1 00:00:04,220 --> 00:00:02,149 Rockets are dangerous and before we 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:04,230 strap our star sailors in we need to 3 00:00:21,950 --> 00:00:06,330 know there is a proven escape plan next 4 00:00:23,750 --> 00:00:21,960 on the rocket ranch both of our 5 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:23,760 Commercial Crew program partners Boeing 6 00:00:27,950 --> 00:00:25,890 and SpaceX are busy getting ready to 7 00:00:30,140 --> 00:00:27,960 transport humans safely to and from the 8 00:00:31,550 --> 00:00:30,150 International Space Station but I 9 00:00:32,930 --> 00:00:31,560 managed to get a few minutes with a 10 00:00:35,209 --> 00:00:32,940 couple folks who provided some insight 11 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:35,219 on critical test flights that are just 12 00:00:40,010 --> 00:00:38,010 around the corner but first a few 13 00:00:42,020 --> 00:00:40,020 episodes back we had John Cowart in the 14 00:00:44,750 --> 00:00:42,030 booth to talk about a NASA owned abort 15 00:00:46,220 --> 00:00:44,760 test we wanted to tap into his wealth of 16 00:00:49,220 --> 00:00:46,230 knowledge to provide a little bit of 17 00:00:50,299 --> 00:00:49,230 context alright I'm back now in the 18 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:50,309 booth with John Cowart thanks for 19 00:00:53,510 --> 00:00:52,170 joining me again John my pleasure to be 20 00:00:56,150 --> 00:00:53,520 here love this hey so we're shifting 21 00:00:57,830 --> 00:00:56,160 focus a little bit and looking ahead to 22 00:01:00,229 --> 00:00:57,840 test flights for our Commercial Crew 23 00:01:03,110 --> 00:01:00,239 partners coming up soon so we have two 24 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:03,120 major major tests coming up can you 25 00:01:06,740 --> 00:01:04,290 explain kind of what's gonna be 26 00:01:08,270 --> 00:01:06,750 happening for those two tests so the the 27 00:01:10,250 --> 00:01:08,280 first one so we'll just start with 28 00:01:12,530 --> 00:01:10,260 Boeing and we'll talk about their pad 29 00:01:15,380 --> 00:01:12,540 abort test and what they intend to do is 30 00:01:17,270 --> 00:01:15,390 set the vehicle down and then they're 31 00:01:19,130 --> 00:01:17,280 going to pretend like it's a bad day on 32 00:01:20,990 --> 00:01:19,140 the ground and they will do what's 33 00:01:22,340 --> 00:01:21,000 called a pad abort they will fire the 34 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:22,350 abort engines which would carry the 35 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:24,090 vehicle away in the event of an 36 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:26,130 emergency that occurred on or very close 37 00:01:29,929 --> 00:01:27,810 to the ground and this gives you a lot 38 00:01:33,020 --> 00:01:29,939 of good data this is a test that SpaceX 39 00:01:35,090 --> 00:01:33,030 did back in 2015 so they SpaceX has got 40 00:01:37,039 --> 00:01:35,100 that one under their belt the next test 41 00:01:39,020 --> 00:01:37,049 that's coming up is by SpaceX and that's 42 00:01:40,789 --> 00:01:39,030 the in-flight abort test that's where 43 00:01:45,230 --> 00:01:40,799 we're going to our SpaceX is going to 44 00:01:47,330 --> 00:01:45,240 launch a reused Falcon 9 vehicle with a 45 00:01:48,620 --> 00:01:47,340 dragon capsule on top of it they will 46 00:01:50,630 --> 00:01:48,630 get to right around what's known as 47 00:01:52,340 --> 00:01:50,640 max-q that's where the combination of 48 00:01:54,020 --> 00:01:52,350 just ambient air pressure as well as the 49 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:54,030 air pressure of the air hitting the 50 00:01:58,520 --> 00:01:56,130 vehicle as you fly through it very much 51 00:02:00,499 --> 00:01:58,530 faster that pressure on the vehicle is 52 00:02:02,330 --> 00:02:00,509 at its greatest they're going to try to 53 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:02,340 abort off of the rocket like there's a 54 00:02:06,830 --> 00:02:04,170 bad day there and get away from the 55 00:02:09,499 --> 00:02:06,840 rocket - at that particular time so so 56 00:02:10,820 --> 00:02:09,509 you mentioned John that Boeing or I 57 00:02:12,229 --> 00:02:10,830 didn't hear you mention an in-flight 58 00:02:13,670 --> 00:02:12,239 abort test for Boeing are they going to 59 00:02:15,559 --> 00:02:13,680 be doing one of those later 60 00:02:16,940 --> 00:02:15,569 bowing is not going to do an in-flight 61 00:02:19,220 --> 00:02:16,950 abort test they're just going to do the 62 00:02:20,780 --> 00:02:19,230 ground when they think that they can get 63 00:02:22,850 --> 00:02:20,790 enough data and then extrapolate that 64 00:02:25,130 --> 00:02:22,860 out with good analytical techniques that 65 00:02:27,050 --> 00:02:25,140 that we've endorsed they will go and do 66 00:02:29,030 --> 00:02:27,060 it in that particular way versus SpaceX 67 00:02:31,069 --> 00:02:29,040 which is going to do both we knew about 68 00:02:32,990 --> 00:02:31,079 this up front both Boeing and SpaceX 69 00:02:34,250 --> 00:02:33,000 when they proposed their contracts to us 70 00:02:36,710 --> 00:02:34,260 and said this is how we're going to get 71 00:02:38,809 --> 00:02:36,720 to real flights we understood exactly 72 00:02:40,550 --> 00:02:38,819 and we bought into it we think and we 73 00:02:42,530 --> 00:02:40,560 agree with them that they can get all 74 00:02:45,140 --> 00:02:42,540 they need from a pad of pad for testing 75 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:45,150 and John I want to kind of point out 76 00:02:48,830 --> 00:02:46,530 specifically that you're you're very 77 00:02:51,649 --> 00:02:48,840 carefully choosing your pronouns the 78 00:02:53,449 --> 00:02:51,659 Wiis in the Vaes and the US is and this 79 00:02:55,129 --> 00:02:53,459 actually creates a huge kind of 80 00:02:56,839 --> 00:02:55,139 complexity to the Commercial Crew 81 00:02:58,970 --> 00:02:56,849 program indeed it does yeah how NASA 82 00:03:02,210 --> 00:02:58,980 really engages with these partners so 83 00:03:05,300 --> 00:03:02,220 how does that work with NASA kind of not 84 00:03:06,710 --> 00:03:05,310 owning the work were very much invested 85 00:03:11,030 --> 00:03:06,720 in it how does that play out in test 86 00:03:13,309 --> 00:03:11,040 flights so they own the flight test and 87 00:03:14,899 --> 00:03:13,319 they own even even when they start 88 00:03:16,339 --> 00:03:14,909 flying up to the space station they own 89 00:03:19,670 --> 00:03:16,349 the spaceship and they own the rocket 90 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:19,680 but these particular tests they own them 91 00:03:26,089 --> 00:03:22,290 which means we will consult with them 92 00:03:28,039 --> 00:03:26,099 but in the end they are the ones who own 93 00:03:29,689 --> 00:03:28,049 the tests and the results now they've 94 00:03:31,460 --> 00:03:29,699 got to bring that so as part of their 95 00:03:33,949 --> 00:03:31,470 certification they've got to bring the 96 00:03:36,020 --> 00:03:33,959 data from those tests to us before they 97 00:03:37,250 --> 00:03:36,030 can go fly our astronauts on board and 98 00:03:38,899 --> 00:03:37,260 we've got to say that yeah you got the 99 00:03:40,970 --> 00:03:38,909 right amount of data and that the data 100 00:03:43,250 --> 00:03:40,980 is good and that the vehicle will 101 00:03:44,930 --> 00:03:43,260 perform correctly but yeah this is the 102 00:03:46,939 --> 00:03:44,940 thing that's kind of different from the 103 00:03:49,369 --> 00:03:46,949 way NASA has done business in the past 104 00:03:52,699 --> 00:03:49,379 we don't own the rocket we don't own the 105 00:03:54,379 --> 00:03:52,709 spaceship so therefore we are it's 106 00:03:57,619 --> 00:03:54,389 something more than consulting and 107 00:03:59,059 --> 00:03:57,629 something less than owning it is a 108 00:04:01,280 --> 00:03:59,069 delicate balancing and we've had to work 109 00:04:03,289 --> 00:04:01,290 real hard with with both the providers 110 00:04:06,110 --> 00:04:03,299 on this and so thinking about kind of 111 00:04:09,020 --> 00:04:06,120 just the nature of government versus 112 00:04:11,629 --> 00:04:09,030 commercial do you see a big difference 113 00:04:13,099 --> 00:04:11,639 in approach to test flights obviously 114 00:04:15,140 --> 00:04:13,109 we're we're still into the test flight 115 00:04:16,909 --> 00:04:15,150 phase we're not flying operationally 116 00:04:19,370 --> 00:04:16,919 that's not for a little while still to 117 00:04:21,259 --> 00:04:19,380 go so is there a difference interest 118 00:04:23,330 --> 00:04:21,269 that an air an approach to these four 119 00:04:25,070 --> 00:04:23,340 commercial companies I I don't think so 120 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:25,080 I think they we've worked with them 121 00:04:28,790 --> 00:04:26,850 enough and they in 122 00:04:31,550 --> 00:04:28,800 they both know what we're interested in 123 00:04:34,070 --> 00:04:31,560 knowing and and we've helped them 124 00:04:36,350 --> 00:04:34,080 characterize the data that they need so 125 00:04:38,180 --> 00:04:36,360 they understand what has to happen in a 126 00:04:39,830 --> 00:04:38,190 flight test there you got to remember 127 00:04:42,110 --> 00:04:39,840 these folks I mean while they don't have 128 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:42,120 NASA on their front door they're still 129 00:04:45,410 --> 00:04:44,010 very very smart people yeah and we've 130 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:45,420 been working with both of them for a 131 00:04:51,020 --> 00:04:47,610 long time now we know how smart they are 132 00:04:52,700 --> 00:04:51,030 so they've got this I feel very 133 00:04:53,900 --> 00:04:52,710 confident that when they do these flight 134 00:04:56,660 --> 00:04:53,910 tests they'll get the data that they 135 00:04:57,950 --> 00:04:56,670 need and will be happy with it so I'm 136 00:04:59,420 --> 00:04:57,960 gonna ask this question I don't think 137 00:05:02,420 --> 00:04:59,430 it's gonna have a yes-or-no answer but I 138 00:05:04,790 --> 00:05:02,430 want to ask anyway does everything have 139 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:04,800 to go perfectly in order for them to get 140 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:06,210 the data they need and to really achieve 141 00:05:10,550 --> 00:05:08,310 that certification level there will be 142 00:05:12,890 --> 00:05:10,560 some aspects of the test which I'm sure 143 00:05:14,660 --> 00:05:12,900 have to go pretty well in order to 144 00:05:17,140 --> 00:05:14,670 characterize it for example let's just 145 00:05:20,420 --> 00:05:17,150 say the the SpaceX in flight abort tests 146 00:05:22,370 --> 00:05:20,430 they've got to be somewhere near max Q 147 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:22,380 that maximum aerodynamic pressure in 148 00:05:25,220 --> 00:05:23,730 order to get the kind of data that 149 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:25,230 you're looking for that defines the 150 00:05:29,210 --> 00:05:26,970 corners of the performance envelope but 151 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:29,220 otherwise you can other things can go 152 00:05:32,630 --> 00:05:31,290 very very differently and you get 153 00:05:34,820 --> 00:05:32,640 slightly different day because what 154 00:05:36,710 --> 00:05:34,830 you've done is you've modeled this thing 155 00:05:39,020 --> 00:05:36,720 you have a computer model of how 156 00:05:40,550 --> 00:05:39,030 everything should work as it goes 157 00:05:42,530 --> 00:05:40,560 through this flight test but whatever 158 00:05:44,930 --> 00:05:42,540 the test may be you've got a model and 159 00:05:46,790 --> 00:05:44,940 so if you are planning to do it at this 160 00:05:48,290 --> 00:05:46,800 XY coordinate and you happen to be at 161 00:05:49,820 --> 00:05:48,300 ones that are slightly different well 162 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:49,830 you can take your model in and back it 163 00:05:53,630 --> 00:05:51,570 up and go okay well if it happened here 164 00:05:55,310 --> 00:05:53,640 and and so you can you can still compare 165 00:05:56,930 --> 00:05:55,320 your model and that and so that's really 166 00:05:59,360 --> 00:05:56,940 what you're doing with these flight 167 00:06:01,010 --> 00:05:59,370 tests is you're correlating your model 168 00:06:02,780 --> 00:06:01,020 to the actual flight performance so as 169 00:06:05,050 --> 00:06:02,790 long as you can connect the dots between 170 00:06:08,300 --> 00:06:05,060 what you were expecting and what you got 171 00:06:10,340 --> 00:06:08,310 somehow you can make that model work and 172 00:06:13,250 --> 00:06:10,350 see how reliable and predictable it is 173 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:13,260 so when I think about modeling I often 174 00:06:17,690 --> 00:06:14,970 think about we do the modeling and then 175 00:06:19,580 --> 00:06:17,700 we do the test flight correct is it fair 176 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:19,590 to say that the test flight is helping 177 00:06:24,020 --> 00:06:21,930 us calibrate that model for future work 178 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:24,030 to do that is a hundred percent correct 179 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:27,210 yes that the flying the test gives you 180 00:06:31,190 --> 00:06:29,010 the data that what we call is it 181 00:06:33,410 --> 00:06:31,200 anchoring the model okay if you've got 182 00:06:36,170 --> 00:06:33,420 real hard data which is better than just 183 00:06:37,730 --> 00:06:36,180 a model you've got all that you need you 184 00:06:40,580 --> 00:06:37,740 you have Ankur that's why we say you 185 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:40,590 have anchored the model in testing and 186 00:06:46,010 --> 00:06:42,330 you can go validate everything all of 187 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:46,020 your requirements and as as NASA do we 188 00:06:49,670 --> 00:06:48,090 end up kind of wading through this data 189 00:06:50,990 --> 00:06:49,680 with the partners or do they just have 190 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:51,000 specific pieces that they have to bring 191 00:06:55,580 --> 00:06:53,610 to us for the certification process so 192 00:06:57,980 --> 00:06:55,590 they will not have to bring all the data 193 00:06:59,570 --> 00:06:57,990 but but there is a subset and and by and 194 00:07:01,310 --> 00:06:59,580 large we discussed this with them 195 00:07:04,250 --> 00:07:01,320 upfront and we and they know what data 196 00:07:07,010 --> 00:07:04,260 we need some of the stuff is is rather 197 00:07:08,780 --> 00:07:07,020 low level we may not need pressures and 198 00:07:10,940 --> 00:07:08,790 temperatures at every single point along 199 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:10,950 a certain curve but we do want to see 200 00:07:16,250 --> 00:07:13,530 some aspect of that and it helps like I 201 00:07:17,690 --> 00:07:16,260 said to validate their model and their 202 00:07:20,659 --> 00:07:17,700 requirements that they've got to go do 203 00:07:23,060 --> 00:07:20,669 so yeah we've worked it out with them 204 00:07:24,890 --> 00:07:23,070 and I think we're good and just thinking 205 00:07:26,650 --> 00:07:24,900 about the the listeners out there and 206 00:07:28,159 --> 00:07:26,660 just those that will be viewing these 207 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:28,169 hopefully they're getting to see these 208 00:07:31,730 --> 00:07:30,210 test flights yeah what what do you 209 00:07:34,670 --> 00:07:31,740 encourage people to look for like what's 210 00:07:37,100 --> 00:07:34,680 the takeaway for them as they literally 211 00:07:39,110 --> 00:07:37,110 see these things happen well that that's 212 00:07:40,310 --> 00:07:39,120 that's a tough one if you're not used to 213 00:07:43,430 --> 00:07:40,320 looking at these sort of thing I know 214 00:07:45,740 --> 00:07:43,440 even on the spacex pad abort test when 215 00:07:48,380 --> 00:07:45,750 that happened one of the engines did not 216 00:07:50,810 --> 00:07:48,390 perform nominally and just seeing their 217 00:07:52,279 --> 00:07:50,820 and watching it real-time I didn't pick 218 00:07:54,020 --> 00:07:52,289 up on that but when you go back and look 219 00:07:55,940 --> 00:07:54,030 at the video afterwards and clearly when 220 00:07:57,830 --> 00:07:55,950 you have the data from the performance 221 00:07:59,840 --> 00:07:57,840 of the engine itself it becomes obvious 222 00:08:01,760 --> 00:07:59,850 so it's hard to see obviously some 223 00:08:04,460 --> 00:08:01,770 things if they go bad that'll be really 224 00:08:06,860 --> 00:08:04,470 obvious for you especially on on the pad 225 00:08:09,230 --> 00:08:06,870 or other the SpaceX in-flight abort test 226 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:09,240 when that thing's going up there and and 227 00:08:12,980 --> 00:08:11,610 somewhere around max-q somewhere in the 228 00:08:14,390 --> 00:08:12,990 neighborhood of about a minute into the 229 00:08:16,460 --> 00:08:14,400 flight you're going to see something 230 00:08:18,620 --> 00:08:16,470 you've never seen happen on a SpaceX 231 00:08:20,420 --> 00:08:18,630 Falcon 9 rocket before you're gonna 232 00:08:22,370 --> 00:08:20,430 sudden that capsule come popping off 233 00:08:24,379 --> 00:08:22,380 that'll be a really cool thing to see 234 00:08:25,430 --> 00:08:24,389 depending especially what time of day 235 00:08:26,330 --> 00:08:25,440 I'm sure we want to do that in broad 236 00:08:27,620 --> 00:08:26,340 daylight guys we're gonna have a bunch 237 00:08:29,510 --> 00:08:27,630 of cameras trained on it we're trying to 238 00:08:31,580 --> 00:08:29,520 get all the data that we can and visual 239 00:08:33,589 --> 00:08:31,590 data is just as important pad abort 240 00:08:35,300 --> 00:08:33,599 tests for our Boeing once again just 241 00:08:37,100 --> 00:08:35,310 look for four good thrusts coming off 242 00:08:39,469 --> 00:08:37,110 the vehicle and that it seems to perform 243 00:08:40,610 --> 00:08:39,479 and fly pretty straight they've you 244 00:08:42,560 --> 00:08:40,620 gotta remember on a pad abort test 245 00:08:45,620 --> 00:08:42,570 you're over land you need to get over 246 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:45,630 water that's that's in order to have 247 00:08:48,470 --> 00:08:47,010 your best performance so you're hoping 248 00:08:50,090 --> 00:08:48,480 you watch that thing arc off in the 249 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:50,100 right direction so you take it over 250 00:08:53,050 --> 00:08:51,450 water that's referring to when you're 251 00:08:53,769 --> 00:08:53,060 actually flying right 252 00:08:55,570 --> 00:08:53,779 they're doing it out in the middle of 253 00:08:57,640 --> 00:08:55,580 the desert for the pad abort test 254 00:08:58,570 --> 00:08:57,650 exactly right so when you do that test 255 00:08:59,710 --> 00:08:58,580 in the middle of desert you want to make 256 00:09:01,690 --> 00:08:59,720 sure it follows the right trajectory 257 00:09:02,950 --> 00:09:01,700 would have gotten you out over the wall 258 00:09:05,290 --> 00:09:02,960 okay perfect 259 00:09:06,730 --> 00:09:05,300 thanks for that correct yeah no listen 260 00:09:08,830 --> 00:09:06,740 I'm learning too this is phenomenal so 261 00:09:09,820 --> 00:09:08,840 good job viously were excited for 262 00:09:11,350 --> 00:09:09,830 commercial crew in their work we're 263 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:11,360 excited for these test flights so thank 264 00:09:13,900 --> 00:09:12,410 you once again for joining me here in 265 00:09:15,519 --> 00:09:13,910 the booth my pleasure I hope everybody 266 00:09:16,540 --> 00:09:15,529 gets to see one of the tests it'll be 267 00:09:18,100 --> 00:09:16,550 really cool I know you'll be able to see 268 00:09:23,050 --> 00:09:18,110 it on on the computer somewhere but 269 00:09:24,850 --> 00:09:23,060 seeing them live it's really cool first 270 00:09:28,180 --> 00:09:24,860 up for our partners is Boeing's Alicia 271 00:09:30,310 --> 00:09:28,190 Evans on their pad abort test all right 272 00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:30,320 so I am in the boot today however my 273 00:09:35,829 --> 00:09:32,510 guest is joining me by phone 274 00:09:39,250 --> 00:09:35,839 I have Alicia Evans who is a I believe 275 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:39,260 test article integration lead for 276 00:09:45,250 --> 00:09:42,890 Boeing's cst-100 Starliner Alicia thanks 277 00:09:47,710 --> 00:09:45,260 for joining me thanks for having me 278 00:09:49,900 --> 00:09:47,720 Joshua did I get all that correct yeah 279 00:09:53,769 --> 00:09:49,910 I'm the test article integration lead 280 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:53,779 for Commercial Crew Starliner for our 281 00:09:58,930 --> 00:09:57,410 pad abort test article which which is 282 00:10:00,840 --> 00:09:58,940 awesome like you're working on a 283 00:10:04,510 --> 00:10:00,850 spacecraft like that's pretty cool 284 00:10:06,850 --> 00:10:04,520 absolutely I always enjoy getting to 285 00:10:10,750 --> 00:10:06,860 tell people I test spaceships for a 286 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:10,760 living a brief update since this 287 00:10:14,470 --> 00:10:12,530 interview was recorded alicia has 288 00:10:16,630 --> 00:10:14,480 actually been promoted her job is now 289 00:10:19,390 --> 00:10:16,640 flight director for star liners pad 290 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:19,400 abort test and I know you were telling 291 00:10:23,650 --> 00:10:21,650 me a little bit earlier about your 292 00:10:25,660 --> 00:10:23,660 history actually working on other 293 00:10:27,550 --> 00:10:25,670 spacecraft can you give me kind of a 294 00:10:29,710 --> 00:10:27,560 quick overview of the kinds of things 295 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:29,720 you've done in your career so far yeah 296 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:33,010 I've gotten to work on two major 297 00:10:39,370 --> 00:10:36,530 projects for satellites so the very 298 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:39,380 first program I got to work on is a NOAA 299 00:10:44,410 --> 00:10:42,170 NASA project called doze it's our 300 00:10:47,790 --> 00:10:44,420 geostationary operational environmental 301 00:10:51,370 --> 00:10:47,800 satellite this is a satellite that 302 00:10:54,540 --> 00:10:51,380 monitors the earth continuously 24 hours 303 00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:54,550 a day seven days a week 365 days a year 304 00:11:01,020 --> 00:10:58,010 watching our weather and for those that 305 00:11:04,060 --> 00:11:01,030 are really concerned about hurricanes 306 00:11:06,199 --> 00:11:04,070 this is the the satellite that creates 307 00:11:10,639 --> 00:11:06,209 those beautiful satellite imagery 308 00:11:14,419 --> 00:11:10,649 of hurricanes but it does far more than 309 00:11:19,609 --> 00:11:14,429 that have search-and-rescue capability 310 00:11:23,090 --> 00:11:19,619 on it gets data on how weather is 311 00:11:26,059 --> 00:11:23,100 developing every single day rate which 312 00:11:29,119 --> 00:11:26,069 feeds into our model predictions for 313 00:11:31,609 --> 00:11:29,129 weather forecasting and then in addition 314 00:11:34,009 --> 00:11:31,619 to that it watches our space weather so 315 00:11:36,079 --> 00:11:34,019 it looks at the Sun and our local 316 00:11:37,549 --> 00:11:36,089 environment and tells us what type of 317 00:11:40,189 --> 00:11:37,559 space weather earth is going to be 318 00:11:42,319 --> 00:11:40,199 impacted by that's awesome yeah 319 00:11:45,109 --> 00:11:42,329 obviously us being in Florida on the 320 00:11:46,179 --> 00:11:45,119 Space Coast and then the launching of 321 00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:46,189 the Starliner being here as well 322 00:11:49,869 --> 00:11:47,910 hurricanes are a big deal because 323 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:49,879 weather is a huge factor for launch 324 00:11:54,139 --> 00:11:52,290 but you actually the reason you're 325 00:11:56,269 --> 00:11:54,149 coming to us by phone is because you're 326 00:11:58,129 --> 00:11:56,279 not where we're gonna launch the 327 00:11:59,600 --> 00:11:58,139 Starliner into space you're somewhere 328 00:12:01,489 --> 00:11:59,610 very different can you explain where you 329 00:12:02,650 --> 00:12:01,499 are and kind of what activity you're 330 00:12:06,259 --> 00:12:02,660 kind of going through right now 331 00:12:08,749 --> 00:12:06,269 absolutely so today I'm actually in New 332 00:12:09,829 --> 00:12:08,759 Mexico we're at the White Sands Missile 333 00:12:14,329 --> 00:12:09,839 Range 334 00:12:18,769 --> 00:12:14,339 it's an army base in South New Mexico 335 00:12:22,429 --> 00:12:18,779 where we are going to be conducting the 336 00:12:26,539 --> 00:12:22,439 Starliner pad abort test so essentially 337 00:12:27,949 --> 00:12:26,549 we are executing our flight tests of the 338 00:12:30,530 --> 00:12:27,959 Starliner vehicle that's going to 339 00:12:32,900 --> 00:12:30,540 demonstrate the fact that we can say for 340 00:12:36,410 --> 00:12:32,910 our astronauts in the case of a really a 341 00:12:37,879 --> 00:12:36,420 bad day scenario with our rocket right 342 00:12:40,429 --> 00:12:37,889 so we want to make sure that our 343 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:40,439 astronauts are stays safe and this is a 344 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:42,410 demonstration of that capability so 345 00:12:46,340 --> 00:12:44,490 before we get into the test some more 346 00:12:48,079 --> 00:12:46,350 can you kind of talk me through so 347 00:12:50,389 --> 00:12:48,089 people have a pretty good picture of 348 00:12:52,669 --> 00:12:50,399 what a rocket on a launch pad looks like 349 00:12:55,429 --> 00:12:52,679 so let's say that this bad day scenario 350 00:12:59,840 --> 00:12:55,439 plays out what are people gonna see from 351 00:13:02,329 --> 00:12:59,850 the launch pad on this day so you know 352 00:13:05,509 --> 00:13:02,339 at the launch pad rate you have the 353 00:13:08,929 --> 00:13:05,519 rocket standing next to its gantry you 354 00:13:11,749 --> 00:13:08,939 have a launch vehicle adapter which 355 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:11,759 essentially is structural hardware that 356 00:13:16,999 --> 00:13:14,850 adapts the launch vehicle to the 357 00:13:19,069 --> 00:13:17,009 Starliner so that's how we interface to 358 00:13:19,740 --> 00:13:19,079 it then you have the Starliner sitting 359 00:13:22,620 --> 00:13:19,750 on top of the 360 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:22,630 rocket and we have a service module as 361 00:13:30,020 --> 00:13:25,930 well as a crew module which is the 362 00:13:33,090 --> 00:13:30,030 Starliner so two two parts and during a 363 00:13:36,750 --> 00:13:33,100 abort right if there was to be an 364 00:13:40,410 --> 00:13:36,760 accident with the rocket and we needed 365 00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:40,420 to safe the crew what what happened is 366 00:13:47,130 --> 00:13:43,570 we have four large launch abort engines 367 00:13:49,380 --> 00:13:47,140 that fire in conjunction with several 368 00:13:52,020 --> 00:13:49,390 more smaller thrusters called our 369 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:52,030 orbital maneuvering and attitude control 370 00:13:58,140 --> 00:13:54,730 thrusters and that combined collection 371 00:14:02,630 --> 00:13:58,150 of thrusters lifts the Starliner away 372 00:14:05,580 --> 00:14:02,640 from the rocket and outside of any 373 00:14:08,130 --> 00:14:05,590 debris or blast zone that might be 374 00:14:10,710 --> 00:14:08,140 created by a rocket no no when you say 375 00:14:13,020 --> 00:14:10,720 lift I'm assuming that if you're talking 376 00:14:16,470 --> 00:14:13,030 about an exploding rocket lift is 377 00:14:19,500 --> 00:14:16,480 actually at really high speeds is that a 378 00:14:21,630 --> 00:14:19,510 fair assessment it is it is I actually 379 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:21,640 don't have the speeds directly in front 380 00:14:28,650 --> 00:14:24,250 of me but those four big engines don't 381 00:14:32,070 --> 00:14:28,660 launch abort engines are firing 40,000 382 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:32,080 pounds of thrust each and then each of 383 00:14:37,340 --> 00:14:34,930 those smaller thrusters and we have 384 00:14:40,380 --> 00:14:37,350 twelve of them are adding an additional 385 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:40,390 1500 pounds of thrust so it is moving 386 00:14:46,550 --> 00:14:42,730 very very quickly away from that rocket 387 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:46,560 and so thinking about that scenario 388 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:49,810 obviously you're out in New Mexico where 389 00:14:54,390 --> 00:14:51,970 you don't have a rocket so what's this 390 00:14:55,860 --> 00:14:54,400 test look like without a rocket so what 391 00:14:59,640 --> 00:14:55,870 we've done is we actually have a launch 392 00:15:04,500 --> 00:14:59,650 stand that represents the height of the 393 00:15:07,140 --> 00:15:04,510 rocket but ula our Atlas rocket provider 394 00:15:09,030 --> 00:15:07,150 has provided us with flight hardware 395 00:15:11,820 --> 00:15:09,040 that we're interfacing with so we have 396 00:15:16,590 --> 00:15:11,830 what we call a centre-forward adapter as 397 00:15:18,329 --> 00:15:16,600 well as a launch vehicle adapter and as 398 00:15:20,130 --> 00:15:18,339 part of our launch vehicle adapter we 399 00:15:23,730 --> 00:15:20,140 have an arrow skirt and that's all 400 00:15:26,910 --> 00:15:23,740 flight hardware from ula that'll be part 401 00:15:29,970 --> 00:15:26,920 of this test and so it'll adapt to our 402 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:29,980 test stand and then the Starliner will 403 00:15:33,610 --> 00:15:32,050 sit on top of the launch vehicle adapter 404 00:15:38,950 --> 00:15:33,620 just like it would 405 00:15:41,020 --> 00:15:38,960 launch day and so on this for this pad 406 00:15:45,010 --> 00:15:41,030 abort test where where will you be 407 00:15:46,930 --> 00:15:45,020 obviously kind of your integration so in 408 00:15:48,070 --> 00:15:46,940 my mind I picture you working more to 409 00:15:50,590 --> 00:15:48,080 kind of make sure things are in place 410 00:15:54,370 --> 00:15:50,600 come test day do you have a function on 411 00:15:56,740 --> 00:15:54,380 that day so that's a great question I'm 412 00:16:01,180 --> 00:15:56,750 really hoping to be a spectator on that 413 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:01,190 day but we will see what role I might 414 00:16:07,750 --> 00:16:04,850 ultimately fill launch day itself our 415 00:16:10,380 --> 00:16:07,760 launch team is actually going to be a 416 00:16:12,610 --> 00:16:10,390 few miles away from the launch pad 417 00:16:16,210 --> 00:16:12,620 roughly about four or four and a half 418 00:16:20,770 --> 00:16:16,220 miles away and we are at a facility 419 00:16:23,500 --> 00:16:20,780 called the whismur Cox range facility 420 00:16:26,890 --> 00:16:23,510 and we'll be doing all of our operations 421 00:16:28,420 --> 00:16:26,900 from there and so thinking about that 422 00:16:30,190 --> 00:16:28,430 launch team is that the same team that 423 00:16:36,010 --> 00:16:30,200 will be present for actual flights of 424 00:16:37,450 --> 00:16:36,020 Starliner absolutely so we'll have kind 425 00:16:40,270 --> 00:16:37,460 of break the team down into different 426 00:16:41,950 --> 00:16:40,280 groups we have a Mission Control team 427 00:16:43,930 --> 00:16:41,960 that is located in Houston they're 428 00:16:47,050 --> 00:16:43,940 participating in this flight test just 429 00:16:49,420 --> 00:16:47,060 like they will for a real mission and 430 00:16:50,890 --> 00:16:49,430 our two other test flights the orbital 431 00:16:52,660 --> 00:16:50,900 flight tests as well as the crew flight 432 00:16:54,220 --> 00:16:52,670 test so they're in Houston and they're 433 00:16:57,610 --> 00:16:54,230 going to stay in Houston for all three 434 00:17:02,740 --> 00:16:57,620 of these activities then we have our 435 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:02,750 local Star liner test team and their job 436 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:06,770 is to power the star liner itself and 437 00:17:12,630 --> 00:17:08,510 get it configured for launch and ready 438 00:17:16,360 --> 00:17:12,640 to hand over to start start the test and 439 00:17:19,930 --> 00:17:16,370 that team is going to participate in all 440 00:17:21,670 --> 00:17:19,940 of our flights getting us ready for the 441 00:17:24,370 --> 00:17:21,680 pad abort test as well as the orbital 442 00:17:26,860 --> 00:17:24,380 flight test the crew flight test and all 443 00:17:28,120 --> 00:17:26,870 of our future missions and their job is 444 00:17:31,140 --> 00:17:28,130 to make sure that the vehicle is 445 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:31,150 configured and ready so that when T 0 446 00:17:37,150 --> 00:17:35,090 happens liftoff that it we I think we 447 00:17:40,030 --> 00:17:37,160 actually hand over a few minutes before 448 00:17:41,350 --> 00:17:40,040 over to the mission ops folks but 449 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:41,360 they've made sure that the vehicle is 450 00:17:46,870 --> 00:17:43,330 fully configured and ready to launch 451 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:46,880 cool so obviously there's a big 452 00:17:49,150 --> 00:17:47,570 difference 453 00:17:51,340 --> 00:17:49,160 your work with satellites to the 454 00:17:52,900 --> 00:17:51,350 Starliner the biggest difference 455 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:52,910 probably being the fact that humans are 456 00:17:59,320 --> 00:17:55,970 on board the craft when we fly to space 457 00:18:01,120 --> 00:17:59,330 which has got to be pretty cool are they 458 00:18:02,740 --> 00:18:01,130 involved in this test are you gonna have 459 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:02,750 astronauts present whether it be in the 460 00:18:08,650 --> 00:18:06,410 spacecraft or locally nearby so I 461 00:18:09,790 --> 00:18:08,660 actually haven't closed with the crew to 462 00:18:12,430 --> 00:18:09,800 find out whether or not they're going to 463 00:18:14,350 --> 00:18:12,440 be here to witness they are not going to 464 00:18:16,780 --> 00:18:14,360 be in the vehicle so during the pad 465 00:18:22,980 --> 00:18:16,790 abort test is same as the orbital flight 466 00:18:25,270 --> 00:18:22,990 test we're gonna have an ATV it's a I 467 00:18:30,460 --> 00:18:25,280 call them a crash-test dummy but 468 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:30,470 essentially an anthropomorphic test yeah 469 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:36,890 what's what's the last letter yeah we'll 470 00:18:43,410 --> 00:18:40,490 have an anthropomorphic it might be test 471 00:18:47,260 --> 00:18:43,420 dummy hey let's go with that for now 472 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:47,270 participating as our pilot for both the 473 00:18:51,970 --> 00:18:49,610 pad abort test and the orbital flight 474 00:18:55,180 --> 00:18:51,980 test and so we're actually getting him 475 00:18:59,740 --> 00:18:55,190 integrated today okay all checked out 476 00:19:03,250 --> 00:18:59,750 this morning and later this week we'll 477 00:19:05,740 --> 00:19:03,260 actually get them in the feet that's 478 00:19:07,810 --> 00:19:05,750 awesome so is this as a star liner is 479 00:19:10,060 --> 00:19:07,820 this a is this a full-up star liner or 480 00:19:15,850 --> 00:19:10,070 is this a mock-up this is a full-up star 481 00:19:18,190 --> 00:19:15,860 liner so it's been built up specifically 482 00:19:22,330 --> 00:19:18,200 for this test but because we were 483 00:19:25,390 --> 00:19:22,340 testing the integrated system it has all 484 00:19:29,790 --> 00:19:25,400 of the systems required for the pad 485 00:19:34,300 --> 00:19:29,800 abort test and will it's full up 486 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:34,310 avionics capability propulsion there's a 487 00:19:38,620 --> 00:19:36,530 handful of things that we've mocked up 488 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:38,630 just because we wanted to keep the 489 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:41,450 flight Hardware for for later use so 490 00:19:48,940 --> 00:19:46,970 because our our pilot is a APD and 491 00:19:54,310 --> 00:19:48,950 doesn't have any eyes like our 492 00:19:56,980 --> 00:19:54,320 integrated crew panel which is what the 493 00:19:58,870 --> 00:19:56,990 crew uses to keep tabs of what's 494 00:20:00,029 --> 00:19:58,880 happening on the vehicle that's been 495 00:20:02,940 --> 00:20:00,039 locked up so 496 00:20:04,950 --> 00:20:02,950 a math simulator gearing this launch 497 00:20:07,799 --> 00:20:04,960 just because we want to keep the real 498 00:20:09,989 --> 00:20:07,809 flight hardware for use later so I know 499 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:09,999 that the Starliner in general has been 500 00:20:15,599 --> 00:20:13,570 designed for reuse and so will this 501 00:20:17,399 --> 00:20:15,609 Starliner have an opportunity to fly 502 00:20:19,529 --> 00:20:17,409 into space later or is this one really 503 00:20:21,239 --> 00:20:19,539 kind of a it's a full star liner for 504 00:20:23,909 --> 00:20:21,249 this very specific use and then it will 505 00:20:26,310 --> 00:20:23,919 be retired so to speak that is a great 506 00:20:28,799 --> 00:20:26,320 question we're still debating about it 507 00:20:31,409 --> 00:20:28,809 okay this vehicle actually has the 508 00:20:34,109 --> 00:20:31,419 capability to fly again later although 509 00:20:37,379 --> 00:20:34,119 right now I believe in our planet to 510 00:20:40,589 --> 00:20:37,389 single use okay and so thinking about 511 00:20:43,349 --> 00:20:40,599 cruise not being involved on this day do 512 00:20:44,879 --> 00:20:43,359 crews actually train in some way for 513 00:20:46,349 --> 00:20:44,889 this kind of a scenario obviously we 514 00:20:49,259 --> 00:20:46,359 hope we never have to use these kind of 515 00:20:50,609 --> 00:20:49,269 skills but are they training for what 516 00:20:53,369 --> 00:20:50,619 I'd like to go through this sort of a 517 00:20:56,639 --> 00:20:53,379 situation absolutely right so the the 518 00:20:59,879 --> 00:20:56,649 crew goes through significant amount of 519 00:21:03,450 --> 00:20:59,889 training and a lot of what they're going 520 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:03,460 to be training for is what to do in the 521 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:07,330 case of an abort test right and so they 522 00:21:12,539 --> 00:21:10,450 go through and see prepare themselves 523 00:21:15,869 --> 00:21:12,549 for the sequence of activities that are 524 00:21:17,460 --> 00:21:15,879 going to happen and then the only real 525 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:17,470 difference I think in their training is 526 00:21:21,659 --> 00:21:19,690 going to be whether or not they they 527 00:21:23,460 --> 00:21:21,669 don't really get to experience the G's 528 00:21:28,139 --> 00:21:23,470 that they're gonna feel in the abort 529 00:21:31,379 --> 00:21:28,149 test but so much of how we design the 530 00:21:34,979 --> 00:21:31,389 system represents what they're already 531 00:21:36,839 --> 00:21:34,989 going to feel for flight that it's not 532 00:21:38,279 --> 00:21:36,849 going to be significantly different for 533 00:21:39,749 --> 00:21:38,289 them sitting in their their seat 534 00:21:41,999 --> 00:21:39,759 compared to what they're gonna 535 00:21:45,149 --> 00:21:42,009 experience during a real flight but what 536 00:21:47,190 --> 00:21:45,159 we do train them for is how to handle 537 00:21:50,580 --> 00:21:47,200 you know how to know that they need to 538 00:21:52,950 --> 00:21:50,590 trigger an abort what to expect as soon 539 00:21:54,719 --> 00:21:52,960 as import is triggered because 540 00:21:58,799 --> 00:21:54,729 aborts can be triggered both 541 00:22:01,589 --> 00:21:58,809 autonomously from the vehicle sensing an 542 00:22:04,820 --> 00:22:01,599 issue from the Starliner sensing an 543 00:22:07,950 --> 00:22:04,830 issue from the rocket sensing an issue 544 00:22:12,089 --> 00:22:07,960 both of those send signals across our 545 00:22:13,670 --> 00:22:12,099 interface and tell the other system hey 546 00:22:15,770 --> 00:22:13,680 we need to abort 547 00:22:19,220 --> 00:22:15,780 and then initiates an automated sequence 548 00:22:21,500 --> 00:22:19,230 there's also two manual capabilities so 549 00:22:22,370 --> 00:22:21,510 the crew themselves can actually wait 550 00:22:23,990 --> 00:22:22,380 and abort 551 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:24,000 we have an abort handle that they have 552 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:27,570 to pull to initiate an abort or the 553 00:22:33,380 --> 00:22:30,450 ground crew at the Mission Control 554 00:22:35,870 --> 00:22:33,390 Center can say hey there's something 555 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:35,880 happening we need to abort the mission 556 00:22:40,390 --> 00:22:38,010 and save the crew and they can send a 557 00:22:44,930 --> 00:22:40,400 command that will also initiate an abort 558 00:22:45,980 --> 00:22:44,940 and so once that happened the crew now 559 00:22:47,570 --> 00:22:45,990 knows okay 560 00:22:50,150 --> 00:22:47,580 I'm going to get the following sequence 561 00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:50,160 of events and they're going through 562 00:22:55,430 --> 00:22:51,510 training that prepares them for what 563 00:22:58,220 --> 00:22:55,440 that looks like great as you think about 564 00:23:00,830 --> 00:22:58,230 this day approaching and you hopefully 565 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:00,840 getting to be a spectator as you said do 566 00:23:05,180 --> 00:23:03,570 you what kind of feeling do you think 567 00:23:07,850 --> 00:23:05,190 this this is gonna have for you like as 568 00:23:09,950 --> 00:23:07,860 you watch this thing fly and hopefully 569 00:23:12,110 --> 00:23:09,960 everything goes brilliantly well what's 570 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:12,120 that feeling like for you I'm very 571 00:23:19,310 --> 00:23:14,730 excited about this test right this is a 572 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:19,320 full demonstration of our of our landing 573 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:21,290 sequence right we have done a lot of 574 00:23:25,430 --> 00:23:23,730 subsystem tests of our landing sequence 575 00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:25,440 to show that each component works 576 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:28,110 individually and in addition to showing 577 00:23:34,490 --> 00:23:30,570 that our propulsion system works to safe 578 00:23:37,010 --> 00:23:34,500 the crew away from the rocket the second 579 00:23:40,390 --> 00:23:37,020 half the abort test is that at lands on 580 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:40,400 land the way it would during an actual 581 00:23:46,610 --> 00:23:44,010 return from flight and so what we were 582 00:23:49,630 --> 00:23:46,620 going to see is the service module 583 00:23:51,650 --> 00:23:49,640 separating from the crew module 584 00:23:53,510 --> 00:23:51,660 nominally you don't get to see that 585 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:53,520 because that happens as the vehicle 586 00:23:58,790 --> 00:23:56,850 enters orbit as the service module burns 587 00:24:00,500 --> 00:23:58,800 up in the atmosphere and the crew module 588 00:24:02,690 --> 00:24:00,510 comes in safely through through the 589 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:02,700 atmosphere so this will be a opportunity 590 00:24:09,110 --> 00:24:05,130 for us to actually see that separation 591 00:24:10,100 --> 00:24:09,120 event and then the four heat shield 592 00:24:13,070 --> 00:24:10,110 pulls away 593 00:24:14,750 --> 00:24:13,080 we got parachutes that fire and then 594 00:24:17,930 --> 00:24:14,760 pull that forward heat shield away which 595 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:17,940 expose our main parachutes and then 596 00:24:24,890 --> 00:24:20,610 we'll get to actually see our parachutes 597 00:24:26,910 --> 00:24:24,900 deploy and below out as you know the 598 00:24:30,330 --> 00:24:26,920 reefers allow it to 599 00:24:32,910 --> 00:24:30,340 bellow and see the crew module starting 600 00:24:34,770 --> 00:24:32,920 to float down as we get closer to the 601 00:24:37,170 --> 00:24:34,780 ground we'll see the base heat shield 602 00:24:39,780 --> 00:24:37,180 separate which exposes our airbags and 603 00:24:43,070 --> 00:24:39,790 then as we get closer to the ground the 604 00:24:45,380 --> 00:24:43,080 airbags inflate and that entire sequence 605 00:24:49,340 --> 00:24:45,390 this will be the first time that's 606 00:24:53,670 --> 00:24:49,350 demonstrated as on flight hardware in 607 00:24:56,940 --> 00:24:53,680 the air so I'm very excited to watch all 608 00:25:00,390 --> 00:24:56,950 of that take place and then land under 609 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:00,400 parachutes on air bags on on land which 610 00:25:08,220 --> 00:25:05,610 is the first American vehicle to do that 611 00:25:11,460 --> 00:25:08,230 we should just hear you explain that as 612 00:25:13,770 --> 00:25:11,470 a spectator it's really it's a fun thing 613 00:25:16,470 --> 00:25:13,780 to get to watch this happen successfully 614 00:25:19,290 --> 00:25:16,480 and you saying all that makes me 615 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:19,300 appreciate even more how involved and 616 00:25:26,820 --> 00:25:23,010 difficult this is so huge 617 00:25:29,070 --> 00:25:26,830 congratulations now and for the future 618 00:25:30,900 --> 00:25:29,080 for you and your team we're excited to 619 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:30,910 see this thing fly and obviously we're 620 00:25:34,290 --> 00:25:32,490 excited for you guys to transport humans 621 00:25:38,310 --> 00:25:34,300 safely to and from the International 622 00:25:40,980 --> 00:25:38,320 Space Station sooner than later thank 623 00:25:43,620 --> 00:25:40,990 you yeah I can't wait for this play and 624 00:25:46,170 --> 00:25:43,630 our next two test flights and get into 625 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:46,180 future missions awesome Alicia I 626 00:25:49,500 --> 00:25:47,650 appreciate your time thank you so much 627 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:49,510 for joining us today thank you for 628 00:25:54,750 --> 00:25:52,810 having me because Alicia got promoted to 629 00:25:57,060 --> 00:25:54,760 flight director for this test she won't 630 00:25:58,680 --> 00:25:57,070 be able to be just a spectator but we 631 00:25:59,900 --> 00:25:58,690 wish her and the entire Starliner team 632 00:26:02,450 --> 00:25:59,910 good luck 633 00:26:05,380 --> 00:26:02,460 and now on the SpaceX side here's Benji 634 00:26:07,730 --> 00:26:05,390 Reed to talk there in flight abort test 635 00:26:10,910 --> 00:26:07,740 alright I am not actually in the booth 636 00:26:12,980 --> 00:26:10,920 now with Benji Reed because he is coming 637 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:12,990 to us live from SpaceX headquarters in 638 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:15,210 Hawthorne California Benji I understand 639 00:26:18,350 --> 00:26:16,890 you're the director of crew mission 640 00:26:21,170 --> 00:26:18,360 management is that right that's right 641 00:26:22,460 --> 00:26:21,180 and can you explain kind of what exactly 642 00:26:24,620 --> 00:26:22,470 does that mean I know that you work a 643 00:26:28,340 --> 00:26:24,630 lot with Commercial Crew but what's your 644 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:28,350 function really like so ultimately my 645 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:29,730 job is kind of help make sure the 646 00:26:33,890 --> 00:26:31,650 contract is executed well the whole 647 00:26:35,870 --> 00:26:33,900 mission and overall program work well 648 00:26:36,950 --> 00:26:35,880 it's coordinating all of them you know 649 00:26:38,930 --> 00:26:36,960 the great engineers that we had here 650 00:26:40,430 --> 00:26:38,940 SpaceX and all the great engineers that 651 00:26:42,710 --> 00:26:40,440 are at NASA and make sure that they work 652 00:26:44,450 --> 00:26:42,720 together to ultimately get our system 653 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:44,460 reviewed and certified for flight and 654 00:26:47,570 --> 00:26:46,050 then of course doing the operations 655 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:47,580 because then we have our whole 656 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:49,050 operations team that works with the crew 657 00:26:52,820 --> 00:26:50,970 to go fly those station and bring them 658 00:26:54,620 --> 00:26:52,830 home yeah so excited obviously that's 659 00:26:56,810 --> 00:26:54,630 why we're here today talking you guys 660 00:26:59,360 --> 00:26:56,820 have your in-flight abort test coming up 661 00:27:02,480 --> 00:26:59,370 and we'll kind of explain why in a 662 00:27:04,430 --> 00:27:02,490 minute but you guys lost a crew Dragon 663 00:27:07,460 --> 00:27:04,440 capsule earlier this year and throughout 664 00:27:09,950 --> 00:27:07,470 the course of human space exploration we 665 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:09,960 have seen a history of these kinds of 666 00:27:14,900 --> 00:27:12,210 seeming like just setbacks these 667 00:27:16,790 --> 00:27:14,910 difficult moments proving to make us 668 00:27:18,020 --> 00:27:16,800 smarter and make us better and improve 669 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:18,030 our hardware have you really seen that 670 00:27:21,410 --> 00:27:19,530 happen with SpaceX over the course of 671 00:27:22,790 --> 00:27:21,420 the past few months absolutely I think 672 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:22,800 that was phase X over the many years 673 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:23,730 that I've worked here 674 00:27:27,230 --> 00:27:25,290 you know I'm he'll on said the other day 675 00:27:28,460 --> 00:27:27,240 that if you're if you're not breaking 676 00:27:33,350 --> 00:27:28,470 things you're probably not testing hard 677 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:33,360 enough and the tests and tests we don't 678 00:27:36,020 --> 00:27:34,770 always like to break things and of 679 00:27:38,780 --> 00:27:36,030 course the anomaly that we had earlier 680 00:27:40,340 --> 00:27:38,790 this year was tough but it was as has 681 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:40,350 also been said a number of times it was 682 00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:42,690 a gift because we learned a lot we 683 00:27:45,950 --> 00:27:44,130 learned a lot about our system but we 684 00:27:47,750 --> 00:27:45,960 learned a lot about the nature of the 685 00:27:50,150 --> 00:27:47,760 materials and how these systems work in 686 00:27:51,290 --> 00:27:50,160 interaction that it's actually gonna be 687 00:27:54,020 --> 00:27:51,300 industry-leading and help all 688 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:54,030 spacecrafts become safer so for sure we 689 00:27:56,990 --> 00:27:55,890 need when you have problems that you you 690 00:27:58,430 --> 00:27:57,000 jump right into them you get a lot of 691 00:27:59,990 --> 00:27:58,440 data and you get better for it 692 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:00,000 that's so awesome and the reason I kind 693 00:28:03,230 --> 00:28:01,050 of bring that up actually if I 694 00:28:04,730 --> 00:28:03,240 understand correctly that crew Dragon 695 00:28:06,590 --> 00:28:04,740 was supposed to be the one flying on in 696 00:28:07,820 --> 00:28:06,600 flight aboard is that true and can you 697 00:28:09,770 --> 00:28:07,830 kind of speak to what's been the process 698 00:28:11,330 --> 00:28:09,780 in light of that moving forward to 699 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:11,340 obviously keep charging ahead sure 700 00:28:13,500 --> 00:28:12,210 absolutely 701 00:28:14,820 --> 00:28:13,510 that was the caps 702 00:28:16,500 --> 00:28:14,830 was originally plated to be per in 703 00:28:18,510 --> 00:28:16,510 flight aboard in fact that's why we were 704 00:28:20,130 --> 00:28:18,520 doing the testing was we're basically 705 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:20,140 initiating the Draco's and then also the 706 00:28:25,260 --> 00:28:22,090 super Draco engines on that vehicle to 707 00:28:27,660 --> 00:28:25,270 in a static fire arrangement getting 708 00:28:29,700 --> 00:28:27,670 ready for it in flight of work tests and 709 00:28:31,350 --> 00:28:29,710 the number one impact of course is hey 710 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:31,360 we got to figure out what went wrong and 711 00:28:35,850 --> 00:28:33,490 we've done that now and then figure out 712 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:35,860 what the best way is to mitigate that 713 00:28:39,270 --> 00:28:37,330 anomaly and make sure that it's not 714 00:28:40,950 --> 00:28:39,280 going to happen again on the future and 715 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:40,960 and that's that's your very first 716 00:28:45,780 --> 00:28:44,170 concern of course and then you know kind 717 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:45,790 of a close second is alright so what are 718 00:28:48,780 --> 00:28:47,170 we going to go fly for the inflatable 719 00:28:51,540 --> 00:28:48,790 work test the good news is that we have 720 00:28:54,540 --> 00:28:51,550 lots of capsules in build here all the 721 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:54,550 time and so we had the next capsule in 722 00:28:59,550 --> 00:28:55,930 line which had been originally slated 723 00:29:01,740 --> 00:28:59,560 for the demo to test coming up soon and 724 00:29:04,230 --> 00:29:01,750 then also other capsules beyond that so 725 00:29:07,590 --> 00:29:04,240 we just shifted the whole capsule line 726 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:07,600 assignments ahead one so that what had 727 00:29:10,770 --> 00:29:09,130 been for demo two is now going to fly in 728 00:29:12,180 --> 00:29:10,780 flight afford the crew one an 729 00:29:14,910 --> 00:29:12,190 operational mission will now be for demo 730 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:14,920 two and so on and it was great we're 731 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:16,810 able to do that and that's a that's a 732 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:18,610 real testament to our production team 733 00:29:22,770 --> 00:29:21,250 and their ability to function yeah so 734 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:22,780 cool so thinking about the in-flight 735 00:29:26,370 --> 00:29:24,130 abort test because obviously that's the 736 00:29:28,530 --> 00:29:26,380 next big one on the Commercial Crew path 737 00:29:30,390 --> 00:29:28,540 here can you kind of talk our listeners 738 00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:30,400 through like what should they expect to 739 00:29:33,750 --> 00:29:31,510 see when this mission takes place 740 00:29:35,190 --> 00:29:33,760 because this is not a normal thing right 741 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:35,200 that's exactly right 742 00:29:40,620 --> 00:29:38,050 it's you know it is a test number one 743 00:29:42,030 --> 00:29:40,630 and it's it's a test of our escape 744 00:29:44,160 --> 00:29:42,040 system which we hope to never actually 745 00:29:46,740 --> 00:29:44,170 use sure might be this game set 746 00:29:48,180 --> 00:29:46,750 simmons-howe with the crew away from the 747 00:29:49,170 --> 00:29:48,190 launch vehicle in case something's going 748 00:29:51,210 --> 00:29:49,180 wrong and we want to get them away 749 00:29:54,270 --> 00:29:51,220 really fast and bring them back home on 750 00:29:56,820 --> 00:29:54,280 parachute safely and and so so what 751 00:29:58,320 --> 00:29:56,830 you're gonna see is it first will look a 752 00:29:59,850 --> 00:29:58,330 lot like a normal launch right there's 753 00:30:02,520 --> 00:29:59,860 going to be a dragon on top of a full 754 00:30:04,530 --> 00:30:02,530 Falcon nine that Falcon 9 will launch 755 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:04,540 off with 39a just like we've seen before 756 00:30:11,340 --> 00:30:07,210 like we did on demo one which just flew 757 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:11,350 back here in the spring and and that 758 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:13,810 launch will go off and a little ways 759 00:30:18,090 --> 00:30:16,330 into flight will initiate the launch 760 00:30:20,940 --> 00:30:18,100 escape system those super Drago's will 761 00:30:23,250 --> 00:30:20,950 fire dragon will separate from Falcon 762 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:23,260 and and the dragon will move very 763 00:30:27,030 --> 00:30:25,330 quickly away from Falcon and then come 764 00:30:28,590 --> 00:30:27,040 back on parachutes 765 00:30:31,860 --> 00:30:28,600 in terms of what people will be able to 766 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:31,870 see it will be probably not a lot it 767 00:30:37,170 --> 00:30:34,210 depends on how clear the day is and the 768 00:30:40,050 --> 00:30:37,180 weather fundamentally yes so are you 769 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:40,060 guys gonna be trying to return this 770 00:30:44,010 --> 00:30:42,250 Falcon or are you gonna be simulating 771 00:30:46,350 --> 00:30:44,020 like a full up like hey we had a really 772 00:30:48,210 --> 00:30:46,360 bad day oh that's a fair question so 773 00:30:49,770 --> 00:30:48,220 we're not going to necessarily simulate 774 00:30:52,350 --> 00:30:49,780 something going wrong with the Falcon 775 00:30:53,790 --> 00:30:52,360 right a goal to say well the system has 776 00:30:55,650 --> 00:30:53,800 detected something has gone wrong with 777 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:55,660 Falcon and now it's going to get those 778 00:30:59,670 --> 00:30:57,250 astronauts away safely that's the 779 00:31:01,590 --> 00:30:59,680 simulation so the main thing is testing 780 00:31:03,930 --> 00:31:01,600 the dragon can't get away safely from 781 00:31:06,510 --> 00:31:03,940 the conditions that it's in on on the 782 00:31:09,300 --> 00:31:06,520 Falcon however that said we do expect 783 00:31:11,130 --> 00:31:09,310 that this Falcon will break up the 784 00:31:13,530 --> 00:31:11,140 Falcons are designed to get us to go to 785 00:31:14,670 --> 00:31:13,540 orbit and then and and come back home 786 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:14,680 and land but you're not necessarily 787 00:31:18,390 --> 00:31:16,570 designed - halfway through their ascent 788 00:31:19,830 --> 00:31:18,400 have their payload pop off so we're 789 00:31:22,740 --> 00:31:19,840 going to we're going to expect to see 790 00:31:25,980 --> 00:31:22,750 that the Falcon will probably break up 791 00:31:28,710 --> 00:31:25,990 at some point after dragon initiates in 792 00:31:29,820 --> 00:31:28,720 to escape and so does this mean there's 793 00:31:31,740 --> 00:31:29,830 a physical button that somebody's gonna 794 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:31,750 hit or is this a timed activity it's a 795 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:34,570 timed activity okay and and then you 796 00:31:39,090 --> 00:31:36,010 mentioned the dragons gonna come back on 797 00:31:41,190 --> 00:31:39,100 parachutes are we are we gonna see a 798 00:31:43,380 --> 00:31:41,200 recovery like we saw with demo 1 or are 799 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:43,390 we gonna see a full-on simulation of the 800 00:31:47,130 --> 00:31:45,010 recovery effort as if there were people 801 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:47,140 on board you know that's a great 802 00:31:49,410 --> 00:31:48,250 question in fact we've already had a 803 00:31:52,230 --> 00:31:49,420 chance to practice this if you remember 804 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:52,240 back in 2015 we did a patent work test 805 00:31:55,980 --> 00:31:54,010 where we did the same thing where 806 00:31:58,530 --> 00:31:55,990 initiated the launch escape system on 807 00:32:00,390 --> 00:31:58,540 Dragon but from the pad and that was 808 00:32:02,100 --> 00:32:00,400 about four years ago and we were able to 809 00:32:02,910 --> 00:32:02,110 learn a lot from that including the 810 00:32:05,460 --> 00:32:02,920 recovery effort 811 00:32:07,950 --> 00:32:05,470 so that Dragon launch escaped from the 812 00:32:10,170 --> 00:32:07,960 pad and then came back down into the 813 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:10,180 water on parachutes and we had our 814 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:11,650 recovery team go out and pick it up 815 00:32:17,490 --> 00:32:14,010 we'll do something similar in this case 816 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:17,500 where we'll have our recovery team and 817 00:32:22,380 --> 00:32:19,810 their vessels staged and ready to go 818 00:32:24,990 --> 00:32:22,390 we'll also actually have the search and 819 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:25,000 rescue forces who would be on call for 820 00:32:30,270 --> 00:32:27,490 an actual you know escape or or you know 821 00:32:31,950 --> 00:32:30,280 a phenomenal landing as we call it you 822 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:31,960 know we want to have everybody to take 823 00:32:36,620 --> 00:32:35,170 the opportunity to practice and do a lot 824 00:32:39,790 --> 00:32:36,630 of what they would do kind of around 825 00:32:40,810 --> 00:32:39,800 this event they won't do the full 826 00:32:42,370 --> 00:32:40,820 we'll be treated as a full 827 00:32:43,390 --> 00:32:42,380 search-and-rescue practice mission we've 828 00:32:45,730 --> 00:32:43,400 actually already been doing a lot of 829 00:32:47,950 --> 00:32:45,740 that over the last number of years but 830 00:32:50,830 --> 00:32:47,960 everybody will be staged and able to 831 00:32:53,650 --> 00:32:50,840 exercise some of what they would do in a 832 00:32:55,090 --> 00:32:53,660 real situation that's that's really cool 833 00:32:57,090 --> 00:32:55,100 will you'll be playing to you reuse this 834 00:33:00,430 --> 00:32:57,100 crew dragon at some point yeah certainly 835 00:33:02,500 --> 00:33:00,440 you know we'll bring it back and we'll 836 00:33:03,670 --> 00:33:02,510 we'll meet in the first most important 837 00:33:05,890 --> 00:33:03,680 priorities we'll get all the data off of 838 00:33:07,570 --> 00:33:05,900 it from the tests we'll inspect it 839 00:33:09,010 --> 00:33:07,580 understand you know how the whole 840 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:09,020 vehicle looks and then we'll eventually 841 00:33:11,980 --> 00:33:10,610 I imagine we'll probably refurbish it 842 00:33:15,670 --> 00:33:11,990 and decide to in figure out what we 843 00:33:16,540 --> 00:33:15,680 would use it for that's yeah I'm just 844 00:33:17,530 --> 00:33:16,550 envisioning like this whole thing 845 00:33:21,870 --> 00:33:17,540 happening it's gonna be pretty awesome 846 00:33:24,250 --> 00:33:21,880 are you I understand that this the abort 847 00:33:26,260 --> 00:33:24,260 simulation is supposed to happen around 848 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:26,270 the time of max Q or maximum dynamic 849 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:29,450 pressure is there a reason that you guys 850 00:33:34,300 --> 00:33:31,250 chose that moment and are you expecting 851 00:33:36,850 --> 00:33:34,310 that there's gonna be any any sort of 852 00:33:39,220 --> 00:33:36,860 negative impacts to the the crew dragon 853 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:39,230 as a result of that good question so no 854 00:33:43,780 --> 00:33:40,970 we don't and part of the point of this 855 00:33:45,250 --> 00:33:43,790 test is to validate the crew Dragon will 856 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:45,260 withstand this test and withstand this 857 00:33:50,530 --> 00:33:47,210 event and again bring the crew home 858 00:33:51,460 --> 00:33:50,540 safely in terms of the timing of it and 859 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:51,470 that's actually a really interesting 860 00:33:57,160 --> 00:33:54,050 point so it happens just a little bit 861 00:33:58,870 --> 00:33:57,170 after max q and what we've done is we've 862 00:34:02,140 --> 00:33:58,880 looked at all of the different places 863 00:34:04,030 --> 00:34:02,150 where you really care about you know the 864 00:34:06,220 --> 00:34:04,040 intense forces intense aerodynamic 865 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:06,230 forces and that are going on in the 866 00:34:09,250 --> 00:34:07,610 vehicle you know there's these different 867 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:09,260 places where you could look you know 868 00:34:14,740 --> 00:34:12,050 right at initiation of the you know 869 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:14,750 shutdown of the primary engines you can 870 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:17,450 look at where your parachutes are going 871 00:34:20,950 --> 00:34:19,490 to deploy and there's this whole range 872 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:20,960 of well I could test here I could test 873 00:34:25,780 --> 00:34:23,090 there and what we've done is we've tried 874 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:25,790 to optimize for the maximum opportunity 875 00:34:30,340 --> 00:34:27,890 across all of these different areas so 876 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:30,350 we've chosen a time a point in the time 877 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:32,770 line that kind of gives us the best 878 00:34:38,260 --> 00:34:36,050 representation of a tough scenario for 879 00:34:40,810 --> 00:34:38,270 all of those different things that can 880 00:34:42,909 --> 00:34:40,820 be stressed in the system and then and 881 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:42,919 that's that's optimized so that we kind 882 00:34:47,470 --> 00:34:44,330 of get the biggest bang for our buck out 883 00:34:48,669 --> 00:34:47,480 of this test so it sounds like you're 884 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:48,679 kind of saying this is like the worst 885 00:34:52,060 --> 00:34:49,850 case scenario of the worst case 886 00:34:53,470 --> 00:34:52,070 scenarios is that a fair assessment we 887 00:34:55,419 --> 00:34:53,480 try to it 888 00:34:57,250 --> 00:34:55,429 I wouldn't I know if I quite classify it 889 00:34:58,480 --> 00:34:57,260 that way because that's often drives you 890 00:35:00,190 --> 00:34:58,490 to what we call the corner of a box 891 00:35:02,950 --> 00:35:00,200 right it's better to take this most 892 00:35:04,810 --> 00:35:02,960 extreme case sure and and you go test 893 00:35:06,190 --> 00:35:04,820 there and the reality is is that in a 894 00:35:09,510 --> 00:35:06,200 timeline like this there's a lot of 895 00:35:12,270 --> 00:35:09,520 corners of the box and instead of like 896 00:35:14,680 --> 00:35:12,280 you know testing one of those corners 897 00:35:15,910 --> 00:35:14,690 for this test we want to make sure that 898 00:35:18,310 --> 00:35:15,920 we actually get a good representation 899 00:35:21,130 --> 00:35:18,320 across as many years as we can so we've 900 00:35:22,420 --> 00:35:21,140 optimized in that way okay and you 901 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:22,430 mentioned that this was a bridge this 902 00:35:26,710 --> 00:35:23,690 crew Dragon was originally planned for 903 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:26,720 demo - obviously plans changed a little 904 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:27,290 bit 905 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:29,330 so is will this crew Dragon be fully 906 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:31,970 built out or will it kind of be more of 907 00:35:35,290 --> 00:35:33,650 like an essential package to test these 908 00:35:38,470 --> 00:35:35,300 critical systems for a launch abort 909 00:35:40,900 --> 00:35:38,480 scenario sure so the vehicle is complete 910 00:35:42,730 --> 00:35:40,910 as far as needed for the test there are 911 00:35:44,590 --> 00:35:42,740 a few elements that aren't installed 912 00:35:45,070 --> 00:35:44,600 because they're completely unrelated to 913 00:35:47,650 --> 00:35:45,080 the test 914 00:35:49,240 --> 00:35:47,660 for example the docking system as you 915 00:35:51,970 --> 00:35:49,250 recall that that really cool docking 916 00:35:55,300 --> 00:35:51,980 system developed and it was tested on 917 00:35:57,160 --> 00:35:55,310 the demo one flight back in March day 918 00:35:59,109 --> 00:35:57,170 there's no need to have a docking system 919 00:36:01,810 --> 00:35:59,119 on this on this particular test vehicle 920 00:36:04,599 --> 00:36:01,820 right so we've removed that system and 921 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:04,609 and haven't placed a mass simulator so 922 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:06,530 we get all the same forces all the same 923 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:08,450 effects of having that mass there on top 924 00:36:11,140 --> 00:36:09,530 but it doesn't need to be an actual 925 00:36:12,609 --> 00:36:11,150 mechanism that works so that's one 926 00:36:13,870 --> 00:36:12,619 example of something that we've that 927 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:13,880 we've taken off of that vehicle but 928 00:36:19,720 --> 00:36:16,970 otherwise it's a complete dragon that's 929 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:19,730 that's great so for for launch day for 930 00:36:22,930 --> 00:36:21,770 in-flight abort test where will you be 931 00:36:24,580 --> 00:36:22,940 are you gonna be out here at the Kennedy 932 00:36:26,109 --> 00:36:24,590 Space Center are you gonna be on console 933 00:36:27,010 --> 00:36:26,119 somewhere what's your role that day oh 934 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:27,020 absolutely 935 00:36:32,099 --> 00:36:30,410 I plan to be at Kennedy and and in 936 00:36:35,250 --> 00:36:32,109 firing room before where we'll be 937 00:36:37,810 --> 00:36:35,260 running the mission this is a launch and 938 00:36:40,390 --> 00:36:37,820 know we've asked all of our teams to 939 00:36:42,970 --> 00:36:40,400 view this as a full-on mission and it 940 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:42,980 doesn't quite make it to orbit and it's 941 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:46,130 not a long-duration dragon mission but 942 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:47,570 it is a mission we are launching a 943 00:36:51,580 --> 00:36:50,330 rocket and something very exciting is 944 00:36:54,580 --> 00:36:51,590 happening at the payload halfway through 945 00:36:56,470 --> 00:36:54,590 that event so we're treating this as a 946 00:36:58,080 --> 00:36:56,480 full-on launch we'll be in the firing 947 00:37:00,310 --> 00:36:58,090 room and I'll be out there at Kennedy 948 00:37:02,650 --> 00:37:00,320 but just as I was when we did that pad 949 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:02,660 abort test back in 2015 and as we were 950 00:37:07,470 --> 00:37:05,290 there for demo one and and you know it's 951 00:37:08,700 --> 00:37:07,480 I'll be out at Kennedy next week we get 952 00:37:10,740 --> 00:37:08,710 to come out there a lot and we have a 953 00:37:12,630 --> 00:37:10,750 strong team that's resident there and a 954 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:12,640 lot of my folks get to go there a lot 955 00:37:18,180 --> 00:37:14,530 and right now in fact down at Kennedy 956 00:37:22,590 --> 00:37:18,190 are our teams or integration teams are 957 00:37:26,850 --> 00:37:22,600 just going gangbusters working on the 958 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:26,860 Dragons both of course the in flight 959 00:37:29,430 --> 00:37:28,210 aboard dragons are getting ready you 960 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:29,440 know getting ready for that to move into 961 00:37:34,770 --> 00:37:32,050 our static fire test they're also 962 00:37:37,050 --> 00:37:34,780 getting ready for upcoming CRS dragon 963 00:37:39,780 --> 00:37:37,060 missions cargo dragon missions so our 964 00:37:42,450 --> 00:37:39,790 work both at Cape Canaveral Air Force 965 00:37:44,550 --> 00:37:42,460 Station as well as Kennedy it's 966 00:37:46,620 --> 00:37:44,560 constantly ongoing yeah it never seems 967 00:37:48,780 --> 00:37:46,630 to stop obviously you guys have a high 968 00:37:50,790 --> 00:37:48,790 rate of launch here that's great I know 969 00:37:52,620 --> 00:37:50,800 for demo one I believe you guys had a 970 00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:52,630 and you'll have to forgive me I'm 971 00:37:57,570 --> 00:37:54,970 blanking on the technical term you had a 972 00:37:59,340 --> 00:37:57,580 dummy onboard that's quite smart Ripley 973 00:38:02,280 --> 00:37:59,350 I believe are you doing anything like 974 00:38:03,930 --> 00:38:02,290 that for in flight aboard that's right 975 00:38:05,850 --> 00:38:03,940 we did we did we had Ripley on board for 976 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:05,860 demo one which which allowed us to 977 00:38:11,490 --> 00:38:08,290 gather a lot of data and we are we're 978 00:38:12,780 --> 00:38:11,500 having doing similar data gathering for 979 00:38:14,910 --> 00:38:12,790 the in flight of work test we have a lot 980 00:38:16,500 --> 00:38:14,920 of sensors in place we have a lot of 981 00:38:18,030 --> 00:38:16,510 sensors of what the crew would see in 982 00:38:20,430 --> 00:38:18,040 the field so we're doing a similar 983 00:38:22,530 --> 00:38:20,440 process where we gather data and I know 984 00:38:24,870 --> 00:38:22,540 this this whole test is definitely a 985 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:24,880 part of getting to that point where we 986 00:38:29,460 --> 00:38:26,650 have that confidence in sending crew 987 00:38:31,530 --> 00:38:29,470 aboard crew dragon so what are some of 988 00:38:33,540 --> 00:38:31,540 the things kind of the highlights of the 989 00:38:35,610 --> 00:38:33,550 challenges of going from demo one to 990 00:38:39,390 --> 00:38:35,620 demo two other than obviously this test 991 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:39,400 absolutely so the biggest thing of 992 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:42,370 course is building out the vehicle as a 993 00:38:49,380 --> 00:38:46,210 first step I'd say that of equal 994 00:38:51,060 --> 00:38:49,390 priority and importance is is having the 995 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:51,070 crew ready to go and our ground drink 996 00:38:54,690 --> 00:38:52,530 team is ready to go in terms of training 997 00:38:56,670 --> 00:38:54,700 we need to make sure that all of our 998 00:38:59,280 --> 00:38:56,680 qualification testing has been complete 999 00:39:00,780 --> 00:38:59,290 and and then finally make sure that all 1000 00:39:02,220 --> 00:39:00,790 of our certification is complete so you 1001 00:39:03,690 --> 00:39:02,230 kinda have to build the whole system 1002 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:03,700 that's going to launch us there right 1003 00:39:08,790 --> 00:39:05,170 there's right Alcon in the dragon in the 1004 00:39:10,140 --> 00:39:08,800 ground systems and then there's having 1005 00:39:12,030 --> 00:39:10,150 and having all of that tested and 1006 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:12,040 complete there's having all of the 1007 00:39:15,650 --> 00:39:14,050 Operations teams ready to go the crew 1008 00:39:17,970 --> 00:39:15,660 themselves ready to go all of that 1009 00:39:18,930 --> 00:39:17,980 operations procedures and practice and 1010 00:39:20,550 --> 00:39:18,940 training in place 1011 00:39:21,839 --> 00:39:20,560 and then there's a certification of the 1012 00:39:24,660 --> 00:39:21,849 whole thing the hardware the software 1013 00:39:27,150 --> 00:39:24,670 and all of that operations ready to go 1014 00:39:28,620 --> 00:39:27,160 so it's been a lot of work to to 1015 00:39:31,589 --> 00:39:28,630 complete that process but the good news 1016 00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:31,599 is is we had a ton of it done leading up 1017 00:39:35,490 --> 00:39:33,970 to demo one obviously you guys have a 1018 00:39:38,910 --> 00:39:35,500 series of missions that you're 1019 00:39:41,490 --> 00:39:38,920 uncontacted Commercial Crew for missions 1020 00:39:43,589 --> 00:39:41,500 to the space station but what is what's 1021 00:39:45,599 --> 00:39:43,599 life for cruise dragon beyond that I'm 1022 00:39:47,339 --> 00:39:45,609 assuming that there's more to it than 1023 00:39:50,579 --> 00:39:47,349 that with SpaceX as goals and missions 1024 00:39:52,290 --> 00:39:50,589 absolutely you know the point of the 1025 00:39:55,109 --> 00:39:52,300 Commercial Crew program from NASA itself 1026 00:39:58,260 --> 00:39:55,119 is to help foster commercialization of 1027 00:40:00,270 --> 00:39:58,270 low-earth orbit and and that's part of 1028 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:00,280 this program and so the ultimate goal is 1029 00:40:03,630 --> 00:40:01,810 that we can take all of these great 1030 00:40:05,609 --> 00:40:03,640 assets that we've developed and start to 1031 00:40:08,130 --> 00:40:05,619 put together you know commercial access 1032 00:40:10,260 --> 00:40:08,140 to space for private passengers and 1033 00:40:11,910 --> 00:40:10,270 commercial passengers and and whatnot 1034 00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:11,920 and we're already having conversations 1035 00:40:15,990 --> 00:40:13,450 on along those lines to look for those 1036 00:40:17,309 --> 00:40:16,000 kinds of missions awesome yes so 1037 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:17,319 thinking about our listeners Benji is 1038 00:40:20,550 --> 00:40:18,250 there anything else you want to kind of 1039 00:40:22,319 --> 00:40:20,560 leave them with obviously an exciting 1040 00:40:24,210 --> 00:40:22,329 year ahead of us but I'll kind of let 1041 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:24,220 you have the last word here great yeah 1042 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:25,450 you know first of all I appreciate the 1043 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:26,770 time and appreciate the opportunity on 1044 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:29,530 your podcast and just keep your eyes 1045 00:40:33,510 --> 00:40:30,970 wide open it's going to be an exciting 1046 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:33,520 next few months coming up cool 1047 00:40:36,839 --> 00:40:35,410 Benji Reed director of Crew mission 1048 00:40:37,349 --> 00:40:36,849 management for SpaceX thanks so much 1049 00:40:41,790 --> 00:40:37,359 Benji 1050 00:40:43,890 --> 00:40:41,800 thank you I'm Joshua Santora and that's 1051 00:40:46,020 --> 00:40:43,900 our show thanks for stopping by the 1052 00:40:47,370 --> 00:40:46,030 rocket ranch special thanks to our 1053 00:40:49,650 --> 00:40:47,380 guests Jon Cowart 1054 00:40:50,609 --> 00:40:49,660 Alicia Evans and Benji reading to learn 1055 00:40:53,670 --> 00:40:50,619 more about the Commercial Crew program 1056 00:40:55,500 --> 00:40:53,680 visit nasa.gov slash Commercial Crew and 1057 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:55,510 to learn more about everything going on 1058 00:41:00,329 --> 00:40:57,010 at the Kennedy Space Center go to 1059 00:41:01,650 --> 00:41:00,339 nasa.gov slash Kennedy check out NASA's 1060 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:01,660 other podcast to learn more about what's 1061 00:41:06,930 --> 00:41:03,010 happening at all of our centers at 1062 00:41:09,030 --> 00:41:06,940 nasa.gov slash podcasts a special shout 1063 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:09,040 out to our producer John Sackman our 1064 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:10,930 sound engineers Michelle stone and Lorne 1065 00:41:15,420 --> 00:41:12,970 mentoring editor Michelle stone and 1066 00:41:17,970 --> 00:41:15,430 special thanks to Stephanie Martin cord 1067 00:41:22,319 --> 00:41:17,980 McClendon Murray Lewis Jen Wolfinger 1068 00:41:24,450 --> 00:41:22,329 Jessica londa and Ava Baron and remember 1069 00:41:25,570 --> 00:41:24,460 on the rocket ranch even the sky isn't