Boeing’s crewed Starliner set to launch: What to know

>> AF TE R SE VE RA L YE AR S OF >>> AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF >>> AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF DE LA YS BO EI NG HA S TH E GR EE N DELAYS BOEING HAS THE GREEN DELAYS BOEING HAS THE GREEN LI GH T TO FI NA LL Y LA UN CH IT S LIGHT TO FINALLY LAUNCH ITS LIGHT TO FINALLY LAUNCH ITS ST AR L IN ER TO NI GH T JU ST AF TE R STAR LINER TONIGHT JUST AFTER STAR LINER TONIGHT JUST AFTER 10 :3 0 P. M. 10:30 P.M. 10:30 P.M. EA ST ER N TH E SP AC EC RA FT IS EASTERN THE SPACECRAFT IS EASTERN THE SPACECRAFT IS SC HE DU LE D TO BL AS T OF F FR OM SCHEDULED TO BLAST OFF FROM SCHEDULED TO BLAST OFF FROM FL OR ID A ON A TR IP TO TH E FLORIDA ON A TRIP TO THE FLORIDA ON A TRIP TO THE IN TE RN AT IO NA L SP AC E ST AT IO N INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CA RR YI NG HU MA NS FO R TH E FI RS T CARRYING HUMANS FOR THE FIRST CARRYING HUMANS FOR THE FIRST TI ME . TIME. TIME. WE SP OK E WI TH VE TE RA N NA SA WE SPOKE WITH VETERAN NASA WE SPOKE WITH VETERAN NASA AS TR ON AU TS WI LL BE A BO AR D TH E ASTRONAUTS WILL BE ABOARD THE ASTRONAUTS WILL BE ABOARD THE HI ST OR IC F LI GH T. HISTORIC FLIGHT. HISTORIC FLIGHT. >> TH ER E IS NO BE TT ER V IE W TH AN >> THERE IS NO BETTER VIEW THAN >> THERE IS NO BETTER VIEW THAN FR OM S PA CE . FROM SPACE. FROM SPACE. I WI SH EV ER YB OD Y HA D TH E I WISH EVERYBODY HAD THE I WISH EVERYBODY HAD THE OP PO RT UN IT Y TO TA KE A LA P, WE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LAP, WE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LAP, WE WO UL D BE NI CE R TO EA CH OT HE R IF WOULD BE NICER TO EACH OTHER IF WOULD BE NICER TO EACH OTHER IF WE DI D TH AT . WE DID THAT. WE DID THAT. IT CH AN GE S YO UR P ER SP EC TI VE IT CHANGES YOUR PERSPECTIVE IT CHANGES YOUR PERSPECTIVE AB OU T WH AT IS IM PO RT AN T. ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT. ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT. >> SE NI OR NA TI ON AL >> SENIOR NATIONAL >> SENIOR NATIONAL CO RR ES PO ND EN T MA RK ST RA SS MA NN CORRESPONDENT MARK STRASSMANN CORRESPONDENT MARK STRASSMANN FR OM TH E KE NN ED Y SP AC E CE NT ER . FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. TH IS IS A VE RY EX CI TI NG TI ME THIS IS A VERY EXCITING TIME THIS IS A VERY EXCITING TIME FO R EV ER YO NE , ES PE CI AL LY FO R FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY FOR FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY FOR TH OS E AS TR ON AU TS WH O GE T TO GO THOSE ASTRONAUTS WHO GET TO GO THOSE ASTRONAUTS WHO GET TO GO ON TH IS F LI GH T. ON THIS FLIGHT. ON THIS FLIGHT. FI NA LL Y HA PP EN IN G AF TE R A FINALLY HAPPENING AFTER A FINALLY HAPPENING AFTER A SE RI ES OF DI FF IC UL TI ES . SERIES OF DIFFICULTIES. SERIES OF DIFFICULTIES. WH AT AR E TH E IS SU ES RE LA TE D TO WHAT ARE THE ISSUES RELATED TO WHAT ARE THE ISSUES RELATED TO TH AT D EL AY OF SE VE N YE AR S? THAT DELAY OF SEVEN YEARS? THAT DELAY OF SEVEN YEARS? >> EX CI TI NG FO R TH E AS TR ON AU TS >> EXCITING FOR THE ASTRONAUTS >> EXCITING FOR THE ASTRONAUTS AN D BO EI NG AN D NA SA , BU T IT HA S AND BOEING AND NASA, BUT IT HAS AND BOEING AND NASA, BUT IT HAS TA KE N A LO NG TI ME AN D A LO NG TAKEN A LONG TIME AND A LONG TAKEN A LONG TIME AND A LONG RO AD TO GE T TO TH IS M OM EN T. ROAD TO GET TO THIS MOMENT. ROAD TO GET TO THIS MOMENT. AL MO ST A SE EM IN GL Y EN DL ES S ALMOST A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS ALMOST A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS SE RI ES OF S ET BA CK S. SERIES OF SETBACKS. SERIES OF SETBACKS. TH EY HA D SE VE RE SO FT WA RE I SS UE S, THEY HAD SEVERE SOFTWARE ISSUES, THEY HAD SEVERE SOFTWARE ISSUES, PO WE R IS SU ES , TH EY HA D JA MM ED POWER ISSUES, THEY HAD JAMMED POWER ISSUES, THEY HAD JAMMED VA LV ES NE AR LY 1 MI LE OF T AP E VALVES NEARLY 1 MILE OF TAPE VALVES NEARLY 1 MILE OF TAPE SN AK IN G IN SI DE TH E CA PS UL E TH AT SNAKING INSIDE THE CAPSULE THAT SNAKING INSIDE THE CAPSULE THAT TH EY SU DD EN LY WE RE IT WA S THEY SUDDENLY WERE IT WAS THEY SUDDENLY WERE IT WAS FL AM MA BL E. FLAMMABLE. FLAMMABLE. AL L OF TH AT B EC AM E ON E DE LA Y ALL OF THAT BECAME ONE DELAY ALL OF THAT BECAME ONE DELAY AF TE R AN OT HE R AN D IN AL L NE AR LY AFTER ANOTHER AND IN ALL NEARLY AFTER ANOTHER AND IN ALL NEARLY 7 YE AR S OF DE LA YS , CO ST IN G MO RE 7 YEARS OF DELAYS, COSTING MORE 7 YEARS OF DELAYS, COSTING MORE TH AN $1 B IL LI ON . THAN $1 BILLION. THAN $1 BILLION. IF TO NI GH T GO ES W EL L A LO T OF IF TONIGHT GOES WELL A LOT OF IF TONIGHT GOES WELL A LOT OF HA RD -W OR KI NG FO LK S HA VE EA RN ED HARD-WORKING FOLKS HAVE EARNED HARD-WORKING FOLKS HAVE EARNED TH AT MO ME NT , BU T IT HA S BE EN THAT MOMENT, BUT IT HAS BEEN THAT MOMENT, BUT IT HAS BEEN FR US TR AT IN G AT TH E SA ME T IM E. FRUSTRATING AT THE SAME TIME. FRUSTRATING AT THE SAME TIME. >> IM PO SS IB LE TO TA LK AB OU T >> IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT >> IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK ABOUT BO EI NG A ND IG NO RE TH E IS SU ES BOEING AND IGNORE THE ISSUES BOEING AND IGNORE THE ISSUES TH AT HA VE AR IS EN F RO M TH E THAT HAVE ARISEN FROM THE THAT HAVE ARISEN FROM THE AI RP LA NE S, NO T SP AC EC RA FT , SO AIRPLANES, NOT SPACECRAFT, SO AIRPLANES, NOT SPACECRAFT, SO HO W CO MP AN Y IS NA SA AB OU T TH IS HOW COMPANY IS NASA ABOUT THIS HOW COMPANY IS NASA ABOUT THIS FL IG HT ? FLIGHT? FLIGHT? DO ES IT BE LI EV E BO EI NG HA S DOES IT BELIEVE BOEING HAS DOES IT BELIEVE BOEING HAS TH OS E IS SU ES UN DE R CO NT RO L AN D THOSE ISSUES UNDER CONTROL AND THOSE ISSUES UNDER CONTROL AND IS TH IS PA RT OF TH E IS THIS PART OF THE IS THIS PART OF THE CO NV ER SA TI ON ? CONVERSATION? CONVERSATION? >> DE FI NI TE LY PA RT OF TH E >> DEFINITELY PART OF THE >> DEFINITELY PART OF THE CO NV ER SA TI ON . CONVERSATION. CONVERSATION. I HA VE TA LK ED WI TH TH E I HAVE TALKED WITH THE I HAVE TALKED WITH THE AS TR ON AU TS , TH EY AR E CO NF ID EN T. ASTRONAUTS, THEY ARE CONFIDENT. ASTRONAUTS, THEY ARE CONFIDENT. BO EI NG IS C ON FI DE NT , NA SA IS BOEING IS CONFIDENT, NASA IS BOEING IS CONFIDENT, NASA IS CL EA RL Y IN A OV ER SI GH T RO LE , CLEARLY IN A OVERSIGHT ROLE, CLEARLY IN A OVERSIGHT ROLE, BU T AT TH E SA ME T IM E TH EY AR E BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE TA KI NG TH EI R CU ES FR OM BO EI NG TAKING THEIR CUES FROM BOEING TAKING THEIR CUES FROM BOEING AN D TH E EN GI NE ER S IN VO LV ED . AND THE ENGINEERS INVOLVED. AND THE ENGINEERS INVOLVED. ES SE NT IA LL Y SA YI NG WE TH IN K WE ESSENTIALLY SAYING WE THINK WE ESSENTIALLY SAYING WE THINK WE AR E RE AD Y. ARE READY. ARE READY. WE AR E AB OU T TO FI ND O UT . WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT. WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT. EV ER YB OD Y SA YS TH E SA ME TH IN G, EVERYBODY SAYS THE SAME THING, EVERYBODY SAYS THE SAME THING, WE WE RE NO T GO IN G TO F LY UN TI L WE WERE NOT GOING TO FLY UNTIL WE WERE NOT GOING TO FLY UNTIL BE SU RE IT WA S SA FE NO W WE BE SURE IT WAS SAFE NOW WE BE SURE IT WAS SAFE NOW WE BE LI EV E WE HA VE RE AC HE D TH E BELIEVE WE HAVE REACHED THE BELIEVE WE HAVE REACHED THE PO IN T WH ER E IT IS SA FE AN D AL L POINT WHERE IT IS SAFE AND ALL POINT WHERE IT IS SAFE AND ALL SY ST EM S AR E GO IN G. SYSTEMS ARE GOING. SYSTEMS ARE GOING. AS LO NG AS TH E WE AT HE R HO LD S AS LONG AS THE WEATHER HOLDS AS LONG AS THE WEATHER HOLDS AN D WE HA VE A 90 % LA UN CH IN TH E AND WE HAVE A 90% LAUNCH IN THE AND WE HAVE A 90% LAUNCH IN THE WE AT HE R DE PA RT ME NT AS LO NG AS WEATHER DEPARTMENT AS LONG AS WEATHER DEPARTMENT AS LONG AS IT ST AY S TR UE WE SH OU LD BE GO OD IT STAYS TRUE WE SHOULD BE GOOD IT STAYS TRUE WE SHOULD BE GOOD FO R LU NC H TO NI GH T. FOR LUNCH TONIGHT. FOR LUNCH TONIGHT. >> AS WE ME NT IO NE D IT IS TH E >> AS WE MENTIONED IT IS THE >> AS WE MENTIONED IT IS THE FI RS T TI ME HU MA NS WI LL BE ON FIRST TIME HUMANS WILL BE ON FIRST TIME HUMANS WILL BE ON BO AR D SO WH AT AR E TH EY EX PE CT ED BOARD SO WHAT ARE THEY EXPECTED BOARD SO WHAT ARE THEY EXPECTED TO HA ND LE DU RI NG TH E FL IG HT ? TO HANDLE DURING THE FLIGHT? TO HANDLE DURING THE FLIGHT? >> TH E ST AR L IN ER , TH E BO EI NG >> THE STAR LINER, THE BOEING >> THE STAR LINER, THE BOEING CA PS UL E IS A UT ON OM OU S, AN D CAPSULE IS AUTONOMOUS, AND CAPSULE IS AUTONOMOUS, AND MO ST LY FL IE S IT SE LF WI TH TH E MOSTLY FLIES ITSELF WITH THE MOSTLY FLIES ITSELF WITH THE HE LP OF C OM PU TE RS , BU T TH ER E IS HELP OF COMPUTERS, BUT THERE IS HELP OF COMPUTERS, BUT THERE IS SO ME MA NU AL O PT IO NS , TH E TW O SOME MANUAL OPTIONS, THE TWO SOME MANUAL OPTIONS, THE TWO AS TR ON AU T CR EW IS GO IN G TO TA KE ASTRONAUT CREW IS GOING TO TAKE ASTRONAUT CREW IS GOING TO TAKE OV ER TH E CO NT RO L AT DI FF ER EN T OVER THE CONTROL AT DIFFERENT OVER THE CONTROL AT DIFFERENT PO IN TS ON TH E FL IG HT , TO MA KE POINTS ON THE FLIGHT, TO MAKE POINTS ON THE FLIGHT, TO MAKE SU RE T HE MA NU AL SY ST EM W OR KS . SURE THE MANUAL SYSTEM WORKS. SURE THE MANUAL SYSTEM WORKS. IT WI LL AL SO BE EN GA GE D WI TH IT WILL ALSO BE ENGAGED WITH IT WILL ALSO BE ENGAGED WITH TA LK IN G TO TH E SP AC E ST AT IO N. TALKING TO THE SPACE STATION. TALKING TO THE SPACE STATION. A LO T TO WO RK O N.