Spacelog Apollo 11

Isn't that something! Magnificent sight out here.

Magnificent desolation.

Looks like the secondary strut *** little thermal effects on it right here, Neil.

Yes. I noticed that. That seems to be the worst, although similar effects are on—all around.

… powder, isn't it?

Isn't it fine?

Right in this area I don't think there's much of any *** fine powder *** clods together, and it's hard to tell whether it's a clod or a rock.

Notice how you can kick it out.

Yes. And it bounces and then -

Reaching down is fairly easy. I got my suit dirty at this stage.

The mass of the backpack does have some effect in inertia.

There's a slight tendency, I can see now, to *** backwards *** due to the soft, very soft texture.

You're standing on a rock, a big rock there now.

This pad sure didn't ***

No. It didn't.

There's absolutely no crater there at all from the engine.

No.

I wonder if about right under the engine is where the probe might have hit.

I'd like that.

Yes. I think that's a good representation of our sideward velocity at touchdown there—hole at the probe.

I see that probe over on the minus-Y strut. It's broken off and bent back up.

It did, didn't it? The other two both bent over.

Can't say too much for the visibility right here without the visor up. It's dark. It looks like there is a *** surface of it is *** pounded rock *** And incidentally, these rocks *** very powdery surface ***

Say again, please, Buzz; you're cutting out.

I say that the rocks are rather slippery.

Roger.

A powdery surface when the sun hits. *** they split up all the very little fine porouses *** Will tend to slide over it rather easily.

Traction *** seems quite good. ***

*** About to lose my balance in one direction and recovery is a quite natural and very easy *** And, moving your arms around, Jack, doesn't *** off the surface *** not quite that light-footed.

And, I have the insulation off the MESA now and MESA seems to be in good shape.

Got to be careful that you are leaning in the direction you want to go, otherwise you *** slightly inebriated. In other words, you have to cross your foot over to stay underneath where your center-of-mass is.

And, Neil, didn't I say we might see some purple rocks?

Find a purple rock?

Yes. They are small, sparkly *** fragments *** places *** would make a first guess that some sort of biotite *** We'll leave that to further analysis ***

*** compact underneath *** completely no *** you don't sink down more than … a quarter of an inch.

Okay, Houston. I'm going to change lenses on you.

Roger, Neil.

Okay, Houston. Tell me if you're getting a new picture.

Neil, this is Houston. That's affirmative. We're getting a new picture. You can tell it's a longer focal length lens. And for your information, all LM systems are GO. Over.

We appreciate that. Thank you.

Neil is now unveiling the plaque *** gear.

Roger. We got you boresighted, but back under one track.

For those who haven't read the plaque, we'll read the plaque that's on the front landing gear of this LM. First there's two hemispheres, one showing each of the two hemispheres of the Earth. Underneath it says “Here Man from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon, July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.” It has the crew members' signatures and the signature of the President of the United States.

Ready for the camera?

No. I'll get it. No, you take this TV on out.

Watch the LEC, there.

We've got this view, Neil.

This is straight south.

Roger. And we see the shadow of the LM.

Roger. The little hill just beyond the shadow of the LM is a pair of elongate craters about—probably the pair together is about 40 feet long and 20 feet across, and they're probably 6 feet deep. We'll probably get some more work in there later.

Roger. We see Buzz going about his work.

How's that for a final?

For a final orientation, we'd like it to come left about 5 degrees. Over.

Now back to the right about half as much.

Okay?

Okay. That looks good there, Neil.

Okay.

Okay. You can make a Mark, Houston. *** deployed.

Roger. Solar wind.

And, incidently, you can use the shadow that the staff makes to *** getting it perpendicular ***

Roger.

Some of these small depressions *** tend to sink—oh, maybe 2 or 3 inches. *** suggest exactly what the Surveyor pictures showed when they pushed away a little bit. You get a force transmitted through the upper surface of the soil and about 5 or 6 inches of bay breaks loose and moves as if it were caked on the surface, when in fact it really isn't.

I noticed in the soft spots where we had footprints nearly an inch deep that the soil is very cohesive and it will retain a—will retain a slope of probably 70 degrees along side of the footprints.

Okay?

Yes. I think that's excellent.

They didn't come off?

*** get the ***

*** that part? *** a rock here.

You'll have to extend that one.

Columbia, Columbia, this is Houston. Over.

***

Houston, Columbia on the high gain. Over.

Columbia, this is Houston. Reading you loud and clear. Over.

Yes. Reading you loud and clear. How's it going?

Roger. The EVA is progressing beautifully. I believe they are setting up the flag now.

Great.

I guess you're about the only person around that doesn't have TV coverage of the scene.

That's all right. I don't mind a bit.

How is the quality of the TV?

Oh, it's beautiful, Mike. It really is.

Oh, gee, that's great! Is the lighting half way decent?

Yes, indeed. They've got the flag up now and you can see the stars and stripes on the lunar surface.

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

That's good. See if you can pull that end off a little bit. Take that end up a little.

It won't pull out.

Okay.

Neil, this is Houston. Radio check. Over.

Roger, Houston. Loud and clear.

Roger. Out.

Loud and clear, Houston.

Roger, Buzz.

I'd like to evaluate the various paces that a person can *** traveling on the lunar surface. I believe I'm out of your field of view. Is that right, now, Houston?

That's affirmative, Buzz.

You are in our field of view now.