Memberse have six crew appear, three russians, two americans and one german. Mostly, what we do up here is science. We have 170 experiments going on right now. We have to maintain the station and keep it running smoothly and efficiently. With the experience express your conducting, what categories to the following to and why does need to be conducted in an atmosphere such as your . Rs . We are looking for dark energy and dark matter. It is something were try to figure out, just the basic physics of how our universe came to be. From that we go all the way to human research, other bodies. How do we change in the microgravity environment . Specifically, our eyes and muscles and bones. We have applications for people on earth with diseases. We can see it at a more rapid pace appear. Thingsa here is that change enough that people can pieces orw different objectives change in this microgravity environment. It is different than on earth and it gives another data set to look at and compare to. That gives them a lot more understanding of the problem. Because youre up there microgravity, talk about the extent of the science. Are we talking basic research or advanced research . It is both. Looking forearch is dark energy. The advanced research we do in combustion and cancer research, were looking at t cells. Were looking at Science Research and trying to understand certain basic Physics Properties and other things. There is so much science going on, it is just amazing. Are how my experiments national are nasa sanctioned and taxpayerfunded . I dont really know the are differenthere sources. We have from nasa and European Space agencies and the Japanese Space Agency and some from the russians. We have a whole group which takes in science experiments from all over the u. S. And combines them into a group from that area. It a whole bunch of different places where our experience come from. I dont know any exact numbers. Host you spoke about life and microgravity. Can you give folks an example of what it is like being there and atmosphere without gravity . Can you move around to give folks a sense of what it is like . Is a good thing. Anything you hold just floats on a list go of it. That is good and bad. Dontd thing is, if i watch this, it will float off and it would take me another hour to find it. That is the negative thing. Moving around is very much fun. I will give you an example of some things you can do. I am not a gymnast on earth, so this is the only place i can do that. Host do you hit your head and things like that . Definitely at the beginning it is more difficult. We have little competition is now. You have to get the rotation without any side movement. You can see how many rotations you do before you hit something. It is a little competition we do up here. How large is the station . What are we talking size wise . It is about the volume of a 747, really. It is quite big, about 250 feet long. At certain spots it is maybe 100 or defeat or 140 feet wide. Big volume wise. It is not like were crowded up here at all. What is a working relationship like between the countries represented up their . Re . Guest is a very good working relationship. We have trained beforehand as a crew so we got to know each other very well. We still Work Together on a daily basis. We have no issues. Yes, there are always cultural erences. We are all good friends appear. It seems to go quite smoothly. Host here on earth there are Current Issues and turning tensions between United States and russia. You have three russian cosmonauts onboard. To those issues get discussed on board and do you get any discussions about what is going on on earth . Yes, they do get discussed, just like any news event very we all discuss it. It is not like there is any negative to it, though. We understand it is politics going on. We also understand it does not affect our work and our relationship with each other. We are all friends. It does not affect us, but it is discussed. Host what is the nature of the discussions like . That is a good question. It varies on the topic. Relations, wessia delve more into the politics of the country and more of details about the cultures and what that means in each country. Andbreak it down that way you can see what is going on a little more clearly. On the science side, if russia decided at one point because of relations they wanted to pull back on work on the spacebased and, how is the United States affected by that . How is the science experiment affected by that . Right now, the science is , including separated the European Space agency, canada and the russian side. Science is somewhat separated. Russians toe the get up here and get down. That tow, we need happen. That is probably the biggest deal right there. If we cant get up here, we cant do the science. Commander, you can move around if you want and take the mic with you. As manning and staffing the station, as much depends on commercial spacecraft. What is the experience with these commercial spacecraft staffing and supplying the station . Right now they are just supplying the station. We are very happy that we have american cargo vehicles coming up. It is a great advancement. These are good vehicles. It does offload our dependence on russia and other countries for that. We are happening about that we are happy about that and looking forward to the next development will we do get new crew on an american vehicle. That will change our dynamic quite a bit. For right now, it is just the cargo coming up. Hopefully, we will have one come up in less than a month and give us new food and new science to work on. As far as the next step, what is that and how do things change . Actuallye next step is proving out that the vehicle is safe for humans, which we have a few Companies Bidding for that opportunity right now. Once they start in their project, the end of the project hopefully,of 2017, we will have a manned test of an american vehicle at that time. They will probably do one test flight. The next ones from then on will start to be rotating crewmembers on the american vehicle. Host how much input do you and the other crew members have too these private companies . How is it received . I personally dont have input. Office does have input. It is received quite well from folks who do that work. Because these Companies Want to succeed, they want the contracts and they want to build a good vehicle. They do listen and try to make the best vehicle they can. There is cost analysis going on at the same time. They cant build the most luxurious cadillac out there, how ever they do build a good vehicle. Far as the station itself, how long is it going to remain functional . That is a good question. Onht now, i believe it is track until 2024. That is for the life of components and resupply missions for certain things. It could go longer if we wanted, it all depends on where we want to spend our money. Host what you mean by that . The nasa budget is limited. A portion of it goes to the u. S. Based asia in and keeping it running. If we have a Different Task that we want to take on, say going to the moon or mars or an asteroid, we might not be able to do both at the same time given how take each plan is. Is the role of the station in future manned spaceflight past the moon . Now i think for helping the future of spaceflight, the station is a test bed. Right now we have a recycling system for water that we are working on. We recycle all of our water. We need that to go to other places. Newre testing out technologies out here that will enable us to go farther. Would see the station is needed past 2024 . Guest that is a good question. I am not sure it is needed. It would definitely be a good test that for all sorts of things. We can easily get things up and down from here, more than if youre going on a long mission somewhere else. If you want to make an update to your product or your equipment you can do that more easily. It is a great test that. However, it is all about having a limited amount of money and where you want to spend your money and what are your object is. By 2024, nothing is decided about the future of the station, what happens to it . Does it just fall to the earth . That is going to be a decision for management. Is considered by our politicians and the administration. However, if they decided is no longer needed, yes, we will do your but the station and it will burn up on reentry. Commander swanson, every day we go through our normal lives in aur normal gravity atmosphere. Tell our viewers something may expect baseday not on the environment that you are in. Guest it is really the simple things that matter. It is much more difficult appear. Morning andn the shave and get ready. Still it is Little Things like that in the morning. You dont have a sink to wash up in. The water does not run down. You have to shave totally differently. You have to brush your teeth differently. Eating is also a chore. Things, andttle even tying your shoe ends up being difficult. Over toravity to bend tie our shoe. You dont have that here so you have to be a little more flexible. All these Little Things that you didnt think about make it just a little less efficient to be up here. However, there are many benefits. We do love it appear. This whole floating thing is just a very fun thing to do. Looking out the window is fantastic. It just cant be beat. Earth,nce you return to what happens . How does your body adjust . Guest we work out two hours every day out here to help in that return. The idea is that our muscles as strong and we will not have lost any bone density. We just have to worry about our normal vestibular system. It varies a lot between people. Underou get that back control, you are still strong and your bones are good. It takes about six weeks worth of rehab right now and you are back up into the 95 percentile, maybe higher than that, how youre feeling and what you can do. Host how long have you been on board the space tatian . I have been on board about two and a half months and i returned in three months. Your background is in computer science. How do you end up an astronaut on a space tatian . Space station . I decided that being an astronaut was a goal. Craft worked on air control systems. That was my main work for nasa. That played into working on the shuttle. Selectionlucky in the process. There are so may qualify people who try to be astronauts. It takes a little bit of luck to get in and i happened to get a little are key. I have all the requirements needed and a little bit of luck and i made it. Seconds, tell 30 us about the best experience youve had aboard the station itself. Experience ist probably looking out the window. Spacewalk is probably the best experience. It is a fantastic feeling. There is a little pressure on you at the same time, but it is quite an experience and it is something i am looking forward to doing again. Host commander Steven Swanson who is on board the International Space station talking to us about his experiences there. Thanks for talking with cspan. My pleasure. Take care. Coming up on cspan, president obama talks about the economy and jobs. Defense secretary chuck hagel gives an update on iraq, and the of kickstarter talks about entrepreneurship. On the next washington journal, daniel stein of the federation for American Immigration reform and Benjamin Johnson of the American Immigration counsel discuss whether immigration to the u. S. Hurts or helps the country. After that, Charles Murray of the American Enterprise institute looks at american exceptionalism, plus your phone calls, Facebook Comments and tweets. Washington journal is live at 7 00 a. M. Eastern on cspan. My first reaction was surprise, because i had worked for mr. Sterling. I coach the clippers in 2000. He invited me to his daughters wedding. I had no idea exactly what was going on. I also, because of my association, i know what he was complaining about. I was confused, not knowing exactly which set of