NASA Cmdr. Chris Cassidy
A file photo of NASA Astronaut and Navy SEAL Cmdr. Chris Cassidy, who is currently on-board the International Space Station NASA

On Friday, Aug. 2, a U.S. Navy SEAL commander will discuss the Navy’s role in space, both in manned and unmanned roles in a live interview aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The interview is scheduled to begin at 12:50 p.m. EDT and is expected to last until 1 p.m.

Cmdr. Cassidy arrived on the International Space Station back in March with Russian Cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov and Alexander Misurkin. This was the first crew to complete an expedited rendezvous with the ISS in six hours, a trip that would normally take two days.

Prior to Cmdr. Cassidy’s transition into his role as an astronaut, he served over 10 years on U.S. Navy SEAL teams deployed all over the world. After being selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 2004, he trained for two years, eventually serving as part of the Expedition 35 crew as a flight engineer on the ISS. Cmdr. Cassidy and fellow crew member Thomas Marshburn were the two astronauts that performed an unplanned spacewalk to repair an ammonia coolant leak back in May.

The Navy and NASA have had a long history of collaboration, including the recovery of space capsules. The Navy provided ships and helicopoters to aid in their recovery. Some of the early astronauts were naval officers as well. NASA in collaboration in the Navy were also responsible for launching the Vanguard One satellite in orbit, the oldest manmade object still in Earth orbit.

Watch Cmdr. Cassidy's live interview in the live stream above or at the Navy's official website.

NASA International Space Station