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WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM. WELCOME TO THE AIR AND SPACE
MUSEUM. EVERYONE WILL HEAR US CLAP.
WATCH AND LISTEN. WE'VE GOT ABOUT FIVE MINUTES
BEFORE THE PROGRAM. HANG TIGHT.
I REALLY HOPE YOU ENJOY THE PROGRAM.
TAKE IT EASY. [ APPLAUSE ]
>>> GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I AM ROGER LAUNIUS, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR COLLECTIONS AND
CURE TORIAL AFFAIRS HERE AT THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION'S
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM HERE IN WASHINGTON.
[ APPLAUSE ] I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO
THIS WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WHERE WE GET TO MEET THE NEW ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATES FROM NASA. AND TO HOST THIS ACTIVITY TODAY,
I'M ASKING LELAND MELVIN, WHO IS HIMSELF A FORMER ASTRONAUT, A
VETERAN OF TWO MISSIONS, BUT ALSO THE ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR
FOR EDUCATION AT NASA TODAY. SO WITHOUT ANY FURTHER
COMMENTARY FROM ME, LET ME INVITE LELAND UP TO THE STAGE.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU.
THANKS, ROGER. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING TODAY?
OH, COME ON. HOW ARE YOU DOING?
[ CHEERING ] >> ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS VERY EXCITING. THIS IS THE LATEST ASTRONAUT
CLASS AND THEY'RE FANTASTIC PEOPLE.
GET TO TALK TO MEMBERS UP ON THE SPACE STATION RIGHT NOW.
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS BRING THEM ALL UP.
I'M A FORMER ASTRONAUT. I FLEW A COUPLE TIMES IN SPACE
AND I HAD A COOL THING HAPPEN TO ME WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS? OKAY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER. I ASKED MY DAD FOR A SKATEBOARD
AND HE SAID YOU CAN'T AFFORD ONE.
I MADE MY OWN. I BECAME A MECHANICAL ENGINEER
BY MAKING MY OWN SKATEBOARD. ARE YOU READY FOR THEM TO COME
UP? >> WANT TO BRING UP JOSH
CASSADA. ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT, JOSH.
GOOD JOB. NEXT WE HAVE VICTOR GLOVER.
VICTOR, COME ON UP! [ APPLAUSE ]
ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
HE'S HEAVY. NEXT WE HAVE NICK HAGUE.
NICK, COME ON UP. [ APPLAUSE ]
ALL RIGHT, MY MAN. NEXT WE HAVE CHRISTINA HAMMOCK.
CHRISTINA, COME ON DOWN. THE PRICE IS RIGHT.
[ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT.
NEXT IS NICOLE MANN. COME ON, NICOLE.
[ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT.
NEXT WE HAVE ANNE McCLAIN. COME ON, ANNE.
[ APPLAUSE ] COME ON, YOU GUYS GIVE THEM MORE
LOVE THAN THAT. [ APPLAUSE ]
OKAY. HER CALL SIGN IS ANIMAL.
NEXT WE HAVE DREW MORGAN. COME ON, DREW.
[ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. I CAN'T EVEN DO ALL THAT.
AND NEXT WE HAVE JESSICA MEIR. COME ON JESSICA.
[ APPLAUSE ] NICE TO MEET YOU.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
SO WE HAVE THE CREW HERE. WHY DON'T YOU SIT DOWN.
WE'LL ASK THEM, WHAT WAS THAT THING THAT GOT YOU EXCITED OR
GOT YOU GOING WHEN YOU WERE THEIR AGE.
ANNE, YOU NEED A MIKE. THERE YOU GO.
>> WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, I USED TO SEE THE SPACE SHUTTLE TAKING
OFF ON TV ALL THE TIME. I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE COOLEST
THING BECAUSE THERE WERE THE PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD THAT WERE
GOING TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
THEY'RE GOING TO SEE SOMETHING WITH THEIR OWN EYEBALLS THAT NO
ONE HAS SEEN BEFORE AND USING TECHNOLOGY THAT'S NEVER BEEN
INVENTED BEFORE. TO ME, THAT WAS THE COOLEST
THING AND I WANTED TO BE PART OF IT.
>> AWESOME. VICTOR?
>> SO IT WAS CURIOSITY AND ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF MY CURIOSITY
WAS COLLECTING BUGS. I LOVE TO COLLECT BUGS.
I WOULD PUT THEM IN ANYTHING, A POCKET, MY BACKPACK.
>> DID YOU EAT THEM? >> I DIDN'T EAT THEM.
NO COMMENT. BUT WHEN MY MOM WOULD GO TO WASH
MY CLOTHES, SHE WOULD CLEAN OUT MY POCKETS AND SOMETIMES I WOULD
FORGET TO TAKE THEM OUT. TO THIS DAY, SHE WILL NOT PUT
HER HANDS IN MY POCKETS. >> THANKS.
NICK? >> WELL, I THINK THE THING THAT
REALLY GOT ME STARTED, WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, I LIKED TO FIGURE
OUT HOW THINGS WORKED. IT GOT ME IN TROUBLE QUITE A BIT
BECAUSE I WOULD BREAK THINGS TO PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER.
THAT GOT ME STARTED KIND OF ON THE SAME TRACK AS LELAND.
I LIKE TO MAKE THINGS. >> AWESOME.
NICOLE? >> SO WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I
WASN'T SURE WHAT I WANTED TO DO. BUT I KNEW THAT I LIKED TO
EXPLORE AND I LIKED TO FIND OUT NEW THINGS.
WE WOULD GO CAMPING WITH MY FAMILY AND I'D GO ON A HIKE AND
SAY MOM, DAD, CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT PEAK, I WANT TO GO FARTHER
AND FARTHER. I KEPT LOOKING AND KEPT
EXPLORING. THAT'S WHAT FIRST GOT ME
INTERESTED. >> AWESOME.
DREW? >> I THINK IT WAS INSPIRATION
FROM THOSE ASTRONAUTS THAT HAD GONE BEFORE ME.
WHEN I WAS IN FOURTH GRADE, I WROTE A LETTER TO ALLEN BEAN, HE
SENT ME A PICTURE SIGNED BY HIM. WHEN IT CAME IN THE MAIL, I WAS
SO EXCITED. I THOUGHT I WAS CHOSEN TO BE AN
ASTRONAUT AT THAT MOMENT. I NEVER LOST THAT PASSION OR MY
DRIVE TO DO THAT. I KEPT IT AND STUCK TO IT.
AND HERE I AM LUCKY ENOUGH TO SIT AMONG THESE -- MY SEVEN
CLASSMATES TODAY. >> AWESOME.
CHRISTINA? >> WHEN I WAS LITTLE, MY DAD WAS
REALLY INTO SCIENCE. WE USED TO HAVE NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINES AROUND THE HOUSE AND I WOULD ALWAYS LOOK
THROUGH THEM. I WOULD TEAR OUT THE PAGES THAT
INTERESTED ME THE MOST. ON THE WALLS IN MY BEDROOM WHEN
I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, THERE WERE ALL THESE PICTURES OF SPACE AND
ANTARCTICA. THOSE WERE THE TWO THINGS I
LOVED. WHEN I GREW UP, THOSE WERE MY
DREAMS THAT I BROUGHT TO FRUITION.
I WENT TO ANTARCTICA AFTER I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND NOW
I'M PART OF THE ASTRONAUT CORPS. THE THINGS THAT YOU REALLY LOVE,
TURN THOSE INTO YOUR DREAMS AND YOUR REALITY.
>> AWESOME. JOSH?
>> WHEN I WAS GROWING UP MY DAD WAS A NAVY PILOT.
I WAS SURROUNDED BY AVIATION AND WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN IT.
I WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN MATH AND SCIENCE AND COMPUTERS AND
SPORTS. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO PLAY
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL. THAT WAS THE PLAN.
I WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD. MY OFF-SPEED STUFF WAS OKAY BUT
MY FASTBALL WAS NOT A FASTBALL. SO I HAD TO COME UP WITH A PLAN
B. I REMEMBER MY DAD SAYING BOY, IF
HE COULD DO ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY, HE WOULD WORK HARD
TO BE AN ASTRONAUT. I THOUGHT, WOW, THAT'S A JOB
THAT COMBINES EVERYTHING, THE MATH AND THE SCIENCE AND THE
EXPLORATION AND THE ATHLETICISM AND THANKFULLY NASA DOESN'T NEED
ME TO THROW ANYTHING FASTER THAN 75 MIRROR I WOULDN'T BE SITTING
UP HERE. >>> AWESOME.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT STEM. SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING
AND MATHEMATICS. ALL OF THESE CANDIDATES HAVE
STEM DEGREES. WE WANT TO GET YOU GUYS INSPIRED
AND MOTIVATED TO THINK ABOUT YOURSELVES BEING AN ASTRONAUT,
BEING A ROCKET SCIENTIST, BEING SOMEONE TO HELP CHANGE THE
WORLD. THAT'S WHAT SCIENTISTS AND
ENGINEERS DO. WE CHANGE THE WORLD AND REALLY
POSITIVE WAYS. WE HAVE AN SSME, A SPACE SHUTTLE
MAIN ENGINE HERE. THIS IS THE ENGINE THAT TOOK ME
TO SPACE ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS.
WE HAVE HABITATS, DISCOVERY, ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN HERE.
YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE
ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR
QUESTIONS READY. YOU'LL BE TALKING TO TWO
ASTRONAUTS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION TRAVELING AROUND
THE PLANET AT 17,500 MILES PER HOUR EVERY 90 MINUTES.
AGAIN, 17,500 MILES PER HOUR. HAVE YOU EVER GONE THAT FAST IN
A CAR? >> NOT YET.
>> I DIDN'T THINK SO. IT'S A REALLY COOL PLACE.
WHEN I WAS UP THERE, ASK THIS QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE
HARDEST THING TO DO IN SPACE IS? ASK THEM THAT QUESTION WHEN THEY
COME UP. FOR THE TWITTER FOLKS OUT THERE,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HASH TAG, #ASTRONAUT -- MAKE SURE I HAVE
THE RIGHT THING. #ASTRO CLASS AND THERE'S ALSO
ANOTHER TWITTER ACCOUNT @ASTRO CLASS 2013.
FOR THOSE IN THE TWITTER VERSE, SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO OUR
LOVELY SARA BACK HERE. SHE'LL BE FIELDING SOME OF THE
QUESTIONS AND WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE ASTRONAUTS IN
SPACE AND THEN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES
AND WHAT INSPIRED THEM AND MOTIVATED THEM TO BE ASTRONAUTS
AND COME UP HERE TODAY. SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS
BEFORE WE TALK TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR TEAM HERE.
[ APPLAUSE ] YOU GUYS LOOK UP HERE.
WE'VE GOT HOUSTON. MISSION CONTROL IN HOUSTON,
TEXAS. PICTURE UP THERE.
WHO IS THE CAP COM DOES ANYONE KNOW?
ANYONE KNOW WHAT THAT IS. >> CAPSULE COMMUNICATOR.
THE PERSON WHO TALKS TO THE PERSON IN SPACE.
I SEE HOWELL UP THERE. WE GOT A FEW MORE SECONDS HERE.
WHAT'S YOUR -- WHAT'S THE FAVORITE THING THAT YOU --
FAVORITE THING YOU'VE DONE SO FAR AS AN ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE.
>> FAVORITE THING THAT I'VE DONE SO FAR?
ALL OF IT. ALL SIX MONTHS.
ONE THING THAT STANDS OUT, FLYING ON THE ZERO G AIRPLANE
AND EXPERIENCE THE SECONDS OF WEIGHTLESSNESS, IT WAS WAY
BETTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE CALLED.
>> WHAT'S IT CALLED? >> THE VOMIT COMET.
>> WHY IS IT CALLED THAT? >> BECAUSE -- YOU CAN USE YOUR
IMAGINATION. IT CAN GET MESSY.
>> WE'RE READY? OKAY.
I SEE HOUSTON PREPARING. LET'S DO A COUNTDOWN.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 -- >> STATION, THIS IS HOUSTON.
ARE YOU READY FOR THE EVENT? >> HOUSTON, STATION IS READY.
>> NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM, THIS IS MISSION CONTROL,
HOUSTON. PLEASE CALL STATION FOR A VOICE
CHECK. >> STATION, THIS IS LELAND AND
THE AS-CANS AT THE NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE ME SUM.
HOW DO YOU HEAR US? >> LELAND AND THE AS-CANS, WE
HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. >> AWESOME.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING GREAT.
MIKE, BEEN PUMPING SOME STEEL UP THERE OR SOMETHING.
ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD, MIKE.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE STUDENTS HERE
IN THE AUDIENCE. >> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, THEY
MAKE US DO THAT. >> YOU HAVE TO DO THAT, RIGHT?
>> KEEP YOUR BONES AND YOUR MUSCLES IN SHAPE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE STUDENTS.
I THINK THE STUDENTS WILL BE LINING UP NOW, IS THAT CORRECT?
WE'LL GET THEM TO LINE UP. AND THEN WE'LL ASK YOU YOU TWO
QUESTIONS IN SPACE. WHAT WAS THE THING THAT GOT YOU
SO INSPIRED WHEN YOU WERE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL?
>> GUYS, THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO, LELAND.
I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN REMEMBER MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT I CERTAINLY REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
IT WAS THE EARLY DAYS OF THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM AND GETTING TO
WATCH ALL OF THOSE LAUNCHES THAT WERE HAPPENING EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S DEFINITELY WHAT INSPIRED ME ABOUT THE SPACE PROGRAM AND
WHAT GAVE ME THE IDEA OF BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT SOMEDAY.
>> FANTASTIC. >> RICK, WHAT ABOUT YOU?
I KNOW THAT WAS A REALLY LONG TIME AGO FOR YOU.
WHAT WAS THE THING THAT INSPIRED YOU.
>> I THINK -- THANKS, LELAND. YEAH, I DO REMEMBER ACTUALLY
BACK WHEN I WAS IN SIXTH GRADE OR THAT TIME FRAME AND I
REMEMBER WHENEVER MY TEACHERS TALKED ABOUT SPACE OR TALKED
ABOUT PLANETS, THAT WOULD JUST INTEREST ME TO NO END.
IT WAS MY FAVORITE SUBJECT AND OF COURSE, I WAS ALWAYS
INTERESTED IN AIRPLANES AND FLYING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
IT JUST KIND OF NATURALLY CAME TOGETHER THAT I WENT AND BECAME
AN ENGINEER AND THEN I DECIDED TO APPLY AS AN ASTRONAUT AND OF
COURSE, IT TOOK ME MANY, MANY YEARS AND A LOT OF HARD WORK,
BUT EVENTUALLY I DID GET SELECTED.
SO IT STARTED AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.
AN INTERESTING SUBJECT FOR ME. >> FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU. WELL, YOU GUYS, ARE YOU READY
FOR SOME QUESTIONS FROM SOME FANTASTIC STUDENTS FROM THE D.C.
METRO AREA? OKAY.
>> WE'RE READY. >> WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR
NAME AND THEN ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE FROM.
>> I'M FROM FRIENDSHIP, I'M IN SIXTH GRADE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK IF YOU WERE NOT SELECTED TO BE AN
ASTRONAUT, WHAT OTHER CAREER WOULD YOU HAVE CHOSEN?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND THAT'S EASY FOR ME TO ANSWER
BECAUSE I WAS AN ENGINEER WHO WORKED AT NASA AND I WORKED AT
THAT A FOR NINE YEARS AS AN ENGINEER AND THEN IN MISSION
CONTROL. SO IF I DID NOT BECOME AN
ASTRONAUT, I WOULD STILL BE WORKING FOR NASA.
IT'S A FANTASTIC PLACE TO WORK. IT'S GOT SO MANY INTERESTING
JOBS. NOT JUST ASTRONAUT, IT HAS
ENGINEERING JOBS, IT HAS SIGH TISS, JOBS FOR SCIENTISTS,
DOCTORS, RESEARCHERS, ALL KIND OF FOLKS.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK. >> GREAT QUESTION.
>> MY NAME IS NICHOLAS. AND I'M FROM THE CAPITOL HILL
HILL DAY SCHOOL. I WAS WONDERING, WHAT DO YOU
RESEARCH ON THE SPACE STATION? >> NICHOLAS, THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. THERE IS A TON OF RESEARCH GOING
ON UP HERE. IN FACT, DURING OUR INCREMENT,
THERE'S GOING TO BE OVER 200 EXPERIMENTS GOING ON.
A LOT OF THOSE EXPERIMENTS, THEY RANGE FROM ONE THAT IS WE DON'T
HAVE A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT IN, SUCH AS THE ALPHA MAGNETIC
SPECTROMETER LOOKING FOR THE ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE.
WE HELP KEEP THE STATION RUNNING AND UTILIZES THE POWER AND DATA
AND COMMUNICATION STREAMS TO BRING THE DATA DOWN TO THE
GROUND. THEN THERE'S EXPERIMENTS WHERE
WE'RE MORE INVOLVED SO WE'RE EXECUTING THE EXPERIMENTS IN
CONJUNCTION WITH PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR DOWN ON THE GROUND.
FOR EXAMPLE, FLUID FLOW TYPE EXPERIMENTS AND HOW THEY MOVE
AND DIFFERENT SHAPED VESSELS, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WE'LL WORK
ON. THEN THERE'S THE EXPERIMENTS
WHERE WE'RE VERY INVOLVED IN BECAUSE WE'RE THE GUINEA PIGS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
HAPPENS TO THE HUMAN BODY UP IN MICRO GRAVITY, SUCH AS OUR
SPINES EXPAND. WE'LL DO THINGS LIKE TAKE
ULTRASOUND OF OUR SPINES AND, AGAIN, THAT WILL BE WORKING IN
CONJUNCTION WITH PEOPLE ON THE GROUND THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE
THAT DATA AND ANALYZE IT AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP US
DECIDE OR LEARN HOW WE CAN PROTECT ASTRONAUTS MAYBE ONE OF
YOU SOMEDAY WHEN WE DO A LONGER FLIGHT TO MARS OR BEYOND.
>> GREAT QUESTION. NEXT QUESTION.
>> HELLO. I'M JOHNNY.
I GO TO JEFFERSON ACADEMY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
MY QUESTION IS, HOW DIFFERENT IS THE TRANSITION FROM BEING IN
SPACE TO COMING BACK DOWN TO EARTH ON YOUR BODY?
>> YEAH. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WHEN WE LAUNCH AND WE ARRIVE HERE ON THE SPACE STATION, OUR
BODY GOES THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES AND WHEN WE RETURN TO
EARTH WE GO THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES.
IT'S A GOOD QUESTION ON WHICH IS HARDER ON THE BODY.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH BOTH SEVERAL TIMES.
WHEN WE LAND, THE BIGGEST THING THAT I NOTICE IS I FEEL VERY
DEHYDRATED. WE LOSE A LOT OF FLUIDS IN SPACE
BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF GRAVITY. A LOT OF THE BLOOD SHIFTS TO OUR
HEAD AND OUR BODY DOESN'T NEED ALL THAT FLUID.
SO IT RELEASES ALL THE FLUID BY URINATING MORE AND JUST
EVAPORATION AND SWEATING IT OUT. OF COURSE, WHEN WE GET BACK TO
EARTH, THE GRAVITY IS BACK AND PULLS A LOT OF THE BLOOD BACK IN
OUR LEGS AND WE NEED THE FLUID. I FEEL DEE HIGH DRIETED AND YOUR
VESTIBULAR SYSTEM, YOU FEEL DIZZY, LIKE YOU'VE BEEN ON A
CARNIVAL RIDE FOR A FEW WEEKS. IT TAKES TIME BEFORE YOU'RE ABLE
TO WALK IN A STABLE WAY AND YOUR MUSCLES OR BONES HAVE ATROPHIED.
BUT WE EXERCISE A LOT TO MINIMIZE THAT.
YOUR BODY GOES THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES EITHER ON YOUR WAY UP OR
ON YOUR WAY DOWN. >> GREAT QUESTION.
>> HI, MY NAME IS BROOK. I GO TO THE BRIDGES ACADEMY.
I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MANY LEVELS OF MATH WOULD I NEED TO TAKE IF
I WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT? >> EVERY LEVEL YOU CAN FIND.
YEAH. YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO STUDY THE
MATH, THE SCIENCE, THE ENGINEERING IN SCHOOL.
MOST OF US HAVE A BACKGROUND IN THAT, THOUGH THERE ARE
ASTRONAUTS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF A BACKGROUND.
THERE'S TEACHERS OUT THERE. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED
IN THE ASTRONAUT PROGRAM, BUT MATH IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT.
SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND KEEP STUDYING IT.
>> REALLY GOOD QUESTION. >> I'M JESSE.
I'M FROM NORWOOD SCHOOL. IF YOU HAD A CHOICE, WHAT AREA
IN SPACE WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLORE?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. WHERE IN SPACE WOULD WE LIKE TO
EXPLORE? WELL, I THINK THE MOON IS A
GREAT PLACE TO VISIT. IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THE EARTH, IT
ONLY TAKES THREE DAYS TO GET THERE.
SO IF WE WANT TO VISIT OR IF THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH A
VEHICLE, WE COULD ACCEPTED HELP. IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO PRACTICE
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO COMPLICATED PLACES LIKE MARS OR ASTEROIDS.
I THINK THE MOON IS A GOOD STEPPINGSTONE.
>> JESSICA, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MIKE OR RICK?
>> SURE. SO THIS MIGHT APPLY TO
EVERYBODY. ALL OF US HAVE WORKED REALLY,
REALLY HARD OUR WHOLE LIVES TO GET HERE.
OF COURSE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FUN DOING ALL THE REALLY COOL
THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO DO.
I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, ALL THIS HARD WORK AND ALL THIS TIME
AND WAITING AND FOR US THAT ARE GOING TO WAIT SO LONG, IS IT
WORTH IT? >> YES.
NO, IT IS DEFINITELY WORTH IT. IT IS THE MOST AMAZING
EXPERIENCE THAT I THINK YOU COULD EVER HAVE.
YOU KNOW, FLOATING IS TRULY INCREDIBLE.
IT NEVER GETS OLD. IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVEN AS
WE'RE WORKING ALL DAY LONG, YOU JUST ENJOY DOING IT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T GET TO
EXPERIENCE MORE DOWN ON EARTH. IT IS TRULY INCREDIBLE.
THE VIEWS OF EARTH ARE TRULY INCREDIBLE.
IT IS WORTH THE WAIT. >> FANTASTIC.
NEXT QUESTION HERE FROM MY FRIEND RIGHT HERE.
COME ON UP. >> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS TONY. I AM A STUDENT AT FRIENDSHIP.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU WERE SELECTED
TO BE AN ASTRONAUT? >> GOOD QUESTION.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WHEN I WAS FIRST SELECTED AS AN
ASTRONAUT, I COULD NOT EVEN BELIEVE THAT IT HAPPENED.
I REMEMBER GETTING A PHONE CALL AND THEM TELLING ME THAT I WAS
SELECTED AS AN ASTRONAUT AND I SAID OH, GREAT, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. THE PHONE CALL ONLY LASTED A FEW
SECONDS AND THEN I REMEMBER A COUPLE HOURS LATER WONDERING IF
I REALLY GOT THAT PHONE CALL OR WAS I DREAMING?
I HAD TO CALL DUANE ROSS WHO WORKS IN THE ASTRONAUT SELECTION
BOARD. DUANE, DID I REALLY GET
SELECTED? HE SAID YES, RICK, YOU'RE NOT
DREAMING. IT WAS A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR
ME AND I'LL NEVER FORGET IT. >> MIKE AND RICK, DUANE ROSS IS
ACTUALLY HERE WITH US TODAY. GOOD QUESTION, YOUNG MAN.
>> SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO SOCIAL MEDIA NOW.
SEE WHICH QUESTIONS ARE OUT THERE.
>> WE HAVE SOME GREAT QUESTIONS COMING IN.
WE HAVE ONE FROM GREGORIO WHO WANTS TO KNOW WHAT DOES THE
SPACE PROGRAM HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR?
>> WOW, THAT'S A BIG QUESTION. I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A
HUGE OR A LOT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR.
AGAIN, ALL IN THOSE SCIENCE ARENAS, I EXPECT TO SEE A LOT OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THERE. SOMETIMES, THOUGH, THE SCIENCE,
THE RESULTS FROM WHAT WE'RE DOING UP HERE TAKE A LITTLE TIME
BECAUSE WE COLLECT A LOT OF THAT DATA, WE SEND IT DOWN TO THE
GROUND AND THEN THE SCIENTISTS, THEY NEED TO HAVE TIME TO LOOK
AT THAT DATA, TO ANALYZE IT AND TO COME UP WITH SOME RESULTS ON
THAT. SO A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING,
YOU MAY NOT SEE THE RESULTS FOR THAT UNTIL TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF BIG ACCOMPLISH AMS JUST BY
KEEPING THE SPACE STATION RUNNING.
WE'VE GOT MORE VISITING VEHICLES THAT WILL BE COMING UP HERE.
WE JUST HAD ORBITAL COME UP, SPACE X WILL BE COMING UP,
RUSSIAN PROGRESS VEHICLES COMING UP.
I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MORE EVAs PLANNED AS WELL THIS YEAR.
IT'S ALWAYS BUSY AND I EXPECT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ARE GOING TO
HAPPEN THIS YEAR. >> AND I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER
QUESTION FROM THE AS-CANS. >> HEY GUYS, I WAS WONDERING IF
YOU COULD SHARE WITH THE AUDIENCE HERE.
WE TALKED ABOUT WORKING OUT AND TRYING TO PREVENT BONE LOSS AND
MUSCLE ATROPHY. COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS YOU
DID IN TERMS OF ATHLETICS GROWING UP AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO
DO ON STATION. >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, NICK.
I ALWAYS SAID THAT FLYING IN SPACE, SPACE SHUTTLE MISSIONS
THAT I'VE DONE BEFORE AND NOW A SPACE STATION MISSION, IT'S A
TEAM EVENT, IT'S A TEAM SPORT. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
GROWING UP TO PLAY TEAM SPORTS, FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, BASKETBALL,
SOCCER, HOCKEY, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT SPORTS.
I THINK IT GIVES YOU A BIG ADVANTAGE TO LEARN TO PLAY WITH
YOUR TEAMMATES, TO WORK WITH YOUR TEAMMATES, TO WORK TOGETHER
TO ACHIEVE A COMMON GOAL BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WE DO UP HERE.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DO UP HERE. YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE CREW
MATES AND THE FOLKS ON THE GROUND AND THE SCIENTISTS.
IT'S ONE BIG TEAM, ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY.
YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER.
THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND ACCOMPLISH THE
GOALS IS BY WORKING TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO
TEAM SPORTS AND THE MISSIONS THAT WE DO.
GROWING UP, I PLAYED A LOT OF SPORTS.
I PLAYED FOOTBALL, I PLAYED BASKETBALL AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT
THINGS. MOSTLY IN THE STREET WITH MY
FRIENDS BUT ALSO SOME ORGANIZED SPORTS IN SCHOOL.
>> GREAT. NOW, MIKE, IF WE -- THE WIDE
RECEIVER, DEFENSIVE BACK CLASH WOULD BE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW,
YOU KNOW. LET'S TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION FROM
SOCIAL MEDIA. >> YOU'RE GOING DOWN.
>> OKAY. SURE.
SO WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CANDIDATES.
IN THE TRADITION OF THE QUESTION ASKED TO THE MERCURY ASTRONAUTS,
WHICH ONE OF YOU WILL BE THE FIRST IN SPACE?
>> WHICH ONE? >> THEY'RE GOING AS A TEAM
TOGETHER. >> WE'RE HOPING FOR A BIG
CAPSULE THAT CAN FIT EIGHT. ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA, MAYBE
ONE MORE QUESTION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA?
>> SURE. WHAT ASPECT OF THE TRAINING HAVE
YOU ENJOYED THE MOST? >> YEAH.
FOR ME, THAT'S AN EASY ONE. I ENJOYED THE EVA TRAINING.
I ENJOYED SPENDING TIME IN THE SUITS IN THE WATER.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC WHEN YOU CAME UP HERE.
WE WEREN'T SCHEDULED TO HAVE AN EVA.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE EXTERNAL COOLING LOOP
AND WE HAD TO GO OUTSIDE IN DECEMBER AND FIX IT.
GETTING TO TAKE THAT TRAINING, ALL OF THAT TRAINING THAT WAS
SPENT ON THE GROUND AND APPLY IT UP HERE WAS ABSOLUTELY
FANTASTIC. >> I THINK DREW, YOU'VE GOT A
QUESTION? >> HEY, MIKE, RICK, DREW, DOWN
HERE BACK ON EARTH. I HAD A QUESTION OR ACTUALLY I
WAS GOING TO ASK YOU, RATHER THAN TO JUST FLOATING AROUND
THERE SITTING, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD DO ACROBATIC TRICKS
FOR US. >> WE CALL THOSE STUPID
ASTRONAUT TRICKS. >>> YEAH, I COULD GET MIKE TO DO
SOME TRICKS FOR YOU. >> SOUNDS GOOD.
NOW I GOT TO GIVE HIM A COOKIE OR SOMETHING.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANKS, GUYS.
GOOD JOB. ANY MORE SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTIONS?
>> SURE. WOMEN IN THE AIR WANTS TO KNOW
HOW HAS LIFE CHANGED SINCE BEING SELECTED?
>> ANY FOR THEM? >> THAT'S FOR US UP HERE OR ON
THE GROUND? >> I THINK THAT'S ON THE GROUND.
>> ON THE GROUND. >> WE'LL GET ANOTHER ONE TO YOU
IN A SEC. >> I THINK IT'S EVERY ASPECT OF
OUR LIVES HAS REALLY CHANGED FOR PRETTY MUCH ALL OF US, IT'S A
DREAM COME TRUE AND IT'S STILL REALLY DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE.
EVERY MORNING WE WAKE UP AND FEEL WE HAVE TO PINCH OURSELVES
TO THINK, COULD THIS DREAM THAT I HAD SINCE I WAS FIVE YEARS
OLD, HOW COULD IT HAVE ACTUALLY COME TRUE?
ALL OF US HAD THESE CAREERS THAT WE ABSOLUTELY LOVED BEFORE DOING
THIS. AND SO IT WAS A LITTLE SAD TO
LEAVE THOSE CAREERS. BUT OF COURSE, AT ANY COST OF
GETTING OUR DREAM. OUR DAYS CHANGED ENTIRELY.
WE ALL MOVED TOGETHER TO HOUSTON AND BECAME A FAMILY TOGETHER
WHICH HAS BEEN ANOTHER HUGE PART OF IT.
REALLY EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES HAVE CHANGED BUT ALL IN
POSITIVE, WONDERFUL WAYS. >> GREAT.
MIKE AND RICK, CAN YOU TELL THE STUDENTS HERE WHERE YOU'RE
ACTUALLY FLOATING. WHAT'S THE MODULE YOU'RE
CURRENTLY IN AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS AROUND YOU.
>> YEAH. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN THE U.S.
LABORATORY. BEHIND US IS A NODE II.
THAT'S WHERE WE SLEEP AT NIGHT. WE EACH HAVE A SMALL CREW
QUARTERS. FORWARD OF US OR AFT OF THE
SPACE STATION IS THE RUSSIAN SEGMENT.
HERE IN THE U.S. LABORATORY, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
SCIENCE RACKS. WE HAVE AN EXERCISE BIKE TO OUR
RIGHT. ON OUR LEFT, WE HAVE A -- IT'S A
GLOVE BOX. MICRO GRAVITY SCIENCE GLOVE BOX.
THERE'S A SCIENCE EXPERIMENT IN THERE RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE FREEZERS OFF OVER HERE. RIGHT OVER THE CAMERA, AGAIN,
YOU CAN'T SEE IT. WE HAVE SO TO SPEAK A GALLEY
WHERE WE GET OUR DRINKING WATER AND REHYDRATE OUR WATER AND FILL
OUR FOOD BAGS. THIS IS A VERY BUSY PLACE.
THIS IS THE CENTER OF THE U.S. SEGMENT HERE.
THIS U.S. LABORATORY. >> FANTASTIC.
MIKE AND RICK, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF BOTH OF YOU, WHAT
YOU'RE DOING TO HELP ADVANCE OUR CIVILIZATION THROUGH SPACE
TRAVEL. AND YOU GUYS LOOK REALLY GREAT.
WE WHICH WE WOULD BE THERE WITH YOU.
ESPECIALLY MY AS-CAN BUDDIES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU COMING
BACK HOME. WE'LL GET YOU A NICE GREASY
CHEESEBURGER WHEN YOU GET BACK HOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS TIME WITH THE KIDS AND THE FUTURE
EXPLORERS, OUR FUTURE ASTRONAUTS, GIVE THEM A BIG
ROUND OF APPLAUSE, GUYS. [ APPLAUSE ]
WE PROBABLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT FOR STUPID ASTRONAUT TRICKS.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> I'LL HOLD THE MICROPHONE
WHILE HE DOES IT. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> ALL RIGHT. YOU GUYS LOOK GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> HE CAN'T BE TRAINED. THANKS, GUYS.
>>> OKAY. I THINK THEY'RE FLOATING OFF
NOW. SO NOW WE HAVE TIME TO ASK OUR
ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES SOME QUESTIONS.
IF YOU COME UP TO THE MIKE, WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO ASK THEM
WHAT THEIR GOALS, DREAMS AND DESIRES ARE FOR THEM TO BE UP IN
SPACE ONE DAY. ALL RIGHT.
MY FIRST FRIEND. >> WHAT DOES YOUR TRAINING
INCLUDE? I'M ETHAN.
I'M FROM CAPITOL HILL DAY SCHOOL.
WHAT DOES YOUR TRAINING INCLUDE? >> OKAY.
NICK. >> SO RIGHT NOW OUR TRAINING
INCLUDES, WE HAVE TO -- ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS WE'RE DOING
IS LEARNING HOW TO SPEAK RUSSIAN BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TRAIN OVER IN
RUSSIA AND POTENTIALLY FLY UP TO THE STATION ON A RUSSIAN
SPACECRAFT. BUT WE ALSO ARE LEARNING HOW TO
WORK TOGETHER AS A CREW AND FLYING AROUND IN JETS.
TRAINER JETS. AND WE'RE JUST GETTING READY TO
START LEARNING HOW TO SPACEWALK. SO IF YOU'VE SEEN THE LARGE
TRAINING POOL WHERE THEY HAVE A MOCK-UP OR A MODEL OF THE
STATION, WE'RE GOING TO PUT ON SPACESUITS AND GO UNDERWATER AND
PRACTICE DOING THAT. THAT'S THE BULK OF WHAT WE'RE
DOING NOW AND WE'LL DO THAT FOR THE NEXT PROBABLY 18 MONTHS.
>> NICK, COULD YOU ALSO TELL THEM YOUR BACKGROUND BEFORE YOU
YOU BECAME AN ASTRONAUT. >> SURE.
WE ALL HAVE VERY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
I'M IN THE AIR FORCE. SO I WAS A FLIGHT TEST ENGINEER.
I STARTED OUT AS A LIEUTENANT TRYING TO DESIGN SPACECRAFT,
BUILD SPACECRAFT AND THEN I GOT INVOLVED WITH AIRCRAFT AS WELL.
AND SHARE EVERYBODY ELSE'S BACKGROUNDS TOO.
>> THE NEXT QUESTION. EVERY TIME WE GET A QUESTION,
YOU'LL TELL YOUR BACKGROUND. >> THANKS.
>> GOOD QUESTION, YOUNG MAN. FUTURE ROCKET SCIENTIST THERE.
>> I'M MICAH FROM JEFFERSON ACADEMY.
I WANT TO KNOW, WHAT ARE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
TO GET INTO THE ASTRONAUT PROGRAM.
>> WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT ONE? >> CHRISTINA.
>> I'M CHRISTINA. I'M FORMERLY TO THIS JOB I WAS
AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER WORKING ON NASA'S SPACE SCIENCE
INSTRUMENTS DESIGNING THE GADGETS THAT RIDE ON SPACECRAFT
AND GO STUDY OTHER PLANETS. AND THEN I ALSO WORKED IN
ANTARCTICA DOING REMOTE SCIENCE IN CRAZY PLACES.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME. TO GET TO YOUR QUESTION, THE
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OF BEING AN ASTRONAUT.
WELL, YOU HAVE TO MENTALLY BE CRAZY ENOUGH TO WANT TO DO IT,
THAT'S FOR SURE. THEY DO PUT US THROUGH SOME
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS AND SOME PHYSICAL FITNESS TESTS, BUT
THERE ARE NO STRICT ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENTS.
THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN SHAPE SO IT'S
IMPORTANT TO STAY ACTIVE AND EXERCISE A LOT AND TO BE SOMEONE
WHO IS A PERSON WHO CAN GET ALONG REALLY WELL IN GROUPS AND
ON A TEAM. MENTALLY, YOU HAVE TO BE
PREPARED TO WORK WELL IN A TEAM AND IN A GROUP ENVIRONMENT.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU.
GREAT QUESTION. I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER SOCIAL
MEDIA QUESTION. >> YES WE DO.
THIS PERSON WANTS TO KNOW WHAT EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND DO YOU
HAVE AND IF IT'S SCIENCE, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO USE THESE SKILLS TO
YOUR ADVANTAGE. >> OKAY.
OUR PHYSICIST. >> WAS IT *** A.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. MY BACKGROUND IS IN PHYSICIST.
I WAS A NAVY TEST PILOT UNTIL A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
I DID PHYSICS IN COLLEGE AND HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS IN GRADUATE
SCHOOL. AND FOR ME, WHILE I PROBABLY
WON'T BE DOING A LOT OF PROTON, ANTI-PROTON COLLISIONS IN SPACE,
THE REAL NICE THING ABOUT PHYSICS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS
YOU DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO SOLVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROBLEMS.
AND YOU REALLY BREAK IT DOWN TO THE FUNDAMENTALS AND TRY NOT TO
GET TOO BURIED IN THE DETAILS INITIALLY AND YOU UNDERSTAND IT
AT A HIGHER LEVEL. THE SIMPLER THE EXPLANATION,
PROBABLY THE MORE CORRECT THAT EXPLANATION IS.
THAT'S WHAT HELPS ME IN PHYSICS. I THINK JESSICA HAS A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE FROM HER BIOLOGY BACKGROUND.
>> SURE. I GUESS AS THE SCIENTIST, I WAS
THE -- I THINK FOR ME I WAS A COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGIST.
WHAT THAT MEANT I WAS STUDYING THE BIOLOGY OF ANIMALS THAT DO
REALLY COOL THINGS. TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THINGS LIKE
HOW PENGUINS IN THE ANTARCTIC CAN DIVE FOR SO LONG AND THE
SAME THING FOR SEALS OR HOW BIRDS, SOME SPECIES OF BIRDS CAN
FLY AS HIGH AS THE SUMMIT OF MT. EVEREST.
I WAS INTERESTED SINCE I WAS A KID TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW
ANIMALS CAN DO THE AMAZING THINGS THAT THEY DO.
THAT, I THINK, FOR ME WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND ALL OF
THAT. WHETHER OR NOT THAT WILL RELATE
EXACTLY TO WHAT WE DO, WE'RE GOING TO ALL BE DOING A
MULTITUDE OF TASKS IN SPACE. THE SCIENTIFIC PART WILL HELP ME
LEARN HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY FOR ANYTHING THAT ARISES AND BE
INVOLVED IN SCIENCE AS WELL. COMPLETING EXPERIMENTS, DOING
EXPERIMENTS FOR OTHER SCIENTISTS THAT ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE
THEIR RESEARCH FLOWN ON A SPACE STATION OR OTHER VENUES.
>> GREAT QUESTION. COME ON UP.
>> MY NAME IS ALI A. MY QUESTION IS, WHAT COLLEGE
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND ME, MYSELF IF I WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT?
>> WHAT WANTS TO TAKE THAT ONE? >> REALLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN
WHAT COLLEGE THAT YOU WOULD GO TO, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS
THAT YOU DO GO TO COLLEGE. THAT YOU STAY IN SCHOOL AND THAT
YOU LEARN AND STUDY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN RIGHT NOW.
YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT COLLEGE YOU WANT TO GO TO OR WHAT YOU
WANT TO STUDY, BUT YOU TAKE AS MANY CLASSES AS YOU CAN AND THEN
YOU KEEP ALL THOSE OPTIONS OPEN SO THEN YOU'VE GOT GOOD GRADES
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN YOU CAN CHOOSE
ANY COLLEGE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO FROM THERE.
YOU'LL HAVE THE GOOD GRADES TO BE ABLE TO GET YOU INTO SCHOOL.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND KEEP
STUDYING. >> EXACTLY.
GREAT ANSWER. HI.
I'M FROM NORWOOD SKILL. WERE THERE ANY GAMES OR
ACTIVITIES YOU DID WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD THAT LET YOU KNOW THIS
IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE SOMEDAY?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I WAS -- LIKE MANY OF US, WERE VERY INVOLVED IN OUR
COMMUNITIES, VERY INVOLVED IN SPORTS.
I WAS A CUB SCOUT WHEN I WAS YOUNG.
AND I HAVE A LITTLE BOY ABOUT YOUR AGE THAT'S ALSO A CUB
SCOUT. FOR ALL OF YOU, SCOUTING, I
HIGHLY RECOMMEND. ALL OF US WERE ATHLETES, HIGH
SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, AND WE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A LOT OF
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. SO IT'S NOT JUST DOING WELL IN
SCHOOL BUT DOING WELL IN YOUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
I AM -- I WAS A PHYSICIAN IN THE ARMY.
I ALSO WENT TO THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AND I WAS INVOLVED IN
SPECIAL OLYMPICS WHILE I WAS THERE.
SO THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION. >> GREAT.
GREAT QUESTION. GREAT ANSWER.
WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA NOW.
>> CHRISTOPHER WANTS TO KNOW IF ANY OF YOU KNEW HOW TO SCUBA
DIVE BEFORE BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE AND IF SO,
WHAT PROCESS DID YOU GO THROUGH TO LEARN THAT.
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. CHRISTOPHER.
ACTUALLY, ALL OF US WERE SCUBA DIVERS BEFORE WE GOT HERE.
I THINK IT'S THE PASSION FOR EXPLORATION THAT DROVE ME TO DO
IT. SCUBA DIVING, I THOUGHT IT WOULD
BE LIKE BEING IN SPACE. YOU CAN SWIM ANYWHERE YOU WANT,
GO UPSIDE DOWN, RIGHT SIDE UP. I THINK IT'S REALLY COOL.
THE OTHER SIDE OF SCUBA DIVING THAT'S REALLY FUN, YOU HAVE THIS
REALLY TECHNICAL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FEEDING YOU OXYGEN IN
AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HUMAN BEINGS DON'T LIVE IN.
YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO TRUST THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, LEARN HOW TO
TAKE CARE OF IT AND YOU GET TO SEE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY
EXCITING. TO ANSWER HIS QUESTION, ALL OF
US WERE SCUBA DIVERS BEFOREHAND. THEY HAVE CLASSES.
ASK YOUR PARENTS, THEY HAVE CLASSES AT YOUR LOCAL CITY, ASK
AT THE YMCA. THERE'S TRAINING CLASSES NO
MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. >> GREAT ANSWER.
GUYS, THESE GUYS ARE REALLY, REALLY SMART.
BUT WE'VE ALL FAILED AT THINGS. IT'S NOT ABOUT FAILING, IT'S
ABOUT NOT GIVING UP. ANNE, YOU HAD A GREAT ANSWER
YESTERDAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT BELIEVING IN YOURSELF.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. >> SURE.
THANKS FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, I CAME FROM WASHINGTON
STATE. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN
YOUR SHOES, IT'S HARD TO SEE YOUR DREAMS AND HARD TO LOOK AT
SOMEBODY THAT'S AN ADULT THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE YOURSELF
THAT AGE, LET ALONE DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT THE KEY TO ACHIEVING WHATEVER YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE,
WHETHER IT BE ASTRONAUT OR SOMETHING ELSE, IS TO GO AND GET
YOUR DREAMS. YOUR DREAMS AREN'T GOING TO COME
TO YOU. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE IN YOUR
COMFORT ZONE. THAT JOURNEY IS REALLY SCARY.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A CLASS YOU YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU
CAN PASS. YOU MAY HAVE TO APPLY TO A
SCHOOL THAT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU CAN GET INTO.
YOU MAY HAVE TO MOVE TO A CITY YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO BEFORE AND
IT'S REALLY SCAR I. I REALLY REMEMBER MY PLANE TRIP
TO GO TO COLLEGE. I WAS REALLY SCARED.
I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE THE WINDOW AND THOUGHT WHAT AM I DOING?
THIS IS REALLY SCARY. I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GET
THROUGH THIS SCHOOL. AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY
EASY AT THAT POINT FOR ME TO TELL MY PARENTS I WANTED TO STAY
AT HOME AND DO SOMETHING ELSE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO
GIVE UP. BUT THAT FEAR WAS INSIDE OF ME
AND YOU HAVE TO FACE THAT FEAR. >> RIGHT.
>> OKAY. EVERY TIME YOU FACE THAT FEAR
AND YOU GET THROUGH IT AND YOU ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING, IT BECOMES
EASIER THE NEXT TIME. AND IF IT DOESN'T BECOME EASIER,
AT LEAST IT'S A FAMILIAR FEELING THAT YOU KNOW THAT IF I FEEL
THIS, I KNOW THAT I CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS BECAUSE YOU KNOW
ANOTHER TIME I WAS SITTING ON A PLANE LOOKING OUT A WINDOW BEING
SCARED AND WONDERING IF I COULD DO THIS WAS EARLIER THIS YEAR
FLYING TO NASA. I FELT LIKE I WAS 18 YEARS OLD
AGAIN GOING TO COLLEGE. I WAS SCARED.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD GET THIS JOB.
I WAS COMING DOWN TO INTERVIEW TO BE AN ASTRONAUT.
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'VE HAD THIS FEELING
BEFORE AND IT WENT OKAY. I KNOW I CAN DO IT THIS TIME.
THE KEY IS THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE UP.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT GENDER YOU HAVE, YOUR BACKGROUND, WHERE
YOU LIVE, WHAT SCHOOL YOU GO TO. YOU CAN DO IT IF YOU KEEP
PUTTING YOUR HAND UP AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT I ALWAYS SAY IS DON'T SELF-ELIMINATE.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A THOUSAND REASONS TO NOT GO GET YOUR GOAL.
BUT YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN STOP MOVING FORWARD.
DON'T SELF-ELIMINATE BEFORE YOU'VE TRIED.
>> EXACTLY. NEVER GIVE UP.
[ APPLAUSE ] GREAT ANSWER.
WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION HERE. >> I'M SOPHIE FROM CAPITOL HILL
DAY SCHOOL. WHAT THINGS DO YOU NEED TO KNOW
TO BE AN ASTRONAUT? >> WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT?
VIC? >> WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN?
>> SOPHIE. >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WHAT THINGS DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TO BE AN ASTRONAUT?
I THINK INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FOCUS ON ALL OF THE THINGS YOU
NEED TO KNOW, I THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE THE CURIOSITY TO WANT TO
KNOW ABOUT A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING.
SOMEONE ASKED EARLIER WHAT OUR DAY IS LIKE.
WE DO TRAINING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND IN SPACE SYSTEMS
AND AEROSPACE FLIGHTS AND WE'RE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT MATERIAL
SCIENCE AND WE'RE GOING TO STUDY PHYSICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES AND
YOU JUST HAVE TO BE INTERESTED. AS LONG AS, JUST LIKE ANNE JUST
SAID, YOU'RE WILLING TO LEAN IN, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE DON'T
ALL HAVE A BACKGROUND IN, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LEARN
AND TO BE TAUGHT. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU JUST HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LEARN ABOUT MANY DIFFERENT
THINGS. >> GREAT ANSWER.
>> LELAND, IF I COULD ADD SOMETHING TO THAT?
>> YEAH. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING AND SO EVERY ONE OF
US UP HERE HAS SOMETHING UNIQUE WE BRING TO THE TABLE AND IT
GETS BACK TO WHAT THEY WERE SAYING ON STATION.
IT'S A TEAM. YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE
ANSWERS. YOU HAVE TO RELY ON THE TEAM
AROUND YOU. >> DEFINITELY.
>> WE'RE GOING TO GO HERE FIRST AND THEN BACK TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> I'M ALEX. >> I LIKE YOUR SHIRT, TOO.
VERY NICE SHIRT. >> I'M ALEX FROM FREEHOLD, NEW
JERSEY. I WAS WONDERING WHO YOU THOUGHT
WOULD WIN THE COMMERCIAL CREW DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, IF IT WAS
GOING TO BE SPACEX, SIERRA NEVADA CORPORATION OR BOEING?
>> GREAT QUESTION. MY ANSWER IS YES.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> I DON'T THINK WE KNOW THAT
ANSWER YET. >> OKAY.
>> WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT PROCESS TO PLAY OUT.
>> GOOD QUESTION. BACK TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM IRISH SPACE BLOG WHO WANTS TO KNOW IF
YOU'RE ALL SETTING YOUR SIGHTS ON A FLIGHT TO THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION? >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SOMETIMES, SOME DREAMS THAT YOU HAVE AND I THINK THIS ONE
ESPECIALLY, YOU'RE LOOKING OUT AND YOU CAN'T EVEN ACTUALLY
DEFINE WHAT THAT DREAM IS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE
GOING TO GO. THE PATCHES -- WE DESIGNED OUR
CLASS PATCH. WE HAVE A SYMBOL OF A STAR
TAKING OFF FROM THE EARTH AND GOING SOMEWHERE OUT INTO SPACE.
BECAUSE THE MISSIONS THAT NASA IS LOOKING AT ARE SO DIVERSE.
SOME OF US WILL END UP ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION,
SOME OF US MIGHT GO TO AN ASTEROID, SOME TO MARS OR MAYBE
YOU'RE GOING TO PICK YOU TO GO TO MARS.
MAYBE THAT'S IN OUR FUTURE. WE DON'T KNOW.
THIS CLASS, IT'S SUCH AN EXCITING TIME TO BE IN NASA.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT MISSIONS THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
IN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT QUESTION
ANSWERED. >> FANTASTIC.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS IN THE REST OF THE GALLERY?
WE HAVE A MIKE HERE. THIS IS A CHANCE TO TALK TO
PEOPLE WHO WILL GO INTO SPACE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
PLEASE, PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS. WE'LL GO BACK TO SOCIAL MEDIA
REAL QUICK. >> ALYSSA WANTS TO KNOW, FOR
THOSE WITHOUT A SCIENCE BACKGROUND, WHAT HELPED YOU
BECOME AN ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE? >> SO I DON'T HAVE A SCIENCE
BACKGROUND. I HAVE A MILITARY BACKGROUND.
SO I'M IN THE MARINE CORPS. AND I USED TO FLY F-18s WHICH
ARE -- EVERYBODY KNOWS THE BLUE ANGELS, THAT'S THE SAME TYPE OF
AIRCRAFT, F-18. AND SO I DID HAVE AN ENGINEERING
BACKGROUND AND THE MARINE CORPS HELPED ME OUT A LOT, IT TAUGHT
ME ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
IT TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND WHAT WORKING
TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL AND A COMMON MISSION.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY HELPED ME. SO FAR IN OUR TRAINING, I THINK
IT WILL HELP ME WHEN I FINALLY GET TO GO INTO SPACE TO HAVE THE
DISCIPLINE AND STICK WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND MAKE SURE THAT
YOU TRAIN PROPERLY. >> GREAT.
>> I'M SARA A FOURTH GRADER. MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE THE
CHALLENGES YOU'LL FACE IN SPACE? >> GREAT QUESTION.
>> THE CHALLENGES IN SPACE. WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT ONE?
>> I THINK THAT ALL OF US ARE GOING TO MISS OUR FAMILIES.
WE SPEND ALMOST SIX MONTHS ON THE SPACE STATION NOW.
THAT'S A LONG TIME TO BE AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILIES.
WE ALL HAVE FAMILIES. FOR ALL OF US, THAT WILL BE ONE
OF THE HARDEST PARTS. THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION.
>> WHAT ABOUT RADIATION? AS A DOC, AS WE GO TO MARS, WHAT
ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS WE HAVE TO MITIGATE GOING TO MARS?
>> I WANT TO GIVE THAT TO OUR PHYSICIST.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> HE REALLY DID THAT.
THAT'S GREAT. HON HE'SLY, A LOT OF US LOOKED
AT IT. WE GET AN INITIAL BRIEF ON
RADIATION RISKS. THEY ARE NONTRIVIAL BUT NASA IS
WORKING REALLY HARD TO ENSURE THAT WE REMAIN SAFE THROUGHOUT
OUR CAREERS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TIMES WHEN
WE HAVE TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTION TOSS MINIMIZE THE
EFFECTS BUT EVERYONE WATCHING IT VERY, VERY CLOSELY TO ENSURE
THAT WE'RE ALL HANDLED APPROPRIATELY.
>> AND JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE AN ORION VEHICLE GOING
TO SPACE IN THE FALL, FALL OF THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE A STUDENT PROGRAM CALLED THE EXPLORATION DESIGN CHALLENGE
WHERE ANY OF YOU CAN SIGN UP TO BE PART OF THIS.
YOUR NAMES CAN ACTUALLY GO TO SPACE ON THE ORION.
THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL CAN ACTUALLY BUILD A
RADIATION SHIELD THAT WILL BE DOWN SELECTED.
IF YOURS WIN, WE WILL FLY YOUR RADIATION SHIELD ON ORION PUT A
SENSOR BEHIND IT AND SEE HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS.
YOU CAN BE PART OF HELPING US GET THESE GUYS TO MARS SAFELY
GOING THROUGH MANY, MANY RADIATION SHIELDS.
GO TO NASA.GOV/EDUCATION AND LOOK AT THIS PROGRAM FOR GETTING
YOUR NAME IN SPACE. QUESTION?
>> GOOD MORNING, AS-CANS. THANK YOU FOR ROW JOINING US
TODAY IN WASHINGTON. I'M GARY LANG FROM HAGERSTOWN,
MARYLAND. ARE YOU YOU MUSICALLY TALENTED.
ARE YOU PLANNING TO JOIN THE MAX Q BAND.
>> IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAD AS KIDS,
ONE THING I DID WAS PLAY A LOT OF INSTRUMENTS IN ADDITION TO
THE SPORTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I PLAYED THE FLUTE AND SAXOPHONE
GROWING UP IN REGULAR BAND, MARCHING BAND AND JAZZ BAND.
I REALLY LOVE MUSIC. IT'S SOMETHING I REALLY MISS IT.
WE'VE HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS ABOUT STARTING A BAND.
I'M NOT SURE IF MAX Q IS PLAYING LATELY.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM YET. WE MIGHT TAKE THAT ADVICE AND
THROW SOMETHING TOGETHER. WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER MUSICIAN
THIS IS THE GROUP. >> THE NEW AS-CAN BAND.
>> I DO MATH A LOT BETTER THAN I SING.
>> OKAY. YES, MA'AM?
>> I'M ROWAN FROM CAPITOL HILL DAY SCHOOL.
I WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS THE MOST EXCITING PART OF BEING AN
ASTRONAUT? >> THE MOST EXCITING PART ABOUT
BEING AN ASTRONAUT, OKAY. >> GOOD MORNING.
THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION. SO FAR, WE'VE ONLY BEEN IN
TRAINING TO BE ASTRONAUTS. SO I WILL ANSWER THAT QUESTION
WHAT'S THE MOST EXCITING THING WE'VE DONE IN TRAINING.
FOR ME, BY FAR IT'S BEEN FLYING JETS.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN A PILOT IN MY LIFE.
AND THREE MONTHS AGO I WENT FROM ZERO TO PILOT IN TWO WEEKS.
SO THEY STUCK ME IN A COCKPIT, THREW AN OXYGEN MASK ON ME AND
TOLD ME TO START DOING ROLLS AND LOOPING THE PLANE UPSIDE DOWN.
IT WAS EXCITING AND I HAD TO WORK REALLY HARD AT IT.
IT'S ESPECIALLY A GREAT FEELING TO KNOW I CAN ALWAYS LEARN
SOMETHING NEW AND EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE SCARE WHEN I I START,
EVENTUALLY, THEY'RE GOING TO GET EASIER AND EASIER AND EVEN BE
REALLY FUN. SO THANK YOU.
>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE ROLL MANEUVER IS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. SO THE ROLL I LEARNED IS WHEN
YOU TAKE THE CONTROL STICK OF THE PERFORMANCE AIRCRAFT, YOU
JAM IT OVER TO ONE SIDE AND THE PLANE FLIPS LIKE THIS.
SO YOU'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD AND YOU JUST GO UPSIDE DOWN AND
ALL THE WAY RIGHT SIDE BACK UP AGAIN.
AND THE NICE PART ABOUT DOING IT IN A JET IS YOU CAN JUST POP IT
WHENEVER AND THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WON'T EVEN THOUGH
BECAUSE YOU STAY AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AND KEEP GOING THE SAME
DIRECTION. >> GREAT.
>> MY NAME IS SALINA. I'M FROM THE BRIDGES ACADEMY.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THIS MORNING ABOUT TAKING ALGEBRA 2.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? >> TAKING ALGEBRA 2?
>> REMOVING IT FROM THE CURRICULUM?
>> YEAH. >> I THINK WE ALL PRETTY
STRONGLY ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE WITHOUT ALGEBRA 2, WHICH
IF I REMEMBER RIGHT IS RIGHT AROUND 8th GRADE GENERALLY.
>> YEAH. >> NOW YOU'RE GOING TO SET
YOURSELF UP FOR HAVING PROBLEMS WITH GEOMETRY AND TRIGONOMETRY
AND EVENTUALLY CALCULUS WHICH IS THE FUNDAMENTALS OF WHAT WE DO.
YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S SPACE FLIGHT, WHETHER IT'S PHYSICS,
ANY KIND OF SCIENCE, THE FUNDAMENTAL LANGUAGE OF ALL OF
THESE THINGS IS MATHEMATICS. JUST LIKE WHEN WE TALK, WE'RE
TALKING IN ENGLISH. THE LANGUAGE THAT WE SPEAK IN
SCIENCE IS MATH. ELIMINATING ALGEBRA, ONE OF THE
MOST FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF A MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION IS
SOMETHING I WOULD PERSONALLY HOPE WE WOULDN'T DO.
>> ANOTHER QUICK ANSWER TO THAT. FOR THE JET FLIGHTS, I ACTUALLY
USE ALGEBRA EVERY SINGLE FLIGHT BECAUSE I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW
MUCH GAS I'M GOING TO HAVE LEFT WHEN I GET HOME.
I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE ANGLE TO COME INTO A RUNWAY AT.
SO YOU LITERALLY USE MATH EVERY TIME YOU DO SOMETHING.
FOR MANY TECHNICAL CAREERS, BUT ESPECIALLY AS AN ASTRONAUT.
>> GREAT. >> MY NAME IS PETER.
I'M HOME-SCHOOLED. I WAS WONDERING HOW LONG DO YOU
THINK IT WILL BE BEFORE THE SPACE STATION GOES TO MARS.
>> WELL, THE SPACE STATION WON'T BE GOING TO MARS.
BUT ONE OF THESE GUYS MAY. WANT TO HIT THAT ONE.
>> SO THE SPACE STATION FLIES IN ORBIT JUST AROUND THE EARTH.
SO THE LAUNCH, THE ORION LAUNCH THAT LELAND WAS TALKING ABOUT
EARLIER IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS THAT WE'RE TAKING TO
BUILDING A VEHICLE THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET US TO MARS.
WE'RE JUST STARTING THAT JOURNEY.
>> OKAY. >> BUT JUST REAL QUICK TO ADD TO
THAT, THE SPACE STATION IS OUR TESTING GROUND.
THIS IS WHERE WE DEVELOP THE SKILLS AND THE TECHNOLOGY TO BE
ABLE TO EVENTUALLY GO TO MARS. THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO
THAT MISSION. >> GREAT.
WHICH PLANET DO YOU WANT TO GO TO?
[ LAUGHTER ] >> I WANT TO GO TO ALL OF THEM.
>> SO YOU HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT GOING TO MARS.
THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S THE PLANET THAT NASA HAS BEEN STUDYING FOR
SO LONG AND WE THINK THAT'S THE MOST ATTAINABLE FIRST PLANET TO
GET TO. WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MOON AND
ASTEROIDS, WE'RE DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY TO GET -- WE'RE
DECIDING WHERE CAN WE REALLY GO. ON MARS, THERE MY BE WATERWAY
DOWN DEEP INSIDE OF MARS, WHICH MEANS IF WE HAVE WATER, SOMEBODY
COULD LIVE THERE. SO WHEN YOU'RE AN ADULT, YOU
COULD LIVE ON MARS. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE
REALLY LOVE MARS. OF ALL THE PLANETS, I THINK WE
WOULD GO TO ANY OF THEM. >> I WOULD ADD TO THAT, WHICH
PLANET WOULD YOU WANT TO GO TO? I KNOW YOU KNOW A LOT ABOUT
SPACE ALREADY. >> YOU DON'T KNOW?
>> MAYBE MARS? MAYBE YOU'LL COME TO MARS WITH
US? >> ALL RIGHT.
>> GREAT. WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
>> HELLO. I'M ERRIE FROM NORWOOD SCHOOL.
IF YOU COULD GO TO ONE PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
>> ONE PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE. NO MATTER WHERE WE GO IN THE
UNIVERSE, I THINK ULTIMATELY, WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE THANKFUL
TO COME BACK TO EARTH BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE
DISCOVERING AS WE SEARCH THESE PLACES THAT MIGHT SUPPORT LIFE,
WE KNOW THAT EARTH IS OUR HOME AND WE NEED TO PROTECT IT AND
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK TO THE GOOD OLD BLUE
PLANET. >> GREAT ANSWER.
WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO TWITTER VERSE.
>> GARRETT WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT YOU FLY DURING YOUR
TRAINING. >> GREAT.
>> GREAT QUESTION, GARRETT. SO WE FLY THE T-38N.
IT'S A TWIN ENGINE AFTER BURNING DUAL TANDEM COCKPIT LOW
AIRPLANE. IT'S A GREAT PLANE TO DO WHAT WE
DO. IT'S LEARNING TO WORK TOGETHER
IN A REALISTIC OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT HAVING TO MAKE TIME
CRITICAL DECISIONS. IT'S ALSO A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE
YOU CAN DO THINGS LIKE CHRISTINA WAS TALKING ABOUT.
>> IT ALLOWS US TO ACHIEVE OUR SPACE FLIGHT READINESS TRAINING
WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'LL BE IN SITUATION THAT IS ARE LIFE
CRITICAL WHERE OTHER CREW MEMBERS ARE DEPENDING ON OUR
DECISION-MAKING. BECAUSE THIS AIRCRAFT IS THE
SAME WAY, IT IS -- IT FORCES YOU TO BE ABLE TO MAKE QUICK
DECISIONS THAT INVOLVE TECHNICAL ANSWERS.
AND SO IT'S THE PERFECT THING FOR SPACE FLIGHT READINESS
TRAINING. >> GREAT.
I THINK WE HAVE A YOUNG MAN RIGHT HERE READY TO ASK A
QUESTION. >> I'M FROM ELEMENTARY IN FOURTH
GRADE. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THINGS ARE
ATTACHED TO THE SPACESUIT AND ARE THEY COMFORTABLE?
>> GOOD QUESTION. >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION
BECAUSE WE'VE ALL JUST STARTED THE PROCESS OF GETTING FITTED
FOR A SPACESUIT. SO WE CAN START TRAINING.
HAS ANYBODY BEEN IN A FULL FITTING YET?
>> LELAND HAS ACTUALLY USED ONE. I CAN TELL YOU FROM A GLOVE
PERSPECTIVE, WHEN I GOT FIT FOR MY GLOVES, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE
MOMENTS WHERE I WAS LIKE, I'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO THIS FOR SO
LONG, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW UNCOMFORTABLE THIS GLOVE IS.
THIS IS PRETTY COOL. >> HAVE ALL OF YOU WANTED TO BE
AN ASTRONAUT FROM A VERY EARLY AGE?
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE. >> I WAS NOT.
JUST HAPPENED LATER. SO WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION
BEHIND YOU. >> DID TECHNOLOGY EVER WORK
AGAINST YOU? >> GOOD QUESTION.
>> UM, SOMETIMES IT DOES. SO YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL
BECAUSE SOMETIMES BAD THINGS HAPPEN OR TECHNOLOGY FAILS OR
THE WAY WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE DIDN'T TURN OUT THE WAY
THAT IT WAS. WE HAVE A REALLY BIG GROUP OF
REALLY SMART ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS AT NASA THAT WORK
REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY SAFE AND THAT EVEN THOUGH
WE TAKE SOME PRETTY BIG RISKS SOMETIMES, THEY TAKE ALL THESE
MEASURES TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE RISKS SO THAT TECHNOLOGY DOESN'T
FAIL US AND WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES IN TROUBLE.
>> GOOD ANSWER. YOU WANT TO UTILIZE THE
TECHNOLOGY, BUT YOU WANT TO -- IF IT DOES FAIL YOU, TO STILL
HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE YOUR BRAIN TO FIGURE THINGS OUT
YOURSELF. YOU WANT TO STAY SHARP AND NOT
JUST DEPEND ON THE TECHNOLOGY. ANOTHER QUESTION?
DO YOU THINK THERE IS LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS?
>> SEE HEADS NODDING IN THE BACK.
>> I THINK THAT JUST SPEAKING ABOUT STATISTICS, THE
PROBABILITY IS THAT THERE ARE DEFINITELY IS SOME OTHER FORM OF
LIFE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE. IT MIGHT NOT BE EXACTLY LIKE US.
IT MIGHT BE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. I THINK IT DOES EXIST OR HAS AT
SOME POINT. BUT THE ODDS ARE ALSO THAT WE
MAY NOT EVER FIND IT. WE MAY NEVER SEE A SIGN THAT
IT'S THERE AND THEY MAY NEVER SEE A SIGN WE'RE THERE.
OVER THE GRAND SCHEME OF TIME, I THINK IT EXISTS BUT WE MAY NOT
HAVE PROOF OF IT UNFORTUNATELY. >>> THAT WAS YOUR LAST QUESTION.
LET'S THANK OUR AS-CANS FOR A WONDERFUL JOB.
I WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU'LL BE
DOING WITH YOUR LIVES ONE DAY. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, STUDY HARD
AND YOU CAN BE ANYTHING YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO.
SO FROM THE NATIONAL AEROSPACE MUSEUM, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU.
GOOD JOB, GUYS. YOU GUYS TAKE CARE.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> AND THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY
WILL GO WITH OUR LOVELY ASSISTANT HERE.
IF YOU CAN SEE HERE WAVING. FRIENDS AN FAMILY, PLEASE COME
ON DOWN.