back and forth in terms of conversations. 217 00:10:01,306 --> 00:10:06,146 Each control center, though, from around the world, in -- 218 00:10:06,176 --> 00:10:12,316 in Japan, and Russia, and Europe, and Canada, of course, 219 00:10:12,316 --> 00:10:14,556 they speak their own native language when they're talking 220 00:10:14,556 --> 00:10:16,746 to the crews through their communication systems. 221 00:10:16,746 --> 00:10:20,056 And so there's some of that but when we all need to get together 222 00:10:20,056 --> 00:10:22,566 and work on an issue, we generally work it in English. 223 00:10:22,916 --> 00:10:26,486 The majority of things that are printed 224 00:10:26,486 --> 00:10:29,236 on board the space station are printed in English 225 00:10:29,236 --> 00:10:31,226 or on the computer screens in English. 226 00:10:31,546 --> 00:10:33,816 But there's a lot of [inaudible] as well in -- 227 00:10:33,816 --> 00:10:36,986 in Russian because it's a totally different alphabet. 228 00:10:37,036 --> 00:10:39,816 There are also things that go up in Japanese 229 00:10:39,816 --> 00:10:43,446 which has another different alphabet and there's things, 230 00:10:43,536 --> 00:10:46,736 for example, for Canadian astronauts that go up bi-lingual 231 00:10:46,736 --> 00:10:49,616 in both English and French. 232 00:10:50,056 --> 00:10:53,546 And we try to help each of the crew members 233 00:10:53,546 --> 00:10:57,096 from their countries have a little bit of their home flavor 234 00:10:57,096 --> 00:10:59,406 in whatever we do and we allow their -- 235 00:10:59,916 --> 00:11:01,426 their control centers to talk with them 236 00:11:01,426 --> 00:11:04,456 in whatever language is natural for them as well as in English. 237 00:11:09,016 --> 00:11:10,876 >> Hello. My name is Nick Mallett [assumed spelling]. 238 00:11:10,876 --> 00:11:13,896 I'm from Olympia, Washington, and hypothetically speaking, 239 00:11:13,896 --> 00:11:16,346 if a team of 16 is sent to Mars, 240 00:11:16,756 --> 00:11:19,006 how large of a support group would be needed to -- 241 00:11:19,006 --> 00:11:21,206 needed to be provided back on Earth 242 00:11:21,206 --> 00:11:22,646 at Mission Control to support them?" 243 00:11:23,716 --> 00:11:26,126 >> Boy, that would be a pretty big team to go to Mars. 244 00:11:26,126 --> 00:11:31,776 16, that's a lot of mass to get into orbit and to get to Mars. 245 00:11:32,216 --> 00:11:35,706 One thing you need to remember about going there is it's going 246 00:11:35,706 --> 00:11:38,626 to take about six months and if you can stop and think 247 00:11:38,626 --> 00:11:43,926 about how much food, water, air, electricity we'd need 248 00:11:43,926 --> 00:11:46,836 to generate to do a mission that long, you're probably going 249 00:11:46,836 --> 00:11:50,676 to be looking at smaller crews especially early 250 00:11:50,676 --> 00:11:53,066 on -- on a trip to Mars. 251 00:11:53,786 --> 00:11:57,686 We're working all the time here to minimize the number of people 252 00:11:58,086 --> 00:12:02,116 that we have in Mission Control because it -- it -- 253 00:12:02,216 --> 00:12:05,026 having an efficient team work together doesn't always mean you 254 00:12:05,026 --> 00:12:05,946 have more people. 255 00:12:05,946 --> 00:12:10,366 We want to be able to access a lot of people who are experts 256 00:12:10,366 --> 00:12:13,886 in the different fields that are necessary to support the thing 257 00:12:14,186 --> 00:12:16,246 but you don't necessarily want to have them 258 00:12:16,246 --> 00:12:18,376 on duty 24-seven all the time. 259 00:12:18,456 --> 00:12:22,796 So I would say probably, you'd have a team similar to this kind 260 00:12:22,796 --> 00:12:25,146 of size that we have here in Mission Control, 261 00:12:25,146 --> 00:12:28,446 20 or 30 people, when there's a lot of activity going 262 00:12:28,446 --> 00:12:30,596 on and the crew's awake. 263 00:12:30,666 --> 00:12:32,966 But then on weekends and when the crew's sleeping, 264 00:12:33,306 --> 00:12:36,146 just like we do here for the International Space Station, 265 00:12:36,146 --> 00:12:38,936 we staff down and there's just two or three people, 266 00:12:38,936 --> 00:12:41,746 a flight director and a couple of people that monitor a lot 267 00:12:41,746 --> 00:12:45,066 of different systems so that we can minimize the support 268 00:12:45,066 --> 00:12:47,936 requirements both because you don't need them and also 269 00:12:47,936 --> 00:12:51,456 because it's expensive to have people working 24-seven 270 00:12:51,516 --> 00:12:53,356 for a long period. 271 00:12:57,176 --> 00:12:59,256 >> Hi. My name is Amanda Chalfont [assumed spelling] 272 00:12:59,256 --> 00:13:00,896 and I'm from Issaquah, Washington. 273 00:13:01,336 --> 00:13:04,206 My question is, "Space travel is inherently risky 274 00:13:04,486 --> 00:13:07,066 and how do you cope with those risks and assess what is 275 00:13:07,066 --> 00:13:09,376 or is not necessary for the ultimate goal of the mission?" 276 00:13:11,026 --> 00:13:15,816 >> The main thing I would say is there -- what we -- 277 00:13:15,906 --> 00:13:18,156 we talk a lot about mitigating risk. 278 00:13:19,036 --> 00:13:21,966 We know that there is risk that as you say is inherent 279 00:13:22,006 --> 00:13:23,996 in space flight and all the activities 280 00:13:23,996 --> 00:13:25,436 that are required to do that. 281 00:13:25,436 --> 00:13:28,246 There's -- there's risk in -- in launching people on the talk 282 00:13:28,246 --> 00:13:31,236 of the rockets, there's this risk in having people live 283 00:13:31,606 --> 00:13:34,046 in a pressurized environment that could be damaged 284 00:13:34,046 --> 00:13:36,246 by orbital debris or a meteorite. 285 00:13:36,596 --> 00:13:39,486 There's risk in having people depend on systems 286 00:13:39,486 --> 00:13:41,876 to recycle their water and their air 287 00:13:42,256 --> 00:13:45,906 and to generate their electricity and there's risk 288 00:13:45,906 --> 00:13:48,106 in -- in doing maintenance activities, when you have 289 00:13:48,106 --> 00:13:50,456 to go outside the space station like we saw yesterday. 290 00:13:51,106 --> 00:13:52,566 Things don't always work right. 291 00:13:52,976 --> 00:13:54,696 The key word is mitigating 292 00:13:54,696 --> 00:13:56,826 and what we do is we have a very complex 293 00:13:56,866 --> 00:14:03,006 and mathematically-based system for establishing probabilities 294 00:14:03,006 --> 00:14:07,936 of risk and we try to manage and make sure that the probability 295 00:14:07,936 --> 00:14:14,466 of a problem that it is a danger to the safety and well-being 296 00:14:14,466 --> 00:14:17,456 of the crew and to the accomplishment 297 00:14:17,456 --> 00:14:21,526 of the mission are managed at a level where we think 298 00:14:21,576 --> 00:14:25,536 that we can take care of anything that might come up out 299 00:14:25,536 --> 00:14:28,686 of the ordinary that we don't expect because we know 300 00:14:28,686 --> 00:14:30,686 that those risks are there and we also know 301 00:14:30,686 --> 00:14:32,816 that no matter how much you train, 302 00:14:32,816 --> 00:14:35,656 no matter how much you prepare, there's always something 303 00:14:35,656 --> 00:14:38,806 that you haven't thought of that is going to come up 304 00:14:38,806 --> 00:14:40,306 and you're going to need to be ready to deal with it. 305 00:14:40,306 --> 00:14:43,466 And for that, we do training of the team here 306 00:14:43,466 --> 00:14:46,016 in Mission Control, of the astronauts that are on orbit, 307 00:14:46,436 --> 00:14:49,316 and you know, Mark -- I'm going to bring you 308 00:14:49,316 --> 00:14:51,356 in because physical training is a part 309 00:14:51,356 --> 00:14:53,196 of that too, for the astronauts. 310 00:14:53,196 --> 00:14:54,506 You want to keep them healthy. 311 00:14:54,576 --> 00:14:55,656 Maybe you could talk a little bit 312 00:14:55,656 --> 00:14:56,736 about that, since you're here. 313 00:14:56,796 --> 00:15:00,356 >> Well, one of the things that we look at is that we look 314 00:15:00,356 --> 00:15:02,466 at worst-case scenarios a lot. 315 00:15:02,466 --> 00:15:05,306 So we're looking at emergency egress situations, 316 00:15:05,306 --> 00:15:07,626 emergency EVA situations, things like that. 317 00:15:07,626 --> 00:15:11,026 So we always have to have them in a state of preparedness 318 00:15:11,176 --> 00:15:12,626 from the physical fitness standpoint 319 00:15:12,626 --> 00:15:14,746 or a functional standpoint to be able to do their job 320 00:15:14,946 --> 00:15:17,046 for whatever -- whatever that may be. 321 00:15:17,406 --> 00:15:20,986 Even on landing -- you know, if they land off course four 322 00:15:20,986 --> 00:15:23,606 or five hours -- you know, off course and they have to get 323 00:15:23,606 --> 00:15:26,876 out of the capsule and -- on their own without help and set 324 00:15:26,876 --> 00:15:29,556 up a camp to get the beacon set up so they can find 325 00:15:29,556 --> 00:15:31,936 out where they are -- anything like that, I mean they have 326 00:15:31,936 --> 00:15:33,606 to be physically able to do those things. 327 00:15:33,606 --> 00:15:35,966 So part of my job is to make sure they can do those things. 328 00:15:36,316 --> 00:15:38,566 >> Okay. And so essentially, it's -- 329 00:15:38,566 --> 00:15:40,686 it's kind of like being in the Scouts. 330 00:15:40,686 --> 00:15:44,156 The preparedness is -- is the main thing and you want to train 331 00:15:44,156 --> 00:15:49,436 for -- for any potential thing that could go wrong and -- 332 00:15:49,436 --> 00:15:53,246 and then, you know, you prepare for the worst and hope 333 00:15:53,246 --> 00:16:00,566 for the best and try to manage that risk as best you can. 334 00:16:00,786 --> 00:16:01,916 >> Hi. My name is Adrian Wing [assumed spelling], 335 00:16:01,916 --> 00:16:03,076 I'm from Belleview, Washington. 336 00:16:03,296 --> 00:16:05,416 My question is, "Can you share more information 337 00:16:05,416 --> 00:16:06,636 about the recent helmet leak 338 00:16:06,636 --> 00:16:09,256 and how Mission Control responded to the emergency?" 339 00:16:10,736 --> 00:16:13,796 >> You know, that's a really good example 340 00:16:13,796 --> 00:16:16,406 of how this team comes together 341 00:16:16,696 --> 00:16:19,956 when there is an unexpected problem. 342 00:16:20,206 --> 00:16:23,436 Yesterday, everything was going just exactly 343 00:16:23,436 --> 00:16:28,446 as we had expected it and the preparations for the space walk, 344 00:16:28,446 --> 00:16:32,206 Chris Cassidy and Luca Parmitano had checked 345 00:16:32,206 --> 00:16:34,036 out their space suits and -- 346 00:16:34,066 --> 00:16:36,846 because they had just done a space walk a week ago 347 00:16:37,026 --> 00:16:38,116 and it all went fine. 348 00:16:38,116 --> 00:16:40,676 They accomplished all the objectives and then some. 349 00:16:40,676 --> 00:16:43,066 So the team here had already been doing a lot of work 350 00:16:43,126 --> 00:16:47,326 to replan for this space walk that was planned yesterday, 351 00:16:47,326 --> 00:16:49,996 because they had taken care of so many of the get-ahead tasks 352 00:16:49,996 --> 00:16:51,626 that they were able to add some new tasks 353 00:16:51,626 --> 00:16:53,656 into what was planned for yesterday. 354 00:16:54,086 --> 00:16:56,696 And then when they stepped out the door, 355 00:16:56,696 --> 00:16:58,006 everything seemed to be going fine. 356 00:16:58,006 --> 00:17:00,816 And then Luca mentioned that he had some water inside 357 00:17:00,816 --> 00:17:04,576 of his helmet and -- that he didn't think it was going 358 00:17:04,576 --> 00:17:05,316 to be a problem. 359 00:17:05,316 --> 00:17:08,476 They finished their first job, both Chris and Luca did. 360 00:17:08,966 --> 00:17:12,666 And then -- because your buddy system, kind of like 361 00:17:12,666 --> 00:17:16,196 when you're diving undersea, Chris went over to check on Luca 362 00:17:16,196 --> 00:17:18,236 because he was reporting this water problem 363 00:17:18,236 --> 00:17:21,486 and he started having some problems with his ability 364 00:17:21,486 --> 00:17:25,156 to communicate and that there was a sensor that showed -- 365 00:17:25,566 --> 00:17:28,996 that tracks carbon dioxide levels inside the space station. 366 00:17:28,996 --> 00:17:30,506 The folks here at Mission Control saw 367 00:17:30,506 --> 00:17:34,036 that that wasn't working properly and so Chris took a -- 368 00:17:34,076 --> 00:17:36,896 took a look inside Luca's helmet and he saw a lot more water 369 00:17:36,896 --> 00:17:38,916 than Luca even knew was in there. 370 00:17:39,406 --> 00:17:41,836 At that point, they reported that to Mission Control 371 00:17:41,886 --> 00:17:47,316 and the EVA team told the flight director, Dave Korth that, "Hey, 372 00:17:47,316 --> 00:17:49,886 we think this is a problem that we're not going to be able 373 00:17:49,886 --> 00:17:51,426 to continue doing the space walk. 374 00:17:51,856 --> 00:17:54,956 And so we recommend that you guys bring them in early." 375 00:17:54,956 --> 00:17:57,436 And Dave Korth said, "Yeah, you're right. 376 00:17:57,476 --> 00:17:59,876 Let's go ahead and get them in before this gets 377 00:17:59,876 --> 00:18:00,946 to be a serious problem." 378 00:18:01,746 --> 00:18:07,046 And so they did that and they had trained well in procedures 379 00:18:07,046 --> 00:18:08,536 to get them in quickly. 380 00:18:09,346 --> 00:18:10,746 They had Luca come right 381 00:18:10,746 --> 00:18:13,536 into the airlock immediately and get him started. 382 00:18:13,836 --> 00:18:15,866 They had Chris do a couple of clean-up tasks 383 00:18:15,866 --> 00:18:17,546 because you can't put two people through the door 384 00:18:17,546 --> 00:18:19,216 that small at the same time. 385 00:18:19,666 --> 00:18:23,556 And so he did the cleanup and lashed things down temporarily, 386 00:18:23,556 --> 00:18:25,946 and then he came back in so he could help Luca 387 00:18:25,946 --> 00:18:28,316 and they could close the hatch and get back inside. 388 00:18:28,766 --> 00:18:32,396 And this team worked together through established procedures, 389 00:18:32,426 --> 00:18:38,046 a plan that had been discussed at length and practiced both 390 00:18:38,096 --> 00:18:40,946 by the crew and by the team here in Mission Control. 391 00:18:41,336 --> 00:18:44,336 And so they're all working from the same page and the same book, 392 00:18:44,746 --> 00:18:47,526 and were able to get those guys back in. 393 00:18:47,526 --> 00:18:51,276 and here's some video of the team working together. 394 00:18:51,276 --> 00:18:53,806 You've got Karen Nyberg and Fyodor Yurchikhin, 395 00:18:53,806 --> 00:18:59,396 also helping Alexander Misurkin and Pavel Vinogradov, 396 00:18:59,636 --> 00:19:05,276 all joined in to help get Luca out of his space suit 397 00:19:05,366 --> 00:19:07,426 and they kind of got in the way of the camera. 398 00:19:07,426 --> 00:19:09,086 You can't really see him too well right here, 399 00:19:09,086 --> 00:19:11,656 but in just a second, I think you're going to see Luca's face 400 00:19:12,026 --> 00:19:14,836 and you're going to see him able to wipe that water off 401 00:19:14,836 --> 00:19:18,386 of his face and that was the success. 402 00:19:18,386 --> 00:19:21,466 That's why that was a successful space walk 403 00:19:21,576 --> 00:19:25,016 because even though we had a problem, we were able 404 00:19:25,016 --> 00:19:29,796 to get Luca and Chris back in safely and here you can start 405 00:19:29,796 --> 00:19:31,376 to see Luca there, having to wipe -- 406 00:19:31,446 --> 00:19:32,986 he was getting a lot of water. 407 00:19:32,986 --> 00:19:35,236 He had water in his ears, water in his nose. 408 00:19:35,686 --> 00:19:37,356 And that's one of the things about water. 409 00:19:37,456 --> 00:19:41,816 It tends to coalesce into a globule because -- 410 00:19:41,816 --> 00:19:46,146 because of the way water acts in space through surface tension 411 00:19:46,516 --> 00:19:48,436 and it can collect in areas 412 00:19:48,436 --> 00:19:49,996 that you wouldn't want it to collect in. 413 00:19:50,106 --> 00:19:51,576 It would be a serious problem. 414 00:19:51,576 --> 00:19:54,916 So that's an example of team work in action 415 00:19:54,916 --> 00:19:56,436 and preparation in action. 416 00:19:56,436 --> 00:19:58,076 Now, Mark, do you have anything to add? 417 00:19:58,076 --> 00:19:59,306 >> Not -- I don't have anything to add to that. 418 00:19:59,306 --> 00:20:00,976 It was interesting watching it [laughter], so... 419 00:20:03,106 --> 00:20:05,966 >> Hi. My name is Clay. 420 00:20:07,536 --> 00:20:09,726 Excuse me. 421 00:20:09,976 --> 00:20:11,896 I live in Edmonds and my question is, 422 00:20:11,966 --> 00:20:16,176 "What do you think [inaudible] opinion was the scariest moment 423 00:20:16,176 --> 00:20:17,066 in Mission Control?" 424 00:20:18,206 --> 00:20:23,186 >> You know, I got to be honest. 425 00:20:23,306 --> 00:20:25,016 We don't get scared in Mission Control much [laughter]. 426 00:20:25,946 --> 00:20:28,446 There's -- there's scary things happen but -- 427 00:20:28,536 --> 00:20:32,966 but we train so much, and we practice so much, and we study 428 00:20:32,966 --> 00:20:36,156 so much, all of the systems that we work with that -- 429 00:20:36,156 --> 00:20:40,126 that fear doesn't enter into it a whole lot. 430 00:20:40,126 --> 00:20:42,906 You have those moments when you say, "Uh-oh." 431 00:20:43,436 --> 00:20:46,806 But then your training kicks in and you -- 432 00:20:47,186 --> 00:20:48,976 and you start working the problem 433 00:20:49,196 --> 00:20:52,916 and you focus your efforts on figuring out what you need 434 00:20:52,916 --> 00:20:55,346 to do, the order you need to do it in, 435 00:20:55,716 --> 00:20:59,036 what other potential problems could be associated 436 00:20:59,036 --> 00:21:02,776 with what's going on, and how you keep the entire crew safe, 437 00:21:02,776 --> 00:21:04,566 and how you make sure that you are -- 438 00:21:04,566 --> 00:21:06,706 try to accomplish the mission that you're doing. 439 00:21:06,706 --> 00:21:10,556 So I don't think there really is a whole lot 440 00:21:10,556 --> 00:21:12,326 of fear here in Mission Control. 441 00:21:12,326 --> 00:21:14,176 There's some trepidation 442 00:21:14,176 --> 00:21:17,776 and there's some immediate being startled when you have a problem 443 00:21:17,776 --> 00:21:19,696 like that but -- but training kind of kicks in 444 00:21:19,696 --> 00:21:21,726 and you don't -- you don't worry so much about it. 445 00:21:21,726 --> 00:21:23,176 You work to get the job done. 446 00:21:23,176 --> 00:21:25,306 Mark? Got anything to add there as you work 447 00:21:25,306 --> 00:21:27,086 with these astronauts in training all the time? 448 00:21:27,596 --> 00:21:30,976 >> Yeah, but I'm not in Mission Control so it's very different 449 00:21:30,976 --> 00:21:32,766 for me from you guys, so -- 450 00:21:33,236 --> 00:21:35,996 I don't really see anything in my normal day 451 00:21:35,996 --> 00:21:37,446 that -- that startles me. 452 00:21:37,446 --> 00:21:39,396 You know, a piece of hardware breaks, we just figure out how 453 00:21:39,396 --> 00:21:41,496 to fix the hardware and go back to doing what we need to do. 454 00:21:41,566 --> 00:21:43,146 So, you know, that's about it. 455 00:21:43,766 --> 00:21:46,846 >> Okay. Sorry, not [chuckles] not a really exciting answer 456 00:21:46,846 --> 00:21:48,906 about fear because -- because we kind 457 00:21:48,906 --> 00:21:50,056 of train it out of ourselves. 458 00:21:52,556 --> 00:21:55,396 >> Hello. My name is Josh, I'm from Deep Harbor, Washington, 459 00:21:55,396 --> 00:21:58,386 and my question is, "We have recently learned that one 460 00:21:58,386 --> 00:22:01,016 of the dangers of the Mars Mission would be boredom 461 00:22:01,066 --> 00:22:03,576 for the astronauts and so what do astronauts 462 00:22:03,576 --> 00:22:05,446 on the International Space Station do 463 00:22:05,446 --> 00:22:08,126 to keep themselves busy and entertained when they have 464 00:22:08,516 --> 00:22:09,616 like some sort of free time?" 465 00:22:10,746 --> 00:22:11,306 >> Well, I... 466 00:22:11,306 --> 00:22:11,956 >> If they have free time. 467 00:22:11,956 --> 00:22:14,646 >> ...the favorite thing when they have free time is to look 468 00:22:14,646 --> 00:22:15,816 out the window at the Earth below. 469 00:22:16,126 --> 00:22:17,756 There's no doubt about that. 470 00:22:17,756 --> 00:22:20,336 We have a special module called the Cupola 471 00:22:20,776 --> 00:22:24,846 which is basically a 360 degree bay window 472 00:22:24,996 --> 00:22:27,626 and there are seven different windows, a big round one 473 00:22:27,626 --> 00:22:29,096 in the middle and then six round -- 474 00:22:29,096 --> 00:22:30,946 six trapezoidal windows around it 475 00:22:31,276 --> 00:22:34,266 and it gives you a 360 degree view of the Earth. 476 00:22:34,376 --> 00:22:35,756 And any astronaut I've ever talked 477 00:22:35,756 --> 00:22:37,736 to says whenever they get spare time, 478 00:22:37,736 --> 00:22:39,986 the number one thing they want to go do is -- 479 00:22:40,136 --> 00:22:41,396 is go out and look at the Earth. 480 00:22:41,396 --> 00:22:43,716 Now, you got to remember that half the time they're going 481 00:22:43,716 --> 00:22:45,956 around the planet it's dark and so if you're 482 00:22:45,956 --> 00:22:48,376 over the Pacific Ocean, there may not be a lot to look at. 483 00:22:48,376 --> 00:22:50,086 And so they do have other things they like to do. 484 00:22:50,386 --> 00:22:54,466 They can watch movies on -- on orbit, they can read books. 485 00:22:54,916 --> 00:22:58,996 They have multiple different ways of communicating 486 00:22:58,996 --> 00:23:00,726 with their friends and family on the ground. 487 00:23:00,726 --> 00:23:04,286 They have an IP, internet protocol telephone 488 00:23:04,696 --> 00:23:07,256 that they can call down and talk to their friends and family. 489 00:23:07,976 --> 00:23:11,026 They have email that they can share messages with. 490 00:23:11,306 --> 00:23:13,936 They have a crew support internet LAN, 491 00:23:13,976 --> 00:23:17,616 local area network, that they can actually access the -- 492 00:23:18,016 --> 00:23:22,216 the network here, the internet here on Earth somewhat directly 493 00:23:22,216 --> 00:23:25,406 and go off and they can post tweets and -- 494 00:23:25,406 --> 00:23:27,526 and Facebook things and do that. 495 00:23:27,526 --> 00:23:30,066 It's a little slower than your regular network is, but -- 496 00:23:30,066 --> 00:23:33,246 because of the limitations of the -- 497 00:23:33,246 --> 00:23:35,126 of the downlink capability on the space station 498 00:23:35,126 --> 00:23:37,936 but it does allow them to have a lot of interaction 499 00:23:37,936 --> 00:23:39,406 with folks on the ground. 500 00:23:39,776 --> 00:23:41,666 And they enjoy each other's company. 501 00:23:41,666 --> 00:23:43,616 They enjoy learning about different cultures 502 00:23:43,616 --> 00:23:46,626 because there are so many different cultures involved 503 00:23:46,626 --> 00:23:48,496 in the space station, the different crew members 504 00:23:48,496 --> 00:23:49,356 and their backgrounds. 505 00:23:49,746 --> 00:23:52,956 And so I would say probably enjoying each other's company 506 00:23:52,956 --> 00:23:55,606 and becoming a team and -- and continue to work as a team 507 00:23:55,846 --> 00:23:58,066 and looking out the window are the most interesting things 508 00:23:58,746 --> 00:24:00,326 for them. 509 00:24:01,256 --> 00:24:02,506 >> Hi. I'm Hans Martin. 510 00:24:02,546 --> 00:24:07,196 I'm from Yakima, Washington and where is the ISS right now? 511 00:24:07,196 --> 00:24:09,136 >> I'm going to look over my shoulder. 512 00:24:09,166 --> 00:24:12,996 Right now, the International Space Station is orbiting 513 00:24:13,706 --> 00:24:19,286 over the Gulf of Mexico just off the coast of Florida. 514 00:24:20,656 --> 00:24:25,836 >> One quick question, "How do you wake the crew 515 00:24:25,836 --> 00:24:26,446 up in the morning? 516 00:24:26,536 --> 00:24:27,736 Is there a special protocol for that? 517 00:24:27,736 --> 00:24:30,536 Is there an alarm clock?" 518 00:24:30,536 --> 00:24:32,276 >> You know, different crews do that differently. 519 00:24:32,276 --> 00:24:34,046 It's kind of a personal preference thing. 520 00:24:34,046 --> 00:24:36,696 In the shuttle days, we used to wake the crews 521 00:24:36,696 --> 00:24:39,036 up with morning wake-up music. 522 00:24:39,366 --> 00:24:41,836 But on the space station, we generally don't do that. 523 00:24:41,896 --> 00:24:45,436 They have alarms that they can set on board for themselves. 524 00:24:45,886 --> 00:24:50,336 But no special notes -- we do have a daily planning conference 525 00:24:50,336 --> 00:24:52,356 that starts the day but that's about an hour and a half 526 00:24:52,356 --> 00:24:53,436 after the crew wakes up. 527 00:24:53,886 --> 00:24:56,846 But that's always something they want to make sure they're ready 528 00:24:56,846 --> 00:25:00,086 for and in talking to different astronauts, some of them wake 529 00:25:00,256 --> 00:25:02,916 up early, some of them wake 530 00:25:02,916 --> 00:25:05,256 up just right before the daily planning conference. 531 00:25:05,816 --> 00:25:08,176 But they've got an hour and a half worth of time 532 00:25:08,176 --> 00:25:11,956 where they can have a morning meal and talk about themselves 533 00:25:11,956 --> 00:25:14,236 and -- and amongst themselves I should say 534 00:25:14,666 --> 00:25:16,426 and they do a preliminary inspection 535 00:25:16,426 --> 00:25:17,216 of the different areas 536 00:25:17,216 --> 00:25:19,616 of the space station making sure everything is good. 537 00:25:19,696 --> 00:25:22,366 But no -- no main wake-up call. 538 00:25:22,366 --> 00:25:23,736 It kind of depends on the crew 539 00:25:23,736 --> 00:25:24,986 and how they want to do it themselves. 540 00:25:25,406 --> 00:25:25,626 All right. 541 00:25:27,296 --> 00:25:29,976 So I understand that's all the time we have for today. 542 00:25:29,976 --> 00:25:32,876 I want to thank Mark Guilliams for being here with us today 543 00:25:32,876 --> 00:25:35,646 and I want to thank you all for your great questions. 544 00:25:35,646 --> 00:25:37,856 I understand you've got a great exhibit there 545 00:25:38,146 --> 00:25:40,826 with the full fuselage trainer from the space shuttle 546 00:25:41,046 --> 00:25:43,496 and destination station, I believe is at your museum. 547 00:25:43,496 --> 00:25:45,256 I hope you take an opportunity to go see it. 548 00:25:45,506 --> 00:25:46,026 Thanks again. 549 00:25:46,356 --> 00:25:46,686 >> Thank you.