>> Sreenivasan: NO MAN HAS SET
FOOT ON THE MOON SINCE 1972,
WHEN THE APOLLO PROGRAM CAME TO
AN END.
BUT THAT MAY SOON CHANGE.
NASA AIMS TO RETURN ASTRONAUTS
TO THE MOON BY 2024 AND SET UP A
SUSTAINED HUMAN PRESENCE THERE
BY 2028.
BUT NASA'S PLANS, INCLUDING
GETTING BACK TO THE MOON,
SETTING THE GROUNDWORK FOR
FUTURE MANNED SPACE FLIGHTS, AND
DEVELOPING COMMERCIAL
OPPORTUNITIES IN SPACE WILL
REQUIRE AN EFFORT EVEN MORE
AMBITIOUS THAN THE ORIGINAL
APOLLO MISSIONS.
>> THREE, TWO, ONE, IGNITION.
>> Sreenivasan: EARLIER THIS
MONTH, NASA TESTED A KEY SAFETY
SYSTEM ON ITS NEW ORION
SPACECRAFT IN THE SKY ABOVE
FLORIDA.
IN A SIMULATED EMERGENCY, THE
SPACECRAFT ABORTED A TAKE-OFF
AND SPLIT OFF FROM THE SPEEDING
ROCKET, PROPELLING ITSELF SAFELY
AWAY.
THE TEST WAS A KEY MILESTONE IN
NASA'S AMBITIOUS PLAN TO RETURN
ASTRONAUTS TO THE MOON.
MARK KIRASICH IS THE NASA
PROGRAM MANAGER FOR ORION AT THE
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON,
TEXAS.
>> YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE
OUTSIDE, AND YOU SAY, "BOY,
THAT'S THE SAME SHAPE AS
APOLLO."
AND IT IS.
AND THE REASON IT IS BECAUSE WE
LEARNED THE APOLLO GUYS HAD THE
SHAPE RIGHT.
BUT YOU LOOK UNDERNEATH THE
SKIN, AND JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER
ASPECT OF ORION IS DIFFERENT.
>> Sreenivasan: KIRASICH TOOK ME
INSIDE A FULL-SCALE MODEL OF THE
SPACECRAFT THAT NASA USES TO
STUDY HOW THE CREW INTERACTS
WITH THE SHIP AND ITS SYSTEMS.
>> COME ON IN AND WATCH YOUR
STEP, AND WELCOME TO THE INSIDE
OF AN ORION SPACECRAFT.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, FOUR PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO RIDE IN THIS?
>> YES, YES!
>> Sreenivasan: ( LAUGHS )
>> AND BY... BY CAPSULE
STANDARDS, OUR ASTRONAUT TEAM
WILL TELL YOU THIS IS A... QUITE
A ROOMY SPACECRAFT.
>> Sreenivasan: ( LAUGHS )
 THIS IS ROOMY?
>> THIS IS ROOMY!
YOU ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER, IN
SPACE, EVERYTHING IS A FLOOR,
EVERYTHING IS A CEILING.
SO, YOU CAN SLEEP ON THE WALLS,
YOU CAN WALK ON THE CEILING.
>> Sreenivasan: ( LAUGHS )
THE ORION IS BUILT BY AEROSPACE
COMPANY LOCKHEED MARTIN, AND
IT'S DESIGNED TO SUPPORT A CREW
FOR WEEKS AT A TIME.
>> SNAKE YOUR WAY IN LIKE THIS.
>> Sreenivasan: OKAY.
AND UNLIKE THE SPACECRAFTS USED
IN THE APOLLO MISSIONS, IT'S
FLEXIBLE FOR ASTRONAUTS OF ALL
SIZES.
OH, WOW!
>> THESE SEATS, THIS COCKPIT'S
DESIGNED FOR WHAT WE CALL A 5%
FEMALE, A VERY SMALL WOMAN; TO A
95th PERCENTILE MALE, A VERY
LARGE MAN.
>> Sreenivasan: THE ORION
CAPSULE IS A KEY PART OF NASA'S
ARTEMIS PROGRAM, NAMED AFTER THE
TWIN SISTER OF THE GREEK GOD
APOLLO.
ARTEMIS WILL BE A SEQUENCE OF
MISSIONS STARTING WITH A FLIGHT
WITH NO CREW IN 2020, A FLIGHT
WITH A CREW IN 2022 THAT WILL
ORBIT THE MOON, AND THEN A 2024
MISSION THAT WILL LAND HUMANS ON
THE MOON'S SOUTH POLE.
UNLIKE THE APOLLO PROGRAM,
ARTEMIS AIMS TO ESTABLISH A
SUSTAINED PRESENCE ON THE MOON
AND SET THE STAGE FOR FURTHER
EXPLORATION TO MARS.
>> SMALL-SCALE TESTS HAVE BEEN
DONE.
>> Sreenivasan: JEFF RADIGAN IS
THE LEAD FLIGHT DIRECTOR FOR
ARTEMIS 2, THE FIRST FLIGHT WITH
ASTRONAUTS IN 2022.
>> SO, IT'S REALLY A STEPPING
STONE, ONE MISSION AFTER THE
OTHER, BUILDING ON CAPABILITY.
>> Sreenivasan: OKAY, SO, SOME
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WATCH THIS
AND SAY, "LOOK, WE DID THAT 50
YEARS AGO.
WHY DO IT AGAIN?
WHY GO BACK?"
>> YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T BEEN
BACK TO THE MOON IN 50 YEARS,
AND IT'S... IT'S OUT THERE
WAITING FOR US.
IT'S OUT THERE.
WITH SO MUCH WE'VE DISCOVERED
OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS WITH THE
UNMANNED SPACECRAFT THAT HAVE
GONE ON THERE, REALLY GIVES US
THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND
THEN STAY THERE.
>> Sreenivasan: RADIGAN POINTS
TO THE 2009 DISCOVERY OF WATER
ON THE MOON AS A KEY RESOURCE TO
SUPPORT LONG-TERM HABITATION AND
FUTURE EXPLORATION.
IT COULD BE HARVESTED TO DRINK,
TURNED INTO OXYGEN FOR
BREATHING, AND THE HYDROGEN IT
CONTAINS COULD BE USED AS ROCKET
FUEL.
>> WE'RE ON OUR WAY, HOUSTON!
>> Sreenivasan: THE END OF THE
APOLLO LUNAR MISSIONS IN 1972
DID NOT MARK THE END OF
ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE FOR NASA.
>> LIFTOFF!
>> Sreenivasan: THE SPACE
SHUTTLE PROGRAM FLEW 135
MISSIONS BETWEEN 1981 AND 2011.
ITS SUCCESSES INCLUDED LAUNCHING
SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS LIKE THE
HUBBLE TELESCOPE AND HELPING
BUILD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION, OR I.S.S.
>> GO AT THROTTLE-UP.
>> Sreenivasan: BUT THE PROGRAM
ALSO SUFFERED TWO CATASTROPHES
THAT KILLED 14 ASTRONAUTS: THE
"CHALLENGER," WHICH BLEW UP JUST
AFTER LIFTOFF IN 1986; AND THE
"COLUMBIA," WHICH DISINTEGRATED
REENTERING THE EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE IN 2003.
SINCE THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM ENDED,
NASA HAS RELIED ON THE RUSSIAN
SOYUZ ROCKET TO TRANSPORT
ASTRONAUTS TO THE I.S.S., AND
PRIVATE COMPANIES LIKE SPACEX
TO CARRY SUPPLIES AND HARDWARE.
MEANWHILE, THE SPACE STATION HAS
BEEN CONTINUOUSLY OCCUPIED BY AN
INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF
ASTRONAUTS SINCE NOVEMBER OF
2000.
>> WE'VE LEARNED HOW TO LIVE AND
WORK IN SPACE FOR VERY LONG
PERIODS OF DURATIONS.
WE... WE'VE LEARNED HOW TO KEEP
PEOPLE HEALTHY, HOW TO EXERCISE,
THE KINDS OF FOODS TO TAKE, SO
PEOPLE CAN SURVIVE ON VERY LONG
MISSIONS IN SPACE.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, WE TAKE
THOSE LESSONS, AND WE SAY, "THIS
IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE IF
YOU WANT TO LIVE ON THE MOON AND
WORK ON THE MOON"?
>> YES, CORRECT.
WHILE WE ARE IN LOWER EARTH
ORBIT, WE'RE STILL ONLY A COUPLE
HOURS AWAY.
WE'RE JUST A COUPLE HUNDRED
MILES AWAY FROM EARTH.
>> Sreenivasan: YEAH.
>> NOW, THESE MISSIONS WE'RE
ABOUT TO EMBARK ON ARE HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY,
FIVE-DAY TRIPS.
THERE IS NO TWO-HOUR EMERGENCY
RIDE HOME TO EARTH.
SO, WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO
BECOME LESS RELIANT ON THE
EARTH.
>> Sreenivasan: WHETHER OR NOT
AMERICA SHOULD EMBARK ON A NEW
MOON MISSION HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO
CHANGING POLITICAL FORCES.
IN 2004, PRESIDENT GEORGE W.
BUSH DIRECTED NASA TO RETURN TO
THE MOON.
BUT IN 2010, THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION SCRAPPED THE
MISSION FOR BEING OVER BUDGET
AND BEHIND SCHEDULE, FOCUSING
INSTEAD ON A FUTURE MISSION TO
MARS.
IN 2017, THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION PIVOTED BACK TO
THE MOON, TARGETING 2028 FOR THE
MISSION.
THEN, EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE
ADMINISTRATION SPED UP THE
TIMETABLE.
>> IT IS THE STATED POLICY OF
THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO
RETURN AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS TO
THE MOON WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE
YEARS.
( APPLAUSE )
>> Sreenivasan: WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN YOU SCOOT THE DEADLINE UP?
THAT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE
ENGINEERS AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT
WAS PLANNING ON SOMETHING WAY
DOWN THE LINE, RIGHT?
>> YOU KNOW, IT... IT CHANGES
YOUR SCHEDULE, OBVIOUSLY.
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE
PRESSURE TO GET YOUR JOB DONE AS
WELL AS YOU CAN, BUT THAT'S
BALANCED BY HAVING THE RESOURCES
TO DO IT, RIGHT?
AND SO, I THINK WE'VE DONE A
PRETTY GOOD JOB AT NASA OF
TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT EQUATION
TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TO
SAY, "ABSOLUTELY WE CAN SUPPORT
2024, WE'D LOVE TO SUPPORT 2024.
WE'RE ALL ON BOARD WITH THAT.
NOW, HERE'S HOW WE WOULD DO IT,
AND HERE'S THE RESOURCES IT
WOULD TAKE TO GET THERE."
>> Sreenivasan: YEAH.
SO, YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT
YOU NEED NOW?
>> SO, I... I APPRECIATE THE
ADMINISTRATOR, YOU KNOW, WORKING
WITH CONGRESS AND... AND THE
ADMINISTRATION TO GET THE
RESOURCES, RIGHT?
AND I APPLAUD THE ADMINISTRATOR
FOR SAYING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE
MORE MONEY, AND I KNOW THAT
FOLKS ARE WORKING VERY HARD
TO... TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
>> ...SIX, FIVE, FOUR...
>> Sreenivasan: NASA BELIEVES IT
WILL TAKE AN ADDITIONAL 
$4 BILLION TO $6 BILLION A YEAR
OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ON TOP
OF ITS ROUGHLY $21 BILLION
ANNUAL BUDGET TO MEET THE 2024
LUNAR DEADLINE.
TAKING THAT POTENTIAL INCREASE
INTO ACCOUNT, THE AGENCY'S
BUDGET IS AROUND HALF OF 1% OF
ALL FEDERAL SPENDING.
WHILE THAT MAY SOUND LIKE A LOT,
NASA IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO
MORE WITH LESS.
AT THE HEIGHT OF THE APOLLO
PROGRAM IN THE MID-1960s,
FEDERAL SPENDING ON NASA
ACCOUNTED FOR NEARLY 4% OF THE
TOTAL U.S. BUDGET.
>> WE HAVE LIFTOFF!
>> Sreenivasan: ADDING TO
FINANCIAL PRESSURE, NASA HAS
BEEN PLAGUED WITH COST OVERRUNS
ON SEVERAL KEY COMPONENTS,
INCLUDING THE SPACE LAUNCH
SYSTEM, OR S.L.S., THE LARGE
ROCKET THAT WILL SEND THE ORION
SPACECRAFT INTO LUNAR SPACE.
A 2018 INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT
FOUND THAT BOEING, WHICH IS
MAKING THE S.L.S. ROCKET, WILL
LIKELY SPEND NEARLY DOUBLE THE
BUDGETED AMOUNT WHILE DELIVERING
THE ROCKET MORE THAN TWO AND A
HALF YEARS LATE.
MARK KIRASICH SAYS NASA NEEDS TO
FIND A WAY TO ENTICE PRIVATE
INDUSTRY TO INVEST IN SPACE
EXPLORATION.
>> SO, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WORKING
ON COMMERCIALIZING THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION--
TOURIST SORTS OF THINGS,
SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS.
AND THE MOON OFFER SOME SPECIAL
OPPORTUNITIES-- MINING ON THE
MOON.
SO, THERE CAN BE BUSINESSES THAT
TAKE ADVANTAGE, AND THAT'S...
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DO-- FIND BUSINESSES, MOTIVATE
BUSINESSES THAT CAN THEN MAKE A
PROFIT BY FLYING SPACE MISSIONS.
>> Sreenivasan: MINING
OPERATIONS ON THE MOON?
I MEAN, IT SEEMS SO SCI-FI, BUT
WHO GETS TO MINE THE MOON?
I MEAN, ARE WE DOING THIS AS
HUMANITY-- AS ONE SPECIES, SO TO
SPEAK-- TOGETHER?
ARE WE DOING IT AS COUNTRIES?
ARE WE DOING THIS AS COMPANIES?
>> WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO DEVELOP
THE LAWS, THE INTERNATIONAL
LAWS, AND WE'LL HAVE TO WORK
THOSE SORTS OF THINGS OUT.
THOSE ARE LEGAL QUESTIONS.
I'M STILL WORKING ON THE
ENGINEERING PROBLEMS.
>> Sreenivasan: ( LAUGHS )
KIRASICH MAY BE FOCUSING ON
ENGINEERING PROBLEMS, BUT THE
FACT IS SPACE EXPLORATION IS NO
LONGER JUST A TWO-COUNTRY RACE
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
THE SOVIET UNION, AS IT WAS
KNOWN IN THE '60s.
SPACE AGENCIES IN EUROPE, JAPAN
AND INDIA HAVE ALSO SENT PROBES
TO THE MOON.
MOST RECENTLY, CHINA LANDED A
ROVER ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE
MOON IN JANUARY.
50 YEARS AGO, IN THE SPRINT TO
GET TO THE MOON, IT WAS REALLY
JUST TWO RUNNERS.
NOW, IN THIS MARATHON THAT IS
SPACE EXPLORATION, YOU'VE GOT A
LOT MORE RUNNERS COMING IN.
WHAT DOES THAT DO TO THE.. TO
THE RACE?
>> YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY IS
GOING THE SAME PLACE, IS THE
FIRST THING I'LL TELL YOU,
RIGHT?
IT... IT REALLY OPENS UP THE
OPTIONS FOR MORE RUNNERS TO RUN
DIFFERENT RACES, TO USE YOUR...
YOUR ANALOGY.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THERE'LL BE
SOME COMPETITION INVOLVED.
>> Sreenivasan: YEAH.
>> AND COMPETITION CAN BE A
HEALTHY THING.
THE MORE SPACE VEHICLES, THE
MORE COUNTRIES THAT WANT TO GO
TO THE MOON AND OUT INTO THE
SOLAR SYSTEM, THE BETTER.
WE JUST NEED TO ENSURE THAT, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE AT LEAST NOT WORKING
AGAINST EACH OTHER EVEN IF WE'RE
NOT WORKING TOGETHER.
>> Sreenivasan: ARE YOU
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THAT?
>> I AM.
I THINK WE'VE GOT... I THINK THE
HAZARDS ARE SO GREAT AND THE
COST OF FAILURE IS SO HIGH THAT
FOLKS ARE INCENTIVIZED TO WORK
TOGETHER.
>> IN OUR LIFETIME...
>> Sreenivasan: DESPITE THE
PROMISE OF MORE COOPERATION IN
SPACE EXPLORATION, COUNTRIES--
INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES--
STILL WANT TO BE FIRST, AND
SENDING ASTRONAUTS TO MARS IS
CLEARLY THE NEXT BIG MILESTONE.
IT'S A GOAL THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
MADE EXPLICIT EARLIER THIS
MONTH.
>> SOMEDAY SOON, WE WILL PLANT
THE AMERICAN FLAG ON MARS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> YOU WANT EVERYBODY LOOKING
AT THE VIEWS OF THE SPACECRAFT.
>> Sreenivasan: NASA FLIGHT
DIRECTOR JEFF RADIGAN SAYS THE
AGENCY IS WELL POSITIONED TO
EVENTUALLY SEND ASTRONAUTS TO
THE RED PLANET.
>> WHERE I SEE US IN 20 YEARS IS
TAKING THAT FIRST TRIP TO MARS.
WHERE I SEE US IN 40 YEARS IS
DOING THE SAME THING AROUND MARS
THAT WE'RE DOING AROUND THE MOON
TODAY...
>> Sreenivasan: HMM.
>> ...WHICH IS HAVING THAT
PERMANENT PRESENCE, HAVING THOSE
FOLKS THERE FOR A YEAR OR MORE,
AND JUST CONTINUING OUT INTO THE
SOLAR SYSTEM.
