1 00:00:08,390 --> 00:00:05,749 good afternoon everyone this is the 2 00:00:09,270 --> 00:00:08,400 pre-launch news conference for the grail 3 00:00:12,150 --> 00:00:09,280 launch 4 00:00:14,709 --> 00:00:12,160 coming up on thursday aboard a united 5 00:00:16,950 --> 00:00:14,719 launch alliance delta ii rocket 6 00:00:18,790 --> 00:00:16,960 and here to talk about the mission and 7 00:00:21,590 --> 00:00:18,800 our upcoming launch 8 00:00:23,910 --> 00:00:21,600 is ed weiler the associate administrator 9 00:00:28,630 --> 00:00:23,920 for the science mission directorate at 10 00:00:34,069 --> 00:00:31,910 tim dunn the nasa launch director from 11 00:00:37,350 --> 00:00:34,079 nasa's kennedy space center here at cape 12 00:00:42,470 --> 00:00:40,549 vern thorpe the program manager for nasa 13 00:00:45,990 --> 00:00:42,480 missions from the united launch alliance 14 00:00:50,950 --> 00:00:48,549 david layman the grail project manager 15 00:00:54,470 --> 00:00:50,960 from the jet propulsion laboratory in 16 00:01:01,670 --> 00:00:57,110 john hank the grail program manager from 17 00:01:06,630 --> 00:01:04,070 and joel tumbiolo the launch weather 18 00:01:09,190 --> 00:01:06,640 officer from the 45th weather squadron 19 00:01:11,190 --> 00:01:09,200 at cape canaveral air force station 20 00:01:12,789 --> 00:01:11,200 and we'll begin first with comments from 21 00:01:14,390 --> 00:01:12,799 ed weiler ed 22 00:01:15,350 --> 00:01:14,400 thank you george good afternoon 23 00:01:18,070 --> 00:01:15,360 everybody 24 00:01:20,469 --> 00:01:18,080 this has truly been an incredible year 25 00:01:22,390 --> 00:01:20,479 for space science at nasa 26 00:01:24,550 --> 00:01:22,400 uh over the course of a year we've had 27 00:01:26,630 --> 00:01:24,560 two successful flybys of comets this 28 00:01:29,270 --> 00:01:26,640 fall and winter 29 00:01:31,190 --> 00:01:29,280 we went into orbit around 30 00:01:33,429 --> 00:01:31,200 mercury with messenger 31 00:01:35,990 --> 00:01:33,439 aquarius an earth observing 32 00:01:37,030 --> 00:01:36,000 satellite that will do both climate and 33 00:01:40,230 --> 00:01:37,040 weather 34 00:01:41,990 --> 00:01:40,240 was launched in june successfully 35 00:01:43,910 --> 00:01:42,000 dawn went into orbit around vesta in 36 00:01:45,910 --> 00:01:43,920 july juno 37 00:01:47,590 --> 00:01:45,920 was launched in august 38 00:01:48,950 --> 00:01:47,600 we're going to talk about grail today 39 00:01:50,789 --> 00:01:48,960 which hopefully will be launched on 40 00:01:53,350 --> 00:01:50,799 thursday weather permitting 41 00:01:54,950 --> 00:01:53,360 and then following up with the impulse 42 00:01:57,270 --> 00:01:54,960 preparatory mission which will be 43 00:02:00,310 --> 00:01:57,280 launched in october from vandenberg and 44 00:02:02,630 --> 00:02:00,320 uh the big one msl mars science lab we 45 00:02:04,550 --> 00:02:02,640 plan to launch just after thanksgiving 46 00:02:06,310 --> 00:02:04,560 and it'll be the largest rover ever sent 47 00:02:08,710 --> 00:02:06,320 to mars to determine whether mars was 48 00:02:10,710 --> 00:02:08,720 ever an abode for life 49 00:02:12,150 --> 00:02:10,720 getting back to grail first 50 00:02:16,309 --> 00:02:12,160 congrats to 51 00:02:19,190 --> 00:02:16,319 maria zuber her mit team contractors jpl 52 00:02:21,750 --> 00:02:19,200 for delivering grail to the launch pad 53 00:02:23,030 --> 00:02:21,760 on schedule and actually slightly below 54 00:02:24,630 --> 00:02:23,040 cost 55 00:02:26,070 --> 00:02:24,640 so just like juno it's the second 56 00:02:28,150 --> 00:02:26,080 mission in a row that's got here now on 57 00:02:29,830 --> 00:02:28,160 cost and schedule 58 00:02:31,509 --> 00:02:29,840 grail simply put as a journey to the 59 00:02:33,110 --> 00:02:31,519 center of the moon 60 00:02:35,270 --> 00:02:33,120 it will probe the interior of the moon 61 00:02:37,589 --> 00:02:35,280 and map its gravity field a hundred to a 62 00:02:40,070 --> 00:02:37,599 thousand times better than ever before 63 00:02:42,790 --> 00:02:40,080 we will learn more about the interior of 64 00:02:45,110 --> 00:02:42,800 the moon with grail than all previous 65 00:02:46,790 --> 00:02:45,120 lunar missions combined 66 00:02:48,070 --> 00:02:46,800 uh for those of you who are old enough 67 00:02:50,390 --> 00:02:48,080 to remember some of these things i'm 68 00:02:51,990 --> 00:02:50,400 going to talk about we crashed into the 69 00:02:53,190 --> 00:02:52,000 surface of the moon with a ranger 70 00:02:55,110 --> 00:02:53,200 several times 71 00:02:56,790 --> 00:02:55,120 we landed on moon on the moon several 72 00:02:58,149 --> 00:02:56,800 times with surveyor and scratched its 73 00:03:02,790 --> 00:02:58,159 surface 74 00:03:05,350 --> 00:03:02,800 and then of course apollo with apollo 75 00:03:07,589 --> 00:03:05,360 humans walked on the surface and drove 76 00:03:10,070 --> 00:03:07,599 dune buggies across the surface 77 00:03:11,750 --> 00:03:10,080 but grail is the first mission to look 78 00:03:13,350 --> 00:03:11,760 below that surface 79 00:03:15,670 --> 00:03:13,360 and how will it do that it's actually 80 00:03:18,390 --> 00:03:15,680 two small satellites that will fly in 81 00:03:20,390 --> 00:03:18,400 tandem about 200 kilometers apart about 82 00:03:22,229 --> 00:03:20,400 50 kilometers high 83 00:03:24,630 --> 00:03:22,239 the satellites will monitor each the 84 00:03:27,350 --> 00:03:24,640 distance between each other and as the 85 00:03:29,589 --> 00:03:27,360 first satellite goes over a higher mass 86 00:03:31,589 --> 00:03:29,599 concentration or higher gravity it will 87 00:03:32,630 --> 00:03:31,599 speed up slightly that'll increase the 88 00:03:34,229 --> 00:03:32,640 distance 89 00:03:36,149 --> 00:03:34,239 and then as the second satellite goes 90 00:03:37,430 --> 00:03:36,159 over that distance will close again 91 00:03:39,509 --> 00:03:37,440 that's how it actually maps the 92 00:03:41,270 --> 00:03:39,519 gravitational field of the moon and 93 00:03:43,190 --> 00:03:41,280 we'll do that over the course of three 94 00:03:47,509 --> 00:03:43,200 months and it'll do a complete map three 95 00:03:47,519 --> 00:03:50,149 let's see 96 00:03:54,149 --> 00:03:52,070 i won't go much more into the science of 97 00:03:56,070 --> 00:03:54,159 grail because i don't want to take 98 00:03:57,750 --> 00:03:56,080 professor zuber's 99 00:03:59,670 --> 00:03:57,760 wind out of her sales tomorrow she'll be 100 00:04:01,750 --> 00:03:59,680 talking to you at 10 o'clock in-depth 101 00:04:04,789 --> 00:04:01,760 science presentation 102 00:04:06,789 --> 00:04:04,799 i want to close by doing a commercial 103 00:04:10,949 --> 00:04:06,799 for an lro press conference that just 104 00:04:15,509 --> 00:04:13,509 lro is a lunar orbiter and it normally 105 00:04:16,949 --> 00:04:15,519 operates at about 31 miles over the 106 00:04:18,949 --> 00:04:16,959 course of the last 107 00:04:22,069 --> 00:04:18,959 past few months we dropped it to 13 108 00:04:24,550 --> 00:04:22,079 miles above the moon's surface 109 00:04:26,150 --> 00:04:24,560 that's about 70 000 feet for those of 110 00:04:29,590 --> 00:04:26,160 you who know airplanes that's about the 111 00:04:31,749 --> 00:04:29,600 height of a global hawk 112 00:04:32,870 --> 00:04:31,759 and i seen the pictures last week the 113 00:04:36,310 --> 00:04:32,880 stills 114 00:04:37,909 --> 00:04:36,320 they also mapped apollo 12 14 and 17's 115 00:04:40,790 --> 00:04:37,919 landing sites 116 00:04:42,629 --> 00:04:40,800 for those of you as old as i am you 117 00:04:45,030 --> 00:04:42,639 may remember how fun that was to watch 118 00:04:47,189 --> 00:04:45,040 those missions in real time on tv 119 00:04:48,950 --> 00:04:47,199 i urge you to go to nasa.gov to look at 120 00:04:51,110 --> 00:04:48,960 those images because they might bring 121 00:04:52,950 --> 00:04:51,120 some of that thrill of exploration from 122 00:04:55,110 --> 00:04:52,960 your youth back to you 123 00:04:57,510 --> 00:04:55,120 really really awesome images 124 00:05:00,469 --> 00:04:57,520 thank you thank you ed 125 00:05:02,870 --> 00:05:00,479 and now to tim dunn the launch director 126 00:05:04,629 --> 00:05:02,880 from nasa's launch services program here 127 00:05:06,230 --> 00:05:04,639 at kennedy tim 128 00:05:08,070 --> 00:05:06,240 thank you george 129 00:05:10,230 --> 00:05:08,080 i'm proud to be here today representing 130 00:05:12,150 --> 00:05:10,240 all the men and women of nasa's launch 131 00:05:14,230 --> 00:05:12,160 services program 132 00:05:15,510 --> 00:05:14,240 grail is my first mission as a nasa 133 00:05:17,510 --> 00:05:15,520 launch manager 134 00:05:19,749 --> 00:05:17,520 and i'm pleased to begin with a delta ii 135 00:05:23,189 --> 00:05:19,759 launch spacecraft heading back to the 136 00:05:25,189 --> 00:05:23,199 moon to do some extraordinary science 137 00:05:26,950 --> 00:05:25,199 grail is currently the last contracted 138 00:05:28,629 --> 00:05:26,960 delta ii mission to be launched from 139 00:05:30,189 --> 00:05:28,639 complex 17 140 00:05:34,469 --> 00:05:30,199 and it will be the 141 00:05:36,710 --> 00:05:34,479 356th overall delta to be launched 142 00:05:39,830 --> 00:05:36,720 complex 17 at the cape has a proud 143 00:05:42,870 --> 00:05:39,840 heritage of hosting 258 144 00:05:44,629 --> 00:05:42,880 of those 355 total delta launches to 145 00:05:47,430 --> 00:05:44,639 date 146 00:05:49,590 --> 00:05:47,440 over the past week for the grail mission 147 00:05:51,510 --> 00:05:49,600 the combined nasa and united launch 148 00:05:53,189 --> 00:05:51,520 alliance team has held the flight 149 00:05:55,189 --> 00:05:53,199 readiness review 150 00:05:57,830 --> 00:05:55,199 we assessed preparations of the rocket 151 00:05:59,590 --> 00:05:57,840 the spacecraft the range and facility 152 00:06:01,350 --> 00:05:59,600 infrastructure 153 00:06:04,309 --> 00:06:01,360 that it was ready to proceed with 154 00:06:05,909 --> 00:06:04,319 tanking of the second stage 155 00:06:07,670 --> 00:06:05,919 we then performed mission dress 156 00:06:09,909 --> 00:06:07,680 rehearsal last thursday 157 00:06:12,070 --> 00:06:09,919 with a successful conclusion 158 00:06:13,350 --> 00:06:12,080 and loaded hypergolic propellants on the 159 00:06:15,830 --> 00:06:13,360 second stage 160 00:06:18,150 --> 00:06:15,840 on friday 161 00:06:20,629 --> 00:06:18,160 our entire launch team was able to 162 00:06:23,189 --> 00:06:20,639 benefit from a 163 00:06:25,189 --> 00:06:23,199 busy week last week by taking the entire 164 00:06:27,909 --> 00:06:25,199 three-day weekend off which we really 165 00:06:30,469 --> 00:06:27,919 needed and much appreciated 166 00:06:32,469 --> 00:06:30,479 this morning we held a successful 167 00:06:34,469 --> 00:06:32,479 launch readiness review 168 00:06:36,150 --> 00:06:34,479 and we did receive concurrence from nasa 169 00:06:38,870 --> 00:06:36,160 management 170 00:06:42,150 --> 00:06:38,880 as well as spacecraft launch vehicle and 171 00:06:44,150 --> 00:06:42,160 range agencies to proceed into countdown 172 00:06:48,070 --> 00:06:44,160 i'd like to show a video of the build up 173 00:06:50,309 --> 00:06:48,080 of the grail delta ii heavy video uh 174 00:06:51,670 --> 00:06:50,319 processing at complex 17. 175 00:06:53,830 --> 00:06:51,680 can we roll that 176 00:06:57,350 --> 00:06:53,840 here you see the first stage booster 177 00:06:59,990 --> 00:06:57,360 coming out to complex 17b 178 00:07:01,430 --> 00:07:00,000 on the morning of 7 april of this year 179 00:07:04,390 --> 00:07:01,440 that's the power plant at the back of 180 00:07:07,270 --> 00:07:04,400 the first stage the rs27a 181 00:07:11,110 --> 00:07:07,280 nice decal as we get ready to erect into 182 00:07:15,029 --> 00:07:12,790 you're going to see a quick sequence of 183 00:07:18,309 --> 00:07:15,039 this erection activity 184 00:07:20,309 --> 00:07:18,319 as we use the mst here as a mobile crane 185 00:07:23,749 --> 00:07:20,319 and lift it in place onto the launch 186 00:07:27,029 --> 00:07:25,270 nice view of the cape canaveral 187 00:07:29,510 --> 00:07:27,039 lighthouse in the distance just north of 188 00:07:31,990 --> 00:07:29,520 complex 17. 189 00:07:33,350 --> 00:07:32,000 so here we are on the morning of april 190 00:07:35,749 --> 00:07:33,360 25th 191 00:07:39,589 --> 00:07:35,759 uh bringing out the solids for the 192 00:07:42,550 --> 00:07:39,599 mission a delta ii heavy has nine gym 46 193 00:07:44,950 --> 00:07:42,560 solids manufactured by atk 194 00:07:47,029 --> 00:07:44,960 so that erection sequence proceeds using 195 00:07:49,189 --> 00:07:47,039 the same mobile service tower as a 196 00:07:51,270 --> 00:07:49,199 mobile crane to bring those solids in 197 00:07:53,909 --> 00:07:51,280 close to the vehicle you see the ball 198 00:07:56,230 --> 00:07:53,919 and socket attach points there 199 00:07:58,150 --> 00:07:56,240 this is the morning of may 10th bringing 200 00:08:01,029 --> 00:07:58,160 out the second stage you see the second 201 00:08:03,350 --> 00:08:01,039 stage going up the side of the 202 00:08:06,070 --> 00:08:03,360 of complex 17. and here we fast 203 00:08:07,510 --> 00:08:06,080 forwarded to the morning of august 18th 204 00:08:10,550 --> 00:08:07,520 where we brought out the grail 205 00:08:12,710 --> 00:08:10,560 spacecraft in the transportation can 206 00:08:14,550 --> 00:08:12,720 this is the spacecraft transportation 207 00:08:17,029 --> 00:08:14,560 cam being lowered down onto the second 208 00:08:18,629 --> 00:08:17,039 stage just a quick shot of the fairings 209 00:08:25,670 --> 00:08:18,639 and there's a nice shot of both the 210 00:08:29,430 --> 00:08:27,350 the next sequence you're going to see is 211 00:08:31,670 --> 00:08:29,440 the payload fairings being brought in 212 00:08:34,149 --> 00:08:31,680 around the spacecraft and we did this in 213 00:08:35,990 --> 00:08:34,159 anticipation of hurricane irene we 214 00:08:37,269 --> 00:08:36,000 actually moved up this processing about 215 00:08:38,949 --> 00:08:37,279 a day and a half 216 00:08:40,389 --> 00:08:38,959 so that we could be all buttoned up and 217 00:08:41,589 --> 00:08:40,399 safe and secure in advance of the 218 00:08:43,190 --> 00:08:41,599 hurricane 219 00:08:45,190 --> 00:08:43,200 and you'll see there the 220 00:08:49,910 --> 00:08:45,200 payload fairing closeout our fairings 221 00:08:53,110 --> 00:08:49,920 manufactured in iuca mississippi by atk 222 00:08:56,630 --> 00:08:53,120 and we are now fully built up 223 00:08:58,310 --> 00:08:56,640 and buttoned up and ready to go 224 00:09:01,269 --> 00:08:58,320 just wanted to let you know that today 225 00:09:04,310 --> 00:09:01,279 at complex 17 we did our final range 226 00:09:05,430 --> 00:09:04,320 safety beacon checks we did our final 227 00:09:07,190 --> 00:09:05,440 pre-launch 228 00:09:08,550 --> 00:09:07,200 slewing of the engines and our final 229 00:09:12,230 --> 00:09:08,560 azimuth update 230 00:09:14,230 --> 00:09:12,240 all of those tests went well 231 00:09:16,790 --> 00:09:14,240 wednesday evening tomorrow evening we'll 232 00:09:19,190 --> 00:09:16,800 begin our final major pre-launch 233 00:09:21,030 --> 00:09:19,200 activities out at complex 17 where we 234 00:09:24,070 --> 00:09:21,040 will roll the mst into the launch 235 00:09:26,070 --> 00:09:24,080 position that will happen about 8 pm 236 00:09:27,590 --> 00:09:26,080 tomorrow evening 237 00:09:30,630 --> 00:09:27,600 the launch team is going to arrive on 238 00:09:31,990 --> 00:09:30,640 console about 4 a.m on thursday morning 239 00:09:33,670 --> 00:09:32,000 and we will then begin final 240 00:09:36,470 --> 00:09:33,680 preparations of the vehicle we'll turn 241 00:09:38,949 --> 00:09:36,480 power on about 5 30. 242 00:09:41,110 --> 00:09:38,959 about 6 a.m we'll begin pressurization 243 00:09:43,670 --> 00:09:41,120 sequence followed by loading of the 244 00:09:46,310 --> 00:09:43,680 first stage rp1 fuel 245 00:09:51,990 --> 00:09:46,320 and then at about 7 am we'll begin 246 00:09:56,070 --> 00:09:54,550 those will then proceed into final 247 00:09:58,150 --> 00:09:56,080 engine slewing 248 00:10:01,670 --> 00:09:58,160 and be ready to launch for our first 249 00:10:02,710 --> 00:10:01,680 opportunity on thursday of 8 37 and 06 250 00:10:04,949 --> 00:10:02,720 seconds 251 00:10:06,069 --> 00:10:04,959 eastern time 252 00:10:08,230 --> 00:10:06,079 and that 253 00:10:09,990 --> 00:10:08,240 completes the build up sequence and what 254 00:10:12,470 --> 00:10:10,000 we have remaining to do prior to launch 255 00:10:14,150 --> 00:10:12,480 on thursday back to you george thank you 256 00:10:15,990 --> 00:10:14,160 tim 257 00:10:18,069 --> 00:10:16,000 we'll hear now from vern thorpe the 258 00:10:19,990 --> 00:10:18,079 program manager for nasa missions from 259 00:10:21,910 --> 00:10:20,000 united launch alliance 260 00:10:24,069 --> 00:10:21,920 firm 261 00:10:26,630 --> 00:10:24,079 hey thank you george good afternoon 262 00:10:28,710 --> 00:10:26,640 i'm here on behalf of michael gass our 263 00:10:32,389 --> 00:10:28,720 president and chief executive officer at 264 00:10:33,990 --> 00:10:32,399 ula and the 3 700 men and women of ula 265 00:10:36,790 --> 00:10:34,000 we're very proud once again to be 266 00:10:39,350 --> 00:10:36,800 supporting nasa as we launch grail which 267 00:10:41,430 --> 00:10:39,360 is the third of five missions that ula 268 00:10:43,990 --> 00:10:41,440 is launching for nasa this year 269 00:10:46,630 --> 00:10:44,000 this launch also marks the ninth flight 270 00:10:49,829 --> 00:10:46,640 for ula in 2011 271 00:10:51,750 --> 00:10:49,839 the 49th delta ii mission for nasa and 272 00:10:52,710 --> 00:10:51,760 our third launch for nasa in just three 273 00:10:54,389 --> 00:10:52,720 months 274 00:10:56,069 --> 00:10:54,399 the ula team has worked very closely 275 00:10:57,990 --> 00:10:56,079 with our nasa partners for the last few 276 00:10:59,430 --> 00:10:58,000 years to get us to this point 277 00:11:01,030 --> 00:10:59,440 it's always wonderful to be part of one 278 00:11:02,790 --> 00:11:01,040 of these mission teams and to work side 279 00:11:04,949 --> 00:11:02,800 by side with such a capable and 280 00:11:06,630 --> 00:11:04,959 dedicated group of professionals 281 00:11:08,870 --> 00:11:06,640 uh we're ready to launch the grail 282 00:11:10,550 --> 00:11:08,880 spacecraft sending in sending it on its 283 00:11:12,389 --> 00:11:10,560 way to produce the gravity map that you 284 00:11:14,870 --> 00:11:12,399 heard about and allowing us to peer into 285 00:11:17,430 --> 00:11:14,880 the moon's interior a grail will be 286 00:11:19,990 --> 00:11:17,440 launched aboard a delta ii heavy 287 00:11:22,230 --> 00:11:20,000 it's a ula vehicle featuring a first 288 00:11:25,829 --> 00:11:22,240 stage booster powered by a pratt whitney 289 00:11:28,470 --> 00:11:25,839 rocketdyne rs 27a main engine 290 00:11:30,790 --> 00:11:28,480 we'll also have nine alliant tech system 291 00:11:33,750 --> 00:11:30,800 strap-on solid rocket motors on this 292 00:11:35,829 --> 00:11:33,760 mission as well an aerojet aj-10 engine 293 00:11:37,670 --> 00:11:35,839 will power the second stage 294 00:11:39,110 --> 00:11:37,680 and until we get out of the atmosphere 295 00:11:40,870 --> 00:11:39,120 the payload will be protected by a 296 00:11:42,630 --> 00:11:40,880 10-foot diameter composite payload 297 00:11:44,630 --> 00:11:42,640 fairing and 298 00:11:46,870 --> 00:11:44,640 you heard tim summarize the activities 299 00:11:48,630 --> 00:11:46,880 that take us down to t0 tomorrow morning 300 00:11:51,750 --> 00:11:48,640 i'd like to pick up the story starting 301 00:11:54,710 --> 00:11:51,760 at t-0 so if we could roll the video 302 00:11:59,190 --> 00:11:56,629 okay we'll lift off with a combined 303 00:12:03,030 --> 00:11:59,200 thrust of about 1.3 million pounds from 304 00:12:05,509 --> 00:12:03,040 six of the uh srbs and the uh the main 305 00:12:07,430 --> 00:12:05,519 engine on the the core stage first major 306 00:12:09,750 --> 00:12:07,440 event you'll see is when the six ground 307 00:12:12,550 --> 00:12:09,760 let srbs burn out we'll light the three 308 00:12:14,470 --> 00:12:12,560 airlit srbs jettison the six 309 00:12:15,350 --> 00:12:14,480 groundblade srb is about 80 seconds into 310 00:12:17,430 --> 00:12:15,360 flight 311 00:12:19,829 --> 00:12:17,440 the air lit srbs will burn for another 312 00:12:21,910 --> 00:12:19,839 80 seconds and 160 seconds into flight 313 00:12:23,509 --> 00:12:21,920 they'll burn out and be jettisoned that 314 00:12:25,190 --> 00:12:23,519 core stage will continue to burn until 315 00:12:27,350 --> 00:12:25,200 we run out of propellant that'll happen 316 00:12:29,190 --> 00:12:27,360 about four minutes and 23 seconds into 317 00:12:31,110 --> 00:12:29,200 flight at that time we'll jettison that 318 00:12:32,710 --> 00:12:31,120 first stage from the upper stage and 319 00:12:33,910 --> 00:12:32,720 we'll begin the first of several engine 320 00:12:35,829 --> 00:12:33,920 burns 321 00:12:37,829 --> 00:12:35,839 that first burn will last about two and 322 00:12:39,750 --> 00:12:37,839 a half minutes and shortly into it we'll 323 00:12:41,509 --> 00:12:39,760 jettison the payload fairing 324 00:12:43,430 --> 00:12:41,519 after that two and a half minute engine 325 00:12:46,389 --> 00:12:43,440 burn is complete we'll enter a parking 326 00:12:48,310 --> 00:12:46,399 orbit coast for about an hour 327 00:12:50,470 --> 00:12:48,320 at the end of that coast we'll be in the 328 00:12:52,150 --> 00:12:50,480 proper position for doing our second 329 00:12:53,509 --> 00:12:52,160 engine burn that'll be a four and a half 330 00:12:55,590 --> 00:12:53,519 minute burn 331 00:12:57,829 --> 00:12:55,600 and when that burn is complete 332 00:12:59,509 --> 00:12:57,839 we will have placed the spacecraft into 333 00:13:01,670 --> 00:12:59,519 the translunar trajectory that they need 334 00:13:04,870 --> 00:13:01,680 to be and over the next 20 minutes we'll 335 00:13:06,310 --> 00:13:04,880 reorient the upper stage we'll separate 336 00:13:08,310 --> 00:13:06,320 both of those spacecraft about 10 337 00:13:10,470 --> 00:13:08,320 minutes apart and then we'll perform a 338 00:13:12,710 --> 00:13:10,480 series of maneuvers with the upper stage 339 00:13:14,230 --> 00:13:12,720 to move it safely away from the 340 00:13:16,949 --> 00:13:14,240 spacecraft as they continue their 341 00:13:21,030 --> 00:13:18,790 we'll actually do it's not shown here 342 00:13:23,430 --> 00:13:21,040 but we'll actually do a third 343 00:13:24,790 --> 00:13:23,440 short engine burn with the upper stage 344 00:13:26,470 --> 00:13:24,800 and it'll place the 345 00:13:30,230 --> 00:13:26,480 upper stage safely out of the way in an 346 00:13:31,910 --> 00:13:30,240 orbit between the earth and mars 347 00:13:33,350 --> 00:13:31,920 we're proud to support nasa's science 348 00:13:34,629 --> 00:13:33,360 missions playing a critical role by 349 00:13:36,470 --> 00:13:34,639 delivering these one-of-a-kind 350 00:13:38,310 --> 00:13:36,480 spacecraft in support of the global 351 00:13:39,990 --> 00:13:38,320 science community this mission 352 00:13:42,470 --> 00:13:40,000 represents the culmination of years of 353 00:13:45,430 --> 00:13:42,480 hard work by nasa lockheed martin's 354 00:13:47,189 --> 00:13:45,440 spacecraft team and our ula launch team 355 00:13:49,189 --> 00:13:47,199 we anticipate that our delta ii vehicle 356 00:13:51,030 --> 00:13:49,199 will perform exceptionally well placing 357 00:13:52,310 --> 00:13:51,040 grail on an accurate translunar 358 00:13:53,910 --> 00:13:52,320 trajectory which will allow our 359 00:13:56,389 --> 00:13:53,920 scientists to study the structure of the 360 00:13:57,910 --> 00:13:56,399 lunar interior from crust to core 361 00:13:59,829 --> 00:13:57,920 and to advance our understanding of the 362 00:14:02,230 --> 00:13:59,839 thermal evolution of the moon 363 00:14:04,550 --> 00:14:02,240 as this is the last currently contracted 364 00:14:05,670 --> 00:14:04,560 launch from space complex 365 00:14:07,269 --> 00:14:05,680 17 366 00:14:09,189 --> 00:14:07,279 we'd like to reflect on the tremendous 367 00:14:11,269 --> 00:14:09,199 historical significance that this 368 00:14:13,590 --> 00:14:11,279 complex has had and on the impact of the 369 00:14:15,430 --> 00:14:13,600 military and the scientific missions 370 00:14:17,030 --> 00:14:15,440 that began their missions from complex 371 00:14:18,150 --> 00:14:17,040 17. 372 00:14:20,470 --> 00:14:18,160 those would include the global 373 00:14:21,829 --> 00:14:20,480 positioning satellites 374 00:14:23,110 --> 00:14:21,839 all the way up through 375 00:14:26,550 --> 00:14:23,120 gps 376 00:14:28,310 --> 00:14:26,560 21 the the last block to our mission 377 00:14:29,590 --> 00:14:28,320 that are we launch for the air force and 378 00:14:30,470 --> 00:14:29,600 they're used by people all around the 379 00:14:32,069 --> 00:14:30,480 world 380 00:14:33,430 --> 00:14:32,079 and there's a lot of other very famous 381 00:14:35,829 --> 00:14:33,440 science missions that launch from this 382 00:14:37,750 --> 00:14:35,839 complex as well most notably the spirit 383 00:14:40,949 --> 00:14:37,760 and opportunity rovers 384 00:14:42,069 --> 00:14:40,959 that flew on delta ii from that complex 385 00:14:44,710 --> 00:14:42,079 so 386 00:14:47,269 --> 00:14:44,720 overall this complex has seen 258 delta 387 00:14:49,590 --> 00:14:47,279 launches to date 109 of those have been 388 00:14:52,150 --> 00:14:49,600 delta ii uh grail will be the 110th 389 00:14:53,910 --> 00:14:52,160 delta ii launching from that complex 390 00:14:56,069 --> 00:14:53,920 and i'd like to once again thank all of 391 00:14:57,670 --> 00:14:56,079 our mission partners who've worked with 392 00:14:59,030 --> 00:14:57,680 us tirelessly to make this mission a 393 00:15:00,389 --> 00:14:59,040 success 394 00:15:01,829 --> 00:15:00,399 george i'll turn it back to you thank 395 00:15:04,790 --> 00:15:01,839 you vern 396 00:15:06,550 --> 00:15:04,800 next to the grail project manager david 397 00:15:09,829 --> 00:15:06,560 layman from the jet propulsion 398 00:15:11,350 --> 00:15:09,839 laboratory david thank you george 399 00:15:13,990 --> 00:15:11,360 good afternoon everybody 400 00:15:17,110 --> 00:15:14,000 grail was chosen as a discovery class 401 00:15:18,790 --> 00:15:17,120 mission in december 2007 402 00:15:20,949 --> 00:15:18,800 and a lot of things had to come together 403 00:15:23,430 --> 00:15:20,959 to make this mission happen 404 00:15:25,509 --> 00:15:23,440 our principal investigator professor 405 00:15:26,949 --> 00:15:25,519 maria zuber from mit she put together 406 00:15:28,949 --> 00:15:26,959 the science team 407 00:15:31,110 --> 00:15:28,959 and in addition to that at jpl is where 408 00:15:33,910 --> 00:15:31,120 we do the project management the 409 00:15:36,310 --> 00:15:33,920 instrument was built at jpl and also the 410 00:15:38,870 --> 00:15:36,320 mission operations lead is at jpl and 411 00:15:41,350 --> 00:15:38,880 then finally the spacecraft is built at 412 00:15:44,069 --> 00:15:41,360 lockheed martin in denver and they also 413 00:15:45,910 --> 00:15:44,079 perform the day-to-day operations of the 414 00:15:48,470 --> 00:15:45,920 spacecraft so i'd like to go to the 415 00:15:50,949 --> 00:15:48,480 first image please 416 00:15:52,310 --> 00:15:50,959 in this image we show what will happen 417 00:15:55,030 --> 00:15:52,320 after launch 418 00:15:57,110 --> 00:15:55,040 and here's the second stage 419 00:15:59,030 --> 00:15:57,120 uh with the fairing being deployed and 420 00:16:00,870 --> 00:15:59,040 we're getting ready to to deploy the two 421 00:16:03,590 --> 00:16:00,880 spacecraft grille a 422 00:16:05,269 --> 00:16:03,600 so this the second stage is maneuvered 423 00:16:08,470 --> 00:16:05,279 to the correct position 424 00:16:10,949 --> 00:16:08,480 and here we deploy a grail a spacecraft 425 00:16:13,430 --> 00:16:10,959 and this happens about 120 about an hour 426 00:16:15,110 --> 00:16:13,440 and a half after launch and then within 427 00:16:16,550 --> 00:16:15,120 a few seconds after that about five 428 00:16:17,590 --> 00:16:16,560 seconds is when the transmitter is 429 00:16:19,189 --> 00:16:17,600 turned on 430 00:16:21,189 --> 00:16:19,199 and then about five minutes later is 431 00:16:23,269 --> 00:16:21,199 when we expect to acquire the signal 432 00:16:25,189 --> 00:16:23,279 from the deep space network and then 433 00:16:27,509 --> 00:16:25,199 about eight minutes after the grill a is 434 00:16:28,870 --> 00:16:27,519 deployed then the grille b spacecraft 435 00:16:30,949 --> 00:16:28,880 are deployed 436 00:16:32,629 --> 00:16:30,959 and if we launch on september 8th it 437 00:16:34,230 --> 00:16:32,639 will take grail about three and a half 438 00:16:36,710 --> 00:16:34,240 months to make the voyage from the earth 439 00:16:37,829 --> 00:16:36,720 to the moon and here this next image i 440 00:16:40,389 --> 00:16:37,839 want to show you 441 00:16:42,230 --> 00:16:40,399 what this trajectory looks like on the 442 00:16:44,710 --> 00:16:42,240 left is shows the trajectory if we 443 00:16:46,470 --> 00:16:44,720 launch on september 8th and then we go 444 00:16:47,829 --> 00:16:46,480 all the way out to the l1 point this is 445 00:16:49,509 --> 00:16:47,839 where the gravity is balanced between 446 00:16:51,189 --> 00:16:49,519 the earth the moon and the sun 447 00:16:52,790 --> 00:16:51,199 and we do about five maneuvers in order 448 00:16:54,949 --> 00:16:52,800 to get the spacecraft 449 00:16:56,389 --> 00:16:54,959 into the correct orbit at mars but if we 450 00:16:59,269 --> 00:16:56,399 launch at the end of the launch period 451 00:17:01,509 --> 00:16:59,279 which is about 31 days later the middle 452 00:17:03,110 --> 00:17:01,519 curve shows the trajectory we go through 453 00:17:05,990 --> 00:17:03,120 to get to the moon 454 00:17:07,909 --> 00:17:06,000 but regardless of when we launch 455 00:17:09,590 --> 00:17:07,919 the two spacecraft arrive at the moon at 456 00:17:11,429 --> 00:17:09,600 the on the same day 457 00:17:13,029 --> 00:17:11,439 grail a will arrive on 458 00:17:15,270 --> 00:17:13,039 new year's eve this year and then grail 459 00:17:17,270 --> 00:17:15,280 b the next day on 460 00:17:19,350 --> 00:17:17,280 on new year's day 461 00:17:21,829 --> 00:17:19,360 and in the next image i want to show you 462 00:17:23,189 --> 00:17:21,839 what will be happening 463 00:17:25,510 --> 00:17:23,199 what will happen is 464 00:17:26,949 --> 00:17:25,520 the spacecraft will do about a 35-minute 465 00:17:27,990 --> 00:17:26,959 burn each one 466 00:17:30,070 --> 00:17:28,000 and then the next day the other 467 00:17:31,909 --> 00:17:30,080 spacecraft will do maneuver and these 468 00:17:34,070 --> 00:17:31,919 are approached from this from the south 469 00:17:36,470 --> 00:17:34,080 pole of the moon and then what we do is 470 00:17:38,549 --> 00:17:36,480 we do a series of intricate maneuvers 471 00:17:40,310 --> 00:17:38,559 with the two spacecraft over the next 472 00:17:42,070 --> 00:17:40,320 three months and our goal here is to 473 00:17:44,230 --> 00:17:42,080 centralize the orbit to circularize the 474 00:17:46,390 --> 00:17:44,240 orbit rather in order to put them in 475 00:17:47,510 --> 00:17:46,400 orbit around 55 kilometers above the 476 00:17:49,830 --> 00:17:47,520 moon 477 00:17:51,669 --> 00:17:49,840 and then once we're there 478 00:17:52,549 --> 00:17:51,679 the spacecraft they're on a one-way 479 00:17:54,230 --> 00:17:52,559 mission 480 00:17:56,470 --> 00:17:54,240 but what i want to talk about next is 481 00:17:58,070 --> 00:17:56,480 how do we get that data back and in the 482 00:18:00,230 --> 00:17:58,080 next animation 483 00:18:02,150 --> 00:18:00,240 you'll see the two spacecraft 484 00:18:04,230 --> 00:18:02,160 communicating with that with each other 485 00:18:06,630 --> 00:18:04,240 they're sending back k-band ranging 486 00:18:09,190 --> 00:18:06,640 signals also exchanging clocks between 487 00:18:11,029 --> 00:18:09,200 each other and then they're downlinking 488 00:18:13,909 --> 00:18:11,039 health and status data from the two 489 00:18:16,470 --> 00:18:13,919 spacecraft and then finally sitting down 490 00:18:18,310 --> 00:18:16,480 navigations to the data of navigation 491 00:18:20,950 --> 00:18:18,320 data for the scientists so that 492 00:18:22,390 --> 00:18:20,960 summarizes the grail mission and want to 493 00:18:24,470 --> 00:18:22,400 turn it back to you george all right 494 00:18:26,470 --> 00:18:24,480 thank you david we'll go now to the 495 00:18:30,070 --> 00:18:26,480 grail program manager from lockheed 496 00:18:32,870 --> 00:18:30,080 martin space systems john hink john 497 00:18:35,029 --> 00:18:32,880 thank you george good afternoon everyone 498 00:18:36,950 --> 00:18:35,039 uh let me start by just welcoming you to 499 00:18:38,710 --> 00:18:36,960 the grill team i want you to join the 500 00:18:40,230 --> 00:18:38,720 team a minute and just go over a little 501 00:18:41,830 --> 00:18:40,240 bit of the processing that we've seen 502 00:18:43,750 --> 00:18:41,840 here at 503 00:18:46,470 --> 00:18:43,760 the launch site since the spacecraft 504 00:18:50,630 --> 00:18:46,480 arrived at the end of may this year can 505 00:18:56,549 --> 00:18:53,430 we arrived here on the 20th of may on 506 00:18:58,230 --> 00:18:56,559 the c-17 both spacecraft were carried 507 00:18:59,990 --> 00:18:58,240 together in the spacecraft shipping 508 00:19:06,150 --> 00:19:00,000 container the one that actually was used 509 00:19:08,950 --> 00:19:07,990 shipping container was then moved over 510 00:19:10,870 --> 00:19:08,960 to the 511 00:19:13,510 --> 00:19:10,880 astrotech facility 512 00:19:15,350 --> 00:19:13,520 where we did the standalone spacecraft 513 00:19:17,190 --> 00:19:15,360 processing 514 00:19:20,150 --> 00:19:17,200 took it out of the container then went 515 00:19:21,669 --> 00:19:20,160 through a full series of 516 00:19:24,549 --> 00:19:21,679 arrival tests to make sure that 517 00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:24,559 everything was good 518 00:19:29,590 --> 00:19:27,520 and processed both vehicles 519 00:19:30,230 --> 00:19:29,600 in parallel similar to what we have done 520 00:19:32,150 --> 00:19:30,240 in 521 00:19:33,909 --> 00:19:32,160 throughout the 522 00:19:35,190 --> 00:19:33,919 spacecraft assembly and test period of 523 00:19:36,789 --> 00:19:35,200 time 524 00:19:39,590 --> 00:19:36,799 went through a number of operations 525 00:19:43,190 --> 00:19:39,600 including a final space or solar ray 526 00:19:46,630 --> 00:19:43,200 deploy activity on the turnover fixtures 527 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:56,390 final software load and testing 528 00:20:00,310 --> 00:19:58,390 and then brought both vehicles from the 529 00:20:02,390 --> 00:20:00,320 normal processing facility building one 530 00:20:04,630 --> 00:20:02,400 there over to the hazardous processing 531 00:20:06,149 --> 00:20:04,640 facility for propellant loading 532 00:20:07,909 --> 00:20:06,159 pressurization 533 00:20:11,190 --> 00:20:07,919 and the start of integration with the 534 00:20:17,110 --> 00:20:12,950 we then assembled it into its launch 535 00:20:21,909 --> 00:20:19,190 and then unlike an atlas which would 536 00:20:23,830 --> 00:20:21,919 actually encapsulate in that facility 537 00:20:25,510 --> 00:20:23,840 the delta ii actually encapsulates at 538 00:20:27,590 --> 00:20:25,520 the launch pad so we go through a 539 00:20:29,430 --> 00:20:27,600 process called canning 540 00:20:31,990 --> 00:20:29,440 to actually get it into its transport 541 00:20:39,110 --> 00:20:32,000 configuration over to 542 00:20:43,590 --> 00:20:40,630 and from what you saw in the video 543 00:20:45,190 --> 00:20:43,600 before you saw a lot of the on-pad 544 00:20:47,909 --> 00:20:45,200 integration of the 545 00:20:50,070 --> 00:20:47,919 spacecraft onto the launch vehicle 546 00:20:52,630 --> 00:20:50,080 ending configuration as you can see here 547 00:20:55,029 --> 00:20:52,640 displayed the two vehicles sitting on 548 00:20:57,510 --> 00:20:55,039 their flat plate adapter 549 00:20:58,390 --> 00:20:57,520 married to the second stage of the delta 550 00:21:00,390 --> 00:20:58,400 ii 551 00:21:03,029 --> 00:21:00,400 the first part of encapsulation is 552 00:21:04,789 --> 00:21:03,039 actually started here with the back clam 553 00:21:06,470 --> 00:21:04,799 shell actually attached 554 00:21:09,590 --> 00:21:06,480 in that configuration so it gives you a 555 00:21:10,549 --> 00:21:09,600 good shot of what the vehicle 556 00:21:12,310 --> 00:21:10,559 and the 557 00:21:13,350 --> 00:21:12,320 the spacecraft look like integrated 558 00:21:16,870 --> 00:21:13,360 there 559 00:21:18,390 --> 00:21:16,880 what i'd like to be able to do is okay 560 00:21:20,470 --> 00:21:18,400 you've heard from the launch vehicle 561 00:21:22,549 --> 00:21:20,480 what happens in the next two days here 562 00:21:24,950 --> 00:21:22,559 as we get up to launch and then through 563 00:21:27,350 --> 00:21:24,960 launch for the spacecraft we actually 564 00:21:29,350 --> 00:21:27,360 start about 24 hours prior to launch 565 00:21:30,870 --> 00:21:29,360 with our final power up 566 00:21:32,870 --> 00:21:30,880 and again our configuration for the 567 00:21:35,190 --> 00:21:32,880 spacecraft is that you cannot turn it 568 00:21:37,669 --> 00:21:35,200 off once it's in its final configuration 569 00:21:40,789 --> 00:21:37,679 so there's not an on off switch we do 570 00:21:42,950 --> 00:21:40,799 that through enable plugs so 24 hours 571 00:21:44,710 --> 00:21:42,960 before they start closing out the launch 572 00:21:46,870 --> 00:21:44,720 complex and preparing for launch we'll 573 00:21:48,950 --> 00:21:46,880 actually go in power up 574 00:21:51,110 --> 00:21:48,960 do functional testing install the 575 00:21:53,510 --> 00:21:51,120 battery main enable plug and the pyro 576 00:21:56,070 --> 00:21:53,520 main enable plugs that put us into our 577 00:21:57,909 --> 00:21:56,080 flight configuration and from that point 578 00:22:00,470 --> 00:21:57,919 on we stay powered up for the rest of 579 00:22:05,110 --> 00:22:02,710 approximately four hours prior to launch 580 00:22:06,870 --> 00:22:05,120 we'll start into the terminal account as 581 00:22:08,149 --> 00:22:06,880 you can see at this point in time the 582 00:22:09,669 --> 00:22:08,159 main show is going to be the launch 583 00:22:11,590 --> 00:22:09,679 vehicle the spacecraft has already 584 00:22:13,430 --> 00:22:11,600 proven to be good to go 585 00:22:15,110 --> 00:22:13,440 and therefore we'll take the ride on the 586 00:22:17,750 --> 00:22:15,120 delta ii 587 00:22:19,270 --> 00:22:17,760 through separation 588 00:22:20,470 --> 00:22:19,280 a couple things would like to go over 589 00:22:22,549 --> 00:22:20,480 right now one of the most common 590 00:22:26,950 --> 00:22:22,559 questions often asked with 591 00:22:30,310 --> 00:22:28,950 and i'll use models as an indication 592 00:22:33,350 --> 00:22:30,320 here 593 00:22:37,430 --> 00:22:35,590 the makeup of the vehicles themselves 594 00:22:41,510 --> 00:22:37,440 tends to bring heritage from several 595 00:22:45,270 --> 00:22:43,350 the body of the spacecraft pretty much 596 00:22:46,470 --> 00:22:45,280 comes from an experimental satellite 597 00:22:48,470 --> 00:22:46,480 program 598 00:22:50,710 --> 00:22:48,480 with the propulsion the avionics 599 00:22:52,870 --> 00:22:50,720 internal to it comes to us from mars 600 00:22:54,789 --> 00:22:52,880 reconnaissance orbiter so a lot of the 601 00:22:57,029 --> 00:22:54,799 avionics itself 602 00:22:58,630 --> 00:22:57,039 would actually come from that pier that 603 00:23:00,710 --> 00:22:58,640 particular area 604 00:23:03,430 --> 00:23:00,720 the science it's 605 00:23:05,270 --> 00:23:03,440 for the ke band ranging system 606 00:23:07,590 --> 00:23:05,280 actually comes from the grace program 607 00:23:11,510 --> 00:23:07,600 which is a german 608 00:23:13,590 --> 00:23:11,520 paris satellites uh flying uh nasa 609 00:23:15,750 --> 00:23:13,600 science mission 610 00:23:17,350 --> 00:23:15,760 in terms of how this actually works it's 611 00:23:19,750 --> 00:23:17,360 fairly straightforward with respect to 612 00:23:21,750 --> 00:23:19,760 how do you gauge the distance between 613 00:23:24,149 --> 00:23:21,760 the two vehicles during the mission 614 00:23:25,990 --> 00:23:24,159 itself understand that the distances 615 00:23:28,149 --> 00:23:26,000 that we're actually trying to measure 616 00:23:31,029 --> 00:23:28,159 between these two spacecraft when they 617 00:23:31,909 --> 00:23:31,039 go into a formation the formation is is 618 00:23:34,390 --> 00:23:31,919 lead 619 00:23:37,669 --> 00:23:34,400 trailed by the second one actually about 620 00:23:40,149 --> 00:23:37,679 75 miles to 225 miles apart 621 00:23:42,470 --> 00:23:40,159 but we're trying to measure is the width 622 00:23:43,909 --> 00:23:42,480 of less than a human hair 623 00:23:45,590 --> 00:23:43,919 so you're trying to get very very 624 00:23:46,710 --> 00:23:45,600 precise measurements from the two 625 00:23:48,390 --> 00:23:46,720 vehicles 626 00:23:50,310 --> 00:23:48,400 the simple way to do it here is with the 627 00:23:51,830 --> 00:23:50,320 ka band system how do you measure 628 00:23:53,830 --> 00:23:51,840 distance 629 00:23:55,590 --> 00:23:53,840 you use a ruler 630 00:23:57,750 --> 00:23:55,600 so in other words our ruler is really 631 00:24:01,110 --> 00:23:57,760 the ka band signal between the 632 00:24:03,430 --> 00:24:01,120 spacecraft and understand that in the ka 633 00:24:06,630 --> 00:24:03,440 band range for an rf frequency you're 634 00:24:08,950 --> 00:24:06,640 talking billions of cycles per second so 635 00:24:10,950 --> 00:24:08,960 those are very precise 636 00:24:13,510 --> 00:24:10,960 and can be measured 637 00:24:15,830 --> 00:24:13,520 then so you have the k-band signal from 638 00:24:18,070 --> 00:24:15,840 the antennas you get the measurement 639 00:24:20,390 --> 00:24:18,080 from the antennas distance between the 640 00:24:22,950 --> 00:24:20,400 two of them you have a time transfer 641 00:24:25,590 --> 00:24:22,960 system that then hacks and can actually 642 00:24:28,390 --> 00:24:25,600 show you the timing associated with it 643 00:24:31,590 --> 00:24:28,400 so you get measurement of distance with 644 00:24:34,070 --> 00:24:31,600 the time and then you're able to range 645 00:24:35,510 --> 00:24:34,080 with the dsn station you get precise 646 00:24:37,510 --> 00:24:35,520 measurements there 647 00:24:40,070 --> 00:24:37,520 so it's a very straightforward very 648 00:24:41,590 --> 00:24:40,080 simple way of gaining the science quite 649 00:24:43,190 --> 00:24:41,600 a bit of math though associated with 650 00:24:45,269 --> 00:24:43,200 being able to take that and translate 651 00:24:47,190 --> 00:24:45,279 that into seeing the changes between 652 00:24:50,549 --> 00:24:47,200 them where they are on the moon and 653 00:24:52,870 --> 00:24:50,559 determining the gravity map from the two 654 00:24:54,710 --> 00:24:52,880 but anyway for those of us that have 655 00:24:56,630 --> 00:24:54,720 difficulty understanding this thing 656 00:24:59,350 --> 00:24:56,640 that's a little bit more straightforward 657 00:25:00,549 --> 00:24:59,360 with the uh with the two vehicles 658 00:25:02,710 --> 00:25:00,559 anyway 659 00:25:04,789 --> 00:25:02,720 back to you george thank you shawn 660 00:25:06,789 --> 00:25:04,799 we'll look out the weather for thursday 661 00:25:08,950 --> 00:25:06,799 morning joel tombiolo is our launch 662 00:25:10,710 --> 00:25:08,960 weather officer from the 45th weather 663 00:25:13,110 --> 00:25:10,720 squadron at cape canaveral air force 664 00:25:14,549 --> 00:25:13,120 station joel thank you george and good 665 00:25:17,029 --> 00:25:14,559 afternoon everyone 666 00:25:17,909 --> 00:25:17,039 as usually is the case during the late 667 00:25:19,990 --> 00:25:17,919 summer 668 00:25:21,909 --> 00:25:20,000 early fall like season weather is always 669 00:25:23,830 --> 00:25:21,919 an issue regardless what the mission is 670 00:25:25,430 --> 00:25:23,840 and this mission is no different if i 671 00:25:27,669 --> 00:25:25,440 could have the satellite picture up on 672 00:25:29,590 --> 00:25:27,679 one of the screens up there i could use 673 00:25:30,630 --> 00:25:29,600 that to aid in my 674 00:25:33,029 --> 00:25:30,640 discussion 675 00:25:35,430 --> 00:25:33,039 basically we have a feed of moisture 676 00:25:37,350 --> 00:25:35,440 that's stretching all the way from 677 00:25:39,269 --> 00:25:37,360 southwestern gulf of mexico all the way 678 00:25:41,669 --> 00:25:39,279 through the state of florida all the way 679 00:25:43,510 --> 00:25:41,679 to what was tropical storm lee 680 00:25:45,269 --> 00:25:43,520 which made landfall over louisiana a 681 00:25:47,350 --> 00:25:45,279 couple days ago or the center of 682 00:25:49,510 --> 00:25:47,360 circulation is right now over northern 683 00:25:51,350 --> 00:25:49,520 georgia but extending south and 684 00:25:53,669 --> 00:25:51,360 southwestward from that center of low 685 00:25:55,190 --> 00:25:53,679 pressure is a pressure low pressure 686 00:25:57,510 --> 00:25:55,200 trough or a front 687 00:25:59,830 --> 00:25:57,520 that is right now located over 688 00:26:02,470 --> 00:25:59,840 western florida into the eastern gulf of 689 00:26:04,549 --> 00:26:02,480 mexico and that front will be slowly 690 00:26:06,470 --> 00:26:04,559 moving eastward over the next couple of 691 00:26:08,149 --> 00:26:06,480 days and basically we'll be sitting 692 00:26:09,830 --> 00:26:08,159 right over central florida over the next 693 00:26:11,909 --> 00:26:09,840 couple of days so we're going to have 694 00:26:14,950 --> 00:26:11,919 that instability of a 695 00:26:16,390 --> 00:26:14,960 stationary front over the area and in 696 00:26:18,950 --> 00:26:16,400 addition to that we're going to have a 697 00:26:19,750 --> 00:26:18,960 large plume of tropical moisture feeding 698 00:26:21,990 --> 00:26:19,760 in 699 00:26:23,590 --> 00:26:22,000 from the southwest so basically what 700 00:26:25,029 --> 00:26:23,600 we're looking at is conditions like we 701 00:26:26,470 --> 00:26:25,039 had right now 702 00:26:28,789 --> 00:26:26,480 we're going to be looking at afternoon 703 00:26:30,310 --> 00:26:28,799 showers and thunderstorms mainly during 704 00:26:32,549 --> 00:26:30,320 the late afternoon and early evening 705 00:26:35,269 --> 00:26:32,559 hours that would be more of an issue for 706 00:26:37,590 --> 00:26:35,279 the tower roll as we are forecasting 707 00:26:39,269 --> 00:26:37,600 about a 60 chance of having 708 00:26:42,310 --> 00:26:39,279 lightning within five nautical miles in 709 00:26:44,710 --> 00:26:42,320 the area at the time tower roll is 710 00:26:46,230 --> 00:26:44,720 scheduled to almost begin 711 00:26:47,669 --> 00:26:46,240 assuming we get through that then the 712 00:26:49,669 --> 00:26:47,679 thunderstorms will die out after 713 00:26:51,510 --> 00:26:49,679 midnight and then once we get into the 714 00:26:52,390 --> 00:26:51,520 early morning hours into the terminal 715 00:26:53,590 --> 00:26:52,400 count 716 00:26:55,990 --> 00:26:53,600 the issues that we're going to be 717 00:26:57,830 --> 00:26:56,000 looking at is for thunderstorms 718 00:26:59,510 --> 00:26:57,840 developing not over the land of florida 719 00:27:00,710 --> 00:26:59,520 per se but over the eastern gulf of 720 00:27:03,029 --> 00:27:00,720 mexico 721 00:27:05,190 --> 00:27:03,039 and over the gulf stream to our east so 722 00:27:07,190 --> 00:27:05,200 we're going to be sandwiched in between 723 00:27:09,510 --> 00:27:07,200 probably two areas of thunderstorms and 724 00:27:11,190 --> 00:27:09,520 what we're going to be monitoring is 725 00:27:12,310 --> 00:27:11,200 thunderstorms that are to our west and 726 00:27:13,990 --> 00:27:12,320 the anvil clouds from those 727 00:27:16,630 --> 00:27:14,000 thunderstorms moving 728 00:27:17,990 --> 00:27:16,640 towards uh towards the east and we'll be 729 00:27:20,230 --> 00:27:18,000 looking at the android cloud world as 730 00:27:22,310 --> 00:27:20,240 far as that's concerned so that's pretty 731 00:27:24,470 --> 00:27:22,320 much basically the setup 732 00:27:26,549 --> 00:27:24,480 right now the forecast of for beginning 733 00:27:27,750 --> 00:27:26,559 of the launch window is a 60 chance of 734 00:27:29,830 --> 00:27:27,760 violation 735 00:27:31,830 --> 00:27:29,840 with the two main concerns being the 736 00:27:33,909 --> 00:27:31,840 anvil cloud rule again thunderstorms to 737 00:27:35,830 --> 00:27:33,919 our west during the early morning hours 738 00:27:37,350 --> 00:27:35,840 over the eastern gulf of mexico and the 739 00:27:39,510 --> 00:27:37,360 upper level winds are such that those 740 00:27:41,430 --> 00:27:39,520 anvils could be coming in our direction 741 00:27:43,110 --> 00:27:41,440 and also some local cumulus clouds and 742 00:27:44,710 --> 00:27:43,120 showers that could develop 743 00:27:46,870 --> 00:27:44,720 during the early morning hours although 744 00:27:49,029 --> 00:27:46,880 typically like i said we normally see 745 00:27:50,870 --> 00:27:49,039 our main area of thunderstorms in that 746 00:27:52,630 --> 00:27:50,880 during the afternoon and evening so 747 00:27:54,549 --> 00:27:52,640 we'll just be watching that there will 748 00:27:57,190 --> 00:27:54,559 be multiple multi-layer clouds in the 749 00:27:59,669 --> 00:27:57,200 area the winds will be out of the west 750 00:28:01,990 --> 00:27:59,679 around 10 peaking 18 knots 751 00:28:03,669 --> 00:28:02,000 below the threshold for liftoff and 752 00:28:05,669 --> 00:28:03,679 again there will be showers and 753 00:28:06,789 --> 00:28:05,679 thunderstorms in the vicinity mainly 754 00:28:08,789 --> 00:28:06,799 we're going to be looking at anvil 755 00:28:10,789 --> 00:28:08,799 clouds the temperature at the beginning 756 00:28:11,909 --> 00:28:10,799 of the window is going to be 82 to 83 757 00:28:14,149 --> 00:28:11,919 fahrenheit 758 00:28:15,110 --> 00:28:14,159 haven't reached fall yet some areas have 759 00:28:16,549 --> 00:28:15,120 not here 760 00:28:18,950 --> 00:28:16,559 and again like i said a six percent 761 00:28:21,350 --> 00:28:18,960 chance of a violation if we were to go 762 00:28:23,350 --> 00:28:21,360 into 24 hour delay pretty much the same 763 00:28:25,110 --> 00:28:23,360 scenario that front's still going to be 764 00:28:27,510 --> 00:28:25,120 over the area although inching its way 765 00:28:29,510 --> 00:28:27,520 southward and uh the next day looks 766 00:28:32,230 --> 00:28:29,520 pretty much identical forecast a six 767 00:28:33,269 --> 00:28:32,240 percent chance of no go for the same 768 00:28:35,110 --> 00:28:33,279 reasons 769 00:28:37,190 --> 00:28:35,120 if we were to go beyond that that front 770 00:28:39,350 --> 00:28:37,200 will slowly sink to the south and we'll 771 00:28:42,230 --> 00:28:39,360 have some drier air moving in that will 772 00:28:43,990 --> 00:28:42,240 affect the area once we get to uh 773 00:28:45,750 --> 00:28:44,000 weekend time frame friday saturday 774 00:28:46,789 --> 00:28:45,760 sunday time frame so those days look 775 00:28:47,590 --> 00:28:46,799 improved 776 00:28:49,190 --> 00:28:47,600 so 777 00:28:51,269 --> 00:28:49,200 we're looking forward to that 778 00:28:53,029 --> 00:28:51,279 tropics we are into the peak of our 779 00:28:53,909 --> 00:28:53,039 hurricane season it's been a very busy 780 00:28:56,070 --> 00:28:53,919 season 781 00:28:57,830 --> 00:28:56,080 and we have another least 782 00:28:59,830 --> 00:28:57,840 month and a half to two months of active 783 00:29:02,549 --> 00:28:59,840 weather we're currently following three 784 00:29:03,669 --> 00:29:02,559 systems uh neither of which 785 00:29:05,750 --> 00:29:03,679 are going to be affecting us in the 786 00:29:07,909 --> 00:29:05,760 short term hurricane katya that's well 787 00:29:09,830 --> 00:29:07,919 offshore no player here 788 00:29:12,710 --> 00:29:09,840 there is a system in the southwestern 789 00:29:14,549 --> 00:29:12,720 gulf of mexico basically at the tail end 790 00:29:16,470 --> 00:29:14,559 of the long long stream of moisture that 791 00:29:19,190 --> 00:29:16,480 i was referring to going all the way to 792 00:29:21,430 --> 00:29:19,200 the southwest at the very tail of that 793 00:29:23,190 --> 00:29:21,440 there's a system over the bay campeche 794 00:29:24,630 --> 00:29:23,200 that's starting to get organized so 795 00:29:26,789 --> 00:29:24,640 we're going to be watching that very 796 00:29:28,470 --> 00:29:26,799 closely over the next few days and then 797 00:29:30,470 --> 00:29:28,480 there's another system over the eastern 798 00:29:31,909 --> 00:29:30,480 atlantic typically coming off the coast 799 00:29:34,310 --> 00:29:31,919 of africa and moving all the way across 800 00:29:36,630 --> 00:29:34,320 the ocean and we will watch that over 801 00:29:38,389 --> 00:29:36,640 the next week week and a half it may 802 00:29:39,350 --> 00:29:38,399 affect antigua in the next two or three 803 00:29:41,430 --> 00:29:39,360 days 804 00:29:43,029 --> 00:29:41,440 but right now there's no immediate 805 00:29:44,789 --> 00:29:43,039 impact on the u.s 806 00:29:46,870 --> 00:29:44,799 so with that that's all i have george 807 00:29:49,430 --> 00:29:46,880 thank you all right thank you joel and 808 00:29:50,549 --> 00:29:49,440 we're ready now to take questions please 809 00:29:52,310 --> 00:29:50,559 keep in mind that there will be a 810 00:29:53,350 --> 00:29:52,320 science briefing in the morning 811 00:29:55,350 --> 00:29:53,360 and please give your name and 812 00:29:56,549 --> 00:29:55,360 affiliation when the microphone comes to 813 00:29:59,029 --> 00:29:56,559 you and we'll start here in the front 814 00:30:01,990 --> 00:29:59,039 with marcia um marcia dunn for tim dunn 815 00:30:05,110 --> 00:30:02,000 no relation i don't think um what time 816 00:30:07,110 --> 00:30:05,120 is your tower roll back and also 817 00:30:08,710 --> 00:30:07,120 how many days could you just keep trying 818 00:30:10,470 --> 00:30:08,720 consecutively before you would have to 819 00:30:11,990 --> 00:30:10,480 take a break for team rest or rocket 820 00:30:13,750 --> 00:30:12,000 issues 821 00:30:16,310 --> 00:30:13,760 our tower roll will begin tomorrow 822 00:30:19,269 --> 00:30:16,320 evening at 8 pm we start off with a crew 823 00:30:20,549 --> 00:30:19,279 briefing that's 8 p.m local time here 824 00:30:23,269 --> 00:30:20,559 eastern time 825 00:30:25,909 --> 00:30:23,279 and we then go into a walk-down of the 826 00:30:28,549 --> 00:30:25,919 tower so the physical movement of the 827 00:30:31,190 --> 00:30:28,559 tower generally would be in the 10 30 to 828 00:30:34,070 --> 00:30:31,200 midnight time frame 829 00:30:35,830 --> 00:30:34,080 as far as how many times could we go 830 00:30:37,590 --> 00:30:35,840 successive attempts 831 00:30:38,710 --> 00:30:37,600 currently we have two opportunities per 832 00:30:46,389 --> 00:30:38,720 day 833 00:30:47,830 --> 00:30:46,399 seconds is an opportunity about 39 834 00:30:49,269 --> 00:30:47,840 minutes later we have a second 835 00:30:51,990 --> 00:30:49,279 opportunity to go 836 00:30:54,789 --> 00:30:52,000 and we continue that cycle moving four 837 00:30:58,870 --> 00:30:54,799 minutes earlier each day 838 00:31:01,350 --> 00:30:58,880 as we proceed forward and we could 839 00:31:03,350 --> 00:31:01,360 given that it was not a launch vehicle 840 00:31:05,190 --> 00:31:03,360 issue or spacecraft hardware issue that 841 00:31:07,430 --> 00:31:05,200 we're trying to deal with as the cause 842 00:31:09,110 --> 00:31:07,440 for a scrub we could generally go about 843 00:31:11,750 --> 00:31:09,120 three days in a row before we would need 844 00:31:13,830 --> 00:31:11,760 to take crew rest 845 00:31:16,389 --> 00:31:13,840 and for dr weiler 846 00:31:17,909 --> 00:31:16,399 juno had a huge amount of interest and 847 00:31:20,710 --> 00:31:17,919 it came so close at the end of the 848 00:31:22,549 --> 00:31:20,720 shuttle program i'm wondering you know 849 00:31:24,710 --> 00:31:22,559 how you see all these space science 850 00:31:26,630 --> 00:31:24,720 missions taking on new interests perhaps 851 00:31:29,190 --> 00:31:26,640 among the public given that the shuttle 852 00:31:31,029 --> 00:31:29,200 is no longer launching from here and i 853 00:31:33,509 --> 00:31:31,039 if you could also add 854 00:31:36,230 --> 00:31:33,519 could grail provide any 855 00:31:38,950 --> 00:31:36,240 real insight for future landings places 856 00:31:41,190 --> 00:31:38,960 be them people or robots 857 00:31:43,110 --> 00:31:41,200 uh well i can't speak for ksc i don't 858 00:31:45,110 --> 00:31:43,120 live here at least not yet but someday i 859 00:31:46,630 --> 00:31:45,120 might anyway uh 860 00:31:48,710 --> 00:31:46,640 let's see uh 861 00:31:50,789 --> 00:31:48,720 we had i just heard just before this 862 00:31:52,950 --> 00:31:50,799 press conference started uh jim adams my 863 00:31:55,110 --> 00:31:52,960 deputy director for uh planetary was 864 00:31:57,750 --> 00:31:55,120 very proudly pointing out that we we had 865 00:31:58,870 --> 00:31:57,760 a goal of attracting 10 000 866 00:32:01,669 --> 00:31:58,880 visitors 867 00:32:04,070 --> 00:32:01,679 uh to see the juno launch and apparently 868 00:32:06,389 --> 00:32:04,080 the numbers now came in from bus data 869 00:32:09,269 --> 00:32:06,399 and that kind of stuff and we're very 870 00:32:11,029 --> 00:32:09,279 happy to hear that it was 12 300. 871 00:32:12,789 --> 00:32:11,039 so that was quite a victory i can't 872 00:32:14,630 --> 00:32:12,799 predict what it'll be for grail but we 873 00:32:16,950 --> 00:32:14,640 have we have a goal of getting you know 874 00:32:18,950 --> 00:32:16,960 at least 10 000 people down here 875 00:32:21,110 --> 00:32:18,960 uh we'll see what happens for grail of 876 00:32:22,149 --> 00:32:21,120 course we have msl coming up and i have 877 00:32:24,710 --> 00:32:22,159 a feeling 878 00:32:26,310 --> 00:32:24,720 mars seems to attract people's interest 879 00:32:27,750 --> 00:32:26,320 and continues to i have a feeling we're 880 00:32:29,110 --> 00:32:27,760 going to have a really good turnout for 881 00:32:30,870 --> 00:32:29,120 the mars mission 882 00:32:33,669 --> 00:32:30,880 but the administrator has set a goal to 883 00:32:35,269 --> 00:32:33,679 try to remind people that nasa is still 884 00:32:37,029 --> 00:32:35,279 doing business even though the shuttles 885 00:32:38,070 --> 00:32:37,039 you know stop flying now 886 00:32:39,909 --> 00:32:38,080 and 887 00:32:42,789 --> 00:32:39,919 i don't think we'll ever have a year in 888 00:32:44,710 --> 00:32:42,799 near near term uh like this one i mean i 889 00:32:46,870 --> 00:32:44,720 read the list of incredible this is this 890 00:32:48,310 --> 00:32:46,880 is the year of the solar system uh if 891 00:32:50,310 --> 00:32:48,320 you especially if you count the earth as 892 00:32:52,549 --> 00:32:50,320 a planet because last time i checked 893 00:32:53,750 --> 00:32:52,559 it's still defined as a planet uh 894 00:32:55,430 --> 00:32:53,760 counting those two earth science 895 00:32:56,789 --> 00:32:55,440 missions i didn't even count them but 896 00:32:59,110 --> 00:32:56,799 there must be eight or nine or ten 897 00:33:01,509 --> 00:32:59,120 launches or activities 898 00:33:04,230 --> 00:33:01,519 so uh we're uh we're doing pretty well 899 00:33:05,990 --> 00:33:04,240 this year and hopefully uh 900 00:33:08,310 --> 00:33:06,000 given a stable budget if we can have 901 00:33:10,470 --> 00:33:08,320 that uh we'll continue to in the future 902 00:33:12,549 --> 00:33:10,480 terms of grail uh 903 00:33:15,190 --> 00:33:12,559 uh in terms of how it might play into 904 00:33:16,149 --> 00:33:15,200 the human side uh or even future lunar 905 00:33:18,549 --> 00:33:16,159 missions 906 00:33:20,630 --> 00:33:18,559 uh it's important to point out that uh 907 00:33:22,549 --> 00:33:20,640 we don't really have a good feel for 908 00:33:24,230 --> 00:33:22,559 lunar gravity i mean the fact that this 909 00:33:25,350 --> 00:33:24,240 mission which is just a discovery 910 00:33:26,870 --> 00:33:25,360 mission is going to improve our 911 00:33:28,789 --> 00:33:26,880 understanding of the gravity field of 912 00:33:31,029 --> 00:33:28,799 the moon by factors of a hundred to a 913 00:33:32,870 --> 00:33:31,039 thousand is incredible 914 00:33:35,350 --> 00:33:32,880 uh that can be very critical critical 915 00:33:37,430 --> 00:33:35,360 for future landing of robotic spacecraft 916 00:33:39,269 --> 00:33:37,440 or even human spacecraft precisely 917 00:33:40,549 --> 00:33:39,279 knowing what the gravity fields are 918 00:33:42,149 --> 00:33:40,559 you're going to have to deal with 919 00:33:45,430 --> 00:33:42,159 because the moon is not a nice solid 920 00:33:47,269 --> 00:33:45,440 sphere solid rock it's got lunar mascons 921 00:33:49,669 --> 00:33:47,279 and you know orbits change it's it's 922 00:33:51,509 --> 00:33:49,679 actually quite a dicey thing to fly 923 00:33:53,590 --> 00:33:51,519 orbits around the moon because 924 00:33:55,590 --> 00:33:53,600 the moon is not very uniform and this 925 00:33:57,350 --> 00:33:55,600 mission's goal is to really really pin 926 00:33:59,029 --> 00:33:57,360 that down what is the gravity feel of 927 00:34:00,549 --> 00:33:59,039 the moon and we won't do it once we'll 928 00:34:03,350 --> 00:34:00,559 do it three times 929 00:34:05,590 --> 00:34:03,360 so we'll have some redundancy there 930 00:34:07,509 --> 00:34:05,600 and this kind of if you got the flavor 931 00:34:09,829 --> 00:34:07,519 of this mission i like to call it a real 932 00:34:10,790 --> 00:34:09,839 physics mission this is physics at its 933 00:34:12,069 --> 00:34:10,800 best 934 00:34:13,510 --> 00:34:12,079 uh 935 00:34:14,869 --> 00:34:13,520 you you have to get a feel for the 936 00:34:16,629 --> 00:34:14,879 incredible amount of data that's going 937 00:34:17,990 --> 00:34:16,639 to come out of this and if it weren't 938 00:34:20,470 --> 00:34:18,000 for computers i don't know how to ever 939 00:34:21,829 --> 00:34:20,480 do a mission like this because if you 940 00:34:23,589 --> 00:34:21,839 had to use a slide roll like someone was 941 00:34:26,550 --> 00:34:23,599 used to it would be a long long time 942 00:34:29,909 --> 00:34:28,310 justin justin ray with 943 00:34:31,349 --> 00:34:29,919 spaceflightnow.com 944 00:34:32,790 --> 00:34:31,359 a mission operations question i was 945 00:34:34,950 --> 00:34:32,800 wondering how challenging it is to be 946 00:34:36,710 --> 00:34:34,960 flying two spacecraft at the same time 947 00:34:38,869 --> 00:34:36,720 do you have two different teams flying 948 00:34:41,030 --> 00:34:38,879 grail a grill b or how does that all 949 00:34:42,069 --> 00:34:41,040 work 950 00:34:43,510 --> 00:34:42,079 okay 951 00:34:45,669 --> 00:34:43,520 it is a big challenge for us but we've 952 00:34:48,389 --> 00:34:45,679 been working on the plans for this three 953 00:34:50,069 --> 00:34:48,399 or four years now and actually we do 954 00:34:52,149 --> 00:34:50,079 have two teams there's a grail a team 955 00:34:54,790 --> 00:34:52,159 and a grail b team each flying the two 956 00:34:56,550 --> 00:34:54,800 spacecraft and so the the challenge for 957 00:34:59,109 --> 00:34:56,560 us is when we go into the 958 00:35:01,589 --> 00:34:59,119 into the end of the uh 959 00:35:02,950 --> 00:35:01,599 just prior to the science phase we call 960 00:35:04,790 --> 00:35:02,960 it the the 961 00:35:07,430 --> 00:35:04,800 transfer to science formation phase and 962 00:35:09,990 --> 00:35:07,440 this is where we we have to uh get the 963 00:35:12,310 --> 00:35:10,000 spacecraft very precisely into the right 964 00:35:14,710 --> 00:35:12,320 orbit and our navigators are a quarter 965 00:35:16,390 --> 00:35:14,720 million miles away from from the moon 966 00:35:18,310 --> 00:35:16,400 but yet we're able to 967 00:35:21,430 --> 00:35:18,320 navigate them in very precisely for the 968 00:35:24,630 --> 00:35:22,790 just another quick question i was 969 00:35:26,150 --> 00:35:24,640 wondering how soon after launch do you 970 00:35:27,670 --> 00:35:26,160 expect to 971 00:35:29,030 --> 00:35:27,680 be able to confirm the spacecraft or 972 00:35:31,030 --> 00:35:29,040 healthy the solar rays are out 973 00:35:31,990 --> 00:35:31,040 everything is is fine from a spacecraft 974 00:35:34,230 --> 00:35:32,000 point of view 975 00:35:35,829 --> 00:35:34,240 okay what will happen uh about an hour 976 00:35:37,750 --> 00:35:35,839 and a half after launch that's when 977 00:35:40,069 --> 00:35:37,760 grail a deploys 978 00:35:42,150 --> 00:35:40,079 and within five seconds is when the 979 00:35:44,950 --> 00:35:42,160 transmitter is turned on and the solar 980 00:35:47,109 --> 00:35:44,960 rays are also deployed and then the the 981 00:35:48,470 --> 00:35:47,119 deep space network at goldstone 982 00:35:50,950 --> 00:35:48,480 california will be tracking the 983 00:35:52,950 --> 00:35:50,960 spacecraft and that usually acquires 984 00:35:54,870 --> 00:35:52,960 within about five minutes and then the 985 00:35:57,030 --> 00:35:54,880 data is transferred to the team and then 986 00:35:59,030 --> 00:35:57,040 that's when we do the the actual 987 00:36:01,190 --> 00:35:59,040 processing the data to see how see what 988 00:36:05,589 --> 00:36:01,200 the health and status is so it'll it'll 989 00:36:12,150 --> 00:36:07,910 all right over here uh ken kramer have 990 00:36:16,390 --> 00:36:14,390 hi ken kramer for uh space flight 991 00:36:18,630 --> 00:36:16,400 magazine for um 992 00:36:20,630 --> 00:36:18,640 ed and tim i think can you reflect a 993 00:36:22,069 --> 00:36:20,640 little bit on the historic significance 994 00:36:25,190 --> 00:36:22,079 of the delta 995 00:36:27,430 --> 00:36:25,200 um in for nasa missions yeah vern talked 996 00:36:28,870 --> 00:36:27,440 a little bit about it from the ula side 997 00:36:31,190 --> 00:36:28,880 but talk a little bit about it from the 998 00:36:33,270 --> 00:36:31,200 nasa missions and also could you tell us 999 00:36:36,150 --> 00:36:33,280 about um do you have any potential 1000 00:36:38,310 --> 00:36:36,160 customers for these five left and and 1001 00:36:40,069 --> 00:36:38,320 why are we 1002 00:36:41,589 --> 00:36:40,079 phasing out the delta ii it's been so 1003 00:36:43,750 --> 00:36:41,599 successful i understand you have other 1004 00:36:45,349 --> 00:36:43,760 rockets but delta ii has been so 1005 00:36:48,470 --> 00:36:45,359 successful thanks 1006 00:36:50,310 --> 00:36:48,480 let me take the easy part of that now 1007 00:36:51,990 --> 00:36:50,320 the easy part of it is the delta ii has 1008 00:36:54,230 --> 00:36:52,000 been a workhorse for space science and 1009 00:36:56,150 --> 00:36:54,240 earth science it's uh i couldn't even 1010 00:36:58,069 --> 00:36:56,160 name all the missions 1011 00:37:00,150 --> 00:36:58,079 some of them mentioned uh 1012 00:37:01,750 --> 00:37:00,160 spirit and opportunity i mean talk about 1013 00:37:03,910 --> 00:37:01,760 public interest in space science 1014 00:37:05,589 --> 00:37:03,920 missions i mean those are launched by 1015 00:37:07,030 --> 00:37:05,599 deltas 1016 00:37:09,270 --> 00:37:07,040 many many of our 1017 00:37:11,349 --> 00:37:09,280 explorers going all the way back to 1018 00:37:14,390 --> 00:37:11,359 international ultraviolet explorer which 1019 00:37:15,829 --> 00:37:14,400 some people may remember a precursor to 1020 00:37:17,829 --> 00:37:15,839 back in the days when astronomers were 1021 00:37:20,470 --> 00:37:17,839 happy with a mere 18-inch telescope in 1022 00:37:23,349 --> 00:37:20,480 space pre-hubble that was launched on a 1023 00:37:26,150 --> 00:37:23,359 delta uh it launched many many explorers 1024 00:37:28,230 --> 00:37:26,160 too many to uh to even count somebody 1025 00:37:29,750 --> 00:37:28,240 probably has a statistics but if you 1026 00:37:32,630 --> 00:37:29,760 count earth and space science it's got 1027 00:37:34,870 --> 00:37:32,640 to be in the 50s 60s 70s 1028 00:37:36,950 --> 00:37:34,880 of missions so we're going to miss it 1029 00:37:39,190 --> 00:37:36,960 we're going to miss it a lot 1030 00:37:41,670 --> 00:37:39,200 yeah i'll just add on to that obviously 1031 00:37:43,870 --> 00:37:41,680 i gave some numbers earlier on how good 1032 00:37:46,870 --> 00:37:43,880 delta has been to us as a nation 1033 00:37:47,990 --> 00:37:46,880 355 launches on various delta launch 1034 00:37:51,750 --> 00:37:48,000 vehicles 1035 00:37:54,310 --> 00:37:51,760 specific for nasa of those 355 1036 00:37:56,790 --> 00:37:54,320 nasa has been involved in 231 of those 1037 00:37:58,790 --> 00:37:56,800 missions either with the primary payload 1038 00:38:00,790 --> 00:37:58,800 or performing launch management and 1039 00:38:02,150 --> 00:38:00,800 launch countdown expertise 1040 00:38:05,349 --> 00:38:02,160 dating all the way back to the very 1041 00:38:08,150 --> 00:38:05,359 first delta mission in may of 1960. 1042 00:38:13,510 --> 00:38:08,160 so delta has been very good to us 1043 00:38:17,750 --> 00:38:15,349 so vern i think i'm going to give the 1044 00:38:18,710 --> 00:38:17,760 tough questions to 1045 00:38:20,950 --> 00:38:18,720 uh 1046 00:38:23,349 --> 00:38:20,960 well the the medium class market that 1047 00:38:25,670 --> 00:38:23,359 delta has served for so many decades has 1048 00:38:26,790 --> 00:38:25,680 uh has really shrunk over the last few 1049 00:38:27,829 --> 00:38:26,800 years 1050 00:38:29,510 --> 00:38:27,839 and it's 1051 00:38:32,630 --> 00:38:29,520 it's just hard to find a business case 1052 00:38:35,109 --> 00:38:32,640 that works that allows you to 1053 00:38:35,990 --> 00:38:35,119 be able to launch the one or the two per 1054 00:38:37,510 --> 00:38:36,000 year 1055 00:38:39,030 --> 00:38:37,520 that the market demands right now and be 1056 00:38:40,630 --> 00:38:39,040 able to do it 1057 00:38:42,230 --> 00:38:40,640 for a reasonable price 1058 00:38:44,630 --> 00:38:42,240 the reason that we're able to still do 1059 00:38:46,390 --> 00:38:44,640 it for the next few years is because 1060 00:38:47,910 --> 00:38:46,400 since ula was formed we've been able to 1061 00:38:50,390 --> 00:38:47,920 integrate 1062 00:38:52,950 --> 00:38:50,400 our launch teams our engineering teams 1063 00:38:55,270 --> 00:38:52,960 our factories everything else 1064 00:38:57,430 --> 00:38:55,280 so that we're sharing resources between 1065 00:38:59,589 --> 00:38:57,440 the delta iv program and the atlas 1066 00:39:02,390 --> 00:38:59,599 program with delta ii so we were able to 1067 00:39:05,510 --> 00:39:02,400 take advantage of that and still keep 1068 00:39:07,109 --> 00:39:05,520 keep that launch service affordable 1069 00:39:09,349 --> 00:39:07,119 you know there the big question right 1070 00:39:11,270 --> 00:39:09,359 now is will there be more delta ii's we 1071 00:39:12,470 --> 00:39:11,280 certainly hope from ula's perspective 1072 00:39:15,349 --> 00:39:12,480 that there will be we have enough 1073 00:39:17,750 --> 00:39:15,359 inventory left to build five more 1074 00:39:19,430 --> 00:39:17,760 we have all the the skills that we need 1075 00:39:21,030 --> 00:39:19,440 in-house to be able to perform those 1076 00:39:22,950 --> 00:39:21,040 missions for the the reasons that i just 1077 00:39:25,510 --> 00:39:22,960 explained we've got an integrated team 1078 00:39:27,750 --> 00:39:25,520 now between atlas and delta 1079 00:39:29,270 --> 00:39:27,760 and we are in discussions with uh with 1080 00:39:31,589 --> 00:39:29,280 several commercial and government 1081 00:39:33,270 --> 00:39:31,599 customers regarding the possibility of 1082 00:39:34,950 --> 00:39:33,280 future sales 1083 00:39:36,790 --> 00:39:34,960 and you know that nasa is is one of 1084 00:39:38,230 --> 00:39:36,800 those organizations we're talking to we 1085 00:39:39,990 --> 00:39:38,240 can't talk about it too much right now 1086 00:39:43,030 --> 00:39:40,000 because we are in the 1087 00:39:45,030 --> 00:39:43,040 the proposal evaluation phase um 1088 00:39:46,390 --> 00:39:45,040 on the nls2 contract for on-ramping 1089 00:39:48,550 --> 00:39:46,400 delta ii 1090 00:39:50,390 --> 00:39:48,560 but uh we hope that sometime in the near 1091 00:39:52,550 --> 00:39:50,400 future that results in a few more 1092 00:39:56,550 --> 00:39:52,560 missions and those would most likely be 1093 00:39:58,470 --> 00:39:56,560 missions out of vandenberg as well 1094 00:40:03,030 --> 00:39:58,480 all right any further questions right 1095 00:40:06,230 --> 00:40:04,150 don vladiak for the canadian 1096 00:40:07,030 --> 00:40:06,240 broadcasting corporation and for tim 1097 00:40:08,630 --> 00:40:07,040 dunn 1098 00:40:10,950 --> 00:40:08,640 following up on marsha's question how 1099 00:40:13,109 --> 00:40:10,960 late can you delay the roll back before 1100 00:40:14,390 --> 00:40:13,119 it impacts the launch window on thursday 1101 00:40:17,589 --> 00:40:14,400 morning 1102 00:40:19,670 --> 00:40:17,599 generally the tower roll we have about a 1103 00:40:21,510 --> 00:40:19,680 four hour window between eight and 1104 00:40:22,550 --> 00:40:21,520 midnight where we like to accomplish 1105 00:40:24,150 --> 00:40:22,560 that 1106 00:40:26,230 --> 00:40:24,160 i mentioned you know the 10 30 to 1107 00:40:28,630 --> 00:40:26,240 midnight right now being the primary 1108 00:40:31,190 --> 00:40:28,640 target if we have to we could probably 1109 00:40:33,190 --> 00:40:31,200 push that back on the order of an hour 1110 00:40:35,589 --> 00:40:33,200 to an hour and a half before we would 1111 00:40:38,150 --> 00:40:35,599 run out of time uh with the other 1112 00:40:41,829 --> 00:40:38,160 activities that would get us to t0 thank 1113 00:40:43,750 --> 00:40:41,839 you and a follow-up for vern thorpe 1114 00:40:46,069 --> 00:40:43,760 will be any rocket cams on the delta to 1115 00:40:48,309 --> 00:40:46,079 give us some views of the launch 1116 00:40:50,790 --> 00:40:48,319 we have i know we have a forward-facing 1117 00:40:52,950 --> 00:40:50,800 camera on the front end and again it's 1118 00:40:55,190 --> 00:40:52,960 always a matter of if we have a good 1119 00:40:57,190 --> 00:40:55,200 telemetry link to get that data back 1120 00:40:59,910 --> 00:40:57,200 these cameras are not they're not 1121 00:41:01,430 --> 00:40:59,920 mandatory we don't they don't have to 1122 00:41:03,750 --> 00:41:01,440 return the data for the launch to be 1123 00:41:05,349 --> 00:41:03,760 successful so whether we have a perfect 1124 00:41:06,950 --> 00:41:05,359 link or not we'll go ahead and fly but 1125 00:41:09,349 --> 00:41:06,960 we'll keep our fingers crossed and we 1126 00:41:10,870 --> 00:41:09,359 hope we can see something and uh tim 1127 00:41:12,550 --> 00:41:10,880 maybe you remember do we have an aft 1128 00:41:14,150 --> 00:41:12,560 facing camera on this one no just the 1129 00:41:15,510 --> 00:41:14,160 forward face okay so we've got the one 1130 00:41:18,550 --> 00:41:15,520 forward facing camera on the second 1131 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:21,990 any additional questions 1132 00:41:26,069 --> 00:41:23,910 all right in that event a couple of 1133 00:41:28,069 --> 00:41:26,079 programming notes our next gradle event 1134 00:41:30,870 --> 00:41:28,079 is the grail mission science briefing 1135 00:41:32,309 --> 00:41:30,880 which is in the morning at 10 a.m 1136 00:41:34,630 --> 00:41:32,319 eastern time 1137 00:41:38,230 --> 00:41:34,640 our launch coverage on nasa tv will 1138 00:41:40,309 --> 00:41:38,240 start at 6 a.m on thursday morning 1139 00:41:42,150 --> 00:41:40,319 and right now we are planning to have a 1140 00:41:43,670 --> 00:41:42,160 post-launch news conference that we 1141 00:41:45,670 --> 00:41:43,680 approximately 1142 00:41:47,270 --> 00:41:45,680 launch plus two and one half hours is 1143 00:41:49,430 --> 00:41:47,280 what we're targeting depending on how 1144 00:41:50,230 --> 00:41:49,440 much information we have at that point 1145 00:41:52,069 --> 00:41:50,240 about 1146 00:41:54,870 --> 00:41:52,079 the state of health and what the 1147 00:41:57,510 --> 00:41:54,880 spacecraft has been doing