Polaris Dawn crew talks to TODAY ahead of all-civilian spacewalk

Published: May 05, 2024 Duration: 00:04:50 Category: News & Politics

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Intro >>> WE ARE BACK AT 7:40 WITH A "TODAY" EXCLUSIVE. THE FIRST LIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE MEMBERS OF POLARIS DAWN CREW. >> THEIR FIVE-DAY PRIVATE MISSION IS SET TO LAUNCH ON SPACEX'S DRAGON X. THEY WILL FLY HIGHER THAN ANY HUMAN SINCE THE APOLLO DAYS. THAT'S THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN THE SPACE STATION. >> WHAT ELSE? >> WHILE THEY'RE UP THERE, THEY WILL BE TESTING OUT BRAND-NEW SPACE SUITS. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST-EVER ALL-CIVILIAN SPACE WALK. WE'RE JOINED BY THE MISSION COMMANDER, MISSION PILOT AND MISSION SPECIALIST. WELCOME TO THE STUDIO. >> THANKS FOR HAVING US. >> ARE YOU EXCITED TO GET OUT OF HERE, GET OUT OF EARTH AND CHECK IT OUT? >> WE ARE. >> SO, JARED, IT IS SET FOR EARLY SUMMER. TELL ME ABOUT THIS MISSION. >> YEAH. SO POLARIS DAWN IS THE FIRST MISSION OF THE POLARIS CREW. IT IS AWESOME. LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WE'RE GOING FARTHER INTO SPACE SINCE THE LAST TIME HUMANS WALKED ON THE MOON ON APOLLO. TESTING OUT A NEW SPACE SUIT WHICH SOME DAY SOME VERSION Training for spacewalk COULD BE USED. AND TESTING OUT A NEW STAR LINK COMMUNICATION SYSTEM. >> SARA, SPEAKING OF WALKING, YOU ARE GOING TO BE ONE OF THE TWO, THE TWO OF YOU, JARED AND SARA, YOU WILL BE OUTSIDE OF THE SPACECRAFT WALKING AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. SO TELL US ABOUT THE TRAINING AND WHAT YOU IMAGINE THAT'S GOING TO BE LIKE. >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE DEVELOPMENT EFFORT WITH SPACEX. MY BACKGROUND IS TRAINING ASTRONAUTS ACROSS OUR MISSION. I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND TEST OUT A BRAND-NEW SPACE SUIT AND REALLY EXPAND THE CAPABILITIES OF DRAGON. >> WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHILE YOU ARE WALKING AROUND? WHAT GOES ON OUT THERE? >> YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT IS GOING TO BE OVERALL JUST PAINT A PICTURE FOR YOU. IT WILL BE A TWO-HOUR OPERATION OVERALL. ALL OF US WILL GET SUITED IN THESE BRAND-NEW SPACE SUITS BEFORE WE BACK THE SPACECRAFT Spacesuits AND THEN GO OUTSIDE. >> WE'RE FASCINATED BY THE SPACE SUITS. LET'S BE HONEST. THEY LOOK REALLY COOL. EVERYONE IS IN THEM BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DEPRESSURIZE THE MAIN SPACESHIP, SO YOU HAVE TO BE READY FOR THAT. >> THERE IS A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED INTO THIS SUIT. LITTLE MINI SPACE SUITS TO KEEP US ALIVE. REALLY COOL ELEMENTS TO INCLUDE THE VISOR, THE HEAD'S UP Kisses from Space DISPLAY. YOU KNOW, A LOT HAS GONE INTO THE DEVELOPMENT. AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. CAN'T WAIT TO GO ON THIS MISSION. >> THERE IS A LOT OF TRAINING THAT WENT ON FOR ALL OF YOU GUYS TO GET TO THIS POINT, WHICH IS SO EXCITING. YET, I CAN'T HELP BUT NOTICE YOU ARE HOLDING A CHILDREN'S BOOK IN YOUR HAND BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE DOING UP IN SPACE FOR THE CHILDREN OF ST. JUDE. YOU ARE GOING TO BE READING FROM THAT BOOK. IT IS CALLED "KISSES FROM SPACE." TELL US ABOUT IT. >> ABSOLUTELY. SO I CO-CREATED THIS BOOK. IT IS THE STORY OF A MAMMA DRAGON AS SHE JOURNEYS TO SPACE AND SHARES THAT JOURNEY WITH HER BABY DRAGONS BACK HERE ON EARTH. IT IS A STORY OF HOW LOVE CAN OVERCOME ANY DISTANCE. I WILL BE READING THIS BOOK LIVE FROM SPACE TO MY KIDS BACK HERE ON EARTH WHO ARE AGES 3 AND 6 AS WELL AS SOME OF THE BRAVE PATIENTS OF ST. JUDE'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL. >> WE ALL REMEMBER HALEY, THE FORMER ST. JUDE PATIENT. IT IS REALLY ABOUT GIVING PEOPLE KIND OF PERMISSION TO DREAM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GOING TO SPACE. >> OH, ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, WITH INSPIRATION CONTINUING ON NOW, RIGHT, WE'RE TRYING TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT THAT EXTRAORDINARY WORLD WE CAN LIVE IN TOMORROW WHERE WE HAVE PEOPLE LIVING ON MARS, MAKING A WORLD MORE INTERESTING WHERE EVERYONE CAN LOOK AT THE STARS. CONSIDER THE REAL PROBLEMS WE HAVE HERE ON EARTH. ST. JUDE'S CHILDREN RESEARCH HOSPITAL, THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE RESEARCH MISSION. THESE ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF OUR MISSION. WE'RE CONTINUING TO RAISE FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR ST. JUDE. >> WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. GIVE US A CALL. YOU'RE LIKE, HOW IS THE WIFI UP THERE?

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