POV

Waves crashing

Sighs

Since I was a kid, I looked up at the sky. The stars are out there. This is our star. And there's 200 billion stars in our galaxy, and there are, in turn, that many galaxies.

Galaxies. It just reminds me of the importance of space exploration. The reason we have these rockets on the horizon is to know our place in the cosmos. -It's just an extraordinary idea, and there might be a time when we start doing it to planetary regattas.

See, it's a whole new kind of idea. -39 years after Carl Sagan showed this thing on "The Tonight Show," we're gonna launch a solar sail as part of his legacy. Gives me great pause. It's quite a responsibility.

-Even though we've been launching for 50-plus years, rockets are still a tricky thing. Every time there's a rocket firing, there could be a catastrophic explosion right there on the pad.

Explosion

Explosion

It could start off on its journey, and then some stage separation not work correctly.

Explosion

And that's actually what happened to us when we flew in 2005. -...see a dark object. That's actually the rocket. The Atlas V rocket that's -- -17 seconds and counting.

Guidance in channel. 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9...

Indistinct

Explosion

-Whoa! Whoo! Whoo!

Cheers and applause

Now we feel the rush! Wow! Whoa! We're going to space!

Go, LightSail! There's chemical reactions making water vapor! Yes!

Radio chatter

-All hands, this is Mission Ground Systems report. Indications are that our signal is being received. That would indicate that the antenna deployed successfully. -So that's it, we -- -That's awesome news.

-Mission Control, it's Bill Nye in Florida. Do you hear me? -Go ahead, Bill Nye. We read you five by five.

-I would just like to say the following thing. Whoo-hoo!

Applause

-Under Bill Nye's leadership, the Planetary Society picked up this great dream of -- of solar sailing. I'm so proud of Bill.

Indistinct conversation

-Bill slowly but successfully transitioned from Bill Nye the Science Guy for kids to the science statesman. More power to him. The passing of a torch. -We are advancing space science and exploration.

We are, dare I say it? -Dare! -Dare! -Dare!

-Dare! -Changing the world!

Cheers and applause

-It does not always seem as if science is in the room when it needs to be. And so gifted teachers of science with a lot of credibility, a sense of humor, and ability to convey complex information are needed more than ever. And so, Bill Nye, we need about 1,000 more of you. -Okay, pause!

We have a ton of evidence that Mars used to be covered in oceans. So here today to talk to me about -- Wait, you're not on it yet. -Oh. -Okay.

I think a lot of people in my generation attribute their interest and love of science to Bill Nye. -What words of inspiration can you supply? -Words? Uh, science is the best idea humans ever had.

You and I drink fresh water. -There were people before him like Carl Sagan for example, but I don't think our generation necessarily saw "Cosmos" because it was a little before even our time, and so Bill Nye was sort of the headline for science for kids. And I think that definitely has spawned this entire generation. -Although I've never had kids, I am largely satisfied with my legacy.

Yeah, I've made some mistakes. But if we have inspired millions of kids to at least appreciate science... Tip it. Yeah, there you go....then that's a heck of a thing to leave behind.

-

Laughs

-So, the plan ahead, I always tell people, just trying to change the world here.