Axiom Mission 3 Launches to the International Space Station (Official NASA Broadcast)
>> FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TUNE SOMEBODY OUR WEBCAST, WE ARE ONE HOUR AWAY FROM THE LAUNCH OF THE CREW TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. JOINING US FROM ISS FLIGHT CONTROL ROOM AT NASA’S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IS COURTNEY BEASLEY. >> I’M HAPPY TO BE JOINING YOU TODAY. WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO LAUNCH FROM MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON. >> WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY. WE ARE HAPPY TO BE TOGETHER IN THE ROOM AND TALK ABOUT THIS CREW. AX 3 IS THE FIRST HISTORIC FLIGHT FOR AXIOM. THEY HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO GET TO THIS MOMENT.
THEY ARE REPRESENTING ACROSS THE FOUR OF THEM DIFFERENT NATIONS. THEY ARE READY TO BE A PART OF THAT CONTRIBUTING ISS TEAM. >> AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, MICHAEL LOPEZ IS THE FIRST REPEAT FLIER IN THE DRAGON PROGRAM HISTORY. >> SpaceX DRAGON. >> SpaceX, I THINK THAT WAS FOR CABIN FAN. >> CABIN 10th, WE ARE FEELING ON THE COOL SIDE, WONDERING WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE FOR WARMING IT UP. HE. >> COPY. UNDERSTOOD. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT. >> ALL RIGHT. QUICK BACK AND FORTH WITH THE CREW AND SpaceX CORE ASKING IF THERE IS ANY OPTIONS TO
WARM UP THE CABIN. THEY ARE A LITTLE COOL. AS I WAS SAYING, MLA, OUR COMMANDER, HE’S OUR FIRST REPEAT FLIER IN THE HISTORY OF THE DRAGON
ON TODAY’S FLIGHT, WALTER VILLADEI IS TAKING HIS TRIP TO LOWER EARTH ORBIT. HE SERVES IN THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE AND IS HEAD OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN THE UNITED STATES. HE HAS COMPLETED COSMONAUT TRAINING AS A SPACE ENGINEER, PARTICIPATED IN — >> SpaceX, WE ARE ABOUT TO SEND A COMMAND TO CYCLE THE TANKS TO EQUALIZE THE FLOW PRESSURE. YOU SHOULD HEAR IT. COPY. >> WE COPY. WE ARE STANDING BY. >> JUST NOTIFICATION TO THE CREW. >> I HAVE GOT AN UPDATE ON THE CABIN TEMP. IT’S NOT NECESSARILY FAVORABLE. THERE IS NOT MUCH WE CAN DO
AT THIS POINT FROM THE GROUND ESPECIALLY ANTICIPATING THE HEATING THAT WILL OCCUR DURING DECENT. I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN RIDE OUT FOR ANOTHER HOUR HERE. >> ABSOLUTELY. JUST WANTED TO ASK. FULLY UNDERSTAND, IT’S A PRIORITY ISSUE. >> COPY, DRAGON. APPRECIATE YOU ASKING. SORRY WE CAN’T DO MORE IN THIS SITUATION. >> BACK TO WALTER, HE COMPLETED COSMONAUT TRAINING, PARTICIPATED IN TRAINING MISSIONS AND FLOWN MISSIONS IN THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT FOR ITALY, IT COMMEMORATES THE 100th YEAR SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE. >> THE THIRD MEMBER IS
ALPER GEZERAVCI. HE GOT HIS START IN THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY IN ISTANBUL AND EARNED A MASTER’S DEGREE. HE FLEW AS A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE CAPTAIN BEFORE RETURNING TO DUTY IN THE TURKISH AIR FORCE. THIS IS THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING. >> WE HAVE SPECIALIST MARCUS WANDT. HE FLEW NINE YEARS AS A FIGHTER PILOT AND GRADUATED FROM THE U.S. NAVY TEST PILOT SCHOOL AT THE TOP OF HIS CLASS. HE WAS SELECTED AS AN ASTRONAUT RESERVE. WITH THIS MISSION, AX 3, HE BECOMES THE FIRST. IN A FEW SHORT HOURS, HE WILL BE THE SECOND ASTRONAUT OF SWEDISH
NATIONALITY, THE 500th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE COUNTRY OF SWEDE WITHIN. THAT’S THE AX 3 CREW. WE ARE UNDER AN HOUR FOR LIFTOFF. WE ARE AT MINUS 58 AND 10 SECONDS. THEY ARE HEADING TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, LET’S CHECK IN WITH NASA’S COURTNEY BEASLEY. >> THANKS, KATE. I’M HERE IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLIGHT CONTROL ROOM AT NASA’S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER WHERE THE TEAM STAFFS THIS ROOM AROUND THE CLOCK TO MONITOR THE CREW AND SYSTEMS. THEY ARE ENSURING THAT THE STATION IS READY TO RECEIVE DRAGON AND AX 3 CREW.
SINCE NASA OPENED UP THE SPACE STATION FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY, THE AGENCY WORKED WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE OF LOWER EARTH ORBIT. NASA’S LONG TERM GOAL IS TO NO LONGER BE A PROVIDER, BUT TO BE A CUSTOMER, ONE OF MANY PURCHASING COMMERCIALLY OWNED AND OPERATED SERVICES. TO ENSURE THIS PATH OF TOMORROW, WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TODAY ENABLING PRIVATE ASTRONAUT MISSIONS ON BOARD THE SPACE STATION HELPS US TO REFINE AND MATURE THE PROCESS FOR THE FUTURE WITH ASTRONAUTS WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH PRIVATE AND NATIONAL ASTRONAUTS. WE TAKE THIS NEXT STEP TOGETHER AS
WE CONTINUE COUNTING DOWN TO LAUNCH THE AX 3 CREW TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. IT’S AN INCREDIBLY BUSY TIME IN LOWER EARTH ORBIT AND BEYOND. NASA WANTS TO SCOUT THE MOON BEFORE RETURNING ASTRONAUTS. NEXT MONTH IT WILL SEND SEVERAL SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS ON BOARD A SEA LANDER WHICH WILL LAUNCH ON A FALCON 9 ROCKET. NASA IS WORKING WITH SEVERAL AMERICAN COMPANIES TO DELIVER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INSTRUMENTS TO THE MOON THROUGH CLIPS. THE AGENCIES COMMERCIAL PAYLOAD SERVICES INITIATIVE. ONE OF THE COMPANIES IS INTUITIVE MACHINES WHICH DEVELOPED THE NOVA C LANDER. NOVA C HAS SIX EXPERIMENTS, HOW DUST
AND GAS PARTICLES WILL BE AFFECTED BY THE SPACECRAFT’S LANDING ON THE SOUTH POLE. IT’S ARRIVAL ON THE MOON WOULD BE THE FIRST ROBOTIC LANDING FOR THE U.S. SINCE THE END OF THE APOLLO PROGRAM IN PROGRAM 72. IT WILL HELP UNDERSTAND THE MOON’S ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES. THE PROGRAM WILL LAND THE FIRST WOMAN AND FIRST PERSON OF COLOR ON THE LUNAR SURFACE AND THEN SEND ASTRONAUTS TO MARS. THAT’S YOUR ARTEMIS MOON MINUTE. NOVA C IS EXPECTED TO TOUCH DOWN ON THE MOON NEXT MONTH. YOU CAN WATCH LIVE COVERAGE OF THE LANDING ON NASA TV AND NASA PLUS.
NOW LET’S CHECK BACK IN WITH JOHN AND KATE IN HAWTHORNE. >> THANK YOU, COURTNEY. IT’S SUCH AN EXCITING FUTURE WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO. IT DOESN’T FEEL THAT FAR OFF. EVERY DAY BEHIND US, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN HOUSTON, WE ARE BRINGING ABOUT THE VISION. >> EVEN AS WE SPEAK, SpaceX TEAMS ARE PREPARING FOR THE LAUNCH OF INTUITIVE MACHINES KNOWN AS THE IM 1 MISSION. THIS IS THE FIRST SpaceX PROVIDED LAUNCH OF NASA’S PAYLOAD SERVICES INITIATIVE, A KEY PART OF THE ARTEMIS EFFORTS. DOWN AT STAR BASE TEXAS, WE ARE BUILDING, TEST AND FLY STAR
SHIP, THE MOST POWERFUL VEHICLE EVER DEVELOPED. IT’S A REUSABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT WILL TRANSFORM HOW WE ACCESS SPACE. IT’S DESIGNED TO CARRY MASSIVE CARGO AND LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE TO EARTH ORBIT, MOONS, MARS AND BEYOND. 2024 IS LINING UP TO SEE MORE STAR SHIPS TAKE FLIGHT. WE ARE STILL IN THE TESTING PHASE. BUT FULL SYSTEM REUSE AND FUELING WILL BE KEY. RIGHT NOW WE ARE GEARING UP FOR TEST FLIGHT 3 TARGETED FOR FEBRUARY. WE ARE ALSO BUILDING A SECOND STAR BASE LAUNCH TOWER WHICH VISUALATION YOU SEE THERE. I LOVE THIS. THIS IS SO COOL LOOKING.
NOT THAT FAR OFF. WITH OUR HUMAN LANDING SYSTEM, WE ARE PART OF THE GLOBAL TEAM WITH NASA AND COMPANIES INCLUDING AXIOM SPACE THAT WILL PUT ASTRONAUTS BACK ON THE MOON. FIRST WE ARE GOING TO FLY AND FLY OFTEN ON FLIGHT TESTS, ONE OF WHICH WILL BE AN UNCREWED MISSION TO THE MOON. THIS WILL TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE ARTEMIS 3 MISSION WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST SINCE FIRST 72. OUR ENGINEERS ARE TESTING ALL SYSTEMS, EVEN THE ELEVATOR YOU SEE HERE THAT WILL TAKE CREW AND CARGO FROM THE STAR SHIP HATCH DOWN TO THE LUNAR SURFACE. IT’S
A SPACE ELEVATOR. >> IN ADDITION TO THE LAUNCH AND LANDING CAPABILITIES, ANOTHER ESSENTIAL COMPONENT IS A SPACESUIT CAPABLE OF EXECUTING A WIDE ARRAY OF MISSION OBJECTIVES. IT’S A SPACESHIP, JUST SMALLER AND HUMAN FORM. IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A LUNAR SPACESUIT, THEY ARE BUILDING THE AXIOM MOBILITY UNIT BACK IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. YOU ARE NEXT GENERATION SPACESUIT IS BUILT TO PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND MOBILITY. WE HAVE PUT A STRONG EMPHASIS ON MOD LAYERTY, THEY WILL SUPPORT A LARGE RANGE OF BODY SIZES AND TYPES. FROM THE SUPPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, THIS SYSTEM IS BUILT WITH INTEGRITY AND CARE
FROM HEAD TO TOE. I’M A SMALL PART OF THAT AMAZING TEAM. THE SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AND PARTNERING WITH LEADERS, THEY ARE ENSURING THAT IT ALLOWS ASTRONAUTS TO SUCCEED ON ARTEMIS AND BEYOND. >> THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO. IT’S INCREDIBLE THAT HUMANS ARE GOING BACK TO THE MOON AND THE EFFORTS OF SpaceX AND AXIOM GET TO PLAY A VIE — VITAL ROLE IN THAT. >> IT TAKES DEDICATION. AXIOM 3 IS CRITICAL. >> FOR THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED, WE ARE ABOUT 51 1/2 MINUTES TO LAUNCH. LET’S SHARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE
DAY THAT GOT US TO WHERE WE ARE NOW. >> EXACTLY. SO CREW WRAPPED UP THEIR QUARANTINE PHASE, TAKING A FLIGHT FROM KENNEDY OVER TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. YOU CAN SEE THEM THERE ON THE HELICOPTER AS THEY THINK ABOUT THEIR FLIGHT AND PASS OVER THE CAPE. WHAT I THINK IS COOL ABOUT THIS, THEY GET TO SEE THEIR VEHICLE FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE AS THEY COME IN. AT THIS POINT, THEY ARE GOING TO TOUCHDOWN, THINKING ABOUT THEIR MISSION AND THEN THEY GET TO WAVE TO THEIR FAMILIES. THEY HAVEN’T SEEN THEM IN SO LONG, THEY GET TO HAVE A
FINAL GOODBYE. THIS IS WHERE WE HAND OVER TO SpaceX TO COMPLETE THE DAY. >> LOOK AT THOSE SMILES. EVERYONE IS EXCITED, AS THEY SHOULD BE. AFTER THEY HANDED OVER TO THE CREW, THEY GO THROUGH A SERIES OF EVENTS SUCH AS PUTTING THEIR SUITS ON, OBVIOUSLY, THEY TAKE A RIDE — HERE WE CAN SEE. THIS IS THE MOMENT WHERE THEY WALKED OUT OF THE FALCON SUPPORT BUILDING. THIS IS WHERE THE SUIT-UP ROOM IS. THEY STAND HERE, DO ANOTHER WAVE. THIS WAS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY WE GOT TO SEE THE CREW IN THEIR SUITS TODAY. GOT IN THOSE
TESLAS AND DROVE UP TO THE LAUNCH PAD WHICH IS ABOUT ROUGHLY A HALF MILE AWAY FROM WHERE THOSE DOORS ARE. I’M ALWAYS CURIOUS WHAT MUSIC THEY ARE LISTENING TO DURING THIS RIDE. YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT THEY ARE PULLING UP TO THE LAUNCH PAD, TWO TESLAS, WE HAVE THE CREW WITH SOME CLOSE-OUT MEMBERS WHO SUPPORT THEM, THEY ARE THE NINJAS BECAUSE WE SEE THEM ALL AROUND ASSISTING THE CREW AND THINGS LIKE GETTING INTO OR INGRESSING THE CAPSULE. HERE, THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS OF LAUNCH DAY, THEY GET TO SEE THEIR ROCKET UP CLOSE.
MAN, JUST THINKING ABOUT THE FIRE THAT’S GOING TO COME OUT AT THE BOTTOM THERE IN JUST UNDER AN HOUR. >> AT THIS POINT YOU CAN SEE OUR COMMANDER AND PILOT WALKING DOWN BEFORE THEY GET IN. >> AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THAT SIDE HATCH IS CLOSED. WE HAVE THE POST INGRESS CREW BRIEFING. WE HEARD GREAT NEWS, THE WEATHER IS LOOKING GOOD. I THINK THE EXACT WORDS WERE WEATHER IS GREAT, AND THAT EVERYTHING IS HEALTHY. BOTH FALCON 9 AND DRAGON VEHICLES ARE READY TO GO TO SPACE. >> EXCELLENT RECAP. THIS CREW HAS NOT WALKED THIS PATH
TO FLIGHT ALONE. EARLIER TODAY THEY WAVED TO FRIEND AND FAMILY. THAT WASN’T THE FIRST ROUND OF CHEERS THAT THE FAMILY HAD FOR THEM. >> TO THE WHOLE CREW OF AXIOM, MISS 3. THIS IS THE FLIGHT TEST TEAM, WE LIKE TO WISH YOU A SAFE AND FANTASTIC JOURNEY UP TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. >> HELLO. >> HAVE A SAFE SPACE FLIGHT. >> GREETINGS FROM YOUR FAMILY HERE IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. YOUR DEDICATION TO EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY INSPIRES US ALL. >> ENJOY EVERY SECOND OF IT. MAKE US DREAM. >> WE ARE ALL COMING WITH YOU. >> CONGRATULATIONS, WE
ARE EXCITED FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO SPACE. HAVE A GOOD AND PROSPEROUS TIME THERE AND GET BACK TO EARTH SAFELY. >> WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK AND HAVE FUN ON THIS MISSION. >> LISTEN, GUYS, YOU ARE ABOUT TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN. CALL HOME, ACTUALLY, CALL ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND BE SURE YOU TIE YOUR SLEEP TYING BAG DOWN WELL. I ENDED UP SOMEWHERE ELSE ONE DAY. IT WAS A HOOT. ENJOY. SEE YOU WHEN YOU GET BACK. >> THOSE ARE WISE WORDS FROM JOHN FROM AX 2. >> FUN TO SEE EVERYBODY’S CHEERS.
SPACE IS FOR EVERYONE INCLUDING EVERYONE THAT LOVES THE PEOPLE GOING TO SPACE. >> ON COUNTDOWN. POLLING IS COMPLETE. POLLED GO. LAUNCH GATE ARM, PROPELLED AND LAUNCH. STAND BY FOR INSTRUCTIONS. T MINUS 45 MINUTES CONTROL ROOM GOES INTO LOCKDOWN AND REMAIN IN THAT STATE UNTIL IT’S DISARMED. ALL OPERATORS ARE TO REMAIN AT THEIR CONSOLE UNTIL THEY CONFIRM THE OFF-LOAD IN EVENT OF A SCRUB. FOR NO-GO CONDITIONS, THEY WILL APPROVE ABORTING THE COUNTDOWN. OPERATES WILL CALL HOLD, HOLD, HOLD. LAUNCH CONTROL WILL ABORT THE LAUNCH AND PROCEED INTO LAUNCH ABORT. T MINUS 10 SECONDS, THEY WILL HAND OFF
RELYING ON AUTOMATIC MATERIAL FOR THE COUNT. WHETHER STRUCTURAL BREAK-UP OR FIRE IS PER MANUAL ESCAPE RULES. LAUNCH CONTROL AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY PROCEED WITH ARMING THE CREW ARM FOR MOVEMENT. >> COPY, PROCEEDING WITH CREW ARM FOR MOVEMENT. >> YOU HEARD IT. WE ARE IN GO TO PROCEED WERE PROPEL ATLANTA LOAD. >> WE STARTED. >> BOTH THE FALCON 9 AND DRAGON ARE GO FOR LAUNCH. GREAT VIEW OF THAT ON YOUR SCREEN. WE SHOULD HEAR ADDITIONAL DIRECTIONS FROM OUR LAUNCH DIRECTOR THE TEAM. THE CREW IS ON BOARD WITH THAT GREAT VIEW OF THE CREW ACCESS ARM
MOVING AWAY FROM DRAGON. THERE AT HISTORIC LAUNCH PAD PAD A. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON POSSIBLE STORM CELLS NEAR THE LAUNCH SITE, THE CONDITIONS ARE PREDICTED TO BE ACCEPTABLE FOR LAUNCH. DOWNRANGE LANDING ZONES IF NEEDED FOR ESCAPE ARE ALSO GO. NOW, THE FLOOR RETRACTION OF THAT ACCESS ARM IS EXPECTED TO TAKE TWO MINUTES AND WILL BE FOLLOWED WITH THE ARMING OF THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. >> RETRACTION IS COMPLETE. >> THERE’S CONFIRMATION THAT’S COMPLETE. AND WITH THAT, I WILL HAND IT BACK TO YOU, KATE. >> THANKS. AS WE HEARD, THE CREW ACCESS
ARM ACCESS IS NOW MOVED OUT OF THE WAY. IT’S IN ITS LAUNCH CONFIGURATION. THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST PHYSICAL CHANGES TO THE PAD WE’LL SEE PRIOR TO THE LIFT-OFF OF AX 3 CREW. THE NEXT MILESTONE WE HAVE COMING UP WILL BE ARMING OF THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. >> WITH THAT YOU ARE GO FOR SECTION 6. CLOSE VISORS LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. >> RIGHT NOW THE CREW IS ACTIVATING THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. THEY ARE USING THE TOUCH SCREEN IN FRONT OF THEM. THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND ESCAPE SYSTEM. IT PROVIDES THE CAPABILITY ALL THE
WAY TO ORBIT. >> SpaceX DRAGON, VISORS CLOSED, ARMING LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. >> SpaceX COPIES. >> WE TAKE EVERY MEASURE POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THE CREW HAS OPTIONS AT ALL TIMES INCLUDING AN ESCAPE IN THE WORST OF SCENARIOS. IT’S OUR MOST SOLEMN DUTY TO MAKE SURE THE CREW GETS HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. AND WE ARE HERE NOW SEEING THE, LIKE WE SAID, THE CREW IS ACTIVATING THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. IT WOULD UTILIZE THE DRACO ENGINES. GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE DON’T WANT TO ACTIVATE THEM, BUT THEY ARE THERE IF NECESSARY. LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM ARMING IS NOW UNDER WAY. BUT
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE CONTROL ROOMS THAT WE ARE — >> LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM IS VERIFIED ARMED. >> WE HEARD THE CALL OUT TELLING US THAT LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED. THIS IS MISSION CONTROL CENTER. HERE BEHIND US ACTUALLY AT SpaceX HEADQUARTERS IN HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE LAUNCH CONTROL AT FIRING ROOM 4 AT CAPE CANAL OF A. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING, AND HERE MISSION CONTROL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLOSE MONITORING OF THE CREW AND DRAGON EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AS IT ORBITS THE PLANET ALONG ITS CUSTOMIZED FLIGHT PATH. ON HEAD SET ARE A NUMBER OF
KEY POSITIONS MONITORING THE HEALTH OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CREW. THE MISSION DIRECTOR, CALL SIGN MD, AS YOU HEAR, THAT PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MISSION SUCCESS AND IN CHARGE OF THE ROOM. YOU WILL ALSO HEAR A SPECIFIC ROLE DEDICATED TO COMMUNICATING TO THE AX CREW. WE HAVE HEARD FROM THEM. THIS IS JAKE VENDAL. THIS IS THE CREW RESEARCH ENGINEER. THE OTHER POSITIONS ARE FOCUSED ON SOFTWARE, PROPULSION, NAVIGATION, LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE GROUND. SpaceX TEAM MEMBERS WILL ROTATE ON AND OFF TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE 24/7 COVERAGE OF CREW AND DRAGON ALL THE
WAY THROUGH SPLASHDOWN. WE HAVE A CREW SUPPORTING THE NASA CREW 7 TEAM IN AN ADJACENT CONTROL ROOM NEXT DOOR TO THIS ONE. WE HAVE 24/7 FOR ALL DRAGONS UP AT THE SPACE STATION. >> THAT’S AWESOME. TEAMS IN HOUSTON, COORDINATE MISSION SUPPORT AT AXIOM MISSION CONTROL CENTER, MCCA. IT’S AN OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED CONTROL OF JOINING OTHER CONTROL CENTERS. THEY SUPPORT ISS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. THEY HAVE LIVE ACCESS TO VOICE, VIDEO, DATA, ALL OF THAT STREAMING FROM THE ISS AND CAN WORK ALONG SIDE NASA COUNTERPARTS AND MONITOR IT 24/7 FOR THE DURATION OF THE MISSION. THIS
ROOM IS LED BY AN AXEL, OR AXIOM OPERATIONS LEAGUE. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ASPECTS FOR MISSION SUPPORT, RESEARCH, COMMUNICATIONS, MEDICAL, INTEGRATION, AND TIMELINE OPERATIONS. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN OUR JOURNEY TO EXTEND THIS. WE ARE PROVIDING OUR GLOBAL CUSTOMERS TO THE WORK BEING DONE ON STATION. >> AS YOU CAN TELL BY THE NAMES, LIKE CORE AND AXEL, THESE ARE IMPORTANT ROLES. EVERYTHING ELSE FLOWS AROUND THEM AS THE CENTER POINT AND THOSE LEADING THOSE PRAGUES, WHETHER — PRAGUES. — OPERATIONS. THE GROUND OPERATIONS TEAM ARE DOING SYSTEMS CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE DRAGON AND CAL NONE ARE
READY FOR — FALCON ARE READY FOR LAUNCH. LET’S LOOK AT WHAT THE ASSENT MISSION WILL LOOK LIKE. >> ONCE WE HIT T MINUS 0. WE’LL WATCH THEM LIFT OFF FROM 39 A AND BEGIN TO MAKE THEIR ASSENT. AT 43 SECONDS INTO FLIGHT, THE ENGINES WILL THROTTLE DOWN TO HELP US PASS THROUGH THE MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE OR MAX X. ONCE WE HIT MAX Q, IT WILL BE GOING FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF SOUND. >> FROM THERE, AT TWO AND A HALF MINUTES INTO FLIGHT, WE HAVE A SERIES OF THREE EVENTS. FIRST IS MAIN ENGINE CUTOFF. STAGE
SEPARATION IS WHERE THE FIRST STAGE DETACHES FROM THE SECOND STAGE, MAKING ITS WAY BACK TO EARTH AS THE SECOND STAGE CONTINUES ON ITS JOURNEY WITH THE THIRD EVENT. >> THAT SECOND ENGINE START ONE ONE, WITH THE VACUUM ENGINE ON BOARD, IT PROPELS THE SECOND STAGE ALONG WITH AX 3 CREW AND DRAGON INTO ORBIT. >> AS STAGE 2 HEADS OUT, THE OTHER STAGE WILL REIGNITE AND SET DOWN. THIS HEADS THE FIRST STAGE BACK TO THE CAPE. THE SECOND BURN HELPS SLOW IT DOWN. >> TANKS ARE VENTING FOR START OF PROPELLANT LOOP. >> ENTRY BURN HELPS SLOW
IT DOWN FOR THAT ENTRY BACK INTO THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE AT ABOUT 90 SECONDS AFTER DRAGON GETS BACK INTO ORBIT, IT COMES BACK TO EARTH. THAT’S ABOUT EIGHT MINUTES INTO THE MISSION. >> WHILE THAT FIRST STAGE IS HEADING BACK TO EARTH, THE SECOND STAGE WILL CUT OFF ITS ENGINE IGNITED RIGHT AFTER STAGE SEPARATION. WE’LL WAIT FOR CONFIRMATION OF A GOOD ORBITAL INSERTION. DRAGON WILL BEGIN PREPARATIONS TO SEPARATE FROM SECOND STAGE. AFTER IT REACHES ORBIT, WE SHOULD HAVE A GREAT VIEW OF DRAGON WITH ITS CREW DRIFTING AWAY FROM STAGE 2. ONCE A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY, IT WILL
CHECK OUT MANEUVERING THRUSTERS TO MAKE SURE THEY INCREASE SEPARATION DISTANCE. >> THE NOSE CONE DEPLOY SEQUENCE WILL FINISH AROUND T PLUS 15 MINUTES. THIS WILL EX-SUPPOSE THE — EXPOSE THE DOCKING MECHANISM. FOR US THEY ARE IMPORTANT FOR SAFELY FLYING ASTRONAUTS SO THEY CAN CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. BUT ALSO BECAUSE THEY ARE LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE WHERE MORE PEOPLE FROM MORE COUNTRIES ALL AROUND THE WORLD WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL TO SPACE, WHETHER IT’S LOW EARTH ORBIT, THE MOON, MARS OR BEYOND. THE HISTORY OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT, LESS THAN 700 PEOPLE HAVE EVER BEEN
TO ORBIT. AT SpaceX, WE WANT TO CREATE A FUTURE WHERE THOUSANDS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE CAN TRAVEL OFF EARTH TO LIVE AND WORK IN SPACE AND ON OTHER PLANETS. THIS YEAR WE COULD LAUNCH UP TO EIGHT MISSIONS. >> LOAD HAS STARTED. >> RIGHT NOW WE JUST HEARD THE CALL THAT FALCON BEGAN LOADING PROPELLANTS. GOOD NEWS THERE. AS I WAS SAYING, THIS YEAR THAT COULD INCLUDE FIVE OR SIX HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT MISSIONS. THUS FAR WE HAVE ONLY LAUNCHED CREW MISSIONS FROM LAUNCH COMPLEX 39 A WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN NOW. HOWEVER, TO SUPPORT
OUR GROWING MANIFEST OF DRAGON ANYTHINGS, WE MADE NEW UPGRADES, SPACE COMPLEX 40, A BRAND NEW CREW ACCESS ARM BEING LIFTED. WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO HAVING TWO LAUNCH PADS CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT MISSIONS. WE’LL HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO FLY MORE PEOPLE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING US ADVANCE HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT AND POTENTIALLY FLY ON A MISSION, CHECK IT OUT TO LEARN MORE. >> ALL RIGHT. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE TRAINING THAT THE CREW HAS GONE THROUGH IN ORDER TO BE READY FOR THIS MISSION. ALL TOGETHER, THE MISSION CREW SPENT 35 DAYS TRAINING
INSIDE DRAGON AND CREW MEMBERS RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TRAINING SPECIFIC TO THEIR ROLE, LEARNING SpaceX PROTOCOLS, ISS SYSTEMS AND PREPARING FOR THE SCIENCE AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES THEY WILL BE CONDUCTING WHITE IN SPACE. PRIVATE ASTRONAUT TRAINING IS RIGOROUS. OUR TEAMS HERE HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS TEACHING THE CREW ABOUT ORBITAL MECHANICS, HOW TO LIVE IN MICROGRAVITY AND RUNNING MISSIONS INSIDE THE CAPSULE. THE TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDES NEARLY 100 DIFFERENT LESSONS COVERAGE ALL ASPECTS OF FLIGHT. THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH IDENTICAL. THE TEAM SPENT TIME AT THE LAUNCH PAD IN THE SUIT-UP ROOM AND WORKING THROUGH EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IN THE
UNLIKELY EVENT OF AN ABORT SCENARIO. >> THE CREW SPENT TIME IN HISTORIC BUILDING NINE AT THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, LEARNING FROM INSTRUCTORS ON ALL CRITICAL SYSTEMS NECESSARY TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL STAY AT THE LABORATORY. THEY PREPARED FOR UNLIKELY EMERGENCIES AND LEARNING HOW TO PERFORM FIRST AID. LEARNING HOW TO PREPARE FOOD AND SELECTIONS FOR MEALS. AS WELL AS OTHER MISSION CONTROL OPERATIONS. THEY ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THE GEAR THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO CONNECT WITH THOSE BACK ON EARTH DURING OUTREACH EVENTS. EACH MODULE ON ORBIT HAS ITS OWN NUANCES. GAINING InSight IS
NECESSARY ESPECIALLY FOR THIS MISSION. EXTENSIVE TRAINING ON NAVIGATION, EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND REPETITION OF WALKING THROUGH PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES HELPED THE CREW MAXIMIZE EVERY SECOND THEY HAVE. STIMULATING SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND HOW TO SLEEP IN SPACE ARE NECESSARY LESSONS ON THE PATH TO MISSION READINESS. THE NATIONAL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP SCHOOL PROVIDES UNIQUE EARTH-BASED EXPERIENCE FOR ASTRONAUTS BEFORE THEY FLY. THIS IS A BONDING EXPERIENCE. IT CAN’T BE OVERSTATED HOW MUCH TEAM WORK IS IMPORTANT. THIS AIMS TO ESTABLISH THAT. THEY ALSO FOCUSED ON SURVIVAL SKILLS, RESILIENCE, LEADERSHIP AND OVERALL TEAM WORK TO ENSURE THEY ARE MORE THAN JUST PASSENGERS ON
THE SAME ROCKET. THE CAMPING AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PROVIDES TRAINING. THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHT AND YOU CAN HEAR IT IN THEIR VOICES AND SEE IT IN THEIR FACES WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT THE BOND WITH EACH OTHER. YOU CAN’T EXPERIENCE FLYING INTO SPACE UNTIL YOU FLY INTO SPACE. UNIQUE TOOLS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED. AN ALTITUDE CHAMBER CAN TEST OXYGEN DEPRIVEATION. WHILE HUMAN SIZE CHAMBERS HELP THE CREW KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT ON LAUNCH DAY. AT THE END OF IT ALL, A MISSION PATCH IS CELEBRATED AND HUNG. FITTINGLY, AS AX 3 HEADS TO THE SPACE STATION, THEY WERE PRESENT TO
THE CEREMONY OF THE HANGING OF THEIR MISSION PATCH. IT’S A SERIOUS BUSINESS. BUT THIS HELPS EVERYONE PAUSE AND REFLECT ON INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. EACH ONE IS SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT POSSIBLE. THE CREW, AND THOSE HERE ON EARTH SUPPORTING EACH MISSION. SO NOW FOR MORE ON EACH CREW MEMBER’S PORTFOLIO, WE’LL JOIN THE CHIEF SCIENTIST, DR. LUCY LO. >> BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS FROM AX IS AND 2, NOW 3 HAS OVER 30 EXPERIMENTS. LUCY, GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS. WE GET TO TALK ABOUT THE SCIENCE THAT’S HAPPENING.
THERE IS SO MUCH HAPPENING. IT’S OVER 350 HOURS OF RESEARCH. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> WHICH IS GREAT. BUT DO WE THINK THIS IS GOING TO HELP US HERE ON EARTH? >> ABSOLUTELY. EVERYTHING THE CREW IS DOING HAS A HUGE AGAIN FIT, NOT ONLY FOR SPACE FLIGHT, BUT A LOT OF THE RESEARCH THEY ARE DOING IS BASED ON BENEFITING HUMANS DOWN HERE ON EARTH, HEALTHCARE, MEDICINE, DIFFERENT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS, EVERYTHING THEY ARE DOING HAS TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BACK HERE ON EARTH. >> IF YOU HAD TO SUMMARIZE EACH OF THE COUNTRY’S PORTFOLIOS, HOW WOULD
YOU DO THAT? ITALY. >> THEY ARE DOING APPLICATIONS FOR THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE AND DOING ADVANCED BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH WITH SOME OF THEIR COMPANIES THEY ARE WORKING WITH. >> TURKEY, BRINGING TURKEY TOGETHER. >> TURKEY HAS A NATIONAL PORTFOLIO. THEY HAVE EVERYONE GETTING INVOLVED FROM RESEARCHERS AT UNIVERSITIES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SCHOOL CHILDREN. >> ESA AND SWEDEN. >> ESA HAS A STRONG RESEARCH ON ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY THAT ARE GOING TO HELP HUMAN EXPLORATION IN THE FUTURE. >> DO YOU AS CHIEF SCIENTIST, IS THAT A DIFFERENT THING OR RESEARCH? ALL PART OF THE SAME POT? >> THEY ARE
PART OF THE SAME POT. ALL THE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS ARE BUILT ON A LOT OF RESEARCH AND FEED INTO FUTURE RESEARCH THAT WILL TAKE PLACE TO KEEP CREWS SAFE OR BENEFIT HUMAN HEALTH HERE ON EARTH. >> LET’S DIG IN DEEPER. ITALY HAS THE ISOK SERVICES. >> THIS IS FROM THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE. THEY ARE ANALYZING DEBRIS IN SPACE. >> IT’S A HUGE PROBLEM. >> WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE SPACE STATION IS OUT OF THE WAY OF THOSE IMPACTS. IT’S GOING TO DO SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING. >> SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING. >> LOOKING AT SOLAR FLARES THAT CAN
RELEASE DAMAGING RADIATION THAT CANNOT ONLY DAMAGE HUMAN CELLS BUT DAMAGE THE ELECTRONICS IN A SPACECRAFT. >> BETA AMALOIDS. THIS IS ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH. >> THIS IS PLAQUES FOUND IN THE BRAINS OF HUMANS. IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THEY FORM, WE CAN GAIN InSight SINCE THIS DISEASE CAN FORM AND HOW WE TREAT IF. >> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE WEATHER FORECASTING. TELL ME ABOUT THE ITALIAN PORTFOLIO WITH RADIATION RESEARCH. >> EXACTLY. THEY HAVE GOT SOME LIGHT ION DETECTOR THEY HAVE BUILT THAT’S ANALYZING THE REALTIME RADIATION RISK AND WE HAVE COMPANIES THAT HAVE ADVANCED MATERIALS THEY HAVE DEVELOPED
THAT’S DESIGNED TO SHIELD FROM THIS RADIATION IN THE FUTURE. >> LET’S TALK ABOUT THE TURKISH SPACE AGENCY. THEY HAVE 70 TYPES OF DISEASES THEY ARE RESEARCHING WITH AI TECHNOLOGY? >> YES. THEY HAVE REALLY COOL PROJECT CALLED VOCAL CORD. IT’S AN EASY TO USE TELEMEDICINE APPLICATION WHERE THEY CUFF OR SPEAK OR MAKE NOISES INTO AN IPAD. THE AI SOFTWARE IS USED TO ANALYZE IT AND CAN USE AND DETECT INFECTIOUS DISEASES. VERY COOL. >> PARTNERSHIPS ARE A BIG DEAL. ALL OF THESE COUNTRIES ARE PARTNERS WITH US. TURKEY IS WORKING WITH JAXA. >> THEY ARE WORKING ON A
PROJECT USING THE LEVITATING FACILITY, THEY ARE MELTING AND RESOLIDIFYING METAL ALLOYS. IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE STRUCTURE AND HELPS US UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT MATERIALS RESEARCH THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT KNOWLEDGE AND APPLY THAT TO INDUSTRY BACK DOWN HERE ON EARTH. >> AND LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE, THEIR RESEARCH IS FOCUSED ON HUMANS IN LONG-TERM SPACE SITUATIONS. >> ONE PROJECT IS CALLED ORBITAL ARCHITECTURE. THEY ARE INVESTIGATING WHAT THE EFFECT OF THE BUSY AND CROWDED ENVIRONMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION NOT ONLY ON CREW, COGNITIVE FUNCTION, BUT ON THE CREW’S STRESS RESPONSES AND ALSO THE NEURORESPONSES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ISS IS VERY BUSY. >> IT SEEMS CROWDED. >> IT’S VERY CROWDED. THIS INVESTIGATION IS GOING TO BE UNDERSTANDING IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SPACE STATION, IF YOU LOOK OUT THE WINDOW, IF YOUR STRESS RESPONSE GOES DOWN, DO YOU PERFORM BETTER AND HOW WE CAN APPLY THOSE TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENGINEERING AND BUILDING DESIGN BACK HERE ON EARTH. >> THERE IS A GREAT ONE ON SIMON. IS IT MORE LIKE HAL OR TARS. >> MORE LIKE TARS. I’M A FAN OF THE MARTIAN. HE’S FLYING THROUGH SPACE. THIS IS AN AI GUIDED TOOL THAT IS
FREE-FLYING ON STATION THAT CAN HELP CREW WITH TASKS WHILE THEY ARE UP THERE. IT’S HELPING MARCUS DO PHYSICAL SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS. >> I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THE POST RESEARCH FINDING. BACK TO YOU ALL AT HAWTHORNE. JOHN, HOW’S IT GOING OUT THERE? >> GOING GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. HEARING THAT DIFFERENT RESEARCH REALLY CEMENTS HOW IMPORTANT AND UNIQUE EACH MISSION IS. EACH MISSION HAS ITS OWN SUITE OF RESEARCH. MISSION PATCHES REALLY ARE A WAY OF SHOWING THAT SYMBOLISM AND SHOWING HOW UNIQUE THAT IS. THEY END UP EVERYWHERE. THERE’S ONE IN THAT DRAGAN CAPSULE. THEY END
UP IN WHITE ROOMS, IN ORBIT, ON LAPTOPS AND NOTEBOOKS. IT’S A BIG DEAL FOR CREW TO BE CENTRAL IN HELPING DESIGN THIS PATCH. IT’S A LASTING MARK OF THEIR DEDICATION AND WORK. THEY HAVE PUT THEIR MARK WITH THE AX 3 MISSION PATCH. IT’S HIGHLIGHTED BY THEIR NAMES, A STAR AND EACH NATION THEY REPRESENT. WITH THE COMMANDER HOLDING DUAL CITIZENSHIP, FIVE FLAGS MARK THE TOP EDGE. INTERESTING TO NOTE, THE ISS RESEMBLES PILOTS’ WINGS, ALL FOUR MEMBERS ARE PILOTS. ON THE BOTTOM, THE PHRASE IN LATIN MEANS FURTHER BEYOND. THIS BUILDS ON THE MISSION’S THEME OF EXPLORATION AND
ITS SLOGAN. >> THEY END UP EVERYWHERE. MY FAVORITE PLACE IS INSIDE THE CAPSULE. ONE IS FROM THE CREW 4 MISSION AND ONE FROM THE AX 2 MISSION WHICH TOOK THIS CAPSULE TO SPACE. IT’S SAFE TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO BE FLYING SO MUCH, WE ARE GOING TO POTENTIALLY RUN OUT OF SPACE FOR PATCHES. >> ON THE BACK OF THE SEATS MAYBE. >> THE SpaceX TEAMS HAVE TEAMS E TEAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SUPPORTING OUR MISSIONS IN KEY ROLES. OUR MISSION DIRECTOR OR CREW OPERATIONS, WHICH YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN NOW. AND THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY
IMPORTANT. WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE COUNTDOWN AND THIS LAUNCH COUNTDOWN IS THE PRIME WORK THAT SYNCS ALL OF THESE TEAMS UP TOGETHER. >> AS WE ARE TALKING WE HEARING THESE LOOPS OR NETS OF ALL THESE FLIGHT CONTROLLERS TALKING. COMMUNICATION IS KEY, FROM LAUNCH, ORBIT, BACK TO SPLASH DOWN. IT’S A CHOREOGRAPHED DANCE BETWEEN ALL OF THESE PARTIES. THAT’S WHERE COMMUNICATION COMES IN. >> PRECISE COMMUNICATION IS CRITICAL, NOT JUST FOR TODAY AND ON THE WAY TO THE STATION, BUT FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS ALL THE WAY THROUGH SPLASHDOWN. WE HAVE ANOTHER TEAM SUPPORTING THE CAPSULE THAT’S ON
STATION FOR CREW 7. IT’S ALL THE WAY THROUGH UNTIL THE MISSION IS COMPLETE. >> YOU SEE THE TWO TEAMS ON YOUR SCREEN. THEY ARE TWO OF THE MANY THAT WORK TOGETHER. TO HELP FACILITATE THAT, AXIOM SPACE IS CONNECTED THROUGH MCCA IN HOUSTON. THAT’S WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT THERE. FROM SpaceX, NASA AND OTHER SPACE AGENCIES, WE CAN TALK TOGETHER. THERE ARE TEAMS MONITORING AROUND THE WORLD INCLUDING MISSION CONTROLLERS IN JAPAN AND ACROSS EUROPE. WHEN YOU ADD IT UP, IT’S AN INTERNATIONAL INDEFER. >> SPEAKING OF INTERNATIONAL, LET’S CHECK BACK IN WITH INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION MISSION
CONTROL CENTER AT NASA’S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER. COURTNEY, HOW ARE THINGS LOOKING OVER THERE? >> THE SPACE STATION TEAM HERE IN HOUSTON IS FOCUSED ON THE CRITICAL SYSTEMS ON THE STATION. ALL CONTINUING TO FUNCTION AS EXPECTED AHEAD OF LAUNCH. THE TEAMS HAVE VERIFIED THE COMMAND PATH FROM THE GROUND UP THROUGH OUR CONSTELLATION OF COMMUNICATION SATELLITES TO THE STATION AND EVERYTHING IS LOOKING GOOD, AND THE STATION IS READY TO RECEIVE DRAGON SATURDAY MORNING. ONCE THE AX 3 CREW ARRIVES AT THE STATION, THERE WILL BE 7 NATIONS ABOARD THE STATION. THEY WILL BE GREETED BY THE EXPEDITION 70
CREW, NASA RESTAURANTS ANY, JASMIN AND LAURA, COSMONAUTS AND JAXA ASTRONAUT. THE TEAM HERE IN HUGH TON WILL ASSIST THE AXIOM SPACE STATION WITH LEAK CHECKS AS THEY WORK TO OPEN HATCHES ON THE DRAGON SIDE AND INSIDE THE PRESSURIZED ADAPTER. WE EXPECT HATCH OPENING TO TAKE PLACE TWO HOURS AFTER DOCKING. THE FLIGHT DIRECTORS ARE ON CONSOLE NOW LEADING LAUNCH. MISSION CONTROL IN HOUSTON IS GO FOR LAUNCH. NOW WITH NARCS LET’S CONNECT WITH SONYA AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. >> ALL RIGHT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE RECENTLY TUNED IN, WE ARE NOW WITHIN 20 MINUTES OF THE
LAUNCH OF AX 3. T MINUS 18 MINUTES ON THE DOT. WE HAVE HAD A PRETTY CLEAN COUNTDOWN SO FAR TODAY. THIS LAUNCH COUNTDOWN IS THE FRAMEWORK THAT SYNCS EVERYBODY TOGETHER. WE HAVE TEAMS IN HOUSTON, HERE AT SpaceX HEADQUARTERS IN HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA, AT THE CAPE ITSELF, FIRING ROOM 4 AND EVERYTHING IS PROCEEDING NOMINALLY. THE REPORTS EARLIER DURING THE POST CREW INGRESS BRIEFING WAS THAT THE WEATHER WAS GREAT, ALTHOUGH WE CAN SEE A LITTLE CLOUDY, BUT WE SEE BLUE SKIES THROUGH THERE. LOVE TO SEE THAT. WE HEARD THAT THE TEAM WAS WORKING, NO MAJOR ISSUES. THEY REMAIN
HEALTHY. AT T MINUS 35 MINUTES WE BEGAN PROP LOAD OR PROPELLANT LOADING. WE SEE SOME OF THESE WHITE CLOUDS BILLOWING FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS IS NORMAL DURING THIS PROPEL ATLANTA LOAD PHASE. WE ARE LOADING OUR SUPERCHILLED ALSO KNOWN AS DENSECY FYED LIQUID OXYGEN. WE’LL GET MORE CLOUDS FORMING AND MORE AFTER THE CLOSE-OUTLINES WHEN THE FIRST AND SECOND STAGE COMPLETES ITS PROPELLANT LOADING. EVERYTHING CONTINUES TO LOOK GREAT. THE CREW IS STRAP SOMEBODY THEIR SEATS. THERE IS A FIVE POINT SAFETY HARNESS. THINK OF IT LIKE A SEATBELT, BUT MORE ADVANCED. WE SEE A LIVE VIEW OF THE
CREW WAITING SO PATIENTLY AS WE ARE GETTING — ALL RIGHT. WE HEARD THAT CALL OUT, STAGE 2 LOCKS LOAD INITIATED. THAT’S THE SUPER CHILLED OXYGEN. IT’S THE PART OF THE ROCKET JUST BELOW THAT BLACK AND WHITE TRUNK SECTION THAT WE SEE THERE ON SCREEN. SO THE CREW, WE AT THIS PARTICULAR VIEW, THE PERSON ON THE FAR LEFT IS MARCUS, ONE OF OUR MISSION SPECIALISTS, TO HIS RIGHT IS WALTER, TO HIS RIGHT IS COMMANDER MICHAEL, MLA. ON THE FAR RIGHT, MISSION SPECIALIST. FUN FACT FOR TODAY’S FLIGHT, IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE A REPEAT
FLIER ON DRAGON, THAT’S COMMANDER MLA. HE FLEW ON THE AXIOM 1 MISSION. IT’S EXCITING TO SEE HIM FLYING AGAIN. HE’S AN EXPERT AT THIS POINT. >> YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. NOW FOR AN UPDATE FROM SONYA AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER WITH BILL NELSON. >> THANKS SO MUCH, JOHN. I’M JOINED BY NASA ADMINISTRATOR BILL NELSON. WE ARE SO CLOSE. NASA HAS SO MANY DECADES WORTH OF GREAT RELATIONSHIPS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WITH THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR. IS THIS A WINNING STRATEGY FOR THE FUTURE? I KNOW NASA IS LOOKING FURTHER THAN LEO INTO GOING TO THE MOON
AND FURTHER. WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE GOING FURTHER AND WHAT ARE WE BUILDING ON? >> IT’S THE NEW ERA OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF SPACE ADVENTURISM. WE GO BACK TO THE MOON, FOR EXAMPLE, NOT ONLY WITH OUR COMMERCIAL PARTNERS, AND, YOU KNOW, THE TWO LANDERS WILL BE BUILT BY COMMERCIAL COMPANIES. BUT WE ALSO GO BACK TO THE MOON WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. AND THAT’S QUITE A DIFFERENCE FROM A HALF CENTURY AGO WHEN WE FIRST WENT TO THE MOON. AND THAT’S THE WAY THAT OUR SPACE FLIGHT IS IN LOW EARTH ORBIT AS WELL. LOOK AT THE
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON THE SPACE STATION. LOOK AT NOW THE COMMERCIAL OPERATION ON THE SPACE STATION AS EVIDENCED BY THIS FLIGHT HERE TODAY. >> THIS MOMENT IS THAT CULMINATION OF THAT INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, PRIVATE, COMMERCIAL, ALL OF THESE THINGS BUILDING ON EACH OTHER. HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS FOR NASA TO DEVELOP THESE COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS VARYING FIELDS? AXIOM SPACE, BUILDING THE AXIOM STATION, WORKING ON THE SUITS THAT WILL BE WORN ON THE MOON. HOW IMPORTANT ARE THESE PARTNERSHIPS FOR NASA? >> IT’S ESSENTIAL. WE WANT TO GET OUT OF LOWER EARTH ORBIT. WE WANT TO EXPLORE THE COSMOS. THE
MORE WE CAN BRING COMMERCIAL BUSINESS OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH UP TO LOW EARTH ORBIT AND, FOR EXAMPLE, REPLACE THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WHEN IT AGES OUT IN 2030, WITH A COMMERCIAL SPACE STATION THAT THEN WE CAN BECOME A PERSON WHO USES SPACE TO TRAIN ASTRONAUTS BEFORE WE SEND THEM ON THE MOON AND MARS. OR THE BUSINESS ASPECT, PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH, PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTION, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT RESEARCH UTILIZING THE PROPERTIES OF MICROGRAVITY IN SPACE. >> SO YOU ARE SEEING THE AXIOM STATION AS AN EXPANSION OF THE AREA THAT IS AVAILABLE TO DO THIS WORK AND
THIS DYNAMIC SHIFT BETWEEN NASA AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE AXIOM SPACE REALLY OFFER SOMETHING NEW TO THE LANDSCAPE. THIS IS THE NEXT GOLDEN AGE, ISN’T IT. >> AND AXIOM IS ONE OF SEVERAL THAT ARE NOW WITH INCENTIVE MONEY FROM NASA BUILDING THEIR CONCEPTS OF A SPACE STATION FOR LOW EARTH ORBIT. AND I AM CERTAINLY HOPEFUL THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND THAT INCREASINGLY AS THEY DO RESEARCH IN SPACE, THEY ARE FINDING OUT THAT THERE IS A BUSINESS CASE. >> YES. >> IN ORDER THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A PROFITABLE BUSINESS. >> THAT’S WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING FORWARD TO. AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS GREAT MOMENT AS WE BUILD THESE PARTNERSHIPS, THESE RELATIONSHIPS. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE AND BEING PART OF THIS BROADCAST AND SHARING THIS MOMENT FOR ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, SpaceX, AXIOM, NASA, WORKING TOGETHER AS USUAL. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. >> GO AX 3! >> AS WE CHARGE TOWARDS TERMINAL COUNTDOWN, TODAY’S COMMANDER HAS A SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR HIS CREW. LET’S TAKE A LOOK. >> I’M EXCITED. WE ARE GETTING CLOSE AS WE GET THESE LAST FEW MINUTES. I WANT TO TAKE
A SECOND TO TAKE THE TRAINING TEAMS THAT GOT US HERE, THAT PREPARED THIS VERY PROFESSIONAL TEAM OF ASTRONAUTS TO GO TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ON THIS HISTORIC MISSION. THE NASA TEAMS AT JOHNSON AND IN MARSHALL AND ALABAMA. AND IN GERMANY AND TOKYO, JAPAN. AND THE AXIOM TEAM WHOSE HELP WITH 30 EXPERIMENTS. WE ARE EXCITED AND THANKFUL. LAST BUT NOT LEAST TO THE FOLKS IN WHOSE CAPABLE HANDS WE FIND OURSELVES IN, SpaceX. THANKS TO EVERYBODY. WITHOUT YOU WE COULDN’T HAVE BEEN HERE. NOW LET’S GO DO IT. >> GREAT VIEW OF OUR AX 3 CREW THERE
STRAPPED IN AND READY FOR LIFT-OFF JUST OVER TEN MINUTES FROM NOW. >> DRAGON SpaceX, CONFIRM CREW DISPLAYS ARE CONFIGURED FOR LAUNCH. >> SpaceX DRAGON, THE DISPLAYS ARE SO CONFIGURED. DO YOU MIND IF I SAY A FEW WORDS? >> I DO NOT MIND AT ALL. YOU GOT THE FLOOR. >> FIRST I WANT TO THANK OUR PARTNERS WHO HAD THE VISION AND THE CONVICTION TO HELP AXIOM ACCESS HUMANS TO LOWER EARTH ORBIT, THE ITALIAN AIR FORCE, THE SPACE TECHNOLOGIES RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF TURKEY AND THE TURKISH SPACE ADMINISTRATION AND THE SWEDISH SPACE AGENCY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
THE TEAM. IF YOU ARE LISTENING TO THIS IN HANGER X, YOU ARE ON THE TEAM. AND PEOPLE WHO SITTING AT THE CONSOLES AND CONSOLES LIKE THEM IN MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON AND THE INTEGRATION CENTER IN HUNTSVILLE. SAME IS TRUE FOR ALL THE TRAINERS THAT HELPED US GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH THE CREW READY TO LAUNCH. AND, OF COURSE, THE ENGINEERS, TECHNICIANS, MANAGERS AND EXECUTIVES WHO OVER DECADES DESIGNED, ASSEMBLED AND NOW OPERATING THE MOST COMPLEX VEHICLE IN THE WORLD THAT WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO GO VISIT. SAME IS TRUE FOR THE VISIONARIES WHO CONCEIVED AND DEVELOPED
THIS AMAZING ROCKET IN THE BEAUTIFUL AND CAPABLE CAPSULE WE ARE SITTING IN. IF YOU ARE IN THE RESCUE OPS CENTER, YOU ARE ON THE TEAM AND OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE GIVEN US THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM THE VERY FIRST STEP OF THIS JOURNEY. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, TEAM AT AXIOM SPACE, THE PEOPLE WHO POURED THEIR BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS INTO THIS. THE FOUR OF US LUCKY ENOUGH TO MAN THE GOOD SHIP FREEDOM AT THIS POINT, ARE HUM BECOMED TO BE ON THE TEAM. — ARE HUMBLED TO BE ON THE TEAM. WE ARE
GOOD FOR LAUNCH. >> COPY. T MINUS 8 MINUTES. YOU GOT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE ROOTING FOR YOU HERE AND ALL OVER THE WORLD. GODSPEED AXIOM 3. >> REALLY NICE WORDS COMING TO US FROM THE COMMANDER. WE ARE NOW APPROACHING SEVEN MINUTES UNTIL LIFTOFF. THE NEXT EVENT WE’LL HEAR IS THAT STAGE ONE ENGINE CHILL HAS BEGUN. >> ENGINE CHILL HAS STARTED. >> JUST ON TIME. WE ARE NOW FLOWING A LITTLE BIT OF SUPER CHILLED LIQUID OXYGEN TO HELP BRING THE TEMPERATURE DOWN OF THAT HARDWARE. THIS HELPS US TO REDUCE ANY CHANCE OF THERMAL SHOCK WHEN THE
FULL FLOW FLOWS INTO THE ENGINES. LOCKS LOAD CONTINUES FOR FALCON 9. >> STAGE 1, COMPLETE. >> GOOD CALL OUTS. WE HAVE COMPLETED RP 1, IT’S ON BOARD STAGE 1 OF FALCON 9. YOU GOT THAT GREAT VIEW ON YOUR SCREEN. FALCON 9 IS AN RP 1 AND LIQUID OXYGEN FUELED VEHICLE. SO LOCKS FUELING CONTINUES TO THE VEHICLE ON THE FIRST AND SECOND STAGE. >> BLUE SKIES THERE AT THE LAUNCH SITE. WE ARE LAUNCHING AT PAD 39 A. WE ARE 60% GO FOR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH WE ARE ALWAYS KEEPING AN EYE ON AROUND THE FLORIDA AEROSPACE.
NEXT EVENT THAT WE HAVE COMING UP IS THE TERMINAL COUNT FOR DRAGON. THIS INVOLVES A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT PRIMARILY MEANS THE DRAGON WILL BE TRANSITIONING TO INTERNAL POWER. GREAT VIEW THERE OF THE DRAGON CAPSULE AS WELL AS THE DRAGON TRUNK, THE UNPRESSURIZED SECTION JUST BELOW THE PRESSURIZED SECTION WHICH IS WHERE WE HAVE THE CREW SITTING. PROPELLANT REMAINS UNDER WAY. WE ARE COMPLETELY LOADED WITH RP 1, THAT ROCKET GRADE FUEL. >> TERMINAL COUNT. >> WE ARE HEADING INTO TERMINAL COUNT AND FALCON 9 ARE READY. WE HEARD THE CALL OUT THAT THE FALCON NINE TANKS ARE
PRESSURIZED FOR STRONG BACK RETRACTION. THAT’S USED TO THE RIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. IT’S A STRUCTURAL SUPPORT SYSTEM. >> STRONG BACK IS RETRACTING. >> WE JUST HEARD THE CALL OUT. THAT’S THE MECHANISM TO MOVE THE ROCKET TO THE LAUNCH SITE AND PULL IT INTO ITS VERTICAL ORIENTATION AHEAD OF LAUNCH. >> WE KEEP AN EYE ON IT AS IT RETRACTS SLIGHTLY. >> WE’LL SEE THE CLAMP ARMS BEGIN TO OPEN. THAT WILL RETRACT A COUPLE OF DEGREES AWAY. IT WILL RETRACT FURTHER UPON IGNITION OF THE MISSION TO CLEAR THE WAY FOR FALCON 9’S ASSENT. HE AS I MENTIONED
BEFORE, RP 1 IS LOADED. WE ARE STILL LOADING LIQUID OXYGEN ON TO THE FIRST AND SECOND STAGE. OBVIOUSLY, SOME HAPPY CHEERS AS THE CROWD IS GROWING OUTSIDE OF MISSION CONTROL HAWTHORNE AS WE SEE THERE ON YOUR SCREEN. IT’S ALWAYS AWESOME TO HAVE AN ASTRONAUT LAUNCH. BUT ESPECIALLY ONE DURING THE DAY. >> STAGE 1 IS COMPLETE. >> WITH KNOW THAT STAGE 1 IS FULLY LOADED. TEAM IS THRILLED TO HEAR THAT NEWS BEHIND ME. AT LIFTOFF, STAGE 1 COMBINED — >> TERMINAL COUNT, ON INTERNAL POWER. >> THERE IS CONFIRMATION THE DRAGON IS ON INTERNAL POWER AND HEADED
INTO THE FINAL MINUTES OF OUR COUNTDOWN. AS I WAS SAYING EARLIER, AT LIFTOFF, FALCON 9 WILL BURN 700 GALLONS OF FUEL PER SECOND. GREAT VIEWS THERE, TOO, OF OUR CREW INSIDE DRAGON AWAITING LIFTOFF JUST OVER TWO MINUTES FROM NOW. >> WE ARE STANDING BY FOR COMPLETION OF LOCKS LOAD ON THE SECOND STAGE. JUST TOPPING OFF. THERE’S THAT CALL OUT. MORE CHEERS FROM OUR CROWD HERE AT HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA. >> DRAGON IS IN AUTO IDLE. >> CONFIRMATION THAT DRAGON IS IN AUTO IDLE. GREAT VIEW ON YOUR SCREEN THERE AS WE HEAD TOWARD LAUNCH. >> VENTING. >> CALL
OUT TO THE CREW, THAT LOUD VENTING IS EXPECTED. >> FALCON 9 IS IN START-UP. >> COUNTDOWN. >> DRAGON IS IN COUNTDOWN. WHICH MEANS THAT THE VEHICLES ARE NOW CONTROLLING THE FINAL SECONDS AS WE LEAD UP TO LIFT-OFF. >> DRAGON, SpaceX, GO FOR LAUNCH. >> AND THERE’S CONFIRMATION FROM THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR. >> GO FOR LAUNCH. >> WE ARE GO FOR LAUNCH. >> F MINUS 30 SECONDS. >> T MINUS 15. TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE, IGNITION. ENGINES FULL POWER AND LIFTOFF. >> FURTHER BEYOND. OPENING THE DOOR FOR MORE TO FOLLOW. GODSPEED AX
3. >> OF COURSE, IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US, THIS IS THE LAUNCH OF THE AXIOM 3 LAUNCH TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. INCREDIBLE VIEWS ON YOUR SCREEN. THERE’S THE FIRST SHOT OF THE CREW INSIDE DRAGON ON ASSENT. IN A FEW SECOND, WE SHOULD HEAR THE CALL-OUT. >> STAGE ONE. >> THERE’S THE CALL OUT THAT THE ENGINES ARE THROTTLING DOWN TO PASS THROUGH THE PERIOD OF MAXIMUM DYNAMIC PRESSURE DURING ASSENT. THERE’S THE CALL OUT FOR MAX Q, IT’S GOING FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF SOUND. AT THIS POINT WE WILL BEGIN TO THROTTLE FALCON 9’S ENGINES
BACK. THERE’S THAT CALLOUT FROM MISSION CONTROL AS WELL. AS THE CREW CONTINUES ON THEIR WAY TO SPACE. >> WE ARE NOW T PLUS 1:32 INTO NIGHT. THE IN THE CASE EVENT IS MVAC CHILL. WE ARE FLOWING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT SUPER CHILLED LIQUID OFF. >> COPY ONE BRAVO. >> THAT CALL THERE WAS ONE OF THE ABORT MODE CALLOUTS THAT THE CREW IS CALLING OUT AS THEY ARE MAKING THEIR ASSENT ON FALCON 9. NOW, WE ARE LESS THAN 30 SECONDS OR A FEW SECONDS AWAY FROM FOUR EVENTS THAT WILL HAPPEN IN RAPID SUCCESS. MAIN ENGINE
CUTOFF, STAGE SEPARATION, FIRST STAGE ENGINE AND THE BOOST BACK BURN. >> H 1 THROTTLE DOWN. >> THAT CALL TELLING US THAT THE ENGINES ARE BEGINNING TO THROTTLE DOWN. >> MICO. >> STAGE SEPARATION CONFIRMED. >> SpaceX DRAGON 2. >> LOUD CHEERS HERE AS WE CAN SEE. FIRST AND SECOND STAGES HAVE SEPARATED. A BEAUTIFUL VIEW THERE. THE BRIGHTER LIGHT IS THE SECOND STAGE UNDER POWER OF THE MVAY ENGINE. THAT IS HEADING BACK TOWARD THE FLORIDA COAST. ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT DAYLIGHT LAUNCHES, WE GET AMAZING VIEW. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE IT COME BACK TO VIEW
AS THE FIRST STAGE GETS CLOSER TO LANDING ZONE 1. THAT FIRST STAGE IS ACTUALLY STILL COASTING TO ITS APAGEE. IT’S 114, 115 KILOMETERS ABOVE THE EARTH’S SURFACE. IT WILL KEEP COASTING FOR A LITTLE BIT. BEAUTIFUL VIEW ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN. >> STAGE ONE SHUTDOWN. >> THAT BOOST BACK BURN HAS CONCLUDED ON THE FIRST STAGE. EVERYTHING LOOKS NOMINAL WITH THE SECOND STAGE TRAJECTORY. EVERYTHING ALSO LOOKING — >> DRAGON SpaceX TRAJECTORY NOMINAL. >> EVERYTHING LOOKING GOOD ON THE FIRST STAGE. >> LOUD AND CLEAR. >> NOW THE NEXT TWO MAJOR EVENTS WE ARE TRACKING FOR
THE FIRST STAGE WHICH IS ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN IS THE ENTRY BURN AT ABOUT T PLUS 6:30 WHERE THREE OF THE FIRST STAGE ENGINES, FOLLOWED BY THE LANDING BURN AT T PLUS 7:32 WHICH WILL BE A SINGLE ENGINE BURN TO BRING US BACK TO LANDING ZONE 1 AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. >> GREAT VIEW OF THE CREW ON BOARD. >> AND YOU CAN ALWAYS KEEP A EYE ON THEIR TELEMETRY ON THE BOTTOM CORNER OF YOUR SCREEN. AT THIS POINT WE SHOULD BE JUST ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF AWAY FROM ENTRY BURN START.
>> TRAJECTORY NOMINAL. >> WE CONTINUE ON A NOMINAL TRAJECTORY. ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM THE CREW. THESE ARE INCREDIBLE VIEWS ON YOUR SCREEN. AGAIN, THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN IS STAGE 1 MAKING ITS WAY BACK TO FLORIDA AND STAGE TWO, YOU SEE THAT MVAC ENGINE BURNING TAKING OUR AX CREW TO ORBIT. THAT ENTRY BURN WE ARE WAITING ON HERE IS GOING TO BE A RELATIVELY QUICK BURN. WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH OUR FIRST STAGE IS SCRUBBING OFF SOME OF THAT VELOCITY AS WE COME IN FOR LANDING. >> DRAGON, SpaceX, TRAJECTORY NOMINAL. >> THAT’S A NOMINAL TRAJECTORY FOR
DRAGON. >> COPY. >> AGAIN, CONFIRMATION FROM THE CREW. AND WE ARE EXPECTING ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MORE MINUTES FROM THAT SECOND ENGINE BURN. >> STAGE 1 ENTRY BURN START-UP. STAGE 1 ENTRY BURN SHUT-DOWN. >> AS WE HEARD THE CALL-OUT THAT ENTRY BURN HAS CONCLUDED. THE NEXT BURN WILL BE THE LANDING BURN. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ARE HEADING BACK TO LANDING ZONE 1, WE’LL COME THROUGH THE CLOUDS RIGHT NOW. >> DRAGON SpaceX TRAJECTORY NOMINAL. >> EVERYTHING LOOKS NOMINAL. >> WE COPY. >> FOR THE SECOND STAGE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN. THESE VIEWS
ARE BREATHTAKING. SUCH CLEAR, CRISP VIEWS OF THE FIRST STAGE ON THE LEFT AND SECOND STAGE ON THE RIGHT. RIGHT THROUGH WITH THESE CLOUDS SHOULD BE, OUR FIRST VIEW, THERE IT IS. JUST LIKE MAGIC, WE SEE LANDING ZONE 1. CROWDS CHEERING HERE AT HAWTHORNE. AS WE TUNE IN TO SEE IF WE STICK THE LANDING. AND IF YOU COULDN’T TELL BY THE LOUD CHEERS, WE DID. WE DID STICK THAT LANDING. FALCON 9 HAS LANDED ONCE AGAIN. BUT TURNING OUR ATTENTION BACK TO THE CREW AS YOU SEE THERE, OUR NEXT EVENT IS SECOND ENGINE CUT-OFF OR SECO. SECOND
STAGE WILL COAST FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL DRAGON IS COMMANDED TO SEPARATE. JUST THE ENERGY HERE AT SpaceX MISSON CONTROL IS BUZZING. YOU CAN HEAR COMMENTARY BEHIND US. RIGHT NOW THE CREW IS EXPERIENCING ABOUT 3 Gs. PRETTY MUCH A ROLLER COASTER FOR THOSE THRILL SEEKERS OUT THERE. >> STAGE 2 IS IN TERMINAL GUIDANCE. >> WE ARE ABOUT 20 SECONDS AWAY FROM THAT SECOND ENGINE CUT-OFF. MLA WILL KNOW THIS FEELING VERY WELL, THIS EXPERIENCE OF GOING FROM NOW ALMOST 4 Gs TO — THAT’S ANOTHER ABOARD MODE BEING CALLED OUT. NOW STANDING BY FOR SECOND ENGINE CUT-OFF.
>> SHUTDOWN. >> DRAGON, SpaceX, YOU ARE IN NOMINAL ORBIT. >> THERE WE HEARD THE CALLOUTS OF SECOND ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND NORM NATURAL ORBITAL INSERTION. >> LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM DISARMED. >> AND THE DISARMING OF THE LAUNCH ESCAPE SYSTEM. THAT MEANS THAT THE AX 3 CREW IS GETTING THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE HERE IN MICROGRAVITY. RIGHT NOW DRAGON IS PERFORMING A SERIES OF ON BOARD CHECKS TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN ACTION TO A ATE THE DRACO MANEUVERING ON BOARD THE VEHICLE. NOW, AS WE PREPARE FOR DRAGON SEPARATION. WE SHOULD HAVE A GREAT CAMERA VIEW IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
AND BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF THE EARTH AND OUR MVAC ENGINE IN ORBIT UP THERE AS WELL. WE AWAIT THAT SEPARATION. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE IMAGES WE ARE GETTING BACK FROM UP IN SPACE AS WE AWAIT DRAGON SEPARATION IN JUST ABOUT A MINUTE. MORE VIEWS OF OUR AX 3 CREW ON BOARD DRAGON. WE ARE NOW JUST ABOUT 30 SECONDS AWAY FROM THAT ANTICIPATED DRAGON SEPARATION. YOU SEE THE CREW PLAY A LITTLE BIT WITH THE FACT THAT THEY ARE OPERATING IN MICROGRAVITY. AND A GREAT SHOT OF MISSION CONTROL HERE IN OUR HEADQUARTERS IN HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA. THIS CAMERA VIEW HERE IS
TAKING A LOOK AT DRAGON. WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR IS NOSE CONE DEPLOYMENT AMONG OTHER THINGS. THERE WE GO. >> SEPARATION CONFIRMED. >> AS YOU CAN SEE, DRAGON HAS SEPARATED FROM THE SECOND STAGE, A CRITICAL VIEW LOOKING UP AT THE HEAT SHIELD THAT WILL RETURN THE AX 3 CREW BACK TO EARTH IN TWO WEEKS. THIS IS OUR FIRST VIEW OF AX 3 FLYING FREE. THE NEXT PHYSICAL CHANGE WE WILL SEE WILL BE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE NOSE CONE. >> DRAGON, THIS IS THE SpaceX FALCON TEAM. WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON A GREAT RIDE TO
ORBIT. YOU ARE YOU WILL MATING — ULTIMATE REUSE. ENJOY SPACE. >> AXIOM 3, AS I WAS SAYING, IT’S A TEAM SPORT. THANK YOU, GUYS. >> AXIOM 3, THIS IS YOUR LAUNCH DIRECTOR, WALTER, ALBERT AND MARCUS, CONGRATS, WELCOME TO YOUR FIRST FLIGHT ON DRAGON. MIKE, ON THE OTHER HAND, WELCOME TO THE DRAGON FREQUENT FLIER CLUB. GODSPEED, AXIOM. CHEERS. >> THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL UP HERE. >> BANG AND FORTH BETWEEN THE AX 3 CREW AS WELL AS AX 3 CHIEF ENGINEER WHO — YOU HEARD THE PING. THAT’S THE FIRST TONE OF
AX 3. FUN FACT, BILL WAS CHIEF ENGINEER ON AX 1, THE MISSION THAT MLA WAS ALSO COMMANDER OF. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT REUSE, WE ALSO HAVE REUSE ON OUR SIDE AS WELL. WE ALSO HEARD NICE WORDS FROM LAUNCH DIRECTOR. SO NICE COMMUNICATION FROM BOTH THE FALCON TEAM AND DRAGON TEAM TO THE AX 3 CREW. >> WITH THAT THE CREW IS IN ORBIT AND ON THEIR WAY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. GREAT VIEWS OF THE CREW THERE. NOW MISSION CONTROL AGAIN — >> SpaceX DRAGON, ANY CHANCE YOU CAN ENCODE ONE OF THE SUNLIGHT CAMERAS,
WE CAN WATCH THE NOSE CODE? >> THE CREW IS GET INTO IT. I LOVE IT. >> DRAGON, WE COPY ON THE REQUEST. >> AND, DRAGON, WE EXPECT THAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY HERE IMMINENTLY. >> WITH THAT, WE ARE GOING TO THROW IT BACK OVER — >> STILL TRAVELING. >> STAND BY. >> GREAT VIEWS OF THE CREW. AGAIN, ON THEIR WAY TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. AND ALREADY GETTING RIGHT DOWN TO THE BUSINESS OF OPERATING DRAGON. I CAN STILL SEE A HUGE NUMBER OF OUR TEAM GATHERED BEHIND MISSION CONTROL. >> DRAGON SpaceX, WE SEE NOMINAL DEHUMIDIFIER. >> CONFIRMATION
OF THE DRACO THURSDAYERS. >> WE HAVE VISORS OPEN. >> COPY, GREAT NEWS. >> SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE RECENTLY TUNED IN, AX 3 IS IN SPACE. THE CREW IS EXPERIENCING THEIR FIRST TASTE OF MICROGRAPH I.T. HERE’S A VIEW OF OUR MC VAC ENGINE WHICH HAS SHUT DOWN. IT HAS SEPARATED FROM THE SECOND STAGE WHICH IS WHERE THAT IS LOCATED. WE ARE STANDING BY FOR NOSE CONE DEPLOYMENT. THIS TAKES A FEW MINUTES TO COMPLETE AS THERE ARE TWO SETS OF HOOKS THAT NEED TO BE OPENED INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER. BY DEPLOYING THE NOSE CONE,
WE ARE ABLE TO EXPOSE THE DOCKING MECHANISM, WHICH IS WHAT THE CREW WILL UTILIZE OR WHAT DRAGON WITH UTILIZE TO AUTONOMOUSLY DOCK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. OVERALL, IT WAS A PRETTY SMOOTH FLIGHT. ALL THE WAY THROUGH COUNTDOWN TO LIFT-OFF. WE ARE NOW APPROACHING 17 1/2 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT. ONCE AGAIN, THE NEXT MILESTONE WILL BE TO DEPLOY THE NOSE CONE. THIS IS THE LAST PHYSICAL CHANGE THAT DRAGON WILL UNDERGO IN ORDER TO BEGIN ITS JOURNEY, WELL, NOT BEGIN, IT’S ALREADY ON ITS WAY. TO BE READY FOR ITS APPROACH TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. ALL RIGHT.
SO IT’S MARRED TO SEE AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE THE CAMERA IS STILL CLOSE TO THE HARDWARE, BUT THIS IS THE NOSE CONE OPENING. SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE. OF COURSE, WHEN YOU ARE IN SPACE, EVERY ACTION HAS AN OPPOSITE AND EQUAL REACTION. SO FOR VERY GOOD REASONS, WE DON’T JUST FLING THE THING OPEN. IT’S SLOW AND STEADY. AGAIN, THIS IS ALLOWS US TO EXPOSE THE DOCKING MECHANISM, THE HARDWARE THAT WILL WILL BE UTILIZED TO DOCK WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. THAT HATCH, THE FORWARD HATCH, WILL THEN BE OPENED AND THAT’S HOW THE CREW WILL
GET IN AND OUT OF DRAGON WHILE IT IS UP AT THE SPACE STATION FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. SO THAT SIDE HATCH, WHICH IS WHERE WE SAW THE CREW OR TECHNICALLY THEY WERE ALREADY IN BY THE TIME WE STARTED OUR BROADCAST, BUT THE CREW DID INGRESS DRAGON TODAY A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO THROUGH THAT SIDE HATCH. THAT REMAINS CLOSED. THAT WON’T OPEN AGAIN UNTIL THEY ARE SAFELY BACK ON EARTH. THIS NOSE CONE IS SLOWLY BEING OPENED. OPENING THE FIRST PART OF A MULTISYSTEM DOOR FOR THEM TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT THAT DOCKING IS AUTONOMOUS. THAT MEANS THAT DRAGON DOES THE STEERING ITSELF. OUR PILOT, WALTER, HAS THE TRAINING AND CAPABILITY TO TAKE CONTROL IF NECESSARY. BUT NOMINALLY SPEAKING, DRAGON IS — FLIES ON AUTO PILOT. IT DOES THE THINKING AND CALCULATION ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE DAY IS ULTIMATELY MUCH SAFER THAN HUMAN STEERING AS, YOU KNOW, THERE IS MORE — HUMANS ARE PRONE TO ERROR BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN. SO THAT’S A LIVE VIEW THERE OF SpaceX MISSION CONTROL CENTER HERE AT SpaceX HEADQUARTERS IN HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA. IT’S IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR WORK
DAY. SO, OF COURSE, MANY FOLKS HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR POSITIONS, THEIR DECKS THERE, THEIR JOB. AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO DO WHAT WE DO BEST, THAT’S BUILD SPACECRAFT AND ROCKETS AND SEND PEOPLE TO SPACE JUST LIKE WE HAVE DONE TODAY. WITH THAT, LET’S CHECK IN OVER WITH COURTNEY WHO IS STANDING BY AT THE ISS MISSION CONTROL CENTER IN HOUSTON. COURTNEY, HOW ARE THINGS LOOKING OVER THERE? IT’S OVER TO YOU. >> HEY, KATE, EVERYTHING IS GREAT. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LAUNCH TODAY. AND WITH TODAY’S SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF AX 3, THE TEAMS AT NASA WILL BE MONITORING DRAGON’S
FLIGHT TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. NASA’S ROLE KICKS IN AT A PERIOD CALLED INTEGRATED OPERATIONS. AT THIS POINT THE TEAMS ARE ALL IN LOCK STEP TO GET THE CREW SAFELY DOCKED. THE TEAMS HERE ARE PREPARING FOR A DOCKING OF AX 3 TO THE STATION ON SATURDAY MORNING. FOR NOW, THAT WILL BE IT FROM US IN MISSION CONTROL, HOUSTON AND WE’LL BE BACK WITH YOU SATURDAY FOR DOCKING. FOR NOW, WE’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU, KATE AND JOHN. >> THANK, COURTNEY. WE DID HEAR WE HAD NOMINAL OPENING OF THE NOSE CONE.
THAT’S GREAT NEWS. OVER THE NEXT 30 HOURS, 30 PLUS HOURS, DRAGON WILL EXECUTE A SERIES OF BURN TO RAISE AND LINE UP THE AX 3 CREW FOR DOCKING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE ACTIVATION AND RENDEZVOUS PHASE OF THE MISSION. IN A FEW MINUTES THE CREW WILL CHANGE OUT OF SPACESUITS AND GET MORE COMFORTABLE FOR FLIGHT. SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MY FAVORITE PART, ENJOY THEIR FIRST MEAL ABOARD THE SPACECRAFT. THEY WILL HAVE A REST PERIOD THAT WILL LAST FOR ABOUT EIGHT HOURS. BEFORE THEY ARRIVE AT THE SPACE STATION, WE’LL
HAVE TWO POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO CHAT BRIEFLY WITH THE CREW ON ORBIT, ONE AROUND 3:15 P.M. PACIFIC AND ANOTHER AROUND 6:20 P.M. PACIFIC. >> THE CABIN CAMERA IS SOON TO BE FIGURED. YOU ARE GO FOR SUIT DAVEING. >> SO THAT CALL OUT SAYING THAT THE CREW IS CLEAR TO TAKE OFF THEIR SUITS. THEY ARE ABLE TO GET MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THE UPCOMING JOURNEY. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME ON-ORBIT OPPORTUNITIES TO CHAT WITH THE CREW. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WILL WORK OUT, NEITHER OPPORTUNITY IS GUARANTEED AS THEY ARE, UNFORTUNATELY, DEPENDENT ON CREW SCHEDULE
AND GROUND STATION COVERAGE. IF WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT, WE’LL MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA NO LATER THAN 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE START TIME. BE SURE TO KEEP TABS ON THE MISSION AT AXIOMSPACE.COM. >> DRAGON, CAMERAS ARE EXTERNAL. >> YOU CAN ALSO TRACK DRAGON’S FLIGHT ON SpaceX.COM/LAUNCHES. >> EVEN IF WE AREN’T ABLE TO TALK LIVE, WE’LL PROVIDE UPDATES ON THE MISSION ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. AS DRAGON AND CREW APPROACH THE STATION ON JANUARY 20, WE’LL PICK IT UP LIVE. KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR UPDATES THERE. WILL BE INCREDIBLE UPDATES. THANK YOU SpaceX, THANK YOU
NASA AND THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON.
