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Day 4, part 5: Lunar Orbit Insertion and First Impressions Journal Home Page Day 4, part 7: Orbiting the Moon

Apollo 14

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Day 4, part 6: Descent Orbit Insertion


Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 2020-2023 by W. David Woods, Ben Feist, Ronald Hansen and Johannes Kemppanen. All rights reserved.
Last updated 2023-09-10
A successful SPS burn has turned Apollo 14 into a manned satellite of the Moon. Al Shepard, Stu Roosa and Ed Mitchell have filled the radio waves with their appropriately awed reactions to viewing the Moon up close while speeding around it. Another burn will soon be performed to adjust their orbit into one that will facilitate the lunar landing the upcoming day.
Editor's note: All transcript times are presented according to the GET update at 054:53:36 that saw the mission timer moved forward 40 minutes, 2.90 seconds.
This is Apollo Control at 84 hours, 21 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. We've had Loss of Signal as Apollo 14 coasted around behind the Moon on this first lunar revolution. There will be LOS for about 47 minutes. We presently showing orbit measuring 58.5 nautical miles [108.3 km] pericynthion by 168.8 nautical miles [312.6 km] apocynthion. And within about 15 minutes the change of shift briefing with Gold Team Flight Director Gerry Griffin, in the Houston News Center. Meanwhile, the Orange team with Pete Frank in charge is taken over in the control center here. At 84 hours 22 minutes Ground Elapsed Time, this is Apollo Control.
084:21:05 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
084:21:19 Mitchell (onboard): Man, that was a sharp dropoff.
084:21:27 Roosa (onboard): About TEI [Garble.]
084:21:41 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. I have Record, Forward, Low RIT BATE - Low Bit Rate, and Command Reset.
For the time they are beyond communications range, the DSE records their systems data on the tape, for review once they are back over the near side of the Moon.
084:21:49 Roosa (onboard): Did they start the tape, or did you have to?
084:21:51 Mitchell (onboard): We started it.
The DSE tape recorder is usually operated remotely from Mission Control using what are called real-time commands. Radio signals can be sent onboard to operate only two pieces of equipment - the DSE and the Master Alarm, which can be remotely triggered to rouse the crew.
084:21:55 Roosa (onboard): I'm supposed to do that. [Garble.]
084:22:05 Roosa (onboard): That's a [Garble.]
084:22:26 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
084:22:35 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. I've got it right here.
Command module communication configuration for lunar orbital operations.
084:23:06 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. And we're lunar orbit [Garble] Use normal lunar configuration. Here we go. Prim; Prim; High; Voice; PCM; Ranging; Downvoice Backup, Tape, Off; Data, Normal. VHF, off, off; VHF, Receive Only, Off; VHF Ranging, Off; PCM/Analog; Record; Forward; Normal; Normal; Low; Off; Power [Garble.]
The Command Module telecommunications system is highly complex, and requires them to operate and verify no less than 26 switches to select the functions they require for the moment.
084:24:37 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
084:24:47 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. It looks very good to me.
084:24:55 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] normal lunar configuration.
084:24:57 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. I set normal lunar configuration. Purge Line Heaters, on.
084:25:03 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
084:25:05 Mitchell (onboard): 31?
084:25:06 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] 32 [Garble.]
084:25:14 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
084:25:15 Shepard (onboard): Okay. [Garble] purge [Garble] and we got [Garble.]
084:25:40 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. And what angles do I have? [Garble] on Omni C?
084:25:53 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. If anybody wants to use the Myrtle, we ought to use it before we get a ...
084:25:59 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
084:26:01 Mitchell (onboard): ... before the [Garble] and we need to make this waste water dump on the backside. [Garble.]
084:26:25 Mitchell (onboard): I'd like (cough) - Let's see what our waste water tank shows. We've got 60 percent. Man, that's [Garble.]
084:26:38 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
084:26:41 Roosa (onboard): Well, I'm not going to do the sightings until just before the terminator - on the other side. We got the whole frontside pass, and we do want the - they wouldn't want any dump - dumping across the frontside, I don't think [Garble.]
Fluids expelled from the spacecraft can create false stars that impede the crew's ability to identify real stars through their optics. The expulsions also generate a small amount of thrust, which can affect their trajectory.
084:26:52 Mitchell (onboard): No. No. Definitely not.
084:27:10 Mitchell (onboard): Well, they should keep their schedule on the backside, too.
084:27:35 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
084:27:54 Roosa (onboard): No - No, I - I'm making a fast pass on the garbage can, but a little high in trajectory.
084:29:25 Mitchell (onboard): We [Garble] the pass [Garble] the backside pass after this one.
084:29:34 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
084:29:42 Shepard (onboard): Okay. [Garble.]
084:29:57 Roosa (onboard): No, what this is, is - we'll maneuver - we won't - Yes. We won't be torquing the vehicle to waste gas. This will just be a look at our landmark for a similar-type approach for tracking after Sep tomorrow, for the landing, and from the low altitude. Give me a hack at acquisition time. Even though on the actual tracking, you torque your spacecraft at 2 degrees per second. [Garble] will become a problem. Okay. Here's the Hycon for the top - topo.
084:30:42 Shepard (onboard): Right on Descartes.
084:30:53 Shepard (onboard): If you leave it up [Garble] Descartes again, huh? Wait a minute.
084:30:59 Roosa (onboard): No. You go to sleep after that one.
084:31:02 Shepard (onboard): How are you supposed to configure the camera here? Okay. Your trigger's here and you actually photograph it there. And - [Garble] eat and go to sleep. You [Garble.]
084:31:35 Mitchell (onboard): Yes. That's [Garble] while we're waiting.
084:31:41 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
084:31:44 Mitchell (onboard): I just want to see the [Garble.]
084:31:46 Shepard (onboard): Yes [Garble.]
084:31:47 Roosa (onboard): About 100 hours, we wake up. Somewhere in that time frame.
084:31:51 Mitchell (onboard): See what Stu's doing. See what kind of conflict we're really going to have in - getting dressed and that sort of thing.
084:31:57 Shepard (onboard): We actually - rest period officially ends at 99:30. The eat period - [Garble] 20 [Garble.]
084:32:27 Mitchell (onboard): Just a minute.
084:32:30 Shepard (onboard): That was a bit vague at that point.
084:32:32 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
084:32:45 Shepard (onboard): And we got the LM transmitter lights [Garble] out.
084:33:02 Shepard (onboard): P00 update. And - right here might give you some trouble. [Garble] power [Garble.]
084:33:16 Mitchell (onboard): Roger. Getting into [Garble] now. Tried to look for -
084:33:36 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Let's see.
084:33:50 Shepard (onboard): 101:50 [Garble] in the LM.
084:33:56 Mitchell (onboard): Time we start activation, huh? 101:50. That's 16 hours from now. Not very long.
084:34:28 Shepard (onboard): Yaw is [Garble] ...
084:34:29 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble.]
084:34:30 Shepard (onboard): Pitch - pitch is supposed to be out, and yaw is supposed to be in. [Garble] start [Garble] Get those babies all hooked up. [Garble.]
084:35:05 Mitchell (onboard): Al, what you looking for? Okay. They're all - all of those are in the flight data bag. These are on the suits.
084:35:22 Shepard (onboard): Yes. We can't talk it over now, because we're going to have get [Garble.]
084:35:25 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. Everything's off.
084:35:28 Roosa (onboard): [Garble] Okay. CMC, Free and then Auto on the Verb 48. You got the purge line heaters on?
084:35:41 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
084:35:45 Shepard (onboard): Okay, CMC, Free - that's Auto.
084:35:53 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble] and I got 15 minutes.
084:35:56 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] 3, Verb 4 [Garble] ...
084:35:57 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble] Myrtle here.
084:36:02 Shepard (onboard): We still want to do a B/D roll, won't we?
084:36:05 Roosa (onboard): Yes, might as well.
084:36:07 Shepard (onboard): I'm going to load 2110. Okay?
084:36:14 Roosa (onboard): Before you - Hold it just a second before you Enter. Let me do that one more time, just to make sure we didn't get out of - Okay. Now enter it. Okay.
084:36:27 Shepard (onboard): What did you do that for?
084:36:29 Roosa (onboard): Well, see, we're in a 5-degree deadband.
084:36:30 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
084:36:32 Roosa (onboard): If you change that - if you change that to a narrow deadband, it will immediately fire and bring you over to the center of that 5-degree deadband. What cycling this to Free and Auto does is - it centers the deadband.
084:36:44 Shepard (onboard): I already did it once before I called up the 43 [Garble] ...
084:36:46 Roosa (onboard): Well, I was noticing the roll - the drift up. See, you're going to a - a half a degree deadband ...
084:36:51 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] drifted off.
084:36:53 Roosa (onboard): ... so, anything - more than a half a degree will cause a jet to fire.
084:36:56 Shepard (onboard): Yes, okay. It was off half a degree?
084:36:59 Roosa (onboard): Well, you know, what - what's a half a degree. It was off a little bit.
084:37:03 Shepard (onboard): The att - it was actually rolling apparently.
084:37:07 Roosa (onboard): Yes, we're - you know, we're - we were drifting in a 5-degree deadband. It's just that I'm real - See, we just had a firing there. Yes, after we sat there and talked about it. It's - it's the Pro on that 21101. Son of a gun. See, we just wasted some gas. We were talking about it.
084:37:36 Shepard (onboard): We were talking [Garble] ?
084:37:39 Roosa (onboard): Yes. But see, if you're moving, you've established it at that point. But then, if you're drifting along - and I should have remembered that, as many times as I've [Garble] watched that. Anyway, you Enter; and then when you Pro on - on the 21101, what you're doing is, you're shrinking your phase plane now to a half a degree deadband. But you don't change the center.
084:38:09 Shepard (onboard): You change your center by going to Free ...
084:38:10 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
084:38:11 Shepard (onboard): ... and back to Auto.
084:38:14 Roosa (onboard): See, we had already drifted out, because we got the firing.
084:38:16 Shepard (onboard): Yes. Okay. Well, we should have ...
084:38:18 Roosa (onboard): Just before we PROed ...
084:38:19 Shepard (onboard): Just before you PROed ...
084:38:20 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
084:38:21 Shepard (onboard): ... not - not just before you Enter.
084:38:23 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
084:38:24 Shepard (onboard): You had the right idea, but you did it the wrong way.
084:38:26 Roosa (onboard): Yes. Kind of.
084:38:29 Shepard (onboard): Okay. We're supposed to start the landmark tracking [Garble] here.
084:38:41 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
084:38:42 Shepard (onboard): You can do that now [Garble.]
084:38:44 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
084:38:52 Shepard (onboard): Plus zero. [Garble] if we load it that way?
084:38:57 Roosa (onboard): Yes, it should. Let's try it.
084:39:12 Shepard (onboard): How about that.
084:39:17 Roosa (onboard): Okay, we're CMC: Auto.
084:39:19 Mitchell (onboard): Do you want to use Myrtle, Al?
084:39:21 Shepard (onboard): Yes; Just a second, Ed.
084:39:24 Roosa (onboard): Ready to go?
084:39:30 Shepard (onboard): Yes, I'll - I'll flush the water, Ed. I'11 be right down there.
084:39:34 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
084:39:40 Shepard (onboard): And you can start the hydrogen and oxygen purge at 5 0. That's 10 minutes.
084:39:47 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
084:39:49 Shepard (onboard): And the waste water dump.
084:39:55 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. Get [Garble] going.
084:39:57 Shepard (onboard): Do you want to use Myrtle, also?
084:40:00 Roosa (onboard): While it's in here, thank you. I don't really need - no, I don't really need - no, I don't need to. It's going to be awhile before I really get a chance to again. No, I talked myself out of it.
084:40:11 Shepard (onboard): Okay (laughter).
084:40:13 Roosa (onboard): You know, it wouldn't hurt us to get that waste water dump started.
084:40:16 Mitchell (onboard): Yes. [Garble] do it in a minute.
084:40:18 Roosa (onboard): [Garble.]
084:40:19 Shepard (onboard): Yes. I think [Garble] be sure it's all out of the way, so it doesn't screw up your -
084:40:23 Roosa (onboard): Did you turn the heaters on any earlier, or did you turn them on right at 30?
084:40:27 Mitchell (onboard): What, the hydrogen?
084:40:29 Roosa (onboard): No - yes.
084:40:31 Mitchell (onboard): No ...
084:40:32 Shepard (onboard): Turned them on 3 minutes early.
084:40:33 Roosa (onboard): Okay. So we'll wait on that. But...
084:40:49 Mitchell (onboard): This damn thing is [Garble.]
084:42:08 Roosa (onboard): Isn't that something? We - we got so shocked by looking up and seeing the Moon in the window, we didn't do a Verb 82 (laughter).
Verb 82 retreives the parameters of their orbit.
084:42:17 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble] have any doubts?
084:42:19 Roosa (onboard): No, not after a residual like that.
084:42:24 Shepard (onboard): No, everything was as advertised all the way down.
084:42:39 Shepard (onboard): As advertised all the way down. Okay [Garble.]
084:42:51 Roosa (onboard): No. Yes, my answer is no. Okay, what time is it? 42? Hell, let's get that water dump going. You ready, Ed?
084:43:01 Mitchell (onboard): Yes, I'm ready.
084:43:04 Roosa (onboard): You ready for the valves?
084:43:06 Mitchell (onboard): Let her rip.
084:43:22 Roosa (onboard): Okay. You want Dump A?
084:43:25 Mitchell (onboard): Let me have it.
084:43:27 Roosa (onboard): Okay. Ready, go. Cross off A.
084:43:35 Mitchell (onboard): And there's Sun up.
084:43:45 Roosa (onboard): When is AOS this Rev? Did they give us a map ...
084:43:49 Mitchell (onboard): They didn't. They ...
084:43:50 Roosa (onboard): I guess they ran out of time.
084:43:52 Mitchell (onboard): ... let us get behind [Garble.]
084:43:53 Shepard (onboard): They gave us a map update, but they only gave it to us on the 180 degrees.
084:43:59 Mitchell (onboard): We could extrapolate from the [Garble] ...
084:44:00 Roosa (onboard): Oh, well - yes, the - at least as my - far as my Solo Book goes, the AOS/LOS was in a minute of - shown in the - on my Solo Book.
084:44:09 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble.]
084:44:10 Roosa (onboard): All they do is read me the 180 time. So that's probably what they were doing here. In fact, I may have said that. If anybody would say that I said that, I would agree with them. [Garble] not anywhere around the points of the Moon, are they?
084:44:37 Mitchell (onboard): No [Garble] can say what way we're pointing.
084:44:40 Shepard (onboard): We'll be up in the air, because the optics will be pointed down.
084:44:44 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
084:44:45 Roosa (onboard): Man, let me see. I need to see the what maps? Oh, you put them - Yes ...
084:44:54 Mitchell (onboard): I put up there.
084:44:55 Roosa (onboard): ... [Garble] the Rev 1. The thing is, that was - Okay. The first one up is going to be Mösting A. And, let me see, I Should be getting my camera configured. Well, I have plenty of time to do that.
Very long comm break.
084:45:03 Note: BEGIN LUNAR REV .

084:45:50 Mitchell (onboard): What would the 180 time be, Stu, on this Rev?
084:45:57 Roosa (onboard): 084:44:53.
084:46:02 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
084:46:04 Roosa (onboard): Al's starting the clock over here.
084:46:05 Mitchell (onboard): One minute late. Yes, okay. [Garble] 2 minutes.
084:46:13 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] Okay.
084:46:59 Roosa (onboard): Well, I just missed it - I'll get it at three.
084:47:06 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. H2 purge heaters have been on 20 minutes. We'll have to start the oxygen purge and then a hydrogen purge.
084:47:32 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
084:47:33 Mitchell (onboard): Mark. Mark, mark, mark.
084:49:19 Roosa (onboard): Boy, I'm sure glad we cut out that TV show.
084:49:26 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
084:49:29 Roosa (onboard): It really worried me, when I saw where it was. Glad we got sort of a pseudoexcuse - to cut it out.
084:50:32 Mitchell (onboard): Yes, there it is.
084:50:44 Roosa (onboard): This is really something. The most unreal looking real thing I've ever seen. If that makes any sense (laughter).
084:50:56 Mitchell (onboard): Probably not.
084:51:01 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] Yes, it is [Garble] vegetation. Something as common reference, you know - familiar reference. So you don't know how far above you are. So it makes it look like the scale is [Garble.]
084:51:19 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. Let's terminate waste water dump.
084:51:22 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
084:51:23 Mitchell (onboard): Fuel cell purge is complete.
084:51:28 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
084:51:37 Roosa (onboard): Okay, we're through with this [Garble] heater.
084:52:02 Shepard (onboard): Fuel cell purge.
084:52:04 Mitchell (onboard): The on-line heater's off.
084:52:06 Shepard (onboard): CMC is [Garble] line heater's off. Okay.
084:53:03 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] we're in attitude, I guess.
084:53:05 Roosa (onboard): Yes, we are. Eight minutes.
084:53:37 Shepard (onboard): Omni C at 05.
084:53:43 Mitchell (onboard): Say again?
084:53:44 Shepard (onboard): Omni C is getting up in 12 minutes.
084:53:46 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
084:53:48 Shepard (onboard): 05. Sure hope you get to use that blue bag tonight.
084:54:00 Mitchell (onboard): You and me both.
In a spacecraft the size of the Apollo Command Module, there is no room for privacy, and henceforth, modesty. This is evident from Al and Ed's frank conversation about Ed's plans.
084:54:01 Shepard (onboard): Whaoo!
084:54:22 Mitchell (onboard): Bad.
084:54:25 Shepard (onboard): Yes [Garble.]
084:54:43 Roosa (onboard): We ought to be right over -
084:54:49 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
084:54:51 Mitchell (onboard): Stu, are we south of our tra - of the map I have? Are we going over Keeler now, approximately?
084:54:59 Roosa (onboard): No, we're ...
084:55:00 Mitchell (onboard): We're past Keeler.
084:55:01 Roosa (onboard): We're going over Minnez - Meinesz or something like that, which is just off to my left.
084:55:08 Mitchell (onboard): Okay, okay. I know where we are.
084:55:21 Roosa (onboard): It's quite true that I see [Garble] I don't know how accurate that is from this high orbit. We're at 22620 [Garble.]
084:56:01 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
084:56:57 Roosa (onboard): There's our Loveletts again. Little Lovelett. That's oriented like that. Okay. [Garble] That is Chaplygin. [Garble.]
084:57:14 Mitchell (onboard): Which one's Chaplygin?
084:57:16 Roosa (onboard): It's off my side.
084:57:22 Mitchell (onboard): Are we headed for Mendeleev?
084:57:25 Roosa (onboard): That should be over on your right.
084:57:27 Mitchell (onboard): That's what I thought.
084:57:47 Mitchell (onboard): Yes. There it is. The tracks are across the middle of it.
084:57:56 Shepard (onboard): Those are definitely secondaries in the center of Mendeleev.
084:58:01 Roosa (onboard): I'm - that's not the current thinking.
084:58:04 Mitchell (onboard): Isn't it?
084:58:05 Roosa (onboard): No.
084:58:09 Mitchell (onboard): That's a crater chain.
084:58:10 Roosa (onboard): Crater chain. Right. Davy and -
Crater Davy is named after the British chemist Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829), best known as the discoverer of the elements potassium, sodium and calcium.
084:58:12 Mitchell (onboard): Yes, you can sure get fooled easily, but it sure looks like a - batch of secondaries.
084:58:17 Roosa (onboard): [Garble] crater chain hadn't ever seen it. It does make a difference, doesn't it?
084:58:22 Mitchell (onboard): I'm not about to argue with them at this point.
084:58:25 Roosa (onboard): What am I supposed to be doing? 84:58. I'm not doing anything, just checking my camera. Okay.
084:58:37 Shepard (onboard): And null bias check.
084:58:42 Roosa (onboard): They didn't want me to do that. [Garble] the backside.
084:58:46 Shepard (onboard): Huh?
084:58:47 Roosa (onboard): You should have done that in the dark.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 84 hours 59 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 14. We're less than 5 minutes away now from predicted time of acquisition of the spacecraft now in lunar orbit. The lunar orbit insertion burn was literally right on the money. Our predicted versus actual numbers read as follows: predicted Ground Elapsed Time for the maneuver was 82 hours 36 minutes 42.7 seconds. The actual time for the maneuver, 82 hours 36 minutes 42.7 seconds. Predicted delta V, 3022.7 feet per second [921.3 m/s], actual delta V, 3022.4 feet per second [921.2 m/s]. The duration of the burn predicted 6 minutes 12.28 seconds. The actual, 6 minutes 12.23 seconds. We're 3 minutes 30 seconds away from time of acquisition and we'll stand by and continue to monitor.
084:59:50 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble.]
Flight Plan page 3-083
085:00:04 Roosa (onboard): Hey, my - my [Garble.]
085:01:13 Mitchell (onboard): Are we supposed to be doing any photography at all on this [Garble]?
Two minutes away now from time of acquisition.
085:02:14 Mitchell (onboard): I have got the crater King out here, Stu, if you were looking for it.
085:02:22 Roosa (onboard): Yes, that's one of our targets. That's one of Farouk's favorite craters.
Stu is referring to Dr. Farouk El-Baz (1938 - ), the Egyptian-born geology expert at the core of the Apollo geological science program. His nickname was 'The King'.
085:02:28 Mitchell (onboard): Pretty damn interesting one, too.
085:02:42 Mitchell (onboard): Really an interesting one. Huh? That one [Garble.] looks like [Garble] got a rugged one right out here - with the central peaks.
One minute away now.
085:03:05 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
085:03:08 Mitchell (onboard): Sure does. Really got a very complex central structure.
085:03:11 Roosa (onboard): It's got one of the biggest central peaks around. It's a very unusual crater. But there are some dark areas in it that Farouk has gone on record as saying they are dikes.
085:03:40 Roosa (onboard): High Sun. That's one right down there; Just shows how it dominates the whole photograph. Just an extremely bright crater. Sun angle just isn't high enough for you to see it here. [Garble] Yes, they're mining it [?], I think.
085:04:01 Shepard (onboard): What's the name of that one?
085:04:02 Roosa (onboard): It has no name. I've called it the Bright One. This is Langemak that we're just going over right down here.
Crater Langemak is named after Russian rocket scientist Georgij Langemak 1898-1938).
Less than 20 seconds.
085:04:42 Shepard (onboard): It's got to be fairly fresh, too.
085:04:45 Roosa (onboard): Yes. It's a very bright crater.
We're receiving data.
085:04:46 Fullerton: Apollo 14, Houston. How do you read?
085:04:52 Mitchell: Hello, Houston; 14. Loud and clear.
085:04:56 Fullerton: Roger, Ed. You're loud and clear. And I've got a few PADs for you when you get a chance to copy.
085:05:05 Mitchell: Okay. Give me a second. [Long pause.]
Our CapCom is Gordon Fullerton.
085:05:21 Roosa: Gordon, if it's the landmark tracking pad, I'm ready to copy.
085:05:25 Fullerton: Okay. Before you do, if you give us P00 and Accept, we'll give you a new state vector, and I have the Mösting A pad, ready to go. [Long pause.]
085:05:47 Roosa: Okay. P00 and Accept. Go ahead.
085:05:50 Fullerton: Roger. T1 is 85:39:35; T2, 85:46:39; TCA, 85:51:39; and T3 is 85:54:09; north, 8 nautical miles. Over. [Long pause.]
085:06:25 Roosa: Okay. Gordon, copy. 85:39:35, 85:46:39, 85:51:39, 85:54:09; north, 8 miles. [Long pause.]
085:06:39 Fullerton: Roger. Your readback is correct; and next page, I have map update Rev 3.
085:06:49 Roosa: Let her rip.
085:06:51 Fullerton: LOS, 86:29:12; 180: 86:53:05; AOS, 87:15:06. Go ahead. [Long pause.]
085:07:15 Roosa: Okay. Copy 86:29:12, 86:53:05, 87:15:06.
The Map Update PAD is interpreted as follows:
085:07:24 Fullerton: Roger. That's correct, and, about three pages on, the H-3 landmark pad if ready.
085:07:37 Roosa: Go ahead.
085:07:39 Fullerton: Okay. T horizon is 87:49:48; TCA, minus 20 seconds at 87:51:47. Over. [Long pause.]
085:07:58 Roosa: Okay. Copy for H-3, 87:49:48; 87:51:47.
085:08:05 Fullerton: Readback's correct there. We got stopped about halfway through the update to the TEI-4 pad. If you or Ed is ready, I can finish that one off.
085:08:20 Mitchell: Roger. I'm ready. Go ahead, Gordon.
085:08:23 Fullerton: Okay. Did you copy the Tig time?
085:08:28 Mitchell: Roger. [Garble] is 91:16:06.90.
085:08:35 Fullerton: That's correct. A new Noun 81, plus 3907.1, plus 0703.8, minus 0081.8; and change the roll to 182. Pitch and yaw remain the same, and everything I didn't read is the same as the first version. Over. [Long pause.]
085:09:11 Mitchell: Okay. Noun 81. But first of all, the weight was 38230; and that Tig 91:16:06.90; Noun 81, plus 3907.1, plus 0703.8, minus 0081.8; and roll, 182; pitch, 069; yaw, 012. [Long pause.]
085:09:41 Fullerton: Roger, Ed. That's all correct. That's all the updates I have at the moment, though we're still standing by on the TEI-5 pad. You may keep that page ready when - we'll have it shortly.
085:09:58 Mitchell: Roger.
085:10:03 Fullerton: And we're through with the uplink. The computer's yours.
085:10:11 Roosa: Okay. Thank you. [Long pause.]
085:11:11 Fullerton: Apollo 14, Houston. We're standing by - your null bias reports.
085:11:21 Mitchell: Roger.
085:11:25 Roosa: Okay. It will be about 2 minutes, Gordon. I had to restart it in.
085:11:29 Fullerton: Roger.
Comm break.
Apollo 14 now showing at an orbit of 168.6 nautical by 58.8 nautical miles [108.9 km].
085:13:18 Roosa: Houston, 14 with the null bias.
085:13:20 Fullerton: Go ahead.
085:13:24 Roosa: Okay, minus 100 at the start; minus 99.4.
085:13:33 Fullerton: Roger, Stu.
Very long comm break.
This is Apollo Control Houston. At 85 hours 16 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Conversation that has transpired thus far on the second revolution has been with - principally with Command Module Pilot Stu Roosa and Lunar Module Pilot Ed Mitchell and we have not heard from the commander Alan Shepard thus far this pass. We're at 85 hours 17 minutes into the flight and this is Apollo Control Houston, continuing to monitor.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. At 85 hours 24 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Here's some preliminary numbers for the DOI or descent orbit insertion pad, which we do expect will be passed to the crew sometime during the front side pass. The burn is presently scheduled to occur at Ground Elapsed Time of 86 hours 50 minutes 54.97 seconds, with a burn time of 20.77 seconds, and a Delta-V of 206.4 feet per second [62.9 m/s]. At 85 hours 25 minutes Ground Elapsed Time continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
085:31:49 Fullerton: Apollo 14, Houston. I have the DOI and TEI-5 pads, when you're ready to copy. Over.
085:32:00 Mitchell: Okay. Standby 1. [Long pause.]
085:32:17 Mitchell: Okay, ready to copy.
085:32:20 Fullerton: Okay. I'll start with the DOI. SPS/G&N; 38155; plus 1.45, minus 0.71; TIG is 086:50:54.97; Noun 81, minus 0206.4, minus all balls, minus 0003.6; attitude is 000, 281, 000; Noun 44, 0058.8, plus 0009.1; 0206.4; burn time, 020.8, that's 20.8; Delta-VC 0199.6; 11, 199.0, 33.9; all the rest of the items on the pad are N/A. Comments: GDC aligns at the stars, Sirius on the zero degree mark and Rigel. Sirius is star 15; Rigel, 12. R-align, 127, 148, 015. Ullage, four jets, 1.4 seconds. Other comments: The Delta-V counter should read minus 6.7 at cut-off. Over.
Comm break.
085:35:29 Mitchell: All right. DOI, SPS/G&N; 38155; plus 1.45, minus 0.71; 086:50:54.97; minus 0206.4, minus all zips, minus 0003.6; 000, 281, 000; 0058.8, plus 0009.1; 0206.4; 020.8; 0199.6; 11, 199.0, 33.9; the rest N/A. Sirius on the zero degree line and Rigel with 127, 148, 015; Ullage is four jets, 14. And, other remarks, Delta-V counter - it should read minus 6.7 at cut-off. [Long pause.]
The PAD is interpreted as follows: The additional notes point out that when carrying out a GDC Align using the stars, it is Sirius that gets placed on the zero-degree mark in the telescope's reticle. Unusually, the code numbers for Sirius and Rigel are mentioned. SPS propellants are settled in their tanks by firing the plus-X thrusters on all four quads around the Service Module for 1.4 seconds. Finally, as the burn progresses and the Delta-V counter on the EMS counts down, it is expected that it will read -6.7 fps at cut-off.
085:36:47 Fullerton: Roger, Ed. The readback correct. I'm ready with the TEI-5. [Long pause.]
085:37:30 Mitchell: Okay. Proceed with the TEI-5 PAD.
085:37:33 Fullerton: Roger. TEI-5; SPS/G&N; 36697; minus 0.63; plus 0.21; 092:30:20.01; Noun 81 is plus 3023.5; plus 1091.5; minus 0171.2; 182, 107, 021. Ullage, four jets, 11 seconds. Under comments: Number 1, burn is undocked, and number 2, assumed DOI. Go ahead.
Comm break.
085:39:00 Fullerton: And before you start your readback, Ed, a reminder to Stu; about 30 seconds now to T1 for Mösting A.
085:39:11 Roosa: Okay. Thank you, Gordon.
085:39:17 Mitchell: Okay. TEI-5 PAD: SPS/G&N; 36697; minus 0.63, plus 0.21; 092:30:20.01; plus 3023.5, plus 1091.5, minus 0171.2; 182, 107, 021; four jet, 11 seconds. Under remarks: Number l, it's an undocked burn; number 2, it assumes DOI. [Long pause.]
An interpretation of the PAD follows: Other items on the standard form are not applicable (NA) to this PAD. There are the following additional notes. SPS propellants would be settled in their tanks by firing the plus-X thrusters on all four quads around the Service Module for 11 seconds. The burn data assumes that the CSM is no longer carrying the weight of the LM and that they would be aborting the mission from the descent orbit.
085:39:54 Fullerton: Roger, Ed. That's all correct. [Long pause.]
Apollo Control, Houston.
085:40:14 Fullerton: Ed, I have one more comment for you.
085:40:22 Mitchell: Go ahead.
085:40:24 Fullerton: We noticed on the last burn when we played back the data, that you started the recorder about 12 minutes prior to the burn. For this one, we'd like you to wait until about 1 minute prior to the - to the burn to start the recorder so that we can get a quicker playback on the data for verification of the burn after AOS. Over.
085:40:49 Mitchell: Okay, we'll give you this one real late.
085:40:51 Fullerton: Thank you.
Long comm break.
The next burn is the DOI which will reduce the altitude of the front side pass from 312 km down to a mere 17 km above the surface. Since this burn is done behind the Moon, FIDO and his backroom specialists will have to wait until the spacecraft reappears before they can look at the burn data and obtain new tracking data. They will then have only 12 minutes to make sure that the burn went as planned and that the spacecraft will not descend too low. Just in case, as soon as they finish the DOI burn, they will set the spacecraft up for a bailout burn. If it appears that they would be descending too low, they could then do the bailout burn to immediately stop their descent.
Apollo Control, Houston. You heard CapCom Gordon Fullerton passing along the DOI and TEI on five PADs. The TEI 5 PAD is for contingency purposes only and it's stored within the spacecraft. We presently show Apollo 14 in an orbit of 168.4 nautical miles [311.9 km] by 58.7 nautical miles [108.7 km]. Assuming the Descent Orbit Insertion burn would give us a resultant orbit of 58.8 nautical miles [108.9 km] by 9.1 nautical miles [16.9 km]. We're at 85 hours 42 minutes Ground Elapsed Time and this is Apollo Control, Houston.
Apollo Control, Houston. Not a great deal of conversation with the crew of Apollo 14 on this the second revolution. Reading the onboard DSKY shows the crew of Apollo 14 now performing a program 24. This is a optic tracking landmark tracking activity. Off their register they are now showing their shaft and trunnion angles. We'll stand by and continue to monitor in the event further conversation sues. We show a bit over 1 hour, 5 minutes from scheduled time of ignition for the Descent Orbit Insertion burn.
085:45:37 Fullerton: Stu, this is Houston. It's time to start the DAC.
085:45:45 Roosa: Roger. Thank you, Gordon. [Garble.] [Long pause.]
085:46:10 Mitchell (onboard): Hey, Al.
085:46:11 Shepard (onboard): Yes?
085:46:12 Mitchell (onboard): The lineations down here cross the - no, I don't have a big enough chart to cover all this. But they just point right up toward Imbrium. This transition between -
085:46:28 Fullerton: And you have about 10 seconds to T2.
085:46:34 Mitchell: Okay. Thank you.
Long comm break.
085:46:44 Roosa (onboard): Man, we [Garble] ...
085:46:45 Mitchell (onboard): Just need a wider chart is all.
085:47:25 Shepard (onboard): Fantastic. A wild view out here with the [Garble.] like that, pointing it [Garble] Well.
085:47:40 Mitchell (onboard): Damn it, Copernicus ought to be coming into view.
085:49:32 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble] Ooh.
085:49:35 Shepard (onboard): What?
085:49:36 Mitchell (onboard): We are really up there.
085:49:43 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] isn't it?
085:49:45 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
085:51:28 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble.]
085:53:10 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. That's Eratosthenes. Yes.
085:53:51 Mitchell: Houston, 14.
085:53:53 Fullerton: Go ahead, Ed.
085:53:58 Mitchell: We have a beautiful sight on the crater Eratosthenes, Timarcus [sic], Wallace. Timarcus [sic], I mean Timocharis, is just as - just on my horizon as we approach the terminator. Eratosthenes is about halfway to the horizon. They're very stark. Magnificent, though. [Long pause.]
Crater Eratosthenes is named after the Ancient Greek astronomer and geographer, famous for calculating the circumference of the Earth.
Crater Timocharis is named after the Ancient Greek astronomer.
Crater Wallace is named after Alfred Russel Wallace, the British biologist and naturalist, a pioneer of evolution theory. (1823-1913)
085:54:27 Fullerton: Roger. [Long pause.]
085:54:39 Fullerton: And, Stu, you're by T3 now. We're standing by - the magazine percentage.
085:54:50 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. Back to work.
085:54:51 Roosa: Okay, stand by 1. [Long pause.]
085:55:14 Roosa: Okay, Gordon. The magazine now reads 77; and, just for info, I lost the landmark about 20 seconds earlier than what it shows. But we got a good track on it. I lost the T1 plus 14, plus 18. [Long pause.]
085:55:34 Fullerton: Roger, Stu. Understand 77 percent in Mag Bravo.
085:55:45 Roosa: That's affirmative.
Comm break.
085:57:51 Roosa: Houston, 14.
085:57:54 Fullerton: Go ahead. [Long pause.]
085:58:08 Fullerton: 14, Houston. Go ahead.
085:58:18 Roosa: Houston, 14.
085:58:20 Fullerton: Roger, 14. We're reading you loud and clear. Go ahead, Stu. [Long pause.]
085:59:05 Roosa: Houston, 14.
085:59:08 Fullerton: 14, Houston. Loud and clear. Go ahead.
085:59:19 Roosa: Hey, Gordon, how do you read 14?
085:59:21 Fullerton: Stu, you're loud and clear. How do you read me?
085:59:27 Roosa: Okay. You're 5 square. Is 060 still the roll attitude you want us on this Verb 49 maneuver?
085:59:36 Fullerton: As far as I know. I'll recheck, here. [Long pause.]
Flight Plan page 3-085
086:00:00 Fullerton: That's affirmative. 060 roll, Stu.
086:00:06 Roosa: Okay.
Long comm break.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 86 hours Ground Elapsed Time. Apollo 14 now on it's second revolution around the Moon. For the descent orbit insertion burn the onboard computer program 40 will be used as this is the service propulsion system thrust program. We expect to see 14 - the crew of 14 start into that program sequence and maneuver to burn attitude before they pass out of range on this revolution. The burn, of course, will be done at 86 hours 50 minutes 54 seconds when the spacecraft is out of contact with Mission Control. At time of ignition minus 30 seconds the onboard computer starts counting down to the burn at TIG minus 5 seconds the proceed button must be pushed probably by spacecraft commander Al Shepard for the countdown to continue. Otherwise, the maneuver will not be accomplished. We're at 86 hours 2 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. We show our Mission Control clock at - we're 48 minutes 48 seconds from time of ignition. And this is Apollo Control, Houston.
086:04:48 Shepard (onboard): Okay. We want to get into 40 for a couple minutes before we have LOS, so they can take a look at it.
086:05:07 Roosa (onboard): It might be for the P52, too. See, if we didn't have a roll, I don't know whether it would be a [Garble] or not. Shouldn't be. [Garble] Well, I won't try to figure that out.
086:05:22 Shepard (onboard): I don't think the roll off [Garble] called 40.
086:05:28 Roosa (onboard): Yes. Okay. I need - [Garble] I hook every time that come ...
086:05:34 Unknown crew member (onboard): Still maneuvering. What?
086:05:35 Roosa (onboard): I was just saying, I hook every time I come out of there. I can get my sextant out here.
086:05:40 Shepard (onboard): Still maneuvering here.
086:05:41 Roosa (onboard): Yes. Getting farily [sic] close.
086:06:03 Mitchell (onboard): How far are we away from that attitude?
086:06:06 Roosa (onboard): Well, we're about on in roll, and pitch, we've got - oh, a couple of degrees to go.
086:06:12 Mitchell (onboard): Is that all?
086:06:13 Roosa (onboard): Yes. We don't have but a few more degrees.
086:06:15 Mitchell (onboard): All right.
086:06:28 Mitchell: Houston, 14. I have you on the high gain.
086:06:33 Haise (onboard): 14, Houston. Go ahead.
086:06:33 Fullerton: 14, Houston. Go ahead.
086:06:37 Mitchell: Roger. I have you on the high gain, locked up.
086:06:41 Roosa (onboard): Okay. It says a 58.
086:06:41 Fullerton: I hear you loud and clear.
Long comm break.
Our displays showing the computer readouts from the spacecraft show that Apollo 14 is now in the process of aligning the guidance and navigation platform. We're at 86 hours 9 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. And, Apollo 14 presently in a orbit of 168.4 nautical miles [311.9 km] apolune 58.7 nautical miles [108.7 km] perilune. Present altitude 142.1 nautical miles [263.2 km].
086:10:26 Roosa: Okay, Houston. P52 complete. Did you get the torquing angle?
086:10:31 Fullerton: That's affirmative, Stu. And ...
086:10:34 Roosa: And the time was 86.1? And the time was 86:10:15.
This is Stu's 11th P52 realignment of the guidance platform during the flight. As a reference, he sighted on star 16 (Procyon) and star 17 (Regor). As a check of his sighting accuracy, the computer compared the measured angle between these stars and the actual angle. The difference between them was 000.01 degrees. Finally, the computer displayed Noun 93, the angles by which the gimbals would be rotated or 'torqued' to restore perfect alignment. These were -0.050° in X, -0.070° in Y and -0.045° in Z axis. According to the post-flight Mission Report, the platform was torqued at 86:10 GET.
086:10:44 Fullerton: Roger. And, if you'll give us P00 and Accept, we'll give you a new state vector and a target load.
086:10:54 Shepard: Okay, you've got it.
086:10:56 Fullerton: Thank you.
Long comm break.
086:14:12 Fullerton: 14, Houston.
086:14:16 Roosa: Go ahead.
086:14:18 Fullerton: The computer is yours, and we're standing by to watch P30 and P40. We noticed on the high gain that the signal strength's a little different. Did you change any configuration on the comm or - and - and did you change position of your squelch on the last high-gain acquisition? Over.
086:14:38 Mitchell: [Garble] of. We're at standard lunar comm and I don't know if we've done anything differently.
086:14:48 Fullerton: Okay, Ed.
086:14:50 Mitchell: We can recheck everything, but it'll take a minute.
Comm break.
086:16:13 Mitchell: 14.
086:16:16 Fullerton: Go ahead, Ed.
086:16:20 Mitchell: All the comm switches are where they were set on the backside. Nothing's been changed except acquiring with the high gain. I did switch the - the Squelch Enable when we were on Omni and I was looking for you - for a good Omni during the maneuver.
086:16:39 Fullerton: Roger, Ed.
Comm break.
Apollo Control, Houston. 86 hours 17 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Our display show the onboard computer for the display keyboard just switching from program 30 this is the external Delta-V program, prethrusting program. to program 40 which is the service propulsion system, engine program. This is a program in which the crew of Apollo 14 will perform the descent orbit insertion burn. We've got a little over 11 minutes before we loose signal with Apollo 14 as it passes over the backside of the Moon. 86 hours 18 minutes into the flight, this is Apollo Control Houston.
And, Mission Control Flight Director Pete Frank now taking a status from members of his flight control team for a Go/No-Go for DOI. We'll stand by. Presently coming up all greens on his console. Fullerton will pass along a Go momentarily.
086:19:17 Fullerton: Apollo 14, Houston. You are Go for DOI.
086:19:23 Shepard: Okay. Go for DOI. Thank you.
Long comm break.
Spacecraft to Commander Alan Shepard responding to that call. Apollo 14 now go for DOI. We're at 86 hours 20 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. And, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
Apollo Control, Houston, 86 hours 26 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. We show a little over 3 minutes from time of loss of signal. As Apollo 14 now close to passing out of range on this the second revolution.
086:25:34 Unknown crew member (onboard): [Garble] again.
086:25:37 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. Looks like we're there.
086:25:41 Unknown crew member (onboard): Looks like [Garble.]
086:25:44 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
086:25:54 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
086:25:56 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. We've lost them altogether. Okay, there they go.
086:26:00 Shepard (onboard): What are we looking for today?
086:26:03 Roosa (onboard): Looking for number 12.
086:26:05 Shepard (onboard): Rigel. Okay. What have we got.
086:26:13 Roosa (onboard): Okay. You want a plus 288.30.
086:26:18 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:26:19 Roosa (onboard): Okay. You want a plus 27.100.
086:26:24 Shepard (onboard): 288.30, 27.100. [Garble] star.
086:26:45 Fullerton: Apollo 14, Houston. Give us Omni Charlie. [Long pause.]
086:27:17 Fullerton: Apollo 14, Houston.
086:27:22 Mitchell: Okay, Houston. There you are; go ahead.
086:27:24 Fullerton: Okay, read you loud and clear, Ed. And about 2 minutes to LOS; a minute and 45, now.
086:27:32 Mitchell: Okay.
Very long comm break.
Less than 1 minute now from Loss of Signal. Our clock in Mission Control shows time of ignition now 22 minutes 30 seconds away. Ground elapsed time 86 hours 29 minutes. This is Apollo Control Houston.
This is Apollo Control Houston. We've had Loss of Signal with Apollo 14 as it - now passing over the back side of the Moon. On this pass the descent orbit insertion burn will be performed near perilune. The command service module DOI burn is performed with the service propulsion system engine and this with the spacecraft at an essentially retrograde attitude and the crew heads down. Following the DOI burn the vehicle is maneuvered to the required attitude for a possible preplanned contingency burn called the bail out burn. Initial burn attitude is such that the vehicle is pitched up some 73 degrees above the local horizontal. At the bail out burn time - the bail out burn time, this is at acquisition of signal plus 12 minutes. Assuming the likelihood that the bail out burn will not be required, the command and service module is maneuvered to an attitude which allows the visual observation of landmark, H3, with the optics. As you would expect, the bail out burn is one case where the mission control centers fondest hope is to get no go for the maneuver. We're at 86 hours 31 minutes into the flight and this is Apollo Control Houston.
086:27:37 Roosa (onboard): Okay, when you say hack it, I'll freeze them.
086:27:43 Shepard (onboard): Hack it.
086:27:46 Roosa (onboard): Okay. 27.8 by 27.1; it passes.
086:27:54 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:28:04 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. Your being in pad burn attitude for the - is causing the comm problem. I'm sure it is. It's barely hanging on to enough signal strength to talk.
086:28:35 Shepard (onboard): Well, I still can't make that look like Rigel. There's a lot of light out there.
086:28:46 Roosa (onboard): I saw Orion awhile ago, but ...
086:28:48 Shepard (onboard): Yes, but so did I - but it sure doesn't look like it now.
086:28:51 Roosa (onboard): Yes, when I was looking for Procyon.
086:28:54 Shepard (onboard): Oh, all the light's coming from Earthshine, I guess.
086:28:58 Roosa (onboard): Yes. But that's when - See, I had the 60-degree roll in; so the optics were pointed - better spot.
086:29:09 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
086:29:15 Mitchell (onboard): Okay, LOS.
086:30:44 Shepard (onboard): Sure is strange that we can be able to see the rest of the constellations.
086:30:54 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Optics, Zero.
086:31:12 Shepard (onboard): Not enough light out there, I guess. Okeydokey.
086:31:55 Unknown crew member (onboard): [Garble.]
086:31:57 Mitchell (onboard): I can't see anything but stars.
086:31:59 Shepard (onboard): What?
086:32:00 Mitchell (onboard): I can't see anything but stars, and we're no longer in Earthshine anyhow.
086:32:09 Roosa (onboard): [Garble] I don't know if you want it up there or not.
086:32:11 Shepard (onboard): No, we're all through with it [Garble.]
086:32:14 Roosa (onboard): Okay. We're in P40, and let's check Noun 40.
086:32:30 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
086:32:31 Shepard (onboard): It's plus 42 coming down on 18.
086:32:33 Roosa (onboard): And you agree to 206.4 as the total Delta-V?
086:32:42 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
086:33:10 Roosa (onboard): [Garble.]
086:33:11 Shepard (onboard): Probably came from the LM. A lot of those little babies floating around; we brought them back, and they probably just floated out of our pockets.
086:33:25 Roosa (onboard): I'll put it over here, but it will probably float out of there, too.
086:33:56 Shepard (onboard): Have you hooked the [Garble] on?
086:33:57 Mitchell (onboard): 20.8.
086:34:00 Shepard (onboard): 20.8.
086:34:02 Roosa (onboard): Okay, what's your confidence on getting a hack on exact burn time now that you have looked at three of them, Ed?
086:34:10 Mitchell (onboard): It's within 2/10ths..
086:34:15 Shepard (onboard): Okay, great. Are you going to count down to zero [Garble] 20.8? You have to shut it down on zero.
086:34:27 Roosa (onboard): We're going to wait until he calls zero, and then move the switches.
086:34:32 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:34:36 Roosa (onboard): I'll not try to have them off at the time he says zero.
086:34:40 Shepard (onboard): All right.
086:34:42 Mitchell (onboard): If you do that, the G&N and I are together, it will beat you - if it's -
086:34:47 Roosa (onboard): Sure. One [Garble] ...
086:34:48 Mitchell (onboard): If it's 2/10ths over, you'll have them off. Let's - let's say, 3/lOths on my time; you'll have them off within 3/10ths and we - we won't overburn more than 3/10ths.
086:35:04 Roosa (onboard): What's our ullage on this one?
086:35:06 Shepard (onboard): Four jets ...
086:35:07 Mitchell (onboard): Four jets; 14 seconds.
086:35:10 Roosa (onboard): Hey, how's our reading - four - four jets; 14 seconds.
086:35:19 Shepard (onboard): How's our reading on what?
086:35:20 Roosa (onboard): The fuel and oxidizer. What are they?
086:35:24 Mitchell (onboard): Right together; 34.9, 35.1; decreased by about 40 pound - 30 - 40 pound.
086:35:34 Shepard (onboard): Let me just jot that down - 34.9, oxidizer.
086:35:40 Mitchell (onboard): 35.1, fuel.
086:35:53 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Did you get all your circuit breakers?
086:36:03 Roosa (onboard): I have done it. [Garble] again.
086:36:04 Shepard (onboard): You're in - you're in Rate Command. We've got B/D roll and you've got B/D roll.
086:36:38 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Attitude Dead Band, Min; Rate, Low.
086:36:42 Roosa (onboard): Min; Low.
086:36:43 Shepard (onboard): TRANS Control Power, on.
086:36:44 Roosa (onboard): It's on.
086:36:45 Shepard (onboard): SCS TVC, two, Rate Command.
086:36:49 Roosa (onboard): Yes, they're Rate Command.
086:36:51 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Delta-VCG, LM/CSM.
086:36:54 Roosa (onboard): LM/CSM.
086:36:55 Shepard (onboard): TVC Gimbal Drive, Pitch and Yaw, Auto.
086:36:58 Roosa (onboard): They're Auto.
086:36:59 Shepard (onboard): Okay. You're ready to - 4 minutes. You clear at 40 seconds.
086:38:29 Shepard (onboard): You got an AOS time with your [Garble]? Do you have that?
086:38:35 Mitchell (onboard): No.
086:38:37 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Let me give that to you.
086:38:38 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
086:38:43 Shepard (onboard): 87:15:06.
086:38:57 Shepard (onboard): If you don't have any voice at AOS, wait 30 seconds, check the high gain antenna, watch Omni B, watch secondary transponder; after 3 mins, go to loss-of-comm cue card.
086:39:12 Roosa (onboard): Why don't you write that AOS time right there?
086:39:17 Shepard/Mitchell (onboard): [Garble] right where?
086:39:18 Roosa (onboard): Right there. See, that's the things you'll have out.
086:39:24 Shepard (onboard): Okay. You wrote it down, didn't you?
086:39:27 Mitchell (onboard): Yes. That's 87:15:06.
086:40:00 Shepard (onboard): What are you doing down there?
086:40:02 Roosa (onboard): Resting. This is really a comfortable position, mates. Pull on my legs like this. Really helps your back. Doubled up.
086:40:18 Mitchell (onboard): Man, I think we're going to sleep tonight.
086:40:22 Roosa (onboard): We're still two Revs from the sleep period, aren't we?
086:40:24 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
086:40:25 Roosa (onboard): ... or a Rev and a half.
086:40:26 Mitchell (onboard): About that. Going to clean up, I think, after DOI, and we can start getting ready.
086:40:33 Roosa (onboard): No. I think we've got two Revs. We got - because of that bailout burn and stuff, we didn't get a chance to get Descartes, so ...
086:40:40 Shepard (onboard): ... get the LTC on Descartes.
086:40:42 Roosa (onboard): Yes, [Garble] - I take a look at this landmark on this one, just for OJT, because there was nothing else we could do; and we've got to bring out the Hycon on the next pass around ...
086:40:53 Mitchell (onboard): Get Descartes.
086:40:54 Roosa (onboard): Get Descartes. I'm kind of amazed at the detail you can see ...
086:40:57 Mitchell (onboard): Boy; me, too.
086:40:58 Roosa (onboard): I was looking at all those pictures ...
086:41:00 Mitchell (onboard): Man, it's going to be fun on this one. Wooo - it's going to be fun on this low pass.
086:41:07 Roosa (onboard): Yes. Wow -
086:41:10 Mitchell (onboard): Hey, let's get out - let's grab our LM landmark chart for this low pass.
086:41:19 Roosa (onboard): Okay. We got plenty of time - after the burn?
086:41:26 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
086:41:27 Mitchell (onboard): Yes, that's right. We've got plenty of time after the burn. No rush.
086:41:30 Roosa (onboard): I don't think you'll be in a good attitude to see it on this one - [Garble.]
086:41:34 Shepard (onboard): Must be so - I've been tracking it and it's pretty well angled, as I recall.
086:41:40 Roosa (onboard): But after the - on the Hycon pass, the hatch should be toward Descartes, so we should be able to see something out of these other windows.
086:41:55 Mitchell (onboard): Well, when you were - tracking with a 16-millimeter, I had a beautiful view out here. Course you - were you rolled?
086:42:06 Roosa (onboard): No.
086:42:07 Mitchell (onboard): You were ...
086:42:08 Roosa (onboard): Well, we're going to be just about the same attitude. Let me see - this is 292. We're about 8 minutes to the burn - something like that. [Garble] You want to do [Garble.]
086:42:39 Shepard (onboard): Okay. You going to start on bank A, and you're going Direct Thrust, On, if you have to.
086:42:43 Roosa (onboard): No.
086:42:45 Shepard (onboard): You're not going to on this one?
086:42:47 Roosa (onboard): No.
086:42:48 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:42:49 Roosa (onboard): I'm not going to start for nothing. [Garble.]
086:42:51 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:42:52 Roosa (onboard): Are you trying to quiz me, or are you ...
086:42:57 Shepard (onboard): (Laughter) Yes.
086:42:58 Roosa (onboard): Well, that's good. Let's make sure we all know what we ...
086:43:00 Shepard (onboard): Be sure you know what you're going to do.
086:43:02 Roosa (onboard): Yes. I will bring on bank B, as soon as I can.
086:43:09 Shepard (onboard): Okay. [Garble.]
086:43:12 Roosa (onboard): Let me try that, Edgar. Edgar Allan Poe. Man, I used to love to read his short stories. He can - he can write about a person being dead better than anybody I've ever seen.
086:43:34 Shepard (onboard): Yes. I guess he was a real - he lead kind of a tough life, didn't he?
086:43:44 Roosa (onboard): Yes. Yes, he - He got a lot of his inspiration coming in and out of the DTs, I understand. How did you have it? Did you have it hooked like that?
086:43:56 Shepard (onboard): No, I had a strap on it before.
086:43:59 Roosa (onboard): Oh.
086:44:36 Shepard (onboard): Okay, Ed. Bring on the Main Bus Ties.
086:44:44 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. There's A ...
086:44:45 Roosa (onboard): ... only one-half ...
086:44:48 Mitchell (onboard): There's B.
086:44:51 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Good. TVC Servo Power, number 1, AC 1/ Main A.
086:44:58 Mitchell (onboard): Hey, Stu, when you click these things off, give me time to switch to the other ...
086:45:03 Roosa (onboard): I will. I'll do that.
086:45:04 Mitchell (onboard): ... other [Garble.]
086:45:05 Roosa (onboard): Okay. TVC Servo Power, 1, AC 1/Main A, verified.
086:45:10 Shepard (onboard): 2, AC 2/Main B.
086:45:11 Roosa (onboard): That's verified.
086:45:12 Shepard (onboard): RHC Power, Normal, two, AC.
086:45:15 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
086:45:16 Shepard (onboard): Direct, two, Off.
086:45:17 Roosa (onboard): Off.
086:45:18 Shepard (onboard): BMAGs, one-half.
086:45:24 Roosa (onboard): Okay. One-half.
086:45:24 Shepard (onboard): Spacecraft Control, SCS, and hand controller, armed.
086:45:28 Roosa (onboard): SCS; hand controller's armed.
086:45:31 Shepard (onboard): Okay. [Garble.]
086:45:37 Roosa (onboard): Anything that's looking not right on this one is a shutdown - we're not going to freak around.
086:45:58 Roosa (onboard): Okay. You ready for Gimbal Motor?
086:45:59 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Bringing on number 1.
086:46:00 Mitchell (onboard): Any time.
086:46:01 Roosa (onboard): Pitch 1.
086:46:02 Mitchell (onboard): You've got it.
086:46:03 Roosa (onboard): Yaw 1.
086:46:04 Mitchell (onboard): You have it.
086:46:05 Roosa (onboard): Okay. We want a plus-Y trim ...
086:46:07 Shepard (onboard): Plus-Y trim and set plus 115.
086:46:08 Roosa (onboard): There's 1 - 45.
086:46:12 Shepard (onboard): And minus 0.7.
086:46:16 Roosa (onboard): Minus 0.7.
086:46:18 Shepard (onboard): Okay. MTVC.
086:46:20 Roosa (onboard): Okay. I have it.
086:46:22 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Tick it off. [Garble] the handle. Ready for number 2?
086:46:24 Roosa (onboard): Okay. No MTVC. You ready for number 2?
086:46:28 Mitchell (onboard): Bring them on.
086:46:29 Roosa (onboard): Pitch 2.
086:46:30 Mitchell (onboard): You have it.
086:46:31 Roosa (onboard): Got it. Yaw 2.
086:46:33 Mitchell (onboard): You have that one.
086:46:34 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Verify ...
086:46:35 Roosa (onboard): [Garble] set.
086:46:36 Shepard (onboard): ... MTVC.
086:46:37 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
086:46:38 Shepard (onboard): Set trim.
086:46:39 Roosa (onboard): Okay. The trim is set.
086:46:40 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Back to neutral.
086:46:42 Roosa (onboard): Back to neutral.
086:46:43 Shepard (onboard): No MTVC; GPI, zero.
086:46:44 Roosa (onboard): Zero; no MTVC.
086:46:46 Shepard (onboard): Okay. RHC Power, Normal, two, AC/DC.
086:46:50 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
086:46:51 Shepard (onboard): Direct, two, Main A/Main B.
086:46:52 Roosa (onboard): Main A/Main B.
086:46:54 Shepard (onboard): And you're ready for your final trim.
086:46:56 Roosa (onboard): BMAGs, Rate 2.
086:46:57 Shepard (onboard): Rate 2.
086:46:58 Roosa (onboard): Got that one.
086:46:59 Shepard (onboard): Here we go. Okay. Look happy.
086:47:09 Roosa (onboard): [Garble] stop from shaking. Okay.
086:47:15 Shepard (onboard): Okay. ATT 1/Rate 2.
086:47:17 Roosa (onboard): ATT 1/Rate 2.
086:47:19 Shepard (onboard): Ready for the gimbal test option.
086:47:21 Roosa (onboard): I'm ready. Up 2. Down 2.
086:47:26 Shepard (onboard): 0.1.
086:47:27 Roosa (onboard): Zeros. Up 2. Down 2. Zero.
086:47:35 Shepard (onboard): Plus 1.45, minus 0.71.
086:47:39 Roosa (onboard): Okay. 1.45; minus 0.7.
086:47:43 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Set the FDAI Scale 5/5.
086:47:48 Roosa (onboard): 5/5.
086:47:51 Shepard (onboard): Okay, Rate, High?
086:47:52 Roosa (onboard): Rate is High.
086:47:54 Shepard (onboard): Check the DET at 67. 3, 2, 1 -
086:47:57 Shepard (onboard): Mark. Okay. Verify two SPS Helium Valves in Auto. Barber pole.
086:48:04 Mitchell (onboard): Verify.
086:48:06 Shepard (onboard): Check N2 A and B.
086:48:09 Mitchell (onboard): You've got that.
086:48:11 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:48:12 Mitchell (onboard): Helium pressure is a little lower than I expected to see it at this point. Let's say that's 1500 pounds.
086:48:18 Mitchell (onboard): That's - that's about right. It's about 1000 during rendezvous, looking at the PDI.
086:48:25 Shepard (onboard): I guess we'll bring on the tape recorder soon as we have the burn, huh?
086:48:30 Mitchell (onboard): Yes, I'll get it on. They'll want it on ]ate; I'll get it on late.
086:48:33 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:48:40 Roosa (onboard): Actually, I suspect we're probably in a blowdown mode on that helium right now.
086:48:50 Mitchell (onboard): No, shouldn't be, not 1500 pounds.
086:48:53 Roosa (onboard): Yes, but I mean if we'd lost it all ...
086:48:55 Mitchell (onboard): Oh, we could probably - yes, probably ...
086:48:57 Roosa (onboard): [Garble.]
086:48:58 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Bring her on bank A.
086:49:01 Roosa (onboard): That son of a bitch is a second off, but I'm not using this time. Okay. Band A is off. Let's sweep the cockpit. We missed that. ATT 1/Rate Command ...
086:49:12 Shepard (onboard): Go to High Bit Rate and Record; Forward; Command Reset.
086:49:16 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
086:49:17 Roosa (onboard): ... CMC, Auto; ATT 1/Rate 2; Delta-V Thrust.
086:49:20 Mitchell (onboard): Record; Forward.
086:49:23 Shepard (onboard): Okay, good.
086:49:24 Roosa (onboard): You've got High Bit Rate.
086:49:26 Mitchell (onboard): You'll have High Bit Rate in just a minute. think those bastards told me not to turn it on early.
086:49:35 Roosa (onboard): We want them to get it, Edgar.
086:49:39 Mitchell (onboard): Well, they're going to get it.
086:49:47 Shepard (onboard): Okay, four jets at 14 seconds.
086:49:50 Roosa (onboard): I'll hit her 14 seconds of ullage. On what ...
Apollo Control Houston, 86 hours 50 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. Our ignition clock in mission control shows 50 seconds away from scheduled time of ignition for the descent orbit insertion burn. This burn scheduled with a Ground Elapsed Time of 86 hours 50 minutes 55 seconds. And if successful, placing Apollo 14 in an orbit approximately 58.8 nautical miles [108.9 km] by 9.1 nautical miles [16.9 km]. We show 20 seconds away. 10 seconds, 5, we should be burning at this time if going according to plan. The ground elapsed clock now reads 86 hours 51 minutes into the flight of Apollo 14. In the mission control center the ignition clock will shortly be switched to a second AOS clock giving - with these two clocks, the top one assuming a no burn early acquisition of signal, the bottom one an on time burn. The clocks have now been switched. 86 hours 52 minutes Ground Elapsed Time this is Apollo Control Houston.
086:50:17 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble] is good.
086:50:19 Roosa (onboard): Okay, THC is armed.
086:50:21 Shepard (onboard): Okay, we're looking pretty normal at 30.
086:50:23 Roosa (onboard): Okay, we're setting up trim. We're setting at attitude.
086:50:26 Shepard (onboard): DSKY's on time. Okay, EMS, Normal.
086:50:30 Roosa (onboard): EMS Mode is Normal.
086:50:32 Shepard (onboard): Okay, looking good.
086:50:34 Mitchell (onboard): Give me plenty of lights over there. I don't want to miss it.
086:50:39 Roosa (onboard): All righty.
086:50:40 Shepard (onboard): Okay, looks good. 18, 17, 16, 15, ullage, 13, 12, 11 - we are counting - 10; 9 ...
086:50:50 Roosa (onboard): Steady as a rock.
086:50:51 Shepard (onboard): ... 8, 7, 6, 5, Pro, 3, 2, 1, 0.
086:50:59 Roosa (onboard): Bank A.
086:51:00 Mitchell (onboard): Take out A and B.
086:51:01 Roosa (onboard): Bank B.
086:51:13 Shepard (onboard): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...
086:51:18 Shepard (onboard): Shutdown. Okay.
086:51:20 Roosa (onboard): G&N shutdown ...
086:51:21 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] shutdown. Delta-V Thrust, two, Off. Bring off the Gimbals Motors.
086:51:26 Roosa (onboard): Okay. You ready for number 2.
086:51:27 Mitchell (onboard): 2's coming Off.
086:51:28 Roosa (onboard): That's minus 6.2 before we pick up with the count. Okay, Yaw 2 is Off.
086:51:33 Mitchell (onboard): Got it.
086:51:34 Roosa (onboard): Pitch 2 is Off.
086:51:35 Mitchell (onboard): You've got it.
086:51:36 Roosa (onboard): Yaw - Yaw 1 - ready?
086:51:37 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
086:51:38 Roosa (onboard): Yaw 1, Off.
086:51:39 Mitchell (onboard): Got it.
086:51:40 Roosa (onboard): Pitch 1, Off.
086:51:41 Mitchell (onboard): You got it.
086:51:42 Roosa (onboard): TVC Servo Power.
086:51:43 Mitchell (onboard): Okay.
086:51:44 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
086:51:45 Mitchell (onboard): Let's go to Low Bit Rate.
086:51:59 Roosa (onboard): What's our rule? It's less than 1, I believe.
086:52:06 Shepard (onboard): That's right. [Garble] huh?
086:52:08 Roosa (onboard): Yes. This is a [Garble] burn, anyway. [Garble] your normal burn [Garble] This is a [Garble] burn.
086:52:15 Mitchell (onboard): TM Okay. Moving 1 foot per second.
086:52:17 Shepard (onboard): We're all right.
086:52:18 Roosa (onboard): Okay. That's Pro and a Verb 82.
086:52:19 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:52:20 Roosa (onboard): Put a Verb 82 in there, and won't have to go through the time line.
086:52:22 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Okay. Did you finish up on this? TVC Servo Power, 1 and 2, Off; Bus Ties, Off?
086:52:30 Mitchell (onboard): Bus Ties are Off.
086:52:32 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:52:33 Roosa (onboard): Residuals.
086:52:34 Shepard (onboard): And, okay.
086:52:35 Roosa (onboard): Okay. We're looking for what?
086:52:37 Mitchell (onboard): You're looking for -
086:52:41 Roosa (onboard): 9.1, aren't we?
086:52:42 Mitchell (onboard): 9.1; 58.8.
086:52:46 Roosa (onboard): Okay. Record Delta-V counter and residuals; EMS Function, Off; and Standby.
086:52:51 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
086:52:55 Mitchell (onboard): I hacked your burn time as 20.6.
086:53:02 Shepard (onboard): 10.4 [Garble.]
086:53:03 Roosa (onboard): THC Power is Off; RHC Power, Direct, two, Off.
086:53:14 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:53:15 Roosa (onboard): Circuit breaker Direct Ullage are open. We have Pitch 1 and Yaw 1.
086:53:22 Mitchell (onboard): What was Delta-VC, by the way? Do you know?
086:53:25 Shepard (onboard): Minus 6.2.
086:53:26 Roosa (onboard): What did they say we should have? Minus
086:53:29 Mitchell (onboard): 6.7.
086:53:31 Roosa (onboard): Okay. I guess you shut down a little early.
086:53:34 Shepard (onboard): We shut down early.
086:53:35 Mitchell (onboard): Did it beat you to it?
086:53:36 Roosa (onboard): Oh, yes.
086:53:37 Shepard (onboard): Oh, yes. Yes. Okay. Verb 66 Enter. Okay. You down there?
086:53:46 Roosa (onboard): Yes. BMAG Mode, three, Rate 2. Are you PCM Bit Rate, Low?
086:53:51 Mitchell (onboard): I'm PCM Bit Rate, Low.
086:53:52 Roosa (onboard): Okay.
086:53:54 Shepard (onboard): Okay. We did not have an update on bailout burn attitude. Is that right?
086:53:58 Mitchell (onboard): That's right.
086:53:59 Shepard (onboard): Okay. We're loading: Plus 32500 Enter, plus 06300 Enter, plus 000325 - 0630 ...
086:54:03 Note: BEGIN LUNAR REV .
086:54:18 Roosa (onboard): Did you ever Enter - Yes. You [Garble] ...
086:54:19 Shepard (onboard): ... Enter. That's all. Are you ready to maneuver?
086:54:23 Roosa (onboard): CMC, Auto; Rate 2; and Rate Command. Okay.
086:54:27 Shepard (onboard): Here we go. Verb 66 is in. That's in. [Garble] burn time [Garble]?
086:54:34 Roosa (onboard): Did you - you did do a Verb 66, Al? Okay.
086:54:37 Mitchell (onboard): I hold the burn time at 20.6.
086:54:40 Shepard (onboard): 20.6, huh?
086:54:42 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
086:54:52 Shepard (onboard): [Garble]?
086:54:53 Mitchell (onboard): No, 20.8.
086:54:55 Shepard (onboard): Oh, yes. You just flat shut down a little early.
086:55:03 Roosa (onboard): Yes, it sure did. Hell, he did his impulse turn better than that. [Garble] seconds.
086:55:15 Shepard (onboard): Well, what did you say that was? It was 2/10ths of a mile per foot per second?
086:55:23 Roosa (onboard): About 3/4ths. You mean to drop your perigee?
086:55:26 Shepard (onboard): Yes. Okay, we're [Garble.]
086:55:37 Roosa (onboard): Six-tenths of 75 would be approximately ...
086:55:42 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble.]
086:55:43 Roosa (onboard): ... 0.45, right at a half a mile.
086:55:44 Mitchell (onboard): A half a mile.
086:55:48 Shepard (onboard): What were they [Garble], Stu?
086:55:50 Roosa (onboard): They were looking for ...
086:55:51 Mitchell (onboard): 10.1.
086:55:53 Roosa (onboard): CMC said it was going to go into a 9.9, and it went into a ...
086:55:57 Mitchell (onboard): 10.1.
086:55:58 Roosa (onboard): 10.4.
086:56:00 Mitchell (onboard): Yes. 10.4.
086:56:03 Shepard (onboard): That's good. You can get down in a hurry.
086:56:11 Roosa (onboard): Can you take it the rest of the way?
086:56:12 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
086:56:13 Roosa (onboard): All right.
086:56:19 Shepard (onboard): You just overburned, anyway, by God.
086:56:20 Mitchell (onboard): Yes. We sure did.
086:56:22 Roosa (onboard): Now, you said zero, and I gave it a "huh" and started off ...
086:56:25 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
086:56:26 Roosa (onboard): ... on the switches.
086:56:27 Shepard (onboard): You said [Garble.]
086:56:28 Mitchell (onboard): [Garble] switches. That's what I was watching.
086:56:29 Roosa (onboard): Yes. It was at the end of the checklist.
086:56:32 Mitchell (onboard): I thought you got to it ...
086:56:33 Roosa (onboard): No.
086:56:34 Mitchell (onboard): ... Stu.
086:56:37 Shepard (onboard): Okay, give me fuel, please.
086:56:39 Mitchell (onboard): Fuel is 31.7; oxidizer, 31.4; and I'm on minus one - minus 90, decrease. Yes.
086:56:56 Roosa (onboard): Hey, while - while we got a couple of minutes, let me go back to that, if you're through with [Garble] I want to make a note on that LOI burn about our PUGS operation because she didn't go as advertised at all.
086:57:16 Mitchell (onboard): Well, the PUGS went pretty much as advertised, except for the crossover, Stu.
086:57:19 Roosa (onboard): That's what I meant. The PUGS indication is what I ...
086:57:29 Mitchell (onboard): The crossover was just as smooth as glass.
086:57:42 Mitchell (onboard): As a matter of fact, if I - hadn't realized it was time for crossover, I'd have still been controlling that thing about a minus 150 at the end of the burn, because there was no indication of - on the gages at crossover.
086:57:59 Shepard (onboard): You didn't have a high PC that time, did you?
086:58:06 Roosa (onboard): No, it - it was about 105. Sounds like to me it was just - maybe just a tad over.
086:58:09 Shepard (onboard): Okay. Everything agreed then. PC and burn time and EMS and G&N.
086:58:17 Roosa (onboard): No. There's a "no vote" thing in there [Garble.]
086:58:20 Mitchell (onboard): Right, no question as far as any of the onboard stuff is concerned. And that's the way it should be. Hey, look at that.
086:58:30 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:58:31 Mitchell (onboard): We're back across the terminator.
086:58:33 Roosa (onboard): We're on our way down, this time.
086:58:35 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
086:58:41 Shepard (onboard): You want to [Garble]?
086:58:43 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
086:58:44 Shepard (onboard): Okay.
086:58:53 Mitchell (onboard): Are we maneuvering? We completed everything?
086:58:56 Roosa (onboard): No, we haven't half completed. We've got a hell of a long way to go.
086:59:01 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] the bailout attitude.
086:59:03 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
086:59:13 Shepard (onboard): We don't have your time. You screwed that up.
086:59:16 Mitchell (onboard): Pardon? Oh, that's all right. I'm - I'm - Man, we are noticeably moving across the landscape, now.
086:59:37 Shepard (onboard): Oh, yes. Now we [Garble.]
086:59:42 Mitchell (onboard): Hey, Al; grab our damned LM cards, will you?
086:59:47 Shepard (onboard): I don't think you're going to be able to see the landing site. You'll be able to see stuff around it.
086:59:51 Mitchell (onboard): Well, I'd like to look at it, anyway.
086:59:53 Roosa (onboard): Terminator's not ...
086:59:55 Mitchell (onboard): It's not quite there yet, I know, but I can see the approach.
Flight Plan page 3-086
087:00:04 Shepard (onboard): Which one do you want, Ed?
087:00:06 Mitchell (onboard): Well, we only have one. That's in the LM bag, Al. What was that 180-degree time?
087:00:19 Shepard (onboard): We lost it.
087:00:21 Roosa (onboard): 86:53:05.
087:00:28 Mitchell (onboard): 86:53:05. Here we go.
087:00:39 Roosa (onboard): Hey, Al, when you're - there - there's a book in there, my CSM Landmark Book; I put it in there for the burn, because I think you - I think it's over toward the right, maybe toward the back. Way back in there; it'll be about an inch and a half thick. [Garble] There we go.
087:01:04 Mitchell (onboard): Put that in there.
087:01:07 Roosa (onboard): Thank you.
087:01:32 Roosa (onboard): Chaplygin, it's a bright crater.
087:01:43 Shepard (onboard): That's a wild view out there, babe.
087:01:46 Roosa (onboard): See the bright crater right on the edge of Chaplygin there, too? Through my window maybe. See it coming right there? That thing really shows up. See that little bitty mother? It is really a - it is really a bright thing - in the - in the photo. This is a 2000 - this is really a 2001 epic - it's unreal.
087:02:10 Shepard (onboard): It's a hell of a view. It's coming zipping around, you know how you do - Just like [Garble.]
087:02:23 Mitchell (onboard): Okay, Stu, my chart starts with La Prouse - La Prouse clusters.
087:02:41 Mitchell (onboard): Should be 21 minutes after - 20 sec - 20 minutes.
087:03:05 Unknown crew member (onboard): [Garble.]
087:03:42 Mitchell (onboard): We should - in a few more minutes.
087:04:08 Roosa (onboard): Man! What a view.
087:04:10 Shepard (onboard): What?
087:04:11 Mitchell (onboard): We're losing our view. We should be coming up on the Crater Mendeleev.
087:04:17 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
087:04:19 Mitchell (onboard): Pardon? Do you have Mendeleev out your side, Stu?
087:04:25 Roosa (onboard): No, it's off to your - to your right.
087:04:27 Mitchell (onboard): That's right, you couldn't - We're too low for you to be able to see across. You have - you should be about over Chaplygin.
087:04:33 Roosa (onboard): We're past Chaplygin - we're going right over the Lovelett.
087:04:36 Mitchell (onboard): Are you?
087:04:41 Shepard (onboard): Look at that.
087:04:42 Mitchell (onboard): Yes. Yes.
087:04:45 Shepard (onboard): Isn't that wild?
087:04:47 Mitchell (onboard): Dellinger and Pannekoek.
Crater Dellinger is named after the American physicist John Howard Dellinger (1886-1962). Crater Pannekoek is named after Antonie Pannekoek (1873-1960), the Dutch astronomer.
087:04:58 Shepard (onboard): Great Caesar's ghost!
087:05:09 Mitchell (onboard): How come we're rolled so far left [Garble] now? [Garble.] antenna ?
087:05:12 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
087:05:24 Shepard (onboard): You get more of a feeling of the elevation from the [Garble] here.
087:05:27 Mitchell (onboard): Yes. Could I crowd you over just a hair, so I can look out your window?
087:05:31 Shepard (onboard):
087:05:32 Mitchell (onboard): Oh. Yes. We're losing all of it now, aren't we?
087:05:59 Roosa (onboard): You know, that - that sharp crater back at Chaplygin was rather phenomenal. Next time we come across there, if you get a chance to see it - it looks like it's been draped around the rim.
087:06:09 Shepard (onboard): Draped?
087:06:10 Roosa (onboard): With a - with a darker material. Kind of - It's real fascinating.
087:06:25 Mitchell (onboard): Well, it is pitch black out this window. I can see stars out this window.
087:06:32 Shepard (onboard): That's good.
087:06:33 Mitchell (onboard): I'll be darned.
087:06:45 Mitchell (onboard): I can see your jets firing, too.
087:06:47 Shepard (onboard): It really must be nice [Garble] Yes. We're there.
087:06:55 Mitchell (onboard): We were there, huh?
087:06:59 Shepard (onboard): Roger. We are there. Okay, Imbrium.
087:07:03 Roosa (onboard): Oh, that's right.
087:07:06 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] happy over there?
087:07:08 Roosa (onboard): Not quite at 65 yet. Wonder why it's ...
087:07:12 Shepard (onboard): Three.
087:07:13 Roosa (onboard): Oh, 63; okay, yes; it's there. It - it'll go ahead and die down - once it's [Garble] 58 feet.
087:07:53 Shepard (onboard): The scheduled acquisition is at 16:08 [Garble] maybe get a couple of things going.
087:08:00 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
087:08:04 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
087:08:05 Mitchell (onboard): We're higher. We ought to get there ...
087:08:06 Shepard (onboard): We're a little higher.
087:08:07 Mitchell (onboard): ... a little early.
087:08:08 Shepard (onboard): Yes, we're higher, even though we're slower; we'll probably be a little early.
087:08:17 Mitchell (onboard): What are you coming up on, Stu? Okay. You - you're coming up on 11:20.
087:08:31 Roosa (onboard): We ought to be able to see [Garble] out there. We're just about north of it. You know, it's not as dark - the mare's not as dark as I expected it to be.
087:08:41 Mitchell (onboard): Okay. It's sure darker than I expected it to be. Noticeably darker. I really didn't expect it to be that - at this altitude or this close - expect to be able to see that much difference.
087:09:29 Mitchell (onboard): I'm going to see that I'm all set up for this acquisition. Minus 39; plus 325. Okay. I'm High Gain, Manual, Wide. And 6 minutes away from it.
087:09:56 Shepard (onboard): Oh, it looks good through the sextant.
087:09:59 Roosa (onboard): what?
087:10:01 Shepard (onboard): Sure looks good through the sextant.
087:10:06 Roosa (onboard): Well, I think it's got a reddish tint to it out the window. Sort of like, you know, the southwest desert. You know, red hasn't been mentioned before. Do you see Tsiolkovsky over there?
087:10:26 Mitchell (onboard): Oh, sure; that's Tsiolkovsky. Okay. I've got it. Yes. That mother is black out there, isn't it? And flat. And there are really a lot more color differences than I expected.
087:10:49 Shepard (onboard): Okay. What's that one that we talked about the other time that had that bench - the bench that looked like a quarry.
087:10:57 Roosa (onboard): Oh, the bright one.
087:10:58 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
087:10:59 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
087:11:00 Shepard (onboard): It's got a reddish tint to it. Got a lot of boulders in it, too. That's a really sharp drop in the - in the walls of that baby - really sharp break.
087:11:24 Roosa (onboard): Okay. Langemak is coming up on this side ...
Crater Langemak
087:11:26 Mitchell (onboard): Yes.
087:11:27 Roosa (onboard): ... almost dead underneath me.
087:11:34 Mitchell (onboard): Langemak - got it.
Apollo Control, Houston. 87 hours 12 minutes into the flight of Apollo 14. Our countdown clocks in Mission Control, the no burn clock 45 seconds away now, continuing to count. On our own time burn clock we show 3 minutes 9 seconds away. We'll stand by and watch as we draw closer to the time of acquisition. 87 hours 12 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. This is Apollo Control, Houston.
087:12:04 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
087:12:36 Shepard (onboard): Man, there's a big crack in the ground. [Garble.]
We've passed the early time and continuing to count. Our own time countdown clock shows 2 minutes 18 seconds away from acquisition. Meanwhile, in Mission Control, a larger than usual turnout for this hour. In the Viewing room is Acting Administrator of NASA, George Low, Manned Spacecraft Center Director, Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, and on the control room floor the backup crew of Apollo 14, backup commander Gene Cernan, Ron Evans, backup Command Module Pilot, Joe Engle backup Lunar Module Pilot, Rocco Petrone, director of the Apollo Program, Chris Craft, deputy director of the Manned Spacecraft Center, Sig Sjoberg, director of flight operations, Astronaut Chief Tom Stafford, and director of flight operations, Deke Slayton. They're all here. Just a little over a minute away now from scheduled time of acquisition. This is Apollo Control, Houston, standing by.
087:13:03 Shepard (onboard): You want to take a look at this thing, Stu?
087:13:05 Roosa (onboard): Yes. Let me get a feel for what it's going to look like at lower altitude. What is that - Noun 43 off of that card there. What is - what are the units on that thing. [Garble] Okay. And it says we're at 43.6.
087:13:29 Mitchell (onboard): Now we're at 43.67
087:13:32 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
087:13:36 Roosa (onboard): Verb 32 Enter, 87:22, and in 9 minutes we'll he down to - 30.4.
087:13:52 Shepard (onboard): Take a look at what I'm tracking.
087:14:09 Mitchell (onboard): Okay; 1 minute to AOS.
087:14:10 Shepard (onboard): I guess, why?
087:14:12 Roosa (onboard): Awful blurry.
087:14:20 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
087:14:21 Roosa (onboard): Almost too blurry to do any good in here.
087:14:24 Shepard (onboard): [Garble] real big fissure in the ground. See it now?
087:14:33 Roosa (onboard): Wait a minute. We just passed something. Man, that looks wild, doesn't it? No. That was that crater that I saw. I didn't see the fissure.
30 seconds away now. Also in the viewing room, Dale Myers, associate administrator of NASA from Manned Space Flight and Dr. John Clark director of Goddard Space Flight Center.
087:14:47 Shepard (onboard): It looks like a fissure.
087:14:54 Roosa (onboard): Oh, you mean coming down the side of that crater?
087:14:56 Shepard (onboard): Yes.
087:14:57 Roosa (onboard): Yes.
087:15:02 Shepard (onboard): [Garble.]
087:15:04 Mitchell (onboard): Eight seconds.
10 seconds away now. Standing by, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
087:15:08 Roosa (onboard): Hey, you know I - It looks like it's more that - that draping though.
We have acquisition.
087:15:13 Mitchell (onboard): There it is.
087:15:16 Fullerton: Apollo 14, Houston. Over.
087:15:17 Shepard (onboard): Eight on time.
087:15:22 Shepard: Houston, Apollo 14.
087:15:24 Fullerton: Loud and clear, Al. A lot of people standing by to hear how it went.
087:15:30 Shepard: Okay. The burn went essentially normally. Burn time was 20.6 seconds with the following residuals on the G&N shutdown: plus 0.6, plus 0.2, zero; Delta-VC, minus 6.2. With me? [Long pause.]
087:15:54 Fullerton: Roger. Copied burn time, 20.6; a plus 0.6, plus 0.2, and a zero; and Delta-VC, minus 6.2. [Long pause.]
087:16:11 Shepard: That is correct. Fuel, 31.7; oxidizer, 31.4; unbalance, decrease 90.
087:16:24 Fullerton: Roger, Al. And, 14; Houston. We'd like you to go to P00, please. [Long pause.]
087:17:00 Shepard: Okay. P00.
087:17:03 Fullerton: Thank you. We'll have a look at the VG.
087:17:05 Shepard: Do you want Accept?
087:17:08 Fullerton: Negative.
087:17:09 Shepard: Okay. And CMC orbit was - okay. And CMC orbit was 10.4 by 58.8.
087:17:19 Fullerton: Roger.
Long comm break.
Onboard orbit reading reported by Al Shepard 10.4 nautical miles [19.3 km] by 58.4 nautical miles [108.2 km]. Earlier reported by spacecraft commander Shepard a burn time of 20.6 seconds. We're at 87 hours 18 minutes Ground Elapsed Time .
087:21:34 Fullerton: 14, Houston. The computer is yours now.
087:21:41 Shepard: Okay. [Long pause.]
087:21:53 Shepard: Okay.
Comm break.
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