1 00:00:09,530 --> 00:00:04,579 Pluto is not a planet or is it next on 2 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:09,540 the rocket Ranger EGS program chief 3 00:00:26,940 --> 00:00:22,940 [Music] 4 00:00:32,210 --> 00:00:28,830 now passing through max Q maximum 5 00:00:34,470 --> 00:00:32,220 dynamic pressure welcome to space 6 00:00:36,420 --> 00:00:34,480 alright so I am in the booth now with 7 00:00:38,070 --> 00:00:36,430 dr. Alan Stern dr. stern thank you for 8 00:00:39,060 --> 00:00:38,080 joining me today hey Joshua is great to 9 00:00:41,490 --> 00:00:39,070 be at Roger Roger 10 00:00:45,510 --> 00:00:41,500 yeah hey listen so your resume kind of 11 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:45,520 reads like a I don't even know how to 12 00:00:50,010 --> 00:00:47,050 describe its impressive like everything 13 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:50,020 from the your planetary scientist you 14 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:51,730 were the principal investigator for a 15 00:00:55,229 --> 00:00:53,530 number of scientific instruments at a 16 00:00:57,090 --> 00:00:55,239 phone in space some aboard the Space 17 00:00:59,219 --> 00:00:57,100 Shuttle you are the principal 18 00:01:01,469 --> 00:00:59,229 investigator for New Horizons you were 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:01,479 the associate administrator for NASA's 20 00:01:05,789 --> 00:01:02,650 science Mission Directorate for a while 21 00:01:07,140 --> 00:01:05,799 I think I saw you were like shortlisted 22 00:01:10,140 --> 00:01:07,150 to possibly be the administrator for 23 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:10,150 NASA and for a while there you're 24 00:01:13,050 --> 00:01:11,170 working with some commercial companies 25 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:13,060 including moon express one lifetime 26 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:16,330 right you know it's it's good if you 27 00:01:22,260 --> 00:01:18,250 don't need as much sleep as some other 28 00:01:23,820 --> 00:01:22,270 people so and of the real question is 29 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:23,830 when you were a kid what did you want to 30 00:01:27,990 --> 00:01:25,450 be when you grew up I wanted to be a 31 00:01:30,139 --> 00:01:28,000 space explorer like every other kid I 32 00:01:33,510 --> 00:01:30,149 grew up with it was just it was just 33 00:01:35,359 --> 00:01:33,520 what every kid wanted to do the United 34 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:35,369 States was going to the moon and 35 00:01:40,260 --> 00:01:37,570 everybody wanted to be a part of it and 36 00:01:42,990 --> 00:01:40,270 I got to live my dream it's been awesome 37 00:01:44,340 --> 00:01:43,000 so obviously when people say I want to 38 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:44,350 be a space explorer they often think 39 00:01:47,490 --> 00:01:46,210 about astronauts and I don't think 40 00:01:49,950 --> 00:01:47,500 you've been to space of all the things 41 00:01:53,849 --> 00:01:49,960 on your exhaustive resume like I didn't 42 00:01:55,319 --> 00:01:53,859 see space actual astronaut travel yet no 43 00:01:56,849 --> 00:01:55,329 that's right that's right I tried very 44 00:01:58,380 --> 00:01:56,859 hard to be an astronaut I was a finalist 45 00:01:59,940 --> 00:01:58,390 I went through physicals found it I'm 46 00:02:03,419 --> 00:01:59,950 very healthy pretty well-adjusted 47 00:02:07,469 --> 00:02:03,429 mentally or at least I used to be but I 48 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:07,479 was not selected but actually I spent 49 00:02:13,710 --> 00:02:09,250 five years flying high-performance jets 50 00:02:15,450 --> 00:02:13,720 NASA jets and and I have a research 51 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:15,460 program that will be flowing on Virgin 52 00:02:19,590 --> 00:02:18,010 Galactic awesome as soon as they're 53 00:02:21,059 --> 00:02:19,600 ready for commercial service through my 54 00:02:23,790 --> 00:02:21,069 company the Southwest Research Institute 55 00:02:25,830 --> 00:02:23,800 which is a private nonprofit Research 56 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:25,840 Institute with about 3,000 employees I 57 00:02:30,150 --> 00:02:28,050 run a program where we'll be doing 58 00:02:33,870 --> 00:02:30,160 astronomical and earth observation 59 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:33,880 research from spaceship to so for those 60 00:02:38,670 --> 00:02:36,010 are familiar spaceship 2 is actually the 61 00:02:40,470 --> 00:02:38,680 Virgin Galactic spaceship it drops off 62 00:02:42,270 --> 00:02:40,480 of an airplane 63 00:02:44,070 --> 00:02:42,280 and so it's an airdrop spaceship that 64 00:02:46,229 --> 00:02:44,080 actually carries people for suborbital 65 00:02:48,930 --> 00:02:46,239 flight correct that's exactly right it's 66 00:02:50,490 --> 00:02:48,940 a it's a suborbital spacecraft built for 67 00:02:52,949 --> 00:02:50,500 space tourism but which we're applying 68 00:02:56,300 --> 00:02:52,959 to Space Research to do kind of 69 00:02:59,490 --> 00:02:56,310 breakthrough low price high-value return 70 00:03:00,839 --> 00:02:59,500 research and education missions and so 71 00:03:02,100 --> 00:03:00,849 obviously you're talking about sending 72 00:03:04,110 --> 00:03:02,110 some science up on board these 73 00:03:06,330 --> 00:03:04,120 suborbital flights looking at minutes 74 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:06,340 worth of microgravity experimentation 75 00:03:09,449 --> 00:03:08,410 are you one of the experiments that gets 76 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:09,459 to go at some point did you buy yourself 77 00:03:13,140 --> 00:03:11,530 a ticket yet oh I'll be flying several 78 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:13,150 times we have three tickets that's 79 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:15,690 awesome what I was referring to and 80 00:03:18,839 --> 00:03:17,530 we're gonna be looking at the Earth's 81 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:18,849 atmosphere we're gonna be looking at 82 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:20,890 deep space and we're also gonna be 83 00:03:26,220 --> 00:03:22,930 conducting biomedical experiments on 84 00:03:29,099 --> 00:03:26,230 ourselves by wearing a shuttle biomed 85 00:03:32,789 --> 00:03:29,109 harness measures blood pressure and 86 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:32,799 respiration rates to study the 87 00:03:37,949 --> 00:03:36,250 transition from hyper G on ascent the 88 00:03:39,780 --> 00:03:37,959 high G's that you have to the 89 00:03:42,210 --> 00:03:39,790 microgravity and then back again an 90 00:03:43,890 --> 00:03:42,220 entry into high gravity Ken so I'm 91 00:03:47,039 --> 00:03:43,900 looking forward to flying in space maybe 92 00:03:48,210 --> 00:03:47,049 as soon as next year you're after so dr. 93 00:03:51,659 --> 00:03:48,220 stern obviously you mentioned you grew 94 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:51,669 up watching the Apollo program so you 95 00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:53,650 weren't born yesterday but it seems like 96 00:03:56,580 --> 00:03:54,910 you're not letting that slow you down 97 00:03:58,379 --> 00:03:56,590 that your career is even accelerating at 98 00:04:03,690 --> 00:03:58,389 this point to new heights very literally 99 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:03,700 well you know space is such a and 100 00:04:09,839 --> 00:04:07,690 blooming field at the same time and you 101 00:04:11,670 --> 00:04:09,849 know the opportunities are just 102 00:04:13,949 --> 00:04:11,680 mushrooming why quit now 103 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:13,959 so you mentioned the suborbital flights 104 00:04:18,509 --> 00:04:16,690 are you are you involved or kind of 105 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:18,519 what's your perspective on this idea of 106 00:04:22,980 --> 00:04:20,410 the commercial space market right now 107 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:22,990 because suborbital we have Blue Origin 108 00:04:27,450 --> 00:04:25,570 and Virgin Galactic are two of the big 109 00:04:29,190 --> 00:04:27,460 names right now getting into that kind 110 00:04:31,260 --> 00:04:29,200 of suborbital opportunities for tourism 111 00:04:32,490 --> 00:04:31,270 as well as science research we have the 112 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:32,500 Commercial Crew program here at NASA 113 00:04:36,150 --> 00:04:34,210 we're getting to flow getting humans 114 00:04:38,159 --> 00:04:36,160 onboard commercial spacecraft for the 115 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:38,169 first time to space station we have 116 00:04:43,050 --> 00:04:41,050 other companies like Bigelow and we have 117 00:04:45,750 --> 00:04:43,060 companies like who just launched out of 118 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:45,760 New Zealand that's a rocket lab rocket 119 00:04:48,089 --> 00:04:46,930 lab thank you yes I think I think they 120 00:04:49,350 --> 00:04:48,099 said that I was like a ninth flight this 121 00:04:51,390 --> 00:04:49,360 year or something since their ninth 122 00:04:52,940 --> 00:04:51,400 orbital flight orbital flight so like an 123 00:04:55,190 --> 00:04:52,950 eighth successful one they 124 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:55,200 really up-and-coming so what's your 125 00:04:57,410 --> 00:04:56,370 perspective on like this market 126 00:04:59,420 --> 00:04:57,420 obviously you mentioned like the booming 127 00:05:00,710 --> 00:04:59,430 and blooming and like I don't think 128 00:05:01,970 --> 00:05:00,720 anybody would argue with that but kind 129 00:05:03,260 --> 00:05:01,980 of where do you see this going and 130 00:05:05,840 --> 00:05:03,270 what's the rate at which this is gonna 131 00:05:07,310 --> 00:05:05,850 move it's it's going at an accelerating 132 00:05:10,130 --> 00:05:07,320 rate and you know truth in advertising 133 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:10,140 is I worked as a consultant for both 134 00:05:15,140 --> 00:05:12,210 Branson and Bezos at their companies 135 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:15,150 that had Virgin Galactic and at Blue 136 00:05:19,970 --> 00:05:17,690 Origin in the early part of this decade 137 00:05:22,780 --> 00:05:19,980 when I was associate administrator for 138 00:05:24,710 --> 00:05:22,790 the science Mission Directorate I 139 00:05:26,870 --> 00:05:24,720 started a program for using these 140 00:05:28,610 --> 00:05:26,880 commercial vehicles it's now essentially 141 00:05:30,910 --> 00:05:28,620 morphed its way into the science into 142 00:05:33,470 --> 00:05:30,920 the space technology Mission Directorate 143 00:05:37,130 --> 00:05:33,480 program called flight Opportunities and 144 00:05:39,050 --> 00:05:37,140 and then as I said at Southwest Research 145 00:05:41,510 --> 00:05:39,060 Institute I'm the principal investigator 146 00:05:43,700 --> 00:05:41,520 for a suborbital research program that 147 00:05:46,490 --> 00:05:43,710 will be flying scientists on these 148 00:05:48,620 --> 00:05:46,500 vehicles to conduct these experiments at 149 00:05:52,100 --> 00:05:48,630 much higher reliability and lower cost 150 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:52,110 than we could with automation super 151 00:05:57,110 --> 00:05:54,570 excited about this and the advent of 152 00:05:58,880 --> 00:05:57,120 commercial orbital spaceflight it's 153 00:06:01,430 --> 00:05:58,890 really you know I think the late teens 154 00:06:04,490 --> 00:06:01,440 and the 20s are the breakout moment I'm 155 00:06:05,930 --> 00:06:04,500 gonna give public talks I tell people I 156 00:06:08,150 --> 00:06:05,940 said you know this is the best time to 157 00:06:10,130 --> 00:06:08,160 be alive to be in space ever because 158 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:10,140 people will look back in 200 years and 159 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:12,330 say back then in the teens and 20s the 160 00:06:18,860 --> 00:06:14,610 beginning of 21st century that's where 161 00:06:21,620 --> 00:06:18,870 Star Trek began yeah I mean it's tough 162 00:06:23,210 --> 00:06:21,630 to take again like assuming that the 163 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:23,220 rate is accelerating like you like you 164 00:06:27,050 --> 00:06:24,690 say it isn't I'm not one to disagree 165 00:06:30,260 --> 00:06:27,060 with you well that seems inevitable just 166 00:06:31,850 --> 00:06:30,270 think about it let's reel back 10 years 167 00:06:35,900 --> 00:06:31,860 let's do it okay he's not very far back 168 00:06:39,050 --> 00:06:35,910 2009 no no we had a space shuttle was 169 00:06:41,390 --> 00:06:39,060 fantastic flying machine taking people 170 00:06:43,900 --> 00:06:41,400 in payloads up to the ISS and in terms 171 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:43,910 of human spaceflight the Russians had 172 00:06:49,700 --> 00:06:46,890 their vehicles flying Soyuz up to ISS 173 00:06:51,590 --> 00:06:49,710 that was it now let's go forward not ten 174 00:06:55,280 --> 00:06:51,600 years but half as far five years from 175 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:55,290 now Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic will 176 00:07:00,430 --> 00:06:57,570 be flying suborbital space flights with 177 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:00,440 paying tourists researchers educators 178 00:07:05,510 --> 00:07:03,690 maybe even NASA astronauts at the rate 179 00:07:09,230 --> 00:07:05,520 of one or more times per week 180 00:07:11,150 --> 00:07:09,240 Wow maybe daily then on top of it we're 181 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:11,160 gonna have a Ryan flying we're gonna 182 00:07:15,860 --> 00:07:14,250 have boots on the moon men and women 183 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:15,870 exploring the lunar surface for the 184 00:07:20,510 --> 00:07:17,490 first time in half a century 185 00:07:23,450 --> 00:07:20,520 in person doing what robots still can't 186 00:07:26,089 --> 00:07:23,460 do which is the fieldwork that really 187 00:07:27,529 --> 00:07:26,099 requires humans on the spot sure we're 188 00:07:29,270 --> 00:07:27,539 gonna be turning our attention to Mars 189 00:07:32,450 --> 00:07:29,280 and at the same time we're gonna have 190 00:07:34,430 --> 00:07:32,460 Commercial Crew vehicles from Boeing and 191 00:07:37,809 --> 00:07:34,440 SpaceX that are regularly shuttling 192 00:07:39,770 --> 00:07:37,819 astronauts and researchers 193 00:07:41,839 --> 00:07:39,780 non-professional astronauts maybe people 194 00:07:43,700 --> 00:07:41,849 like myself back and forth to the ISS 195 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:43,710 and even commercial space stations 196 00:07:47,870 --> 00:07:45,810 compare that to what was going on ten 197 00:07:49,969 --> 00:07:47,880 years ago yeah how could you say 198 00:07:52,249 --> 00:07:49,979 anything except its booming and blooming 199 00:07:54,260 --> 00:07:52,259 yeah yeah you mentioned obviously you're 200 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:54,270 a planetary scientist so your expertise 201 00:07:58,909 --> 00:07:57,330 really one of your expertise is lies in 202 00:08:01,059 --> 00:07:58,919 that field so thinking about kind of the 203 00:08:06,439 --> 00:08:01,069 exploration and expansion to the moon 204 00:08:07,430 --> 00:08:06,449 certainly most kind of we'll call them 205 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:07,440 Joe on the street 206 00:08:10,100 --> 00:08:09,090 most of them kind of think of unless 207 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:10,110 you're getting to somewhere like the 208 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:11,610 moon we aren't doing anything different 209 00:08:17,270 --> 00:08:14,250 or new so how do you kind of look at 210 00:08:19,189 --> 00:08:17,280 this move towards a colony on the moon 211 00:08:21,439 --> 00:08:19,199 or Mars or even farther I know like you 212 00:08:23,269 --> 00:08:21,449 said you mentioned earlier to me you are 213 00:08:25,550 --> 00:08:23,279 working on a mission for Europa headed 214 00:08:27,140 --> 00:08:25,560 to Europa so what is what does this all 215 00:08:29,510 --> 00:08:27,150 kind of look like moving forward in 216 00:08:31,790 --> 00:08:29,520 exploring our solar system well it's 217 00:08:35,089 --> 00:08:31,800 some it's amazing you know we have the 218 00:08:36,980 --> 00:08:35,099 robotic fleet of spacecraft like Europa 219 00:08:40,279 --> 00:08:36,990 clipper that's going to be studying the 220 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:40,289 ocean beneath Europa's surface we have 221 00:08:44,569 --> 00:08:42,810 Mars sample return coming up go ahead do 222 00:08:45,740 --> 00:08:44,579 you do do you do that with a giant drill 223 00:08:48,530 --> 00:08:45,750 like are we descending like a giant 224 00:08:49,850 --> 00:08:48,540 drill to Europa to just like carve a 225 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:49,860 hole in the ice is that really the goal 226 00:08:54,019 --> 00:08:51,930 that'll be some future mission which 227 00:08:55,699 --> 00:08:54,029 will go down beneath the ice okay rope a 228 00:08:58,910 --> 00:08:55,709 clipper is actually a mission that 229 00:09:01,579 --> 00:08:58,920 orbits Jupiter and makes dozens of close 230 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:01,589 flybys to Europa which is this planet 231 00:09:08,780 --> 00:09:05,730 sized moon of Jupiter which has an ocean 232 00:09:11,870 --> 00:09:08,790 on the inside beneath the ice and which 233 00:09:14,870 --> 00:09:11,880 is very likely spewing ocean material 234 00:09:16,579 --> 00:09:14,880 out through geysers into space and this 235 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:16,589 very sophisticated robotic spacecraft 236 00:09:21,930 --> 00:09:18,490 called Europa clipper 237 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:21,940 be studying the geology the geophysics 238 00:09:27,750 --> 00:09:25,810 the geysers and maybe even sampling 239 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:27,760 material coming out of those geysers as 240 00:09:32,970 --> 00:09:30,370 the spacecraft flies through it to make 241 00:09:35,820 --> 00:09:32,980 a precursor set of observations to lead 242 00:09:37,740 --> 00:09:35,830 us to a future surface mission when you 243 00:09:40,110 --> 00:09:37,750 say we're gonna gather these resources 244 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:40,120 hopefully that are kind of flying off of 245 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:42,010 Europa how close are we talking about 246 00:09:45,269 --> 00:09:43,450 getting to this thing you're hoping to 247 00:09:48,090 --> 00:09:45,279 capture some of those yeah so we're 248 00:09:50,100 --> 00:09:48,100 gonna go right down on the deck the you 249 00:09:51,900 --> 00:09:50,110 know if you could if you made Europa 250 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:51,910 beach ball some of the flybys would be 251 00:09:56,250 --> 00:09:54,850 as close as just just a fraction of an 252 00:09:58,590 --> 00:09:56,260 inch above the surface of that beach 253 00:09:59,880 --> 00:09:58,600 wall Wow other fly buzzes be further 254 00:10:01,560 --> 00:09:59,890 back because we want to get the global 255 00:10:03,269 --> 00:10:01,570 view sure and those are both good types 256 00:10:05,310 --> 00:10:03,279 of science so it's not always about how 257 00:10:07,350 --> 00:10:05,320 close you go but we're gonna get right 258 00:10:08,430 --> 00:10:07,360 down there on the deck that's awesome 259 00:10:09,870 --> 00:10:08,440 sorry and I want to go back you were 260 00:10:11,329 --> 00:10:09,880 mentioning Mars and kind of our 261 00:10:14,820 --> 00:10:11,339 exploration towards Mars well you know 262 00:10:18,540 --> 00:10:14,830 for Mars for the moon and for asteroids 263 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:18,550 in between the the the big next thing 264 00:10:24,930 --> 00:10:21,490 after more sample return is gonna be 265 00:10:27,690 --> 00:10:24,940 humans human bases on the moon on on 266 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:27,700 Mars probably on asteroids as well I 267 00:10:32,579 --> 00:10:30,370 spent a month down at South Pole early 268 00:10:35,850 --> 00:10:32,589 in my career doing astronomy from the 269 00:10:39,569 --> 00:10:35,860 South Pole and I think that we will have 270 00:10:41,430 --> 00:10:39,579 lunar bases and then Mars bases that 271 00:10:43,230 --> 00:10:41,440 have similar scope to what the National 272 00:10:46,380 --> 00:10:43,240 Science Foundation does down at South 273 00:10:49,130 --> 00:10:46,390 Pole within the lifetimes of people who 274 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:49,140 are in their careers now it's gonna be 275 00:10:55,230 --> 00:10:51,490 incredibly exciting and it really is 276 00:10:57,060 --> 00:10:55,240 where Star Trek begins so when you get 277 00:10:58,430 --> 00:10:57,070 asked the question like why bother like 278 00:11:00,660 --> 00:10:58,440 because there are people right now 279 00:11:02,970 --> 00:11:00,670 high-profile people that are saying Mars 280 00:11:05,190 --> 00:11:02,980 isn't worth the hassle like how do you 281 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:05,200 as a planetary scientist obviously 282 00:11:09,180 --> 00:11:06,130 there's a lot to discover and explore 283 00:11:11,220 --> 00:11:09,190 there but like is it worth going like 284 00:11:13,710 --> 00:11:11,230 sending people there on this nine-month 285 00:11:15,210 --> 00:11:13,720 journey on this planet that's ultimately 286 00:11:17,639 --> 00:11:15,220 like currently a hostile environment for 287 00:11:20,340 --> 00:11:17,649 humans and trying to set up these 288 00:11:21,930 --> 00:11:20,350 habitats there well you know a long time 289 00:11:23,490 --> 00:11:21,940 ago Arizona was a pretty hostile 290 00:11:25,170 --> 00:11:23,500 environment for humans and it was even 291 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:25,180 worse because other humans were chasing 292 00:11:30,030 --> 00:11:27,610 you you know with lethal weapons you 293 00:11:31,890 --> 00:11:30,040 won't find that on Mars we hope not 294 00:11:33,810 --> 00:11:31,900 right but think about 295 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:33,820 the value of what we're doing and I'm 296 00:11:38,730 --> 00:11:35,770 not I don't want to discount it but I'm 297 00:11:40,290 --> 00:11:38,740 not talking about the value of rewriting 298 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:40,300 textbooks and expanding our knowledge 299 00:11:45,780 --> 00:11:43,810 and doing epical science like finding 300 00:11:49,110 --> 00:11:45,790 out how prevalent life is in the solar 301 00:11:51,210 --> 00:11:49,120 system right if you think about the 302 00:11:53,490 --> 00:11:51,220 United States as a world leader and 303 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:53,500 setting the pace for the whole planet 304 00:11:57,990 --> 00:11:56,050 space exploration is one important way 305 00:12:00,930 --> 00:11:58,000 we do that it's also soft power 306 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:00,940 projection because every kid in every 307 00:12:04,890 --> 00:12:03,370 nation on the earth reads in their 308 00:12:07,380 --> 00:12:04,900 science textbooks and they have these 309 00:12:09,540 --> 00:12:07,390 brands that they read about NASA's a 310 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:09,550 brand but even when NASA isn't mentioned 311 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:12,130 just the Hubble Space Telescope the ISS 312 00:12:16,860 --> 00:12:15,730 a mission like New Horizons that's soft 313 00:12:18,769 --> 00:12:16,870 power projection they're learning about 314 00:12:20,850 --> 00:12:18,779 what great things the United States does 315 00:12:22,530 --> 00:12:20,860 even in countries don't like us very 316 00:12:25,620 --> 00:12:22,540 much just because the kids are taught 317 00:12:30,829 --> 00:12:25,630 about space science but way beyond that 318 00:12:34,740 --> 00:12:30,839 the breakout moment for the economy for 319 00:12:37,620 --> 00:12:34,750 space becoming a very important part of 320 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:37,630 the economy from colonization of other 321 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:39,730 worlds to applications like remote 322 00:12:45,750 --> 00:12:43,810 sensing security handheld communications 323 00:12:48,780 --> 00:12:45,760 on the internet from any spot on the 324 00:12:50,730 --> 00:12:48,790 earth fire and disaster recovery and 325 00:12:52,260 --> 00:12:50,740 then all the applications we haven't 326 00:12:54,900 --> 00:12:52,270 thought of including space tourism 327 00:12:56,699 --> 00:12:54,910 everybody wants to go to space everybody 328 00:12:59,100 --> 00:12:56,709 wants to see the Earth from space yeah 329 00:13:00,449 --> 00:12:59,110 right people want to actually walk on 330 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:00,459 the moon and go to Mars and it's not 331 00:13:05,730 --> 00:13:02,890 possible yet but later in this century 332 00:13:09,030 --> 00:13:05,740 it will be and to ask what is the value 333 00:13:12,570 --> 00:13:09,040 of that is a little bit like you know 334 00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:12,580 the naivete of asking the tinkers with 335 00:13:18,090 --> 00:13:15,690 electronics a century and a half ago 336 00:13:19,199 --> 00:13:18,100 what's all that research about what's 337 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:19,209 there ever gonna come with those things 338 00:13:27,449 --> 00:13:24,250 with the wires it's just a fad yeah like 339 00:13:29,699 --> 00:13:27,459 that so when you talk about the moon 340 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:29,709 playing a part in our economy can you 341 00:13:32,730 --> 00:13:30,970 flesh that out for me some more because 342 00:13:34,829 --> 00:13:32,740 I hear people say that and again I don't 343 00:13:36,810 --> 00:13:34,839 know that can disagree but like how does 344 00:13:38,310 --> 00:13:36,820 that happen on a practical level yeah 345 00:13:42,370 --> 00:13:38,320 well I think at first it'll be a walk 346 00:13:45,010 --> 00:13:42,380 before we run thing or we will have 347 00:13:47,350 --> 00:13:45,020 a NASA slash international presence on 348 00:13:49,270 --> 00:13:47,360 the moon at the South Pole that will be 349 00:13:51,330 --> 00:13:49,280 a research establishment and private 350 00:13:54,030 --> 00:13:51,340 companies will be there selling services 351 00:13:56,740 --> 00:13:54,040 right up through space tourism I think 352 00:13:59,650 --> 00:13:56,750 but then people will start to settle 353 00:14:02,190 --> 00:13:59,660 there and very much like you know the 354 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:02,200 push across the Americas centuries ago 355 00:14:06,130 --> 00:14:04,490 little dots of light will start to 356 00:14:10,090 --> 00:14:06,140 appear across the surface of the Moon as 357 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:10,100 humans establish multiple locations and 358 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:13,130 we'll we'll have everything we have here 359 00:14:17,410 --> 00:14:14,930 on earth eventually there'll be schools 360 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:17,420 and hospitals and businesses and 361 00:14:23,470 --> 00:14:20,570 everything else because it is the solar 362 00:14:25,810 --> 00:14:23,480 system is this unlimited frontier with 363 00:14:28,180 --> 00:14:25,820 these tremendous resources and 364 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:28,190 opportunities for our economy coming 365 00:14:34,530 --> 00:14:30,050 across how many centuries into the 366 00:14:38,140 --> 00:14:34,540 future I don't know but it's humankind's 367 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:38,150 back playground if you will it's it's 368 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:40,370 our backyard before we launch to the 369 00:14:45,220 --> 00:14:42,410 stars when we have the technology to do 370 00:14:48,130 --> 00:14:45,230 that so you talk about kind of the 371 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:48,140 expansion across the moon do you 372 00:14:51,970 --> 00:14:50,690 envision a time when you walk out your 373 00:14:53,740 --> 00:14:51,980 door here on earth and you look up at 374 00:14:54,790 --> 00:14:53,750 the moon and it's not just reflecting 375 00:14:56,650 --> 00:14:54,800 the sun's light anymore but now you 376 00:14:58,540 --> 00:14:56,660 actually see lights being generated that 377 00:14:59,860 --> 00:14:58,550 are visible from Earth I think about 378 00:15:01,720 --> 00:14:59,870 that a lot and I think one of the most 379 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:01,730 powerful things we can do as soon as we 380 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:05,090 set up the first outpost on the moon to 381 00:15:08,500 --> 00:15:06,370 prove we did it and send a light back 382 00:15:11,170 --> 00:15:08,510 not to prove that it did it but to be 383 00:15:13,810 --> 00:15:11,180 inspirational if if you can see that 384 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:13,820 base through binoculars or even naked 385 00:15:17,260 --> 00:15:15,530 eye because there's a searchlight there 386 00:15:19,690 --> 00:15:17,270 or some equivalent thereof yeah when 387 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:19,700 moms and dads can take their kids out in 388 00:15:24,130 --> 00:15:21,410 the yard and point up at the moon and 389 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:24,140 say you see that light there on the moon 390 00:15:29,590 --> 00:15:27,530 people live there I think that's going 391 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:29,600 to be so powerful no and not just for 392 00:15:35,590 --> 00:15:32,210 STEM education just for feeling the 393 00:15:38,950 --> 00:15:35,600 power of of what humans can do that we 394 00:15:41,110 --> 00:15:38,960 can live off our cradle of the earth 395 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:41,120 that we can move out into the universe 396 00:15:47,590 --> 00:15:44,330 in a real way not in the way that Apollo 397 00:15:49,930 --> 00:15:47,600 did it to be there for a few moments for 398 00:15:51,910 --> 00:15:49,940 a weekend and come back but that people 399 00:15:54,850 --> 00:15:51,920 really live and work there on another 400 00:15:55,929 --> 00:15:54,860 world and you know Mars and the 401 00:15:57,609 --> 00:15:55,939 asteroids of 402 00:16:00,129 --> 00:15:57,619 initially humans will go further those 403 00:16:04,629 --> 00:16:00,139 places are so much further away yeah 404 00:16:06,969 --> 00:16:04,639 that although they'll be very important 405 00:16:09,519 --> 00:16:06,979 the moon is the only world close enough 406 00:16:11,739 --> 00:16:09,529 where you can look up naked eye and you 407 00:16:14,349 --> 00:16:11,749 will be able to see the outposts and 408 00:16:16,089 --> 00:16:14,359 eventually the cities that are there do 409 00:16:18,789 --> 00:16:16,099 you do you see anything stopping 410 00:16:21,549 --> 00:16:18,799 humanity like are there are there 411 00:16:23,049 --> 00:16:21,559 dangers that we have to encounter or we 412 00:16:26,859 --> 00:16:23,059 don't even kind of foresee coming that 413 00:16:30,159 --> 00:16:26,869 will just like thwart this effort there 414 00:16:32,319 --> 00:16:30,169 might be but I think that the very great 415 00:16:34,059 --> 00:16:32,329 odds are that this is what we're going 416 00:16:36,549 --> 00:16:34,069 to be doing more and more of in every 417 00:16:38,710 --> 00:16:36,559 decade of this century and because it's 418 00:16:40,989 --> 00:16:38,720 now flowering into the commercial the 419 00:16:45,249 --> 00:16:40,999 private sector so that it doesn't just 420 00:16:47,409 --> 00:16:45,259 depend upon votes and legislators and 421 00:16:50,019 --> 00:16:47,419 government budgets but that it's the 422 00:16:52,359 --> 00:16:50,029 civil plus the commercial partner 423 00:16:54,069 --> 00:16:52,369 together in public private enterprises 424 00:16:56,619 --> 00:16:54,079 and to some extent just private things 425 00:16:59,799 --> 00:16:56,629 and just civil things also that it's a 426 00:17:02,259 --> 00:16:59,809 much more robust and nuanced space 427 00:17:05,710 --> 00:17:02,269 economy that we're looking at then the 428 00:17:07,809 --> 00:17:05,720 old school 1960s centrally planned let's 429 00:17:12,149 --> 00:17:07,819 compete with the Soviets model that 430 00:17:14,919 --> 00:17:12,159 entirely depended upon the women will of 431 00:17:17,429 --> 00:17:14,929 administration's and congresses so 432 00:17:19,689 --> 00:17:17,439 thinking about obviously your work 433 00:17:21,610 --> 00:17:19,699 people know your name they probably know 434 00:17:23,889 --> 00:17:21,620 it as associated with New Horizons and 435 00:17:25,689 --> 00:17:23,899 the Pluto flyby I think 2015 was the 436 00:17:27,279 --> 00:17:25,699 year we saw the flyby happen 437 00:17:29,289 --> 00:17:27,289 so certainly like I feel like 438 00:17:30,460 --> 00:17:29,299 congratulations are always in order for 439 00:17:32,049 --> 00:17:30,470 that I'm sure it feels good to have it 440 00:17:33,940 --> 00:17:32,059 out there exploring but so can you kind 441 00:17:36,419 --> 00:17:33,950 of recap for our listeners who maybe 442 00:17:39,490 --> 00:17:36,429 aren't familiar take us through like a 443 00:17:41,289 --> 00:17:39,500 flyby of the the development the launch 444 00:17:42,700 --> 00:17:41,299 and then that flyby that happened and 445 00:17:44,619 --> 00:17:42,710 kind of now what's what's coming up in 446 00:17:47,139 --> 00:17:44,629 the future right sure happy to do that 447 00:17:49,450 --> 00:17:47,149 and let me say you know New Horizons has 448 00:17:53,590 --> 00:17:49,460 been the mission of a lifetime to be 449 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:53,600 involved in and 2,500 American men and 450 00:17:57,490 --> 00:17:55,490 women were involved in designing 451 00:17:58,899 --> 00:17:57,500 building and flying that spacecraft out 452 00:18:01,810 --> 00:17:58,909 to the edge of our solar system 453 00:18:04,930 --> 00:18:01,820 New Horizons made the first exploration 454 00:18:07,450 --> 00:18:04,940 of the Pluto system and then went on out 455 00:18:09,039 --> 00:18:07,460 into the Kuiper belt and has explored 456 00:18:12,070 --> 00:18:09,049 the farthest world's ever 457 00:18:14,169 --> 00:18:12,080 explored that farthest places in human 458 00:18:16,090 --> 00:18:14,179 history it's a single little spacecraft 459 00:18:19,299 --> 00:18:16,100 that was built up in Maryland by the 460 00:18:21,850 --> 00:18:19,309 Johns Hopkins Applied Physics lab in a 461 00:18:24,340 --> 00:18:21,860 mission that I am to this day pinching 462 00:18:26,799 --> 00:18:24,350 myself I've been the principal 463 00:18:30,039 --> 00:18:26,809 investigator for have a tremendous team 464 00:18:33,820 --> 00:18:30,049 of people the flight team is about 50 465 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:33,830 men and women around the flybys it bulks 466 00:18:37,029 --> 00:18:35,450 up to a couple hundred with very 467 00:18:39,039 --> 00:18:37,039 intensive activity for just a few weeks 468 00:18:40,090 --> 00:18:39,049 sure back when we were building as I 469 00:18:41,859 --> 00:18:40,100 said there were thousands of people 470 00:18:43,659 --> 00:18:41,869 involved including in the launch vehicle 471 00:18:47,019 --> 00:18:43,669 and here at the Cape where we launched 472 00:18:50,619 --> 00:18:47,029 it from but it's just a single small 473 00:18:53,229 --> 00:18:50,629 robotic spacecraft very high-tech built 474 00:18:56,379 --> 00:18:53,239 in the early 2000s launched in 2006 475 00:18:58,869 --> 00:18:56,389 that's now further than four billion 476 00:19:01,869 --> 00:18:58,879 miles billion with a B as Carl Sagan 477 00:19:03,849 --> 00:19:01,879 would say billion miles away right then 478 00:19:07,810 --> 00:19:03,859 traveling a million miles a day for 479 00:19:09,849 --> 00:19:07,820 almost 14 years now and it's not going 480 00:19:12,970 --> 00:19:09,859 slowly it's the fastest spacecraft ever 481 00:19:16,149 --> 00:19:12,980 launched it got to the moon not in three 482 00:19:18,489 --> 00:19:16,159 days like Apollo but in nine hours and 483 00:19:21,310 --> 00:19:18,499 it's been traveling at that clip ever 484 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:21,320 since for 14 years it's not as far away 485 00:19:25,930 --> 00:19:22,970 as the voyagers because they launched in 486 00:19:28,299 --> 00:19:25,940 the 70s surance explored worlds farther 487 00:19:30,129 --> 00:19:28,309 away than the voyagers ever went to and 488 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:30,139 has revolutionized our knowledge about 489 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:32,570 small planets and about the origin of 490 00:19:38,049 --> 00:19:34,850 planets through the studies of the 491 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:38,059 Kuiper belt which has the power and fuel 492 00:19:42,789 --> 00:19:41,210 and frankly the the health onboard the 493 00:19:45,519 --> 00:19:42,799 spacecraft to keep doing this for 494 00:19:47,590 --> 00:19:45,529 another 20 years there's been years of 495 00:19:49,629 --> 00:19:47,600 development there was nine years of 496 00:19:51,039 --> 00:19:49,639 flight so Pluto is so far away that 497 00:19:53,519 --> 00:19:51,049 we're traveling a million miles a day 498 00:19:55,299 --> 00:19:53,529 and it took us nine years to get there 499 00:19:56,950 --> 00:19:55,309 expedited by I think a gravity assist 500 00:19:58,570 --> 00:19:56,960 around Jupiter that's right that we 501 00:19:59,859 --> 00:19:58,580 almost missed out on what it cost us 502 00:20:01,210 --> 00:19:59,869 like four more years if we had been a 503 00:20:03,249 --> 00:20:01,220 little bit later we got it well we got 504 00:20:04,539 --> 00:20:03,259 it we launched on time from the Cape and 505 00:20:07,269 --> 00:20:04,549 we made it to Jupiter so you've waited 506 00:20:08,229 --> 00:20:07,279 decades for this moment and flybys 507 00:20:09,190 --> 00:20:08,239 happening there's still a little bit 508 00:20:10,869 --> 00:20:09,200 concerned that you're gonna fly right 509 00:20:13,539 --> 00:20:10,879 through some debris and mess up 510 00:20:15,489 --> 00:20:13,549 instruments or destroy shred the space 511 00:20:17,470 --> 00:20:15,499 or just shred the spacecraft and so so 512 00:20:19,269 --> 00:20:17,480 tell me about this day with your team 513 00:20:20,980 --> 00:20:19,279 and and what are the emotions what's 514 00:20:22,460 --> 00:20:20,990 kind of like the process of watching 515 00:20:25,220 --> 00:20:22,470 this data come back you know 516 00:20:27,770 --> 00:20:25,230 Oh Joshua it's so hard to describe when 517 00:20:30,230 --> 00:20:27,780 you work with people so long in our case 518 00:20:33,110 --> 00:20:30,240 from 2001 to 2015 from the time we 519 00:20:35,090 --> 00:20:33,120 competed with other teams so who's gonna 520 00:20:39,110 --> 00:20:35,100 get selected by NASA - it'd be the team 521 00:20:40,820 --> 00:20:39,120 to build and fly this and we had many 522 00:20:43,039 --> 00:20:40,830 problems in development because all 523 00:20:46,010 --> 00:20:43,049 space missions do their share Lex 524 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:46,020 we had many challenges we overcame them 525 00:20:52,279 --> 00:20:49,710 we had a textbook launch and a very long 526 00:20:54,950 --> 00:20:52,289 flight across the solar system we plan 527 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:54,960 for everything we could think of and we 528 00:20:58,130 --> 00:20:56,490 brought in experts helping us think of 529 00:21:01,130 --> 00:20:58,140 things we couldn't even think of just to 530 00:21:04,039 --> 00:21:01,140 be prepared for contingencies sure and 531 00:21:08,180 --> 00:21:04,049 then when it worked and when the first 532 00:21:12,470 --> 00:21:08,190 high-resolution images came back on the 533 00:21:15,110 --> 00:21:12,480 14th of July 2015 which by the way was 534 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:15,120 to the very day the 50th anniversary of 535 00:21:19,430 --> 00:21:17,250 the first images from Mars that's 536 00:21:20,630 --> 00:21:19,440 amazing that's when that happened you 537 00:21:22,730 --> 00:21:20,640 time that you planned that out didn't 538 00:21:24,799 --> 00:21:22,740 you I wish I could say that we we timed 539 00:21:29,570 --> 00:21:24,809 it that way just worked out but you know 540 00:21:32,810 --> 00:21:29,580 when we saw those images it's not an 541 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:32,820 exaggeration to say that the adults 542 00:21:36,620 --> 00:21:35,010 cried you know people who'd worked on it 543 00:21:37,940 --> 00:21:36,630 that long and there was no backup there 544 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:37,950 was no second chance it's not like 545 00:21:42,950 --> 00:21:40,650 Voyager there isn't a New Horizons - we 546 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:42,960 got it wrong you know it was all 547 00:21:50,750 --> 00:21:46,610 make-or-break and when it all worked out 548 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:50,760 to see not just to see your your work 549 00:21:55,610 --> 00:21:53,490 succeed but to see how excited people 550 00:21:59,210 --> 00:21:55,620 all around the world were and to see how 551 00:22:02,360 --> 00:21:59,220 how provocative how game-changing the 552 00:22:04,730 --> 00:22:02,370 science was all of that at once was 553 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:04,740 almost overwhelming for some people it 554 00:22:07,820 --> 00:22:06,450 was overwhelming and it was super 555 00:22:13,029 --> 00:22:07,830 emotional which i think is great 556 00:22:18,830 --> 00:22:16,159 there's lots of emotions no that's so 557 00:22:21,980 --> 00:22:18,840 good because and I enjoy getting to work 558 00:22:24,409 --> 00:22:21,990 with students and kind of talk about new 559 00:22:27,529 --> 00:22:24,419 horizons over the past decade of my 560 00:22:30,620 --> 00:22:27,539 career if I'm correct I think that 561 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:30,630 before 2015 the best shot we had a Pluto 562 00:22:34,159 --> 00:22:32,610 was basically for fuzzy pixels that's 563 00:22:36,230 --> 00:22:34,169 right and that's with the Hubble that 564 00:22:38,330 --> 00:22:36,240 you get better telescope 565 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:38,340 right it's just so far away it's so far 566 00:22:44,630 --> 00:22:39,570 away the other interesting thing about 567 00:22:46,790 --> 00:22:44,640 it is that in 2015 we had not been to a 568 00:22:50,620 --> 00:22:46,800 new planet we had not sent a spacecraft 569 00:22:55,430 --> 00:22:50,630 to a wholly new you know large place 570 00:22:58,790 --> 00:22:55,440 since 1989 I was in graduate school I 571 00:23:00,350 --> 00:22:58,800 finished my PhD that year in December of 572 00:23:03,110 --> 00:23:00,360 that year and that was the same year 573 00:23:06,140 --> 00:23:03,120 that Voyager made its last hurrah 574 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:06,150 of planetary exploration by going 575 00:23:10,130 --> 00:23:07,890 through the Neptune system called say 576 00:23:12,890 --> 00:23:10,140 for anybody that was born from the early 577 00:23:14,510 --> 00:23:12,900 80s on they were either not alive then 578 00:23:17,660 --> 00:23:14,520 or they were too young to remember it 579 00:23:19,310 --> 00:23:17,670 and by the time we got to 2015 according 580 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:19,320 to Census Bureau records 581 00:23:24,020 --> 00:23:21,570 40% of the people in the United States 582 00:23:25,700 --> 00:23:24,030 almost half had never seen anything like 583 00:23:28,790 --> 00:23:25,710 this before while they'd never been a 584 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:28,800 part of this kind of raw first time to 585 00:23:32,900 --> 00:23:30,690 unwrap the present and see what's inside 586 00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:32,910 see what a whole new planets all about 587 00:23:36,890 --> 00:23:34,710 see a point of light become a planet 588 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:36,900 almost overnight and I think that was 589 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:39,450 part of the tidal wave of excitement was 590 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:42,450 for a new generation to actually get to 591 00:23:47,510 --> 00:23:45,210 take part in that and and to see how 592 00:23:50,990 --> 00:23:47,520 cool it was and to this day you know 593 00:23:53,300 --> 00:23:51,000 were four plus years later not only i 594 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:53,310 but others on my team we give public 595 00:24:02,630 --> 00:23:57,290 talks we go to schools universities 596 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:02,640 corporations planetarium shows we go to 597 00:24:08,300 --> 00:24:05,490 conventions and everywhere we go people 598 00:24:09,860 --> 00:24:08,310 come up to us and say this somebody will 599 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:09,870 tell you at almost any talk this was 600 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:11,850 life-changing for me it made me want to 601 00:24:15,830 --> 00:24:13,770 be an engineer it maybe want to be a 602 00:24:19,850 --> 00:24:15,840 scientist it turned my son or daughter 603 00:24:21,890 --> 00:24:19,860 around to be a good student it I've 604 00:24:24,620 --> 00:24:21,900 heard so many stories like this and it 605 00:24:26,420 --> 00:24:24,630 for me as a scientist it's something 606 00:24:28,490 --> 00:24:26,430 that was really unanticipated I knew 607 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:28,500 people would groove on it but I didn't 608 00:24:32,060 --> 00:24:30,090 think it would be a life changing it's 609 00:24:36,020 --> 00:24:32,070 something we would do yeah it was really 610 00:24:38,390 --> 00:24:36,030 dorky and geeky and and you know done 611 00:24:41,330 --> 00:24:38,400 for knowledge would be so inspiring to 612 00:24:43,580 --> 00:24:41,340 other people yeah yeah one of the things 613 00:24:45,710 --> 00:24:43,590 that I I tried to convey when I when I 614 00:24:46,910 --> 00:24:45,720 speak about New Horizons is pulling up 615 00:24:49,470 --> 00:24:46,920 just these magnificent and beautiful 616 00:24:51,900 --> 00:24:49,480 images that were captured of Pluto 617 00:24:54,180 --> 00:24:51,910 and then reminding everybody that the 618 00:24:56,460 --> 00:24:54,190 camera that took that left earth nine 619 00:24:58,740 --> 00:24:56,470 years earlier and it was built years 620 00:25:01,080 --> 00:24:58,750 before that and the picture looked like 621 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:01,090 it was a modern high-definition image 622 00:25:05,730 --> 00:25:03,490 and so it's remarkable to think about 623 00:25:07,919 --> 00:25:05,740 like the amount of Technology and like 624 00:25:10,830 --> 00:25:07,929 that that brilliant work that stood the 625 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:10,840 test of I mean more or less like 1314 626 00:25:14,430 --> 00:25:12,250 years you know from the time it was 627 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:14,440 created until it got to flyby and in a 628 00:25:18,750 --> 00:25:16,330 4-hour chunk you got this data that I 629 00:25:20,010 --> 00:25:18,760 think you were still receiving a year 630 00:25:22,470 --> 00:25:20,020 and a half later it took about a year 631 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:22,480 and a half yeah it did which is unreal 632 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:25,450 and I would be remiss if I didn't ask 633 00:25:31,740 --> 00:25:29,250 the question because I I would contend 634 00:25:33,930 --> 00:25:31,750 certainly I think this mission got the 635 00:25:35,220 --> 00:25:33,940 respect that it was due but I think that 636 00:25:37,590 --> 00:25:35,230 a lot of attention was drawn to it 637 00:25:40,350 --> 00:25:37,600 especially because of the controversy 638 00:25:42,270 --> 00:25:40,360 over Pluto being a planet or not and so 639 00:25:45,060 --> 00:25:42,280 I I'll pose the question to you dr. 640 00:25:47,190 --> 00:25:45,070 Stern is Pluto a planet of course it's a 641 00:25:50,340 --> 00:25:47,200 planet take a look at it if it came on 642 00:25:52,169 --> 00:25:50,350 the view finder of a starship on Star 643 00:25:53,310 --> 00:25:52,179 Trek you would say they're orbiting a 644 00:25:54,659 --> 00:25:53,320 planet you wouldn't know what else to 645 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:54,669 call it and need to do planetary 646 00:25:59,250 --> 00:25:56,530 scientists the people who actually 647 00:26:01,169 --> 00:25:59,260 practice the field consider all these 648 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:01,179 small planets planets and use that in 649 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:03,850 the scientific literature now I realize 650 00:26:08,669 --> 00:26:05,410 the astronomers the people that work on 651 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:08,679 black holes and galaxies you know they 652 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:11,650 had their say back in 2006 but other 653 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:16,090 than the press I really don't know who 654 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:18,490 ever bought that and certainly from from 655 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:20,110 a professional planetary scientist 656 00:26:24,150 --> 00:26:22,330 standpoint you know I would claim that 657 00:26:26,430 --> 00:26:24,160 the New Horizons team is more expert in 658 00:26:28,289 --> 00:26:26,440 this than almost anybody but you can go 659 00:26:30,060 --> 00:26:28,299 way beyond us the general planetary 660 00:26:32,669 --> 00:26:30,070 science community calls these worlds 661 00:26:34,409 --> 00:26:32,679 planets in technical publications 662 00:26:36,900 --> 00:26:34,419 because we don't know what else to call 663 00:26:38,580 --> 00:26:36,910 them that's what they are and it doesn't 664 00:26:41,430 --> 00:26:38,590 matter what they orbit with or what they 665 00:26:43,980 --> 00:26:41,440 orbit around or where they are you know 666 00:26:46,409 --> 00:26:43,990 just from a purely physics and 667 00:26:50,789 --> 00:26:46,419 geophysics standpoint these worlds are 668 00:26:53,510 --> 00:26:50,799 planets and Pluto is kind of the poster 669 00:26:55,650 --> 00:26:53,520 child for what we call dwarf planets 670 00:26:57,539 --> 00:26:55,660 what a lot of people don't know and 671 00:27:00,870 --> 00:26:57,549 maybe a lot of listeners don't know is 672 00:27:03,420 --> 00:27:00,880 that the Sun is called it the worst star 673 00:27:05,580 --> 00:27:03,430 by astronomers and just as 674 00:27:07,650 --> 00:27:05,590 stars or stars and dwarf galaxies or 675 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:07,660 galaxies dwarf planets or planets 676 00:27:12,540 --> 00:27:08,890 they're just smaller ones they're the 677 00:27:14,850 --> 00:27:12,550 size of continents the surface area of 678 00:27:17,610 --> 00:27:14,860 Pluto is not very different from the 679 00:27:18,420 --> 00:27:17,620 surface area of the United States it's a 680 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:18,430 big place 681 00:27:24,990 --> 00:27:19,570 interest you wouldn't want to walk 682 00:27:27,540 --> 00:27:25,000 across it so and then again thinking 683 00:27:29,250 --> 00:27:27,550 about new horizons the flyby was 684 00:27:30,900 --> 00:27:29,260 obviously a Pluto that's the primary 685 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:30,910 mission that's what it was built for 686 00:27:35,580 --> 00:27:32,770 right but certainly built with some 687 00:27:37,050 --> 00:27:35,590 excess capacity there so I know there 688 00:27:38,610 --> 00:27:37,060 was there's a process to kind of get 689 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:38,620 extensions but you guys were approved 690 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:40,570 for extension so what's happened since 691 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:42,970 2015 because New Horizons is still going 692 00:27:45,330 --> 00:27:44,530 and still sending data as far as I know 693 00:27:48,980 --> 00:27:45,340 we are 694 00:27:52,410 --> 00:27:48,990 we had a most recent flyby took place on 695 00:27:57,560 --> 00:27:52,420 January 1st just 37 minutes East Coast 696 00:28:00,360 --> 00:27:57,570 time into the new year cool and beyond 697 00:28:02,550 --> 00:28:00,370 where we encountered Pluto a billion 698 00:28:03,780 --> 00:28:02,560 miles beyond just a billion mile just a 699 00:28:05,730 --> 00:28:03,790 billion miles no big data yeah just 700 00:28:08,190 --> 00:28:05,740 between us on new horizons another 701 00:28:13,170 --> 00:28:08,200 billion miles out we did a close flyby 702 00:28:16,290 --> 00:28:13,180 of this this geeky object called 2014 mu 703 00:28:18,660 --> 00:28:16,300 69 is this hourglass looking one yeah 704 00:28:19,470 --> 00:28:18,670 okay it kind of looks like that or a 705 00:28:22,830 --> 00:28:19,480 snowman 706 00:28:25,410 --> 00:28:22,840 maybe you're sure yeah but but it's 707 00:28:27,420 --> 00:28:25,420 really one of the building blocks of of 708 00:28:28,740 --> 00:28:27,430 the planets out there and it's been 709 00:28:30,690 --> 00:28:28,750 untouched for four and a half billion 710 00:28:33,990 --> 00:28:30,700 years it's kind of an archaeological dig 711 00:28:35,340 --> 00:28:34,000 in history of the solar system nobody 712 00:28:39,390 --> 00:28:35,350 had ever been to something this ancient 713 00:28:40,980 --> 00:28:39,400 none touched before it was very tough 714 00:28:44,220 --> 00:28:40,990 technical challenge we had to hunt it 715 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:44,230 down in the darkness out there and and 716 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:47,170 fly by it at 32,000 miles an hour with 717 00:28:51,060 --> 00:28:49,330 you know literally only about an hour 718 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:51,070 and a half to get all the data and again 719 00:28:55,500 --> 00:28:53,650 no second chance yeah and we made all 720 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:55,510 that work and then we've been spooling 721 00:28:59,310 --> 00:28:56,890 the data back because the data 722 00:29:00,690 --> 00:28:59,320 transmission rates are low it's still 723 00:29:02,610 --> 00:29:00,700 coming back and it will still be coming 724 00:29:05,250 --> 00:29:02,620 back through most of next year to finish 725 00:29:06,660 --> 00:29:05,260 the job on that flyby and then we're 726 00:29:08,940 --> 00:29:06,670 gonna look for other targets whether 727 00:29:10,590 --> 00:29:08,950 we'll find one or not depends as much on 728 00:29:12,570 --> 00:29:10,600 Mother Nature's anything else we have 729 00:29:14,430 --> 00:29:12,580 always great giant ground-based 730 00:29:16,590 --> 00:29:14,440 telescopes we have telescopes on board 731 00:29:17,310 --> 00:29:16,600 New Horizons we have the Hubble Space 732 00:29:20,129 --> 00:29:17,320 Telescope 733 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:20,139 and we're gonna use all of those 734 00:29:24,389 --> 00:29:21,970 techniques to look for another flyby 735 00:29:26,730 --> 00:29:24,399 target still further out billions of 736 00:29:29,850 --> 00:29:26,740 miles further out and we have the fuel 737 00:29:33,060 --> 00:29:29,860 in the power to fly new horizons into 738 00:29:34,799 --> 00:29:33,070 the late 2030s cool we'll probably be 739 00:29:37,350 --> 00:29:34,809 beyond the Kuiper belt by the late 2020s 740 00:29:39,029 --> 00:29:37,360 okay so eight nine years for now but 741 00:29:41,850 --> 00:29:39,039 that's a long time so we're gonna be 742 00:29:44,850 --> 00:29:41,860 looking and we're gonna propose a second 743 00:29:47,820 --> 00:29:44,860 extended mission to go on we made I 744 00:29:51,450 --> 00:29:47,830 think an A+ at Pluto I think we made an 745 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:51,460 A plus and mu 69 the spacecraft's in 746 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:54,250 great health and you know that's what we 747 00:29:57,600 --> 00:29:55,570 were sent out here to do is to go 748 00:29:59,580 --> 00:29:57,610 exploring and there's nothing else 749 00:30:01,019 --> 00:29:59,590 coming this way yeah there probably will 750 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:01,029 be missions in the future but right now 751 00:30:04,710 --> 00:30:03,250 there's not even one that's been 752 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:04,720 approved to get started 753 00:30:10,169 --> 00:30:07,570 so sure so for a long time this is it 754 00:30:12,779 --> 00:30:10,179 for corporate exploration and we're 755 00:30:15,509 --> 00:30:12,789 gonna milk New Horizons to get as much 756 00:30:18,029 --> 00:30:15,519 out of it as we possibly can because we 757 00:30:20,340 --> 00:30:18,039 put our our brains and our hearts into 758 00:30:24,810 --> 00:30:20,350 building it now it's there we want to 759 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:24,820 use it sure sure so the past the Clipper 760 00:30:31,139 --> 00:30:27,730 belt is New Horizons set up to kind of 761 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:31,149 analyze intergalactic space if we get 762 00:30:35,850 --> 00:30:34,090 that far yeah and you know the voyagers 763 00:30:37,669 --> 00:30:35,860 are out there in right interstellar 764 00:30:40,820 --> 00:30:37,679 medium now they're beyond the Suns 765 00:30:44,430 --> 00:30:40,830 kakouton called the heliosphere okay and 766 00:30:45,990 --> 00:30:44,440 there we have the possibility not we 767 00:30:47,519 --> 00:30:46,000 have much more sophisticated sensors on 768 00:30:51,539 --> 00:30:47,529 board than what they could build in the 769 00:30:53,999 --> 00:30:51,549 70s right right right I mean you think 770 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:54,009 of what a computer was like then it 771 00:30:57,450 --> 00:30:55,570 filled the room and at blinking lights 772 00:31:00,320 --> 00:30:57,460 and it couldn't figure out anything 773 00:31:04,499 --> 00:31:00,330 compared to your you know your iPhone or 774 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:04,509 droid right but but anyway New Horizons 775 00:31:09,570 --> 00:31:06,610 was built to do this exploration and to 776 00:31:11,129 --> 00:31:09,580 go on much further and not only for the 777 00:31:13,259 --> 00:31:11,139 interstellar exploration but to go 778 00:31:14,909 --> 00:31:13,269 beyond the Kuiper belt and studied the 779 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:14,919 inner reaches of the so-called Oort 780 00:31:19,889 --> 00:31:18,370 cloud of our solar system are all things 781 00:31:21,590 --> 00:31:19,899 we're really only spaceship that's out 782 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:21,600 there that can do anything about it 783 00:31:26,730 --> 00:31:24,850 and we want to get as much out of it 784 00:31:29,580 --> 00:31:26,740 we've already paid for it sure the 785 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:29,590 ongoing cost of operating it every year 786 00:31:32,090 --> 00:31:30,210 you 787 00:31:33,740 --> 00:31:32,100 it's just tiny compared to what it cost 788 00:31:34,220 --> 00:31:33,750 to build it and charge it and fly it out 789 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:34,230 there 790 00:31:40,610 --> 00:31:37,770 so now you know is just more presents to 791 00:31:42,230 --> 00:31:40,620 unwrap every year does it feel like it's 792 00:31:44,510 --> 00:31:42,240 Christmas every year it feels like it's 793 00:31:45,980 --> 00:31:44,520 Christmas every month on new horizons 794 00:31:47,510 --> 00:31:45,990 awesome because there's new data coming 795 00:31:50,690 --> 00:31:47,520 down all the time so I know you 796 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:50,700 mentioned your suborbital science 797 00:31:54,980 --> 00:31:53,730 research work obviously new horizons 798 00:31:56,420 --> 00:31:54,990 want to give a tip of the hat again I 799 00:31:58,220 --> 00:31:56,430 think you mentioned I think was at Alice 800 00:32:00,520 --> 00:31:58,230 5 and launched on we did launch at 801 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:00,530 Launch Alliance we launched an Atlas 5 802 00:32:06,470 --> 00:32:04,050 in 2006 just a few months before the 803 00:32:10,370 --> 00:32:06,480 United Launch Alliance was in business 804 00:32:11,990 --> 00:32:10,380 at that time it was a Lockheed rocket 805 00:32:14,390 --> 00:32:12,000 with a Boeing upper stage Oh interesting 806 00:32:18,140 --> 00:32:14,400 okay and those two companies formed ula 807 00:32:19,850 --> 00:32:18,150 together awesome 50-50 partnership so we 808 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:19,860 were not under the ula banner when it 809 00:32:25,370 --> 00:32:22,170 launched but when GLA operates the Atlas 810 00:32:27,980 --> 00:32:25,380 line now and and we're very grateful to 811 00:32:29,540 --> 00:32:27,990 all those engineers and executives and 812 00:32:33,110 --> 00:32:29,550 everybody else that worked at Lockheed 813 00:32:35,690 --> 00:32:33,120 and at Boeing to create that launch 814 00:32:37,340 --> 00:32:35,700 vehicle that works so perfectly yeah so 815 00:32:39,950 --> 00:32:37,350 I mean the folks at the Cape that got it 816 00:32:41,570 --> 00:32:39,960 launched and want to also shout out to 817 00:32:43,250 --> 00:32:41,580 the the launch services program folks 818 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:43,260 involved in that process you know the 819 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:46,530 LSP was just tremendous for us and we 820 00:32:51,260 --> 00:32:49,410 even had technical challenges with 821 00:32:53,540 --> 00:32:51,270 regard to the rocket because of some 822 00:32:56,840 --> 00:32:53,550 testing taking place on other models and 823 00:32:59,210 --> 00:32:56,850 the LSP team the engineering team at LSP 824 00:33:02,180 --> 00:32:59,220 got us cleared to launch and did it 825 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:02,190 really under the gun on schedule because 826 00:33:07,670 --> 00:33:05,250 we had to launch in January of 2006 to 827 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:07,680 get the Jupiter flyby that we talked 828 00:33:12,470 --> 00:33:10,530 about earlier yeah and they didn't skip 829 00:33:14,030 --> 00:33:12,480 any steps but they worked they really 830 00:33:16,310 --> 00:33:14,040 burned the midnight oil to make sure 831 00:33:18,500 --> 00:33:16,320 that that they got their work done in 832 00:33:20,060 --> 00:33:18,510 order to get us cleared to launch so 833 00:33:22,070 --> 00:33:20,070 that we would make that critical launch 834 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:22,080 window cool amazing job I will never 835 00:33:25,070 --> 00:33:23,730 forget it cool and you're working on 836 00:33:28,670 --> 00:33:25,080 another one of the missions that they're 837 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:28,680 helping to manage Lucy are a couple Lucy 838 00:33:32,570 --> 00:33:29,850 is one of them on note I think Lucy's 839 00:33:34,340 --> 00:33:32,580 targeted for like a late 2021 launch 840 00:33:37,910 --> 00:33:34,350 date we're gonna launch two years from 841 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:37,920 this past October ok so just under two 842 00:33:42,590 --> 00:33:40,290 years from now cool on a mission to 843 00:33:43,260 --> 00:33:42,600 explore a class of asteroids called the 844 00:33:45,990 --> 00:33:43,270 Jovian 845 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:46,000 genes that are actually left over relics 846 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:49,330 from the formation days of the giant 847 00:33:55,590 --> 00:33:51,970 planets really excited about that and 848 00:33:56,940 --> 00:33:55,600 then involved in Europa clipper we don't 849 00:33:58,920 --> 00:33:56,950 know what it's gonna launch on just yet 850 00:34:01,140 --> 00:33:58,930 it's that that's somebody else's to 851 00:34:02,790 --> 00:34:01,150 decide sure but the spacecraft is coming 852 00:34:05,220 --> 00:34:02,800 along very nicely and it'll be ready to 853 00:34:07,230 --> 00:34:05,230 launch in their early 20s also all right 854 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:07,240 so I'm gonna hopefully I won't come 855 00:34:10,409 --> 00:34:08,530 across this too ignorant here but all 856 00:34:12,990 --> 00:34:10,419 those things you just mentioned I have 857 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:13,000 never heard of them before the space are 858 00:34:15,990 --> 00:34:14,530 going to investigate and these giant 859 00:34:18,300 --> 00:34:16,000 planets you speak of can you give me a 860 00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:18,310 little bit more on those well sure sure 861 00:34:21,149 --> 00:34:19,450 so you're going to learn more about them 862 00:34:23,790 --> 00:34:21,159 so you don't know as much as you will in 863 00:34:26,010 --> 00:34:23,800 a couple years from to hell right right 864 00:34:28,260 --> 00:34:26,020 and you know it they are they are 865 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:28,270 they're gonna be a lot better known once 866 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:29,770 we go there and they are gonna be more 867 00:34:34,710 --> 00:34:33,130 in the public consciousness certain just 868 00:34:37,290 --> 00:34:34,720 as other worlds that are closer to home 869 00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:37,300 got explored now you know we know about 870 00:34:44,850 --> 00:34:42,310 them the Jovian Trojans are a vast field 871 00:34:47,130 --> 00:34:44,860 of asteroids that orbit in Jupiter's 872 00:34:49,590 --> 00:34:47,140 orbit they were trapped by Jupiter's 873 00:34:52,230 --> 00:34:49,600 gravity in these stable pockets that 874 00:34:55,050 --> 00:34:52,240 lead and trail the giant planet Jupiter 875 00:34:56,850 --> 00:34:55,060 and but but what's important is not 876 00:35:00,630 --> 00:34:56,860 where they orbit and how they got 877 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:00,640 trapped it's that they were they are 878 00:35:05,100 --> 00:35:03,010 samples leftover from the formation days 879 00:35:09,420 --> 00:35:05,110 of the giant planets and they have been 880 00:35:16,830 --> 00:35:09,430 kept in this deep freeze of space like a 881 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:16,840 perfect preservation of the chemistry 882 00:35:22,140 --> 00:35:20,170 and the formation conditions of these 883 00:35:23,430 --> 00:35:22,150 bodies that will teach us about not only 884 00:35:25,110 --> 00:35:23,440 how the giant planets formed bit about 885 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:25,120 the bombardment of the earth how 886 00:35:29,070 --> 00:35:27,010 volatiles and organics were originally 887 00:35:31,650 --> 00:35:29,080 transported to the terrestrial planets 888 00:35:35,730 --> 00:35:31,660 including the earth and you know just 889 00:35:37,860 --> 00:35:35,740 from a scientific standpoint it come to 890 00:35:40,260 --> 00:35:37,870 be how did it come to be arranged this 891 00:35:43,050 --> 00:35:40,270 way so this is a very important mission 892 00:35:47,490 --> 00:35:43,060 and it's a relatively low cost planetary 893 00:35:50,460 --> 00:35:47,500 mission New Horizons was only about a 894 00:35:52,350 --> 00:35:50,470 quarter as expensive as Voyager Lucie is 895 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:52,360 half as expensive his new horizon Wow 896 00:35:57,630 --> 00:35:54,490 and then Europa clipper is a bigger 897 00:35:59,430 --> 00:35:57,640 mission with much more bristling 898 00:36:01,950 --> 00:35:59,440 scientific payload than either new 899 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:01,960 Verizon's or Lucy but it's going to do 900 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:04,210 one of the most important things in the 901 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:07,330 entirety of space science which is look 902 00:36:12,300 --> 00:36:09,970 for habitable environments these oceans 903 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:12,310 that are so prevalent in the outer solar 904 00:36:18,270 --> 00:36:16,450 system beneath the ice of satellites of 905 00:36:19,859 --> 00:36:18,280 the giant planets that matter Pluto we 906 00:36:22,109 --> 00:36:19,869 think almost certainly has an ocean on 907 00:36:24,330 --> 00:36:22,119 the inside - these could be abodes for 908 00:36:28,109 --> 00:36:24,340 life and much more hospitable in many 909 00:36:29,850 --> 00:36:28,119 ways than the surface of Mars so even 910 00:36:32,370 --> 00:36:29,860 though they're farther away they have a 911 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:32,380 higher astrobiological potential and 912 00:36:38,100 --> 00:36:35,290 we're just beginning their real 913 00:36:40,230 --> 00:36:38,110 exploration Europa clipper pardon the 914 00:36:44,310 --> 00:36:40,240 pun but it's it's the icebreaker mission 915 00:36:46,020 --> 00:36:44,320 for this whole field awesome we're just 916 00:36:48,810 --> 00:36:46,030 about out of time but I want to ask you 917 00:36:51,690 --> 00:36:48,820 dr. stern without your crystal ball for 918 00:36:53,820 --> 00:36:51,700 a second and tell me if you look forward 919 00:36:55,770 --> 00:36:53,830 kind of as you see exploration in space 920 00:36:57,450 --> 00:36:55,780 the next 10 years what's the most 921 00:37:03,000 --> 00:36:57,460 exciting thing we see happen in the next 922 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:03,010 decade wow you made that so hard by MIT 923 00:37:06,870 --> 00:37:05,650 I I don't know how to pick one thing I I 924 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:06,880 mean we'll get a couple then you may 925 00:37:11,250 --> 00:37:08,890 come home I just think that the advent 926 00:37:12,780 --> 00:37:11,260 of space tourism in which so many people 927 00:37:14,790 --> 00:37:12,790 from different walks of life are gonna 928 00:37:16,170 --> 00:37:14,800 get to do it only test pilots and 929 00:37:18,359 --> 00:37:16,180 scientists could do which is see the 930 00:37:21,330 --> 00:37:18,369 Earth from space and and maybe even in 931 00:37:24,540 --> 00:37:21,340 ten years even have have tourists that 932 00:37:27,570 --> 00:37:24,550 have been in the moon is going to be 933 00:37:29,580 --> 00:37:27,580 game-changing I think the development of 934 00:37:31,859 --> 00:37:29,590 a lunar outpost over the next 10 years 935 00:37:34,230 --> 00:37:31,869 even the very earliest stages of it like 936 00:37:36,270 --> 00:37:34,240 when the ISS was you know this tiny 937 00:37:38,849 --> 00:37:36,280 little thing in Earth orbit is gonna be 938 00:37:41,580 --> 00:37:38,859 very powerful the advent of worldwide 939 00:37:43,410 --> 00:37:41,590 internet we're not just the first world 940 00:37:45,720 --> 00:37:43,420 and second world nations but everybody 941 00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:45,730 on the earth is connected is gonna be 942 00:37:51,780 --> 00:37:48,730 very powerful yeah the search for life 943 00:37:54,170 --> 00:37:51,790 and habitability around other worlds in 944 00:37:56,910 --> 00:37:54,180 our solar system and across the galaxy 945 00:37:58,620 --> 00:37:56,920 that's another game-changer and that's 946 00:38:00,540 --> 00:37:58,630 before the things we haven't thought of 947 00:38:02,970 --> 00:38:00,550 you know what comes out of nowhere the 948 00:38:04,470 --> 00:38:02,980 way that people didn't really predict 949 00:38:07,109 --> 00:38:04,480 the internet but then it happened and it 950 00:38:09,150 --> 00:38:07,119 changed the world I think all of this is 951 00:38:11,130 --> 00:38:09,160 gonna be happening in the 20s it is it 952 00:38:14,309 --> 00:38:11,140 is just the most exciting time for space 953 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:14,319 there's ever been alright dr. stern if 954 00:38:17,370 --> 00:38:16,210 people want to learn more about what 955 00:38:18,210 --> 00:38:17,380 you're doing and kind of keep track of 956 00:38:20,190 --> 00:38:18,220 what you're up to 957 00:38:21,870 --> 00:38:20,200 how can they follow you well I guess 958 00:38:24,359 --> 00:38:21,880 it's like anybody else you can go to my 959 00:38:29,009 --> 00:38:24,369 website Allen Stern space that's alien 960 00:38:31,680 --> 00:38:29,019 st ER n dot SP AC e and I have a Twitter 961 00:38:34,519 --> 00:38:31,690 feed and that's just at Allen Stern 962 00:38:36,599 --> 00:38:34,529 ailing and ste RN thanks for asking 963 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:36,609 awesome well as you head out I don't 964 00:38:40,019 --> 00:38:38,410 think you're going for necessarily just 965 00:38:41,999 --> 00:38:40,029 touristy purposes but enjoy your time 966 00:38:43,620 --> 00:38:42,009 and space suborbital flight here sooner 967 00:38:45,029 --> 00:38:43,630 than later good luck with Lucien the 968 00:38:46,289 --> 00:38:45,039 other missions you've got coming up dr. 969 00:38:49,079 --> 00:38:46,299 Stearn thanks for joining me thank you 970 00:38:50,789 --> 00:38:49,089 so much Joshua I'm Joshua Santora and 971 00:38:52,620 --> 00:38:50,799 that's our show thanks for stopping by 972 00:38:55,170 --> 00:38:52,630 the rocket ranch and special thanks to 973 00:38:57,420 --> 00:38:55,180 my guest dr. Alan Stern to learn more 974 00:38:59,640 --> 00:38:57,430 about new horizons visit nasa.gov slash 975 00:39:00,960 --> 00:38:59,650 new horizons and to learn more about 976 00:39:03,410 --> 00:39:00,970 everything going on for Kennedy Space 977 00:39:05,759 --> 00:39:03,420 Center go to nasa.gov slash Kennedy 978 00:39:06,809 --> 00:39:05,769 check out NASA's other podcasts to learn 979 00:39:09,890 --> 00:39:06,819 more about what's happening in all of 980 00:39:11,970 --> 00:39:09,900 our centers at nasa.gov slash podcasts a 981 00:39:13,739 --> 00:39:11,980 special shout out to our producer John 982 00:39:16,499 --> 00:39:13,749 Sackman our sound man Lorne a tree 983 00:39:19,140 --> 00:39:16,509 editor Michelle stone and special thanks 984 00:39:21,269 --> 00:39:19,150 to Mary McLaughlin and remember on the 985 00:39:22,190 --> 00:39:21,279 rocket ranch even the sky isn't the