Apollo 9

This is Apollo Control at 227 hours, 13 minutes GET. About 35 minutes ago the spacecraft was over the, or over the Ascension Island tracking site. And at that time the ground received some information on, biomedical information, on the Commander and Command Module Pilot who were in their couches and were beginning their rest cycle. The information was interpreted by the Flight Surgeon as follows. The astronauts were not asleep but were resting. At same time the spacecraft data was downlinked and the systems were working normally; no anomalies in any of the telemetry data that was downlinked. At the present time the spacecraft is just off the coast of China and will be within range of the tracking site at Guam. We do not anticipate any conversation since the crew are in their rest cycle. So at 227 hours, 15 minutes, this is Mission Control, Houston.

This is Apollo Control at 228 hours, 53 minutes into the flight. Apollo 9 is over the Pacific Ocean at the present time, acquired by the tracking station at Guam. According to the information that is being downlinked, both the Commander and the Command Module Pilot are sleeping rather soundly at this time. On this, the 144 revolution with some 11 hours, 37 minutes remaining in the flight. At 228 hours, 54 minutes; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control at 230 hours, 37 minutes. The tracking ship Huntsville has the Apollo 9 spacecraft in acquisition at the present time and according to the information that's coming down from the spacecraft, all of the systems are working normally. The astronauts, according to the biomedical information, are in a rather sound sleep. We're about 9 hours, 53 minutes from ignition time for deorbit and something less than 3 hours from the time when the ground will awaken the crew so that they can continue their preparations for re-entry. At this particular time, we're experiencing a shift change here with the Orange Team, the one that will have the re-entry exercise, taking over from the Gold Team. All systems seem to be working, functioning normally. The spacecraft will next be acquired by the tracking ship Mercury at 42 after the hour or about 3 or 4 minutes from now. At 230 hours, 39 minutes; this is Mission Control.

This is Apollo Control. 231 hours, 50 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Apollo 9 presently is over India, about 1/3 of the way through the 146th revolution. 1 hour, 44 minutes remain in the crew's sleep period. We're 8 hours, 41 minutes away from the due [sic] orbit burn time. At 231 hours, 51 minutes Ground Elapsed Time; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control 232 hours, 50 minutes GET. Apollo 9 presently is over Venezuela and has just begun the 147th revolution, and also has entered acquisition at the Antigua tracking station. The crew is still asleep at this time, with some 44 minutes remaining in the crew rest period. The retrofire countdown clock now shows 7 hours, 40 minutes remaining. The time of retrofire will likely shift back and forth a few seconds one way or the other during the course of the morning as the stateside tracking begins to come in, and the spacecraft moves back onto the range. Following Loss of Signal at Madrid, Carnarvon will acquire the spacecraft at 35 minutes past the hour which should be the initial wake-up call over Carnarvon during this revolution. The crew will be quite busy during the morning getting all their numbers passed up to them from the ground. The maneuver entry numbers and so-called PADs where they copy down numbers from the ground, and they go through many tests of all their spacecraft systems that are vital to the entry maneuver. And at 232 hours, 51 minutes GET; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control; 233 hours, 35 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Coming up on Carnarvon, Australia tracking station. Spacecraft communicator Stu Roosa will give the crew a wakeup call during this pass. Apollo 9 presently is in an orbit measuring 98.2 nautical miles [181.9 km] at perigee, 243 nautical miles [450 km] at apogee. Spacecraft weight is now showing on the displays being 24,902 pounds [11,295 kg]. Standing by for the initial call during recent pass over Canary Islands during the last, during this revolution, revolution 147. Flight surgeon Ken Beers said that the crew roused briefly as he interpreted it. Sounds like Stu Roosa may be getting prepared to make his call.

This is Apollo Control. It's setting pretty ragged at the edge of the Honeysuckle station there in the amount of static coming over air-ground. Tracking ship Mercury is about two minutes away. And this will be about an 11-minute pass across Mercury. It's likely the conversation will continue on feeding up to the crew all the necessary numbers for today's reentry program. Until this morning, the term wake-up alarm has been somewhat symbolic, or at least just a suggestion of a wake-up alarm. Generally, the crew was awake, but this morning the alarm clock was real. Spacecraft communicator, Stu Roosa, used an ordinary electric alarm clock which he plugged in by his console and held it by the mouthpiece on his head-set and keyed his transmitter and turned on the alarm. Must be some kind of a space first. Mercury in two minutes or less. Today's Flight Plan, as revised here in Mission Control, calls for the update for the deorbit maneuver and also the numbers on the entry profile to be passed to the crew over Redstone, Guaymas, and Corpus Christi, Texas pass at 235 hours, 50 minutes, that will be over the stateside pass after the one upcoming. In other words, we have 148. And at 237 hours over the Huntsville and Mercury, they are scheduled to test the Entry Monitor System, which is a display device inside the spacecraft cockpit which graphically shows the crew just exactly how the primary guidance and navigation system is performing in guiding the spacecraft through the entry profile. They will be aligning the platform - inertial platform at several points during the time down to retrofire. The retrofire clock is now showing 6 hours, 30 minutes remaining until the entry maneuver. Ignition time is presently 240 hours, 31 minutes, 16.5 seconds; but as additional accurate tracking over the stateside passes comes in, the Retrofire officer likely will change these numbers back and forth several times before they settle down. These changes will not be more than a few seconds one way or the other. And, as mentioned by Stu Roosa in his conversation with the crew over the Honeysuckle, the prime recovery ship Guadalcanal is almost on station, perhaps a couple of hours steaming time out of the prime landing point, at 152-1. Standing by for Mercury conversation. Roosa's studying the acquisition tables, has his transmitter keyed, should be going on the air momentarily.

This is Apollo Control. We've had Loss of Signal out of tracking ship Mercury. At this time between bites of breakfast, the crew should be powering up the spacecraft systems; primarily the Inertial Measurement Unit, Command Module Computer and the Stabilization and Control System. And during the next revolution, from now on through the end of this revolution essentially and the beginning of the next, they'll be conducting system verifications and testing to make sure that all the systems are tuned up properly for the job of bringing the spacecraft into the prime landing area. Be coming up on Texas tracking station 19 minutes past the hour. We're overlapping coverages Texas, MILA, Antigua, Bermuda, Vanguard, Canary Islands, Madrid ending at 40 - would you believe I can't read the display - looks like 44 minutes past the hour. And at 234 hours, 07 minutes Ground Elapsed Time; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control; 234 hours, 19 minutes GET. Standing by here for the resumption of conversation between the spacecraft communicator Stu Roosa and the crew of Apollo 9. Now nearing the end of the 147th revolution, and as it crosses 80 degrees west longitude, we'll begin revolution 148. That acquisition at Texas, or at least what the little spacecraft on the wall map showed when it changed colors. Standing by here for the call from Roosa to Apollo 9. This combined stateside pass over Texas, MILA, and so on through Madrid will run about 25 minutes. Roosa is getting all ready here to begin talking.

This is Apollo Control. It sounds like the crew of Apollo 9 will get back to their breakfast now, after getting an update to the entry checklist from spacecraft communicator Stu Roosa. However, there's still almost 20 minutes remaining in the pass across the States, tracking ship Vanguard, Canary Islands, and Madrid. We'll leave the circuit open for any conversation that might take place.

This is Apollo Control. Apollo 9 now in mid-Atlantic crossing the 40th meridian in longitude. And looks about another 15 minutes remaining until Loss of Signal at Madrid. Spacecraft communicator Stu Roosa is having an over-the-console huddle with the Flight Activities Officer. We will leave the circuit open for any further conversation during the stateside pass.

And this is Apollo Control. Apparently we have had Loss of Signal through Madrid tracking station. Toward the end of that pass the crew passed up their sleep and pill report. Commander Jim McDivitt had what he described as 6 hours of good sleep and 1 hour of poor sleep, 1 vitamin pill. Command Module Pilot Dave Scott had 7½ hours sleep, took 1 vitamin pill. Lunar Module Pilot Rusty Schweickart had 8 hours of sleep, took 1 seconal, 1 actifed, and 1 vitamin pill. Also over the Canary Island station target of opportunity was passed up to the crew for a picture. At 238 hours, 25 minutes over Perth, Australia. Apparently the citizens of Perth are going to incur another big light bill. They've requested that a photo be made of the city with all the lights on. Perth in the past has served as sort of a beacon to orbiting space travelers. Several missions in the past in Mercury and Gemini they've purposely turned on all their lights. Perth is approximately midway of around the earth from Cape Kennedy and at the low point of the orbit as it swings down in the southern hemisphere. Coming up on Carnarvon and the next station at 10 minutes past the hour, Apollo 9 is over Central Africa, the Sahara Desert. Just begun revolution 148 at ...

This is Apollo Control, 235 hours 10 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Carnarvon acquisition in about 20 seconds. Meanwhile, the space flight meteorology group of the ESSA weather bureau here in Mission Control headed up by Allan "Sandy" Sanderson issued a weather forecast for the prime landing area which reads "light and variable winds are forecast with seas one to two feet and swells six to eight feet; skies will be partly cloudy with temperatures near 73 degrees; weather conditions will be excellent for the end of mission landing area" which is about 300 miles north of Puerto Rico. Standing by here for the Carnarvon, Honeysuckle and Mercury pass. Carnarvon and Honeysuckle overlap for a total 18 minutes; then there's about a 1 minute, 30 second dropout to tracking ship Mercury and another 11 minutes over Mercury. After Mercury some 6 minutes after LOS comes Redstone

This is Apollo Control. While Apollo 9 is just crossing the coast at about just north of Perth between Perth and Carnarvon, the west coast of Australia, we'll stand by to pick up any further communication between the spacecraft communicator here and the crew of Apollo 9. Meanwhile the SPAN, or Spacecraft Analysis group, here in Mission Control, has issued report for 234 hour Ground Elapsed Time on spacecraft performance.

Getting back to the SPAN report that's one of the shortest on record. Most of the entries say performance continues to be nominal or no change, no change, no change. This includes Manned Space Flight Network Communications, crew systems, electronic systems, propulsion and power which goes for the Service Propulsion System, Reaction Control System, batteries, fuel cells and cryogenics; all parameters and nominal. Guidance and control - no change. Structures and thermal area - no change. So it looks like even though we're about 5 hours and 13 minutes plus away from retrofire, end of the mission, the spacecraft is ready to continue for an unknown period. We'll stand by here for the balance of the Carnarvon-Honeysuckle pass and the subsequent pass over tracking ship Mercury. Looks like spacecraft communicator Ron Evans is coming in to relieve Stu Roosa at the spacecraft communicator console. These men have been working some strange hours; somewhat out of synchronization with the rest of the flight control teams. Some nine minutes remaining until Honeysuckle Loss of Signal. We'll leave the air-ground circuit open for any possible conversation the rest of this pass. That burst of noise is known as going through a keyhole.

This is Apollo Control. 5 minutes remaining in the Honeysuckle pass. Just heard a report from recovery that the ship, Guadalcanal, is now in station for landing area 152-1, ready and waiting with a 350-pound cake, which apparently has whetted the appetites of the crew of Apollo 9.

This is Apollo Control. We have had apparently Loss of Signal out of tracking station at Honeysuckle.

Apollo 9 did make one attempt to call back to Houston right at Loss of Signal at Honeysuckle. However, in about 1 minute and a half we should have acquisition through tracking ship Mercury. We'll leave the circuit up for resumption of conversation between the spacecraft communicators here in Mission Control and the crew of Apollo 9.

This is Apollo Control, some 8 minutes remaining on the tracking ship Mercury pass. Continuing to stand by as the spacecraft communicator Ron Evans is taking over for Stu Roosa. We'll resume conversation with the crew of Apollo 9.

This is Apollo Control, some 5 minutes remaining in the Redstone pass. After Redstone LOS there will be - as you were - a Mercury pass, some 4 minutes remaining after Mercury LOS, we'll be some 6 minutes out of tracking ship Redstone, which will be a very low elevation angle pass of about 1½ degrees. So it appears that Guaymas will be the first station of which the conversation will resume. We'll leave the air to ground circuit open and monitor any further conversation on the air to ground.

This is Apollo Control, about a minute away from...

This is Apollo Control. About a minute away from...

This is Apollo Control. We're still a few seconds away from Mercury Loss of Signal but apparently there will be no other contact with the crew of Apollo 9 through Mercury. So at this time we'll take the line down.

This is Apollo Control. An attempt was made to pass down some numbers to spacecraft communicator from the crew as they went over the hill at Mercury. These were torquing angles on a recent IMU alignment apparently. And the breakup there was caused according to the network controller by loss of lock of the tracking ship Mercury's Comsat relay antenna. We'll pick up tracking ship Redstone at 47 minutes past the hour, some 5 minutes from now. And at 235 hours, 42 minutes Ground Elapsed Time; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control; 235 hours, 48 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Should be in acquisition now according to the station tables on the displays in front of the control room here, with the tracking ship Redstone, which is about midway between Hawaii and the west coast of North America. Stand by for any conversation that might take place during this pass over the States. Continuous coverage. Redstone, Guaymas, Texas, MILA, Grand Bahama, Bermuda, Antigua, Vanguard tracking ship in mid-Atlantic, Canary Islands, Madrid. All of this overlapping coverage lasts until 17 minutes past the hour. Which looks to be about a total of 30 minutes. Ron Evans has replaced Stu Roosa as spacecraft communicator. Roosa has removed his head set, is taking a stretch and munching on a sandwich.

This is Apollo Control. Apollo 9 is nearing the end of the 148th revolution and shortly will cross directly over Mexico City. Monitoring the air-ground circuit for this stateside pass during which is scheduled updates to the crew on maneuver or deorbit. Also the entry numbers, once called an entry PAD. Such thing as bank angles, time to reverse bank, retro elapse time to begin blackout, end blackout, drogue deploy and main parachute deploy and so forth. We'll stand by with the circuit open to monitor any conversation during this first of about 3 more stateside passes until re-entry.

This is Apollo Control. Flight surgeon Ken Beers is closely monitoring the heart rate and respiration rate.

This is Apollo Control. Some 3 minutes remaining until Canaries Loss of Signal. We'll continue to monitor until LOS at Canaries for any further conversation.

This is Apollo Control. We've passed the time at which we should have had Loss of Signal out of Canary Islands. Now to recap the barrage of numbers that was fired at the crew of Apollo 9; on the maneuver update, the crew was given the ignition time for the SPS burn number 8 our deorbit maneuver: 260 hours, 31 minutes, 13.78 seconds. Total Delta V or velocity change in retrograde 325 feet per second, burn time: 11.6 seconds, Command and Service Module weight before the maneuver, 24,880 pounds; then they were given a navigation star for onboard use with the Apollo sextant, star number 15 which in the Apollo list of stars is Sirius in the constellation, Greater Dog, in the south celestial sphere. The star is also known as the Dog Star. Then the entry update included the - all the times after the maneuver, in which various events occur and the splash target coordinates, which were: 152-1 Alpha, 23.25 degrees north latitude, 68 degrees even west longitude, range to go after .05g or the first deceleration sensing of 1201.5 nautical miles, inertial velocity at .05g 25,996 feet per second, retro elapsed time of .05g, that is, time after ignition and retrofire, retro-elapsed time .05g 15 minutes 27 seconds retro-elapsed time of .2 or 2/10ths g 16 minutes 03 seconds, the degrees for right and left bank for backup Stabilization Control System entry right: 50 degrees and left: 60 degrees. The roll right or reverse bank would be at 19 minutes 01 second, after retrofire. Begin blackout at 15 minutes 56 seconds retro-elapsed time; end blackout 19 minutes 29 seconds after retrofire; drogue chute deploy 23 minutes 46 seconds retro elapsed time; main parachutes out at 24 minutes 33 seconds retro-elapsed time. Tananarive tracking station at 32 minutes past the hour is the next station. Total time over that station is 6 minutes. We'll come back up at that time for any voice communications through that station. And at 236 hours, 23 minutes GET; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control; 236 hours, 32 minutes GET. Comm is up on Carnarvon - as you were - Tananarive tracking station, the Malagasy Republic, off the east coast of Africa. First pass of the day over Tananarive, we'll stand by for any possible conversation through that station, and take the circuit down if it appears there will not be any conversation. The spacecraft communicator Ron Evans is in a small huddle with some Flight Plans type around his console and may not talk to the crew through this station.

This is Apollo Control, still standing by over Tananarive. This is a 6-minute pass over the station. It doesn't appear at this time the spacecraft communicator will call the crew, however, we will continue to monitor air to ground and leave the circuit up.

This is Apollo Control, we are less than a minute away from LOS at Tananarive, and apparently there will be no attempt to contact the crew through Tananarive. Carnarvon at 16 minutes past the hour, overlapping Honeysuckle, Huntsville, Mercury. This pass appears to be 29 minutes Iong over those four stations. And at 236 hours, 38 minutes GET; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control; 236 hours, 48 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. We're in acquisition over the Carnarvon, Australia tracking station. Standing by for conversation out of Mission Control with the crew of Apollo 9. EECOM just reported to Flight that the primary evaporator just came on the line in the spacecraft. Primary evaporator removes heat from the systems as a sort of backup to the space radiators which are back in the Service Module. Boils water to dump heat over board.

This is Apollo Control. The crew of Apollo 9 should at this time be able to see the lights of Perth, Australia. The people of Perth have, are building up a large light bill again. They're just after sundown at this time in Australia or at Perth. Apollo 9 is midway through revolution 149. Turning on the lights at Perth seems to be somewhat of a tradition. Continuing to monitor the air to ground circuit over Carnarvon. Honeysuckle, Huntsville and Redstone are as, over Mercury that is ... der until LO...

This is Apollo Control. While waiting for conversation to resume we might recap here the times for the retrofire maneuver at splash time. Ignition for SPS burn number 8, retrofire deorbit burn is now Ground Elapsed Time of 240 hours, 31 minutes, 14 seconds - or 10:31:14 CST. Splashdown anticipated at Ground Elapsed Time 240 hours, - standby - 29 minutes, 29 seconds thereafter which would be 241:00:43 or 11am and 43 seconds. Continuing to monitor the Carnarvon-Honeysuckle-Huntsville-Mercury pass.

This is Apollo Control. Apollo 9 is crossing the southern Australian coast at about Adelaide just north of Melbourne. We're continuing to monitor the air-ground circuit for two-way communications over these stations and we'll leave the line open until Loss of Signal at Mercury.

Apollo Control here. Apparently the lack of conversation is due to the fact that the crew at this time is scheduled to do a Program 52 - inertial measurement realignment at this time followed by a test of the Entry Monitoring System. We'll leave the circuit up to monitor any possible air-to-ground during this pass.

This is Apollo...

This is Apollo Control. We have had Loss of Signal over the tracking ship Mercury, coming up on Redstone at 19 minutes past the hour, in about 3 minutes, for a fairly long pass over Redstone, Guaymas, Texas, Grand Bahama, Antigua, tracking ship Vanguard, Canary Islands, about ¾ of the way through revolution 149. And at 237 hours, 16 minutes Ground Elapsed Time; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control; 237 hours, 19 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Some 50 seconds now to the tracking Ship Redstone; this pass all the way through to Canary Islands station will end at 54 minutes past the hour. Almost 35 minutes of total tracking and communications pass - thank you. Spacecraft communicator Ron Evans passing out miniature American flags with a toothpick for a staff; flags are about an inch by an inch and a half. Everyone is propping them up on the tops of the consoles. We've had acquisition at the Redstone; standing by for conversation to resume.

After this morning's alarm clock episode, one wonders whether the alarm clock will become part of the standard equipment in the Mission Control Center here. Given a choice, I think soothing music would be more apropos to wake up than the jangle or buzz of an alarm clock. It was eyes left here for a few moments as a rather attractive young lady from the flight surgeon's staff support room came into the room briefly, and then back to business. Continuing to stand by here for air to ground communications to Apollo 9. 34 minutes total duration over this stateside Canary Island pass.

This is Apollo Control. Still standing by over tracking ship Redstone for the stateside pass. Countdown clocks are showing 3 hours, 5 minutes until ignition of SPS burn number 8, deorbit burn; and 3 hours, 34 minutes until splash. Crew of Apollo 9 at this time, according to the Flight Plan, is completing final entry preparations and during this next revolution over Australia, plans to - or attempt to take photos of the city of Perth, with all the lights on. On the next rev, over Pretoria and Tananarive and Africa, they'll maneuver to the deorbit attitude, that is with the blunt end forward, or engine nozzle toward the direction of flight, and pitch down 31.7 degrees below the horizon. At this time they will conduct the star check through the sextant; the star being Sirius, the Dog Star, and over Carnarvon the following tasks; they'll get a Go from Mission Control Center here for the deorbit burn, which now is scheduled for 140 [sic] hours, 31 minutes, 14 seconds Ground Elapsed Time. We'll continue to monitor air to ground here for this stateside pass; there's a sparse amount of conversation that's taken place so far. Likely it will be busier in the succeeding revolution as we get nearer entry. Apollo Control monitoring air to ground.

This is Apollo Control. Apollo 9 is crossing the Gulf of Lower California and is approximately directly over the tracking station at Guaymas, Mexico. Air to ground circuit is still open, monitoring this stateside pass.

This is Apollo Control. This is one of the quietest stateside passes in memory except when the crew has been asleep. They have just begun revolution 150 as they cross the longitude of Cape Kennedy from whence the mission started some 10 days ago. Clock now showing 2 hours, 53 minutes until retrofire; 3 hours, 23 minutes...

The crew of Apollo 9 reported that they were going to go to the secondary SPS [means RCS] propellant tanks, or so-called Volkswagen tanks.

This is Apollo Control. Some 19 minutes remaining until Loss of Signal at Canaries. The air to ground circuit will be left up for the duration of this pass to pick up any possible conversation, although neither end of the circuit is very talkative at the moment.

This is Apollo Control. Apollo 9 is now out over the tracking ship Vanguard in the mid-Atlantic with some 13 minutes remaining until Loss of Signal out at Canaries. The spacecraft has just begun revolution 150. Continuing to monitor air to ground circuit.

This is Apollo Control. Some 7 minutes remaining in this pass until Canary Loss of Signal. Among the sights in the Mission Operations Control Room here is a large half-eaten jar of kosher dill pickles from a delicatessen type snack that was had in the control room last night during the Gold Team shift. Continuing to monitor air-ground all the way through Canary Loss of Signal. Lots of dead air this pass. That likely won't be true for the next two passes over the States.

This is Apollo Control. Recovery room plot now shows the Guadalcanal, landing platform helicopter ship, on station at the 152 dash 1 Alpha target point. Weather forecast showing visibility 10 miles; winds variable to light; variable direction in light speed; wave height 2 to 3 feet. The Service Module impact point is predicted uprange of the spacecraft target point. It looks like about 140 nautical miles. Some four minutes left now in the Canary Island pass until Loss of Signal. We'll stay with the air-ground circuit until Loss of Signal at Canary and pick up again for possible communications through Tananarive and certainly at Carnarvon.

This is Apollo Control. The Flight Dynamics Officer display, which shows a lot of numbers about the spacecraft's orbital shape and so on, now shows the spacecraft with a perigee of 98.1 nautical miles and apogee at 242.5. Present tracking shows that the spacecraft is very near perigee. Inertial velocity at this time is 25,815 feet per second [7,868 m/s]. Spacecraft is calculated to weigh 24,888 pounds [11,289 kg]. Some two minutes remaining until Canary Islands Loss of Signal. We'll stay with the circuit until that time.

This is Apollo Control. Apparently, that does conclude any contact during this stateside pass. The crew at this time is likely quite busy storing away all the gear in the spacecraft getting the spacecraft cleaned up from a housekeeping standpoint. All loose items stowed. All the systems ready for the entry - which according to the countdown clock will come at 2 minutes and 37 seconds from now with ignition of Service Propulsion System burn number 8; followed by splashdown at 3 hours and 6 minutes from now. And at 237 hours, 54 minutes Ground Elapsed Time; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control at 238 hours, 6 minutes Ground Elapsed Time, coming up on Tananarive. Just had acquisition and we'll stand by for any conversation through that station. During the 10 days of this mission, the crew of Apollo 9 have flown the spacecraft in approximately seven different combinations, starting out at orbital insertion when the Command and Service Module and the Lunar Module were all still attached to the S-IVB third stage of the launch vehicle. Then at separation when they did their turnaround to dock with the Lunar Module, it was Command and Service Module only. After docking with the Lunar Module and extraction from the S-IVB, it vas Command and Service Module and Lunar Module combination. During the rendezvous sequence, McDivitt and Scott [sic] were in the Lunar Module flying it out almost 200 nautical miles away from the Command Module. Then after jettisoning the descent stage right at the coelliptic sequence maneuver of the rendezvous, they had the ascent stage only manned. After rendezvous was complete and redocking with the Command and Service Module, there was a combination of the Command and Service Module and the ascent stage docked. The ascent stage was then jettisoned and yet another combination - actually a repeat of the Command and Service Module only - was flown for the last 5 days of the mission. And in about 2 hours and 22 minutes from now, after the deorbit burn, the Service Module will be jettisoned and the last of the combinations will be flown; that is, the Command Module only all the way through to splash point. Monitoring the air-ground now for any possible conversation through that station at Tananarive in the Malagasy Republic. It's unlikely there will be any conversation. Spacecraft Communicator Ron Evans does not appear to be readying a call but just in case we will leave the circuit open.

This is Apollo Control and apparently there will be no further conversation through Tananarive. We're about 29 seconds from Loss of Signal. Carnarvon at 22 past the hour, approximately 7 minutes from now, and at 238 hours, 15 minutes Ground Elapsed Time, this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control; 238 hours, 22 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. In acquisition at Carnarvon, Australia - standing by for resumption of any communications through Carnarvon. We'll have continuous coverage from Carnarvon through Honeysuckle and tracking ship Huntsville for approximately 26 minutes until 48 minutes past the hour.

That comment from the crew that they were setting an all zeroes reading was confirmed here on the ground by telemetry and this indicates that the alignment of the Inertial Measurement Unit is perfect. We are standing by for the balance of this pass over Carnarvon and Honeysuckle, continuing over to the tracking ship Huntsville.

This is Apollo Control, still standing by over Honeysuckle, overlapping coverage to tracking ship Huntsville till 48 past the hour, approximately 14 minutes remaining.

This is Apollo Control, some 6 minutes remaining in the AOS over the tracking ship Huntsville. We'll leave the circuit open to monitor the remainder of this pass. Between Huntsville Loss of Signal and Hawaii acquisition is about an even minute. Apollo 9 is a little past half way through the 150th revolution. Air-to-ground still open to monitor the remainder of this pass over the Huntsville.

This is Apollo Control. We have had Loss of Signal over the tracking ship Huntsville, and we're coming up on Hawaii within a few seconds. Meanwhile, the weather situation in the prime recovery area zone where the land platform helicopter USS Guadalcanal is on station. They are reporting a ceiling of 2,000 feet scattered clouds and another layer at 1,200 feet, scatter broken, visibility 10 miles, wind light and variable, waves 1 to 2 feet, swells 6 to 8 feet, air temperature 73 degrees [F, 23°C], water temperature 75 degrees [F, 24°C]. We should be acquiring at Hawaii momentarily. During this Apollo 9 reentry, it is anticipated that the highest temperature on the heat shield surface will be around 2,700 degrees F [1,480°C]. The highest heat shield temperature of a manned flight has been on Apollo 8 after lunar return at some 5,000 degrees F [2,760°C]. And the highest ever endured by an Apollo spacecraft heat shield was on Apollo 4, an unmanned flight, and the first use of the Saturn V launch vehicle where the temperature reached some 5,100 degrees F [2,815°C]. We have had acquisition at Hawaii and we will monitor the air-to-ground circuit for any conversation that takes place over that station. Hawaii, incidentally, overlaps tracking ship Redstone and all through the stateside stations for a very long pass ending at Canary Loss of Signal - as you were, we missed Canaries this time - Vanguard Loss of Signal at 22 minutes past the hour. Monitoring air-to-ground over Hawaii.

This is Apollo Control. This stateside pass is starting out much like the last one, very quiet, very little conversation. The crew is probably quite busy at this time getting ready for the entry image [?], which comes at some 1 hour and 35 minutes from now when ignition time for SPS burn number 8. Splash time, 2 hours and 4 minutes away. We will leave the circuit open on the air-to-ground for any possible conversation across the states here.

This is Apollo Control. Apollo 9 presently is over north Texas about the Dallas-Fort Worth area and again on this stateside pass there is a very little amount of conversation going on, but the circuit will be left open for the remainder of this pass which ends over the Vanguard at 22 minutes past the hour - some 11 minutes from now. Apollo Control monitoring air-ground on Apollo 9.

Apollo Control here. Apollo 9 is just starting revolution 151 - the last full revolution of this mission. Aboard the spacecraft the cabin pressure is now 4.9 pounds per square inch. Cabin temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit [21°C]. We'll continue to monitor air-ground for the duration of this pass.

This is Apollo Control. Some 6 minutes remaining until Loss of Signal through the tracking ship Vanguard. Conversation is being kept to a minimum between the ground here at Mission Control and the crew of Apollo 9, as the crew is busy getting the spacecraft ready for entry - which now is some one hour and 14 minutes away.

Console tops and lapels are sporting many flags - small American flags passed out earlier in the morning by Spacecraft Communicator Ron Evans. We'll continue to monitor the air-ground circuit until Loss of Signal at Vanguard.

This is Apollo Control. Two minutes from Loss of Signal at tracking ship Vanguard, in mid Atlantic. Standing by for the remainder of this pass.

This is Apollo Control and we are right on the verge of Loss of Signal at the tracking ship Vanguard. Ascension Island tracking station coming up at 29 past the hour, approximately 7 minutes from now. And at 239 hours, 22 minutes Ground Elapsed Time; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control; 239 hours, 29 minutes Ground Elapsed Time, coming into acquisition at the tracking station Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. We will stand by for any conversation as it takes place over this station. Meanwhile at the recovery zone, 152-1, in the west Atlantic, Rescue 2 Aircraft is off the ground en route and an aircraft out of McCoy Air Force Base near Orlando, a radar aircraft, a Constellation, piloted by Col. Richard A. Naldreth of Parkersville, Pennsylvania is on route to a point south of the recovery station of the Guadalcanal, it will in turn sweep the incoming track of Apollo 9 with its radars to get a leg up on the fix, or the landing point, and the trajectory of the spacecraft.

This is Apollo Control; the recovery helicopters aboard the Guadalcanal are now estimated to take off from the deck at 10:51 Central Standard Time; be on station for Apollo 9 splashdown. Rescue 2 is in the air, on route to its station, out of Kinnley Air Force Base in Bermuda. It's piloted by Captain Thomas L. Stinstrum of Bloomfield, Conn.

This is Apollo Control. Coming up on LOS at the Ascension Island Tracking Station - all of the surface vessels in the recovery force are on station at this time. Other aircraft in the air en route to the recovery area. The ARIA 1 - or as you were, ARIA 4, and ARIA 6 aircraft; these are Apollo Range Instrumented Aircraft based at Patrick Air Force Base. ARIA 4 piloted by Major Frank E. Cane, Jr., and ARIA 6 by Captain T. L. Cherryholmes. Later on, as the spacecraft comes into the atmosphere and is on the last leg of the entry profile, an aircraft, KC 135 aircraft, not an ARIA, called an ALOTS, with the code name "Glow worm 123" - the ALOTS is an acronym for Airborne Lightweight Optical Tracking System; it's a camera pod on the outside of the aircraft, it'll fly on head on toward the spacecraft trajectory and when they lock on they will do a hard right turn, and attempt to track the spacecraft with the camera until, of course, they lose sight of it. This was done during Apollo 8, as an experiment, and, it was a night entry, and entry in darkness, and was readily spotted. They are not too sure they will be able to spot Apollo 9 in daylight however. Next station Apollo 9 will cross over will be the Tananarive station on the Island of Madagascar, Malagasy Republic, 43 minutes past the hour. And at 239 hours, 36 minutes...

This is Apollo Control; 239 hours, 43 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Apollo 9 is coming up on the tracking station at Tananarive, about an 8-minute pass. At this time, the crew, according to the Flight Plan, is maneuvering to the deorbit attitude, which is rolled over, heads down - as you were - heads up, blunt end forward and our engine nozzle toward the direction of flight, and pitched down 31.7 degrees below the horizon. On station at the prime recovery zone is the tracking - as you were - the prime recovery ship Guadalcanal, at this point is at 650 nautical [miles, 1,200 km] south southwest of Bermuda, 830 nautical miles [1,540 km] east southeast of Cape Kennedy, 311 nautical miles [576 km] northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. This point is some 464 nautical miles [859 km] south of what was to have been the prime recovery zone prior to the extension by one revolution of this mission, because of weather. The aircraft mentioned earlier that are en route to the recovery zone, Rescue 1, will be on station 150 nautical miles [280 km] uprange of the prime recovery ship and approximately 100 nautical miles [185 km] north of the ground track. Rescue 2 - both of these incidentally, are HC130 Herky birds - Rescue 2 will be 150 nautical miles [280 km] downrange of the ship and 100 nautical miles [185 km] north of the ground track. Airboss, flying a helicopter, will be generally orbiting the prime recovery ship and directing operations out there. The radar Constellation, out of McCoy Air Force Base, will be located 50 to 60 miles [90-110 km] north of the ground track and abeam of the target point. Standing by here over Tananarive for any possible conversation at this time. However, since the crew is maneuvering to reentry and deorbit attitude, it is unlikely there will be a great deal of conversation. Countdown clock shows 44 minutes, 53 seconds remaining until ignition; and 1 hour, 14 minutes until splashdown. We will leave the circuit open here to monitor any possible conversation through Tananarive.

This is Apollo Control, about 3 minutes remaining in the Tananarive pass. Carnarvon at 58 minutes past the hour, some 10 minutes from now. During the Carnarvon pass, Mission Control Center will pass up to the crew a Go-No/Go for the deorbit burn, which takes place over Hawaii. We are standing by over Tananarive.

This is Apollo Control. We have had Loss of Signal at the Tananarive station and Carnarvon coming up at 58 minutes past the hour, about 7 minutes from now. At 239 hours, 51 minutes Ground Elapsed Time; this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control et 239 hours, 58 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Coming up on the Carnarvon, Australian tracking station at which station the crew of Apollo 9 will be given a Go-No/Go for deorbit burn. And we're standing by for...

Apollo Control here. The recovery ship Guadalcanal reports Miltown [?] conditions at the prime recovery zone. Guadalcanal will be orbiting the target point so that the distance that Apollo 9 comes down from the ship is really rather meaningless in terms of accuracy. The distance from the target point will be the meaningful number. In other words, how well was the aim. We'll continue to monitor the Carnarvon pass here and cut in on any air/ground. And some earlier flights...

This is Apollo Control. We have had Loss of Signal at the Carnarvon, Australia tracking station. We will pick up again at the Huntsville at 14 minutes past the hour, some 4 minutes away. Meanwhile, word has come in that air rescue aircraft has been scrambled out of Kinley Air Force Base to go to the assistance of a Canadian ship, the Ghislain, which is without power and is in danger of sinking. The ship is located at 37 degrees North, 60 degrees West, which is just east of the Island of Bermuda. Getting back to the subject of the ship position relative to the target point or splashdown, some of the Gemini flights were pretty close to the target point. For example, Gemini 9 was .38 [nautical] miles [0.7 km] off the target point. This mission was flown by Tom Stafford and Eugene Cernan. Next closest was Gemini 12, 2.6 nautical miles [4.8 km] off the target point. Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin flew that mission. Next was Gemini 11, 2.65 [4.9 km], almost the same distance off the target point. That was Gordon and Conrad, Dick Gordon and Pete Conrad. Gemini 10, 3.4 nautical miles [6.3 km] off the target point, Mike Collins and John Young. Mercury flights MA8 and MA9, Walter Schirra and Gordon Cooper, respectively, were both some 4 or 5 [nautical] miles [7 or 9 km] off from the ship. These, however, were pure ballistic entries with no lift such as the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft have. During the entry the crew will be using a display device called an Entry Monitor System which gives the crew six visual cues to monitor the output of the Primary Guidance and Navigation Control System. Among these are the .05 G light, which denotes the start of deceleration, the first sensible deceleration 5/100ths of a G, the roll stability indicator, which shows the direction in which the spacecraft lift if applied, the spacecraft has a lift much like a pie plate thrown by a child in that it sort of skips in the atmosphere to some degree from having an offset center of gravity, and by controlling this lift and rotating the spacecraft and thereby the lift vector, the length of the entry can be controlled. Also in the Entry Monitor System is a display called the corridor verification indicator, which is not meaningful in Apollo 9, as used on lunar returns. We've had acquisition at the Huntsville. We'll continue to monitor here and cut in as the conversation commences. Also in the Entry Monitor System is a range of Delta-V display, which shows the range in nautical miles to the predicted splash point. Also, the Delta-V or thrust change velocity change during thrusting, the flight monitor plots G's and velocity, that is acceleration and speed on a visual graph against known values. The entry scroll shows the range to the impact point or splash point graphically in the form of a lift profile. The Entry Monitor System display is on the commander's panel, the left side of the spacecraft, just above his Flight Director/Attitude Indicator, which in an aircraft would be called an 8 ball. The helicopters are being deployed at this time from the Guadalcanal, getting on station for this recovery operation. We're 16 minutes now away from ignition for the SPS deorbit burn. After the deorbit burn, in which they will be pitched down 37.1 degrees, the spacecraft will yaw 45 degrees for the separation of the Service Module. Let's listen to the conversation.

This is Apollo Control standing over Huntsville. Some 5 minutes remaining over Huntsville, slight overlap of Guam, pretty much to the south of Guam. There will be about a minute break between LOS Huntsville and Hawaii acquisition. We are 12 minutes away from retrofire, continuing to monitor the air to ground circuit. As the retrofire burn is completed, and the Service Module is separated with a yaw of 45 degrees to get the Service Module out of the way to avoid any recontact and then the crew rolls over heads down with a pitch up of some 33 degrees, relative to the local horizontal for the entry profile. Monitoring air to around now over Huntsville,

This is Apollo Control. The radar aircraft out of McCoy Air Force Base is now on station to track Apollo 9 as it comes smoking back into the atmosphere. Some 2 minutes away from Loss of Signal at Huntsville. tracking ship Huntsville, and coming up on Hawaii, some 9 minutes away from that retrofire.

This is Apollo Control. Two of the Hercules HC130 aircraft, Rescue 1 and Rescue 2, on station in the prime recovery zone, reported radio contact, S-band radio contact, with Apollo 9, during the preceding revolution, revolution 151, which portends good communications, hopefully, during the entry phase, while on the chutes. Airboss, the man of station in charge of all the recovery operations, aircraft, involved in recovery aircraft preparations is in the air. It's piloted by lieutenant Commander James A. McGee, of Atlanta, Georgia. Copilot is Lieutenant Paul A. Nelson of Green Bay, Wisconsin. In the crew are antisubmarine warfare technicians, Kenneth H. Flenner of Rogersville, Tennessee and John M. Lovelady of Fort Worth, Texas. Six minutes away now from deorbit burn, 36 minutes away from splash. Should have Hawaii acquisition in - Mark, right now. Should have AOS.

That SPS burn number 8, the one to deorbit Apollo 9, will be a 325-foot per second [99 m/s] retrograde burn of 11.6 seconds duration. Mission Operations Control Room is getting a little quieter now as we come down to the wire here, less than 5 minutes now from ignition.

Apollo Range Instrument range Aircraft 4 and 6 are on station. It's reported that the gimbal motors for the large SPS engine have been turned on. This a ground readout. The aircraft which will attempt to photograph the Apollo 9 Command Module during the reentry pass by flying head on into the path uprange is on station. This aircraft is called Glowworm 123, it's a KC135 with a camera pod mounted on the side of the fuselage. Air to ground circuit is strangely quiet as the crew is setting into deorbit attitude, some 3 minutes, 12 seconds away from deorbit burn. We will leave the circuit open for any conversation.

Blackout is predicted to begin 15 minutes, 56 seconds after ignition. Come out of blackout at 19 minutes, 29 seconds with drogues out at 23 minutes, 46 seconds. Main chutes deploy at 24 minutes, 33 seconds after ignition of SPS burn number 8. Splashdown at 43 seconds past the hour.

All the recovery helicopters aboard the Guadalcanal have been deployed from the deck and are on station waiting for splashdown of Apollo 9.

Eleven point eight seconds burn time.

Current tracking out of Hawaii now shows the height at 163 nautical miles [302 km], velocity 25,198 feet per second [7,680 m/s] and dropping.

Perigee predicted at minus 4.2 [nautical] miles [minus 7.8 km].

Spacecraft has gone to separation attitude according to the Guidance Navigation and Control Officer, who is reading the spacecraft's attitude on telemetry.

Velocity now 25,194 feet per second [7,679 m/s]. Altitude 163.5 nautical miles [302.8 km].

Twelve minutes from beginning of black out.

We've had arming of the pyrotechnics to cause separation of the Command Module from the Service Module.

We've had separation of the Command Module from the Service Module. Service Module is traveling off now at some 45 degrees away from the flight path of the Command Module to avoid any recontact possibilities.

Main buses on the spacecraft are showing 27.7 volts DC.

Tracking shows present height 118 nautical miles [219 km]. Present position 32, 59 north, 127, 25 west - off shore California.

All aircraft in the recovery area are on station. The helicopters off the Guadalcanal and the rescue aircraft out of Kinley Air Force Base, the ARIA, Apollo Range Instrumented Aircraft, out of Patrick Air Force Base, all are on station. Height has now dropped to 96.9 nautical miles [179.5 km]. Present position; 33:40 north by 115:52 west, just crossing the California coast about the Los Angeles area. Some 6 minutes away from beginning of blackout.

Present...

That first number passed to the crew of Apollo 9 was the range to go from the point at .05 g of 1209 nautical miles [2,239 km], and the velocity at that point 25,996 feet per second [7,924 m/s]. 61 nautical mile [113 km] altitude. Should be encountering 400K, 400,000 feet [121.92 km], which is a sensible atmosphere at this time. Some 2 minutes away from beginning of blackout.

That last group of numbers involved times for beginning and end of blackout, drogue deploy and main parachute deploy.

A rather noisy circuit at this time; still about 40 seconds away from the predicted time for beginning of blackout which is 15 minutes, 53 seconds after retrofire. End of blackout is predicted at 19 minutes, 28 seconds after retrofire. Drogue parachute deploy predicted at 23 minutes, 46 seconds, and main parachutes at 24 minutes, 33 seconds. On the water at 43 seconds after 11 am Central Time. Mark, beginning of blackout, as predicted. Standing by here for spacecraft Apollo 9 to come out of blackout. This is some 3 minutes from now. Hopefully, communications will be reestablished through the relay aircraft orbiting around the Guadalcanal. Those communications will be fed through this circuit as they become available. Right now it's a waiting game. Quite a few of the off-duty Flight Controllers have drifted into the Control Room here.

Quite a few of the off duty flight controllers have drifted into the control room here and have plugged in, standing where they can find room to monitor the entry of Apollo 9. Most of them have put in 10 long, hard days on their respective shifts and want to see this thing through. Less than 2 minutes now to end of blackout. Present altitude according to Texas tracking, 34 nautical miles [63 km], present position 26.49 north, 76.29 west. Less than a minute now from coming out of blackout - present height 30 nautical miles [56 km] crossing the east coast of Florida. Coming up on end black out at predicted time. Mark; predicted end time of black out.

Retrofire officer John Lewellyn is estimating they are going to be right on the target point.

It is reported that the radar aircraft out of McCoy does have radar contact at this time.

Present height, 23.7 nautical miles [43.9 km]. Coordinates 23.58 north, 68...

Remoting through the ARIA aircraft.

Some two minutes away from drogue deployment. Drogue chute deployment. 19 nautical miles [35 km] altitude. It is reported that the Guadalcanal crew did hear a sonic boom as the Apollo 9 spacecraft came into the atmosphere. Contact by the McCoy radar aircraft was 236 nautical miles [437 km] range. 7 minutes away from splash mark.

Very good communications through ARIA; should have confirmation of chute deployment shortly, Drogue chute deployment that is. Present altitude showing, well, it just disappeared off the display - delay that. Main chute should be going out at this time; Guadalcanal reports a contact at 308 degrees bearing from the ship. Crew at the Guadalcanal apparently has heard a double sonic boom as Apollo 9 smoked back into the atmosphere.

The Guadalcanal was on a northerly heading just south of the target point. Standing by for resumption of communications through the relay aircraft; should be getting...

We have voice contact from the Guadalcanal to Apollo 9.

Recovery 3 helicopter has visual contact. And it's visually in sight from the carrier. Big cheer went up here in the Missions Operations Control Room; as they saw it on the tube; estimate now 3 miles from the ship.

And we have splash. At 53 seconds past the hour - big cheer and a lot of clapping going on here in mission control.

The spacecraft is now in stable 1 - that is apex up.

This is Apollo Control. Splashdown time was at 53 seconds past the hour - which is some 10 seconds later than the predicted splash time of 43 seconds past the hour. The estimated range from the carrier to the spacecraft of some 3 nautical miles [5.6 km] - however this does not mean necessarily that the spacecraft was 3 miles off the target point. The carrier Guadalcanal was steaming toward the target point from the south. Recover 3 is going to drop a flare at the spacecraft.

- Cigars are beginning to sprout out of everyone's mouth here in Mission Control. The apex cover and the drogue parachutes are reported near the spacecraft, a considerable amount of jubilation in Mission Control. Standing by here for a word of swimmers in the water. Swimmers are now being deployed from helicopter, 4 miles dead ahead estimate from the Guadalcanal. The helicopter is piloted by Commander George M. Rankin, Jr., of Bethesda, Maryland, copilot Lieutenant Rufus O. Edison, Jr., of Laurel, Mississippi, the crewmen are antisubmarine technicians David E. Morris of Dallas, Texas, and Steven K. Hanigan of East Meadow, New York. Underwater demolition team members, or swimmers, who will be dropped. About 2 minutes away from dropping the swimmers. These swimmers are gunners mate second class Cecil Eubanks, Port Arthur, Texas; Seaman Richard B, Perry, Derry, New Hampshire; Seaman Clay P. Rhyne, of Clinton, Maryland.

Amazingly good communications between the relay aircraft and the spacecraft, also the helicopters.

Guadalcanal steaming north toward the spacecraft some 3 miles dead ahead. First swimmer in the water out of Recovery 3. All three swimmers are now in the water. Among their chores will be deploying the flotation collar, plugging the earphones so they can talk with the crew of Apollo 9.

Recovery 3 reports the spacecraft is somewhat scarred but looks rather good.

Quite a myriad of voices coming over the loops out there through the various relays, all of which are being passed into the air to ground circuit here in Mission Control. Apparently, it's pretty much of a routine recovery exercise. The spacecraft is in Stable 1. Apex is up, no need for the flotation bags. [Garble].

The flotation collar is now being attached by the swimmers from Recovery 3. These swimmers again, gunners mate second class Cecil Eubanks of Port Arthur, Texas; Seaman Richard B. Perry of Derry, New Hampshire; and Seaman Clay P. Rhyne of Clinton, Maryland.

The flotation collar is almost deployed to the spacecraft. Communications is getting somewhat noisy at this time. We will continue to monitor the relay circuits.

It is reported that the Guadalcanal is approximately 1 mile from the spacecraft and no doubt slowing down, so as not to overrun the position.

The collar, flotation collar has been attached to the spacecraft at this time and the three swimmers from the underwater demolition team out of Recovery 3 helicopter are standing on the flotation collar.

Recovery 3 helicopter still hovering over the spacecraft after having unloaded the swimmers earlier for the flotation collar deployment. This Mission Control Room here has quite suddenly gotten rather crowded. Program people, off-duty flight controllers, everyone sprouting a cigar out of their mouth.

We have confirmation that the flotation collar has been inflated at this time.

Still monitoring the conversation with 1 on scene.

Here in Mission Control everyone is standing up watching all the big screens in front of the Control Room where commercial television has the spacecraft floating in the water, a 10 by 20 Eidophor background projectors in the television picture.

Among the people here in Mission Control observing the activities out in the area of the Guadalcanal are Dr. George E. Mueller, the Office of Manned Space Flight, Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, NASA headquarters; Samuel Phillips, Apollo Program Director; Mr. George Hage, Apollo 9 Houston Director; Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center; and it looks like the viewing room behind Mission Control is quite full of people, quite a few astronauts down around CapCom's console including Pete Conrad, Deke Slayton, Stu Roosa, Al Bean. All of the medics are lined up around their console. We'll rejoin the Airboss/spacecraft communications in progress.

The voice identifying itself as is owned by Lt. Commander James A. McGee of Atlanta, Georgia, pilot of the aircraft. Swimmers out of still are apparently keeping the apex cover, which enclosed the parachute deck, still keeping it afloat.

Astronauts McDivitt, Schweickart and Scott presently egressing the spacecraft into their raft. Some amount of laughter here as one of the rafts turns over, not the one the crewmen are in, but one of the empty ones flips over on top. Downwash from one of the helicopters apparently caused the raft to flip over.

Two out, one to go. Now that the crew is out of the spacecraft the communications through the Airboss will cease. We'll continue to give reports from the Guadalcanal as the crew is brought on to the ship and later the spacecraft. All three crewmen are now in rafts.

Still standing by here for crew pick up and consequently - or subsequently - the pick up of Apollo 9 Command Module.

They are presently establishing a circuit out to the Guadalcanal from the White House. The swimmers are now securing the Command Module hatch, closing it from the outside.

Recovery Aircraft 3 flown by Commander George M. Rankin, Jr. of Bethesda, Maryland, is apparently making a run to pick up the crewmen. They're lowering the basket now to pick up the first crewman. Everyone in Mission Control still watching the three big 10 by 20 foot screens - all three of which have the same picture from the commercial television on board Guadalcanal. First attempt in getting the crewmen in the recovery hoist apparently was aborted. Recovery 3 still hovering over the spacecraft attempting to get the recovery hoist and cage out to the rafts without crowning anyone in the head. The down wash from the helicopter makes things a little more complicated in that it disturbs the water - makes the spacecraft drift a little more and consequently away from the recovery sling. There goes one crewman in the sling - hanging on for dear life - like the flying trapeze. Considerable amount of guffawing here as all this takes place. Someone commented it's like a Max Sinnett comedy.

This is Apollo Control. We'll come up again as the crew is on the Guadalcanal and the spacecraft is recovered. At 241 hours, 40 minutes Ground Elapsed Time and 1 hour and 9 minutes after Retrofire this is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control. All three crewmen are aboard the recovery helicopter and are anticipated to be on board the Guadalcanal within a few moments. Announcement of the post-recovery press conference times will be forthcoming. This is Apollo Control.

This is Apollo Control. In the large center screen here in Mission Control, a three-color patch for Apollo 9 has been projected on the screen and it brought a rousing cheer from everyone in the Control Room here. There must be 150 people crowded in here. A lot of handshaking going on; a lot of cigar smoke wafting up to the ceiling. We're waiting now for the crew to leave the helicopter on board the Guadalcanal. The helicopter touched down on deck about 10 minutes prior to 12 o'clock Central Standard Time. The Management Press Conference will take place in the Manned Spacecraft Center main auditorium at 12:15, followed immediately thereafter with the Operations people in a second press conference. This is Apollo Control signing off.