NASA's Boeing Crew News Conference

Published: Aug 23, 2024 Duration: 00:53:31 Category: Entertainment

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>> GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER. I AM AT THE NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR UPDATE ON THE BOEING STARLINER CREWED FLIGHT TEST. TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE WE HAVE NASA ADMINISTRATOR BILL NELSON, ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR JIM FREE, ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR SPACE OPERATIONS, KIM BOWERSOX, STEVE STICH, AND INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION PROGRAM MANAGER, DANA WEIGEL AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS DIRECTOR NORM KNIGHT. WE'LL BE TAKING QUESTIONS FROM THOSE IN THE ROOM AND THOSE OVER THE PHONE. AS A REMINDER, YOU CAN PRESS STAR 1 TO GET NOT A THE CUE AND FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO ADMINISTRATOR NELSON FOR OPENING REMARKS. BILL: THANKS. NASA HAS DECIDED THAT BUTCH AND SUNI WILL RETURN WITH CREW 9 NEXT FEBRUARY. AND THAT STARLINER WILL RETURN UNCREWED, AND THE SPECIFICS IN THE SCHEDULE WILL BE DISCUSSED MOMENTARILY. I WAN YOU TO KNOW THAT BOEING BOEING HAS WORKED VERY HARD WITH NASA TO GET THE NECESSARY DATA TO MAKE THIS DECISION. HE WANT TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSES AND UNDERSTAND THE DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT THE BOEING STARLINER WILL SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ASSURED CREW ACCESS TO THE ISS. I HAVE JUST TALKED TO THE NEW BOEING CEO KELLY, I HAVE EXPRESSED THIS TO HIM. I TOLD HIM HOW WELL BOEING WORKED WITH OUR TEAM TO COME TO THIS DECISION, AND HE EXPRESSED TO ME AN INTENTION THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THE PROBLEMS ONCE STARLINER IS BACK SAFELY AND THAT WE WILL HAVE OUR REDUNDANCY AND CREWED ACCESS TO THE SPACE STATION. THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION, REMEMBER, IS PUT NOT A THE CONTEXT OF WE HAVE HAD MISTAKES DONE IN THE PAST. WE LOST TWO SPACE SHUTTLES AS A RESULT OF THERE NOT BEING A CULTURE IN WHICH INFORMATION COULD COME FORWARD. IF YOU HAVE SOME OBJECT, YOU COME FORWARD. SPACEFLIGHT IS RISKY. A TEST FLIGHT BY NATURE IS NEITHER SAFE NOR ROUTINE, AND SO THE DECISION TO KEEP BUTCH AND SUNI ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND BRING THE BOEING STARLINER HOME UNCREWED IS A RESULT OF A COMMITMENT TO SAFETY. OUR CORE VALUE IS SAFETY, AND IT IS OUR NORTH STAR. I AM GRATEFUL FOR MASS AND BOEING FOR THEIR TEAMS AND ALL THE DETAILED AND INCREDIBLE WORK TO GET TO THIS DECISION. TURN IT OVER TO JIM. JIM: THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY AND CERTAINLY BEING HERE TODAY. IT MEANS A LOT. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMUNICATE TO ALL OF YOU, WE HAVE COME TO THIS DECISIONIZING OUR PROGRAM, OUR MISSION DIRECTORATE AND THE AGENCY LEVEL PROCESSES THAT INCLUDES THE DECISIONS THAT HAPPEN AT THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM, AT THE SPACE OPERATIONS MISSION DIRECTORATE LEVEL AND THE AGENCY LEVEL AND INCLUDES ALL THE TECHNICAL AUTHORITIES FROM ENGINEERING SAFETY, MEDICAL AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS AS THE ADMINISTRATOR SAID. OUR FOCUS IS ON SAFETY ALL THE TIME. THIS IS CERTAINLY NO DIFFERENT. THE UNCERTAINTY IN OUR MARGINS IS WHERE WE HAVE GONE, COME TO MAKE THE DECISION THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR LAID OUT. THAT UNCERTAINTY REMAINS IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FISKS GOING ON IN THE THRUSTERS THEN WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO FO. YOU WILL HEAR FROM MORE FROM OTHERS ON THE SPECIFICS, BUT I WILL TELL THAT YOU THE NASA AND BOEING TEAM HAVE MADE INCREDIBLE TECHNICAL PROGRESS IN THE MODEL DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS GONE ON, THE THRUSTER TESTING, UNDERSTAND K MATERIAL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE VALVE, AND THE COMPLICATED FLUID PHYSICS THAT ARE PAP PENNING INSIDE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN. WE ARE LEARNING ORGANIZATION. I THINK WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT HERE. WE WILL LEARN FROM THIS EFFORT SO THAT YOU ARE OUR CREWS WHO ARE AT THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID ON THESE MISSIONS AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN CONTINUE TO KNOW, WE HAVE DONE THAT AND WILL ALWAYS DO OUR BEST. FOR OUR TEAM, OUR PROGRAM. IC AND TECHNICAL TEAMS BOTH NASA AND THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM IN THE SPACE STATION PROGRAM AND OUR BOEING TEM MATES HAVE WORKED SECONDLESSLY TO GET TO LAUNCH AND TERN CERTAINLY IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, THEY HAVE DONE THIS WHILE THE WHOLE WORLD HAS GONE ON AROUND THEM, HURRICANES, HURRICANES THROUGH FLORIDA, HURRICANES THROUGH HERE WHILE THE HOMES ARE DAMAGED AND WITHOUT POWER, THEY CAME TO WORK. SOME OF THEM LOST FAMILY MEMBERS ALONG THE WAY. THEIR KIDS WENT BACK TO SCHOOL AND LIFE IN GENERAL WENT ON, BUT THEY WERE HERE, EVERY DAY, WORKING LONG HOURS. THEY HAVE PRESEVERED. I WAN THEM TO KNOW, HOW GRATEFUL I AM THEY ARE ON THIS TEAM. THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN EASY DECISION BUILT THE RATING ONE. LET ME TURN IT OVER TO KEN POWER SOX AND THANK KIM AND THE LEADERS HERE AND THE ONES NOT HERE WITH US TODAY FOR THEIR WORK. >> THANKS,IAM. THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR ADMINISTRATOR FOR JOINING US FO THIS PRESS CONFERENCE AND FOR MEETINGS YOU HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN. WE APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO IS HERE IN THE ROOM WITH US AND WATCHING ON-LINE AND IT SAYS A LOT THAT YOU ARE WITH US ON A SATURDAY, AND, I WAN YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AS WE WORK TO FLY OUR MISSION SAFELY. I AM REALLY PROUD OF THE NASA TEAM AND THE BOEING TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. IT HAS BEEN IMPRESSIVE TO SEE HOW THEY HAVE BEEN VERY AGILE IN TESTING, GATHERING DATA AND COMPLETING ANALYSIS, AND THEN HAVING THE TOUGH DISCUSSIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH PROCESSING THAT DATA AND COMING TO CONCLUSIONS. OUR IN TENT TODAY WAS TO HAVE THE FIRST PART OF A FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW, THE GOAL OF THAT REVIEW IS TO COME UP WITH A NASA RECOMMENDATION ON WHETHER WE SHOULD PROCEED WITH THE CREWED FLIGHT TEST, EITHER CREWED OR UNCREWED, OUR BOEING PARTNERS TOLD US THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO EXECUTE EITHER OPTION AND THEY THOUGHT THE CALL BELONGED TO NASA BECAUSE OF OUR WIDER VIEW OF ALL THE RISKS INVOLVED. WE CONDUCTED A POLL, ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS ON THE POLLING SHEET INDICATED THAT THEY THOUGHT SHOULD PROCEED UNCREWED WITH THE FLIGHT TESTS. AND SO, SO OUR NEXT STEP WILL BE TO PROCESS TOWARD THAT UNCREWED FLIGHT TEST, UM, TO FINISH THOSE PREPARATIONS AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER PART TWO OF THE READINESS REVIEW WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY NEXT WEEK, WE BELIEVE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, WE RAILROADED FOR UNDOCK AND TO COMPLETE THE TEST. WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A TEST FLIGHT, WE HAVE TO REMAIN VIGILANT. WE NEED TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK ON DECK, GO THROUGH THE DATA AND ONCE WE HAVE DONE THAT, UM, WE'LL START THINKING ABOUT OUR NEXT STEPS FOR STAR LINE EAR NEXT FLIGHT. AND NOW I WOULD LIKE TO PASS THE MIC TO STEVE TO SHARE MORE INFO AND MORE DETAILS. STEVE. THANK YOU, KEN. THANK ALL FOR BEING HERE FOR FOLLOWING THE PROGRESS OVER THE SUMMER. IT HAS BEEN A LONG SUMMER. IT HAS BEEN A LONG SUMMER FOR OUR TEAM. I WANT TO FIRST OUT BY THANKING OUR TEAM, WHO HAS WORKED SO HARD OVER THE SUMMER, LONG HOURS, WEEKENDS, NIGHTS, TESTING, AND ANALYSIS, REVIEWS, I MEAN, IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EFFORT BY THE TEAM. WE ARE DEALING WITH A VERY COMPLEX ISSUES WITH THE THRUSTERS. I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT. IT IS CHALLENGING TO PREDICT THEIR PERFORMANCE AND THE TEMPERATURES THAT WE SEE, AND SO THAT IS WHY IT HAS BEEN TOUGH AND IT HAS TAKEN THE TIME EVER SINCE WE DOCKED BACK ON JUNE 6th TO GET TO THIS POINT, UP, VERY PROUD OF THE DUE DILIGENCE THE TEAM HAS IS PLAYED AND THEIR PER SEA VEERANCE THEIR FORTITUDE, THEIR COURAGE, DEDICATION, RESILIENCE AS THEY LEARN MORE AND WE GOT MORE DATA AND DIFFERENT RESULTS AT TIMES THAN WE EXPECTED, ESPECIALLY I WANT TO THANK THE BOEING TEAM AND THEIR CONTRACTOR TEAM AEROJET ROCKETDYNE, THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER, THE VALVE MANUFACTURER, ALL THEIR SUPPLIES THAT PARTICIPATED ALONG WITH THE GNATS SA WORKFORCE. WE HAVE BROUGHT IN EXPERTISE FROM JUST ABOUT EVERY NASA CENTER. WE DID TESTING AT THE MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER. OF COURSE THE THEY DID TESTING ON THE THRUSTERS SO THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE EFFORT ACROSS ALL OF NASA WITHIN THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM AND EVEN BEYOND DETERMINING THE POSITION TO BRING STARLINER BACK ON CREWED WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME PERSONALLY. WE ARE ALL COMMITTED TO THE MISSION WHICH WE STARTED OUT WHICH IS TO BRING BUTCH AND SUNI BACK. AS WE GOT MORE AND MORE DATA UNDER THE SUMMER AND UNDER STOOD THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE DATA, IT BECAME CLEAR TO US TO RETURN STARLINER IN CREWED THEN I WILL TALK ABOUT THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE MISSION IN A LITTLE BIT. THERE WAS SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY. IF WE HAD A MODEL TO ACCURATELY PREDICT WHAT THE THRUSTERS WOULD DO FOR THE UNDOCK AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE DEORBIT BURN AND THROUGH THE SEPARATION SEQUENCE, I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TAKE AND DIFFERENT COURSE OF ABS, BUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE DATA AND POTENTIAL FOR THRUSTER FAILURES FOR A CREW ONBOARD, THEN, GETTING INTO THIS TIGHT SEQUENCE OF FINISHING THE DEORBIT BURN WHICH PUTS ON ENTRY, THEN, IMMEDIATELY, MANEUVERING FROM THAT INTO A SUB SEQUENCE TO SEPARATE THE SERVICE MODULE AND CREW MODULE, IT WAS TOO MUCH RISK FOR THE CREW AND WE DECIDED TO PURSUE THE UNCREWED TEST FLIGHT. THE PATH FORWARD NOW AS KEN SAID IS WORK FORWARD THE PART TWO AND WE REVIEW NOW. WE KNOW THE SCOPE OF THE MISSION. WE KNOW IT IS UNCREWED TEST FLIGHT. WE ARE CHANGING THE SEPARATION SEQUENCE WE PLANNED THEN REVIEW THOSE ASPECTS AT THE READINESS REVIEW AND GO WITH THE SIMPLIED SEPARATION TECHNIQUE TO GET AWAY FROM STATION A LITTLE BIT MORE QUICKLY AND WE'LL GET THE DEORBIT BURN AND EXECUTE THAT NOMINALLY AND WE HAVE A GOOD SETTLEUP IN TERMS OF THE OPPORTUNITIES INTO THE WHITE SPACE HARBOR FOR A NUMBER OF TUNES IN SEPTEMBER. WE WILL LAND OR UNDOCK IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, AND THEN, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE MISSION, WHICH IS BUTCH AND SUNI STAY ON THE SPACE STATION FOR SOMETIME AND THEY RETURN ON CREW 9. WE ARE CONSIDERING THAT SPACECRAFT WITH A COUPLE OF EXTRA TWO DIFFERENT SEATS, SO WE'LL HAVE TWO DIFFERENT CREWMEMBERS, TWO CREW MEMBERS ON THAT VEHICLE, THEN WE HAVE IT READY TO BRING BUTCH AND SUNI HOME AND TWO SEATS ON THE UPHILL. ONCE STARLINER UNDOCKED, IT WILL UNDOCK FIRST AND WILL SERVE AS THE LIFEBOAT FOR BUTCH AND SUN MI. WE VERY A CONFIGURATION ON THE CARGO PALLET THAT WE'LL PUT IN PLACING. SO AGAIN, WE WILL GET CALYPSO HOME OR READY TO DO SO. WE WILL TAKE OUR TIME TAKING THE STEPS EACH STEP ALONG THE WAY. WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT SIMULATION AHEAD OF THAT FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW WITH FLIGHT CONTROL TEAM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR PLACE, THEY HAVE PRACTICED FOR TWO YEARS TO BRING A CREW HOME ON STARLINER. THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES. UNEXECUTEDDING THE UNDOCK SEQUENCE AND THE COAST TO THE DEORBIT BURN AND THE DEA ORBIT BURN WITHOUT A CREW AND SO THEY ARE GOING TO PRACTICES THAT NEXT WEEK. I AM GRATEFUL TO THE ENTIRE TEAM. IT IS HONOR TO REPRESENT THEM HERE TODAY. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DANA WEIGEL. >> DANA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEVE. THANK ALL FOR BEING HERE FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. AS YOU HEARD WITH THE DECISION TO LEAVE BUTCH AND SUNI ONBOARD UNTIL FEBRUARY, THEY WILL BE WITH US ON STATION FOR EIGHT MONTHS. I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW THE NORMAL EXPEDITION DURATION ARE SIX-MONTHS LONG, BUT WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF FLIGHTS WITH ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE STAYED ONBOARD FOR 12 MONTHS AT A TIME SO THE EIGHT-MONTH STAY IS VERY MUCH WITHIN THE NORMAL OPERATIONAL EXPERIENCE PHASE. WHILE BUTCH AND SUNI ARE ONBOARD, THEY WILL BE DOING SCIENCE, STATION MAINTENANCE, THEY WILL EXECUTE THE SPACEX 31 RESEARCH AND CARGO MISSION AND WE MAY HAVE A COUPLE OF SPACEWALKS FOR THEM TOWARD THE THE EX R END OF THE EXPEDITION. SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN UP THERE, THEY HAVE BEEN A WELCOMED SET OF HANDS. THIS VERY DONE 100 HOURS OF WORK ON 46 DIFFERENT EXPERIMENTS AND HELPED WITH US THE CRITICAL STATION MAINTENANCE THAT HE WE HAVE HADRON POOR BOARD. FOR US LOOKING FORWARD THE SPACE TEAM IS FOCUSED ON THE PLANNING, THE STARLINER UNDOCK. AS YOU HEARD FROM STEVE, THAT IS TARGETED FOR EARLY SEPTEMBER, BEFORE WE HIT THE UNDOCK WINDOW, WE ARE GOING TO DO THE WORK TO RECONFIG FUTURE THE CREW-8 DRAGON. PROBABLY DO THAT WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK SORE TO HAVE THAT IN PLACE FOR THE SIX CREW CONTINGENCY RETURN CAPABILITY AND TO REITERATE, THIS JUST GIVES US A CONTINGENCY CAPABILITY AFTER STARLINER DEPARTS AND BEFORE THE CREW 9 VEHICLE ARRIVES. CREW 9 WITH TWO CREW WILL LAUNCH NO EARLIER THAN SEPTEMBER 24th. WE WILL DO A NORMAL HANDOVER BETWEEN THE CREWS AND THEN WE HAVE CREW UNDOCK, AFTER THIS, WE WILL RELOCATE THE CREW VEHICLE, SO THAT DRAGON VEHICLE WILL BE RELOCATED TO OPEN UP THE FORWARD PORT FOR THE SPACEX 1 CARGO MISSION AND WE ARE PLANNING THAT MISSION SOMEWHERE IN MID-OCTOBER, IN BETWEEN ALL OF THAT, WE GOT A SOYUZ CREW EXCHANGE. THAT IS HAPPENING SEPTEMBER 11th WILL BE THE LAUNCH OF THE 73S, THAT WILL BE A ARE RYING NASA ASTRONAUT DON PET TILT THEN TRAYSON DYSON WILL GO HOME AFTER THAT SOYUZ EXCHANGE AND SO WE GOT A LOT OF BUSY ACTIVITIES IN FRONT OF US THIS FALL. ON BEHALF OF THE STATION PROGRAM, DOW WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE TEAM, THE COMMERCIAL CREWED PROGRAM, THE BOEING TEAM, AND ALL THE TECHNICAL TEAMS, THEY ARE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK OVER THE SUMMER, GETTING UP TO THE POINT ARE WE HAVE ENOUGH DATA AND ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE THIS REALLY CRITICAL AND DIFFICULT DECISION THAT WE HAVE MADE TODAY. SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATED AND I THINK ALL OF YOU KNOW COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM IS RITE CALL TO THE SUCCESS OF ISS SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE DONE. >> THANK YOU, DAN MA. I WANT TO ECHO MY GRATITUDE FOR THE TEAMS ON THE GROUND BOTH BOEING AND NASA AND OUR ASTRONAUTS ONBOARD FOR THEIR TIRELESS WORK AND EFFORT WITH THIS TEST FLIGHT OVER MANY YEARS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS. YOU KNOW, BE WITH THE DEDICATION TO OR THE DECISION TO FLY STARLINER HOME UNCREWED THE GROUND TEAMS WILL STILL BE FULLY ENGAGED ENSURING STARLINER RETURNS SAFELY. WHILE THE TEAMS ARE HARD AT WORK HERE ON THE FROWN WE HAVE BUTCH AND SUNI LIVING AND WORKING 260 MILES ABOVE THE PLAN IF HE AND GIVING THE TEAM'S VALUABLE FEEDBACK ON STARLINER. THEY HAVE SERVED AS INTEGRAL PART OF OURON ORBIT INCREMENT AND THEY DEMONSTRATED PATIENCE, ADAPTABILITY, FLECT, RESILIENCE, AND READINESS, THAT IS WHAT YOU GET WITH AN AMERICAN ASTRONAUT. THEY HAVE BEEN EAGER TO CONTRIBUTE TO IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS. THEY ASKED QUESTIONS. THEY SEAMLESSLY BECOME A PART OF THE DECKS EXPEDITION 1 CREW CONTRIBUTING TO THE POLLEN WORK ONBOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE CHARTING NEW PATHS FOR EXPLORATION, THERE ARE HIGHS AND LOWS AM WE ALTHOUGH. ITH IS PART OF EXPLORATION IN MOVING FORWARD. SPACEFLIGHT IS HARD. THE MAR GNS ARE THIN. THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT FOR GIVING. WE HAVE TO BE RIGHT. WE ALL KNOW. THIS WAS TOUGH PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED IN AND DECISION HAD TO BE MADE. IN STARLINER HAS PERFORMED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL OVERALL, SO PLEASING, DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT. THISSATION TEST FLIGHT, AND THE THRUSTER ISSUE AND THE ASSOCIATED INVESTIGATIONS WILL PAY HUGE DIVIDENDS IN THE FUTURE FOR HUMAN EXPLORATION IN A GREAT WAY WHEN STARLINER FLIES AGAIN. AM ENCOURAGED BID THE DEDICATION AND RESILIENCE BOTH THE NASA AND THE BOEING GROUND TEAMS, SECOND OF COURSE, OUR SPACE FLIER'S EXHIBIT. I TALKED TO BUTCH AND SUNI BOTH YESTERDAY ANDED. THEY SUPPORT THE AGE PEN HE'S DECISION FULLY AND READY TO CONTINUE THIS MISSION ONBOARD THE ISS AS MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION 71 CREW. I WOULD ALSO BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THAT THIS DECISION ALSO AFFECTS THE CREW MISSION AND THE ASTRONAUTS THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO FLY IN THAT MISSION IN SEPTEMBER. CREW WILL CON OF COURSE GUR AND PROVIDE SEATS FOR BUTCH AND SUNI TO RETURN. WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO FINALIZE THOUGH CREW ASSIGNMENTS AND WERE UP DAULT THE TRAINING PLAN. I AGAIN WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE TEAMS. THEIR HARD WORK WILL CONTINUE TO PAVE THE PATH FOR EXPANDED HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT EXPLORATION. THANKS. >> THANK YOU, NORMAL WE'LL OPEN IT TOPFULL BEES IN THE ARE BE A FOLKS ON THE PHONE. IF YOU ARE ON THE PHONE, PRESS STAR 1 TO GET NOT CREW. PLEASE CLEARLY STATE WHICH YOU ARE ADDRESSING AND APPRECIATE YOU AT LIMITING YOURSELF TO ONE QUESTION. SO WITH THAT, YEAH. IN THE BACK. REPORTER: MARK STRASSMAN, CBS NEWS. THIS COULD BE FOR JIM OR STEVE. I WILL LET YOU DECIDE. MY QUESTION IS ABOUT TRUST. YOU TRUSTED EVERYONE IS GOING TO DO THEIR JOB. YOU HAVE TO HAVE TRUSTING IN YOUR SPACE PARTNERS. BOEING SAID TRUST US. WE HAVE SPACECRAFT THAT IS READY TO RETURN ASTRONAUTS HOME. AND NASA WENT A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. SO HOW NOW DO YOU BEGIN TO REBUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST WITH BOEING? A I DON'T THINK IT IS A TRUST ISSUE AT ALL. WE VIEW THE DATA AND THE UNSEASON I THAT THERE IS DIFFERENTLY THAN HE BOG DOES. IT IS NOT A MALTER ARE TRUSTING, IT IS OUR TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND OUR EXPERIENCE THAT WO HAVE TO BALANCE AND I THINK KEN SAID IT. WE BALANCE RISKS ACROSS EVERYTHING. NOT JUST THE STARLINER PIECE. SO I DON'T SEE IT AS TRUST ISSUE. AT ALL. >> WELL, I WOULD SAY, WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF TENSE DISCUSSIONS , RIGHT? THE CALL WAS CLOSE, SO PEOPLE HAVE EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT IN EITHER OPTION. THAT GIVES YOU A HEALTHY DISCOURSE, BUT AFTER THAT, YOU HAVE TO DO SOME WORK TO KEEP THE TEAM TOGETHER, RIGHT INTO KEEP THE TEAM RESTORED AND READY FOR THE NEXT ISSUE. WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE SOME WORK TO DO THERE. IT IS PRESS TY NATURAL WHENEVER YOU HAD A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE. WE ARE AWARE OF IT AND ARE COMMITTED TO WORK WITH BOEING. STEVE, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD INTO YEAH. I WOULDN'T CALL IT TRUST. I WOULD CALL IT TECHNICAL DISAGREEMENT WHERE WE GET A GROUP OF ENGINEERS TOGETHER AND THEY DIGS AGREE ON THE RISKS LEVEL OF WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN TO THE THRUSTERS, BOEING DID A GREAT JOB BUILDING A MODEL. NOW THE QUESTION IS, IS TT MODEL GOOD ENOUGH TO PREDICT PERFORMANCE FOR THE RU. ALL THE WORK WE HAVE DONE IS REALLY IMPORTANT ALSO FOR BRINGING THIS VEHICLE BACK. WE WANT THE VEHICLE TO COME BACK UNCREWED. IT NEEDS TO LAND AT THE WHITE SADNESS SPACE HAR FOR WHICH IS WHERE THE TUNES ARE SET UP IN SEPTEMBER, ALL THE WORK WE HAVE DONE BOTH ON THE MASS AND BOEING SIDE GIVE US CONFIDENCE TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK, IT HAS TO EXECUTE THE DEORBIT BURN AND HAS TO DO THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO UNDOCKING THE SPACE STATION SAFELY SO I THINK TOGETHER WE HAVE WORKED TO THAT PART AND JUST A LITTLE DIS'S GREEMENT SO THE LEVEL OF RACE BEES AND THAT'S THE WORK WE GOT DOWN TO AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IT IS CLOSE. ITS VERY CLOSE AND IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU ERATE WAY THIS RISKS. WE DO IT DIFFERENTLY WITH THE CREW THAN BOEING STRENGTHENING. >> SO MARK TRUST IS A TWO-WAY STREET AND IT IS BUILD UPON A RELATIONSHIP, AND I THINK, AS IN CALL ITED JUST AN HOUR AGO, BY THE NEW CEO OF BOEING THAT THEY INTEND TO MOVE FORWARD AND FLY STARLINER IN THE FUTURE WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NASA THAT WE HAVE TWO HUMAN RATED VEHICLES, I THINK, YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE TRUST IS TWO WAYS. >> TWO QUESTIONS. ONE FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT QUESTION ABOUT BOEING AND YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BOEING CEO. HOW DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT NASA CAN HELP BOEING GET STARLINER OPERATIONAL MISSIONS IN COULD YOU MAYBE FLY LIKE A CARGO MISSION TO SUPPORT THAT? OR JUST CURIOUS WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT. FOR KEN BOWERSOX, I AM CURIOUS, WHEN DID YOU THINK IT WAS LIKELY CREW DRAGON WOULD BE THE VEHICLE TO BRING THE CREW HOME, BUTCH AND SUNI. FROM THE OUTSIDE, IT DOES SEEM LIKE YOU SAWAL SOMETHING IN THE TEST DATA THAT GIVE YOU CONCERN. IT CERTAINLY SEEMED LIKE THAT IS WHEN THE ODDS SEEMED TO SHIFT TOWARD DRAGON. ANY IN SIGHT ON THAT, THANK YOU? >> YOUR QUESTION TO ME IS BEST ANSWERED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO DETERMINE THE SPA SPECIFIC TESTING AND WHAT IS REQUIRED BEFORE THE CREW WOULD FLY. >> I CAN TAKE A CUT AT THAT, ERIC. SO WE ARE GOING TO SIT DOWN WITH BOEING AND KIND OF LAYOUT, WHAT IS THAT PATH, RIGHT? I WOULD SAY THE WHITE SANDS TESTING DID GIVINGS A SURPRISE. WE SAW IN THAT TESTING AS WE DID, YOU KNOW, WE DID FIVE TOTAL SIMULATIONS WITH THAT THRUSTER OF A DOWNHILL DEA OR BUILT BURN SEQUENCE, SO THAT IS WHEN WE SAW THE SWELLING OF THE OXIDIZER SIDE. THE PIECE OF TONIGHT LON THAT SWELLS UP AND GETS TO THE FLOW PATH AND CAUSES THE OXIDIZER TO NOT GO INTO THE THRUSTER THE WAY IT NEEDS TO GO INTO IT. THAT IS WHAT CAUTION THINK THRUST. WHEN WE SAW THAT, THAT IS WHEN IT CHANCED FOR US. WHERE IS IT PREV RENT IN OTHER THRUSTERS? THAT I IS WHERE WE CHANGED COURAGES. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO NOW MOVING FORWARD TO STARLINER ONE IS HOW DO WE AVOID FIRING THAT THRUSTER IN A MANNER THAT WOULD CAUTION THE HEATING THAT CAUSES THAT OXIDIZEROT C1 OT BOTINDV THAT NOW AND NOW WE HAVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FISKS I THE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND START FINDING LITTLEGATIONS FOR FUTURE FLIGHTS DOES KEN HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD KEN: FOR ME, I THOUGHT THE RESULTS WERE A FIFTH. IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THAT DATA. I REALLY THOUGHT IT MAY HELP US CONVERT. I HAVE SEEN WITH IT A FEW OF OF THE DISCUSSIONS WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CALMS ON A DECISION. WE GATHER MORE TATA THEN A PIECE OF DATA COMES IN AND WE COME TOGETHER. EVERYBODY AGREES THAT, THAT WE TAKE ONE PATH OR THE OTHER. AND I THOUGHT WE MIGHT GET THERE UNTIL PROBABLY ABOUT A WEEK AGO. THAT IS WHERE IT STARTED TO LOOK LIKE I DON'T THINK WE WILL GET THERE IN TIME FOR BRINGING STARLINER HOME IN A TIMELY MANNER. WITH MORE TIME WE MIGHT HAVE HAVE GOT SMARTER BUT AT THE POINT WHERE WE NEED TO BRING STARLINER HOME, TAKE ALL THE DATA WE CAN AND KEEP MOVING FOR WAR, I THINK. >> THE NEXT QUESTION FROM SPAR DUNN ON THE PHONE LINE. SPAR DUNN FROM "THE ASSOCIATED PRESS." REPORTER: HI, YES, HI. FOR YOU, KEN, I WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE, UM, INFORMATION ON HOW THE OPINIONS WERE SPLIT. WAS IT 50-50, 25 IN FAVOR OF SPACE P. IF YOU CRACKERRIZE THE MUM NERS FOR AND AGAINST AND IF YOU COULD DISCUSS THE MOOD IN THE ROOM TODAY? THANK YOU? >> UM, SO, UM, THE POLLING BOEING BELIEVE IN THEIR VEHICLE AND THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO BRING A CREW HOME ON. IT WE HAD SOME NASA FOLKS THAT TOOK A BROADER VIEW OF THE GLOBAL RISKS WHO THOUGHT, HEY, WE SHOULD PROBABLY COOP THE CREW ON THIS THE TEST FLIGHT TO SAY WHETHER THAT WAS 15-20% OF THE PEOPLE, I WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME COMING UP WITH THAT NUMBER. AS FAR AS THE MOOD, ALL OF US WANTED TO COMPLETE THE TEST FLIGHT WITH CREW AND I THINK UNANIMOUSLY, WE ARE DISAPPOINTED NOT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. THAT IS PART OF THE REASON THE SYSTEM IS SET UP THE WAY IT IS. YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO WEIGH IN YOUR DECISION SO ON PURPOSE, OUR SYSTEM INCREASES THE VOLUME ON SOME OF THE VOICES INTERESTS THE TECHNICAL AUTHORITIES AND FOLKS THAT ARE ASKED NOT TO THINK ABOUT THOSE EMOTIONS AND IT HELPS TO PULL YOU AWAY ARE THE FACT THAT YOU MIGHT BE DIGS PINTED IN A CERTAIN DECISION AND THEN GUIDE YOU TOWARD THAT FINAL OUTCOME. >> I WOULD ADD IN THE ROOM, THERE IS A SENSE OF NOT ACCOMPLISHING THE MISSION WE SET OUT TO DO AND EVEN FOR MYSELF CERTAINLY, THAT IS A HARD THING TO GO THROUGH. ITATION LITTLE BIT OF A SITUATION OF LOSS AND FEELING LIKE YOU LOST SOMETHING AND WE HAVEN'T, ULTIMATE LONG TERM VIEW, WITH HAVE NO LOST ANYTHING BECAUSE BOEING AS THE ADMINISTRATOR NELSON SAID IS COME MILTED TO FINING THE SOLUTIONS AND FLYING STARLINER AGAIN, BUT, BUT I PROBABLY CAN'T EXPRESS IN WORDS WHAT IT IS LIKE WHEN YOU COME MILT TO A MISSION WHERE YOU WORKED ON A MISSION SO LONG, AND THEN, THEN WE MAKE A FARLEY DRAMATIC CHANGE WHICH, WHICH WE HAVE NOT DONE IN HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT IN A LONG TIME, AND SO THERATION FEELING OF LOSS, AND, AND WE'LL WORK WITH OUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT THAT AND WE MOVE FORWARD FROM HERE BECAUSE WE NEED THIS TEAM TO FOCUS NOT ONLY ON RETURNING STARLINER SAFELY, BUT WE HAVE WE HAVE A CREW AND CREW LAUNCH COMING UP AS WELL, AND WE NEED TO FOCUS ON ALTHOUGH THINGS? AM WE HAVE A BUSY TIMEFRAME AND WE'LL DO THIS AND WELL TEA TALK TO THE TEAM AND MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND IT IS NOBODY'S FAULT AND A NORMAL FEELING TO HAVE THIS FEELING OF LOSS OR YOU DIB COME LET WHAT YOU INTENDED TO DO. >> OK. MA VASE FROM NBC NEWS. >> HI, EVERYONE. THANKS SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS. NBC HERE, SENATOR NELSON, THIS COULD BE FOR YOU OR ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO JOIN IN. WE HEARD A MISSION FOR NEXT FLIGHT FOR STAR LUNE EAR COUPLE OF TIMES. WE KNOW HOW MUCH NASA WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALTERNATIVE TO SPACE P. MORE COMPANIES AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE THE ABILITY TO SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS TO THE ISS. SENATOR NELSON, HOW CERTAIN ARE YOU THAT BOEING WILL EVER LAUNCH STARLINER WITH A CREW ONBOARD AGAIN? >> 100%. >> 1-00%. NO DOLT IN YOUR MIND. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY? >> BECAUSE OF WHAT THE PANEL HAS ALREADY TOLD YOU. THE EXTENSIVE COOPERATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATION SA AND BOEING OF FINDING THE PROBLEM BUT KNOWING THAT THE UNCERTAINTYS ARE WHAT HELD UP THE CREW GETTING ON STARLINER TO GO HOME AND CERTAINLY ON MY PART THAT WE'LL FOON OUT THE UNCERTAINTY AND THE BOEING WILLNESS TO CARRY THROUGH ON THIS PROGRAM. >> ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT QUESTION FROM THE PHONES. CRESTING TEN FISHER FROM CNN. >> THANK YOU. YOU INVESTIGATED THE CHALLENGER ACCIDENT. YOU WERE A SENATOR WHEN CO BECOME LUM BIYA HAPPENED. HOW MUCH DID THAT EXPERIENCE INFLUENCE YOUR PERSONAL DECISION TODAY? THANK YOU. >> VERY MUCH. IT HAS AFFECTED THE DECISION TODAY BY THIS COLLECTIVE GROUP AND ALL OF THOSE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE FLIGHT TEST READINESS REVIEW THIS MORNING. IT IS TRYING TO TURN AROUND THE CULTURE THAT FIRST LED TO THE LOSS OF CHALLENGER AND THEN LED TO THE LOSS OF COLUMBIA. WHERE OBVIOUS MISTAKES WERE NOT BEING BROUGHT FORTH FOR EXAMPLE. WILL GIVE YOU SPECIFICS GOING BACK TO THE LOSS OF CHAL LEN FER. EVEN THE ENGINEERS IN UTAH WERE BEGGING THEIR MANAGEMENT NOT TO LAUNCH BECAUSE OF THE COLD WEATHER. THAT INFORMATION NEVER GOT UP. THAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE VERY NIGHT BEFORE THE LAUNCH THE NEXT MORNING. ANOTHER EXAMPLE ON COLUMBIA, ASTRONAUTS WOULD GET THROUGH WITH THEIR FLIGHTS AND IN SPECK THE ORBITER AND AS A MATTER OF FANG, MY COMMANDER GIBSON, SAID HE HAD LOOKED AT SUBSEQUENT FLIGHTS, AND HE WOULD ROOK LIKE THAT A SHOTGUN HAD BEEN SHOT ON THE DELICATE SILICON TILES BECAUSE OF SO MUCH OF THE FOAM SHEDDING OFF OF THE EBBS TERNAL TANK BUT THERE WAS CULTURE THAT DID NOT BRING THAT INFORMATION UP TO THE DECISION-MAKERS. SO NASA EVER SINCE HAS TRIED VERY HARD TO BRING ABOUT AN ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO STEP FORWARD AND SPEAK THEIR MINE. I THINK, RIGHT TODAY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. DO WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE SCHOOL? >> WAY. BACK LEFT. >> GOOD MORNING. HERE IN HOUSTON TEXT THE. ANY OF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION. SIMPLY STATED TO THE FOLKS AT HOME WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE TWO ASTRONAUTS ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW UP IN ORBIT. ALL THEY ARE HEARING IS THE TECHNICAL STUFF AND WHAT WE ARE REPORTING. MAN, THESE GUYS SIMPLY ARE GOING TO MISS OUT ON THE HOLIDAYS WITH THEIR FAMILIES AT HOME. THAT ARE THEY EXPERIENCING DAY TO DAY WITH THIS DECISION AND THIS NEWS THAT IT WILL BE MONTHS BEFORE THEY RETURN? >> THANK YOU. I WILL JUMP IN ON THIS ONE. FIRST UP, ALL THE ASTRONAUTS ON STATION ARE PROFESSIONALS, ALL OF THOUGH QUALITIES THAT I TALKED ABOUT WITH BUTCH AND SUNI IS EXEMPLIFIED. THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS. WHEN THEY LAUNCH, THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE SE,S WHERE THEY CAN BE ONBOARD FOR UP TO A YEAR. SO MENTALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW YOU COULD BE IN THAT SITUATION. NOW, ONCE YOU ARE IN THE ARENA, OBVIOUSLY, IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. IT IS CHALLENGING. YOU KNOW? IT IS DISAPPOINTING, THAT THEY ARE NOT COMING HOME ON STARLINER, BUT THAT IS OK. IT IS A TESTING FLIGHT. THAT IS WHAT I DID. THEY KNEW THE RISKS GOING IN. WE KEEP THEM BUSY. THERE IS ALLOT OF SCIENCE AND RESEARCH GOING ON ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION HANAN CAN ELABORATE ON AND HAS ELABORATED ON. WE KEEP THEM BUGSY. WE KEEP THEM WORKING. THEY ARE CONTINUING TO PAV THE ROAD FOR HUMAN EXPLORATION GOING FORWARD. IT IS GREAT. THEY ARE PART OF THE CREW. THEY ARE DOING FINE. >> I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES. I KNOW THIS IS A HUGE IMPACT TO THEIR FAMILIES. IT MEANS A LOT. THEY ARE THE PILLARS THAT WE DEPEND ON TO KEEP USING ABOUT. THEY ARE THE PILLARS THAT HELP US TEAM WITH THE CREWED FLIGHT TEST HAVE THE RESILIENCE TO KEEP GOING ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THAT WERE NEEDED TO GO FORWARD. THAT IS BOTH AT NASA AND BOEING SO FAMILY IS THE BACKBONE OF WHAT WE DO SO TELL THEIR FAMILIES THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THEIR SUPPORT. THANK YOU FOR WHAT THEY DO TO ALLOW NASA AND OUR COMMERCIAL PARTNERS TO DO WHAT WE DO TO EXPLORE FACE. WELL GEE BACK TO THE PHONE LINES NEXT IS BROWN FROM FOX NEWS. FOX NEWS FOR ADMINISTRATOR NELSON. SIR, I CAN APPRECIATE ALL THE TECHNICAL AND R AND D REVIEW HERE THAT IS BEING DETAILED FOR US AND THE INVESTMENT EVERYBODY HAS ON THIS. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE INVESTIGATIONMENT WE AS TAXPAYERS HAVE GIVEN BOEING OVER 15 YEARS NOW TO HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS FROM SEED MONEY TO SELECTING THEM AS PROVIDERS FOR COMMERCIAL CREW. AT WHAT POINT -- I UNDERSTANDS THIS IS OVERSIGHT ISSUE AND MAY COME FROM SOMETHING ABOUT ABOVE THE AGENCY BUT THE CAREER HAS SPANNED THE AGENCY AND ABOVE THE AGENCY THEN I WANT TO KNOW HOW OR WHEN OR WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR REVIEWING THIS CONTRACT TO DETERMINE WE ARE NOT, WE ARE NOT GETTING WHAT WE PAID FOR AS TAXPAYERS. I SAY THIS AS KNOWING THAT THERE IS A PUBLIC SETTLEMENTING THAT IS SKEPTICAL OF BOEING AS CORPORATION NOW AND NOT DO TO THIS BUT DUE TO OTHER ISSUES IN COMMERCIAL AVIATION, SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN THOSE DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN AND HOW THEY HAPPEN AND WHAT GETS DISCUSSED. >> TO SPECIFICALLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION. YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE STARTED THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM, ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THE COMMERCIAL PROGRAM WAS THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A FIXED PRICING CONTRACT. SO MUCH OF NASA'S RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN A VERY UNFORGIVING ENVIRONMENT SPACE THAT IS VERY HARD AND IS CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY AND IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE. AND AS A RESULT ON THE NORMAL WAY OF CONTRACTING COST PLUS, IT WILL RUN THE COST WAY UP. NOT SO WITH THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM. THAT WAS PART OF THE NEGOTIATION FOR BOTH OF THE COMPANIES, BOEING AND SPACEX AND THEY GUILTY A FIXED PRICE, AND IF YOU CHECK THE ROR, YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL BOEING HAS HAD TO SPEND. SO MY ANSWER, YOU ARE POSTURING THE QUESTION OF WHAT I WOULD ANSWER IN FRONT OF A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE IS THIS PROGRAM IS WORKING LIKE IT SHOULD. IF THIS QUESTION IS SOMETHING ELSE, THEN SPEAK IT. I THINK THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE GETTING AT. >> OK. WE WILL GO TO JOEY ROULETTE FROM RATERS. REPORTER: THANKS. FOR BILL NELSON. DID KELLY SAY WHEN YOU TALKED TO HIM WHETHER BOEING WOULD PAY FOR ATITION ADDITIONAL TEST MISSION BEFORE STARLINER GETS CERTIFIED FOR STEVE OR KEN, I AM READING SOME CONTRACT LANGUAGE FROM BOWING'S MOST RECENT MODIFICATION THAT BROADLY DEFINED COMING AFTER STARLINER FLIES ASTRONAUTS TO AND FROM THE ISS AND SO I KNOW THERE IS I DATA YOU WILL GET ON THE RETURN LEG BUT SINCE IT IS COMING BACK EMPTY AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN SO FAR WILMAS SA WANT TO SEIZE BOEING FLYING BEFORE IT GETS CERTIFICATION OR MIGHT NASA CHANGE THOSE REQUIREMENTS AND CERTIFY STARLINER ANYWAY? >> IT DID NOT COUPLE ANOR WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE IN A CONVERSATION WHICH AM ALERTING HIM AS TO WHAT THE DECISION OF THE FLIGHT TEST READINESS REVIEW WAS THAT WE WOULD GET INTO THOUGH MATTERS. >> YEAH. WE STARTED LOOKING AT THE FLIGHT TEST OBJECTIVES WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ON THE FLIGHT AND WHAT IS REMAINING. WE HAVE NOT YOU KNOW MADE A TOTAL DETERMINATION YET OF WHAT OBJECTIVES ARE IN FRONT OF US OR WHAT WE HAVE FULFILLED. WE WILL TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE DESIDED ON THE PALL YET OF ANOTHER CREWED FLIGHT TEST. WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF THIS VEHICLE SO FAR. IT HAS BEEN ON ORBIT NOW FOR TWO AND A HALF MONTHS WHICH WE DIDN'T INTEND SO WE GOT DATA OUT OF THAT AND HAVE TO SIT DOWN TO TALK ABOUT THE CERTIFICATION ASPECTS AFTER THE FLIGHT AND A LITTLE PREMATURE TO DO THAT AT THIS POINT. YEAH WE NEED TO GET THE VEHICLE BACK ON THE GROUND THEN ANALYZE THE DATA AND BE DRIVEN BY THAT IN THE NEXT DECISION. BUT I WOULDN'T RULE ANYTHING OUT, RIGHT? WE HAVE, WE HAVING ONS FOR HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. WE PLAN TO WORK TOGETHER WITH BOWING TO FIND THAT PATH. >> NEXT WE HAVE CHRIS DAVENPORT FROM "THE WASHINGTON POST." >> HI. THANKS SO MUCH. FOR KEN BOWERSOX I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THE POLL WHICH YOU SAID WAS UNANIMOUS. CAN YOU GIVE US A NUMBER OF VOTES CAST THAT IS PART OF THAT POLL. IT IS IT 10 TO 0. 12? HOW MANY VOTES WERE THERE, THANK YOU? >> WHERE WELL, I WILL GO THROUGH JUST MENTALLY ALL THE ORGS THAT WE POLLED. WE UNOFFICIALLY ASKED THE OPINION OF THE NASA ENGINEERING NASA ENGINEERING AND SAFETY CENTER THE FLIGHT OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE AND THE DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR ISS AND COMMERCIAL LEO DEVELOPMENT AT NASA HEADQUARTERS. THE ISS PROGRAM AND COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM, THE ENGINEERING TECHNICAL AUTHORITY, THE CREW HEALTH AND MEDICAL TECHNICAL AUTHORITY SAFETY ADMISSION AND TECHNICAL AUTHORITY, LET'S SEE, WHO ELSE DY LEAVE OUT FROM STENNIS, MARSHALL SC, AND KENNEDY SPACE CENTER WHERE, THE COMMERCIAL CREWED PROGRAM IS OFFICIALLY BASED, ANYBODY MISSED ON THAT LIST? >> I THINK YOU GOT EVERYBODY. >> I THINK YOU GOT EBB. >> THAT WAS EVERYBODY CONCURRED PROCEEDING ON CRUDE. THEY STATED THEY MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO PEOPLETURING THE MEETING THAT, THAT HAD A DIFFERENT OPINION AND TRIED TO GIVE THOSE FOLKS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE GROUP. >> MICHAEL WERE "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL." REPORTER: THANK YOU. FOR ADMINISTRATOR NELSON AND JIM FREE, THERE IS A DISCUSSION ON A PREVIOUS CALL ABOUT IF STARLINER IF STARLINER RETURNING UNCREWED IF THAT WOULD COUNT AS MISSION FAILURE. WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THAT. YOU DON'T AGREE IT WOULD BE MISSION OR MISSION FAILURE. CUE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY? THANKS. >> YEAH. I THINK WE -- SO LET ME GO BACK TO SOMETHING STEVE SAID. WE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT AND LEARNED ABOUT THIS VEHICLE AND SATISFIED A LOT ALREADY. THAT STRESSED HERE BY THE PREVIOUS PRESS CONFERENCES AND WE'LL LOOK AT THIS AS WE DO ANY MISSIONS TO SEE DOES IT FOOL ANY THAT WE HAVE THAT WE DEFINED ADDS A MISHAP ONCE WE GET THE VEHICLE BACK. THAT IS OUR TIME TO LOOK AT THAT AND A QUESTION THAT I SAVE AND POSE TO US ON ON THE OTHER SIDEF GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK. REPORTER: THANK YOU. COULD YOU TELL US WHY NASA CHOSE SPACEX TO BRING SUNI AND BUTCH HOME? HOW DID YOU COME TO THAT DECISION THAT I CAN TAKE A CUT AT THAT AND WE'LL SEE. >> FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE RISKS OF PUTTING BUTCH AND SUNI ON THE STARLINER VEHICLE DUE TO ISSUES WITH THE THRUSTERS WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE LOOKED THAT RISK WE SAID THAT RISK WAS DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTIES, DUE TO THE INABILITY TO PRODICT WITH CERTAINTY THAT THRUSTER PERFORMANCE FOR THE REST OF THE MISSION INCLUDING HOLDING THE ORIENTATION OF THE VEHICLE FOR THE DEORBIT BURN THEN MANEUVERING THE VEHICLE FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE CREW MODULE WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DID WE HAVE BECAUSE THE MISSIONS ARE REALLY JOINTLY SHARED BETWEEN THE ISS PROGRAM AND COMMERCIAL CREWED PROGRAM. AND AS WE STARTED LOOKING AT VARIOUS OPTIONS, IT WAS OBS IS WHERE TO BOTH OF US THE EASIEST AND THE BEST OPTION WAS TO CONFIGURE THE CREW VEHICLE WITH A COUPLE OF EMPTY SEATS ON THE WAY UPHILL TO PUT IN THOSE SEATS, SPACEX HAD THAT CAPABILITY AND WE ALSO KNEW WE HAD A SPACESUIT ON ORBIT ALREADY THAT WE COULD UTILIZE FOR ONE OF THE CREWMEMBERS AND THEY TRIED THAT ON AND THE SPACE SUIT WORKS BOTH CREWMEMBERS TRIED ON THE SPACE SUIT AND WE HAVE A SPACE SUIT THAT WE ARE GOING TO LAUNCH FOR THE CREWMEMBERS ON CREW THEN WANTED TO GIVE THE CREW, YOU KNOW, A SUITED RETURN, AND LIKE WE ALWAYS HAVE IN THE U.S. SPACEFLIGHT, SO WHEN WE STARTED TO WEIGH THOSE OPTIONS IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT CREW WAS THE BEST OPTION FLY UP TWO EMPTY SEATS AND HAVE BUTCH AND SUNI AND JOIN THE IN CREWMENT CREW AND RETURN ON CREW 9 AND BECAME THE EASIEST AND THE BIGGEST OPTION AND THE MOST EFFICIENT OPTION FOR ALL OF US AND I WILL SEE IF DANA HAS ANYTHING TO ADD. >> YEAH. I WOULD ADD. KNOWING IT WAS MADE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO TRAIN WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THE STATION AND THE MOST COMPLEX THINGS WE DO WITH SPACEWALKS , ROBOTICSES , SON OF THE RESEARCH SORB WHERE WE HAD THEM TRAINED. THEY OBVIOUSLY FLOWN TO STATION BEFORE. THEY HAVE DONE LONG DURATION MISSIONS, BOTH OF THEM HAVE. SO AGAIN WHEN YOU LINE THAT UP WITH THE VEHICLE OPTIONS THEN THE FACT THAT THE DRAGON SPACE CRAFT IS HIGHLY ART TOW MATED AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE USED IT FOR PRIVATE ASTRONAUT MISSIONS THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE TAKING PEOPLE WITH MUCH LEGS TRAINING THAN WHAT THE CLASSIC TRAINING IS FOR THE NASA CREW. AND HAVING THEM FLY ON DRAGON WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE TO MAKE DECISION TO ADJUST CREW 9 TO HAVE A FULL EXPEDITION AND COME HOME ON A DRAGON. >> THEN ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, MAJOR GOAL OF THE COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM IS TO DEVELOP NOT JUST THE CAPABILITY TO GO BACK TO THE SPACE STATION BUT GEN A AIRIC CAPABILITY TO DEVELOP A COMMERCIAL CAPABILITY. AND THERE IS TWO REASONS FOR THAT. ONE IS SIMILAR REDUNDANCY SO YOU HAVE THE OPTION IF THERE IS A PROBLEM ON ONE VEHICLE YOU MAY HOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ON ANOTHER VEHICLE SO YOU COULD USING THEM FOR A RETURN. OR OR PERHAPS KEEP THEM FLYING WHILE ANOTHER VEHICLE IS WORKING THROUGH RECOVERY FROM SOME SORT OF A PROBLEM. BUT IT IS ALSOS TO PROVIDE SOME COMPETITION. BUT IT IS ALSO TO PROVIDE COMPETITION IN THE ENVIRONMENT. COMPETITION IS HEALTHY IN A LOT OF WAYS, IT CAUSES YOU TO DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY. IT CAUTIONS YOU TO GET BETTER PRICING THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT COMPETITION IN THE FUTURE. SO THAT IS WHY WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE PROVIDER WITH RETRYING TO DEVELOP. >> NEXT QUESTION. >> HI. THANK YOU. I GUESS THIS IS FOR ADMINISTRATOR NELSON. YOU EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT BOEING WILL CONTINUE BY CONTRACT. >> THE DELIVERY ON THE CONTRACT AND THEREFORE, THERE IS NO DISCUSSION, AT THIS POINT, ON NASA'S PART AND THE QUESTION THAT YOU POSITION, WHICH IS BASICALLY THAT THEY HAVE SPENT X, WILL THEY SPEND Y TO GET TO WHERE BOEING STARLINER BECOMES A REGULAR PART OF OUR CREW ROTATION? THAT IS NOT -- I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT AND NOR DO I THINK WE WOULD HAVE THE ANSWER NOW. >> I WILL ADD ON SY REAR SPACE. SIERRA IS WORKING VERY HARD ON THE FIRST MAJOR VOYAGE. THAT IS A CARGO MISSION. THEY GOT THE VEHICLE DOWN AT KENNEDY AND THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH TESTS AND FINAL ASSEMBLY. SO IT IS THE PLAN THEY FLY CARGO MISSIONS TO STATION FOR THE REST OF STATION AND IN FACT, THAT IS THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM TO PROVIDE CARGO CAPABILITIES. THERE IS NO EXISTING CONTRACT WITH THE AGENCY FOR CREWED CAPABILITY WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THAT IS NOT A POSSIBILITY SOMEWHERE IN THE FUTURE. IN FACT SY REAR HAS THEIR OWN GOALS ABOUT MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION IN THE FUTURE. BUZZ FOR NOW, THE WORK AND THE FOE KISS ON GETTING THEM FLYING AS THE CARGO FLIGHT AND IF YOU LOOK BACK TO HOW WE STARTED SPACEX IN THE DRAGON, THAT IS A SIMILAR APPROACH WE STARTED WITH CARGO FLIGHTS FIRST AND FLEW A NUMBER OF FLIGHTS THEN THEY EVENTUALLY EVOLVED INTO THE CREWED VERSION OF THE DRAGON. >> HI, THANKS SO MUCH. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT MODIFICATIONS, IF ANY, WILL BE MADE AHEAD OF THE RETURN NOW IT DUCT HAVE THE CRAW ONBOARD. WILL NASA BE FLYING THAT RETURN ANY DIFFERENTLY OR WATCHING FOR ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY NOW THAT IT IS PERFORMING THIS RETURN WITHOUT A RU. THANKS. >> WILL TAKE THE QUESTION RELATIVE TO THE RECONFIGURATION OF STARLINER. THERE IS A FEW THINGS WE HAVE TO DO DIFFERENTLY AS I SAID EARLIER. WE ARE GOING TO MODIFY THE SEPARATION SEQUENCE A LITTLE BIT. THAT IS ONE MODIFICATION. THAT WILL BE DONE VIA GROUND COMMANDING THEN THERE WILL BE SOME TIME TAGGED EVENTS IN THE FLIGHT SOFTWARE THEY WILL EXECUTE. THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS IN THE COCK PIT THAT HAVE TO BE CON OF COURSE GURED DIFFERENTLY. OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU HAVE A RAW ONBOARD THE LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS WILL BE CONFIGURED LIKE WE DID ON THE ORBIT FLIGHT TESTING TWO MISSION AND IN 2022 AND WE'LL USE THOSE SAME CONFIGURATIONS OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE GOT TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF PLANNING RELATIVE TO THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WITHOUT THE CREWMEMBERS BEING IN THE SEATS SO WE LOOKED AT THAT ALREADY SECOND DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A BIG PROBLEM. THEM AS HAVE BEEN LAYING OUT THAT DATA. THE GROUND TEAMS WILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FLIGHT CRUEL RULES TO OPERATE FROM, SO THEY WILL HAVE THAT AHEAD OF THEM. BUT THERE IS A FEW MINOR THINGS TO THE SPACECRAFT TO RECONNING GURE THEN WE ARE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF STARTING THAT

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