Post-EVA-3 Activities

LM Liftoff and Rendezvous (AFJ)

 

Return to Orbit

Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 1997-2014 by Eric M. Jones.
All rights reserved.
Scan credits in the Image Library.
Video credits in the Video Library.
Except where noted, audio clips by Roland Speth.
Last revised 24 July 2014.

MP3 Audio Clip ( 3 min 30 sec )
This clip begins with a 1 min 11 sec interval with no comm.

173:04:22 Irwin: Orion, this is Houston. (Pause)

173:04:30 Young: Go ahead, Jim.

173:04:31 Irwin: Just a reminder. We'd like you to get the LGC/IMU powered up. Should have had that done about 15 minutes ago. That's (Surface Checklist) page 7-9. (Pause)

173:04:57 Young: Okay, that's in work.

[Comm Break]

[It is currently 23:00 UT on 23 April 1972. In California, the Moon rose above the eastern horizon about 30 minutes ago and, during this comm break, NASA switches comm from the 85-foot dish near Madrid to the 210-foot dish at Goldstone. The comm improves dramatically.]

[Note, the times mentioned by the PAO Commentators are 11 minutes 48 seconds later than the corresponding transcript times because of a clock update in Houston at 118:06:31.]

173:07:43 Irwin: Orion, let's go High-Bit-Rate.

173:07:46 Young: Okay, Houston (stops to listen)...Okay, Houston; we're running the computer check now. (Long Pause)

173:08:30 Irwin: Okay, Orion; this is Houston.

173:08:36 Duke: Go ahead, Jim.

173:08:37 Irwin: Roger. For your reference, if you can just add 4 hours to all the times listed in your checklist there, you will be very close - within 1 minute - for your timing purposes.

173:08:52 Young: (Chuckles) Okay. Just as soon as we get a clock running, we'll be more than happy to do that.

173:08:59 Irwin: Okay. The only thing we're anxious to have you do now is the LGC/IMU power-up.

173:09:07 Young: That's in work.

173:09:08 Irwin: Roger.

173:09:13 Young: Okay. You want your E(rasable)-memory dump?

173:09:16 Irwin: Stand by. (Pause) We don't have data yet; so stand by. (Long Pause)

173:09:36 Young: Okay. The computer test is successful. And we're holding for your dump.

173:09:45 Irwin: Okay. We're standing by until we get data.

173:09:50 Young: Okay. (Long Pause)

173:10:42 Young: (To Houston) You must have a big dish of some kind. You're clear as a bell.

[Comm Break]

173:12:07 Irwin: Okay. We're at about 173:23, and we're ready for your E-memory dump.

173:12:19 Young: (It's) on the way.

[Comm Break]

173:13:42 Duke: You have it.

173:13:44 Irwin: Roger.

[Comm Break]

MP3 Audio Clip ( 0 min 22 sec )

[Note, the times mentioned by the PAO Commentators are 11 minutes 48 seconds later than the corresponding transcript times because of a clock update in Houston at 118:06:31.]

173:15:01 Young: That's for the Timeline Book? Right, Jim?

173:15:06 Irwin: Yeah, that's the first portion there, you know, after insertion. That little graph or box up on the left-hand corner?

173:15:16 Young: Yeah, know it well. (Long Pause)

173:16:05 Duke: Okay, Jim, go ahead.

173:16:07 Irwin: Okay, at insertion. I'll read range and then range rate. Insertion, 171.0, minus 492. At one minute, 166, minus 490; two minutes, 161, minus 486; three minutes, 156, minus 482; four minutes, 152, minus 478; five minutes, 147, minus 472; six minutes, 142, minus 467; seven minutes, 138, minus 461; eight minutes, 133, minus 454; nine minutes, 129, minus 447; ten minutes, 124, minus 439; and at TPI minus 10 minutes, should be 44, and minus 155. Over.

173:17:42 Duke: Okay, we copy. Starting at insertion, 171, minus 492; 166, minus 490; 161, minus 486; 156, minus 482; 152, minus 478; 147, minus 472; 142, minus 467; 138, minus 461; 133, minus 454; 129, minus 447; 124, minus 439; TPI minus 10, 44, minus 155.

173:18:15 Irwin: Good readback, Charlie.

[Comm Break]

173:20:24 Duke: Okay. (Pause)

173:20:30 Young: Boy, that's nice. That's the first time in 3 days we've known what time it is. 153:32:24, huh?

[For some reason, the on-board clock is 20 hours behind.]

173:21:23 Young: Okay. Just a second, Jim.

173:21:25 Irwin: Okay. (Pause)

[John writes this number near the top of the left-hand column on page 7-10 in the Surface Checklist.]

173:21:38 Irwin: Okay. Lift-off time, 175:43:35.18. Over. (Pause)

173:21:52 Young: 175:43:35.18.

173:21:56 Irwin: Good readback. (Long Pause)

173:22:29 Irwin: And, Orion, we're just standing by for your P57.

173:22:38 Young: Okay. Is that a good T-ephem?

173:22:41 Irwin: Stand by. (Pause) Okay. T-ephem looks good.

173:22:51 Young: Okay.

[Long Comm Break]

173:28:52 Young: Okay. (Pause) Okay, we're on VHF A to Receive.

173:29:02 Irwin: Roger.

173:29:10 Young: Is he on A Simplex, Jim?

173:29:14 Irwin: Stand by. (Long Pause) Okay, John. The configuration for...

173:30:08 Young: You guys copy those (torquing) angles?

173:30:12 Irwin: Stand by. Casper's trying to call you now. And the configuration is on 7-12, on your checklist. (Pause) Okay, we copied the angles.

[Mattingly's half of the following conversation will be added at a later time.]

173:30:47 Irwin: Okay, Orion. Casper is reading you. (Long Pause)

173:31:04 Young: Okay, I'm not reading him. (Pause)

173:31:12 Irwin: Orion, verify that your B Receiver's On.

173:31:26 Young: Okay, Casper. How do you read? Over.

173:31:35 Duke: Rog. We read you 5 by, Ken. With a little squeal.

173:31:46 Young: How's things up there?

173:31:52 Young: Good show.

[Long Comm Break]

173:36:59 Irwin: Stand by. (Long Pause) Okay, we've copied the angles. (Pause)

173:37:32 Young: Okay, they're parked at 153:49:15.

173:37:37 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause) Orion, let's go low-bit-rate.

[Comm Break]

173:39:59 Young: Yeah, it's in work.

173:40:00 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause) Orion, this is Houston, with a change for your Surface Checklist.

173:40:49 Young: Okay. Go ahead, Houston.

173:40:51 Irwin: Okay, it's on page 8-16. We want you to close System A Main SOV prior to System A Ascent Feed, 2, open. Over. (Pause)

173:41:18 Young: Okay, understand. Say again what page it's on.

173:41:25 Irwin: That's 8-16. Just before you open the Ascent Feeds, we want you to close System A Main SOV (Shut-Off Valve). (Pause)

173:41:50 Young: Okay, close System A Shut-Off Valve, just before opening the Ascent Feeds.

173:41:57 Irwin: Roger. (Pause)

173:42:08 Duke: Jim, can you give us some words about Main...(Correcting) System A?

173:42:13 Irwin: Stand by, Charlie. We'll get a story for you.

[This is a change from normal procedures and, of course, John and Charlie want to know the reason for the change. Jim gives them an explanation at 174:03:21.]

173:42:31 Duke: Could you stand by a minute? We've got a couple of more stowage items to do.

173:42:36 Irwin: Okay, just let me know when you're ready.

[Comm Break]

173:43:51 Irwin: And, Orion, I have the ascent pads also, when you all are ready to copy.

173:44:06 Duke: Okay, Jim, it'll be...You can hold off for 10 minutes or so. I'm putting the OPSs on the floor now.

173:44:13 Irwin: Okay.

[OPS stowage is the first item under "Cabin Clean-up for Launch" at the top of the right-hand column on page 7-15.]

[Very Long Comm Break]

[Note, the times mentioned by the PAO Commentators are 11 minutes 48 seconds later than the corresponding transcript times because of a clock update in Houston at 118:06:31.]

173:55:19 Irwin: Okay, Charlie, I'll give you the direct pad first and I'm reading: 175:43:35.18. I'll verify that one. Next line, 5525.2, 0032.0, plus 000.2; plus 37762; minus 76550; plus 58556; plus 57018; plus 0032.0; plus 0397.9; 176:37:52.00; LM weight, 10945; Tig (time-of-ignition), one rev late, 177:42:06; and the CSM orbit is 65 by 55. Over.

173:56:41 Duke: That's 55 by 65. Okay, reading back, direct: 175:43:43.18 (sic); 5525.2, 0032.0, plus 0000.2; 37762; 36550; 58556; 57018 - and the 053 was a minus 76550. 231, 57018; 0032.0; 0397.9; 176:37:52.00; LM weight, 10945; CSM orbit 65.0, 55.0; one rev late, 177:42:06. Over.

173:57:36 Irwin: Okay, the seconds on Tig is 35.18 and DEDA 53 is minus 76550. Over.

173:57:50 Duke: Yeah, I got that, minus 76550 and Tig is 43:35.18.

173:57:57 Irwin: Good readback. And now I'm ready for the coelliptic (Pad). (Pause)

173:58:05 Duke: Go ahead.

173:58:06 Irwin: Will you give us high-bit-rate first, Charlie?

173:58:12 Duke: You got it.

173:58:14 Irwin: Okay, on the coelliptic: 175:46:09.37; 5523.5. 0039.0, plus 000.2; plus 37762; minus 76550; plus 58519; plus 57018; plus 00390; plus 0404.6; TPI, NA. Over.

173:59:07 Duke: Okay, copy. 175:46:09.37; 5523.5, 0039.0, 000.2; 37762; minus 76550; 58519; 57018, 0039.0; 0404.6; TPI and the rest is NA.

173:59:34 Irwin: Good readback, and here's the P32/CSI pad: 176:44:33.91; 178:37 all zeros; 057.1, plus all zeros; 0404.6, 0517.0; plus 057.1, plus all zeros, plus 001.3. Over.

[Note that Jim did not give Charlie any time to turn to the pre-printed form for the P32/CSI pad.]

174:00:27 Irwin: Okay, Noun 11 seconds is 33.91. Over.

174:00:35 Duke: Rog. And start with Delta-VY and read the rest of the pad.

174:00:40 Irwin: Okay. Starting at Delta-VY: plus all zeros; 0404.6, 0517.0; plus 057.1, plus all zeros, plus 001.3. Over.

174:01:04 Duke: Okay, I got it that time. 176:44:33.91; 178:37:00.00; plus 057.1, plus all balls; plus 0404.6, plus 0517.0; plus 057.1, plus all balls, plus 001.3. Over.

174:01:28 Irwin: Good readback.

174:01:33 Duke: Okay, we're ready for the time line update.

174:01:36 Irwin: Okay, I'll read it. Most all of these items occur after docking, so if we run into any time problem, why, we'll just break it off and pick it up when y'all come around the corner (meaning after Acquisition-of-Signal on the LM's first orbit.)

174:01:52 Duke: Okay. Jim, we got all our stuff stowed. We're sitting here getting a bite to eat. And as we can gather, we're at lift-off minus 1:15 in the checklist.

174:02:03 Irwin: Okay. We're showing about 1:29 here, so you've got about 15 minutes if you want to spend that time copying these changes.

174:02:14 Duke: I'd rather spend it eating. I haven't even started yet. If you can hold off on that.

174:02:18 Irwin: Okay, why don't y'all get something to eat. And, Charlie, we can read these things to you real-time after docking.

174:02:31 Duke: That sounds best. Thank you.

174:02:39 Young: Yeah, Jim, it doesn't look like... You can't quite do all of that stowage as fast as we planned it. (Pause) You probably know what I mean.

174:03:01 Duke: We look pretty presentable now though, Jim. An hour ago, I wouldn't have given two shakes though.

174:03:10 Irwin: In other words, you're on time now, and you're all stowed.

174:03:16 Duke: Yeah, we're all stowed. We're grabbing a quick bite.

174:03:21 Irwin: Okay, that's good. (Long Pause) Okay, Orion, this is Houston with some words on your RCS. At the present source pressure of 1200 psi, you've got 44 percent, system A. If you should lose that pressure - in other words, a blowdown mode - you'll have 38 percent. Over.

174:04:17 Duke: Right, sounds great. Thank you.

[Comm Break]

174:07:01 Irwin: Understand, 40 pounds.

174:07:04 Slayton: Hate to tell you, but the backroom has all disappeared.

174:07:12 Young: Either that or 140 (pounds). It was a big rock.

[Long Comm Break]

[Note, the times mentioned by the PAO Commentators are 11 minutes 48 seconds later than the corresponding transcript times because of a clock update in Houston at 118:06:31.]

174:12:37 Irwin: Orion, this is Houston. I have a basic plan here for post-docking that y'all can listen to while you're eating.

174:12:49 Young: Okay, Jim. Go ahead.

174:12:51 Irwin: Okay, number 1 is you'll doff suits in the LM. Item 2 is postpone some of the LM transfer until post-sleep. Of course, the changes that I'll read up to you will take care of some of that. Then item 3 is we'll power down the LM and dry out the water boiler. Item 4: be ready to close out the LM at 179:20; that's (second orbit) AOS plus 10 minutes, the next pass after docking. Then item 5: you'll re-enter the LM tomorrow and transfer completion and LM jettison. Item 6: you will need the LM Timeline Book and LM Contingency Checklist at docking to accomplish deactivation. Over.

174:13:56 Young: Okay, understand.

[To summarize, they will launch at about 175:43 and rendezvous with the Command Module during the first backside pass. AOS on the first orbit will occur at about 177:15 and, shortly after that, Jim will read up the time-line changes. Then, after docking and doffing the suits, they will begin to closeout the LM for the sleep period after the second-orbit AOS, which comes at about 179:10.]

174:14:14 Duke: Okay. (Long Pause)

174:14:44 Duke: Okay, Jim, we're starting in on the launch prep (on Surface Checklist page 8-1).

174:14:48 Irwin: Roger. Understand launch prep.

[Comm Break]

MP3 Audio Clip ( 0 min 12 sec )

174:17:41 Irwin: And Orion, this is Houston. When you power up AGS, we have a couple of more quantities that we'll be asking you to read out for verification.

MP3 Audio Clip ( 0 min 03 sec )

174:17:58 Duke: Okay.

[Long Comm Break]

174:21:56 Duke: Okay, Jim, I've got the AGS up. I'm on (the top of right-hand column) page 8-4.

174:22:04 Irwin: Okay, we see it. (Pause) Before you do the 400 plus 6 at the bottom of the page, we'd like you to read out address 537 and 640.

174:22:24 Duke: Okay, 537 is minus 77752.

174:22:29 Irwin: That's good.

174:22:30 Duke: And say again the other one?

174:22:32 Irwin: 640.

174:22:40 Duke: 640 is plus 00004.

174:22:44 Irwin: Roger. That's a good entry. (Long Pause)

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174:23:00 Young: Okay, Houston. (Garbled) the temperature is reading 95. Want to go ahead and do the radar test?

174:23:06 Irwin: Stand by. Roger. Let's go ahead.

[The ninth line of the left-hand column on page 8-4 indicates that the expected range of temperatures for the rendezvous radar (LM-9 photo by Randy Attwood) is +10F to +75F. The +95F reading is out-of-range, which is why John wants to verify that it is okay to do the radar test.]

MP3 Audio Clip ( 1 min 56 sec )

174:23:29 Young: Okay, you got 1.4 on the AGC; transmitter power is 3.4, shaft error is 2.1 to 2.65; trunnion error is 2.2 to 2.65.

[Comm Break]

174:25:00 Duke: Okay, go ahead.

174:25:02 Irwin: Roger. We want you to eliminate the line there "Audio Mode to Vox." We want you to stay ICS/PTT for the ascent. Stay in your present comm configuration of Down-Voice Backup.

174:25:21 Duke: Okay.

[Long Comm Break]

[Note, the times mentioned by the PAO Commentators are 11 minutes 48 seconds later than the corresponding transcript times because of a clock update in Houston at 118:06:31.]

174:29:40 Young: Okay; it passed the gyro test (at the top of page 8-6) okay.

174:29:48 Irwin: Say again, John?

174:29:53 Young: Vehicle passed the gyro test. You got a new LM weight for us?

174:30:00 Irwin: Yeah, I thought I gave you one on the ascent pad.

174:30:01 Duke: We have it. (Pause) We got it. (Long Pause)

174:30:57 Irwin: Orion, this is Houston. We're standing by for your hot-fire (RCS) check if you want to move on.

174:31:04 Young: Okay, that's what we're doing. (Pause)

174:31:11 Irwin: And we're showing about an hour from lift-off.

174:31:17 Young: Rog. (Long Pause)

174:31:59 Irwin: Charlie, when you get a chance, we need your 554 through 6 readouts (at the bottom of the right-hand column on page 8-5). (Pause) I see you got them now.

174:32:15 Duke: Rog, Jim, the readouts...Stand by. Okay, before we started the cal(ibration), they were minus 116, plus 052, minus 068. After the cal: minus 113, minus 064, minus 064. Over.

174:32:40 Irwin: Copied. The start values are minus 116, plus 052, minus 068; and afterwards, they are minus 113, minus 064, and minus 064?

174:32:56 Duke: That affirmative. (Long Pause)

MP3 Audio Clip ( 2 min 37 sec )

174:33:15 Irwin: Okay, Charlie, will you read out 545 again for us?

174:33:24 Duke: Rog. Minus 0... Okay, wait a minute. (Pause) Okay, it's plus 060. Excuse me.

174:33:38 Irwin: Okay, we have it.

174:33:44 Duke: Okay, Verb 11 (at the top of page 8-7) now? (Long Pause)

174:34:30 Irwin: And, Orion, I have a K factor for you whenever you're ready. (Pause)

174:34:48 Duke: Okay, Jim, ready for the K factor.

174:34:52 Irwin: Roger. Plus 00170, plus all zeros, plus 00004. Over.

[Charlie writes this information at the right-hand side of page 8-7.]

174:35:09 Irwin: Roger.

174:35:10 Duke: And do you have an up-link for us before we start in the P57 (which is the platform alignment that starts at the bottom of page 8-7)?

174:35:15 Irwin: Stand by. (Pause) Okay, if you'll go to Data, we'll send you an up-link.

174:35:39 Duke: Okay, you have it.

174:35:40 Irwin: Roger.

[Comm Break]

MP3 Audio Clip ( 3 min 08 sec )
This clip starts with a 1 min 08 second interval without comm.

174:37:12 Irwin: Okay, Orion, we're finished with your computer.

174:37:19 Duke: Roger.

[Comm Break]

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This clip starts with a 1 min 13 second interval without comm.

174:40:52 Irwin: Okay, Orion; this is Houston. Hot-fire check looked good down here.

174:40:59 Young: Yeah, looked good up here, too.

174:41:00 Irwin: Roger.

174:41:03 Duke: Yeah, those beauties rocked this whole spacecraft, Jim.

174:41:09 Irwin: Very good.

[Long Comm Break]

MP3 Audio Clip ( 8 min 44 sec )

174:45:55 Duke: Can you see our torquing angles, Jim?

174:45:56 Irwin: Roger. We have then.

174:46:01 Duke: Okay, we're going to torque.

174:46:04 Irwin: Roger.

174:46:05 Duke: Mark at 174:57:52. (Long Pause)

174:46:51 Duke: Jim, you want us to bring ascent batts on or wait until about 35 minutes (prior to launch)?

Video Clip ( 3 min 36 sec 0.9 Mb RealVideo or 32 Mb MPEG )

174:46:56 Irwin: Stand by. Okay, you can go ahead and bring them on, Charlie.

174:47:02 Duke: Okay.

[Comm Break]

[Colin Mackellar has stacked about 30 frames from the LRV TV to provide a portrait of LM (0.1 Mb) at about this time.]

174:48:09 Duke: Okay, stand by. Go ahead.

[In the TV from the Rover camera, we can see the rendezvous radar, on the top-front of the LM pivot upright. More antenna maneuvers follow over the next few minutes.]

174:48:26 Duke: Plus 37762, minus 76552.

174:48:31 Irwin: Good readback. (Pause) And, Orion, this is Houston. As far as we can tell, there'll be no PIPA (Pulsed Integrating Pendulous Accelerometer) or gyro updates for you.

174:48:47 Duke: Excellent.

[Comm Break]

174:50:16 Irwin: Orion, this is Houston. On that rendezvous radar position, we saw a plus 33 instead of 33300 (as per the paragraph on the left-hand side of page 8-8). Over. (Long Pause)

[During the next few minutes, Charlie configures the 16-mm camera mounted over his window to film the ascent, as per the last item on page 8-8.]

174:51:20 Irwin: Okay, it's fine, Charlie. Thank you. (Long Pause)

174:51:55 Duke: Jim, we loaded your LM ascent weight (as per the third line in the left-hand column on page 8-9), but I think the DAP (Digital Autopilot)'s limited to 10900 because it comes back up 10900 every time.

174:52:07 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause)

[Next, John and Charlie configure the circuit breakers and various switches and valves for the launch. The long list of items is given on pages 8-10-11 and 8-12.]

174:54:07 Irwin: Orion, this is Houston. For your information, your total EVA time was 20 hours 14 minutes and 55 seconds. Over.

174:54:20 Young: Gee whiz. That's not bad for a three-rev slip, huh?

174:54:32 Irwin: Very good, John. (Long Pause)

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174:55:22 Irwin: Orion, this is Houston. 10900 is the max that you can load into the DAP.

174:55:28 Young: Roger. (Long Pause)

174:55:55 Duke: Okay, Houston, we selected Suit Fan 1 (as per the tenth line on page 8-11).

174:56:02 Irwin: Thank you.

[Comm Break]

[Charlie is simply letting Houston know where he and John are in the checklist.]

MP3 Audio Clip (1 min 34 sec)

Video Clip ( 3 min 07 sec 0.8 Mb RealVideo or 28 Mb MPEG )

174:57:31 Duke: Okay, Jim, we're on (page) 8-12 waiting to don our helmets and gloves (at the top of the page) in about 20 minutes.

174:57:38 Irwin: Roger. We're following you. (Long Pause)

174:58:04 Duke: Jim, what does TELEMU say on our consumable status? (Pause)

MP3 Audio Clip (1 min 04 sec)

174:58:24 Irwin: Roger. You look great on consumables. Actually, you have about 18 hours left on your electrical and about 10 more pounds of water. Over. (Pause) Would you like to do a fourth EVA?

174:58:38 Duke: Roger. Thank you. (Hearing the last sentence) If you'd let me sleep, I wouldn't mind. (Long Pause)

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174:58:38 Duke: Houston, our AGS lunar align appears to be about a quarter or a half degree off the PGNS.

174:59:42 Irwin: Roger; we copy. (Pause) What axis is that, Charlie?

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174:59:53 Duke: It's in pitch. I'm reading about - in AGS - almost two degrees (of pitch). When I switched to PGNS, it slipped down about one (degree of pitch). Take that back; it's only about a quarter degree, Jim; (it is the difference) between about 1-3/4 and 1-1/2.

175:00:19 Irwin: Okay, it's normal, Charlie. And it'll be in agreement at lift-off.

175:00:26 Duke: Thank you. Oh, that's right. I forgot about that. (Long Pause)

[Houston had acquisition-of-signal from the Command Module, which has completed about one-quarter of its 52nd orbit.]

MP3 Audio Clip (1 min 09 sec)

175:01:11 Irwin: Casper, this is Houston. How do you read?

175:01:16 Mattingly: Loud and clear.

175:01:17 Irwin: Okay, the LM is right on the time line; in fact, quite a bit ahead. You can terminate your cabin buildup at the present time.

175:01:29 Mattingly: Okay. I've already done that. (Long Pause)

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[In his next transmission, Charlie is asking about the procedure change Jim read up about the final moments of rendezvous.]

175:02:08 Duke: Jim, (garbled) 500 feet to go on terminating the ascent feed. Do you want that just done nominally? (Pause)

175:02:22 Irwin: Yes, it's nominal except for that change we read up to you about closing System A Main SOV (Shut-Off Valve) before you open the Ascent Feeds.

175:02:34 Duke: Okay, fine. Thank you.

[Comm Break]

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175:04:05 Young: Orion. Roger. (Pause)

175:04:15 Duke: Okay, Jim, we got an RCS caution light and RCS A Reg light on right now.

175:04:21 Irwin: Roger.

175:04:27 Duke: Our quantity in System A reads zero.

175:04:31 Irwin: Okay, it shouldn't read that.

175:04:39 Duke: That's what we figured. Thank you. (Long Pause)

[Note that Houston does not give them an explanation of this anomaly prior to launch. However, the fact that they won't be using RCS System A means that the lights are on is only of academic interest.]

[As usual, Houston is going to monitor the Commander's heart rate during the ascent.]

[Long Comm Break]

[The switchover from the use of descent-stage consumables to ascent-stage consumables that Charlie is about to report is covered in the first paragraph at the top of Surface Checklist page 8-12.]

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175:09:45 Duke: Okay, Jim. We're suited. We're going to get on the Ascent O2 (and) H2O.

175:09:51 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause) (To CMP Ken Mattingly) Casper, we want you to go Wide Beamwidth. (Long Pause)

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175:11:05 Young: Okay, Houston. We've got the vents open, and the talkbacks are gray. The Reg vent's going open now.

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175:11:12 Irwin: Roger.

[John is telling Houston that all of the tank valves in the Descent Stage are open. This procedure ensures that there is no pressure in any of the tanks and no chance of any dynamic tank response to the launch of the Ascent Stage. These procedures are in the bottom paragraph on page 8-12.]

[Comm Break]

MP3 Audio Clip (8 min 04 sec)

175:12:33 Irwin: Orion, this is Houston. Recommending PGNS for the direct rendezvous.

175:12:40 Young: Understand. PGNS for the direct rendezvous.

[This is the "Guidance Recommendation" indicated near the middle of page 8-13.]

[Long Comm Break]

175:16:34 Duke: Okay, Houston. Can I take Batts 2 and 4 Off now (as per page 8-13)?

175:16:37 Irwin: Roger. We're ready.

[Comm Break]

175:19:28 Irwin: Orion, we'd like Cabin Gas Return in Egress. (Long Pause)

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175:19:48 Duke: Roger. It's in Egress.

[The normal valve position, as indicated near the middle of page 8-12 is Auto.]

[Comm Break]

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175:21:36 Duke: Jim, how does the tube look? We're ready to pressurize the APS (Ascent Propulsion System) now (as per page 8-16).

175:21:43 Irwin: We're standing by. You have the Go for press.

[John will activate a small explosive charge which will open a valve to allow pressurized helium to flow from the helium tank into propellant tank 1. He will then repeat the procedure for tank 2.]

175:22:21 Irwin: Stand by. (Long Pause) Tank 1 looks good. Go for Tank 2.

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175:22:39 Young: Roger. (Pause)

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175:22:46 Young: Okay. There's Tank 2.

175:22:53 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause)

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175:23:15 Young: Okay. We're crossfeeding with the new procedure you just gave us, Houston.

175:23:18 Irwin: Roger.

175:23:21 Young: (Garbled) ascent feed. (Long Pause)

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175:23:42 Irwin: Orion, you're Go for lift-off.

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[I have begun to add material from the NASA transcript of the on-board recording. Speaker indentification can not be checked until we obtain a copy of the recording.]

175:23:48 Young: Roger.

175:23:47 Duke: (On-board) ...except your AEA DEC and DECA Power.

175:23:50 Young: (On-board) AEA and DECA Power, Charlie.

175:23:53 Duke: (On-board) Okay, Descent Engine Override is open. Rate Scale, 25 degrees a second.

175:23:57 Young: (On-board) 25 degrees a second.

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175:23:58 Duke: (On-board) ATT/Translation to 4 Jets.

175:24:00 Young: (On-board) 4 Jets.

175:24:02 Duke: (On-board) Balance Couple, On.

175:24:03 Young: (On-board) Balance Couple is On.

175:24:04 Duke: (On-board) Dead Band is Min.

175:24:05 Young: (On-board) Dead Band, Min.

175:24:06 Duke: (On-board) Abort, Abort Stage, reset.

175:24:07 Young: (On-board) Reset.

175:24:08 Duke: (On-board) Attitude Control, three, to Mode Control.

175:24:10 Young: (On-board) Attitude Control, three, to Mode Control.

175:24:13 Duke: (On-board) Mode Control, ascent - for ascent, PGNS and AGS to Auto.

175:24:16 Young: (On-board) Okay.

175:24:17 Duke: (On-board) Stop pushbutton, reset.

175:24:18 Young: (On-board) They're reset.

175:24:19 Duke: (On-board) TTCA, two, to Jets.

175:24:20 Young: (On-board) Two to Jets.

175:24:21 Duke: (On-board) Okay; standing by for 2 minutes.

175:24:23 Young: (On-board) We go to the lift-off book, don't we?

175:24:25 Duke: (On-board) But...Yeah, we've got to get the Landing Radar AC closed at 5 minutes. I mean the RENDEZVOUS Radar.

175:24:31 Young: (On-board) Yeah.

[Comm Break]

175:26:31 Duke: (On-board) Okay; RCS, you're looking good. Water's looking good. What's wrong, John?

175:26:49 Young: (On-board) Something's in my eye.

175:26:51 Duke: (On-board) Oh.

175:26:52 Young: (On-board) I got it.

[Journal Contributor Danny Ross Lunsford called attention to this exchange and the follow-up below at 175:28:50.]

175:27:06 Young: (On-board) Rendezvous Radar, AC, closed.

175:27:08 Duke: (On-board) And we go to the Timeline Book.

175:27:22 Duke: (On-board) Can you close that behind you, John, here?

175:27:24 Young: (On-board) What's that, Charlie?

175:27:25 Duke: (On-board) This data file thing?

175:27:26 Young: (On-board) Sure.

175:27:27 Duke: (On-board) Thanks. I couldn't reach it.

175:27:31 Young: (On-board) Get one snap on it.

175:27:33 Duke: (On-board) Or that Velcro on the other side if...Okay; 4 minutes. (Long Pause)

175:28:08 Duke: (On-board) Okay, she looks good to me.

175:28:35 Young: (On-board) (Coughing).

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175:28:50 Duke: (On-board) How's your eye, John?

175:28:51 Young: (On-board) Okay.

175:28:56 Duke: (On-board) What's wrong?

175:28:58 Young: (On-board) I think it's...I'm sweating.

175:29:00 Duke: (On-board) Hmm.

[In response to an October 2007 e-mail about John's momentary eye trouble, Charlie Duke wrote, "The suit loop was not that spiffy in the cooling arena, so maybe we did sweat. We had been working steadily. Can't remember if we had the LCG's plugged in." The LM Lunar Surface Checklist indicates that for at least an hour and a quarter before liftoff - and probably much longer - the circuit breaker for the LCG Pump was open, so they were definitely not getting any water cooling.]

175:29:14 Duke: (On-board) Sure?

175:29:15 Young: (On-board) Yeah.

175:29:34 Duke: (On-board) Was the Sun shining in it?

175:29:35 Young: (On-board) Yeah.

[Journal Contributor David Woods suggests that the most likely source of light shining in John's eyes would have been reflections off the instrument panel that were directly lit by the Sun through the overhead, rendezvous/docking window. At the time of liftoff (0127 GMT 24 April 1972), the Sun in 50 degrees above the eastern horizon on an azimuth of 077 (13 degrees north of East). Based on a comparison of post-landing, down-Sun photos that John and Charlie took out the windows about 2 hours after landing, the LM is facing an azimuth of about 264 (6 degrees south of west) and the azimuth in the opposite direction is 084. Consequently, at lifoff the Sun's azimuth (079) is about 5 degrees north of being directly behind the LM.]

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They are now on Page 10 in the Apollo 16 LM Timeline Book.]

175:29:48 Duke: (On-board) Master Arm, On.

175:29:50 Young: Okay, Houston. Master Arm is coming On.

175:29:53 Irwin: Roger.

175:29:54 Young: Two lights.

175:29:56 Irwin: Roger.

175:30:00 Duke: (On-board) Okay; AGS needles are deflected. Alignment looks great.

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175:30:25 Duke: (On-board) Okay; ICS/PTT; 400 plus 1 is in; we've reset the watch.

175:30:31 Young: (On-board) Okay.

175:30:40 Duke: (On-board) Okay; at plus 1 second, if we get an auto ignition, it's the Start button.

175:30:45 Young: (On-board) Okay.

175:30:50 Duke: (On-board) Okay; 1 minute.

175:31:08 Duke: (On-board) Okay; get the guard off the Engine Arm.

175:31:11 Young: (On-board) Yeah.

175:31:15 Duke: (On-board) DSKY blank.

175:31:16 Young: (On-board) DSKY blank, 30 seconds.

175:31:21 Duke: (On-board) Camera's started, and it's running. Okay; standing by for 10 seconds.

MP4 Video Clip 0 min 41 sec ( 640x480 pixels, 14Mb or 320x240 pixels, 6Mb )
Clips created by Colin Mackellar from new copies of the A16 TV provided by NASA Johnson. Those copies had the blue and green channels switch. Mackellar used Adobe Premiere Pro to correct that problem, to de-interlace the channels, and to "very slightly adjusted the gamma so that video noise in the sky isn't as noticeable." 175:31:27 Young: (On-board) Okay.

175:31:36 Duke: (On-board) Let me get this first.

175:31:38 Young: (On-board) Okay.

175:31:39 Duke: (On-board) Abort Stage, Engine Arm.

175:31:42 Young: (On-board) Engine Arm to Ascent.

175:31:44 Duke: (On-board) Pro. She took. Stand by; 3, 2, 1 ...

[In the TV image, the horizon is tilted down to the right. Fendell does not have the TV at mazimum zoom and has it positioned so that the plus-Y (north) footpad is at the bottom of the frame. Consequently, he has a lot of frame above the LM to help capture liftoff.]

[Because of the time delay in getting commands to the camera, Fendell had to tell the camera to begin tracking upwards slightly before ignition. The camera begins to track about 2 seconds after ignition. The LM stays in the field-of-view for about 6 seconds but, in part because John parked only 80 meters from the LM, the camera can't be panned fast enough during these early stages to keep the LM in sight. As the LM gains altitude and, after pitchover, begins to move westward, the camera catches up.]

[Journal Contributor Harald Kucharek notes that the rear panels on the Ascent stage can be seen to buckle during the first few seconds of liftoff. See the discussion for AS16-122-19533.]

175:31:53 Duke: (On-board) Engine Start.

[The LM goes out of the TV field-of-view at about 175:31:55.]

[John's heart rate increased briefly to 105 beats per minute during liftoff, but quickly returned to the 80-90 beats per minute range that he'd shown during most of EVA-3.]

175:32:00 Duke: Pitchover. Pitchover is on time.

175:32:02 Irwin: Roger. We saw lift-off (on the Rover TV).

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[Fendell finds the LM at about 175:32:04 and keeps it in the field-of-view for about 9 seconds before it drifts out the lower-left corner.]

175:32:06 Duke: (On-board) What a ride! What a ride! Ok; 18 seconds, John; 30 seconds, looking for 308.

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175:32:12 Young: (On-board) Right on; it's right on the H-dot.

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175:32:19 Duke: (On-board) Lot more wallowing than I thought (there would be).

175:32:21 Young: (On-board) Yeah.

175:32:22 Duke: (On-board) 308, looks good. 4800, 91, 1800, looking good. AGS is following; Key Release; coming up on a minute.

175:32:42 Young: (On-board) There we go. (Pause) One minute, 305.

[Fendell regains the LM at about 175:32:47, loses it again after about 2 seconds, then regains it at about 175:32:55 and keeps it in view until it becomes too faint to be seen at roughly 175:33:30.]

175:32:52 Irwin: Orion, you're Go at 1 (minute).

175:32:56 Young: Roger. Looking good here. (Long Pause)

[More on-board material will be added at a later date.]

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175:33:47 Irwin: Orion, you're Go at 2 (minutes).

175:33:52 Young: Looks good. (Long Pause)

[After the LM becomes too faint to be seen in the Rover camera, Fendell pans down until the camera is once again looking at the horizon at about 175:33:48.]

[Journal Contributor Henning Conrad has noticed that, in a comparison between pre- and post-liftoff TV images of the LM ( 0.3 Mb, animated gif ), it is quite evident that the footpads were pressed farther into the surface by the significant downward impulse that came with liftoff. On the left-hand side, the minus-Y (south) footpad has been slightly depressed and the footpad seems to have been displaced outward. There appear to be changes in the minus-Y secondary struts consistent with that outward displacement. Also, the minus-Y probe moves a small amount between frames. On the right-hand side, the plus-Y (north) footpad is clearly displaced downward by roughly one third of the footpad height. The footpad width is 94 cm. The height as measured in AS12-46-6779 is about 12 cm. Consequently, the downward displacement is about 4 cm. I don't see any indication of outward motion of the footpad or flexing of the secondary strut. However, the plus-Y probe does move much more than the minu-s-Y probe. Note: The 'before' image was captured sometime before 174:54:13, when Ed Fendell raised the TV camera slightly in preparation for tracking the ascent.]

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175:34:48 Irwin: Orion, you're Go at 3 (minutes).

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175:34:53 Young: Roger. Looking good. (Pause)

175:34:58 Duke: AGS and PGNS tracking right together, Houston.

175:35:01 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause)

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175:35:47 Irwin: Orion, you're Go at 4 (minutes).

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175:35:51 Young: Go at 4. (Long Pause)

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175:36:45 Irwin: Orion, you're Go at 5 (minutes). (Long Pause)

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175:37:48 Irwin: Orion, you're Go at 6 (minutes). (Long Pause)

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175:38:39 Duke: Ascent terminated. Ascent Feed, Houston.

175:38:41 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause)

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175:39:05 Young: Okay.

175:39:07 Duke: Insertion .

175:39:08 Young: Insertion, Houston. On time; minus 0.3, minus 1.0, and plus 1.7. (Pause)

[These are the velocity residuals - the differences from the planned orbit - on the three axes in feet per second.]

175:39:53 Irwin: A reminder to hit the Stop button. It's done.

175:40:01 Young: Say again. Over.

175:40:04 Irwin: You're okay.

175:40:10 Duke: Say again, Houston.

175:40:13 Irwin: Never mind. You're standing by for tweak. I have the tweak for you.

175:40:22 Duke: Okay, go ahead.

175:40:24 Irwin: 175:54:05, minus 2.0, minus 0, minus 10.0. Over.

175:40:40 Duke: Copy; at 175:54:05, minus 2.0, minus 0, minus 10.0.

175:40:48 Irwin: Good readback.

[Comm Break]

[Note, the time Jim Irwin reads up is 11 minutes 48 seconds later than the corresponding transcript times because of a clock update in Houston at 118:06:31. Consequently, John and Charlie will start the tweak burn at 175:42:17 transcript time]

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175:43:20 Duke: Tweak complete, Houston.

175:43:22 Irwin: Roger. Copy. (Long Pause) Orion, we'd like you to use the B (RCS) System, so open the Crossfeed and close the Main SOV on System A.

175:44:00 Young: Roger.

175:44:01 Duke: Okay, Jim. You got it. We're Crossfeeding System Bravo.

175:44:05 Irwin: Roger.

175:44:06 Duke: For a P20 auto maneuver, pitching up.

175:44:09 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause)

175:44:23 Mattingly: (Faint) And, Houston, Casper will need a state vector for a (garbled) to be ready? (No answer; Long Pause) Houston, Casper.

175:45:08 Irwin: Go ahead, Casper.

175:45:12 Mattingly: Rog. I'll need a state vector. How soon do you expect to have one?

175:45:15 Irwin: Stand by.

[Comm Break]

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175:46:15 Young: Okay, Casper. We have you visually. (Pause)

175:46:23 Mattingly: Glad to hear that. I don't have you yet. (Pause) Houston, Casper is standing by (for the state vector).

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175:46:42 Irwin: Roger. We're still working on it, Ken. (Long Pause)

175:47:11 Duke: (Garbled) the AGS and Auto update, Jim?

175:47:14 Irwin: Roger. (Long Pause) Okay, Ken, if you'll go to Accept, we'll send an up-link for you.

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175:48:09 Mattingly: You have it.

175:48:10 Irwin: Roger. Should be on its way. (Long Pause)

175:48:54 Duke: Boy, Jim, the sunset is spectacular.

175:48:56 Irwin: Bet it is.

[Jones - "But they did bring you home a day early."]

[Duke - "Yeah, that's because they got nervous, I think, because, if the engine didn't work and we had a problem it gave them another, extra day, of consumables and stuff to try to figure out what was what. The more you waited up there - if you did have a problem - the less time you had to think of something brilliant to fix it. They got a little nervous and brought us home a day early, I think, just to make sure we could have some ample time to fix any problems."]

This concludes the Apollo 16 Lunar Surface Journal.