>> HELLO, AND WELCOME.
WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE OUR
PRE-LAUNCH COVERAGE OF NASA'S
NEWEST MISSION, GOLD.
THIS IS A MISSION TO STUDY OUR
INTERFACE TO SPACE, WHERE THE
UTTER ATMOSPHERE SEGUES INTO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF SPACE.
I'M HERE AT GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT
CENTER IN MARYLAND.
WE ARE 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE
LAUNCH.
WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU LIVE
COVERAGE COMING UP.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GOING TO
TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT OF
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAUNCH.
WE HAVE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT IT TODAY, THREE
GUESTS.
WE HAVE PEG, WHO IS THE ACTING
DIRECTOR AT NASA HEADQUARTERS IN
WASHINGTON, D.C.
WE HAVE SITTING NEXT TO HER,
WILLIS, THE PROGRAMMING
EXECUTIVE AT NASA HEADQUARTERS,
AND OUR THIRD GUEST TODAY IS
SARA, SARA IS THE MISSION
SCIENTIST FROM GOLD RIGHT HERE
AT NASA GODDARD.
REALLY EXCITED TO TELL YOU MORE
ABOUT THIS MISSION.
WE'RE STARTING OUT NICE AND
SIMPLE.
WHAT IS GOLD GOING TO DO?
WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE STUDYING?
>> SURE, WELL THE GOLD MISSION
STANDS FOR GLOBAL SKILL
OBSERVATION DISK.
AND IT'S A CANAL ARE A THAT
TAKES PICTURES OF THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE, THE BOUNTIRY BETWEEN
EARTH AND SPACE.
IT WILL HOVER 22,000 MILES ABOVE
THE EARTH LOOKING DOWN ON THE
UPPER ATMOSPHERE AND SEEING WHAT
IS HAPPENING BELOW.
THE WAY THIS CAMERA WORKS IS
THAT IT TAKES A PICTURE OF A
SMALL PORTION OF THE EARTH, AND
THEN MOVES OVER AND TAKES
ANOTHER PICTURE, AND MOVES OVER
AND TAKES ANOTHER PICTURE AND SO
ON AS IT SCANS ACROSS THE EARTH
IN ONE DIRECTION AND THEN BACK
IN THE OTHER, BUILDING UP A FULL
MOSAIC IMAGE ACROSS THE
AMERICAS.
AND GOLD DOES THIS IN 30 MINUTES
TIME, WHICH IS MUCH FASTER THAN
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO BEFORE.
WE'VE HAD SIMILAR CAMERAS FLY ON
STATES BEFORE IN OTHER ORBITS
THAT ARE NOT STATIONARY RESPECT
TO THE EARTH.
IN THIS CASE IT TAKES LONGER TO
BUILD UP THIGHS GLOBAL-SCALE
IMAGES, IT TAKES DAYS OR LONGER.
SO THE INFORMATION THAT GOLD IS
GIVING US IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
THE ATMOSPHERE IS ACTIVE.
WE CAN GET SIGNIFICANT CHANGES
ON THE TIME SCALE OF AN HOUR AND
GOLD WITH IMAGES EVERY 30
MINUTES WILL ALLOW US TO SEE
THOSE FASTER CHANGES THAT WE
WEREN'T ABLE TO SEE BEHAVIOR.
GOLD, AS IT LOOKS DOWN IS NOT
IMAGING THE SURFACE OF THE
EARTH.
IT'S IMAGING THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE AND IN PARTICULAR THE
GLOW FROM THE ATMOSPHERE WHICH
SCIENTISTS CALLED AIR GLOW.
THIS IS CAUSED WHEN THE SUN'S
RADIATION COMES DOWN AND HITS
THE PARTICLES IN THE EARTH'S
UPPER ATMOSPHERE, AND CAUSES
THEM TO GIVE OFF LIGHT IN A
VARIETY OF COLORS.
IT WILL MEASURE LIGHT WHICH IS
INVISIBLE TO THE HUMAN EYE, BUT
THIS INFORMATION ALLOWS
SCIENTISTS TO DETERMINE THE
COMPOSITION AND TEMPERATURE OF
THE ATMOSPHERE AND A TEMPERATURE
MAP ACROSS THE WHOLE WESTERN
HEMISPHERE, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
NEVER HAD ON A GLOBAL SCALE,
WILL HELP SCIENTISTS IT'S MUCH
MORE DIFFICULT.
IMAGINE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT THE TEMPERATURES IN
CALIFORNIA WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE A
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT FROM
NEW YORK CITY.
>> OH YOU JUST DESCRIBED FOR US
HOW GOLD IS GOING TO GET BETTER
INFORMATION ON THIS UPPER
ATMOSPHERE THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN
ABLE TO DO BEFORE.
WHY DO WE CARE?
WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THIS
REGION?
WHY DOES NASA WANT TO STUDY IT?
>> WELL, CERTAINLY, KAREN, WE
CARE ABOUT THIS REGION OF THE
ATMOSPHERE BECAUSE THERE IS A
LOT OF FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE THAT
WE STILL HAVE TO LEARN.
BUT ALSO THE REGION OF THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE IS IMPORTANT TO OUR
DAILY LIVES.
OUR SATELLITE COMMUNICATION
SIGNALS, OUR GPS SIGNALS,
SIGNALS COMING DOWN TO OUR CELL
PHONES HAVE TO PASS THROUGH THIS
REGION AS IT COMES DOWN TO
TECHNOLOGY ON THE EARTH.
AS WE TALK ABOUT THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE THAT GOLD IS
MEASURING, WE LOOK AT THE REGION
60 MILES ABOVE US AND EXTENDS
UPWARDS.
MOST OF THE PARTICLES IN THIS
AREA ARE NEUTRAL.
THEY'RE NOT CHARGED PARTICLES.
THEY'RE AN EXTENSION OF THE AIR
THAT WE BREATHE DOWN HERE BELOW.
BUT THERE IS A SMALL COMPONENT
THAT IS CREATED WHEN THE SUN'S
RADIATION HITS.
SO IT'S CHARGED PARTICLES OF THE
ATMOSPHERE, AND BREAKS THEM UP
INTO IONS AND ELECTRONS CREATING
CHARGED PARTICLES, AND THIS NEW
COMPONENT IS CALLED THE IONOS
SPHERE.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE TECHNOLOGY,
ION OSPHERE IT, AND IT IS
AFFECTED BY CHANGES THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN THE SUN'S RADIATION
WHEN IT COMES FROM THE
ATMOSPHERE AND OTHER SPACE
WEATHER THAT IMPACTS THE
IONOSPHERE FROM ABOVE.
AT THE SAME TIME THIS REGION IS
AFFECTED FROM BELOW BY
WEATHER-TYPE EFFECTS LIKE WE
EXPERIENCE HERE ON THE GROUND.
TSUNAMIS CAN CREATE WAVES IN THE
AIR AND MOVE UPWARDS AND REACH
THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE AND COULD
MAKE CHANGES IN THIS BOUNDARY
BETWEEN EARTH AND SPACE, AND SO
THIS CREATES A LOT OF STRUCTURE
IN THE IONOSPHERE AND IT CAN
GARBLE THE SIGNALS COMING FROM
OUR SATELLITES DOWN TO OUR
TECHNOLOGIES.
THEN IT HAS A BIG IMPACT ON OUR
DAILY LIVES.
THE GOLD MISSION IS DESIGNEDDED
TO SORT OUT THE INFLUENCES OF
THE VARIOUS EFFECTS FROM ABOVE,
THE SPACE WEATHER, AND THE
EFFECTS FROM BELOW IN PART THE
TERRESTRIAL WEATHER WE
EXPERIENCE DOWN HERE BELOW.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARA,
WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO
WHAT GOLD IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO
DO.
WE'LL EXPECT SCIENCE FROM IT IN
EIGHT MONTHS.
IN THE MEANTIME IT IS ABOUT TO
LAUNCH.
WE'LL HAVE LIVE COVERAGE OF THAT
COMING UP SHORTLY.
THE GOLD MISSION IS LED IN
FLORIDA, IN ORLANDO.
IT WAS BUILT AT UNIVERSITY OF
COLORADO LABORATORY FOR
ATMOSPHERIC AND SPACE PHYSICS.
AND THIS IS CALLED THE HOSTED
PAYLOAD.
IT'S GOING UP ON AN UNRELATED
SATELLITE.
IT IS A COMMUNICATION STATE RUN
BY SCS OUT OF LUXEMBOURG.
AND IT WAS BUILT BY AIRBUS.
AND THEY'LL TAKE IT UP TO SPACE
FOR US IN THE LAUNCH THAT IS
COMING UP FROM FRENCH GUIANA
SHORTLY.
GOLD IS WHAT WE CALL AN
EXPLORER, THAT'S A CERTAIN CLASS
OF MISSION.
HERE TO TELL US IS WILLIS WITH
THE EXPLORER PROGRAM.
>> THANKS, KAREN.
THE EXPLORER PROGRAM PROVIDES
FREQUENT FLIGHTS FOR SCIENCE
ACTIVITIES.
THAT'S WITHIN THE HELIO PHYSICS
AND ASTRO PHYSICS AREA.
THIS STARTED WITH THE FIRST
LAUNCH OF EXPLORE 1, JANUARY 31,
1958.
AND WITH THAT WE'VE HAD 100
SUCCESSFUL MISSIONS.
WE'LL BE CELEBRATING T THE
ANNIVERSARY THIS NEXT WEEK, AND
THAT IS JUST SO EXCITING FOR ALL
OF US HERE AT NASA.
I WILL TELL YOU ALSO THAT WE'VE
HAD MANY ACHIEVEMENTS WITH THE
EXPLORER PROGRAM.
ONE IS TO HAVE THE FIRST MISSION
TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SCIENTISTS
RECEIVE NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS,
AND ALSO TO HAVE FIVE
SPACECRAFTS TO LAUNCH ON A
SINGLE ROCKET.
THAT'S JUST SO EXCITING FOR US.
AND I TELL YOU THAT GOLD WILL
INTERINTO THAT OVER ALL
EXPERIENCE AND EXCITEMENT THAT
WE HAVE.
>> SO WE HAVE THIS HISTORY OF
THE EXPLORER PROGRAM, AND
CREATED MISSIONS AND PUSHING THE
ENVELOPE, AND GOLD IS AN EXAMPLE
OF THAT, TOO, WITH THIS HOSTED
PAYLOAD.
>> YES, GOLD IS A COMPETITION,
AND BEING SELECTED.
SO THIS HAS BECOME--THIS IS AN
INSTRUMENT ON A PLATFORM IN
WHICH THE GOLD ININSTRUMENT WILL
RECEIVE TELEMETRY SPACE, AND
RECEIVE POWER.
THAT WILL COME DOWN THE
EXCITING PART ABOUT GOLD IS
BECAUSE IT IS NOT ONLY JUST
HOSTED, BUT IT COMMUTES FROM
SATELLITE, WHICH IS THE FIRST
TIME WE'VE DONE THAT IN
EXPLORER.
WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
THE THING ABOUT GOLD TO REMEMBER
IS THAT IT'S THE SIZE OF A SMALL
MINI REFRIGERATOR, BUT IT WEIGHS
80 POUNDS.
IF YOU COULD TAKE TWO MINI
REFRIGERATORS, AND LIFT THEM UP
CAREFULLY, AND I COULDN'T
SUGGEST THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE
THAT IN TERMS OF A VISUAL.
>> GREAT.
SO WE JUST LEARNED A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT GOLD, AND IT'S
POSITION NASA'S SPACECRAFT.
IT IS ALSO CALLED A HELIO
PHYSICS MISSION.
TELL US MORE.
WHAT IS THIS AREA OF RESEARCH
THAT NASA CARES ABOUT, AND HOW
DID GOLD FIT IN THE LARGER PLAN.
>> WHAT OF NASA'S ROLES IS TO
UNDERSTAND THE SPACE AROUND US
AND THE AFFECT OF THE SUN ON
THAT SPACE.
AND THE FIELD OF HELIO PHYSICS
IS A FIELD OF STUDY WHERE WE
LOOK AT THE SUN, WHICH IS
CONSTANTLY CHANGING, THE WAYS IN
WHICH IT INFLUENCES THE EARTH,
AND THE ENTIRE SOLAR SYSTEM AND
EVEN SPACE BEYOND THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
WE LIKE TO SAY THAT SPACE IS NOT
EMPTY.
IT IS FIELD WITH CHARGED
PARTICLES AND RADIATION.
THOSE PARTICLES ARE INFLUENCED
BY MAGNETIC FIELDS, ELECTRICAL
FIELDS, AND THE VERY ABILITY IN
THIS ENTIRE SYSTEM INFLUENCES US
HERE ON EARTH.
AS SARA MENTIONED, SPACE WEATHER
CAN AFFECT OUR TECHNOLOGIES, AND
IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY WE'RE MORE
VULNERABLE THAN EVER BEFORE TO
THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF STRONG
SPACE SOLAR STORMS THAT ARE
DIRECTED IN WAYS THAT THEY CAN
REACH US.
IN HELIO PHYSICS, WE WANT TO OH
UNDERSTAND THE PHYSICS OF THE
SUN AS WELL AS THE WAYS IN WHICH
IT DRIVES AND IMPACTS WHAT IS
HAPPENING HERE ON EARTH.
BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEX SYSTEM
NASA HAS A PHYSIC LAB TEAR.
IT REQUIRES MEASURES OF MANY
VANNAGE POINTS.
THESE ARE PICTURES FROM OUR
LABORATORY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FIELD,
LOOKING AT THE SUN, SAMPLING THE
SOLAR WIND, AND WITH GOLD, WE'RE
LOOKING AT THE INFLUENCE OF
THOSE EFFECTS ON EARTH.
SO WE WANT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT
IS HAPPENING ON THE EDGE OF
SPACE.
WE HAVE THE VOYAGER SPACECRAFT
THERE, AS WELL AS THE NEAREST
AREAS.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS
VAST SYSTEM AND GOLD WILL ADD TO
THAT.
WHAT DOES GOLD BRING TO THE
TABLE?
YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS FROM
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
WHAT CAN GOLD DO TO ENHANCE
THAT?
>> SO WHAT IS REALLY EXCITING
ABOUT GOLD IS ITS VANTAGE POINT
PERCHED ON A TELECOMMUNICATION
SAFETY IN GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT.
GEOSTATIONERY ORBIT IS A UNIQUE
ORBIT.
AND A PLACE WHERE THEY'VE BEEN
SENDING SATELLITES TO REGULARLY.
BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE TO GET TO.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
DEBRIS A SCIENCE INSTRUMENT TO
THAT AREA.
WE ARE ABLE TO PUT AN INSTRUMENT
UP THERE THAT CAN LOOK AT THE
UPPER ATMOSPHERE AS SARA TALKED
ABOUT, THE INTERFACE WITH SPACE,
AND SEE THE FULL DISK OF THE
SUN--OR OF THE EARTH AND AS
IT'S AFFECTED BY THE SUN.
THIS IS REALLY LIKE
REVOLUTIONIZING OUR ABILITY TO
UNDERSTAND THE INFLUENCES OF THE
SUN THE WAY THAT TERRESTRIAL
WEATHER WAS INFLUENCED BY THE
FIRST WEATHER SATELLITES.
IT'S VERY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY
FOR US.
AND UNIQUE.
>> AND GOLD IS THE FIRST OF THE
LAUNCHES THIS YEAR.
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW
THIS FITS IN IN THIS GRAND
PICTURE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> YES, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY
EXCITING YEAR FOR US.
IT IS SERENDIPITOUS THAT THIS IS
BEING LAUNCHED IN 2018.
TWO EXPLORER, GOLD AND THE
ATMOSPHERIC EXPLORER ARE GOING
TO BE LOOKING AT THE SAME REGION
OF THE ATMOSPHERE, THE
IONOSPHERE AND THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE.
BUT ICON HAS A DIFFERENT
APPROACH, AND IT'S VERY
COMPLIMENTARY TO GOLD.
IT DIRECTLY SAMPLES THE
ATMOSPHERE THAT GOLD IS LOOKING
AT FROM ITS BROAD PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO TOGETHER THESE TWO
MISSIONS WILL GIVE US AN
EXTREMELY POWERFUL NEW VIEW OF
WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD AS A RESULT OF
INFLUENCES FROM THE SUN.
IN ADDITION WE ARE EXTENDING OUR
HELIOPHYSICS ALL THE WAY TO THE
SUN.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE ORIGIN
OF THE SOLAR WIND, AND WITH A
MISSION CALLED PARKER SOLAR
PROBE THAT WILL BE LAUNCHED IN
JULY OF THIS YEAR.
SOLAR PROBE, PARKER SOLAR PROBE
IS THE FIRST MISSIO TO FLY TO A
STAR.
IT WILL ACTUALLY INTERTHE SUN'S
CORONA, AND HELP US TO STUDY THE
PARTICLES THE WAY THEY'RE
ACCELERATED, THE WAY THE CORONA
IS HEATED, AND REALLY SOLVE SOME
MYSTERIES THAT YOU CAN'T
UNDERSTAND BY JUST VIEWING FROM
A DISTANCE, WHICH IS ALWAYS BEEN
ABLE TO DO SO FAR.
EXCITING THING ABOUT PARKER IS
THAT IT WAS ENVISIONED--FIRST
ENVISIONED 50 YEARS AGO AT THE
SAME TIME THAT THE FIRST
EXPLORER WAS LAUNCHED.
BUT IT'S NOT UNTIL NOW THAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP THE
TECHNOLOGY OF CARBON COME
POSITIVITIES SHIELD THAT WILL
ALLOW THE SPACECRAFT TO SURVIVE
THE 125-DEGREE TEMPERATURES AND
THE RADIATION ENVIRONMENT THAT
WILL BE EXPERIENCED.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE FORTUNATE THIS
YEAR TO BE EXTENDING OUR
OBSERVATORY FROM THE VERY ORIGIN
OF THE SOLAR WIND ALL THE WAY
DOWN TO GETTING AN INTIMATE LOOK
AND GLOBAL WEATHER VIEW OF WHAT
IS HAPPENING AS A RESULT OF THAT
SOLAR WIND WHEN IT REACHES THE
EARTH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, PEG.
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE.
IT'S VERY EXCITING.
WE HAVE A MINUTE OR TWO BEFORE
WE SWITCH TO OUR LIVE COVERAGE.
I WANT TO ASK QUICKLY, TELL US
WHAT EXCITES YOU MOST ABOUT THIS
MISSION?
SARA JONES?
>> WELL, I KNOW WE'RE ALL VERY
EXCITED TO GET DOWN THIS NEW
DATA THAT WE NEVER HAD BEFORE
AND START ANALYZING IT.
NOW WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER
LONG-STANDING QUESTIONS LIKE HOW
DOES SPACE WEATHER AND
TERRESTRIAL WEATHER AFFECT THIS
BOUNDARY BETWEEN EARTH AND
SPACE.
>> WILLIS?
>> I'M SO EXCITED I COUNT GET MY
WORDS TOGETHER THAT THERE IS SO
MUCH EXCITEMENT.
IT IS CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION
THAT WILL BRING OPPORTUNITIES IN
THE FUTURE.
WHAT IS GOING ON AS THE EARTH
SCIENCE DIVISION IS GOING TO FLY
A MISSION CALLED GEOCON AND WORK
FOR SIMILAR ACTIVITY WE HAVE
WITH GOLD.
>> GREAT, AND PEG?
>> I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE FIRST
WEATHER SATELLITE TO STUDY THE
WEATHER RESPONSES OF THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE TO SOLAR ENERGY.
>> FANTASTIC.
IT IS EXCITING, AND A LOT IS
ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
WE'RE GOING TO GO OUR TO
PARTNERS FOR THEIR LIVE
COVERAGE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY.
YOU CAN TRACK THE MISSION AT
www.nasa.gov /GOLD.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
>> YOU'LL SEE--
>> MINUTE AND A HALF TO GO UNTIL
THE FIRST LAUNCH OF THE YEAR FOR
ARIAN SPACE.
EVERYTHING THAT HAD TO BE DONE
HAS BEEN DONE.
YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THE CALL ON
THE ONE-MINUTE MARK.
>> WE'RE IN THE FINAL 60
SECONDS.
GIVE US A CHANCE TO SAY HELLO TO
OUR FRIENDS IN LUXEMBOURG, AND
IN ABU DABY, AND TO THE ORBITAL
TEAMS IN VIRGINIA, AND
INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS AND ALL OF
YOU FOLLOWING ON THE INTERNET.
WE HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING IT.
WE'LL CUT AWAY AND LET YOU
LISTEN TO THE DDO AS HE CALLS
OUT THE FINAL SECONDS.
[SPEAKING FRENCH]
[EXPLOSION]
>> DDO SAYS ALL IS NORMAL.
YOU SAW IT.
RIGHT ON TIME.
ARIANE 5 BEGAN HER MISSION,
LIFTING OFF WITH A LOT OF FIRE
HEADING INTO THE CLOUDS WITH TWO
NEW SATELLITES.
THE TWO BOOSTERS ARE PROVIDING
90% OF THE THRUST RIGHT NOW
PROPELLING THE LAUNCHER ALONG
HER TRAJECTORY AT AN EVER HIGHER
VELOCITY.
773 TONS OF LIFT OFF, AND THEY
GET THAT MASS OFF THE GROUND YOU
NEED A LOT OF PUSH, AND PUSH WE
HAVE.
SHE'S BURNING 5 TONS OF FUEL
MEASURE SECOND, TWO AND A HALF
TONS PER SECOND IN EACH BOOSTER
AND THE CORE STAGE IS BURNING
ANOTHER 300-KILOS OF FUEL PER
SECOND.
FINE SHOTS, ARIANE 5 RISING INTO
THE SKY, SHE LOOKS LIKE A COMET.
THE PROGRAM IN THE ON BOARD
COMPUTER, THE DDO SAYS THAT
EVERYTHING IS ON BOARD.
THE ORDERS FOR STAGE SEPARATION,
WHICH WE'LL SOON SEE.
WE'RE IN THE FIRST OF FOUR
FLIGHT PHASING.
WE'LL DESCRIBE EACH AS SHE HEADS
EAST ALONG T ATLANTIC.
THE BOOSTER WILL CONSUME
240 TONS IN 15 SECONDS.
AND THEY'LL BE WISHED, AND
YOU'LL HEAR THAT FROM THE DDO.
THE FIRST FLIGHT PHASE, VERY
COLD FUEL AND STORABLE, OFFERING
CERTAIN ADVANTAGES, REIGNITABLE,
MORE PRECISE PERFORMANCE.
AND WE MOVE TO THE ANIMATION IN
JUST ABOUT TWO SECONDS.
YOU'LL SEE THE BOOSTER
SEPARATION.
CONFIRMED BY THE DDO.
THEY'LL FALL 500 KILOMETERS FROM
THE SHORE IN A PROTECTED AREA.
A NICE SHOT OF IT BY THE
ON-BOARD CAMERA.
AND IT IS PORTSIDE OF THE CAMERA
RANGE.
ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, ON
THE LEFT ARE AT ATTITUDE AND
RIGHT ARE SPEED.
SPEED WE NEED FOR SATELLITE
SEPARATION, ROUGHLY 9 KILOMETERS
PER SECOND.
THAT'S 9,000 KILOMETERS AN HOUR.
YOU SEE WHERE WE ARE, JUST OVER
2 KILOMETERS AN HOUR.
WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE NUMBERS,
AND WHEN WE REACH THE REGION OF
EIGHT, NINE KILOMETERS PER
SECOND YOU KNOW WE'LL BE CLOSE
TO SEPARATION.
WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO
SEPARATION OF THE FAIRING, WHICH
IS NEXT UP.
THAT'S THE POINTED NOSE CONE ON
THE RIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE THE LOGOS ON THE
RIGHT OF THE FARING.
THERE IS SEPARATION ON TOP,
CONFIRMED BY THE DDO AND THE
ONBOARD CAMERA YOU SEE THERE IS
ANOTHER HALF THAT FALLS AWAY ON
THE STARBOARD SIDE.
REVEALING TO THE ELEMENTS, THE
FIRST PASSENGER, THE WERE YOU
AND GOLD DOCKS ON THE RIGHT.
WE CAN SEPARATE THE FARING NOW
BECAUSE WE'RE OUT OF THE DENSE
LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE, OVER
100 KILOMETERS UP.
THERE IS NEITHER FRICTION NOR
HEAT TO DISTURB THE PASSENGERS.
WE CAN ALSO DISCARD ANY DEAD
WEIGHT, REMEMBER, THE FARING
WEIGHS 2.5 TONS, SO WE CAN GET
>> ON THE RIGHT, AS DDO SAID
THAT ALL IS NORMAL, AFTER THAT,
THE BELL-SHAPED STRUCTURE, THE
CARRYING STRUCTURE UNDERNEATH,
THAT'S OUR SECOND PASSENGER.
WE'RE IN THE SECOND-POWERED
FLIGHT PHASE.
THE SINGLE-ENGINE CORE SPADE.
ALL OF ARIANE'S TRAJECTORY HAS
BEEN DESIGNED TO BE FOLLOWED
FROM THE GROUND, IT KEEPS
CONSTANT WATCH ON THE HEALTH OF
OUR SYSTEMS.
WE'LL START RECEIVING THAT
INFORMATION IN JUST A MOMENT.
TETELEMETRY AND WE HAVE A LOOK A
PASSENGERS AND A SECOND LOOK.
>> WE WILL SOON BE PICKED UP BY
OUR TRACKING STATION LOCATED IN
BRAZIL.
THE BRAZILIAN DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
RUNS THE STATION IN AGREEMENT
WITH THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY.
IT WILL SEE THE LOWER BURN OUT.
WHAT WILL IT DO WITH ALL THE
INFORMATION?
CUSTOMERS GET IMMEDIATE DATA ON
THE SPACECRAFT THAT IS
IMPORTANT.
SOME DATA IS ANALYZED IN
REALTIME, OTHERS ARE STUDIED
AFTER THE FLIGHT TO SEE HOW THE
VEHICLE PERFORMED ON ITS
MISSION.
A COMPLETE ANALYSIS IS CARRIED
OUT IN A WEEK OF THE LAUNCH.
THIS GIVES ARIANE 5 SPACE A
WEALTH OF INFORMATION GOING ALL
THE WAY BACK TO ARIANE 1, 1979.
WE'RE AWAITING THREE EVENTS.
EXTINCTION AND SEPARATION OF THE
LOWER STAGE.
THE IGNITION OF THE UPPER STAGE.
THAT'S DUE IN ABOUT 50 SECONDS.
EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT ON BOARD
AS THE DDO SAYS THE LAUNCH IS
PERFORMING FLAWLESSLY.
THE LAUNCH OF THE COMMUNICATION
SATELLITES AS WE SEE THE CUT OFF
OF THE LOWER STAGE.
SEPARATION.
OF THE LOWER STAGE.
AND IGNITION OF THE UPPER STAGE.
THE THREE COMMANDS GIVEN BY THE
ON BOARD COMPUTER IN 13 SECONDS.
WE ARE NOW--THIRD AND FINAL
FLIGHT PHASE.
THE ENGINE THAT BURN FOR 16
MINUTES ROUGHLY.
THE JOB OF THE UPPER STAGE IS TO
TAKE THE SATELLITES TO THEIR
INJECTION POINT, POSITION THEM
FOR SEPARATION, AND THEN RELEASE
THEM.
THAT IS THE PROPULSION ROLE.
AND ALSO HAS A SECOND ROLE.
THAT COMES DURING ARIANE 5'S
BALLISTIC PHASE THAT COMES LATER
ON IN THE FLIGHT.
WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THAT COMING
UP.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE AL YAH 3
THAT ARRIVED IN FRENCH GUIANA.
IT WENT RIGHT TO THE PREPARATION
BUILDINGS HERE AT THE GSC.
SES 14 CAME A MONTH LATER TO
BEGIN ITS TESTS.
ALL THAT PREPARATION THAT
USUALLY TAKES ABOUT A MONTH.
>> WE'RE GOING TO LOOK CLOSER AT
AL YAH 3 IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
FILMS COMING UP, BUT I WANTED TO
MAKE A POINT ON THE P PROPULSION
SYSTEM ON ARIAN 5, THE
CRYOGENICS ARE MORE EFFICIENT
THAN SOLID PROPEL ATLANTA THAT
IS USE BOOSTERS.
CRYOGENICS ARE FOR MORE
PRECISION ORIENTING OF THE
VEHICLE, AND THEY ALLOW THE
STAGE TO BE REIGNITED.
THAT'S IN THE OTHER VERSION OF
THE ARIANE, AND NOT THE ONE THAT
IS BEING USED TONIGHT.
ONE ADVANTAGE OF STORABLE FUEL
IS THAT IT DOESN'T EVAPORATE,
AND IT CAN BE CHEAPER.
10 MINUTES TO GO IN THE UPPER
STAGE BURN.
DURING THE FILM WE WERE PICKED
UP BY OUR NEXT DOWN RANGE
TRACKING STATION, A TINY ISLAND
IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC THAT
BELONGS TO THE UK.
NASA HAD A STATION THERE UNTIL
1989.
WHEN THEY CLOSED IT, THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY DECIDED TO
BUILD IT'S OWN.
OUR FIRST PASSENGER SES 14 IS
THE 53RD SATELLITE LAUNCHED FOR
ITS OPERATOR SES.
SES IS AN OLD FRIEND OF ARIANE
SPACE.
OUR FIRST LAUNCH WITH THE GROUP
DATES BACK TO 1988.
>> SHE'S ABOUT TO BE PICKED UP
BY THE NEXT DOWN RANGE TRACKING
STATION ON THE WEST COAST OF
AFRICA IN GABON.
IN AREA THREE THE LAST STATION
WAS IN THE IVORY COAST.
FOR ARIANE 4 WE NEEDED A STATION
FURTHER EAST IN 1986.
THE STATION RECEIVES TELEME IT
TRY FOR A QUARTER OF AN HOUR.
THOSE SATELLITES, BY THE WAY,
ARE ON POWER.
LAUNCHED FROM POWER, AND WE
LEARNED THAT SES 14 HAS BEEN ON
SINCE LAST NIGHT.
YOU HEARD ABOUT THE NASA PAYLOAD
FLYING ON THE SES 14.
HERE'S A CHANCE TO LEARN MORE.
>> FLOATING HUNDREDS OF MILES
FROM EARTH, IT IS UNIQUE
PERSPECTIVE OF OUR PLANET.
SPACE IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE
THEY CAN SEE THE PLANET'S
ATMOSPHERE.
THIS UPPER-MOST LAYER OF THE
ATMOSPHERE, THE IONOSPHERE ALSO
OVERLAPS WITH THE BEGINNING OF
SPACE.
IT'S THE JOB OF GOLD, THE GLOBAL
SCALE LIMB AND DISK INSTRUMENTS
TO STUDY THIS REGION THAT
AFFECTS HUMANS DOWN ON THE
GROUND.
IT IS A CRUCIAL LAYER THROUGH
WHICH OUR COMMUNICATION AND GPS
SIGNALS TRAVEL.
WHEN THIS REGION CHANGES IT
IMPACTS THOSE SIGNALS, AND
CHANGES CAN OCCUR ABOVE THIS
REGION FROM THE SUN'S ACTIVITY
ALSO KNOWN AS SPACE WEATHER.
CHANGES CAN OCCUR FROM BELOW
FROM EARTH'S WEATHER.
IT CAN CHANGE THE UPPER REACHES
OF THE ATMOSPHERE, BUT THIS
REGION IS NOT EASY TO STUDY.
IT IS TOO HIGH FOR AIRCRAFT AND
SCIENTIFIC BALLOONS AND TOO LOW
TO STUDY BY SATELLITE.
WHAT ARE ATTAINABLE ARE THE RED
AND GREEN LIGHTS SHINING OUT OF
THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
SITTING ON THE ATMOSPHERE IS
GOLD.
SATELLITES ORBIT RECORDS
IMAGINES EVERY 30 MINUTES IN
ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT TO MONITOR
CHANGES ACROSS THE GLOBE.
THESE CHANGES GIVE INFORMATION
ON THE TEMPERATURE, DENSITY AND
COMPOSITION IN THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE.
GOLD CHIN JOINS A HOST OF MISSIO
SPACE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND OUR
SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND.
>> THE PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR IS
HERE.
HE JOINED US THIS MORNING THAT
DATA FROM GOLD COULD HELP
IMPROVE OUR WEATHER FORECASTING,
PARTICULARLY IN PREDICTING
STORMS.
SO AN AID TO AVIATION, AMONG
OTHER SECTORS.
>> HELLO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR THIS
LIVE COVERAGE OF NASA'S NEWEST
MISSION GOLD FROM FRENCH GUIANA.
WE'VE BEEN SHARING COVERAGE FROM
OUR PARTNERS, AND WE'RE WAITING
FOR OUR SCIENCE TO COME DOWN.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR MORE
ABOUT THIS MISSION AT
www.NASA.gov /GOLD.
WE'RE ON @NASA SUN ON FACEBOOK.
WE'LL KEEP TELLING YOU ABOUT
THIS INCREDIBLE MISSION TO STUDY
OUR INTERFACE TO SPACE.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL HAVING YOU
HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.