We kind of had this neat experience where
you can imagine what it's really going
to be like to come up to this launch pad,
have this living, breathing rocket
full of fuel, moaning, and
groaning and creaking.
Hey everyone,
for this vlog, I thought I'd give you
an update on the training for the crew.
So we have been busy continuing to train
for our Artemis II mission around the Moon.
Actually spending more and more time
in this facility, which is our Orion simulator.
So this simulator is designed
to run the software basically.
So for us to control the vehicle,
over our nine plus day mission.
We have another one
in a different building that is
sitting upright, if you will,
like it will be on the launch pad,
that has all the seats in it,
everything is in the right
place, has all the storage.
We can figure out, you know,
how we're going to sleep.
This one is all about
actually flying the vehicle.
So from the point of view of flying a
flight simulator, this one actually works.
It's still in development,
does some basic things.
And as we go through this evolution,
get closer and closer to launch,
this simulator will do more and more and more
until we can fly the whole profile in this sim
and also do integrated sims with the
mission control team here in Houston,
simulating failures and working
through problems together as a team.
So a really important facility for us
and it's great to have it working now.
We've been traveling, going to different providers,
so for example, Northrop Grumman,
where we learned about the solid
rocket boosters or over to Germany,
where we went to Airbus to see where
they're building the European Service module.
Over at the Cape, where pieces are
actually being stacked and put together,
as well as Lockheed Martin,
where they actually built this capsule
and all the software is being developed for it.
So a lot of really great experiences
for us to get to know the team
and all the challenges that they're working
through to get us ready to fly this mission.
We also continue to train in
the classroom with the experts
on various systems, learning
all the technical details of the vehicle.
This is good!
We've been trying the different food,
looking at the menu they're planning
to pack for us, taking lessons on
how to use the toilet, for example.
Some of the basics,
but very important stuff.
And we also did a simulation of launch day
where we went to Florida, slept overnight
in crew quarters, got up in the morning,
had breakfast just like we will on launch
day, got our pre-flight briefing.
We left the building to get in the vehicle
to drive to the launch pad,
simulated saying goodbye to our families.
And then going right to the launch
pad all the way up the elevator
to the point where we
would get in the capsule.
The only difference was there
was no rocket on the pad that day.
But we kind of had this neat
experience where you can imagine
what it's really going to be like
to come up to this launch pad,
have this living, breathing rocket full of fuel,
moaning, and groaning and creaking.
And the view, the beautiful view in Florida
on the coast with the ocean right there,
it’s just going to be a neat place
to leave the earth from.
So that was a pretty powerful experience.
All in all, the training is going great
and looking forward to
getting ready for our mission.