and moved about half an inch and moved about half an inch and now they will spend a few months, about three months, aligning them and then it will take another one and a half or two months to get the instruments operating. altogether we have about five months until we see those first images but the dramatic part, the launch on christmas, getting it unfolded like origami, that is all done now and it is in its parking orbit. most of the risk is done. we are seeing most of the risk is done. we are seeing the most of the risk is done. we are seeing the pictures you had of it in its state two or three years ago so we have an idea of what it looks like. in a nutshell then, can you explain what is the challenge now for this telescope? what does it need to do? this telescope? what does it need to do? what it will do is look back need to do? what it will do is look back almost need to do? what it will do is look back almost to - need to do? what it will do is look back almost to the -
because that is the only where the instruments can operate. i am sure you are dying for that to start but i presume it takes a while, nonetheless before they can actually put the telescope into operation, as it were. it does. i saw the telescope myself five years ago when they were building it with the mirrors installed but those mirrors are not functioning as one unit right now they all need to be aligned. they were just released from launch locks and moved about half an inch and now they will spend a few months, about three months, aligning them and then it will take another one and a half or two months to get the instruments operating. altogether we have about five months until we see those first images but the dramatic part, the launch on christmas, getting it unfolded like origami, that is all done now and it is in its parking orbit. most of the risk is done.
the way to mars. not entering the orbit or landing on mars but the tesla orbit will be there for who knows how long? for the eons with the dummy looking into the void. and leroy, i remember standing down there at cape canaveral and watching the final space shuttle take off and being thrilled to see it. but also, sad and nostalgic. here as an astronaut, a former astronaut, what are the next major steps like today? in space exploration? this is huge. a huge deal. it looks like it has entered the parking orbit. we saw the landing of the two side boosters. we don t know if the third booster has landed but everything looks flawless. the next steps are to continue flying this vehicle. getting more pedigree on it. launching other pay loads. and as you know, elon musk said he has two paying customers who
international space station. and as you know a couple days ago it missed its mark and flew beneath the space station, and it wandered off and floated away. they did have control of it. that was not an issue. they were able to control it. they put it in what they call a stable parking orbit. they already fired the rockets on the progress, they did that yesterday to get it to start heading back towards the space station to get in position to try this thing again today. it was important to note here and just remind our viewers, what the mission, if you will, the vessel is? it s not carrying no men or women on it, and it s supposed to deliver supplies, but how important is it to make sure it gets docked? yeah, it brings up things like water and oxygen, and stair