Apollo 16
Day 12: Entry and Splashdown
Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 2006-2022 by W. David Woods and Tim Brandt. All rights reserved.
Last updated 2022-08-19
This is Apollo Control through 283 hours, 58 minutes [259:11] Ground Elapsed Time. One minute away from wakeup call. Spacecraft Communicator Tony England, standing by for good antenna swing by on the spacecraft before making his reveille call. Apollo 16, [now] 45,306 miles out from Earth. Velocity building up fairly rapidly now, [at] 9,174 feet per second. When Apollo 16 enters the atmosphere, some 6 hours and 24 minutes from now, it will be travelling four times as fast as it is now. We have confirmation of the High Gain locked in. Here goes Tony England.
259:15:18 England: Good morning, Apollo 16.
259:15:42 England: Good morning, good morning up there.
259:15:53 Young: Good morning, good morning down there.
259:16:15 England: Well, we see on this biomed that old Charlie woke up. He was really sawing away there.
259:16:28:Young: Charlie was sawing away on his biomed?
259:16:30 England: Sure was.
259:16:33 Young: I wouldn't be surprised. That's probably why it doesn't work. Termites do the same thing.
259:20:00 England: Apollo 16, Houston. Would you switch your High Gain to Medium?
259:20:14 Young: Yeah, Medium on the High Gain.
259:33:45 England: Apollo 16, Houston.
259:33:51 Young: Go ahead. Over.
259:33:52 England: Okay. We've only got one minor change to your Flight Plan. Some high gain angles for a P52 at 285:48 when you want them.
259:34:13 Young: Okay. Go ahead.
259:34:14 England: Okay. Pitch, minus 28; Yaw, 96. And Stu will be in, in a little while, to talk about changes to your Entry Checklist. But that should do it for the Flight Plan. All your systems looked nominal through the night. We don't know about the Mid-Course 7 yet. Right now, you're in the corridor and it looks - it looks pretty good - like maybe you won't have to do one. If you did one, it wouldn't be any more than a foot and a half.
259:34:48 Young: Understand.
259:34:54 England: You're just slightly shallow. Give you a little softer ride.
259:35:17 England: And could you go Wide on the High Gain, please?
259:35:29 Young: High Gain, Wide.
259:35:31 England: Thank you.
259:36:02 Griffin: 16, Houston.
259:36:07 Young: Go ahead, Over.
259:36:08 Griffin: Hey, John. This is Gold Flight. We're going to be handing over down here shortly and our last shift with you - We wanted to let you know that we really commend you for a job well done and be looking forward to seeing you when you get back to Houston.
259:36:24 Young: Okay, Gold Flight. I tell you, we certainly enjoyed you, particularly on that descent. That was something else, wasn't it?
259:36:31 Griffin: It was a pretty long day. I'm sure it was for you. It sure was for us.
259:36:36 Young: Yeah, you bet.
259:36:44 Duke: Gerry, thanks for everything. We'll be seeing you when we get back.
259:36:47 Griffin: Okay, Charlie.
259:36:59 England: Incidentally, I talked to Lee [Silver] yesterday, and he sends you all a 'Very well done.'
259:37:08 Young: Thank you.
259:39:35 Mattingly: Tony, you still there?
259:39:37 England: Yeah. Go ahead.
259:39:40 Mattingly: Would you have your friend on the left take a look at my biomed?
259:39:45 England: Okay. He says you look healthy.
259:39:56 Mattingly: Okay. Thank you.
259:40:19 England: Incidentally, I think Lee's comments really mean you passed the course. I hope so anyway.
259:40:40 Duke: If we didn't, we'd like to go back and try again.
259:40:44 England: That would be a good deal, wouldn't it?
259:40:47 Young: Yeah, maybe you can fix that up for us so we can go back and try it again.
259:40:55 Duke: There's another 400 or 500 pounds up there, Tony, we'd like to bring you.
259:41:05 Young: We didn't make Lee's ton a year, but we're working on it.
259:41:10 England: [Laughter.] Yeah, if you don't get a - get a ton - Lee's going to be disappointed. No, I don't think so. I think he's pretty happy.
259:51:02 Young: Okay, Houston. With the crew status report.
259:51:07 England: Go ahead.
259:51:08 Young: Okay. For the Commander, A1 is still stowed, A3 is 7 hours, A4 is none, A5 is 1725 ...
259:51:45 England: John, we lost comm there about the CDR's A-5. If you can do that one again, please.
259:51:52 Young: Okay. A-5: 17, 25, and 16; A-6 is: 1 is 8, 2 is 4, 3 is 6, 4 is 5, and 5 is 8. All those - all those quantities are in ounces.
259:52:22 Young: CMP: B-1, 15072; B-3, 6 hours; B-4, none - B-2 is 40 and 50. B-6: 1 is 5 ounces; 2 is 6 ounces; 3, 5 ounces; 4, 5 ounces.
259:52:59 Young: On the LMP: C-1, 21180; C-3, 7 hours; C-4, none; C-5, 18, 25, 15; C-6: 5 ounces - number 1 is 5 ounces, number 2 is 7 ounces.
259:53:28:England: Okay. We copy that.
259:53:39 Young: Okay, back to the - to the chow. Yesterday, we were working on Day 11 food, and we - For the CDR Meal A, scratch the coffee with K; meal B, scratch the rye bread, change the tuna spread to 2/3, and change the - change the tuna spread from tuna spread to ham salad, and change the cocoa with K to citrus beverage with K.
259:54:31 Young: And on Meal C, scratch the romaine soup and the pecans, and add ½ tuna salad.
259:54:54 Young: On the CMP: for breakfast, scratch the grits; Meal B, scratch the grapefruit bar and the graham crackers; Meal C, substitute ham for beef steak, scratch the chicken and rice, scratch the pecans, scratch the grape drink, add orange-pineapple drink, gingerbread.
259:55:53 Young: And also an orange-grapefruit drink.
259:56:19 Young: And on the LMP: for breakfast, scratch the bacon squares from Meal A; Meal B, scratch the lobster bisque, and the rye - and the rye bread. Wait a second here, somebody's got a little disagreement on what we ate here. It's not, incidentally, the first time that that's happened.
259:57:17 England: We'd like you to get started toward that galactic anti-centerpoint attitude, whatever that is.
259:57:59 Young: Okay, we're going that way.
259:58:18 Young: Okay, let's start over on Meal B for the LMP.
259:58:23 England: All right.
259:58:24 Young: I've been correc - I've been corrected here. Do not scratch the lobster bisque. And substitute for tuna spread, ham spread. And do not scratch the rye bread. Scratch the cherry fruit bar, and the citrus beverage with K, and substitute the cocoa with K.
259:58:58 Young: On Meal C, scratch the beef steak, scratch the fruitcake and the pecans, and add tuna salad, ¾ of a tin.
259:59:16 England: Okay, got it.
259:59:22 Young: Okay, and the injector valve temps are looking as follows: 5C, 4.5; 5D, 4.6; 6A, 4.1; 6B, 4.4; 6C, 4.9; 6D, 4.4. Which means no heatup.
259:59:51 England: Okay, copy that.
260:02:06 England: Apollo 16, we'd like Auto on the High Gain.
260:02:15 Young: You have it.
260:02:40 England: Hey, fellows. Hank's here, and have a good ride in. We'll see you in a couple of days.
260:02:47 Young: Okay. Thank you much, Tony.
260:02:50 England: You betcha.
260:02:53 Mattingly: We'll see you, and we enjoyed working with you, Tony.
260:02:57 England: Thank you.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 285 hours [260:13] Ground Elapsed Time. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 39,820 nautical miles away from the Earth. The velocity now reads 9,807 feet per second and in the Mission Control Center in Houston, we've had a shift changeover. Phil Shaffer is now our Flight Director. Our Capcom is now Henry Hartsfield. We're at 285 hours [260:13] Ground Elapsed Time and this is Apollo Control, Houston.
(NO COMM FOR 23 MINUTES)
260:25:46 Mattingly: Okay. We just got her again.
260:25:52 Hartsfield: Roger. Copy.
260:26:30 Mattingly: And, Houston; this time we've got the ISS light on and it's remaining on.
260:26:34 Hartsfield: Roger. Copy, Ken.
260:27:08 Mattingly: Program alarm was resettable, as you probably noticed.
260:27:13 Hartsfield: Roger. And you - But you still have the light, is that affirmative?
260:27:17 Mattingly: That's affirmative.
260:27:18 Young: Affirmative.
260:28:13 Mattingly: Okays, Houston, could we proceed through Malfunction Number 6 here?
260:28:24 Hartsfield: They're debating that, Ken. Just a second.
260:28:28:Mattingly: Okay. The Noun 20s check with the FDAI very closely.
260:28:41 Hartsfield: Okay. Ken, why don't you press on through that malfunction 6 there on Page 28; and remember, if you get down to box 12, you have to kill the DAP.
260:28:53 Mattingly: Okay.
260:29:24 Hartsfield: Do you have any questions on killing the DAP, Ken?
260:29:28:Mattingly: No, sir.
260:29:50 Mattingly: Okay, that time when I went to do a Verb 40, just about the time it should have run its time out and blanked the DSKY, we got another Program Alarm, and a - shows 3777 again.
260:30:06 Hartsfield: Roger, [garble] that.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 285 hours, 16 minutes [260:29] Ground Elapsed Time. You heard the report from Ken Mattingly. We have a recurrence of yesterday's Program Alarm, this the Inertial Sub-System warning light on. At this point, however, the light remains on. We'll stand by and continue to monitor. We show Apollo 16 at a distance of 38,327 nautical miles away from Earth, now travelling at a speed of 10,000 feet per second.
260:30:47 Hartsfield: Do you still have the ISS light, Ken?
260:30:51 Mattingly: That's affirmative.
260:32:13 Hartsfield: 16, Houston. We'd like to proceed with the malfunction procedure.
260:32:19 Mattingly: Okay. Would you like to do Block 6 again?
260:32:31 Hartsfield: Stand by, Ken. They're looking at it. There's speculation we've got a - the fail bit set and stuck there.
260:33:17 Hartsfield: Okay, Ken. Let's proceed with Block 6 and go on down to 12, and - but I think we're gonna see the same thing all over again, but let's try it.
260:33:26 Mattingly: You say skip Block 6?
260:33:28:Hartsfield: Negative. Let's do back - Block 6 again.
Block 6 is the malfunction procedure which was followed yesterday when a similar kind of problem developed. We're at 285 hours, 20 minutes [260:33] Ground Elapsed Time; this is Apollo Control, Houston.
260:33:33 Mattingly: Okay.
260:33:51 Mattingly: Same thing, Hank.
260:33:53 Hartsfield: Okay, understand.
260:34:35 Mattingly: Okay, Hank. I'm not sure how to answer Block 6. I'll go to Block 12 if you like.
260:34:41 Hartsfield: Stand by a minute, Ken.
260:35:28:Hartsfield: Okay, Ken. We can see that input channel bit, and it's set, and it's staying set, so we think there's no need to proceed any further.
260:35:38 Mattingly: Okay. Do you have any way of isolating whether it's - the bit is set or whether it's receiving continuous input?
260:35:47 Hartsfield: Okay. Everybody's looking at that now. We're trying to psych out what's going wrong here.
260:35:53 Mattingly: Okay. Thank you, sir.
260:40:47 Hartsfield: 16, Houston. It appears to us that the input channel bit just cleared. Did you do anything?
260:40:54 Mattingly: No, sir. And the ISS light is out.
260:41:45 Young: Let me tell you what the only thing we can think of that might have happened. Charlie's down in the LEB, and Tool E, it sounded like, got knocked against the Panel down there, if you can believe that.
260:42:03 Hartsfield: Tool E hit the panel and the light went away?
260:42:07 Young: That, we can't say that for sure. That's the only action that - that I can think of that was going on at the time.
260:42:16 Hartsfield: Roger.
260:42:17 Young: And I'm not even sure that was. I just heard a clank.
That's John Young speaking from Apollo 16, now. We're at 285 hours, 29 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. As you just heard the Program Alarm just cleared. However, if the alarm light persisted, this does not mean that the Apollo 16 can't use the guidance and navigation system for entry. But if another problem developed with the Inertial Sub-System, we would not get the ISS alarm. What Apollo 16 would really be giving up would be an ISS fail indication, but we would receive a gimbal lock alarm or indication if this developed. We're at 285 hours, 30 minutes [260:43] Ground Elapsed Time. We show Apollo 16 at a distance of 37,095 nautical miles away from the Earth, and travelling at a velocity of 10,168 feet per second.
260:44:04 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We would like to get on with the activity at 285:30 regarding the SIM bay. However, we would like to leave the Gamma Ray Shield on. We don't want to take it Off.
260:44:19 Mattingly: Okay.
260:50:11 Hartsfield: Ken, looks like the Gamma Ray Boom is not gonna come in any further; we've seen it stalled. But it is safe for - with a safe position. You can go ahead and turn the Boom switch to Off. And for planning purposes, we are gonna do a Mid-Course 7, and it's about 1½ feet per second.
260:50:28:Mattingly: Okay, thank you.
260:50:30 Mattingly: We'll turn the Gamma Ray Boom to Off.
260:51:36 Mattingly: Hank, do you folks want us to go ahead and try the 52?
260:51:48 Hartsfield: Roger, Ken. We'd like to do the P52, and since the problem's cleared up, I imagine you can use the Verb 49 maneuver.
260:51:56 Mattingly: We'll certainly give that a try. Hank, do we have the entry REFSMMAT plugged in yet?
260:52:18 Hartsfield: Stand by.
260:52:40 Hartsfield: If you'll give us Accept, we'll pump your loads up to you.
260:52:47 Mattingly: Okay, you have it.
260:53:03 Hartsfield: We're sending you a state vector, a target load, and a REFSMMAT.
260:55:20 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. I have your MCC-7 PAD.
260:56:02 Young: Okay, go ahead, Hank.
260:56:03 Hartsfield: Roger. MCC-7, RCS/G&N; 27276; Noun 48 is NA; Noun 33, 287:23:00.26; minus 0001.4, plus all zips, plus four balls 1; 180, 310, 000; H
A is NA, plus 0021.7; 0001.4, 0:04, 0001.4; sextant star 13, 312.7, 33.7; boresight star NA; Noun 61, minus 00.71, minus 156.18; 1045.8, 36276; 290:23:59. Sirius and Rigel; 279, 045, 014. Four jets. Remarks: EMS not bias for drift. High Gain angles, Pitch, minus 85; Yaw, 119. End of PAD, and the computer is yours.
260:58:17 Young: Okay. MCC-7, RCS/G&N; 27276; Noun 48 not applicable; 287:23:00.26; minus three balls 1.4, plus all balls, plus 0000.1; 180, 310, 000; H
A is not applicable, 21.7; Delta-V
T 1.4, burn time 4 seconds, Delta V
C 1.4; 13 sextant star, 312.7, 33.7; latitude minus 7.1, longitude minus 156.18; 1045.8, 36276; 290:23:59. Sirius and Rigel; 279, 045, and 014. Four Jets, plus-X. EMS not bias for drift. Pitch on High Gain, minus 85; Yaw, 119 - minus 119.
260:59:40 Hartsfield: That's a good readback, John, except the Noun 61, the latitude is 0.71, minus 0.71.
260:59:58 Young: Okay, 0.71.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 285 hours 46 minutes [260:59] Ground Elapsed Time. You heard John Young aboard Apollo, 16 responding to the Mid-Course maneuver Number 7 PAD which was just passed up to him by CapCom Hank Hartsfield. MCC-7 is scheduled for ignition at 287 hours, 23 minutes [and] 27 - or 26 seconds Ground Elapsed Time with a Delta V of 1.4 feet per second, a burn duration of 4 seconds.
261:00:20 Hartsfield: Omni Charlie, Apollo 16.
261:00:28:Young: You have Charlie.
261:01:03 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We're clear to turn the Data System Off down on Panel 230.
261:01:09 Mattingly: Okay.
261:01:24 Mattingly: Hank, did you copy my question about post-torque versus coarse align for the REFSMMAT change?
261:01:30 Hartsfield: Negative, Ken. But I'll check it.
261:01:31 Mattingly: Okay. That's in light of these funnies. I'd hate to have it - end up losing all track of what it's doing.
261:01:40 Hartsfield: Roger.
The reason for such a small Mid-Course 7 burn is to target the Service Module away from an island in the landing footprint. Also this will further fine tune the entry angle. Because we feel assured of - we feel assured of doing this because of an ability to realign the platform. This capability exists even if we did have a recurrence of the Program Alarm, which we saw earlier this morning. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 35,296 nautical miles away from the Earth and travelling at a speed of 10,425 feet per second.
261:02:01 Hartsfield: Omni Delta.
261:02:17 Mattingly: Omni Delta.
261:02:21 Hartsfield: Roger.
261:02:33 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. Normal procedures on the P52 coarse align.
261:02:39 Mattingly: Okay. Thank you, sir.
261:04:50 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Omni Alpha.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 285 hours, 53 minutes [261:06] Ground Elapsed Time. Based on that Mid-Course Correction number 7 PAD we have the following times to pass along. Time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere, 290 hours, 23 minutes [and] 32 seconds [265:37:30] Ground Elapsed Time; Retro Elapsed Time to [0.]05g, 27 seconds; Retro Elapsed Time to begin blackout, 16 seconds; Retro Elapsed Time to end blackout; 3 minutes, 33 seconds; Retro Elapsed Time to time of drogue chute deployment, 7 minutes, 43 seconds; Retro Elapsed Time to time of main chute deployment, 8 minutes, 29 seconds; and retro elapsed to splash 13 minutes, 21 seconds.
We also indicate a max g load on the crew of Apollo 16 with this entry path at 6.87 gs.
261:09:17 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. Have a Entry PAD for you.
261:09:23 Mattingly: Okay. Just a second, Henry.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 285 hours, 57 minutes Ground Elapsed Time. The name of the island which initially would have been in the footprint of the Service Module had we had not chosen to do Mid-Course Correction 7 is Penrhyn. It was [a] B-29 base during World-War II. There's some 500 to 600 inhabitants on the island and it's chief export is pearl shell. We're at 285 hours, 58 minutes [261:12] Ground Elapsed Time. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 34,346 nautical miles away from the Earth and travelling at a speed of 10,568 feet per second.
261:11:11 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, are you clear to torque?
261:14:34 Hartsfield: Clear to torque. And, 16; we're still standing by with that Entry PAD.
261:15:13 Hartsfield: And, 16; after we get this PAD up, Stu is gonna have some words for you about the checklist change.
261:15:26 Young: Okay. Go ahead with the PAD.
261:15:30 Hartsfield: Okay, MidPac; 000, 153, 000; 290:06:32. 267: minus 00.71, minus 156.18; 06.9; 36196, 6.50; 1045.8, 36276; 290:23:32; 00:27; Noun 69 is NA; 4.00, 02:02; 00:16, 03:33, 07:43; sextant star 25, 151.5, 26.2; boresight NA; lift vector UP. Use nonexit EMS pattern; RET for 90K, 06:06; RET mains, 08:29; RET landing, 13:21; constant-g entry, roll right; moonset, 290:20:26; EMS entry, reverse bank angle at 20,000 feet per second.
261:18:02 Young: Okay, MidPac; roll 0, pitch 153, yaw 0; 290:06:32, 267; minus 00.71, minus 158.15; 0.69 - 06.9; plus 36196, minus 006.5; plus 1045.8, plus 36276; 290:23:32; 00:27; NA on Noun 69; DO 4.00, V - V
circ time 2:02; 00:16, 03:33, 07:23; 25, 151.5, 26.2; NA; lift vector UP. Nonexit EMS pattern; RET 90K, 06 plus 06; main 08 plus 29; landing 13 plus 21; constant-g entry, roll right; moonset, 290:20:26; EMS entry, reverse bank at 20K feet per second.
261:19:32 Hartsfield: Good readback, John.
Apollo Control Houston at 286 hours 6 minutes [261:20] Ground Elapsed Time. Apollo 16, now 33,550 nautical miles away from the Earth, and now travelling at a velocity of 10,693 feet per second. You heard John Young taking down the Entry PAD as passed up by CapCom Hank Hartsfield. We repeat again the numbers. We expect in Ground Elapsed Time, Apollo 16 to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere at 290 hours, 23 minutes [and] 32 seconds [265:37:30]. The blackout period will begin at plus 16 seconds from entry interface. The blackout period will end at 3 minutes, 33 seconds from time of entry interface, main drogue chute deployment 7, minutes 43 seconds from time of entry interface. Main chute deployment 8 minutes, 29 seconds from time of entry interface, and splashdown predicted at 13 minutes, 21 seconds from time of entry interface. The velocity at time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere of 36,276 feet per second. We expect the crew of Apollo 16 to pull a max g load of 6.87. We're at 286 hours, 7 minutes [261:20] Ground Elapsed Time and this is Apollo Control Houston.
261:24:25 Roosa: 16, Houston.
261:24:29 Mattingly: Good morning, Stuart.
261:24:30 Roosa: Oh, jolly good, there. I - I've got a couple or three changes to your checklist and your cue card, if you want to fish those out.
261:24:41 Mattingly: Okay, got the cue card and an Entry Checklist.
261:24:45 Roosa: Okay, let's go to the Entry Checklist, Page E/1-2.
261:24:53 Mattingly: Okay, E/l-2. You're starting early in the book.
261:24:54 Roosa: Oh, Roger. Okay, let's go down here to the - the end of the logic sequence check.
261:25:06 Mattingly: Okay.
261:25:07 Roosa: Right after we've opened the SECS circuit breakers there, we want to write in "Battery compartment pressure check - Systems Test, 7-A. If off-scale high, open Vent Valve through entry."
261:25:41 Mattingly: Okay, battery compartment pressure check - that's meter 7-A. If off-scale high, open through entry - and, just for your information, right now it's about 2.9.
261:25:53 Roosa: Okay; copy. Okay, and then at the bottom of that page, after the P52, put in - I'm sorry - let's do it before the P52. Add "Start EMP 509." And this is just an arbitrary point that we've - that we've picked, Ken. We're getting close enough now that we think we ought to have 509 running. We would prefer you to go ahead and do the P52 in SCS, as you have been doing. But let's just have 509 running before you go into that P52.
261:26:38 Mattingly: Okay, that's fair.
261:26:40 Roosa: Okay, let's go over to 1-3 and ...
261:26:44 Mattingly: All right.
261:26:45 Roosa: Down under the boresight - this is the standard bit - delete your "Verb 41 Noun 91," and add "Verb 16 Noun 91 Enter; use Manual Optics."
261:26:59 Mattingly: Okay, Manual on the boresight.
261:27:01 Roosa: Okay. And now, after you drive the Optics to 90 degrees, we want to delete the Optics power, off. And we want to verify Optics Speed, Lo. And we're going to leave the Optics power on and, here in the mysterious world of glitches, this is going to minimize the probability. So we're gonna come in with it on, and we'll put the Speed to Lo just to hold down the drift.
261:27:36 Mattingly: Okay, after the 90-degree shaft, why, we'll - delete Optics power off and verify that the Speed is Lo.
261:27:45 Roosa: Okay, now let's go to 2-2. Thank you. I need to be looking at this instead of that.
261:27:53 Mattingly: Okay, 2-2.
261:27:57 Roosa: Okay. Now, after we get down to - after the P61 entry prep and prior to entering P61, we want to add - and the - what we're doing here, Ken, is we're resetting the average-g flag, which we set in 509. And if we do not do this step - now this is a - a pretty critical step - if we do not reset that average-g flag, P61 will not call average g. So our procedure here before we go into P61 is a Verb 25 Noun 7 Enter, 75 Enter, 1 Enter, Enter. And if for some reason P61 would not call up average g, your fastest and most obvious cue is that lack of the comp cycle before Noun 61 comes up. If you don't reset this, your Noun 61 comes up immediately, but - with 509 running, we've got to get this step in or we'll not pick up our average g.
261:29:15 Mattingly: Okay, That's a good one to know.
261:29:17 Roosa: Roger. And how about just reading that step back to me there.
261:29:21 Mattingly: Okay. Before calling P61, I'm going to reset the average-g flag with a Verb 25 Noun 7, 75 Enter, 1 Enter, and 0 Enter. And I'll do that prior to calling P61.
261:29:33 Roosa: Okay. Jolly good. And let's go over to 2-4.
261:29:40 Mattingly: Okay. On 2-4.
261:29:42 Roosa: Okay. And what we're doing here now is, after you have Pro and you activate the Entry DAP, at that time, your Noun 46 first digit is dropped to a zero. To reactivate EMP 509, after the flashing 06 61 comes up, let's insert in there a Verb 21 Noun 46 Enter, 30000 Enter. And, of course, all we're doing here is putting the 3 back in Noun 46 and this was dropped, as I say, when you went into the Entry DAP.
261:30:26 Mattingly: Okay. The - you want to do that after - Line 13, or before that?
261:30:32 Roosa: Okay. After line 13, in between the flashing 06 61 and before the PRO.
261:30:53 Mattingly: Okay. Stu, after flashing 61 and before Proceeding on that, we'll do a Verb 21 Noun 46, 30000 Enter.
261:31:06 Roosa: Roger. You'll do a Verb 21 Noun 46 Enter, 30000 Enter.
261:31:11 Mattingly: That's right.
261:31:13 Roosa: Okay. And you got the picture of why we're having to do that?
261:31:18 Mattingly: Yes, sir.
261:31:19 Roosa: Okay. Now the - now, if you'll pick up your cue card, we'll change it to the same things that we've just gone over in the checklist here.
261:31:30 Mattingly: Okay.
261:31:33 Roosa: Okay. Prior to your P61, add Verb 25 Noun 7 Enter, 75 Enter, 1 Enter, 0 Enter.
261:31:52 Mattingly: Okay. I'll reset that flag before P61.
261:31:57 Roosa: Okay. And, back down here in your P62 box, same thing we just talked about. Prior to the Pro, after the 06 61, add Verb 21 Noun 46 Enter, 30000 Enter.
261:32:19 Mattingly: Okay. Got that.
261:32:25 Roosa: Okay. And - got a - a change here to your Systems Checklist - and this is just changing to reflect the increased pressure in the battery compartment. If you'd like to change that, it's Page S/l-2, under Step 3.
261:33:23 Mattingly: Okay.
261:33:25 Roosa: Okay. Down - toward the bottom of the page, about three lines up, we've got a comment in there. "If greater than 1.5, Battery Vent valve, Vent." We want to change that 1.5 to 3.4.
261:33:55 Mattingly: Okay. We change that to 3.4.
261:33:58 Roosa: Okay. It's a pretty innocuous change. And the one - the line right above that, too - "Systems Test 7-A, battery compartment pressure less than 1.5," change that to 3.4, also.
261:34:09 Mattingly: Okay.
261:34:10 Roosa: Okay. Those are the changes, Ken. And - we're working up a - a list here. It'll be pretty straightforward. I don't want to give them to you now. We're massaging them - of the cues that will indicate to you - the CDU glitches just prior to and during the entry phase. And I'd like to talk to you about that in a little bit when we get all squared away.
261:34:38 Mattingly: Okay. Thank you.
261:34:40 Roosa: Roger. Oh, I'd like to also add here, Ken, and - of course, as you well know, we - in this mysterious glitch solutions, we gotta shotgun it, and we're trying to find the areas that are a prime candidate for glitch in the CDU. And one of these is during your GDC align procedure, when you have your Att Set switch to Att Set and you either switch in to or out of IMU on the Source. What you're doing here is loading up the CDU's, and they feel that this is a prime candidate for a glitch. So, our words of wisdom are to minimize the number of times that you use this switch, and I guess after your GDC align in the normal checklist;, we'd kind of like to see you not cycle that Source switch to IMU with your Att Set switch in Att Set. I guess you could still check your GDC versus Noun 20s if you wanted to, but I did want you to be aware of this particular switch combination as - as loading up the CDU. And this is where we have the probability of glitches.
261:36:07 Mattingly: Okay, thank you.
261:36:09 Roosa: And just ...
261:36:10 Young: As you know, we've - we've only aligned the GDC IMU a thousand times, and I don't think that's had anything to do with the glitch we've had so far.
261:36:30 Roosa: Yeah, we realize that, John. The problem is - we don't know what - what's causing the glitch. We just, at this time, can't say.
261:36:31 Young: That's true, but I'm saying that - Oh, never mind, never mind.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 286 hours, 23 minutes [261:36] Ground Elapsed Time. Apollo 16 now 31,829 nautical miles away from the Earth. The velocity now reads 10,978 feet per second. We've heard Stu Roosa talking from the Capcom's console. Stu Roosa, the backup Command Module Pilot for Apollo 16. Meanwhile, the weather forecast for the planned landing area located about 1,200 miles south of Hawaii calls for scattered clouds, cloud coverage 2,000 feet scattered, easterly winds, 10 knots, 3 foot seas, visibility at 10 nautical miles and temperature near 82 degrees. Our current predicted splash coordinates based on Mid-Course Correction 7 and our entry angle [is] 44 minutes south, 156 degrees, 11 minutes west. We're at 286 hours, 24 minutes [261:37] Ground Elapsed Time, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
261:46:39 Mattingly: Houston, 16.
261:46:44 Hartsfield: Go ahead.
261:46:47 Mattingly: You folks have any objections if we pump up the cabin to about 5.7 now so we can have full packages and have a little pad on the cabin pressure? The regs are running a little low.
261:47:04 Hartsfield: Okay. Go ahead, Ken.
261:47:09 Mattingly: Thank you.
Apollo Control Houston. 286 hours, 43 minutes [261:56] Ground Elapsed Time. We're now some 40 minutes from time of ignition for Mid-Course burn number 7. This is scheduled to occur at 287 hours, 23 minutes 27 - 26 seconds Ground Elapsed Time. A very small maneuver with a Delta V of 1.4 feet per second, and burn duration of 4 seconds. We now show Apollo 16 at 29,686 nautical miles away from the Earth, and travelling at a speed of 11,359 feet per second. This is Apollo Control, Houston.
261:58:01 Hartsfield: Ken, it all looks good down here. We don't think you need the Verb 40.
261:58:07 Mattingly: Okay. I agree. Sure gets your attention, though.
261:58:13 Hartsfield: Roger.
261:58:26 Hartsfield: Wait a couple hours, Ken, and it'll even get your attention faster. And when all of you've got a chance to listen, I've got a couple of words on the - on the CDU transient fuse [?].
261:58:43 Mattingly: Okay. Why don't you wait a few minutes. We're still cleaning up a little stowage here.
261:58:48 Hartsfield: Okay.
262:13:11 Young: Well, here we go again.
262:13:13 Hartsfield: Roger. We see it.
This is Apollo Control Houston. 286 hours, 59 minutes [262:12] Ground Elapsed Time. We've seen a recurrence of the Program Alarm light. That was the reference just made. The light is out now reports Guidance. We're at 287 hours [262:13] -
262:13:47 Young: Okay, Houston. I got it out that time by kicking the panel. Sounds to me like switch - it sounds to me like same kind of contamination in the - in the switch.
262:14:00 Hartsfield: Where ...
262:14:01 Young: In the relay or whatever.
262:14:03 Hartsfield: Where did you kick, John?
262:14:07 Young: I kicked right - I put my - I - when it went out, I was kicking right over the Noun 99 codes, and just below that - I think it was ...
262:14:19 Mattingly: [garble] LEB and the ...
262:14:20 Young: Yeah, I think I was ...
262:14:21 Mattingly: ... Optics panel.
262:14:22 Young: ... kicking on the region of the - What's just below there, the PSA with the modules in it?
262:14:29 Hartsfield: All right. Maybe there was something to that Tool E hitting it awhile ago.
262:14:34 Young: Could have been. Or maybe it just went out.
That was John Young reporting on his remedy for putting the light out. The Apollo 16 is returned to it's primary guidance and navigation system. And systems look good here in the Mission Control at this time. We show Apollo 16 at a distance of 27,779 nautical miles away from the Earth, and travelling at a speed of 11,725 feet per second. We're at 287 hours, 1 minute [262:13] Ground Elapsed Time. This is Apollo Control Houston.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 287 hours 10 minutes [262:23] Ground Elapsed Time. Apollo 16 now 13 minutes away from time of ignition for Mid-Course Correction number 7. The onboard computer is now is Program 41. This is the reaction control system program which provides a computation for a preferred platform orientation and preferred vehicle attitude for the thrusting maneuver, and the maneuvers the vehicle to the proper thrusting attitude. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 26,749 nautical miles away from the Earth and with the velocity of 11,939 feet per second. [At] 287 hours, 11 minutes [262:24] Ground Elapsed Time, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
262:27:38 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We'd like to verify the S-Band Aux TV switch, Off.
262:27:48 Young: You want it -
262:28:01 Young: Okay, it's verified Off now.
262:28:03 Hartsfield: Okay, thank you.
262:32:29 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. You're Go for Mid-Course 7.
262:32:34 Young: Roger. Go for 7.
Flight Director Phil Shaffer having taken a Go/No-Go for Mid-Course 7 passed it along the CapCom Henry Hartsfield, who in turn, passed it along to the crew. We're 4 minutes 9 seconds away from time of ignition and we show Apollo 16 at a distance of 25,815 nautical miles away from the Earth and travelling at a speed of 12,143 feet per second.
Apollo Control, Houston. Two minutes away now from time of ignition for Mid-Course Correction 7.
262:36:25 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, I request your Key Release.
262:36:29 Mattingly: It'll - clear up at average g.
262:37:34 Young: Okay, burn's complete. Residuals, plus 0.1, minus 0, plus 1 or plus - Yeah.
262:37:43 Hartsfield: Roger; copy.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 287 hours 24 minutes [262:37] Ground Elapsed Time. You heard John Young report that the Mid-Course Correction 7 burn has been completed. We copied time of ignition at 24 seconds beyond the scheduled time. This a very minimal burn providing a Delta V of 1.4 feet per second.
Apollo Control, Houston, 287 hours, 25 minutes [262:38] Ground Elapsed Time.
262:39:04 Mattingly: Okay. I'm maneuvering to the UV photo attitude.
262:39:09 Hartsfield: Roger.
Apollo 16 now being maneuvered to the ultraviolet photography attitude The fact that the burn occurred at 24 seconds beyond the scheduled time will have no effect on the entry corridor. We're at 287 hours 26 minutes [262:39] Ground Elapsed Time. We show Apollo 16 at a distance of 25,048 nautical miles away from the Earth travelling at a velocity of 12,316 feet per second. This is Apollo Control, Houston,
262:42:24 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Omni Delta.
262:45:45 Hartsfield: 16, Houston.
262:45:48 Mattingly: Hello there.
262:45:50 Hartsfield: Roger. Just a little info. We're gonna be - we'll give you a call, but we'll be bringing the batteries on at EI minus 45, about 15 minutes early, just so we'll have a little extra time to take a look at them.
262:46:07 Mattingly: Okay.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 287 hours, 32 minutes [262:45] Ground Elapsed Time. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 24,294 nautical miles out from the Earth and travelling at a velocity of 12,495 feet per second. The 24-second delayed ignition time on Mid-Course correction number 7 will have no effect on the entry corridor. Rather Ken Mattingly had not finished sequencing out his program for the burn, this Program number 41 on the computer. The RCS systems - and Flight Dynamics reports, based on his present trajectory plotting, an entry angle of minus 6.48 degrees. We're at 287 hours, 33 minutes [262:46] Ground Elapsed Time, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
262:51:06 Mattingly: Houston, we've got the UV camera all set up. And it looks like we're pointing at the Earth. How about if we go ahead and take this - UV sequence now, instead of waiting until 55.
262:51:19 Hartsfield: Stand by.
262:52:05 Hartsfield: Ken, you can go ahead with the photos.
262:52:09 Mattingly: Okay. Thank you.
262:54:34 Mattingly: Houston, we're going around the closeout panels and we're down here around 382 and - are you happy with the mixing valve position or are you going to want to change it before we close it out?
262:54:47 Hartsfield: I'll get you an answer on that, Ken.
262:54:58 Hartsfield: Looks like a good setting, Ken.
262:55:02 Mattingly: Okay, we're going to close out the panel.
(NO COMM FOR 15 MINUTES)
263:10:31 Mattingly: Houston, you're gonna give us another Entry PAD after you work this Mid-Course for a while, aren't you?
263:10:39 Hartsfield: That's affirmative. Be about another hour and 20 minutes.
263:10:43 Mattingly: Okay.
263:10:54 Hartsfield: And, for planning purposes, we're gonna be bringing - like to bring the batteries on a little earlier. But we'll give you a cue on that. We just want to look at them since we had this venting problem.
263:11:06 Mattingly: Roger. Old battery vent is up to almost 3 now - 2.99.
263:11:17 Hartsfield: Roger.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, at 287 hours, 59 minutes [263:12] Ground Elapsed Time. Apollo 16 now 21,203 nautical miles away from the Earth and now travelling at a speed of 13,314 feet per second. We'll continue to monitor the air-ground for any conversations that develop between our CapCom console manned by Henry Hartsfield along with backup Command Module Pilot Stu Roosa and the crew of Apollo 16. At 287 hours, 59 minutes [263:12] Ground Elapsed Time, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
263:15:46 Young: Hank, we got the Earth out of Window 5. It's a very thin crescent and the subsolar point is - spectacularly bright.
263:15:59 Hartsfield: Sounds great.
263:16:01 Young: It looks great, I'll tell you.
263:16:10 Hartsfield: We show you a little - well, about 20,700 miles out now and about 13,400 feet per second.
263:16:21 Young: Starting to haul it in.
263:16:53 Mattingly: Houston, 16's ready for the Logic check, whenever you are.
263:17:07 Hartsfield: Stand by, Ken. We're getting a checkpoint here.
263:17:13 Mattingly: Okay.
263:17:44 Hartsfield: Okay, 16. Go ahead with the Logic check.
263:18:14 Mattingly: Okay. The Logic's coming on. Number 1, on; number 2 - that's - two Logics are on.
263:18:23 Hartsfield: Roger. You're Go for Pyro Arm, as required.
263:18:31 Mattingly: Thank you, sir.
263:18:43 Mattingly: Okay. Let's do that check, again.
263:18:49 Hartsfield: I understand you'd like to repeat?
263:18:52 Mattingly: Yes, please. Okay, now - the SECS/Logic is coming on now.
263:19:12 Hartsfield: It still looks good, 16.
263:19:15 Mattingly: Okay. Thank you. Thank you, now.
263:19:53 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We saw a C&W about the time you started the logic check. Were you testing the lights, or did you really get a warning there?
263:20:03 Mattingly: He was doing a light test.
263:20:05 Hartsfield: Roger. Copy.
263:20:18 Young: Okay, Houston. The battery compartment is reading about 3. So, according to the rules, we do not go to vent.
263:20:31 Hartsfield: Roger. That's - we concur.
263:21:48 Mattingly: Okay, Houston. We have EMP 509 loaded.
263:21:53 Hartsfield: Roger. Copy.
263:22:01 Mattingly: And we're going to hold onto P52 until we get down to the nominal time.
263:22:05 Hartsfield: Roger.
263:26:37 Roosa: Apollo 16, Houston.
263:26:41 Mattingly: Go ahead. Over.
263:26:44 Roosa: Okay. I don't know how you're coming along in your time line there. I would like to make a couple of comments if you've got time to listen. I don't think you want to copy anything at this point.
263:26:56 Mattingly: Okay. Looks like we're between - just before doing the P52. Go ahead, Stu.
263:27:04 Roosa: Okay. This deals with the - our favorite problem, of course, the - your ISS warning. And, right now, you people are doing all the right things and we're wanting to do those same procedures right through - right through entry when, of course, when ISS comes on, I'm sure you're going to go to Spacecraft Control, which you've been doing and you've been checking that alarm code. And we're saying that, if you have that 3 triple 7, to ignore it. Whe - it's - whether it needs it or not, just to keep the procedure straightforward, we - after you - while you're still in SCS, do a Verb 40 Enter and wait your 10 seconds, and go back to CMC. So, this means that we're saying - we'll come all the way in CMC with that 3 triple 7 alarm showing. If you do get a - if you do have a CDU failure, why, you will see it in your - in your bank angle - your - which is just your normal procedures there where you're looking at your commanded DSKY angle versus what the spacecraft is doing. Also, if you have got a glitch in the CDU, such as we got on the way out, and it's not the 90-degree bit - of course, if the 90-degree bit is set, you'll have the gimbal lock telling you that. And it's again the same old bit, SCS, Verb 40, wait 10 seconds, back to CMC. You can get some glitches, of course, in the CDUs that are not the 90-degree bit. I mean, there's a possibility of it. And, just some words on that - if - if the - if it's a low angle bit set, I say less than 30 degrees, you - it really does not affect your target point. I mean, we're talking in the order of being very close to nominal, within a mile or so. If - if the bit set is large enough for you to see it, comparing the - I mean if the bit set is gonna affect your splashdown point by any appreciable amount, you'll see it comparing your commanded angle versus where the spacecraft is going. So, that's your clue. And, if you see this and it's not looking right, we want you to go to SCS, do a Verb 40, and back to CMC to see if that solves the problem.
263:30:02 Mattingly: Okay. That all sounds reasonable.
263:30:05 Roosa: Okay. And I guess the - I guess this - about the only thing I'm saying, Ken, - that's any appreciable difference is this Verb 40 bit. I'm not used to doing that during the entry and I'd like to emphasize that if you're not - if it's looking funny and you're not sure, well, go ahead and do it. And, of course, as you well know, the needles will zero and the DAP will be off for 10 seconds, and you'll be back in business. There's one other point, and I'll admit this is - this stretching pretty - pretty thin, but we're trying to cover all the angles. If it's prior to P64, where you're going along - Of course, if you're in CMC control and you get a glitch, why you'll get the response from the DAP. If you're going along in SCS control and you get a glitch, why, your needles will go out. Now, you may have your pitch needle already pegged. So there's - here again, we might have a glitch in that pitch needle - in the pitch CDU and not know it. So, just one other recommendation is if your pitch needle doesn't come off the peg the way you like it, why, let's try a Verb 40 before we would say the - the G&N is not doing correctly.
263:31:25 Mattingly: Okay.
263:31:39 Roosa: And I guess that about takes care of it, Ken, John, unless you got any - Charlie, unless you got any questions. It'd probably be John punching up the - the alarm there and, if you do get the 3777, why, let's reset it and press ahead. And, of course, any of the other triple-7 alarms are - are valid. And - but, of course, it's the same old monitoring bit. You're going to see how she goes.
263:32:14 Mattingly: Okay, Stu. I think that's all pretty well understood. Thank you very much.
263:32:20 Young: Yes, Stu. We appreciate it.
263:32:23 Young: You've got to spend a lot of time learning about CDUs, I expect, huh?
263:32:27 Hartsfield: Hey, that's a favorite topic of discussion, now. CDUs and how do they glitch.
263:32:47 Mattingly: Houston, 16. Are we going to get another Entry PAD?
263:32:52 Hartsfield: That's affirmative. About an hour from now.
That was backup Command Module Pilot Stu Roosa talking to the crew of Apollo 16 going over procedures that they may desire to follow if they do see some irregularities in their guidance and navigation system in the final phases of entry. We now show Apollo 16 at an altitude of 18,635 nautical miles away from the Earth and travelling at a velocity of 14,113 feet per second. We show 2 hours, 4 minutes away from time of entry, and at 288 hours, 20 minutes [263:33] Ground Elapsed Time this is Apollo Control Houston.
263:33:50 Hartsfield: Apollo 16. Our first batch of tracking data shows you right in the groove, and we're gonna get another hours' worth of data and then give you your final PAD.
263:37:02 Mattingly: Okay, Houston, the EMS checks in Standby. Its pattern checked out okay.
263:37:19 Hartsfield: Roger. Copy.
This is Apollo Control Houston, at 288 hours, 31 minutes [263:44] Ground Elapsed Time. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 17,057 nautical miles away from the Earth. Velocity now reading 14,667 feet per second. The flight dynamics officer here at Mission Control is reported to flight director Phil Shaffer after reviewing a second set of tracking data that our entry angle is still holding very firm and solid. He reports an entry angle of minus 6.53. We're at 288 hours, 32 minutes [263:45] Ground Elapsed Time, and this is Apollo Control Houston.
264:02:58 Duke: Houston, we're gonna maneuver to the entry attitude.
264:03:05 Hartsfield: Roger.
264:03:06 Young: Do you happen to have two stars to recommend to us? We got a 405 here.
264:03:11 Hartsfield: Roger; we saw it, and FAO's working on it.
264:03:39 Hartsfield: Ken, your current attitude is good for stars 15 and 21.
264:03:43 Mattingly: Thank you very much. Roger.
This is Apollo Control Houston at 288 hours 50 minutes [264:03] Ground Elapsed Time. The 405 referred to was a, an indication that 2 stars were not available for the Guidance and Navigation system. The crew of Apollo 16 now in program 52 doing a final alignment to their platform prior to Entry. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 14,491 nautical miles away from the Earth, and travelling at a velocity of 15,744 feet per second.
264:05:57 Mattingly: Boy, that's a good platform, isn't it?
264:06:00 Hartsfield: That's a beauty.
264:06:05 Mattingly: Okay, when you have the numbers, we'll torque.
264:06:07 Hartsfield: Cleared to torque.
264:07:20 Young: Okay. We're going to the horizon attitude check, Houston.
264:07:25 Hartsfield: Roger. Copy.
264:11:13 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Omni Charlie.
264:11:17 Young: Roger; you have it.
264:11:23 Hartsfield: Roger.
264:16:30 Duke: Okay, Hank. We're into the checklist down to standing by for the pri - glycol loop evap - evaporator activations.
264:16:39 Hartsfield: Roger. Copy, Charlie.
This is Apollo Control Houston at 289 hours and 3 minutes [264:16] Ground Elapsed Time. That was Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke reporting that the crew of Apollo 16 proceeding now well into their Entry check list. We show Apollo 16 now at a distance of 12,676 nautical miles away from the Earth and now travelling at a speed of 16,631 feet per second. Our countdown clock in Mission Control shows 1 hour, 20 minutes remaining until time of Entry into the Earth's atmosphere. At 289 hours, 4 minutes [264:17] Ground Elapsed Time, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
264:23:39 Duke: Houston, the evaporators are up.
264:23:41 Hartsfield: Roger; copy.
264:24:03 Duke: Hank, is - Are we okay with the Temp In valve in Manual? With this setting?
264:24:12 Hartsfield: That's affirmative.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 289 hours, 14 minutes [264:27] Ground Elapsed Time. We now show 1 hour, 9 minutes 50 seconds till time of Entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Meanwhile the weather around the prime recovery vessel, the aircraft carrier [USS] Ticonderoga, is good. Our displays here show a cloud cover of 2000 feet scattered, visibility 10 nautical miles, wind direction coming from 90 degrees at a velocity of 10 miles per hour, wave heights 3 feet. And in the area, 4 helicopters and 2 HC-130 rescue aircraft will be airborne at time of splash. The helicopters will be hovering within 3 to 5 miles of the track and the target area and the HC-130s carrying pararescue swimmers 100 nautical miles north of track. The 2 most likely airborne crews to be involved in the pickup of the astronauts are those aboard the Rescue helo, and the Swim helicopter. The primary recovery helicopter crews lists as follows, Commander A.K. Phizer is the Aircraft Commander, his hometown is Peru, Illinois; his co-pilot is Lieutenant J.G., Jon Gregory - Jon is J O N - his hometown is Oakland, California; the first crewman is Chief Aviation Machinist Mate, George Sellers, of Monroe, Louisiana; the second crewman Aviation Metal Smith, Gary Gentry of Berryville Arkansas. The swim personnel aboard the first to jump [are] Lieutenant Earl Kachita, his hometown, Stalackholm, Washington; the second to jump, Chief Engineman Gary Phelps, of Cloverdale, California; the third to jump Radio Man First Class Charles McGee, of Charlestown, South Carolina. Aboard the Swim helicopter, the helicopter carrying the swimmers who will be involved if the primary recovery helicopter does not reach the location first, include Aircraft Commander Lieutenant Dave Nakamoto, hometown Honolulu, Hawaii; and the co-pilot is Lieutenant Commander Paul Vasquez, of Hazard, Kentucky; first crewman Aviation Metal Smith Third Class, Ron Bertoletti, of Alton, Illinois; and the second crewman Aviation Electronics Technician Second Class Frank Hueber, of Evert, Washington. The swimmers include, first to jump, Warrant Officer, Jerry Hammerly [garble]...
264:31:03 Hartsfield: If you'll give Accept, we'll send you a state vector and a Z PIPA bias update.
264:31:12 Duke: Okays. you have it.
The second to jump in the event the Swim helicopter is used, Electronics Technician Third class Michael Gotchi, of Denver, Colorado; and the third to jump Personnel man third class Bill Ranger, of Holyoake, Massachusetts. We're now at 289 hours, 18 minutes [264:31] Ground Elapsed Time. Apollo 16 now 10,535 nautical miles away from the Earth. Travelling at a speed of 17,927 feet per second and this is Apollo Control, Houston.
264:34:47 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, the computer's yours. And I've got your recovery information. The weather's good; 2000-foot scattered, 10 miles, wind's out of the east at 10 knots, 3-feet wave heights. Your recovery ship is Ticonderoga, and the aircraft is Recovery.
264:35:07 Young: Roger; understand. Thank you much.
264:37:08 Duke: Houston, the pyro battery check is okay.
264:37:13 Hartsfield: Roger; copy.
264:39:00 Young: Houston, we're ready for the VHF check. Over.
264:39:06 Hartsfield: Roger, John. We're going to have to wait a few minutes here to be - until we get in a little closer.
264:39:12 Young: Okay. We're going to do the Command Module RCS activation, if that's okay.
264:39:19 Hartsfield: Stand by one.
264:39:23 Hartsfield: Okay; go ahead.
264:39:34 Young: Okay; here comes the Logic, On, Houston.
264:39:39 Hartsfield: Roger.
264:40:00 Hartsfield: Stand by, John. It will be a minute before we get data.
264:40:20 Hartsfield: 16, Houston. Would you take the Logics, Off, please, and then back On again?
264:40:24 Young: Okay; they're going Off, and back On. They're Off now. They're On now; 1 is, 2 is.
264:40:37 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, you're Go for Pyro Arm.
264:40:41 Young: Roger. Okay; Pyro Arm A is Armed, and B is Armed.
264:40:56 Hartsfield: Looks good.
264:41:00 Young: Okay, we're pressurizing her now, Houston.
This is Apollo Control Houston, at 289 hours, 27 minutes [264:40] Ground Elapsed Time. We presently show Apollo 16 at a distance of 9,020 nautical miles away from the Earth.
264:41:24 Hartsfield: 16, looks good down here.
264:41:29 Young: There you go.
Velocity beginning to build up now quite rapidly, now reading 19,024 feet per second. Meanwhile our Retro Fire Officer here in Mission Control is doing his final requirements for the Entry PAD which will be passed up to the crew of Apollo 16. The times are holding quite close to the earlier plan, however, we will pass these times along as they are now reflected. Time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere 290 hours, 23 minutes [and] 31 seconds [265:37:29]. Time of [0.]05 g at Retro Elapsed Time 27 seconds, Retro Elapsed Time for begin blackout 16 seconds. Time for end of blackout at Retro Elapsed Time 3 minutes, 31 seconds. Retro Elapsed Time for drogue chute deployment 7 minutes, 46 seconds. Retro Elapsed Time for main chute deployment 8 minutes, 32 seconds. Retro Elapsed Time for spacecraft splashdown 13 minutes, and 24 seconds. We show a velocity at time of Entry into the Earth's atmosphere for Apollo 16 at 36,276 feet per second. This is predicted. And a max g on the crew of Apollo 16 during entry of 7.07 Gs. We're at 289 hours, 29 minutes [264:42]. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 8,734 nautical miles away from the Earth and travelling now at a speed of 19,254 feet per second. Our countdown clock shows 54 minutes until time of Entry and this is Apollo Control Houston.
264:44:07 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. If you'll bring up your VHF, Simplex A, we'll do a voice check with you about five minutes after we configure the ground.
264:44:19 Duke: It's up, Henry.
264:44:20 Hartsfield: Okay.
264:45:46 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. I have your final Entry PAD.
264:45:51 Duke: Go ahead, Hank.
264:45:53 Hartsfield: Roger. MidPac 000, 153, 000; 290:06:31, 267; minus 00.71, minus 156.18; 07.1; 36196, 6.54; 1051.0, 36276; 290:23:31; 05g, 00:27; Noun 69, NA; D
O, 4.00, 02:00; 00:16, 03:31, 07:46; boresight sextant stars, NA; lift vector, up; and there's only one change in the comments, Charlie. The RET for 90K - do you want me to read all those?
264:47:19 Duke: Just give me the RET.
264:47:20 Hartsfield: Okay, RET 90K is 6:08.
264:47:27 Duke: Okay, the range is the same?
264:47:28 Hartsfield: Roger. The other times and the other comments remain the same.
264:47:35 Duke: Okay, with the readback, Hank. MidPac; 000, 153, 000; 290:06:31, 267; minus 00.71, minus 156.18; 07.1; 36196, 6.54; 1051.0, 36276; 290:23:31; 00:27; Noun 69 is NA; 4.00, 02:00; 00:16, 03:31, 07:46; sextant and boresight are NA; lift vector is up. All the comments are the same except RET 90K is 6 plus 08 over.
264:48:27 Hartsfield: Good readback, John.
This is Apollo Control Houston at 289 hours, 37 minutes [264:50] Ground Elapsed Time. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 7,466 nautical miles away from the Earth now travelling at a velocity of 20,347 feet per second. You heard the Entry PAD - final Entry PAD being passed up to the crew of Apollo 16 which reflects in addition to the other numbers we've just passed along the range to go at time of Entry interface of 1,051 nautical miles to target point or splashdown point. And an entry angle at 400,000 feet of minus 6.54 degrees. We're at 289 hours, 38 minutes [264:51] Ground Elapsed Time. We're approximately 45 minutes 45 seconds from time of entry and this is Apollo control, Houston.
264:52:45 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We'd like to get the Main Bus Ties on a little early, as we talked about.
264:53:08 Duke: Okay, they're on, Henry.
264:53:10 Hartsfield: Roger; thank you. They look good.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 289 hours, 39 minutes [264:52] Ground Elapsed Time. That was Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke reporting that he has turned on the three entry batteries. We had planned to turn those on some 15 minutes ahead of the normal checklist. And they have been checked out and are looking good. We now show Apollo 16 at a distance of 7,068 nautical miles away from the Earth and travelling at a velocity of 20,739 feet per second. This is Apollo Control, Houston.
264:54:21 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. Like to verify that you have the Left VHF Antenna.
264:54:29 Duke: Negative; we had the Right; we're on Left Antenna now.
264:54:32 Hartsfield: Roger.
Apollo Control, Houston at 289 hours, 41 minutes [264:54] Ground Elapsed Time. In the Mission Control Center we have switched over to our Earth display. We're 42 minutes, 45 seconds from time until Entry [sic].
264:55:03 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston on VHF. How do you read?
264:55:07 Young: Loud and clear, Hank.
264:55:13 Hartsfield: Roger; reading you loud but a little noise.
264:55:53 Young: Okay; we're checking out the Command Module thrusters now.
264:55:57 Hartsfield: Roger. We're ready to go, John.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 289 hours, 43 minutes [264:56] Ground Elapsed Time. The crew of Apollo 16 now going through their final procedures prior to entry, checking out presently the Reaction Control System aboard the spacecraft. We show 40 minutes now from time from Entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
264:57:34 Hartsfield: RCS looks good down here, 16.
264:57:40 Young: Okay, we can verify that we had all engines.
265:05:12 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We gonna have to give you another Z PIPA bias and we'd like for you not to go into P61 until we get that in.
265:05:32 Young: We're in - do you want us to go to Accept now?
265:05:40 Hartsfield: Negative.
This is Apollo Control Houston at 289 hours, 52 minutes [265:05] of Ground Elapsed Time. Our last Manned Space Flight Network station prior to handover to the Apollo Ranging and Instrumentation aircraft is Honeysuckle. This handover will take place at 290 hours, 14 minutes [and] 32 seconds [265:28:30] Ground Elapsed Time, or approximately 9 minutes before time of Entry into the Earth's atmosphere. The Apollo Instrumentation and Ranging [sic] aircraft, this is a modified C-135, will provide the Mission Control Center in Houston not only voice coverage with the crew of Apollo 16, but will also provide telemetry data.
265:07:09 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. If you'll give us Accept, we'll send up that Z PIPA bias.
265:07:14 Young: You have it.
265:07:20 Hartsfield: It appears that that PIPA's responding to temperature changes, is what the problem is, John.
265:08:37 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, the computer's yours.
265:08:42 Young: Okay, going to Block.
We're 27 minutes now away from time of Entry. And flight director Phil Shaffer now taking a final status check with his Mission Control team as Apollo 16 is returning to the Earth's atmosphere.
Apollo Control, Houston. The recovery's Staff Support Room here in Mission Control reports beautiful weather in the recovery area. The helicopters are airborne, but not yet on station.
265:08:48 Duke (onboard): ... Set. Tape is running. Standing by for 289:58 [265:11], Separation Checklist.
265:09:57 Mattingly (onboard): Think they've slipped.
265:10:20 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, they've given us this. Is there any reason why we shouldn't...
265:10:23 Young: Houston, have you got the PIPA incorporated?
265:10:27 Hartsfield: That's affirmative.
265:10:30 Young: Okay, we're going to Block.
265:10:31 Mattingly (onboard): It is Block.
265:10:33 Young (onboard): Okay. Well, let's go.
265:10:39 Duke (onboard): Okay, we're a few minutes out. CB ELS/CM-SM Sep, two, Close.
265:10:44 Young (onboard): Circuit breaker.
265:10:45 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah. That's CM-SM SEP, one, two, Closed.
265:10:48 Duke (onboard): Primary Glycol To Rad, Bypass, Pull.
265:10:53 Mattingly (onboard): Want to do this early? We're about a minute.
265:10:55 Duke (onboard): We're about a minute up.
265:10:57 Young (onboard): [garble] Glycol.
265:10:58 Mattingly (onboard): Bypass is pulled. Okay, now.
265:11:01 Duke (onboard): Repress Package, Fill, to 865. It already is; I just checked it. Then On.
265:11:06 Mattingly (onboard): Repress Package you want On.
265:11:08 Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:11:09 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. Okay, it's On.
265:11:12 Duke (onboard): O
2 Service Module Supply valve, Off.
265:11:15 Mattingly (onboard): Service Module Supply is Off.
265:11:16 Duke (onboard): Surge Tank, On; verify.
265:11:18 Mattingly (onboard): Surge Tank is On.
265:11:19 Duke (onboard): Cabin Pressure Relief valve, two, to Normal.
265:11:25 Mattingly (onboard): Two, Normal; okay.
265:11:27 Duke (onboard): Abort System Propellant, RCS Command; verify.
265:11:30 Mattingly (onboard): Yep.
265:11:31 Duke (onboard): Service Module RCS Secondary Propellant Fuel Pressure, four, Open.
265:11:36 Young (onboard): Yeah.
265:11:37 Duke (onboard): Verify that.
265:11:38 Young (onboard): Secondary [garble]
265:11:40 Duke (onboard): VHF AM A and B going off.
265:11:46 Duke: Okay, Hank; your VHF is off. I'm turning off the fuel pumps now.
265:11:51 Hartsfield: Roger.
This is Apollo Control Houston at 289 hours, 58 minutes [265:11] of Ground Elapsed Time, a little more than 25 minutes now away from time of Entry into the Earth's atmosphere. The Service Module will be separated from Apollo 16 at approximately 15 minutes prior to Entry into the Earth's atmosphere. For this activity, the spacecraft yaws 45 degrees out of plane, the Service Module is fired away at this time to keep it out of the path of Young, Duke, and Mattingly travelling back to Earth in the Command Module. We're at 289 hours 59 minutes [265:12] Ground Elapsed Time. This is Apollo Control Houston.
265:11:XX Duke (onboard): High Gain Antenna Power is coming Off. Fuel Cell Pumps, three, Off. Gonna get some MAs here, probably, in a little bit. Fuel Cell 2 Main A coming Off. It is. Verify loads balanced; 1 and 3 perfectly balanced. Batteries picked up the load. Okay, CB ECS Rad Control/Heaters, two, Open. Rad Control; they are open. CB Rads Heaters Overload, two, Open. They're Open. Waste H2O Dump - are open. Potable H2O Heater...
265:12:34 Mattingly (onboard): Off. It's right here.
265:12:37 Duke (onboard): Okay; yeah.
265:12:38 Mattingly (onboard): Glycol Temp In to Manual.
265:12:41 Duke (onboard): It is. It has been.
265:12:42 Mattingly (onboard): It has been.
265:12:44 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:12:45 Young (onboard): Okay, now let's put in that thing.
265:12:49 Duke (onboard): Glycol Temp In...
265:12:51 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, we do a Verb 25 Noun 7 Enter...
265:12:56 Young (onboard): Enter.
265:12:57 Mattingly (onboard): Seven - 5...
265:12:58 Young (onboard): Enter.
265:12:59 Mattingly (onboard): Enter; 1...
265:13:01 CMP/Young (onboard): Enter; 0 Enter.
265:13:03 Young (onboard): Go.
265:13:04 Duke (onboard): I thought it was after you called P61.
265:13:06 Young (onboard): [garble] for.
265:13:07 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, we have knocked down the average g flag.
265:13:10 Young (onboard): [Garble] 4.
265:13:13 Hartsfield: Roger.
This is Apollo Control Houston 290 hours, 1 minute [265:14] Ground Elapsed Time. The Retro valves [sic] here in the Mission Control reports that Apollo 16 is right on track. We show 22 minutes, 20 seconds until time of Entry into Earth's atmosphere.
265:13:15 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, you want to call P61.
265:13:17 Young (onboard): Let's see now; that's - we're 23 minutes to go. Think that's - think that's too much - too long for the integration?
265:13:24 Mattingly (onboard): What's it supposed to be, 18:30?
265:13:26 Young (onboard): That's [garble] ...
265:13:27 Duke (onboard): We're supposed to have a flashing 06 61 at 18:30.
265:13:31 Mattingly (onboard): Want to go at 20?
265:13:34 Young (onboard): Yeah.
265:13:37 Duke (onboard): Okay, at 20, it'd be about 290:02 [265:15], but make it 03.
265:13:43 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:13:52 Mattingly (onboard): Well, we've got a ...
265:13:53 Young (onboard): We got three minutes ...
265:13:54 Duke (onboard): Three minutes to go - four minutes, actually, John.
265:13:55 Young (onboard): Yeah.
265:13:58 Mattingly (onboard): Okay (sigh).
265:14:06 Duke (onboard): Okay, Ken, when we hit the .05g time, I'll - I'll call .05g -time, mark, and remind you of the roll and the .05g switch.
265:14:17 Mattingly (onboard): All right, sir.
265:14:18 Duke (onboard): Okay?
265:14:19 Mattingly (onboard): Thank you.
265:14:24 Duke (onboard): Okay, now, down on the flashing 06 61, we got a Verb 21 Noun 46 has to be set.
265:14:30 Mattingly (onboard): Yes, sir.
265:14:31 Duke (onboard): Okay. That's after sep ...
265:14:33 Mattingly (onboard): [garble] that's - Yeah, that's the next 06 61.
265:14:35 Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:14:58 Duke (onboard): Okay, horizon check comes up at 290:06:30 [265:20:28][garble]. Fifteen minutes.
265:15:35 Mattingly (onboard): That clock is off again.
265:16:02 Young (onboard): Oh, let's call it up.
265:16:04 Mattingly (onboard): Okay; go.
265:16:08 Young (onboard): Agh, we did kill that dang thing.
265:16:13 Mattingly (onboard): (Laughter) I wondered if you had enough courage to sit there; I'm not sure I did.
265:16:19 Young (onboard): Well. Okay, let's check the numbers, Charlie.
265:16:23 Mattingly (onboard): Minus 000.71. That's good.
265:16:26 Young (onboard): Yeah.
265:16:27 Mattingly (onboard): Minus 156.18. That's good.
265:16:29 Duke (onboard): Good.
265:16:30 Mattingly (onboard): And the heads down. That's good.
265:16:31 Young (onboard): Pro.
265:16:32 Mattingly (onboard): Pro.
265:16:36 Young (onboard): 7.62g's.
265:16:37 Mattingly (onboard): Oh, shoot.
265:16:38 Duke (onboard): This says 7.1 on the PAD.
265:16:39 Young (onboard): 36188.
265:16:41 Duke (onboard): Okay, this says 36196.
265:16:44 Young (onboard): Minus 6.68.
265:16:46 Duke (onboard): This says 6.54.
265:16:47 Young (onboard): Okay.
265:16:48 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, that - this can change to the integration as you come around.
265:16:50 Young (onboard): Yeah, we integrated out too far away.
265:16:52 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah. Go ahead...
265:16:55 Young (onboard): [Garble] Pro.
265:16:59 Duke (onboard): 1071.
265:17:00 Young (onboard): Okay, 1051. We'll take it.
265:17:02 Mattingly (onboard): It's close.
265:17:03 Young (onboard): 36272.
265:17:04 Mattingly (onboard): Twenty-one minutes to .05g; 23 [garble] 24 - Yep, that all looks pretty - pretty reasonable. Shall we?
265:17:24 Young (onboard): Yeah [garble] to separate.
265:17:28:Mattingly (onboard): Okay, that's where we stand by.
265:17:30 Duke (onboard): Okay, at 17 minutes, that's 290:06:31 [265:20:29] - three minutes from now.
265:17:35 Young (onboard): Okay, but you probably ought to yaw about 45 degrees now anyway.
265:17:37 Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:17:38 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah. Are you ready to do that now?
265:17:39 Duke (onboard): Okay, manual attitude ...
265:17:38 Hartsfield: You're looking good coming up on sep.
265:17:42 Duke (onboard): Manual Attitude, three, Rate Command.
265:17:45 Mattingly (onboard): I have three in Rate Command.
265:17:47 Duke (onboard): Att Dead Band, Min.
265:17:49 Mattingly (onboard): Dead Band's Min.
265:17:51 Duke (onboard): Rate, High.
265:17:52 Mattingly (onboard): Rate's High.
265:17:53 Duke (onboard): Spacecraft Control to SCS.
265:17:57 Mattingly (onboard): SCS.
265:17:58 Duke (onboard): Yaw 45 out.
265:17:59 Mattingly (onboard): Left?
265:18:00 Duke (onboard): Left.
265:18:02 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, my BMAGs are uncaged.
265:18:04 Duke (onboard): BMAGs, Att 1/Rate 2.
265:18:06 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah; not until I get out there.
265:18:08 Duke (onboard): Okay; yeah.
265:18:28:Mattingly (onboard): Verify to Standby.
265:18:47 Duke (onboard): We should have a horizon check at 17 minutes also.
265:18:50 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. That really, I guess, should have been done before I yawed.
265:18:56 Duke (onboard): This is the same time as the yaw.
265:18:58 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah.
265:18:59 Duke (onboard): Same time as separation, exactly.
265:19:01 Young (onboard): You can't see the horizon start.
265:19:24 Young (onboard): Okay, yaw at 45 degrees out of plane.
265:19:28:Duke (onboard): BMAGs, Att 1/Rate 2?
265:19:31 Mattingly (onboard): Att 1/Rate 2.
265:19:32 Duke (onboard): I verify the Main Bus Ties are On.
265:19:35 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. Verify that the Glycol was pulled?
265:19:38 Duke (onboard): Okay, verify Glycol, Bypass?
265:19:41 Mattingly (onboard): That affirm.
265:19:42 Duke (onboard): EMS Mode to Standby, verify.
265:19:44 Mattingly (onboard): That's verified.
265:19:46 Duke (onboard): Okay, the CM RCS Logic, on, up.
265:19:49 Mattingly (onboard): CM RCS Logic is on.
265:19:52 Duke (onboard): Okay, we ...
265:19:53 Young (onboard): Turn up the lights.
265:19:54 Mattingly (onboard): Yes, sir. John ...
265:19:57 Young (onboard): The reason is because you can't see out once we ...
265:19:58 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah.
265:19:59 Young (onboard): ... [garble] in here.
265:20:00 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah. That's - that's a good plan.
265:20:02 Young (onboard): Okay.
265:20:03 Duke (onboard): Now we've got 17 minutes. We're coming up - or on 17. We separate at 15, at 290:08:31. We'll hold off on the Logic until 17. Okay?
265:20:17 Mattingly (onboard): The Logic?
265:20:18 Duke (onboard): SECS Logic, two, on, up, verify.
265:20:20 Mattingly (onboard): That's verified.
265:20:21 Young (onboard): Verified.
265:20:22 Duke (onboard): Okay. SECS Pyro ARM, two, to arm at 17. Okay?
265:20:24 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. And that's coming up in 10 seconds?
265:20:27 Duke (onboard): Ten seconds.
265:20:29 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:20:33 Duke (onboard): Okay, SECS Pyro ARM, two, arm.
265:20:36 Mattingly (onboard): Two armed.
265:20:37 Duke (onboard): Okay, at 15, which is 290:08:31 [265:22:29], we separate. CM/SM Sep, two, on.
265:20:49 Mattingly (onboard): This time, John, you can hit any switch up there.
265:20:57 Young (onboard): [Garble] (laughter).
265:21:00 Mattingly (onboard): Just that row.
265:21:01 Young (onboard): Okay. Tell me when, Charlie, [Garble].
265:21:05 Duke (onboard): I will. We got a minute and a half.
265:21:08 Young: Okay; we're a minute and a half to CM/SM Sep.
265:21:12 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, you got your hand controller locked, but it's armed.
265:21:14 Hartsfield: Roger; copy.
265:21:14 Young (onboard): It's locked.
265:21:15 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:21:31 Duke (onboard): We got all the scissors down and everything, didn't we?
265:21:34 Mattingly (onboard): I sure hope so, Charlie (laughter).
265:21:36 Duke (onboard): Okay, nothing up in here that I see. No screwdrivers or anything - tools. Okay. Within a minute.
265:22:02 Young (onboard): Should be a loud bang.
265:22:05 Mattingly (onboard): Man, will it ever.
265:22:17 Duke (onboard): Fifteen seconds, John.
265:22:21 Young (onboard): Say when.
265:22:22 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:22:31 Duke (onboard): 3, 2, 1 -
265:22:32 Duke (onboard): Separate. There we go.
265:22:34 Mattingly (onboard): What's the Master [garble] for?
265:22:35 Duke (onboard): That's just - got to go to Caution and Warning.
265:22:41 Mattingly (onboard): Putting them in [garble]...
265:22:42 Duke: Separation, Houston.
265:22:44 Hartsfield: Roger.
That was the Lunar Module Pilot, Charlie Duke, reporting separation.
265:22:46 Duke (onboard): Man, it really went, didn't it? Manual Attitude, three, Min Impulse.
265:22:49 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah.
265:22:50 Duke (onboard): BMAGs, Rate 2.
265:22:51 Mattingly (onboard): Rate 2.
265:22:52 Duke (onboard): C&W mode, Command Module; RCS Transfer, Command Module...
265:22:54 Hartsfield: Everything looks good from down here, 16.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, the Service Module has separated on time. Casper now travels on entry systems only. Maneuvering now to a proper entry attitude.
265:22:52 Mattingly (onboard): Go.
265:22:56 Duke (onboard): ... CM RCS Logic, Off. Check ...
265:22:59 Mattingly (onboard): CM RCS Logic is Off.
265:23:00 Duke (onboard): ... pressures. They're good.
265:23:01 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. Oh. How's the cabin pressure?
265:23:05 Duke (onboard): Great.
265:23:06 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:23:07 Duke (onboard): Hanging in there. Batteries are looking good; they picked up all the load. Battery compartment's looking good.
265:23:15 Mattingly (onboard): I was sure proud to hear that big bang.
265:23:17 Young (onboard): Me, too.
265:23:19 Duke (onboard): Okay, EMS - Yaw back to zero.
265:23:22 Mattingly (onboard): Going back.
265:23:24 Duke (onboard): Okay, the bu - bus voltages is hanging super - 28.
265:23:27 Mattingly (onboard): Boy, there's a lot of stuff out there.
265:23:29 Duke (onboard): Yaw back to ze - Okay?
265:23:30 Mattingly (onboard): I'm going back to zero, Charlie.
265:23:31 Duke (onboard): Pitch to entry attitude.
265:23:37 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, was I supposed to put EMS ...
265:23:38 Duke (onboard): 153.
265:23:39 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, was I supposed to put the EMS to - Normal yet? I mean ...
265:23:43 Duke (onboard): Yeah. EMS data, verify?
265:23:45 Mattingly (onboard): It's 1051 and 36276.
265:23:50 Duke (onboard): EMS Function, Entry.
265:23:53 Mattingly (onboard): It's Entry.
265:23:54 Duke (onboard): EMS Mode -
265:23:55 LMP/Young (onboard): Normal.
265:23:56 Mattingly (onboard): Normal.
265:23:57 Duke (onboard): Verify the filter down on .05g.
265:23:59 Mattingly (onboard): That's verified.
265:24:00 Duke (onboard): Okay, when you get to attitude, you can Pro to activate the entry ja - DAP.
265:24:05 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. No; wait a minute. We're not in attitude.
265:24:08 Young (onboard): [garble]
265:24:09 Duke (onboard): We got to pitch to 152.
265:24:11 Mattingly (onboard): Well, you can Pro on that anyhow. Where - where do we do our thing here?
265:24:14 Young (onboard): Right here.
265:24:15 Mattingly (onboard): Between - between these two steps, right?
265:24:16 Young (onboard): Yeah.
265:24:17 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:24:18 Young (onboard): Pro.
265:24:20 Mattingly (onboard): It's all right. I'm in SCS, so it's okay.
265:24:21 Young (onboard): Okay, Verb 21.
265:24:25 Duke (onboard): Noun 46.
265:24:26 Young (onboard): 21, Noun 46.
265:24:29 CMP/Young (onboard): Enter.
265:24:30 Duke (onboard): 3000 Enter.
265:24:31 Mattingly (onboard): 30,000.
265:24:32 Duke (onboard): 30,000.
265:24:33 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. There you go. Enter.
265:24:38 Duke (onboard): Done.
265:24:39 Young: Okay, Houston, we have the - we have the bit 3 set in the 21 46.
265:24:44 Mattingly (onboard): [Garble]. We're venting something.
265:24:49 Hartsfield: Roger; and you're looking good.
This is Apollo Control, Houston the crew of Apollo 16 just loading the target latitude longitude board there onboard computer.
Guidance and Control reports the maneuver back to proper attitude for entry and progressing as programed.
265:24:52 Mattingly (onboard): We're venting something. Maybe it's the steam duct.
265:24:55 Young (onboard): Yeah, the water - water boils ...
265:24:56 Mattingly (onboard): I want to - going to the right and that thing - I looked up again and it turned around and went back to the left.
265:24:59 Young (onboard): Okay, the water boiling [garble] it right back. Yeah. Very definitely.
265:25:02 Duke (onboard): Yeah, we're boiling.
265:25:04 Mattingly (onboard): I didn't remember anyone ever mentioning that. That isn't in the simulator.
265:25:07 Young (onboard): That doesn't do it very much. Got to be very sensitive.
265:25:09 Duke (onboard): Okay, 153 on the attitude.
265:25:11 Mattingly (onboard): Yes, sir.
265:25:12 Duke (onboard): You there?
265:25:13 Mattingly (onboard): No, no. Keep going (laughter).
265:25:15 Duke (onboard): Okay. Checking them off.
265:25:17 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:25:18 Duke (onboard): Keeping you honest.
265:25:19 Mattingly (onboard): That's fair.
265:25:24 Duke (onboard): I nev - I thought I'd see the Service Module out the side, but it's - never did see it.
265:25:29 Young (onboard): You want a 06 22?
265:25:32 Mattingly (onboard): Say again?
265:25:33 Young (onboard): You want the 06 22?
265:25:34 Mattingly (onboard): 06 22.
265:25:35 Duke (onboard): When you do that, you get the CMC guidance.
265:25:36 Mattingly (onboard): Oh, oh.
265:25:37 Young (onboard): The X-axis is beyond 45 degrees out of velocity vector.
265:25:41 Mattingly (onboard): I'll probably get that. Go ahead.
Young, Duke, Mattingly now have their computer into the program that provides the prescribed entry into the Earth's atmosphere. The entry equations are in and there will hold...
265:25:54 Duke (onboard): Didn't get it; P63.
265:25:58 Young: Okay, we got P64 up and she's looking good...
265:26:02 Mattingly (onboard): 63.
265:26:03 Duke (onboard): 63.
265:26:04 Young: 63, I mean.
265:26:05 Hartsfield: Roger. P63.
With this program displayed, we now show the spacecraft at a - travelling at a velocity of 30,912 feet per second and range to go to target, 4,265 nautical miles.
Ten minutes and 30 seconds until time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere, Apollo 16 now travelling at a velocity of 31,405 feet per second, range to go to target 4,085 nautical miles. Mark minus 10 minutes until time that Casper encounters the Earth's atmosphere for the first time in eleven days. We show velocity now reading 31,690 feet per second, range to go to the splash point 3,976 nautical miles.
265:26:07 Young (onboard): Scared.
265:26:09 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, how far are we from EI?
265:26:11 Duke (onboard): Okay, we're at ...
265:26:12 Mattingly (onboard): Eight minutes?
265:26:13 Duke (onboard): No, we're at 11 minutes.
265:26:15 Mattingly (onboard): Eleven minutes.
265:26:16 Duke (onboard): And - about 11 minutes and 15 seconds.
265:26:18 Mattingly (onboard): The horizon will be about - Well, I've already missed the horizon. Okay.
265:26:22 Duke (onboard): Yeah. You can't tell with all those particles out there.
265:26:27 Mattingly (onboard): What? The horizon's out there?
265:26:28:Duke (onboard): Yeah. I mean what's stars and what's ...
265:26:31 Young (onboard): It ain't lit.
265:26:32 Mattingly (onboard): No, the horizon's gonna be [garble].
265:26:33 Duke (onboard): It ain't lit.
265:26:34 Mattingly (onboard): Well, when I find the Moon, I'm going to know where the horizon is. It'll be just below it.
265:26:40 Duke (onboard): What's pitch attitude, Ken?
265:26:42 Mattingly (onboard): We're about 210.
265:26:44 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:26:46 Mattingly (onboard): Look - look at that, John. Look how fast that comes down.
265:26:51 Young (onboard): Yeah, it - it [garble].
265:26:53 Mattingly (onboard): You don't have to be too terribly sensitive to see that. That's the first place where the simulator hasn't been just like this thing.
265:27:03 Young (onboard): Well, sometimes it - water boils and sometimes it don't.
265:27:07 Mattingly (onboard): (Laughter) Okay.
265:27:14 Duke (onboard): Okay, at - when we get to 06 64, FDAI Scale, 5/5.
265:27:19 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, I ...
265:27:20 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:27:21 Mattingly (onboard): I won't be there for a minute. I'll tell you when I get there.
265:27:22 Duke (onboard): Okay, fine.
265:27:23 Mattingly (onboard): You know, this is the first time we've had particles around us that color. Now I got some red ones and some yellow ones.
265:27:32 Young (onboard): That's nice.
265:27:34 Mattingly (onboard): I knew you'd like that.
265:27:35 Young (onboard): Yeah, I like that, baby.
265:27:42 Mattingly (onboard): It also takes the pitch out, but it's not as effective as the - the yaw.
Apollo Control Houston, Flight Director Phil Shaffer checks again with his team here at Mission Control as to our status; all systems are looking very good at this time. We're nine minutes away now from time of entry to the Earth's atmosphere. Velocity for Apollo 16; 32,195 feet per second. Range to go to target; 3,784 nautical miles.
265:27:53 Young (onboard): Come on, baby, hang in there.
265:27:54 Duke (onboard): We've got a zillion particles.
265:27:58 Mattingly (onboard): Everything looking good so far.
265:28:01 Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:28:10 Mattingly (onboard): I do like to hear those things go. Very nice feeling.
265:28:16 Young (onboard): Six minutes away.
265:28:17 Mattingly (onboard): Six minutes?
265:28:19 Young (onboard): About, yeah.
265:28:20 Duke (onboard): No.
265:28:21 Young (onboard): Ten [garble] ...
265:28:22 Mattingly (onboard): [garble] ...
265:28:23 Young (onboard): Ten, yeah.
265:28:24 Duke (onboard): Be nine minutes.
265:28:28:Mattingly (onboard): What you got that camera set on, Charlie?
265:28:30 Duke (onboard): I've got it on f/11, Just what the checklist says.
265:28:32 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah.
265:28:33 Duke (onboard): Wh ...
265:28:34 Mattingly (onboard): I was just thinking - I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but I bet you could get moonset on that thing. Give a little burst as the Moon goes down.
265:28:43 Duke (onboard): Okay. Okay, I'll set it to about 6 frames a second.
265:28:51 Mattingly (onboard): What - what's it normally on?
265:28:52 Duke (onboard): Twelve.
265:28:53 Mattingly (onboard): Twelve.
265:28:55 Duke (onboard): Hey, that's a nice red particle out there.
265:28:57 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah, there's a lot of color.
Apollo Control Houston, the recovery support room here in Mission Control reports all recovery aircraft are on stand...
265:29:05 Mattingly (onboard): Want another antenna?
265:29:07 Duke (onboard): Houston, 16; our signal strength's down.
265:29:08 Duke: Houston, 16 - on another antenna.
265:29:XX Duke (onboard): Should be a good one. I think they've got groun - ground problems.
265:29:22 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We're reading you.
265:29:27 Duke: Looks like your up-link's a little weak, Hank; we're down - we're getting a lot of scratchiness.
265:29:32 Hartsfield: Roger; we're hearing the same thing.
265:29:37 Young (onboard): It's ARIA is what it is.
265:29:38 Mattingly (onboard): It's - yeah - how about that? They work.
265:29:43 Duke (onboard): What works?
265:29:44 Mattingly (onboard): ARIA. That wasn't Hank.
265:29:46 Duke (onboard): Yeah, it was.
265:29:46 Hartsfield: Roger, 16. We're coming through ARIA now.
265:29:49 Duke (onboard): Yeah, it was. That's Hank.
265:29:50 Mattingly (onboard): Really?
265:29:51 Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:29:52 Mattingly (onboard): [Garble] y'all have heard [garble] on ARIA.
265:29:52 Duke: Okay; you sounded pretty good then.
This is Apollo Control, Houston, 7 minutes, 30 seconds now to the time of Entry. Flight Director Phil Shaffer again checking with his control team as to status. His console coming up all greens; we've had a loss of signal, as far as telemetry data is concerned following this pass over to the Apollo Ranging and Instrumentation Aircraft.
265:30:04 Duke (onboard): Seven g's.
265:30:07 Mattingly (onboard): (Laughter) It's going to feel it.
265:30:08 Young (onboard): It's gonna hurt. It really is, I bet you.
265:30:14 Mattingly (onboard): Yep.
265:30:27 Mattingly (onboard): Try not to get any surprises. I guess - no one's ever talked about them coming down.
265:30:33 Young (onboard): No.
265:30:34 Duke (onboard): Don't let any dust get in your eyes; there's a lot floating around here.
265:30:35 Hartsfield: And, Apollo 16, Houston. We do not have telemetry.
265:30:41 Duke: Okay; we're looking good, Hank.
265:30:45 Hartsfield: Roger.
Apollo Control, Houston. Six minutes now until time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
265:30:44 Mattingly (onboard): (Laughter) We'll give you our status. I guess they can't get anything through ARIA.
265:31:08 Duke (onboard): Still don't see the Moon.
265:31:10 Mattingly (onboard): It won't show up until it - it's moving. It isn't, but we are - moving very rapidly in central angle now.
265:31:16 Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:31:17 Mattingly (onboard): And when it comes, it's going to go down - it only takes like a second or two to set.
265:31:21 Young (onboard): Don't know what ...
265:31:24 Duke (onboard): Okay, we got the attitude yet?
265:31:25 Mattingly (onboard): Not quite,
265:31:26 Young (onboard): ... [garble] what good that does you.
265:31:28:Mattingly (onboard): What that does for you? If you lose your attitude reference, you can go find the Moon and that just gives you an idea what time that thing ought to set. And then you know where the horizon is. And you can uncage a BMAG there and then pitch 30 degrees and you're - you're near it.
265:31:42 Young (onboard): Oh, okay. That simple, I'd buy it.
265:31:55 Young (onboard): 3000 miles to go, gang; 33,971 feet a second, Charlie.
265:32:02 Duke (onboard): 3000 miles to go?
265:32:03 Young (onboard): Yep.
265:32:04 Duke (onboard): Gyah! We're hauling it. I'll tell you, babe, we're hauling it.
265:32:10 Mattingly (onboard): We're still accelerating.
265:32:13 Young (onboard): Yeah, we're starting to pick up speed now.
265:32:15 Mattingly (onboard): You can feel it go faster.
265:32:16 Duke (onboard): Is that to touchdown ...
265:32:17 Mattingly (onboard): I feel it ...
265:32:18 Duke (onboard): ... or is that to EI?
265:32:19 Mattingly (onboard): ... [garble] I'm heavy.
265:32:20 Young (onboard): Huh?
265:32:21 Duke (onboard): Is that 3000 miles to EI?
265:32:22 Mattingly (onboard): Touchdown ...
265:32:23 Young (onboard): That's 3000 miles to touchdown.
265:32:25 Duke (onboard): Oh.
265:32:28:Young (onboard): They always say the ...
265:32:29 Duke (onboard): [garble] SET is 290 ...
265:32:30 Young (onboard): ... the last 3000 is the hardest. They don't say it. I just made it up.
265:32:37 Mattingly (onboard): I see. That's very good.
265:32:39 Young (onboard): We don't want to come up with any more of those little things.
265:32:42 Mattingly (onboard): (Laughter) Yeah. I get the last 10,000 feet.
Mark. Five minutes now until time of entry interface.
265:32:48 Duke (onboard): We there yet, Ken?
265:32:49 Mattingly (onboard): (Laughter) No.
265:32:51 Young (onboard): Well, hurry up.
265:32:52 Mattingly (onboard): (Laughter) What have we got to do?
265:32:57 Duke (onboard): Well, you got five minutes.
265:32:59 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. I got 10 degrees.
265:33:01 Duke (onboard): Okay, good.
265:33:02 Mattingly (onboard): What are we going to do when we get here?
265:33:03 Duke (onboard): Just make me comfortable.
265:33:04 Crew (onboard): (Laughter)
265:33:05 Young (onboard): (Laughter) Hang in there. 153 is the attitude.
265:33:12 Mattingly (onboard): Yes, sir.
265:33:14 Young (onboard): That's the only thing I know this morning.
265:33:17 Mattingly (onboard): That's really all you've got to know.
265:33:18 Duke (onboard): We've got a couple of things to do, really; FDAI Scale and Rot Control Power.
265:33:23 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, Rot Control Power - what are you going to do with that? I got [garble] ...
265:33:25 Duke (onboard): Direct, two, Main A/Main B.
265:33:26 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah, I did that before Sep.
Apollo Control, Houston, minus 4 minutes, 23 seconds, we're now receiving ARIA telemetry data through Hawaii. We show Apollo 16 now travelling at a velocity of 34,672 feet per second and range to go to splash...
265:33:27 Hartsfield: Got data back and you're looking good.
265:33:43 Crew (onboard): (Singing) Da-da-da-da.
265:33:46 Duke (onboard): Okay, wind my watch.
265:33:49 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah, I had to put that on my post sleep checklist because I never remember to wind it. I can't believe - program like this and you got to have a self - can't have a self-winding watch.
265:34:02 Young (onboard): Digital manpower at work.
265:34:06 Mattingly (onboard): There's something basic about telling time that - seems to be very difficult. Okay, I'm at attitude, Charlie.
265:34:13 Duke (onboard): Okay. FDAI Scale, 5/5.
265:34:16 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, going to 5/5.
265:34:17 Duke (onboard): Okay. Now we just stay hanging in here - until .05g.
265:34:30 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, and I want to start my wristwatch at .05. I don't know what good that'll do me. I mean at RRT. I'll - I'll set this thing; it just might work. Maybe it'll be sympathetic. It did it on TEI, much to my amazement.
265:34:45 Young (onboard): Okay, we got 3 minutes to RRT.
265:34:53 Mattingly (onboard): Now, the Moon's already set according to this.
265:34:56 Duke (onboard): No, 292 - Yeah, it is - too - I never saw it.
265:35:01 Mattingly (onboard): No, we weren't in attitude.
265:35:02 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:35:03 Mattingly (onboard): We were in attitude for Entry, not for watching moonset.
265:35:08 Duke (onboard): Okay, I'm back to 12 frames a second, then.
265:35:24 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. Okay, all I've got to do is get these guys back to Rate Command and go to CMC, and I'll do that soon as we start to pick up a little aerodynamics.
265:35:51 Young (onboard): Okay, we're about a minute out.
One minute, 30 seconds. Apollo now travelling at a velocity of 35,823 feet per second. Range to go to splash 1,678 nautical miles.
265:35:52 Duke (onboard): A minute -
265:35:53 Mattingly (onboard): A minute -
265:35:54 Duke/Mattingly (onboard): And a half.
265:35:57 Young (onboard): And Entry in Normal?
265:35:59 Mattingly (onboard): Yes, sir.
265:36:01 Young (onboard): Got both regs on the line?
265:36:03 Mattingly (onboard): Roger.
265:36:04 Young (onboard): Pyros are armed.
265:36:05 Mattingly (onboard): Yep.
265:36:06 Young (onboard): CM/SM Sep switch - circuit breakers are in.
265:36:08 Mattingly (onboard): Yep.
265:36:10 Young (onboard): Think of anything else.
265:36:13 Mattingly (onboard): I got to get these.
265:36:15 Duke (onboard): Yeah. Yeah, okay; that's at .05g. You - you also .05g switch and EMS ROLL switch.
265:36:22 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:36:23 Duke (onboard): Okay, and Spacecraft Control - SC MCC [sic]. You got four to get ...
265:36:24 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. You're still looking good.
Mark. Minus one minute. Velocity now 35,967 feet per second. Range to go 1,518 nautical miles.
265:36:33 Duke (onboard): You're one minute out.
265:36:41 Young (onboard): You might get a little this early because -
265:36:45 Duke (onboard): I think I'm starting to pick up some aero.
265:36:47 Young (onboard): Yeah, they -
265:36:49 Duke (onboard): That's the horizon. Look at that.
265:36:51 Young (onboard): Get back in the cockpit, Charlie.
265:36:52 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:36:56 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, the needle's coming off the peg. That's doing good work.
265:36:58 Young (onboard): Yeah, it's right on.
265:37:01 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
30 seconds now. Velocity 36,094 feet per second. Range to go 1,357 nautical miles.
265:37:03 Duke (onboard): Thirty seconds to RRT.
265:37:14 Mattingly (onboard): And call at RRT.
265:37:17 Duke (onboard): Okay; 15 seconds.
Minus 10 seconds. Velocity 36,173 feet per second. Range to go 1,170 nautical miles.
265:37:27 Young (onboard): Watch it diverge there.
265:37:28:Duke (onboard): Six seconds, 5 seconds - 2, 1 -
265:37:33 Duke (onboard): Mark; RRT. Watch is started.
265:37:35 Mattingly (onboard): Clock's running. Okay, I'm going to Rate Command.
We've seen a dropout in our telemetry data indicating Apollo 16 now passing through the Earth's atmosphere.
265:37:39 Duke (onboard): And Spacecraft Control to CMC.
265:37:43 Young (onboard): Better get it back; get that needle back.
265:37:44 Duke (onboard): Okay, we got some - glow ...
265:37:46 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, get your [garble]. Look at the glow.
265:37:48 Young (onboard): Give it [garble].
265:37:49 Mattingly (onboard): It's got it. CMC has control.
265:37:50 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:37:51 Young (onboard): Okay. Hundredth of a g ...
265:37:53 Duke (onboard): Camera's started.
265:37:55 Mattingly (onboard): One ...
265:37:56 Young (onboard): 200.
265:37:57 Mattingly (onboard): Twenty-three.
265:37:58 Young (onboard): Tape [?] four.
265:37:59 Duke (onboard): .05g -
265:38:00 Duke (onboard): Mark.
265:38:01 Young (onboard): Six, 7 ...
265:38:02 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, EMS and .05g Roll.
265:38:03 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:38:05 Crew (onboard): Here we go.
265:38:07 Young (onboard): Okay, 0.12g's ...
265:38:08 Mattingly (onboard): Beautiful.
265:38:09 Young (onboard): 0.17, 0.24, 0.34.
265:38:14 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:38:15 Young (onboard): 0.5; okay, 0.7.
265:38:19 Mattingly (onboard): Coming up on 1 ...
Apollo Control Houston. We are at one minute, 5 seconds now since time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
265:38:20 Young (onboard): 1.0, 1.3, 2, 2.8 ...
One minutes 10 seconds now. Apollo 16 going through its maximum heat load. This should be 4000 to 4500 degrees Fahrenheit, the maximum temperature on the surface of the heat shield.
265:38:32 Duke (onboard): That's just 2?
265:38:33 Mattingly (onboard): No, that's 4.
265:38:34 Young (onboard): 4.
265:38:38 Mattingly/Young (onboard): 5.
265:38:40 Mattingly (onboard): Right on. There's 6.
265:38:42 Duke (onboard): 6.
Mark. One minute, 25 seconds. Apollo 16 now encountering max G, which should be approximately 7 Gs.
265:38:48 Young (onboard): 6.9; 7.
265:38:54 Mattingly (onboard): It's easing off.
265:38:57 Young (onboard): 7. Comp for roll.
265:38:59 Mattingly (onboard): Good.
We're at one minute, 40 seconds since entry. We show the period of ending blackout a little less than two minutes away now.
265:39:00 Young (onboard): Plus 53.
265:39:01 Mattingly (onboard): Circle it.
265:39:02 Young (onboard): Plus 90.
265:39:03 Mattingly (onboard): Good.
265:39:04 Young (onboard): Plus 164.
265:39:05 Mattingly (onboard): Outstanding.
265:39:06 Crew (onboard): [Garble].
265:39:08 Mattingly (onboard): Doing good work; 5g's.
265:39:11 Young (onboard): 5g's; 4.9.
265:39:14 Mattingly (onboard): Outstanding machine! Something's on my window.
265:39:20 Young (onboard): Guess that's Mylar over there.
265:39:21 Duke (onboard): Mylar.
265:39:23 Mattingly (onboard): 4g's; D
O.
265:39:24 Young (onboard): Plus 190, plus 87...
265:39:27 Mattingly (onboard): Good work.
265:39:28:Young (onboard): Plus 53.
265:39:29 Mattingly (onboard): Fly, you booger.
265:39:34 Young (onboard): Okay, we're subcirc.
265:39:36 Mattingly (onboard): Oh, yeah; are we?
265:39:37 Duke (onboard): Yeah; subcirc.
265:39:38 Mattingly (onboard): My watch is - my ...
265:39:39 Young (onboard): Comp for plus one.
265:39:41 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:39:42 Duke (onboard): And roll.
265:39:44 Mattingly (onboard): Doing good work, machine. How's the ...
265:39:51 Young (onboard): [Garble] .. north ...
265:39:52 Mattingly (onboard): How's the pressures?
265:39:53 Young (onboard): ... and 11.7 -
265:39:55 Duke (onboard): Pressures are looking good in the RCS.
265:39:57 Young (onboard): Twenty-five overshoot; 34 overshoot; comp for lift down; 74 degrees right; 75 degrees right.
265:40:03 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, I'll just copy it, John. No sweat; we are sitting right in here. Beautiful machine. EMS and G&N are converging. We're down to 2½g's.
265:40:18 Crew (onboard): (Coughing)
265:40:20 Young (onboard): Plus 68; plus 69. Reversing roll.
265:40:24 Mattingly (onboard): Outstanding.
265:40:25 Young (onboard): It went ...
265:40:26 Mattingly (onboard): Good decision.
265:40:27 Young (onboard): ... 23 north; now it's going back south.
265:40:28:Mattingly (onboard): Good decision. 82; good show.
265:40:32 Young (onboard): Okay, what time you got, Charlie?
265:40:35 Duke (onboard): I got three minutes -
265:40:36 Duke (onboard): Mark.
265:40:37 Young (onboard): Okay.
265:40:38 Duke (onboard): We haven't entered blackout yet.
265:40:39 Young (onboard): Yeah. Ahh.
265:40:41 Duke (onboard): 03:31.
265:40:42 Mattingly (onboard): Outstanding!
265:40:43 Young (onboard): Okay, the RCS pressures are looking good. They're at 3000...
265:40:45 Duke (onboard): 27:02; we in blackout?
265:40:49 Young (onboard): Minus 86 ...
265:40:50 Mattingly (onboard): It's gonna start pulling that range off.
265:40:51 Young (onboard): Minus 84.
265:40:53 Mattingly (onboard): It's gonna pull another 4g's here pretty soon.
265:40:54 Young (onboard): Gonna get another big g here, huh?
265:40:56 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah.
265:40:58 Young (onboard): Minus 80.
265:41:00 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, we -
265:41:02 Young (onboard): Minus 77; minus 76 -
265:41:06 Duke (onboard): Okay, we [garble] blackout right on time.
265:41:08 Young (onboard): Okay.
265:41:09 Duke (onboard): Got signal strength.
265:41:10 Young (onboard): Houston, we're out of the first blackout there.
265:41:15 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, the gs are going to be building up again.
265:41:17 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:41:22 Young (onboard): Minus 50 ...
265:41:23 Mattingly (onboard): [Garble] up.
265:41:24 Young (onboard): Minus 50.
265:41:25 Mattingly (onboard): Fine.
265:41:26 Young (onboard): Minus 50; minus 48; minus 48.
265:41:29 Mattingly (onboard): Fine.
265:41:30 Young (onboard): Minus 48.
265:41:31 Mattingly (onboard): Good, good.
265:41:32 Young (onboard): Zero down range.
265:41:33 Duke (onboard): Coming up on - 4 minutes.
265:41:34 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston.
265:41:35 Young: Roger. Loud and clear.
265:41:37 Mattingly (onboard): Okay ...
265:41:38 Hartsfield: Roger. How's it going?
265:41:38 Young (onboard): Minus 49.
265:41:39 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, don't bother to read the angles.
265:41:41 Young (onboard): Okay.
265:41:43 Duke (onboard): Okay, passed - we passed four minutes.
265:41:45 Mattingly (onboard): All right. This thing is almost as smooth as I'd fly it.
265:41:52 Young (onboard): (Chuckle) Beautiful.
265:41:53 Mattingly (onboard): I'm glad, mmm. But I'm willing to concede.
265:41:58 Young (onboard): What's the g's now?
265:41:59 Mattingly (onboard): Coming up on 3.
265:42:00 Young (onboard): Okay.
265:42:01 Mattingly (onboard): You're going to get maybe another half ...
265:42:01 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We're getting a little data now and everything looks good.
265:42:02 Duke (onboard): 04:30 ...
265:42:03 Mattingly (onboard): ... and that's about it.
265:42:04 Duke (onboard): Mark.
265:42:05 Mattingly (onboard): It's doing all the right things. It's gonna have to give you another half a g.
265:42:19 Mattingly (onboard): Man, that EMS would have gotten home.
265:42:22 Young (onboard): Isn't that something?
265:42:23 Duke (onboard): Coming up on 5.
265:42:26 Young (onboard): Reversing.
265:42:27 Mattingly (onboard): Good show.
265:42:28 Young (onboard): Supposed to. Man, it hoses it out, I'll tell you.
265:42:31 Mattingly (onboard): Oh.
265:42:32 Young (onboard): [garble] ...
265:42:33 Mattingly (onboard): You know, I didn't think we were having many g's ...
265:42:34 Duke (onboard): Five minutes.
265:42:35 Mattingly (onboard): ... until I tried to raise my head (chuckle).
265:42:36 Young (onboard): Yeah.
265:42:37 Duke (onboard): Man, 2g's felt like a ton.
265:42:39 Mattingly (onboard): You're sitting on 3.
265:42:40 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:42:41 Mattingly (onboard): [Garble] steady as a rock.
265:42:42 Young (onboard): Plus 70.
265:42:43 Mattingly (onboard): Steering looks a champion.
265:42:44 Young (onboard): Yeah, it looks good.
265:42:46 Mattingly (onboard): It's gonna dig in a little more.
265:42:53 Young (onboard): Man, if this don't get you back to one g, nothing will.
265:42:55 Duke (onboard): I know it.
265:42:56 Mattingly (onboard): Oh, beautiful
265:42:58 Duke (onboard): Okay, m - on my mark, it'll be 05:30.
265:43:02 Duke (onboard): Mark; 05:30.
265:43:16 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. Looks to me like that little guy is just gonna do a super job.
265:43:21 Duke (onboard): [Garble].
265:43:22 Young (onboard): Land us right on the sh - the ship.
265:43:27 Duke (onboard): Okay, coming up on 6 minutes. We should be at 90K momentarily.
265:43:31 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:43:33 Young (onboard): Look out, Ticonderoga, we're gonna hit you.
265:43:34 Duke (onboard): Okay, 6 minutes. Steam pressure's not pegging on time.
265:43:46 Mattingly (onboard): It's not?
265:43:47 Duke (onboard): No.
265:43:51 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, I think we're just about to the transonic region.
265:43:55 Duke (onboard): Okay. Okay, there comes the - there comes the steam pressure.
265:44:01 Mattingly (onboard): P67 ...
265:44:02 Duke (onboard): Gonna be late - late on the steam pressure.
265:44:03 Mattingly/Young (onboard): Okay.
265:44:04 Duke (onboard): P67; I'm stopping the DAC. Okay, changing to f/8. Okay, steam pressure's pegged.
265:44:14 Young (onboard): Okay, we're through 90K.
265:44:15 Duke (onboard): Okay, 90K.
265:44:16 Young (onboard): Through 90K, Houston.
265:44:19 Duke (onboard): Okay, stand by for 50K.
265:44:29 Mattingly (onboard): There's a little transonics.
265:44:31 Young/Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:44:32 Mattingly (onboard): That was premature. Okay, I'm off the peg with the altimeter.
265:44:36 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:44:37 Young (onboard): Altimeter's off the peg.
265:44:38 Duke (onboard): Give me a call at 50K.
265:44:39 Mattingly (onboard): Stand by.
265:44:40 Young (onboard): Go to - go to Boost/Entry ...
265:44:41 Duke (onboard): Boost/Entry.
265:44:42 Mattingly (onboard): Mark; 50K.
265:44:43 Duke (onboard): Boost/Entry.
265:44:44 Mattingly (onboard): Boost/Entry on two sides. Okay.
265:44:45 Duke (onboard): Okay. At 30K, we want ELS Logic and ELS, Auto.
265:44:49 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. Coming up on 40. That's the relief valves.
265:44:57 Mattingly (onboard): 40K.
265:44:58 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:45:06 Duke (onboard): Give me a ...
265:45:07 Mattingly (onboard): At 35K,
265:45:08 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:45:09 Mattingly (onboard): I'll start the camera.
265:45:10 Duke (onboard): I think that's too bright of a setting.
265:45:11 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah.
265:45:12 Young (onboard): Okay, get...
265:45:13 Duke (onboard): Okay, [garble]...
265:45:14 Mattingly (onboard): 30K.
265:45:15 Duke (onboard): Okay, ELS Logic; ELS, Auto ...
265:45:16 Mattingly (onboard): [garble] Logic and Auto.
265:45:17 Duke (onboard): Okay, stand by for 24.
265:45:20 Mattingly (onboard): Standing by. Give it [garble]
265:45:25 Duke (onboard): There's one.
265:45:26 Mattingly (onboard): There you go.
265:45:27 Duke (onboard): The apex cover.
265:45:28:Crew (onboard): There go the drogues.
265:45:29 Duke (onboard): Hang on. They're out. I see two of them.
265:45:30 Young (onboard): Ohhh, you beauties.
265:45:31 Duke (onboard): Man, are they whopping.
8 minutes. EECOM reports the Apex and drogue chutes are out. We now have the first visuals of the spacecraft as the drogue chutes are shown deployed.
265:45:34 Mattingly (onboard): Man, what a ride.
265:45:35 Duke (onboard): Okay, stand by. Okay, Boost/En -
265:45:38 Mattingly (onboard): Huh?
265:45:39 Duke (onboard): Looks like the cabin's coming up.
265:45:40 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah, I can smell it.
265:45:43 Duke (onboard): Cabin's coming up.
265:45:44 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. We're stabilizing. You want me to go to Boost/En ...
265:45:48 Duke (onboard): No, no. You're okay. Cabin's coming up.
265:45:51 Mattingly (onboard): Okay. Man, I didn't expect that.
265:45:56 Duke (onboard): Man, those beauties are out there.
265:45:58 Mattingly (onboard): They are really - must have a load on them. Okay, and the next one I want to get is the mains.
265:46:04 Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:46:04 Hartsfield: Apollo 16, Houston. We've got you on TV.
265:46:07 Young (onboard): Roger. Drogues are looking good.
265:46:11 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, it's gonna drop away and you get two reef...
265:46:13 Duke (onboard): That's right.
265:46:16 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, they are...
265:46:17 Duke (onboard): There they go. There go the mains...
265:46:18 Mattingly (onboard): ... [garble] are out [garble]...
265:46:19 Duke (onboard): MA, O
2 Flow. Okay, we got three reefed.
265:46:23 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, stand by...
265:46:24 Young (onboard): ... [garble] is off.
265:46:24 Photo-1: Photo has visual contact.
265:46:25 Duke (onboard): Okay, we've de-reefed.
265:46:26 Recovery-1: Recovery has visual.
265:46:27 Mattingly (onboard): I see one ...
265:46:28:Duke (onboard): I see three big ones.
265:46:28:Photo-1: Roger.
265:46:29 Mattingly (onboard): ... two, three. They're - now they're de-reefed.
265:46:31 Duke (onboard): Now they go. There they go. all three open.
265:46:33 Mattingly (onboard): Ohhh, beauties.
Those drogue chutes are 16½ feet in diameter. We see the main chutes being deployed now. Visual - The three main chutes, each 83½ feet in diameter, we see 'em blossom.
265:46:34 Young (onboard): Okay, let's turn off the propellant.
265:46:35 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:46:36 Duke (onboard): Okay ...
265:46:37 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, read the checklist.
265:46:38 Duke (onboard): One - one second ...
265:46:39 Mattingly (onboard): Read your checklist.
265:46:40 Duke (onboard): Surge Tank, O
2, Off.
265:46:41 Mattingly (onboard): Surge Tank O
2 is Off.
265:46:43 Duke (onboard): Repress Package, Off.
265:46:45 Mattingly (onboard): Repress Package is Off.
265:46:46 Duke (onboard): I'm going to Recovery; A to Simplex, and Beacon is On. Okay ...
265:46:52 Mattingly (onboard): [Garble] see that.
265:46:52 Young: Recovery, this is Apollo 16.
265:46:54 Duke (onboard): Go to Dump.
265:46:55 Mattingly (onboard): Dump?
265:46:56 Young (onboard): Dump.
265:46:56 Recovery-1: Apollo 16, this is Recovery. Welcome back; go ahead.
265:47:01 Young: Roger, We're showing point - minus 0.72, 156.28:west.
265:47:08 Duke (onboard): Okay, I'm putting the DAC under the couch.
265:47:10 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:47:11 Young (onboard): With a miss of 1.6 miles.
265:47:14 Duke (onboard): Okay, CB Flight/Post Landing, four, Close. Close three, four, Close ...
265:47:18 Mattingly (onboard): Ah, you beauties.
265:47:19 Recovery-1: This is Recovery. Roger. What is your condition? Over.
Recovery reports the voice contact with the recovery forces and the crew aboard Apollo 16.
265:47:20 Duke (onboard): Main A and Main B, Open ...
265:47:23 Young: Outstanding.
265:47:24 Mattingly (onboard): (Laughter) It's super! Hey, I didn't hear you -
265:47:26 ELS: Tico, ELS.
265:47:27 Mattingly (onboard): Charlie, I didn't hear you.
265:47:28:ELS: Tico, ELS has a visual.
265:47:29 Mattingly (onboard): You're calling off the checklist!
265:47:30 USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
265:47:31 Young (onboard): I ain't answering them.
265:47:32 Duke (onboard): It's my side.
265:47:33 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:47:34 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:47:35 Mattingly (onboard): All right.
265:47:36 Duke (onboard): Just get that one to Dump.
265:47:37 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:47:38 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:47:39 Young (onboard): Let's close these valves.
265:47:40 Duke (onboard): CM RCS Propellant at BK. We want those closed.
265:47:42 Crew (onboard): (Coughing)
265:47:44 Swim-1: And Swim's got a visual.
265:47:46 USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
265:47:45 Mattingly (onboard): [Garble].
265:47:46 Duke (onboard): That's what I said.
265:47:47 Young (onboard): Roger.
265:47:48 Mattingly (onboard): I know, but John didn't want to until three.
265:47:49 Young (onboard): Oh, let's get those closed.
265:47:51 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, we're safe.
265:47:52 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:47:52 Recovery-1: Tico, this is Recovery. Did you receive the Apollo 16 report? All three chutes are fine? They are looking good -
265:48:01 USS Ticonderoga: Ticonderoga. Roger.
265:48:03 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, we're coming through 5500, Charlie.
265:48:04 Duke (onboard): Okay; 3K's the next one.
265:48:07 USS Ticonderoga: Affirmative; copy.
The crew aboard the Ticonderoga can now see the spacecraft visually from the ship. Eleven minutes now since time of entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
265:48:08 Mattingly (onboard): Whew! (Cleared throat) That's what I call a thrill.
265:48:13 Duke (onboard): That is something.
265:48:14 Young (onboard): Isn't that?
265:48:15 Duke (onboard): Say, you can't top that.
265:48:18 Mattingly (onboard): Isn't that - isn't that something?
265:48:20 Young (onboard): You gonna bleep the controller?
265:48:22 Duke (onboard): Yeah, that's at 800 feet ...
265:48:23 Mattingly (onboard): ... [garble] ...
265:48:24 Duke (onboard): I'll read it out, okay?
265:48:26 Young (onboard): We may hit the water at 800 feet.
265:48:28 Mattingly (onboard): Well, wait a minute. That thing's ...
265:48:30 Duke (onboard): No, we aren't even above the clouds - we're still above the clouds.
265:48:33 Young (onboard): Well, they don't know what 2000 scattered is out here.
265:48:36 Mattingly (onboard): Yeah, [garble].
265:48:37 Duke (onboard): I could see the clouds; they're in the water.
265:48:39 Young (onboard): (Chuckle) Get your head back in here.
265:48:41 Duke (onboard): (Chuckle) I'm all right. I just want to make sure we don't hit nobody.
265:48:45 Young (onboard): You're in Dump, huh?
265:48:47 Duke (onboard): Yeah, one's in Dump.
265:48:48 Mattingly (onboard): That certainly is beautiful.
265:48:53 Photo-1: Tico, this is Photo. All main chutes are deployed. There is no sway on the Module - it's coming down, straight down.
265:48:59 Young (onboard): Okay, that's [garble]...
265:49:00 USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
265:49:01 Young (onboard): ... likely to be in Stable 1.
265:49:03 Crew (onboard): (Coughing)
265:49:06 Mattingly (onboard): You might think about positioning for landing?
265:49:08 Duke (onboard): I'm - I'm in.
265:49:09 Mattingly (onboard): [Garble] clips?
265:49:11 Duke (onboard): Well, mine won't work, but my feet are up straight.
265:49:14 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:49:16 Duke (onboard): Okay, give me a hack at 3K, Ken.
265:49:17 Mattingly (onboard): all right; 3200.
265:49:19 Duke (onboard): Okay.
265:49:20 Mattingly (onboard): Let's call that 3.
265:49:21 Duke (onboard): Okay. Propellant RCM - RCS Propellant, Off.
265:49:24 Mattingly (onboard): They're Off.
265:49:25 Young (onboard): They're Off.
265:49:26 Duke (onboard): Floods, Post Landing.
265:49:27 Mattingly (onboard): Floods to Post Landing.
265:49:28 Duke (onboard): Okay, we wait ...
265:49:29 Mattingly (onboard): They're on.
265:49:30 Duke (onboard): Okay, we wait until 800.
265:49:32 Young: Houston, we're passing to - through 2800 now.
265:49:32 Young (onboard): Okay, Houston, we're passing down through 2800 now.
265:49:35 Mattingly (onboard): Hey, I don't believe that within 500.
Apollo Control Houston. The recovery support here in Mission Control reports that the astronauts described their condition as outstanding. We're at 12 minutes now since entry into the
Earth's atmosphere.
265:49:37 Duke (onboard): Helicopter just went right over us.
265:49:39 Mattingly (onboard): Is that right?
265:49:40 Duke (onboard): Yeah.
265:49:41 Young: And we - have the helicopters out the window.
265:49:50 Mattingly (onboard): Man! Umm! Whew!
265:49:53 Duke (onboard): You just can't describe something like that, that 2gs.
265:49:59 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, there's 2000.
265:50:00 Duke (onboard): Okay; 800 feet is what we're waiting on.
265:50:03 Mattingly (onboard): Let's leave - let's leave that one.
265:50:06 Young (onboard): Yeah, let's ...
265:50:07 Mattingly (onboard): I don't want to end up in the water with my dump valve open.
265:50:10 Young (onboard): Okay, they'll splash in there anyway. You can close them [garble]. Okay, go ahead and do it, Ken.
265:50:16 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, I'm closing ...
265:50:18 Duke (onboard): What are you supposed to close?
265:50:19 Young (onboard): I don't know - I don't know if you should close them.
265:50:20 Mattingly (onboard): Well, you ...
265:50:21 Duke (onboard): Wait ...
265:50:22 Young (onboard): ...[garble] gonna get a negative pressure.
265:50:23 Duke (onboard): At 800 feet - Wait - yeah, at 800 feet, close them. We're - we're - there's the helicopter out ...
265:50:27 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:50:28 Duke (onboard): We're looking good.
265:50:29 Mattingly (onboard): Okay.
265:50:30 Duke (onboard): Okay, we're still ...
This is Apollo Control Houston. An observer on the Ticonderoga estimates a distance from the ship about one mile.
265:50:31 ELS: Tico, this is ELS. We have the two drogue chutes in sight.
265:50:35 Mattingly (onboard): There's 1000.
265:50:36 Duke (onboard): Okay ...
265:50:37 ELS: And they are due south of the Command Module.
265:50:40 USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
265:50:41 Mattingly (onboard): 900.
265:50:41 ELS: Up about 3000 feet higher.
265:50:44 Duke (onboard): Cabin Press Reliefs, Close.
265:50:45 Mattingly (onboard): Two, Closed.
265:50:46 Duke (onboard): Okay, command - plus or minus yaw for one second, direct.
265:50:50 USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
265:50:52 Duke (onboard): There you go.
265:50:53 Mattingly (onboard): Okay, that's done.
265:50:54 Duke (onboard): Okay ...
265:50:55 Young (onboard): Okay, the yaw has been put in.
265:50:56 Duke (onboard): ... Main Bus Ties coming Off.
265:50:56 Young: Okay. The purge burn has been accomplished.
265:51:07 Young: Splashdown.
265:51:14 Recovery-1: The Command Module is Stable II, Stable II. All three main chutes are in the water.
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: (garble)
This is Apollo Control Houston. We copy time of splashdown as at 290 hours, 37 minutes, 6 seconds Ground Elapsed Time.
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: Recovery, this is Ticonderoga, you are clear to deploy.
Crew: Yeah, we copy, Roger, will we stay in upright position, or what?
Recovery: Roger.
Apollo 16 in a Stable 2 condition at the present time with the Apex end of the spacecraft under water.
Recovery: Apollo 16, you're under control.
Crew: Roger.
Crew: Photo (garble).
Recovery: Roger.
Recovery: (Garble) under water (garble) Command Module.
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: Command Module is still Stable 2. ELS helicopter is making its approach to the main chutes standing by to deploy (garble).
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: (Garble) the first main chute.
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: ELS swimmers are 13 from (garble).
The first swimmer now in the water to put the sea anchor onto the Command Module.
Recovery: ...stable 2. We can see one upright bag inflated.
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: (garble) ELS crew of swimmers are deployed at the second main chute.
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: And the third team of ELS swimmers are being deployed.
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: Swimming upright in back of the (garble) now.
Crew: Roger.
The swimmers from the Earth Landing System helicopter are now on the water. They will endeavor to retrieve the parachutes as well as the Apex cover.
Crew: Roger.
One of the parachutes reported submerged, the other two on the surface.
Recovery: The uprighting bags are completely inflated at this time, and the Command Module is in a 90 degree position. The recovery shows their position standing by.
Crew: Roger.
Unidentified: Standing by.
Unidentified: Roger.
And the Command Module is Stable 1, Stable 1.
Unidentified: Roger.
USS Ticonderoga: Apollo 16, this is Ticonderoga requesting Astronaut condition, over.
Recovery: Apollo 16, Apollo 16, this is Recovery, how do you hear me, over.
USS Ticonderoga: Recovery, this is Ticonderoga. Deploy your swimmers, Recovery.
Airboss: Recovery helo is making approach to the approach to the Command Module.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Crew: Okay, Recovery, this is Apollo 16. We're piling up the stabilizer now and we're confirmed to seeing you.
Unidentified: Roger, we copy.
Unidentified: Swimmer has been deployed from the recovery helo.
Crew: We saw some line - from a 'chute around the apex, recovery you might watch them. I guess you know that.
One of the swimmers in the water now preparing to attach the sea anchor. Report from the crew of Apollo 16 says they're doing fine.
Unidentified: Relatively close about 10 yards. Recovery are positioning it away from the Command Module. Two of the uprighting bags are completely inflated. The third is partially inflated.
Sea anchor about 8 feet around is made of a cloth designed to drag and slow down the spacecraft in water.
Recovery: Of the integrated astronaut condition, over.
Crew: The condition of the astronauts is outstanding. It's super.
USS Ticonderoga: Ticonderoga, roger.
Recovery: Okay, the waves down here are about 12 to 15 knots. Sea swell running about 4 feet. The Command Module is riding very nicely. The swimmer is attaching the sea anchor to the Command Module.
We heard John Young aboard Casper reporting the condition of the crew as outstanding. The first swimmer in the water now in the process of attaching the sea anchor. This made of cloth designed to drag in the water and slow down the spacecraft.
Unidentified: The second swimmer has been deployed.
Unidentified: Roger.
Recovery: And the third seven man raft has been deployed from the left helo.
Two seven man rafts now dropped into the water. These will be moved up next to the spacecraft.
Unidentified: Roger.
The sea anchor now attached and being inspected now by the first swimmer. The next two swimmers will take a flotation collar with them and there are two attachments in the front part of the spacecraft. And it unfolds like the caterpillar. While one swimmer steadies this flotation collar the other swimmer takes it around - wraps it around the spacecraft. The first swimmer in the water now cutting away the parachutes shroud lines freeing the spacecraft from the parachutes.
Unidentified: All three of the seven man Helo rafts have been inflated. Swimmers are proceeding to recover main chute.
Unidentified: Roger.
Unidentified: Okay, recovery we're going we're going to tied up here and on comm until it's time to put the collar around.
USS Ticonderoga: Ticonderoga, copy.
Unidentified: The swimmer has attached the sea anchor, and is expected to pull the Module and he's giving his signal for the Recovery helo to deploy the flotation collar.
Unidentified: Roger, and the Recovery helo is making his approach on the Module.
Unidentified: And two swimmers have the flotation collar package have been deployed from the recovery helo.
The two swimmers and flotation collar have been dropped now into the water adjacent to the spacecraft.
Unidentified: The swimmers are positioning the flotation collar package.
Unidentified: Roger.
There are now nine swimmers in the water. Three who will be working with the crew of Apollo 16 as they leave the spacecraft and the other six swimmers in an endeavour now to recovery the parachutes.
Unidentified: Roger, in progress now. Recovery over.
Unidentified: Roger, this is (garble). Helo off the raft have been inflated. The swimmers are dropping some of their gear and getting ready to retrieve the main chutes. All the rafts are in position over the main chutes. And their just progressing retrieving the chutes now.
Unidentified: Roger.
Unidentified: And the bungie cord has been attached completely around the Command Module and the flotation collar is around is now being moved around the Module.
Unidentified: Roger.
Unidentified: Approximately one-third around the Module.
Unidentified: Roger.
We have a report that all three main parachutes are being pulled into the raft. And meanwhile at the Command Module the bungie cord is around the Command Module now and the flotation collar will be encircling it.
Unidentified: The flotation collar is three-quarters of the way around the Module now.
Unidentified: Roger.
The flotation collar now halfway around the Command Module. It's made of a rubberized cloth like material.
After the flotation collar is attached next to the sea anchor the collar will be inflated.
Unidentified: That's the apex collar in order.
Unidentified: Roger.
After inflation of the flotation collar the three swimmers will climb up on the collar and attach restraining straps on top of the spacecraft where the uprighting bags are located.
Unidentified: The antennas on top of the Command Module appear to be in good condition.
Unidentified: Roger.
Unidentified: (Garble) the last swimmer is proceeding to deploy the main (Garble).
Unidentified: Roger.
The slight chop in the waves caused by the ten to twelve knot winds is making the job of installing the flotation collar a little slower.
Unidentified: Apollo 16 . . .
The flotation collar now being inflated.
Unidentified: Flotation collar is inflated.
Airboss: And the (garble) is giving the take off for the recovery in order to deploy the (garble) raft.
Unidentified: Roger. Now...
Unidentified: Crewman has boarded the floatation collar.
Unidentified: Okay.
Airboss: Recovery Helo is making its approach.
Recovery: Thank you.
The ship reported to be just about a mile away from the floating Command Module.
Unidentified: Egress raft has been deployed.
Unidentified: Roger.
Unidentified: Okay, this is Ticonderoga, you are third to assist (garble).
Unidentified: (garble) I am debarking at this time. The egress raft has been inflated. (garble) swimmers around the floatation collar. They're attaching the collar straps to the Command Module.
The three swimmers now attaching the restraining straps on the top of the spacecraft.
Unidentified: (garble)
Unidentified: Roger.
The raft just dropped will be moved to the spacecraft hatch.
Unidentified: And the final attachment to the flotation collar are now being made, the swimmers are attaching the egress raft to the flotation collar.
Unidentified: Okay.
Unidentified: (Garble) is running very steadily now. The egress raft has been attached to the flotation collar.
We'll stand by now for lowering of life preservers from the helicopter which will passed along to the crew of Apollo 16.
Unidentified: It's approach, the LPUS are being lowered on the (garble).
Unidentified: Roger. (Garble) LES.
Unidentified: (Garble) Over.
Unidentified: (Garble) no luck yet. Being retrieved and the (garble) the raft at the time (garble).
Unidentified: Roger.
Unidentified: The (garble).
As recovery is in progress we've been handed splash coordinates from two sources, the onboard computer readout shows coordinates of 43.2 minutes south 156 degrees 11.4 minutes west, the ship estimated 44. 8 minutes south, 156 degrees 14 minutes west.
Unidentified: (Garble) to Ticonderoga, interrogative one one, over.
Unidentified: Apex says no joy on the apex cover. And don't (garble) the 'chutes (garble).
Unidentified: Roger. (garble).
Unidentified: Roger.
Unidentified: Okay, recovery we're going to open the door. (Garble).
The Earth landing system helicopter reports that they were unable to recover the apex cover of (garble) drogue chutes. The three main chutes were recovered.
Recovery: Recovery standing by the hatch. And Casper the Command Module is being opened. (Garble) Command Module.
The life preservers have been passed inside to the crew of Apollo 16. The swimmer is Lt. Earl Koshida who was the first to jump from the primary recovery helicopter.
Crew: Recovery, Apollo 16 is going off comm.
Recovery: This is Recovery, roger.
Recovery: The hatch to the Command Module is being slowly opened by the crewmen.
Crew: Roger.
Recovery: (Garble) the hatch open, standing by to assist the astronaut in egressing the Module.
And this Apollo Recovery raft is especially contoured to fit along side of the floatation collar attached to the spacecraft.
USS Ticonderoga: (Garble) Ticonderoga (garble).
Recovery: Roger, (garble) standing on the floatation collar holding the hatch open standing by to assist the astronauts. We cannot see inside the Module putting the LCU's on at this time.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger (garble).
Recovery: Roger (garble). (Garble) about 100 yards upwind of the Command Module, we cannot see inside the raft, the recovery appears to be progressing normally - we should (garble). In one of the rafts we see one of the chutes (garble). (Garble) standing on the floatation collar looking inside the Command Module.
After the crew of Apollo 16 leaves the Command Module, a helicopter will hover overhead and lower a Billy Pugh net usually they're about 75 feet above the spacecraft when the crew members one-by-one are hoisted up to the helicopter and the Billy Pugh net which is about four feet square and made of stainless steel tubing.
Recovery: One of the main chutes (garble) will be retrieved and the other two are ¾ retrieved.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
USS Ticonderoga: (Garble) apex cover, over.
Recovery: Roger.
The crew of Apollo 16 will be hoisted aboard the helicopter with the Billy Pugh net it's four feet square at the base, six feet in length and made of stainless steel tubing.
Recovery: Roger.
USS Ticonderoga: The bags around the LPU have been handed out of the Command Module (garble) egress (garble)
Recovery: The Command Module is riding very nicely, the sea anchor is fully deployed (garbled) position.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: And the first astronaut is egressing the Module. And the first astronaut to egress the Module is in egress raft.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: And the second astronaut is egressing, and is in the egress raft.
Recovery: Roger. And the third astronaut is egressing.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: And all of the astronauts are in the egress raft at this time.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: The swimmers are preparing to close the hatch to the Command Module.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: And the swimmer has closed the hatch on the Command Module.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger,
Recovery: All of the astronauts are (garble) of the egress raft.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: The swimmer opened the hatch to the Module temporarily but it is now closed again.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: One of the astronauts is over and ensuring the hatch is completely closed.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: (Garble).
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: Astronaut Mattingly is (garble) the Command Module is closed.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: And the hatch has been closed to the Command Module and the swimmer is in the egress raft with all 3 astronauts.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: The swimmer is (garble) Recovery (garble) and we've already recovered that.
USS Ticonderoga: Roger.
Recovery: Recovery helo is in position over the egress raft recovery net is being lowered. The swimmer has the recovery net. The first astronaut is in -
This astronaut is inside the Recovery.
Unidentified: (Garble).
(Garble).
He's at the cargo door of the Recovery Helo. And the first astronaut is inside the recovery helicopter.
(Garble) the first astronaut aboard was Astronaut Duke.
Recovery Helo reports Astronaut Duke is aboard and is making his approach for the second pickup.
Unidentified: Roger.
Recovery Helo is over the (garble).
Unidentified: Roger.
And second astronaut is in the Recovery belt.
The second astronaut is being lifted into the Recovery helo.
The second astronaut is inside the Recovery helo.
Unidentified: The second astronaut onboard the Recovery is Astronaut Mattingly.
Hartsfield: Roger.
(Garble) Recovery.
Hartsfield: Roger.
And the third astronaut is being hoisted into the Recovery helo.
All three astronauts are inside the Recovery helicopter. (Garble) Astronaut John Young.
A (garble) in the Recovery Helo has closed the door to the helo. The Recovery Helo is breaking over the (garble).
Zero, zero, one, spot five. That should put it practically directly in front of our TV camera here, about midship.
Touchdown.
John Young, Charles Duke, Ken Mattingly home from the Moon. Safely back aboard the USS Ticonderoga. Now the red carpets go out. The honor guard comes out. And you can see them now rolling that bright red carpet right up to the door of the helicopter. Now the steps being moved in. And there we are from the falls in our photo helicopter. That was Charles Hilly, The NASA Team Leader, who was first aboard to greet the Astronauts (music) also with military escorts. Salute, a wave. John Young, Charles Duke, Ken Mattingly, Apollo 16 crew. (music) Larry King, the NASA Public Information Officer, also with them at this point. Now they'll be greeted by Captain Edward Boyd, Rear Admiral Henry Morgan, (music) Captain Edward Boyd.
Boyd: It gives me a great deal of pleasure this morning on this special day, to welcome the crew of Apollo 16 to the deck of Ticonderoga. The officers and men of Ticonderoga, this historic ship, are very proud indeed to be a part of this historic mission. Commander Lex Davis, Ticonderoga's senior Chaplain will offer our prayer to almighty God.
Chaplain: Let us pray. Almighty God, who alone prescribes the order of the universe, we lift our thanks to the for the safe return of the astronauts Young, Duke, and Mattingly. As the Heavens once lead wise men to the cradle of Thy Son, so may the knowledge of Thy celestial creation guide us to greater understanding of Thy will for mankind. That Thy goodness may be magnified throughout the world to the honor of Thy holy name. Amen.
Boyd: Admiral Henry S. Morgan, commander of the Pacific Recovery Force, will introduce the crew of Apollo 16.
Morgan: This is a moment of pride and humble triumph for the crew of Apollo 16. Those of us of the Pacific Recovery Force, spread about this Ocean, are honored to be a small segment of the picture. I know the crew is glad to be back and we're all glad to see you back. Now Captain John Young, the commander of Apollo 16.
Young: It really is great to be back. I think I have to say thank you to four different groups of people today. I'm not going to make a long speech because that isn't my nature. But I've been working with a couple of guys for about two years, they've always demonstrated [that] they're clever, intelligent, resourceful and all the good words. But in the last 10 days on a mission where kind of critical things had to go just right where we had some rather difficult problems and rather minor problems, Ken and Charlie, performed an outstanding manner. Their professional cool courage and discipline in situations which required time critical button punching, stick throwing, switch pulling, was tremendous and they also exhibited a cool, professional courage in situations where they were involved in some personal risk, I feel. So to them I would like to say outstanding, for your performance. For the benefit of you Navy guys that's a hardy well done. The second group of people is the people at the Manned Spacecraft Center, in Houston, Texas and around the country, who did so much during our mission to make it go. We could tell by every message that came to us, that there had been a lot of people working all over the country to do their jobs. And by golly we appreciate it because we made that mission go, thanks to you. The third group of people, that nobody ever talked about much, is the American taxpayer, I think you taxpayers, we taxpayers, you got your money's worth on this one. You really did. You saw an example of go-oriented team work and action. The kind of thing that made this country great and the kind of thing that's going to keep it that way. You also saw and sitting right there in Casper right now a mission of discovery. There are secrets in that vehicle that nobody knows what is in there. There is some basic knowledge and understanding in that vehicle right now. We're going to find those things out and one of these days, it's going to benefit us all. I can guarantee you, I feel that if we hadn't done our mission we'd have been remiss in not uncovering this basic knowledge. And what I'm saying is that that basic knowledge is locked in those secrets. It's pushing back the last real frontier, the frontier of the unknown. And by golly that's essential to the survival of humanity on this planet. And the fourth group of people and maybe the people I feel more at home with than anybody is the good old US Navy, thanks for being here, cause I'll tell you right about now, Charlie, Ken, and myself aren't swimming too good.
Mattingly: Well I don't want to make any speech. I never thought a group of all males could look so good. But you sure do. We'll fix that in a short time too. But thank you very much for doing a very professional job and to all the people back in Houston, and the rest of the NASA team, I hope they get a chance to come back and personally say thank you to all of you folks. You really did a bang up job. Thank you.
Duke: It's pretty difficult for me to put my feelings into words right now. We've seen so much and done so much in the last 11 days, it's almost indescribable the beauties and the scenes you see. You don't think that, that one can be topped and then sure enough the next one tops it. Most clearest in my mind is the entry right now and that's hard to top. It's going to be a while to digest everything that has happened, but I along with John, would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the four groups of people that he mentioned. Thank you again, everyone, it's good to be back and to be looking forward to seeing every one again. Thank you.
Unidentified: (music and clapping.)
Unidentified: Welcome back.
They'll go below for their first physical examinations, a rest period and indeed a shower. The Apollo 16 crew home safely, back aboard the prime recovery vessel the USS Ticonderoga, and there they go. So my thanks...
This is Apollo Control, Houston, and this concludes our coverage of Apollo 16.
