>> Ted: THE STATE OF ARIZONA'S POWERRER GRID IN THE SUMMER OF RECORD-SETTING HEAT AND WHY MORE ARIZONA SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE MOVING TO YEAR-ROUND CLASSROOM SCHEDULES.

A RENOWNED ARIZONA ASTRONOMER TEAMS UP WITH A CLASSIC GUITARISTS FOR A 3D ASTEROID.

THAT'S NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> Announcer: THIS HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF PBS.

THANK YOU.

>> Ted: GOOD EVENING A WELCOME TO ARIZONA.

I'M TED SIMONS.

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS EXPECTED TO BE BOOKED AT THE FULTON COUNTY JAIL.

WE'RE RECORDING ARIZONA HORIZON AT 4:00 AND AT THIS TIME, TRUMP HAS YET TO BE FORMERLY ARRESTED.

SHE'S FACING RACKETEERING IN WHAT PROSECUTORS CALL A, QUOTE, CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE, TO OVERTURN GEORGIA'S 2020 VOTE.

HE'S EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED ON $200,000 BOND ALONG WITH NOT COMMUNICATING OR TARGETING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, WITH ANY CODEFENDANTS OR WITNESSES IN THE CASE.

EARLIER TODAY, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF, MARK MEADOWS AND REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH FULTON COUNTY PROSECUTORS.

HE TRIED TO HOLD OFF DUE TO HIS EFFORTS TO HAVE HIS CASE MOVE TO FEDERAL COURT BUT THE JUDGE REFUSED.

>>> THE ARIZONA SUPREME COURT HAS DECIDED TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT ARIZONA SHOULD REINSTATE THE TERRITORIAL ERA LAW PROHIBITING ALL ABORTIONS EXCEPT TO SAVE THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.

THE COURT AGREED TO REVIEW A LOWER COURT RULING THROUGH THE FIRST 15 15 WEEKS OF PREGNANCY BLOCKS THIS LAW.

THIS IS CALLED ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM IS BEHIND THE EFFORT FOR THAT PRE-STATEHOOD BAN AND A DATE IN THE CASE HAS YET TO BE ANNOUNCED.

>>> ANOTHER ELECTION COMPLAINT FILED WITH THE STATE SUPREME COURT AND THIS TIMEPY A MARICOPA COUNTY KARI LAKE SUPPORTER AND A COCHISE SUPERVISOR.

THE COMPLAINT CLAIMS THAT THE COUNTY DIDN'T PROPERLY VERIFY THE SIGNATURES OF THE MAIL-IN BALLOT ENVELOPES ALLOWING LEGAL VOTES TO BE COUNTED.

THE COMPLAINT CALLS FOR COURT TO ORDER A RECOUNT AND IF NOT, EITHER DECERTIFY THE RESULTS FROM MARICOPA COUNTY OR ORDER A NEW ELECTION IN THE COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.

THIS COMES AS THE STATE SUPREME COURT DECIDED NOT TO EXPEDITE OF ANOTHER ELECTION-RELATED COURT ORDER AND THIS WAS THERE A ABRAHAM HAMADEH HAMADEH.

>>> THIS SUMMER'S RECORD-BREAKING HEAT RAISED QUESTIONS AS TO THE CONDITION OF ARIZONA'S POWER GRIDS.

HOW STRONG IS IT AND WHAT ARE THE BIG END OF CONCERNS WHEN IT COMES TO THE GRID'S RELIABILITY.

JOINING US NOW IS PROFESSOR VIJAY VITTAL AND ASU PROFESSOR IN SYSTEMS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Ted: BEFORE WE GET TO WHAT WORKED WANT WHAT ARE THE BASICS OF THE POWER GRID AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GRID.

>> SO, BASICALLY, THERE ARE THREE MAJOR SUBSTANCES, A GENERATION PART, THE BULK TRANSMISSION PART CLOSER TO THE CUSTOMERS THANE THERE AND THEN A DISTRIBUTION PART TO THE VARIOUS HOUSEHOLDS AND OFFICES AND, BASICALLY, SOMETIMES SMALL SCALE INDUSTRY BUT LARGER SCALE INDUSTRIES ARE DIRECTLY SUPPORTED FROM THE SUBTRANSMISSION SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE ARE 69 KV.

>> Ted: WITH ALL OF THOSE THREE THINGS TO LOOK AT, HOW ARE THEY HOLDING UP SO FAR?

>> I THINK THEY'VE DONE A FOOD JOB THIS SUMMER AND LARGELY DEALS WITH HOW THEY PLANNED FOR SUMMER OPERATIONS.

SOME AMOUNT OF PLANNING INTO DOING MAINTENANCE AT THE RIGHT RIGHTAND SOME TIME IN SPRING IN ARIZONA WHEN THE LOAD IS LOW AND LITTLE AIR CONDITIONING LOAD AND THE PRIMARY INDUSTRY IS MINING.

THAT ALLOWS THEM FLEXIBILITY TO DO MAINTENANCE OF GENERATING PLANTS, BIG TRAININGS TRANSFORMERS AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

AAND THEN RIGHT BEFORE SUMMER, THEY DO THE RESOURCE PLANNING AND THEY LOOK AT FORECASTS AND DECIDE HOW MUCH POWER THEY WILL NEED, AT WHAT TIMES, VARIOUS MONTHS.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A PLANNING THAT AS YOU COME CLOSER, THE WEATHER FORECASTS AND THEN THEY REFINE THATFINE THE PLAN.

THAT'S HOW THEY COME MEET THE EXPECTATIONS AND THE COMPLETE SCHEDULE AND PROBABLY A DAY AHEAD A MORE ACCURATE THAN WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE A WEEK AHEAD.

THAT'S HOW THEY PLAN TO SUPPLY THE LOAD.

>> Ted: IN THIS PLACE THE GOAL POSTS ARE RECORD-SETTING HEAT LIKE WE'VE NEVER SEEN.

THE MONTH OF JULY IS LIKE WE'VE NEVER SEEN AROUND HERE.

WHEN THAT CHANGES, THEY CAN CHANGE WITH HOW MUCH FLEXIBILITY?

>> A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT BECAUSE THIS 24-HOUR PLANS WHICH DETERMINE HOW MUCH RESERVE THEY HAVE AND THEY PLAN FOR EXCESS RESERVE IF THE TEMPERATURE IS GOING TO BE THE SHORT-TERM FORECAST AND SAY IT WILL BE 119 OR 118 AND BASED ON THAT, THEY WILL ADJUST.

>> Ted: WHEN IT HAPPENS, USUALLY THE TEMPERATURES WE SAW IN JULY OFTEN HAPPEN AND THEN THE MONSOON COMES IN AND IF I WERE FORECASTING, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY AND IT SEEMED LIKE ALL OF THAT HOT TEMPERATURE WAS IN JULY.

THEY'RE READY FOR THAT, RIGHT?

>> VERY MUCH SO AND THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THE JULY FORECAST TOWARD THE END OF JUNE.

EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ACCURATE, IT'S NOT WHAT THE TEMPERATURES WOULD HAVE BEEN AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE PLANNED.

>> Ted: ARE POWER COMPANIES AND EVERYONE INVOLVED WITH THE GRID, ARE THEY READY IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG?

>> SO THAT'S A BIG CONCERN BECAUSE MOST OF THE PLANNING IS DONE WITH UNIT COMMITMENT AND SECULAR CONTAIN.

IN THIS, THEY DO CONSIDER CONTINGENCIES AND THAT MEANS THE LOSS OF MOVEMENT.

THAT'S HOW THEY PLAN AND SCHEDULE BASED ON THAT.

>> Ted: WOULD THEY KNOW HOW LONG THE GRIDS WOULD BE DOWN IF THE GRIDS WERE AFFECTED?

IF YOU FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IT IS AND YOU WHAT?

>> BASICALLY, DO A LARGE NUMBER OF CASES AND THEN THEY WILL DESIGN THE ECONOMIC DISPATCH FOR THE WORST CONTINGENCY AND THAT'S HOW THINK DO IT.

>> Ted: I KNOW THE GOVERNOR WANTED DETAILED PLANS IN CASE FOR OUTAGES FROM THE COMPANIES.

IS THAT A GOOD IDEA?

>> OTHER THAN THE CORPORATION THEMSELVES REQUIRING THAT.

THAT'S THE RELIABILITY AND THEY SET CRITERIA ALL HAVE TO UTILITIES HAVE TO MEET.

WE BELIEVE TO THE COORDINATING COUNCIL AND THEY CAN SET STANDARDS THAT ARE BASED ON THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM, OUR WEATHER AND WHAT WE SEE IN TERMS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> Ted: AT THIS LEVEL, YOU'RE SAYING IT'S TAKEN CARE OF AT THIS LEVEL?

>> I THINK SO.

>> Ted: LET'S SAY SOMETHING UNFORESEEN HAPPENS, IF THE GRID GOES DOWN, HOW LONG WOULD THIS BE A PROBLEM?

>> THAT DEPENDS UPON THE DISTURBANCE AND HOW WIDE-SPREAD IT IS.

SO THE PRIMARY GOAL OF ANY PAST SYSTEM PLANNER AND OPERATOR IS TO PREVENT CASCADING OUTAGES.

IF YOU HAVE A SINGLE DISTURBANCE, IT SHOULD NOT PROMLEPROMPROPAGATE THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS ON A PARTICULAR DAY, IF A LINE OVERLOADS OR SEVERAL LINES OVERLOAD SIMULTANEOUSLY AND ARE LOST AND THEN WHAT DO YOU DO?

BASICALLY, THEY WILL DO SOME AMOUNT OF ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SYSTEM IN TERMS OF EITHER REDUCING LOAD OR ROLLING BLACK-OUTS, IF IT COMES TO THAT.

OTHERWISE, THEY WILL TRY TO FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES TO SUPPLY IT IF IT'S AVAILABLE AND ALSO BUY POWER FROM THE NEIGHBORS IF IT'S AVAILABLE TO MEET THE DEMAND.

>> Ted: YOU SOUND CONFIDENT EVEN WITH THIS CRAZIER HEAT THAT THINGS ARE HOLDING UP WELL.

>> I THINK ONE BLESSING IS WE HAVE NOT HAD TOO MANY THUNDERSTORMS BECAUSE LIGHTNING IS ONE OF THE MAJOR FACTORS FOR BULK TRANSMISSIONS BEING TRIPPED.

>> Ted: VIJAY VITTAL, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> Ted: UP NEXT, THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES WITH A YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL SCHEDULE.

>> ARIZONA SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE INCREASINGLY MOVING TO YEAR-ROUND CLASSROOM SCHEDULES, WHICH WOULD MAKE FOR SHORTER SUMMER BREAKS AND LONGER BREAKS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE YEAR.

WE WELCOME MARISOL GARCIA, PRESIDENT OF THE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND KERRI GLOVER, AND SHE'S PRESIDENT OF THE GILBERT ASSOCIATION.

MARISOL, HOW COMMON IS THIS IDEA OF GOING YEAR-ROUND?

>> IT STARTED TO SPREAD MORE THIS YEAR AND SPREAD TO FIVE MORE DISTRICTS IN THE EAST VALLEY AND SOUTH OF PHOENIX AREA.

>> Ted: DO WE KNOW WHY IT'S EXPANDING?

>> FAMILIES ARE WANTING TO TAKE LONGER BREAKS IN OCTOBER AND THEY'RE WANTING TO ENJOY SPRING BREAK MORE AND IT SEEMS WE'RE IN THE FIRST YEAR OF IT AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME LOOKS LIKE AFTER THIS.

>> Ted: KERRI, IN GILBERT, YEAR ROUND SCHEDULES, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> WE START IN JULY AND HAVE TWO WEEKS IN OCTOBER, TWO WEEKS IN NOVEMBER AND ONE WEEK IN MARCH AND TRADITIONALLY ONE WEEK IN OCTOBER AND MARCH.

>> Ted: THOSE ARE BREAKS, RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> Ted: WHY DID GILBERT DECIDE THIS WAS A WISE THING TO DO?

>> WE ARE CLOSE NEIGHBORS AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND IN 2018, WE SURVEYED PARENTS AND STAFF BECAUSE HOW THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GILBERT.

AT THAT TIME, 40% OF PARENTS ARE IN FAVOR AND IN 2020, THEY WERE SURVEYED AGAIN AND IT WAS 51%.

SO THEY SAID, OK, WE'LL GO.

WE DID IT LAST YEAR AND THEY SURVEYED PARENTS AND STAFF AGAIN AND THERE WAS A 25% INCREASE IN BOTH PARENT AND TEACHER USAGE OF IT.

THEY REALLY ENJOYED IT.

>> Ted: I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT PARENTAL REACTION HERE.

I REMEMBER SOME OF THESE SURVEYS AND WE WANT OUR KIDS FOR THE SUMMER AND WANT TO GO ON VACATION AND WHAT CHANGED?

>> I THINK AFTER COVID, PEOPLE REALIZED SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR PARENTS AND GIVING KIDS A BREAK IN OCTOBER AND PARTICULARLY IN THE SPRING ACTUALLY WORKS OUT FOR THEM.

WE WANT WHAT KERRI SPOKE ABOUT, EDUCATORS AND PARENTS ARE A PART OF THE DECISION AND HAVE SURVEYS AND DISCUSS WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WHERE THERE ARE ISSUES AND THEIR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL IN GILBERT AND TEACH IN PHOENIX AND HAVE A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE.

THERE'S ISSUES STARTING EARLY LATEAND LATE.

>> Ted: WOULD YOU RATHER SEE SOMETHING FOR UNIFORM?

>> ARIZONA IS TRADITIONALLY THE WILD, WILD WEST AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE CONSISTENCY.

IT WOULD BE NICE FOR PARENTS AND FOR NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

YOU KNOW, I ONLY TAUGHT IN K-8 AND IF YOU HAD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BEFORE THE K-8, WHO'S TAKING CARE OF MY K-8 KIDS IF THE KIDS ARE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

>> Ted: KERRI AS FAR AS HIGH SCHOOL, I WOULD IMAGINE THE SUMMER SLIDE AND HOW TO KEEP THOSE KIDS FROM LOSING THAT EDUCATIONAL EDGE OVER THE SUMMER.

THIS IS ONE WAY TO DO IT, ISN'T IT?

>> THAT'S THE HOPE AND I KNOW GILBERT IS USING THEIR BREAKS AND THEY HAVE STARTED INTERSESSION STUDIES IN THE FALL AND THE SPRING AND WE SAW A HUGE UTILIZATION AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL IN THE SPRING AND IT ALLOWED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO DO CREDIT RECOVERY SO THEY COULD PASS THE CLASS AND NOT HAVE TO TAKE SUMMER SCHOOL AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH THE DATA AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING TO SEE, ARE WE ABLE TO BRIDGE THAT GAP FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.

ARE WE ABLE TO RECOVER SOME OF THAT LEARNING LOSS.

>> Ted: WE MENTIONED PARENTS AND PARENTS, AS WE KNOW, EXPERIENCE TELLS ALL, BUT FOR TEACHERS BECAUSE A LOT OF TEACHERS, THEY NEEDED THAT SUMMER BREAK.

THEY WERE BURNED OUT AND SAID, I HAVE TO RECHARGE HERE AND GET READY FOR THE FALL.

HOW ARE THEY HANDLE THIS?

>> I THINK JULY 15th COMES QUICKLY, BUT I KNOW ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES REALLY ENJOY THE TWO WEEKS IN OCTOBER AND MARCH.

AND I THINK BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY ALLOWS IT TO RECHARGE AND GO ON VACATION AND DO WHATEVER.

BUT IT ALLOWS US TO DO SILLY THINGS LIKE GET OUR CAR FIXED, WHICH I DON'T LEAVE MY KIDS OR GET A SUB BECAUSE I NEED TO TAKE MY CAR INTO THE SHOP AND ALLOWS FOR FREEDOM THAT OTHER PROFESSIONALS HAVE BECAUSE OUR JOB REQUIRES US TO BE WITH OUR KIDS.

>> Ted: IS THERE SUCH A THING AS SUMMER SLIDE FOR TEACHERS?

[ Laughter ] >> I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT.

I DON'T KNOW.

I HAVE NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT.

I THINK AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, WE'RE ALL READY TO COME BACK BECAUSE OUR BRAINS ARE WORKING AND READY TO COME BACK AND WHAT WILL WE DO DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR.

>> Ted: THAT'S POSSIBLE.

POSSIBLY, YOU'RE OFF FOR SO LONG AND DOING THINGS AND GETTING BACK IN THE GROOVE.

>> I MESS THE KIDS, YES, AND I KNOW THERE ARE PLENTY OF EDUCATORS WHO ENJOY NETFLIX AND NEED THEIR BRAINS AND BODIES TO REPROGRAM.

>> Ted: WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF SPAGS ASPECTS HERE, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS STUDENT OUTCOMES, ARE WE SEEING ANY DIFFERENCE AND MAKING ANY DIFFERENCE AT ALL?

>> WE'LL SEE.

I MEAN, WE JUST SAW THIS EXPANSION WHICH MADE A SHORT SUMMER AND THE OFFICERS FIRST ONE WAS THE HARDEST.

EVERYTHING WILL BE TIED TO FUNDING AND THAT'S HOW WE SEE KIDS GROW ACADEMICALLY AND HAVE ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.

YOU KNOW, THIS PENDULUM HAS SWITCHED.

WHEN I FIRST STARTED TEACHING HERE, WE WENT YEAR-ROUND AND COLLAPSED IT AGAIN.

WE'RE BACK HERE AGAIN 15 YEARS LATER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN 15 YEARS.

>> Ted: STUDENT OUTCOMES, ANYTHING ANTIDOTAL OR DOES IT FEEL RIGHT IN.

>> IT?

>> WE PRACTICE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR FOR TIMES BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY DO BETTER WITH, THIS IS HOW WE WALK DOWN THE HAWLEY HALL AND TREAT OR FRIENDS.

THEY JUST NEED THAT PRACTICE AND HAVE A TIME TO STOP AND COME BACK AND DO SCHOOL AGAIN.

>> Ted: KERRI GLOVER AND MARISOL GARCIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND GOOD CONVERSATION.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: A NEW BOOK COMBINES THE EXPERTISE OF A LEADING ARIZONA ASTRONOMER AND CLASSIC ROCK GUITARIST AND ENTITLED "ANATOMY OF AN ASTEROID" AND THE FIRST 3 D ATLAS AND WE'RE JOINED BY DANTE LAURETTA FROM THE UNIVERSITY AND CHIEF SCIENTIST OF THE SAMPLING MISSION AND COAUTHORED WITH BRIAN MAY FOR THE ROCK GROUP QUEEN.

AREN'T YOU SPECIAL THERE?

WE'LL GET TO SIR BRIAN MAY IN A SECOND HERE, BUT BENNU 3DS AND THE BOOKS ARE BEHIND YOU AND WHAT IS BENNU?

>> BENNU IS THE MOST DANGEROUS ROCK IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

IT'S A NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID WHOSE ORBIT CROSSES THAT OF OUR PLANET WITH THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY OF IMPACTING THE EARTH OF ANY OBJECT THAT WE KNOW ABOUT IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

BUT BEFORE YOU PANIC, THE ODDS ARE STILL LOW ABOUT 0.05% AND THE IMPACT WILL OCCUR IF ITS GOING TO HAPPEN IF THE YEAR IN THE YEAR.

IT HOLDS CLUES TO THE ORIGIN OF EARTH AND EVEN LIFE.

>> Ted: THE OSIRUS REX MISSION COLLECTED SAMPLES FROM BENNU AND YOU'LL GO CRAZY OVER THOSE SAMPS SAMPLES.

WHEN ARE THEY COMING BACK?

>> 30 SHORT DAYS AWAY LANDING IN THE UTAH DESERT AND GETTING IN OUR HANDS.

>> Ted: HOW BIG IS BENNU AGAIN?

>> BENNU IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING, 1600 FEET TALL.

THINK OF THIS AS A SMALL MOUNTAIN FLYING THROUGH OUTER SPACE.

>> Ted: INITIALLY THE THOUGHT WAS AFTERNOON SMOOTH AND SANDY AND THAT WAS WRONG?

>> WE MISINTERPRETED THE TELESCOPIC MISSION AND IT WAS MULTIPLE TECHNIQUES, RADAR BE THE OVERALL SHAPE OF THE ASTEROID.

COMPARED TO OTHER OBJECTIONS, WE CONVINCED OURSELVES WE WOULD GO TO BENNU BEACH AND SCOOP UP SAND AND GET IT BACK TO THE EARTH.

IT WAS COVERED IN GIANT BOULDERS AND WE WERE NOT READY FOR THAT.

>> Ted: YOU NEEDED HELP AS FAR AS VISUAL IMAGING AND DON'T STEP ON A ROCK AND ENTER SIR BRIAN MAY, THE GUITARIST FOR THE ROCK GROUP QUEEN.

HE'S AN ASTRONOMER?

>> YEAH.

I WAS JUST AS SURPRISED AS YOU AND GOT AN EMAIL FROM SIR BRIAN AND THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE.

MY FRIENDS KNEW I WAS A BIG QUEEN FAN.

I REALIZED THIS IS REALLY BRIAN AND INTERESTED IN THE MISSION.

I THOUGHT, THAT'S GREAT.

HE'S A ROCK STAR AND A LOT OF THINGS TO DO.

AS WE STARTED TO GET THE IMAGES, HE SPENT ME SENT ME STEREO IMAGES, ONE FOR YOUR LEFT EYE AND ONE FOR YOUR RIGHT EYE, LIKE THE OLD VIEWMASTER TOYS THAT THE INTELLIGENCES REMEMBER AND THE WHOLE WORLD POPPED INTO 3D.

HE STARTED DELIEVERING THOSE JUST BASED ON WHAT WE WERE PUTTING ON THE INTERNET RIGHT WHEN WE WERE STRUGGLING WITH THIS RUGGED SURFACE.

I SAID, TO YOU WANT A JOB?

>> Ted: WE'RE NOT TALKING A DILITON AND SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HI BUSINESS WITH STEREOSCOPIC IMAGING?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

HE RUNS THE LON LONDON STEREOSCOPIC WARM UPONE AND THAT'S PRODUCES THE COMPILATION AND ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRODUCTS.

>> Ted: CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT HE PRODUCED 3D IMAGES OF ANOTHER COME AND EVEN PLUTO?

>> HE WAS A MEMBER OF A SPACECRAFT THAT FLEW BY PLUTO FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY CALLED ROSETTA TO STUDY IT AND BRIAN USED IMAGES FROM THOSE MISSIONS AND MANY OTHERS TO PRODUCE 3D, WONDERFUL IMAGINATIONS OF WHAT WE WERE EXPLORING.

>> Ted: AND HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT FOR THE MISSION HERE AND FOR YOU AND OTHER ASTRONOMERS TO GET THE INFORMATION?

AGAIN, JUST LOOKING AT BENNU AND THE VISION ON THE TITLE OF YOUR BOOK, I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO BE PRETTY PRECISE ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> THE SPACECRAFT WAS THE SIZE OF A PASSENGER FAN AND BENNU IS THE SIZE OF A MOUNTAIN AND WE'RE DRIVING THIS THING REMOTELY OVER TWO HUNDRED MILLION MILES AWAY.

IT'S ON ITS OWN AND WE CAN'T JOYSTICK THIS THING AND IT TAKES 18 MINUTES TO LEAVE THE EARTH AND REACH THE SPACECRAFT AND ANOTHER 18 MINUTES TO HEAR BACK.

ANY INFORMATION HAPPENED A LONG TIME IN THE PAST.

WHAT BRIAN WAS ABLE TO DO AND WHEN I SENT HIM ON THE JOB, I COULD SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING.

HE MADE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO OUR SAMPLE SITE SELECTION.

AND WHAT REALLY JUMPED OUT IS I STARTED LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT SITES.

I WAS SENDING IN COORDINATES AND HE WAS SENDING ME IN IMAGES.

AS WE SAW THE MATERIAL WE COULD COLLECT, IT LOOKED SANDY TRAPPED INSIDE BOWL-SHAPED CRATERS AND AND THAT'STHAT'S WHEN I KNEW THE CHALLENGE.

I SAID, WE HAVE TO GET INTO ONE OF THOSE CRATERS?

>> OH, YEAH, OCTOBER 20, 2020, WE UPGRADED THE SOFTWARE AND AUTONOMOUS AND ABLE TO DO IMAGE RECOGNITION AND FIRE THE ROCKET ENGINES TO MAKE SURE IT SAFELY NAVIGATED INTO THAT TIGHT PARKING INTO THE.

WE BELIEVE WE HAVE OVER EIGHT OUNCES, SO LIKE A COFFEE CUP FULL OF THIS ASTEROID, ASTEROID DIRT AND GETTING READY TO DELIVER THAT 30 SHORT DAYS FROM NOW.

>> Ted: DOES THE BOOK COME WITH 3D GLASSES?

IT IS THAT HOW IT WORKS?

>> THE BOOK, ON THE BACK COVER, HAS A STEREOSCOPE AND BRIAN HAS AN INTRODUCTORY SESSION OF HOW TO USE IT AND 3D IMAGES FROM THE ASTEROID AND SOME OF OUR COMPUTER ILLUSTRATIONS.

>> Ted: THAT MUST BE FASCINATING.

LAST QUESTION HERE AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE EXCITED TO GET IN THING BACK AND GET SAMPLES BACK.

WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO LEARN?

>> I'M REALLY DRIVEN BY UNDERSTANDING THE PHENOMENON OF LIFE AND THE ORIGIN OF LIFE ON EARTH AND DID THESE CARBON-RICH ASTEROIDS AND WE KNOW BENNU WAS CARBON RICH, DID THEY DELIVER THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS THAT TRIGGERED THE SPARK OF LIFE ON EARTH?

IF THEY DID, HOW LIKELY THE SAME PROCESS PLAYED OUT ON MARS AND ELSEWHERE THROUGHOUT OUR GALAXY.

>> Ted: OTHER ASTEROIDS, DO YOU THINK THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR TO BENNU?

>> WE CHOSE BENNU BECAUSE IT LOOKED DIFFERENT AND INTERESTING.

REALLY DARK AND THAT'S WHY WE THOUGHT IT WOULD CARRY THE CARBON.

MOSTEST TROYSMOST ASTEROIDS LIKE ROCKY, MADE OUT OF STONE AND METAL AND WE SEE A LOT OF THAT LANDING ON THE EARTH.

THIS SEEMS TO BE FAR OUT IN THE REACHES OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BENNU WANDERED RECENTLY.

>> Ted: DANTE LAURETTA, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE RESEARCH AND BOOK AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE SAMPLES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: AND THAT IT IS FOR NOW.

I'M.

TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU MAJOR FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING!