WEBVTT

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[dramatic percussion music]

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- HI, AND WELCOME
TO "NASA LAUNCHPAD."

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I'M YOUR HOST,
ALICIA SEARS.

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MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN
A SHUTTLE LAUNCH,

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MAYBE NOT IN PERSON,
BUT AT LEAST ON TV,

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BUT ONLY 355 HUMANS
ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED THE RIDE

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FROM WITHIN.

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AND SINCE ASTRONAUTS DON'T MAJOR
IN ASTRONAUT STUFF,

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THESE MEN AND WOMEN
CAME FROM A WIDE VARIETY

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OF BACKGROUNDS, CAREERS,
AND EXPERIENCES,

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FROM PILOTS AND ENGINEERS
TO DOCTORS AND SCIENTISTS

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TO CONGRESSMEN AND TEACHERS,
EVEN A FORMER PRO ATHLETE,

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AND REPRESENTATIVES
FROM 16 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

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HAVE FLOWN ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE.

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SO WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

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WHO BETTER TO TELL US ABOUT
THE SPACE SHUTTLE EXPERIENCE

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THAN SOMEONE WHO TOOK THE RIDE?

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HERE'S STS 118 AND STS 133
ASTRONAUT AL DREW.

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- "DEAR LORD, PLEASE DON'T
LET ME SCREW THIS UP."

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AND THAT'S ABOUT
WHAT YOU'RE THINKING

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ON YOUR WAY OUT TO THE PAD.

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IT'S LIKE, "AM I REALLY PREPARED
FOR ALL THIS?

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HAVE I DONE ALL THE TRAINING?"

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OF COURSE YOU HAVE,

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BUT YOU'RE JUST WONDERING
IF THERE'S SOME--

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SOME NOTCH,
SOME MISSING SPOT THERE

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THAT'S GONNA
GO REALLY SOUTH ON YOU

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AT SOME POINT
DURING THE MISSION,

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AND YOU'RE KIND OF
RECOUNTING EVERYTHING,

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MAKING SURE YOU'VE CHECKED
ALL THE SQUARES.

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- AND THEN THERE'S LIFTOFF.

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IN JUST A LITTLE OVER
EIGHT MINUTES,

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THIS MIGHTY MACHINE WENT FROM
STANDING STILL ON A LAUNCHPAD

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TO TRAVELING AT MORE THAN
27,000 KILOMETERS--

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OR ABOUT 17,000 MILES--
AN HOUR.

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WHAT DOES IF FEEL LIKE
TO ACCELERATE

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OVER 3,000 KILOMETERS A MINUTE?

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- WELL, THE FIRST THING YOU GET
IS A PRETTY GOOD--

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LIKE A PUNCH IN THE GUT
AS YOU COME OFF THE PAD,

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BECAUSE WHEN THOSE
SOLID ROCKET MOTORS LIGHT,

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YOU JUST FEEL IT.

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IT JUST SHOVES YOU DOWN
IN THE SEAT PRETTY VIOLENTLY.

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IT'S RUMBLING.
IT'S SHAKING.

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SOLID ROCKET FUEL DOESN'T BURN
NICELY OR SMOOTHLY.

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WE'RE NOT GONNA COMPOSE POETRY.

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WE'RE NOT GONNA CUT DIAMONDS.

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YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING
BUT HANG ON FOR DEAR LIFE

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FOR THOSE FIRST TWO MINUTES.

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YOU'RE PRETTY WELL PINNED
TO YOUR SEAT

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FOR THOSE LAST FEW SECONDS
OF THE RIDE TO ORBIT.

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- MOST MISSIONS
LASTED SEVERAL DAYS.

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ASTRONAUTS' SCHEDULES
WERE CAREFULLY PLANNED,

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BUT WHAT DID THEY DO
DURING THEIR FREE TIME?

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- I NEVER DID SIT AROUND
WATCHING TV

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OR LISTENING TO THE RADIO
OR SOMETHING

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OR READING MAGAZINES.

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I WASN'T--WASN'T DOING THAT.

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THE CLOSEST I WOULD COME
TO FREE TIME

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WAS MAYBE THE LAST 45 MINUTES
OF PRE-SLEEP,

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AND YOU GO FIND SOME SECLUDED
PART OF THE SPACE STATION

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OR THE ORBITER

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AND JUST PRESS YOUR NOSE
AGAINST THE GLASS

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AND WATCH THE EARTH GO BY,

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ENJOY THE FACT THAT YOU'RE
IN SPACE, TAKE IT IN,

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BECAUSE YOU DON'T REALLY PAY
A WHOLE LOT OF ATTENTION

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FOR THE OTHER 16 HOURS
AND 15 MINUTES OF THE DAY.

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- AFTER COMPLETING A MISSION,

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ASTRONAUTS PREPARED THEMSELVES
AND THE SPACE SHUTTLE

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FOR REENTRY
INTO EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

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OF COURSE, IT TOOK THE HARD WORK
AND DEDICATION

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OF MORE THAN JUST THE ASTRONAUTS

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TO MAKE THE SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT
SUCCESSFUL.

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HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
HELPED MAKE THE SHUTTLE FLY,

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AND MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE
WERE CRITICAL

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TO MAKING SURE THE SHUTTLE
RETURNED SAFELY TO EARTH,

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AND THE ASTRONAUTS WHO STEPPED
OUT OF THE ORBITER

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BROUGHT HOME WITH THEM MEMORIES
THEY WOULD NEVER FORGET.

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- TETHERED TO THE VERY BOTTOM
OF THE TRUSS STRUCTURE,

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WAY OUT ON THE TRUSS STRUCTURE,

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FAR AWAY FROM THE MAIN STACK,

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AND JUST BUSY TRYING
TO GET THIS PIECE OF--

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NEEDED TO BOLT DOWN
TO THE SIDE OF THE STATION.

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THERE WAS SOME TROUBLE BOLTS
FROM ANOTHER MISSION.

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WELL, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE,
AS I'M CLEANING UP MY WORKSITE,

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THE SUN COMES UP AGAIN,
AND I'M SEEING A BLUE OCEAN

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AND JUST EVERYTHING.

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THE SPACE STATION LIT UP AGAIN.

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IT WAS REALLY JUST BREATHTAKING
TO BEHOLD THAT.

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- AND IT'S THEIR STORIES
THAT WILL INSPIRE US

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TO AGAIN HEAD FOR THE STARS,

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CONTINUING OUR EXPLORATION
OF SPACE,

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THIS TIME TO PLACES FAR BEYOND
THE REACH OF THE SHUTTLE.

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THANKS FOR WATCHING.

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I'M ALICIA.

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SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON "NASA LAUNCHPAD."