Phase 7: Return to Lunar Orbit

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, Columbia, good morning from Houston.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Hey, Mike, how's it going this morning?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Hey, real fine. While you're —

Michael Collins (CMP)

I don't know yet, how's it going with you?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Real fine here. Columbia, request P00 and ACCEPT. We'll shove the state vector in for you right away.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. It's coming up now, Columbia. We're going to keep you a little busy here. As soon as we get the state vector in, we'd like you to go ahead and do a P52 option 3 on this night pass, and then when you come on around the other side there, we'll give you some landmark tracking information on prime 130.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

And for your information, we're also going to have Tranquility Base do a P52 when you come around the other time; and I have the P22 information if you're ready to copy.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. Track landmark 130 prime using P22, and for information, this will properly position your rendezvous radar transponder. T1 is 122 plus 16 plus 05—whoops, okay. Stand by.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, Houston. The computer is yours.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Okay. And I'd like the grid square of this crater 130 prime. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, Houston. Say again about 130 prime.

Michael Collins (CMP)

I'd like its grid square, please.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. I have the T1 and T2 times and also the longitude of the 130 prime. We're working on the grid squares and we'll get them shortly.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. T1: 122 plus 16 plus 05. Tango 2 is 122 plus 21 plus 11, and 6 miles north of track. And do you want your NOUN 89 values?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Latitudes, plus 01.243. Longitude over 2, plus 11.844. Altitude, minus 001.46. Over.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Copy T1: 122 16 05. T2: 122 21 11, 6 miles north, NOUN 89 is plus 01243, plus 11844, minus 00146.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, affirmative. And at the T1 time, put your rendezvous radar transponder switch to OPERATE.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

And this 130 prime is the same one that you tracked prior to descent. Over.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Okay. You've updated your information as to the LM's position and this is your best estimate of where the LM is, is that correct?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, that's negative. This 130 is the little bitty crater there that you tracked—John Young's crater—that you tracked prior to descent. And we want that —

Michael Collins (CMP)

Fine. Okay. You've given up looking for that.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Affirmative. We want this for one last fix on your plane.

Michael Collins (CMP)

All right. Fine. Understand. Thank you.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

And when the LM does his P22 on your transponder, well then, that'll be our last shot at the LM's position.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Roger. Understand. Do you care whether my transponder is on before T1?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. It'll be on WARMUP prior to that time, and you can go to OPERATE anywhere around that time.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Yes. I gather it's on its 24 minute warmup now?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

And, Houston. The computer is yours, you can go to BLOCK anytime.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Roger. BLOCK, going P52, option 3.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. And we'll see you coming around the other side. About 1 minute to go, and all your systems are looking good.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Tranquility Base, Tranquility Base, Houston. Over.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Good morning, Houston. Tranquility Base. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Loud and clear. And how is the resting standing up there. Did you get a chance to curl up on the engine can?

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Roger. Neil has rigged himself a really good hammock with a waste tether, and he's been lying on the ascent engine cover, and I curled up on the floor. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Copy, Buzz. Got a couple of changes to your surface checklist here, and in general, what we're going to want you to do is P22, tracking the command module for one last hack on your position there. And this will be—in other words, P57, P22, and then to press on with the checklist, and the rest of them are a couple of minor changes in the checklist. The main one being that we do not want the rendezvous radar on during the ascent, and we think that this will take care of some of the overflow of program alarms which we're getting during descent.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Okay. We had the rendezvous radar in SLEW during descent, though.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Tranquility Base, Houston. I missed that. Say again.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. I say again. We had the rendezvous radar switch in the SLEW position, not the LGC position.

Expand selection up Contract selection down Close
Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. We copy that. But there's a greater duty cycle on—There's a good 15 percent duty cycle on the ascent program there, so just go ahead and leave it off. And I have the changes there if you want to get out your surface checklist, and I can go ahead and start giving them to you.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

All right. Go ahead. I've got it out.

Expand selection down Contract selection up

Spoken on July 21, 1969, 3:14 p.m. UTC (54 years, 9 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. Before we start here, request P00 and DATA, and we'll give you some vectors.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Now you've got P00 and DATA.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. And on Surface 50 will be the first change there.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Okay. And I understand you want us to do a P57 option 3 and then a P22, is that the general idea? Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

That's affirmative. So on Surface 50 there, down at the bottom of the page, just after PRO after two recycles, stick in a time of 122 plus 15; do P22 as per PGNS 20 of G&N dictionary. Over.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. Understand that's 122 15, do P22 as per PGNS 20, G&N dictionary.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Okay. Let's skip on over to Surface 59.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. This is going to be for one last vent on the DPS tank there, so at the top of the page just after EPS INVERTER 1, CLOSE, add—Okay, after EPS INVERTER 1, CLOSE, add PROP DESCENT HELIUM REG/VENT CLOSE, and then after STABILIZATION/CONTROL AELD, CLOSE, add PROP DISPLAYS/ENGINE OVERRIDE/LOGIC, CLOSE. Over.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. Copy. These are two circuit breakers, right?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Tranquility Base, affirmative. Those are just the circuit breakers at that time.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Tranquility Base, Houston. Did you get those two on the propulsion circuit breakers?

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. I have those two.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. Let's go over to Surface 60, and then down the middle of the page, after launch guidance system recommendation from MSFN, then I add the switches there.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. After launch guidance system recommendation from MSFN, add DESCENT PROPULSION FUEL VENT, OPEN; add DESCENT PROPULSION OXIDIZER VENT, OPEN; add verify talkback gray. Over.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. DESCENT PROPELLANT FUEL VENT, OPEN; DESCENT PROPELLANT OXIDIZER VENT, OPEN; verify talkback gray.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. You got that one, so that'll be the last vent and it will continue venting. Skip over to Surface 61 down there at TIG minus 17.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. I'm there. Go ahead.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay, at TIG minus 17, delete CB (11). AC Bus A, RENDEZVOUS RADAR, CLOSE, wait 30 seconds; delete PGNS: RENDEZVOUS RADAR, CLOSE; and then add UP DATA LINK switch to VOICE BACKUP. Over

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. I have that. We'll leave those two circuit breakers open, and have the UP DATA LINK to VOICE BACKUP; and we'll make the appropriate changes on the following circuit breaker status card.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. And then you might add a little note down there at the bottom of the page—Note:—This is at the bottom of page 61—Note: Do not use tape meter in PGNS, i.e., do not place MODE SELECT switch to PGNS. Over.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Okay. We'll put it in AGS.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Fair enough. That's some more of that computer load business.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. That's all the changes we have for the checklist here. I've got some—just some general notes, I'll read to you on P22, and just for some information. Over.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Okay. Then it looks to me like we ought to get hopping on this P57.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. We agree wholeheartedly. And while you're starting on that, I'll read—just read these notes on P22. Call P22 possible program alarm 5.6, range greater than 400 nautical miles, and then use the P22 as described on PGNS 20. Take option 1 in NOUN 06, and use the no update mode. The rendezvous radar will lock on at about 25 degrees elevation above the horizon. If 503 alarm occurs, designate fail. Key a PROCEED and allow the rendezvous radar to search for the CSM. And place the range altitude monitor switch in altitude/altitude rate to prevent the tape meter from driving into the stops. And press on.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. I think I have that.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, Columbia, Houston. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, Columbia, Houston. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger, Columbia. We'd like a CRYO stir in all four tanks and the standard 1 minute. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. And do you have any torquing angles from the P52?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Tranquility, Houston. Request ERROR RESET at this time. Over.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Roger. ERROR RESET, and would you tell me when you're satisfied with the LGC self test?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Tranquility, LGC is a GO.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Torquing angles when you're ready.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, Houston. Go ahead.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Roger. Stars 25 and 42; angle difference 5 balls; NOUN 93, plus 00165, plus 00186, minus 00039, time of torquing 121 15. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Columbia, Houston. We copy. Thank you.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Thank you, Columbia.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Houston, Tranquility. Would you like a recycle on the VERB 6 04? Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Tranquility, Houston, We copy. Stand by one.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Tranquility, Houston. Request recycle.