1
00:00:06,550 --> 00:00:04,870
good morning thank you for joining us

2
00:00:09,669 --> 00:00:06,560
here at nasa's kennedy space center in

3
00:00:11,910 --> 00:00:09,679
florida for the sts-133 pre-launch news

4
00:00:13,350 --> 00:00:11,920
conference for space shuttle discovery's

5
00:00:16,230 --> 00:00:13,360
mission to the international space

6
00:00:17,590 --> 00:00:16,240
station joining me today is mike moses

7
00:00:19,910 --> 00:00:17,600
chair of the pre-launch mission

8
00:00:21,830 --> 00:00:19,920
management team good morning

9
00:00:23,990 --> 00:00:21,840
mike leinbach shuttle launch director

10
00:00:26,390 --> 00:00:24,000
good morning and kathy winters shuttle

11
00:00:27,589 --> 00:00:26,400
weather officer good morning we'll hear

12
00:00:29,269 --> 00:00:27,599
from our panelists and then we'll take

13
00:00:30,630 --> 00:00:29,279
questions mr moses

14
00:00:32,549 --> 00:00:30,640
thanks henry

15
00:00:34,470 --> 00:00:32,559
well let's see uh welcome everybody we

16
00:00:36,630 --> 00:00:34,480
had our l minus two mission management

17
00:00:37,830 --> 00:00:36,640
team meeting this morning uh went went

18
00:00:39,350 --> 00:00:37,840
very quickly

19
00:00:40,549 --> 00:00:39,360
uh if i wouldn't have talked about how

20
00:00:41,990 --> 00:00:40,559
quickly it was going it would have gone

21
00:00:43,750 --> 00:00:42,000
even faster

22
00:00:45,430 --> 00:00:43,760
we didn't have any technical issues to

23
00:00:47,270 --> 00:00:45,440
discuss uh kathy will talk to you about

24
00:00:48,630 --> 00:00:47,280
the weather we got a good briefing on

25
00:00:49,430 --> 00:00:48,640
what's in front of us with some of the

26
00:00:51,029 --> 00:00:49,440
uh

27
00:00:52,630 --> 00:00:51,039
some of the fronts coming in and the and

28
00:00:53,510 --> 00:00:52,640
the tropical storm system down to the

29
00:00:55,189 --> 00:00:53,520
south

30
00:00:56,630 --> 00:00:55,199
and and i'll let her go into all that

31
00:00:58,709 --> 00:00:56,640
stuff but again no technical issues

32
00:01:00,470 --> 00:00:58,719
everybody pulled go to head uh head into

33
00:01:01,910 --> 00:01:00,480
count no problems whatsoever

34
00:01:03,110 --> 00:01:01,920
you know the last several days and if

35
00:01:04,149 --> 00:01:03,120
you want to back up even more than that

36
00:01:05,670 --> 00:01:04,159
with the uh

37
00:01:07,590 --> 00:01:05,680
the fuel leak that we had it's been a

38
00:01:08,789 --> 00:01:07,600
very challenging time for the team some

39
00:01:10,469 --> 00:01:08,799
of those issues are

40
00:01:13,030 --> 00:01:10,479
are more frustrating than anything it

41
00:01:14,310 --> 00:01:13,040
you know the uh the the two helium or

42
00:01:16,550 --> 00:01:14,320
the helium leak and the nitrogen like

43
00:01:17,990 --> 00:01:16,560
the two gas sleeks we had uh were very

44
00:01:19,830 --> 00:01:18,000
straight forward in terms of how to fix

45
00:01:21,270 --> 00:01:19,840
them but they had a lot of overhead that

46
00:01:22,950 --> 00:01:21,280
went along with them

47
00:01:24,630 --> 00:01:22,960
in terms of the hazardous ops required

48
00:01:26,390 --> 00:01:24,640
and the vents and and the work to get in

49
00:01:28,149 --> 00:01:26,400
there and it's like working on your car

50
00:01:29,270 --> 00:01:28,159
you gotta you gotta fix it repair it and

51
00:01:31,109 --> 00:01:29,280
then hook it back up and then check it

52
00:01:32,950 --> 00:01:31,119
and see if you got it working right and

53
00:01:34,550 --> 00:01:32,960
sometimes that gets a little frustrating

54
00:01:36,310 --> 00:01:34,560
uh for the teams but they they held

55
00:01:38,630 --> 00:01:36,320
together beautifully they performed

56
00:01:40,390 --> 00:01:38,640
outstanding uh working all weekend long

57
00:01:41,590 --> 00:01:40,400
and got everything buttoned up

58
00:01:43,510 --> 00:01:41,600
we needed to take a little bit extra

59
00:01:44,389 --> 00:01:43,520
time mostly for those those constraints

60
00:01:46,870 --> 00:01:44,399
that we were talking about with the

61
00:01:48,069 --> 00:01:46,880
hazardous clears and once that was done

62
00:01:49,830 --> 00:01:48,079
we're sitting there in great shape out

63
00:01:51,670 --> 00:01:49,840
at the pad

64
00:01:53,030 --> 00:01:51,680
the mission's in great shape a couple

65
00:01:54,789 --> 00:01:53,040
day delay there is not going to change

66
00:01:56,789 --> 00:01:54,799
the mission timeline at all

67
00:01:57,990 --> 00:01:56,799
the uh the window launch window's all

68
00:02:00,069 --> 00:01:58,000
all good too we have all the way through

69
00:02:01,590 --> 00:02:00,079
the seventh uh the teams back in houston

70
00:02:04,149 --> 00:02:01,600
have been working kind of behind the

71
00:02:06,870 --> 00:02:04,159
scenes right before uh right right

72
00:02:09,109 --> 00:02:06,880
around fr time frame last week the the

73
00:02:10,550 --> 00:02:09,119
orbiter team was working on some uh some

74
00:02:11,910 --> 00:02:10,560
ways to possibly

75
00:02:13,190 --> 00:02:11,920
increase the thermal limits that we're

76
00:02:14,869 --> 00:02:13,200
allowed to go to

77
00:02:16,790 --> 00:02:14,879
uh what we call beta angle which is the

78
00:02:19,030 --> 00:02:16,800
sun angle when the shuttle's by itself

79
00:02:20,869 --> 00:02:19,040
we can kind of maneuver and get to a uh

80
00:02:22,630 --> 00:02:20,879
we call it a ptc a passive thermal

81
00:02:25,030 --> 00:02:22,640
control where we basically do a a

82
00:02:26,390 --> 00:02:25,040
barbecue roll so to speak a rotisserie

83
00:02:28,229 --> 00:02:26,400
with the shuttle where we roll it so

84
00:02:30,630 --> 00:02:28,239
that not one side's always facing at the

85
00:02:32,309 --> 00:02:30,640
sun that lets the lets it stay evenly

86
00:02:33,750 --> 00:02:32,319
heated when we're docked to station we

87
00:02:35,750 --> 00:02:33,760
can't do that so our thermal limit stock

88
00:02:37,190 --> 00:02:35,760
to station become a problem so they

89
00:02:38,869 --> 00:02:37,200
looked at expanding our ability to take

90
00:02:40,150 --> 00:02:38,879
care of our thermal limits after we

91
00:02:41,990 --> 00:02:40,160
undock and that's starting to look

92
00:02:43,030 --> 00:02:42,000
pretty good um the station team is

93
00:02:44,630 --> 00:02:43,040
looking at what we can do while we're

94
00:02:47,190 --> 00:02:44,640
docked we may be able to find a way to

95
00:02:49,670 --> 00:02:47,200
squeak out uh the eighth as a launch day

96
00:02:50,949 --> 00:02:49,680
with some some creative timelining

97
00:02:52,070 --> 00:02:50,959
basically closing hatches and being

98
00:02:53,190 --> 00:02:52,080
ready to undock right away in the

99
00:02:54,470 --> 00:02:53,200
morning

100
00:02:55,589 --> 00:02:54,480
but we're not going there yet and

101
00:02:58,070 --> 00:02:55,599
obviously we don't need to talk about

102
00:02:59,509 --> 00:02:58,080
that for a long time hopefully never

103
00:03:00,710 --> 00:02:59,519
and when we launched on time here on

104
00:03:02,229 --> 00:03:00,720
wednesday so

105
00:03:03,509 --> 00:03:02,239
just to let you know if we do scrub

106
00:03:04,630 --> 00:03:03,519
we'll be looking at maybe squeezing out

107
00:03:06,070 --> 00:03:04,640
one more day

108
00:03:07,110 --> 00:03:06,080
again we got to talk about range issues

109
00:03:08,949 --> 00:03:07,120
and all that stuff but right now still

110
00:03:09,910 --> 00:03:08,959
everything's clear and in great shape

111
00:03:10,790 --> 00:03:09,920
and that's all i had for you this

112
00:03:12,390 --> 00:03:10,800
morning

113
00:03:13,509 --> 00:03:12,400
mike okay well thanks

114
00:03:15,350 --> 00:03:13,519
i don't have a lot to report this

115
00:03:17,830 --> 00:03:15,360
morning we got into the the countdown

116
00:03:19,110 --> 00:03:17,840
yesterday on time we should be into prsd

117
00:03:20,949 --> 00:03:19,120
load that's the load of the liquid

118
00:03:22,869 --> 00:03:20,959
oxygen and liquid hydrogen for the fuel

119
00:03:25,830 --> 00:03:22,879
cells that should be going on uh should

120
00:03:27,990 --> 00:03:25,840
be picking up right right now as i speak

121
00:03:30,070 --> 00:03:28,000
we'll be doing our standard rest of the

122
00:03:32,309 --> 00:03:30,080
countdown with rss retract about seven

123
00:03:34,710 --> 00:03:32,319
o'clock tomorrow evening and looking for

124
00:03:36,149 --> 00:03:34,720
the opening of the window at 3 47

125
00:03:38,149 --> 00:03:36,159
wednesday afternoon with a preferred

126
00:03:39,589 --> 00:03:38,159
launch time of 3 52

127
00:03:40,949 --> 00:03:39,599
plus remind us a few seconds and of

128
00:03:42,390 --> 00:03:40,959
course we'll adjust that real time on

129
00:03:43,670 --> 00:03:42,400
launch day with the flight director out

130
00:03:45,110 --> 00:03:43,680
of houston

131
00:03:47,030 --> 00:03:45,120
right now we're not tracking any issues

132
00:03:48,390 --> 00:03:47,040
at all that would prevent launch or

133
00:03:49,990 --> 00:03:48,400
really bothering us at all or a couple

134
00:03:51,990 --> 00:03:50,000
little nits out there but it's very very

135
00:03:53,670 --> 00:03:52,000
typical kind of kind of issues for this

136
00:03:55,830 --> 00:03:53,680
point in the countdown nothing that's

137
00:03:57,670 --> 00:03:55,840
going to hold us up at all really

138
00:03:59,670 --> 00:03:57,680
mike mentioned the scrub turnaround

139
00:04:01,910 --> 00:03:59,680
options we have four attempts in five

140
00:04:04,390 --> 00:04:01,920
days which history says we should have a

141
00:04:06,470 --> 00:04:04,400
a good high ninety percent kind of time

142
00:04:08,550 --> 00:04:06,480
percentile of getting off the pad with

143
00:04:10,229 --> 00:04:08,560
those four attempts in five days so

144
00:04:11,990 --> 00:04:10,239
everything's going really really well we

145
00:04:14,390 --> 00:04:12,000
recovered from our our problems over the

146
00:04:15,990 --> 00:04:14,400
weekend and fine shape i went through

147
00:04:17,430 --> 00:04:16,000
the fire room this morning the team is

148
00:04:18,229 --> 00:04:17,440
in great spirits they're looking forward

149
00:04:19,990 --> 00:04:18,239
to

150
00:04:22,629 --> 00:04:20,000
launching discovery for the final time

151
00:04:25,270 --> 00:04:22,639
and getting her on on to a great mission

152
00:04:27,270 --> 00:04:25,280
and that's all i have um kathy

153
00:04:28,950 --> 00:04:27,280
well the weather has been very very nice

154
00:04:30,790 --> 00:04:28,960
here the last few days in the central

155
00:04:32,310 --> 00:04:30,800
florida area we are expecting a little

156
00:04:34,390 --> 00:04:32,320
bit of a transition as we get into

157
00:04:36,230 --> 00:04:34,400
mid-week on launch day we should start

158
00:04:37,749 --> 00:04:36,240
seeing more moisture migrate into the

159
00:04:40,310 --> 00:04:37,759
area with that we always have some

160
00:04:42,150 --> 00:04:40,320
concerns for some low cloud ceilings and

161
00:04:44,870 --> 00:04:42,160
also a chance for some isolated showers

162
00:04:47,590 --> 00:04:44,880
in the area so we do have a 30 chance of

163
00:04:51,270 --> 00:04:47,600
kfc weather prohibiting launch now if we

164
00:04:53,510 --> 00:04:51,280
um happen to delay 24 hours then the the

165
00:04:55,270 --> 00:04:53,520
weather gets a little more difficult we

166
00:04:57,030 --> 00:04:55,280
do have a front that's expected to move

167
00:04:58,629 --> 00:04:57,040
through the area dragging an upper level

168
00:05:01,749 --> 00:04:58,639
low that's going to be sitting off in

169
00:05:02,550 --> 00:05:01,759
the western gulf of mexico over florida

170
00:05:04,629 --> 00:05:02,560
and

171
00:05:07,029 --> 00:05:04,639
then we expect much more chance for

172
00:05:08,469 --> 00:05:07,039
showers low cloud ceilings and even a

173
00:05:10,710 --> 00:05:08,479
chance for an isolated thunderstorm in

174
00:05:12,710 --> 00:05:10,720
the area on thursday so with that on

175
00:05:15,029 --> 00:05:12,720
thursday we have 30 chance of ksc

176
00:05:15,990 --> 00:05:15,039
weather prohibiting launch on friday the

177
00:05:17,670 --> 00:05:16,000
front will push through and then we'll

178
00:05:20,230 --> 00:05:17,680
have some strong winds behind it and due

179
00:05:22,150 --> 00:05:20,240
to the threat of a violation of winds at

180
00:05:24,469 --> 00:05:22,160
the launch pad and also a low cloud

181
00:05:26,629 --> 00:05:24,479
ceiling if we happen to delay 48 hours

182
00:05:28,070 --> 00:05:26,639
then we may end up with we also have a

183
00:05:29,510 --> 00:05:28,080
30 percent chance of kc weather

184
00:05:31,990 --> 00:05:29,520
preventing launch just due to the post

185
00:05:34,070 --> 00:05:32,000
frontal weather the towel sides look

186
00:05:37,590 --> 00:05:34,080
good on launch day all three sites are

187
00:05:39,830 --> 00:05:37,600
are go our forecast go and also um on

188
00:05:41,909 --> 00:05:39,840
day two as well except for just zaragoza

189
00:05:44,230 --> 00:05:41,919
has a slight chance for some fog both on

190
00:05:46,550 --> 00:05:44,240
if we happen to delay 24 hours and also

191
00:05:47,909 --> 00:05:46,560
48 hours so overall tile sites are

192
00:05:49,350 --> 00:05:47,919
looking good

193
00:05:50,790 --> 00:05:49,360
um i do want to show the satellite

194
00:05:53,270 --> 00:05:50,800
picture so i can show you a tropical

195
00:05:55,909 --> 00:05:53,280
storm tomas that is uh down in the

196
00:05:58,390 --> 00:05:55,919
caribbean become more disorganized over

197
00:05:59,590 --> 00:05:58,400
the last 24 hours as it's been under a

198
00:06:02,070 --> 00:05:59,600
lot of sheer

199
00:06:02,950 --> 00:06:02,080
it is expected though to

200
00:06:04,629 --> 00:06:02,960
become

201
00:06:05,990 --> 00:06:04,639
in a less sheer environment if you will

202
00:06:07,110 --> 00:06:06,000
get into a better environment and

203
00:06:08,870 --> 00:06:07,120
possibly

204
00:06:10,550 --> 00:06:08,880
redevelop but it's not going to be an

205
00:06:13,430 --> 00:06:10,560
issue for us here in florida or for the

206
00:06:16,070 --> 00:06:13,440
srb recovery area for the next five to

207
00:06:17,510 --> 00:06:16,080
seven days beyond that one of the models

208
00:06:18,950 --> 00:06:17,520
is trying to linger it down there in the

209
00:06:20,629 --> 00:06:18,960
caribbean as opposed to making a

210
00:06:22,390 --> 00:06:20,639
northeast move like most of the models

211
00:06:24,790 --> 00:06:22,400
are doing so we'll just keep watching it

212
00:06:26,469 --> 00:06:24,800
that's so far looking good now the srb

213
00:06:28,629 --> 00:06:26,479
recovery area looks good for launch day

214
00:06:30,150 --> 00:06:28,639
just five to six foot seas but if as

215
00:06:32,230 --> 00:06:30,160
they remain out there for a couple more

216
00:06:34,790 --> 00:06:32,240
days we do expect the seas to pick up to

217
00:06:36,710 --> 00:06:34,800
eight to 11 feet by friday out in that

218
00:06:39,909 --> 00:06:36,720
area so it is going to be a bit bumpy

219
00:06:41,110 --> 00:06:39,919
for them for srb recovery but overall it

220
00:06:43,189 --> 00:06:41,120
looks like wednesday is kind of the

221
00:06:44,790 --> 00:06:43,199
transition day that's the best day

222
00:06:46,550 --> 00:06:44,800
for us to go out of the three days that

223
00:06:48,629 --> 00:06:46,560
we're talking about so hopefully we go

224
00:06:50,790 --> 00:06:48,639
on that damn 30 percent chance of ksu

225
00:06:52,629 --> 00:06:50,800
weather prohibiting launch

226
00:06:53,830 --> 00:06:52,639
okay thank you

227
00:06:55,430 --> 00:06:53,840
we'll now take questions when the

228
00:06:57,270 --> 00:06:55,440
microphone comes your way please state

229
00:06:58,870 --> 00:06:57,280
your name affiliation and to whom you're

230
00:07:00,150 --> 00:06:58,880
addressing your question i will start

231
00:07:02,950 --> 00:07:00,160
over here with bill

232
00:07:04,230 --> 00:07:02,960
the hardware cbs for mike leinbach um

233
00:07:05,510 --> 00:07:04,240
you know all orbiters i mean they used

234
00:07:06,629 --> 00:07:05,520
to joke that columbia you know had a lot

235
00:07:08,309 --> 00:07:06,639
of trouble getting to the pad but once

236
00:07:10,070 --> 00:07:08,319
it got through everything was great does

237
00:07:12,150 --> 00:07:10,080
discovery have a personality to you as

238
00:07:13,670 --> 00:07:12,160
you go into this last flow in terms of

239
00:07:15,189 --> 00:07:13,680
how it's behaved over the years or any

240
00:07:18,390 --> 00:07:15,199
thoughts you have about making this last

241
00:07:20,070 --> 00:07:18,400
launch now discovery's been a fine ship

242
00:07:22,469 --> 00:07:20,080
you know we have kid a couple times in

243
00:07:24,309 --> 00:07:22,479
the past about about getting colombia on

244
00:07:26,390 --> 00:07:24,319
orbit but that was only because we loved

245
00:07:29,270 --> 00:07:26,400
her too

246
00:07:30,309 --> 00:07:29,280
the team the teams themselves are a bit

247
00:07:31,909 --> 00:07:30,319
different they have different

248
00:07:32,950 --> 00:07:31,919
personality in the processing teams i

249
00:07:34,790 --> 00:07:32,960
think i've talked to you about that

250
00:07:35,990 --> 00:07:34,800
before and so the teams are bringing a

251
00:07:37,830 --> 00:07:36,000
little bit of different atmosphere to

252
00:07:39,110 --> 00:07:37,840
their integrated scheduling meetings or

253
00:07:41,670 --> 00:07:39,120
their meetings over in the orbiter

254
00:07:43,909 --> 00:07:41,680
processing facility

255
00:07:45,909 --> 00:07:43,919
discovery herself is a fine ship she's

256
00:07:47,670 --> 00:07:45,919
ready to go

257
00:07:51,909 --> 00:07:47,680
just hate to see her retire so early in

258
00:07:56,230 --> 00:07:54,070
marcia

259
00:07:57,830 --> 00:07:56,240
marshad an associated press

260
00:07:58,869 --> 00:07:57,840
for mike moses

261
00:08:01,909 --> 00:07:58,879
if

262
00:08:02,950 --> 00:08:01,919
uh thursday's forecast is so bad and i

263
00:08:05,990 --> 00:08:02,960
missed that

264
00:08:07,830 --> 00:08:06,000
percentage that i think you'd mike drop

265
00:08:10,230 --> 00:08:07,840
me a little time i said 30 i think it's

266
00:08:11,830 --> 00:08:10,240
60 percent chance of violating concerns

267
00:08:14,070 --> 00:08:11,840
if that remains the case on wednesday

268
00:08:16,230 --> 00:08:14,080
and you don't go wednesday for weather

269
00:08:18,469 --> 00:08:16,240
or something else minor would you just

270
00:08:19,909 --> 00:08:18,479
skip thursday and try for friday given

271
00:08:22,070 --> 00:08:19,919
the bad forecast or do you think you

272
00:08:23,589 --> 00:08:22,080
just what's the thinking right now well

273
00:08:25,430 --> 00:08:23,599
the good news is if that happens we'll

274
00:08:26,950 --> 00:08:25,440
be just 24 hours out from that forecast

275
00:08:29,189 --> 00:08:26,960
have a much better definition of what it

276
00:08:32,070 --> 00:08:29,199
really is what the violations really are

277
00:08:33,029 --> 00:08:32,080
um but uh but given the the prsd loading

278
00:08:34,550 --> 00:08:33,039
that mike was talking about with our

279
00:08:36,310 --> 00:08:34,560
scrub turnaround having four attempts in

280
00:08:37,990 --> 00:08:36,320
five days um

281
00:08:39,990 --> 00:08:38,000
it may or may not buy us something to

282
00:08:41,269 --> 00:08:40,000
hop over that day right now i wouldn't

283
00:08:43,190 --> 00:08:41,279
make that decision ahead of time we'll

284
00:08:45,590 --> 00:08:43,200
just wait till we get there

285
00:08:46,949 --> 00:08:45,600
and and for either the two mics is there

286
00:08:48,870 --> 00:08:46,959
any

287
00:08:50,710 --> 00:08:48,880
sadness that you detect in the hallways

288
00:08:52,070 --> 00:08:50,720
i mean it's exciting going into a launch

289
00:08:53,509 --> 00:08:52,080
but this is the last launch for

290
00:08:54,790 --> 00:08:53,519
discovery and i'm just wondering what

291
00:08:57,910 --> 00:08:54,800
you

292
00:09:00,230 --> 00:08:57,920
just

293
00:09:02,150 --> 00:09:00,240
see walking up and down the hallways

294
00:09:04,070 --> 00:09:02,160
well see i'll take it first you know um

295
00:09:05,829 --> 00:09:04,080
i think i talked to you last time in a

296
00:09:07,670 --> 00:09:05,839
press conference but there's still a

297
00:09:09,269 --> 00:09:07,680
certain amount of disbelief

298
00:09:11,190 --> 00:09:09,279
that uh that it's really her final

299
00:09:13,509 --> 00:09:11,200
launch we all know it you know we've

300
00:09:15,350 --> 00:09:13,519
come to grips with that fact but uh it's

301
00:09:17,030 --> 00:09:15,360
it's hard to it's hard to believe after

302
00:09:19,509 --> 00:09:17,040
having discovering the rest of the fleet

303
00:09:21,829 --> 00:09:19,519
for 30 years flying so well for america

304
00:09:24,949 --> 00:09:21,839
to uh to bring it to an end so it's it's

305
00:09:26,710 --> 00:09:24,959
difficult to to uh to accept emotionally

306
00:09:28,070 --> 00:09:26,720
but uh rationally we all know it's

307
00:09:29,910 --> 00:09:28,080
coming to an end and we need to get on

308
00:09:31,509 --> 00:09:29,920
with it we'll finish this mission then

309
00:09:33,430 --> 00:09:31,519
and then put discovery in the in the

310
00:09:35,509 --> 00:09:33,440
transition retirement phase

311
00:09:37,670 --> 00:09:35,519
and uh start safing her and getting her

312
00:09:38,949 --> 00:09:37,680
ready for ultimate disposition some

313
00:09:42,790 --> 00:09:38,959
museum somewhere i'm not quite sure

314
00:09:46,470 --> 00:09:44,470
irene thoughts with reuters kathy could

315
00:09:47,990 --> 00:09:46,480
you just go through the no goes for

316
00:09:49,670 --> 00:09:48,000
wednesday thursday friday because i

317
00:09:51,590 --> 00:09:49,680
think um

318
00:09:53,670 --> 00:09:51,600
thanks okay

319
00:09:55,590 --> 00:09:53,680
on the wednesday there's a 30 chance of

320
00:09:56,790 --> 00:09:55,600
kissing weather bribing launch thursday

321
00:09:58,870 --> 00:09:56,800
is the day the front moves through and

322
00:10:00,310 --> 00:09:58,880
that's the 60 chance

323
00:10:01,910 --> 00:10:00,320
and then on friday we're back to a 30

324
00:10:03,590 --> 00:10:01,920
percent chance

325
00:10:05,190 --> 00:10:03,600
nope you said that only five percent

326
00:10:07,350 --> 00:10:05,200
each day

327
00:10:09,509 --> 00:10:07,360
that's right at least in my dreams

328
00:10:10,389 --> 00:10:09,519
it's 50 50. everyone gets 50 50 every

329
00:10:13,910 --> 00:10:10,399
day

330
00:10:18,389 --> 00:10:15,990
hi robert perlman with collectspace.com

331
00:10:20,069 --> 00:10:18,399
uh for mike leinbach um i know your own

332
00:10:22,230 --> 00:10:20,079
history goes back to what the agencies

333
00:10:24,069 --> 00:10:22,240
in 1984 do you have any distinct

334
00:10:26,069 --> 00:10:24,079
remember memories about watching

335
00:10:27,829 --> 00:10:26,079
discovery fly for the first time and are

336
00:10:30,310 --> 00:10:27,839
there any members who are going to be in

337
00:10:33,190 --> 00:10:30,320
the firing room who were on console for

338
00:10:35,110 --> 00:10:33,200
that first launch um second part of your

339
00:10:36,310 --> 00:10:35,120
question the answer is yes we've had uh

340
00:10:38,470 --> 00:10:36,320
they're members of the launch team that

341
00:10:40,310 --> 00:10:38,480
have been around since sts-1

342
00:10:41,829 --> 00:10:40,320
and so we'll we will do something to

343
00:10:44,710 --> 00:10:41,839
recognize them

344
00:10:46,069 --> 00:10:44,720
um my own personal recollections uh when

345
00:10:48,630 --> 00:10:46,079
i was a test director the nasa test

346
00:10:49,590 --> 00:10:48,640
director to launch launch ntd

347
00:10:51,910 --> 00:10:49,600
sts

348
00:10:54,310 --> 00:10:51,920
33r was my first mission with discovery

349
00:10:56,389 --> 00:10:54,320
a department of defense mission with uh

350
00:10:58,150 --> 00:10:56,399
with fred gregory as a commander so i

351
00:11:00,870 --> 00:10:58,160
have a lot of members of discovery of

352
00:11:02,790 --> 00:11:00,880
course as we all do and um it goes back

353
00:11:05,030 --> 00:11:02,800
quite some time it's going to be hard to

354
00:11:06,389 --> 00:11:05,040
uh to see her end but we're looking

355
00:11:07,990 --> 00:11:06,399
looking forward to a great mission and

356
00:11:09,430 --> 00:11:08,000
seeing her on the runway and greeting

357
00:11:13,030 --> 00:11:09,440
the crew when they get back as we always

358
00:11:17,990 --> 00:11:15,590
in the back please

359
00:11:20,230 --> 00:11:18,000
uh gina cinceri abc news have you given

360
00:11:22,150 --> 00:11:20,240
any thought to how you'll say godspeed

361
00:11:23,990 --> 00:11:22,160
to discovery what it launches is anyone

362
00:11:24,949 --> 00:11:24,000
giving you any advice

363
00:11:28,630 --> 00:11:24,959
um

364
00:11:30,069 --> 00:11:28,640
i'm not good at taking advice so

365
00:11:32,230 --> 00:11:30,079
that's that goes with the job that's one

366
00:11:34,310 --> 00:11:32,240
of the qualifications for the job as you

367
00:11:36,870 --> 00:11:34,320
you're not good at taking advice um

368
00:11:38,710 --> 00:11:36,880
which is actually the opposite um

369
00:11:40,150 --> 00:11:38,720
no i i haven't thought of that yet but

370
00:11:44,630 --> 00:11:40,160
uh i'm sure something will come to me

371
00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:51,670
okay ken

372
00:11:55,110 --> 00:11:53,829
hi ken kramer for space flight magazine

373
00:11:57,509 --> 00:11:55,120
for mike leinbach i wonder if you could

374
00:11:58,949 --> 00:11:57,519
tell us a little stories about the

375
00:12:01,829 --> 00:11:58,959
actual people who are preparing

376
00:12:04,949 --> 00:12:01,839
discovery for the final time

377
00:12:06,629 --> 00:12:04,959
stories of the people gosh

378
00:12:10,069 --> 00:12:06,639
thousands and thousands of stories out

379
00:12:14,550 --> 00:12:12,310
oh man there are so many stories and so

380
00:12:16,470 --> 00:12:14,560
many parties and and uh so many

381
00:12:18,790 --> 00:12:16,480
recollections i'd hate to single out

382
00:12:20,550 --> 00:12:18,800
just a few i would like to uh to point

383
00:12:22,870 --> 00:12:20,560
out two people that that deserve a lot

384
00:12:24,150 --> 00:12:22,880
of credit for processing discovery in

385
00:12:25,670 --> 00:12:24,160
the last phase of her career which is

386
00:12:27,990 --> 00:12:25,680
stephanie stilson

387
00:12:29,750 --> 00:12:28,000
the nasa flow director and wayne bingham

388
00:12:32,069 --> 00:12:29,760
uh the flow manager for the united space

389
00:12:34,470 --> 00:12:32,079
alliance those two folks have really led

390
00:12:35,750 --> 00:12:34,480
their team in in an outstanding manner

391
00:12:37,030 --> 00:12:35,760
kept them together in the face of

392
00:12:39,509 --> 00:12:37,040
adversity

393
00:12:41,430 --> 00:12:39,519
have processorship just extremely well

394
00:12:43,110 --> 00:12:41,440
and all the credit for for a great

395
00:12:44,790 --> 00:12:43,120
mission from a hardware perspective goes

396
00:12:49,030 --> 00:12:44,800
to those two individuals and and

397
00:13:02,069 --> 00:12:58,150
todd

398
00:13:03,750 --> 00:13:02,079
today for either of the

399
00:13:05,430 --> 00:13:03,760
mics

400
00:13:07,590 --> 00:13:05,440
you know i'm wondering if you can just

401
00:13:10,389 --> 00:13:07,600
reflect for us on

402
00:13:12,150 --> 00:13:10,399
the retirement of the

403
00:13:14,069 --> 00:13:12,160
shuttle fleet and

404
00:13:15,030 --> 00:13:14,079
what your thoughts are

405
00:13:17,590 --> 00:13:15,040
about

406
00:13:22,470 --> 00:13:17,600
the wisdom of doing that at a time where

407
00:13:23,509 --> 00:13:22,480
we don't have a replacement ship yet

408
00:13:24,470 --> 00:13:23,519
let's see mike's been talking for a

409
00:13:26,230 --> 00:13:24,480
while so

410
00:13:29,190 --> 00:13:26,240
i'll attempt that one you sure you don't

411
00:13:34,470 --> 00:13:31,670
um let's see you know

412
00:13:37,350 --> 00:13:34,480
ideal world yeah obviously you'd want to

413
00:13:38,949 --> 00:13:37,360
to be able to uh before you you sell

414
00:13:40,230 --> 00:13:38,959
your your current car and go buy a new

415
00:13:41,829 --> 00:13:40,240
one you want to make sure you got you

416
00:13:43,509 --> 00:13:41,839
know the next one to buy or same thing

417
00:13:45,030 --> 00:13:43,519
with the house or or anything you'd like

418
00:13:47,030 --> 00:13:45,040
to have the next thing ready to jump

419
00:13:48,710 --> 00:13:47,040
right into um so from that standpoint

420
00:13:51,110 --> 00:13:48,720
it's a little different but the the

421
00:13:53,269 --> 00:13:51,120
realities are that that you know nasa is

422
00:13:55,750 --> 00:13:53,279
on a on a fixed budget just like most

423
00:13:57,509 --> 00:13:55,760
american families and and without a big

424
00:13:59,670 --> 00:13:57,519
infusion of cash we can only do a couple

425
00:14:01,350 --> 00:13:59,680
of things at a time uh with all our

426
00:14:03,350 --> 00:14:01,360
aeronautics and science research with

427
00:14:05,189 --> 00:14:03,360
the human space flight programs and all

428
00:14:06,310 --> 00:14:05,199
the other work that's going on you kind

429
00:14:08,550 --> 00:14:06,320
of have to

430
00:14:10,230 --> 00:14:08,560
share it amongst the family and and so

431
00:14:12,710 --> 00:14:10,240
to get another human space flight

432
00:14:14,389 --> 00:14:12,720
program started we have to shut one down

433
00:14:16,949 --> 00:14:14,399
um ideally yeah i'd love to have the

434
00:14:18,310 --> 00:14:16,959
cash to be able to to do that together

435
00:14:19,990 --> 00:14:18,320
and so from a

436
00:14:21,829 --> 00:14:20,000
uh wisdom standpoint's not the right

437
00:14:23,670 --> 00:14:21,839
word because we're talking politics and

438
00:14:24,710 --> 00:14:23,680
there's not always a lot of wisdom that

439
00:14:26,069 --> 00:14:24,720
goes into

440
00:14:28,310 --> 00:14:26,079
into political decisions but the

441
00:14:30,150 --> 00:14:28,320
realities are there so so yeah there's a

442
00:14:31,590 --> 00:14:30,160
little bit of um i wish we could do this

443
00:14:33,430 --> 00:14:31,600
differently

444
00:14:34,629 --> 00:14:33,440
but then again if this is what it is

445
00:14:36,550 --> 00:14:34,639
we're going to make the best of it we're

446
00:14:38,150 --> 00:14:36,560
going to take this shuttle team here

447
00:14:40,230 --> 00:14:38,160
that does an amazing job processing

448
00:14:42,470 --> 00:14:40,240
vehicles does an amazing job operating

449
00:14:43,750 --> 00:14:42,480
and flying a spacecraft and go apply

450
00:14:45,030 --> 00:14:43,760
them to the team that's off developing

451
00:14:46,710 --> 00:14:45,040
the new program and we're going to make

452
00:14:48,550 --> 00:14:46,720
that one a successful human space flight

453
00:14:50,069 --> 00:14:48,560
program as well

454
00:14:51,670 --> 00:14:50,079
and just uh

455
00:14:53,350 --> 00:14:51,680
just a little bit i've shared this with

456
00:14:55,350 --> 00:14:53,360
a couple folks privately

457
00:14:57,590 --> 00:14:55,360
and um one thing you learn in our

458
00:15:00,470 --> 00:14:57,600
business is redundancy is not only good

459
00:15:01,910 --> 00:15:00,480
and in some situations it's mandatory uh

460
00:15:03,829 --> 00:15:01,920
when the shuttle stops flying we will

461
00:15:05,189 --> 00:15:03,839
have a grand total of one way to get to

462
00:15:07,030 --> 00:15:05,199
the space station

463
00:15:08,550 --> 00:15:07,040
and our russian partners are outstanding

464
00:15:10,069 --> 00:15:08,560
partners very very reliable don't get me

465
00:15:12,389 --> 00:15:10,079
wrong they're outstanding partners and

466
00:15:14,550 --> 00:15:12,399
they'll do a terrific job but you have

467
00:15:16,470 --> 00:15:14,560
redundancy for a reason and without the

468
00:15:18,629 --> 00:15:16,480
shuttle we lose that redundancy and and

469
00:15:20,389 --> 00:15:18,639
so from an engineering perspective it's

470
00:15:22,230 --> 00:15:20,399
it's not it's not an emotional thing

471
00:15:23,590 --> 00:15:22,240
it's it's it's a it's a

472
00:15:25,350 --> 00:15:23,600
an engineering

473
00:15:28,870 --> 00:15:25,360
shortfall that we won't have redundancy

474
00:15:31,430 --> 00:15:28,880
in getting astronauts to orbit

475
00:15:32,310 --> 00:15:31,440
and just a quick follow for either of

476
00:15:33,430 --> 00:15:32,320
you

477
00:15:36,310 --> 00:15:33,440
mikes

478
00:15:37,829 --> 00:15:36,320
what are your thoughts about

479
00:15:40,870 --> 00:15:37,839
handle are handing over the

480
00:15:42,629 --> 00:15:40,880
responsibility for flying u.s astronauts

481
00:15:45,910 --> 00:15:42,639
into low-earth orbit

482
00:15:48,069 --> 00:15:45,920
to commercial companies rather than nasa

483
00:15:49,110 --> 00:15:48,079
doing that job

484
00:15:50,870 --> 00:15:49,120
a lot of that

485
00:15:52,310 --> 00:15:50,880
is going to go into the details of how

486
00:15:54,710 --> 00:15:52,320
those contracts are written what

487
00:15:56,310 --> 00:15:54,720
oversight is there you know you look at

488
00:15:57,749 --> 00:15:56,320
the model uh right now for all our

489
00:16:01,189 --> 00:15:57,759
science missions and i'm not trying to

490
00:16:03,030 --> 00:16:01,199
equate a a mars orbiter to a an

491
00:16:05,030 --> 00:16:03,040
astronaut flying to the station but but

492
00:16:06,470 --> 00:16:05,040
we effectively do that there we contract

493
00:16:07,990 --> 00:16:06,480
that launch vehicle

494
00:16:10,870 --> 00:16:08,000
and they provide services but we still

495
00:16:12,550 --> 00:16:10,880
have a nasa insight and oversight team

496
00:16:14,150 --> 00:16:12,560
um all the way down to having a nasa

497
00:16:17,189 --> 00:16:14,160
launch director on those missions that

498
00:16:19,030 --> 00:16:17,199
is providing a level of redundancy i i

499
00:16:20,790 --> 00:16:19,040
could envision a similar model but again

500
00:16:23,189 --> 00:16:20,800
the details of how you go write those

501
00:16:26,069 --> 00:16:23,199
contracts and the model of operation

502
00:16:27,189 --> 00:16:26,079
will dictate the the end outcome

503
00:16:29,910 --> 00:16:27,199
you got to be

504
00:16:31,430 --> 00:16:29,920
careful right because because the

505
00:16:33,269 --> 00:16:31,440
there's the reason to do commercial

506
00:16:35,430 --> 00:16:33,279
space flight which is exactly what

507
00:16:37,590 --> 00:16:35,440
nasa's purpose is which is to promote

508
00:16:39,749 --> 00:16:37,600
technology development uh seed the

509
00:16:41,509 --> 00:16:39,759
marketplace to get everybody out there

510
00:16:44,389 --> 00:16:41,519
doing space flight to get

511
00:16:46,470 --> 00:16:44,399
the human race in the orbit basically uh

512
00:16:47,749 --> 00:16:46,480
you know that's our ultimate future and

513
00:16:50,389 --> 00:16:47,759
our ultimate goal

514
00:16:51,590 --> 00:16:50,399
but but you got to be careful

515
00:16:52,790 --> 00:16:51,600
there's a lot of you know we talk mike

516
00:16:54,710 --> 00:16:52,800
talks about redundancy that's a great

517
00:16:56,150 --> 00:16:54,720
thing people tend to throw at us that

518
00:16:58,230 --> 00:16:56,160
we're a big bureaucracy and we have a

519
00:17:00,790 --> 00:16:58,240
lot of paperwork and a lot of redundancy

520
00:17:03,189 --> 00:17:00,800
um we have it because we need it because

521
00:17:04,390 --> 00:17:03,199
we fly perfectly and we do our best to

522
00:17:05,590 --> 00:17:04,400
fly perfectly

523
00:17:07,189 --> 00:17:05,600
i'm not saying that commercial companies

524
00:17:09,110 --> 00:17:07,199
won't do it but but it's a lot easier

525
00:17:10,789 --> 00:17:09,120
before you start flying to show that

526
00:17:13,270 --> 00:17:10,799
maybe you don't need so much redundancy

527
00:17:14,549 --> 00:17:13,280
in bureaucracy and paperwork and um you

528
00:17:16,549 --> 00:17:14,559
know just this afternoon i'm gonna go

529
00:17:18,949 --> 00:17:16,559
hear a waiver on a piece of paper that

530
00:17:21,029 --> 00:17:18,959
says um that we're not violating any

531
00:17:22,789 --> 00:17:21,039
constraints on an antenna in the srb

532
00:17:24,470 --> 00:17:22,799
because the number says it's 14 days

533
00:17:26,949 --> 00:17:24,480
before launch and when we wrote the

534
00:17:29,270 --> 00:17:26,959
requirement we didn't count for scrubs

535
00:17:30,549 --> 00:17:29,280
before we actually started sue seven so

536
00:17:32,150 --> 00:17:30,559
here we delayed two days and so i'm

537
00:17:33,270 --> 00:17:32,160
going to break my requirement but if i

538
00:17:34,789 --> 00:17:33,280
would have started the countdown and

539
00:17:36,549 --> 00:17:34,799
delayed two days i wouldn't have any

540
00:17:37,669 --> 00:17:36,559
paper to take so yeah we have a fair bit

541
00:17:39,029 --> 00:17:37,679
of paperwork that you really wish you

542
00:17:40,230 --> 00:17:39,039
didn't have to deal with

543
00:17:41,990 --> 00:17:40,240
and it really kind of makes no sense

544
00:17:43,510 --> 00:17:42,000
some days why you have some of that

545
00:17:45,270 --> 00:17:43,520
paperwork but the system overall really

546
00:17:46,870 --> 00:17:45,280
drives you to a system of safety and

547
00:17:48,150 --> 00:17:46,880
it's all driven towards that we talked

548
00:17:49,350 --> 00:17:48,160
about that with the

549
00:17:51,190 --> 00:17:49,360
the work that was going on this weekend

550
00:17:53,029 --> 00:17:51,200
at the pad it's sometimes frustrating

551
00:17:54,470 --> 00:17:53,039
that you're waiting on the paperwork the

552
00:17:57,110 --> 00:17:54,480
engineers who are going to go turn the

553
00:17:58,630 --> 00:17:57,120
wrenches and replace those leaky qd's

554
00:18:00,230 --> 00:17:58,640
wrote what they're going to go do but

555
00:18:02,230 --> 00:18:00,240
they can't do it until the paper comes

556
00:18:02,950 --> 00:18:02,240
back to them blessed and signed and and

557
00:18:06,230 --> 00:18:02,960
and

558
00:18:07,669 --> 00:18:06,240
that step because you never know when

559
00:18:09,669 --> 00:18:07,679
you're going to miss something and that

560
00:18:11,669 --> 00:18:09,679
one little bolt that one little fitting

561
00:18:13,830 --> 00:18:11,679
that one little piece of plastic tubing

562
00:18:15,510 --> 00:18:13,840
could be the uh the loss of the mission

563
00:18:17,110 --> 00:18:15,520
that day and so we do want to make sure

564
00:18:17,990 --> 00:18:17,120
we're careful i've gone off track a

565
00:18:19,350 --> 00:18:18,000
little bit from what you were talking

566
00:18:20,710 --> 00:18:19,360
about with commercial crew but but i

567
00:18:22,789 --> 00:18:20,720
think as long as you set it up right and

568
00:18:24,310 --> 00:18:22,799
you you set the right architecture right

569
00:18:25,590 --> 00:18:24,320
framework the right insight and

570
00:18:27,190 --> 00:18:25,600
oversight there's no reason you couldn't

571
00:18:31,590 --> 00:18:27,200
be just as safe and successful with a

572
00:18:34,390 --> 00:18:32,789
just a quick question for kathy

573
00:18:35,590 --> 00:18:34,400
yesterday you said that uh you know

574
00:18:37,750 --> 00:18:35,600
you're indicating there might be a

575
00:18:40,310 --> 00:18:37,760
change in the weather whatever

576
00:18:41,830 --> 00:18:40,320
is this an optimistic forecast today or

577
00:18:43,510 --> 00:18:41,840
or is there any trends out there that

578
00:18:45,430 --> 00:18:43,520
might turn this around tomorrow the

579
00:18:47,510 --> 00:18:45,440
other way well it all depends on the

580
00:18:49,430 --> 00:18:47,520
location of the upper level low in texas

581
00:18:51,590 --> 00:18:49,440
there are some differences on the models

582
00:18:53,510 --> 00:18:51,600
in those so um the closer that upper

583
00:18:55,590 --> 00:18:53,520
level low is to florida the more

584
00:18:57,110 --> 00:18:55,600
moisture the more dynamics the more

585
00:18:59,430 --> 00:18:57,120
chance of getting some showers in the

586
00:19:01,110 --> 00:18:59,440
area and a low cloud ceiling so it's

587
00:19:03,669 --> 00:19:01,120
going to depend on where that drops and

588
00:19:05,669 --> 00:19:03,679
so that's why 30 is covering

589
00:19:07,029 --> 00:19:05,679
but we are noting that you know it is a

590
00:19:09,350 --> 00:19:07,039
transition day

591
00:19:11,029 --> 00:19:09,360
and and every model run looks a little

592
00:19:12,470 --> 00:19:11,039
different it shuffles out shuffles when

593
00:19:16,470 --> 00:19:12,480
that moisture comes in but wednesday is

594
00:19:20,870 --> 00:19:19,190
denise chaosbase.com um how has the

595
00:19:23,029 --> 00:19:20,880
launch delays affected the crew's

596
00:19:24,390 --> 00:19:23,039
pre-launch activities and schedule have

597
00:19:25,990 --> 00:19:24,400
the extra days just given them more time

598
00:19:26,950 --> 00:19:26,000
for training or what have they been up

599
00:19:28,390 --> 00:19:26,960
to

600
00:19:29,830 --> 00:19:28,400
yeah they basically filled in some

601
00:19:31,510 --> 00:19:29,840
training uh if you were out there a

602
00:19:33,029 --> 00:19:31,520
little earlier you heard the sta flying

603
00:19:34,150 --> 00:19:33,039
over the shuttle training aircraft which

604
00:19:35,830 --> 00:19:34,160
is the uh

605
00:19:37,110 --> 00:19:35,840
the aircraft the astronauts used to

606
00:19:39,590 --> 00:19:37,120
simulate shuttle landings they were

607
00:19:41,669 --> 00:19:39,600
flying approaches up at the the slf the

608
00:19:43,430 --> 00:19:41,679
shuttle landing facility um today's

609
00:19:44,630 --> 00:19:43,440
their last scheduled training run they

610
00:19:46,630 --> 00:19:44,640
have another one on the books tomorrow

611
00:19:48,150 --> 00:19:46,640
if they want it but uh but we'll have to

612
00:19:49,510 --> 00:19:48,160
wait and see what commander lindsey

613
00:19:51,110 --> 00:19:49,520
feels like but but yeah they basically

614
00:19:52,310 --> 00:19:51,120
backfill some training

615
00:19:53,669 --> 00:19:52,320
and then kind of take a little bit of

616
00:19:56,310 --> 00:19:53,679
down time they've been pushing pretty

617
00:19:57,909 --> 00:19:56,320
hard to get here um you know

618
00:19:59,590 --> 00:19:57,919
knowing how crews respond they usually

619
00:20:01,190 --> 00:19:59,600
get into crew quarters they

620
00:20:03,669 --> 00:20:01,200
they they immediately attack their books

621
00:20:05,029 --> 00:20:03,679
study their procedures uh you know

622
00:20:06,390 --> 00:20:05,039
they're at the business end of the

623
00:20:08,070 --> 00:20:06,400
mission and they know they need to do it

624
00:20:10,070 --> 00:20:08,080
exactly right and the more prep work

625
00:20:11,590 --> 00:20:10,080
they can do the better i think

626
00:20:14,149 --> 00:20:11,600
in some ways they they appreciate having

627
00:20:15,430 --> 00:20:14,159
an extra data to study a little more but

628
00:20:16,630 --> 00:20:15,440
at their own pace now it's not somebody

629
00:20:17,990 --> 00:20:16,640
else driving their schedule so you can

630
00:20:19,990 --> 00:20:18,000
kind of relax a little bit

631
00:20:21,190 --> 00:20:20,000
um but i know they're anxious to go and

632
00:20:24,070 --> 00:20:21,200
we're anxious to get them out to the pad

633
00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:29,350
irene

634
00:20:34,149 --> 00:20:32,070
um thanks um mike moses i think this is

635
00:20:36,630 --> 00:20:34,159
for you since you stuck your toe in the

636
00:20:39,669 --> 00:20:36,640
political waters um i know and nasa

637
00:20:41,669 --> 00:20:39,679
tries to stay above politics yet the

638
00:20:43,909 --> 00:20:41,679
political reality is the foundation

639
00:20:45,750 --> 00:20:43,919
which the space program operates

640
00:20:47,750 --> 00:20:45,760
and in light of the fact that it seems

641
00:20:50,070 --> 00:20:47,760
that there's a another pretty strong

642
00:20:52,870 --> 00:20:50,080
political shift that may take place

643
00:20:55,830 --> 00:20:52,880
tomorrow on election day do you have um

644
00:20:57,909 --> 00:20:55,840
any concerns or any um

645
00:21:01,110 --> 00:20:57,919
thoughts about how

646
00:21:02,870 --> 00:21:01,120
that might impact nasa at all

647
00:21:04,549 --> 00:21:02,880
you know uh

648
00:21:07,190 --> 00:21:04,559
when i started uh

649
00:21:09,110 --> 00:21:07,200
in the shuttle program uh back a while

650
00:21:10,710 --> 00:21:09,120
back you know the programs were there

651
00:21:11,990 --> 00:21:10,720
and moving along the state the station

652
00:21:13,029 --> 00:21:12,000
program was there and moving along

653
00:21:14,310 --> 00:21:13,039
although

654
00:21:15,990 --> 00:21:14,320
at the time when i started it was still

655
00:21:18,470 --> 00:21:16,000
the there were quite a few years where

656
00:21:19,590 --> 00:21:18,480
only one vote made station live in

657
00:21:21,029 --> 00:21:19,600
congress so

658
00:21:22,470 --> 00:21:21,039
but there was always the shuttle program

659
00:21:23,909 --> 00:21:22,480
that kind of

660
00:21:25,590 --> 00:21:23,919
isolated you from the roller coaster up

661
00:21:29,110 --> 00:21:25,600
and downs as you as you went through you

662
00:21:30,549 --> 00:21:29,120
know changes in congressional leadership

663
00:21:32,149 --> 00:21:30,559
you know administration leadership in

664
00:21:33,510 --> 00:21:32,159
the white house changes can sometimes

665
00:21:34,710 --> 00:21:33,520
change direction but the

666
00:21:37,270 --> 00:21:34,720
the vision for the space program has

667
00:21:39,350 --> 00:21:37,280
kind of been been been moving forward

668
00:21:41,510 --> 00:21:39,360
we've hit a transition time right now

669
00:21:43,510 --> 00:21:41,520
and just because we're in transition you

670
00:21:45,830 --> 00:21:43,520
feel those political waves a lot more

671
00:21:47,110 --> 00:21:45,840
than you would have a few years ago so

672
00:21:49,190 --> 00:21:47,120
you know i don't think anything's

673
00:21:52,070 --> 00:21:49,200
different these days than it was that

674
00:21:53,750 --> 00:21:52,080
the last uh midterm elections or the or

675
00:21:55,430 --> 00:21:53,760
wind backs a couple more years four or

676
00:21:56,950 --> 00:21:55,440
eight years i think this has always been

677
00:21:57,669 --> 00:21:56,960
there that that turmoil has always been

678
00:21:59,190 --> 00:21:57,679
there

679
00:22:00,950 --> 00:21:59,200
it's just that because

680
00:22:02,710 --> 00:22:00,960
as an agency we're at a crossroads

681
00:22:04,070 --> 00:22:02,720
transition point right now

682
00:22:06,470 --> 00:22:04,080
you're just feeling the ripples a little

683
00:22:07,830 --> 00:22:06,480
more so yeah there's going to be some

684
00:22:09,110 --> 00:22:07,840
some changes i think coming out of the

685
00:22:11,190 --> 00:22:09,120
elections

686
00:22:12,470 --> 00:22:11,200
maybe not who knows

687
00:22:15,669 --> 00:22:12,480
and does that mean a change of direction

688
00:22:17,590 --> 00:22:15,679
for nasa uh maybe who knows but you know

689
00:22:19,110 --> 00:22:17,600
at the end of the day we're the agents

690
00:22:21,029 --> 00:22:19,120
of the uh of the government and we we

691
00:22:22,630 --> 00:22:21,039
follow the orders both in terms of the

692
00:22:24,390 --> 00:22:22,640
the authorization and the direction that

693
00:22:26,549 --> 00:22:24,400
they the president sets and then the

694
00:22:27,830 --> 00:22:26,559
funding that congress provides for it so

695
00:22:31,430 --> 00:22:27,840
we'll just wait and see if that mission

696
00:22:32,390 --> 00:22:31,440
changes and we'll react accordingly

697
00:22:36,950 --> 00:22:32,400
marcia

698
00:22:39,750 --> 00:22:36,960
linebach um are you anticipating lots of

699
00:22:40,950 --> 00:22:39,760
parties post launch or are you

700
00:22:43,190 --> 00:22:40,960
encouraging

701
00:22:44,789 --> 00:22:43,200
people to wait until we'll stop i'm just

702
00:22:46,149 --> 00:22:44,799
wondering when the big festivities

703
00:22:47,990 --> 00:22:46,159
really kick in

704
00:22:50,630 --> 00:22:48,000
you know there's a whole team set up to

705
00:22:52,310 --> 00:22:50,640
uh to recognize the employees and and do

706
00:22:53,430 --> 00:22:52,320
different things for them and i'll i'm

707
00:22:54,710 --> 00:22:53,440
going to be 100

708
00:22:56,950 --> 00:22:54,720
honest with you i don't know when the

709
00:22:58,390 --> 00:22:56,960
final party for discovery is i've been

710
00:23:00,630 --> 00:22:58,400
kind of busy over the last couple of

711
00:23:02,470 --> 00:23:00,640
weeks um i'm sure there will be one

712
00:23:05,190 --> 00:23:02,480
they'll probably be at our recreation

713
00:23:07,270 --> 00:23:05,200
center here on on base i'm certain it'll

714
00:23:09,430 --> 00:23:07,280
be after we'll stop um so we can all

715
00:23:11,350 --> 00:23:09,440
celebrate a successful mission

716
00:23:12,870 --> 00:23:11,360
and uh there'll be a lot of a lot of

717
00:23:14,310 --> 00:23:12,880
hugging a lot of padding on the back i'm

718
00:23:17,430 --> 00:23:14,320
sure i don't know what it is i really

719
00:23:18,230 --> 00:23:17,440
don't i'm looking forward to it though

720
00:23:22,710 --> 00:23:18,240
ken

721
00:23:24,390 --> 00:23:22,720
for mike leinbach and mike moses mike

722
00:23:26,230 --> 00:23:24,400
you mentioned that

723
00:23:29,190 --> 00:23:26,240
discovery is a great ship has a lot of

724
00:23:31,590 --> 00:23:29,200
life left in her could you estimate

725
00:23:33,190 --> 00:23:31,600
somehow how many missions or years you

726
00:23:34,710 --> 00:23:33,200
think that could be

727
00:23:36,390 --> 00:23:34,720
oh boy well

728
00:23:37,830 --> 00:23:36,400
all orbiters were designed for 100

729
00:23:40,470 --> 00:23:37,840
mission life

730
00:23:42,149 --> 00:23:40,480
um the time was was uh not as long as

731
00:23:43,830 --> 00:23:42,159
we've been flying them but but they were

732
00:23:45,269 --> 00:23:43,840
designed for 100 missions each so in

733
00:23:47,350 --> 00:23:45,279
some respects she's

734
00:23:51,110 --> 00:23:47,360
she's just in her in her early

735
00:23:53,350 --> 00:23:51,120
30s late 30s something like that

736
00:23:54,870 --> 00:23:53,360
like the b-52 i mean the b-52 is still

737
00:23:57,029 --> 00:23:54,880
flying we upgrade the orbiters they're

738
00:23:58,710 --> 00:23:57,039
they're in fine shape they're

739
00:23:59,990 --> 00:23:58,720
to most people's view they're the best

740
00:24:01,430 --> 00:24:00,000
they've ever been they're the safest

741
00:24:03,110 --> 00:24:01,440
they've ever been

742
00:24:04,789 --> 00:24:03,120
could we keep on flying i believe we

743
00:24:06,390 --> 00:24:04,799
could but that's not the direction we've

744
00:24:08,149 --> 00:24:06,400
been given and so we need to get on with

745
00:24:09,350 --> 00:24:08,159
the direction we may not like it but

746
00:24:11,110 --> 00:24:09,360
that's the direction we've been given

747
00:24:14,950 --> 00:24:11,120
and so we'll get on with retiring these

748
00:24:16,630 --> 00:24:14,960
ships and moving into the next program

749
00:24:19,590 --> 00:24:16,640
kind of sounds like you think she could

750
00:24:20,549 --> 00:24:19,600
go another 10 years maybe

751
00:24:23,669 --> 00:24:20,559
longer

752
00:24:25,190 --> 00:24:23,679
i think with proper care and feeding

753
00:24:27,110 --> 00:24:25,200
it's a machine

754
00:24:28,549 --> 00:24:27,120
after all and machines

755
00:24:32,310 --> 00:24:28,559
as long as you take care of them they'll

756
00:24:42,870 --> 00:24:35,190
are there any further questions

757
00:24:47,909 --> 00:24:45,430
todd alberson of florida today for

758
00:24:49,669 --> 00:24:47,919
either mike um

759
00:24:51,669 --> 00:24:49,679
i'm wondering if you can kind of give us

760
00:24:53,750 --> 00:24:51,679
a picture of what things are going to

761
00:24:56,710 --> 00:24:53,760
look like here

762
00:24:58,830 --> 00:24:56,720
in regard to the development of a heavy

763
00:25:02,470 --> 00:24:58,840
lift launch vehicle the

764
00:25:05,590 --> 00:25:02,480
congress has authorized you guys to move

765
00:25:08,789 --> 00:25:05,600
ahead with the development and

766
00:25:11,750 --> 00:25:08,799
do you have any idea of what regime test

767
00:25:13,669 --> 00:25:11,760
flights might look like and

768
00:25:15,669 --> 00:25:13,679
what's going to be going on here at the

769
00:25:18,789 --> 00:25:15,679
kennedy space center in regard to heavy

770
00:25:20,870 --> 00:25:18,799
lift for the next five years

771
00:25:22,230 --> 00:25:20,880
let's see todd the um uh

772
00:25:24,230 --> 00:25:22,240
yeah so the authorization language talks

773
00:25:25,909 --> 00:25:24,240
about a heavy lift um

774
00:25:27,510 --> 00:25:25,919
heavy lift vehicle this the space launch

775
00:25:29,110 --> 00:25:27,520
system obviously there's going to need

776
00:25:31,510 --> 00:25:29,120
to be infrastructure changes here at

777
00:25:33,110 --> 00:25:31,520
kennedy to support that

778
00:25:35,510 --> 00:25:33,120
but anything that looks like a test

779
00:25:36,710 --> 00:25:35,520
flight or a schedule like that is really

780
00:25:38,230 --> 00:25:36,720
up in the air we don't have the

781
00:25:40,630 --> 00:25:38,240
appropriations yet to know how much

782
00:25:42,390 --> 00:25:40,640
money is coming we we assume based on

783
00:25:43,269 --> 00:25:42,400
last levels what we would get

784
00:25:44,710 --> 00:25:43,279
um

785
00:25:46,870 --> 00:25:44,720
also the the appropriations bill can

786
00:25:48,710 --> 00:25:46,880
have a lot of splits dictating earmarks

787
00:25:50,630 --> 00:25:48,720
that go to certain centers that have to

788
00:25:51,750 --> 00:25:50,640
have a split all that can factor in to

789
00:25:53,269 --> 00:25:51,760
say how much

790
00:25:55,110 --> 00:25:53,279
money we're going to spend here at

791
00:25:56,950 --> 00:25:55,120
kennedy space center on infrastructure

792
00:25:58,710 --> 00:25:56,960
upgrades all i can say is we are

793
00:26:00,630 --> 00:25:58,720
definitely if we're developing a heavy

794
00:26:02,710 --> 00:26:00,640
lift vehicle obviously uh the launch

795
00:26:05,830 --> 00:26:02,720
pads the processing facilities are all

796
00:26:07,750 --> 00:26:05,840
gonna have to be uh modified or to uh or

797
00:26:09,110 --> 00:26:07,760
built new to accommodate that and so

798
00:26:11,510 --> 00:26:09,120
that works going on there's a whole team

799
00:26:12,950 --> 00:26:11,520
of folks here at kennedy who's off who

800
00:26:14,149 --> 00:26:12,960
are off looking at that

801
00:26:15,510 --> 00:26:14,159
and laying it out but it's still a

802
00:26:17,430 --> 00:26:15,520
little bit in limbo because we haven't

803
00:26:19,909 --> 00:26:17,440
yet picked an architecture

804
00:26:21,830 --> 00:26:19,919
the size of the vehicle uh fuel that it

805
00:26:24,070 --> 00:26:21,840
would carry upper stage size all that

806
00:26:25,110 --> 00:26:24,080
stuff kind of dictates what you're going

807
00:26:27,029 --> 00:26:25,120
to do

808
00:26:27,830 --> 00:26:27,039
you know it's it's it's pretty basic to

809
00:26:29,430 --> 00:26:27,840
say we're probably going to be

810
00:26:32,070 --> 00:26:29,440
processing in the vab we're going to be

811
00:26:33,110 --> 00:26:32,080
using launch complex 39 um and other

812
00:26:34,870 --> 00:26:33,120
than that

813
00:26:36,549 --> 00:26:34,880
all the cards are on the table to to

814
00:26:38,070 --> 00:26:36,559
trade it out so i don't have any

815
00:26:40,390 --> 00:26:38,080
specifics

816
00:26:42,630 --> 00:26:40,400
well and just to just to to

817
00:26:45,110 --> 00:26:42,640
lay something out for you you know pad b

818
00:26:47,830 --> 00:26:45,120
is is being raised down to the to the

819
00:26:49,909 --> 00:26:47,840
concrete so it's so it's more adaptable

820
00:26:52,149 --> 00:26:49,919
to any type vehicle pad a we're going to

821
00:26:53,269 --> 00:26:52,159
leave it alone just in case the uh after

822
00:26:55,029 --> 00:26:53,279
the final mission we're going to leave

823
00:26:57,029 --> 00:26:55,039
it alone for some time in case the heavy

824
00:26:59,110 --> 00:26:57,039
lift vehicle is shuttle derived then

825
00:27:00,870 --> 00:26:59,120
we'd be able to to adapt it much more

826
00:27:02,630 --> 00:27:00,880
easily than if we'd already demolished

827
00:27:04,070 --> 00:27:02,640
the thing so we're going to leave pad

828
00:27:05,750 --> 00:27:04,080
alone until we know what the what the

829
00:27:07,990 --> 00:27:05,760
design is as mike says you know the the

830
00:27:09,350 --> 00:27:08,000
design of the infrastructure is dictated

831
00:27:11,110 --> 00:27:09,360
by the design of the rocket not the

832
00:27:13,110 --> 00:27:11,120
other way and so we're going to leave

833
00:27:14,470 --> 00:27:13,120
pat alone betting on the common it'll be

834
00:27:15,909 --> 00:27:14,480
shuttle drive if it's not well then

835
00:27:17,510 --> 00:27:15,919
we'll react to those changes when it

836
00:27:18,870 --> 00:27:17,520
happens

837
00:27:20,710 --> 00:27:18,880
okay we'll take our last question over

838
00:27:21,909 --> 00:27:20,720
here please yeah james bond with nico

839
00:27:23,590 --> 00:27:21,919
nicodoga

840
00:27:26,789 --> 00:27:23,600
two quick questions for mike moses and

841
00:27:29,430 --> 00:27:26,799
mike lineback after a successful mission

842
00:27:31,269 --> 00:27:29,440
um what's the process uh length of and

843
00:27:34,789 --> 00:27:31,279
type of process to actually retire the

844
00:27:37,029 --> 00:27:34,799
ship uh discovery and uh maybe from mike

845
00:27:39,510 --> 00:27:37,039
uh lineback what do you want that plaque

846
00:27:41,830 --> 00:27:39,520
to say uh when she finds her final home

847
00:27:44,230 --> 00:27:41,840
uh in the museum

848
00:27:47,430 --> 00:27:44,240
let's see the uh once discovery's back

849
00:27:49,110 --> 00:27:47,440
it'll follow about the 30-day ish plan

850
00:27:50,789 --> 00:27:49,120
that's just the normal plan as if it was

851
00:27:52,630 --> 00:27:50,799
coming back and and being turned around

852
00:27:53,990 --> 00:27:52,640
again we call that uh down mission

853
00:27:57,430 --> 00:27:54,000
processing where it gets back into the

854
00:27:58,710 --> 00:27:57,440
opf we save the uh the critical systems

855
00:28:00,070 --> 00:27:58,720
get the payload infrastructure out

856
00:28:01,269 --> 00:28:00,080
that's mission specific take that out of

857
00:28:03,350 --> 00:28:01,279
the payload bay

858
00:28:05,029 --> 00:28:03,360
basically deconfigure its specific

859
00:28:06,549 --> 00:28:05,039
mission configuration

860
00:28:08,389 --> 00:28:06,559
and then it'll move into a phase that

861
00:28:11,190 --> 00:28:08,399
we're calling tnr transition and

862
00:28:13,510 --> 00:28:11,200
retirement where we move to a set of of

863
00:28:15,350 --> 00:28:13,520
safing steps where where uh like the

864
00:28:17,990 --> 00:28:15,360
fuel systems and the hydraulic systems

865
00:28:19,830 --> 00:28:18,000
are drained and decontaminated um

866
00:28:22,389 --> 00:28:19,840
and basically the music or the ship is

867
00:28:24,230 --> 00:28:22,399
then prepared for its its display state

868
00:28:26,549 --> 00:28:24,240
uh and then be ready that process is

869
00:28:28,470 --> 00:28:26,559
gonna take i forget what the timeline

870
00:28:29,830 --> 00:28:28,480
shows but it's on the order of six to

871
00:28:31,430 --> 00:28:29,840
eight months

872
00:28:33,750 --> 00:28:31,440
uh i think end-to-end

873
00:28:34,789 --> 00:28:33,760
it's fairly flexible because we don't

874
00:28:36,549 --> 00:28:34,799
yet know

875
00:28:38,470 --> 00:28:36,559
uh we know what we're calling it the end

876
00:28:39,990 --> 00:28:38,480
state so we know what condition to put

877
00:28:42,149 --> 00:28:40,000
the major systems but we don't know the

878
00:28:44,389 --> 00:28:42,159
display state because we haven't gotten

879
00:28:45,750 --> 00:28:44,399
the request from this you know discovery

880
00:28:47,510 --> 00:28:45,760
hasn't been assigned necessarily to a

881
00:28:48,870 --> 00:28:47,520
specific museum they haven't told us

882
00:28:50,549 --> 00:28:48,880
what configuration they would like it to

883
00:28:52,870 --> 00:28:50,559
be in what hardware they would or would

884
00:28:54,710 --> 00:28:52,880
not like included um all that has to be

885
00:28:56,389 --> 00:28:54,720
negotiated so that's an ongoing process

886
00:28:57,909 --> 00:28:56,399
but we're looking at six to eight months

887
00:29:00,149 --> 00:28:57,919
worth of processing for discovery before

888
00:29:01,909 --> 00:29:00,159
it's ready to go

889
00:29:04,149 --> 00:29:01,919
well and i think to the to the question

890
00:29:06,630 --> 00:29:04,159
about the the display itself i'd i would

891
00:29:08,310 --> 00:29:06,640
like to see some some adaptation of the

892
00:29:09,830 --> 00:29:08,320
of the tribute that the discovery team

893
00:29:12,230 --> 00:29:09,840
put together the one you see over in the

894
00:29:14,310 --> 00:29:12,240
in the press dome there with all the

895
00:29:17,110 --> 00:29:14,320
patches and then and the order doing the

896
00:29:18,789 --> 00:29:17,120
reverse pitch maneuver um the team that

897
00:29:20,710 --> 00:29:18,799
works on discovery and loves discoveries

898
00:29:22,789 --> 00:29:20,720
the most loves discovery the most

899
00:29:24,310 --> 00:29:22,799
designed that tribute and so i think

900
00:29:28,070 --> 00:29:24,320
that'd be very appropriate to have with

901
00:29:31,669 --> 00:29:30,070
that will conclude today's pre-law news

902
00:29:34,149 --> 00:29:31,679
conference please join us on the

903
00:29:35,590 --> 00:29:34,159
television today at 1 pm eastern time

904
00:29:37,669 --> 00:29:35,600
for the international space station

905
00:29:40,549 --> 00:29:37,679
science briefing for more information on