encapsulated so many capabilities in one flexible, adaptable ship. we re not going to see it like for a long time to come. going to be dependent now in the near term, four or five years, the russian space agency, the european space agency and the japanese space agency to send up supplies and just in case there was going to be an issue with one of those ferrying services like the soyuz over the next year, that s why this past mission they just completed was so important, they took up a full year of supplies and food and all those great one of those prefrozen dehydrated packets of delicious pasta. yeah. and tang and don t forget tang. sorry to interrupt. we re told the astronauts are about to open the door and walk out on to terra firma and earth for the first time in several days. what s going on inside that shuttle right now? well, before they get the hatch open, alisyn, they run through checklists that start to
about to open the door and walk out on to terra firma and earth for the first time in several days. what s going on inside that shuttle right now? well, before they get the hatch open, alisyn, they run through checklists that start to shut down the orbiter s systems. make sure, for example, the rocket powered hydraulic pumps have terminated their operations safely and to be able to power down the vehicle and once that s complete at the same time, they re opening the hatch, medical personnel come on board, two technicians to unstrap you and help the astronauts out of the hatch. about 45 minutes after landing is typically when the first crew member emerges. come on, you ve been on the space shuttle a couple of times. you know those guys are high fiving each other but at the same time, it s like they re giving each other a bear hug. it s like we did it. it s over. there s lots of handshakes and lots of back slapping, you re right. lots of grins inside the cabin and then you try to u