1
00:00:25,750 --> 00:00:24,150
so we're at the michoud assembly

2
00:00:26,790 --> 00:00:25,760
facility is that what's that is that

3
00:00:28,790 --> 00:00:26,800
where we're going that big building

4
00:00:30,390 --> 00:00:28,800
there what's inside of that building

5
00:00:33,030 --> 00:00:30,400
there's a tank inside of that building

6
00:00:34,709 --> 00:00:33,040
there's an external tank that has the

7
00:00:35,750 --> 00:00:34,719
carries the fuel for the space shuttle

8
00:00:37,590 --> 00:00:35,760
that's right

9
00:00:40,069 --> 00:00:37,600
for the main engines

10
00:00:42,709 --> 00:00:40,079
so they put the thing together here

11
00:00:44,950 --> 00:00:42,719
and then the barge takes it over to uh

12
00:00:46,470 --> 00:00:44,960
kennedy space center

13
00:00:47,910 --> 00:00:46,480
so it can

14
00:00:49,350 --> 00:00:47,920
be hooked up with the shuttle and then

15
00:00:51,270 --> 00:00:49,360
go to space

16
00:00:54,389 --> 00:00:51,280
all right

17
00:00:54,399 --> 00:01:11,510
tanks inside of there

18
00:01:14,950 --> 00:01:13,190
what's amazing is you built you know one

19
00:01:18,469 --> 00:01:14,960
amazing things

20
00:01:21,030 --> 00:01:18,479
how it it uh

21
00:01:22,390 --> 00:01:21,040
combines the propellants

22
00:01:23,510 --> 00:01:22,400
and feeds the main engines of the

23
00:01:25,590 --> 00:01:23,520
shuttle

24
00:01:27,590 --> 00:01:25,600
right and of course the foam that's on

25
00:01:30,230 --> 00:01:27,600
the outside because it's liquid hydrogen

26
00:01:31,910 --> 00:01:30,240
oxygen has got it's got to be cool right

27
00:01:33,270 --> 00:01:31,920
so you have this because it's a liquid

28
00:01:34,390 --> 00:01:33,280
form which means what's the temperature

29
00:01:37,109 --> 00:01:34,400
is this stuff

30
00:01:39,590 --> 00:01:37,119
inside of there when you oh it's uh

31
00:01:42,550 --> 00:01:39,600
right yes the liquid hydrogen of liquid

32
00:01:45,030 --> 00:01:42,560
oxygen here i believe is negative 297.

33
00:01:46,870 --> 00:01:45,040
negative 297 degrees fahrenheit right

34
00:01:48,310 --> 00:01:46,880
that's cold yeah remember when you see

35
00:01:50,710 --> 00:01:48,320
remember used to stick your lips on it

36
00:01:52,469 --> 00:01:50,720
on a fence when you're a kid it's colder

37
00:01:54,389 --> 00:01:52,479
than that

38
00:01:55,510 --> 00:01:54,399
it's colder than like even in canada

39
00:01:57,190 --> 00:01:55,520
like we're down here in mississippi

40
00:01:58,550 --> 00:01:57,200
where it's kind of warm but you start

41
00:02:00,310 --> 00:01:58,560
traveling like in new york it never gets

42
00:02:02,870 --> 00:02:00,320
that cold it's really cold actually

43
00:02:04,630 --> 00:02:02,880
right now what's next hydrogen is uh is

44
00:02:06,149 --> 00:02:04,640
what negative four twenty three you're

45
00:02:08,389 --> 00:02:06,159
kidding you're making that up harry

46
00:02:13,110 --> 00:02:08,399
really

47
00:02:14,710 --> 00:02:13,120
you have that insulation to keep it cold

48
00:02:16,229 --> 00:02:14,720
right it's like it's like a really good

49
00:02:18,070 --> 00:02:16,239
uh you also want to keep the ice from

50
00:02:19,670 --> 00:02:18,080
throwing around

51
00:02:21,350 --> 00:02:19,680
exactly yeah you don't want you don't

52
00:02:23,350 --> 00:02:21,360
want ice forming on this thing no ice

53
00:02:25,589 --> 00:02:23,360
neither so uh so this is the the

54
00:02:27,270 --> 00:02:25,599
material that you use for installation

55
00:02:29,110 --> 00:02:27,280
is really important the foam which is

56
00:02:30,869 --> 00:02:29,120
about one inch thick which is part of

57
00:02:33,509 --> 00:02:30,879
the thermal protection system you know

58
00:02:36,710 --> 00:02:33,519
it protects the tank in two ways it's

59
00:02:38,790 --> 00:02:36,720
sitting out there on the launch pad

60
00:02:40,390 --> 00:02:38,800
six weeks four weeks you know before

61
00:02:42,070 --> 00:02:40,400
launch right so

62
00:02:44,229 --> 00:02:42,080
any kind of weather depending on the

63
00:02:45,750 --> 00:02:44,239
year if it's in january

64
00:02:47,589 --> 00:02:45,760
you know it was gonna be a hell they

65
00:02:49,670 --> 00:02:47,599
took hail damage there when it is and

66
00:02:52,229 --> 00:02:49,680
when they start putting these you know

67
00:02:55,270 --> 00:02:52,239
cryogenic fuels in here that are

68
00:02:57,270 --> 00:02:55,280
extremely cold right well the natural

69
00:03:00,070 --> 00:02:57,280
you know role of

70
00:03:02,309 --> 00:03:00,080
of components is to grow ice and so this

71
00:03:04,470 --> 00:03:02,319
protects against that the foam protects

72
00:03:05,350 --> 00:03:04,480
against ice and frost and those very

73
00:03:07,509 --> 00:03:05,360
cold

74
00:03:09,830 --> 00:03:07,519
ingredients when they start filling the

75
00:03:11,670 --> 00:03:09,840
tank up which takes three hours

76
00:03:14,229 --> 00:03:11,680
prior to launching

77
00:03:16,149 --> 00:03:14,239
but also and then when they launch you

78
00:03:18,949 --> 00:03:16,159
know so the temperature meter is way

79
00:03:21,030 --> 00:03:18,959
over here on the cold side but when they

80
00:03:23,509 --> 00:03:21,040
launch it swings you know when you fire

81
00:03:25,670 --> 00:03:23,519
the engines the foam helps you that way

82
00:03:28,710 --> 00:03:25,680
too because now you're looking at 2000

83
00:03:31,589 --> 00:03:28,720
degrees 2500 degrees and the foam is

84
00:03:33,110 --> 00:03:31,599
protecting the tank there

85
00:03:35,430 --> 00:03:33,120
remember seeing all those uh those

86
00:03:37,110 --> 00:03:35,440
apollo videos when it left off all the

87
00:03:38,470 --> 00:03:37,120
ice breaking up right you wouldn't want

88
00:03:39,910 --> 00:03:38,480
that coming off and uh because the

89
00:03:40,949 --> 00:03:39,920
problems that could damage the shuttle

90
00:03:42,070 --> 00:03:40,959
that's right that's the problem so

91
00:03:43,670 --> 00:03:42,080
that's what he was talking about with

92
00:03:45,990 --> 00:03:43,680
the ice we don't want that coming up on

93
00:03:47,990 --> 00:03:46,000
apollo that was okay because it you know

94
00:03:49,670 --> 00:03:48,000
this way but with ours you have to

95
00:03:51,830 --> 00:03:49,680
protect the thermal protection system of

96
00:03:53,509 --> 00:03:51,840
the of the shuttle so you can't have any

97
00:03:55,670 --> 00:03:53,519
so it's a very tricky engineering

98
00:03:57,110 --> 00:03:55,680
problem so harry this this line right

99
00:03:59,190 --> 00:03:57,120
here why don't you describe that if you

100
00:04:00,309 --> 00:03:59,200
you know this uh yeah this looks like a

101
00:04:03,429 --> 00:04:00,319
cable line or something like that

102
00:04:07,270 --> 00:04:05,670
that's part of the pressurization system

103
00:04:09,350 --> 00:04:07,280
runs all the way through the aft

104
00:04:11,830 --> 00:04:09,360
umbilical runs through your engine

105
00:04:14,229 --> 00:04:11,840
assemblies and keeps the pressure a

106
00:04:16,390 --> 00:04:14,239
pressure on the uh goes from the aft

107
00:04:17,990 --> 00:04:16,400
over all the way to the you can see the

108
00:04:19,590 --> 00:04:18,000
pressurization line here that we're

109
00:04:22,230 --> 00:04:19,600
looking at right here on the uh for the

110
00:04:24,150 --> 00:04:22,240
oxygen tank but then the like kind of a

111
00:04:25,670 --> 00:04:24,160
rectangular uh that's a cable tray right

112
00:04:28,469 --> 00:04:25,680
yeah that's basically your liquid level

113
00:04:30,390 --> 00:04:28,479
sensor in interconnects okay

114
00:04:35,270 --> 00:04:30,400
your chem sensor for the nose cone

115
00:04:37,510 --> 00:04:35,280
aspects your lip liquid levels and uh

116
00:04:39,189 --> 00:04:37,520
mint valve actuation uh

117
00:04:40,629 --> 00:04:39,199
signals and things like that and then

118
00:04:43,030 --> 00:04:40,639
that big old what's that how big would

119
00:04:44,310 --> 00:04:43,040
you say that big lo2 feed line is there

120
00:04:45,909 --> 00:04:44,320
rick yeah

121
00:04:48,230 --> 00:04:45,919
that's one of the

122
00:04:50,550 --> 00:04:48,240
that's one of our uh

123
00:04:52,070 --> 00:04:50,560
ablater coated fairings and that's the

124
00:04:54,150 --> 00:04:52,080
one that they put the camera and that's

125
00:04:55,590 --> 00:04:54,160
what you get off yeah yeah oh yeah

126
00:04:58,390 --> 00:04:55,600
that's right and how big is that feed

127
00:04:59,749 --> 00:04:58,400
line that's going on in the 17 17-inch

128
00:05:02,150 --> 00:04:59,759
feed line

129
00:05:05,110 --> 00:05:02,160
but this tank is about to roll

130
00:05:06,629 --> 00:05:05,120
and about 24 hours from now this tank

131
00:05:09,029 --> 00:05:06,639
will be finished

132
00:05:12,070 --> 00:05:09,039
and then we will roll it one mile to the

133
00:05:14,629 --> 00:05:12,080
harbor to the michoud harbor

134
00:05:17,110 --> 00:05:14,639
deepwater harbor and

135
00:05:20,070 --> 00:05:17,120
the barge will meet it there pegasus the

136
00:05:21,990 --> 00:05:20,080
barge and we'll roll it onto the barge

137
00:05:24,550 --> 00:05:22,000
and then we take it to gulfport where

138
00:05:27,110 --> 00:05:24,560
the freedom star the the solid rocket

139
00:05:29,350 --> 00:05:27,120
booster retrieval ship is waiting on it

140
00:05:31,510 --> 00:05:29,360
and it will take it five days tow it

141
00:05:33,270 --> 00:05:31,520
across the gulf of mexico around key

142
00:05:35,110 --> 00:05:33,280
west yeah it goes all the way around up

143
00:05:36,070 --> 00:05:35,120
the atlantic side of florida to the

144
00:05:38,629 --> 00:05:36,080
banana

145
00:05:39,430 --> 00:05:38,639
there's some kind of enterprise

146
00:05:42,629 --> 00:05:39,440
yeah

147
00:05:46,629 --> 00:05:42,639
closed

148
00:05:47,990 --> 00:05:46,639
shortcut they had yeah that's why they

149
00:05:49,990 --> 00:05:48,000
had the main

150
00:05:51,749 --> 00:05:50,000
they blamed them the main flood so they

151
00:05:54,950 --> 00:05:51,759
closed that so they can't go down the

152
00:05:57,029 --> 00:05:54,960
mississippi river golf outlet mr go

153
00:05:59,909 --> 00:05:57,039
mississippi

154
00:06:01,909 --> 00:05:59,919
that was a straight 85 mile shot from

155
00:06:05,029 --> 00:06:01,919
here to the gulf of mexico

156
00:06:07,830 --> 00:06:05,039
and that that let us get the tanks to

157
00:06:10,710 --> 00:06:07,840
kennedy space center one day earlier

158
00:06:13,189 --> 00:06:10,720
now we have to go down the intercoastal

159
00:06:15,909 --> 00:06:13,199
canal which rick was saying so it's it's

160
00:06:17,830 --> 00:06:15,919
just added one day to the trip all right

161
00:06:19,430 --> 00:06:17,840
there's a tank right there

162
00:06:21,510 --> 00:06:19,440
is this one ready to go outside yet or

163
00:06:24,150 --> 00:06:21,520
no it is okay all right we're gonna go

164
00:06:27,350 --> 00:06:25,189
we're pretty close i mean it's hard to

165
00:06:28,950 --> 00:06:27,360
get an idea of how big but it's huge

166
00:06:31,029 --> 00:06:28,960
oh yeah but we're just seeing just the

167
00:06:33,350 --> 00:06:31,039
top part of it right now

168
00:06:35,270 --> 00:06:33,360
15 stories tall because uh there's a lot

169
00:06:37,189 --> 00:06:35,280
riding on this thing there's a whole lot

170
00:06:38,870 --> 00:06:37,199
a big expensive space shuttle and people

171
00:06:40,550 --> 00:06:38,880
inside of it that's the most important

172
00:06:42,790 --> 00:06:40,560
part of the people inside of it i like

173
00:06:45,909 --> 00:06:42,800
to hear you say that a good man well we

174
00:06:47,510 --> 00:06:45,919
do it for you guys well well thanks

175
00:06:49,589 --> 00:06:47,520
we appreciate it and it doesn't leave

176
00:06:50,950 --> 00:06:49,599
here until it's ready right that's the

177
00:06:52,950 --> 00:06:50,960
great that's the attitude around here

178
00:06:54,390 --> 00:06:52,960
isn't it yeah i know people really

179
00:06:55,990 --> 00:06:54,400
appreciate that the dedication that

180
00:06:58,629 --> 00:06:56,000
everybody has down here you got a good

181
00:07:01,430 --> 00:06:58,639
workforce here yeah that has been

182
00:07:02,950 --> 00:07:01,440
dedicated for many years right and i'm

183
00:07:04,950 --> 00:07:02,960
not sure if everyone understands that

184
00:07:05,830 --> 00:07:04,960
because you know this is a very critical

185
00:07:07,670 --> 00:07:05,840
uh

186
00:07:09,189 --> 00:07:07,680
piece of equipment here this giant tank

187
00:07:10,629 --> 00:07:09,199
with all the fuel in it

188
00:07:13,510 --> 00:07:10,639
and we got to make sure it works right

189
00:07:16,309 --> 00:07:14,550
we're gonna

190
00:07:17,510 --> 00:07:16,319
really be sad when we get down the last

191
00:07:19,670 --> 00:07:17,520
one yeah

192
00:07:21,909 --> 00:07:19,680
but you know all good things must come

193
00:07:24,469 --> 00:07:21,919
to an end apparently so

194
00:07:26,150 --> 00:07:24,479
apparently so so we'll see this is not

195
00:07:30,469 --> 00:07:26,160
the last one though no this is the

196
00:07:33,550 --> 00:07:31,749
someone said this is the third to last

197
00:07:37,110 --> 00:07:33,560
well we have um

198
00:07:39,110 --> 00:07:37,120
et122 which got damaged in the vab back

199
00:07:41,430 --> 00:07:39,120
in uh hurricane katrina

200
00:07:45,189 --> 00:07:41,440
and it's our resurrection tank is that

201
00:07:46,469 --> 00:07:45,199
gonna launch i need tank yes so this is

202
00:07:48,309 --> 00:07:46,479
where is it who's this one you got you

203
00:07:50,950 --> 00:07:48,319
got this one and one other one before

204
00:07:52,550 --> 00:07:50,960
the launch i need tank right all right

205
00:07:54,749 --> 00:07:52,560
so this this one is destined for the

206
00:07:56,710 --> 00:07:54,759
next station that goes after

207
00:07:58,710 --> 00:07:56,720
sts-132

208
00:07:59,749 --> 00:07:58,720
and everything looks good so far

209
00:08:01,990 --> 00:07:59,759
you happy with the way this one's

210
00:08:03,749 --> 00:08:02,000
turning oh yeah it looks great yeah all

211
00:08:05,430 --> 00:08:03,759
right so you're getting everything just

212
00:08:06,710 --> 00:08:05,440
nice so you don't have any anything

213
00:08:07,990 --> 00:08:06,720
flying off the tank and hitting the

214
00:08:09,189 --> 00:08:08,000
shuttle you wanted to be perfect and

215
00:08:12,390 --> 00:08:09,199
what are the tools you're using you're

216
00:08:14,629 --> 00:08:12,400
the master machinist i'm telling you

217
00:08:17,189 --> 00:08:14,639
and you're working with uh these tools

218
00:08:20,629 --> 00:08:17,199
to do it so these these tools is what

219
00:08:21,670 --> 00:08:20,639
what makes this high-tech tank work

220
00:08:25,430 --> 00:08:21,680
your hands

221
00:08:26,950 --> 00:08:25,440
me ask you a question what do you want

222
00:08:28,230 --> 00:08:26,960
to know two missions why you have one

223
00:08:30,150 --> 00:08:28,240
patch

224
00:08:31,589 --> 00:08:30,160
what do you mean well i got one here

225
00:08:33,029 --> 00:08:31,599
and then i got other flight suits with

226
00:08:34,949 --> 00:08:33,039
the other one you're only supposed to

227
00:08:36,709 --> 00:08:34,959
have one at a time so you know what

228
00:08:38,230 --> 00:08:36,719
happened because some guys have like

229
00:08:39,909 --> 00:08:38,240
show-offs they put a bunch of patches on

230
00:08:41,750 --> 00:08:39,919
themselves below so every mission you

231
00:08:43,990 --> 00:08:41,760
get a new uniform

232
00:08:45,350 --> 00:08:44,000
uh yeah you got a new flight suit plus

233
00:08:46,949 --> 00:08:45,360
sometimes you get a little bigger you

234
00:08:47,910 --> 00:08:46,959
know as you get older and you start

235
00:08:49,430 --> 00:08:47,920
eating more

236
00:08:50,949 --> 00:08:49,440
i don't know you know you're in good

237
00:08:52,470 --> 00:08:50,959
shape but you know for us you come back

238
00:08:53,829 --> 00:08:52,480
from space you start eating and the next

239
00:08:55,590 --> 00:08:53,839
thing you know hey you need a new flight

240
00:08:57,750 --> 00:08:55,600
sir how long are you doing uh only i

241
00:08:59,590 --> 00:08:57,760
only go for two weeks at a time both my

242
00:09:00,550 --> 00:08:59,600
flights are about two weeks

243
00:09:01,910 --> 00:09:00,560
yeah

244
00:09:03,269 --> 00:09:01,920
so

245
00:09:04,710 --> 00:09:03,279
but that's what else you any other

246
00:09:08,710 --> 00:09:04,720
questions

247
00:09:11,509 --> 00:09:10,630
i've been here for uh i've been here 14

248
00:09:13,350 --> 00:09:11,519
years

249
00:09:16,550 --> 00:09:13,360
1996.

250
00:09:18,470 --> 00:09:16,560
how long have you been inverted 29 29.

251
00:09:19,910 --> 00:09:18,480
you've been here for the whole thing hey

252
00:09:21,990 --> 00:09:19,920
for the whole shuttle program haven't

253
00:09:22,870 --> 00:09:22,000
you from the first flight from the first

254
00:09:25,990 --> 00:09:22,880
one

255
00:09:27,350 --> 00:09:26,000
wow

256
00:09:29,350 --> 00:09:27,360
we're headed down to the water we're

257
00:09:31,030 --> 00:09:29,360
headed that's where the barges so the

258
00:09:32,949 --> 00:09:31,040
process that happens here harry is that

259
00:09:34,790 --> 00:09:32,959
you build this fancy tank that we see

260
00:09:36,389 --> 00:09:34,800
inside yes sir and then you put it on

261
00:09:37,750 --> 00:09:36,399
some kind of truck or something what do

262
00:09:39,590 --> 00:09:37,760
you do with it you put it on it on a

263
00:09:42,230 --> 00:09:39,600
transfer on a transporter and we bring

264
00:09:43,509 --> 00:09:42,240
it very slowly going about one mile an

265
00:09:44,790 --> 00:09:43,519
hour

266
00:09:46,389 --> 00:09:44,800
it takes the same road right yeah

267
00:09:47,990 --> 00:09:46,399
because here it is oh it is the road we

268
00:09:49,590 --> 00:09:48,000
just took and look at this

269
00:09:51,030 --> 00:09:49,600
and then it goes inside of that thing

270
00:09:52,630 --> 00:09:51,040
yes that's the end we drive right in

271
00:09:55,829 --> 00:09:52,640
there

272
00:09:58,310 --> 00:09:55,839
go all right all right but this is what

273
00:10:00,790 --> 00:09:58,320
do you call it uh this is pegasus

274
00:10:03,590 --> 00:10:00,800
pegasus enclosed

275
00:10:05,990 --> 00:10:03,600
it has its own crew the barge does

276
00:10:08,150 --> 00:10:06,000
okay we'll accompany it of course the

277
00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:08,160
barge has no propulsion so it has to be

278
00:10:13,030 --> 00:10:11,120
towed all right and a uh

279
00:10:15,190 --> 00:10:13,040
freedom star one of the solid rocket

280
00:10:17,509 --> 00:10:15,200
booster retrieval ships will tow it it's

281
00:10:19,670 --> 00:10:17,519
not here yet is it it is not here okay

282
00:10:21,990 --> 00:10:19,680
because they're building this big rock

283
00:10:24,470 --> 00:10:22,000
wall and it's a little too big of a ship

284
00:10:28,470 --> 00:10:24,480
for the intracoastal canal so we'll have

285
00:10:30,949 --> 00:10:28,480
two ocean going barges uh tugs excuse me

286
00:10:32,630 --> 00:10:30,959
just take it down to gulfport and then

287
00:10:34,470 --> 00:10:32,640
uh and then when's it when does it pull

288
00:10:37,350 --> 00:10:34,480
away from here it takes about four to

289
00:10:39,829 --> 00:10:37,360
six hours to fasten it down and to get

290
00:10:41,750 --> 00:10:39,839
ready to make sure it's secure

291
00:10:44,630 --> 00:10:41,760
and everything and then it'll where it

292
00:10:46,470 --> 00:10:44,640
is and it's 12 hours to gulfport so will

293
00:10:48,710 --> 00:10:46,480
they will this thing push away on

294
00:10:50,630 --> 00:10:48,720
saturday afternoon yes yes it will

295
00:10:52,870 --> 00:10:50,640
that's our plan do they drive the

296
00:10:53,750 --> 00:10:52,880
transporter right on here yes they do

297
00:10:57,030 --> 00:10:53,760
all right

298
00:11:02,470 --> 00:10:59,990
and uh it will stay on the transporter

299
00:11:05,110 --> 00:11:02,480
you know until until it gets to the

300
00:11:06,870 --> 00:11:05,120
vertical vehicle assembly building at

301
00:11:08,069 --> 00:11:06,880
kennedy space center

302
00:11:09,829 --> 00:11:08,079
wow

303
00:11:11,509 --> 00:11:09,839
big barge i think sure looks like they