AND THE FINAL COUNTDOWN TO
LIFTOFF.
>> LET US DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE 15 SECONDS AWAY FROM THE
SCHEDULED LIFTOFF OF NEW
SHEPARD.
JEFF BEZOS, HIS YOUNGER BROTHER
MARK, WALLY FUNK, AND OLIVER
DAEMEN.
>> 6-5-4. COMMAND AND START.
COMMAND AND START.
2-1.
>> NEW SHEPARD HAS CLEARED THE
TOWER ON HER WAY TO SPACE IN OUR
FIRST HUMAN CREW.
GO, JEFF, GO, MARK, GO, OLIVER,
GO, WALLY. YOU ARE GOING TO SPACE!
OH, MY GOODNESS.
LISTEN TO THE ROAR OF THE
ENGINE.
WE ARE ABOUT TO PASS THROUGH
MAXIMUM DYNAMIC MEASURE.
THAT IS WHEN THE VEHICLE IT IS
AT ITS MAXIMUM.
MAX-Q IS CONFIRMED.
BEAUTIFUL CONFIRM ON THAT BE
ENGINE.
LIQUID HYDROGEN AND LIQUID
OXYGEN AS THE PROPELLANT.
ITS NOT JUST CLEAN IN TERMS OF
A BEAUTIFULLY PERFORMING, BUT
WHAT COMES OUT OF IT, ITS
STEAM, RIGHT?
WOO.
TO SEE -- TO SEE -- TO SEE THE
GLOW OF THE ENGINE UNDERNEATH
THE ROCKET JUST UNDER OUR
SHOULDERS AND TO KNOW THAT WE
HAVE GOT A CREW THAT IS GOING TO
SPACE.
IT JUST FEELS DIFFERENT, DOESNT
IT, GARY?
>> IT IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
>> WE ARE WATCHING HISTORY.
THE FIRST UNPILOTED SUBORBITAL
FLIGHT WITH ALL CIVILIAN CREW.
TWO MINUTES IN THE AIR NOW.
TOM, AT WHAT POINT DO WE SEE THE
CAPSULE START TO SEPARATE FROM
THE ROCKET BOOSTER?
>> Reporter: I THINK THAT WILL
OCCUR ABOUT THE SIX-MINUTE MARK,
CRAIG.
I DONT HAVE THE EXACT TIME
LINE.
I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE THE POINT
TO THE VIEWER WHO IS WATCHING
THAT THE FEMALE VOICE YOU HEAR
IS THE VOICE OF BLUE ORIGINS
MISSION CONTROL.
THIS IS NOT NASA.
THIS IS NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY
THAT IS PROVIDING US THAT KIND
OF DATA STRAIGHT FROM NASA.
THIS IS, OF COURSE, A PRIVATE
COMPANY PROVIDING US THEIR
NARRATION AND SO WE ARE VERY
MINDFUL OF THAT.
YOULL GET SPECTACULAR VIEWS AND
THE ENGINEERING EXPERTISE AS
WELL FROM BLUE ORIGINS OWN
MISSION CONTROL.
>> UNREAL.
AWAITING SEPARATION HERE.
>> RON GEARON IS WITH ME, A
FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT AND F-16
FIGHTER PILOT.
RON, WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
INSIDE THAT CABIN.
WHAT ARE THEY FEELING AND
SEEING?
>> THEY HAD THE ENGINE CUT OFF
SO THEY ARE FEELING LIKE THEY
ARE PUSHED BACK IN THE AIR WITH
A ELEPHANT ON THEIR CHEST.
THE WHOLE WAY UP THEY SAW THAT
VIEW OUT THE WINDOW AND PROBABLY
MARVELING RIGHT NOW AT THE
INDESCRIBABLE BEAUTY OF OUR
PLANET AND THE THINNESS OF THE
ATMOSPHERE AND CURVATURE OF THE
EARTH AND I HOPE THEY ARE HAVING
A WONDERFUL TIME.
>> RON, THERE ARE SO FEW PEOPLE
WHO HAVE SEEN THAT VIEW, THAT
VIEW THAT YOU AND OTHER
ASTRONAUTS HAVE ENJOYED.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT AT ALL FOR
US?
>> YEAH.
I THINK WHAT I EXPERIENCED IN
SPACE THE FIRST TIME I LOOKED
OUT THE WINDOW WAS AN
INDESCRIBABLE FEELING OF
GRATITUDE.
GRATITUDE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SEE THE PLANET FROM THAT VANTAGE
POINT AND GRATITUDE FOR THE
PLANET THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
AND I THINK IN A WAY THAT I
WONT BE ABLE TO FULLY EXPLAIN,
BEING PHYSICALLY DETACHED FROM
THE EARTH MADE ME FEEL DEEPLY
INDEPENDENT AND CONNECTED TO
EVERYONE ON IT AND I THINK I SAW
THE TRUE UNITY OF OUR PLANET AND
SPECIES AND THOSE THINGS WE
FIGHT AND EQUAL OVER AND THINK
ARE SO IMPORTANT BLURRED INTO
INCISION INTO THE FACE OF THAT
INDESCRIBABLE BEAUTY.
>> ANY MOMENT, WE ARE TOLD THAT
CAPSULE IS GOING TO SEPARATE
FROM THE ROCKET BOOSTER.
MR. COSTELLO, AT WHAT POINT WILL
THE CIVILIAN ASTRONAUTS BEGIN TO
EXPERIENCE THAT WEIGHTLESSNESS?
>> Reporter: THEY WILL GET IT
PRETTY DARN QUICKLY.
IM TRYING TO LISTEN IN TO
MISSION CONTROL AS WELL.
SHE IS OUR BEST SOURCE ON
EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING UP
THERE.
AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE
BEEN WAITING FOR MORE DETAILS
FROM BLUE ORIGIN.
SOME THAT THEY HOLD CLOSE TO THE
VEST.
SO THE BEST DESCRIPTION OF WHAT
IS HAPPENING --
>> ONE-MINUTE WARNING.
ONE-MINUTE WARNING.
>> I THINK --
>> LETS TRY TO LISTEN IN TO
BLUE ORIGIN.
>> Reporter: I THINK WE ARE
HEARING THEM RIGHT NOW.
>> LETS TRY TO LISTEN IN.
>> SO GOOD.
>> GOT IT.
>> GOT IT?
>> I CAN SEE IT.
>> YEAH.
>> OH, WOW.
TAKE A MOMENT.
OKAY, GET IT.
>> WOO!
>> OH, FANTASTIC!
ITS DARK UP HERE!
>> CRAIG, WE ARE HEARING THEM
FLOATING INSIDE THE CAPSULE AND
TAKING THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF EACH
OTHER.
>> EVERYBODY IN?
>> WE DONT HAVE THE VIDEO OF
THAT JUST YET, TOM, BUT WHAT WE
CAN DO IS DESCRIBE ON THE RIGHT
SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN, YOU ARE
SEEING THAT CAPSULE, IT HAS, AS
YOU CAN SEE THERE, DETACHED FROM
THE ROCKET BOOSTER AND PRECISELY
WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
IN A FEW MOMENTS YOULL SEE
THREE PARACHUTES AS WELL
BRINGING THAT CAPSULE BACK TO
THE GROUND.
>> Reporter: WHEN I MENTIONED
THE SIX-MINUTE MARK, I MEANT TO
SAY THAT IS AT ABOUT THE POINT THEY GET BACK INTO THEIR SEATS
THEY GET BACK INTO THEIR SEATS
AND I THINK WHERE WE ARE NOW.
KEEP IN MIND, WE PROBABLY GET
SHOTS OF THE ROCKET COMING BACK
DOWN AND THE SPACE CAPSULE
SEPARATELY PARACHUTING DOWN.
>> THAT IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING
AT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE
SCREEN, THAT ROCKET BOOSTER IS
DESCENDING.
>> COPY.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
THATS RIGHT.
YOURE LOOKING AT THE ROCKET
BOOSTER THAT WILL COME BACK DOWN
AND LAND ON A MADPAD DOWN IN WES
TEXAS SEPARATELY AND FOLLOWED BY
THE CAPSULE WHICH IS FOLLOWED BY
PARACHUTES.
A PHENOMENAL LOOK AT THE ROCKET.
YOU HEARD A SONIC BOOM AS THE ROCKET COMES BACK DOWN TO EARTH.
ROCKET COMES BACK DOWN TO EARTH. >> THE SONIC BOOM!
>> MY GOODNESS.
THE BOOSTER HAS LANDED.
THE BOOSTER IS ON THE GROUND,
TOM.
>> THE BOOSTER TOUCHED DOWN.
WELCOME BACK, NEW SHEPARD.
A BEAUTIFUL ROCKET THAT PROVIDED
A BEAUTIFUL FLIGHT TO SPACE.
>> BULLS-EYE RIGHT ON THE
LANDING.
>> STUCK THE LANDING.
TOM, THAT CAPSULE, THAT CAPSULE
SHOULD FOLLOW HERE IN ROUGHLY
THREE MINUTES, CORRECT?
>> Reporter: THAT IS EXACTLY
RIGHT.
SO -- AND THEY WILL PULL THOSE
CHUTES.
AS THE CAPSULE IS COMING BACK
DOWN, IT WILL HIT 3.7.
>> YOU HAVE A VERY HAPPY CREW UP
THERE.
>> MACH 3.7 AS IT INITIALLY
COMES BACK DOWN AND THE CHUTES
WILL COME OUT AND EVENTUALLY
SLOW TO 16 MILES PER HOUR.
AS IT COMES WITHIN ABOUT 20 FEET
OF EARTH, THEY WILL FIRE SOME
RETROROCKETS THAT WILL SLOW IT
EVEN FURTHER AS IT HAS A VERY
SOFT LANDING IN THE WEST TEXAS
SAND.
THERE IS A LOT OF SAND.
THERE ARE THE CHUTES.
>> ALL THREE PARACHUTES.
TOM, DO STAND BY FOR ME ONCE AGAIN.
WE ARE JOINED NOW BY SPACE
ROYALTY.
A FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT IS WITH ME, THE FIRST WOMAN OF COLOR IN
ME, THE FIRST WOMAN OF COLOR IN
SPACE IN 1992, PART OF THAT
FIRST CREW AFTER THE
"CHALLENGER" EXPLOSION IN 86.
THE FOUR CIVILIANS WHO ARE
INSIDE THAT CAPSULE, MAY, ABOUT
TO TOUCH DOWN HERE ON THE THIRD
ROCK FROM THE SUN, WHAT ARE THEY
THINKING RIGHT NOW AND FEELING
RIGHT NOW?
>> WELL, I CANT TELL YOU
EXACTLY, BUT IF IT WAS ME, I
WOULD HAVE A BIG SMILE ON MY
FACE AND PROBABLY WANTING TO DO
IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
I THINK WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IS
TO SEE SOMETHING THAT IS AN
INCREDIBLE VIEW, AND ALSO TO
HAVE AN EXPERIENCE THAT, YOU
KNOW, WE DONT OFTEN AFTER HAVE
IN LIFE.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE
EXCITEMENT WITH THIS.
IT WAS BECAUSE THE ROCKET.
YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO SEE ALL OF
THE THINGS THAT G ON,O ON, ON TH
FLIGHT A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME
AND THE ADRENALINE THAT GOES
WITH IT.
I THINK THEY ARE JUST EXCITED.
AND WANTING TO TELL THE STORY
WHEN THEY GET BACK.
>> WHAT A STORY THEY WILL HAVE.
A LIFETIME OF STORIES.
MAY, DO STAND BY, AS WE WATCH
JEFF BEZOS, HIS YOUNGER BROTHER
MARK, WALLY FUNK, THE OLDEST
WOMAN TO EVER GO INTO SPACE AND
OLIVER DAEMEN, THEY ARE ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN IN THE WEST TEXAS
TOUCH DOWN IN THE WEST TEXAS DESERT.
>> AND TOUCHDOWN!
WELCOME BACK, NEW SHEPARD.
FIRST HUMAN CREW.
WHAT A FLIGHT.
>> WELCOME BACK TO EARTH.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
>> WHAT A DAY.
WHAT A DAY!
>> VERY HAPPY GROUP OF PEOPLE ON
THIS CAPSULE.
>> MISSION IS COMPLETE.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
AND NOW WE WATCH AND WAIT.
>> AMAZING.
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
>> COPY FIRST STEP.
YOU HAVE A CALM CREW HERE AS
WELL. LETS DO A STATUS CHECK.
LETS DO A STATUS CHECK.
ASTRONAUT OLIVER.
COPY.
ASTRONAUT DEMO.
>> ASTRONAUT DEMO, I AM
UNBELIEVABLY GOOD!
>> COPY.
BEZOS, BEST DAY EVER!
>> COPY, EVERYONE.
GO AHEAD AND REMAIN IN YOUR
SEATS.
CREW MEMBER 7 IS ON THEIR WAY. SHORTLY, YOU WILL HEAR THE --
>> MY MAIN MISSION WAS
ACCOMPLISHED.
>> THAT WAS ONLY ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES.
>> YEP.
>> WE WERE LISTENING TO BLUE
ORIGIN MISSION CONTROL.
YOU CAN SEE MISSION CONTROL
THERE.
MR. COSTELLO, IT WOULD SEEM AS
IF IT WENT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH.
>> Reporter: YEAH.
I THINK WE HEARD THEIR
EXCITEMENT IN THEIR VOICES.
I THINK I JUST HEARD WALLY FUNK
SAY SHE HAD BEEN FLOATING FOR
FIVE MINUTES, WHICH EXCEEDED HER
EXPECTATIONS.
OBVIOUSLY, A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
I GOT TO THINK ALSO ABOUT THIS
18-YEAR-OLD DUTCH KID OLIVER
WHO, TWO WEEKS AGO, WAS BETWEEN
HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE AND,
SUDDENLY, HES ON A ROCKET GOING
TO THE EDGE OF SPACE.
SO WHAT A GAME-CHANGER THIS HAS
BEEN FOR HIM.
WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO NOW IS
MAKE SURE THAT ALL SAFETY
PROTOCOLS ARE FOLLOWED.
THEY OFF-LOAD ANY GASES AND THEY
ARE COME IN VERY QUICKLY RIGHT
NOW WITH THE GROUND SUPPORT TEAM
IN TRUCKS AND THEY WILL BRING
THESE NEW ASTRONAUTS FROM THEIR
SPACESHIP.
FROM THEIR SPACESHIP OUT TOWARDS
THE STAGING GROUND.
>> WE ARE REPLAYING THE MOMENT,
JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO, THAT
ROCKET BOOSTER TAKING OFF.
TOM, THE WHOLE THING WAS
ACTUALLY A FEW SECONDS LESS THAN
THE 11 MINUTES WE WERE
EXPECTING.
GO AHEAD, TOM.
>> Reporter: I WAS GOING TO SAY
DO YOU GET A REFUND IF YOU COME
DOWN 10 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS
INSTEAD OF 11 MINUTES INTO THE
FLIGHT?
I DONT KNOW.
THAT IS A PRETTY EXPENSIVE
TICKET.
LISTEN.
I DO THINK ITS ALSO WORTH
MAKING THE POINT, THE BEAUTY OF
THIS SYSTEM -- LETS CELEBRATE
THE ENGINEERING EXPERTISE HERE.
THE BEAUTY OF THE SYSTEM IS, IT
IS A REUSABLE ROCKET.
THEY ARE GOING TO TURN THAT
ROCKET BOOSTER AROUND AN THE
SPACE CAPSULE ALSO WILL BE
REUSED.
>> WE ARE WATCHING THOSE SUVs
PULL UP TO THE CAPSULE HERE AND
PRESUMABLY IN A FEW MOMENTS, WE
ARE GOING TO SEE FOUR VERY
HAPPY, VERY EXCITED FOLKS.
>> SO QUICKLY AND STARTED MOVING
BEFORE IT LANDED BASED ON THE
PREDICTION OF LANDING.
WE USED WEATHER BALLOONS THAT WE
LAUNCHED THROUGHOUT MORNING AND
THAT GIVES US A VERY GOOD IDEA
OF -- WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET.
WHAT YOURE SEEING THAT THEY ARE
DOING RIGHT NOW IS KEVIN AND
CREW MEMBER 7 IS MAKING SURE
EVERYBODY IS OKAY AND GIVES THEM
A THUMBS UP.
THEY ARE GROUNDING THE VEHICLE.
WHEN YOU GO INTO SPACE, YOU
ACCUMULATE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT
ELECTRIC CHARGE AND THAT IS WHY
WE PREFER THE ASTRONAUTS NOT GET
OUT THEMSELVES AND WE GROUND THE
VEHICLE WITH STATIC CHARGE WHICH
CAN BE QUITE STRONG.
>> EXCELLENT.
I THINK KEVIN, OUR CREW MEMBER 7
HAS GIVEN THE THUMBS UP FOR ALL
OF OUR ASTRONAUTS THAT ARE ON
BOARD THERE.
AGAIN, JEFF BESZOSBEZOS, MARK BE
WALLY FUNK, AND OLIVER DAEMEN.
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY.
YOU HEARD THEM ON THE AUDIO,
BEST DAY EVER!
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS OUR BEST DAY
EVER AND WE DIDNT EVEN GET TO
GO UP INTO SPACE.
I MEAN, WHAT A DAY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ENTIRE
BLUE TEAM, OUR ASTRONAUT CREW,
AND, OF COURSE, THE FRIENDS AND
FAMILY OF THESE INCREDIBLE
ASTRONAUTS.
THEY ARE JUST ABOUT TO EXIT THE
CAPSULE HERE.
LETS WAIT FOR THAT MOMENT. THERE YOU SEE JEFF IN THE
THERE YOU SEE JEFF IN THE WINDOW.
>> THEY ARE MOVING ONE OF THE
MAIN PARACHUTE LINES TO MAKE
SURE IT DOESNT SNAG THE HATCH
WHEN IT OPENS. >> THERE IS JEFF.
>> THERE IS JEFF. THUMBS UP.
THUMBS UP. YOU HEARD THE CC IS SAFE.
GARY, THE ARCHITECT OF NEW
SHEPARD, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU,
MAN.
>> CONGRATULATIONS.
>> GIVE ME A HUG.
THIS IS JUST -- OH!
WHAT A DAY!
AGAIN, THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR
JOINING US LIVE FOR OUR FIRST
HUMAN FLIGHT OF NEW SHEPARD.
OUR FOUR ASTRONAUTS WENT TO
SPACE AND BACK TOPPING OVER
350,000 FEET.
WELL OVER 100 KILOMETERS.
THEY HAVE COME BACK DOWN SAFELY.
WE ARE JUST WAITING HERE FOR
EGRESS.
OUR CREW IS GOING TO GET OUT OF
THE CAPSULE AND MEET THEIR
FAMILIES BACK HERE ON THE
GROUND.
OF COURSE, THEIR FAMILIES THAT
HAVE PROVIDED SO MUCH SUPPORT
SINCE THEY WERE LITTLE KIDS AND DREAMT OF THIS TO THIS DAY AND
DREAMT OF THIS TO THIS DAY AND
THIS MOMENT.
>> ARE YOU READY?
FAMILY, WE READY? [ SCREAMING ]
WOO!
HEY!
WOO WOO!
>> OH, MY GOSH.