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thank you for joining us here at launch

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pad 39a at nasa's kennedy space center

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for this media question and answer

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session with the four astronauts of

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space shuttle atlantis's scs-135 mission

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to the international space station and

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as you may know and judging by the

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turnout this morning you do know this

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this will be the final flight for the

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space shuttle program the scs-135 crew

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is here for training related to the

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terminal countdown demonstration test or

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tcdt i'm not going to turn this over to

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the commander for the sts-135 mission

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chris ferguson and then we'll open it up

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to questions commander

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thanks alan well uh good morning again

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everyone um yeah we've been together it

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seems like long enough uh i'm beginning

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to see a lot of familiar faces out there

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thanks for coming out and greeting the

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crew for what as allard said is the

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final final opportunity to do this at

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least in front of a space shuttle

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and i couldn't think of a of a better

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backdrop

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you know it's an incredible vehicle it's

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beautiful for those of you who have ever

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had the opportunity to just stand

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underneath it and look up you know i've

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always said that the magic of the space

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shuttle is just its magnitude it's a

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it's an immense vehicle and it's it's

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gorgeous and you know fortunately we're

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all going to get together and watch it

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launch one more time

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we'll just pass the microphone down for

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quick introductions and then we'll open

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up the open up the field for questions

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to my right is the pilot doug hurley

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marine corps colonel a graduate of

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tulane university this will be doug's

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second space

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flight morning everybody thanks for

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coming

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we just always enjoy getting down to

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kennedy space center seeing the hardware

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and we're really looking forward to

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tomorrow to simulate the countdown

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to my right is mission specialist one

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sandy magnus she's a phd she's our load

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master on the flight and she's flown on

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sts-112

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and then had a nice four and a half

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month expedition to the space station

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good morning everybody welcome to

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florida hopefully we'll have some lovely

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weather today a little bit better than

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yesterday you guys really

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we're troopers out there in the weeds

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with the mosquitoes and everything today

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we have a breeze it's really nice

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i'd like to introduce to my right

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mission specialist two rex walheim

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retired air force colonel graduated

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university of california berkeley and

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he's our eva specialist on the flight

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and assistant loadmaster so he and i are

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going to be busy in the mplm during the

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home mission

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thanks sandy it is a pleasure to be here

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and especially uh right in front of the

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space shuttle just gives you goosebumps

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thinking that we're gonna get to ride

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that in about two weeks and

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since nobody ever notices fergie chris

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ferguson is our commander from drexel

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university a veteran of two space

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flights uh 126 and 115 is that correct

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and he kept he keeps us all in line so

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that's his job so

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well again thank you everyone i think we

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have a few questions at least i hope we

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do and uh we can get started

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um hi marcia done associated press for

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you commander

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you will go down history will remember

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you as the commander of the last shuttle

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flight and i i know you're busy but when

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you pause to reflect on that personally

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can you talk about that a little bit

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uh well sure marcia and uh you know what

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i've said all along is that we've got

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we've got a complex mission we've had a

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very short training flow about nine

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months uh and four people

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the number of tasks aboard the shuttle

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haven't changed just because there's

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four people so i think what i'm driving

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at is we've been enormously busy and and

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although we've tried to pause and and

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think of good ways to reflect and

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remember those moments uh i don't think

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that the full magnitude of the moment

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will really hit us until the wheels have

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stopped on the runway

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i'm not sure words will really be able

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to capture for for the crew and for the

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entire shuttle workforce

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you know just how much the shuttle

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program has meant to us for the last 30

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years we're certainly going to try to

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capture that

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and along the course over the course of

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the mission we'll also try to

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appropriately

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recognize those folks who have

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who have really turned to us there's a

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at least a couple generations of careers

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potentially in the space shuttle it's a

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long list of people to remember and i'm

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sure a lot of people will be watching

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and uh like i said in our introductory

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remarks when we showed up at the slf a

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couple days ago you know we we all want

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to be able to to

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remember this and we want to be able to

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pass to our children our children's

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children that we were fortunate enough

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to be a part of the space shuttle so um

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you know i i don't consider it

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a a personal thing with regard to the

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crew i consider us all in one family and

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being able to go through this together

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and like i said been able to savor the

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moment just one more time

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hi irene klotz with reuters i was just

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curious for anybody who wants to answer

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how your uh emergency egress training is

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different with no one seated on the mid

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i guess i'll answer that since that's my

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job to jump down from the top deck to

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the lower deck to take care of stuff if

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we have an emergency situation we had to

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bail out so uh it's really uh the the

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steps are pretty similar i just uh we

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have a few things we've taken into

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consideration if we needed to to blow

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the hatch on the outside i would go

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downstairs and before i did that sandy

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would pop a circuit breaker so that the

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uh the audio would go downstairs so i

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could hear it normally when i unplug

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from my seat upstairs i would put my

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visor down and go on on internal oxygen

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and then climb down there but this case

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i need to be able to hear and stuff so

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that's going to be a little different so

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i'll keep keep off oxygen and then

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before i vent the hatch i'll make sure

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everybody's on visors and o2 and

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we would vent the hatch and if we had to

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to parachute out we could all cycle down

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through there so we can do it just have

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little things a little bit out of order

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but we've managed to come up with a

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sequence that works pretty well for us

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thanks

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uh bill harwood cbs news i guess a

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question for the commander um when you

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look back on everything from the

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columbia accident commission to this day

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and the decisions that got made that

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that are making this the final flight of

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the shuttle

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what are the top two or three things do

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you think or what led to this day that

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made the government decide that they

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didn't want to fly this vehicle any

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longer and needed to do something else

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what got you to this point i mean i know

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you could talk all day but

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generally uh your thoughts about that

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thanks yeah that that's that's a real

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good question i have to go back about

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eight years because you know the crew

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office had a uh i mean we had a say

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obviously it was our friends that were

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lost aboard colombia so it was kind of

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an emotional time for everybody as we

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decided well you know what do we think

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about the space shuttle what does it

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mean to us so far how how much further

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should we go with it i mean we knew that

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you know it's it's safety record i don't

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think was what anyone had necessarily

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hoped for uh back when we advertised

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that the space shuttle would fly 40 or

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50 times uh per year and i think we

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settled on uh

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the right answer you know the right

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answer was hey perhaps we need something

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that has an order of magnitude more

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more survivability for the for the crew

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on board and perhaps the only way to do

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that is to go with an escape system

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which is the way we ultimately

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gravitated towards of course

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constellation orion before it was

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cancelled had a world-class escape

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system that would perhaps increase the

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the survivability of the crew up to one

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in a thousand

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so

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you know we we'd love to fly the shuttle

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ten more years i don't think there's

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anybody here at ksc jsc or within the

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nasa or perhaps even in the country who

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wouldn't like to see the shuttle

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continue a little bit

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but

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and i'm going to quote

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bob cabana a little bit yesterday he was

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talking to the managers that

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is the combination of what we

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experienced with columbia perhaps the

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the safety record that is not as great

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as we would like it to be in the in the

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space shuttle and uh the fact that we're

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going to have to stand down for a little

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while in order to put forth

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the limited budget that we have to

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invest in in the next generation of

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space vehicle

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so uh you know this is

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it's something i think that's its time

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has come i hate to see the space shuttle

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go away i really do but i think that

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there are some events historically that

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have led to this and it's it's probably

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appropriate and it's not a surprise and

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i've advertised that all along although

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we're a little disappointed we don't

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have something to fall right on the tail

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of the space shuttle uh we've we've

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known that the last flight is going to

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fall in the vicinity of 2010 2011 back

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when the when president then president

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bush made his announcement that he had a

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you know new vision for space

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exploration so this has been part of the

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plan all along

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sure bill thank you

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hi robert perlman with collectspace.com

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uh for anyone who wants to answer uh

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you're all veteran astronauts you've all

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been inside the space shuttle before and

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you've trained recently in vertical

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simulators at johnson space center so

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what exactly does

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this tcdt experience give you and

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in terms of preparing for this last

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launch uh i i think the biggest thing is

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you're you're working with the whole

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team down here and and actually going

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through a launch count right up until

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t-0 uh you know you're working you've

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got your suits you've got your suit

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techs you're you're doing

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all the motions that you'd go through on

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launch day all the way out to the pad

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and uh and that's obviously for tomorrow

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and then all the other things we do we

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we reviewed the obviously the m113

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driving yesterday we did some bunker

276
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training today some

277
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fire training up on the pad so it's just

278
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a very comprehensive uh hands-on at the

279
00:09:00,630 --> 00:08:58,720
place you're gonna do it kind of

280
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training and it's invaluable i mean you

281
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can do all the simulators in the world

282
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but to until you get in that real

283
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vehicle

284
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see what you can reach see the different

285
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switches you know everything's just a

286
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little bit different when you're in the

287
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real vehicle so it's it's a great way to

288
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get you ready for the launch day when it

289
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hi kent kramer from space flight

290
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magazine and the written house

291
00:09:26,630 --> 00:09:24,560
astronomical society your hometown

292
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commander ferguson i wonder if you have

293
00:09:30,389 --> 00:09:28,880
some words for your folks in your

294
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hometown and for the children of

295
00:09:34,389 --> 00:09:32,800
philadelphia pennsylvania uh well ken we

296
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were talking yesterday about the

297
00:09:38,070 --> 00:09:35,920
experiences i had there at the franklin

298
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institute in philadelphia as a as a

299
00:09:42,630 --> 00:09:40,160
grade schooler and a high schooler and

300
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how i developed and cultivated a love of

301
00:09:47,910 --> 00:09:46,080
science interest uh space engineering uh

302
00:09:49,590 --> 00:09:47,920
in in many trips to the franklin

303
00:09:51,430 --> 00:09:49,600
institute

304
00:09:53,030 --> 00:09:51,440
of course i miss my hometown i have a

305
00:09:53,910 --> 00:09:53,040
lot of family and relatives there who i

306
00:09:56,070 --> 00:09:53,920
think are

307
00:09:58,230 --> 00:09:56,080
cheering the whole crew on

308
00:09:59,990 --> 00:09:58,240
and of course my hometown phillies love

309
00:10:01,269 --> 00:10:00,000
them too so

310
00:10:03,990 --> 00:10:01,279
it's big shout out to the friends in

311
00:10:06,389 --> 00:10:04,000
philadelphia thanks ken

312
00:10:08,470 --> 00:10:06,399
hello gosh bbc news chris how do you

313
00:10:13,190 --> 00:10:08,480
actually feel about being on the last

314
00:10:14,949 --> 00:10:13,200
ever launch happy sad a bit of both

315
00:10:16,949 --> 00:10:14,959
happy sad a bit of both what would you

316
00:10:18,470 --> 00:10:16,959
say i think that's a real good answer

317
00:10:20,230 --> 00:10:18,480
that's a very good answer

318
00:10:21,430 --> 00:10:20,240
uh you know i think i think i speak for

319
00:10:22,630 --> 00:10:21,440
the whole crew you know we're very

320
00:10:24,069 --> 00:10:22,640
honored to be in this position there's

321
00:10:25,350 --> 00:10:24,079
many people who could be here we just

322
00:10:27,190 --> 00:10:25,360
happened to

323
00:10:28,870 --> 00:10:27,200
uh when the dice fell we were you know

324
00:10:31,190 --> 00:10:28,880
our names were facing up so we consider

325
00:10:33,509 --> 00:10:31,200
ourselves fortunate lucky um

326
00:10:34,870 --> 00:10:33,519
you know we i think and we haven't

327
00:10:37,269 --> 00:10:34,880
talked about this i think each of us

328
00:10:38,630 --> 00:10:37,279
feels a little perhaps extra burden to

329
00:10:40,550 --> 00:10:38,640
make sure that we put on the best

330
00:10:42,870 --> 00:10:40,560
possible face forward for the last uh

331
00:10:44,230 --> 00:10:42,880
for the last go-around of this and the

332
00:10:46,790 --> 00:10:44,240
crew's very prepared we're going to go

333
00:10:48,470 --> 00:10:46,800
out and do a fantastic job and like i

334
00:10:49,670 --> 00:10:48,480
said when it's all over at the very end

335
00:10:51,829 --> 00:10:49,680
i think that's when it's good the

336
00:10:53,910 --> 00:10:51,839
enormity of it is is going to hit us

337
00:10:56,150 --> 00:10:53,920
you know that last wheel stop is

338
00:10:57,430 --> 00:10:56,160
call is going to be a little tough and

339
00:10:58,710 --> 00:10:57,440
and i'm sure

340
00:11:01,030 --> 00:10:58,720
you know you want to appreciate the

341
00:11:03,110 --> 00:11:01,040
moment you you want to capture it for as

342
00:11:05,350 --> 00:11:03,120
many folks who are listening as

343
00:11:07,350 --> 00:11:05,360
as there will be i'm sure

344
00:11:09,269 --> 00:11:07,360
and uh you know you want to enjoy it

345
00:11:10,630 --> 00:11:09,279
with them and and like i said a couple

346
00:11:12,389 --> 00:11:10,640
days ago you want to savor the moment

347
00:11:14,710 --> 00:11:12,399
with them thank you and good luck to you

348
00:11:16,389 --> 00:11:14,720
all thank you

349
00:11:18,389 --> 00:11:16,399
jackie goddard for the times of london

350
00:11:19,910 --> 00:11:18,399
we're standing in a spot where history's

351
00:11:21,829 --> 00:11:19,920
been made for 50 years and i just

352
00:11:24,069 --> 00:11:21,839
wondered um rex whether you could kind

353
00:11:26,550 --> 00:11:24,079
of encapsulate some of the excitement of

354
00:11:28,870 --> 00:11:26,560
of being at such a historic spot and

355
00:11:30,389 --> 00:11:28,880
really what the children of today should

356
00:11:31,829 --> 00:11:30,399
take away from the space program now

357
00:11:34,550 --> 00:11:31,839
that maybe you took away as a kid from

358
00:11:36,550 --> 00:11:34,560
witnessing what went before yeah and a

359
00:11:37,990 --> 00:11:36,560
lot of the history of this pad did start

360
00:11:40,150 --> 00:11:38,000
out when i was a kid i mean i was a kid

361
00:11:42,550 --> 00:11:40,160
in michigan uh when apollo 11 went to

362
00:11:44,310 --> 00:11:42,560
the moon and i remember my parents

363
00:11:45,590 --> 00:11:44,320
waking me up that night and bringing us

364
00:11:47,030 --> 00:11:45,600
down even though we were sleepy and

365
00:11:49,509 --> 00:11:47,040
watching hey look somebody's sitting on

366
00:11:50,870 --> 00:11:49,519
the moon for the very first time and to

367
00:11:52,629 --> 00:11:50,880
look up the moon and just think how

368
00:11:54,069 --> 00:11:52,639
incredible that was and that kind of

369
00:11:55,670 --> 00:11:54,079
follows you when you when you become an

370
00:11:56,949 --> 00:11:55,680
astronaut you realize that the people

371
00:11:59,030 --> 00:11:56,959
that went before you and and how

372
00:12:00,470 --> 00:11:59,040
inspiring that is everything from the

373
00:12:01,990 --> 00:12:00,480
suit up room we stood up in the same

374
00:12:03,990 --> 00:12:02,000
room that the apollo 11 astronauts

375
00:12:05,269 --> 00:12:04,000
suited up for they went to the moon in

376
00:12:07,670 --> 00:12:05,279
the same room that our friends have that

377
00:12:09,430 --> 00:12:07,680
have gone before us and i i often do

378
00:12:11,990 --> 00:12:09,440
think that uh that we're launched from

379
00:12:13,509 --> 00:12:12,000
the exact same launch pad that uh apollo

380
00:12:15,829 --> 00:12:13,519
11 launched at to go from the moon it's

381
00:12:17,430 --> 00:12:15,839
just uh it gives you goosebumps uh it

382
00:12:18,710 --> 00:12:17,440
doesn't get old it's amazing the history

383
00:12:20,389 --> 00:12:18,720
that's here at the kennedy space center

384
00:12:22,069 --> 00:12:20,399
so we're proud to be part of the shuttle

385
00:12:23,430 --> 00:12:22,079
history and we're really looking forward

386
00:12:24,949 --> 00:12:23,440
to seeing what comes next because the

387
00:12:26,310 --> 00:12:24,959
kennedy space center is the premier

388
00:12:30,150 --> 00:12:26,320
spaceport and this is where history is

389
00:12:36,310 --> 00:12:33,190
hello this is naomi with nhk shb the

390
00:12:38,790 --> 00:12:36,320
last space shuttle project um i think

391
00:12:40,310 --> 00:12:38,800
some of them have already kind of asked

392
00:12:42,389 --> 00:12:40,320
similar questions but i'd like to have a

393
00:12:45,590 --> 00:12:42,399
comment from each one of you

394
00:12:47,990 --> 00:12:45,600
personally how do you feel about flying

395
00:12:51,269 --> 00:12:48,000
the last very last space shuttle to the

396
00:12:54,790 --> 00:12:51,279
iss and how do you feel about all the

397
00:12:57,670 --> 00:12:54,800
other long list of crews supporting this

398
00:12:58,949 --> 00:12:57,680
30 years of space shuttle program

399
00:13:00,310 --> 00:12:58,959
well i think

400
00:13:02,550 --> 00:13:00,320
we've mentioned before we feel very

401
00:13:04,790 --> 00:13:02,560
honored to be on this flight and we've

402
00:13:07,269 --> 00:13:04,800
been very focused to make sure that

403
00:13:09,269 --> 00:13:07,279
we perform it well in honor of all of

404
00:13:11,110 --> 00:13:09,279
the people who have been involved in not

405
00:13:12,310 --> 00:13:11,120
just this mission but all the missions

406
00:13:14,310 --> 00:13:12,320
you know we're just the tip of the

407
00:13:15,430 --> 00:13:14,320
iceberg of a huge group of people who

408
00:13:17,829 --> 00:13:15,440
plan

409
00:13:20,230 --> 00:13:17,839
and get the hardware ready and prepare

410
00:13:22,069 --> 00:13:20,240
our procedures and then watch over the

411
00:13:22,870 --> 00:13:22,079
vehicle while we're on board

412
00:13:25,030 --> 00:13:22,880
and

413
00:13:26,949 --> 00:13:25,040
we feel very very strongly that we have

414
00:13:28,230 --> 00:13:26,959
to be prepared as possible to perform

415
00:13:30,389 --> 00:13:28,240
the mission to the

416
00:13:31,910 --> 00:13:30,399
extent that they're expecting of us and

417
00:13:33,590 --> 00:13:31,920
i think when it's all done we can all

418
00:13:37,750 --> 00:13:33,600
celebrate together not only just the

419
00:13:43,509 --> 00:13:39,670
no actually we don't have time randy

420
00:13:44,710 --> 00:13:43,519
siegel wstu radio sandy for you it's a

421
00:13:46,949 --> 00:13:44,720
homecoming

422
00:13:48,790 --> 00:13:46,959
you're going back home to the iss you

423
00:13:50,150 --> 00:13:48,800
know how crowded it is you're the load

424
00:13:52,150 --> 00:13:50,160
master

425
00:13:55,509 --> 00:13:52,160
um are you bringing anything special

426
00:13:56,949 --> 00:13:55,519
with you back to this station and uh

427
00:13:58,790 --> 00:13:56,959
are you gonna be able to savor any

428
00:14:00,870 --> 00:13:58,800
moments while you're up there well

429
00:14:01,910 --> 00:14:00,880
certainly we have a challenging timeline

430
00:14:03,430 --> 00:14:01,920
and

431
00:14:04,870 --> 00:14:03,440
i think we'll still find some time to

432
00:14:06,389 --> 00:14:04,880
savor the moments and i do feel a little

433
00:14:07,990 --> 00:14:06,399
bit like it's a homecoming but you know

434
00:14:09,590 --> 00:14:08,000
the home has grown

435
00:14:11,110 --> 00:14:09,600
in the last two years since i've been

436
00:14:13,030 --> 00:14:11,120
there and we're all looking forward to

437
00:14:13,910 --> 00:14:13,040
seeing the cupola we've heard some

438
00:14:15,350 --> 00:14:13,920
great

439
00:14:16,790 --> 00:14:15,360
comments from our colleagues about how

440
00:14:18,790 --> 00:14:16,800
beautiful that view is because you get

441
00:14:21,110 --> 00:14:18,800
the panoramic of the earth and i think

442
00:14:22,710 --> 00:14:21,120
we'll be spending some time in there and

443
00:14:24,870 --> 00:14:22,720
we're hoping to leave the station as

444
00:14:26,470 --> 00:14:24,880
nice as we

445
00:14:28,470 --> 00:14:26,480
arrived with it we'll leave it hopefully

446
00:14:29,990 --> 00:14:28,480
as clean as we arrived with it even

447
00:14:31,189 --> 00:14:30,000
though we are dumping lots of stuff on

448
00:14:32,710 --> 00:14:31,199
there hopefully we'll be able to do it

449
00:14:34,550 --> 00:14:32,720
in a nice and tidy way so we won't mess

450
00:14:36,870 --> 00:14:34,560
up their home it'll be really neat to

451
00:14:38,870 --> 00:14:36,880
see it again

452
00:14:40,629 --> 00:14:38,880
mark ratterman from talking space a

453
00:14:41,750 --> 00:14:40,639
question for whoever can see into the

454
00:14:44,710 --> 00:14:41,760
future

455
00:14:46,790 --> 00:14:44,720
uh do you do you foresee uh someday when

456
00:14:49,030 --> 00:14:46,800
we'll have ticker tape parades for

457
00:14:50,790 --> 00:14:49,040
astronauts that uh that fly and come

458
00:14:52,550 --> 00:14:50,800
home and and celebrate some

459
00:14:55,350 --> 00:14:52,560
extraordinary mission

460
00:14:56,949 --> 00:14:55,360
you know honestly it's not about us it's

461
00:14:58,389 --> 00:14:56,959
about the folks that get these vehicles

462
00:15:00,870 --> 00:14:58,399
into orbit and

463
00:15:03,430 --> 00:15:00,880
support the vehicle you know

464
00:15:05,189 --> 00:15:03,440
it's really enough for us just to get

465
00:15:07,189 --> 00:15:05,199
that look outside the window once it's

466
00:15:09,030 --> 00:15:07,199
all worth it but you know we ought to be

467
00:15:10,870 --> 00:15:09,040
celebrating the folks that that have

468
00:15:12,710 --> 00:15:10,880
worked an entire career to make these

469
00:15:15,430 --> 00:15:12,720
vehicles go into space safely and bring

470
00:15:17,350 --> 00:15:15,440
us home safely so i don't know you know

471
00:15:19,350 --> 00:15:17,360
there there probably will be ticker tape

472
00:15:21,509 --> 00:15:19,360
parade someday you know for some folks

473
00:15:23,189 --> 00:15:21,519
that you know go beyond low earth orbit

474
00:15:25,110 --> 00:15:23,199
to an asteroid or to mars or wherever we

475
00:15:26,550 --> 00:15:25,120
decide the destination is but

476
00:15:30,150 --> 00:15:26,560
you know i think it should be for all

477
00:15:33,829 --> 00:15:31,670
all right a great customer from japan's

478
00:15:37,350 --> 00:15:33,839
nippon television he's a question for

479
00:15:40,150 --> 00:15:37,360
commander um when you arrive at iss this

480
00:15:42,629 --> 00:15:40,160
time the robonaut 2 we have been working

481
00:15:43,829 --> 00:15:42,639
as your crew member already

482
00:15:46,629 --> 00:15:43,839
can you talk a little bit about the

483
00:15:50,230 --> 00:15:46,639
difference between what robots should

484
00:15:52,230 --> 00:15:50,240
and can do and what human

485
00:15:54,230 --> 00:15:52,240
only human can do and also the

486
00:15:55,269 --> 00:15:54,240
significance of having robots in the

487
00:15:56,949 --> 00:15:55,279
future

488
00:15:59,269 --> 00:15:56,959
space exploration

489
00:16:01,350 --> 00:15:59,279
absolutely i i would never claim to be a

490
00:16:02,470 --> 00:16:01,360
an expert on robonaut but i will tell

491
00:16:04,150 --> 00:16:02,480
you

492
00:16:06,790 --> 00:16:04,160
that we are taking up a payload it's

493
00:16:07,670 --> 00:16:06,800
called the robotics refueling module

494
00:16:10,310 --> 00:16:07,680
and

495
00:16:12,629 --> 00:16:10,320
this is to to demonstrate a capability

496
00:16:14,310 --> 00:16:12,639
uh for the special purpose dexterous

497
00:16:15,749 --> 00:16:14,320
manipulator which hasn't seen a whole

498
00:16:17,910 --> 00:16:15,759
lot of use on the international space

499
00:16:20,629 --> 00:16:17,920
station to date but we hope to turn that

500
00:16:22,150 --> 00:16:20,639
all around uh with this payload

501
00:16:24,870 --> 00:16:22,160
i've kind of likened it to to a

502
00:16:26,870 --> 00:16:24,880
fisher-price play toy for uh for a robot

503
00:16:28,790 --> 00:16:26,880
and and i don't mean that in a negative

504
00:16:30,230 --> 00:16:28,800
sense uh it is really it's an

505
00:16:33,189 --> 00:16:30,240
opportunity for the special purpose

506
00:16:34,790 --> 00:16:33,199
dexter's manipulator the spdm to get in

507
00:16:36,710 --> 00:16:34,800
there and use several different tools

508
00:16:38,710 --> 00:16:36,720
and prove the capability

509
00:16:40,949 --> 00:16:38,720
to do something extremely novel and that

510
00:16:43,670 --> 00:16:40,959
is to refuel satellites on orbit that

511
00:16:45,509 --> 00:16:43,680
were never designed to be refueled

512
00:16:47,749 --> 00:16:45,519
so the manipulator will actually go in

513
00:16:50,150 --> 00:16:47,759
and pick up special cutter tools and to

514
00:16:52,150 --> 00:16:50,160
cut safety wire it has a drill that can

515
00:16:54,389 --> 00:16:52,160
actually drill into a fuel tank

516
00:16:56,150 --> 00:16:54,399
so there's some very unique capabilities

517
00:16:58,629 --> 00:16:56,160
that that will be demonstrated using

518
00:17:00,389 --> 00:16:58,639
this and and i think just to to tag on

519
00:17:03,670 --> 00:17:00,399
to what i think your point was well what

520
00:17:05,189 --> 00:17:03,680
capability will robots provide to us in

521
00:17:06,710 --> 00:17:05,199
the future

522
00:17:08,390 --> 00:17:06,720
you know to think about going out there

523
00:17:10,309 --> 00:17:08,400
and perhaps grappling a satellite that

524
00:17:11,829 --> 00:17:10,319
was never designed to be refueled

525
00:17:14,390 --> 00:17:11,839
because the capability to refuel it

526
00:17:16,470 --> 00:17:14,400
didn't exist before it launched and

527
00:17:18,390 --> 00:17:16,480
refill it and use it for five an

528
00:17:20,949 --> 00:17:18,400
additional five or ten years i think is

529
00:17:23,270 --> 00:17:20,959
just a dramatic example of uh just how

530
00:17:24,949 --> 00:17:23,280
robotics can modify at least uh what

531
00:17:26,870 --> 00:17:24,959
we're doing in space and not the least

532
00:17:28,789 --> 00:17:26,880
of which of course that's the only one

533
00:17:30,630 --> 00:17:28,799
of several robotic arms i believe the

534
00:17:32,470 --> 00:17:30,640
tally is up to something like four uh

535
00:17:33,669 --> 00:17:32,480
that we have on the external

536
00:17:35,510 --> 00:17:33,679
the external side of the international

537
00:17:37,510 --> 00:17:35,520
space station right now that do any one

538
00:17:39,190 --> 00:17:37,520
of a number of things it'll actually

539
00:17:42,150 --> 00:17:39,200
load and unload the mplm from the back

540
00:17:44,710 --> 00:17:42,160
of the payload bay so robotics

541
00:17:48,789 --> 00:17:44,720
very clean and clear future in in space

542
00:17:52,710 --> 00:17:51,590
hi clara moskowitz with space.com and a

543
00:17:54,150 --> 00:17:52,720
question for any one of you who would

544
00:17:56,150 --> 00:17:54,160
like to answer

545
00:17:58,310 --> 00:17:56,160
with the shuttle retiring what would you

546
00:18:00,150 --> 00:17:58,320
tell children who dream of becoming an

547
00:18:01,270 --> 00:18:00,160
astronaut or who've dreamed of flying on

548
00:18:02,870 --> 00:18:01,280
the space shuttle about the

549
00:18:04,630 --> 00:18:02,880
opportunities that they still have to go

550
00:18:05,750 --> 00:18:04,640
to space well i think the opportunities

551
00:18:07,270 --> 00:18:05,760
are still there as you know we're

552
00:18:08,310 --> 00:18:07,280
entering what we call the gap period

553
00:18:09,830 --> 00:18:08,320
where there's

554
00:18:11,750 --> 00:18:09,840
may not be

555
00:18:13,669 --> 00:18:11,760
united states access to low earth orbit

556
00:18:14,710 --> 00:18:13,679
on our own capability but we'll get back

557
00:18:18,230 --> 00:18:14,720
there

558
00:18:19,590 --> 00:18:18,240
take a few years but the young kids

559
00:18:21,029 --> 00:18:19,600
today it should be kind of a blink of

560
00:18:22,710 --> 00:18:21,039
their eye you know four or five years or

561
00:18:24,390 --> 00:18:22,720
however long it takes is going to go by

562
00:18:26,070 --> 00:18:24,400
very quickly so if kids are in school

563
00:18:27,110 --> 00:18:26,080
right now want to be astronauts there's

564
00:18:28,470 --> 00:18:27,120
going to be possibly even more

565
00:18:30,470 --> 00:18:28,480
opportunities with the commercialization

566
00:18:32,549 --> 00:18:30,480
of access to low earth orbit and then

567
00:18:33,270 --> 00:18:32,559
that will uh have a chance to go give

568
00:18:34,549 --> 00:18:33,280
people a chance to go to the

569
00:18:36,150 --> 00:18:34,559
international space station but then

570
00:18:38,470 --> 00:18:36,160
beyond low earth orbit the more the

571
00:18:40,870 --> 00:18:38,480
exploration nasa will be full and

572
00:18:42,470 --> 00:18:40,880
right in the front of that and

573
00:18:44,230 --> 00:18:42,480
the kids of today will have a chance to

574
00:18:45,590 --> 00:18:44,240
uh train to be astronauts to go to

575
00:18:47,350 --> 00:18:45,600
places like maybe the moon or an

576
00:18:49,669 --> 00:18:47,360
asteroid or to mars so there's

577
00:18:50,630 --> 00:18:49,679
incredible opportunities so they the

578
00:18:52,710 --> 00:18:50,640
only thing i can say to the kids is

579
00:18:54,710 --> 00:18:52,720
don't take a short side time frame look

580
00:18:56,950 --> 00:18:54,720
at the long-term time frame and the the

581
00:18:59,750 --> 00:18:56,960
uh the the future of the american space

582
00:19:01,510 --> 00:18:59,760
is is pretty bright

583
00:19:03,029 --> 00:19:01,520
kevin oliver with wftv i was just

584
00:19:04,870 --> 00:19:03,039
curious we haven't seen a crew this

585
00:19:06,310 --> 00:19:04,880
small in years and with the crew this

586
00:19:08,470 --> 00:19:06,320
small the amount of work that you have

587
00:19:10,950 --> 00:19:08,480
has there ever been any concern about

588
00:19:13,510 --> 00:19:10,960
too much work too too little crew and

589
00:19:15,669 --> 00:19:13,520
whether that would affect uh

590
00:19:17,750 --> 00:19:15,679
finishing all your objectives and your

591
00:19:19,669 --> 00:19:17,760
safety

592
00:19:22,470 --> 00:19:19,679
we've had a chance through training to

593
00:19:25,029 --> 00:19:22,480
go through all of the various scenarios

594
00:19:26,710 --> 00:19:25,039
you know contingency deorbits um

595
00:19:28,470 --> 00:19:26,720
different kinds of contingency undocking

596
00:19:30,950 --> 00:19:28,480
scenarios and we have actually found

597
00:19:33,029 --> 00:19:30,960
procedures that assume you have five or

598
00:19:34,630 --> 00:19:33,039
six or seven crew members and so these

599
00:19:36,150 --> 00:19:34,640
have been very good exercises for us to

600
00:19:37,510 --> 00:19:36,160
go through and figure out okay so now we

601
00:19:39,909 --> 00:19:37,520
only have four people how are we going

602
00:19:41,510 --> 00:19:39,919
to do it and we've got some really good

603
00:19:43,430 --> 00:19:41,520
workarounds in place for how we're going

604
00:19:46,310 --> 00:19:43,440
to get through these particular kinds of

605
00:19:47,909 --> 00:19:46,320
scenarios the overall workload is is

606
00:19:49,510 --> 00:19:47,919
pretty high we've had to do a lot more

607
00:19:50,789 --> 00:19:49,520
cross training than normal for a shuttle

608
00:19:52,070 --> 00:19:50,799
crew it actually feels a little bit to

609
00:19:53,909 --> 00:19:52,080
me like a station mission because you

610
00:19:55,990 --> 00:19:53,919
end up being a little bit more of a jack

611
00:19:57,590 --> 00:19:56,000
of all trades and not so much just a

612
00:19:59,669 --> 00:19:57,600
pipeline specialist and that's been a

613
00:20:01,750 --> 00:19:59,679
lot of fun because we get to dabble in

614
00:20:04,149 --> 00:20:01,760
each other's areas so i think with

615
00:20:05,510 --> 00:20:04,159
between the cross training and the fact

616
00:20:07,510 --> 00:20:05,520
that we've you know nosed out these

617
00:20:08,950 --> 00:20:07,520
scenarios where we need to be a little

618
00:20:09,990 --> 00:20:08,960
bit smarter we're going to be in pretty

619
00:20:11,430 --> 00:20:10,000
good shape but we are going to be

620
00:20:12,710 --> 00:20:11,440
working very hard

621
00:20:14,950 --> 00:20:12,720
but it will be a lot of fun at the same

622
00:20:16,789 --> 00:20:14,960
time and very challenging

623
00:20:18,230 --> 00:20:16,799
mark miller discovery channel

624
00:20:19,990 --> 00:20:18,240
we've been trying to work a piece into

625
00:20:21,909 --> 00:20:20,000
our documentary about all of the people

626
00:20:23,990 --> 00:20:21,919
behind the scenes and they gave us a

627
00:20:25,590 --> 00:20:24,000
figure of about 15 000 people have got

628
00:20:27,830 --> 00:20:25,600
this thing to the pad

629
00:20:29,430 --> 00:20:27,840
maybe one of you guys can speak to that

630
00:20:32,070 --> 00:20:29,440
they tell me this is the last question

631
00:20:34,390 --> 00:20:32,080
so perhaps it's appropriate that we

632
00:20:36,789 --> 00:20:34,400
hear your thoughts on all the all the

633
00:20:37,750 --> 00:20:36,799
folks that don't get to be on tv

634
00:20:39,830 --> 00:20:37,760
well

635
00:20:42,950 --> 00:20:39,840
let me just uh mark tell you just from a

636
00:20:44,870 --> 00:20:42,960
personal uh perspective um

637
00:20:47,909 --> 00:20:44,880
you know we we knew nine months ago that

638
00:20:49,830 --> 00:20:47,919
we were probably going to fly sts-135 as

639
00:20:51,510 --> 00:20:49,840
the final flight and

640
00:20:53,190 --> 00:20:51,520
uh you know my boss came to me and said

641
00:20:54,310 --> 00:20:53,200
well how much time do you need to train

642
00:20:55,830 --> 00:20:54,320
how many people do you need to train

643
00:20:57,830 --> 00:20:55,840
what do you need to do to make this all

644
00:20:59,190 --> 00:20:57,840
happen so we tried to project in the

645
00:21:00,950 --> 00:20:59,200
future and think well there's there's an

646
00:21:02,950 --> 00:21:00,960
interesting twist in that this is the

647
00:21:05,590 --> 00:21:02,960
final flight so uh you know we added a

648
00:21:06,310 --> 00:21:05,600
little pad here and there but one thing

649
00:21:10,549 --> 00:21:06,320
that

650
00:21:11,510 --> 00:21:10,559
accounted for appropriately was the um

651
00:21:13,190 --> 00:21:11,520
just

652
00:21:14,789 --> 00:21:13,200
the the amount of emotion that people

653
00:21:16,789 --> 00:21:14,799
have in their general attachment to the

654
00:21:18,149 --> 00:21:16,799
vehicle and the fact that they all wanna

655
00:21:19,590 --> 00:21:18,159
when they get an opportunity they wanna

656
00:21:21,590 --> 00:21:19,600
talk to the crew about their experience

657
00:21:24,950 --> 00:21:21,600
and it's all enormously positive very

658
00:21:27,029 --> 00:21:24,960
very positive uh reflections on uh the

659
00:21:28,470 --> 00:21:27,039
the the 25 years they've been a part of

660
00:21:29,909 --> 00:21:28,480
the space shuttle program or the 40

661
00:21:32,070 --> 00:21:29,919
years they've been involved with nasa

662
00:21:34,149 --> 00:21:32,080
here at the kennedy space center uh and

663
00:21:35,750 --> 00:21:34,159
it's it's been it's been

664
00:21:37,669 --> 00:21:35,760
a very positive experience for us to

665
00:21:39,990 --> 00:21:37,679
hear that i'd have to say at the end of

666
00:21:41,430 --> 00:21:40,000
the day though you know we're like wow

667
00:21:43,750 --> 00:21:41,440
that's there's a lot of emotion here

668
00:21:44,549 --> 00:21:43,760
this is a this is uh it's

669
00:21:46,390 --> 00:21:44,559
it's

670
00:21:48,070 --> 00:21:46,400
it plays a factor in our training and

671
00:21:49,909 --> 00:21:48,080
just how long our days get but they're

672
00:21:51,590 --> 00:21:49,919
all stories that we want to hear but as

673
00:21:53,990 --> 00:21:51,600
you said there's uh there's tens of

674
00:21:55,669 --> 00:21:54,000
thousands perhaps of people who involve

675
00:21:57,750 --> 00:21:55,679
who are involved and get the shuttle to

676
00:21:59,750 --> 00:21:57,760
this position right here

677
00:22:02,310 --> 00:21:59,760
and i wish i could give credit to every

678
00:22:03,990 --> 00:22:02,320
single uh one of them because they

679
00:22:06,230 --> 00:22:04,000
certainly deserve it this is this is

680
00:22:08,710 --> 00:22:06,240
about the largest team effort i can

681
00:22:10,950 --> 00:22:08,720
imagine and what i do know is when it's

682
00:22:13,510 --> 00:22:10,960
all said and done folks watching on tv

683
00:22:16,390 --> 00:22:13,520
folks watching from the causeway

684
00:22:17,750 --> 00:22:16,400
there is not an american

685
00:22:19,909 --> 00:22:17,760
who doesn't

686
00:22:21,669 --> 00:22:19,919
look upon an ascending shuttle with a

687
00:22:24,149 --> 00:22:21,679
certain sense of

688
00:22:26,710 --> 00:22:24,159
american pride

689
00:22:29,029 --> 00:22:26,720
you know hair on the back your neck

690
00:22:30,950 --> 00:22:29,039
chills call it what you will and it's

691
00:22:32,630 --> 00:22:30,960
just been great and i think it will be

692
00:22:34,310 --> 00:22:32,640
fantastic until the very end to know

693
00:22:36,230 --> 00:22:34,320
that just a little piece of every one of

694
00:22:38,630 --> 00:22:36,240
them went along with us for for every

695
00:22:39,750 --> 00:22:38,640
single ride and when it's all over we're

696
00:22:41,430 --> 00:22:39,760
going to go back and we're going to do

697
00:22:43,270 --> 00:22:41,440
our best to thank each and every one of

698
00:22:45,510 --> 00:22:43,280
them for the part that they paid that

699
00:22:46,950 --> 00:22:45,520
they paid and you know just the hopes

700
00:22:48,710 --> 00:22:46,960
that they'll kind of hang on there for

701
00:22:51,270 --> 00:22:48,720
this gap because we want their

702
00:22:53,510 --> 00:22:51,280
experience you know we want their

703
00:22:54,390 --> 00:22:53,520
we want their passion and we want their

704
00:22:56,149 --> 00:22:54,400
knowledge

705
00:22:59,590 --> 00:22:56,159
when we when we pick up and do this all

706
00:23:01,830 --> 00:22:59,600
over again in a different capacity

707
00:23:03,029 --> 00:23:01,840
well as you said that's uh

708
00:23:04,950 --> 00:23:03,039
our last question we'll just take the

709
00:23:06,830 --> 00:23:04,960
microphone from you good job

710
00:23:08,630 --> 00:23:06,840
we just do a quick photo

711
00:23:41,909 --> 00:23:08,640
opportunity and we'll get you back on