>> reporter: that's right. when the vice president took off after refuelling, we were on the plane as well. he refueled in alaska. it was within an hour that they got word up in the front of the plane where they had communication. we departmeidn't in the back of plane. we got word they launched a failed missile test. this was staring them in the face as this plane was headed toward the korean peninsula where we are now. the vice president and his aides maintained and no reason not to believe them based on what we have seen from north korea in the past few weeks and months and years. they he mamaintain they expecte something along the lines because of the big anniversary where showed off the weapons on saturday, the day before the test. it wasn't a surprise, per se.