Phase 9: Splashdown

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Hello, Houston. Apollo 11.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Roger. Good morning. What's the status on midcourse 7?

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. We were going to let you sleep in until about 190 hours. Midcourse 7 is not required.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11. Good morning from Houston. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. We saw you up stirring around, and we thought that you were probably eating your breakfast there. Just in general, we'll probably start coming up with the uplink of the state vectors and the target loads and what have you at about 190 50, somewhere in that area, and get you started to work.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

And in the meantime, while you're eating your breakfast there, I've got the Maroon Bugle all standing by here to give you the morning news.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. Apollo 11 remains the prime story with the world awaiting your landing today at about 11 49 a.m. Houston time. In Washington, House tax reformers have fashioned a provision which would make it impossible for wealthy individuals to avoid income tax entirely through tax free investments or special allowances. Under the proposal tentatively adopted by the House Ways and Means Committee, everyone would pay taxes on at least half of their income.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Okay. Okay, Ron. We're ready to go again. Thank you.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Continuing with the Maroon Bugle. President Nixon surprised your wives with a phone call from San Francisco just before he boarded a plane to fly out to meet you. All of them were very touched by your television broadcast. Jan and Pat watched from Mission Control here. The launch of Intelsat from the Cape was postponed for the fourth time last night. The problem was said to be a malfunctioning nitrogen regulator in the second stage of Delta. A new attempt will be made to launch it tonight. The research submarine Ben Franklin, which is studying the Gulf Stream, set a record by drifting 24 hours from 10 to 100 feet above the ocean floor in 1300 feet of water off the Georgia coast. The mission is led by Jacques Picard. Wally Schirra has been elected to a 5 year term on the board of trustees of the Detroit Institute of Technology. He will serve on the Institute's development committee. Air Canada says it has accepted 2300 reservations for flights to the Moon in the past 5 days. It might be noted that more than 100 have been made by men for their mothers in law. And finally, it appears that rather than killing romantic songs about the Moon, you have inspired hundreds of song writers. Nashville, Tennessee, which probably houses the largest collection of recording companies and song publishers in the country, now reports it is being flooded by Moon songs. Some will make it. The song at the top of the best sellers list this week is, “In the year 2525.” Morning Bugle. Out.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Thank you very much, Ron.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Houston, crew status report: 5.5 7 5.5.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11, Houston. Roger. We copy. And I have your consumables update, if you're ready to copy.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. GET 189 plus 00: RCS total minus 1 percent; Alfa minus 11; Bravo plus 10; Charlie minus 1; Delta minus 1; H2 total minus 0.76 pounds; oxygen total plus 17.6 pounds. Over.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Okay. It doesn't look like we're going to be able to get quite back on the flight plan.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Not quite; just about though.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11, Houston. Request P00 and ACCEPT, and we'll send your REFSMMAT, state vector, and entry target load. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. It'll be coming up.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11, Houston. Can you tell us where the visor assemblies ended up, there?

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

We're going to follow your suggestion and stow them under right hand couch.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Mighty fine. Break. The weather forecast in the landing area right now is 2000 scattered, high scattered, 10 miles. The wind about 080 at 18 knots. You'll have about 3- to 6 foot waves. Your Delta H is plus 10 feet. And it looks like you'll be landing about 10 minutes before sunrise. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11, Houston. All three loads are in. The computer is yours. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

And Mike, if you're on loop there, to extend the range and the constant g reentry, here, I've got a little procedure, if you would like to listen to it.

Michael Collins (CMP)

I'm right in the middle of my orange juice. Be with you in about 5 minutes.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Sure, no problem, standing by.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Houston, Apollo 11. Hey, Ron, I wonder if you could give us a good Navy explanation for this Delta H time. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Let me think about it, and I'll come back.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Collins has got one, but I'm not sure I buy it.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger, 11. We don't have to worry about it any more. The altimeter out there is now standard, 29.92; but basically what it means is that if I give you a plus 10 feet, for instance, that means that you will hit the water with the altimeter reading 10 feet. Over.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Ah, Collins was wrong.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Okay, I'm ready to copy.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Entry PAD: area is the mid Pacific, roll 000, 152, 001, GET 194 46 06, 267, latitude plus 1332, minus 16917, 064, 36194, 649, range to go 14045, 36275, 195 03 06, 00 28, DL max 154, 084, 22400, 18000, D0 400, 02 13, 00 17, 03 51, 09 02, sextant star 45 0189, 277, boresight star, none available, lift vector up. Comments: GDC align, Vega and Deneb, roll 078, pitch 223, yaw 340. Additional comments: Use nonexit EMS pattern, EI minus 30, horizon check GET 194 33 06. Pitch 298. You'll get P65, but no P66. Additional note: Initial bank angle in P67 may not be full lift. Apollo 11, Houston. Read back.

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Spoken on July 24, 1969, 1:15 p.m. UTC (54 years, 8 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Okay, Ron, For MIDPAC: 000, 152, 001, 194, 46 06, 267, plus 1332, minus 16917, 064, 36194, 649, 14045, 36275, 195 03 06, 0028, 154, 084, 2240, 180, 400, 02 13, 00 17, 03 51, 09 02, 45, 0189, 277, none available, lift vector up, GDC align, Vega and Deneb, roll 078, pitch 223, yaw 340. Use nonexit EMS. EI minus 30, horizon check 194 33 06, pitch 298. Initial bank angle in P67 may not be full lift, and we will get P65 but no P66.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11, Houston. Roger. On your GDC align pitch, it should be 233, 233 in the pitch. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Also your DL and MAX and MIN, I'm sure. are 22 400 and 18 000. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. If you'll dig out your entry checklist there on page E6 1, I'll update your RETRO times there for the various altitudes. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. On page E6 1, your RRT is 07 20, your 50K is 08 16; 40K is 08 30; your 24K is 09 02; and your 10K is 09 51. Over.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Okay. RRT, 07 20, 50 000, 08 16. That's—07 20 is—is the time of steam pressure peg from RRT; and 40 000, 08 30; 24 000, 09 02; 10 000, 09 51.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

11, Houston. You started out right, and then the numbers you read back were correct; but I didn't get your comment in between there.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

I assume that—all I wanted to know is that first time, 07 20, that's the time of steam pressure peg. Right?

Michael Collins (CMP)

Houston, Apollo 11. Ron, I'm ready to copy your message about the constant drag level.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay, Mike. Of course, this is in the event the G&N and the EMS quits and you have to fly the constant g; and what we're trying to do is extend the constant g range from 1100 to 1500 miles. We've run this procedure in the simulator, and it works fine. Basically, I'll go through it—just go through it, and then if you have any questions come back. But it's the same lift vector up until MAX g, and then lift vector down, and then modulate the lift vector until g dot goes to zero. Okay. This procedure is essentially the same so far. And then hold g dot zero until you pass the RETRO elapsed time of V circular; and then after you pass this RETRO elapsed time of V circular, roll to a gimbal angle of 45 degrees, and then hold this constant bank angle of 45 degrees until you come to the RETRO elapsed time of drogues. Over.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Okay. It sounds straightforward enough. Understand constant g backup backup procedure, lift vector up until MAX g and then lift vector down; then modulate until bank angle until g dot equals zero. Maintain g dot equals zero until subcircular, then roll 45 degrees and hold until drogue time. Over.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay. That's mighty fine, Mike. That's correct.

No contact for 1:01:50
Michael Collins (CMP)

This entry time line is my kind of time line. Nice and slow.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Okay, 11. Houston. Roger. It sure is. EECOMM is anxiously awaiting his big moment here for the logic sequence check whenever you're ready.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Okay. We'll be ready for that in just a flash.

Jim Lovell

This is Jim, Mike. Backup crew is still standing by. I just want to remind you that the most difficult part of your mission is going to be after recovery.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Well, we're looking forward to all parts of it.

Jim Lovell

Please don't sneeze.

Michael Collins (CMP)

The Earth is really getting bigger up here and, of course, we see a crescent.

Michael Collins (CMP)

We've been taking pictures and we have four exposures to go, and we'll take those and then pack the camera.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Houston, Apollo 11. We're ready for the logic check whenever you are. We're standing by to arm the logic. We've got ELS logic on, ELS AUTO, and all the circuit breakers in.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11, Houston. Roger. You can press on with the SECS logic.

Michael Collins (CMP)

Okay. Logic 1 coming on.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11, Houston. Logic checks good. You're GO for PYRO ARM.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

Houston, Apollo 11 has got VHF A Simplex on whenever you want to make a COMM check.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Apollo 11, Houston. Roger. You faded out a little bit there, Buzz. I understand you have the VHF Simplex A on now. Is that correct? Over.

Buzz Aldrin (LMP)

That affirmative. VHF Simplex A and we're TR on VHF.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. Mighty fine. We'll watch it as you are coming on in and let you know when the intelligibility is up. We'll make a voice check with you at that time.

Neil Armstrong (CDR)

Houston, Apollo 11. I've been holding here in SCS control MINIMUM DEADBAND RATE LOW with the limit cycle on, just as a matter of curiosity, if you guys wanted some fuel numbers from that.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

11, Houston. Roger. We copy and we've been figuring it out.

Michael Collins (CMP)

It's a pleasure to be able to waste gas.

Ronald Evans (CAPCOM)

Roger. That's affirmative.