BEFORE.
NEIL: I FIND THAT STUNNING.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT SYSTEM
IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID?
>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY, IT'S BEEN
PUT THROUGH PACES.
WE TESTED IT.
THEY CAN EJECT OFF THE LAUNCH
PAD AS WELL, NEIL, SO THEY ARE
PROTECTED.
THE ASTRONAUT CREWS ARE
PROTECTED ALL THE WAY TO ORBIT,
THEY HAVE A WAY TO GET OFF THE
ROCKET AND ABORT IF THEY NEED
TO, SYSTEM THAT IF
VEHICLES NEEDS TO GET OFF, THAT
COULD LIGHT IT WITHIN CERTAIN
PARAMETERS AND THE CREW CAN DO
THAT AS WELL.
NEIL: DOUG, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR MEMORABLE AND
HEROIC SERVICE TO THE WORLD AND
THOSE WHO DREAM OF LEAVING THIS
PLANET AND YOU DID SO CALMLY.
I ALWAYS REMEMBER THE STORIES
BEHIND YOU.
TOOK A LOT TO RATTLE YOU.
IN FACT, I NEVER COULD.
DOUG, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE ARE FOLLOWING A COUPLE OF
THINGS HERE.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT TIMING,
ASSUMING THIS GOES OFF OKAY IN
LESS THAN 2 MINUTES.
IT'S ALL ABOUT CATCHING UP WITH
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
THAT'S TRAVELING NORTH AT
17,000 MILES AN HOUR, ABOUT
249 MILES OVER PLANET EARTH.
SO THAT'S THE IDEA, 19-HOUR
CATCH-UP TO HOOK UP WITH THAT.
LET'S GO TO NASA AT CAPE
CANAVERAL AND HEAR THE COUNTDOWN
AND THE READINESS AS WE ARE NOW
ABOUT A MINUTE AWAY.
>> CLOSED OUT AND COMPLETE.
DRAGON IS IN AUTO IDLE.
>> 1 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS TO GO
BEFORE LAUNCH.
>> CLOSE OUT IS STARTING.
>> FALCON 9 IS IN START-UP.
>> DRAGON IS IN COUNTDOWN.
>> ARMED FOR LAUNCH.
>> UNDER A MINUTE NOW THE FTF,
FLIGHT TERMINATION SYSTEM HAS
BEEN ARMED.
>> DRAGON SPACEX GO FOR LAUNCH.
>> SPACEX DRAGON, WE ARE GO FOR
LAUNCH.
>> 30 SECONDS.
>> STAGE 1 TANKS PRESSING FOR
PLATE.
>> 15 SECONDS.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,
0, IGNITION, LIFT OFF.
GOD SPEED.
>> AMERICA HAS LAUNCHED.
RISES THE NEW ERA OF AMERICAN
SPACE FLIGHT, IGNITIONS OF A NEW
GENERATION CONTINUING THE DREAM.
20 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT SAFETY IS
NOMINAL.
>> 30 SECONDS IN HISTORIC
MISSION.
FLYING CREW ON BOARD DRAGON AT
FALCON 9 AND LOOK AT THEM GO.
>> FALCON.
>> GET READY FOR PERIOD OF
MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE.
WE ARE IN THE THROTTLE.
ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO.
>> VEHICLE SUPER SONIC.
>> WE'VE EXCEEDED ON FALCON 9.
>> THROTTLING BACK UP TO FULL
POWER.
>> COPY 1, BRAVO.
>> WE HEARD THE BRAVO CALLOUT,
SECOND, WILL BE ON THIS AND THEN
SWITCH OVER TO THE SECOND.
AT THIS POINT BOB AND DOUG, 3.3
TIMES THE EARTH'S GRAVITY.
1500 MILES PER HOUR.
>> WE'VE HEARD THE CALL-OUT,
THAT'S GETTING THE MVAC ENGINE
READY TO LIGHT.
THAT'S 244 IN THE FLIGHT.
RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING CONTINUING
TO LOOK GOOD.
NEXT MAYOR EVENT.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> COMING UP IS THE TRIPLE, WE
WILL HAVE MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF OF
9 FIRST ENGINE, STAGE SEPARATION
AND THEN IGNITION OF THE SECOND
STAGE ENGINE CONTINUE TO CARRY
ASTRONAUTS INTO ORBIT.
>> COME COMING UP IN 20 SECONDS.
>> THROTTLE DOWN.
>> THROTTLING DOWN THE ENGINES
ON THE FIRST STAGE.
>> FALCON SEPARATION CONFIRMED.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> RECOGNITION.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE CONFIRMED,
THE FIRST STAGE BEGINNING FIRST
FLIGHT BACK, THE SECOND STAGE
BEING COVERED AND HAS IGNITED
AND NOW CARRYING BOB AND DOUG
INTO ORBIT.
THEY WILL CONTINUE INTO THE
POWER OF THE SECOND STAGE.
>> NOMINAL.
>> WHICH WILL CUT OFF AT SECOND
ENGINE CUTOFF IN 8 MINUTES AND
44 SECONDS IN TODAY'S FLIGHT,
STILL 5 MINUTES TO GO ON THE
SECOND STAGE.
YOU HEAR THE CALLOUT, LONGEST
ABORT CELL AND CARRIES THEM ALL
THE WAY TO NORTH CAROLINA UP THE
EASTERN SEA BOARD ALMOST AT
CANADA.
THINGS LOOKING GOOD, THOUGH,
GOOD CALL-OUTS, NOMINAL
PROPORTION ON THE SECOND STAGE.
BOB AND DOUG CONTINUING TO MAKE
THEIR WAY INTO ORBIT.
>> NOMINAL TRAJECTORY.
>> DRAGON NOMINAL TRAJECTORY.
>> ALL RIGHT, HEARING NOMINAL
TRAJECTORY DRAGON POINTING IN
RIGHT DIRECTION CONTINUING TO
MAKE FLIGHT UPHILL, ACQUISITION
OF BERMUDA THAT THEY ARE USING.
>> STILL NOMINAL.
>> LITTLE OVER 4 MINUTES, 40
SECONDS INTO THE FLIGHT.
BOB AND DOUG FLIES AT MORE THAN
5600 MILES AN HOUR.
>> NOMINAL TRAJECTORY.
>> ALREADY ALMOST 200 MILES DOWN
RANGE FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER, NOMINAL TRAJECTORY
CONTINUING.
WHILE THEY CONTINUE UPHILL LOOKS
LIKE WE ARE GETTING A VIEW OF
THE FIRST STAGE AS WELL.
>> IT'S ON THE RIGHT SCREEN, YOU
CAN SEE THE FIRST WITH THE GRID
SINCE DEPLOYED, MAKING ITS WAY
BACK TO ATTEMPT TO LAND ON DRONE
SHIP, OF COURSE I STILL LOVE YOU
TODAY AND WE ARE JUST A MINUTE
-- A COUPLE OF MINUTES AWAY FROM
THE ENTRY BURN AND THAT'S WHERE
3 OF THE 9 MERLIN ENGINES DO
IGNITE TO HELP SLOW THE VEHICLE
DOWN AS IT REENTERS BACK INTO
THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE AND AFTER
THE ENTRY BURN IS LANDING BURN
WHICH IS A SINGLE ENGINE.
>> NOMINAL TRAJECTORY.
>> YOU HEARD --
>> NOMINAL --
>> CALLOUT, THEY ARE STILL ON
NOMINAL TRAJECTORY ON DRAGON.
STILL ON SECOND STAGE AND THAT'S
THE MVAC ENGINE ON THE SECOND
SCREEN.
AGAIN, ON YOUR RIGHT SCREEN IS
THE FIRST STAGE BOOSTER COMING
BACK TOWARDS OUR DRONE SHIP, OF
COURSE I STILL LOVE YOU, WE ARE
ABOUT A MINUTE AWAY FROM ENTRY
BURN.
>> MEANWHILE THE SECOND STAGE
CONTINUING TO POWER DRAGON INTO
ORBIT AND IF YOU'RE KEEPING AN
EYE ON THE TIMER, THAT'S GOING
TO CONTINUE TO BURN UNTIL 8
MINUTES AND 44 SECONDS INTO
FLIGHT SO LITTLE OVER 2 MINUTES
FROM NOW WE WILL HEAR THE
CALLOUT SICO AND IT'LL BE OVER 3
MINUTES UNTIL DRAGON PHYSICALLY
SEPARATES FROM THE SECOND STAGE
OF FALCON 9.
>> NOMINAL TRAJECTORY.
>> DRAGON COPY, NOMINAL
TRAJECTORY.
>> CONTINUING TO CHECK IN WITH
BOB AND DOUG AS THEY ARE ON A
NOMINAL TRAJECTORY.
JUST ABOUT 10 SECONDS AWAY FROM
THE FIRST STAGE STARTING THE
ENTRY BURN ON THE RIGHT SCREEN,
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE
VIEW LIVE.
>> STAGE 1 ENTRY BURN START-UP.
>> AND THERE IS THE ENTRY BURN
BEGINNING.
THE BURN LASTS ABOUT 36 SECONDS
LONG.
>> SPACE 2 FTS IS SAFE.
>> WELL, -- WHILE THE ENTRY
BURNS CONTINUE WE ARE MINUTES
AWAY FROM SICO, A NUMBER OF
EVENTS HAPPENING IN SUCCESSION.
SECOND ENGINE CUTOFF.
STAGE ONE LANDING BURN SHORTLY
AFTER.
>> YEAH, ACTUALLY JUST WITHIN A
FEW SECONDS OF EACH OTHER.
JUST A COOL VIEW ON YOUR LEFT
SCN
DRAGON, YOU CAN SEE DISPLAYS
THAT THEY ARE SEEING THEMSELVES.
>> INTERNAL GUIDANCE.
>> THROTTLE STEP.
>> WE ARE COMING UP 25 SECONDS
OR SO AWAY FROM SECO, SECOND
ENGINE CUTOFF.
>> ALSO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING FORCE, TICK UP 1.8
--
>> COPY SHANNON.
>> YOU HEARD SHANNON, FINAL
ABORT ZONES, IF THEY WERE TO
ABORT OR LAND OFF COAST OF
IRELAND STANDING BY FOR
CONFIRMATION.
>> BACK SHUT DOWN.
>> VISUAL 11.
>> CONFIRMATION OF SECO, SECOND
ENGINE CUTOFF.
>> NOW WE ARE WAITING FOR FIRST
STAGE TO MAKE ITS WAY TO I STILL
LOVE YOU.
>> CONFIRMATION NOMINAL.
>> COPY, NOMINAL.
>> WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON YOUR
SCREEN IS A LIVE VIEW OF
DRONESHIP.
NEIL: SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE
HEARING, OF COURSE I STILL LOVE
YOU, THE DRONE SHIP THAT WILL BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR RETRIEVING THE
FIRST STAGE THAT WILL DESTINED
TO THE ATLANTIC.
THESE ARE REUSABLE.
THESE ARE REUSABLE, TWO
DIFFERENT DRONE SHIPS WILL BE
PICKING THEM UP SO WHEN YOU HEAR
THAT IT'S NOT A COUNTRY LOVE
SONG, IT'S REALLY A WAY, MEANS
BY WHICH THEY REUSE THE DEVICES
WHEN THEY COME BACK DOWN TO
EARTH BEFORE THEY GO TO OCEAN
AND START FROM SCRATCH.
ELON MUSK AND SPACEX HAVE FOUND
WAYS TO KEEP USING THEM
DRAMATICALLY CUTTING THE COSTS
OF SPACE TRAVEL AS WELL AS THE
COST OF THIS TRAVEL.
LET'S GO BACK.
>> GOOD ORBITAL INSERTION.
FALCON 9 AND DRAGON EXACTLY
WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED T BE.
12 MINUTES WHEN DRAGON WILL
SEPARATE.
LOOKS LIKE WE SAW ZERO G
INDICATER FLOATING AROUND.
BOB AND DOUG OWE US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THEY BROUGHT
UP WITH THEM.
>> BEFORE SEPARATION, BEFORE
DRAGON EFFICIENTS -- INITIATES
AND MAKE SURE IT'S NOT SPINNING
AND IN GOOD CONDITION BEFORE WE
SEPARATE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
SMALL ATTITUDE MANEUVER USING
GAS, BUILT INTO THE ROCKET BODY
ITSELF.
>> EXACTLY.
WE DO EXPECT THAT SEPARATION TO
OCCUR IN ABOUT A MINUTE FROM
NOW, BUT THEY DO WAIT UNTIL THEY
HAVE FULL CONFIRMATION THAT IT
IS READY TO SEPARATE.
SUCH COOL VIEWS.
I CANNOT GET OVER THIS VIEW THAT
WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
BOB AND DOUG ON THE RIGHT SCREEN
INSIDE OF CREW DRAGON OUT IN
SPACE.
>> YEAH, ALREADY 200 KILOMETERS
OVER PLANET EARTH OR A LITTLE
OVER 124 MILES TRAVELING IN
EXCESS OF 2700 METERS --
27,000 METERS PER SECOND, ABOUT
15,000 MILES PER HOUR.
WE ARE JUST STANDING BY THE
SEPARATION EVENT SHOULD BE
COMING UP SHORTLY AND THEN A
SERIES OF CHECKS ON THE DRACO
THRUSTERS TO MANEUVER AND POWER
DRAGON ON ITS FLIGHT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
STANDING BY FOR SEPARATION.
>> LOSS OF SIGNAL.
>> SOUNDS LIKE WE HAD LOSS OF
SIGNAL WITH GROUND STATIONS.
WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION.
>> DRAGON SEPARATION CONFIRMED.
>> DRAGON SEPARATION CONFIRMED.
>> THERE'S A GREAT VIEW RIGHT IN
FRONT OF YOU.
DRAGON SEPARATING.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> THERE'S THE CALL-OUT, DRAGON
IS NOW OFFICIALLY MAKING ITS WAY
TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
NEIL: GREAT BREATHE OF RELIEF.
IT'S NOT DRAGON, 16,000 MILES
AND THE FINAL SEPARATION HAS
BEEN SEPARATED AND IT WILL BE ON
NEARLY 19-HOUR JOURNEY TO HOOK
UP WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION ITSELF TRAVELING AT
ABOUT 17,000 MILES AN HOUR.
TO MATHEMATICALLY GET THE HOOKUP
RIGHT YOU HAVE TO GET ONE TENTH
THOUSAND OF A DECIMAL IN SPEED
AND TIMING AND VISUALS.
IT IS SO OVERWHELMINGLY
COMPLICATED AND MAKES ME BEG FOR
HAVING THEM BETTER OR TRYING TO
DO BETTER IN CALCULUS BUT THAT
DOESN'T EVEN MATTER HERE.
TOM JONES, THE ASTRONAUT WITH US
RIGHT NOW.
TOM, THERE WAS A COLLECTIVE SIGH
OF RELIEF WITH THE FINAL
SEPARATION.
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
TOM: I AM JUST AMAZED.
I THINK THIS IS A FABULOUS
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE UNITED
STATES SPACE PROGRAM AND WE HAVE
TWO PEOPLE IN ORBIT ON THEIR WAY
TO THE SPACE STATION.
THE SYSTEM WORKED PERFECTLY.
I HAD MY HEART POUNDING AND
TEARS IN MY EYES.
THIS IS A MOMENTOUS EVENT AND
HAPPY FOR BOB AND DOUG AND
AMAZED THAT THE SYSTEM HAS
PULLED OFF FLAWLESSLY AND GOOD
SIGN OF THINGS TO COME.
NEIL: YOU KNOW, TOM, I'M GLAD
THE CAMERA WAS NOT ON ME, MY
FRIEND, IT WAS FILM THAT WAS
PROVIDED AFTER THE FACT, YOU CAN
FORGET WHEN JOHN GLENN WAS
LAUNCH INTOED THE SPACE.
SWORE TO SEE SPARKS AND FIRE
FLIES, YOU BARELY MADE OUT THE
IMAGE AND NOW IT'S CRYSTAL
CLEAR, 8K, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT
WAS.
THE ASTRONAUTS IN THE CAPSULE
AND THE VIEWS OF THE SPACE,
SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEVER
SEE IN THE PAST, LATER SHUTTLE
MISSIONS PROBABLY GOT TO SHOW
SOME OF THAT BUT NOT NEARLY AS
CRISPLY OR SWEEPINGLY AS THIS.
>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SHARE
THE EXPERIENCE AS WIDELY AS WE
CAN AND INTIMATELY AND AS SPLIT
SECOND AS WE CAN, SO I I WANT TO
APPRECIATE WHAT THE ASTRONAUTS
ARE GOING THROUGH DURING THIS
HEROINE JOURNEY TO ORBIT.
IT LOOKED PRETTY CALM ON THE
SCREEN BUT THE ADRENALINE WAS
GOING THROUGH THEIR VEINS.
TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE AND
PROJECT YOU'RE IN CREW DRAGON TO
SPACE STATION, GET PEOPLE
EXCITED TO EXPERIENCE THIS ON
OTHER OCCASIONS, GOING TO CAPE
PERSONALLY OR TAKING A RIDE AS
TOURIST OR BEING AN ASTRONAUT
ONE DAY.
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO SHARE
DYNAMIC EXPERIENCE.
NEIL: YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING
TO GO THROUGH THE PRESSURE, 4G
ON THE BODY BUT THEN TO KNOW
BILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING
YOU ON LIVE TV AS YOU DO SO.
ARE YOU CONFIDENT ON THAT WHEN
YOU'RE ON THAT POSITION, I'M
FINE, I'M FINE, WAIT, THE WHOLE
WORLD IS WATCHING.
>> IT'S GREAT THEY CAN WATCH ME
ON TV, OH, OH, THEY CAN WATCH ME
ON TV.
YOU CAN GET HELP BUT YOU CAN GET
EMBARRASSED.
[LAUGHTER]
NEIL: THERE'S NOTHING
EMBARRASSING ABOUT YOU, YOUNG
MAN.
YOU KNOW, 19-HOUR JOURNEY, DOUG,
TO GET TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, YOU KNOW A THING
OR TWO ABOUT THAT, TIMING WILL
BE EVERYTHING, IT'S A RACE AT A
VERY INCREDIBLE SPEED,
EVERYTHING HAS TO BE PRECISE,
COULD YOU PLAY OUT THESE NEXT 19
HOURS?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S ACTUALLY GREAT TO HEAR FROM
TOM JONES AS WELL AS CHARLIE
DUKE, BOTH OF MY HEROS COMING ON
TO THE ASTRONAUT PROGRAM, SO
HELLO TO THEM.
YES, SO NOW WE BEGIN THE REAL
SORT OF LIKE FINELY
CHOREOGRAPHED DANCE BETWEEN THE
SPACEX DRAGON AND THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
THEY EACH HAVE EACH OTHER'S
STATE VECTOR AND NOW TRY TO
CATCH UP TO IT AND -- AND
TRAVELING AT 5 MILES PER SECOND
AROUND THE EARTH AND WE ARE
GOING TO DOCK JUST LIKE WITH A
KISS OF THE TWO SPACESHIPS IN
SPACE AND AMAZING AND THERE'S A
SERIES OF BURNS, CORRECTION
BURNS TO RAISE OUR ORBIT,
CIRCULARIZE ORBIT AND OVER THE
NEXT 19 HOURS WE WILL BE DOING
FACING BURNS, CORRECTION BURNS
TO TRY TO MATCH PRECISELY UP
WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION.
NEIL: NOW THIS WILL ALSO BE THE
SAME CAPSULE THAT WOULD RETURN,
WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW AND WHEN
THAT WILL BE AND WHICH ONE OF
THE ASTRONAUTS IS UP AT
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WILL
COME BACK BUT WILL BE COMING
BACK IN THIS, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S CORRECT.
IN FACT, YOU KNOW, A SUCCESSFUL
MISSION FOR US IS TO HAVE BOB
AND DOUG HOME SAFELY AND WE
WOULD LIKE TO GET A 30-DAY
MISSION.
IF ALL THINGS ARE GOING WELL, WE
WILL STAY TILL 30 DAYS AND AT
THAT POINT IF EVERYTHING IS
STILL GOING WELL, WE HOPE TO
EXTEND IT OUT EVEN AS LONG AS
120 DAYS.
NEIL: WOW, THAT'S A LONG TIME.
YOU GET THAT RELIEF BUT ONCE
YOU'RE IN SPACE, OUT IN
ATMOSPHERE, NO LONGER DEALING
WITH THE 4G THING, YOU HAVE TO
FEEL A LOT BETTER BECAUSE THAT'S
A PRESSURE COOKER?
>> YOU DO FEEL A LOT BETTER AND
WHEN YOU'VE -- MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US ON TV.
I'M SURE THAT THAT DID NOT GO
THROUGH THEIR MIND UNTIL THE
SECOND ENGINE CUTOFF AND THEY
CAN BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF,
WOW, THAT WAS AMAZING BECAUSE
THEY WERE COMPLETELY FOCUSED.
I REMEMBER ON MY ACCENT BOTH
SPACE SHUTTLE AND USE I WAS
COMPLETELY FOCUSED AND YOU
FORGET TO SMELL THE ROSES ALONG
THE WAY BUT NOW THEY ARE GOING
TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE,
PHYSICALLY AND THINGS THAT
CHANGE IN EMOTIONAL STATE AND
YOUR SPIRITUAL PURPOSE DRIVEN
STATE, YOU KNOW, IT ROUNDS OUT
THOSE PARTS OF THE HUMAN
EXISTENCE AND SO IT REALLY --
SPACE CHANGES YOU NOT ONLY
PHYSICALLY BUT EMOTIONALLY AS
WELL.
NEIL: THAT WAS A FOOTAGE FROM
EARLIER TODAY.
THAT WAS WOMEN AND MEN WEARING
SUITS.
I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT
ALIENS HAD TAKEN OVER THE
CAPSULE.
ASTRONAUT TOM JONES THAT DOUG
WAS ALLUDING TO, YOU HAVE TO BE
RELIEVED BECAUSE THE INITIAL
HARD PART IS OVER, WHAT ARE SOME
OF THE BUMPS NOW, WHAT ARE SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO
PREPARE FOR AHEAD OF WHAT'S
GOING TO BE A VERY PRECISE, HAS
TO BE EXACT HOOKUP WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
>> RIGHT, YOU KNOW, YOU
EXPERIENCE THE LAUNCH ALMOST AS
AN OBSERVER.
YOU ARE ALMOST ATTACHED TO YOUR
BODY AS YOU GO THROUGH
ACCELERATIONS AND VIBRATIONS.
YOU ARE PART OF THE WORLD'S
GREATEST PHYSICS EXPERIMENT IN
THE FIRST SECONDS HERE AND WHEN
YOU GET WEIGHTLESS THE STARTER
GUN GOES OFF.
IGNITION IS REALLY STARTING AND
YOU TO PERFORM TO EVERYBODY'S
EXPECTATIONS AND NOW YOU'RE
GETTING READY TO TRANSITION TO
BLASTOFF MODE TO ORBITAL MODE,
SWITCHING SOFTWARE MODES OR
GETTING THE SOLAR CELLS ONLINE
TO CHARGE BATTERIES ON BOARD TO
CONVERT THE CABIN TO ORBIT MODE,
GET OUT OF SPACE SUITS AND
PREPARE THE LIFE-SUPPORT
SYSTEMS.
ALL OF THE SYSTEMS CHECK OUT AND
THAT'S WHERE THE TEST PILOTS
WILL BE AT THEIR BEST.
NEIL: YOU GUYS -- YOU AND DOUG
ARE THE HEROS, THAT'S MY
EXPERIENCE HERE AND I GOT PLENTY
SICK ON THAT.
I CAN IMAGINE WHAT THE PRESSURE
HAS GOT TO BE.
TOM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS NOW
AND WHAT IT SHOWED PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE CAN DO, WORKING IN
CONJUNCTION WITH NASA AND THIS
IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THING
THAT MEN CAN PULL OFF.
THIS IS A VERY GOOD SIGN I WOULD
IMAGINE.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE FANTASTIC TO
HAVE NASA ENGAGE WITH THE TWO
SUPPLIERS OF TRANSPORTATION TO
THE SPACE STATION.
IT'S VERY HEALTHY COMMERCIAL
SECTOR THAT'S BEING DEMONSTRATED
HERE TODAY.
WE CAN GO ONTO TOURISM AND CAN
GO ONTO PRIVATE MODULES AND
SPACE STATION AND INDEPENDENT
LABS AND ORBIT.
NOBODY HAS THAT CAPABILITY.
WE ARE NOW EXTENDING THIS
INNOVATION TO LOWER ORBIT AND
BEYOND THAT I CAN SEE COMPANIES
LIKE BLUE ORIGIN, SPACEX,
BOEING, SIERRA NEVADA BEING PART
OF RETURN TO THE MOON AND BE
SUPPLYING THE LANDERS TO GET
ASTRONAUTS BACK TO THE SURFACE?
JUST A FEW YEARS.
NEIL: THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
MULTIPLE PRIVATE PLAYERS, JEFF
BEZOS, KNEE DEEP IN THIS STUFF
AND RICHARD BRUNSON AND WANT FEW
PART TO PLAY INTO THIS.
KRISTIN FISHER, BESIDES BEING A
REPORTER, ANCHOR, SHE'S THE
DAUGHTER OF ASTRONAUT, YOU MIGHT
HAVE HEARD THAT ONCE OR TWICE,
I'M FASCINATED BY THAT BECAUSE
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER QUITE THERE
SO MUCH OLDER THAN KRISTIN, SHE
WAS CALLED OUR FIRST ASTRO,
LANDED IN JOURNALISM, THE WORLD
IS GRATEFUL FOR THAT, KRISTIN,
I'M READING ABOUT THE FACT THAT
THIS IS GOING TO LEAD TO SPACE
TOURISM, YOU AND I MIGHT GET A
SECOND SHOT AT THIS, I DON'T
KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT BUT
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
KRISTIN: NEIL, WE COULD BE THE
FIRST JOURNALISTS IN SPACE.
THINK ABOUT IT.
BOY, WHAT A LAUNCH AFTER ALL
THOSE CONCERNS ABOUT WEATHER,
ALL THE CONCERNS, SCRUB ON
WEDNESDAY, TODAY THEY ENDED UP
GETTING BEAUTIFUL BLUE SKIES AND
NOW WHAT A DAY FOR BOTH NASA,
SPACEX AND ELON MUSK, WHAT HE
HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN
JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS.
THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
DIDN'T THINK HE WOULD BE ABLE TO
DO.
NOW HIS COMPANY HAS BECOME THE
FIRST TO PUT ASTRONAUTS FROM ANY
COUNTRY INTO ORBIT.
THEY'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO PROVE
THAT THEY CAN LAND THE ROCKET,
THE FALCON 9 ROCKET ON THAT
DRONE SHIP AND REUSE IT IN THE
FUTURE AND THAT IS CRITICAL FOR
HUMAN SPACE LIFE BECAUSE IT
MAKES IT MORE AFFORDABLE,
FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE TO HAVE
MORE FREQUENT ROCKET LAUNCHES
AND, OF COURSE, THIS HAS ALSO
BEEN A HUGE DAY FOR PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
HE WENT DOWN ON WEDNESDAY, HE
WENT BACK AGAIN, HE WANTED TO BE
THERE.
HE HAS MADE SPACE SUCH A HUGE
PRIORITY IN HIS ADMINISTRATION
AND RIGHT AFTER THE LAUNCH HE
WAS ASKED WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE
THERE, WHY WAS THIS SO IMPORTANT
TO YOU, HERE WAS HIS RESPONSE.
>> I STILL CAN'T BREATHE!
I STILL CAN'T BREATHE!
KRISTIN: DO WE HAVE THE SOUND
BITE?
NEIL: KRISTIN, WE DO NOT.
RIGHT.
GO AHEAD.
KRISTIN: NOT A PROBLEM, I CAN
PARAPHRASE, HE WAS BASICALLY
SAYING THAT HE WANTED TO BE
THERE FOR THIS MOMENT BECAUSE IT
WAS SUCH A HISTORIC MOMENT IN
FOR NASA, FOR SPACEX AND FOR THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY AND, YOU KNOW, AS
YOU HEAR THE PROTESTS BEHIND ME
BECOMING A LITTLE BIT LOUDER,
YOU KNOW, IT'S STRIKING TO
CONTRAST BETWEEN WATCHING THE
MOMENT OF AMERICAN INGENUITY AND
YOU CONTRAST OF PROTESTS OUTSIDE
OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND I'VE BEEN
TOLD THAT WE DO HAVE THE SOUND
BITE FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP AND I
WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND PLAY
IT.
NEIL: KRISTIN, I'M VERY SORRY
ABOUT THAT.
WE DO NOT HAVE IT HERE.
AS KRISTIN SAID AND WE WILL GO
BACK TO HER LITTLE BIT LATER.
SHE'S COMPETING WITH PROTESTORS
THERE.
THEY WERE THERE LAST NIGHT, GOT
PRETTY HARRY LAST NIGHT BUT AS
KRISTIN POINTED OUT THE BACKDROP
IS INTERESTING.
IN CASE YOU'RE GETTING A CASE OF
DEJAVU, IT'S HAPPENING BEFORE,
THE DAUGHTER GENE, TRACEE, WHEN
YOUR DAD WAS UP THERE HOPPING
AROUND IN THE MOON TRYING TO
SING, I MIGHT STRESS, TRYING TO
SING, WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE VIETNAM WAR.
A FEW YEARS OUT OF THE 60's,
ASSASSINATIONS, PROTESTS AND
RIOTS AND YET THERE WAS THIS
MAGIC, THIS MOMENT THAT SHOWED
THE BETTER PART OF -- OF THE --
THE HUMAN SPECIES AND I REMEMBER
HE PONDERED THAT AND SAID THIS
IS ALL GOOD AND LOOKING BACK AT
THE EARTH HE WOULD SAY, IT IS A
BEAUTIFUL PLACE, BUT THE
BACKDROP WAS STARTLING AND THE
TIME WAS STARTLING AND EVEN NOW
SOME OF THE SAME STUFF ALIVE AND
WELL PROTESTS IN HONG KONG,
PROTESTS IN THIS COUNTRY AND --
AND MEN CONQUERING THE STARS.
SAME SENSE OF DEJAVU.
>> HE ALWAYS FELT BAD BECAUSE HE
WAS IN HIS SPACE PROGRAM AND
SPACE RACE AND THEY WERE HEADED
THERE AND HIS COLLEAGUES, NAVY
PILOTS, BUDDIES WERE FIGHTING
VIETNAM WAR AND HE HAD TURMOIL
FEELING HE SHOULD BE WITH CREW
MEMBERS BUT HE WAS THERE DOING
SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT A
THE SPACE RACE WAS WHAT WAS
IMPORTANT AT THE TIME AND ONCE
AGAIN I FIND REALLY FEEL GOOD
ABOUT THAT TODAY WAS SUCCESSFUL
AND TODAY WENT WELL AND LOOKS
LIKE WE ARE MAKING OUR NEXT BIG
STEP TO GO BACK TO THE MOON AND
-- AND CREATE SOME EXCITEMENT
AGAIN ONCE AGAIN ON THE SPACE
PROGRAM.
NEIL: YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING
TOO, TALK ABOUT TIMING, JOKING
WITH KRISTIN FISHER, THE
DAUGHTER OF ASTRONAUTS, BUT EVEN
KRISTIN CAME PREPARED AND I
THINK YOU HAVE A LUNAR ROCK
NAMED AFTER YOU, I FEEL FEEL
COMPELLED TO KRISTIN TO TOP
THAT.
>> I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS HE WAS
UP THERE THINKING ABOUT ME IN
THE MIDDLE OF DOING ALL OF HIS
WORK AND BEING -- DOING WHAT HE
WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AND SO I
GUESS THAT'S PRETTY SPECIAL AND
HAVING THE NAME -- ROCK NAMED
AFTER ME THAT WAS PRETTY NEAT.
THANKS TO MR. BEAN, WE ALL
PICTURE THAT.
NEIL: YOU KNOW, NAMELY THE FACT
THAT YOUR INITIALS ARE CARVED IN
THERE.
THEY ARE NOT MOVING ANYWHERE ANY
TIME SOON.
DO YOU EVER LOOK LIKE YOUR DAD,
HEY, IN A WAY I'M UP THERE.
>> YEAH, I DO.
PART OF DADDY IS UP THERE AND
LOOK THAT UP THERE EVERY TIME I
SEE THE MOON THINKING ABOUT HIM
AND THE INITIALS I HOPE SOMEONE
CAN GO BACK UP THERE AND TAKE A
PICTURE AND CREATE THE MEMORIES
AGAIN, BUT, IT'S REALLY -- IT IS
VERY SPECIAL AND I GUESS I AM
ONLY UNIQUE ONE THAT HAS IT UP
THERE.
NEIL: WELL, YOU SHOULD BE
HONORED AND I KNOW WE FELT THE
WORLD OF VIEW AND TRACEE, NEVER
FORGET YOUR KINDNESS AT YOUR
DAD'S FUNERAL, ME AND MY SON
BRADLEY TO BE THERE WITH YOU
FAMILY, IT WAS A VERY, VERY
SPECIAL MOMENT, YOUR DAD WAS A
VERY SPECIAL HERO, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT
YOU CONTRIBUTED TO GET PEOPLE
EXCITED ABOUT SAYS.
>> OH, I HOPE SO.
I HOPE THIS IS THE BEGINNING
AGAIN.
I REALLY DO.
THANK YOU, NEIL, ALWAYS BEING
THERE FOR DAD.
NEIL: I LIKE THE WAY YOU SAID
THAT, IT'S THE BEGINNING AGAIN.
TRACEE, THE DAUGHTER TO HAVE
LAST MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON AND
REMEMBER WHAT'S POSSIBLE, I
DON'T CARE WHO PICKS UP THE TAB
AS LONG AS WE GET BACK UP THERE.
HE WAS NOT LOATHE TO PRIVATE
ENTERPRISE MAKING MONEY BUT
SOMEHOW SOME WAY GETTING THERE.
WHEN I ASKED WHAT JOHN KENNEDY
WOULD THINK OF THAT OF PRIVATE
COMPANY DOING THAT HE WOULD SAY
KENNEDY WOULD PROBABLY JUST SAY
WHOEVER CAN SIGN THE DAMN
CHECKS.
HEWAS PROBABLY RIGHT.
I WANT YOU TO STAY TUNE TO FOX
NEWS CHANNEL FOR THE CONTINUING
COVERAGE OF THE HISTORIC
MISSION.
IT HAS JUST STARTED.
IT'S NOWHERE NEAR DONE.
I'M NEIL CAVUTO.
ALL RIGHT.
WE ARE BACK HERE AND TAKING A
LOOK AT ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENTS
HERE WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE
UNITED STATES BACK INTO SPACE,
THE DIFFERENCE THIS TIME, MY
FRIENDS, WE ARE DOING THE
LAUNCHING, WE ARE BRINGING OUR
OWN ASTRONAUTS UP THERE.
UP UNTIL NOW, BETTER PART OF
DECADE WE HAVE BEEN HITCHING
RIDES WITH THE RUSSIANS AND WE
HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR IT.
