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Apollo 11

Day 1, part 3: Transposition, Docking and Extraction

Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 2008-2021 by W. David Woods, Kenneth D. MacTaggart and Frank O'Brien. All rights reserved.
Last updated 2021-03-01
Index to events
CSM/S-IVB Separation 003:17:00 GET
Docking 003:24:03 GET
Spacecraft ejection from the S-IVB 004:16:59 GET
Separation manoeuvre from the S-IVB 004:40:01 GET
S-IVB LOX dump/slingshot manoeuvre 005:03:19 GET
The Saturn V's third stage (the S-IVB) has boosted the stack into a very long, extended ellipse around Earth, the apogee of which is beyond the Moon's orbit. This trajectory has been arranged in such a way that the Moon will gravitationally intervene and cause the spacecraft to loop around the lunar far side. Having left the vicinity of Earth, the Apollo 11 CSM (Command Service Module) will separate from the third stage. The conical shroud that protected the LM (Lunar Module) during launch splits into four panels which are jettisoned. The CSM will then turn around to dock with the LM and extract it from its launch position on top of the S-IVB stage. The docked spacecraft will then prepare for an engine firing to move a safe distance away from the now-abandoned stage.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
002:54:09 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. For your information, we expect the maneuver to separation attitude to begin at 3 plus 05 plus 03, and to be completed at plus 09 plus 20. Separation at 3 plus 15 plus 00.
The S-IVB stage, with the Apollo CSM still attached is going to change its attitude so that the Sun will shine across the top of the LM after separation. This will provide the correct illumination for the docking manoeuvre to follow, after the CSM has turned around 180 degrees.
002:54:33 Aldrin: Roger. Time to begin maneuver is 3:05:03, complete 3:09:20. And separation 3 plus 15:00.
002:54:46 McCandless: Roger. That separation should be 3 plus 15:03. My error in reading up.
002:54:55 Aldrin: Roger. [Long pause.]
This is Apollo Control. The velocity falling off now immediately after shutdown. We're showing 34,000 feet per second [10,400 m/s] now, but the altitude building; 512 nautical miles [948 km].
002:55:18 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. All the booster functions are proceeding normally. The sequencing is in good shape, and it doesn't look like they're having any problems at all. Over.
002:55:28 Armstrong: Roger.
Long comm break.
This is Apollo Control and we're showing orbital weight now 138,892.9 pounds [63,000.7 kg].
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
Flight Plan, page 3-4.
This is Apollo Control at 3 hours into the mission. Velocity now 31,214 feet per second [9,514 m/s]. Apollo 11's distance from Earth, 1,245 nautical miles [2,306 km].
003:05:28 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Our preliminary data indicates a good cut-off on the S-IVB. We'll have some more trajectory data for you in about half an hour. Over.
Long comm break.
This is Apollo Control. The S-IVB has started its maneuvering to the separation attitude.
At 3 hours, 7 minutes, the velocity is 27,945 feet per second [8,518 m/s]. Distance from Earth, 2,384 nautical miles [4,415 km].
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
003:09:01 McCandless: Apollo 11, Apollo 11, this is Houston. Over. [No answer.]
003:09:16 McCandless: Apollo 11, Apollo 11, this is Houston. Over. [Long pause.]
003:09:31 Aldrin: Hello, Houston. Hello, Houston. This is Apollo 11. I'm reading you loud and clear. Go ahead. Over.
003:09:37 McCandless: Roger, 11. This is Houston. We had to shift stations. We weren't reading you through Goldstone. We show Pyro Bus A armed and Pyro Bus B not armed at the present time. Over.
003:09:50 Collins: That's affirmative, Houston. That's affirmative.
003:09:54 McCandless: Roger.
Long comm break.
The S-IVB has completed its maneuver to separation attitude.
4 minutes away from separation, 4 minutes.
At 3 hours, 11 minutes into the mission; velocity, 26,314 feet per second [8,021 m/s]. Distance from Earth, 3,140 nautical miles [5,815 km].
The S-IVB is reported in a stable attitude for the separation.
Rates are less than 1/10th of a foot per second in all axes.
One minute to separation.
003:14:08 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. You're Go for separation. Our systems recommendation is arm both Pyro Buses. Over.
003:14:19 Collins: Okay. Pyro B coming armed. My intent is to use bottle Primary 1, as per the checklist; therefore, I just turned A on.
003:14:26 McCandless: Roger. We concur with the logic.
Comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
We're awaiting confirmation of separation.
Download MP3 audio file. Onboard voice recording from Data Storage Equipment (DSE). Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
003:16:27 Aldrin (onboard): ...two, Armed.
003:16:28 Collins (onboard): Two, Armed.
Mike has now taken over the left-hand seat from Neil in order to fly the CSM in the TD&E manoeuvre.
003:16:29 Aldrin (onboard): CMC Mode, Auto.
003:16:30 Collins (onboard): Auto.
003:16:31 Aldrin (onboard): Start the Digital Event Timer.
003:16:33 Collins (onboard): Okay, start.
003:16:36 Aldrin (onboard): And we're going to translate plus X and hold.
003:16:37 Collins (onboard): Mmmhmm.
The Digital Event Timer will allow Mike to coordinate his actions. When the spacecraft comes off the S-IVB, he immediately wants it to start moving away. Therefore, he will begin thrusting forward just before separation.
003:16:38 Aldrin (onboard): CM/Launch Vehicle Sep pushbutton?
003:16:39 Collins (onboard): Mmmhmm.
003:16:40 Aldrin (onboard): Watch the tank pressure and the engine light.
003:16:43 Collins (onboard): Are you on tank pressures? You are.
003:16:47 Aldrin (onboard): And you're going to go to 100.8?
Mike is monitoring his speed with the EMS (Entry Monitor System). This unit includes an independent accelerometer and a velocity display. Procedures dictate that the display be set to read 100 feet per second, based on experience on Apollo 8 when it was found to not work well around the zero mark.
003:16:49 Collins (onboard): Mmmhmm.
003:16:53 Aldrin (onboard): You want to...
003:16:54 Collins (onboard): Here we go.
003:16:59 Armstrong: Okay, Houston, we're about to Sep.
003:16:58 Collins (onboard): Thrusting...
Mike thrusts forward in the plus-X direction with the small Reaction Control System engines, so that when Buzz pushes the Sep (Separation) button on Panel 2, the CSM immediately starts to move away from the S-IVB stage and the jettisoned panels.
003:17:00 Armstrong (onboard): Sep!
003:17:02 McCandless: This is Houston. We copy.
003:17:03 Aldrin (onboard): Look at that trash.
003:17:06 Armstrong: Sep complete.
003:17:07 Aldrin (onboard): Got Delta-V?
003:17:08 Collins (onboard): Okay, got 0.7; I'm going to stop there and...
003:17:11 Aldrin (onboard): [Garble] go to Release; Delta-V indicator minus 100.8...
Buzz is reading this off the Entry Monitoring System gauge.
003:17:12 McCandless: Roger. [Long pause.]
We confirm the separation here on the ground.
003:17:14 Collins (onboard): Okay.
003:17:15 Aldrin (onboard): ...Service Module RCS propellant, verify eight of them grey.
003:17:18 Collins (onboard): Okay, you got problems there. Get the [garble] - there you go.
003:17:22 Armstrong (onboard): I'll get them.
003:17:23 Aldrin (onboard): Okay, okay.
003:17:26 Collins (onboard): What else? Did...
003:17:27 Aldrin (onboard): CM...
003:17:32 Armstrong (Very weak): Primary and Secondary Propellant B went barber pole at Sep.
003:17:40 McCandless: That was Secondary Propellant on quad - quad Bravo? [Pause.]
There are a set of valves that allow the crew to isolate the propellant tanks that feed the RCS thrusters. It was common for the shock of separation to cause a number of these valves to close. It was simply a matter of throwing the appropriate switches to open them again.
003:17:41 Armstrong: Quad Bravo, yeah; both the Primary and Secondary talkbacks went barber pole.
003:17:45 Collins (onboard): [Garble], three, Open.
003:17:47 Aldrin (onboard): Okay, your...
003:17:50 McCandless: Roger, we copy.
Long comm break.
003:17:51 Aldrin (onboard): ...[garble] this is the one that [garble] 0.5, right? Is it - Mike, you key a Verb 62?
003:17:57 Collins (onboard): Yeah.
003:17:58 Aldrin (onboard): Proceed and you're pitching?
'Proceed' is one of the buttons on the DSKY (Display and Keyboard), the crew's interface with the computer.
003:18:00 Armstrong (onboard): She's pitching.
003:18:02 Collins (onboard): Trying - to turn itself off again; look at this.
003:18:05 Armstrong (onboard): Is it holding it this time?
003:18:06 Collins (onboard): Watch, it'll probably go back to Rate Command.
003:18:10 Armstrong (onboard): That slows it down?
003:18:11 Collins (onboard): [Garble] keep pitching.
003:18:15 Aldrin (onboard): Your Man(ual) Att(itude), Pitch, to Accel Command?
003:18:19 Armstrong (onboard): It went to Rate - Okay, I see an SLA panel going out.
This is one of the four Spacecraft Launch-vehicle Adaptor panels which contained the Lunar Module during launch. They were jettisoned by partial hinges once they had rotated 45° away from the LM.
003:18:23 Aldrin (onboard): Okay, you got to get a pitch rate in there...
003:18:30 Armstrong (onboard): See that SLA panel?
003:18:35 Aldrin (onboard): Is it flying - yet?
003:18:37 Collins (onboard): It's alright. She's darn well unbelievable - something.
003:18:47 Armstrong (onboard): I see it [garble].
003:18:50 Aldrin (onboard): Do I need some circuit breaker in to get...
003:18:52 Armstrong (onboard): I see another - No, that's alright.
003:18:54 Aldrin (onboard): ...to get this camera going? Mike?
003:18:57 Collins (onboard): No, you need the power on over there, though.
003:19:00 Aldrin (onboard): I turned it on.
003:19:01 Armstrong (onboard): I got it. [Garble] beautiful.
003:19:02 Collins (onboard): You sure you have the right power switch on?
003:19:03 Armstrong (onboard): Boy, that's...
003:19:04 Aldrin (onboard): Yeah.
003:19:05 Collins (onboard): You got him?
003:19:06 Aldrin (onboard): No, I don't.
003:19:06 Armstrong (onboard): Yes, Mike.
003:19:07 Collins (onboard): To the right over here.
003:19:08 Armstrong (onboard): Can you see him?
003:19:09 Aldrin (onboard): No, I don't see...
003:19:10 Armstrong (onboard): He's a little bit to our right.
003:19:11 Aldrin (onboard): Okay, I see him.
003:19:12 Armstrong (onboard): We need about a 5-degree right, and we need to stop our...
003:19:16 Collins (onboard): Okay. We'll stop here.
003:19:18 Armstrong (onboard): ...[garble] and we're pretty far away from him, too.
003:19:25 Collins (onboard): Okay, watch it, we should be stopping here.
003:19:40 Aldrin (onboard): How long do we want to run this film?
003:19:46 Armstrong (onboard): How does he look, Mike?
003:19:47 Collins (onboard): He's - he's fine.
003:19:52 Armstrong (onboard): Okay, you got 100.4 now.
003:19:54 Collins (onboard): Yeah, I know; those numbers don't mean anything. They were 99-something when we turned around; don't ask me why. I thrusted toward him quite a bit, and I don't know why those numbers were screwed up, but they were.
Again, these numbers refer to the Entry Monitoring System Delta-V display. The accelerometer that provides the measurement for this display operates along a single axis only. Crews generally found that the rotation of the spacecraft during the turnaround manoeuvre caused the accelerometer to give erroneous readings.
003:20:13 Armstrong (onboard): Buzz, how does he look to you; looks like he's getting closer to me.
003:20:15 Collins (onboard): [Garble] get the BMAG?
The BMAGs are a set of Body-Mounted Attitude Gyros. These gyros are attached directly to the body of the spacecraft rather than being mounted on a stabilised platform. The force they exert on their mountings provides information on the rate-of-change of the spacecraft's attitude. A box of electronics, the GDC (Gyro Display Couplers), convert this information into a measurement of absolute attitude, though with a substantial tendency to drift.
003:20:18 Aldrin (onboard): Okay.
003:20:19 Armstrong (onboard): Yes, it looks like he's drifting down just a tad, and he's supposed to be.
003:20:22 Collins (onboard): How are our eight gray talk-backs; they still good?
003:20:29 Armstrong (onboard): They're good.
003:20:43 Collins (onboard): Flies like a spacecraft instead of a simulator. Hope that's good.
003:20:52 Collins (onboard): Sure beautiful. I hope you got some pictures, Buzz.
003:20:55 Aldrin (onboard): I got the 16 millimeter going...
This 16-mm footage was shot from window 4 with the camera looking into a mirror to keep it out of the way. The orientation of the image has been restored in this presentation.
H.264 MOV video file.
003:20:56 Armstrong (onboard): Is it going?
003:20:57 Aldrin (onboard): ...16 frames at f:8...
003:20:58 Armstrong (onboard): Yeah.
003:21:01 Aldrin (onboard): ...70, 1/250th, [garble].
003:21:03 Armstrong (onboard): Beautiful.
003:21:05 Armstrong (onboard): It really looks nice, doesn't it?
003:21:08 Collins (onboard): Hey, we're closing in a leisurely fashion.
003:21:12 Aldrin (onboard): Hey, how long does this [garble]?
003:21:16 Collins (onboard): It's on the - it's printed...
003:21:18 Aldrin (onboard): Yeah.
003:21:19 Collins (onboard): ...yeah, it's six frames at 15; I suggest toward the end you probably goose it up a little bit.
003:21:23 Aldrin (onboard): You want to get the whole thing?
003:21:24 Armstrong (onboard): I don't care [garble] tell by looking at [garble].
003:21:32 Aldrin (onboard): The thing is, with this sitting there, I can't get much with the Hasselblad. That window's no good, I'm afraid.
As the CSM approaches the LM, Buzz uses the Hasselblad camera to take seven shots.
AS11-36-5310 - S-IVB stage with Lunar Module. Note constellation of particles surrounding the stage - Image by LPI
AS11-36-5311 - S-IVB stage with Lunar Module. Note constellation of particles surrounding the stage - Image by LPI
AS11-36-5312 - S-IVB stage with Lunar Module. Note constellation of particles surrounding the stage - Image by LPI
AS11-36-5313 - S-IVB stage with Lunar Module - Image by LPI
AS11-36-5314 - Lunar Module during final approach during docking - Image by LPI
AS11-36-5315 - Lunar Module during final approach during docking - Image by LPI
AS11-36-5316 - Lunar Module during final approach during docking. The external orifice of the LMs optical system is visible top-right, while the overhead docking window is visible top-left. - image by LPI
003:21:46 Armstrong (onboard): Can I hold something for you?
003:21:49 Aldrin (onboard): Take a couple of [garble].
003:21:54 Collins (onboard): Yeah, you might look - if you're looking for something to do, you might just look over my panel 1 and 8 and all that and make sure all the switches are - to your liking.
003:22:05 Armstrong (onboard): I'll do it.
003:22:06 Aldrin (onboard): [Garble].
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
003:22:07 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Radio check. Over.[No answer.]
Comm break.
The Goldstone station reports a very weak signal. We believe that Mike Collins is now maneuvering the spacecraft in the transposition and docking maneuver, and the antenna patterns aren't too good at the moment, so we have a weak signal strength.
003:22:15 Armstrong (onboard): Be sure that your RCS is working anyway.
003:22:23 Aldrin (onboard): How far out are you, Mike?
003:22:25 Collins (onboard): I'm still quite a ways. That's definitely an SLA panel - there's no doubt about that. Sure looks like [garble] panel. That stuff's hitting from the S-IVB from us. Geeze, look it - that one thing just hit the - gyro package on the S-band antenna.
003:22:46 Aldrin (onboard): Yes, things occasionally come scooting out.
003:22:52 Collins (onboard): [Garble].
003:22:53 Aldrin (onboard): And, occasionally, you know, a little piece of something hits the - what do you call that - covering? The whole LM quivers every so often. All - all the surface of it, Neil, you know, just kind of shakes like that.
003:23:12 Armstrong (onboard): Yeah?
003:23:13 Aldrin (onboard): Just in one spot; it's not being hit. I hope it doesn't come in [garble]...
003:23:17 Collins (onboard): Stand by; we're getting pretty close.
003:23:20 Armstrong (onboard): Just from the APS firing, you think?
The S-IVB has its own attitude control thrusters packed into two units mounted onto the outside of the stage near the bottom. These are the APS units (Auxiliary Propulsion System, not to be confused with the Ascent Propulsion System on the LM).
003:23:25 Collins (onboard): Stand by; we're closing.
End of archive DSE recording.
003:23:56 McCandless: Apollo 11, Apollo 11, this is Houston broadcasting in the blind. Request Omni Bravo if you read us. Request Omni Bravo. Out. [No answer.]
The Apollo 11 Mission Report gives the time of docking as 003:24:03.1.
003:24:13 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. How do you read? [No answer.]
Comm break.
Three latches at the tip of the probe have engaged with the hole at the centre of the LM's drogue, achieving what is termed a 'soft-dock'. It is possible that there is a little sway of one craft with respect to the other so Mike allows the damping mechanism of the probe's tip to minimise it before he retracts the probe to bring the two ships to a 'hard-dock' condition.
003:24:40 Aldrin (onboard): Okay...
003:24:41 Armstrong (onboard): We don't have too much...
003:24:43 Aldrin (onboard): ...BMAG Mode, three - You should stabilize and align CM - BMAG Mode, three, to Att 1/Rate 2?
003:24:49 Collins (onboard): Okay.
003:24:50 Aldrin (onboard): And we're - translated plus X. That Capture Probe, Extend/Release, you've done that; CMC Mode, Free?
The CMC (Command Module Computer) has various modes of controlling the spacecraft's attitude, one of which is 'Free' where it makes no attempt to hold attitude. As it is now mechanically joined to the much larger S-IVB, it makes no sense for the CSM thrusters to fire as they will only fight those on the third stage.
003:24:54 Armstrong (onboard): Yes, sir.
003:24:55 Collins (onboard): Yes.
003:24:57 Aldrin (onboard): Allow probe to damp spacecraft oscillations?
003:24:58 Armstrong (onboard): We did that.
003:24:59 Aldrin (onboard): Yes, you've done that. Docking Probe, Retract, Primary 1?
003:25:01 Collins (onboard): We did that.
003:25:03 Aldrin (onboard): Alright, after dock...
003:25:20 Aldrin (onboard): Docking Probe, Extend/Release, to Off?
003:25:21 Armstrong (onboard): Docking Probe, Extend/Release, to Off, I did that. Docking Probe, Retract,... to Off.
003:25:27 Aldrin (onboard): Okay, Docking Probe, Retract, two of them, Off?
003:25:30 Armstrong (onboard): No, no, wait a minute. It says Docking Probe, Extend/Release, to Off, huh?
003:25:34 Aldrin (onboard): Yes.
003:25:35 Armstrong (onboard): Okay.
003:25:36 Aldrin (onboard): Alright, let's go. Docking Probe, Retract, two of them, Off?
003:25:38 Armstrong/Collins (onboard): Yes, they're Off.
003:25:40 Aldrin (onboard): Alright. Circuit breakers: Docking Probe, two, Open.
003:25:45 Armstrong (onboard): Docking Probe, two, Open.
003:25:47 Aldrin (onboard): Okay, PCM Bit Rate is Low. Post-docking: it says Rate, High; Att Deadband, Max.
Goldstone still showing weak signal strength.
003:25:49 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. How do you read? Over. [No answer.]
Given the various gyrations of the CSM, and Collins' concentration on the docking manoeuvre, they haven't established a good communications link with mission control. it will be another four minutes before CapCom gets through to them.
003:25:56 Aldrin (onboard): Rate, High; Att Deadband, Max.
003:25:58 Aldrin (onboard): COAS Power, Off.
003:25:59 Collins (onboard): COAS Power, Off.
003:26:01 Armstrong (onboard): [Garble] get this to stop [garble].
003:26:05 Collins (onboard): Yes, that wasn't the smoothest docking I've ever done.
003:26:08 Armstrong (onboard): Well, it felt good from here.
003:26:10 Collins (onboard): I mean the - I mean the whole - I mean the gas consumption would be a lot more than I would have guessed, you know? I thought I could about equal the simulator in [garble] and I didn't - I bet you I used - I hate to quote a number, but I've been down around 30-some pounds in the simulator, and I'll bet this was 50, 60 pounds, something like that. Hate to quote a number.
003:26:31 Collins (onboard): How do the - Speaking of that, how do the Service Module RCS quantities look?
003:26:35 Armstrong (onboard): Well, Buzz is fooling around with that - Let me just...
003:26:38 Aldrin (onboard): They - they're all 90 except B, which is above 90.
003:26:42 Armstrong (onboard): Should be. Can't ever tell on 3...
003:26:46 Aldrin (onboard): No, C and D are [garble] B, anyway.
003:26:47 McCandless: Apollo 11, Apollo 11, this is Houston. Do you read? Over. [No answer.]
003:26:52 Armstrong (onboard): Okay...
003:26:55 Collins (onboard): Well, I got to go in there and dick...
003:26:57 Aldrin (onboard): I'm not sure that we're getting...
003:27:00 Armstrong (onboard): Well, Buzz is getting comm right now.
003:27:02 Collins (onboard): Yes, let Buzz do his High-Gain thing, and I'll get ready to go dick with the tunnel.
003:27:18 Aldrin (onboard): Sure is squiggly, isn't it? It really wanders all over, doesn't it?
003:27:33 Collins (onboard): Neil, where do you put this guy - usually?
003:27:35 Armstrong (onboard): I - clip it to that - clip up there beside the COAS - you see...
003:27:38 Collins (onboard): Okay.
003:27:39 Armstrong (onboard): ...see those clips up there, one of those. It's got a snap right here that's pretty good.
003:27:48 Collins (onboard): I think I can get it now - [garble].
003:27:54 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Radio check. Over. [No answer.]
003:28:10 Collins (onboard): Okay, Buzz, how am I doing on the checklist?
003:28:11 McCandless: Apollo 11, Apollo 11, this is Houston. Radio check. Over. [No answer.]
Comm break.
003:28:18 Aldrin (onboard): Well, I'm trying to...
003:28:19 Armstrong (onboard): You're at the High Gain...
003:28:20 Aldrin (onboard): ...you're at post-docking. I'm trying to get the High Gain going - and I'm having a little trouble - [garble] trouble.
003:28:29 Armstrong (onboard): That's Manual...
003:28:33 Collins (onboard): Whatever you do, take some pictures.
003:28:35 Armstrong (onboard): That should be on wide beam or [garble]?
003:28:38 Aldrin (onboard): Wide.
003:28:40 Armstrong (onboard): Okay.
003:28:42 Aldrin (onboard): Hey, if you're through there, give me that Verb 64.
003:28:47 Collins (onboard): What? Okay.
003:28:48 Armstrong (onboard): I'm amazed how it just wanders around for a given setting; you notice that?
003:28:55 Collins (onboard): There - it sounds like we got it now. There's your Verb 64.
003:28:58 Armstrong (onboard): We got signal strength.
003:29:00 Collins (onboard): Okay. You have to really be on Manual for those things to be indicating correctly.
003:29:05 Armstrong (onboard): He was but...-
003:29:06 Collins (onboard): Okay.
003:29:07 Armstrong (onboard): ...this one was just kind of wandering around there - with no - -
003:29:13 Aldrin (onboard): As soon as I went down to High Gain, was when the signal strength came up.
003:29:16 Collins (onboard): Okay, [garble] man.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
003:29:20 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Radio check. Over.
003:29:24 Aldrin: [Very faint] Roger. Loud and clear.
003:29:26 McCandless: Roger. We're copying you about five-by-two, very weak. Can you give us a status report, please?
003:29:35 Armstrong: Roger. We are docked. We do have acquisition with the High Gain at this time, I think.
003:29:44 McCandless: Understand you are using the High Gain. Over.
003:29:48 Aldrin: That's affirmative.
003:29:51 McCandless: Roger. I read - I read you very loud and clear, Buzz. Mike's pretty weak.
003:30:00 Aldrin: Roger. We've got the High Gain locked on, now, I believe; Auto tracking now.
003:30:05 McCandless: Okay. You're coming in loud and clear, but Mike is just barely readable.
003:30:12 Collins: That was Neil. How are you reading Mike?
003:30:15 McCandless: Loud and clear now, Mike, and we understand that you are docked.
003:30:19 Collins: That's affirmative. [Pause]
003:30:24 Armstrong: Houston, CDR. How do you read [garble]?
003:30:28 McCandless: 11, CDR, loud and clear, Neil.
003:30:30 Armstrong: Okay.
Comm break.
This is Apollo Control. Apollo 11's velocity now 21,096 feet per second [6,430 m/s]. Distance from Earth, 6,649 nautical miles [12,314 km].
003:32:40 McCandless: 11, this is Houston. Over.
003:32:44 Aldrin: Houston, Apollo 11. Go ahead.
003:32:46 McCandless: Roger. When you commented on quad Bravo problem at separation, you were a little weak. Could you go through what you did after you noticed the talkback's barber pole again, please?
003:33:20 McCandless: We copied the - the primary and secondary propellant talkbacks on SM RCS quad Bravo 1 to barber pole on separation.
003:33:30 Aldrin: Roger. Roger. That is affirmative, and we moved that switch to the Open position and they went back to gray. Over.
003:33:39 McCandless: Roger.
Long comm break.
AS11-36-5317 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing northwestern part of the US, Canada and Greenland. Image by LPI
AS11-36-5318 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing eastern Canada and Greenland. Image by LPI
AS11-36-5319 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing northwestern part of the US, Canada and Greenland. Image by LPI
AS11-36-5320 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing northwestern part of the US, Canada and Greenland. Image by LPI
AS11-36-5321 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing northwestern part of the US, Canada and Greenland. Image by LPI
AS11-36-5322 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing northwestern part of the US, Canada and Greenland. Image by LPI
AS11-36-5323 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing northwestern part of the US, Canada and Greenland. Image by LPI
AS11-36-5324 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing the US, Canada and Greenland. Western Europe visible to the far right. Image by LPI
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
This is Apollo Control. We're 34 minutes away from extraction of the Lunar Module from its adapter in the third stage of the Saturn.
The crew has started pressurizing the LM.
003:37:51 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Over.
003:37:56 Aldrin: Roger, Houston. Apollo 11. Go ahead.
003:37:58 McCandless: Roger. Could you give us some comments on how the transposition and docking went? Over.
003:38:07 Collins: I thought it went pretty well, Houston, although I expect I used more gas than I've been using in the simulator. The turnaround maneuver - I went Pitch, Accel Command and started to pitch up, and then when I put the Manual Attitude, Pitch back to Rate Command, for some reason it - it stopped its pitch rate, and I had to go back to Accel Command and hit what I thought was an extra Proceed on the DSKY. Then, during the course of that, we drifted slightly further away from the S-IVB than I expected. I expected to be out about 66 feet. My guess would be I was around 100 or so; and therefore, I expect I used a bit more coming back in. But, except for using a little more gas - and I'd be interested in your numbers on that - everything went nominally.
003:38:53 McCandless: This is Houston. Roger. We copy.
Long comm break.
That was Mike Collins giving the description on the transposition and docking.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
003:43:45 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11. Over.
003:43:47 McCandless: Go ahead, 11.
003:43:50 Collins: Rog. We're working on the pressurization of the LM now, and working off the decal with CSM-LM pressure equalization. And we're down to step 13, where we're waiting for the cabin pressure to be 5, or it should be roughly 5 [psi, 34 kPa], before we turn the Repress package O2 valve to Fill. Instead of 5, we're running about 4.4. Over.
003:44:16 McCandless: Roger. Stand by a second. [Long pause.]
The LM cabin is currently a vacuum. Prior to launch, a valve in the LM's overhead hatch was deliberately left open so that its atmosphere would evacuate during the ascent to space. To save using its consumables, the LM cabin will be repressurised using air from the Command Module cabin. However, the pressure in the CM must be kept within an acceptable range, so before they open the valve that will let their air into the tunnel between the two spacecraft, and hence into the LM, the crew need to ensure there is plenty of air in the CM. A pressure of 4.4 psi [30.3 kPa] is on the low side.
003:44:55 Collins: And Houston, Apollo 11. We did put the Repress package O2 valve to Fill momentarily there at step 13, and we have filled the bottles back up partially. What's the pressure reading there now, Neil?
003:45:17 Collins: We have about 450 psi [3.1 MPa] now in the - in the three 1-pound bottles.
003:45:23 McCandless: Roger. Stand by a second, please.
003:45:25 Collins: Roger. Standing by. And the Repress package valve is now in the Off position. What's the cabin pressure now, Buzz? Cabin pressure's now 4.5. [Long pause.]
At 3 hours, 46 minutes, velocity is 18,917 feet per second [5,766 m/s]. Distance from Earth, 9,002 nautical miles [16,672 km].
003:47:49 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11. We think these readings are within normal tolerances. We just wanted to get your concurrence before we press down any further with these decals.
003:48:01 MCC Speaker: Okay, CapCom. [Long pause.]
003:48:28 Aldrin: Houston, Apollo 11. How do you read?
003:48:32 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Go ahead.
003:48:35 Aldrin: Rog. LM looks to be in pretty fine shape. About all we can see from here.
003:48:43 McCandless: Okay. In reference to your question on this step 13 on the decal, I understand that you have used up the contents of the Repress O2 package and at that time, instead of being up to 5 psi, you were reading 4.4. Is that correct?
003:49:07 Collins: Okay. 4.4. Yes sir.
003:49:11 McCandless: Okay. And you want to know if you can go ahead and use additional oxygen to bring the Command Module up to 5.0 and continue the equalization? Over.
003:49:20 Collins: Yes. We think it's within normal tolerances, Bruce. We just wanted to get your concurrence before we press on with this procedure.
003:49:33 McCandless: Roger, Apollo 11. Go ahead.
003:49:37 Collins: Okay. We're pressing on with the procedure.
The reason they are pressurising the LM at this point in the mission is to permit ejection from the S-IVB. In order to send the ejection command to the four support points where the LM is fixed to the S-IVB, two umbilicals within the tunnel must be connected. This requires opening the CM's forward hatch and going into the tunnel area, which must first be pressurised. But if the tunnel is pressurised, then so will the LM be pressurised owing to the open valves in the LM's overhead hatch.
003:49:40 McCandless: And 11, Houston. We have a request for you. On the Service Module secondary propellant fuel pressurization valve: as a precautionary measure, we'd like you to momentarily cycle the four switches to the Close position and then release. As you know, we have no TM or talkback on these valve positions, and it's conceivable that one of them might also have been moved into a different position by the shock of separation. Over.
003:50:11 Collins: Okay. Good idea. That's being done.
003:50:14 McCandless: Houston. Roger. Out.
003:50:29 McCandless: Apollo 11, Houston. We're doing a non-propulsive vent on the booster at the present time. You may see some sort of a cloud coming out of it. And when you're ready, I have your evasive maneuver PAD.
003:50:44 Armstrong: Rog, And it's coming out.
003:50:48 McCandless: Roger. Out.
003:50:50 Aldrin: It's a haze. It's going by toward our minus-X direction, and several small particles are moving along with it. The actual velocity is fairly high - at least it appears to be high. And we've got an O2 high [alarm] - flow high right now.
003:51:13 McCandless: Houston. Roger. Out.
Comm break.
If they are pressurising the LM from CM air, then perhaps the flow of oxygen from the supply tanks into the cabin is higher than normal leading to an alarm being triggered.
003:53:05 Armstrong: And Houston, you might be interested that out my left-hand window right now, I can observe the entire continent of North America, Alaska, over the Pole, down to the Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, northern part of South America, and then I run out of window.
003:53:27 McCandless: Roger, we copy.
Long comm break.
That was Neil Armstrong with that report.
It is at about this point that a crewman, probably Neil given that he has just mentioned the view, takes two photographs of Earth half obscured by the structure of the Lunar Module.
AS11-36-5325 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module showing the US and Canada on the left, Greenland at the top, Western Europe and North Africa on the far right. Image by LPI
The second of these images shows enough of Earth's globe that a measurement can be taken to determine the distance to Earth at that moment. The calculation yields a value of about 18,700 km or 10,100 nautical miles. This calculation is the reason the image has been placed at this point in the journal.
AS11-36-5326 - Partial view of Earth behind the Lunar Module, taken at a distance of about 18,700 km or 10,100 nautical miles. It shows the US and Canada on the left, Greenland at the top, Western Europe and North Africa on the far right. Image by LPI
Although this image of Earth is incomplete, there is enough of the globe to allow a measurement to be taken across from limb to limb. A little analysis, including a few assumptions, then permits us to make an approximate calculation of the spacecraft's altitude when the photo was taken. By checking another high resolution scan from this film (in this case, AS11-36-5306 on mag N, scanned by JSC), the full height of a scanned frame was found to be 4,169 pixels. This represents 55.5 millimetres, the actual height of an image to the edge of the gate as measured on a negative from my contemporary Hasselblad 500C camera. This camera is of the same type and from the same era as the camera that was used to take these images. From this, we can calculate that one scanned pixel represents 0.013313 millimetres or 13.313 microns. We can use this to measure the diameter of Earth's image on the film.
On frame 5326, the diameter of Earth's image was measured to be 3,059 pixels which implies that on the film itself, it was 40.72 mm across. On the assumption that the shot was taken using an 80-mm lens (as stated in the Apollo 11 photo catalogue), we can use an equation to determine the angle that Earth subtended to the camera. This is "angle = 2arctan(dimension/2 times focal length)". This works out at 28.56°. Since we know Earth's radius to be 6,371 km, basic trigonometry gives us a distance of about 25,000 km. However, that is the distance to the limb, not to the sub-spacecraft point on Earth. For that we deduct the planet's radius which yields approximately 18,700 km.
There are quite a few sources of error in this methodology. How accurate was my measurement of the camera's gate? The piece of film I used might have expanded or contracted when compared to when it was in my camera. Did the accuracy of the lens's geometry depend on where the image was? In other words, it is possible that the lens did not have a linear geometry. How accurately could the edge of Earth be defined on the scan? It was certainly a soft transition encompassing a few pixels and some sharpening was applied to give a better edge to measure against. Note also that the technique will yield more accurate answers when the photographs were taken near to Earth. Nevertheless, as the spacecraft continues its departure from Earth, this technique will give useful results and the calculation can be applied to all 49 images of Earth that show a measurable limb.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
003:57:12 Aldrin: Hay, Houston, Apollo 11. All 12 latches are locked.
003:57:16 McCandless: Roger. 11, this is Houston. Understand 12 latches locked.
Comm break.
That was Buzz Aldrin reporting that all 12 of the latches in the docking mechanism had locked.
003:59:03 McCandless: 11, Houston. Whenever you're possessed of a free moment there, we've got this Evasive Maneuver PAD.
003:59:12 Aldrin: Okay.
003:59:20 Aldrin: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 11 is ready to copy.
003:59:24 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Evasive Maneuver: SPS G&N; 63481, plus 0.95, minus 0.20; GETI 004:40:01.00; plus 0005.1, plus all balls, plus 0019.0; roll is your option; pitch, 213, 357; Noun 44 is NA; Delta-VT is 0019.7, 0:03, 0015.2. The rest of the PAD is NA. No ullage. LM weight, 33290. Readback. Over.
Flight Plan, page 3-5.
004:01:23 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Standing by for your readback. Over. [No answer.]
004:02:06 McCandless: 11, Houston. Do you read? Over. [No answer.]
004:02:25 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Do you read? Over.
004:02:31 Aldrin: All of a sudden there, we had a little click, and the signal strength began to start dropping off. Your transmissions were cut off very abruptly. How do you read now?
004:02:42 McCandless: Roger. Loud and clear. We had a handover to Madrid about the time I was - I guess halfway through the PAD. If you could give me the last value you read, I'll pick up there. Over.
004:02:52 Aldrin: Okay. Start with Delta-VZ. Over.
004:02:56 McCandless: Roger. Delta-VZ is plus 0019.0; roll, your option; pitch, 213, 357; and Noun 44 is NA. Delta-VT 0019.7, 0:03, 0015.2. The rest of the PAD is NA, and no ullage. LM weight 33290. Read back. Over.
004:03:41 Aldrin: Roger, Houston. Evasive Maneuver, SPS G&N; 63481, plus 0.95, minus 0.20; 004:40:01.00; plus 0005.1, plus all zeros, plus 0019.0; roll, crew option, 213, 357; NA; 0019.7, 0:03, 0015.2; no ullage; LM weight, 33290. Over.
004:04:27 McCandless: 11, this is Houston. Readback correct. Out.
Long comm break.
The PAD for this evasive manoeuvre is interpreted as follows: Other items in the PAD form are not applicable, given the short duration of this burn. These mostly relate to attitude checks and re-entry. Two other notes are included with the PAD. Firstly, the SPS propellant tanks are full, so there is no need to perform an ullage burn to settle their contents. Also, the weight of the LM is given as 33,290 pounds (15,100 kg).
This is Apollo Control at 4 hours, 4 minutes. Apollo 11's velocity now is 17,014 feet per second [5,186 m/s]. Its distance from Earth, 11,753 nautical miles [21,767 km]. We're about 5 minutes away from ejection of the Lunar Module and about 35 minutes away from this evasive maneuver. The ignition time on the evasive maneuver: an elapsed time of 4 hours, 40 minutes, 1 second. It will be a Service Propulsion System burn of 3 seconds duration. Delta-V 19.7 feet per second [6 m/s].
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
004:13:33 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11.
004:13:36 McCandless: Go ahead, 11.
004:13:37 Collins: We'd like to arm our logic switches.
004:13:42 McCandless: Go ahead with the logic.
004:13:45 Collins: Okay. Mark logic 1 and 2 armed. [Long pause.]
004:13:59 McCandless: Roger. We show the logic arm, and you're Go for Pyro arm.
Comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
004:16:38 Armstrong: Houston, we're ready for LM ejection.
004:16:45 McCandless: Roger. You're Go for LM ejection.
004:16:48 Armstrong: Thank you. [Long pause.]
The Apollo 11 Mission Report gives the time of Lunar Module Ejection as 004:16:59.1.
004:17:13 Armstrong: Houston, we are Sep[arat]ed. We have a Cryo Press light.
004:17:18 McCandless: Roger. Copy. Cryo Press light.
004:17:46 McCandless: Roger, 11. We recommend you turn the O2 fans on manually and ensure that the O2 heaters are in the Automatic position.
004:17:57 Armstrong: Roger. O2 heaters are On, and we're going to cycle the O2 fans now.
004:18:02 McCandless: Roger. O2 heaters to Auto, or you can watch them in the On position, and O2 fans manual On.
Very long comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
004:28:16 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Over.
004:28:21 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11.
004:28:23 McCandless: Roger. In reference to your question on RCS usage; it looks like you are about 18, maybe 20 pounds below nominal at the present time. No problem at all. Over.
004:28:35 Collins: Right. [Long pause.]
004:28:45 Collins: I wanted to be 18 or 20 pounds above nominal, babe.
004:28:49 McCandless: Sorry about that.
Long comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
This is Apollo Control at 4 hours, 34 minutes. Apollo 11's velocity is 14,972 feet per second [4,563 m/s]. Its distance from Earth is 15,895 nautical miles [29,438 km]. Spacecraft weight: 96,760.9 pounds [43,890 kg]. We're about 5 minutes away from the evasive maneuver that will ensure there will be no problems of re-contact between the spacecraft and the S-IVB stage of the launch vehicle.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
004:37:40 McCandless: 11, Houston. Your systems are looking good. We're standing by for the burn.
Comm break.
The duration of this burn will be 3 seconds. Delta-V, 19.7 feet per second [6 m/s].
Flight Plan, page 3-4a.
Ignition, shutdown.
The Apollo 11 Mission Report gives the time of the separation manoeuvre from the S-IVB's as 004:40:01.8.
004:40:42 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11. Could you confirm that pitch gimbal motor number 1 turned off? We just shut all four off, and we got a questionable indication on the ECS on pitch 1.
004:41:01 McCandless: Roger. Stand by a second. [Long pause.]
004:41:22 Collins: [Faint] Houston, did you copy our residuals?
004:41:24 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Stand by, please.
004:41:33 Collins: Go ahead, Houston. You copy our residuals?
004:41:37 McCandless: Roger. We got 0.0 and 0.2, it looks like.
004:41:42 Armstrong: We had 0.1 while ago. It's - just went to 0.2.
004:41:46 McCandless: (Laughing) Okay.
004:41:47 Collins: That EMS Delta-V counter is minus 4.0.
004:41:51 McCandless: Minus 4.0. Roger.
004:41:54 Collins: And how about pitch gimbal 1? Can you confirm that Off?
004:41:57 McCandless: Can you stand by just a second on that? At the present time we cannot confirm it Off. We saw a current drop indicating that several gimbal motors had gone off. We'll be back with you in just a second on it. Over.
004:42:10 Collins: Okay. If necessary, we can recycle it.
Comm break.
004:43:47 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. If you go ahead and cycle pitch gimbal motor number 1 On and then Off and give us a Mark, and we'll tell you what we see. Over.
004:43:54 Collins: Okay, fine. It's coming back on. Ready.
004:44:01 Collins: Mark.
004:44:04 Collins: And it's going back off. Ready.
004:44:06 Collins: Mark.
004:44:07 Collins: And that time we got an onboard indication, Houston. Thank you a lot.
004:44:12 McCandless: Roger. We confirm that it is Off.
004:44:16 Collins: Yeah. We do likewise.
Comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
This is Apollo Control at 4 hours, 44 minutes. A news conference at Kennedy Space Center is about to begin. We will take down the live circuits and tape air to ground during this news conference, play it back after the conference. This is Mission Control, Houston.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
004:45:33 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11. We're starting our maneuver to observe the S-IVB slingshot.
004:45:39 McCandless: Roger, 11. We've got an updated attitude for you on the slingshot observation.
004:45:45 Collins: Okay. Say the angles please.
004:45:48 McCandless: Roger. Roll 002.5, pitch 289.3, yaw 357.5, and there's also an update, minor correction, to your attitude for the P52. Over.
004:46:15 Collins: Roger. I have roll 2.5, pitch 289.3, and yaw 357.5. Over.
Remembering that the Moon is moving around Earth at about 1 kilometre per second, Apollo 11's trajectory is designed to pass its leading hemisphere. Doing so will take energy out of the spacecraft's trajectory because the lunar gravity is acting in a retrograde fashion. In this special case, this will cause it to loop right around the far side of the Moon and return to the vicinity of Earth. The S-IVB on the other hand will be slowed down in its coast so that it reaches the Moon later than the spacecraft. Specifically it will pass the trailing hemisphere. In a sense, the Moon will be ahead of it in their orbits around Earth and the lunar gravity will pull on the stage. In effect, energy will be added to the S-IVB's orbit with the result that it will be thrown out of the Earth/Moon system altogether and end up in orbit around the Sun, where it remains to this day.
004:46:23 McCandless: Roger. And for your P52 and optics calibration, it'll be roll 346.5, pitch 345.0, yaw 007.8. Over.
004:46:44 Collins: Roger. 346.5, 345.0, and 7.8. Thank you.
004:46:49 McCandless: Houston. Roger. Out.
Comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
004:49:33 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Over.
004:49:36 Aldrin: Roger. Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 11.
004:49:38 McCandless: Roger. We're going to go ahead and enable the S-IVB for the slingshot maneuver. The LOX dump will start about 12 minutes from now. Over.
004:49:49 Aldrin: Okay, LOX dump about - I guess that'll make it about [GET 5 hours and] 01, huh?
004:49:57 McCandless: Right. I'll try to give you a little closer update as we approach it.
004:50:01 Aldrin: Alrighty. [Long pause.]
004:50:53 McCandless: And, 11, for you information, the magnitude of Midcourse Correction number 1, if we burn, looks like about 17 feet per second [5.2 m/s]. We're presently considering not burning it. This would make midcourse correction 2 tomorrow about 21.3 [fps, 6.5 m/s]. Over.
004:51:18 Armstrong: That sounds good to us.
004:51:19 McCandless: Roger. You're looking good down here. [Long pause.]
004:52:19 Armstrong: Well, we didn't have much time, Houston, to talk to you about our views out the window when we were preparing for LM ejection; but up to that time, we had the entire northern part of the lighted hemisphere visible including North America, the North Atlantic and Europe and Northern Africa. We could see that the weather was good all - just about everywhere. There was one cyclonic depression in Northern Canada, in the Athabaska - probably east of Athabaska area. Greenland was clear, and it appeared to be we were seeing just the icecap in Greenland. All North Atlantic was pretty good; and Europe and Northern Africa seemed to be clear. Most of the United States was clear. There was a low - looked like a front stretching from the center of the country up across north of the Great Lakes and into Newfoundland.
004:53:24 McCandless: Uh, roger. We copy.
004:53:28 Collins: I didn't know what I was looking at, but I sure did like it.
004:53:31 McCandless: Okay. I guess the view must be pretty good from up there. We show you just roughly somewhere around 19,000 miles [35,000 km] out now.
004:53:43 Aldrin: I didn't have much outside my window.
004:53:49 McCandless: We'll get you into the PTC one of these days, and you take turns looking.
Long comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
004:57:35 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11. We're - We've completed our maneuver to observe the slingshot attitude, but we don't see anything - no Earth and no S-IVB.
004:57:48 McCandless: Roger. Stand by. In GET, I have a LOX dump start time for you. It's supposed to start at 5 plus 03 plus 07, and stop at 5 plus 04 plus 55. Ullage burn starts at 5 plus 37 plus 47, stops at 5 plus 42 plus 27. Over.
004:58:26 Collins: Roger, thank you.
Comm break.
Flight Plan, page 3-6.
005:00:48 McCandless: 11, Houston.
005:00:51 Collins: Go ahead, Houston.
005:00:53 McCandless: Roger. We now recommend the following attitude: roll 307.0, pitch 354.0, yaw 019.5. And the LOX dump has already been enabled, so we can't hold it off any longer.
005:01:14 Collins: That's okay. Go ahead. We'll maneuver around to 307, 354, and 19 and a half. Thank you sir.
005:01:21 Collins: Roger. [Long pause.]
005:01:42 McCandless: 11, Houston. It doesn't look to us like you'll be able to make it around to this observation attitude in 2 minutes. We recommend that you save the fuel. Over.
005:01:54 Collins: Okay, Houston. We've - you got to us just a little late. Our maneuver's already begun, so it's going to cost us about the same amount of fuel to stop it, no matter where we stop it, and we may as well keep going.
005:02:04 McCandless: Roger. Go ahead.
Comm break.
005:03:19 McCandless: 11, Houston. LOX dump initiated.
Comm break.
005:05:06 McCandless: 11, Houston. LOX dump has been terminated. Over.
005:05:10 Collins: Roger.
005:05:13 Aldrin: Rog. We still don't have it in sight.
005:05:18 McCandless: Roger. Out.
Long comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
This is Apollo Control at 5 hours, 11 minutes into the mission. The S-IVB slingshot maneuver was completed about 5 minutes ago. Designed to put the third stage of the launch vehicle into a trajectory that will take it behind the trailing edge of the Moon and then into a solar orbit. The crew did not witness this maneuver. The Command Module was not in the proper attitude where they could see the S-IVB at the time. We've advised the crew that we do not believe that we'll do the first midcourse correction. That we'll wait for midcourse correction 2 tomorrow and expect a Delta-V to be performed in that maneuver of about 21.3 feet per second [6.5 m/s]. We've also had some other brief transmissions including, eh, comments from Neil Armstrong on the view out the window, and a weather report on the part of the world he can see. We have the tape of these transmissions that have occurred during the news conference at the Cape. We'll play that for you now and catch up live.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
005:12:58 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Over.
005:13:03 Collins: Go ahead.
005:13:05 McCandless: Roger. If you'll give us Accept and stay in P00, we'll set your trunnion bias to zero. And, I have a plan for balancing your oxygen cryos. Over.
005:13:19 Collins: You got it.
005:13:21 McCandless: Roger. [Pause.]
005:13:26 Aldrin: Houston, Apollo 11. We've got the, uh, what appears to be the S-IVB in sight, at, oh, I'd estimate a couple of miles away. It's at our number 5 window and the dump appears to be coming out of two radially opposite directions from the S-IVB.
005:13:51 McCandless: Roger. They're continuing with the non-propulsive vent from the liquid oxygen tank. It would be radially opposite, there. And Booster tells me it's the continuous vent system. They're also dumping a small amount of fuel at this time. We've got about 23½ minutes or so until the APS burn. Over.
005:14:25 Aldrin: Roger. [Long pause.]
APS is the Auxiliary Propulsion System of the S-IVB, two independent, self-contained packages of tanks and thrusters at the base of the stage which handle its attitude control during coasting flight.
005:14:46 McCandless: 11, Houston. We have a recommended configuration for your Cryo switches to even up the load between oxygen tanks 1 and 2. Over.
005:14:55 SC: [Faint]
005:14:59 McCandless: Okay. You're coming in very weakly there. We're recommending O2 tank 1 heater Off, O2 tank 2 heater to Auto, O2 tanks 1 and 2 fans both Off, H1 - H2 tank 1 heaters to Auto, and H2 tank 2 heaters to Off. Over.
005:15:33 Aldrin: Rog. We have that except the last one was H2 fans to Off. Is that affirm? [Long pause.]
005:15:46 MCC speaker: H2...
005:15:49 Armstrong: We have - the configuration we have now is, Hydrogen heaters: we got 1 Auto, 2 Off. Oxygen heaters; 1 Off, 2 Auto. And we have all the fans Off.
005:16:02 McCandless: This is Houston. Roger. We concur. Out. [Pause.]
005:16:13 McCandless: Eleven, this is Houston. We've completed the trunnion zero bias setting. You can retrieve the computer and go to Block.
005:16:23 Collins: Roger that. Thank you.
Comm break.
005:19:21 McCandless: Eleven, this is Houston. With this maneuvering to observe the slingshot, I guess we missed copying your LM/CM Delta-P reading. Over.
005:19:33 Collins: Stand by. We'll give you a reading.
005:19:35 McCandless: Roger. [Long pause.]
005:19:47 Collins: Right now, reading 0.2, Bruce.
005:19:49 McCandless: Roger. 0.2. [Pause.]
005:20:00 McCandless: Okay, Mike. And could you verify that your waste compartment valve is in Vent, there?
005:20:12 Collins: Roger. Waste compartment valve has been in Vent for, oh, I guess, 45 minutes or so.
005:20:17 McCandless: Roger. We copy. [Long pause.]
005:20:31 Collins: If we're late in answering you, it's because we're munching sandwiches.
005:20:36 McCandless: Roger. I wish I could do the same here.
005:20:40 Collins: Ah, don't leave the console!
005:20:42 McCandless: Don't worry, I won't.
005:20:47 Collins: Flight doesn't like it. [Pause.]
005:20:54 Collins: How is Flight today?
005:20:58 McCandless: Oh, he's doing quite well.
Comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
This is Apollo Control at 5 hours, 22 minutes. We're back live now. The Delta-P you heard discussed is the difference in pressure between the LM and the Command Module cabin pressure. Apollo 11 coming up on 22,000 [nautical] miles [41,000 km] distance from the Earth now. Velocity, 12,914 feet per second [3,936 m/s].
005:23:41 Armstrong: Houston, 11.
005:23:44 McCandless: Go ahead, 11.
005:23:48 Armstrong: Down in the Control Center you might want to join us in wishing Dr. George Mueller a happy birthday.
005:23:55 McCandless: Roger. We're standing by for your birthday greeting. [Pause.]
005:24:05 Armstrong: I think today is also the birthday of California, and I believe they are 200 years old, and we send them a happy birthday. And I think it's Dr. Mueller's birthday also, and don't think he's that old. [Pause.]
005:24:25 McCandless: Roger. We copy. I'm looking back in the viewing room right now. I don't see him back there.
005:24:33 Armstrong: He may not be back from the Cape yet. [Pause.]
005:24:43 McCandless: Roger. I believe Dr. Mueller is on his way back from the Cape. We'll relay his greetings for you.
005:24:49 Armstrong: Thank you.
Long comm break.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
005:28:18 McCandless: Eleven, this is Houston. Over.
005:28:22 Aldrin: Go ahead, Houston.
005:28:24 McCandless: Roger. At your convenience, we'd like to get a waste-water dump to 5 per cent remaining. After completion of this one, the next waste-water dump will be at about GET equal to 25 hours. Over.
005:28:42 Armstrong: Coming on right now.
005:28:44 McCandless: Roger.
Long comm break.
This is Apollo Control at 5 hours, 31 minutes into the mission. Apollo 11's velocity now 12,637 feet per second [3,852 m/s]. Distance from Earth, 22,971 [nautical] miles [42,542 km]. The spacecraft weight, 96,573 pounds [43,805 kg].
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
005:35:27 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11. You copy our torquing angles?
005:35:31 McCandless: Roger. Leave them on there for another second, please.
005:35:34 Collins: Will do. [Long pause.]
Mike has just completed the star sightings for their second realignment of the guidance platform, an operation which he carried out using P52 on the computer. For this, he sighted on star 17 (Regor, Gamma Velorum) and star 34 (Atria, Alpha Trianguli Australis). These sightings indicated that across about 5 hours, the platform had drifted -0.172° in X, -0.05° in Y and 0.06° in Z. The computer gave a star-angle difference value of 0.02°. This is a comparison of the real angle between these two stars, and the measured angle. This value is acceptable.
In the normal course of events, these values are left on the DSKY long enough for the engineers to copy them down from their telemetered copy of the display. However, in this instance, it is felt that the value for X is larger than expected (-0.172° versus +0.018°). Therefore Mission Control will get Mike to perform the P52 once more to check that an error in sighting hasn't crept in.
005:36:22 McCandless: 11, this is Houston. We copy the angles, but stand by before you go ahead and use them. Over.
005:36:29 Collins: Standing by.
005:36:33 McCandless: 11, Houston. We request that you re-do P52, and if the angles come out the same magnitude, go ahead and incorporate them. Over.
005:36:42 Collins: Okay. We'll do it.
005:36:44 McCandless: They look a little large right now.
005:36:47 Collins: Yeah. Roll - roll looks a little large, especially, there.
005:36:50 McCandless: Roger. [Long pause.]
005:37:31 McCandless: We're showing a waste-water quantity of about 13 percent on TM now, 11. Over.
TM is shorthand for telemetry; two syllables instead of four.
005:37:43 Collins: Roger. It's off, now.
005:37:45 McCandless: Roger. We copy.
Comm break.
005:39:32 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11. Torquing angles essentially the same, and we're going to go ahead and torque them now.
005:39:41 McCandless: Roger. We concur.
005:39:43 Collins: Okay.
Comm break.
Mike's second attempt at a P52 using the same stars, has yielded -0.171° in X, -0.052° in Y and 0.055° in Z. The star-angle difference value is unchanged at 0.02°. Since these values are very similar to the last, Mike will go ahead and torque the gimbals that support the platform to achieve realignment.
005:41:35 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Could you give us a - an Auto optics check to a third star or a different star from the one you've been using?
005:41:45 Collins: Sure, be glad to. I can go back and do the whole thing and pick different stars.
005:41:52 McCandless: I don't think there any - any need to do that. We'd just like to confirm it with a different star, since that roll angle was a little larger than we expected.
005:42:03 Collins: Okay.
Comm break.
005:43:25 McCandless: Apollo 11, Houston. I have a TLI-plus-11-hour PAD when you're ready to copy.
005:43:33 Aldrin: Wait one. [Long pause.]
005:44:17 Collins: Old star number 30 looks like it's right dab smack in the middle of the sextant.
005:44:24 McCandless: Houston. Roger. Out.
Comm break.
005:45:27 Aldrin: Apollo 11, ready to copy.
005:45:33 McCandless: Roger, 11. This is a TLI plus 11 hour P37 format: 013:44, 4793, minus 165, 049:23. Read back. Over.
005:45:57 Aldrin: Roger. 1344 4793, minus 165, 049:23. Over.
005:46:07 McCandless: This is Houston. Readback correct. Out.
Very long comm break.
This data is intended for an abort that would be burned eleven hours after TLI based on a set of parameters. The parameters are: This type of abort uses P37 which takes these parameters and uses them as the constraints when calculating a suitable engine burn for the return to Earth.
Download MP3 audio file. PAO loop. Clip courtesy John Stoll, ACR Senior Technician at NASA Johnson.
This is Apollo Control at 5 hours, 55 minutes. Apollo 11's velocity, 11,970 feet per second [3,648 m/s]. Distance from Earth, 25,671 nautical miles [47,543 km].
005:58:35 Collins: Houston, Apollo 11.
005:58:38 McCandless: Go ahead, 11.
005:58:40 Collins: Roger. Do you have any update for the roll, pitch and yaw angles on the top of page 37 in the Flight Plan, or are they still good?
005:58:48 McCandless: That's for the optics calibration?
005:58:51 Collins: Yes, sir.
005:58:53 McCandless: Yes, indeed. I'll give them to you in just a second here. [Long pause.]
005:59:18 McCandless: Roger, 11. For the optics calibration, I've got 346.5 for roll, 345.0 for pitch, and 007.8 for yaw. The pen-and-ink attitude corrections in your book for P23 are good. Over. [Pause.]
005:59:50 Collins: Okay. Thank you.
005:59:55 McCandless: And we're going to hand over to Hawaii in about 5 or 6 seconds, here. We'll have a momentary Comm dropout.
Flight Plan, page 3-7.
006:00:02 Collins: Roger.
Long comm break.
Having successfully removed the Lunar Module from the Saturn S-IVB, Apollo 11 moves away from the spent rocket stage. The stage's APS engines have been fired one final time to put it safely out of the way, on a trajectory towards solar orbit. The White Team, overseen by Flight Director Eugene Kranz, is about to take over the flight control role at Houston from the Green Team, headed by Flight Director Clifford Charlesworth, who have handled the mission to this point.
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