好吧，我们正在再次创造历史。

出发吧。

5，4，3，2，1。

0。

点火。

升空。

那里有一条猎鹰线和载人龙飞船。

加油 NASA，加油 SpaceX。愿上帝保佑底部。

做。

所以，乘上美国太空飞行的新臂膀。

下午好，欢迎大家来到肯尼迪航天中心。我是NASA通信办公室的贝蒂娜·克莱因。多么特别的一天。我们来到这里，讨论NASA SpaceX Demo 2任务，以及美国载人航天从美国本土重返国际空间站。宇航员罗伯特·本肯和道格拉斯·赫尔利参与此次任务。乘员夹克飞船和猎鹰9号火箭今天从NASA肯尼迪航天中心的39A发射台升空。

下午3:22，鲍勃和道格现在正安全前往国际空间站。为了进一步谈论这次历史性任务，我们邀请了一个非常出色的嘉宾小组，首先是NASA NASA局长吉姆·布里登斯廷、SpaceX总工程师埃隆·马斯克、NASA商业载人项目经理凯茜·吕德斯、国际空间站经理柯克·谢尔曼，以及NASA首席宇航员帕特·福雷斯特。我们先请各位发言人致开场辞。

然后我们会回答各位的问题。我们先请NASA局长吉姆·布里登斯廷发言。

好的，谢谢你，贝蒂娜。对NASA来说，这是多么美好的一天。对SpaceX来说，这是多么美好的一天。对美利坚合众国来说，这是多么美好的一天。我们已经有9年没有从美国本土用美国火箭发射美国宇航员了。而现在，我们再次做到了。我想明确指出，任务还没有结束。这是一次试飞。所以我们才刚刚开始。但到目前为止，一切都运行得非常、非常好。

令我们激动的是，我们的美国英雄鲍勃和道格已经安全进入轨道，正在前往国际空间站。因此，我只想向NASA团队表示祝贺。祝贺凯茜·吕德斯，她一直在NASA方面领导我们的商业载人项目。你和你的团队完成了绝对出色的工作。当然，也要祝贺埃隆·马斯克和你在SpaceX的团队。

这次、这次发射代表了美国所能提供的一切中最优秀的部分，但我认为，它也代表了目标的延续。说到我的前任查理·博尔登，他是NASA局长，在政治支持并不多的时候启动了这个项目，而现在已经有了大量政治支持。但这是因为我们取得了一次又一次的成功。所以，这是国家的一个重要里程碑。

能够在人生中拥有这短暂的一刻，担任这个机构的负责人，我深感荣幸和感激。促成这一切的是一群多么了不起、了不起的人。

谢谢。

谢谢局长。接下来请埃隆·马斯克。

我只想肯定SpaceX和NASA的工作人员以及每一位参与创造这项技术的人所做的不可思议的工作，这一切最终促成了今天这次不可思议的发射，让宇航员在近10年后重返轨道。我认为，这件事真的应该让人们，我是说，直击每一个怀有探索精神之人的内心。而美国正是人类探索精神的凝练。

我认为，这件事在美国尤其重要，但也会打动全世界每一个内心怀有探索精神的人。所以，我是说，今天我真的情绪非常激动。坦率地说，有点难以开口。

我们为这个目标努力了18年，所以很难相信它真的发生了。我们还没有完全与空间站对接，当然，我们还需要让他们安全返回，还需要重复执行这些任务，让这成为常态。

所以还有很多工作要做。但这实在不可思议。我认为，这是每个人，你知道，这是一艘由人类制造的飞行器，你知道，为人类制造。我认为，今天发生的这件事应该让全人类感到激动和自豪。

谢谢你，埃隆。好的，接下来请凯茜·吕德斯。

好的，我今天确实没有预料到这一幕。我得告诉你们。我们今天早上醒来。我想吉姆今天早上确实给我打了电话，说，你怎么看？你怎么看？我们今天会飞吗？你怎么看？是的，是的。嗯，那是6:05的起床电话，不过，你知道，我不知道你还会睡觉，但我想我，你知道，吉姆说过了。我是说，我真的为团队感到骄傲。

团队今天早上坐在那里，我们查看了天气。天气看起来不太好，但我们研究了现有的不同选择，并意识到谨慎地逐步推进、衡量硬件的准备情况对我们有多么重要，然后，你知道，不要犯发射热，而是要非常谨慎地评估情况，并能够通过沿途的各道关卡和各个里程碑。而NASA和SpaceX团队在这方面做得非常出色。

我非常感激天气在我们准备发射前1小时转晴。我的意思是，在这一天，我们原本真的不确定中止航迹和发射区域的情况会如何发展，而这两者都有非常、非常严格的天气限制，但所有天气限制都解除了。不过，正如吉姆和埃隆都说过的，你知道，这是一次试飞。鲍勃和道格已经在上面完成我们试飞任务的许多目标。

你知道，他们得以进行远场演示，得以感受，你知道，在零重力环境中使用触摸屏是什么感觉。他们得以检查系统的所有不同部分，并释放他们的零重力指示器，我想你们大家现在都有，而且可能已经下单了。他们还有很多事情要做。他们将尝试睡觉。我不确定他们要怎么做到，但他们将尝试睡觉。

然后明天早上，我们将接近空间站，而他们将开展一些最重要的演示，研究我们如何安全地与国际空间站对接。因此，我对我们的NASA和SpaceX团队充满感激和自豪。他们仍保持警觉，仍守在控制台前。我们会留下来，我会一直待在LCC，直到鲍勃和道格与国际空间站对接，因为在把他们安全带回家之前，我们会始终保持警觉。

为这个团队感到非常、非常自豪。无法告诉你们我有多么高兴，也无法告诉你们，今天能来到这里让我多么惊叹。谢谢你，柯克·希尔曼。

嗯，多么美好的一天。对载人航天来说是非常、非常美好的一天。向埃隆·马斯克和SpaceX团队表示热烈祝贺。当然，也要向吉姆·布里登斯廷及其领导工作，以及凯西、各位负责人，还有、还有商业货运团队、商业载人团队表示热烈祝贺。真是美妙的一天。真的、真的非常高兴能参与其中。国际空间站团队的许多人今天无法来到佛罗里达，但我可以告诉你们，他们在远程观看。

他们实际上举办了一场远程发射观看派对，看到这次发射也非常兴奋。最后是我们的国际合作伙伴，我有机会收到国际空间站合作项目中许多同行的祝贺。一路走来，他们一直是商业载人项目和SpaceX工作的重要组成部分。今天他们也在观看，我可以告诉你们，他们所有人都非常期待自己的机组成员在非常、非常不久的将来乘坐龙飞船飞行并来到国际空间站，今天在国际空间站上。

3名机组成员克里斯·卡斯蒂、伊冯娜·瓦格纳和阿纳托利·伊万尼申正准备迎接更多同伴登上空间站。我知道他们非常、非常兴奋。事实上，如果他们没有为这些人的到来准备一些真正特别的东西，我才会感到意外。所以我们会期待那一刻。国际空间站上有很多工作要做，我知道鲍勃和道格以及在轨人员真的已经准备好忙起来了。

你们今天看到的，希望你们今天看到的，确实非常平稳、安定。这有点像一只鸭子。也许它在水面上看起来平稳而安定，但水面之下有大量的、有大量的划水动作。你们明天可能会看到的，我们当然预期会是非常、非常平稳且正常的。不过我只是想让你们知道，这非常、非常困难，需要设计人员、测试工程师、运行规划人员和操作人员，甚至机组人员付出巨大的努力，才能让这一切发生。

所以，平稳且正常其实真的、真的很难。总之，今天是美好的一天。非常、非常高兴鲍勃和道格正在前往国际空间站，也期待这次试飞接下来的进程。

帕特，我告诉你，我非常高兴能坐在这里参加发射后新闻发布会，而你可不会经常听到我这么说。

可能没有鲍勃和

道格现在那么高兴，但我非常高兴。毫无疑问，我在休斯敦有一群也非常高兴、正在上蹿下跳的宇航员，因为我们答应过给他们安排一些飞行任务，而一旦我们把鲍勃和道格送上去，那些任务肯定会到来。所以我只是想感谢团队能够做到这一点，为我们的其他机组成员创造这些机会。我想让大家知道，过去1个多星期里，我一直和鲍勃及道格一起住在我们这里的宇航员乘员宿舍，而在发射前夕，我从未见过像他们两人这样冷静而专注的乘组。

毫无疑问，这与他们的经验有关，也与训练有关，但我确实认为，这体现了他们对NASA团队和SpaceX团队的信任，相信团队能将他们安全送入轨道。

宇航员有时会被称为英雄，毫无疑问，鲍勃和道格今天证明了这一点，但这是我担任首席宇航员期间，在我们尝试发射一个乘组时，第一次待在飞行控制室里。我告诉你，代表他人接受风险是一项重大责任。我对通信回路中正在发生的一切感到惊讶。正如柯克所说，水面下有大量划桨动作。我想让所有人知道，我们身边都是地面上的英雄，正是他们让我们走到了今天这一步。

说到这里，我想我会再次感谢大家将我们的乘组安全送入轨道。我们期待看到他们明天与国际空间站对接。

谢谢。今天媒体将远程参加，因此他们会通过电话接入，并像其他所有人一样通过NASA电视观看。为了确保尽可能多的人能够提问，我们要求记者只问1个问题，以确保他们所有的同事都有机会参加这场新闻发布会。请说明您的姓名、所属机构，以及您要向谁提问。

我们的第一个问题来自米丽娅姆·克雷默。

你好。非常感谢。我是 Axios 的米丽娅姆·克雷默。这个问题是问埃隆或局长，也可以两位都回答。我只是想知道。这次发射经常被称为这个国家的希望时刻，但与此同时，今天全国各地也在发生抗议和示威活动。我想知道，你们想对外面那些抗议的人说些什么。这次发射也是为了他们吗？谢谢。

我很乐意回答。听着，这次发射是为了全体美国人民。在美国历史上，我们曾有过一些时刻，作为一个国家，我们面临着挑战。我们回想起20世纪60年代。我们会想到越南战争和抗议活动。我们会想到20世纪60年代对公民权利的践踏和争取公民权利的抗议活动。我们会想到冷战最激烈的时期。然而，我们迎来了这样一个时刻，1969年7月20日，全美国都停了下来，真的就停了下来，因为有美国宇航员正行走在月球表面。

然后我们又重复了5次。问题是，阿波罗计划最终结束了。但我认为 NASA 的伟大之处在于，我们把人们凝聚在一起。每个人都热爱探索。而且这不仅跨越政治分歧，也跨越国际分歧，它能把人们团结起来。我希望，我想今天已经发生了这种情况。事实上，全美国都停了下来。我看到了一些数据。人们观看我们今天所取得成就的数量高得惊人。

所以，我希望人们能把这看作一件光明而充满希望的事情，也希望人们知道，明天是新的一天，是更好的一天，而我们永远都会努力做得更好。

谢谢。

我们的下一个问题来自 CNN 的杰姬·沃特尔斯。

非常感谢你们举行这次活动。我很好奇。这个问题是问埃隆的。你是否已经收到特朗普总统的消息，他可能对你说了些什么，而你又可能就这件事对他说了些什么？非常感谢。

嗯，我没有和他一对一交谈过。我基本上只是和其他所有人一样听了那场新闻发布会。所以我们没有直接交换过任何意见。

发射之后，我们在发射控制室里相处了片刻。我要告诉你们，总统非常兴奋。当然，他祝贺了埃隆和 SpaceX 团队、团队，我觉得那是一个很好的时刻。

是的，当时和一群人在一起，不过对，哦，当然，当然，当然。但没错，他确实祝贺了 SpaceX 团队、NASA 和所有参与其中的人。对，我想，正如 NASA 局长所说，我认为这是，这是一个我想每个人都可以为之感到自豪的日子。

这是适合……的好日子。这件事能让全人类都感到兴奋。它从根本上说就是一件积极的好事。

而且我认为，这个世界需要更多积极的好事。

我们的下一个问题来自路透社的乔伊·鲁莱特。

问这个一个问题，一个分为两部分的问题。第一个是问吉姆·布里登斯廷。你有没有收到俄罗斯同行的消息？柯克·沙伊曼提到，成功之后，国际合作伙伴联系了 NASA；另一个问题是问埃隆·马斯克，随着 SpaceX 今天取得成功，你有没有收到波音同行的消息，你会对他们说些什么？谢谢。

德米特里·罗戈津是俄罗斯国家航天集团的负责人，我还没有和他谈过，但我看到了他的公开评论，当然，他对 NASA 和 SpaceX 表达了极其热烈的祝贺，还说了些这就像让一部 iPhone 飞起来之类的话。我知道，我也说过类似的话。但他的确，他确实表示，这不仅对我们是令人兴奋的一天，对他们也是如此。他们相信这种合作伙伴关系，所以我认为它会继续保持牢固。

蹦床起作用了。

这是内部笑话。内部笑话，对。

我们的下一个问题来自玛西娅·邓恩。

问你的。你们公司的总裁在升空前说，她超级紧张，胃和喉咙。你能谈谈升空前你的情绪、你的感受如何吗，某种意义上，尤其是看到他们安全进入轨道之后。非常感谢。

这是问我的，还是问埃隆的？

当然。

这是问埃隆的。

请埃隆回答。埃隆。

玛西娅，如果你还在线上，能重复一下你的问题吗？

好的，埃隆，格温·肖特韦尔说，就在升空之前，她紧张得心都提到了嗓子眼。她超级紧张。我想知道，在今天升空前的那几分钟里，你有什么感受。你的情绪，你必须站在那里看着这一切展开时的感受。谢谢。

嗯，我是说，发自内心地说，周三第1次倒计时期间，我会说我的肾上腺素飙到了100%，而当发射被叫起时，它降到了0%。我基本上直接瘫倒睡着了。那可能是我1年来睡得最长的一次。然后很奇怪，今天，我不知道，感觉就像命运都已就位。而且我不觉得，不觉得紧张，不觉得就是。感觉它会成功。

而且我觉得应该发生的事情会发生。所以不管出于什么原因，我没有。我并不觉得紧张。

嘿，贝蒂娜，我能很快说件事吗？我刚收到一张便条。就在刚才，道格·赫尔利宣布载人龙飞船被命名为“奋进号”。我们期待很快听到他们说几句话。

谢谢。

对，他们一直在驾驶它到处飞。实际上，很酷的是他们，他们把它从自动模式切了出来，直接手动驾驶飞船到处飞。到处快速穿梭肯定相当有趣。太空和航天器。

每个人儿时的梦想。

对。

接下来请《今日佛罗里达》的埃默里·凯利提问。

嘿，各位，谢谢你们来做这件事。我很感激。我只是想知道，这些年来猎鹰9号和载人龙飞船一直在飞，而这是人类第1次有机会体验乘坐它们飞行。你们收到鲍勃和道格的任何反馈了吗？

它是不是，你知道，飞得很平稳？

感觉怎么样？

谢谢。

所以，我还没有听到有关飞行情况的具体消息。我确实知道，我们很快就会听到他们的消息。我不知道这会在什么时候进行。贝蒂娜，我不知道你是否掌握这方面的具体信息。

没有，我没有戒指。

飞行非常平稳。你们可以看到。我想在网络直播中看起来相当平稳。事实上，我有一个当电影制作人的朋友说，你得给镜头加点抖动，让它看起来更真实。

下一个问题来自合众国际社的保罗·布林克曼。

好的，我想问埃隆，我知道任务还没有结束，但到目前为止，这是一项重大成就。这一项目的成功对SpaceX整体有何影响，包括星舰的开发？

嗯，我认为这显然是SpaceX与NASA以及多家关键供应商合作取得的一项巨大成就。事实上，如果我想想参与促成这次任务成功的总人数，加起来可能有100,000人。所以我只想再次向所有参与促成此次成功的人表达感谢和祝贺。

而且，其实，还要特别向局长和凯西说一句，你知道，所有参与其中的人，真的是，哇。

不管怎样，这确实有点难以消化。我想此刻我的情绪有些难以自持。想要组织出连贯的、你知道、能讲得通的句子，相当困难。

但我认为，这有望成为迈向火星文明之旅的第一步。生命以月球为基础实现多行星化，并向地球之外扩展，在地球45亿年的历史上首次实现生命的多行星化。我认为这有望成为那段旅程的第一步。

要让进入轨道并最终飞向轨道之外成为常规之事，让数千人，乃至最终可能数百万人能够前往其他行星，需要大量创新和技术开发。这才是我们随着时间推移真正需要实现的目标。而那，那显然是一个非常艰难的目标。但随着今天发生的一切，它似乎正变得越来越真实。

18年后，我们终于把人送入了轨道；如果我们能够提高创新速度，那么生命就可以实现多行星化。这是我们应该努力追求的目标。

我认为，从NASA的角度来看，我认为这件事对星舰以及许多其他项目的作用，在某种程度上是确立了这是一种成功的商业模式。看看我们如何开展国际空间站的商业补给，如今又如何开展国际空间站的商业载人飞行，当然还有将有效载荷送往月球表面的商业月球有效载荷服务项目。而现在，自1972年以来，我们首次资助了一个载人着陆系统。

当然，我们非常自豪SpaceX也将成为该开发项目的合作伙伴。所以我们不仅为它提供了资金，实际上还有已经签约的承包商在开发该载人着陆系统。因此，就这与阿尔忒弥斯计划和月球到火星计划的关系而言，我认为这种商业模式已经证明非常成功。我们正在降低成本，增加进入太空的机会。

随着我们吸纳更多合作伙伴，当然也随着SpaceX和其他公司争取更多客户，这种情况将继续发生。NASA不想成为硬件的所有者和运营者。我们也不想成为唯一的客户。我们希望SpaceX和其他公司去争取NASA以外的客户。而当这一切成为现实，我认为埃隆在这里谈到的，也就是人类能够长期生活在月球表面，并最终长期生活在火星上的这一愿景。

那就是我们目前正在发展的商业模式的最终结果。

谢谢。下一个问题来自《华盛顿邮报》的克里斯·达文波特。

哦，谢谢各位接听我的电话。我真的非常感谢。也谢谢你，埃隆，说了那句蹦床名言。那是典型的埃隆风格。如果可以的话，我想问，你在货运龙飞船上安装舷窗，以此象征你载人飞行的雄心。我想知道，你能否谈谈，在这么多漫长的岁月里，尽管你的团队显然一路上还在做许多其他事情，你是如何让他们始终专注于载人航天这一终极目标的。

谢谢，也恭喜你们。

是的，载人航天始终是SpaceX的目标，是根本目标。嗯，就像我说的，要创造必要的技术，或帮助创造必要的技术，让生命能够可持续地实现多行星化。无论如何强调这一点都不为过。这是我们需要做的事。我们必须让生命能够可持续地实现多行星化。不是探索一个行星而排斥另一个行星，而是要把生命延伸到地球之外。在这件事上，我们是生命的行动者。

所有生物、植物以及地球上存在的每个人，我们都可以把他们带到其他行星。而且非常重要的是，我们要尽快这么做。我认为，要趁机会窗口还敞开的时候。

我呼吁公众支持这一目标，思考这一目标，并思考它有多么重要，以及它对未来有多么根本性的意义。

我们必须把它做成。

发射卫星当然很好，而且它能维持……你知道，我们的收入必须超过支出。这很重要，但归根结底，一切都是为了地球之外的生命。

我们来看下一个问题。提问者是 Ars Technica 的埃里克·伯格。

下午好。刚才那一幕看得真是太震撼了。今天这个问题是给吉姆的。自从你发推文谈到 SpaceX、说是时候交付以来，已经过去略多于8个月了。我只是想知道，你是否会说他们已经交付了。还有，也许你对 NASA 的其他承包商有什么话要说吗？好的。

不，我就让你来提这件事吧。我们正在这里稍微庆祝一下。我得谨慎一点。在鲍勃和道格安全回家之前，我们不会庆祝得太过头。

不过，不，没错。

正如你提到的，8个月前有一段时间，我们在降落伞方面面临挑战。我们有一艘载人龙飞船进行了一次静态点火测试，最终导致其灾难性损毁。而且，你知道，如果当时你告诉我，我们今天会站在这里，我不知道自己会不会相信。是的，我发了一条推文，要求埃隆交付成果。而且我要告诉你，我也要告诉你我对总统说过的同一句话，我也告诉过副总统。

当然，我也在多次采访中说过。自那天起，埃隆·马斯克和 SpaceX 交付了 NASA 要求他们交付的一切，而且速度之快是我们从未料到的。我的工程团队当时说，这不可能在这么短的时间内完成。我们必须完成那么多次降落伞测试，而完成这些降落伞测试又需要那么长时间。

听着，我们完成了所有降落伞测试，我们无比感激，不仅感激 SpaceX 和埃隆·马斯克，也感激 Airborne 和 NASA 团队，他们确实着手完成了所有这些测试。当然，还有所有那些，你知道，更换钛制部件之类的工作，那些都花了时间。之后还要完成所有测试，我的天哪，SpaceX 真正交付了一项了不起的东西，那就是速度。

毫无疑问。我认为没有人会相信 SpaceX 能以如此之快的速度交付。而事实上，他们确实交付了。

交付。

凯西，你想补充些什么吗？

哦，不。我是说，我觉得吉姆说得非常好。我是说，我们一路走了过来。并不是说我们没有遇到问题。我们有一些必须解决的事情，对吧？而且我们学到了很多。那个团队，SpaceX 团队和 NASA 团队一起，密切配合，你知道，共同解决这些问题，对吧？我们着手处理它们，解决它们，并弄清楚我们要如何一起飞行。

但如果没有 SpaceX 的各位像吉姆所说的那样迅速促成这一切，我们今天就不会在这里。

谢谢。下一位是 The Verge 的劳伦·格鲁什。

你好。

非常感谢你们回答我的问题。我想这个问题任何能回答的人都可以回答。我想知道今天发射期间是否发生了什么意料之外的情况。我好像在直播中听到，有个部件的温度低于预期。只是想知道一切是否都按计划进行，或者过程中是否遇到了任何小问题。谢谢，

杰里米。所以唯一的……你知道，实际上整个倒计时，我会说，安静得异乎寻常。我的意思是，大家都说，你知道，然后大概是在我们加注推进剂期间，我们唯一看到的情况是，我们看到……其实这也是我们周三卸载时见过的情况。我们有一个传感器给出的读数方式，使我们不得不去弄清楚它为什么会以那种特定方式读数。我们还必须弄清楚，如果它失效，可能会发生什么。

而且它所在的区域，实际上我们……它位于加注与排放阀的下游。所以，你知道，吉姆之前谈到了团队在哪里、他们如何协同工作。我们在这次任务中学到的一件事，就是如何获取一项数据，比如传感器数据，并弄清楚这些数据在告诉我们什么，然后能够判定它没有问题。实际上，正因为如此，我们才得以在弄清问题是什么之后继续推进，并在很短时间内完成处理。

而这需要两组已经合作了一段时间、并且明白飞行器试图告诉他们什么的人员。但你知道，我当时想，哦，我的天哪，我们要碰上这个问题了。经历了所有那些天气方面的事情之后，现在我们又要碰上这个问题了。联合团队一起查看传感器、理解它、理解这种现象，然后判定它没有问题并继续倒计时，他们的处理方式令我印象非常深刻。

接下来，我们请《航空周刊》的艾琳·克洛茨提问。

谢谢。祝贺大家。看起来实在令人印象深刻。我的问题我想是问凯茜，也可能是问埃隆，从现在开始，还必须发生什么，才能让你们所有人都有信心在8月30日或9月初发射首次认证后任务？谢谢。

嗯，你知道，我还因为另一个原因对SpaceX团队感到非常自豪。你知道，我们一直非常希望我们的机组人员在飞行器上进入推进剂检查阶段，这确实是航天器完成组装的地方。我们算是处于最后几种验收测试模式之一。昨晚我收到一封电子邮件，上面说，Crew 1飞行器正在进行推进剂检查。他们正在逐项检查，确保推进系统不泄漏，并以关键方式运行。

所以我告诉你，这是第一件事。飞行器必须准备好。我们必须做的其他事情是确保，第一，我们能、我们能让Demo 2飞行器对接，因为正如我们所说，这是一次试飞，并确保我们把将从对接中获得的所有经验都纳入Crew 1的准备工作。

然后，我们还必须确保自己理解我们能够完成着陆，并确保把这种理解以及着陆过程中出现的任何问题纳入Crew 1。所以我们的团队正在让飞行器准备就绪。我们也在关注这次演示任务，并确保从这次试飞中获得的经验随后被纳入我们将如何执行Crew 1飞行。

所以一路继续关注。这会像是一部。我们像一部，我会说，像一部连续的净年连续剧。我们将在一路学习的过程中继续关注。但这些试飞对下一次任务非常重要。

下一个问题来自杰夫·福斯特。

你好，我是《太空新闻》的杰夫·福斯特。

载人龙飞船接近空间站时，有没有什么、任何你们特别关注的问题？在接下来直到对接的几个小时里，有没有什么会让你们特别祈求好运的事情？

所以，你知道，重要的一点，也是我们拥有无人任务的好处，就是我们能够在无人任务中检查许多与对接有关的系统。我想大家去年春天都看到了我们的机组人员、我们的Demo 1任务在对接阶段有多成功。

但你总能从太空飞行中学到一些东西。而现在机组人员已经在飞船上，了解航天器和机组人员如何作为一个系统运行，然后了解整个系统在我们接近空间站时显然如何运作，将是我们正在学习的另一件大事。对。

然后显然，你知道，人们忘了这一点，而柯克也提到了，对这个团队来说，了解如何与空间站保持对接并在空间站内运行，是我们学习中的一个重要部分。我们将会，这是我们的首次长时间任务，在这次任务中，我们将长期与空间站进行一体化运行，这对我们来说也将是一个巨大的学习机会。所以这些试飞对我们非常、非常重要，不仅让我们了解飞行器如何工作，也让我们了解自己如何操作它。

而且，对于如何尝试在这种天气条件下飞行以及如何操作这些系统，我们已经学到了很多。现在，对我们来说真正重要的是去学习如何完成对接这一环节，这一点显而易见，但随后还要学习如何成为这个一体化的，你知道，整体的一部分。那就是国际空间站。柯克，你或许可以补充一下，它是一个非常复杂的，你知道，系统。

首先，我保证明天天气很好，凯茜，我保证没有雨、阵雨；我们确实遇到了一次太阳耀斑，但我认为那不会影响我们的运行。不过一路上会有一系列测试。就像Demo 1一样，还会有一些额外测试。当然，道格将接管并进行手动飞行。龙飞船上的机组人员鲍勃和道格会监控飞行器如何接近，国际空间站上的克里斯·卡西迪也会对其进行监控。

所以确实是这样。飞行器表现如何？一体化机组人员，也就是龙飞船上的机组人员和国际空间站上的机组人员，会如何处理这一切？然后当然是平衡压力，确保它与国际空间站对接后没有泄漏，最后还要训练机组人员如何穿过舱门，以及国际空间站如何运作，并成为那个更大的一体化团队的一部分。所以我认为一路上有大量事情需要学习，而且国际空间站上有经验非常、非常丰富的机组人员，龙飞船上也有经验非常、非常丰富的机组人员，我认为一切会非常顺利，但我相信我们一路上会学到一些东西。

谢谢。我们的下一个问题将来自《泰晤士报》的杰姬·戈达德。

你好。谢谢，也祝贺你们。我的问题是问埃隆。你上周说，你曾告诉鲍勃和道格的2个小儿子，你会尽一切所能让他们安全回家，即便安全发射这件事已经过去了。不过，在整个任务期间，这一定仍然沉重地压在你心头。我想知道，你能否分享一些个人感受，谈谈承担这种责任是什么感觉，不只是戴着SpaceX这顶帽子，而是作为一名父亲。

谢谢。

嗯，这真的让人切身感受到，你知道，当你见到某个人的孩子，而你负责的飞行器，你知道，他们的生命危在旦夕。这真的让人切身感受到。

所以，你知道，还有，所以我们仍然必须与空间站对接。我们仍然得、仍然得返航。我认为有理由说，返航在某些方面比上升更、更危险。所以我们还不想宣布胜利。我们需要把他安全送回家，确保自己正在尽一切所能，把再入和返航的风险降到最低。

我们用Demo 1飞行器做到了这一点，所以我们得以消除。那里再入过程中的许多风险。这是一件大事。不过，是的，就是。

总之，我在这里哽咽了。所以这真的，我哽咽了。抱歉。我不确定除了这些以外还能怎样回答这个问题。只能说，是的，我们会尽一切所能确保它安全回家。

下一个问题来自玛丽娜·科林。

大家好。我是《大西洋月刊》的玛丽娜·科林。祝贺发射成功。这个问题是问埃隆或吉姆的。鲍勃和道格是否想手动与国际空间站对接，而不是让龙飞船完成对接？他们获准这样做吗，还是只有出现问题或某种紧急情况时才能接管？

计划是自动交会和对接。那是。那就是计划。当然，如果他们需要手动做些什么，他们可以做，但我们计划测试自动交会和对接。我只想重申埃隆谈到的一点。

毫无疑问，埃隆一直都惦记着鲍勃和道格。但这并不只是他一个人惦记的事。他已经让这一点贯穿了SpaceX某个层面的文化。我们对SpaceX的文化进行了一次评估，结果显示其非常强大。而且这件事就在人们心里。从一线工人一直到最高层，每个人都惦记着鲍勃和道格。SpaceX的每个人都知道这里事关重大。

我要告诉你们，我们所进行的那次安全评估中看到的情况给我留下了非常深刻的印象。我认为我们整个NASA团队也同样对此印象深刻。不只是埃隆，而是他的整个团队，而且他让这一点一直贯彻下去。贯彻到SpaceX工作的每一个人，

他们被称为“爸爸们”，这或许和他们的年龄有关，但我可以这么说，因为他们现在在轨道上，所以他们。

而且也许还要过几个月他们才会回来踢我。可是。对，不过他们被称为DM2爸爸们。

我们应该讲个爸爸笑话什么的。

我想补充一点，因为这呼应了之前的一个问题：SpaceX在完成货运任务后，是如何继续专注于载人航天的。我认为，其中一部分原因就是建立起来的那种关系。我，我知道就在最近，在过去这一年里，我想鲍勃和道格连续32周都去了霍桑，与SpaceX团队待在一起。他们确实建立了非常密切的关系。当他们见到彼此时，你可以从他们的眼神和笑容中看出来。

我认为，这在这件事上非常有帮助。

我认为真正、真正酷的是，他们座椅和航天服的零件编号里有他们的名字。

所以，你知道，我认为，埃隆，你们做得非常出色，让运送我们的机组人员这件事变得很有个人色彩。

这种文化并不容易建立，也不容易让它贯穿整个组织。我们所做的安全评估表明，情况确实如此。

我只想说，我认为如果没有NASA和你们团队的大力支持，我们不可能达到这样的安全水平。

NASA让我们比原本可能达到的水平优秀得多。显然，如果没有NASA，我们甚至都无法起步。所以，非常感谢你们的支持。

等他们平安回家后，我们再庆祝安全。

对，完全同意。是的，就这么办。不过，这很好。

下一个问题来自法新社的伊万·克罗恩。

非常感谢。有一个问题要问埃隆·马斯克。您能否详细谈谈星舰的研发，以及您预计什么时候能绕月飞行？

嗯，我往往对时间安排有点乐观，但我总体上就很乐观，所以我想，这大概也延伸到了时间安排上。

我不知道。我的意思是，我想我会希望我们能在2年内做到。

我不知道。那可能意味着4年，但我不知道。我认为也不能排除可能是2年的情况。

如果花费超过4年，我会感到意外。

好的，下一个问题来自《商业内幕》的戴夫·莫舍。

感谢您回答我的问题，也祝贺这次精彩的发射。这个问题是问埃隆的。您为这一刻努力了18年，沿途肯定遇到过一些阻力，我想，甚至一度在NASA也遇到过。您想对那些曾怀疑SpaceX能否做到这一点的人说些什么？您有什么话想对他们说吗？还有，您最后一次和鲍勃及道格交谈。能告诉我们你们谈了什么、您说了什么吗？

谢谢。

抱歉。我没听清第一个问题。

您能重复一下吗？

第一个问题，戴夫？

好的。对不起。您没听到这个问题。

对。请您重复一下好吗？

好的。抱歉。这个问题是问埃隆的。我刚才说，您为这一刻努力了18年，沿途肯定遇到过许多阻力，我想，甚至在最开始也遇到过来自NASA的阻力。您想对那些曾怀疑SpaceX能否做到这一点的人说些什么？您有什么话想对他们说吗？还有，您最后一次和鲍勃及道格交谈是什么样的？您做了什么。你们谈了什么？是在什么地方？

非常感谢。

我有什么话想对那些怀疑你的人说吗？哦，怀疑，好的。我刚才还在想，他什么。好的，也许我只是漏听了“怀疑”这个词。

所以，不，我是说，完全坦率地说，我也怀疑过我们。所以我当时觉得我们。你知道，刚创办SpaceX时，可能只有10%的概率进入轨道。所以你知道，对于那些怀疑我们的人，我当时想，嗯，我觉得你们很可能是对的。你知道，我是说，有好多次别人都对我说，因为我把从PayPal赚到的钱拿出来，投入创办SpaceX和Tesla，最后全花光了，这并非本意，而且两家公司几乎都破产了。

坦率地说，2008年是艰难的一年。

我们仅仅为了让猎鹰1号进入轨道，就尝试了4次。

所以，但是很多时候人们会给我讲这个笑话，比如，怎样才能在火箭行业里赚到一小笔钱？包袱是，你得先有一大笔钱。我当时想，好吧，这个笑话我已经听过12,000遍了。

不管怎样，它差点成真了。

我们只是勉强走到了那里。猎鹰1号的第4次发射，那是我们为第4次发射所拥有的全部资金。而且，然后，即便那样也不足以拯救公司。我们随后还必须赢得NASA的货运补给合同。所以那是在稍后一点，你知道，再晚一点，或者接近2008年年底时发生的。这是拯救SpaceX的2件关键事情，否则我们就会，你知道，没能撑下来。所以，是的，我认为那些数据是，他们的概率评估是正确的，但幸运的是，贝塔眷顾了我们，把我们带到了今天。

帕特，关于鲍勃和道格发射前的情况，您还有什么可以补充的吗？

嗯，我之前提到过，他们很冷静，也很专注。我认为，这对他们两人来说都是一次重返太空的机会。他们觉得，能在这项事业中代表NASA和宇航员队伍是一种荣幸。而且我向你保证，他们会享受在国际空间站度过的时光。他们第一次没能升空时，克里斯跟他们开了个玩笑。我想局长听到了，说他们是想逃掉我们在国际空间站进行的周末清洁工作。

不过他们会很高兴到达那里。也会很高兴回来。

我们的最后一个问题来自。

您好，我是space.com的哈努卡·魏德林，非常感谢您回答我的问题，也祝贺今天这次精彩的发射。我只是想知道，既然鲍勃和道格已经完成了手动飞行测试，您能否谈谈他们接下来还会做些什么。我听说他们会在某个时候小睡一会儿，但从现在到对接之前，鲍勃和道格的待办事项上还有些什么？

嗯，你知道，他们完成了远场演示，所以就像埃隆已经提到的那样，他们得以手动驾驶飞行器。他们还会在离空间站稍近一点的位置再做一次演示。你知道，人们忘了，你知道，我们之所以选择，或者说FOD之所以选择鲍勃和达克来执行这次飞行，是因为他们拥有试飞员经验，而且实际上制定了骨干团队的构想，让一批经验丰富的机组成员与这些公司合作，确保他们在推进设计和开发系统时，能够帮助这些公司。

所以这挺酷的，因为鲍勃和道格可以真正驾驶他们一直在帮助研究和开发的成果，并弄清楚它在轨道上实际运行得怎么样。所以他们还能做的另一件事，就是能够去了解，你知道，ECLSS 系统运行得怎么样。他们可以看到，各个东西的冷却情况如何，座椅感觉怎么样，航天服感觉怎么样？你能穿上和脱下航天服吗？你知道，当你在轨道上时，这类操作做起来会有多容易？

我不打算谈那个，那个排泄功能，但那也算是其中一部分。然后显然还有接近时的感受。我知道吉姆能够使用模拟器，但现在他们有了这个大型模拟器，也就是国际空间站，他们将能够实际接近它、完成对接，并看看实际效果如何、与模拟有多吻合。因为有一件事真的很重要，我们都知道，任何人，你知道，就是实物与过去几年里一直用来练习的东西究竟有多接近。

所以他们现在回来后，面对接下来要升空的这些机组人员，就能和他们分享，嘿，真实的感受是这样的，这些系统是这样运作的，并且能够与机组人员分享这段经验。一个目前正在接受训练的机组。所以，他们正在为我们即将执行任务的机组人员履行一项非常、非常、非常重要的职能，这些人员将真正成为长期驻留的机组成员，并将飞往空间站。

我可以向你保证，他们明天要做的最难的一件事，就是在完成手动近场飞行后，把控制权交还给计算机，而不是亲自完成对接，因为他们是试飞员。回答之前的一个问题，那恰恰是他们会乐于去做的事。所以要把控制权交还回去，对他们来说会有点难。

我确实注意到，你知道，道格非常擅长教吉姆怎么驾驶。所以。是的，他帮了你，多克，对吧？

嗯，也许吧。不，他帮了很多忙，而且非常棒。

好了，那是我们的最后一个问题。下面请局长致闭幕词。

当然。

所以，再说一次，这是美利坚合众国伟大的一天。我想说，它确实代表着多年的努力。你知道，之前有人提出了一个问题，涉及，你知道，那些怀疑者以及不相信这件事有朝一日能够实现的人。曾经有那么一天，我在 NASA 的前任局长查理·博尔登正试图以实质性的方式推动这个项目启动。而国会中来自两党的议员都反对这个项目，不愿为它提供充足的资金，最终还因此百般刁难他。

而将军，海军陆战队将军查理·博尔登坚持了下来，并推动它闯过了难关，那就是我们所有人今天得以亲历之事的开端。所以我想强调这一点。我还想强调，你知道，帕特之前谈到，今天早些时候我有机会和鲍勃与道格待在一起时，他们是如何互相开玩笑的，他们当时在说笑。你知道，道格·赫尔利上一次执行航天飞机任务时，发射取消了5次，最终才在第6次成功发射。

当然，鲍勃·本肯说，道格·赫尔利就是这里带来霉运的人，因此，你知道，他们今天也不会发射。看到他们如此放松。帕特，你提到他们很放松，还开着玩笑，事实上，在发射当天似乎还玩得很开心，尽管他们正在做的事情非常严肃。

钢铁般的意志。

钢铁般的意志。我的意思是，他们就是美国英雄。

所以我只是想确保我们始终惦记着他们。当然，埃隆、SpaceX 以及你们的团队，你知道，回到我们几分钟前谈到的事情，在 SpaceX，你们不叫他们鲍勃和道格，而是叫他们爸爸，因为他们就是爸爸。他们事实上都是父亲。而且你们始终把他们的安全放在首位。所以说真的，这对全美国来说确实是伟大的一天。

这是我们国家伟大的一天。我们已经等了很久。我们已经有 9 年没有获得这样的机会。当然，我们现在走到了这里。而且，你知道，正如埃隆刚才所说，我们身后有 10,000 人促成了这一切。你可能已经说了 100 遍。

我看，如果把供应商和所有人都算上，我觉得可能更接近 100,000 个孩子，没错。

所以，这对美利坚合众国来说确实是伟大的一天。对我们的国际合作伙伴来说也是伟大的一天。请记住，Crew 1 将是一项国际任务。在首批乘组中，将有 1 名日本宇航员与我们同行。所以我们对此非常兴奋。我想向所有人表示祝贺。我们还没有庆祝。等他们安全回家时，我们才会庆祝。但当然，在沿途的每一步，我们都可以松一口气。

而这就是我们今天正在做的事。所以，祝贺 SpaceX 和埃隆·马斯克，祝贺国泰的领导者们以及你们的 NASA 团队，是你们让我们走到了这一步。我们期待着前方的诸多事情。

太棒了。

那么，我们在肯尼迪航天中心的节目就到这里。你们可以继续观看我们的直播报道，直至宇航员抵达国际空间站，以及对接、舱门开启，还有鲍勃和道格抵达国际空间站。对接计划于美国东部时间 10:29 进行。本次播出结束后，我们会把画面交给约翰逊航天中心。鲍勃和道格乘坐载人龙飞船绕地球飞行时，我们将通过来自、来自载人龙飞船的乘组下行通信听到他们的声音。

所以我们还会有更多信息。有关商业载人航天的更具体信息，请访问 NASA.gov。请前往 NASA.govcommercialcrew，加油，SpaceX。加油，NASA。加油，鲍勃和道格；加油，美国。谢谢。

Well, we're making history again.

Let's go.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Zero.

Ignition.

Lift off.

There's a falcon line and crew dragon.

Go NASA, go SpaceX. Godspeed bottom.

Do.

So ride on a new arm of American space flight.

Good afternoon and welcome from Kennedy Space Center. I'm bettina Klein with NASA's Office of Communications. What a day. We are here to Discuss the NASA SpaceX Demo 2 mission and the return of US human spaceflight from American soil to the International Space Station. With astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley. The Crew Jacket spacecraft And the Falcon 9 rocket lifted today from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

At 3:22pm Bob and Doug are now safely on their way to the International Space Station. To talk more about this historic mission, we have a great panel of guests, starting with NASA NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Elon Musk, the Chief Engineer of SpaceX, Kathy Lueders, Manager of the NASA Commercial Crew Program, Kirk Sherman, Manager of the International Space Station and NASA Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester. We'll start with opening comments and our presenters.

Then we'll take your questions. We'll first start with our NASA Administrator, Jim Bridenstine.

Well, thank you, Bettina. What a great day for NASA. What a great day for SpaceX. What a great day for the United States of America. It's been nine years since we've launched American astronauts on American rockets from American soil. And now we have done it again. I want to be clear, the mission is not yet over. This is a test flight. And so we are at the beginning. But so far everything has performed very, very well.

And we are excited about the fact that Bob and Doug, our American heroes, are safely in orbit and on the way to the International Space Station. So I just want to say congratulations to the NASA team. Congratulations to Kathy Lueders who's been on the NASA side leading our commercial crew program all along. And you and your team have done an absolutely marvelous job. And of course, Elon Musk and your team at SpaceX.

This, this launch represents the best of everything that America has to offer, but it also represents continuity of purpose, I think. To Charlie Bolden, my predecessor is the NASA administrator who got this program off the ground when there wasn't a lot of political support and now there is a lot of political support. But it's because we have had success after success. And so this is an important milestone for the nation.

And I am so honored and grateful to have really this brief moment in my life to be at the head of this agency. So what an amazing, amazing group of people that made all of this happen.

Thank you.

Thank you, Administrator. Next, Elon Musk.

I'd like to just acknowledge the incredible work of the people at SpaceX and NASA and everyone in creating this technology and in what has culminated in this incredible launch today of getting astronauts back to orbit after almost a decade. I think this is something that should really get people, I mean, right on the heart of anyone who has any spirit of exploration. And the United States is a distillation of the human spirit of exploration.

I think this is something that's particularly important in the United States, but appeals to everyone throughout the world who has within them the spirit of exploration. So, I mean, I'm really quite overcome with emotion this day. It's kind of hard to talk Frankly.

It's been 18 years working towards this goal, so it's hard to believe that it's happened. We haven't quite yet docked the space station, and of course we need to bring them back safely and we need to repeat these missions and have this be a regular occurrence.

So it's a lot of work to do. But it's just incredible. I think this is something that everyone, you know, this is a craft made by humans, you know, for humans. This is like something that I think humanity should be excited about and proud of occurring on this day.

Thank you, Elon. Well, next, Kathy Lueders.

Well, I wasn't really expecting this today. I'm going to tell you. We woke up this morning. I think Jim actually called me this morning and said, what do you think? What do you think? Are we going to fly today? What do you think? Yeah, yeah. Well, it was at the 6:05 wake up phone call, but, you know, I didn't know you ever slept, but I think I'm, you know, Jim said it. I mean, I think I was really proud of the team.

The team sat there this morning, we looked at the weather. It didn't look great, but we looked at the different options that were out there, and we realized how important it was for us to kind of step through this carefully and weigh the readiness of the hardware and then, you know, not have launch fever, but to very carefully assess the situation and be able to clear the gates and the milestones along the way. And The NASA and SpaceX team did a fabulous job with that.

And I'm very grateful for the weather clearing one hour before we were getting ready to launch. I mean, all weather constraints were cleared on a day that we weren't really sure how it was Going to work out for both our abort track and our launch area, which we have very, very tough weather constraints. But like both Jim and Elon have said, you know, this is a test flight. Bob and Doug are already up there accomplishing a lot of the goals of our test mission.

You know, they got to do their far field demos, they got to feel, you know, what it's like to be able to use the touch screens when you're in zero G. They got to be able to check out all the different parts of the system and liberate their zero G indicator, which I think you guys all have and probably have on order right now. And they have a lot more things. They're going to get to try to sleep. I'm not sure how they're going to do that, but they're going to get to try to sleep.

And then tomorrow morning we'll be approaching Space station and it'll be some of the most important demonstrations that they'll be able to work on about how do we safely dock to the International Space Station. So I am so grateful and proud of our NASA and SpaceX team. They are still vigilant, they're still on console. We're going to stay, I'm going to stay in the LCC until Bob and Doug get docked to the International Space Station because we're going to stay vigilant until we bring them safely home.

Very, very proud of this team. Cannot tell you how happy I am and amazed that we're here today. Thank you, Kirk Shireman.

Well, what a great day. Very, very great day for human space flight. Big congratulations to Elon Musk and the SpaceX team. And of course a big congratulations to Jim Bridenstine and his leadership together with Kathy leaders and, and the commercial cargo team, commercial crew team. Just a fantastic day. Really, really happy to be part of it. A lot of the ISS team couldn't be here in Florida today, but I can tell you they were watching it virtually.

They actually had a virtual launch watching party and they were very excited to see the launch as well. And finally our international partners, I had the chance to get congratulations from many of my counterparts across the International Space Station partnership. They have been a big part of commercial Crew and the SpaceX efforts along the way. Today they were watching, I can tell you they're all very excited about having their crew members fly in the very, very near future on the Dragon and come up to International Space Station today on board the iss.

The three crew members, Chris Casty, Yvonne Wagner and Anatoly Ivanishin are getting ready to have their additional crewmates on board. I know they're very, very excited. In fact, I'd be surprised if they don't have something really special cooked up for them when they arrive. So we'll look forward to that. There's lots of work to be done on ISS and I know Bob and Doug together with the folks on orbit are really ready to get busy.

What you saw today, hopefully what you saw today was really smooth and calm. It's kind of like a duck. Maybe on the water it looks smooth and calm, but there's a lot of, there's a lot of paddling going on underneath the surface. And what you'll see tomorrow likely, we certainly expect is very, very smooth and nominal. I just want you to know though, it's very, very difficult, it's a tremendous amount of effort on the part of the designers, the test engineers, in terms of the ops planners and the operators and even the crew to go make that happen.

So smooth and nominal is actually really, really hard. So anyway, with that it's been a great day. Very, very happy to have Bob and Doug on their way to the International Space Station and looking forward to the rest of this test flight.

And Pat, I tell you I am very happy to be sitting here in a post launch press conference and that's not something you'll hear me say very often.

Probably not as happy as Bob and

Doug are right now, but I'm pretty happy. And no doubt I have a group of astronauts jumping up and down back in Houston that are pretty happy too because we promised them some flight assignments and those are sure to come once we got Bob and Doug up. And so I just wanted to just say thanks to the team for being able to do that to make, to give these opportunities to our other crew members. I want you to know that I've been living with Bob and Doug in our astronaut crew quarters here over the last week plus and I have never seen a crew so calm and focused leading up to a launch as these two were.

Now no doubt that has to do with their experience, it has to do with the training, but I really think it's a demonstration of the trust that they have both in the NASA team and the SpaceX team to get them safely to orbit.

Astronauts sometimes are referred to as heroes and no doubt Bob and Doug demonstrated that today, but this is the first time I've ever been in the flight control room as the chief astronaut while we were trying to launch a crew. And I'll tell you, accepting risk on behalf of others is a big responsibility. And I was amazed at what was going on in the loops. As Kirk said, there was a lot of paddling underneath. And I want everyone to know that we were surrounded by heroes on the ground that got us where we were today.

With that, I think I'll say thanks again for getting our crew safely to orbit. We'll look forward to seeing them dock to the International Space Station tomorrow.

Thank you. So today we have media joining us remotely, so they'll be on the phone and watching on NASA television like everybody else. So to ensure as many people as possible to ask their questions, we're asking our reporters to ask one question to make sure that all of their colleagues has an opportunity to participate in this press conference. Please state your name, affiliation, and whom you're directing your question to.

Our first question comes from Miriam Kramer.

Hi. Thank you so much. Miriam Kramer with Axios. This question is for Elon or for the administrator or both. I was just wondering. So this launch has often been referred to as a moment of hope for the nation, but it's also happening against the backdrop of protests and demonstrations around the country today. I wonder what you want to say to those people out there protesting. Is this launch for them, too? Thanks.

I'll be happy to field it. Look, this launch is for all of America. And we have had moments in time in American history where we've had challenges as a nation. We think back to the 1960s. We think about the Vietnam War and the protests. We think about in the 1960s, the civil rights abuses and the civil rights protests. We think about the height of the Cold War. And yet we had this moment in time, July 20, 1969, when all of America stopped, literally just stopped, because we had American astronauts walking on the surface of the moon.

And then we repeated that five more times. The challenge is the Apollo program eventually ended. But I think what is great about NASA is that we bring people together. Everybody loves exploration. And it's not just political divides. It's also international divides, and it's unifying. And I would hope, I think it happened today. As a matter of fact, all of America stopped. I've seen some of the numbers. The amount of viewership on what we accomplished today was off the charts.

And so I am hoping that people can see this as something that is bright, hopeful, and that people know that tomorrow is a new day and a better day, and we're always going to strive to do better.

Thank you.

Our next question comes from Jackie Wattles of cnn.

Thanks so much for doing this. I was curious. This question is for Elon. If you had heard from President Trump yet and what he might have told you and what you might have said to him about this. Thanks so much.

Well, I've not spoken one on one with him. I just essentially heard the press conference along with everybody else. So we've not exchanged any direct comments.

We had a few moments in the firing room there after the launch. And I'll tell you that the President is excited. Of course, he congratulated elon in the SpaceX team, team and I thought it was a good moment.

Yes, it was with a group of people, but yeah, oh, sure, sure, sure. But yes, he certainly congratulated the SpaceX team and NASA and everyone involved. And yeah, I think this just to echo the NASA administrator's comments, I think this is, this is a day that is that I think everyone can be proud of that.

It's a good day to be. This event is something that all of humanity can get excited about. It's just a fundamentally positive good thing.

And I think we need more positive good things in this world.

Our next question is from Joey Roulette of Reuters

doing this one question, two part question. First is for Jim Bridenstine. Have you heard from your Russian counterparts? Kirk Scheimen mentioned that international partners reached out to NASA with the success and the other is for Elon Musk with SpaceX's success today. Have you heard from your Boeing counterparts and what would you say to them? Thanks.

So Dmitry Rogozin is the head of Roscosmos in Russia and I haven't talked to him, but I have seen his public comments and of course he was overwhelmingly congratulatory towards NASA and SpaceX and he made some comment about how it's like flying an iPhone or something. And I know, I've made similar comments as well. But he does, he did express that this is an exciting day, not just for us, but also for them. They believe in the partnership and so I think it's going to remain strong.

The trampoline is working.

It's the inside joke. Inside joke, yeah.

Our next question comes from Marcia Dunn

for you. Your company president said right before liftoff that she was super nervous, stomach and throat. Could you talk about how you were your emotions, your feelings leading up to liftoff, in a sense, especially seeing them make it to orbit safely. Thank you very much.

Was that for me or Elon?

Sure.

That goes for Elon.

For Elon, please. Elon.

Marcia, if you're on the line, can you repeat your question?

Yes, Elon Gwynne. Shotwell said right before liftoff that she had her stomach in her throat. She was super nervous. I'd like to know how you were feeling in the minutes leading up to liftoff today. Your emotions, your feelings of having to stand there and watch all this unfold. Thank you.

Well, I mean, just speaking straight from the heart on Wednesday during the first countdown, I'd say that my adrenaline was railed at 100% and when launch was called up, it went to zero percent. I just basically collapsed and slept. The longest time I'd slept in probably a year. Then oddly enough today, I don't know, it felt like just the fates were aligned. And I didn't feel, didn't feel nervous, didn't feel just. It felt like it was going to work.

And I felt like the right thing was going to happen. So for whatever reason, I did not. I don't feel nervous.

Hey, Bettina, can I say something real quick? I just got a note. Moments ago, Doug Hurley announced that the crew Dragon is named Endeavor. And we are going to look forward to hearing a few words from them shortly.

Thank you.

Yeah, they've been flying it around. Actually, it's cool that they, they took it off automatic and just were manually flying the craft around. It's got to be pretty fun just zipping around. Space and spacecraft.

Everyone's childhood dream.

Yeah.

Next we'll go to Emory Kelly of Florida today.

Hey, folks, thanks for doing this. I appreciate it. I'm just wondering with this being the first time humans have had a chance to experience flying on a Falcon 9 and in a crew Dragon after all these years of them flying. Have you gotten any input from Bob and Doug?

Is it, you know, smooth ride?

What was it like?

Thank you.

So I have not heard specifically as to how it flies. I do know that we are going to hear from them soon. I don't know at what point that's going to take place. Bettina, I don't know if you have that specific information.

No, I don't have the ring.

It was a very smooth ride. You can see. I think on the webcast it looked quite smooth. In fact, a friend of mine who's a filmmaker said you need to put some shake into the camera to make it look more realistic.

Our next question will be from Paul Brinkman of upi.

Yes, I'd like to ask Elon, I realize the mission isn't over, but it's a significant achievement at this point. What's the impact of success for this program on SpaceX as a whole, including development of Starship.

Well, I think this obviously a tremendous accomplishment for SpaceX in partnership with NASA and a number of critical suppliers. In fact, if I think about the total number of people involved in making this mission successful, probably adds up to 100,000. So I'd just like to just express a word of appreciation and congratulations again to everyone involved in making this successful.

And actually, and just special word to administrator and Kathy and you know, it's just everyone involved, it's just wow.

Anyway, it is a little hard to process. I think at this point I am somewhat overcome by emotion. To try to come up with cohesive, you know, sentences that make any sense is quite difficult.

But I think the, this is hopefully the first step on a journey towards a civilization on Mars. Life becoming multi planetary based on the Moon and expanding beyond Earth and life becoming multi planetary for the first time in the four and a half billion year history of Earth. I think this is hopefully the first step on that journey.

It will require a tremendous amount of innovation and technology development to make going to orbit and ultimately beyond orbit a routine matter where thousands and perhaps ultimately millions of people can travel to other planets. That's what we really need to achieve over time. And that's, that's obviously a very difficult goal. But that's seeming increasingly real with what happened today.

Getting people to orbit finally, after 18 years, if we are able to increase the rate of innovation, then life can become multi planetary. This is the goal we should strive for.

I think from a NASA perspective, I think what this did for Starship and a lot of others is kind of establish that this is a successful business model. And if we look at how we did commercial resupply of the International Space Station and now commercial crew of the International Space Station and of course the commercial Lunar Payload Services program to deliver payloads to the surface of the moon. And now for the first time since 1972, we have funded a human landing system.

And of course we're very proud that SpaceX is going to be a partner in that development program as well. So not only do we have it funded, we actually have contractors under contract developing that human landing system. So I think as far as how this relates to the Artemis program and the Moon to Mars program, I think the business model has proven itself very successful. We're bringing down costs, we're increasing access.

That's going to continue to happen as we on ramp more partners and of course as SpaceX and others to go get more customers. NASA doesn't want to be the owner and operator of the hardware. We Also don't want to be the only customer. We want SpaceX and others to go get customers that are not us. And when all that materializes, I think what Elon's talking about here, this vision for humanity being able to live on the surface of the moon for long periods of time and eventually on Mars for long periods of time.

That's the eventuality of the business model that we are currently developing.

Thank you. Our next question is from Chris Davenport of the Washington Post.

Oh, thanks guys, for taking my call. I really appreciate it. And thanks, Elon, for the trampoline quote. That was classic Elon. If I could ask you, you put the window in the cargo Dragon as a symbol of your ambition of flying people. I wonder if you can talk a little bit about how over these very long years you kept your team focused on human spaceflight as the ultimate goal, even though obviously they've been working on so many other things along the way.

Thanks and congrats.

Yeah, Human space flight was always the goal, the fundamental goal of SpaceX. Well, like I said, to create the technologies or help create the technologies necessary to make life sustainably multiplanetary. I cannot emphasize this enough. This is the thing that we need to do. We must make life sustainably multi planetary. It's not one planet to be explored exclusion of another, but to extend life beyond Earth. We are life's agent in this regard.

All the creatures that the plants and everyone that exist here on Earth, we can bring them to other planets. And it's very important that we do so as soon as possible. I think while the window of opportunity is open.

I call upon the public to support this goal and to think about this goal and think about how important it is and how fundamental it is to the future.

We got to get it done.

Launching satellites is nice, of course, and it keeps the, you know, we've got to bring in more money than we spend. This is important, but it's ultimately all about life beyond Earth.

We'll go to our next question. It's Eric Berger of Ars Technica.

Good afternoon. That was a hell of a thing to watch. Question for Jim today. It's been a little more than eight months since you tweeted about SpaceX and it was time to deliver. Just wondering if you would say that they have delivered or not. And maybe do you have a message for other contractors for NASA? Yeah.

No, I leave it to you to bring this up. We're celebrating here a little bit. I want to be careful. We're not celebrating too much. Until Bob and Doug get home safely.

But no, that's right.

There was a time eight months ago, as you mentioned, where we were having challenges with parachutes. We had a crew dragon that had a static fire test that ultimately resulted in its catastrophic loss. And, you know, if you would have told me then that we would be right here today, I don't know that I would have believed it. And yes, I sent a tweet and asked Elon to deliver. And I'll tell you, and I'll tell you the same thing I told the President, I told the vice president.

And of course, I've said it in a number of interviews. Since that day, Elon Musk and SpaceX have delivered on everything NASA has asked them to deliver on, and at a speed that we never would have guessed. My engineering team was saying that this is not going to be able to be achieved in this amount of time. The amount of parachute tests that we had to get done and how long it takes to get those parachute tests done.

Look, we got all the parachute tests done, and we are just overwhelmingly grateful, not just for SpaceX and Elon Musk, but also airborne and the NASA team that really went to work on getting all these tests done. And of course, all of the, you know, getting, changing out the titanium, all that took time. And then doing all the tests after that, my goodness, SpaceX really delivered something that is magnificent and that is speed.

Without question. I don't think anybody would have believed the speed with which SpaceX delivered. And they did, in fact, deliver.

Deliver.

Kath, you want to add anything to that?

Oh, no. I mean, I think Jim said it really well. I mean, we went through. It wasn't like we didn't have issues. We had things we had to go solve, Right? And we've learned a ton. And that team, the SpaceX team and the NASA team together, working hand in glove, you know, together solve these problems together, right? We tackled them and we solved them and figured out how we're going to go fly together.

But without the SpaceX folks making it happen, like Jim said so quickly, we wouldn't be here today.

Thank you. Next is Lauren Grush with the Verge.

Hi.

Thank you so much for taking my question. I guess this is for anyone who can answer it. I'm wondering if there was anything unexpected during the launch today. I think I heard something on the live stream about some component being lower in temperature than expected. Just wondering if everything went as planned or if you had any hiccups along the way. Thanks,

Jeremy. So the only, you know, really the count was, I would say spectacularly quiet. I mean, everybody said, you know, and then probably within as we were loading the prop, the only thing we saw was, we saw it was actually something we'd seen as we were unloading on Wednesday. We had a sensor that was reading in a way that we had to go understand why was it reading in that particular manner. And we also had to understand what can happen if it fails.

And it was in an area where actually we it's downstream of our fill and drain valve. And so it was, you know, kind of Jim talked before about where do the teams, how do they work together. And one of the things that we've learned on this mission is how to go take a piece of data, like a sensor data, and go understand what is that data telling us and then be able to clear it. Which is really why we were able to fly through our understanding of what the issue was and then turn that around in a very short period of time.

And what that takes is two groups of folks that have been working with each other for a while and understand what the vehicle is trying to tell them. But you know, I thought, oh my goodness, we're going to have this issue. After going through all the weather stuff, now we're going to have this issue. And I was very impressed with how the joint teams together looked at the sensor, understood it, understood the phenomena, and then cleared it and continued on the count.

Next we'll go to Irene Klotz of Aviation Week.

Thanks. Congratulations everybody. That was super impressive to see. My question I think is for Kathy and maybe for Elon, what has to happen from this point on for you all to feel confident that an August 30th or early September launch of the first post certification mission can happen. Thanks.

Well, you know, I'm very proud of the SpaceX team for another reason. You know, we had really wanted our crew on vehicle to get into prop checkouts, which is really where the spacecraft's assembled. And we're kind of in one of the final acceptance testing modes. And last night I got an email that said, Crew 1 vehicle is in prop checkouts. They're going through and making sure that the propulsion systems leak tight and operating in a critical manner.

So I tell you, that's the first thing. The vehicle's got to be ready. The other things that we've got to do is make sure one, we can we dock our demo two vehicle because like we said, this is a test flight and make sure that we're taking all that learning that we are going to have from the docking and rolling it into our readiness for Crew 1.

And then we also have to make sure that we are understanding that we get through landing and make sure that we're taking that understanding and any issues that we have with the landing and then rolling that into Crew one. So our team's getting the vehicle ready. And we're also watching this demonstration mission and making sure that our learning out of this test flight is then rolled into how we're going to be Flying Crew 1.

So keep watching along the way. It's going to be like a. We're like a, I'd say like a serial net year serial. And we'll be following along as we learn along the way. But these test flights are very important for that next mission.

Next question comes from Jeff Faust.

Hi, this is Jeff Faust with Space News.

Are there anything, any issues you're particularly watching on the crew Dragon as it approaches the space station? Anything that you'll be particularly keeping your fingers across over the remaining hours up through docking?

So, you know, the big thing, the nice thing about us having the Uncrewed Mission was we were able to check out a lot of the systems on the Uncrewed mission that had to do with docking. I think everybody saw last spring how successful our crew, our Demo 1 mission was through the docking phase.

But you always learn something with spaceflight. And now having the crew on board and understanding how the spacecraft and the crew operate as a system and then how that total system then obviously works with us approaching station will be another big thing that we're learning. Right.

And then obviously, you know, people forget, and Kirk alluded to it, us understanding how to be docked with station and operate within station is a big part of our learning for this group. We're going to be, this is also our first long duration mission where we're going to be doing integrated operations with the space station for a long period of time, which is also going to be a huge learning opportunity for us. So these test flights are very, very important for us to not only learn how the vehicle works, but learn how we're operating it.

And we've learned a lot about how to try to fly with weather and how to operate with these systems. It's going to be really important for us now to go learn how to obviously do the docking piece, but then learn how to be part of this integrated, you know, Enterprise. That's the International Space Station. And Kirk, you probably could add, it's a very complicated, you know, system.

First of all, I promise good weather tomorrow, Kathy, I promise no rain, showers we did have a solar flare, but I don't think that'll impact our operations. But there's a series of tests along the way. Just like on Demo one, there's some additional tests. Of course, Doug's going to take over and fly manually. And the crew onboard the Dragon, Bob and Doug monitoring how the vehicle comes in, and Chris Cassidy on board the ISS will also be monitoring it.

So it really is. How does the vehicle perform? How does the integrated crew, both the crew on the Dragon and the crew on the International Space Station, handle all that? And then of course, equalizing the pressures, making sure there's no leaks when it's mated to the iss, and then finally just training the crew to come across the hatch and how the ISS works and be part of that bigger integrated team. So I think there's a tremendous amount of things to learn along the way and we have very, very experienced crew on board the ISS and a very, very experienced crew on Dragon, and I think it will go really well, but I'm sure we'll learn a few things along the way.

Thank you. Our next question is going to come from Jackie Goddard of Times of London.

Hello. Thank you and congratulations. My question is for Elon. You said last week that you had told Bob and Doug's two little boys that you would do everything you can to bring them home safely, even with a safe launch out the way. That must still weigh on you throughout the mission, though. And I wondered if you can share some personal insight into what it's like to have that responsibility, not just with your SpaceX hat on, but as a dad.

Thank you.

Well, it really hit home, you know, when you meet somebody's kids and the vehicle at that you're responsible for, you know, their lives at stake. It really hits home.

So, you know, there's still, so we still got to dock with Space Station. We still got a, still got a return. I think there's an argument that the return is more, more dangerous in some ways than the ascent. So we don't want to declare victory yet. We need to bring him home safely, make sure that we're doing everything we can to minimize that risk of reentry and return.

We were able to do that with the Demo 1 vehicle, so we were able to retire. A lot of risk with the reentry there. That's a big deal. But yeah, that's.

Anyway get it choked up here. So it really, I'm getting choked up. Sorry. I'm not sure I can answer the question any more than that. Except yeah, gonna do Everything we can to make sure it gets home safely.

Our next question comes from Marina Corin.

Hi, everyone. Marina Corin with the Atlantic. Congratulations on the launch. This is for Elon or Jim. Do Bob and Doug want to dock manually to the ISS instead of letting Dragon do it? Are they allowed to do that or can they only take over if there is a problem or some kind of emergency?

The plan is for automatic rendezvous and docking. That's. That's the plan. Of course, if they needed to do something manually, they could, but we're planning to test automatic rendezvous and docking. I just want to reiterate something that Elon talked about.

There is no doubt that Bob and Doug are on Elon's mind all the time. But that is not just on his mind. He has made that throughout the culture at point some SpaceX. And we did an assessment of the culture at SpaceX and it came back extremely strong. And it is on the mind. Bob and Doug are on the minds of everybody all the way down to the line worker and all the way to the top. Everybody at SpaceX knows what is at stake here.

And I will tell you, I was very impressed with what I saw in that safety assessment that we conducted. And I think all of our NASA team was impressed with it as well. It's not just Elon, it's his whole team, and he's made that go all the way down. To every person that works at SpaceX,

they're called the dads, which may have something to do with their age, but I can say that because they're on orbit, so they're.

And it'll be a few months before maybe they come back and kick me now. But. Yes, but they're called the DM2Dads.

We should have a dad joke or something.

I would like to add to that because it plays back to an earlier question about how did SpaceX stay focused on human spaceflight coming out of cargo. And I think part of that is that relationship that was built. I, I know recently, over this past year, I think it was 32 straight weeks that Bob and Doug were out there at Hawthorne with the SpaceX team. And they have really built a very close relationship. You can see it in the eyes and the smiles when they see each other.

And that goes a long way, I think, in this.

I think what's really, really cool is that the part number for their seats and their suits has their names in it.

So, you know, I think, Elon, you guys have done a great job to personalize that they're flying our crews.

That culture is not easy to achieve, and it's not easy to get it throughout the whole organization. And the safety assessment that we did indicated that that was the case.

I just want to say that I think we would not have achieved this level of safety without the tremendous support from NASA and your team.

NASA made us way better than we would otherwise have been. And obviously, we couldn't even have got started without NASA. So thank you very much for your support.

Let's celebrate safety when we get them home.

Yeah, totally. Yes, let's do that. But it's good.

Our next question is from Ivan Krone from afp.

Thank you very much. A question for Elon Musk. Could you expand on starship development and about when you expect you will go around the moon?

Well, I tend to be a little optimistic about schedules, But I'm optimistic in general, so I guess that extends to schedules, too.

I don't know. I mean, I guess I would wish that we could do it in two years.

I don't know. That might mean four, but I don't know. I think it's not out of the question that it could be two years.

I would be surprised if it took more than four.

Okay, our next question is from Dave Mosher of Business Insider.

Thank you for taking my question, and congratulations on an amazing launch. This is for Elon. You've been working toward this moment for 18 years and have certainly encountered some resistance along the way, I think, even at NASA at one point. What would you say to Those who doubted SpaceX could do this? Do you have a message for them? And then your last conversation with Bob and Doug. Can you tell us what you talked about, what you said?

Thank you.

My apologies. I didn't hear the first question properly.

Can you repeat that.

First question, Dave?

Yes. I'm sorry. You couldn't hear the question.

Yeah. Can you repeat it, please?

Yeah. Sorry about that. So this is for Elon. I said you've been working toward this moment for 18 years, and you certainly encountered a lot of resistance along the way, even, I think, from NASA at the very beginning. What would you say to Those who doubted SpaceX could do this? Do you have a message for them? And then what was your last conversation with Bob and Doug like? What did you. What did you talk about? Where was it?

Thank you so much.

Do I have a message for those who doubted you? Oh, doubted, Okay. I was like, what did he. Okay, maybe I just blank out the word doubt.

So, no, I mean, to be totally frank, I doubted us, too. So I thought we. You Know, had maybe when starting SpaceX, maybe had a 10% chance of reaching orbit. So you know, to those who doubted us, I was like, well I think you're probably right. You know, I mean the number of times that I was told, like, because I was taking the money I earned from PayPal and rolling it into to create SpaceX and Tesla ended up spending it all, it wasn't the intention and almost both companies went bankrupt.

Frankly, 2008 was a tough year.

It took us four attempts just to get to orbit with Falcon 1.

And so, but a lot of times people tell me this joke, like how do you make a small fortune in the rocket industry? You start with a large one is the punchline. And I was like, okay, I already heard that joke 12,000 times.

Anyway, it almost came true.

We just barely made it there. That fourth launch of Falcon 1, that's all the money we had for that fourth launch. And then, and that wasn't even enough to save the company. We also then had to win the NASA cargo resupply contract. So that came a little after, you know, a little bit later or towards the end of 2008. Those are the two key things that saved SpaceX otherwise we would have, you know, not made it. So yeah, I think those datas were, their probability assessment was correct but fortunately Beta smiled upon us and brought us to this day.

And Pat, anything else you could add about Bob and Doug right before they launched?

Well, I mentioned earlier that they were calm and focused. I think that this was for both of them a chance to get back to space. They felt like it was a privilege to represent NASA and the astronaut corps in this endeavor. And they, I guarantee you are going to enjoy their time on the International Space Station. Chris joked with them when they didn't get up the first time. I think the administrator heard this, that they were trying to get out of the weekend cleaning that we do on the iss.

But they'll be glad to get there. Glad to come back.

We're going to take our last question from.

Hi, this is hanukkah weidering with space.com thank you so much for taking my question and congratulations on an amazing launch today. I'm just wondering if you could talk about what else Bob and Doug will be doing now that they've completed their manual flight test. I've heard that they're going to be taking a nap at some point, but what else is on the to do list for Bob and Doug between now and docking?

Well, you know, they did their far field demo so like Elon already mentioned they got to manually fly the vehicle. They'll be doing another demonstration a little bit closer to the space station. You know, people forget that, you know, the reason we picked or the FOD picked the Bob and Duck to fly this is because of their experience as test pilots and actually had developed the concept of the cadre to have an experienced set of crew members working with the companies to make sure that they were able to help them as they're working their designs and developing their systems.

So this is kind of cool because this is Bob and Doug get to actually fly the work that they've been helping work and develop and say figure out how's it really working on orbit. And so the other thing they get to do is just to be able to be, you know, the ECLSS systems working. They're getting to see that are things cooling is the how's the seat feels, how's the suits feel? Can you get in and out of the suits? You know, when you're on orbit, how easy are those kind of functions going to be?

I'm not going to talk about the, the waste functions, but that's kind of part of it. And then obviously how approach feels with. I know that Jim was able to use a simulator, but now they've got this big simulator that's the International Space Station that they're going to get to be able to actually come up to and be able to dock and see how that really works and how it matches. Because one of the things that's really important, we all know it and anybody you know, is how does a real thing really approximate what you've been practicing on for, you know, the last few years.

And so they now are going to be able to come back and for these next crews that are going up, they'll be able to share with them, hey, this is really how it felt, this is how these systems worked and be able to share that experience with the crew. One crew that right now is doing their training. So they're doing a very, very, very important function for our upcoming crews that will really be the long duration crew members and will be flying to the space station.

And I can promise you that the hardest thing they'll do tomorrow is when they're done flying their manual near field flying is to hand it back over to the computers and not dock it themselves because they are test pilots. And to answer an earlier question, that is exactly what they would enjoy doing. So to give it back will be a little bit hard for them.

I did notice, you know, Doug was Really good at teaching Jim how to fly it. So. Yes, he helped you, Doc, right?

Well, I might have. No, he helped a lot, and it was fantastic.

Well, that was our last question. Some closing remarks from the administrator.

Sure.

So, again, this is a great day for the United States of America. It does represent many years of work, I want to say. You know, a question came up earlier about, you know, doubters and people that didn't believe that this could ever happen. There was a day when Charlie Bolden, my predecessor at NASA as the administrator, was trying to get this program off the ground in a significant way. And he had members of Congress on both sides of the aisle that were in opposition to it and wouldn't adequately fund it and ultimately gave him a hard time about it.

And General, Marine Corps General Charlie Bolden persevered and he pushed through, and that was the beginning of what we all get to experience today. And so I want to emphasize that. I also want to emphasize, you know, Pat was talking about how the Bob and Doug were joking with each other earlier today when I had the opportunity to be with them, and they were joking. You know, Doug Hurley's last space shuttle mission got scrubbed five times before they finally launched on the sixth time.

And of course, Bob Behnken is saying that Doug Hurley is the jinx here, and therefore, you know, they're not going to launch today either. And to see them loose like that. Pat, you mentioned that they were loose and joking and in fact, seemingly having fun on the day of launch, even though what they're doing is very serious.

Nerves of steel.

Nerves of steel. I mean, these are just American heroes.

So I just want to make sure that we're keeping them in mind. And of course, Elon, SpaceX and your team, you know, going back to what we talked about just a few minutes ago, the fact that at SpaceX, you don't call them Bob and Doug, you call them the dads, because that's what they are. They are, in fact, dads. And keeping their safety at the foremost of your minds. So really, this is really a great day for all of America.

It's a great day for our country. It's been a long time. It's been nine years since we've had the opportunity. And of course, we are here now. And there's, you know, as Elon said earlier, There's 10,000 people behind us that have made it happen. You might have said it a hundred times.

I see when you add up suppliers and everyone, I think it's probably closer to 100,000 children that's right.

So this really is, it's a great day for the United States of America. It's a great day for our international partners. Remember, Crew 1 is going to be an international mission. On the first crew, we're going to have a Japanese astronaut with us. So we're very excited about this. I want to say congratulations to everybody. We're not celebrating yet. We will celebrate when they're home safely. But certainly we can breathe sighs of relief every step along the way.

And that's what we're doing today. So congratulations to SpaceX and Elon Musk, congratulations to Cathay leaders and your NASA team that got us to this position. And we look forward to so many things ahead.

Great.

So that's going to wrap it up for us here at the Kennedy Space Center. You can continue watching our live coverage until the astronauts reach the International Space Station and docking and hatch opening and the arrival of Bob and Doug at the ISS. Docking is scheduled for 10:29 Eastern Time. And right after this broadcast we'll turn it over to jsc. We're going to hear from Bob and Doug during a downlink from from the crew dragon as they orbit the Earth.

So we'll have more information. Please go to NASA.gov for more specific information on commercial crew. You go to NASA.govcommercialcrew and go SpaceX. Go NASA. Go Bob and Doug and go America. Thank you.