>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, A BUSY YEAR IN SPACE EXPLORATION LIES AHEAD FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA WITH WHAT COULD BE A RECORD SETTING NUMBER OF LAUNCHES FROM THE SPACE COAST.

AND FINAL PREPARATIONS ARE UNDERWAY AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FOR A KEY TEST OF NASA'S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM THAT'S EXPECTED TO CARRY ASTRONAUTS BACK TO THE MOON BY 2025.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

AND WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS EVERY WEEK FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

WE'RE TALKING SPACE THIS WEEK, SO WE'RE BRINGING BACK TWO OF OUR FAVORITE SPACE REPORTERS HERE INTO THE STUDIO WITH ME THIS WEEK.

BRENDAN BYRNE, WHO HOSTS ARE WE THERE YET?

FOR 90.7 WMFE.

AND EMILEE SPECK, YOU JUST TOOK A NEW JOB AT FOX WEATHER.

SHE COVERS CLIMATE AND SPACE OVER THERE.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>>ALL RIGHT FIRST TONIGHT, BEFORE WE DELVE INTO SPACE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS THIS WEEK.

>>THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA RON DESANTIS.

>>GOVERNOR DESANTIS ON TUESDAY OUTLINED HIS VISION FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON THE WAY IN TALLAHASSEE, INCLUDING PUSHING FOR A BILL TO ALLOW PARENTS TO REVIEW THE CURRICULUM OF THEIR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL AND TAKE ACTION IF THEY BELIEVE CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS BEING TAUGHT.

HE ALSO CALLED FOR MORE CHANGES TO ELECTION LAWS, MORE LEGISLATION ON BIG TECH AND DATA PRIVACY, AND CONTINUING EFFORTS ON EVERGLADES RESTORATION AND COASTAL RESILIENCY.

THERE WAS NO MENTION OF VACCINES OR FLORIDA'S HIGH COVID CASE NUMBERS, BUT THE GOVERNOR HAILED HIS ADMINISTRATION'S HANDS OFF APPROACH TO MITIGATING THE PANDEMIC.

>>FLORIDA HAS STOOD AS FREEDOM'S VANGUARD.

IN FLORIDA WE HAVE PROTECTED THE RIGHT OF OUR CITIZENS TO EARN A LIVING, PROVIDED OUR BUSINESSES WITH THE ABILITY TO PROSPER, FOUGHT BACK AGAINST UNCONSTITUTIONAL FEDERAL MANDATES, AND ENSURED OUR KIDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.

FLORIDA HAS BECOME THE ESCAPE HATCH FOR THOSE CHAFFING UNDER AUTHORITARIAN, ARBITRARY, AND SEEMINGLY NEVER ENDING MANDATES AND RESTRICTIONS.

>>A LARGE PORTION OF THE SPEECH TALKED ABOUT NATIONAL ISSUES, COMPARING FLORIDA'S PERFORMANCE IN A NUMBER OF POLICY AREAS FAVORABLY TO THE REST OF THE NATION.

BUT FLORIDA DEMOCRATS CRITICIZED THE GOVERNOR'S AGENDA.

>>THE GOVERNOR TALKED A LOT ABOUT BEING A FREE STATE.

ARRESTING INDIVIDUALS AT PRESS CONFERENCES, IS THAT WHAT A FREE STATE LOOKS LIKE?

FINING SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR DOING THEIR JOBS, IS THAT WHAT A FREE STATE LOOKS LIKE?

OR TELLING BUSINESSES THAT POLICIES THEY CAN AND CANNOT EMPLOY, MAKING IT HARDER TO VOTE, AND DENYING WOMEN'S ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.

THAT IS NOT A FREE STATE.

>>CENTRAL FLORIDA LAWMAKERS HAVE WEIGHED IN A NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING STATE REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS GUILLERMO SMITH, CRITICIZED THE GOVERNOR OVER AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

SMITH WRITING ON TWITTER, "GOVERNOR DESANTIS JUST SPOKE FOR CLOSE TO AN HOUR AND DIDN'T MENTION AFFORDABLE HOUSING A SINGLE TIME.

NOT ONCE.

FLORIDIANS NEED RELIEF."

BUT LAKE COUNTY REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE ANTHONY SABATINI WELCOMED THE SPEECH, DESPITE ATTACKING SOME FELLOW REPUBLICANS AS RHINOS OR REPUBLICANS IN NAME ONLY.

SABATINI WRITING ON TWITTER, "GREAT TO HEAR FROM GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS THIS MORNING AT THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, IT'S TIME TO BAN CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN FLORIDA.

THOSE WHO PUSH ANTI-WHITE RACISM SHOULD BE TERMINATED, PUNISHED, AND EXPELLED FROM OUR STATE."

>>WELL WE'LL DISCUSS THE SESSION IN A LOT MORE DETAIL ON NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAM, BUT BRENDAN WE WANTED TO TOUCH ON IT BRIEFLY THIS WEEK.

THE GOVERNOR DOUBLED DOWN ON A LOT OF THE POINTS THAT HE'S BEEN MAKING OVER RECENT WEEKS.

I MEAN THIS WAS PREDICTABLE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

AND I HATE TO BREAK IT TO YOU ALL, BUT IT IS AN ELECTION YEAR.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COVER AN ELECTION.

>>THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US.

>>YOU'RE WELCOME.

SO I MEAN THESE ARE CAMPAIGN TALKING POINTS HERE.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE NEEDS TO HIT TO GET THE CONSERVATIVE BASE WITH HIM.

BANNING CRITICAL RACE THEORY, THIS FIGHT WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER COVID PREVENTION.

SO NO IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT SURPRISING THAT THIS IS WHAT HE DOUBLED DOWN ON.

AND WE'VE GOT 2022 FOR THE GOVERNORS RACE.

AND HE ALSO HAS AMBITIONS FOR HIGHER OFFICE, POSSIBLY THE WHITE HOUSE AS WELL.

SO DESANTIS IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR THAT CAMPAIGN THAT'S COMING UP.

>>AND OF COURSE DURING THE MOST RECENT COVID SURGE WE'VE SEEN THIS BACK AND FORTH HEAT UP AGAIN OVER MONOCLONALS AND ALSO TESTING.

>>EXACTLY.

ANY CHANCE THAT HE GETS TO GO TOE TO TOE WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, DESANTIS IS GOING TO TAKE.

>>HE DID TALK ABOUT VOTER ID AGAIN AND HIS DESIRE FOR ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO VOTING LAWS IN FLORIDA.

THIS WAS AN INTERESTING CONTRAST, WASN'T IT, TO THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH THIS WEEK ON VOTING RIGHTS.

>>IT WAS, AND IT'S ALSO KIND OF INTERESTING TO SEE IT, HOW IT PLAYS WITH WHAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS SAID THIS WEEK.

HE WAS ON NPR TODAY DOUBLING DOWN ON THE VOTER FRAUD LIES THAT HE WAS TELLING AND GIVING MARCHING ORDERS TO SAY, "MY SUPPORTERS NEED TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT THROUGH THIS THROUGH 2022 AND 2024."

WHAT'S INTERESTING IS YOU WOULD THINK SOMEONE LIKE DESANTIS WOULD HERALD OUR VOTING WE HAVE HERE.

I MEAN IT HAS BEEN RELATIVELY SMOOTH SINCE 2000.

AND WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S DOING LIKE THIS COMMISSION ON ELECTION FRAUD, SOME CRITICS SAY THAT IF THERE'S NOTHING THERE AND YOU HAVE THIS COMMISSION IT KIND OF DESTABILIZES CONFIDENCE IN THE SYSTEM.

SO IT'S DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING.

>>EMILEE LET'S TALK ABOUT CLIMATE, YOUR BAILIWICK.

THE GOVERNOR TALKED AGAIN ABOUT COASTAL RESILIENCE, THAT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF HIS PLATFORM WHILE HE'S BEEN GOVERNOR.

BUT HE DIDN'T MENTION CLIMATE CHANGE AND HE HASN'T BEFORE.

WHY IS HE HESITANT TO DO THAT?

AND IS THAT COMMON AMONGST POLITICIANS TO SORT OF DANCE AROUND THAT SUBJECT?

>>YEAH, IT DEFINITELY IS.

>>YEAH.

>>FOR WHATEVER REASON THE TERM, WE USED TO REFER TO IT AS GLOBAL WARMING NOW IT'S CLIMATE CHANGE WHICH WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING BY NOW.

WE'VE SEEN A SLEW OF NATURAL DISASTERS OVER DECEMBER, WHICH WERE QUITE RARE AND SOME OF THEM DEADLY.

BUT SOME OF THE POLICIES, WHETHER HE'S USING THE TERM OR NOT, SOME OF THE POLICIES HE'S TALKING ABOUT THAT HE WANTS TO FUND, SHORING UP ALONG THE COASTLINE, PROTECTING OUR WATERWAYS, RESTORING THE EVERGLADES, THOSE ARE CLIMATE MITIGATION POLICIES.

WHETHER WE CALL THEM CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES OR NOT.

>>WELL WE'D LIKE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE'RE AT WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

AND WE'LL DISCUSS A LOT MORE NEXT WEEK.

>>ALL RIGHT NEXT TONIGHT, 2022 IS SET TO BE AN IMPORTANT YEAR FOR THE SPACE COAST.

SPACEX IS PLANNING TO LAUNCH BOTH NASA AND PRIVATE CREW MISSIONS INTO ORBIT, AND MORE COMMERCIAL OPERATORS ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN SENDING ROCKETS INTO SPACE FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA.

IT'S ALSO THE YEAR THAT NASA FINALLY PLANS TO LAUNCH THE ARTEMIS 1 MISSION AS PART OF A PROGRAM TO GET ASTRONAUTS BACK TO THE LUNAR SURFACE.

>>NASA'S ENORMOUS SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN THE WORK SINCE 2011.

>>THE DAWN OF ORION- >>TOGETHER WITH THE ORION SPACECRAFT IT FORMS THE BACKBONE OF THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM, WHICH AIMS TO GET ASTRONAUTS BACK TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOON BY 2025.

THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN HIT BY DELAYS, MOST RECENTLY AT THE END OF LAST YEAR WHEN A BACKUP SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS ONE OF THE ROCKET'S ENGINES MALFUNCTIONED.

THE SLS HAS BEEN STACKED UP AT THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, IT'S EXPECTED TO BE ROLLED OUT TO THE PAD IN THE COMING WEEKS FOR TESTING.

AN UNCREWED LAUNCH AROUND THE MOON AND BACK IS PLANNED FOR LATER THIS YEAR, FOLLOWED BY A CREWED LAUNCH IN 2024.

AND IN 2025 THE FIRST LUNAR LANDING FOR ASTRONAUTS SINCE 1972.

>>ALL RIGHT EMILEE, LET'S START WITH ARTEMIS THEN.

HOW IS THAT SCHEDULE LOOKING BETWEEN NOW AND THE SUMMER?

>>WELL BETWEEN NOW AND MARCH WE'VE GOT A LOT OF BIG MILESTONES TO LOOK FORWARD TO, HOPEFULLY.

YOU MENTIONED IN THAT PREVIOUS PACKAGE THAT THEY HAD AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE ENGINES AND THEY WERE WORKING TO REPLACE ONE OF THOSE ENGINE CONTROLLERS, THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE THERE.

WE KNOW THAT HOPEFULLY IN MID FEBRUARY THE ENTIRE ROCKET WILL BE ROLLED OUT OF THE VAB AND TO LAUNCHPAD.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY A MARCH LAUNCH TIMEFRAME FOR ARTEMIS 1.

SO IT'S VERY EXCITING.

I KNOW I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE THIS ROCKET LAUNCH.

>>AND THAT ROLLOUT IS NO MEAN FEAT, RIGHT?

IT TAKES A WHILE.

>>YEAH, IT DOES TAKE A WHILE.

IT TAKES ALMOST AN ENTIRE DAY.

AND I BELIEVE, I DON'T KNOW BRENDAN MAYBE YOU CAN CORRECT ME, THE CRAWLER IT MOVES OR THE MOBILE LAUNCHPAD, IT'S GOING TO MOVE AROUND ONE TO TWO MILES PER HOUR.

>>BLAZING ONE MILE PER HOUR, YEAH.

>>IT'S VERY SLOW.

SO THE TIME LAPSE WILL BE QUITE LENGTHY.

>>WELL LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LONGER TERM HORIZON HERE FROM YOUR REPORTING, BRENDAN.

I MEAN HOW DOES THE 2025 LUNAR LANDING GOAL LOOK?

I MEAN THAT'S SLIGHTLY DELAYED, ISN'T IT?

FROM WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED?

>>YEAH, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANNED FOR 2024.

AND I THINK THAT WAS EXTREMELY AMBITIOUS.

2025 IS LESS EXTREMELY AMBITIOUS BUT STILL AMBITIOUS NONETHELESS.

A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TO GO RIGHT.

THIS IS A BRAND NEW ROCKET SYSTEM WITH ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT HARDWARE, UTILIZING DIFFERENT SOFTWARE, DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT.

I CAN'T UNDER STATE THAT, THAT THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT MISSION AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO GO RIGHT.

>>2025, IT'S IN THE CARDS.

IT COULD HAPPEN.

BUT WHAT WE LEARNED FROM ARTEMIS 1 WILL DEFINITELY HELP FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT 2025 CAN BE THERE.

I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT IT MIGHT HAPPEN, BUT I'M BEING CAUTIOUSLY AWARE OF IT.

>>I THINK IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, THAT 2024 GOAL BECAME SO BROAD AND EVERYONE NOTICED THAT.

BUT THE ORIGINAL GOAL WAS 2028.

SO AGAIN, IT'S STILL MOVED FORWARD A FEW YEARS.

BUT WE'LL SEE.

IT'S VERY EXTREMELY AMBITIOUS STILL, 2025.

>>BECAUSE ONE OF THE PARTS OF THAT JIGSAW PUZZLE THAT BRENDAN IS TALKING ABOUT THERE IS ACTUALLY LANDING THE ASTRONAUTS ON THE MOON.

AND SPACEX GOT THE CONTRACT FOR THAT LUNAR LANDER.

THERE WAS SOME LEGAL TO AND FRO ON THAT.

IT BEAT OUT BLUE ORIGIN, EXPLAIN HOW THAT LANDER IS GOING TO WORK.

>>WELL THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ACTUALLY, WHICH I HOPE TO GET ANSWERED THIS YEAR.

SO BASICALLY STARSHIP, IT'S UNDER DEVELOPMENT IN TEXAS CURRENTLY.

WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THOSE TEST FLIGHTS.

HOPEFULLY WE MIGHT HAVE AN ORBITAL TEST FLIGHT THIS YEAR, DEPENDING ON IF THEY GET THE LICENSE FOR THAT.

BUT BASICALLY STARSHIP, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT VEHICLE AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH NASA SYSTEMS WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR SYSTEMS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

BECAUSE THEY LAUNCH ON ARTEMIS AND THEN THEY'RE IN THE ORION CAPSULE, WHICH IS POTENTIALLY GOING TO DOCK WITH THE LUNAR ORBITER.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SMALL SPACE STATION.

>>THE GATEWAY.

>>THE GATEWAY, RIGHT.

AND THEN STARSHIP COMES IN THERE SOMEWHERE AND BRINGS THEM DOWN TO THE SURFACE.

AND AGAIN, THEY'RE DIFFERENT OPERATING SYSTEMS.

AND LAST YEAR WHEN THEY WERE FIRST AWARDED THAT CONTRACT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, BEFORE THE LEGAL BATTLE, WE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

LIKE HOW ARE THESE SPACECRAFTS GOING TO WORK TOGETHER?

AND THEY HADN'T REALLY HAD THE ANSWERS FOR THAT YET.

SO I THINK NOW THAT THAT LEGAL BATTLE IS OVER WE SHOULD HOPEFULLY SEE MORE DEVELOPMENT AND MORE PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA AND SPACEX.

>>REMIND US WHAT THAT LEGAL BATTLE IS, BRENDAN >>WELL, SO NASA ONLY HAD THE MONEY FOR ONE LANDER.

>>YEAH.

>>AND THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES BID FOR THAT LANDER AND NASA, BECAUSE OF COST CONSTRAINTS, AWARDED IT TO SPACEX.

AND SOME OTHER COMPANIES, THERE WAS A GROUP CALLED THE AMERICAN TEAMER- >>IT WAS THE NATIONAL TEAM.

>>THE NATIONAL TEAM, WHICH WAS LED BY BLUE ORIGIN, SUED IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT VENUES SAYING THAT THIS ISN'T THE WAY THAT NASA SHOULD DO THINGS AND THERE NEEDS TO BE REDUNDANCY IN HERE.

ULTIMATELY THE LEGAL SYSTEM SAID THIS IS OKAY.

THE CONTRACTING, IT WITHSTOOD THE LITIGATION.

BUT NASA HAS SAID, "WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS, JUST NOT FOR THE FIRST ONE."

>>YEAH, JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT.

>>SO WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

>>YEAH.

>>ESSENTIALLY IT DELAYED THIS DEVELOPMENT BY SEVEN MONTHS, WHICH IS QUITE A LONG TIME.

>>RIGHT IT IS WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MEET A PRETTY OPTIMISTIC GOAL.

>>RIGHT.

>>I MEAN LET'S TALK ABOUT THE STARSHIP A LITTLE BIT MORE.

WHAT ARE NASA'S LONGTERM GOALS, BRENDAN, FOR THE STARSHIP?

AND DOES CENTRAL FLORIDA FEATURE IN THOSE PLANS AT ALL?

>>IT DOES.

EXCITINGLY IT DOES.

SO WE DID FIND OUT RECENTLY THAT SPACEX DOES PLAN TO LAUNCH STARSHIP FROM FLORIDA'S SPACE COAST, WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING.

NOW NOT ONLY IS... STARSHIP WAS DESIGNED BY SPACEX WITH MARS IN MIND, RIGHT.

TO COLONIZE MARS AND TAKE PEOPLE THERE.

TO DO THAT YOU NEED A MASSIVE SPACESHIP TO GET YOU THERE.

STARSHIP IS A MASSIVE SPACESHIP.

AND SO IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING WHEN THEY DID BID FOR THE HUMAN LANDING SYSTEM FOR THE MOON.

>>SPACEX IS ALSO PLANNING TO USE IT TO GET REALLY BIG PAYLOADS INTO ORBIT OR A LOT OF LITTLE PAYLOADS INTO ORBIT.

IT'S STARLINK, IT'S INTERNET SATELLITES THAT NOW IT'S SENDING BETWEEN 40 AND 60 UP AT A TIME ON A FALCON 9 ROCKET.

WITH STARSHIP YOU CAN SEND HUNDREDS OF THEM UP THERE AT THE SAME TIME.

>>SO THE PLAN IS THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WORKHORSE FOR SPACEX, NOT WITH JUST NASA MISSIONS, BUT FOR COMMERCIAL MISSIONS AND FOR THEIR OWN AMBITIONS AS WELL.

>>I MEAN THAT'S ALL BECOMING ROUTINE NOW.

BUT BOEING IS YET TO FLY ITS COMMERCIAL CREW.

BRENDAN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.

CAN WE EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR TOO?

>>SO, HOPEFULLY.

THE BOEING STARLINER SPACECRAFT LAST YEAR WE WERE, LAST SUMMER WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A REDO OF THE ORIGINAL LAUNCH THAT HAPPENED.

AND I BELIEVE IT WAS DECEMBER 2019, IF I GET MY DATES RIGHT.

BECAUSE THEY LAUNCHED AND IT WAS, THAT WAS THE UNCREWED TEST FLIGHT.

AND IT DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE SPACE STATION.

SO THEY TRIED A DO OVER LAST YEAR.

AND THEN AHEAD OF THE LAUNCH, THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH SOME VALVES.

SO THEY BASICALLY, THEY DIDN'T GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, BUT THEY ARE TESTING END-TO-END TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH THIS SPACECRAFT.

BECAUSE THAT WAS A DO-OVER SO NOW THEY'RE GOING TO TRY IT AGAIN.

WE SHOULD SEE THAT IN THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR.

AND IF THAT GOES WELL, IF IT DOCKS, IF IT COMES BACK, LANDS SAFELY, AND THE DATA IS GOOD, THEN WE COULD SEE A CREWED FLIGHT ON STARLINER THIS YEAR.

>>I MEAN REALLY BOEING'S TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS HAVE SORT OF SHONE A LIGHT ON HOW TRICKY THIS STUFF IS.

>>YES.

>>I MEAN BOEING'S NOT NEW TO THIS GAME.

>>RIGHT.

AND SPACEX, TO THEIR CREDIT, THEY HAD CARGO DRAGON AND THEY LAUNCH PEOPLE ON CREW DRAGON.

SO BOEING HAS SAID, AND OTHER COMPETITORS AND SPACEX HAVE SAID, THEY HAD A LEG UP IN THAT BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAD THE CAPSULE SHAPE, THE GENERAL PREMISE OF HOW THEY WOULD LAUNCH ASTRONAUTS.

>>BRENDAN, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT COULD LAUNCH FROM BREVARD THIS YEAR, INCLUDING BLUE ORIGIN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.

I MEAN WHAT ARE ALL THESE COMPANIES DOING?

>>THEY'RE GETTING STUFF OFF THE PLANET, STEVE.

THAT'S THEIR... >>THAT'S I GUESS THEIR MISSION.

>>THAT'S THE WHOLE BUSINESS PLAN.

YEAH.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A SUPER EXCITING YEAR FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCHES.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT ARE PLANNING TO COME ONLINE THIS YEAR.

WE'VE GOT BLUE ORIGIN, AS YOU MENTIONED.

>>YEAH.

>>ANOTHER COMPANY CALLED ASTRA.

THEY'RE A MEDIUM SIZE LAUNCH COMPANY THAT SENDS SMALLER PAYLOADS INTO SPACE.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING FROM CAPE CANAVERAL.

THERE'S RELATIVITY SPACE.

THIS IS A COMPANY THAT'S 3D PRINTING ITS ROCKETS.

THEY PLAN TO HAVE AN INAUGURAL LAUNCH THIS YEAR AS WELL.

UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, IT'S BEEN IN THE GAME FOR YEARS.

THEY'VE GOT A NEW ROCKET COMING ONLINE CALLED VULCAN.

HOPEFULLY WE SEE THAT THIS YEAR.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT HAPPENING ON THE SPACE COAST.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFERENT ROCKET PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEK AT THIS POINT.

>>SO JUST REALLY QUICKLY, IF YOU CAN, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF LAUNCH TAKING PLACE HERE IN FLORIDA.

IT'S GOING TO AFFORD PEOPLE A MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE VIEW.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

THESE ARE CALLED POLAR LAUNCHES.

>>THEY'RE CALLED POLAR LAUNCHES, YEAH.

SO USUAL LAUNCHES FROM FLORIDA HEAD EASTWARD, KIND OF FOLLOW THE EQUATOR THERE.

BUT SOMETIMES YOU WANT TO GET YOUR PAYLOAD GOING SOUTH TO NORTH, AND TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO FLY SOUTH.

AND SO THE 45TH SPACE WING HAS MADE IT AVAILABLE FOR ROCKET COMPANIES TO FLY EAST AND THEN DOG-LEG AND HEAD SOUTH AND HEAD DOWN THE COAST OF FLORIDA TO GET INTO THAT ORBIT.

MEANING ALL DOWN THE COAST, DEPENDING ON WEATHER CONDITIONS, YOU CAN SEE ROCKETS FLYING INTO SPACE.

>>WOW.

THAT'LL BE EXCITING STUFF FOR PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH OF OUR AREA TO SEE, FOR SURE.

>>FOR SURE.

>>AND YOU'LL FIND MUCH MORE NEWSNIGHT ON OUR WEBSITE, BE SURE TO HEAD ON OVER TO WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT, YOU'LL FIND MUCH MORE THERE.

>>ALL RIGHT, NEXT TONIGHT.

ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS FOR ASTRONOMERS IN A GENERATION.

>>AND LIFT OFF.

>>THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE LAUNCHED ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

A PRESENT FOR ASTRONOMERS AROUND THE WORLD.

SINCE THE LAUNCH SCIENTISTS HAVE PERFORMED ENGINEERING FEAT AFTER ENGINEERING FEAT UNFOLDING THE TELESCOPE'S MIRROR AND TENNIS COURT SIZE SUN SHIELD.

IT'S EXPECTED TO REACH ITS FINAL DESTINATION LATER THIS MONTH, A SPOT NEARLY A MILLION MILES FROM EARTH.

COLD AND DARK ENOUGH FOR THE TELESCOPE TO BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT ITS GROUNDBREAKING WORK.

>>JAMES WEBB IS SO POWERFUL IT'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE VERY FIRST STARS AND GALAXIES IN THE UNIVERSE BY STUDYING INFRARED LIGHT THAT'S TRAVELED SOME 13 BILLION YEARS TO REACH EARTH.

ITS INSTRUMENTS WILL ALSO BE USED TO BUILD ON THE WORK OF THE KEPLER AND HUBBLE TELESCOPES, WHICH WERE USED TO IDENTIFY POTENTIALLY HABITABLE EXOPLANETS.

THIS TELESCOPE WILL HELP SCIENTISTS STUDY THE ATMOSPHERES OF PLANETS, LOOKING FOR TELL-TALE SIGNS OF LIFE.

THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE HAS FACED YEARS OF DELAYS AND A SPIRALING PRICE TAG.

RESEARCHERS HAD INITIALLY ANTICIPATED A 2007 LAUNCH AND A COST OF ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS.

THAT MORPHED INTO A 2021 LAUNCH WITH A COST OF SOME $10 BILLION INSTEAD.

>>ALL RIGHT BRENDAN, THAT'S QUITE A DISPARITY FROM WHAT WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.

WHY ALL THESE DELAYS AND THAT MASSIVE COST DISPARITY?

>>IT'S JUST SO COMPLEX.

THIS MACHINE IS SO BIG AND IT'S SO COMPLEX AND IT'S GOING TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE THAT IT JUST TAKES A LOT OF TIME.

I MEAN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS OBSERVATORY.

IT DIDN'T HAVE A NAME BACK WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

AND IT'S KIND OF EVOLVED TO BECOME WHAT IT IS NOW, BUT BECAUSE IT'S SO COMPLEX IT DID TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND IT DID TAKE A LOT OF MONEY.

AND IT COSTS A LOT MORE THAN INITIALLY THOUGHT SO YOU HAVE TO TRY TO SOURCE THAT FUNDING SOMEWHERE.

FROM ONE BILLION TO 10 BILLION, THAT'S A BIG JUMP.

BUT SCIENTISTS WERE LIKE, "LET'S DO THIS RIGHT, LET'S MAKE SURE WE GET EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED.

BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE MASSIVE SPACE OBSERVATORIES DON'T COME VERY OFTEN.

SO LET'S DO IT RIGHT AND PUT AS MUCH MONEY AS WE CAN AND THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CAN IN THIS SPACE TELESCOPE."

>>THE MECHANICS AND THE ENGINEERING THAT BRENDAN MENTIONED THERE ARE JUST ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL ON THIS THING.

AND I WONDER IF YOU CAN IN A SORT OF LAYMAN'S TERMS, I GUESS IF THAT'S POSSIBLE, EXPLAIN WHY ALL THESE PARTS NEEDED TO BE UNFURLED ONCE THIS THING GOT INTO SPACE.

>>IT'S REALLY AMAZING HOW THEY FOLDED THIS UP TO LAUNCH.

ESSENTIALLY THE TELESCOPE WAS TOO BIG TO LAUNCH AS IT IS.

SO IT'S A 21 FOOT WIDE MIRROR, THE PRIMARY MIRROR THAT YOU SEE WITH THOSE HEXAGONAL SHAPES.

AND THEN JUST THE SUN SHIELD ALONE IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A TENNIS COURT.

SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO FIT IN A ROCKET NOSE CONE ANYWAY.

SO I KIND OF EXPLAIN IT AS IT WAS FOLDED UP A LITTLE BIT LIKE A COMPLICATED PIECE OF ORIGAMI.

AND THEN AFTER LAUNCH, AND THE LAUNCH WENT WELL THANKFULLY, EACH LITTLE PIECE HAD TO BE UNFOLDED IN A CERTAIN WAY AT A CERTAIN TIME, ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER SO THAT EVERYTHING WENT WELL.

AND NOW WE HAVE A FULLY DEPLOYED TELESCOPE A FEW WEEKS LATER, WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING THAT THIS WHOLE THING, THAT EVERY SINGLE PIECE WENT RIGHT.

AND SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN VERY MINOR ISSUES THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THROUGH.

AND IT WAS A MOMENTOUS OCCASION WHEN THEY SAID ALL OF THE MIRRORS WERE NOW OPEN.

I KIND OF REFERRED TO THEM AS THE EARS.

THEY GOT TO OPEN THE EARS IN SPACE, SO... >>AND THAT THING IS NOW ALL THOSE PARTS ARE OPEN, BUT IT'S STILL HEADING WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO, WHICH IS SOMETHING CALLED LAGRANGE POINT TWO.

>>RIGHT.

THE SECOND LAGRANGE POINT, YES.

>>BRENDAN, WHY IS THIS LOCATED SO FAR FROM EARTH AND ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF OUR PLANET FROM THE SUN?

>>BECAUSE IT WANTS TO BE COOL.

>>YEAH.

>>AND THAT'S THE SIMPLEST ANSWER.

YEAH, IT NEEDS TO BE SUPER COOL.

SO THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE, UNLIKE HUBBLE WHICH IS AN OPTICAL TELESCOPE, THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE IS AN INFRARED TELESCOPE.

AND IN ORDER TO SEE THESE ANCIENT PHOTONS THAT ARE COMING FROM THE FARTHEST PART OF OUR COSMIC HISTORY, IT NEEDS TO BE REALLY COOL BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY SLOW WAVES.

>>AND IT'S ALSO GOT TO BE REALLY DARK AS WELL.

>>IT'S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY DARK FOR HIM TO CAPTURE THESE PHOTONS AS WELL.

SO IN THIS PARTICULAR POINT, THIS LAGRANGE POINT JUST PAST THE MOON, IT'S ABLE TO CAPTURE ALL OF THOSE PHOTONS AND STAY VERY COLD.

WE'RE TALKING WAY BELOW FREEZING.

>>NEGATIVE 462 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

>>YEAH VERY COLD.

>>IT'S VERY COLD.

>>AND WE'VE NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE, A TELESCOPE LIKE THIS LOCATED THAT FAR FROM EARTH, CORRECT?

>>NO.

YEAH HUBBLE IS AROUND 300 MILES UP ABOVE EARTH.

SO THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT.

IT'S MUCH MORE POWERFUL.

IT ALSO SEES IN INFRARED LIGHT.

SO THE REASON YOU WANT THAT IS BECAUSE INFRARED IS KIND OF WHAT BREAKS THROUGH ALL THE DUSTY PARTICLES THAT AROUND THOSE THINGS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM, THE FIRST GALAXIES, THESE BABY GALAXIES.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH THAT.

AND BRENDAN MENTIONED THAT BEFORE THE TELESCOPE DIDN'T HAVE A NAME, IT WAS KNOWN AS THE NEXT GENERATION TELESCOPE.

>>RIGHT.

>>AND THIS IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT GENERATION TELESCOPE, BECAUSE THE SCIENCE AND THE DATA THAT COMES FROM THIS, THE OBSERVATIONS, IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO CARRY ON FOR MULTIPLE GENERATIONS.

>>WELL LET'S TALK A BIT ABOUT THE MISSION OF THIS TELESCOPE THAT YOU ALLUDED TO THERE EMILEE.

I MEAN THIS IS GOING TO BE, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A TIME MACHINE, RIGHT?

BECAUSE THESE PARTICLES OF LIGHT HAVE BEEN TRAVELING ABOUT 13 BILLION YEARS TO GET HERE.

THAT'S THE AGE OF THE UNIVERSE PRETTY MUCH, WITHIN A FEW MILLION YEARS.

>>YEAH.

I THINK YEAH, IT'S AROUND THERE.

BUT YEAH, THIS IS GOING TO SEE THE FIRST GALAXIES... ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M EVEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT THAT IS THE EXOPLANET OBSERVATION.

>>I WANT TO TALK ABOUT EXOPLANETS IN A MINUTE.

>>YEAH OKAY.

I WON'T GET AHEAD OF YOU THEN.

>>OPLANETS IN A MINUTE.

BUT I WONDER BRENDAN WHY WE'RE INTERESTED IN THAT?

I MEAN WHAT DOES SEEING THAT FAR BACK IN THE UNIVERSE'S AGE IN TIME AND SPACE, WHAT DOES IT TELL US?

>>WE'RE GOING TO SEE OUR BASICALLY PLACE IN SPACE AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE OUR BABY PICTURES, ULTIMATELY IS WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK AT.

THIS HAS SO MUCH IMPLICATIONS FOR COSMOLOGY AND FOR US TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE UNIVERSE FORMED AND HOW IT'S EXPANDING.

SO THESE ARE CRITICAL PIECES IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE GOT HERE.

IF WE WANT TO KNOW WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE'RE HERE, THIS DATA IS GOING TO HELP US TELL THAT.

>>AND THAT INFRARED LIGHT HAS BEEN BENT AND STRETCHED SO MUCH BECAUSE THE UNIVERSE IS EXPANDING SO MUCH AS WELL.

>>YEAH.

>>THAT I GUESS THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL REDSHIFT, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

I THINK I'VE HEARD IT DESCRIBED AS KIND OF LIKE A SLINKY.

IT'S LIKE A SLINKY THROUGH THE UNIVERSE, THE LIGHT KIND OF BENDS.

SO YEAH.

>>IT'S FASCINATING STUFF.

WELL LET'S TALK ABOUT EXOPLANETS THEN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT EMILEE'S EXCITED ABOUT.

>>YEAH, LET'S.

>>ME TOO.

>>AND IT'S WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT AS WELL.

I MEAN THIS COULD GO A LONG WAY, RIGHT...

I'M GOING TO ASK EMILEE ABOUT THIS.

>>GO FOR IT.

YEAH.

>>I'LL TALK TO YOU TOO BRENDAN, BUT THIS COULD GO A LONG WAY TO SORT OF DETERMINING WHETHER WE'RE ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE, RIGHT?

>>YEAH.

SO THESE EXOPLANETS, THEY'RE WORLDS OUTSIDE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM THAT ORBIT A STAR SIMILAR TO HOW WE ORBIT OUR STAR THE SUN.

AND WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS, PROBABLY WAY MORE THAN THAT.

BUT BECAUSE OF SOME OTHER MISSIONS AND SOME OTHER SPACECRAFTS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THEM AS THEY PASS IN FRONT OF THEIR STAR.

>>KEPLER DID THAT.

>>YES KEPLER.

KEPLER AND NOW WE HAVE TESS, ANOTHER SPACECRAFT THAT'S KIND OF FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.

BUT WE WENT FROM NOT HAVING CONFIRMATION OF A SINGLE ONE TO NOW KNOWING ABOUT THOUSANDS.

SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING.

>>AND A LOT OF THESE PLANETS, THEY PROBABLY CAN'T HARBOR LIFE.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR PLANETS THAT ARE IN THAT GOLDILOCK ZONE.

SO CLOSE ENOUGH AND FAR ENOUGH FROM THEIR STAR THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE WATER, LIFE.

AND WEBB IS GOING TO LOOK AT THOSE TRACES.

IT'S GOING TO LOOK FOR GASES AND THEN THINGS THAT POSSIBLY...

LIQUID WATER, THE TEMPERATURE.

SO THAT'S VERY EXCITING, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE FOLLOWING UP ON THE EXOPLANET MISSIONS AND RESEARCH.

AND THERE ARE JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT SCIENTISTS THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT ELEMENT.

>>AND LOOKING AT THOSE ATMOSPHERES, BRENDAN, THAT CAN TELL US QUITE A BIT.

I MEAN IF SOME LITTLE GREEN MEN WERE 20 LIGHT YEARS AWAY WERE LOOKING AT EARTH, THEY WOULD VERY CLEARLY SEE THOSE BIO SIGNATURES.

THEY WOULD KNOW THAT WE WERE HERE.

>>ABSOLUTELY.

WITH KEPLER AND TESS WE KNOW THAT THESE PLANETS EXIST.

>>YEAH.

>>VERY FEW OF THEM HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMAGED.

WHAT JAMES WEBB CAN DO IS ACTUALLY IMAGE THEM AND LOOK FOR THOSE SIGNATURES.

AND I THINK WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS SOME OF THOSE BIO SIGNATURES ARE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT.

THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK FOR OXYGEN AND METHANE AND ALL THAT STUFF.

BUT SCIENTISTS ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR WHAT THEY CALL TECHNO SIGNATURES.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR COSMIC POLLUTERS, BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTION IS IF THERE IS A CIVILIZED LIFE FORM ON A PLANET THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE POLLUTING THEIR ATMOSPHERES- >>WITH RADIO WAVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.

>>EXACTLY, AND OTHER THINGS TOO LIKE CARBON EMISSIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO BY LOOKING FOR THESE PARTICULAR SIGNATURES IN THE ATMOSPHERE THEY CAN TELL WHETHER OR NOT THERE MAY BE LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS.

AND TO EMILEE'S POINT, JUST A FEW DECADES AGO THIS WAS JUST THEORIZED THAT THERE WERE PLANETS OUTSIDE OF OTHER STARS.

AND IN THE PAST FEW YEARS WE FOUND SOME 5,000 EXO PLANETS THROUGH THE SURVEY SYSTEM.

THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THESE ATMOSPHERES IN THE COMING YEARS IS JUST MINDBOGGLINGLY AWESOME.

IT'S SO COOL.

>>SO MUCH OF IT IS MINDBOGGLINGLY AWESOME.

AND SO MUCH OF IT IS HAPPENING HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, >>THAT'S FOR SURE.

REALLY EXCITING STUFF.

THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK HERE ON NEWSNIGHT, YOU CAN FIND BRENDAN BYRNE REPORTING ON 90.7 WMFE AND THE ARE WE THERE YET?

PODCAST.

AND EMILEE SPECK REPORTING ON FOX WEATHER AND THE FOX WEATHER APP AS WELL.

AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE ON NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.