1 00:00:05,690 --> 00:00:02,360 most of the time we launch rockets with 2 00:00:07,039 --> 00:00:05,700 the pointy end up sometimes we strap 3 00:00:09,070 --> 00:00:07,049 rockets to the belly of commercial 4 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:09,080 airliners and drop them over the ocean 5 00:00:26,179 --> 00:00:24,570 next on the rocket ranch as we are 6 00:00:27,609 --> 00:00:26,189 recording this we're in the throes of a 7 00:00:31,099 --> 00:00:27,619 launch campaign for the ionospheric 8 00:00:32,510 --> 00:00:31,109 connection Explorer or icon we'll get 9 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:32,520 back to the science of the mission in a 10 00:00:35,900 --> 00:00:34,530 few minutes but first we wanted to take 11 00:00:39,350 --> 00:00:35,910 some time to talk about a one-of-a-kind 12 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:39,360 launch capability this launch is managed 13 00:00:43,299 --> 00:00:41,250 by NASA's launch services program and 14 00:00:46,220 --> 00:00:43,309 they selected the Pegasus XL rocket 15 00:00:48,229 --> 00:00:46,230 manufactured by north of Drummond here 16 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:48,239 is Phil Joyce vice president space 17 00:00:51,100 --> 00:00:49,890 launch programs Northrop Grumman 18 00:00:53,630 --> 00:00:51,110 innovation systems 19 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:53,640 alright I'm now in the booth with Phil 20 00:00:56,900 --> 00:00:54,930 Joyce Phil thank you so much for joining 21 00:00:58,369 --> 00:00:56,910 me today it's great to be here and we're 22 00:01:00,740 --> 00:00:58,379 glad to have Northrop in town we're glad 23 00:01:02,119 --> 00:01:00,750 to see this Pegasus ready to fly I want 24 00:01:04,250 --> 00:01:02,129 to kind of back up a little bit and 25 00:01:05,630 --> 00:01:04,260 learn more about you and kind of your 26 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:05,640 history you've been with Pegasus for 27 00:01:09,950 --> 00:01:07,290 quite some time now yeah well I've been 28 00:01:13,010 --> 00:01:09,960 with orbital sciences now Northrop 29 00:01:15,020 --> 00:01:13,020 Grumman thus since 1992 so a 27 year 30 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:15,030 veteran of the launch vehicle business 31 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:17,250 with a career that spans a lot of 32 00:01:21,170 --> 00:01:19,770 different launch platforms Pegasus is 33 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:21,180 one of the platforms in my portfolio 34 00:01:27,609 --> 00:01:24,450 today I have the small launch vehicle 35 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:27,619 area at Northrop Pegasus is a 36 00:01:34,219 --> 00:01:31,290 world-class launch vehicle the first 37 00:01:37,039 --> 00:01:34,229 privately developed launch vehicle back 38 00:01:40,340 --> 00:01:37,049 in the day with the first flight in 1990 39 00:01:41,929 --> 00:01:40,350 um and also of course as you noted a 40 00:01:43,700 --> 00:01:41,939 very unique launch vehicle and the fact 41 00:01:45,679 --> 00:01:43,710 that it that it is air launched and it 42 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:45,689 was the first air launch space launch 43 00:01:51,289 --> 00:01:48,570 vehicle ever constructed with the first 44 00:01:54,020 --> 00:01:51,299 flight in 1990 this will be our 44th 45 00:01:55,490 --> 00:01:54,030 Pegasus mission awesome Congrats so are 46 00:01:56,899 --> 00:01:55,500 you an engineer by trade I am I'm an 47 00:01:58,580 --> 00:01:56,909 aerospace engineer have you had any 48 00:02:00,319 --> 00:01:58,590 personal like favorite missions or 49 00:02:03,020 --> 00:02:00,329 favorite like moments in your career 50 00:02:05,810 --> 00:02:03,030 well you know it's it's hard to it's 51 00:02:07,429 --> 00:02:05,820 hard to top flying to the Sun so so when 52 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:07,439 we did the upper stage - Parker Solar 53 00:02:12,470 --> 00:02:09,929 Probe and delivered that spacecraft just 54 00:02:13,260 --> 00:02:12,480 on the bull's eye cool that was that was 55 00:02:15,690 --> 00:02:13,270 a wonderful 56 00:02:17,790 --> 00:02:15,700 but every launch is the same it's all 57 00:02:21,060 --> 00:02:17,800 adrenaline it's all that that nerves 58 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:21,070 just before the ignition pegasus 59 00:02:25,980 --> 00:02:23,290 missions are no different and certainly 60 00:02:28,650 --> 00:02:25,990 they they feel as intense as any of them 61 00:02:32,490 --> 00:02:28,660 cool and so I want to make sure that we 62 00:02:33,930 --> 00:02:32,500 don't overlook the air drop fact because 63 00:02:36,750 --> 00:02:33,940 that is I think that's what makes this 64 00:02:37,980 --> 00:02:36,760 the most unique so help give people that 65 00:02:39,780 --> 00:02:37,990 are listening to this kind of a visual 66 00:02:42,930 --> 00:02:39,790 for what does that mean when we say air 67 00:02:44,850 --> 00:02:42,940 drop well air drop can be done in 68 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:44,860 different ways we we do it in a way that 69 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:46,690 really boosts the performance of the 70 00:02:52,020 --> 00:02:49,570 system you take you take a launch 71 00:02:54,870 --> 00:02:52,030 vehicle which is a combination of 72 00:02:57,540 --> 00:02:54,880 propulsive stages with a payload on the 73 00:03:00,480 --> 00:02:57,550 front underneath the payload fairing and 74 00:03:02,460 --> 00:03:00,490 our case we take that on the l-1011 up 75 00:03:05,150 --> 00:03:02,470 to a launch condition which actually 76 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:05,160 adds a lot of energy to the equation and 77 00:03:10,890 --> 00:03:08,730 and and that energy that the l-1011 78 00:03:13,260 --> 00:03:10,900 delivers which is an altitude of 79 00:03:15,780 --> 00:03:13,270 something like 40,000 feet and a drop 80 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:15,790 speed of something like point eight is 81 00:03:21,270 --> 00:03:18,250 actually our first stage and it doubles 82 00:03:22,500 --> 00:03:21,280 the payload performance of of the rocket 83 00:03:25,290 --> 00:03:22,510 compared to if you launch it on the 84 00:03:28,410 --> 00:03:25,300 ground so l-1011 for our younger viewers 85 00:03:30,630 --> 00:03:28,420 who may not be familiar I think you guys 86 00:03:32,070 --> 00:03:30,640 have titled yours the l-1011 stargazer 87 00:03:33,900 --> 00:03:32,080 is that correct that's right stargazer 88 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:33,910 so what is the l-1011 just for people 89 00:03:37,350 --> 00:03:35,170 who have never heard of it before 90 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:37,360 so the l-1011 tristar is used to be a 91 00:03:41,420 --> 00:03:39,130 commercial airline a wide-body airliner 92 00:03:44,190 --> 00:03:41,430 that was used for commercial air travel 93 00:03:48,030 --> 00:03:44,200 we purchased that aircraft back in the 94 00:03:50,190 --> 00:03:48,040 in the early 90s we had to beef up the 95 00:03:52,650 --> 00:03:50,200 structure of the airplane to carry the 96 00:03:55,110 --> 00:03:52,660 Pegasus XL launch vehicle which weighs 97 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:55,120 about 57 thousand pounds so a standard 98 00:03:59,310 --> 00:03:57,010 commercial airliner could not handle 99 00:04:00,990 --> 00:03:59,320 that kind of a load and so we beefed up 100 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:01,000 the structure of the l-1011 to be able 101 00:04:05,180 --> 00:04:03,490 to carry the load as well as to drop the 102 00:04:07,500 --> 00:04:05,190 load so there's a pretty sophisticated 103 00:04:08,850 --> 00:04:07,510 hook release mechanism underneath the 104 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:08,860 aircraft that interfaces with the 105 00:04:14,580 --> 00:04:11,530 pegasus rocket cool so you talked about 106 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:14,590 beefing up an airplane so when I walk on 107 00:04:20,370 --> 00:04:18,250 board this airplane historically used 108 00:04:22,020 --> 00:04:20,380 for commercial airline purposes am I 109 00:04:23,700 --> 00:04:22,030 gonna see you first-class coach the 110 00:04:25,500 --> 00:04:23,710 whole kitten caboodle inside yeah well 111 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:25,510 we don't make our team sitting in the 112 00:04:27,820 --> 00:04:26,210 back we don't 113 00:04:30,070 --> 00:04:27,830 coach they're they're sitting in what 114 00:04:32,350 --> 00:04:30,080 used to be the first class section but 115 00:04:35,110 --> 00:04:32,360 of course it's been heavily modified to 116 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:35,120 include our launch panels for 117 00:04:40,210 --> 00:04:38,210 controlling the rocket systems all the 118 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:40,220 systems onboard the Pegasus 119 00:04:45,370 --> 00:04:42,410 we have launch panel operators that fly 120 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:45,380 out to the launch point and monitor the 121 00:04:49,870 --> 00:04:47,810 systems on the rock at real-time as well 122 00:04:53,290 --> 00:04:49,880 as the payload systems are monitored 123 00:04:56,620 --> 00:04:53,300 from a consoles up in that first class 124 00:04:58,600 --> 00:04:56,630 area the entire back end of the aircraft 125 00:05:01,499 --> 00:04:58,610 has been cleaned out of all all the 126 00:05:03,909 --> 00:05:01,509 seats and all the overhead bins and we 127 00:05:08,860 --> 00:05:03,919 like to refer to it as the bowling alley 128 00:05:10,719 --> 00:05:08,870 back there it's just do you bow back but 129 00:05:13,330 --> 00:05:10,729 it's it's empty in that it gives us 130 00:05:16,330 --> 00:05:13,340 additional performance capability to 131 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:16,340 launch this this amazing machine can you 132 00:05:18,580 --> 00:05:17,570 launch anywhere in the world if you're 133 00:05:20,980 --> 00:05:18,590 on an airliner I would think that 134 00:05:22,570 --> 00:05:20,990 anywhere you can leave a runway from you 135 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:22,580 could that's right and that's the that's 136 00:05:25,270 --> 00:05:23,930 the true advantage of an air launch 137 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:25,280 system it gives you that global 138 00:05:29,529 --> 00:05:27,050 flexibility in fact we've launched 139 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:29,539 Pegasus from the Canary Islands we've 140 00:05:33,879 --> 00:05:31,610 launched it from the Kwajalein atoll out 141 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:33,889 in the middle of the Pacific Ocean as 142 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:36,770 well as more conventional launch sites 143 00:05:40,300 --> 00:05:38,210 like Kennedy Space Center and Cape 144 00:05:43,060 --> 00:05:40,310 Canaveral Air Force Station so it truly 145 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:43,070 is an independent launch platform that 146 00:05:47,020 --> 00:05:45,289 gives us lots of flexibility and really 147 00:05:50,050 --> 00:05:47,030 enables Pegasus to deliver payloads to 148 00:05:51,850 --> 00:05:50,060 any inclination cool so for this launch 149 00:05:53,379 --> 00:05:51,860 if I remember correctly we were actually 150 00:05:54,939 --> 00:05:53,389 supposed to launch from the Kwajalein 151 00:05:57,040 --> 00:05:54,949 Islands is that correct yeah that's 152 00:05:58,990 --> 00:05:57,050 right the original launch attempt was 153 00:06:00,129 --> 00:05:59,000 was designed to go out of Kwajalein and 154 00:06:03,189 --> 00:06:00,139 that was because we get a performance 155 00:06:05,140 --> 00:06:03,199 boost by launching near the equator okay 156 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:05,150 rocket equation helps you it helps you 157 00:06:09,490 --> 00:06:06,770 understand that the closer you are the 158 00:06:12,159 --> 00:06:09,500 query the more the Earth's rotation 159 00:06:13,719 --> 00:06:12,169 helps you sure and it turns out that we 160 00:06:15,909 --> 00:06:13,729 really didn't need that performance that 161 00:06:18,670 --> 00:06:15,919 the icon spacecraft came in 162 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:18,680 significantly under budget on mass okay 163 00:06:21,790 --> 00:06:20,330 instead that enabled us for this launch 164 00:06:23,439 --> 00:06:21,800 attempt to come back here to the Cape 165 00:06:26,589 --> 00:06:23,449 where logistically it's a it's a much 166 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:26,599 more straightforward operation I think 167 00:06:33,249 --> 00:06:29,570 about launching a rocket and just the 168 00:06:36,189 --> 00:06:33,259 orbital mechanics of blasting a giant 169 00:06:37,629 --> 00:06:36,199 machine into outer space and getting it 170 00:06:39,399 --> 00:06:37,639 into an orbit you want like that's 171 00:06:40,989 --> 00:06:39,409 difficult but now 172 00:06:42,070 --> 00:06:40,999 adding like all of that with the 173 00:06:44,769 --> 00:06:42,080 complexity of now we're flying through 174 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:44,779 the air to do that is it is it harder to 175 00:06:48,100 --> 00:06:46,610 like to launch from a plane and get 176 00:06:50,409 --> 00:06:48,110 things where you want them in space 177 00:06:52,779 --> 00:06:50,419 well there's challenges with with both 178 00:06:54,639 --> 00:06:52,789 approaches to to space launch you have 179 00:06:56,589 --> 00:06:54,649 additional systems though when you when 180 00:06:58,719 --> 00:06:56,599 you involve an airplane so not only does 181 00:07:00,820 --> 00:06:58,729 the rocket and all its systems have to 182 00:07:01,929 --> 00:07:00,830 perform flawlessly in order to get to a 183 00:07:02,859 --> 00:07:01,939 launch attempt didn't to have a 184 00:07:04,540 --> 00:07:02,869 successful launch 185 00:07:06,999 --> 00:07:04,550 but that aircraft has to perform 186 00:07:08,679 --> 00:07:07,009 flawlessly at all the systems onboard so 187 00:07:10,719 --> 00:07:08,689 it does add some complexity to it but 188 00:07:12,159 --> 00:07:10,729 the payoff is that flexibility on launch 189 00:07:15,939 --> 00:07:12,169 location we talked about a minute ago 190 00:07:18,549 --> 00:07:15,949 okay and and I'm assuming that this 191 00:07:20,379 --> 00:07:18,559 isn't the kind of thing where we have a 192 00:07:22,719 --> 00:07:20,389 rocket strapped to an airplane and the 193 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:22,729 rocket just ignites that seems like that 194 00:07:25,839 --> 00:07:24,050 would be dangerous for the people on 195 00:07:27,339 --> 00:07:25,849 board so what's that process what's the 196 00:07:28,959 --> 00:07:27,349 actual launch sequence look like yeah 197 00:07:32,619 --> 00:07:28,969 there there are seven Souls onboard this 198 00:07:34,059 --> 00:07:32,629 air yeah and so our priority at Northrop 199 00:07:35,529 --> 00:07:34,069 Grumman is all about those seven people 200 00:07:37,809 --> 00:07:35,539 right in them and the main thing is 201 00:07:40,059 --> 00:07:37,819 safety and safety is always first in our 202 00:07:41,559 --> 00:07:40,069 minds for any operation particularly 203 00:07:42,790 --> 00:07:41,569 this one which is more hazardous than 204 00:07:44,980 --> 00:07:42,800 usual 205 00:07:47,350 --> 00:07:44,990 the Pegasus systems and the systems 206 00:07:49,089 --> 00:07:47,360 onboard the l-1011 are designed to 207 00:07:51,489 --> 00:07:49,099 monitor all the safety systems onboard 208 00:07:54,819 --> 00:07:51,499 the rocket and to ensure that we've got 209 00:07:57,399 --> 00:07:54,829 a safe condition in order to launch when 210 00:07:59,499 --> 00:07:57,409 we actually launch the the the Pegasus 211 00:08:01,329 --> 00:07:59,509 it's released from the l-1011 there's a 212 00:08:03,969 --> 00:08:01,339 there's a there's a button up in the 213 00:08:05,889 --> 00:08:03,979 cockpit that the pilot actually presses 214 00:08:07,329 --> 00:08:05,899 to release Pegasus it's a manual 215 00:08:09,549 --> 00:08:07,339 operation and that pilot isn't 216 00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:09,559 comfortable with where things are he 217 00:08:13,569 --> 00:08:12,110 won't release but once it does release 218 00:08:16,179 --> 00:08:13,579 it actually coasts away from the 219 00:08:17,709 --> 00:08:16,189 aircraft for five seconds the aircraft 220 00:08:19,689 --> 00:08:17,719 banks at that point because it's just 221 00:08:21,790 --> 00:08:19,699 released fifty-seven thousand pounds and 222 00:08:24,759 --> 00:08:21,800 you can imagine it's gonna get my 223 00:08:26,559 --> 00:08:24,769 sellout - yeah quickly yeah and it's 224 00:08:28,149 --> 00:08:26,569 that separation in that five seconds 225 00:08:31,839 --> 00:08:28,159 that puts the rock at a safe distance 226 00:08:34,509 --> 00:08:31,849 away from the l-1011 and the crew to 227 00:08:38,350 --> 00:08:34,519 ensure safety which is again our highest 228 00:08:40,119 --> 00:08:38,360 priority cool so does this mean that do 229 00:08:42,339 --> 00:08:40,129 you have a traditional launch countdown 230 00:08:43,659 --> 00:08:42,349 then if ultimately the pyro is the pilot 231 00:08:45,460 --> 00:08:43,669 held - like when we get to zero like you 232 00:08:47,199 --> 00:08:45,470 got to push the button it's he's 233 00:08:49,449 --> 00:08:47,209 flexible so we don't have an auto 234 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:49,459 sequencer for example like most ground 235 00:08:54,010 --> 00:08:51,290 launch vehicles will go 236 00:08:55,540 --> 00:08:54,020 to internal power and then go within two 237 00:08:57,460 --> 00:08:55,550 minutes or so they'll go into an auto 238 00:08:59,530 --> 00:08:57,470 sequence where the computer on board 239 00:09:01,540 --> 00:08:59,540 that rocket is actually controlling the 240 00:09:03,610 --> 00:09:01,550 ignition pulse it's monitoring in and 241 00:09:05,650 --> 00:09:03,620 that can be turned off by people on the 242 00:09:07,060 --> 00:09:05,660 ground by operators on the ground but 243 00:09:08,710 --> 00:09:07,070 everything is automated unless it's 244 00:09:11,860 --> 00:09:08,720 interrupted by an operator in the case 245 00:09:14,860 --> 00:09:11,870 of Pegasus the the pilot has control of 246 00:09:18,030 --> 00:09:14,870 that event and none of the systems to 247 00:09:20,530 --> 00:09:18,040 start the the actual launch sequence 248 00:09:24,340 --> 00:09:20,540 initiate until the rocket is released 249 00:09:26,890 --> 00:09:24,350 from the airplane and for launching the 250 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:26,900 rocket again thinking about an ground 251 00:09:30,550 --> 00:09:28,250 launch you're launching from a very 252 00:09:32,380 --> 00:09:30,560 specific point on earth do you have like 253 00:09:33,820 --> 00:09:32,390 one single spot in the air that like you 254 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:33,830 have to hit that that moment and like 255 00:09:37,150 --> 00:09:34,970 ask everything to be perfect at that 256 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:37,160 moment in space to launch oh it's called 257 00:09:42,490 --> 00:09:39,770 we call it the launch box and so the the 258 00:09:45,820 --> 00:09:42,500 l-1011 pilots will fly take off here 259 00:09:47,500 --> 00:09:45,830 from the kids skid script excuse me the 260 00:09:51,370 --> 00:09:47,510 pilots will take off here from the skid 261 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:51,380 strip at Cape Canaveral and fly out and 262 00:09:55,570 --> 00:09:52,730 then apply what we call a racetrack 263 00:09:57,790 --> 00:09:55,580 which positions the aircraft at the 264 00:10:00,670 --> 00:09:57,800 right time at the right place for the 265 00:10:03,220 --> 00:10:00,680 drop they will they will align the 266 00:10:05,560 --> 00:10:03,230 aircraft with a drop box it's ten miles 267 00:10:07,900 --> 00:10:05,570 by 40 miles long okay 268 00:10:10,930 --> 00:10:07,910 and they they need to be inside of that 269 00:10:13,780 --> 00:10:10,940 box for the actual drop and launch of 270 00:10:15,460 --> 00:10:13,790 Pegasus all the all the the mission 271 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:15,470 planning all the Range Safety is 272 00:10:20,530 --> 00:10:17,570 designed around dropping the rocket 273 00:10:22,780 --> 00:10:20,540 inside of that box so as long as you're 274 00:10:25,540 --> 00:10:22,790 in that box the rocket can kind of 275 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:25,550 adjust so to speak in flight to get 276 00:10:28,420 --> 00:10:26,810 where needs to be that's right the the 277 00:10:30,070 --> 00:10:28,430 rocket will guide itself into orbit 278 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:30,080 based on where it's released and if 279 00:10:33,580 --> 00:10:31,370 we're going a little bit too fast or a 280 00:10:36,190 --> 00:10:33,590 little bit too slow or we're ten miles 281 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:36,200 shorter than what our nominal is the 282 00:10:39,580 --> 00:10:37,970 onboard navigation systems on the 283 00:10:41,530 --> 00:10:39,590 Pegasus will correct for that and get us 284 00:10:42,450 --> 00:10:41,540 into a very precise orbit cool that's 285 00:10:45,970 --> 00:10:42,460 great 286 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:45,980 so you personally where are you gonna be 287 00:10:49,780 --> 00:10:48,290 for lunch do you have a roll are you on 288 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:49,790 console somewhere yeah I'll be in the 289 00:10:54,850 --> 00:10:52,250 mission directors Center I I'm kind of a 290 00:10:57,550 --> 00:10:54,860 suit though so so so the real the real 291 00:11:01,020 --> 00:10:57,560 the real rocket operators are the 292 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:01,030 Pegasus launch team the 293 00:11:05,790 --> 00:11:03,610 the mission director for Northrop 294 00:11:08,370 --> 00:11:05,800 Grumman is Brian Baldwin who is our 295 00:11:10,980 --> 00:11:08,380 program manager for Pegasus and the rest 296 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:10,990 of the launch team including the launch 297 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:14,650 conductor are there in building a EE in 298 00:11:18,180 --> 00:11:15,970 launch control cool 299 00:11:21,210 --> 00:11:18,190 so I would be remiss if I didn't ask you 300 00:11:22,940 --> 00:11:21,220 because Icahn has been I don't know how 301 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:22,950 to describe it we've had some delays 302 00:11:29,010 --> 00:11:26,050 this time almost almost exactly a year 303 00:11:30,300 --> 00:11:29,020 ago it seems like we were up we the 304 00:11:32,850 --> 00:11:30,310 plane had taken off we were about 30 305 00:11:34,410 --> 00:11:32,860 minutes from launch and and we scrubbed 306 00:11:37,020 --> 00:11:34,420 out and we're back here again almost 307 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:37,030 about a year later so can you tell us 308 00:11:40,110 --> 00:11:38,410 kind of what happened what's happened 309 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:40,120 over the course of the past year sure 310 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:42,970 yeah the the you know any space launch 311 00:11:47,730 --> 00:11:45,130 requires flawless operation of a highly 312 00:11:49,950 --> 00:11:47,740 complex machine made up of thousands of 313 00:11:52,350 --> 00:11:49,960 parts software and launch operations 314 00:11:55,710 --> 00:11:52,360 that must execute perfectly every launch 315 00:11:57,150 --> 00:11:55,720 every time the Pegasus icon mission has 316 00:11:59,970 --> 00:11:57,160 challenged the Northrop Grumman NASA 317 00:12:01,800 --> 00:11:59,980 team repeatedly but we're excited to say 318 00:12:04,170 --> 00:12:01,810 that we're they're past those challenges 319 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:04,180 and are ready to go during the previous 320 00:12:09,570 --> 00:12:06,730 launch attempt engineers observed some 321 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:09,580 anomalous readings on a position 322 00:12:14,010 --> 00:12:12,010 feedback sensor on the Pegasus rudder 323 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:14,020 fin actuator the rudder is really what 324 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:15,970 steers the rocket during the first stage 325 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:18,010 of flight it's like an airplane so it's 326 00:12:22,110 --> 00:12:19,570 got a rudder just like an airplane does 327 00:12:24,329 --> 00:12:22,120 and it was that position feedback that 328 00:12:26,070 --> 00:12:24,339 looked uh nominalist to us and caused us 329 00:12:28,230 --> 00:12:26,080 to scrub that previous launch attempt 330 00:12:29,670 --> 00:12:28,240 because the mission successes are only 331 00:12:32,070 --> 00:12:29,680 focused and because we did not have a 332 00:12:34,500 --> 00:12:32,080 clear understanding of those readings we 333 00:12:35,940 --> 00:12:34,510 stood up a joint investigation team with 334 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:35,950 our NASA partners to determine caused 335 00:12:40,110 --> 00:12:38,410 and corrective actions those corrective 336 00:12:42,470 --> 00:12:40,120 actions included removing and replacing 337 00:12:45,060 --> 00:12:42,480 hardware with modified designs 338 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:45,070 performing qualification testing and 339 00:12:48,780 --> 00:12:46,810 conducting three captive carry flights 340 00:12:51,420 --> 00:12:48,790 to validate the hard hardware upgrades 341 00:12:52,829 --> 00:12:51,430 including the one that we flew to ferry 342 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:52,839 the rocket from Vandenberg Air Force 343 00:12:57,150 --> 00:12:55,810 Base here to here to Florida working 344 00:12:59,450 --> 00:12:57,160 through those challenges as a team was 345 00:13:01,500 --> 00:12:59,460 the only possible due to the outstanding 346 00:13:03,930 --> 00:13:01,510 three-decade partnership we've had with 347 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:03,940 NASA on Pegasus and we are proud and 348 00:13:08,820 --> 00:13:06,250 honored to be here to launch yeah 349 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:08,830 obviously Northrop Grumman is a big part 350 00:13:13,350 --> 00:13:10,930 of our launch services program obviously 351 00:13:15,420 --> 00:13:13,360 a big mission here with Ikon so glad to 352 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:15,430 have a year it sounds like 353 00:13:19,410 --> 00:13:16,930 probably a tough year but probably 354 00:13:20,730 --> 00:13:19,420 feeling really rewarding now I guess 355 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:20,740 we're getting ready to like hey we did 356 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:21,970 this the right way we're gonna get there 357 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:23,410 I think everybody involved would say was 358 00:13:28,620 --> 00:13:25,570 a very intense year very time is of the 359 00:13:32,190 --> 00:13:28,630 essence in these sorts of things and we 360 00:13:33,390 --> 00:13:32,200 worked almost around the clock to to get 361 00:13:35,870 --> 00:13:33,400 to the bottom of this and what was 362 00:13:38,460 --> 00:13:35,880 really happening on the Northrop 363 00:13:41,610 --> 00:13:38,470 Northrop Grumman team working with NASA 364 00:13:43,980 --> 00:13:41,620 hand-in-hand and that activity so so 365 00:13:46,020 --> 00:13:43,990 it's it is very rewarding to get past it 366 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:46,030 to really understand what's happening to 367 00:13:50,370 --> 00:13:48,010 make those corrective actions and in 368 00:13:52,650 --> 00:13:50,380 fact we we grew we gained great 369 00:13:54,510 --> 00:13:52,660 confidence on the ferry flight from 370 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:54,520 California to here where we didn't see a 371 00:13:59,280 --> 00:13:56,410 repeat of any of the issues we had in 372 00:14:02,940 --> 00:13:59,290 the previous launch attempts so I'm 373 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:02,950 assuming that this is a mission every 374 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:04,090 mission is this way but I'm sure in 375 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:06,370 particular your team is excited for this 376 00:14:09,870 --> 00:14:08,530 launch and anxious for it so what's that 377 00:14:12,450 --> 00:14:09,880 gonna feel like to see this thing fly 378 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:12,460 and be in orbit correctly like how's the 379 00:14:16,650 --> 00:14:14,050 team respond to that well any any any 380 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:16,660 launches is is all adrenalin and and and 381 00:14:20,370 --> 00:14:18,370 you know it's one of the reasons we're 382 00:14:22,100 --> 00:14:20,380 in this business it's it's it's a blast 383 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:22,110 right and no pun intended 384 00:14:27,510 --> 00:14:25,930 but this one in particular because of 385 00:14:29,310 --> 00:14:27,520 all the effort that we've had to put in 386 00:14:31,950 --> 00:14:29,320 to get this right on both sides you know 387 00:14:34,170 --> 00:14:31,960 on the payload side the NASA side and 388 00:14:36,030 --> 00:14:34,180 the north of Grumman side the teams the 389 00:14:37,140 --> 00:14:36,040 teams that that solve this problem with 390 00:14:39,570 --> 00:14:37,150 the teams that are going to be launching 391 00:14:41,820 --> 00:14:39,580 the rocket and I I can't imagine that 392 00:14:44,940 --> 00:14:41,830 they don't have an extra boost of 393 00:14:46,710 --> 00:14:44,950 adrenaline for this mission compared to 394 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:46,720 others although they're all they're all 395 00:14:51,510 --> 00:14:49,450 very exciting yeah so you you you 396 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:51,520 describe yourself as being a suit so 397 00:14:56,310 --> 00:14:53,290 kind of as a leader of this this group 398 00:14:57,450 --> 00:14:56,320 does that hold specific meaning for you 399 00:14:59,430 --> 00:14:57,460 and kind of like your history with the 400 00:15:01,680 --> 00:14:59,440 rocket yeah the Pegasus team is a family 401 00:15:03,090 --> 00:15:01,690 been together for you know since 1990 402 00:15:05,190 --> 00:15:03,100 and a lot of the people that are working 403 00:15:08,850 --> 00:15:05,200 Pegasus have worked on on the program 404 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:08,860 for over a decade so it's really 405 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:10,570 rewarding to see them have the 406 00:15:14,790 --> 00:15:12,610 opportunity to get payoff for their 407 00:15:17,700 --> 00:15:14,800 efforts that we know it's gonna be a 408 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:17,710 successful mission cool so I want to go 409 00:15:21,180 --> 00:15:18,970 back real fast there was a comment you 410 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:21,190 made that and I heard that with the 411 00:15:25,650 --> 00:15:23,370 Pegasus ferry flight across the country 412 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:25,660 with a commercial airliner if you're 413 00:15:29,369 --> 00:15:28,570 flying yourself from LA to Orlando you 414 00:15:31,559 --> 00:15:29,379 just kind of take as 415 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:31,569 straighter path as you can but I believe 416 00:15:35,699 --> 00:15:33,970 I've heard that the l-1011 and the 417 00:15:37,859 --> 00:15:35,709 pegasus take a very different path to 418 00:15:39,900 --> 00:15:37,869 get here is that correct yes we have to 419 00:15:42,499 --> 00:15:39,910 file a special flight flight plan with 420 00:15:46,529 --> 00:15:42,509 the FAA because we're we are carrying 421 00:15:48,659 --> 00:15:46,539 50,000 pounds of rocket fuel so we do 422 00:15:50,699 --> 00:15:48,669 avoid populated areas along the flight 423 00:15:52,199 --> 00:15:50,709 path but but it's not all that different 424 00:15:54,269 --> 00:15:52,209 that people that are riding there is 425 00:15:56,339 --> 00:15:54,279 about a five five and a half five and a 426 00:15:57,989 --> 00:15:56,349 half hour flight and we take advantage 427 00:15:59,639 --> 00:15:57,999 of this flight to monitor the systems 428 00:16:01,829 --> 00:15:59,649 onboard so it's actually a dry run for 429 00:16:03,539 --> 00:16:01,839 our launch attempt right we've got the 430 00:16:05,069 --> 00:16:03,549 system's powered up we're not arming 431 00:16:07,739 --> 00:16:05,079 anything or doing anything will do for 432 00:16:08,969 --> 00:16:07,749 an actual launch but we will monitor all 433 00:16:11,219 --> 00:16:08,979 the systems and in fact we were 434 00:16:13,859 --> 00:16:11,229 monitoring the system that gave us the 435 00:16:16,649 --> 00:16:13,869 issues the entire flight from Vandenberg 436 00:16:20,279 --> 00:16:16,659 to Florida and then when we get here we 437 00:16:22,279 --> 00:16:20,289 actually will practice before we land on 438 00:16:24,779 --> 00:16:22,289 the skid strip we'll actually practice 439 00:16:27,119 --> 00:16:24,789 not a launch attempt but basically going 440 00:16:29,039 --> 00:16:27,129 out to the racetrack turning our 441 00:16:30,979 --> 00:16:29,049 transmitters on having the range capture 442 00:16:33,329 --> 00:16:30,989 that data and it's a really good dry run 443 00:16:35,009 --> 00:16:33,339 not just for the Pegasus team for but 444 00:16:37,169 --> 00:16:35,019 but for the range as well to make sure 445 00:16:38,909 --> 00:16:37,179 everything is set properly and we're 446 00:16:41,039 --> 00:16:38,919 ready for launch day cool Phil 447 00:16:42,809 --> 00:16:41,049 appreciate you good luck to you and the 448 00:16:45,269 --> 00:16:42,819 entire team obviously we're all gonna be 449 00:16:46,829 --> 00:16:45,279 anxious to see this one fly as with any 450 00:16:48,869 --> 00:16:46,839 launch but certainly like overcoming 451 00:16:50,519 --> 00:16:48,879 challenges is what makes NASA or 452 00:16:53,309 --> 00:16:50,529 Northrop Grumman great great to be here 453 00:16:54,689 --> 00:16:53,319 thank you very much i wrangled up 454 00:16:56,099 --> 00:16:54,699 another ranch hand to help track down 455 00:16:58,529 --> 00:16:56,109 some more information on this 456 00:17:01,139 --> 00:16:58,539 long-awaited mission here's my colleague 457 00:17:03,090 --> 00:17:01,149 Madison Tuttle with dr. Nikki Fox the 458 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:03,100 heliophysics division director in the 459 00:17:07,619 --> 00:17:05,129 NASA science Mission Directorate and 460 00:17:09,809 --> 00:17:07,629 principal investigator for icon from the 461 00:17:14,429 --> 00:17:09,819 Space Sciences laboratory at UC Berkeley 462 00:17:16,799 --> 00:17:14,439 dr. Thomas MO all right I am here in the 463 00:17:19,499 --> 00:17:16,809 booth with Ikon principal investigator 464 00:17:21,990 --> 00:17:19,509 dr. Thomas Emel and we also have dr. 465 00:17:23,850 --> 00:17:22,000 Nikki Fox who is the director of the 466 00:17:26,970 --> 00:17:23,860 Helio physics division from NASA 467 00:17:28,830 --> 00:17:26,980 headquarters welcome to you both if we 468 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:28,840 want to start out you could just give me 469 00:17:33,149 --> 00:17:31,330 kind of a brief high-level overview of 470 00:17:34,889 --> 00:17:33,159 kind of your role in the icon mission 471 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:34,899 Tom if you like to start being the 472 00:17:41,130 --> 00:17:37,210 principal investigator I'm responsible 473 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:41,140 for the scientific output of the 474 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:43,090 I'm working with a team of scientists 475 00:17:49,020 --> 00:17:47,050 and to define the science goals and 476 00:17:51,690 --> 00:17:49,030 which we have well defined at this point 477 00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:51,700 and agree with NASA and what those were 478 00:17:59,340 --> 00:17:56,110 and then you know I Berkeley was 479 00:18:01,290 --> 00:17:59,350 responsible for putting together the 480 00:18:02,690 --> 00:18:01,300 observatory so of course we've worked 481 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:02,700 with a number of partners on that 482 00:18:07,620 --> 00:18:05,290 including Northrop Grumman for the 483 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:07,630 spacecraft and to integrate the payload 484 00:18:12,780 --> 00:18:10,450 the scientific payload to the with the 485 00:18:14,820 --> 00:18:12,790 spacecraft to create the observatory we 486 00:18:16,650 --> 00:18:14,830 also worked with Utah State to integrate 487 00:18:18,470 --> 00:18:16,660 the all the instruments on the payload 488 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:18,480 and we have instruments from Dallas 489 00:18:24,360 --> 00:18:21,850 University of Dallas and in a research 490 00:18:26,490 --> 00:18:24,370 lab as well as Berkley imagers we were 491 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:26,500 selected by NASA to do this mission in 492 00:18:30,630 --> 00:18:28,510 2013 and it's been a long road but we're 493 00:18:35,730 --> 00:18:30,640 finally glad to be launching it this 494 00:18:37,620 --> 00:18:35,740 week yeah dr. Nikki Fox so in my role I 495 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:37,630 am responsible for all of the spacecraft 496 00:18:42,180 --> 00:18:40,090 and all of the assets that make up the 497 00:18:45,540 --> 00:18:42,190 Helio fleet and so we are very excited 498 00:18:47,850 --> 00:18:45,550 we have obviously missions looking at 499 00:18:49,290 --> 00:18:47,860 the Sun tracking all of those events all 500 00:18:51,690 --> 00:18:49,300 the way through the space between the 501 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:51,700 Sun and Earth and then icon joining our 502 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:53,890 fleet to really look at that sort of 503 00:18:58,100 --> 00:18:56,170 final piece what happens when all of 504 00:19:00,630 --> 00:18:58,110 that solar energy gets into our 505 00:19:02,670 --> 00:19:00,640 atmosphere and dumps a lot of energy 506 00:19:05,100 --> 00:19:02,680 there and what is happening in that sort 507 00:19:07,380 --> 00:19:05,110 of very dynamic region where icon is 508 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:07,390 going to be flying through and it's a 509 00:19:11,700 --> 00:19:09,730 wonderful partnership we have a imager 510 00:19:13,620 --> 00:19:11,710 up there called gold that was launched 511 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:13,630 last year and that is taking full 512 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:17,050 hemispheric images from its it's sort of 513 00:19:20,730 --> 00:19:18,850 vantage point at geosynchronous orbit 514 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:20,740 and then Ikon will be whipping through 515 00:19:25,890 --> 00:19:23,290 making the in situ data telling us 516 00:19:27,750 --> 00:19:25,900 exactly what is happening kind of out in 517 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:27,760 that environment so we can't wait 518 00:19:31,980 --> 00:19:30,310 perfect and how big is your team in 519 00:19:33,780 --> 00:19:31,990 total do you know how many people are 520 00:19:36,510 --> 00:19:33,790 involved with this mission well let's 521 00:19:38,610 --> 00:19:36,520 see between Northrop and the launch 522 00:19:39,990 --> 00:19:38,620 vehicle Northrop so Northrop also has 523 00:19:43,410 --> 00:19:40,000 the launch vehicle as well as the 524 00:19:46,410 --> 00:19:43,420 spacecraft so there will be probably 16 525 00:19:48,180 --> 00:19:46,420 northrop engineers on console at 526 00:19:50,250 --> 00:19:48,190 berkeley when we launch where the 527 00:19:52,700 --> 00:19:50,260 mission operations are and then there's 528 00:19:54,740 --> 00:19:52,710 so many people here for the rocket so 529 00:19:56,539 --> 00:19:54,750 hundreds of people yeah we always say 530 00:19:59,570 --> 00:19:56,549 it's takes an entire family to put a 531 00:20:01,190 --> 00:19:59,580 spacecraft into orbit you you just don't 532 00:20:04,100 --> 00:20:01,200 realize how many people and they all 533 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:04,110 have a very very vital role and it's you 534 00:20:07,159 --> 00:20:05,490 know one of the beauties beautiful 535 00:20:09,470 --> 00:20:07,169 things about doing these is getting to 536 00:20:12,019 --> 00:20:09,480 work in these incredible teams right and 537 00:20:13,580 --> 00:20:12,029 you touch briefly kind of what icon is 538 00:20:15,500 --> 00:20:13,590 going to be doing could you explain to 539 00:20:21,370 --> 00:20:15,510 our listeners a little bit just in 540 00:20:24,049 --> 00:20:21,380 general what is the ionosphere I can 541 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:24,059 well the ionosphere is the region around 542 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:26,730 Earth that's charged or it's been 543 00:20:33,039 --> 00:20:29,490 ionized by solar radiation that's how it 544 00:20:37,519 --> 00:20:33,049 gets ionized where that plasma goes and 545 00:20:40,010 --> 00:20:37,529 how it behaves after that is subject to 546 00:20:43,460 --> 00:20:40,020 a number of different inputs of course 547 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:43,470 the aurora is another place where a lot 548 00:20:47,659 --> 00:20:45,450 of plasma is created that's by charged 549 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:47,669 particles that initially come from the 550 00:20:51,289 --> 00:20:49,110 solar wind but the energize in the 551 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:51,299 magnetosphere and then channeled into 552 00:20:54,919 --> 00:20:53,130 the high latitude regions of the earth 553 00:20:57,799 --> 00:20:54,929 that can modify the ionosphere pretty 554 00:21:01,700 --> 00:20:57,809 drastically ikons focuses on the forcing 555 00:21:04,250 --> 00:21:01,710 that comes from below most of the solar 556 00:21:05,539 --> 00:21:04,260 energy that comes from the Sun ends up 557 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:05,549 on earth ends up right here in the 558 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:08,130 surface and it turns out that a lot of 559 00:21:14,389 --> 00:21:12,450 energy and momentum is comes comes back 560 00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:14,399 up and that can come up in large-scale 561 00:21:20,269 --> 00:21:17,370 waves and there's a number of there's a 562 00:21:22,610 --> 00:21:20,279 family of waves and tides that can carry 563 00:21:24,740 --> 00:21:22,620 that energy back up into space and it 564 00:21:26,990 --> 00:21:24,750 turns out that we think that there's a 565 00:21:28,399 --> 00:21:27,000 that that's there maybe the key to 566 00:21:31,039 --> 00:21:28,409 understanding why the aina sphere is so 567 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:31,049 variable and the key to making being 568 00:21:34,700 --> 00:21:32,490 able to make better predictions of its 569 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:34,710 conditions certain we could describe the 570 00:21:38,779 --> 00:21:36,450 ionosphere maybe it's like a transition 571 00:21:40,190 --> 00:21:38,789 region if it's where the all of the 572 00:21:41,990 --> 00:21:40,200 weather that we worry about here on 573 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:42,000 earth the Hurricanes and the tornadoes 574 00:21:46,250 --> 00:21:44,730 that's kind of reaching up and then that 575 00:21:47,690 --> 00:21:46,260 space weather from the Sun is coming 576 00:21:49,549 --> 00:21:47,700 down and it's that kind of handshake 577 00:21:51,649 --> 00:21:49,559 between those two different weather 578 00:21:53,630 --> 00:21:51,659 systems that is that that transition 579 00:21:55,970 --> 00:21:53,640 region that's the ionosphere that's 580 00:21:58,669 --> 00:21:55,980 right that's its space weather means 581 00:22:00,200 --> 00:21:58,679 Earth's weather in the ionosphere and we 582 00:22:03,230 --> 00:22:00,210 wouldn't have said that if decade ago 583 00:22:04,789 --> 00:22:03,240 sort of a surprising sort of outcome 584 00:22:06,409 --> 00:22:04,799 from previous NASA missions that's 585 00:22:08,029 --> 00:22:06,419 actually true we thought about a deck 586 00:22:10,159 --> 00:22:08,039 we thought everything was driven by the 587 00:22:12,049 --> 00:22:10,169 Sun and now we're finding out that it's 588 00:22:13,639 --> 00:22:12,059 so dynamic and there's so much energy 589 00:22:15,919 --> 00:22:13,649 there that there has to be something 590 00:22:18,379 --> 00:22:15,929 else it can't just be the Sun and so now 591 00:22:21,109 --> 00:22:18,389 we think it's actually energy that comes 592 00:22:23,659 --> 00:22:21,119 up from from our weather and where they 593 00:22:25,310 --> 00:22:23,669 meet that's the ionosphere so I kind of 594 00:22:27,379 --> 00:22:25,320 understand that like radio 595 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:27,389 communications GPS signals also kind of 596 00:22:32,090 --> 00:22:29,850 float through the ionosphere obviously 597 00:22:33,830 --> 00:22:32,100 those have pretty big implications for 598 00:22:35,479 --> 00:22:33,840 our life here on earth I don't know if 599 00:22:37,430 --> 00:22:35,489 you guys want to elaborate a little bit 600 00:22:39,710 --> 00:22:37,440 kind of the importance of this mission 601 00:22:41,479 --> 00:22:39,720 just for the everyday person on earth 602 00:22:44,090 --> 00:22:41,489 yeah so the ionosphere is really you 603 00:22:45,769 --> 00:22:44,100 know that does that does often the radio 604 00:22:47,479 --> 00:22:45,779 signals bounce off the ionosphere or 605 00:22:49,820 --> 00:22:47,489 they travel through it and when the 606 00:22:52,369 --> 00:22:49,830 ionosphere is nice and quiet then we get 607 00:22:54,799 --> 00:22:52,379 those signals just just fine but when we 608 00:22:57,109 --> 00:22:54,809 have disturbances maybe like bubbles 609 00:22:59,060 --> 00:22:57,119 really bubbles a plasma that form in 610 00:23:01,039 --> 00:22:59,070 this region and they can adversely 611 00:23:03,859 --> 00:23:01,049 affect our ability to have these 612 00:23:06,799 --> 00:23:03,869 communications and that has effects for 613 00:23:08,419 --> 00:23:06,809 obviously military for FAA we want to be 614 00:23:11,090 --> 00:23:08,429 making sure our astronauts are safe 615 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:11,100 they're all in this region and so we 616 00:23:12,820 --> 00:23:12,450 really need to study it and understand 617 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:12,830 it 618 00:23:18,889 --> 00:23:17,730 instruments onboard the spacecraft I 619 00:23:20,690 --> 00:23:18,899 don't know if you want to talk a little 620 00:23:23,629 --> 00:23:20,700 bit about kind of each one in their role 621 00:23:25,460 --> 00:23:23,639 within the mission well I'll start with 622 00:23:28,070 --> 00:23:25,470 the wind imager so it's an 623 00:23:30,379 --> 00:23:28,080 interferometer and what that means is it 624 00:23:32,060 --> 00:23:30,389 causes it takes light into its aperture 625 00:23:34,609 --> 00:23:32,070 and it causes it to interfere with 626 00:23:37,580 --> 00:23:34,619 itself so you can very very carefully 627 00:23:39,919 --> 00:23:37,590 determine the wavelength of the light we 628 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:39,929 can determine it so well that we can 629 00:23:43,190 --> 00:23:41,850 determine if the emission the place 630 00:23:45,259 --> 00:23:43,200 where the lights coming from is moving 631 00:23:47,659 --> 00:23:45,269 towards you or away from you who simply 632 00:23:51,169 --> 00:23:47,669 through Doppler shift of the of the 633 00:23:53,479 --> 00:23:51,179 light and so it's like telling it's like 634 00:23:55,810 --> 00:23:53,489 looking at someone across the room or if 635 00:23:57,680 --> 00:23:55,820 and looking at the color of their shirt 636 00:23:59,330 --> 00:23:57,690 icon could tell you if they're running 637 00:24:01,220 --> 00:23:59,340 towards you or away from you by the 638 00:24:02,690 --> 00:24:01,230 change in the color of their shirt so 639 00:24:04,669 --> 00:24:02,700 it's about five meters per second which 640 00:24:09,019 --> 00:24:04,679 I think I can do five meters per second 641 00:24:10,460 --> 00:24:09,029 I haven't tried but so that's an 642 00:24:11,989 --> 00:24:10,470 important measurement and also we get a 643 00:24:13,759 --> 00:24:11,999 temperature measurement from that as 644 00:24:14,930 --> 00:24:13,769 well that looks right down all those 645 00:24:16,339 --> 00:24:14,940 that wind and temperature we're 646 00:24:19,410 --> 00:24:16,349 measuring right down at the boundary of 647 00:24:21,420 --> 00:24:19,420 space so we say 60 miles 648 00:24:23,310 --> 00:24:21,430 hundred kilometers is that edge of space 649 00:24:24,810 --> 00:24:23,320 and we retrieve the winds and 650 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:24,820 temperatures from there continually day 651 00:24:30,030 --> 00:24:28,450 and night and as at higher altitudes in 652 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:30,040 the day when there's a lot of air glow 653 00:24:33,420 --> 00:24:31,930 and you can retrieve that information in 654 00:24:35,250 --> 00:24:33,430 the daytime also there's ultraviolet 655 00:24:37,710 --> 00:24:35,260 emissions we have ultraviolet to 656 00:24:41,250 --> 00:24:37,720 ultraviolet cameras that pull out the 657 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:41,260 you can retrieve the composition of the 658 00:24:46,710 --> 00:24:43,810 upper atmosphere how it changes and also 659 00:24:47,730 --> 00:24:46,720 the ionospheric density profile we want 660 00:24:49,950 --> 00:24:47,740 to know where that peak in the 661 00:24:51,540 --> 00:24:49,960 atmosphere is at an altitude and how 662 00:24:53,430 --> 00:24:51,550 dense it is 663 00:24:56,190 --> 00:24:53,440 we also carry and set you measurements 664 00:24:58,020 --> 00:24:56,200 so what's remarkable is that in our 665 00:25:01,170 --> 00:24:58,030 orbit that we've selected we can measure 666 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:01,180 the motion of the plasma that the plasma 667 00:25:06,270 --> 00:25:03,490 is you know is generated it's your honor 668 00:25:07,770 --> 00:25:06,280 in a magnetic field so what's affecting 669 00:25:10,530 --> 00:25:07,780 that plasma is sort of everything along 670 00:25:13,410 --> 00:25:10,540 that magnetic field in fact if you look 671 00:25:14,820 --> 00:25:13,420 down the field line you'll you end up at 672 00:25:16,770 --> 00:25:14,830 a place where we're making the wind and 673 00:25:18,420 --> 00:25:16,780 temperature measurements as well so as 674 00:25:20,070 --> 00:25:18,430 there's this sort of key observational 675 00:25:22,050 --> 00:25:20,080 characteristic to the mission that's not 676 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:22,060 been done before so Icahn has been a 677 00:25:26,370 --> 00:25:24,010 mission six years in the making 678 00:25:29,580 --> 00:25:26,380 what challenges or frustrations have 679 00:25:30,930 --> 00:25:29,590 y'all faced all along the way you don't 680 00:25:32,850 --> 00:25:30,940 launch unless you know everything is 681 00:25:35,340 --> 00:25:32,860 going to be perfect and you know so 682 00:25:37,140 --> 00:25:35,350 there was some anomalous behavior when 683 00:25:38,940 --> 00:25:37,150 we tried to launch last year and I have 684 00:25:41,010 --> 00:25:38,950 to just give credit to the amazing team 685 00:25:43,110 --> 00:25:41,020 that really stood into this you know 686 00:25:44,970 --> 00:25:43,120 nobody ever gave up the icon team is 687 00:25:47,310 --> 00:25:44,980 still there still waiting for this 688 00:25:49,020 --> 00:25:47,320 mission we've even used the time to do 689 00:25:51,330 --> 00:25:49,030 some extra testing on the spacecraft 690 00:25:53,130 --> 00:25:51,340 walking out the solar arrays making sure 691 00:25:54,750 --> 00:25:53,140 everything is going to be perfect when 692 00:25:57,180 --> 00:25:54,760 we actually come to launch and there's 693 00:25:58,260 --> 00:25:57,190 only one icon it's not like we are going 694 00:25:59,490 --> 00:25:58,270 to launch it and if something goes wrong 695 00:26:02,340 --> 00:25:59,500 we're just gonna build another one 696 00:26:03,690 --> 00:26:02,350 there's only one icon and so we want to 697 00:26:05,940 --> 00:26:03,700 make sure everything is a hundred 698 00:26:08,970 --> 00:26:05,950 percent perfect before we launch our 699 00:26:11,070 --> 00:26:08,980 precious baby into space because you 700 00:26:12,660 --> 00:26:11,080 know it's it's just we've waited a long 701 00:26:14,370 --> 00:26:12,670 time we've got this incredible science 702 00:26:15,930 --> 00:26:14,380 we want to do this is the mission to go 703 00:26:17,490 --> 00:26:15,940 and answer it and we're certainly not 704 00:26:19,470 --> 00:26:17,500 gonna take any chances with it so 705 00:26:20,790 --> 00:26:19,480 everything good in life is worth waiting 706 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:20,800 for and we just have to wait a little 707 00:26:24,570 --> 00:26:22,810 bit longer like Niki said we said you 708 00:26:26,250 --> 00:26:24,580 know Niki would we have to do is we have 709 00:26:27,660 --> 00:26:26,260 to open up the whole spacecraft again we 710 00:26:29,820 --> 00:26:27,670 have to test the spacecraft and all the 711 00:26:32,190 --> 00:26:29,830 instruments one more time 712 00:26:33,690 --> 00:26:32,200 and you know everyone at NASA understood 713 00:26:36,539 --> 00:26:33,700 why you have to do that's been it's been 714 00:26:38,159 --> 00:26:36,549 some time as we had to but we're talking 715 00:26:40,289 --> 00:26:38,169 to the engineers are very happy to have 716 00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:40,299 gone through that so we're ready 717 00:26:43,889 --> 00:26:42,130 is there anything just from a personal 718 00:26:45,990 --> 00:26:43,899 perspective what are you most looking 719 00:26:47,639 --> 00:26:46,000 forward to results from this mission 720 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:47,649 observations from this mission is there 721 00:26:51,509 --> 00:26:49,450 anything in particular you're really 722 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:51,519 anxious about I don't think we're 723 00:26:56,130 --> 00:26:54,010 actions were really excited you know as 724 00:26:59,759 --> 00:26:56,140 Tom noted we really started working on 725 00:27:02,009 --> 00:26:59,769 this mission in 2013 and that probably 726 00:27:03,539 --> 00:27:02,019 sounds like a long time but it takes a 727 00:27:05,970 --> 00:27:03,549 lot of time to put these really really 728 00:27:08,310 --> 00:27:05,980 sophisticated missions up in space and 729 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:08,320 you have to have everything right and so 730 00:27:12,090 --> 00:27:10,330 you can't go up and and fix it you have 731 00:27:13,950 --> 00:27:12,100 to have everything right and so it does 732 00:27:15,930 --> 00:27:13,960 take a while it takes a village it takes 733 00:27:17,970 --> 00:27:15,940 a lot of teamwork to put it together and 734 00:27:19,500 --> 00:27:17,980 so I think we're all incredibly excited 735 00:27:22,019 --> 00:27:19,510 about seeing the science that is going 736 00:27:23,759 --> 00:27:22,029 to come from this mission really you 737 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:23,769 know we've really formed the right 738 00:27:27,750 --> 00:27:25,690 questions I think to be asking over the 739 00:27:29,879 --> 00:27:27,760 last decade an icon is certainly the 740 00:27:31,919 --> 00:27:29,889 right mission to be answering them yeah 741 00:27:34,529 --> 00:27:31,929 and I'm looking forward I think to every 742 00:27:36,419 --> 00:27:34,539 single little thing I'm looking forward 743 00:27:38,009 --> 00:27:36,429 to the first lunar calibration of the EU 744 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:38,019 the instrument there's not a lot of good 745 00:27:43,649 --> 00:27:39,610 calibration sources in the extreme 746 00:27:45,870 --> 00:27:43,659 ultraviolet but the moon reflects the 747 00:27:47,970 --> 00:27:45,880 solar spectrum very specifically in a 748 00:27:50,639 --> 00:27:47,980 way that we understand so we use it as a 749 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:50,649 calibration source stellar calibration 750 00:27:54,360 --> 00:27:52,210 for fuv we're going to be looking at a 751 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:54,370 star field in the ultraviolet and the 752 00:27:57,899 --> 00:27:55,570 first one of those to come through is 753 00:27:59,370 --> 00:27:57,909 going to be super-fantastic I'm also 754 00:28:01,200 --> 00:27:59,380 looking forward to the scene the first 755 00:28:04,019 --> 00:28:01,210 fringes in the interferometer for the 756 00:28:05,220 --> 00:28:04,029 for the wind instrument and I just I 757 00:28:07,470 --> 00:28:05,230 want to know exactly where I'm going to 758 00:28:09,269 --> 00:28:07,480 be I know where I'm gonna be gonna be 759 00:28:10,889 --> 00:28:09,279 standing over an engineer's shoulder 760 00:28:13,129 --> 00:28:10,899 looking at their plot when that comes 761 00:28:15,269 --> 00:28:13,139 through so everything's exciting for me 762 00:28:16,830 --> 00:28:15,279 great I think that is all the questions 763 00:28:17,430 --> 00:28:16,840 I have is there anything you guys want 764 00:28:19,259 --> 00:28:17,440 to add 765 00:28:26,789 --> 00:28:19,269 I just think Tom sounds like an 766 00:28:28,169 --> 00:28:26,799 expectant father first day of school and 767 00:28:29,850 --> 00:28:28,179 that's just how tom sounds and that's 768 00:28:31,649 --> 00:28:29,860 kind of how you feel it's like being a 769 00:28:32,730 --> 00:28:31,659 parent you know you bring them up really 770 00:28:33,870 --> 00:28:32,740 well and then you send them off into 771 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:33,880 space and hope they behave themselves 772 00:28:38,700 --> 00:28:36,730 yeah we have competition you know we 773 00:28:40,470 --> 00:28:38,710 always talk to the gold p.i richard 774 00:28:41,460 --> 00:28:40,480 about being first you know we were 775 00:28:43,070 --> 00:28:41,470 always ahead in this 776 00:28:45,149 --> 00:28:43,080 schedule and he's on this crazy 777 00:28:47,460 --> 00:28:45,159 communications platform he's never get 778 00:28:49,289 --> 00:28:47,470 to space on the other thing he got he's 779 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:49,299 there a year ahead of us thank God they 780 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:51,370 did so well with that so we're finally 781 00:28:55,590 --> 00:28:53,530 looking forward to being on orbit with 782 00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:55,600 gold yeah that partnership is gonna be 783 00:28:59,250 --> 00:28:57,370 really great the in situ and the remote 784 00:29:00,779 --> 00:28:59,260 sensing working perfectly together to 785 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:00,789 really give us the answers to the 786 00:29:05,669 --> 00:29:03,370 questions we want great well we are very 787 00:29:08,070 --> 00:29:05,679 much looking forward to all the results 788 00:29:09,690 --> 00:29:08,080 that this mission yields dr. Nikki dr. 789 00:29:12,419 --> 00:29:09,700 Thomas thank you very much for joining 790 00:29:18,330 --> 00:29:12,429 us thank you thank you go Pegasus go 791 00:29:20,159 --> 00:29:18,340 icon go icon hopefully you had a chance 792 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:20,169 to tune in to the broadcast and see the 793 00:29:24,299 --> 00:29:22,570 launch of icon she was successfully 794 00:29:27,899 --> 00:29:24,309 delivered to space the evening of 795 00:29:29,580 --> 00:29:27,909 October 10th 2019 I'm Joshua Santora and 796 00:29:31,620 --> 00:29:29,590 that's our show thanks for stopping by 797 00:29:34,710 --> 00:29:31,630 the rocket ranch special thanks to our 798 00:29:37,140 --> 00:29:34,720 guests Phil Joyce dr. Nikki Fox and dr. 799 00:29:39,899 --> 00:29:37,150 Thomas Amell and another big thanks to 800 00:29:41,490 --> 00:29:39,909 my co-host Madison Tuttle to learn more 801 00:29:44,789 --> 00:29:41,500 about icon including mission updates 802 00:29:46,380 --> 00:29:44,799 visit nasa.gov slash icon to learn more 803 00:29:48,180 --> 00:29:46,390 about LSP our commercial launch 804 00:29:50,730 --> 00:29:48,190 providers science missions and robotic 805 00:29:52,860 --> 00:29:50,740 explorers visit nasa.gov slash launch 806 00:29:54,180 --> 00:29:52,870 services and to learn more about 807 00:29:56,990 --> 00:29:54,190 everything going on to the Kennedy Space 808 00:29:59,370 --> 00:29:57,000 Center go to nasa.gov slash kennedy 809 00:30:00,840 --> 00:29:59,380 check out nasa's other podcasts to learn 810 00:30:03,770 --> 00:30:00,850 more about what's happening at all our 811 00:30:05,940 --> 00:30:03,780 centers at nasa.gov slash podcasts a 812 00:30:08,430 --> 00:30:05,950 special shout out to our producer john 813 00:30:10,860 --> 00:30:08,440 Sackman our sound man Lora Mae 3 enter 814 00:30:13,770 --> 00:30:10,870 Mike Chambers and special thanks to Mary 815 00:30:15,930 --> 00:30:13,780 McLaughlin and Ken Appel and remember on 816 00:30:17,450 --> 00:30:15,940 the rocket ranch even the sky isn't the