Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Mission Control Tells Crew of Discovery to Go West

Aired August 09, 2005 - 07:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Carol. I'm Miles O'Brien live at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Cleared for landing. Mission control tells the crew of the Discovery to go west. Stormy weather here in Florida, waving off landing plans here this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you feel about a beautiful clear night with a breeze down the runway in the high desert of California?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: discovery now bound for a pre-dawn touchdown at Edwards Air Force Base. If you're in L.A. this morning, you should look out, on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Good morning to you. And welcome to a split special edition of AMERICAN MORNING. The crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery is on their way to Edwards Air Force Base. The deorbit burn, rocket firing which will take them out of their orbit to occur in about six minutes time. And they will land about 100 miles north and east of Los Angeles. Discovery is expected to touchdown at 8:12 Eastern Time, 5:12 Pacific. My colleague Soledad O'Brien is holding down the fort in New York.

Good morning, Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Miles. Good morning to you. Thanks.

Also this morning, we're keeping an eye on a new round of violence in Iraq. A series of attacks in just one hour as leaders prepare to meet and discuss the nation's new constitution. We've got a look at that ahead.

First, though, let's get right back to miles, who's at the Kennedy Space Center -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Soledad.

It was a stormy morning here in Florida that thwarted two attempts by NASA to bring the Space Shuttle Discovery home after its two-week return to flight mission. The return to earth will occur in California, at Edwards Air Force Base, where the weather is perfect.

Let's give you quickly a little explanation, if we could, as to what you're going to see as the space shuttle comes home, or at least what they will see. Across the Pacific they will come, right across Southern California, right into the Los Angeles area, Oxnard area. They will streak across the nighttime sky there. It will be about 5:00 in the morning there. So look out if you're in the area. You'll probably see the shuttle illuminated by the sun which will not have risen there yet. But at 100,000 feet, they'll be in the sunshine. On they will go to the high desert, Edwards Air Force Base in California. The landing to occur in that direction, runway 22 at Edwards Air Force Base, and that will complete their mission.

The shuttle training aircraft has been there all morning trying to check out the weather, and we're told it's perfectly pristine. The weather is clear. The winds are variable. And there are no worries there. There you see pictures of that shuttle-training aircraft. There you see the actual pilot's eye view. That's what Commander Eileen Collins and the crew will see as they come down onto that runway.

This will be the 50th landing at Edwards Air Force Base in the history of the space shuttle program. Used to be the preferred landing site. Now, of course, the Kennedy Space Center is what is the number-one landing site. This is the first time since 1991 that a shuttle has landed there in nighttime conditions. So that deorbit burn should be happening in about six minutes. They have been cleared to do it. They'll fire their engines for about two minutes, slow the space shuttle down to just 200 miles slower than it is, 200 miles an hour slower, and that will take it out of orbit.

There you see the shuttle training aircraft. It's flown by astronaut Mike Bloomfield in Los Angeles -- excuse me. Edwards Air Force Base, outside Los Angeles. Checking out the weather there. No problems there.

This morning, the scene here was just the opposite. Thunderstorms in the area, lots of clouds, not good weather for a landing, and that's why we're seeing the landing here.

CNN's Ted Rowlands is there. You see those pictures of that lightning there. CNN's Ted Rowlands is in the high desert of California, at Edwards Air Force Base, 100 miles north of Los Angeles, north and east of Los Angeles.

Ted, tell us what you're seeing there and how the weather looks.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the weather is fantastic, according to NASA, ideal weather conditions for the shuttle landing. There's a hint of wind. It maxed out at about seven knots. It will not be a problem for the shuttle. Final preparations are being made. As you mentioned, the flyovers, and they're clearing the runway to make sure there's no debris on the runway. And the anticipation here on the base is growing with each minute. You mentioned the burn coming up in a few minutes, and then the landing scheduled for 5:13 Pacific Time. The shuttle will be able to be seen by folks on the West Coast, and that's about it, because it's coming from the Pacific Ocean. But people in the Los Angeles area, and just north, near Oxnard and Ventura, California, will have an excellent view, as will people here near Edwards Air Force Base. The crew, of course, had family members waiting for them at Kennedy Space Center. There are a few family members from California that rolled the dice and made the trip down to Edwards, specifically, family members of Steve Robinson. They will be here. The last shuttle to land here was in 2002. That was Endeavor.

This used to be, Miles, as you mentioned, the preferred landing spot. Because of costs, NASA diverted that responsibility, or that preference, to Florida. And now this is the secondary landing spot, which it is today, to get these astronauts home -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, Ted, as you know, whenever they do this, it costs NASA a lot of money and takes a lot of time, at least a week out of their schedule -- by the way, we're about a minute to that deorbit burn, which is crucial. What are the numbers on that currently?

ROWLANDS: About $1 million for NASA to get the shuttle home basically, and we've all seen the video of how they do it, put onto a special 747 and ferried back to Cape Canaveral. It is a significant expense. So you can see why NASA would rather land the shuttle in Florida. But on the other hand, they want to get this crew home as soon as possible, and this was a window to do so. And the weather conditions seemed to be just ideal here in California. If the family reunions have to take a while, that -- so be it, then that is expected to take place later in Houston.

Once the shuttle has landed, we do expect to hear from some of the astronauts, if they are up to it. They will have the opportunity. But whether or not that'll happen, we'll have to wait and see -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, Ted Rowlands, we will see them, of course, as the get out of the orbiter. About 45 minutes afterwards, they'll go down and sort of kick the tires, at least figuratively, take a look at their vehicle. Of course this is a crew that has seen their vehicle better than any other vehicle prior to landing.

I should tell you that two-minute deorbit burn has just begun. That rocker firing will occur for about two minutes and 42 seconds. That will slow down Discovery just enough. It's just about a 200- mile-an-hour difference. It's amazing what orbital mechanics will do. As you see mission control there, they'll time that burnout. That will slow it down, and that will begin the irrevocable process, once it is over, of their return to Edwards Air Force Base. It's a glider, folks. So once this decision is made over the Indian Ocean, that is what we're going to see. So 8:12 Eastern Time, as soon as that burn goes off without a hitch, we'll let you know.

(WEATHER REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: We are one minute into that rocket firing they call the deorbit burn, two minutes and 42 seconds worth of rocket firing. Essentially the shuttle is flying tail first. The rockets are firing. That slows it down just enough. We'll keep you posted on how that goes. And once that happens, that is when the next location they will be, after a little bit of time, will be Edwards Air Force Base -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Miles, we'll keep watching with you. Thanks.

Let's get to what's happening at the White House today. The Bush administration's economic team is going to be revising strategy when they meet at the president's ranch. Even though the economy is improving, polls show the American people say they are dissatisfied with the job that president is doing.

Correspondent Dana Bash is live at the White House this morning.

Hey, Dana, good morning to you.

What exactly is on the table as the president, and then all of his economic advisers are meeting?

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, you know, the economy gained more than 200,000 jobs last month. Wages are up. Inflation is low. So one of the main things that they're going to be talking about at the president's ranch today is exactly how the president can get some more credit for this good news that we have seen in the economy lately.

You know, traditionally, historically, when the economy is improving, the president's approval rating does improve, but that is not so with George W. Bush. Take a look at these numbers. The most recent approval rating from CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll. The approval, 45 percent. That is among the lowest of his presidency, down from 49 percent in July.

Now the White House insists that multiple factors contribute to this, including sky-high gas prices.

But there is evidence in this same poll that Iraq is perhaps the biggest drag on the president's poll numbers. Take a look at this number, whether or not it is a mistake -- was it a mistake to send troops to Iraq? Fifty-four percent now say yes. That is almost a reverse from July, when it was 46 percent.

Now, that may be one reason why we're hearing conditional plans to send U.S. troops home eventually. Conditional meaning when it is actually appropriate, status quo on the ground.

But, Soledad, I can tell you that is one reason why the White House is looking very much to next week, August 15th, when they want to make sure that they can tout political support, political progress in Iraq. That is when Iraq wants to finish their constitution -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: That is the looming deadline. Dana Bash at the White House this morning. Dana, thanks.

The future of Iraq is challenged again today by insurgent violence and political discord. A suicide car bomb aimed at Iraqi police killed three people in Baghdad today, and 10 officers died in half a dozen drive-by shootings in both Baghdad and Baquba. Those attacks all took place in just one hour this morning. Some officers just coming off the night shift were shot as they slept in their car. Others were gunned down as they arrived for work.

Iraqi leaders are meeting today in Baghdad to try to break a deadlock over the new constitution. They lost a day of work on Monday because of the severe sandstorm. Officials have only until next Monday, as we just heard from Dana, to produce a constitution.

In Vienna today, an emergency meeting of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency. Its members are considering how to respond to Iran resuming work on a nuclear plant. Restarting of that facility is a blow to U.S. and British efforts to keep Iran from producing nuclear weapons.

Let's get right to Walt Rodgers. He's in Vienna this morning.

Walt, good morning to you.

What exactly with the options now for the International Atomic Energy agency dealing with Iran?

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The short answer is they don't know what their options are. Think of what's happening here in Vienna as a high stakes, diplomatic poker game, and the end game is, does Iran get nuclear weapons? That's the whole issue here. Do the Iranians get nuclear weapons, produce their own nuclear weapons?

On one side of this poker game at the table are the European big three -- the French, the Germans, the British -- and imagine the United States standing behind those players. On the other side of the table, the Iranians. Since November, the Europeans have dealt these cards out to the Iranians, inducements, economic investment, more trade, a relaxation of tensions, perhaps even political recognition, if Iran will cease and desist from enriching uranium so it can be produced for nuclear bombs. The Iranians, on the other hand, while studying these proposals, looking at the cards the Europeans have dealt out, insist they have a right to enrich uranium, because they say they're going to use it for electrical power, for nuclear power stations. The difficulty is the product of the uranium enrichment can also be used for nuclear weapons.

This past week or so, the Iranians have come back and thrown the card in the Europeans' face. This may end up in the United Nations Security Council -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Walt Rodgers with an update on what's happening there. Walt, thanks.

Let's get back to Miles who's at the Kennedy Space Center this morning -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Soledad. More on Discovery's landing in a moment. Not going to be here, on the other coast. What's running through the astronauts' minds, though, as they prepare to land? We do have somebody right beside me who knows an awful lot about that. We'll hear from her, next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EILEEN COLLINS, DISCOVERY COMMANDER: I think it's time for us to come home, but I'm having a great time up here. The Earth is absolutely beautiful. We're having a great time as a crew. We're really having a space experience of a lifetime for me. We've done a little bit of everything on this flight. I'm so happy to have done it. But it's time to come home, and keep working on getting the shuttle better and ready to fly in the future, and it's time to see our families again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

M. O'BRIEN: That was Eileen Collins and her shuttle crewmates. That was Sunday morning. If we could see a picture of them right now, they'd be strapped into their seats in their orange launch and entry suits, getting ready now for a wild ride. It is reentry. It is something that we're all kind of holding our breath over because, after all, two-and-a-half years ago, it was during reentry we lost Columbia and her crew. On this return to flight, this is the first, of course, reentry since then.

Joining me now to talk us through this whole event is astronaut Cady Coleman, who's lived through a couple of these reentries.

Cady, good to have you with us.

First of all, let's tell folks they have committed to coming home. The deorbit burn, the rocket firing that slows it down has occurred. Edwards is their next stop.

CADY COLEMAN, NASA ASTRONAUT: Absolutely. I mean, if you think about what the shuttle looks like on launch. It's got the solid rocket boosters that comes off and that big orange tank it rides to space. Well, that comes off, too. That's the gas tank. There is no more gas for those main engines. They're not lighting again. We've used our engines up in space for the last time, and now we are weaving our way home.

M. O'BRIEN: And the weaving through the outer fringes of the atmosphere is a perilous thing because all that energy that is expended to get the rocket up into space, to get it going Mach 25, 17,500 miles an hour, has to be braked off or bled off somehow. You look at some animation here, you'll see what amounts to sort of S- turns. What are they doing as they come in?

COLEMAN: Well, they basically start high to make sure they've got lots of margin to make sure they can make any adjustments as they get better information and get closer to the runway, and we always keep the belly of the orbiter into the wind, so to speak. You can see that bright glow. If we were able to look up and see the shuttle right now, it would actually look like maybe four airplane contrails all mashed together in bronze and gold and just a tremendous view. It's amazing to look at that from inside the cockpit as well. And what they're doing, you saw them make a big turn, they're doing roll maneuvers, to go ahead and dissipate some of that entry. Instead of coming straight down the hill, like in skiing, if you do turns along the way down, you'll slow down. And they're targeting all the time, you know, making sure they can make the runway, but keeping as much margin as they can the whole time.

M. O'BRIEN: And as we look at this analytical graphics animation, we at least visually have a sense of heat here. Let's talk about it. The hottest parts, the leading edge of the wing, for example, temperatures can get to 3,000 feet Fahrenheit, in the mid 2,000s underneath the belly. It's obviously, and certainly poignantly, we had a sense of that brought out in the wake of Columbia, that the heat shield needs to be intact, and we know as much about this heat shield as any shuttle reentry.

Now as it gets closer to the ground, things start happening in a hurry. Right around the point it goes from supersonic to subsonic, that's when Eileen Collins will take the stick and start flying, right?

COLEMAN: That's correct. And actually Jim Kelly will get a chance before we turn on the hacker, the heading alignment circle. That's the big circle they make before they do the straight in approach to the runway. Jim Kelly will get to fly a little bit. And then before they roll onto the hack, Eileen will take it back. She will actually do that complex maneuver to roll onto the heading alignment cone and take it in for landing.

M. O'BRIEN: About 14 seconds before touchdown, that landing gear comes down. You want that to work well. I have had an opportunity to fly in the shuttle training aircraft, and that descent just really gets your attention, about 15 to 20 times steeper than a commercial airliner; You are really diving toward the ground.

COLEMAN: It's true. I mean, you're diving at like a 20 degree glide slope, and you are sinking 20 times faster than a commercial airliner. You are coming down in a hurry. You are going to land whether the gear comes out or not, but they always do.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, so far, so good. We will walk you through the timeline and tell you the critical points, the points where there's peak heating. That's when we started seeing problems with Columbia. We'll be listening very closely to what's going on with mission control. So far, so good. Everything has worked according to plan, right?

COLEMAN: That sounds great to me.

All right, Cady Coleman, thank you very much. And we will, of course, be watching it closely as you take a look at some of the animations which give you a sense of how those landing decisions are made -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, sounds great to us, too, watching from here. Thanks, Miles. We'll check in with you again.

Still to come this morning, we're "Minding Your Business." Andy tells us why terrorism fears are driving oil prices to record highs. That's up next, on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. We are just about 45 minutes away from the Space Shuttle Discovery making its landing in California. Miles O'Brien is at the Kennedy Space Center, and he'll be covering that for us live as it happens this morning.

First, though, a little look at business news. First, the fire at that Texas refinery and Iran's nuclear ambitions and the Saudi terror alert -- all adding up to skyrocketing oil prices. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning. Sort of bad news, more bad news, and then a little more bad news.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Yes, I hate to be the guy who delivers it, too, but that's right, Soledad. Soaring oil prices and soaring gasoline prices here in the U.S. yet again today; $64 a barrel, touching that mark for the first time, for a price of a barrel of oil. More reports of potential terrorist acts in Saudi Arabia and also in the Persian Gulf. You heard Walt Rodgers talking earlier about Iran's nuclear program. That's also unnerving the markets.

Meanwhile, gas prices soaring to new records. This having a lot to do with a lot of outages at refineries across the country. We've talked a bit about the problems that a Texas refinery, but there are also problems in refineries in Philadelphia, also Oklahoma, California, Philadelphia and well. You can see here the price of gasoline across the country is soaring. It was up almost 7.5 cents or more, to $2.37 average price, and that's 50 cents a gallon more than it was last year.

And these fuel prices, Soledad, no doubt taking an effect on the economy. Airlines warning the this morning, of course, that the higher price of jet fuel will really be impacting their business even more negatively, if that's possible.

S. O'BRIEN: And you see $2.64 a gallon in San Francisco. We were talking yesterday about whether or not it could get to $3 a gallon by the end of the year, and it almost sounded ridiculous, a little bit.

SERWER: It certainly looks possible now, doesn't it?

S. O'BRIEN: Absolutely. I think you're right. Andy, thank you.

SERWER: You're welcome. S. O'BRIEN: Well, as we just mentioned, we're a little bit less than an hour from the landing of the Space Shuttle Discovery. We're going to take you back to miles at the Kennedy Space Center in just a few moments and take a look at whether this mission is the shuttle program's swan song.

Stay with us. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com