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[The transcript begins over two-and-a-half hours before launch. With Apollo 11 sitting atop its Saturn V launch vehicle on Pad 39A, announcements on the progress of the countdown are made by the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Jack King, the "Voice of Apollo". The record of communications between the crew and the flight control center, through "Capcom" (the Capsule Communicator) commences soon after lift-off, continues through the launch and staging of the Saturn V launch vehicle, and insertion into Earth orbit about 12 minutes later. This section of the transcript concludes with the confirmation of orbital parameters and the safe check-out of the S-IVB third stage in orbit.]PAO (Public Affairs Officer): This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 2 hours, 40 minutes, 40 seconds and counting. At this time, the prime crew for Apollo 11 has boarded the high-speed elevator from inside the A level of the mobile launcher which is the second level inside the launcher. This is the high-speed elevator; 600 feet per minute which will carry them to the 320-foot level, the spacecraft level. Shortly, we'll expect astronauts Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins to come across Swing Arm 9, the Apollo access arm, and proceed to the white room and stand by to board the spacecraft. The third member of the crew, astronaut Edwin Aldrin, will be the last one to board the spacecraft, will stand by in the elevator seated in a chair while his two comrades first board the spacecraft. Once Armstrong, who sits in the left-hand seat, and Collins, who will sit in the right-hand seat during lift-off are aboard, then Aldrin will be called and he will take his seat, the middle seat in the spacecraft, The spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong and the Command Module Pilot Michael Collins now proceeding across the swing arm into the small white room that attaches at the spacecraft level. In the meantime, about 100 feet below, we have a technician – a team of technicians working on a leaking valve which is a part of the Ground Support Equipment, a part of the system that's used to replenish the fuel supply for the third stage of the Saturn V rocket. He is proceeding to tighten a series of bolts around this valve in the hope that this will correct the leak. Once the technicians do depart, the hydrogen will again be flowed through the system to assure that the leak has been corrected. The spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong and CMP, the Command Module Pilot Mike Collins, now standing by in the white room. T minus 2 hours, 38 minutes, 45 seconds and counting; this is Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 2 hours, 34 minutes, 44 seconds and counting. The spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong now aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft at the 320-foot level at the pad. We had it logged having the commander go over the sill into the cabin at 6:54am Eastern Daylight. Since that time, the commander has now been tied into the system and has checked in over the communication lines. He was wished a 'Good morning' by the spacecraft test conductor Skip Chauvin and Armstrong in return said it looks like a good morning. In the meantime, 120 feet below him, the technicians continuing to work to tighten bolts around a leaking valve associated with the system that replenishes hydrogen fuel for the third stage. To repeat once again, this is not a problem on the launch vehicle itself, but on the ground support equipment associated with it. T minus 2 hours, 33 minutes, 45 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 2 hours, 30 minutes, 55 seconds and counting. Right on the hour, the Command Module Pilot, astronaut Michael Collins, who'll be sitting on the right-hand side of the spacecraft during lift-off, boarded the spacecraft. We had it logged at 7am Eastern Daylight Time. The third member of the crew, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, standing by in the elevator around the corner along the swing arm from the White Room and the spacecraft at the 320-foot level. 120 feet below, technicians still working on some bolts that surround a leaking valve that is associated with a system that replenishes the hydrogen fuel supply to the third stage of the Saturn V rocket. Our countdown proceeding at this time; coming up toward the 2 minute and 30 minute ma... 30 second... the 2 hour and 30 minute mark in the count. This is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 2 hours, 23 minutes, 46 seconds and counting. The third member of the Apollo 11 prime crew now aboard the spacecraft. We had it logged at 7:07am Eastern Daylight Time when astronaut Buzz Aldrin boarded the spacecraft. He'll sit in the middle seat during lift-off. As Lunar Module Pilot, his normal position would be on the right-hand side. However, due to crew preference, we have the commander of course, Neil Armstrong, sitting on the left-hand side. The Lunar Module Pilot for the overall flight, Buzz Aldrin, sitting in the middle seat, and the Command Module Pilot Mike Collins sitting in the right-hand seat at lift-off. Down below at the 200-foot level, our technicians still hard at work still tightening bolts around a valve associated with the system that replenishes the hydrogen fuel for the third stage of the Saturn V launch vehicle. This is ground support equipment located on the tower at the pad at the 200-foot level. He continues to work at the 200-foot level as the crew in the White Room does the same with the three astronauts aboard. We actually have a fourth astronaut still aboard the spacecraft at this time, astronaut Fred Haise, who is the back-up Command Module Pilot. He is in the Lower Equipment Bay of the spacecraft, giving a helping hand to the three prime crewmen as they start to perform some of their preliminary checks here as we head down over the final 2 hours – 2½ hours of the countdown. We're at T minus 2 hours, 22 minutes, 11 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
[In fact, Fred Haise is the back-up Lunar Module Pilot. The other back-up crew members are Commander Jim Lovell and Command Module Pilot Bill Anders.]PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've just passed the 2-hour, 21-minute mark in our countdown and we are proceeding at this time. At the 320-foot level, all three astronauts now aboard the spacecraft. Just a few minutes ago, astronaut Buzz Aldrin came in and took the center seat to join Neil Armstrong on the left and Mike Collins on the right. These are the positions they will fly at lift-off. During the process of getting the astronauts checked into the spacecraft, communication cables must be attached to their suits. They also have to hook into the suit circuit system of the spacecraft that brings oxygen into their suits. They are helped by a fourth astronaut on board, the back-up Command Module Pilot, astronaut Fred Haise, who is in the Lower Equipment Bay, and one of the suit technicians, who's located behind them to give a hand as they check in. We've heard from Neil Armstrong, and now we've also heard from Mike Collins on comm checks, and we're standing by for further reports as the checkout continues. 120 feet down, the work continues on a leaky valve at the 200-foot level. This is ground support equipment. The technicians still hard at work tightening bolts around that valve at this time. 2 hours, 19 minutes, 45 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 2 hours, 10 minutes, 35 seconds and counting. At the 320-foot level, the fourth astronaut aboard the spacecraft regretfully leaves at this time. Astronaut Fred Haise is about to come out after giving the three prime crewmen a hand in their preliminary checkouts aboard. Fred Haise will be coming out shortly. In the meantime, 120 feet below, where we have that problem with the leaking valve, the technicians have completed their work and they are in the process now of departing from the launch pad. In a short while, we'll start flowing hydrogen again back through the general replenishing system to continue the top-off – the supply of the hydrogen fuel to the third stage of the Saturn V launch vehicle. The spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong has completed a series of checks called abort advisory system checks. This is where certain key crewmen on the ground, members of the launch team, can send signals to the commander in the spacecraft; light cues that would indicate a difficulty during the flight in which he could take abort action if he determined that such action was necessary. These checks have been completed and Neil Armstrong confirmed that the lights came on in the console in front of him, the panel in front of him as these lights were operated from the ground here in the Launch Control Center. All still going well with our count. We will stand by as we again bring hydrogen back to the third stage. We will see how that operates. We're now at T minus 2 hours, 9 minutes, 4 seconds and counting and this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 2 hours, 7 minutes and counting. At this time we're just in the process of closing the hatch on the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Several of the close-out crew shook hands with the astronauts and then proceeded to close the hatch on direction from the Spacecraft Test Conductor Skip Chauvin. We had it logged as the hatch being closed and tightened – still being tightened right at this time which is 25 minutes past the hour. Once the hatch is closed, we will start a cabin purge to condition the cabin inside. The three astronauts, of course, are on pure oxygen in their space suits on the suit circuit. We will produce a cabin atmosphere in the spacecraft of a 60/40 combination; 60% oxygen and 40% nitrogen. This is the atmosphere used for lift-off. Once that is accomplished, the close-out crew will be ready to put the Boost Protective Cover on the hatch and continue with their close-out. The hatch being closed at this time. We are proceeding. We'll stand by to see how our hydrogen condition is, as far as replenishing the hydrogen fuel supply with the third stage of the Saturn V. 2 hours, 5 minutes, 15 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We're at T minus 2 hours, 55 seconds and counting. We're approaching the 2-hour mark in our countdown and we appear to be proceeding satisfactorily at this time. The crew aboard the spacecraft, the 320-foot level, the hatch is closed and we're beginning to purge the cabin to bring it to the proper atmosphere for launch which is a combination of oxygen and nitrogen; 60% oxygen and 40% nitrogen atmosphere. Of course, the astronauts themselves are breathing pure oxygen through their space suits. Coming up shortly will be another key test in which both the launch crew for the – the launch vehicle crew and the spacecraft team combine together with the Commander Neil Armstrong to make a thorough check of the Emergency Detection System. This is the system that will signal the astronauts in the cabin if anything goes wrong below them. We used a ground-based computer to accomplish this test. It's rather lengthy as these tests go, using a computer. It will take some 30 minutes. Neil Armstrong will be doing most of the work in the spacecraft, responding as different cue lights, signifying different difficulties, are presented to him. The abort panel, of course, is across from the commander on the left-hand side, the left-front of the spacecraft. Our countdown continuing; T minus 1 hour, 59 minutes, 34 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 1 hour, 50 minutes, 55 seconds and counting. We're proceeding with the countdown with the Apollo 11 mission at this time and it's going satisfactorily. At this point, the spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong in the process of working the Emergency Detection System test. This is a check of the Emergency Detection System working with the launch crew here in the firing room and also the spacecraft team in control rooms back at the Manned Spacecraft Operations building here at the Kennedy Space Center. All going well with these tests at the present time. We're flowing hydrogen back into the third stage of the Saturn V launch vehicle after having difficulty with that leaking valve. It appears that we are bypassing the use of the valve directly in loading the hydrogen aboard, but we are getting the hydrogen back in to replenish the supply. All appears to be going well at this time. Weather is Go. We're coming up on 1 hour and 50 minutes. This is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control at T minus 1 hour, 40 minutes, 55 seconds and counting. The countdown still proceeding very satisfactor y at this time as we lead up toward our planned lift-off time of 9:32am Eastern Daylight. The spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong continuing this extensive series of checks of the Emergency Detection System, working with both the launch vehicle test crew and the spacecraft crew. This is a key test and a very thorough test to assure ourselves, before we commit to lift-off, that all the emergency detection techniques inside the launch vehicle are operating properly here on the ground, so if required in flight, the spacecraft commander and, of course, his two fellow astronauts could be signalled of a difficulty inside the rocket and could take proper abort action as required. Thus far, the three astronauts aboard the spacecraft have just been giving businesslike responses back to the directions and checks, working with the Spacecraft Conductor Skip Chauvin as he runs down his procedures as the countdown continues. T minus 1 hour, 39 minutes, 46 seconds and counting; this is Launch Control.
PAO (Public Affairs Officer): This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 1 hour, 30 minutes, 55 seconds and counting. All elements are Go with the countdown at this time, the countdown aimed at landing two astronauts on the Moon. At this time the Spacecraft Test Conductor Skip Chauvin going through some checks with astronaut Mike Collins aboard the spacecraft. We're winding up this important Emergency Detection System test that Neil Armstrong has been participating in. Meanwhile, at the 320-foot level, the close-out crew now placing the Boost Protective Cover over the hatch now that we have completed the cabin purge and have the proper environment inside the cabin. We have also performed leak checks to assure ourselves that the cabin atmosphere is valid. This Boost Protective Cover is used during the early phases of the powered flight and it is jettisoned with the escape tower shortly after second stage ignition. Here in the firing room, the launch vehicle test team's still keeping a close eye on the status of the propellants aboard the Saturn V launch vehicle. We're back to 100 percent supply with the liquid hydrogen fuel in the third stage. This problem with the leaking valve is no problem at this time. We've actually bypassed the valve but we are maintaining our hydrogen supply aboard the vehicle. All aspects Go. The weather is very satisfactory for launch this morning. A thin cloud cover about 15,000 feet. Temperature at launch time expected to be about 85 degrees. T minus 1 hour, 29 minutes, 30 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 1 hour, 20 minutes, 55 seconds and counting. All still Go with the countdown for Apollo 11 at this time. At this point in the countdown, spacecraft Commander Neil Armstrong once again appears to be the busiest worker in the spacecraft as he is performing a series of alignment checks associated with the guidance system in the spacecraft. He's working these checks with the Spacecraft Test Conductor as the Spacecraft Test Conductor reads out the various procedures and Armstrong responds to them. The astronauts aboard the spacecraft also were informed by the spacecraft conductor a short while ago that the launch vehicle is Go at this time. The hydrogen problem that we did encounter earlier has been solved. "That's real good news," said Armstrong and then he went back to work shortly thereafter. We're now coming up on the 1 hour, 20 minute mark in the countdown; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 1 hour, 11 minutes, 55 seconds and counting. The countdown for Apollo 11 still going very satisfactorily at this time. In most cases we're a matter of 5 or 10 minutes ahead of the countdown procedures. The crew in the white room at the 320-foot level who have been aiding the astronauts up to this time are just in the process of finishing up their work. They've been advised by the Spacecraft Test Conductor that they'll probably be able to move out in about 3 minutes or so. Once this is accomplished, once the close-out crew does depart, we'll be ready to move that swing-arm back, swing-arm 9. It will be moved 12 degrees away from the spacecraft hatch; this is about 5 feet away from the hatch. Once this is accomplished, we will arm the pyrotechnic systems in the spacecraft so in the event of a possible catastrophic condition below them with the launch vehicle, while still on the pad, the astronauts could fire that escape rocket and separate from the rocket in difficulty. The close-out crew about to depart at this time. That swing-arm remains about 12 degrees away from the spacecraft hatch as mentioned - 5 feet or so until the 5-minute mark in the count when it's fully retracted to its fall-back position. The obvious reason here is in the event we do have to get the astronauts out in a hurry, the swing-arm is in a stand-by position and could be moved rapidly back to the hatch... to the hatch level, so the astronauts could depart in the event of an emergency. We're coming up on T minus 1 hour, 10 minutes, and 20 seconds; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Launch Control at 1 hour, 7 minutes, 25 seconds and counting; countdown still proceeding satisfactorily. For those people who would like to synchronize their watches in relation to the count, we'll synchronize on 26 minutes past the hour, which is now about 65 seconds away. We'll count down the last 5 seconds to 26 minutes past the hour. We're now one minute away from 26 minutes past the hour. In the meantime, we do have information from the Civil Defense Agency in the area. The estimate is more than a million persons are in the immediate area in Brevard County to watch the launch. Now 40 seconds away from 26 minutes past the hour. Civil Defense Agency reports further that there is extensive heavy traffic, a number of traffic jams, particularly in the area of Titusville and the US1 and Route 50. Countdown still progressing satisfactorily. 15 seconds away from 26 minutes. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Mark. 8:26 am Eastern Daylight Time. We're now 1 hour, 5 minutes 55 seconds and counting as it was announced at that point. This is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control; T minus 61 minutes and counting - T minus 61 minutes on the Apollo 11 countdown, and all elements are Go at this time. Astronaut Neil Armstrong has just completed a series of checks on that big Service Propulsion System engine that sits below him in the stack. We want to assure ourselves before lift-off that that engine can respond to commands from inside the spacecraft. As Neil Armstrong moved his rotational hand controller we assured ourselves that the engine did respond by swivelling or gimballing. This is, of course, is important for maneuvers in space. The countdown is still proceeding very satisfactorily other than two minor problems since we picked up the count at 11 pm Eastern Daylight Time last night, all has gone well. As we approach the one hour mark now, in the count of series of radio frequency and telemetry checks will be in progress with the launch vehicle. We'll also check out the tracking beacons in the Instrument Unit that travels as a guidance system for the Saturn V during the powered phase of flight. Now 59 minutes, 48 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've just passed the 56-minute mark in our countdown. We're still proceeding in an excellent manner at this time. All elements reporting in, that all systems continuing to look good at this point. We are still aiming toward our planned lift-off at the start of the lunar window, 9:32am Eastern Daylight. A short while ago, in fact the Spacecraft Test Conductor - we are doing quite well, in fact some 15 minutes ahead on some aspects of the preparation spacecraft-wise. Armstrong replied that was fine so long as we don't launch 15 minutes early, obviously referring to the start of the window. The countdown, still going well. T minus 55 minutes, 10 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We have passed the 51-minute mark in our countdown. We're now T minus 50 minutes, 51 seconds and counting. Apollo 11 countdown is still Go at this time. All elements reporting ready at this point in the countdown. The spacecraft - correction - the Test Supervisor Bill Schick has advised all hands here in the control center, and the spacecraft checkout people, that in about 30 seconds that big swing arm that has been attached to the spacecraft up to now will be moved back to a parked position some 5 feet away from the spacecraft. We alert the astronauts because there is a little jolt when this swing arm is moved away. It will remain in that position some 5 feet away from the spacecraft until the 5 minute mark in the count when it's completely pulled away to its retracted position. It's coming up now, in 5 seconds, the swing arm will come back. Mark. The swing arm now coming back from the spacecraft. Countdown proceeding satisfactorily. We've completed our telemetry checks with the launch vehicle and, at this point, with the swing arm back, we arm the pyrotechnics so that escape tower atop the astronauts, atop their spacecraft, could be used if a catastrophic condition was going to occur under them with the launch vehicle from this point on down in the countdown. We have the high speed elevator located at the 320-foot level in the event the astronauts have to get out in a hurry. This is a special precaution. One of the members of the support team for Apollo 11, Astronaut Bill Pogue, is here in the firing room. He acts as the Capsule Communicator during the countdown. His call sign is Stoney. He controls that elevator. He now has it locked at the 320-foot level. These are special precautions for safety purposes during the final phase of the count. Now coming up on the 49 minute in the countdown, this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've passed the 46-minute mark in our countdown. T minus 45 minutes, 52 seconds and counting. All elements still Go in the countdown at this time. The hard worker in the spacecraft at this point in the countdown, Astronaut Buzz Aldrin in the middle seat. He's been working with the Spacecraft Test Conductor on setting up proper switch settings in preparation for pressurizing their Reaction Control System. These are these big thrusters on the side of the Service Module. There's actually 16 of them in 4 quadrants around the Service Module. They are used for maneuvers in space. We pressurize that system before lift-off. That particular operation will be coming up in some 5 minutes or so. In preparation for it, Buzz Aldrin, who has most of the switches in front of him, has been preparing for that particular event. The launch vehicle people keeping an eye on the status of the various propellants aboard the Saturn V launch vehicle. Just at lift-off, we will have the vehicle weighing close to 6 and a half million pounds on the launch pad. There's more than a million gallons of propellants aboard the three stages of the Saturn V. The reports here in the control center are the propellants are stable. We did take a look a little while ago at the RP-1, the high-grade kerosene fuel that's used in the first stage of the Saturn V, to make sure it was at its top level. We keep an eye on these various aspects throughout the count, and use the aid of computers to keep an overall look on general status. So now at T minus 44 minutes, 21 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've passed the 41-minute mark in our count. T minus 40 minutes, 53 seconds and counting. We are continuing, and we're continuing very excellently at this time. There are no problems that have been reported in as the countdown continues to click down. We're still aiming for the start of our window on this, the first flight to land man on the Moon. Our - we're aiming toward our planned lift-off time of 9:32 am Eastern Daylight Time. Coming up shortly will be a key test here in the firing room, as far as the launch vehicle people are concerned. It's a - some final checks of the destruct system aboard the three stages of the Saturn V launch vehicle. In the event, during powered flight, that the vehicle strayed rather violently off course, the Range Safety Officer could take action to destroy the vehicle which obviously would occur after the astronauts were separated by their escape tower from the faulty vehicle. We make a check of the destruct system to assure that if the signal is required to get through, that, in fact, it will. This is what is coming up here in the control center at this time. All aspects of the mission still Go. We're at T minus 39 minutes, 47 seconds and counting. This is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've passed the 36-minute mark in our countdown; T minus 35 minutes, 48 seconds and counting. We've completed those range safety command checks. All still going well with the countdown. A short while ago Spacecraft Test Conductor Skip Chauvin asked Neil Armstrong if the crew was comfortable up there, and Neil reported back. He said: "We're very comfortable - it's very nice this morning". For a status report, we will now switch to Mission Control, Houston.
[The next announcement comes from the PAO at Mission Control in Houston, rather than the Launch Control Center at Cape Kennedy, Florida.]PAO: This is Apollo Mission Control. Flight Director Cliff Charlesworth's team is on station here in the Mission Operations Control Room, ready to assume the control of this flight at tower clearance. There is a possibility that Apollo 11 will check out the Command Module color TV camera during the first Earth revolution while in contact with the Goldstone station. If this checkout does occur, we acquire Goldstone at 1 hour, 29 minutes elapsed time. We have loss of signal at 1 hour, 33 minutes, 50 seconds elapsed time. This TV camera checkout is a possibility. This is Mission Control, Houston.
[The commentary now resumes with the PAO at Launch Control, Florida.]PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've just passed the 31-minute mark in our count. At T minus 30 minutes 52 seconds and counting; aiming toward our planned lift-off time of 32 minutes past the hour, the start of our launch window on this, the mission to land men on the Moon. The countdown still proceeding very satisfactorily at this time. We've just got by an important test with the launch vehicle checking out the various batteries in the three stages and Instrument Unit of the Saturn V. We remain on external power through most of the count to preserve those batteries which must be used during the powered flight. We've just taken a look at them by going internal and then switching back to external again. The batteries all look good. The next time we go internal will be at the 50 second mark with those batteries and they will remain, of course, on internal power during the flight. The Lunar Module, which has been rather inactive during these latter phases of the count also is going on internal power at this time on the 2 batteries on the ascent stage and the 4 batteries of the descent stage. For the next 20 minutes we'll take a look at some systems in the Lunar Module and then power down at about the 10 minute mark in the count, power down the telemetry to preserve the power of the LM. The Lunar Module on Apollo 11, of course, when it separates from the Command Module in lunar orbit, will have the call sign Eagle. The Command Module call sign, once the two vehicles separate, will be Columbia. Both Columbia and Eagle are Go at this time. At 29 minutes, 24 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've just passed the 26-minute mark in the count; T minus 25 minutes, 53 seconds and counting; still proceeding very satisfactorily. At this time Spacecraft Test Conductor Skip Chauvin working with astronaut Buzz Aldrin in the middle seat covering the final pressurization of the Reaction Control System for the spacecraft. These are those big thrusters on the side of the Service Module that are used for maneuvers in space. Each one of these thrusters is capable of 100 pounds of thrust; there are 16 of them located in 4 quadrants around the Service Module. We pressurize the system with helium prior to launch to make sure that all will be in readiness for use in space. The countdown still proceeding satisfactorily. We picked up at the T minus 9 hour mark at 11:00pm Eastern Daylight Time last evening. We've just had two comparatively minor problems since that time. The major portion of the countdown during the early morning hour; some five hours of work was taken to load the various propellants aboard the stages of the Saturn V launch vehicle. As we came into the count this morning we did already have the fuel aboard the first stage, but it was necessary to bring the liquid oxygen aboard all three stages and the liquid hydrogen fuel aboard the second and third stages. Close to three-quarters of a million gallons of propellants were loaded during these 5 hours. Following that the astronauts, the prime crew, were awakened at 4:15 am Eastern Daylight as planned in their countdown, and proceeded to have a physical examination in which they were declared flight-ready. They sat down for the normal astronaut fare on launch day, as far as breakfast is concerned; orange juice, steaks, scrambled eggs, toast and coffee. The three pilots were joined by two of their colleagues at breakfast, Director of Flight Crew Operations Deke Slayton, and the backup Command Module Pilot Bill Anders, who has been named the Executive Secretary of the National Aeronautics and Space Council. The astronauts departed from their crew quarters - After checking out their suits, they departed from the crew quarters at 6:27am and some 27 minutes later, 8 miles away from the crew quarters at the Kennedy Space Center atop the launch pad at complex 39, 6:54 am, the commander, astronaut Neil Armstrong, was the first to board the spacecraft. He was followed about 5 minutes later by Mike Collins, and finally Buzz Aldrin, the man who is sitting in the middle seat during lift-off, was the third astronaut to come aboard. Two minor problems have been encountered during the count. Early in the count, a malfunction light came on here in the control center indicating that we might have a communication problem at the launch pad. Nothing to do with the spacecraft, but it indicated we possibly might not be able to talk to some key technicians we had at the pad. The problem turned out to be very minor; a simple adjustment of some equipment beneath the pad remedied the problem. There was no, in fact, no equipment problem involved. The second problem, we did encounter a leaky valve in part of the equipment that's used to replenish the hydrogen fuel supply on the third stage of the Saturn V launch vehicle. A team of technicians were sent out to the launch pad at about the time the astronauts were traveling to the pad. They tightened some bolts and we were able to bypass this valve and proceed with our countdown. The weather is certainly Go. It's a beautiful morning for a launch to the Moon. We expect a temperature of about 85 degrees in the Kennedy Space Center area. The wind's about 10 miles - 10 knots, rather, from the southeast, and the weather conditions in the round-the-world track, according to reports to the Manned Space Flight Meteorology Group, indicate all weather conditions are acceptable for launch. That's our general status. We've just passed the 22-minute mark in the count. 21 minutes, 55 seconds and counting; this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We're now less than 16 minutes away from the planned lift-off for the Apollo 11 space vehicle. All still going well with the countdown at this time. The astronauts aboard the spacecraft have had a little chance to rest over the last few minutes or so. At least they haven't been busy with procedures with the Spacecraft Test Conductor. In the meantime we have been performing final checks on the tracking beacons in the Instrument Unit which is used as a guidance system during the powered phase of flight. Once we get down to the 3-minute-and-10-second mark in the countdown, we'll go on an automatic sequence. As far as the launch vehicle is concerned, all aspects from there on down will be automatic, run by the ground master computer here in the firing room. This will lead up to the 8.9-minute mark in the countdown when the ignition sequence will begin in those five engines of the first stage, the S-IC stage of Saturn V. At the 2-second mark we'll get information and a signal that all engines are running, and at the zero mark in the countdown, once we get the commit signal, the signal that says that the thrust is proper and acceptable, we then will get a commit and lift-off as the hold-down arms release the vehicle. We have some 7.6 million pounds of thrust pushing the vehicle upward, a vehicle that weighs close to 6½ million pounds. We're now at 14 minutes, 30 seconds and counting, and this is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've passed the 11-minute mark. Now T minus 10 minutes, 54 seconds on our countdown for Apollo 11. All still Go at this time. The astronauts in the spacecraft busy again. The Commander Neil Armstrong has performed some final switch settings for the Stabilization and Control System of the spacecraft. The spacecraft also now is on full internal power. This came shortly after the 15-minute mark. Spacecraft now on the full power of its fuel cells. Up to this time, it had been sharing the load with an external power source. Both Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin have armed their rotational hand controllers - the controllers they use in flight - and we have now gone to automatic system with the Emergency Detection System. That system - it would cue the astronauts if there's trouble down below with the Saturn V rocket during the powered flight. We're now coming up on the 10-minute mark. Ten minutes away from our planned lift-off. Mark T minus 10 minutes and counting, T minus 10. We're aiming for our planned lift-off at 32 minutes past the hour. This is Kennedy Launch Control.
PAO: This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We've passed the 6 minute mark in our countdown for Apollo 11. Now 5 minutes, 52 seconds and counting. We're on time at the present time for our planned lift-off of 32 minutes past the hour. Spacecraft Test Conductor, Skip Chauvin, now has completed the status check of his personnel in the control room. All report they are Go for the mission, and this has been reported to the Test Supervisor, Bill Schick. The test supervisor now going through some status checks. Launch Operations Manager Paul Donnelly reports Go for launch. Launch Director Rocco Petrone now gives a Go. We're 5 minutes, 20 seconds and counting. Coming up shortly, that swing arm up at the spacecraft level will come back to its fully retracted position. This should occur at the 5-minute mark in the count. In the meantime the Lunar Module telemetry has been powered down. We took a good look at Eagle, and it looks good. The Spacecraft Test Conductor for the Lunar Module reported that Eagle was Go. The swing arm now coming back to its fully retracted position as our countdown continues. T minus 4 minutes, 50 seconds and counting. Skip Chauvin informing the astronauts that the swing arm now coming back. The astronauts will have a few more reports coming up in the countdown. The last business report will be from Neil Armstrong at the 45-second mark in the count when he gives the status on the final alignment of the Stabilization and Control System. We're now passing the 4 minute, 30 second mark in the countdown - still Go at this time.
PAO: Four minutes, 15 seconds - the Test Supervisor now has informed Launch Vehicle Test Conductor Norm Carlson, you are Go for launch. From this time down, Carlson handles the countdown as the launch vehicle begins to build up. We're now hitting the 4-minute mark. Four minutes and counting. We are Go for Apollo 11. We'll go on an automatic sequence as standing at 3 minutes and 7 seconds.
PAO: Three minutes, 45 seconds and counting. In the final abort checks between several key members of the crew here in the control center and the astronauts, Launch Operations Manager Paul Donnelly wished the crew, on the launch teams' behalf, "Good luck and Godspeed."
PAO: Three minutes, 25 seconds and counting; we're still Go at this time. We'll be coming up on the automatic sequence about 10 or 15 seconds from this time. All still Go at this time. Neil Armstrong reported back when he received the good wishes: "Thank you very much. We know it will be a good flight." Firing command coming in now. We are on the automatic sequence. We're approaching the 3 minute mark in the count. T minus 3 minutes and counting. T minus 3 - we are Go with all elements of the mission at this time. We're on an automatic sequence as the master computer supervises hundreds of events occurring over these last few minutes.
PAO: T minus 2 minutes, 45 seconds and counting. The members of the launch team here in the control center monitoring a number of what we call red-line values. These are tolerances we don't want to go above and below in temperatures and pressures. They're standing by to call out any deviations from our plans. Two minutes, 30 seconds and counting; we're still Go on Apollo 11 at this time. The vehicle starting to pressurize as far as the propellant tanks are concerned, and all is still Go as we monitor our status board. Two minutes, 10 seconds and counting. The target for the Apollo 11 astronauts, the Moon, at lift-off, will be at a distance of 218,096 miles away. We just passed the 2-minute mark in the countdown. T minus 1 minute, 54 seconds and counting. Our status board indicates that the oxidizer tanks in the second and third stages now have pressurized. We continue to build up pressure in all three stages here at the last minute to prepare it for lift-off.
PAO: T minus 1 minute, 35 seconds on the Apollo mission, the flight to land the first men on the Moon. All indications coming in to the control center at this time indicate we are Go. One minute, 25 seconds and counting. Our status board indicates the third stage completely pressurized. Eighty-second mark has now been passed. We'll go on full internal power at the 50-second mark in the countdown. Guidance system goes on internal at 17 seconds leading up to the ignition sequence at 8.9 seconds. We're approaching the 60-second mark on the Apollo 11 mission.
PAO: T minus 60 seconds and counting. We have passed T minus 60. 55 seconds and counting. Neil Armstrong just reported back: "It's been a real smooth countdown". We've passed the 50-second mark. Power transfer is complete - we're on internal power with the launch vehicle at this time. 40 seconds away from the Apollo 11 lift-off. All the second stage tanks now pressurized. 35 seconds and counting. We are still Go with Apollo 11. 30 seconds and counting. Astronauts report, "It feels good". T minus 25 seconds.
PAO: Twenty seconds and counting. T minus 15 seconds, guidance is internal. Twelve, 11, 10, 9, ignition sequence starts, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, zero, all engine running, LIFT-OFF!
[Public Affairs Officer Jack King, whose coolness is legendary, finally succumbs to the tension and is clearly heard to say "all engine running" instead of "all engines running".]PAO: We have a lift-off, 32 minutes past the hour. Lift-off on Apollo 11.
000:00:04 Armstrong: Roger. Clock.
PAO: Tower cleared.
[As planned, control of the flight now passes from the Launch Control Center at Cape Kennedy, Florida to the Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas. There, communication with the crew is handled by an astronaut sitting at the CapCom console; in this case, Bruce McCandless. The PAO also switches, and Jack King relinquishes the commentary to the Houston PAO, whose voice is heard from now on.]000:00:13 Armstrong: Roger. We got a roll program.
000:00:15 McCandless: Roger. Roll.
PAO: Neil Armstrong reporting their roll and pitch program which puts Apollo 11 on a proper heading. Plus 30 seconds.
000:00:34 Armstrong: Roll's complete and the pitch is programming.
000:00:44 Armstrong: One Bravo.
PAO: One Bravo is a abort control mode.
PAO: Altitude's 2 miles.
000:01:02 McCandless: Apollo 11, Houston. You're good at 1 minute.
000:01:06 Armstrong: Roger.
PAO: Down range 1 mile, altitude 3, 4 miles now. Velocity 2,195 feet per second.
PAO: We're through the region of maximum dynamic pressure now.
PAO: Eight miles down range, 12 miles high, velocity 4,000 feet per second.
000:01:54 McCandless: Stand by for Mode One Charlie.
000:01:57 McCandless: Mark.
000:01:58 McCandless: Mode One Charlie.
000:01:59 Armstrong: One Charlie.
PAO: Cliff Charlesworth taking a staging status.
000:02:03 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. You are Go for staging.
000:02:17 Armstrong: Inboard cut-off.
PAO: Inboard engines out.
000:02:19 McCandless: We confirm inboard cut-off.
PAO: Down range 35 miles, 30 miles high. Standing by for the outboard engine cut-down [means "shutdown"] now.
000:02:44 Armstrong: Staging.
000:02:46 Armstrong: And ignition.
[The S-IC first stage has shut down and separated from the S-II second stage, and the five J-2 engines of the second stage have ignited.]000:02:55 McCandless: 11, Houston. Thrust is Go, all engines. You're looking good.
000:02:59 Armstrong: Ah, Roger. You're loud and clear, Houston.
PAO: At 3 minutes, downrange 70 miles, 43 miles high, velocity 9,300 feet per second.
000:03:13 Armstrong: We got skirt sep.
000:03:15 McCandless: Roger. We confirm skirt sep.
[This marks the separation of the interstage unit which connected the first and second stages.]
000:03:17 Armstrong: Tower's gone.
000:03:19 McCandless: Roger, tower.
PAO: Neil Armstrong confirming both the engine skirt separation and the launch escape tower separation.
000:03:28 Collins: Houston, be advised the visual is Go today.
000:03:32 McCandless: This is Houston. Roger. Out.
000:03:36 Collins: Yeah, they finally gave me a window to look out.[Although Armstrong as Commander has his own window through the Boost Protection Cover attached to the Launch Escape Tower, and Aldrin in the center couch can see through the hatch window above his head, Collins in the right-hand couch has had his windows covered up to this point.]
000:03:44 McCandless: 11, Houston. Your guidance has converged; you're looking good.
000:03:52 Armstrong: Roger.
PAO: Downrange 140 miles, altitude 62 miles, velocity 10,300 feet per second.
000:04:01 McCandless: 11, Houston. You are Go at 4 minutes.
000:04:04 Armstrong: Roger.
PAO: Apollo 11 right on the ground track.
PAO: 190 miles down range now, 72 miles high, velocity 11,000 feet per second.
PAO: Booster says it's looking good at 5 minutes.
000:05:03 McCandless: 11, Houston. You are Go at 5 minutes.
000:05:06 Armstrong: Roger. It'll - Apollo 11. Go.
PAO: Down range 270 miles, altitude 82 miles, velocity 12,472 feet per second.
000:05:21 McCandless: Stand by for S-IVB to COI capability.
000:05:25 Armstrong: Okay.
000:05:27 McCandless: Mark. S-IVB to COI capability.
000:05:30 Armstrong: Roger.
PAO: Apollo 11 could now get into orbit using the S-IVB if necessary.
000:05:35 Armstrong: You sure sound clear down there, Bruce. Sounds like you're sitting in your living room.
000:05:39 McCandless: Ah, thank you. You all are coming through beautifully, too.
PAO: Everyone is reporting Go here in the Control Center.
000:06:00 Armstrong: We're Go at 6 minutes. Starting the gimbal motors.
000:06:03 McCandless: Roger, 11. You're Go from the ground at 6 minutes.
000:06:20 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Level sense arm at 8 plus 17; outboard cut-off at 9 plus 11.
PAO: Level sense arm is the sequence that arranges the staging between the second stage and the third stage. The fuel uncovers a sensor starting that sequence. Predicting that will be uncovered at 8 minutes, 17 seconds with outboard engine cut-off 9 minutes, 11 seconds on the second stage.
000:07:01 Armstrong: Apollo 11's Go at 7 minutes.
000:07:04 McCandless: 11, this is Houston. Roger. You're Go from the ground at 7 minutes. Level sense arm at 8 plus 17; outboard cut-off at 9 plus 11.
000:07:09 Armstrong: Roger.
PAO: Downrange 530 miles, altitude 95 miles, velocity 17,358 feet per second.
PAO: Apollo 11 is still right down the ground track. Still Go at 7 minutes, 41 seconds.
000:07:42 Armstrong: Inboard cut-off.
000:07:45 McCandless: Roger. We confirmed.
PAO: Inboard engines are out, on the second stage as planned.
PAO: Apollo 11 Go on all sources.
000:08:19 McCandless: Apollo 11, Houston. You are Go at 8 minutes.
000:08:22 Armstrong: Ah, just got the mixture ratio shift.
000:08:24 McCandless: Roger. We got PU shift down here, too.
000:08:34 Collins: Well, it looks like a nice day for it. These thunderstorms down range is about all.
000:08:52 McCandless: 11, this is Houston. You are Go for staging. Over.
000:08:56 Armstrong: Understand, Go for staging. And...
000:08:57 McCandless: Stand by for Mode IV capability.
000:08:59 Armstrong: Okay. Mode IV.
000:09:00 McCandless: Mark.
000:09:01 McCandless: Mode IV capability.
PAO: Mode IV on Apollo 11 could get into orbit using the Service Propulsion System now. Altitude is 100 miles, downrange is 883 miles. Outboard engine cutoff.
000:09:15 Armstrong: Staging, and ignition.
000:09:19 McCandless: Ignition confirmed. Thrust is Go, 11.
PAO: And we have a good third stage now.
PAO: Velocity is 23,128 feet per second. Down range 1,000 miles, altitude 101 miles.
000:10:01 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. At 10 minutes, you are Go.
000:10:06 Armstrong: Ah, roger. 11's Go.
PAO: Capcom Bruce McCandless giving the reports here from the Control Center.
000:10:24 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Predicted cut-off at 11 plus 42. Over.
000:10:29 Armstrong: 11 42. Rog.
PAO: Downrange 1,175 miles, velocity 24,190 mile - feet per second, altitude 102 nautical miles.
PAO: Apollo 11 still Go on all sources.
000:11:03 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. You are Go at 11.
000:11:08 Armstrong: That's a Go.
PAO: We're predicting third stage shutdown at 11 minutes, 42 seconds. Velocity 25,254 feet per second. Downrange 1,400 miles now. Altitude 102.8 nautical miles.
000:11:42 Armstrong: Shutdown.
PAO: Shutdown right on time.
000:11:45 Collins: SECO. We are showing 101.4 by 103.6.
000:11:51 McCandless: Roger. Shutdown. We copy 101.4 by 103.6.
000:12:06 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. You are confirmed Go for orbit.
000:12:12 Armstrong: Roger.
PAO: We show insert...
000:12:24 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. The booster is safe.
000:12:29 Armstrong: Ah, roger.
PAO: We show velocity at insertion, 25,568 feet per second.
000:13:27 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. The booster has been configured for orbital coast. Both spacecraft are looking good. Over.
000:13:35 Armstrong: Roger.
000:14:33 McCandless: Apollo 11, this is Houston. Vanguard LOS at 15 35. AOS Canaries at 16 30. Over.
000:14:43 Armstrong: Okay. Thank you.
PAO: This is Apollo Control. Based on a vector from the Instrument Unit of the third stage of the Saturn V, here on the ground we're showing an orbit of 102.5 by 99.7 nautical miles. The Flight Dynamics Officer Dave Reed wants to get some radar tracking to refine this orbit. He will report a refined orbit after more radar tracking.
PAO: This is Apollo Control at 23 minutes, 52 seconds. Canary Island station has loss of signal from Apollo 11. We have a tape of the air-ground during the launch phase. We'll play that for you now.
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