1 00:00:08,870 --> 00:00:06,320 good afternoon everyone this is the 2 00:00:10,970 --> 00:00:08,880 pre-launch news conference for nasa's 3 00:00:13,549 --> 00:00:10,980 mars science laboratory with curiosity 4 00:00:15,499 --> 00:00:13,559 rover to be launched on Saturday aboard 5 00:00:19,099 --> 00:00:15,509 a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket 6 00:00:21,470 --> 00:00:19,109 from complex 41 and here to talk about 7 00:00:23,779 --> 00:00:21,480 the launch and the mission and look at 8 00:00:26,570 --> 00:00:23,789 our weather forecast for Saturday will 9 00:00:28,339 --> 00:00:26,580 begin with Colleen Hartman the assistant 10 00:00:29,990 --> 00:00:28,349 associate administrator for the science 11 00:00:34,610 --> 00:00:30,000 Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters 12 00:00:38,410 --> 00:00:34,620 in Washington Omar Baez the NASA launch 13 00:00:41,030 --> 00:00:38,420 director from the Kennedy Space Center 14 00:00:42,950 --> 00:00:41,040 burnhamthorpe the program manager for 15 00:00:48,470 --> 00:00:42,960 NASA missions from united launch 16 00:00:50,330 --> 00:00:48,480 alliance in denver Pete eisinger the MSL 17 00:00:54,670 --> 00:00:50,340 project manager from the Jet Propulsion 18 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:54,680 Laboratory in Pasadena California and 19 00:00:59,360 --> 00:00:57,210 Joel Tom violo launch weather officer 20 00:01:02,479 --> 00:00:59,370 from the forty-fifth weather squadron at 21 00:01:04,250 --> 00:01:02,489 cape canaveral air force station and 22 00:01:06,429 --> 00:01:04,260 we'll begin first with remarks by 23 00:01:09,469 --> 00:01:06,439 colleen hartman clean thank you George 24 00:01:12,170 --> 00:01:09,479 Sir Isaac Newton wrote in a letter to 25 00:01:14,390 --> 00:01:12,180 Robert Hooke if I have seen farther than 26 00:01:17,810 --> 00:01:14,400 others it is by standing on the 27 00:01:20,060 --> 00:01:17,820 shoulders of giants NASA's past is 28 00:01:22,789 --> 00:01:20,070 filled with giant accomplishments and 29 00:01:25,429 --> 00:01:22,799 yet occasionally I'll hear the rumor 30 00:01:28,399 --> 00:01:25,439 that NASA's glory days are all in its 31 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:28,409 past the launch of the Mars Science Lab 32 00:01:34,249 --> 00:01:31,170 and the rover Curiosity this Saturday 33 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:34,259 and NASA's successes just this last year 34 00:01:41,780 --> 00:01:37,890 show how very very wrong that rumor 35 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:41,790 truly is just this last year NASA in 36 00:01:46,850 --> 00:01:44,490 space and earth science has had a series 37 00:01:48,679 --> 00:01:46,860 of verse and these include our 38 00:01:51,289 --> 00:01:48,689 international partners as well so I'll 39 00:01:54,109 --> 00:01:51,299 just go through some quickly a NASA 40 00:01:56,870 --> 00:01:54,119 spacecraft was the first to ever go into 41 00:01:58,550 --> 00:01:56,880 orbit around the planet Mercury we 42 00:02:00,679 --> 00:01:58,560 launched a mission which is now looking 43 00:02:03,429 --> 00:02:00,689 at sea surface salinity of the world's 44 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:03,439 oceans we launched a mission to Jupiter 45 00:02:11,809 --> 00:02:06,570 we launched and put into orbit a 46 00:02:14,059 --> 00:02:11,819 spacecraft around a asteroid Vesta 47 00:02:17,179 --> 00:02:14,069 and that same spacecraft will go on to a 48 00:02:19,910 --> 00:02:17,189 second asteroid in the main belt so 49 00:02:22,789 --> 00:02:19,920 really a two-for-one we launched twin 50 00:02:24,679 --> 00:02:22,799 spacecraft to the moon and we launched a 51 00:02:28,940 --> 00:02:24,689 new prototype of weather satellites 52 00:02:33,770 --> 00:02:28,950 around the earth and right now today on 53 00:02:36,199 --> 00:02:33,780 pad 39b sits a giant an atlas 5 launch 54 00:02:39,770 --> 00:02:36,209 vehicle and on the shoulders of that 55 00:02:43,129 --> 00:02:39,780 giant rests the Mars Science Lab and the 56 00:02:47,030 --> 00:02:43,139 rover Curiosity awaiting its eight and a 57 00:02:50,809 --> 00:02:47,040 half month 60 million mile journey to 58 00:02:53,509 --> 00:02:50,819 the red planet Mars and we have gotten 59 00:02:55,849 --> 00:02:53,519 here today not just by the hard work of 60 00:02:59,390 --> 00:02:55,859 scientists and engineers but by 61 00:03:02,629 --> 00:02:59,400 thousands of other people of secretaries 62 00:03:05,449 --> 00:03:02,639 and support assistants and shop managers 63 00:03:08,390 --> 00:03:05,459 and welders and NASA would like to thank 64 00:03:10,610 --> 00:03:08,400 each and every one of you and the 65 00:03:14,569 --> 00:03:10,620 families that support you for this 66 00:03:18,530 --> 00:03:14,579 amazing technological achievement now 67 00:03:22,729 --> 00:03:18,540 Mars really is the Bermuda Triangle of 68 00:03:25,789 --> 00:03:22,739 the solar system it's the death planet 69 00:03:29,449 --> 00:03:25,799 and the United States of America is the 70 00:03:33,589 --> 00:03:29,459 only nation in the world that has ever 71 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:33,599 landed and driven robotic explorers on 72 00:03:41,089 --> 00:03:36,930 the surface of Mars and now we're set to 73 00:03:44,839 --> 00:03:41,099 do it again and this rover Curiosity 74 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:44,849 rover is really a rover on steroids it's 75 00:03:49,789 --> 00:03:47,250 an order of magnitude more capable than 76 00:03:52,610 --> 00:03:49,799 anything we have ever launched to any 77 00:03:54,740 --> 00:03:52,620 planet in the solar system it will go 78 00:03:57,949 --> 00:03:54,750 longer it will discover more than we 79 00:04:00,469 --> 00:03:57,959 could possibly imagine but this is just 80 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:00,479 the first step in a journey not the end 81 00:04:06,110 --> 00:04:03,930 by any means NASA is partnering more 82 00:04:10,279 --> 00:04:06,120 closely with international collaborators 83 00:04:12,429 --> 00:04:10,289 in order to prepare to return samples 84 00:04:15,259 --> 00:04:12,439 from Mars to the most sophisticated 85 00:04:19,039 --> 00:04:15,269 laboratories and on on earth to do 86 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:19,049 detailed analysis in preparation for one 87 00:04:25,220 --> 00:04:23,010 day sending humans to Mars and I dearly 88 00:04:27,890 --> 00:04:25,230 hope I'll still be alive to 89 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:27,900 much when that astronauts steps down on 90 00:04:36,220 --> 00:04:31,050 that rung to the very last rung and puts 91 00:04:43,370 --> 00:04:40,010 American men enabled us to go to the 92 00:04:46,310 --> 00:04:43,380 moon but many parts of humanity will be 93 00:04:50,570 --> 00:04:46,320 required in order for us to send humans 94 00:04:53,810 --> 00:04:50,580 safely to Mars so now the Mars Science 95 00:04:57,100 --> 00:04:53,820 Lab and rover Curiosity is locked and 96 00:05:01,820 --> 00:04:57,110 loaded ready for final countdown on 97 00:05:04,610 --> 00:05:01,830 Saturdays launch to Mars Thank You 98 00:05:07,460 --> 00:05:04,620 Colleen and now to the NASA launch 99 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:07,470 director Omar Baez oh mar thank you 100 00:05:11,930 --> 00:05:09,690 George and good afternoon everyone thank 101 00:05:14,630 --> 00:05:11,940 you for attending this afternoon's brief 102 00:05:18,110 --> 00:05:14,640 I'm very humbled to be here representing 103 00:05:20,330 --> 00:05:18,120 scores of men and women from NASA the 104 00:05:22,370 --> 00:05:20,340 launch services program the Jet 105 00:05:25,190 --> 00:05:22,380 Propulsion Laboratory and our partners 106 00:05:27,580 --> 00:05:25,200 at United Launch Alliance these folks 107 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:27,590 have been dedicated analyzing 108 00:05:34,940 --> 00:05:31,770 fabricating assembling and preparing and 109 00:05:40,280 --> 00:05:34,950 testing the Atlas 5 41 in the Curiosity 110 00:05:44,090 --> 00:05:40,290 rover on this MSL mission we are set to 111 00:05:46,310 --> 00:05:44,100 launch this saturday at 1002 am a little 112 00:05:50,810 --> 00:05:46,320 bit about the rocket we've got an atlas 113 00:05:53,630 --> 00:05:50,820 5 we call it a vo 28 is a two-stage 114 00:05:56,630 --> 00:05:53,640 mission usually utilizing a single 115 00:05:59,000 --> 00:05:56,640 engine centaur we have four solid rocket 116 00:06:03,350 --> 00:05:59,010 motors this is the first flight of that 117 00:06:07,850 --> 00:06:03,360 configuration we had the booster and 118 00:06:10,130 --> 00:06:07,860 second stage arrived on july twenty 119 00:06:12,050 --> 00:06:10,140 ninth this was the first time that we 120 00:06:15,860 --> 00:06:12,060 used the Foss mariner the ship that 121 00:06:19,100 --> 00:06:15,870 usually brings into delta course we used 122 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:19,110 it for the atlas for the first time we 123 00:06:24,980 --> 00:06:22,250 used to use the Antonov aircraft and the 124 00:06:26,840 --> 00:06:24,990 operation was significantly streamlined 125 00:06:29,630 --> 00:06:26,850 by doing this i'm going to show you 126 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:29,640 about two and a half months of work in 127 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:31,770 about a minute and a half here if they 128 00:06:38,300 --> 00:06:34,170 would roll the video for me please of 129 00:06:40,700 --> 00:06:38,310 the rocket going up this is the Atlas 130 00:06:42,740 --> 00:06:40,710 booster which we started erecting on 131 00:06:45,310 --> 00:06:42,750 September 8 the nozzles at the bottom 132 00:06:48,410 --> 00:06:45,320 are the business end of the rocket 133 00:06:51,740 --> 00:06:48,420 that's the rd-180 which burns kerosene 134 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:51,750 and liquid oxygen here are one of the 135 00:06:56,990 --> 00:06:53,610 four solid rocket motors I spoke about 136 00:07:00,830 --> 00:06:57,000 their about 67 feet tall in a hundred 137 00:07:03,770 --> 00:07:00,840 and two thousand pounds at liftoff the 138 00:07:07,190 --> 00:07:03,780 combined thrust of those four solid 139 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:07,200 rocket motors and the rd-180 is roughly 140 00:07:13,730 --> 00:07:11,090 2 million pounds of thrust at takeoff 141 00:07:16,580 --> 00:07:13,740 here is the Centaur which was erected on 142 00:07:19,190 --> 00:07:16,590 the twenty-first of September the 143 00:07:22,100 --> 00:07:19,200 centaur after completing both of its 144 00:07:25,430 --> 00:07:22,110 burns gives us enough thrust to leave 145 00:07:29,630 --> 00:07:25,440 the planet and head to Mars we'll be 146 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:29,640 going at about 22,500 miles per hour 147 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:31,770 equivalent at that point when we 148 00:07:43,370 --> 00:07:36,570 separate the Atlas centaur from the from 149 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:43,380 the MSL or the Curiosity rover here is 150 00:07:50,990 --> 00:07:45,930 the Curiosity rover with an encapsulated 151 00:07:55,490 --> 00:07:51,000 payload fairing this occurred about two 152 00:07:58,430 --> 00:07:55,500 weeks ago we set it down on the on the 153 00:08:01,070 --> 00:07:58,440 Atlas and started our testing our 154 00:08:03,950 --> 00:08:01,080 integrated systems test everything 155 00:08:05,930 --> 00:08:03,960 checked out well we then proceeded with 156 00:08:09,290 --> 00:08:05,940 putting in two very special battery for 157 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:09,300 the Mars Curiosity rover that activity 158 00:08:18,020 --> 00:08:15,210 started last week on Friday we held our 159 00:08:19,670 --> 00:08:18,030 Flight Readiness review and it was very 160 00:08:22,130 --> 00:08:19,680 successful but at the very end we 161 00:08:24,950 --> 00:08:22,140 received word that during routine 162 00:08:27,500 --> 00:08:24,960 monitoring of the flight termination 163 00:08:31,070 --> 00:08:27,510 system batteries we had a an indication 164 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:31,080 that one of the batteries was going bad 165 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:33,690 and so 166 00:08:40,130 --> 00:08:37,050 we started activating a pair of 167 00:08:42,710 --> 00:08:40,140 batteries we remove the battery that was 168 00:08:45,530 --> 00:08:42,720 going bad sent it back to get inspected 169 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:45,540 and unfortunately the time that it takes 170 00:08:49,190 --> 00:08:47,370 to activate the batteries and install it 171 00:08:52,070 --> 00:08:49,200 on the vehicle it cost us one day and 172 00:08:56,750 --> 00:08:52,080 that's why we slipped the launch from 173 00:08:59,270 --> 00:08:56,760 the 25th to the 26 this past Sunday we 174 00:09:01,310 --> 00:08:59,280 held their mission dress rehearsal to 175 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:01,320 exercise a team and their communications 176 00:09:07,910 --> 00:09:04,170 so that we're right on the money this 177 00:09:10,070 --> 00:09:07,920 coming Saturday we held our lunch 178 00:09:12,290 --> 00:09:10,080 readiness review today no actions came 179 00:09:15,950 --> 00:09:12,300 out of that and we're clean and ready to 180 00:09:17,870 --> 00:09:15,960 go we plan on rolling out the vehicle 181 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:17,880 out of the vertical integration facility 182 00:09:23,210 --> 00:09:20,310 on Friday morning we should be on the 183 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:23,220 weight of the pad by 8am we will then 184 00:09:28,070 --> 00:09:25,410 connect the electrical fluid pneumatics 185 00:09:32,300 --> 00:09:28,080 and environmental control system to the 186 00:09:34,340 --> 00:09:32,310 launch vehicle and the MLP on Saturday 187 00:09:36,560 --> 00:09:34,350 the team will power up the Atlas and 188 00:09:38,630 --> 00:09:36,570 centaur at three in the morning we'll 189 00:09:41,540 --> 00:09:38,640 start our flight control checks and 190 00:09:44,930 --> 00:09:41,550 facility chill down my launch management 191 00:09:47,210 --> 00:09:44,940 team will be in place at 530am for call 192 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:47,220 the stations we will receive a weather 193 00:09:52,130 --> 00:09:50,010 brief at seven a.m. we will then clear 194 00:09:55,370 --> 00:09:52,140 the launch complex and begin the first 195 00:09:58,250 --> 00:09:55,380 hold at t-minus two hours this is a 196 00:10:00,110 --> 00:09:58,260 30-minute built-in hold at the 197 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:00,120 conclusion of that hold we will pull the 198 00:10:04,250 --> 00:10:01,770 team for concurrence to proceed into 199 00:10:07,460 --> 00:10:04,260 cryogenic tanking and a tanking should 200 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:07,470 start shortly before 8am after this is 201 00:10:12,310 --> 00:10:09,330 complete we will enter a ten-minute 202 00:10:15,470 --> 00:10:12,320 built-in hold at t-minus four minutes at 203 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:15,480 t minus 11 minutes the spacecraft will 204 00:10:19,550 --> 00:10:17,130 transition to internal power and 205 00:10:22,730 --> 00:10:19,560 initiate its timers at t minus nine 206 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:22,740 minutes I will pull the team for 207 00:10:26,660 --> 00:10:24,510 concurrent center terminal count and 208 00:10:28,190 --> 00:10:26,670 release the hold at four minutes after 209 00:10:31,070 --> 00:10:28,200 confirmation that the spacecraft is 210 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:31,080 configured for lunch at approximately 211 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:33,450 four and a half minutes I will then 212 00:10:38,180 --> 00:10:35,490 inform the ula launch director that NASA 213 00:10:41,230 --> 00:10:38,190 is go for launch and the expected t0 is 214 00:10:43,879 --> 00:10:41,240 1002 in the morning our launch window 215 00:10:46,379 --> 00:10:43,889 ends at eleven-forty-five a.m. 216 00:10:49,110 --> 00:10:46,389 saturday back to you George all right 217 00:10:51,749 --> 00:10:49,120 Thank You Omar and now to Vernon Thorpe 218 00:10:55,050 --> 00:10:51,759 the program manager for NASA missions 219 00:10:56,850 --> 00:10:55,060 from united launch alliance burn hey 220 00:10:59,550 --> 00:10:56,860 thank you George good afternoon on 221 00:11:02,129 --> 00:10:59,560 behalf of Michael gas are a chief 222 00:11:04,079 --> 00:11:02,139 executive officer and the 3600 men and 223 00:11:05,549 --> 00:11:04,089 women that I work with the United Launch 224 00:11:07,710 --> 00:11:05,559 Alliance is honored to be part of the 225 00:11:10,769 --> 00:11:07,720 team that will launch this exciting 226 00:11:13,410 --> 00:11:10,779 mission to Mars this is you la's 11th 227 00:11:16,530 --> 00:11:13,420 launch of this year and ms l will mark 228 00:11:18,329 --> 00:11:16,540 the 56th launch for our company in just 229 00:11:20,699 --> 00:11:18,339 60 months the five years that we've been 230 00:11:23,389 --> 00:11:20,709 around we've worked together with our 231 00:11:26,309 --> 00:11:23,399 NASA launch services program customer on 232 00:11:28,819 --> 00:11:26,319 five major launch campaigns this year in 233 00:11:31,739 --> 00:11:28,829 addition to our current MSL activities 234 00:11:34,799 --> 00:11:31,749 we've also launched the Aquarius Juno 235 00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:34,809 Grail and npp missions in just the last 236 00:11:39,150 --> 00:11:37,540 five months our teams have worked 237 00:11:41,429 --> 00:11:39,160 tremendously hard to get us to this 238 00:11:42,989 --> 00:11:41,439 point in the MSL campaign and on 239 00:11:44,850 --> 00:11:42,999 Saturday morning we'll be ready to 240 00:11:46,519 --> 00:11:44,860 launch the Curiosity rover on its 241 00:11:49,170 --> 00:11:46,529 nine-month journey to the red planet 242 00:11:52,530 --> 00:11:49,180 this mission will be launched aboard an 243 00:11:54,749 --> 00:11:52,540 atlas 5 541 configuration vehicle as 244 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:54,759 Omar described that includes a five 245 00:12:00,929 --> 00:11:57,250 metre fairing provided by ruag space the 246 00:12:04,290 --> 00:12:00,939 four Aerojet provided strap on solid 247 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:04,300 rocket boosters and the rd-180 booster 248 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:06,250 stage or the Atlas booster stage is 249 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:09,610 powered by the rd-180 engine from RT am 250 00:12:14,850 --> 00:12:12,910 ross and the Centaur upper stage will be 251 00:12:18,090 --> 00:12:14,860 powered by a single pratt & whitney RL 252 00:12:20,340 --> 00:12:18,100 10a engine I will now show a video that 253 00:12:24,689 --> 00:12:20,350 summarizes the events that will see on 254 00:12:26,549 --> 00:12:24,699 launch day we could roll that you're 255 00:12:28,470 --> 00:12:26,559 seeing actual footage here from the Juno 256 00:12:31,949 --> 00:12:28,480 launch this last August that had a very 257 00:12:36,419 --> 00:12:31,959 similar configuration that was a 551 the 258 00:12:37,949 --> 00:12:36,429 MSL mission requires one less SRB will 259 00:12:39,989 --> 00:12:37,959 lift off with about two million pounds 260 00:12:42,059 --> 00:12:39,999 of thrust vehicle weight at this time is 261 00:12:43,350 --> 00:12:42,069 on the order of 1.2 million pounds would 262 00:12:46,169 --> 00:12:43,360 get a good healthy thrust-to-weight 263 00:12:47,970 --> 00:12:46,179 ratio the first major event you'll see 264 00:12:49,619 --> 00:12:47,980 after liftoff will be the burnout and 265 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:49,629 jettison of the four solid rocket 266 00:12:52,540 --> 00:12:51,170 boosters they'll burn out about him 267 00:12:55,389 --> 00:12:52,550 and a half in the flight will jettison 268 00:12:57,639 --> 00:12:55,399 them shortly after that a couple of 269 00:13:00,430 --> 00:12:57,649 minutes later you'll see the next major 270 00:13:02,110 --> 00:13:00,440 event that you can see from the ground 271 00:13:05,170 --> 00:13:02,120 and that will be a jettison of the 272 00:13:07,990 --> 00:13:05,180 5-meter payload fairing will continue to 273 00:13:09,550 --> 00:13:08,000 burn the booster for another minute so 274 00:13:11,110 --> 00:13:09,560 four and a half minutes total at that 275 00:13:14,110 --> 00:13:11,120 point we will have depleted the Booster 276 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:14,120 propellants and will shut down the 277 00:13:19,620 --> 00:13:16,490 engine and separate that stage from the 278 00:13:21,610 --> 00:13:19,630 Centaur upper stage at that point 279 00:13:23,290 --> 00:13:21,620 centaur will prepare to light its 280 00:13:26,740 --> 00:13:23,300 engines for the first of two engine 281 00:13:29,470 --> 00:13:26,750 burns the first engine burn will last 282 00:13:32,590 --> 00:13:29,480 about seven minutes and it will put the 283 00:13:36,610 --> 00:13:32,600 Centaur with MSL on top into a low-earth 284 00:13:39,189 --> 00:13:36,620 parking orbit following that first burn 285 00:13:41,819 --> 00:13:39,199 will enter a Coast period it will last 286 00:13:45,970 --> 00:13:41,829 about nineteen and a half minutes and 287 00:13:51,610 --> 00:13:45,980 after that coast we will be in position 288 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:51,620 for the second burn that second burn 289 00:13:59,050 --> 00:13:55,490 will last about eight minutes and once 290 00:14:01,600 --> 00:13:59,060 that second burn is completed we will be 291 00:14:03,699 --> 00:14:01,610 on an escape trajectory and on our way 292 00:14:05,290 --> 00:14:03,709 to Mars four minutes after that second 293 00:14:08,620 --> 00:14:05,300 burdens completed will reorient the 294 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:08,630 vehicle and separate the spacecraft so 295 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:10,010 those are the events that we hope to see 296 00:14:15,430 --> 00:14:13,250 total mission duration until we separate 297 00:14:16,810 --> 00:14:15,440 the spacecraft will be about 42 minutes 298 00:14:18,460 --> 00:14:16,820 from liftoff and that could vary a 299 00:14:20,170 --> 00:14:18,470 little bit depending on the actual time 300 00:14:22,660 --> 00:14:20,180 that we lift off yeah I think you can 301 00:14:26,319 --> 00:14:22,670 run anywhere from about 36 22 44 minutes 302 00:14:27,670 --> 00:14:26,329 I want you to know that you la is proud 303 00:14:30,100 --> 00:14:27,680 to play a critical role in delivering 304 00:14:31,870 --> 00:14:30,110 one of a kind NASA payloads to orbit in 305 00:14:34,030 --> 00:14:31,880 support of the global science community 306 00:14:36,610 --> 00:14:34,040 we are focused on perfect product 307 00:14:38,439 --> 00:14:36,620 delivery for MSL and for every mission 308 00:14:40,689 --> 00:14:38,449 that we launch for NASA and all of our 309 00:14:42,699 --> 00:14:40,699 other customers perfect product delivery 310 00:14:45,490 --> 00:14:42,709 includes a relentless focus on mission 311 00:14:48,129 --> 00:14:45,500 success focus on one launch at a time 312 00:14:50,860 --> 00:14:48,139 and continuous improvement in meeting 313 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:50,870 the needs of our customers this mission 314 00:14:55,180 --> 00:14:52,730 represents the culmination of years of 315 00:14:57,189 --> 00:14:55,190 hard work by NASA and the ula launch 316 00:15:00,759 --> 00:14:57,199 teams I believe we began integrating 317 00:15:02,439 --> 00:15:00,769 this mission on to Atlas in 2006 and we 318 00:15:04,110 --> 00:15:02,449 look forward to curiosity's landing on 319 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:04,120 the surface of Mars and to learning 320 00:15:08,579 --> 00:15:06,010 one of the Mars environment is capable 321 00:15:10,019 --> 00:15:08,589 of supporting microbial life thank you 322 00:15:11,430 --> 00:15:10,029 to all of our mission partners who have 323 00:15:13,410 --> 00:15:11,440 worked so hard to ensure that this 324 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:13,420 mission will be a success back to you 325 00:15:18,930 --> 00:15:16,330 George Thank You Vern and now to Pete 326 00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:18,940 Ising her the project manager for the 327 00:15:24,060 --> 00:15:20,710 Mars Science Laboratory Jet Propulsion 328 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:24,070 Laboratory Pete and thank you George and 329 00:15:31,140 --> 00:15:29,050 in good afternoon everyone so is a major 330 00:15:33,810 --> 00:15:31,150 event for us to be at this point in time 331 00:15:36,210 --> 00:15:33,820 with with ms l and the rover curiosity 332 00:15:40,230 --> 00:15:36,220 has been a major in long-term 333 00:15:42,540 --> 00:15:40,240 development and and as an choline and 334 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:42,550 vernon and omar said there's been a 335 00:15:46,050 --> 00:15:43,810 tremendous number of people who have 336 00:15:48,180 --> 00:15:46,060 been involved in getting us together to 337 00:15:49,410 --> 00:15:48,190 this point in time and their support and 338 00:15:52,890 --> 00:15:49,420 their families support has been 339 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:52,900 instrumental in our in our success like 340 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:54,610 to pick up the story where Vern has has 341 00:16:00,780 --> 00:15:56,170 left it off if I could see the animation 342 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:00,790 please so this shows the beginning of 343 00:16:04,980 --> 00:16:03,370 the second death of centaur burn and and 344 00:16:07,740 --> 00:16:04,990 puts us in the hyperbolic escape 345 00:16:10,650 --> 00:16:07,750 trajectory to Mars the Centaur spins us 346 00:16:14,490 --> 00:16:10,660 up and then ejects uh separates us in 347 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:14,500 the proper attitude for solar power and 348 00:16:19,410 --> 00:16:17,050 communication to earth the crews to Mars 349 00:16:22,380 --> 00:16:19,420 is eight and a half months and we 350 00:16:24,540 --> 00:16:22,390 arrived on the fifth of August in the 351 00:16:25,710 --> 00:16:24,550 pacific time zone or the sixth of august 352 00:16:28,110 --> 00:16:25,720 here on the east coast in the in the 353 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:28,120 evening about ten minutes out we eject 354 00:16:33,570 --> 00:16:30,730 the crew stage we arrive at Mars at 355 00:16:35,460 --> 00:16:33,580 about 12,000 miles an hour we're using a 356 00:16:37,530 --> 00:16:35,470 guided entry this is a small thruster 357 00:16:39,090 --> 00:16:37,540 flash as you see in order to make the 358 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:39,100 landing ellipse much smaller than it was 359 00:16:42,660 --> 00:16:40,930 on the mars exploration rover project 360 00:16:47,610 --> 00:16:42,670 will be able to land an ellipse about 20 361 00:16:49,380 --> 00:16:47,620 kilometers circular ue the heat shield 362 00:16:50,940 --> 00:16:49,390 dissipates about ninety-eight percent of 363 00:16:54,780 --> 00:16:50,950 the energy we get when we arrive at Mars 364 00:16:59,220 --> 00:16:54,790 and around mach mach 2 we will deploy 365 00:17:03,579 --> 00:17:01,780 that will continue to slow us down until 366 00:17:06,460 --> 00:17:03,589 we go subsonic at which point the heat 367 00:17:08,169 --> 00:17:06,470 shield will will fall off and will 368 00:17:10,539 --> 00:17:08,179 continue to send to the surface until 369 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:10,549 we're about a mile or mile and a half 370 00:17:14,380 --> 00:17:12,770 off the surface when we drop out the 371 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:14,390 descent stage with the rover underneath 372 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:16,850 it and we descend on eight propulsive 373 00:17:22,689 --> 00:17:19,610 engines for that final approximately two 374 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:22,699 to four kilometers at this point we have 375 00:17:26,199 --> 00:17:24,530 radar lock on the ground with adopter 376 00:17:28,900 --> 00:17:26,209 radar which shows us both range and 377 00:17:31,270 --> 00:17:28,910 range rate and approximately 200 feet 378 00:17:35,620 --> 00:17:31,280 off the ground we deploy the the rover 379 00:17:38,130 --> 00:17:35,630 alone a 13 meter bridle that's the sky 380 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:38,140 crane maneuver and then we will do a 381 00:17:45,430 --> 00:17:41,090 constant rate three-quarters of a meter 382 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:45,440 per second motion toward the surface we 383 00:17:49,659 --> 00:17:47,690 land on the mobility system that is 384 00:17:53,380 --> 00:17:49,669 sensed by the descent stage which then 385 00:17:55,390 --> 00:17:53,390 cuts the umbilicals and and then flies 386 00:17:56,799 --> 00:17:55,400 away about half we call out kilometer to 387 00:18:00,850 --> 00:17:56,809 three-quarters of a kilometer away where 388 00:18:04,419 --> 00:18:00,860 it where it crashes and so there are six 389 00:18:06,730 --> 00:18:04,429 curiosity on the Martian surface and we 390 00:18:09,039 --> 00:18:06,740 will we will not deploy is different 391 00:18:10,899 --> 00:18:09,049 from from Mars Exploration Rover we will 392 00:18:12,789 --> 00:18:10,909 not deploy our mast on that first day 393 00:18:14,500 --> 00:18:12,799 because we'll want to assess the 394 00:18:16,419 --> 00:18:14,510 stability of the rover since it's so 395 00:18:19,149 --> 00:18:16,429 large on the terrain in which we placed 396 00:18:21,399 --> 00:18:19,159 it but the second day we will deploy the 397 00:18:25,149 --> 00:18:21,409 mast and and shortly thereafter will 398 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:25,159 begin our science investigation we use 399 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:28,490 the cameras to to select targets and 400 00:18:33,039 --> 00:18:31,370 we'll be moving toward targets both in 401 00:18:35,380 --> 00:18:33,049 the landing ellipse and exterior to the 402 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:35,390 landing ellipse the speed of the rover 403 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:37,490 is about a tenth of a mile per hour just 404 00:18:44,169 --> 00:18:41,530 as it was on on em er when we find 405 00:18:47,140 --> 00:18:44,179 valuable targets we will we will go up 406 00:18:50,409 --> 00:18:47,150 to them and in both with the cameras and 407 00:18:52,690 --> 00:18:50,419 then with what is chemcam we will look 408 00:18:55,090 --> 00:18:52,700 in and determine targets that we might 409 00:18:58,930 --> 00:18:55,100 want to use sampling on you can then 410 00:19:01,600 --> 00:18:58,940 deploy our arm is about which contains 411 00:19:03,250 --> 00:19:01,610 about 30 30 kilograms or so of 412 00:19:05,529 --> 00:19:03,260 engineering equipment and scientific 413 00:19:08,139 --> 00:19:05,539 equipment at the end 414 00:19:09,599 --> 00:19:08,149 we have to institute instruments there 415 00:19:13,109 --> 00:19:09,609 that can look at alpha particle 416 00:19:16,509 --> 00:19:13,119 spectrometry and also a hand lens camera 417 00:19:18,310 --> 00:19:16,519 but the real real reason the arm is 418 00:19:21,389 --> 00:19:18,320 there is to is to collect samples 419 00:19:24,279 --> 00:19:21,399 through a percussion rotary light drill 420 00:19:26,049 --> 00:19:24,289 this shows that that process and the 421 00:19:29,499 --> 00:19:26,059 clock indicates it's that's not real 422 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:29,509 time we then auger material into the 423 00:19:35,349 --> 00:19:32,330 drill and and we'll prepare it and 424 00:19:37,479 --> 00:19:35,359 process it for for injection into one of 425 00:19:38,950 --> 00:19:37,489 two instruments I think this will show 426 00:19:41,409 --> 00:19:38,960 the injection into the chemin instrument 427 00:19:43,839 --> 00:19:41,419 in in the rover the other is the Sam 428 00:19:46,330 --> 00:19:43,849 instrument or science analysis at Mars 429 00:19:48,279 --> 00:19:46,340 instrument the chemin instrument is a 430 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:48,289 x-ray diffraction instrument and this 431 00:19:54,430 --> 00:19:52,129 shows the sample being being projected 432 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:54,440 that subjected to x rays which form an 433 00:19:58,450 --> 00:19:56,330 x-ray diffraction pattern on the ccd 434 00:20:01,389 --> 00:19:58,460 from which crystallography and 435 00:20:03,909 --> 00:20:01,399 mineralogical information can be 436 00:20:06,339 --> 00:20:03,919 obtained the rover is meant to Rove 437 00:20:09,099 --> 00:20:06,349 about 20 kilometers in its 1 Martian 438 00:20:12,999 --> 00:20:09,109 year which is 687 day earth earth day 439 00:20:14,349 --> 00:20:13,009 life and so that's kind of a capsule 440 00:20:16,869 --> 00:20:14,359 summary of the mission we'll talk more 441 00:20:19,060 --> 00:20:16,879 about that when we get to the pre 442 00:20:21,099 --> 00:20:19,070 landing events of course in order to get 443 00:20:22,450 --> 00:20:21,109 to this point in time as we've talked 444 00:20:26,649 --> 00:20:22,460 about before there's a lot of work that 445 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:26,659 has to go on to take place you were 446 00:20:31,239 --> 00:20:29,090 shown the the build up of the Atlas if I 447 00:20:33,159 --> 00:20:31,249 can have next animation please we'll 448 00:20:35,950 --> 00:20:33,169 talk about how the rover the story of 449 00:20:40,089 --> 00:20:35,960 the rover here at Kennedy we arrived on 450 00:20:42,580 --> 00:20:40,099 a c-17 we we trucked mechanical support 451 00:20:44,979 --> 00:20:42,590 equipment across the country from JPL in 452 00:20:46,869 --> 00:20:44,989 Pasadena but we flew both the cruise 453 00:20:49,089 --> 00:20:46,879 stage and then on a later flight the 454 00:20:51,580 --> 00:20:49,099 descent stage and the rover here on 455 00:20:56,499 --> 00:20:51,590 c-17s from March Air Force Base in San 456 00:20:59,019 --> 00:20:56,509 Bernardino crew stage arrived in may and 457 00:21:01,539 --> 00:20:59,029 the descent stage arrived in in May 458 00:21:04,570 --> 00:21:01,549 descent stage and Rover arrived at in 459 00:21:07,149 --> 00:21:04,580 June this shows the cruise stage being 460 00:21:09,099 --> 00:21:07,159 spun to determine mass properties and 461 00:21:11,049 --> 00:21:09,109 also as a check out with a spin table 462 00:21:13,599 --> 00:21:11,059 for the later heavier mass descent stage 463 00:21:16,239 --> 00:21:13,609 and and Rover that would be required 464 00:21:17,740 --> 00:21:16,249 here's the descent stage being unwrapped 465 00:21:23,070 --> 00:21:17,750 from its pack 466 00:21:28,750 --> 00:21:25,990 the very complex piece of equipment that 467 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:28,760 is roughly the same mass as the rover 468 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:31,490 when it is fuel this shows the rover and 469 00:21:35,650 --> 00:21:32,810 it's a and it's ready to launch 470 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:35,660 configuration the final covers being 471 00:21:41,410 --> 00:21:38,450 removed from the from the wheels this is 472 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:41,420 a pathfinder activity for installing the 473 00:21:47,530 --> 00:21:45,010 RTG shows how it was done on the pad 474 00:21:51,430 --> 00:21:47,540 although in that case we did not have a 475 00:21:53,410 --> 00:21:51,440 course the fairing around it showing the 476 00:21:56,020 --> 00:21:53,420 mass being raised as final functional 477 00:22:03,280 --> 00:21:56,030 testing of the of the vehicle here took 478 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:03,290 place ok here the descent stage is being 479 00:22:08,650 --> 00:22:06,530 placed on top of the rover the red cages 480 00:22:10,570 --> 00:22:08,660 around the main and landing engines are 481 00:22:13,900 --> 00:22:10,580 for protection they are red moving for 482 00:22:15,610 --> 00:22:13,910 flight items you can see here the 483 00:22:20,650 --> 00:22:15,620 descent vehicle and here it is being 484 00:22:22,780 --> 00:22:20,660 placed into the back shell it's actually 485 00:22:24,370 --> 00:22:22,790 elevated into the back shell and here 486 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:24,380 the back shell is being elevated onto 487 00:22:27,940 --> 00:22:26,210 the cruise stage and then the final 488 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:27,950 process is the placing of the heat 489 00:22:38,860 --> 00:22:30,650 shield onto the under the bottom of the 490 00:22:42,490 --> 00:22:38,870 vehicle you can see that here there we 491 00:22:44,050 --> 00:22:42,500 have the fully built up over having a 492 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:44,060 fluid buildup vehicle and here is the 493 00:22:46,900 --> 00:22:45,650 last time we got to really see it and 494 00:22:49,330 --> 00:22:46,910 take a picture as it was being 495 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:49,340 encapsulated interfering and that 496 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:50,930 occurred about the the second of 497 00:22:57,790 --> 00:22:54,050 November no excuse me about the 24th of 498 00:23:01,150 --> 00:22:57,800 october and and then it was a ship to 499 00:23:02,740 --> 00:23:01,160 launch site 41 when it was boosted on to 500 00:23:04,810 --> 00:23:02,750 the under the rocket on the second in 501 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:04,820 november we've had a tremendous 502 00:23:10,290 --> 00:23:07,610 experience here in florida the support 503 00:23:13,270 --> 00:23:10,300 from the kennedy center and from the 504 00:23:15,460 --> 00:23:13,280 NASA part of that supporting launch 505 00:23:19,330 --> 00:23:15,470 vehicle operations and from ula has been 506 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:19,340 superb we've had our kind of normal 507 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:21,170 challenges and hiccups that we that we 508 00:23:24,580 --> 00:23:23,090 have in these kinds of major operations 509 00:23:27,580 --> 00:23:24,590 but things have gone extremely smoothly 510 00:23:29,070 --> 00:23:27,590 and and we are fully prepared to go on 511 00:23:31,620 --> 00:23:29,080 on Saturday morning and 512 00:23:33,900 --> 00:23:31,630 hope that the weather cooperates to 513 00:23:36,750 --> 00:23:33,910 thank you p and now for the weather 514 00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:36,760 forecast on saturday our launch weather 515 00:23:41,010 --> 00:23:39,130 officer from the US Air Force 45th 516 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:41,020 weather squadron Joel Tom viola Joel 517 00:23:45,870 --> 00:23:42,850 thank you George good afternoon everyone 518 00:23:47,220 --> 00:23:45,880 well basically between now and Saturday 519 00:23:49,140 --> 00:23:47,230 morning we will have a few weather 520 00:23:51,810 --> 00:23:49,150 changes that take place if I could have 521 00:23:53,730 --> 00:23:51,820 the current satellite picture up to show 522 00:23:55,830 --> 00:23:53,740 you what the current conditions are you 523 00:23:58,530 --> 00:23:55,840 can see that band of clouds stretching 524 00:24:00,270 --> 00:23:58,540 across the state east to west we have a 525 00:24:03,900 --> 00:24:00,280 cold front that's moving down the state 526 00:24:05,580 --> 00:24:03,910 and the above normal temperatures and 527 00:24:08,010 --> 00:24:05,590 humidity we've been experiencing over 528 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:08,020 the last few days well and this will be 529 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:10,330 the last day for that that cold front is 530 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:13,090 expected to move through the area this 531 00:24:16,770 --> 00:24:14,290 evening and maybe throughout the 532 00:24:19,260 --> 00:24:16,780 overnight hours now what we'll see once 533 00:24:20,930 --> 00:24:19,270 that cold front moves through the winds 534 00:24:23,940 --> 00:24:20,940 will shift in a clockwise fashion 535 00:24:26,340 --> 00:24:23,950 basically from the southwest which they 536 00:24:28,260 --> 00:24:26,350 are right now all the way around to more 537 00:24:30,210 --> 00:24:28,270 of an easterly wind by the time we get 538 00:24:32,250 --> 00:24:30,220 to a Saturday morning so we're going to 539 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:32,260 have that little bit of change the wind 540 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:33,730 speeds after the cold front moves 541 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:35,290 through will be gusty they'll be 542 00:24:39,930 --> 00:24:37,450 probably well into the 20s over the next 543 00:24:42,590 --> 00:24:39,940 two or three days but are not expected 544 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:42,600 to exceed any of the launch vehicle 545 00:24:47,070 --> 00:24:44,650 constraints or lift off constraints as 546 00:24:48,420 --> 00:24:47,080 we get closer to launch the other thing 547 00:24:51,120 --> 00:24:48,430 that we're going to be monitoring a 548 00:24:53,250 --> 00:24:51,130 typical scenario what we see here once a 549 00:24:55,020 --> 00:24:53,260 cold front moves through is that once 550 00:24:57,420 --> 00:24:55,030 the winds shift all the way around to 551 00:24:58,980 --> 00:24:57,430 the northeast and east and the cooler 552 00:25:01,530 --> 00:24:58,990 air behind the front moves over the 553 00:25:04,740 --> 00:25:01,540 warmer ocean we tend to get a lot of 554 00:25:06,990 --> 00:25:04,750 low-level not nothing what we call flat 555 00:25:10,020 --> 00:25:07,000 clouds or low-level clouds form over the 556 00:25:12,180 --> 00:25:10,030 ocean and because of the eventual 557 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:12,190 northeast and east winds some of those 558 00:25:17,580 --> 00:25:14,890 clouds could move onshore as we get into 559 00:25:19,530 --> 00:25:17,590 a Friday and Saturday timeframe and 560 00:25:21,900 --> 00:25:19,540 we're going to be monitoring those lower 561 00:25:24,660 --> 00:25:21,910 level clouds moving over the launch site 562 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:24,670 for cloud ceilings and a couple of our 563 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:27,730 triggered lightning rules as we get into 564 00:25:32,660 --> 00:25:30,010 a Friday morning for the role and out to 565 00:25:34,860 --> 00:25:32,670 the pad not anticipating any concerns 566 00:25:37,020 --> 00:25:34,870 again the winds at that time will 567 00:25:39,210 --> 00:25:37,030 probably be out of the Northeast they 568 00:25:41,460 --> 00:25:39,220 will be gusting in the 20s but again not 569 00:25:43,110 --> 00:25:41,470 expected to exceed any role constraints 570 00:25:44,580 --> 00:25:43,120 and we're certainly not in 571 00:25:48,180 --> 00:25:44,590 pending any lightning of things of that 572 00:25:50,430 --> 00:25:48,190 nature during that time frame once we 573 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:50,440 get into Saturday morning the forecast 574 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:52,330 the winds will continue to shift around 575 00:25:56,820 --> 00:25:54,610 to the east right now we're looking at 576 00:25:59,250 --> 00:25:56,830 wind speeds being on the order of 20 577 00:26:01,049 --> 00:25:59,260 knots gusting the 24 again that will be 578 00:26:03,299 --> 00:26:01,059 below the wind threshold when the 579 00:26:06,180 --> 00:26:03,309 liftoff threshold right now the forecast 580 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:06,190 cloud cover is a scattered deck at 3,500 581 00:26:12,330 --> 00:26:08,530 feet now there is a mission flight rule 582 00:26:13,799 --> 00:26:12,340 that states that if the ceiling if it 583 00:26:15,690 --> 00:26:13,809 becomes a ceiling or in other words that 584 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:15,700 the clouds become broken or greater in 585 00:26:20,430 --> 00:26:18,010 terms of cloud coverage if that the 586 00:26:23,220 --> 00:26:20,440 ceiling of that clouds is 6,000 feet or 587 00:26:28,020 --> 00:26:23,230 less then they have to go through some 588 00:26:29,460 --> 00:26:28,030 more observation to be able to continue 589 00:26:30,990 --> 00:26:29,470 on the launch because they need to see 590 00:26:33,090 --> 00:26:31,000 the launch vehicle off the pad and 591 00:26:35,190 --> 00:26:33,100 through a certain amount of time but the 592 00:26:37,530 --> 00:26:35,200 cloud forecast is for not to have that 593 00:26:39,510 --> 00:26:37,540 violated again a scattered deck at 3,500 594 00:26:42,630 --> 00:26:39,520 feet and another scattered deck at 595 00:26:44,910 --> 00:26:42,640 around 30,000 feet the other constraint 596 00:26:46,740 --> 00:26:44,920 for the mission flight rules a ceiling 597 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:46,750 of four miles but we're anticipating 598 00:26:51,330 --> 00:26:49,330 seven miles visibility from not looking 599 00:26:54,090 --> 00:26:51,340 at any problems there there could be a 600 00:26:55,770 --> 00:26:54,100 couple showers over the ocean whenever 601 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:55,780 we have the winds and cooler air moving 602 00:26:59,490 --> 00:26:57,850 off the ocean not only do we have these 603 00:27:01,650 --> 00:26:59,500 clouds form but there could be a little 604 00:27:03,900 --> 00:27:01,660 few light showers in the area so we'll 605 00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:03,910 be monitoring that and right now the 606 00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:06,370 temperature at liftoff is expected to be 607 00:27:12,810 --> 00:27:09,370 in the low 70s between 71 and 72 degrees 608 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:12,820 and right now the overall probability of 609 00:27:18,060 --> 00:27:15,610 violation is thirty percent with the two 610 00:27:20,100 --> 00:27:18,070 concerns being a the cumulus cloud rule 611 00:27:23,010 --> 00:27:20,110 which is a triggered lightning rule and 612 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:23,020 that cloud ceilings of being 6,000 feet 613 00:27:29,549 --> 00:27:26,890 or lower if we were to go into the next 614 00:27:31,290 --> 00:27:29,559 day on Sunday that winds will continue a 615 00:27:33,990 --> 00:27:31,300 clockwise shift and we come more 616 00:27:35,850 --> 00:27:34,000 southeasterly on Sunday other than that 617 00:27:37,919 --> 00:27:35,860 pretty much the same weather conditions 618 00:27:40,410 --> 00:27:37,929 that we're going to see on Saturday the 619 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:40,420 clouds will still be at you know the 620 00:27:44,010 --> 00:27:42,010 lowest cloud decks expect to be around 621 00:27:46,260 --> 00:27:44,020 3,000 feet that day but still scattered 622 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:46,270 again you have to have a broken deck or 623 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:49,450 greater for a cloud seem to be an issue 624 00:27:54,300 --> 00:27:52,210 good visibility the winds will be more 625 00:27:56,250 --> 00:27:54,310 out of the southeast a little bit weaker 626 00:27:59,160 --> 00:27:56,260 16 peak in the 22 now 627 00:28:02,610 --> 00:27:59,170 and the temperature about the same 71 to 628 00:28:04,230 --> 00:28:02,620 73 degrees and as a case on saturday 629 00:28:06,270 --> 00:28:04,240 morning the overall probability of 630 00:28:09,180 --> 00:28:06,280 constraint violation on sunday morning 631 00:28:12,090 --> 00:28:09,190 if needed would be thirty percent now if 632 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:12,100 we were to go into Monday conditions 633 00:28:16,770 --> 00:28:14,410 deteriorate our next cold front is 634 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:16,780 expected to move into Florida on an on 635 00:28:21,570 --> 00:28:18,970 Monday timeframe so because of that 636 00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:21,580 we'll be looking at up higher winds and 637 00:28:24,870 --> 00:28:23,110 a lot more of our cloud rules being 638 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:24,880 violated and we're going to be looking 639 00:28:29,550 --> 00:28:26,890 at a seventy percent chance of violation 640 00:28:31,470 --> 00:28:29,560 and again that only holds true if we 641 00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:31,480 were to have a two-day slip into Monday 642 00:28:35,130 --> 00:28:33,130 morning but right now Saturday 643 00:28:36,660 --> 00:28:35,140 conditions look good we're just going to 644 00:28:39,390 --> 00:28:36,670 be monitoring the clouds make sure the 645 00:28:40,950 --> 00:28:39,400 ceilings aren't too low and there's no 646 00:28:43,350 --> 00:28:40,960 showers moving overhead and other than 647 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:43,360 that we'll be in good shape that 648 00:28:47,250 --> 00:28:45,010 concludes George all right Thank You 649 00:28:48,930 --> 00:28:47,260 Joel we're ready now to take questions 650 00:28:51,540 --> 00:28:48,940 so please give your name and affiliation 651 00:28:54,140 --> 00:28:51,550 when the microphone comes to you we'll 652 00:28:56,430 --> 00:28:54,150 start here in the front with Marsha 653 00:28:59,210 --> 00:28:56,440 Washington Associated Press for mr. 654 00:29:01,380 --> 00:28:59,220 Steger you mentioned a 20-kilometre 655 00:29:03,990 --> 00:29:01,390 odometer reading you're hoping for it 656 00:29:07,380 --> 00:29:04,000 during the prime mission how much more 657 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:07,390 could the rover travel and how does 20 658 00:29:12,890 --> 00:29:08,890 kilometers compared to some of the other 659 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:12,900 Rovers and what they actually achieved 660 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:16,930 well the the requirement for em er was a 661 00:29:22,860 --> 00:29:19,810 kilometer and of course we've been much 662 00:29:25,830 --> 00:29:22,870 more successful than that the the 663 00:29:30,390 --> 00:29:25,840 requirement for for curiosity is 20 664 00:29:33,750 --> 00:29:30,400 kilometers we test mechanism equipment 665 00:29:35,790 --> 00:29:33,760 22 x + 3 x life and so we've actually 666 00:29:38,250 --> 00:29:35,800 tested the actuators that drive the 667 00:29:40,230 --> 00:29:38,260 motors to an equivalent distance of 668 00:29:42,450 --> 00:29:40,240 forty kilometers and then in fact have 669 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:42,460 done cold temperature testing even 670 00:29:48,630 --> 00:29:45,850 beyond that there really is no life 671 00:29:51,060 --> 00:29:48,640 living in characteristic of the rover in 672 00:29:52,650 --> 00:29:51,070 terms of something that we know that 673 00:29:55,290 --> 00:29:52,660 will run out of a consumable in some 674 00:29:58,170 --> 00:29:55,300 period of time it's question of where 675 00:30:02,940 --> 00:29:58,180 out and and and so we'll see how it 676 00:30:04,530 --> 00:30:02,950 really plays you know we've we have a 677 00:30:06,660 --> 00:30:04,540 set of requirements and we tested those 678 00:30:08,220 --> 00:30:06,670 requirements plus some margin and and we 679 00:30:08,899 --> 00:30:08,230 don't test a failure so we can't really 680 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:08,909 tell you 681 00:30:14,930 --> 00:30:11,970 the what the expected life might be okay 682 00:30:17,570 --> 00:30:14,940 I can't Kramer I'm for Space Flight 683 00:30:19,999 --> 00:30:17,580 magazine excuse me first congratulations 684 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:20,009 to all of you my question is also for 685 00:30:23,989 --> 00:30:21,690 Pete wonder if you could describe the 686 00:30:26,450 --> 00:30:23,999 first few days of the operations you'll 687 00:30:28,129 --> 00:30:26,460 be doing when can we expect the first 688 00:30:31,129 --> 00:30:28,139 pictures and one would be the first 689 00:30:32,749 --> 00:30:31,139 motion of the rover we're actually going 690 00:30:34,729 --> 00:30:32,759 through a lot of activity right now to 691 00:30:37,430 --> 00:30:34,739 talk about the characterization of the 692 00:30:40,310 --> 00:30:37,440 of the phase of the mission when we 693 00:30:41,899 --> 00:30:40,320 first land will want to ascertain the 694 00:30:44,269 --> 00:30:41,909 integrity of the vehicle since we will 695 00:30:47,210 --> 00:30:44,279 not have seen it in that state for 696 00:30:49,369 --> 00:30:47,220 almost a year and will want to ascertain 697 00:30:52,789 --> 00:30:49,379 the stability of where it is located and 698 00:30:54,859 --> 00:30:52,799 and and what kind of surrounding terrain 699 00:30:58,460 --> 00:30:54,869 we have and so we'll go through that at 700 00:31:01,450 --> 00:30:58,470 that that health assessment then we will 701 00:31:04,430 --> 00:31:01,460 engage in a set of first time activities 702 00:31:06,710 --> 00:31:04,440 clearly we'll get pictures from the mast 703 00:31:10,180 --> 00:31:06,720 we would expect the the day after 704 00:31:12,859 --> 00:31:10,190 landing we will I think at that point 705 00:31:14,719 --> 00:31:12,869 shortly thereafter try to exercise the 706 00:31:17,389 --> 00:31:14,729 arm and its motion but not certainly in 707 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:17,399 sample acquisition I expect us to drive 708 00:31:23,149 --> 00:31:20,970 in inside the first week if nothing else 709 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:23,159 to get away from the landing zone where 710 00:31:27,769 --> 00:31:24,330 the where there might have been 711 00:31:29,570 --> 00:31:27,779 contamination from the engines after 712 00:31:33,169 --> 00:31:29,580 that it will depend very much on the 713 00:31:36,589 --> 00:31:33,179 state which we see things and and also 714 00:31:38,119 --> 00:31:36,599 the science targets we could land very 715 00:31:39,649 --> 00:31:38,129 close to something attractive we could 716 00:31:41,479 --> 00:31:39,659 land quite distant from something 717 00:31:42,469 --> 00:31:41,489 attractive we would have to decide you 718 00:31:44,419 --> 00:31:42,479 know that would be the facts on the 719 00:31:47,479 --> 00:31:44,429 ground news we would see it I would not 720 00:31:49,310 --> 00:31:47,489 expect this to take a sample and trying 721 00:31:51,710 --> 00:31:49,320 to adjust it into Sam and chemin for 722 00:31:53,859 --> 00:31:51,720 quite some time possibly as long as two 723 00:31:56,359 --> 00:31:53,869 or three months after we actually land 724 00:31:58,879 --> 00:31:56,369 but the other science instruments will 725 00:32:01,039 --> 00:31:58,889 start right away things like the red and 726 00:32:03,799 --> 00:32:01,049 the end the Dan which which measures 727 00:32:05,239 --> 00:32:03,809 subsurface hydrogen those are passive 728 00:32:07,489 --> 00:32:05,249 instruments i would expect us to start 729 00:32:09,619 --> 00:32:07,499 those investigations right away so it'll 730 00:32:12,889 --> 00:32:09,629 be a mixed bag in terms of when the 731 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:12,899 science comes out comes out bill bill 732 00:32:16,430 --> 00:32:15,090 horn with CBS news too quick which is 733 00:32:19,339 --> 00:32:16,440 sort of related i think there for Pete 734 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:19,349 although he might jump into first is a 735 00:32:23,670 --> 00:32:21,730 simple reporter question we've all been 736 00:32:25,550 --> 00:32:23,680 this is the most complex Lander had ever 737 00:32:28,500 --> 00:32:25,560 said to another planet and I'm wondering 738 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:28,510 you guys include apollo lunar landers in 739 00:32:30,930 --> 00:32:29,530 that I mean I'm do I need to put the 740 00:32:32,580 --> 00:32:30,940 word robotic in front of that when I 741 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:32,590 think this is the most complex mission 742 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:40,510 ever since I would if I were you then 743 00:32:44,490 --> 00:32:43,210 the related question is the risk-benefit 744 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:44,500 on this mission I mean everybody sees 745 00:32:49,020 --> 00:32:46,090 that landing sequence into the unsigned 746 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:49,030 I you know it just looks crazy and I 747 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:51,010 realize you guys think that this is this 748 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:52,810 is great and it's the next that's a 749 00:32:56,190 --> 00:32:55,210 great way to do this and you know it 750 00:32:57,510 --> 00:32:56,200 just it just seems like there's a 751 00:32:59,100 --> 00:32:57,520 there's a big risk with a mission like 752 00:33:00,570 --> 00:32:59,110 this and there's a huge payoff with the 753 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:00,580 mission like this there's both of them 754 00:33:06,660 --> 00:33:02,170 at once I mean how do you characterize 755 00:33:09,500 --> 00:33:06,670 that the risk and the benefit well I 756 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:09,510 think the characterization of the 757 00:33:13,980 --> 00:33:12,130 benefit versus the investment that the 758 00:33:15,900 --> 00:33:13,990 agency wants to make is what you know 759 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:15,910 choline can speak to and the agency can 760 00:33:20,790 --> 00:33:18,850 speak to you know my job is to make the 761 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:20,800 risk as small as I can possibly make it 762 00:33:25,530 --> 00:33:22,930 given that that's the job we've been 763 00:33:28,170 --> 00:33:25,540 asked to do and to tell them if we think 764 00:33:31,050 --> 00:33:28,180 that that risk is unacceptably high okay 765 00:33:32,550 --> 00:33:31,060 I think that we have done of the same 766 00:33:34,890 --> 00:33:32,560 kind of due diligence on this mission 767 00:33:37,140 --> 00:33:34,900 that we did on on ma are and we do on on 768 00:33:39,420 --> 00:33:37,150 all our space missions I you know we've 769 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:39,430 done all the testing that we thought we 770 00:33:44,610 --> 00:33:41,770 needed to do we've done all the analysis 771 00:33:46,470 --> 00:33:44,620 the your impression of the sky crane is 772 00:33:48,210 --> 00:33:46,480 not alone there are a lot of people who 773 00:33:50,820 --> 00:33:48,220 look at that and say you know what are 774 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:50,830 you thinking and and we have done a 775 00:33:54,830 --> 00:33:52,570 tremendous amount of review and analysis 776 00:33:57,090 --> 00:33:54,840 and independent review of that of that 777 00:33:58,230 --> 00:33:57,100 approach from the very beginning one of 778 00:34:00,930 --> 00:33:58,240 the first questions we asked ourselves 779 00:34:03,930 --> 00:34:00,940 was how we're going to test this okay 780 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:03,940 and we we went outside of NASA and into 781 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:05,290 a whole bunch of other people to do this 782 00:34:08,370 --> 00:34:06,610 kind of work to try and get that 783 00:34:10,050 --> 00:34:08,380 ascertained and that was successfully I 784 00:34:11,970 --> 00:34:10,060 mean we put two cellular test program 785 00:34:13,500 --> 00:34:11,980 that we feel is will be you know had 786 00:34:16,050 --> 00:34:13,510 successfully validated that from a 787 00:34:19,710 --> 00:34:16,060 design standpoint it will work you know 788 00:34:21,630 --> 00:34:19,720 from a from a you know we're doing 50 789 00:34:23,340 --> 00:34:21,640 plus pyro events and we're doing a lot 790 00:34:24,720 --> 00:34:23,350 of things so from the standpoint that if 791 00:34:26,730 --> 00:34:24,730 something breaks decides to break at 792 00:34:28,410 --> 00:34:26,740 that point in time you know we're in 793 00:34:31,350 --> 00:34:28,420 trouble but you know we've done 794 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:31,360 everything we can think of to do yes 795 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:32,770 this is the most complicated mission 796 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:34,810 we've attempted on the surface of 797 00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:38,370 Mars the science kind of demands that 798 00:34:43,830 --> 00:34:42,250 this kind of sampling science and the 799 00:34:46,110 --> 00:34:43,840 science that we want to obtain has 800 00:34:47,820 --> 00:34:46,120 required sophisticated sampling 801 00:34:49,470 --> 00:34:47,830 mechanisms has required a long life 802 00:34:51,510 --> 00:34:49,480 Rover has required a long Traverse 803 00:34:53,490 --> 00:34:51,520 distance has required a large Rover and 804 00:34:55,050 --> 00:34:53,500 that's required a complicated entry 805 00:34:57,540 --> 00:34:55,060 descent landing system and so that whole 806 00:35:01,020 --> 00:34:57,550 string kind of goes together now if 807 00:35:05,010 --> 00:35:01,030 Colleen was to talk about the benefit 808 00:35:07,110 --> 00:35:05,020 versus investments bill I think one 809 00:35:09,810 --> 00:35:07,120 thing the agency looks at is the is the 810 00:35:11,820 --> 00:35:09,820 path that we have going forward and so 811 00:35:14,700 --> 00:35:11,830 first off this is the most interesting 812 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:14,710 science we could possibly do and then 813 00:35:19,830 --> 00:35:17,770 how it converges with other missions 814 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:19,840 that NASA's trying to undertake and 815 00:35:25,890 --> 00:35:23,530 because we can after this have a have a 816 00:35:28,290 --> 00:35:25,900 vehicle that we can land safely on the 817 00:35:31,020 --> 00:35:28,300 surface of another body that's 900 818 00:35:33,420 --> 00:35:31,030 kilograms that we really can't do any 819 00:35:35,490 --> 00:35:33,430 other way then that's part of the risk 820 00:35:38,310 --> 00:35:35,500 that we think is worth it and then as 821 00:35:41,430 --> 00:35:38,320 Pete said we have an enormous amount of 822 00:35:44,190 --> 00:35:41,440 risk reviews where we look both 823 00:35:46,350 --> 00:35:44,200 internally and externally at any kind of 824 00:35:48,750 --> 00:35:46,360 mitigation we can do we look at what's 825 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:48,760 called residual risks and we look then 826 00:35:53,820 --> 00:35:50,770 at the hundred thousand foot picture and 827 00:35:57,810 --> 00:35:53,830 say if you will yeah for this I'm and 828 00:36:00,300 --> 00:35:57,820 say you know is this really a good bet 829 00:36:02,700 --> 00:36:00,310 that it'll work and we did each of those 830 00:36:04,470 --> 00:36:02,710 on the Mars Science Lab we said yes to 831 00:36:08,070 --> 00:36:04,480 each of those and that's what's brought 832 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:08,080 us here today Justin Justin right with 833 00:36:11,430 --> 00:36:09,970 spaceflight now calm also for peta's 834 00:36:13,230 --> 00:36:11,440 wondering if you could talk to us a 835 00:36:14,790 --> 00:36:13,240 little bit about the communications plan 836 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:14,800 during entry and descent and landing 837 00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:16,690 what you will actually be knowing in 838 00:36:22,170 --> 00:36:20,050 real time during during entry well I 839 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:22,180 think we're we're in you know much 840 00:36:25,050 --> 00:36:23,890 better shape than we were with em er and 841 00:36:27,540 --> 00:36:25,060 we're in the kind of same kind of shape 842 00:36:31,710 --> 00:36:27,550 we were with Phoenix so we are we will 843 00:36:32,970 --> 00:36:31,720 have over flights of the landing area by 844 00:36:35,570 --> 00:36:32,980 both odyssey and mars reconnaissance 845 00:36:38,550 --> 00:36:35,580 orbiter and we will have a UHF 846 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:38,560 communication at high rate from those 847 00:36:46,500 --> 00:36:43,450 assets from from from the MSL spacecraft 848 00:36:47,870 --> 00:36:46,510 and curiosity to those assets from the 849 00:36:50,720 --> 00:36:47,880 start of entry descent landing all the 850 00:36:53,269 --> 00:36:50,730 the ground there is a second overflight 851 00:36:55,910 --> 00:36:53,279 I believe of Odyssey about an hour later 852 00:36:58,039 --> 00:36:55,920 and so we'll be able to get a short 853 00:37:00,680 --> 00:36:58,049 amount of data on a health check basis 854 00:37:04,009 --> 00:37:00,690 at that point in time as well we have X 855 00:37:06,259 --> 00:37:04,019 band tones if you remember ma are we we 856 00:37:09,230 --> 00:37:06,269 use the subcarrier frequency to set toes 857 00:37:11,089 --> 00:37:09,240 to the ground on X band because that the 858 00:37:13,579 --> 00:37:11,099 earth is actually set at our landing 859 00:37:15,170 --> 00:37:13,589 site by the time we get there we won't 860 00:37:17,870 --> 00:37:15,180 get tones to the ground but we will get 861 00:37:19,819 --> 00:37:17,880 tones through parachute deploy so we've 862 00:37:22,730 --> 00:37:19,829 got very good communication coverage for 863 00:37:27,019 --> 00:37:22,740 the entry descent and landing event the 864 00:37:28,759 --> 00:37:27,029 the the Odyssey relay will be a bent 865 00:37:30,980 --> 00:37:28,769 pipe so we'll get that in real time the 866 00:37:33,319 --> 00:37:30,990 MRO relay is a store and forward so that 867 00:37:37,220 --> 00:37:33,329 will be played back immediately after 868 00:37:39,589 --> 00:37:37,230 the landing oh yeah hi mike wall from 869 00:37:40,849 --> 00:37:39,599 space com um yeah like this has been a 870 00:37:42,769 --> 00:37:40,859 long time coming obviously you guys 871 00:37:44,630 --> 00:37:42,779 started working on this and yeah about 872 00:37:46,430 --> 00:37:44,640 2003 and I mean you had a two-year 873 00:37:48,109 --> 00:37:46,440 launch slept back in 2009 I mean I was 874 00:37:49,819 --> 00:37:48,119 just wondering if you could just kind of 875 00:37:51,529 --> 00:37:49,829 say what does it feel like now to just 876 00:37:53,539 --> 00:37:51,539 just be a few days away from launch 877 00:37:54,980 --> 00:37:53,549 after this extremely long and involved 878 00:37:56,329 --> 00:37:54,990 process how does it feel seeing up there 879 00:38:02,150 --> 00:37:56,339 talking about this is actually going to 880 00:38:03,470 --> 00:38:02,160 happen in a few days well I think you 881 00:38:06,140 --> 00:38:03,480 know it feels tremendous to have 882 00:38:08,569 --> 00:38:06,150 completed all this work and to have and 883 00:38:10,700 --> 00:38:08,579 to have the risk situation being what we 884 00:38:13,190 --> 00:38:10,710 think is in is in very good shape for 885 00:38:14,990 --> 00:38:13,200 this kind of thing not perfect obviously 886 00:38:18,769 --> 00:38:15,000 there is major risk to these things but 887 00:38:20,980 --> 00:38:18,779 but we're in pretty good shape I think 888 00:38:23,180 --> 00:38:20,990 if you ask into its individual person 889 00:38:24,920 --> 00:38:23,190 they'll provide a slightly different 890 00:38:31,009 --> 00:38:24,930 answer depending on how finished they 891 00:38:32,359 --> 00:38:31,019 think they are you know with me I you 892 00:38:33,980 --> 00:38:32,369 know I wait for the range to tell me 893 00:38:35,539 --> 00:38:33,990 it's green about a minute before we go 894 00:38:38,509 --> 00:38:35,549 before I finally decide that we're 895 00:38:40,370 --> 00:38:38,519 really going to do this today the the 896 00:38:41,900 --> 00:38:40,380 people who are worried about landing and 897 00:38:44,870 --> 00:38:41,910 and worried about the surface mission 898 00:38:46,609 --> 00:38:44,880 they consider this prologue okay this is 899 00:38:47,930 --> 00:38:46,619 necessary but not sufficient for them to 900 00:38:49,339 --> 00:38:47,940 get their jobs done and they've got a 901 00:38:52,220 --> 00:38:49,349 lot of work to do during the cruise to 902 00:38:57,140 --> 00:38:52,230 get ready for that but I think you could 903 00:38:59,599 --> 00:38:57,150 visibly see the team morale improve the 904 00:39:01,309 --> 00:38:59,609 team grin more the team smile more as 905 00:39:03,620 --> 00:39:01,319 the rover 906 00:39:06,049 --> 00:39:03,630 and the vehicle came closer and more and 907 00:39:09,380 --> 00:39:06,059 more together here when we were at the 908 00:39:11,180 --> 00:39:09,390 Kennedy I mean every time Dave Ruel are 909 00:39:13,729 --> 00:39:11,190 at low manager would send a string of 910 00:39:15,019 --> 00:39:13,739 pictures back to pasadena and we saw you 911 00:39:16,789 --> 00:39:15,029 know more and more of the vehicle being 912 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:16,799 put together every time we saw a picture 913 00:39:21,259 --> 00:39:19,650 of pad 41 and we saw you know the Atlas 914 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:21,269 being built you know you feel like yeah 915 00:39:24,589 --> 00:39:22,650 it's really here we're really going to 916 00:39:26,329 --> 00:39:24,599 do it this time we're ready to go so 917 00:39:30,170 --> 00:39:26,339 yeah there are a lot of grins around 918 00:39:32,930 --> 00:39:30,180 that's for sure Craig Craig gevalt with 919 00:39:35,209 --> 00:39:32,940 aerospace America first a question for 920 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:35,219 the launcher guys and then a question 921 00:39:46,699 --> 00:39:42,890 for Pete I guess it's Omar in and burn 922 00:39:51,069 --> 00:39:46,709 some launchers are so important that 923 00:39:54,199 --> 00:39:51,079 well in their parts selection there's a 924 00:39:58,339 --> 00:39:54,209 extra effort to pick components that 925 00:40:02,739 --> 00:39:58,349 have the very highest test results as 926 00:40:09,170 --> 00:40:02,749 all the component testing goes on is 927 00:40:15,499 --> 00:40:09,180 that a process that was used with MSL 928 00:40:20,509 --> 00:40:15,509 launcher or is it the basic standard 929 00:40:23,299 --> 00:40:20,519 components for ms LS Atlas 5 the answer 930 00:40:26,299 --> 00:40:23,309 is that on this vehicle we have our our 931 00:40:29,049 --> 00:40:26,309 standard criteria that components have 932 00:40:31,939 --> 00:40:29,059 to pass to be qualified for flight and 933 00:40:34,489 --> 00:40:31,949 that's okay because that standard is 934 00:40:38,599 --> 00:40:34,499 extremely high you're absolutely right 935 00:40:40,670 --> 00:40:38,609 this is a critical important launch one 936 00:40:43,370 --> 00:40:40,680 of the ways that we stay successful is 937 00:40:45,069 --> 00:40:43,380 we treat every mission like that I don't 938 00:40:48,289 --> 00:40:45,079 want that to sound like kind of a 939 00:40:50,029 --> 00:40:48,299 flippant answer we really do treat it 940 00:40:53,779 --> 00:40:50,039 like that if there is a component that 941 00:40:56,269 --> 00:40:53,789 is suspect or doesn't pass the screening 942 00:40:57,969 --> 00:40:56,279 or test criteria on any of our missions 943 00:41:00,109 --> 00:40:57,979 whether it's somebody's 30th 944 00:41:02,749 --> 00:41:00,119 communications satellite or a critical 945 00:41:05,670 --> 00:41:02,759 one of a kind mission like this it's not 946 00:41:08,309 --> 00:41:05,680 going to get on on that rocket and 947 00:41:10,799 --> 00:41:08,319 that's uh that's that's a standard that 948 00:41:13,319 --> 00:41:10,809 we set for ourselves our NASA customer 949 00:41:16,500 --> 00:41:13,329 works with us to make sure that that 950 00:41:19,650 --> 00:41:16,510 standard is enforced so the basic answer 951 00:41:21,270 --> 00:41:19,660 is there wasn't anything unique done for 952 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:21,280 this mission because we already have the 953 00:41:27,030 --> 00:41:22,690 high standards in place it takes to be 954 00:41:29,670 --> 00:41:27,040 successful Jay and for Pete when you and 955 00:41:34,799 --> 00:41:29,680 I last visited at JPL about 18 months 956 00:41:39,630 --> 00:41:34,809 ago you said experience in building the 957 00:41:42,599 --> 00:41:39,640 rover so far to that to that time show 958 00:41:49,290 --> 00:41:42,609 serious problems in the US aerospace 959 00:41:51,809 --> 00:41:49,300 parts fabrication sector if you will can 960 00:41:55,859 --> 00:41:51,819 you expand upon that now that the 961 00:41:58,280 --> 00:41:55,869 assembly all that parts of selections 962 00:42:02,359 --> 00:41:58,290 are complete and you're here on the pad 963 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:02,369 explain further what you meant by that 964 00:42:07,290 --> 00:42:05,170 yeah I think that first of all this is 965 00:42:09,620 --> 00:42:07,300 page point of view okay this is not 966 00:42:14,700 --> 00:42:09,630 necessarily Nassau or JPL point of view 967 00:42:17,250 --> 00:42:14,710 but I feel that that we've had quality 968 00:42:21,420 --> 00:42:17,260 incidents through the building of the 969 00:42:23,339 --> 00:42:21,430 rover in larger numbers than we've had 970 00:42:24,690 --> 00:42:23,349 in the past when I was a much younger 971 00:42:28,079 --> 00:42:24,700 engineer building these kinds of 972 00:42:30,720 --> 00:42:28,089 equipment and I think I think the result 973 00:42:34,319 --> 00:42:30,730 of that has been stress on our schedules 974 00:42:36,839 --> 00:42:34,329 in our in our in our and our funding I 975 00:42:40,799 --> 00:42:36,849 don't think that that has resulted in a 976 00:42:42,450 --> 00:42:40,809 less adequate product I think that Vern 977 00:42:44,039 --> 00:42:42,460 is absolutely correct we have quality 978 00:42:45,539 --> 00:42:44,049 standards and mission assurance plans 979 00:42:47,970 --> 00:42:45,549 that we put in place and we and we 980 00:42:50,010 --> 00:42:47,980 follow those very rigorously and we do 981 00:42:51,599 --> 00:42:50,020 not deviate those from those we may 982 00:42:53,190 --> 00:42:51,609 detect problems that we then have to go 983 00:42:54,539 --> 00:42:53,200 off and solve as a result of those 984 00:42:58,109 --> 00:42:54,549 things but that does not mean that we 985 00:42:59,760 --> 00:42:58,119 accept a quality shortfall as a result 986 00:43:02,190 --> 00:42:59,770 of whatever issues we kind of come up 987 00:43:04,170 --> 00:43:02,200 with you know we we had problems with 988 00:43:05,970 --> 00:43:04,180 the actuators we solve those we've had 989 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:05,980 problems with other piece parts we've 990 00:43:10,559 --> 00:43:08,650 solved those I'm very very happy with 991 00:43:14,010 --> 00:43:10,569 the quality that's uh that's in the in 992 00:43:15,780 --> 00:43:14,020 the rover I think that you know in terms 993 00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:15,790 of the number of pollen failure reports 994 00:43:19,900 --> 00:43:18,170 and the number of waivers we've signed 995 00:43:23,110 --> 00:43:19,910 we have no waivers with descent on this 996 00:43:24,850 --> 00:43:23,120 vehicle and the number of red flag PFR 997 00:43:26,650 --> 00:43:24,860 is unverified Phil years we're very much 998 00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:26,660 in family with where we were on Cassini 999 00:43:30,700 --> 00:43:28,010 and we're very much in family with where 1000 00:43:33,310 --> 00:43:30,710 we were on Mars Exploration Rover so i 1001 00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:33,320 think it's a it's a my point of view 1002 00:43:36,790 --> 00:43:35,090 it's a it's a tougher road to hoe a 1003 00:43:38,080 --> 00:43:36,800 little bit to get to there but the 1004 00:43:41,260 --> 00:43:38,090 qualities our product when you get there 1005 00:43:42,790 --> 00:43:41,270 is is as it's been in the past Jay I'm 1006 00:43:48,610 --> 00:43:42,800 sorry Fred we're running short of time 1007 00:43:52,780 --> 00:43:48,620 we had a jay jay barberry with NBC yeah 1008 00:43:55,630 --> 00:43:52,790 what what is the average temperature in 1009 00:43:58,680 --> 00:43:55,640 Fahrenheit at Gale Crater when curiosity 1010 00:44:01,840 --> 00:43:58,690 will be operating and what is the 1011 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:01,850 temperature range on Mars the latest 1012 00:44:09,160 --> 00:44:05,450 that you have in Fahrenheit can you tell 1013 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:09,170 me that I'm sorry on the Senate great 1014 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:14,450 guy I i I'm Fahrenheit on earth but I'm 1015 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:17,050 centigrade on Mars so somebody will 1016 00:44:23,650 --> 00:44:20,330 still to celsus could you tell me what 1017 00:44:26,440 --> 00:44:23,660 will be the range that curiosity will be 1018 00:44:27,910 --> 00:44:26,450 working in and Gale Crater ok the the 1019 00:44:29,770 --> 00:44:27,920 cold temperatures at night can get down 1020 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:29,780 below about a minus 100 degree 1021 00:44:37,870 --> 00:44:33,490 centigrade minus 100 degrees centigrade 1022 00:44:41,020 --> 00:44:37,880 centigrade ok I ok the radical converted 1023 00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:41,030 yeah you've got to go convert it the the 1024 00:44:46,510 --> 00:44:44,810 will be able to operate the rover we 1025 00:44:48,100 --> 00:44:46,520 need to heat up the actuators in order 1026 00:44:49,570 --> 00:44:48,110 to move and do mobility and we'll be 1027 00:44:51,600 --> 00:44:49,580 able to start doing that when it's about 1028 00:44:55,390 --> 00:44:51,610 minus 60 or minus 50 degrees centigrade 1029 00:44:59,560 --> 00:44:55,400 ok 50 or 60 during the day it gets up to 1030 00:45:01,870 --> 00:44:59,570 0 minus 10 0 plus 10 plus 20 depending 1031 00:45:07,930 --> 00:45:01,880 upon the season and a variety of other 1032 00:45:11,590 --> 00:45:07,940 factors ok thank you alverson in florida 1033 00:45:15,700 --> 00:45:11,600 today one poor Joel and I guess one for 1034 00:45:18,550 --> 00:45:15,710 Omar Joe I was wondering about the 1035 00:45:21,940 --> 00:45:18,560 onshore flow that you anticipate seeing 1036 00:45:25,510 --> 00:45:21,950 in your your weather criteria for toxics 1037 00:45:28,870 --> 00:45:25,520 and the potential for you know plume to 1038 00:45:30,230 --> 00:45:28,880 might blow over you know surrounding our 1039 00:45:33,200 --> 00:45:30,240 community and 1040 00:45:37,370 --> 00:45:33,210 I was wondering if you do anything 1041 00:45:40,220 --> 00:45:37,380 different with an RTG on board are there 1042 00:45:43,460 --> 00:45:40,230 any special weather criteria for rtgs 1043 00:45:46,190 --> 00:45:43,470 and for Omar I was wondering if you 1044 00:45:49,040 --> 00:45:46,200 could explain the windows are the launch 1045 00:45:51,770 --> 00:45:49,050 opportunities within the window if you 1046 00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:51,780 don't get off at no.2 how your 1047 00:45:57,740 --> 00:45:54,570 opportunities fallout from that time to 1048 00:45:59,870 --> 00:45:57,750 the end of the window thanks I'll go 1049 00:46:01,760 --> 00:45:59,880 first as far as the wind flow yes it's 1050 00:46:04,550 --> 00:46:01,770 pretty much going to be due east to west 1051 00:46:06,410 --> 00:46:04,560 on that day a hundred degrees to my 1052 00:46:09,200 --> 00:46:06,420 knowledge there's not anything different 1053 00:46:12,820 --> 00:46:09,210 the what we call the risk assessment 1054 00:46:15,109 --> 00:46:12,830 center does as far as a potential plume 1055 00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:15,119 but again they take the real-time 1056 00:46:19,400 --> 00:46:17,610 weather data from the balloons that we 1057 00:46:22,220 --> 00:46:19,410 released during a countdown the lowest 1058 00:46:24,230 --> 00:46:22,230 few thousand feet and they will adjust 1059 00:46:26,290 --> 00:46:24,240 their model accordingly based on the 1060 00:46:29,510 --> 00:46:26,300 wind flow and they look at short-term 1061 00:46:32,060 --> 00:46:29,520 wind flow projections to see if any 1062 00:46:35,210 --> 00:46:32,070 changes are expected but other than that 1063 00:46:36,320 --> 00:46:35,220 I don't again correct me if I'm wrong up 1064 00:46:38,900 --> 00:46:36,330 on the panel but I don't believe there's 1065 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:38,910 anything in addition plume why's that 1066 00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:42,330 they they'll do just because of the RTG 1067 00:46:48,950 --> 00:46:46,410 on board what time do you come no go 1068 00:46:53,180 --> 00:46:48,960 because of the potential for toxic so 1069 00:46:55,010 --> 00:46:53,190 what's the cut out there I believe it 1070 00:46:57,050 --> 00:46:55,020 all depends on one that balloon releases 1071 00:46:59,720 --> 00:46:57,060 i'm not sure the exact time and how late 1072 00:47:01,970 --> 00:46:59,730 an account but whenever after we release 1073 00:47:05,150 --> 00:47:01,980 a balloon they will get the data and 1074 00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:05,160 then their motto will project what the 1075 00:47:09,320 --> 00:47:07,290 plume would do and if it violates their 1076 00:47:11,990 --> 00:47:09,330 criteria then they would go you know 1077 00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:12,000 no-go it I don't believe it depends it 1078 00:47:16,550 --> 00:47:13,530 matters at what time the account that 1079 00:47:19,609 --> 00:47:16,560 occurs again it's going to be basically 1080 00:47:23,720 --> 00:47:19,619 after each balloon is released okay you 1081 00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:23,730 had a question for Omar yeah yeah as far 1082 00:47:29,420 --> 00:47:27,090 as launch window management what we have 1083 00:47:32,900 --> 00:47:29,430 done is we've analyzed five-minute 1084 00:47:36,050 --> 00:47:32,910 segments so every five minutes we have 1085 00:47:37,820 --> 00:47:36,060 an opportunity we do have a limitation 1086 00:47:40,910 --> 00:47:37,830 because the spacecraft does have some 1087 00:47:42,050 --> 00:47:40,920 onboard timers that have to be reset so 1088 00:47:47,110 --> 00:47:42,060 we need 1089 00:47:50,450 --> 00:47:47,120 about 14 minutes between opportunities 1090 00:47:54,460 --> 00:47:50,460 to be able to have the spacecraft 1091 00:47:56,810 --> 00:47:54,470 reconfigure get back on external power 1092 00:47:59,570 --> 00:47:56,820 set their timers and get back on 1093 00:48:02,290 --> 00:47:59,580 internal power so we've analyzed every 1094 00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:02,300 five minutes throughout that window and 1095 00:48:09,820 --> 00:48:04,890 do have some lag time depending on how 1096 00:48:11,900 --> 00:48:09,830 deep we get inside of t minus 11 minutes 1097 00:48:15,170 --> 00:48:11,910 right right here this would be the last 1098 00:48:18,710 --> 00:48:15,180 one g michalka with talking space this 1099 00:48:21,260 --> 00:48:18,720 might be for Colleen article this week 1100 00:48:24,590 --> 00:48:21,270 said this might be the last of the 1101 00:48:26,540 --> 00:48:24,600 larger deep-space exploration missions 1102 00:48:28,670 --> 00:48:26,550 because of the blutonium 238 issue 1103 00:48:31,550 --> 00:48:28,680 meaning you know with the fuel shortage 1104 00:48:33,830 --> 00:48:31,560 we really you know how bad is it are we 1105 00:48:36,170 --> 00:48:33,840 really at a crossroads here with a 1106 00:48:39,340 --> 00:48:36,180 different power source or are we looking 1107 00:48:41,720 --> 00:48:39,350 at alter alternate power sources if the 1108 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:41,730 production of plutonium-238 isn't 1109 00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:44,330 approved well the the natural decay of 1110 00:48:49,460 --> 00:48:46,890 plutonium-238 is certainly a preferred 1111 00:48:52,240 --> 00:48:49,470 one of the preferred ways of going and 1112 00:48:55,190 --> 00:48:52,250 the Congress is looking at providing 1113 00:48:58,940 --> 00:48:55,200 funding to start up for the Department 1114 00:49:01,990 --> 00:48:58,950 of Energy a new plutonium-238 line in 1115 00:49:04,790 --> 00:49:02,000 addition NASA for some time hasn't been 1116 00:49:07,910 --> 00:49:04,800 investigated investigating and investing 1117 00:49:10,910 --> 00:49:07,920 in alternative ways of doing some of 1118 00:49:14,720 --> 00:49:10,920 these missions and that includes ion 1119 00:49:16,490 --> 00:49:14,730 propulsion the dawn mission that i 1120 00:49:19,550 --> 00:49:16,500 mentioned that had gone to Vesta and 1121 00:49:22,370 --> 00:49:19,560 will then go on to series is I on 1122 00:49:24,920 --> 00:49:22,380 proposed that's a unique way of using 1123 00:49:27,290 --> 00:49:24,930 propulsion so we're looking at alternate 1124 00:49:29,630 --> 00:49:27,300 ways for power and propulsion but 1125 00:49:32,180 --> 00:49:29,640 certainly when you are doing something 1126 00:49:35,090 --> 00:49:32,190 like the Curiosity rover is doing and 1127 00:49:37,580 --> 00:49:35,100 trying to Rove on a planet day and night 1128 00:49:40,640 --> 00:49:37,590 and do a kind of intense investigation 1129 00:49:42,830 --> 00:49:40,650 it is the preferred way and we don't 1130 00:49:45,320 --> 00:49:42,840 predict at this stage that we'll have 1131 00:49:48,380 --> 00:49:45,330 any trouble making sure that the United 1132 00:49:51,770 --> 00:49:48,390 States and NASA has enough plutonium 238 1133 00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:51,780 so we're working it all right thank you 1134 00:49:54,490 --> 00:49:53,210 kool aid and 1135 00:49:56,380 --> 00:49:54,500 going to end the briefing here we have a 1136 00:49:58,450 --> 00:49:56,390 bit of a time constraint because we need 1137 00:49:59,800 --> 00:49:58,460 to turn the satellite around and send it 1138 00:50:01,780 --> 00:49:59,810 to Houston because we have another 1139 00:50:04,900 --> 00:50:01,790 briefing coming up right here at two 1140 00:50:06,880 --> 00:50:04,910 o'clock one programming note as far as 1141 00:50:10,090 --> 00:50:06,890 launch coverage on launch day because of 1142 00:50:11,530 --> 00:50:10,100 the change in the launch time to 1002 we 1143 00:50:13,270 --> 00:50:11,540 will be starting coverage at 1144 00:50:14,890 --> 00:50:13,280 seven-thirty which is a half an hour 1145 00:50:18,010 --> 00:50:14,900 earlier than we had originally 1146 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:18,020 advertised so we have our next briefing