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discovery this houston are you ready for

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coverage

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abc news this is houston please call

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discovery for voice check

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discovery it's vic ratner from abc have

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discovery has you loud and clear how us

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loud and clear nice to see you all

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commander lindsay i just heard the call

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from mmt that you're clear for re-entry

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how sad does it make you that you can't

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you know i think it makes all of us sad

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we've we've had a fantastic mission

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we've accomplished all of our mission

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objectives plus a whole bunch we never

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thought we would get

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been extended a couple of days and would

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love to be extended longer but

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unfortunately we're running out of

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supplies up here and it's time to come

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home but we're all sad that this is our

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last day in orbit and we're sad that

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this is the last day uh potentially for

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discovery unless we weather wave off or

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something like that

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for folks who've never had this

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experience could you stay up there for a

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couple of days more you've got enough

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food supplies things like that nasa

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well we have uh enough food for a uh you

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know probably

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several more days if we had to and we

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have water but

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in terms of our cryo which is our oxygen

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and hydrogen that we use to generate

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power and uh and provide air and things

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like that

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we

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day plus uh two additional days to

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accomplish to deal with any weather

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issues we might have so we have plenty

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of plenty of margins to stay up here

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for commander lindsay and a couple of

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other crew members tell us something

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about discovery that we don't know what

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are the quirks of this particular ship

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where does it make noises in the middle

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of the night did you find anything

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tucked in the compartments you didn't

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well the one thing i will tell you about

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discovery is uh discovery's been flying

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since 1984 this is her 39th mission into

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space

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and uh we've been flying up here for uh

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12 13 days now and there is not a single

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thing wrong with her every single system

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and every piece of every system is

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working uh just like it was brand new

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and that's probably something people

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would be surprised to hear about a

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vehicle that's uh i guess over 25 years

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you know sometimes people who do

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sorry about that i think um i'll

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continue along steve's line there and

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that um

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in addition to the systems operating

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beautifully

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you look around um whether you're on the

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flight deck or the mid deck or even out

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into the payload bay and on the outside

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of the vehicle and it and it really does

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look brand new you get that sense that

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you know that maybe we're the first uh

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ones to travel on her and um

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we've tried to treat her well and she

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and i think i was reading your mind

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there i was thinking about people who

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renovate and restore old vehicles and

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keep them in really pristine condition

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well that's discovery but she doesn't

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just look good in in order to fly into

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space and do the mission that discovery

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does she has to be really pristine and

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really perform well and everything i've

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seen on this my first shuttle flight is

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that discovery is just really at the top

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commander lindsey that raises the

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question there are air force tankers

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that are flying that are older than the

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crew members who fly them

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if money and time were not factors how

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much longer do you think discovery could

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well that's a really good question and i

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don't know you know we'd have to go back

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and look at and see what we would

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need to keep these vehicles flying a lot

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longer i know uh you know prior to

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columbia we were talking about flying

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shuttles through 2020 to 2025.

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we'd probably have to go back and look

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at the systems recertify the systems

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make sure everything was okay probably

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do some work on them but it's really

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hard to say how long they could fly it

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all depends on how much work you want to

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do on them but i think we could fly them

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for a lot longer if

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as you said the resources and and

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and the uh and we we didn't want to go

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in a different direction

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anything that you would have liked to

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have done on this mission that you

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i think probably the one thing that i

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think everybody that comes off of every

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flight is you can't get enough window

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time you can't get enough time looking

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at the earth it doesn't matter how many

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times you've gone around the earth and i

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have some veterans here with me that

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have spent three to six months on orbit

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you never get tired of looking at the

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earth and it seems like on these

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missions you're so busy you never get

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enough time enough passes to actually

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you know really get good looks all over

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the earth and so that's something i

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think we always come back wishing we had

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let me ask you a secret are you guys

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going to leave any secret messages

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tucked into compartments aboard

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discovery for the folks at the

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no we're not going to do that we want to

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we want to leave discovery

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exactly as she was so that when people

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have an opportunity

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to visit discovery someplace where every

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all the public can go see discovery we

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and what's it going to say on the plaque

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at smithsonian about discovery's

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i don't know what the i don't know what

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the plaque is going to say um but

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hopefully it will uh talk about

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discovery's legacy as a as a great ship

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of exploration as a as a great

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spacecraft as a class of spacecraft with

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capabilities of lifting people and loads

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and returning them from space

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unmatched by anything else that we've

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ever seen the versatility that's

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unmatched of anything else we've ever

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seen in space and probably

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unmatched for a long long long time time

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to come so hopefully it will say

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something about that

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uh but more importantly hopefully it

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will talk about not the cruz not us but

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talk about the uh the entire space

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shuttle team that spans across the

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country for these past 30 years that

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have allowed this to happen you see us

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in space we're visible

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but it takes a team of thousands and

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thousands and thousands of people to uh

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to keep this vehicle running to allow to

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execute the complex missions that we do

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within so hopefully the legacy will be

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last thoughts when you bring it in

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tomorrow

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i think as a crew um what we'll be

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thinking as we're coming in is we'll be

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pretty focused on uh doing in that and

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doing it right and so

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we're going to concentrate on our jobs

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like just like like we should make sure

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we don't miss any steps make sure we do

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everything exactly right and bring it in

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as safely and successfully as possible

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after we land that's that'll be the time

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which will reflect and i suspect

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sitting on the runway i'll be sitting in

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my seat when we do the last switch throw

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and it's time for me to get out and i

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don't think i'm going to want to leave

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well put

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safe return folks

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thank you

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discovery this is houston acr that

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concludes the abc news portion of the

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event

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please stand by for a voice check from

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cbs news

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at the kennedy space center how do you

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discovery has you loud and clear how us

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sound great and good morning this is

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peter king along with bill harwood and

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we've got a whole slew of questions for

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you so we'll get right to it uh

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commander lindsay you've probably said

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we probably reported everything that can

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possibly be said about this being the

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last flight for discovery for somebody

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who flies these things for a living how

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hard is it to retire a spacecraft that

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seemingly has a lot of life left in her

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i guess

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it's it's very uh it's gonna be sad when

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it's over when we land tomorrow or the

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i guess i guess the hardest

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the hardest part of this for me is uh is

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giving up the capability because if you

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really look look at what this spacecraft

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does

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it can do everything except leave low

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earth orbit uh it's a science laboratory

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we can talk with space stations we we

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helped build we did build build the us

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segment of the us

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os section of the international space

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station with these vehicles

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hauled cargo and people up and down

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with up mass and down mass that's

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unmatched anywhere

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we've

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deployed the hubble space telescope with

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this vehicle it starts out its life as a

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rocket becomes an orbiting laboratory or

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docking vehicles maneuverable spacecraft

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on orbit and lands like an airplane and

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that capability is unmatched anywhere

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and probably will be unmatched for many

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many many years to come and so giving up

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all of that capability and the amazing

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versatility this spacecraft is what's

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most difficult for me and probably for

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everybody that's working in the program

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and along those lines for nicole stott

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with so much uncertainty right now the

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future of u.s human space flight what

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are your concerns and what are the

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things that most excite you about what's

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well i think from the concern standpoint

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right now is just you know i think we're

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still in this phase of really defining

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what the next steps are going to be and

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you know i i look forward to seeing what

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that is i hold real hope that um we'll

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be challenging ourselves we'll be doing

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you know big things and uh

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uh going out of low earth orbit i i

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would love to see us go back to the moon

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i don't know if that's in the plans or

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not but um

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you know i i hope that that

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what will be happening is is is a

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challenge and will be um

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and will be taking us places you know as

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as much as what you know vehicles like

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discovery and the space shuttle have

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done for us and that will be you know

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learning all kinds of new things and i

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think that's what makes it exciting as

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well is that you know there's plenty of

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opportunities out there and you know

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we're a great country that has done

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really really amazing things with um our

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space program and i really just hope

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bill harwood let me ask a couple if i

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can and i'm gonna keep with the

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discovery theme obviously i i think a

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lot of people you know your mission is

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the first really concrete sign that the

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the beginning of the end is finally here

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for this program and for mike barrett

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what do you say to the workforce and

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really to all americans on the eve of

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this this final landing for discovery

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well hey bill

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it's a it's a great question

278
00:12:00,550 --> 00:11:58,800
you know i i think about this space

279
00:12:02,629 --> 00:12:00,560
shuttle fleet like the clipper ships

280
00:12:04,470 --> 00:12:02,639
that were strong and fast and powerful

281
00:12:06,470 --> 00:12:04,480
they did their jobs but they were also

282
00:12:09,350 --> 00:12:06,480
graceful and beautiful and they conjured

283
00:12:11,269 --> 00:12:09,360
up imagination of foreign travel exotic

284
00:12:13,829 --> 00:12:11,279
places of exploration

285
00:12:15,509 --> 00:12:13,839
and discovery is just an elite member of

286
00:12:17,590 --> 00:12:15,519
this elite fleet

287
00:12:19,509 --> 00:12:17,600
and uh you know when the clippers faded

288
00:12:21,350 --> 00:12:19,519
it was because there was an alternative

289
00:12:23,990 --> 00:12:21,360
there was another ship

290
00:12:26,470 --> 00:12:24,000
that was coming in steam power that was

291
00:12:27,990 --> 00:12:26,480
stronger faster perhaps not quite as

292
00:12:30,150 --> 00:12:28,000
beautiful

293
00:12:32,710 --> 00:12:30,160
we don't have that yet we have the

294
00:12:34,470 --> 00:12:32,720
legacy of the clippers in in our shuttle

295
00:12:36,150 --> 00:12:34,480
fleet and it's a legacy that everybody

296
00:12:39,910 --> 00:12:36,160
who's ever touched these vehicles should

297
00:12:41,670 --> 00:12:39,920
be extremely proud of i think the only

298
00:12:43,910 --> 00:12:41,680
problem area there is that we just we

299
00:12:45,990 --> 00:12:43,920
don't have that follow-on we're not

300
00:12:47,590 --> 00:12:46,000
replacing the shuttle with something and

301
00:12:50,069 --> 00:12:47,600
i think that's what makes a little bit

302
00:12:51,990 --> 00:12:50,079
sad for us but make no mistake when we

303
00:12:53,910 --> 00:12:52,000
bring discovery home it's a time to

304
00:12:56,389 --> 00:12:53,920
celebrate i mean the

305
00:12:57,590 --> 00:12:56,399
legacy that this spaceship has has made

306
00:12:59,509 --> 00:12:57,600
for herself

307
00:13:01,509 --> 00:12:59,519
uh is just nothing more than cause for

308
00:13:04,230 --> 00:13:01,519
celebration she's returned so much

309
00:13:05,590 --> 00:13:04,240
science so much experience and the

310
00:13:07,910 --> 00:13:05,600
experience that we have crew members

311
00:13:09,190 --> 00:13:07,920
have had has just been marvelous and

312
00:13:11,750 --> 00:13:09,200
it's again just something that our

313
00:13:13,269 --> 00:13:11,760
country should be very very proud of

314
00:13:14,629 --> 00:13:13,279
you know you know when you talk to folks

315
00:13:16,550 --> 00:13:14,639
who've worked on the shuttle over the

316
00:13:18,790 --> 00:13:16,560
years you know there's almost a sense of

317
00:13:21,190 --> 00:13:18,800
disbelief that it's come to this that

318
00:13:24,069 --> 00:13:21,200
the agency's been told to give up a very

319
00:13:25,509 --> 00:13:24,079
mature operational vehicle arguably as

320
00:13:27,990 --> 00:13:25,519
my as the commander said a moment ago

321
00:13:29,990 --> 00:13:28,000
the most capable spacecraft ever built

322
00:13:31,829 --> 00:13:30,000
in favor of less ambitious vehicles that

323
00:13:33,670 --> 00:13:31,839
have not yet been designed or tested do

324
00:13:36,069 --> 00:13:33,680
any of you guys resent the way this is

325
00:13:42,550 --> 00:13:36,079
played out or is this just is it simply

326
00:13:45,590 --> 00:13:43,910
well um

327
00:13:46,710 --> 00:13:45,600
that's a that's a tough question to

328
00:13:49,590 --> 00:13:46,720
answer

329
00:13:51,750 --> 00:13:49,600
obviously we have a have a vision or you

330
00:13:54,790 --> 00:13:51,760
know we're looking at expanding out of

331
00:13:56,870 --> 00:13:54,800
low earth orbit and so the the objective

332
00:13:59,189 --> 00:13:56,880
as part of retiring the shuttle

333
00:14:01,430 --> 00:13:59,199
uh the plan was to go out of low earth

334
00:14:03,430 --> 00:14:01,440
orbit and uh from from what i'm seeing

335
00:14:04,629 --> 00:14:03,440
so far that's what we still intend on

336
00:14:06,870 --> 00:14:04,639
doing so

337
00:14:09,910 --> 00:14:06,880
um to to go there with the with the

338
00:14:12,069 --> 00:14:09,920
budget and uh you know the uh

339
00:14:14,949 --> 00:14:12,079
what we have right now we really can't

340
00:14:17,430 --> 00:14:14,959
afford to do all of that and so uh

341
00:14:19,269 --> 00:14:17,440
to to take the next step and get out of

342
00:14:21,269 --> 00:14:19,279
low earth orbit we have to go to a

343
00:14:22,230 --> 00:14:21,279
different type of vehicle to do that and

344
00:14:23,189 --> 00:14:22,240
so

345
00:14:25,110 --> 00:14:23,199
um

346
00:14:26,949 --> 00:14:25,120
it's it's sad to give this this kind of

347
00:14:28,550 --> 00:14:26,959
capability although i think someday in

348
00:14:30,710 --> 00:14:28,560
the future we'll probably have similar

349
00:14:33,509 --> 00:14:30,720
capability i don't know when that would

350
00:14:35,110 --> 00:14:33,519
be but uh but i but i really

351
00:14:37,509 --> 00:14:35,120
strongly believe in the next step as

352
00:14:39,269 --> 00:14:37,519
nicole mentioned earlier to try to uh

353
00:14:41,670 --> 00:14:39,279
get out of low earth orbit go to it go

354
00:14:43,350 --> 00:14:41,680
to an asteroid go to the moon or or get

355
00:14:45,750 --> 00:14:43,360
out and explore the solar system we do

356
00:14:47,189 --> 00:14:45,760
need a new vehicle for that

357
00:14:49,269 --> 00:14:47,199
thanks and let me ask

358
00:14:50,550 --> 00:14:49,279
ask nicole a question you know nicole

359
00:14:51,829 --> 00:14:50,560
you worked on the shuttle at the kennedy

360
00:14:53,430 --> 00:14:51,839
space center before you joined the

361
00:14:54,470 --> 00:14:53,440
astronaut corps you know better than

362
00:14:56,389 --> 00:14:54,480
most

363
00:14:58,310 --> 00:14:56,399
what an amazing machine

364
00:14:59,910 --> 00:14:58,320
discovery is and the other the other two

365
00:15:01,110 --> 00:14:59,920
orbiters what are you know as you look

366
00:15:02,629 --> 00:15:01,120
out the window here in your last full

367
00:15:04,629 --> 00:15:02,639
day in space aboard a shuttle anyway

368
00:15:10,710 --> 00:15:04,639
what are your thoughts uh on the eve of

369
00:15:14,790 --> 00:15:12,389
well i think certainly there there are

370
00:15:16,790 --> 00:15:14,800
the thoughts of um of bringing this

371
00:15:18,949 --> 00:15:16,800
vehicle to you know to wheel stop on the

372
00:15:19,829 --> 00:15:18,959
runway for the last time but

373
00:15:25,269 --> 00:15:19,839
um

374
00:15:26,870 --> 00:15:25,279
you know the team that's associated with

375
00:15:28,069 --> 00:15:26,880
this

376
00:15:30,389 --> 00:15:28,079
i think that's really what i'm going to

377
00:15:31,990 --> 00:15:30,399
be thinking about is and and i have been

378
00:15:34,069 --> 00:15:32,000
as i as i look out the windows that you

379
00:15:35,670 --> 00:15:34,079
know i feel really really blessed to

380
00:15:37,350 --> 00:15:35,680
have had the opportunity to not only

381
00:15:39,509 --> 00:15:37,360
work on

382
00:15:41,509 --> 00:15:39,519
discovery and the other orbiters on the

383
00:15:43,189 --> 00:15:41,519
ground but also to

384
00:15:45,110 --> 00:15:43,199
you know to just have this opportunity

385
00:15:47,269 --> 00:15:45,120
to look out the windows and appreciate

386
00:15:48,949 --> 00:15:47,279
it from the inside as well

387
00:15:49,990 --> 00:15:48,959
and um

388
00:15:51,749 --> 00:15:50,000
i think

389
00:15:53,829 --> 00:15:51,759
thanks has just continued to come to

390
00:15:55,829 --> 00:15:53,839
mind for me thanking the people on the

391
00:15:56,790 --> 00:15:55,839
ground who have taken such meticulous

392
00:15:58,790 --> 00:15:56,800
care

393
00:16:00,949 --> 00:15:58,800
of these vehicles and it's in their

394
00:16:02,710 --> 00:16:00,959
bones this this is a passion for them

395
00:16:05,030 --> 00:16:02,720
this is not just you know i go to work

396
00:16:07,670 --> 00:16:05,040
every day it really is a

397
00:16:08,790 --> 00:16:07,680
heart and soul kind of thing and

398
00:16:10,310 --> 00:16:08,800
you know i think that's what is coming

399
00:16:12,710 --> 00:16:10,320
down to me

400
00:16:14,230 --> 00:16:12,720
down to for me is is thinking about that

401
00:16:16,310 --> 00:16:14,240
and appreciating

402
00:16:17,910 --> 00:16:16,320
just how much has gone into this by you

403
00:16:20,829 --> 00:16:17,920
know this wonderful team of people that

404
00:16:23,269 --> 00:16:20,839
has taken such good care of these

405
00:16:25,430 --> 00:16:23,279
vehicles it's peter king again this

406
00:16:26,790 --> 00:16:25,440
question is for uh eric bo you've got

407
00:16:28,710 --> 00:16:26,800
kids and down the line maybe some

408
00:16:30,310 --> 00:16:28,720
grandchildren on the way

409
00:16:31,910 --> 00:16:30,320
who will only know about the space

410
00:16:34,790 --> 00:16:31,920
shuttle from history books and from

411
00:16:36,790 --> 00:16:34,800
video and things on the internet maybe

412
00:16:39,350 --> 00:16:36,800
he'll take them to see discovery at the

413
00:16:41,030 --> 00:16:39,360
smithsonian or wherever it winds up what

414
00:16:46,230 --> 00:16:41,040
will you tell them about what it was

415
00:16:49,670 --> 00:16:48,069
well i'll tell them that the

416
00:16:51,509 --> 00:16:49,680
discovery in the space shuttle fleet was

417
00:16:53,910 --> 00:16:51,519
a dream is a dream machine it's just

418
00:16:56,230 --> 00:16:53,920
amazing what this vehicle can do

419
00:16:58,310 --> 00:16:56,240
it can launch like a rocket go into

420
00:17:01,030 --> 00:16:58,320
orbit change it into a spacecraft and

421
00:17:03,350 --> 00:17:01,040
land as a hypersonic airplane on entry

422
00:17:05,829 --> 00:17:03,360
and what's amazing is just how well she

423
00:17:07,029 --> 00:17:05,839
she sails and it's an honor and

424
00:17:11,909 --> 00:17:07,039
privilege for all of us to get the

425
00:17:16,710 --> 00:17:14,549
to the crew of sts-133 uh bill and i

426
00:17:18,309 --> 00:17:16,720
both thank you i think it's really hard

427
00:17:21,270 --> 00:17:18,319
for us to believe that this is your last

428
00:17:23,270 --> 00:17:21,280
flight but it's been an absolute

429
00:17:24,949 --> 00:17:23,280
pleasure to cover and watch over the

430
00:17:30,070 --> 00:17:24,959
years have a safe trip home and we'll

431
00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:33,750
thank you very much

432
00:17:37,909 --> 00:17:35,909
discovery this is houston acr that

433
00:17:40,150 --> 00:17:37,919
concludes the cbs news portion of the

434
00:17:42,310 --> 00:17:40,160
event please stand by for a voice check

435
00:17:44,390 --> 00:17:42,320
from the associated press

436
00:17:48,950 --> 00:17:44,400
discovery this is the associated press

437
00:17:52,789 --> 00:17:50,789
loud and clear

438
00:17:54,789 --> 00:17:52,799
this is marcia dunn speaking to you from

439
00:17:56,230 --> 00:17:54,799
kennedy space center where the skies are

440
00:17:58,870 --> 00:17:56,240
clear today

441
00:18:00,950 --> 00:17:58,880
for commander lindsay wow a tribute from

442
00:18:03,270 --> 00:18:00,960
william shatner in live wake up music

443
00:18:05,909 --> 00:18:03,280
today the whole country seems to be

444
00:18:07,750 --> 00:18:05,919
watching discoveries last flight

445
00:18:10,950 --> 00:18:07,760
i'm wondering can you sense the all the

446
00:18:13,350 --> 00:18:10,960
attention that's going on down here and

447
00:18:17,110 --> 00:18:13,360
what's the mood up there for you like

448
00:18:22,470 --> 00:18:17,120
and is it all sadness or or

449
00:18:27,190 --> 00:18:25,110
well as far as the attention discovery

450
00:18:29,830 --> 00:18:27,200
is getting on the ground

451
00:18:31,270 --> 00:18:29,840
honestly i have no idea about that we we

452
00:18:32,390 --> 00:18:31,280
get we get a little bit of news up here

453
00:18:34,710 --> 00:18:32,400
i haven't had time to read it for

454
00:18:36,230 --> 00:18:34,720
several days so uh we've been focusing

455
00:18:37,190 --> 00:18:36,240
on doing our job so as far as what's

456
00:18:39,750 --> 00:18:37,200
going on

457
00:18:41,350 --> 00:18:39,760
in terms of attention i have no idea uh

458
00:18:43,029 --> 00:18:41,360
what we're feeling is we're obviously in

459
00:18:44,870 --> 00:18:43,039
our last day of orbit and we're getting

460
00:18:46,150 --> 00:18:44,880
every taking every chance we can to look

461
00:18:47,270 --> 00:18:46,160
out the windows

462
00:18:50,150 --> 00:18:47,280
um

463
00:18:51,590 --> 00:18:50,160
and uh so we're kind of uh kind of sad

464
00:18:53,590 --> 00:18:51,600
at this last day wish we could have a

465
00:18:55,029 --> 00:18:53,600
few more days but it's time for us to

466
00:18:57,590 --> 00:18:55,039
come home

467
00:18:59,830 --> 00:18:57,600
but we're mostly enjoying this last day

468
00:19:02,150 --> 00:18:59,840
getting ready for entry um looking out

469
00:19:03,909 --> 00:19:02,160
the windows and uh and just thinking

470
00:19:06,150 --> 00:19:03,919
about the great experience we have and

471
00:19:08,630 --> 00:19:06,160
the success of our mission and uh

472
00:19:11,510 --> 00:19:08,640
and we're getting ready now uh uh to

473
00:19:13,990 --> 00:19:11,520
focus on this this final task we have

474
00:19:16,150 --> 00:19:14,000
tomorrow which is to uh do the deorbit

475
00:19:18,950 --> 00:19:16,160
prep safely enter safely and then land i

476
00:19:21,270 --> 00:19:18,960
think once we land then we'll all have

477
00:19:23,590 --> 00:19:21,280
time to really reflect on what we did

478
00:19:25,270 --> 00:19:23,600
and and that we got to have got to fly

479
00:19:27,590 --> 00:19:25,280
this final flight of discovery which is

480
00:19:29,350 --> 00:19:27,600
truly an honor for all of us

481
00:19:31,270 --> 00:19:29,360
well i know you have a tribute of your

482
00:19:33,110 --> 00:19:31,280
own coming up to discovery in several

483
00:19:35,590 --> 00:19:33,120
more minutes but perhaps one of you

484
00:19:37,270 --> 00:19:35,600
could wax poetic right now what your

485
00:19:39,029 --> 00:19:37,280
thoughts are about discovery in all

486
00:19:55,190 --> 00:19:39,039
three space shuttles as the program

487
00:19:58,950 --> 00:19:57,110
i've been uh volunteered to wax poetic

488
00:20:01,110 --> 00:19:58,960
and i don't do it so well you know we've

489
00:20:02,310 --> 00:20:01,120
been talking about discovery retiring

490
00:20:03,430 --> 00:20:02,320
and uh

491
00:20:05,590 --> 00:20:03,440
the fact that there really isn't a

492
00:20:07,270 --> 00:20:05,600
replacement for the space shuttle and i

493
00:20:09,350 --> 00:20:07,280
kind of look at it that

494
00:20:11,430 --> 00:20:09,360
just as nowadays we look back at the

495
00:20:12,950 --> 00:20:11,440
ship rights of the 18th and 19th century

496
00:20:14,310 --> 00:20:12,960
and we look at the ships they built and

497
00:20:15,590 --> 00:20:14,320
we still ask questions as to how they

498
00:20:17,430 --> 00:20:15,600
did it and how those ships managed to

499
00:20:19,830 --> 00:20:17,440
stay at sea for so long and be

500
00:20:21,350 --> 00:20:19,840
successful and i think when they do get

501
00:20:23,669 --> 00:20:21,360
around to building another vehicle that

502
00:20:24,950 --> 00:20:23,679
is as capable as the space shuttle

503
00:20:27,029 --> 00:20:24,960
they're going to look back and ask a lot

504
00:20:28,390 --> 00:20:27,039
of questions how in the world did the

505
00:20:30,310 --> 00:20:28,400
engineers and technicians and the

506
00:20:31,990 --> 00:20:30,320
maintenance people manage to make these

507
00:20:35,350 --> 00:20:32,000
vehicles so incredible that they're

508
00:20:37,350 --> 00:20:35,360
still flying after 39 missions in 25

509
00:20:39,110 --> 00:20:37,360
years it's pretty amazing

510
00:20:41,830 --> 00:20:39,120
and i think that's really going to be

511
00:20:43,990 --> 00:20:41,840
the long-term legacy of this vehicle

512
00:20:45,909 --> 00:20:44,000
thank you along those lines for

513
00:20:48,149 --> 00:20:45,919
anyone on board do you expect the

514
00:20:59,669 --> 00:20:48,159
shuttle program one day to be revered as

515
00:21:04,950 --> 00:21:02,710
i guess it's my turn to wax poetic

516
00:21:07,110 --> 00:21:04,960
yes i believe in indeed uh when i talk

517
00:21:09,029 --> 00:21:07,120
to the apollo astronauts the mercury and

518
00:21:10,789 --> 00:21:09,039
gemini astronauts

519
00:21:12,149 --> 00:21:10,799
they talked us with amazement they look

520
00:21:14,230 --> 00:21:12,159
at the complexity of the missions we do

521
00:21:16,230 --> 00:21:14,240
now in space and they can't believe that

522
00:21:17,750 --> 00:21:16,240
they said they never did anything nearly

523
00:21:19,990 --> 00:21:17,760
as difficult or complex as what we were

524
00:21:20,789 --> 00:21:20,000
doing with the shuttle and like steve

525
00:21:22,870 --> 00:21:20,799
said

526
00:21:24,230 --> 00:21:22,880
we won't do anything nearly as complex

527
00:21:25,909 --> 00:21:24,240
with another vehicle for a very long

528
00:21:27,350 --> 00:21:25,919
time even if we started today to try and

529
00:21:29,430 --> 00:21:27,360
build a replacement shuttle it might

530
00:21:31,590 --> 00:21:29,440
take 15 to 20 years to get there

531
00:21:33,990 --> 00:21:31,600
there's just been nothing more capable

532
00:21:34,950 --> 00:21:34,000
out there to do it so i think that

533
00:21:36,390 --> 00:21:34,960
five or 10 years from now they're going

534
00:21:37,750 --> 00:21:36,400
to look back and go how did we ever

535
00:21:39,750 --> 00:21:37,760
build a vehicle that could do all these

536
00:21:41,510 --> 00:21:39,760
things this was a pretty bold and

537
00:21:43,990 --> 00:21:41,520
audacious thing to put together back in

538
00:21:45,350 --> 00:21:44,000
the 1970s and i just don't know that we

539
00:21:46,710 --> 00:21:45,360
have that audacity now to build

540
00:21:48,870 --> 00:21:46,720
something nearly as ambitious as the

541
00:21:50,549 --> 00:21:48,880
shuttle is

542
00:21:52,230 --> 00:21:50,559
well if you could keep the mic for a

543
00:21:54,549 --> 00:21:52,240
moment what do you expect it will be

544
00:21:56,870 --> 00:21:54,559
like for you to be part of discovery's

545
00:21:58,470 --> 00:21:56,880
historic return to earth tomorrow and to

546
00:22:03,510 --> 00:21:58,480
be walking away for the ship from the

547
00:22:07,029 --> 00:22:05,350
to be honest like like our commander

548
00:22:08,710 --> 00:22:07,039
said i've been more focused on just

549
00:22:10,789 --> 00:22:08,720
getting through the mission here

550
00:22:12,710 --> 00:22:10,799
and making sure that we have a safe and

551
00:22:15,350 --> 00:22:12,720
effective return from orbit back to

552
00:22:17,190 --> 00:22:15,360
earth to cap off a successful mission

553
00:22:18,549 --> 00:22:17,200
i'll probably give more thought once

554
00:22:20,549 --> 00:22:18,559
we're done when we will stop on the

555
00:22:22,630 --> 00:22:20,559
runway about

556
00:22:24,470 --> 00:22:22,640
the legacy discovery and the legacy of

557
00:22:25,750 --> 00:22:24,480
this particular mission but i just don't

558
00:22:27,669 --> 00:22:25,760
have a whole lot of deep thoughts about

559
00:22:29,669 --> 00:22:27,679
it right now

560
00:22:31,909 --> 00:22:29,679
dr barry you were so eloquent a few days

561
00:22:34,070 --> 00:22:31,919
ago describing all the historic voyages

562
00:22:36,149 --> 00:22:34,080
of the ship's name discovery

563
00:22:38,470 --> 00:22:36,159
um put that in perspective for me again

564
00:22:40,470 --> 00:22:38,480
if you will how will space shuttle

565
00:22:46,070 --> 00:22:40,480
discovery stack up against all the other

566
00:22:49,590 --> 00:22:47,830
well that's a great question

567
00:22:51,830 --> 00:22:49,600
there have been ships named discovery

568
00:22:54,149 --> 00:22:51,840
for over four centuries and they've been

569
00:22:57,110 --> 00:22:54,159
captained by great people like henry

570
00:22:59,110 --> 00:22:57,120
hudson and matthew i'm sorry john clerk

571
00:23:00,870 --> 00:22:59,120
who was on captain cook's second voyage

572
00:23:03,190 --> 00:23:00,880
robert falcon scott had a discovery

573
00:23:04,710 --> 00:23:03,200
going to the antarctic and i think

574
00:23:05,990 --> 00:23:04,720
everybody knows that our shuttle fleet

575
00:23:08,310 --> 00:23:06,000
was named after great ships of

576
00:23:10,230 --> 00:23:08,320
exploration we wanted to carry on that

577
00:23:12,070 --> 00:23:10,240
heritage the legacy of that name and i

578
00:23:15,029 --> 00:23:12,080
think this discovery has done that with

579
00:23:16,870 --> 00:23:15,039
flying colors and she retires with all

580
00:23:19,270 --> 00:23:16,880
of the honors and dignity do any of

581
00:23:21,750 --> 00:23:19,280
those ships that made great discoveries

582
00:23:23,029 --> 00:23:21,760
so i think we salute discovery in that

583
00:23:25,510 --> 00:23:23,039
in that way

584
00:23:27,750 --> 00:23:25,520
with all the accolades that she deserves

585
00:23:29,350 --> 00:23:27,760
but it also lays out a challenge

586
00:23:31,029 --> 00:23:29,360
what will be the next ship name

587
00:23:32,710 --> 00:23:31,039
discovery the next ship to bear this

588
00:23:35,350 --> 00:23:32,720
name hopefully will go further than this

589
00:23:37,590 --> 00:23:35,360
one and make every bit as much of a

590
00:23:39,430 --> 00:23:37,600
contribution to history into discovery

591
00:23:41,830 --> 00:23:39,440
as this ship

592
00:23:43,269 --> 00:23:41,840
thank you for anyone on board discovery

593
00:23:44,710 --> 00:23:43,279
is promised to the smithsonian

594
00:23:46,310 --> 00:23:44,720
institution

595
00:23:48,870 --> 00:23:46,320
but the decision on where the other

596
00:23:50,630 --> 00:23:48,880
shuttles go will be coming up next month

597
00:23:51,750 --> 00:23:50,640
do any of you wish you were doing the

598
00:24:02,710 --> 00:23:51,760
picking and do you have any

599
00:24:06,230 --> 00:24:04,630
i'm really thankful personally that i'm

600
00:24:09,510 --> 00:24:06,240
not doing the picking because there are

601
00:24:11,269 --> 00:24:09,520
so many good choices across the country

602
00:24:12,630 --> 00:24:11,279
so i don't really want any part and i'm

603
00:24:14,390 --> 00:24:12,640
not going to make a recommendation the

604
00:24:15,430 --> 00:24:14,400
only the only thing i would say about

605
00:24:17,909 --> 00:24:15,440
that is

606
00:24:20,870 --> 00:24:17,919
i hope that discovery is displayed in

607
00:24:23,909 --> 00:24:20,880
such a way that the the entire public

608
00:24:24,549 --> 00:24:23,919
can see discovery as we see her and as

609
00:24:37,430 --> 00:24:24,559
the

610
00:24:39,750 --> 00:24:37,440
what was it like to live and work on a

611
00:24:42,950 --> 00:24:39,760
space shuttle with six or seven people

612
00:24:45,430 --> 00:24:42,960
uh in in in what's a fairly small space

613
00:24:48,149 --> 00:24:45,440
and uh how we operated all the things we

614
00:24:49,830 --> 00:24:48,159
did with it so what i hope is that

615
00:24:51,909 --> 00:24:49,840
wherever it's displayed it's displayed

616
00:24:53,269 --> 00:24:51,919
in such a way that the public can see

617
00:24:55,990 --> 00:24:53,279
the shuttle through

618
00:24:57,990 --> 00:24:56,000
the the various lenses of all of the

619
00:24:59,510 --> 00:24:58,000
thousands of people across the country

620
00:25:01,430 --> 00:24:59,520
that worked on the space shuttle program

621
00:25:03,669 --> 00:25:01,440
and get a true picture of what it was

622
00:25:06,230 --> 00:25:03,679
like to work on this vehicle to operate

623
00:25:08,070 --> 00:25:06,240
this vehicle from the ground and to

624
00:25:10,870 --> 00:25:08,080
operate this vehicle from the from the

625
00:25:14,470 --> 00:25:10,880
cockpit as we have

626
00:25:16,630 --> 00:25:14,480
well i wish all of you godspeed and

627
00:25:23,029 --> 00:25:16,640
godspeed to space shuttle discovery as

628
00:25:23,039 --> 00:25:26,549
thank you very much

629
00:25:31,190 --> 00:25:28,870
discovery this is houston acr that

630
00:25:33,430 --> 00:25:31,200
concludes the event thank you

631
00:25:35,669 --> 00:25:33,440
thank you abc news cbs news and the

632
00:25:37,669 --> 00:25:35,679
associated press discovery we are now