1 00:00:05,739 --> 00:00:09,109 ♪ 2 00:00:09,142 --> 00:00:10,910 REPORTER: Now, ladies and gentlemen, 3 00:00:10,944 --> 00:00:13,913 the president of the United States. 4 00:00:17,117 --> 00:00:20,820 LYNDON JOHNSON: Our American dream for outer space 5 00:00:20,854 --> 00:00:25,425 is a dream of peace and a dream of friendly cooperation 6 00:00:25,458 --> 00:00:27,894 among all the nations of the Earth. 7 00:00:27,927 --> 00:00:29,829 We intend 8 00:00:29,863 --> 00:00:33,166 to live up to our agreement 9 00:00:33,199 --> 00:00:36,970 not to orbit weapons of mass destruction. 10 00:00:37,003 --> 00:00:41,241 And we will continue to hold out to all nations, 11 00:00:41,274 --> 00:00:43,309 including the Soviet Union, 12 00:00:43,343 --> 00:00:45,979 the hand of cooperation 13 00:00:46,012 --> 00:00:49,349 in the exciting years of space exploration 14 00:00:49,382 --> 00:00:52,285 which lie ahead for all of us. 15 00:00:52,318 --> 00:00:58,058 ♪ 16 00:00:59,893 --> 00:01:03,797 (camera clicking, audience cheering) 17 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:11,037 JOHN LOGSDON: In the immediate aftermath of John Kennedy's assassination, 18 00:01:11,071 --> 00:01:14,841 there was a question put to the new President Johnson, 19 00:01:14,874 --> 00:01:17,577 "What do you want to do about the Kennedy initiative 20 00:01:17,610 --> 00:01:20,947 to do joint missions to the moon with the Soviet Union?" 21 00:01:23,683 --> 00:01:26,352 Johnson was skeptical, 22 00:01:26,386 --> 00:01:30,223 but NASA didn't want to cooperate. 23 00:01:30,256 --> 00:01:33,993 And so the decision was, "Let's not bother." 24 00:01:34,027 --> 00:01:35,895 (spectators applauding) 25 00:01:38,498 --> 00:01:40,633 NASA and the Apollo program had literally 26 00:01:40,667 --> 00:01:44,204 the highest national priority. 27 00:01:44,237 --> 00:01:45,672 REPORTER: Do we have any knowledge how we're doing 28 00:01:45,705 --> 00:01:50,143 in this race to the moon with the Soviet Union? 29 00:01:50,176 --> 00:01:53,480 Well, all we know is that the Russians have demonstrated, 30 00:01:53,513 --> 00:01:55,248 repeatedly, a great competence 31 00:01:55,281 --> 00:01:58,885 in, in their manned-space operations. 32 00:01:58,918 --> 00:02:02,889 I think we... should not believe 33 00:02:02,922 --> 00:02:05,258 that they are suddenly giving up... 34 00:02:05,291 --> 00:02:06,759 giving up in this race. 35 00:02:06,793 --> 00:02:10,630 I'm convinced that they will make an all-out effort 36 00:02:10,663 --> 00:02:12,866 to land on the moon ahead of us. 37 00:02:12,899 --> 00:02:17,103 We stop racing, they will undoubtedly win. 38 00:02:18,571 --> 00:02:21,641 ♪ 39 00:02:21,674 --> 00:02:27,180 NEIL ARMSTRONG: That's one small step for a man, 40 00:02:27,213 --> 00:02:31,217 one giant leap for mankind. 41 00:02:31,251 --> 00:02:35,622 ♪ 42 00:03:01,381 --> 00:03:04,284 ♪ WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 43 00:03:17,263 --> 00:03:21,000 ♪ 44 00:03:51,831 --> 00:03:54,067 (rocket firing) 45 00:03:55,635 --> 00:04:01,975 ♪ 46 00:04:07,247 --> 00:04:10,250 LOGSDON: People didn't know for sure at the time, 47 00:04:10,283 --> 00:04:11,684 but the reality was 48 00:04:11,718 --> 00:04:13,519 that the Soviet Union didn't have a moon program. 49 00:04:13,553 --> 00:04:17,090 Turned out the Soviets were still debating 50 00:04:17,123 --> 00:04:19,892 whether to go to the moon or not. 51 00:04:19,926 --> 00:04:24,264 ♪ 52 00:04:25,531 --> 00:04:27,700 SERGEI KHRUSHCHEV: My father was pragmatic. 53 00:04:27,734 --> 00:04:30,103 So when Korolyov came to my father 54 00:04:30,136 --> 00:04:34,907 and told, "We have to work now on the new N1 launcher 55 00:04:34,941 --> 00:04:39,345 to send the men to the moon," my father told, "No. 56 00:04:39,379 --> 00:04:44,183 First, give me the cost of the project." 57 00:04:44,217 --> 00:04:47,887 And Korolyov could not answer. 58 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,357 And he told, "I have different priorities. 59 00:04:51,391 --> 00:04:54,961 "We have to improve life of our people. 60 00:04:54,994 --> 00:04:56,329 "We need to invest in the housing, 61 00:04:56,362 --> 00:05:00,266 "in the producing of the consumer goods. 62 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:03,603 "Americans spend their money. 63 00:05:03,636 --> 00:05:09,509 I spend my people money, and I am responsible for them." 64 00:05:09,542 --> 00:05:14,547 So he, at last he approved the preliminary design 65 00:05:14,580 --> 00:05:16,549 of this lunar program 66 00:05:16,582 --> 00:05:20,853 only in August 1964. 67 00:05:20,887 --> 00:05:25,058 But the real lunar race started 68 00:05:25,091 --> 00:05:28,928 only after my father was ousted of power. 69 00:05:28,961 --> 00:05:33,299 ♪ 70 00:05:33,333 --> 00:05:37,537 After that, his successor, Brezhnev, didn't count money, 71 00:05:37,570 --> 00:05:39,138 and he told, "Go ahead, 72 00:05:39,172 --> 00:05:42,241 I will give you everything what you want." 73 00:05:45,745 --> 00:05:48,915 ♪ 74 00:05:55,488 --> 00:05:58,725 GEORGE ALEXANDER: From the very beginning, 75 00:05:58,758 --> 00:06:01,160 the Russian manned space flight program 76 00:06:01,194 --> 00:06:07,033 compiled a very proud list of firsts-- WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 77 00:06:01,194 --> 00:06:07,033 compiled a very proud list of firsts-- 78 00:06:07,066 --> 00:06:10,970 the first woman into orbit around the Earth, 79 00:06:11,003 --> 00:06:16,209 the first multiple crew, 80 00:06:16,242 --> 00:06:18,211 the first spacewalk. 81 00:06:18,244 --> 00:06:23,349 (cosmonauts speaking Russian) 82 00:06:23,383 --> 00:06:30,089 ♪ 83 00:06:30,123 --> 00:06:33,659 These were all very impressive achievements. 84 00:06:33,693 --> 00:06:35,361 It may have been a little bit crude 85 00:06:35,395 --> 00:06:36,796 and rough around the edges, 86 00:06:36,829 --> 00:06:38,030 but they did it. 87 00:06:38,064 --> 00:06:39,532 (device beeps) 88 00:06:39,565 --> 00:06:43,069 However, the Russians hadn't-- at that time-- 89 00:06:43,102 --> 00:06:46,806 mastered the problem of rendezvous and docking, 90 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:53,379 a critical part of the total lunar landing process. 91 00:06:55,815 --> 00:07:00,319 All the steps involved in Apollo, 92 00:07:00,353 --> 00:07:05,124 those were all things that had to happen pretty much perfectly, 93 00:07:05,158 --> 00:07:08,561 some 230,000 miles away, on the moon. 94 00:07:08,594 --> 00:07:09,929 And you didn't want to try 95 00:07:09,962 --> 00:07:12,799 to do all those things for the first time 96 00:07:12,832 --> 00:07:15,435 so far away from home. 97 00:07:15,468 --> 00:07:20,773 Gemini was going to prove the lunar-orbit rendezvous. 98 00:07:22,408 --> 00:07:24,110 (clanking) 99 00:07:24,143 --> 00:07:26,979 ♪ 100 00:07:27,013 --> 00:07:30,917 WALTER CRONKITE: This is the equipment that will be the first computer 101 00:07:30,950 --> 00:07:33,686 ever put into space in a manned spacecraft-- 102 00:07:33,719 --> 00:07:35,154 a ingenious device 103 00:07:35,188 --> 00:07:38,057 which will enable these astronauts 104 00:07:38,090 --> 00:07:41,260 to do the thing which Gemini is designed to do, 105 00:07:41,294 --> 00:07:44,230 and that's for the first time to maneuver in outer space 106 00:07:44,263 --> 00:07:47,667 so that they can link up with another vehicle out there 107 00:07:47,700 --> 00:07:52,371 and build space platforms for future space exploration. 108 00:07:52,405 --> 00:07:54,774 What they will be doing on this GT3, 109 00:07:54,807 --> 00:07:56,742 this first manned Gemini flight, 110 00:07:56,776 --> 00:08:01,013 the first maneuver will be to change the orbit, actually... 111 00:08:01,047 --> 00:08:04,250 JOEL BANOW: I don't think there was anybody like Walter Cronkite. 112 00:08:04,283 --> 00:08:05,818 He was like a kid. 113 00:08:05,852 --> 00:08:10,423 He loved imparting the wonder of space 114 00:08:10,456 --> 00:08:13,125 and what man was doing. 115 00:08:13,159 --> 00:08:16,829 He made the average viewer really connect, 116 00:08:16,863 --> 00:08:18,698 as he really connected, 117 00:08:18,731 --> 00:08:22,568 to the whole subject of man going into space. 118 00:08:22,602 --> 00:08:24,403 Their target vehicle is 119 00:08:24,437 --> 00:08:27,440 in a perfect orbit encircling the Earth. 120 00:08:27,473 --> 00:08:29,008 It's now midway over Australia. 121 00:08:29,041 --> 00:08:30,743 It'll be back over the Cape here 122 00:08:30,776 --> 00:08:32,578 in 38 minutes. 123 00:08:32,612 --> 00:08:34,213 ALEXANDER: I was excited, 124 00:08:34,247 --> 00:08:39,519 I thought, "Here we are in the new frontier." 125 00:08:39,552 --> 00:08:44,290 And there was support for the cost and the risks initially, 126 00:08:44,323 --> 00:08:47,226 but as time went on, 127 00:08:47,260 --> 00:08:52,331 that began to erode. 128 00:08:52,365 --> 00:08:56,502 MARK BLOOM: We had mixed obligations, I always felt. 129 00:08:56,536 --> 00:09:00,740 We had the obligation to present the enthusiasm. 130 00:09:00,773 --> 00:09:05,478 Historically, man going to the moon-- 131 00:09:05,511 --> 00:09:10,349 that was an amazing thing. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 132 00:09:05,511 --> 00:09:10,349 that was an amazing thing. 133 00:09:10,383 --> 00:09:12,351 The second part of the story is, 134 00:09:12,385 --> 00:09:17,723 we are covering a government agency, NASA, 135 00:09:17,757 --> 00:09:20,459 which is spending $24 billion, 136 00:09:20,493 --> 00:09:26,465 which, in those days, was a huge amount of money. 137 00:09:26,499 --> 00:09:28,501 So we had to cover that element to it. 138 00:09:28,534 --> 00:09:31,170 (clanking) 139 00:09:33,439 --> 00:09:35,841 I don't think I covered it properly. 140 00:09:35,875 --> 00:09:39,612 If anything, I erred on the side of covering the adventure. 141 00:09:43,082 --> 00:09:46,052 The space program is costing us about $5 billion a year, 142 00:09:46,085 --> 00:09:47,920 and if there is anyone left anywhere 143 00:09:47,954 --> 00:09:49,355 who still cares about money, 144 00:09:49,388 --> 00:09:50,957 he might reasonably ask 145 00:09:50,990 --> 00:09:52,792 what we are getting for all of it. 146 00:09:52,825 --> 00:09:56,462 If it is simply a matter of keeping ahead of the Russians 147 00:09:56,495 --> 00:10:00,066 in a procession of high-altitude tricks and stunts, 148 00:10:00,099 --> 00:10:01,500 it probably isn't worth it. 149 00:10:01,534 --> 00:10:03,736 It is doubtful that a few points 150 00:10:03,769 --> 00:10:05,838 on the international Gallup poll in Asia and Africa, 151 00:10:05,871 --> 00:10:08,741 a little increased national prestige in Asia and Africa, 152 00:10:08,774 --> 00:10:12,845 it's doubtful that's worth more than maybe 35 cents. 153 00:10:12,878 --> 00:10:14,180 If it is simply a matter 154 00:10:14,213 --> 00:10:17,650 of displaying our technical expertise 155 00:10:17,683 --> 00:10:20,953 by orbiting around the Earth a series of metal tanks 156 00:10:20,987 --> 00:10:23,889 carrying men, radios, switches, knobs, 157 00:10:23,923 --> 00:10:25,625 and chicken salad in squeeze tubes-- 158 00:10:25,658 --> 00:10:27,493 that probably isn't worth the money, either. 159 00:10:27,526 --> 00:10:29,295 (crowd cheering) 160 00:10:29,328 --> 00:10:31,797 But there is another element. 161 00:10:31,831 --> 00:10:34,800 It is said that by exploring space, 162 00:10:34,834 --> 00:10:36,636 we will increase the sum of human knowledge 163 00:10:36,669 --> 00:10:39,772 and perhaps make some basic discoveries, 164 00:10:39,805 --> 00:10:45,177 learn some dimensions and insights previously unknown. 165 00:10:45,211 --> 00:10:50,316 ♪ 166 00:10:50,349 --> 00:10:52,184 ANDERS: NASA was always trying to sell the program. 167 00:10:52,218 --> 00:10:55,054 (crowd cheering) 168 00:10:55,087 --> 00:10:57,390 And we'd go out and talk to kids in schools, 169 00:10:57,423 --> 00:11:00,192 and, and we'd call it the Week in the Barrel. 170 00:11:00,226 --> 00:11:02,628 MAN: I think those already that know me... 171 00:11:02,662 --> 00:11:04,530 ANDERS: In the old days, in sailing ships, 172 00:11:04,563 --> 00:11:05,865 they'd stick one guy in the barrel, 173 00:11:05,898 --> 00:11:07,366 and he'd have to put his rear end by the hole, 174 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,168 and everybody would take their turn. 175 00:11:09,201 --> 00:11:10,736 REPORTER: Flight of yours is... 176 00:11:10,770 --> 00:11:12,071 ANDERS: So we had our week in the barrel. 177 00:11:12,104 --> 00:11:13,839 (reporter talking in background) 178 00:11:13,873 --> 00:11:16,308 ED BUCKBEE: "Astronaut in a Barrel"-- 179 00:11:16,342 --> 00:11:18,944 one astronaut per week would be selected, 180 00:11:18,978 --> 00:11:22,515 and that astronaut, for one week, they were ours, 181 00:11:22,548 --> 00:11:24,383 for speaking engagements, 182 00:11:24,417 --> 00:11:26,218 television appearances, whatever. 183 00:11:26,252 --> 00:11:28,320 You know, we managed them. 184 00:11:28,354 --> 00:11:29,855 Astronauts hated it. 185 00:11:29,889 --> 00:11:32,458 (crowd applauding) 186 00:11:32,491 --> 00:11:34,894 FRANK BORMAN: The astronauts were used 187 00:11:34,927 --> 00:11:38,698 as a PR tool by NASA very effectively. 188 00:11:38,731 --> 00:11:40,166 And I have been on more parades 189 00:11:40,199 --> 00:11:45,171 and spoken to more chambers of commerce... 190 00:11:45,204 --> 00:11:46,739 You know, this was more than just PR. 191 00:11:46,772 --> 00:11:51,644 This was, was ingratiating congressmen 192 00:11:51,677 --> 00:11:53,946 to get their support. 193 00:11:53,979 --> 00:11:57,983 Unless $141 million was restored in the supplemental 194 00:11:58,017 --> 00:12:01,954 and the five billion, 304 million dollars approved, 195 00:12:01,987 --> 00:12:05,291 we are near the position 196 00:12:05,324 --> 00:12:06,926 where we simply will have to say, WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 197 00:12:05,324 --> 00:12:06,926 where we simply will have to say, 198 00:12:06,959 --> 00:12:09,962 "We're not going to do it in this decade." 199 00:12:09,995 --> 00:12:14,200 BORMAN: Mr. Webb used it very, very effectively. 200 00:12:14,233 --> 00:12:17,803 Webb understood you had to have the support of the Congress 201 00:12:17,837 --> 00:12:19,038 to get this thing done. 202 00:12:19,071 --> 00:12:20,706 You're not supposed to be a Texan. 203 00:12:20,740 --> 00:12:23,275 Jim, you should have seen him with his Texas boots on. 204 00:12:23,309 --> 00:12:26,545 I had my boots on a minute ago... 205 00:12:26,579 --> 00:12:29,148 BORMAN: He understood how democracy works. 206 00:12:29,181 --> 00:12:32,618 ♪ 207 00:12:32,651 --> 00:12:34,954 ANDERS: There was a lot of apple-polishing 208 00:12:34,987 --> 00:12:36,155 with congressmen, 209 00:12:36,188 --> 00:12:37,690 and so if a congressman wanted 210 00:12:37,723 --> 00:12:39,925 to have some astronaut appear with him, 211 00:12:39,959 --> 00:12:42,061 he just snapped his fingers. 212 00:12:42,094 --> 00:12:44,330 (phone ringing) 213 00:12:44,363 --> 00:12:48,067 Congressman Teague of Texas's office. 214 00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:50,236 ANDERS: I became buddies 215 00:12:50,269 --> 00:12:52,872 with Congressman, Chairman Teague 216 00:12:52,905 --> 00:12:55,107 of the House Space Committee. 217 00:12:55,141 --> 00:12:58,043 "Tiger" Teague was from a district 218 00:12:58,077 --> 00:13:00,412 where I had lived in Texas. 219 00:13:00,446 --> 00:13:02,848 I was one of his favorites. 220 00:13:02,882 --> 00:13:06,051 George, would additional money 221 00:13:06,085 --> 00:13:09,755 to any degree improve or change the Gemini program? 222 00:13:09,789 --> 00:13:12,958 If I may have the first slide, 223 00:13:12,992 --> 00:13:14,827 I thought you might be interested 224 00:13:14,860 --> 00:13:16,929 in the rendezvous operation. 225 00:13:16,962 --> 00:13:18,798 I think the Gemini's in good shape, 226 00:13:18,831 --> 00:13:20,132 but I think the Apollo program 227 00:13:20,166 --> 00:13:22,234 is going to have to have more money. 228 00:13:22,268 --> 00:13:24,069 I understand that NASA is hesitant 229 00:13:24,103 --> 00:13:26,839 about pestering the Bureau of the Budget for more money, 230 00:13:26,872 --> 00:13:28,407 but if NASA's going to tell us 231 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:29,875 that we're not going to get to the moon by '70 232 00:13:29,909 --> 00:13:31,410 because of money, 233 00:13:31,443 --> 00:13:33,746 I think that the committee should certainly be aware of it, 234 00:13:33,779 --> 00:13:35,514 and that NASA doesn't come back here later 235 00:13:35,548 --> 00:13:37,249 and say, "We didn't succeed 236 00:13:37,283 --> 00:13:40,252 because the committee didn't get the money for that." 237 00:13:40,286 --> 00:13:43,422 BUCKBEE: I remember being there one day, 238 00:13:43,455 --> 00:13:47,059 and as we were breaking up, this congressman stood up 239 00:13:47,092 --> 00:13:50,396 and said, "Dr. von Braun, do you need any more money?" 240 00:13:50,429 --> 00:13:56,302 And I thought, "I've never heard that comment made." 241 00:13:56,335 --> 00:13:59,271 (birds squawking) 242 00:14:02,308 --> 00:14:06,078 CRONKITE: In these final days before the launch of this Gemini flight, 243 00:14:06,111 --> 00:14:07,680 now scheduled for next Tuesday, 244 00:14:07,713 --> 00:14:11,450 dozens of contractors in dozens of buildings 245 00:14:11,483 --> 00:14:13,052 all over Cape Kennedy 246 00:14:13,085 --> 00:14:14,520 are going through the final tests 247 00:14:14,553 --> 00:14:16,322 of their pieces of equipment 248 00:14:16,355 --> 00:14:19,158 that will be in this complex booster and spacecraft 249 00:14:19,191 --> 00:14:23,929 when they blast off from Pad 19. 250 00:14:23,963 --> 00:14:25,397 LOGSDON: The start of the Gemini launches, 251 00:14:25,431 --> 00:14:28,500 I mean, there were ten launches in 12 months. 252 00:14:28,534 --> 00:14:30,302 There was lots of stuff going on, 253 00:14:30,336 --> 00:14:31,971 lot of public interest, 254 00:14:32,004 --> 00:14:36,976 and all of it clearly leading up to the Apollo landing. 255 00:14:37,009 --> 00:14:39,745 CRONKITE: 1:40 and counting at Cape Kennedy 256 00:14:39,778 --> 00:14:41,213 under cloudless skies. 257 00:14:41,247 --> 00:14:42,648 Astronauts McDivitt and White, 258 00:14:42,681 --> 00:14:45,584 preparing for four days in space 259 00:14:45,618 --> 00:14:47,386 and America's first walk in space. 260 00:14:47,419 --> 00:14:49,021 JACK KING: T minus 90 seconds and counting. 261 00:14:49,054 --> 00:14:51,857 The launch vehicle has gone to internal power. 262 00:14:51,891 --> 00:14:54,093 The launch vehicle is now on its own battery power. 263 00:14:54,126 --> 00:14:57,096 CRONKITE: Everything is go for this mission, 264 00:14:57,129 --> 00:14:59,265 from all the tracking stations around the world. 265 00:14:59,298 --> 00:15:02,902 KING: Three, two, one, zero. 266 00:15:02,935 --> 00:15:04,536 (rocket firing) WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 267 00:15:05,771 --> 00:15:08,107 Liftoff. 268 00:15:14,213 --> 00:15:19,518 ♪ 269 00:15:25,958 --> 00:15:29,061 (people talking on radio) 270 00:15:35,434 --> 00:15:41,340 ♪ 271 00:15:52,584 --> 00:15:56,188 CHET HUNTLEY: Space pilots McDivitt and White are at this moment 272 00:15:56,221 --> 00:15:57,856 in their 18th orbit of the Earth. 273 00:15:57,890 --> 00:16:00,926 They've been aloft 27 hours, 44 minutes. 274 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,462 They are currently over Western Australia. 275 00:16:03,495 --> 00:16:06,598 The two pilots have flown about 430,000 miles, 276 00:16:06,632 --> 00:16:09,802 nearly the distance of a round trip to the moon. 277 00:16:09,835 --> 00:16:11,837 MISSION CONTROL: ...your heat exchanger to four... 278 00:16:11,870 --> 00:16:14,707 Gemini 4, Gemini 4. 279 00:16:14,740 --> 00:16:16,775 ANDERS: A major element of Gemini 280 00:16:16,809 --> 00:16:20,012 was getting outside of the spacecraft. 281 00:16:20,045 --> 00:16:24,483 And we called it the E.V.A., or extra-vehicular activity. 282 00:16:24,516 --> 00:16:26,885 MISSION CONTROL: Gemini 4, copy... 283 00:16:26,919 --> 00:16:32,191 MICHAEL COLLINS: The first E.V.As., of course, were on the Gemini 4, Ed White. 284 00:16:32,224 --> 00:16:35,961 Ed White was just to get out and see what it was like 285 00:16:35,995 --> 00:16:38,497 and then to come back in. 286 00:16:38,530 --> 00:16:40,232 WHITE (on radio): Okay, I'm out. 287 00:16:40,265 --> 00:16:44,103 MCDIVITT (on radio): Okay, he's out, oh-three. 288 00:16:44,136 --> 00:16:46,071 ♪ 289 00:16:46,105 --> 00:16:48,040 WHITE: This is the greatest experience I've... 290 00:16:48,073 --> 00:16:50,309 it's just tremendous. 291 00:16:53,345 --> 00:16:55,214 Right now I'm standing on my head, 292 00:16:55,247 --> 00:16:56,615 and I'm looking right down, 293 00:16:56,648 --> 00:16:57,916 and it looks like we're coming up 294 00:16:57,950 --> 00:16:59,785 on the coast of California. 295 00:16:59,818 --> 00:17:02,588 Okay, I'm dipping down underneath the spacecraft. 296 00:17:02,621 --> 00:17:05,557 What I'd like to do is get all the way out, Jim, 297 00:17:05,591 --> 00:17:07,993 and get a picture of the whole spaceship, 298 00:17:08,027 --> 00:17:09,461 I don't seem to be doing it. 299 00:17:09,495 --> 00:17:10,796 MCDIVITT: Yeah, I noticed that. 300 00:17:10,829 --> 00:17:12,264 You can't seem to get far enough away. 301 00:17:12,297 --> 00:17:13,999 WHITE: No. 302 00:17:14,033 --> 00:17:15,501 COLLINS: He was cartwheeling, 303 00:17:15,534 --> 00:17:17,436 ass-over-teakettle, 304 00:17:17,469 --> 00:17:19,838 up and around and about. 305 00:17:19,872 --> 00:17:22,674 He had a dorky little handheld maneuvering device, 306 00:17:22,708 --> 00:17:25,344 which in itself was very difficult. 307 00:17:25,377 --> 00:17:28,580 WHITE: Listen, it's all the difference in the world with this gun. 308 00:17:28,614 --> 00:17:32,351 When that gun was working, I was maneuvering all around. 309 00:17:32,384 --> 00:17:34,887 COLLINS: We should have paid maybe a little more attention 310 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,289 and said, "You know, we need some help 311 00:17:37,322 --> 00:17:42,027 in terms of tethers, lanyards, handholds, footholds," 312 00:17:42,061 --> 00:17:45,831 but those were the things that we didn't really think of. 313 00:17:45,864 --> 00:17:47,399 MCDIVITT: The flight director says get back in. 314 00:17:47,433 --> 00:17:48,700 WHITE: Okay. 315 00:17:48,734 --> 00:17:50,969 ♪ 316 00:17:51,003 --> 00:17:53,772 ALEXANDER: Ed White found it exhilarating. 317 00:17:53,806 --> 00:17:58,377 (chuckling): He had more fun floating in space. 318 00:17:58,410 --> 00:18:00,412 WHITE: I feel like a million dollars. 319 00:18:00,446 --> 00:18:03,816 ALEXANDER: And so when NASA controllers in Houston said, "Okay, 320 00:18:03,849 --> 00:18:06,385 "we've met all the objectives of this test, WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 321 00:18:03,849 --> 00:18:06,385 "we've met all the objectives of this test, 322 00:18:06,418 --> 00:18:07,820 get back in the spacecraft," 323 00:18:07,853 --> 00:18:10,355 and Ed White said, basically, "No." 324 00:18:10,389 --> 00:18:12,491 WHITE: What are we over now, Jim? 325 00:18:12,524 --> 00:18:14,326 MCDIVITT: I don't know, we're coming over the West, West... 326 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:15,828 Only they want you to come back in now. 327 00:18:15,861 --> 00:18:17,062 WHITE: Back in? 328 00:18:17,096 --> 00:18:18,530 MCDIVITT: Back in. 329 00:18:18,564 --> 00:18:20,099 GUS GRISSOM: Roger, we've been trying 330 00:18:20,132 --> 00:18:21,600 to talk to you for a while here. (device beeps) 331 00:18:21,633 --> 00:18:24,603 ♪ 332 00:18:24,636 --> 00:18:28,040 ALEXANDER (chuckles): He stood up to Mission Control. 333 00:18:28,073 --> 00:18:32,644 He became a hero to his fellow astronauts, 334 00:18:32,678 --> 00:18:34,947 because so much of their life, by being in the program, 335 00:18:34,980 --> 00:18:37,583 was circumscribed. 336 00:18:40,586 --> 00:18:43,188 Mrs. White, to you, what was the highlight 337 00:18:43,222 --> 00:18:45,924 of your husband's 20-minute excursion in space today 338 00:18:45,958 --> 00:18:47,392 outside the space vehicle? 339 00:18:47,426 --> 00:18:48,827 Oh, just the whole thing, 340 00:18:48,861 --> 00:18:50,362 just knowing he was out there, 341 00:18:50,395 --> 00:18:52,764 I knew how thrilled he was to, to do it. 342 00:18:52,798 --> 00:18:55,968 And I'm glad he was able to do it. 343 00:18:56,001 --> 00:19:00,072 ♪ 344 00:19:00,105 --> 00:19:01,974 REPORTER: And the Whites were greeted by neighbors and reporters 345 00:19:02,007 --> 00:19:03,208 at their home. 346 00:19:03,242 --> 00:19:05,077 ...very nice here, I certainly appreciate it. 347 00:19:05,110 --> 00:19:07,212 PAT WHITE: Hi. 348 00:19:07,246 --> 00:19:09,915 How are you? Thanks, Marty, 349 00:19:09,948 --> 00:19:12,718 Come on in later on, I'll tell you some stories. 350 00:19:12,751 --> 00:19:14,286 (Pat laughing) 351 00:19:16,021 --> 00:19:18,724 REPORTER: Soon after returning home, 352 00:19:18,757 --> 00:19:21,793 the Whites went swimming in a neighbor's pool. 353 00:19:23,795 --> 00:19:26,398 (children shrieking happily) 354 00:19:28,233 --> 00:19:29,401 CHILD: Daddy! 355 00:19:29,434 --> 00:19:31,370 ED DWIGHT: This confusion about the name 356 00:19:31,403 --> 00:19:32,871 with Ed White, Ed Dwight, 357 00:19:32,905 --> 00:19:36,875 about the black community getting him mixed up with me, 358 00:19:36,909 --> 00:19:39,912 all came to a head when, when Ed walked in space. 359 00:19:39,945 --> 00:19:42,080 ♪ 360 00:19:42,114 --> 00:19:46,385 Ed showed up one day-- he was, he was a very, very nice guy-- 361 00:19:46,418 --> 00:19:48,720 and he brought me two boxes of mail. 362 00:19:48,754 --> 00:19:52,791 He said to me, "I got two boxes of mail 363 00:19:52,824 --> 00:19:54,760 "that are really addressed to you, 364 00:19:54,793 --> 00:19:57,930 "and they're congratulating you, Ed Dwight, 365 00:19:57,963 --> 00:20:01,667 "as the first African-American to walk in space, 366 00:20:01,700 --> 00:20:03,168 "confusing you with me. 367 00:20:03,202 --> 00:20:06,972 "Now I understand why it's important 368 00:20:07,005 --> 00:20:08,840 for you to go into space." 369 00:20:08,874 --> 00:20:12,411 ♪ 370 00:20:15,747 --> 00:20:19,785 It was 20 years from the time I went into training 371 00:20:19,818 --> 00:20:24,723 to the time the first black astronaut was sent into space. 372 00:20:24,756 --> 00:20:28,627 Now, 20 years is a long time. 373 00:20:28,660 --> 00:20:31,563 America had to adjust 374 00:20:31,597 --> 00:20:35,300 to allow non-white people to go into space. 375 00:20:35,334 --> 00:20:37,236 Women, as well. 376 00:20:44,042 --> 00:20:49,214 ♪ 377 00:20:55,887 --> 00:21:00,359 ANDERS: The primary purpose with regard to Gemini 378 00:21:00,392 --> 00:21:03,462 was to demonstrate Earth-orbit rendezvous. 379 00:21:03,495 --> 00:21:07,466 ♪ WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 380 00:21:03,495 --> 00:21:07,466 ♪ 381 00:21:11,069 --> 00:21:14,406 And, of course, docking was important. 382 00:21:14,439 --> 00:21:18,010 ♪ 383 00:21:18,043 --> 00:21:23,582 And all of those things met with a lot of problems. 384 00:21:23,615 --> 00:21:27,653 Even though I had studied orbital mechanics in college, 385 00:21:27,686 --> 00:21:33,225 it still is perplexing to me. 386 00:21:33,258 --> 00:21:34,459 There's so many counterintuitive things. 387 00:21:34,493 --> 00:21:35,794 You slow down, 388 00:21:35,827 --> 00:21:37,729 which drops your orbit, 389 00:21:37,763 --> 00:21:39,731 which means you go around the Earth faster, 390 00:21:39,765 --> 00:21:42,701 and pretty soon, the thing that was in front of you 391 00:21:42,734 --> 00:21:45,237 is now above and behind you, 392 00:21:45,270 --> 00:21:47,172 and then you can speed up and catch him. 393 00:21:47,205 --> 00:21:49,308 ♪ 394 00:21:49,341 --> 00:21:52,477 The orbital rendezvous was so counterintuitive 395 00:21:52,511 --> 00:21:56,448 that you really had to use the onboard computer in Gemini 396 00:21:56,481 --> 00:21:59,785 in order to implement it. 397 00:21:59,818 --> 00:22:02,954 The expert in the group was Buzz Aldrin. 398 00:22:02,988 --> 00:22:07,659 I wouldn't be surprised if Buzz couldn't do it in his head. 399 00:22:07,693 --> 00:22:10,262 MAN: Roll 23, scene three, take one. 400 00:22:13,398 --> 00:22:14,566 I'm Lieutenant Aldrin. 401 00:22:14,599 --> 00:22:17,235 I just got down off my 56th mission. 402 00:22:17,269 --> 00:22:20,605 I'm stationed here at a advance base in Korea, 403 00:22:20,639 --> 00:22:24,776 flying with the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing. 404 00:22:24,810 --> 00:22:27,179 We were closing rather rapidly on the MiGs. 405 00:22:27,212 --> 00:22:29,214 I opened up fire on them 406 00:22:29,247 --> 00:22:32,784 while they were in this gradual turn. 407 00:22:32,818 --> 00:22:34,553 ALDRIN: Two MiGs were flying, 408 00:22:34,586 --> 00:22:36,955 and they never saw us. 409 00:22:36,988 --> 00:22:39,391 We just snuck up from behind, 410 00:22:39,424 --> 00:22:44,629 and as I was coming closer, why, a canopy came off, 411 00:22:44,663 --> 00:22:48,867 and then there was a flash, and the ejection seat went, 412 00:22:48,900 --> 00:22:50,702 and that was the first time 413 00:22:50,736 --> 00:22:56,441 a gun-camera film had ever seen an ejection. 414 00:22:56,475 --> 00:23:02,881 So that made "Life" magazine. 415 00:23:02,914 --> 00:23:06,718 Later, while I was at M.I.T., 416 00:23:06,752 --> 00:23:08,720 I wrote a thesis called, 417 00:23:08,754 --> 00:23:11,857 "Line-of-Sight Guidance Techniques 418 00:23:11,890 --> 00:23:15,627 for Manned Orbital Rendezvous." 419 00:23:15,660 --> 00:23:19,998 That came from fighter pilot experience, 420 00:23:20,031 --> 00:23:23,535 translating fighter pilot intercepts 421 00:23:23,568 --> 00:23:26,571 to spacecraft rendezvous. 422 00:23:26,605 --> 00:23:29,908 ♪ 423 00:23:42,421 --> 00:23:44,756 ♪ 424 00:23:55,734 --> 00:23:57,202 (device beeps) 425 00:23:57,235 --> 00:23:58,570 ARMSTRONG (on radio): Hello, Houston, 426 00:23:58,603 --> 00:24:00,605 this is Gemini 8. 427 00:24:00,639 --> 00:24:05,343 We're stationed keeping on the Agena at about 150 feet. 428 00:24:05,377 --> 00:24:09,080 BLOOM: Gemini 8, of course, was the Neil Armstrong flight WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 429 00:24:05,377 --> 00:24:09,080 BLOOM: Gemini 8, of course, was the Neil Armstrong flight 430 00:24:09,114 --> 00:24:14,586 where they, they had the first emergency in space. 431 00:24:14,619 --> 00:24:17,856 PAUL HANEY: Roger, do you have solid radar lock on with the Agena? 432 00:24:17,889 --> 00:24:19,224 Over. 433 00:24:19,257 --> 00:24:20,459 ARMSTRONG: That's affirmative. 434 00:24:20,492 --> 00:24:23,028 We have solid radar lock. 435 00:24:23,061 --> 00:24:25,063 HANEY: Neil Armstrong called in, 436 00:24:25,096 --> 00:24:27,265 and he was able to confirm at that time 437 00:24:27,299 --> 00:24:29,100 that radar lock had been... 438 00:24:29,134 --> 00:24:34,206 ALEXANDER: The Gemini spacecraft did hook up with an Agena. 439 00:24:34,239 --> 00:24:35,574 That was the stand-in 440 00:24:35,607 --> 00:24:38,910 for what became the lunar landing module. 441 00:24:38,944 --> 00:24:40,712 (clanks loudly) 442 00:24:40,745 --> 00:24:43,515 MISSION CONTROL: Let me know what you get out of that. 443 00:24:43,548 --> 00:24:46,685 (clanking) 444 00:24:46,718 --> 00:24:49,154 ARMSTRONG: Flight, we are docked. 445 00:24:49,187 --> 00:24:53,492 BLOOM: This emergency occurred when a thruster got stuck open, 446 00:24:53,525 --> 00:24:57,762 and they were spinning wildly, and they were in trouble. 447 00:24:57,796 --> 00:25:00,031 ARMSTRONG: We've got serious problems here. 448 00:25:00,065 --> 00:25:02,133 We're tumbling end over end. 449 00:25:03,335 --> 00:25:06,972 We're disengaged from the Agena. 450 00:25:07,005 --> 00:25:10,308 We're rolling up and I can't turn anything off. 451 00:25:10,342 --> 00:25:11,877 MISSION CONTROL: Say again? 452 00:25:11,910 --> 00:25:14,045 ARMSTRONG: We're in a violent left roll here 453 00:25:14,079 --> 00:25:15,614 at the present time. 454 00:25:15,647 --> 00:25:16,781 (Armstrong fading in and out) 455 00:25:16,815 --> 00:25:18,450 The RCSes are off and we can't fire... 456 00:25:18,483 --> 00:25:23,421 And we apparently have a roll on the stuck hand controller. 457 00:25:23,455 --> 00:25:25,690 MISSION CONTROL: Copy that. 458 00:25:25,724 --> 00:25:28,627 (alarms blaring) 459 00:25:39,604 --> 00:25:41,406 BLOOM: When the emergency occurred, 460 00:25:41,439 --> 00:25:43,942 I was in Houston, and you could hear everything. 461 00:25:43,975 --> 00:25:46,545 MISSION CONTROL: We can't seem to get any valid data here. 462 00:25:46,578 --> 00:25:48,747 It seems to be in a pretty violent tumble right now. 463 00:25:48,780 --> 00:25:52,751 ALEXANDER: They were into a really horrific spin, 464 00:25:52,784 --> 00:25:55,253 so much so that the astronauts 465 00:25:55,287 --> 00:25:57,188 were beginning to feel disoriented. 466 00:25:57,222 --> 00:26:00,158 MISSION CONTROL: We've lost considerable gas pressure... 467 00:26:00,191 --> 00:26:04,162 ARMSTRONG: Okay, we are regaining control of the spacecraft slowly 468 00:26:04,195 --> 00:26:06,731 in the RCS direct. 469 00:26:06,765 --> 00:26:09,534 MISSION CONTROL: Roger, copy. 470 00:26:09,568 --> 00:26:13,772 BLOOM: They were going to abort, and that was critical. 471 00:26:13,805 --> 00:26:17,309 They had to splash down early. 472 00:26:17,342 --> 00:26:22,647 ♪ 473 00:26:32,624 --> 00:26:36,995 (helicopter rotors whirring) 474 00:26:45,036 --> 00:26:46,404 ALEXANDER: It demonstrated 475 00:26:46,438 --> 00:26:51,343 that Neil Armstrong was a superb pilot, 476 00:26:51,376 --> 00:26:55,113 a superb judge of mechanical systems. 477 00:26:55,146 --> 00:26:58,817 God had given it to him with both hands, 478 00:26:58,850 --> 00:27:02,520 and he knew how to use that skill. 479 00:27:04,856 --> 00:27:06,858 He was decisive. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 480 00:27:04,856 --> 00:27:06,858 He was decisive. 481 00:27:12,597 --> 00:27:15,867 ♪ 482 00:27:23,908 --> 00:27:28,613 ALDRIN: Lovell and I flew on the last mission of Gemini, 483 00:27:28,647 --> 00:27:31,182 Gemini 12. 484 00:27:31,216 --> 00:27:33,985 If I hadn't flown on Gemini, 485 00:27:34,019 --> 00:27:39,991 I never would have gotten a choice assignment in Apollo. 486 00:27:44,696 --> 00:27:50,835 JIM LOVELL (on radio): You get in a good position for photography now. 487 00:27:50,869 --> 00:27:54,272 ALDRIN: Well, the space walking in the Gemini program 488 00:27:54,305 --> 00:27:58,410 was not very successful as it proceeded along. 489 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:06,885 COLLINS: We had not in our designs really thought through 490 00:28:06,918 --> 00:28:08,787 what happens to objects 491 00:28:08,820 --> 00:28:12,457 that bang together in weightlessness. 492 00:28:12,490 --> 00:28:13,925 If I touch that table, 493 00:28:13,958 --> 00:28:16,728 I go off in some totally three-dimensional, 494 00:28:16,761 --> 00:28:18,329 random direction, 495 00:28:18,363 --> 00:28:21,332 and very soon, you're just out of control. 496 00:28:23,835 --> 00:28:27,305 ALDRIN: They didn't want a partial success or failure 497 00:28:27,338 --> 00:28:29,808 on the last flight. 498 00:28:29,841 --> 00:28:34,479 A lot of things can go wrong. 499 00:28:34,512 --> 00:28:36,414 And I said, "Well, look, I've been a scuba diver, 500 00:28:36,448 --> 00:28:39,384 "and you, you don't work against the current, 501 00:28:39,417 --> 00:28:42,353 "you slowly kind of maneuver, 502 00:28:42,387 --> 00:28:47,158 "and it's delicate, how you move around. 503 00:28:47,192 --> 00:28:53,498 You need to do them delicately, not muscle." 504 00:28:53,531 --> 00:28:58,169 Some of the astronauts said, "No, no, 505 00:28:58,203 --> 00:29:00,038 "that's not going to be any good. 506 00:29:00,071 --> 00:29:04,642 There's a big difference between water and space." 507 00:29:04,676 --> 00:29:08,213 But everything I did do worked out so well 508 00:29:08,246 --> 00:29:09,614 that neutral buoyancy 509 00:29:09,647 --> 00:29:14,352 has, ever since, been the way you train. 510 00:29:17,021 --> 00:29:21,426 ANDERS: Gemini 12, with Aldrin and Lovell, 511 00:29:21,459 --> 00:29:25,230 was exceptionally successful. 512 00:29:25,263 --> 00:29:28,500 ALDRIN (on radio): It is November 11, Vets' Day. 513 00:29:28,533 --> 00:29:31,002 ANDERS: And I hand it to Buzz Aldrin. 514 00:29:31,035 --> 00:29:32,704 He really made advancements 515 00:29:32,737 --> 00:29:37,809 on working in space, to try to do things. 516 00:29:37,842 --> 00:29:42,280 ALDRIN (on radio): This is a little bit harder than it was underwater. 517 00:29:45,183 --> 00:29:47,585 ANDERS: That was the good news. 518 00:29:47,619 --> 00:29:50,655 The bad news was, they did such a good job 519 00:29:50,688 --> 00:29:52,624 that they canceled Gemini 13, 520 00:29:52,657 --> 00:29:55,660 which Neil and I were going to fly on. 521 00:29:57,529 --> 00:29:59,130 GARRY MOORE: Well, Mr. Armstrong, 522 00:29:59,164 --> 00:30:00,832 your son is one of the two civilians chosen. 523 00:30:00,865 --> 00:30:03,101 How long has he been flying, sir? 524 00:30:03,134 --> 00:30:05,370 Since before he was 16 years of age. 525 00:30:05,403 --> 00:30:07,305 Before 16? WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 526 00:30:05,403 --> 00:30:07,305 Before 16? 527 00:30:07,338 --> 00:30:09,274 This would mean that he had his wings 528 00:30:09,307 --> 00:30:10,742 before he had his driver's license. 529 00:30:10,775 --> 00:30:12,010 Right? That's right. 530 00:30:12,043 --> 00:30:13,478 Now, how would you feel, Mrs. Armstrong, 531 00:30:13,511 --> 00:30:15,446 if it turned out-- of course, nobody knows-- 532 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:17,348 but if it's your... if it turns out that your son 533 00:30:17,382 --> 00:30:18,983 is the first man to land on the moon, 534 00:30:19,017 --> 00:30:21,252 what, how... how will you feel? 535 00:30:23,321 --> 00:30:25,423 Well, I guess I'd just say God bless him, 536 00:30:25,456 --> 00:30:29,527 and I wish him the best of all good luck. 537 00:30:29,561 --> 00:30:34,732 ♪ 538 00:30:38,269 --> 00:30:43,341 HANEY: Well, gentlemen, the occasion, of course, 539 00:30:43,374 --> 00:30:50,181 is the naming of the first Apollo flight crew. 540 00:30:50,215 --> 00:30:56,921 The crewmen will be Lieutenant Colonel Virgil "Gus" Grissom, 541 00:30:56,955 --> 00:31:00,091 Lieutenant Colonel Edward H. White, 542 00:31:00,124 --> 00:31:03,695 and Lieutenant Roger B. Chaffee. 543 00:31:03,728 --> 00:31:06,264 Gus Grissom was the first of the astronauts 544 00:31:06,297 --> 00:31:08,366 to make two space flights, 545 00:31:08,399 --> 00:31:10,768 and now he will be the commander 546 00:31:10,802 --> 00:31:14,005 of the first Apollo flight mission. 547 00:31:14,038 --> 00:31:16,441 Of course, you know Ed White, 548 00:31:16,474 --> 00:31:20,445 he's become a pretty famous man in the last year. 549 00:31:20,478 --> 00:31:22,480 And I believe this will be 550 00:31:22,513 --> 00:31:25,583 Roger Chaffee's first space flight. 551 00:31:25,617 --> 00:31:30,788 And, of course, we wish all these men extremely well. 552 00:31:34,626 --> 00:31:36,227 Could you philosophize 553 00:31:36,261 --> 00:31:39,264 on just why you think we should go to the moon? 554 00:31:39,297 --> 00:31:41,332 I think there are so many questions... 555 00:31:41,366 --> 00:31:43,268 So many reasons why we should. 556 00:31:43,301 --> 00:31:48,673 And if we don't try to expand ourself and expand our horizons, 557 00:31:48,706 --> 00:31:50,241 which, I think the space program 558 00:31:50,275 --> 00:31:52,510 is the biggest example of expanding your horizons 559 00:31:52,543 --> 00:31:55,079 that man has ever undertaken, 560 00:31:55,113 --> 00:31:57,982 we're not going to progress as a nation. 561 00:31:58,016 --> 00:32:01,019 From all standpoints, it's a good program. 562 00:32:01,052 --> 00:32:03,554 And why we want to go to the moon specifically, 563 00:32:03,588 --> 00:32:08,693 well, it's the closest thing, that we haven't explored, 564 00:32:08,726 --> 00:32:10,662 to our Earth, and it's the first step 565 00:32:10,695 --> 00:32:13,865 into understanding the, the whole universe. 566 00:32:13,898 --> 00:32:16,601 MAN: 39X3, Take One. 567 00:32:16,634 --> 00:32:18,569 DIRECTOR: Background, action! 568 00:32:18,603 --> 00:32:20,772 MAN 2: Doris. 569 00:32:20,805 --> 00:32:23,508 Now, this is called the clean room. 570 00:32:23,541 --> 00:32:25,376 It's completely sterilized 571 00:32:25,410 --> 00:32:29,681 so that no dust or dirt will contaminate the critical parts. 572 00:32:29,714 --> 00:32:32,250 Workers entering the clean room must first stand 573 00:32:32,283 --> 00:32:33,484 on this crate, 574 00:32:33,518 --> 00:32:35,353 which shakes all the dirt loose 575 00:32:35,386 --> 00:32:37,822 from the shoes and the clothing, like this. 576 00:32:37,855 --> 00:32:43,227 (crate rumbling) 577 00:32:43,261 --> 00:32:46,564 (loudly): Um, I think we better move on now. 578 00:32:46,597 --> 00:32:47,999 We'll go in that direction. 579 00:32:48,032 --> 00:32:50,635 (rumbling continues) 580 00:32:50,668 --> 00:32:52,403 DIRECTOR: Cut, that's it. 581 00:32:52,437 --> 00:32:55,740 Well, we had a little trouble with that one, didn't we? 582 00:32:55,773 --> 00:32:59,677 As you've just seen, when we make a motion picture, 583 00:32:59,711 --> 00:33:03,514 we can shoot a scene over and over until we get it right. 584 00:33:03,548 --> 00:33:08,886 Now, Saturn and Apollo must be successful the very first time, WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 585 00:33:03,548 --> 00:33:08,886 Now, Saturn and Apollo must be successful the very first time, 586 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:13,691 because the astronauts' lives depend upon it. 587 00:33:13,725 --> 00:33:15,994 And from the caliber of people 588 00:33:16,027 --> 00:33:19,364 I have met in the aerospace business, 589 00:33:19,397 --> 00:33:24,235 and from the quality of the work I saw being done there, 590 00:33:24,268 --> 00:33:27,638 I'm certain that it will be successful-- 591 00:33:27,672 --> 00:33:31,309 and on the very first take. 592 00:33:31,342 --> 00:33:34,512 So, please, all of you, be extra careful. 593 00:33:34,545 --> 00:33:37,448 Be extra, extra careful. 594 00:33:37,482 --> 00:33:38,449 Won't you? 595 00:33:38,483 --> 00:33:41,319 ♪ 596 00:33:41,352 --> 00:33:45,256 COLLINS: We spent a lot of time out in North American Rockwell. 597 00:33:45,289 --> 00:33:46,958 Spent a lot of time 598 00:33:46,991 --> 00:33:50,895 at the factory with the people out in Downey, California, 599 00:33:50,928 --> 00:33:55,666 who assembled the actual spacecraft. 600 00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:59,203 There was a we-know-better kind of an arrogant attitude 601 00:33:59,237 --> 00:34:01,172 on the part of some of the managers, 602 00:34:01,205 --> 00:34:02,874 and it was a, a laid-back, 603 00:34:02,907 --> 00:34:06,244 "Well, we'll get it done one way or the other 604 00:34:06,277 --> 00:34:08,279 sometime, somehow," attitude 605 00:34:08,312 --> 00:34:10,014 on the part of some of the workers. 606 00:34:11,749 --> 00:34:14,419 I think there was not the dedication 607 00:34:14,452 --> 00:34:18,256 to the, the extremely strong work ethic. 608 00:34:18,289 --> 00:34:23,795 Things like building a, building a good spacecraft 609 00:34:23,828 --> 00:34:25,463 instead of worrying about whether you were going 610 00:34:25,496 --> 00:34:27,432 to get your camper up into the High Sierras 611 00:34:27,465 --> 00:34:29,500 for the weekend. 612 00:34:31,602 --> 00:34:33,404 REPORTER: You flew on, on Mercury, 613 00:34:33,438 --> 00:34:34,705 you flew on Gemini, 614 00:34:34,739 --> 00:34:37,375 now you're flying on, on Apollo. 615 00:34:37,408 --> 00:34:38,810 Does the law of averages 616 00:34:38,843 --> 00:34:42,046 so far as the possibility of a catastrophic failure 617 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:43,815 bother you at all, sir? 618 00:34:43,848 --> 00:34:47,418 No, you sort of have to put that out of your mind. 619 00:34:47,452 --> 00:34:48,920 There's always a possibility 620 00:34:48,953 --> 00:34:53,491 that you can have a catastrophic failure, of course. 621 00:34:53,524 --> 00:34:55,093 This can happen on any flight, 622 00:34:55,126 --> 00:34:56,794 it can happen on, on the last one 623 00:34:56,828 --> 00:34:58,262 as well as the first one. 624 00:34:58,296 --> 00:35:01,399 So you just plan as best you can 625 00:35:01,432 --> 00:35:05,403 to take care of all of these eventualities, 626 00:35:05,436 --> 00:35:08,172 and you get a well-trained crew, and you go fly. 627 00:35:08,206 --> 00:35:11,142 This spacecraft you're going to ride on 628 00:35:11,175 --> 00:35:13,878 is, to a certain extent, untried. 629 00:35:13,911 --> 00:35:15,880 (continues): You're taking the shakedown crew. 630 00:35:15,913 --> 00:35:18,449 Do you approach it with any apprehension 631 00:35:18,483 --> 00:35:20,918 as compared to the Gemini, which had been flown before? 632 00:35:20,952 --> 00:35:23,121 WHITE: No, I don't think so. 633 00:35:23,154 --> 00:35:26,958 I think you have to understand the feeling that a pilot has 634 00:35:26,991 --> 00:35:30,228 and that a test pilot has that... 635 00:35:30,261 --> 00:35:33,297 I, I look forward a great deal to the first flight. 636 00:35:33,331 --> 00:35:36,334 There's a great deal of pride involved 637 00:35:36,367 --> 00:35:39,103 in making a first flight. 638 00:35:39,137 --> 00:35:41,139 So I'm looking forward to the flight 639 00:35:41,172 --> 00:35:44,008 with a great deal of anticipation. 640 00:35:44,041 --> 00:35:47,879 REPORTER: Is anything scary about a first space flight, 641 00:35:47,912 --> 00:35:49,981 even though you've flown many hours 642 00:35:50,014 --> 00:35:52,483 in conventional aircraft, jet aircraft? 643 00:35:52,517 --> 00:35:55,786 Oh, I don't like to say anything's scary about it. 644 00:35:55,820 --> 00:35:57,922 There's a lot of unknowns, of course, 645 00:35:57,955 --> 00:36:00,091 and a lot of problems that could develop 646 00:36:00,124 --> 00:36:02,160 or might develop, and they'll have to be solved, 647 00:36:02,193 --> 00:36:04,028 and that's what we're there for. 648 00:36:04,061 --> 00:36:05,663 This is our business, 649 00:36:05,696 --> 00:36:07,965 to find out if this thing will work for us. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 650 00:36:05,696 --> 00:36:07,965 to find out if this thing will work for us. 651 00:36:07,999 --> 00:36:11,135 Um, um... 652 00:36:11,169 --> 00:36:13,838 But I don't think anybody is... 653 00:36:13,871 --> 00:36:16,908 You know, I don't like to use the word scared. 654 00:36:16,941 --> 00:36:18,910 I definitely think you're apprehensive, 655 00:36:18,943 --> 00:36:20,444 and you're considering what's involved there, 656 00:36:20,478 --> 00:36:22,780 you're thinking about it. 657 00:36:22,813 --> 00:36:24,115 But you know how to handle it 658 00:36:24,148 --> 00:36:25,616 and take care of it and do the job. 659 00:36:25,650 --> 00:36:31,255 ♪ 660 00:36:37,628 --> 00:36:39,130 GRISSOM (on radio): All right, this is Senior Pilot, 661 00:36:39,163 --> 00:36:41,599 counting one, two, three, four, five. 662 00:36:41,632 --> 00:36:43,601 Five, four, three, two, one, Senior Pilot. 663 00:36:43,634 --> 00:36:48,239 ♪ 664 00:36:48,272 --> 00:36:51,776 LAUNCH CONTROL (on radio): Pilot, I haven't talked to you yet, how's it feel? 665 00:36:51,809 --> 00:36:54,779 One, two, three, four, five, four, three, two, one. 666 00:36:54,812 --> 00:36:56,214 One, two. 667 00:36:56,247 --> 00:36:59,884 (Launch Control audio cutting in and out) 668 00:36:59,917 --> 00:37:02,119 Three, four, seven. 669 00:37:04,755 --> 00:37:06,624 GRISSOM: Hey, how are we gonna get to the moon 670 00:37:06,657 --> 00:37:08,359 if we can't talk between three buildings? 671 00:37:08,392 --> 00:37:12,363 (no audio on radio) 672 00:37:12,396 --> 00:37:15,533 GRISSOM: I can't hear a thing you're saying. 673 00:37:15,566 --> 00:37:17,535 Jesus Christ. 674 00:37:19,570 --> 00:37:21,038 Again? 675 00:37:24,108 --> 00:37:26,210 Said, how are we going to get to the moon if we can't talk 676 00:37:26,244 --> 00:37:27,545 between two or three buildings? 677 00:37:33,117 --> 00:37:35,586 CHAFFEE (on radio): Hey! 678 00:37:35,620 --> 00:37:38,189 Pilot's got a fire in the cockpit! 679 00:37:38,222 --> 00:37:40,291 (audio cutting out) 680 00:37:40,324 --> 00:37:45,896 (static crackling) 681 00:37:45,930 --> 00:37:48,266 There is a bad fire! 682 00:37:48,299 --> 00:37:49,834 (screaming): Help us! 683 00:37:49,867 --> 00:37:50,935 Help us! 684 00:37:50,968 --> 00:37:58,776 (static popping on radio) 685 00:37:58,809 --> 00:38:00,711 (static ends) 686 00:38:00,745 --> 00:38:02,847 LAUNCH CONTROL: Hey, crew, can you egress at this time? 687 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:03,881 Determine. 688 00:38:03,914 --> 00:38:06,050 Pad leader, get in there and help them. 689 00:38:06,083 --> 00:38:08,119 Pad leader, zero, three, three. 690 00:38:10,655 --> 00:38:12,690 All right, crew, did we get verification? 691 00:38:12,723 --> 00:38:14,392 Can you egress at this time? 692 00:38:14,425 --> 00:38:17,261 (no audio) 693 00:38:17,295 --> 00:38:19,196 (audio cutting in and out) 694 00:38:19,230 --> 00:38:21,098 Pad, were you able to hear them? 695 00:38:21,132 --> 00:38:24,568 (audio cutting in and out) 696 00:38:24,602 --> 00:38:26,003 Get them out of there. 697 00:38:26,037 --> 00:38:29,440 (radio squawking choppily) 698 00:38:29,473 --> 00:38:31,409 Gus, can you read us? 699 00:38:33,110 --> 00:38:34,245 Pad leader? 700 00:38:35,479 --> 00:38:37,415 Could you get them out of there? 701 00:38:40,051 --> 00:38:42,353 (radio squawking choppily) 702 00:38:44,855 --> 00:38:48,893 ♪ 703 00:38:48,926 --> 00:38:51,162 ANDERS: I was working in the yard, 704 00:38:51,195 --> 00:38:56,500 and... I got a call from Alan Bean. 705 00:38:56,534 --> 00:38:58,269 And he said, "We've had a fire, 706 00:38:58,302 --> 00:39:03,941 "and the three astronauts were killed, 707 00:39:03,974 --> 00:39:07,478 and would you go over and tell Pat White?" WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 708 00:39:03,974 --> 00:39:07,478 and would you go over and tell Pat White?" 709 00:39:07,511 --> 00:39:11,349 So I quickly jumped out of my lawn-mowing clothes 710 00:39:11,382 --> 00:39:15,886 and... drove over there. 711 00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:20,024 It took me maybe ten minutes. 712 00:39:20,057 --> 00:39:22,393 ♪ 713 00:39:22,426 --> 00:39:26,297 VALERIE ANDERS: It was very difficult, because Bill had to tell Pat White, 714 00:39:26,330 --> 00:39:29,633 and Janet was next door-- Janet Armstrong-- 715 00:39:29,667 --> 00:39:30,868 so she went over there. 716 00:39:30,901 --> 00:39:35,439 We didn't know how to divide ourselves right away, 717 00:39:35,473 --> 00:39:41,078 because of the three wives having to be told about it. 718 00:39:41,112 --> 00:39:44,148 So it was, it was just a time when... 719 00:39:44,181 --> 00:39:46,684 We were in shock. 720 00:39:47,618 --> 00:39:52,256 BILL ANDERS: I arrived, and... 721 00:39:52,289 --> 00:39:54,158 I walked up to her, 722 00:39:54,191 --> 00:39:58,028 and I, I think she sensed something. 723 00:39:58,062 --> 00:40:01,966 And I told her, and she broke down. 724 00:40:05,136 --> 00:40:08,072 America's first three Apollo astronauts 725 00:40:08,105 --> 00:40:10,307 were trapped and killed by a flash fire 726 00:40:10,341 --> 00:40:12,009 that swept their moon ship early tonight 727 00:40:12,042 --> 00:40:15,513 during a launchpad test at Cape Kennedy in Florida. 728 00:40:15,546 --> 00:40:17,782 They died at T minus ten minutes 729 00:40:17,815 --> 00:40:20,117 into a simulated launch countdown... 730 00:40:20,151 --> 00:40:24,021 (voice breaking): Helplessly trapped inside their spacecraft. 731 00:40:24,054 --> 00:40:26,524 REPORTER: And this is a hard phrase to say, 732 00:40:26,557 --> 00:40:28,125 but I think it's a necessary one. 733 00:40:28,159 --> 00:40:30,961 It would be an instantaneous death, would it not? 734 00:40:30,995 --> 00:40:32,963 I think that's a fair assumption. 735 00:40:32,997 --> 00:40:35,866 Apparently, they died absolutely instantly. 736 00:40:41,639 --> 00:40:45,009 ALEXANDER: I went to the NASA news center, 737 00:40:45,042 --> 00:40:47,044 and Jack King told me 738 00:40:47,077 --> 00:40:53,417 that the print media wanted me to be the pool reporter 739 00:40:53,451 --> 00:40:56,253 to go up and look into the spacecraft. 740 00:40:56,287 --> 00:41:01,425 ♪ 741 00:41:01,459 --> 00:41:06,630 And when I rode the elevator up to the top of the gantry 742 00:41:06,664 --> 00:41:10,935 to where the, the burned-out spacecraft was, 743 00:41:10,968 --> 00:41:14,939 there were only two or three people up there, 744 00:41:14,972 --> 00:41:16,307 and there was a photographer. 745 00:41:16,340 --> 00:41:18,242 ♪ 746 00:41:18,275 --> 00:41:21,479 The hatch was open, 747 00:41:21,512 --> 00:41:27,451 and the smell of burned paper and foam-- not flesh-- 748 00:41:27,485 --> 00:41:29,286 was very pronounced. 749 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:33,524 ♪ 750 00:41:34,692 --> 00:41:37,528 There were some anomalous things. 751 00:41:37,561 --> 00:41:40,030 For example, one side of the spacecraft 752 00:41:40,064 --> 00:41:42,933 just was a pile of ashes, 753 00:41:42,967 --> 00:41:45,336 but over on the other side, 754 00:41:45,369 --> 00:41:50,541 there were manuals and, and other flammable stuff, 755 00:41:50,574 --> 00:41:52,610 untouched. 756 00:41:55,679 --> 00:41:57,248 ALEXANDER (archival): The bottom of the spacecraft, below the frame, 757 00:41:57,281 --> 00:41:58,916 was littered with clumps of debris, 758 00:41:58,949 --> 00:42:00,851 which were unrecognizable. 759 00:42:00,885 --> 00:42:03,254 There were... I counted at least, 760 00:42:03,287 --> 00:42:07,224 at least 12 fire extinguishers. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 761 00:42:03,287 --> 00:42:07,224 at least 12 fire extinguishers. 762 00:42:07,258 --> 00:42:09,593 Some obviously had been used. 763 00:42:09,627 --> 00:42:11,395 Oh, by the way, 764 00:42:11,428 --> 00:42:14,632 there were several gas masks on the floor, just dropped. 765 00:42:14,665 --> 00:42:20,271 ALEXANDER: When the ground crew was able to open the hatch, 766 00:42:20,304 --> 00:42:25,109 they found the three bodies piled on top of one another. 767 00:42:25,142 --> 00:42:28,178 ♪ 768 00:42:35,753 --> 00:42:37,388 The hatch opened inward, 769 00:42:37,421 --> 00:42:39,723 so it had to be pulled from inside, 770 00:42:39,757 --> 00:42:42,426 pushed from the outside. 771 00:42:42,459 --> 00:42:48,532 And as the combustion process inside the spacecraft proceeded, 772 00:42:48,566 --> 00:42:53,270 it produced an enormous amount of, of gas. 773 00:42:53,304 --> 00:42:55,739 But the pressure was so high that the three of them-- 774 00:42:55,773 --> 00:42:58,776 three very young, vigorous, 775 00:42:58,809 --> 00:43:00,911 well-trained, well-conditioned men, 776 00:43:00,945 --> 00:43:06,584 could not pull that damn hatch back into the capsule 777 00:43:06,617 --> 00:43:08,052 and escape. 778 00:43:09,887 --> 00:43:13,057 MIKE WALLACE: Walter, I'm sure this hits you particularly hard, 779 00:43:13,090 --> 00:43:14,992 because these men were friends of yours. 780 00:43:15,025 --> 00:43:18,128 You knew Gus Grissom from the beginning 781 00:43:18,162 --> 00:43:20,431 down at Cape Kennedy. 782 00:43:20,464 --> 00:43:22,299 CRONKITE: Yes, indeed, Mike. 783 00:43:22,333 --> 00:43:25,703 That's, of course, true, and it does hit me hard. 784 00:43:25,736 --> 00:43:27,738 Uh, I think that... 785 00:43:27,771 --> 00:43:29,406 I think one thing should be said. 786 00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:33,477 It's... this is a time for great sadness, 787 00:43:33,510 --> 00:43:35,846 national sadness, and certainly the personal sadness 788 00:43:35,879 --> 00:43:38,315 of the people in the space program, 789 00:43:38,349 --> 00:43:40,417 but it's also a time for courage. 790 00:43:40,451 --> 00:43:45,789 And if that sounds trite, I'll change the words to guts. 791 00:43:45,823 --> 00:43:49,393 That this is a test program. 792 00:43:49,426 --> 00:43:51,362 We knew it was a test program, 793 00:43:51,395 --> 00:43:53,964 and these guys who went into it knew it was a test program. 794 00:43:53,998 --> 00:43:56,533 And a test program with equipment of this nature, 795 00:43:56,567 --> 00:43:58,769 as with anything where you're operating 796 00:43:58,802 --> 00:44:01,739 in a hostile environment, which space is-- 797 00:44:01,772 --> 00:44:03,641 and this was a hostile environment, 798 00:44:03,674 --> 00:44:05,643 even if they were on the ground-- 799 00:44:05,676 --> 00:44:08,579 this program is bound to claim its victims. 800 00:44:08,612 --> 00:44:13,784 ♪ 801 00:44:15,619 --> 00:44:20,190 ALEXANDER: Initially, NASA tried to hide the gruesome facts 802 00:44:20,224 --> 00:44:23,927 of their deaths. 803 00:44:23,961 --> 00:44:28,165 Did the three astronauts die instantaneously? 804 00:44:28,198 --> 00:44:30,334 Absolutely not. 805 00:44:30,367 --> 00:44:35,172 They lived for at least a minute 806 00:44:35,205 --> 00:44:40,878 before they died of smoke inhalation. 807 00:44:40,911 --> 00:44:44,248 "Dead is dead," the space agency felt. 808 00:44:44,281 --> 00:44:47,184 "Let's respect these men and their families 809 00:44:47,217 --> 00:44:49,053 and let it go with that." 810 00:44:49,086 --> 00:44:52,956 (jets roaring) 811 00:45:04,601 --> 00:45:08,806 OFFICER: Firing squad, fire three volleys. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 812 00:45:04,601 --> 00:45:08,806 OFFICER: Firing squad, fire three volleys. 813 00:45:11,975 --> 00:45:17,147 (guns fire three times) 814 00:45:17,181 --> 00:45:22,319 (drum rolls, bugle plays "Taps") 815 00:45:32,830 --> 00:45:37,501 VALERIE ANDERS: There was one funeral at West Point for Ed White, 816 00:45:37,534 --> 00:45:44,274 and we had another flight going to Arlington, 817 00:45:44,308 --> 00:45:46,310 so some of us went there. 818 00:45:46,343 --> 00:45:49,413 Some people managed to go to all the funerals, 819 00:45:49,446 --> 00:45:52,382 but it was, it was pretty chaotic, the whole thing. 820 00:45:52,416 --> 00:45:59,089 (horns playing softly) 821 00:45:59,123 --> 00:46:01,925 BORMAN: Well, that was the beginning of a... 822 00:46:01,959 --> 00:46:05,763 of a very, very traumatic year for me and my family. 823 00:46:08,165 --> 00:46:09,767 I had a hard time. 824 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:11,235 You know, I felt very hard for Ed White, 825 00:46:11,268 --> 00:46:15,606 and I felt very hard for Gus and Roger. 826 00:46:15,639 --> 00:46:19,042 We were... 827 00:46:19,076 --> 00:46:20,711 We were close. 828 00:46:24,314 --> 00:46:26,250 Our closest friends were Pat and Ed White. 829 00:46:28,385 --> 00:46:32,289 And his death devastated Pat. 830 00:46:34,658 --> 00:46:37,261 It was just a tough time. 831 00:46:39,396 --> 00:46:40,964 ANDERS: It was really tough for her, 832 00:46:40,998 --> 00:46:44,768 and then eventually, she committed suicide. 833 00:46:50,107 --> 00:46:55,479 (water lapping) 834 00:46:55,512 --> 00:46:58,382 REPORTER: No one knows when the program will be resumed, 835 00:46:58,415 --> 00:47:00,517 but there's a feeling here 836 00:47:00,551 --> 00:47:03,220 that Friday's tragedy will only slow down the program 837 00:47:03,253 --> 00:47:04,655 for a short time. 838 00:47:04,688 --> 00:47:07,391 The big questions remain: how did the fire start? 839 00:47:07,424 --> 00:47:09,426 Why did it start? 840 00:47:09,459 --> 00:47:11,361 Did a spark come from an overloaded circuit? 841 00:47:11,395 --> 00:47:15,165 Was the spacecraft on internal or exterior power 842 00:47:15,199 --> 00:47:17,034 at the time of the flash? 843 00:47:17,067 --> 00:47:18,635 ♪ 844 00:47:18,669 --> 00:47:20,304 BORMAN: After the fire at the Cape, 845 00:47:20,337 --> 00:47:25,676 some people, they couldn't handle it very well, 846 00:47:25,709 --> 00:47:28,478 and then there were a lot of drinking and staying out 847 00:47:28,512 --> 00:47:30,514 and a lot of pill taking, 848 00:47:30,547 --> 00:47:35,052 and some of us got drunk, some of us went nuts. 849 00:47:35,085 --> 00:47:36,720 ♪ 850 00:47:36,753 --> 00:47:42,392 My anguish and my concern lasted about three days. 851 00:47:42,426 --> 00:47:44,061 Then, "What's next? 852 00:47:44,094 --> 00:47:47,164 Let's get on with the job." 853 00:47:47,197 --> 00:47:49,867 ♪ 854 00:47:49,900 --> 00:47:53,570 REPORTER: The service tower on Pad 34 will be rolled back today, 855 00:47:53,604 --> 00:47:57,941 and the painstaking work of removing the Apollo spacecraft 856 00:47:57,975 --> 00:47:59,877 from its Saturn booster 857 00:47:59,910 --> 00:48:01,545 will get underway. 858 00:48:01,578 --> 00:48:04,948 Then the spacecraft itself will be lifted off, 859 00:48:04,982 --> 00:48:06,316 and the remains of it WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 860 00:48:04,982 --> 00:48:06,316 and the remains of it 861 00:48:06,350 --> 00:48:08,318 will be taken apart bit by bit, 862 00:48:08,352 --> 00:48:10,287 to see what went wrong. 863 00:48:10,320 --> 00:48:14,791 ♪ 864 00:48:24,234 --> 00:48:25,669 BORMAN: That was the most thorough examination, 865 00:48:25,702 --> 00:48:29,106 up to that time, of any accident. 866 00:48:29,139 --> 00:48:33,277 I'd climb in and say, "Okay, 867 00:48:33,310 --> 00:48:35,946 this switch is in the on position," 868 00:48:35,979 --> 00:48:39,716 and then we, we just went through. 869 00:48:39,750 --> 00:48:41,752 A wrench was found, a discarded wrench was found 870 00:48:41,785 --> 00:48:43,120 in the spacecraft, 871 00:48:43,153 --> 00:48:47,658 and it was just clear 872 00:48:47,691 --> 00:48:51,528 that things had not been going as well as they should have. 873 00:48:51,561 --> 00:48:57,801 The absolute determination of what started the fire 874 00:48:57,834 --> 00:48:59,803 was never discovered. 875 00:48:59,836 --> 00:49:02,439 We believe we knew what happened. 876 00:49:02,472 --> 00:49:04,441 We believe that it was a frayed wire 877 00:49:04,474 --> 00:49:07,477 down around the environmental control system, 878 00:49:07,511 --> 00:49:11,148 but it was impossible to say with certainty, 879 00:49:11,181 --> 00:49:14,618 "Well, this failed, or that failed." 880 00:49:17,287 --> 00:49:18,522 BILL ANDERS: There were so many things wrong 881 00:49:18,555 --> 00:49:21,491 with the initial Apollo 1 spacecraft 882 00:49:21,525 --> 00:49:24,828 that I don't think it would have survived a trip to the moon. 883 00:49:24,861 --> 00:49:29,800 Pressurizing the spacecraft with 100% oxygen, 884 00:49:29,833 --> 00:49:31,768 anything will burn-- 885 00:49:31,802 --> 00:49:34,404 an asbestos fire blanket will burn. 886 00:49:34,438 --> 00:49:38,108 So why NASA, in all their otherwise brilliance, 887 00:49:38,141 --> 00:49:42,846 allowed this test to happen, it amazes me. 888 00:49:42,879 --> 00:49:48,752 But they did, and a spark ignited that thing. 889 00:49:51,288 --> 00:49:54,324 KHRUSHCHEV: Before the American disaster, 890 00:49:54,358 --> 00:49:59,196 we have the same fire, like it was in the Apollo, 891 00:49:59,229 --> 00:50:03,600 because both countries tried to build the spacecrafts 892 00:50:03,633 --> 00:50:06,570 as light as possible. 893 00:50:06,603 --> 00:50:08,271 And at first they thought, 894 00:50:08,305 --> 00:50:11,708 "Let's use the pure oxygen in the capsule," 895 00:50:11,742 --> 00:50:13,143 and one of these testing, 896 00:50:13,176 --> 00:50:18,382 the person who was there, he burned alive. 897 00:50:18,415 --> 00:50:20,117 He died, but Soviets kept it secret. 898 00:50:20,150 --> 00:50:24,287 They don't want to publicize their disasters. 899 00:50:24,321 --> 00:50:28,091 ♪ 900 00:50:34,531 --> 00:50:39,069 MARGARET CHASE SMITH: Why wasn't the seriousness of the situation 901 00:50:39,102 --> 00:50:40,303 regarding the multi-billion-dollar contracts 902 00:50:40,337 --> 00:50:41,271 at North American 903 00:50:41,304 --> 00:50:42,706 made known to the committee? 904 00:50:42,739 --> 00:50:44,374 Would you not feel 905 00:50:44,408 --> 00:50:47,844 that the chairman and other members of the committee 906 00:50:47,878 --> 00:50:49,813 should have been briefed on the situation? 907 00:50:49,846 --> 00:50:54,317 The facts are, are they not, 908 00:50:54,351 --> 00:50:57,654 that this committee has a responsibility 909 00:50:57,687 --> 00:51:02,259 to pursue the matter to determine, uh, uh... 910 00:51:02,292 --> 00:51:05,462 whether there was negligence on the part of... 911 00:51:05,495 --> 00:51:08,031 BLOOM: Most of those congressmen and the senators WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 912 00:51:05,495 --> 00:51:08,031 BLOOM: Most of those congressmen and the senators 913 00:51:08,065 --> 00:51:11,368 didn't have a clue what they were asking. 914 00:51:11,401 --> 00:51:14,538 They would ask questions and didn't know how to follow up. 915 00:51:14,571 --> 00:51:18,375 HOWARD CANNON: Mr. Webb, I'd like to ask you first, 916 00:51:18,408 --> 00:51:20,377 whether or not that was a change, 917 00:51:20,410 --> 00:51:22,045 and if it was a change, 918 00:51:22,079 --> 00:51:24,047 what was the specific change 919 00:51:24,081 --> 00:51:25,849 and what was the necessity for it? 920 00:51:25,882 --> 00:51:28,552 Referring to flammable materials 921 00:51:28,585 --> 00:51:30,754 and the, and... 922 00:51:30,787 --> 00:51:34,391 Then the recommendation that... 923 00:51:34,424 --> 00:51:36,593 BLOOM: They were senators and congressmen 924 00:51:36,626 --> 00:51:38,795 trying to get publicity for themselves, 925 00:51:38,829 --> 00:51:40,497 so, no, I don't think those hearings 926 00:51:40,530 --> 00:51:44,000 were all that important, except politically speaking, 927 00:51:44,034 --> 00:51:46,336 and I don't think there was ever a thought 928 00:51:46,369 --> 00:51:48,705 that they wouldn't continue on to the moon. 929 00:51:48,738 --> 00:51:50,507 GEORGE MUELLER: One has always to balance 930 00:51:50,540 --> 00:51:53,643 the risks in this... in, in one of these programs. 931 00:51:53,677 --> 00:51:59,483 There is no way of guaranteeing that every risk can be avoided, 932 00:51:59,516 --> 00:52:01,751 and I don't... I don't think 933 00:52:01,785 --> 00:52:04,955 that we, we have eliminated risk from the program. 934 00:52:04,988 --> 00:52:06,823 JAMES WEBB: The difficulties are related 935 00:52:06,857 --> 00:52:10,327 to the, the problems of going to the moon and coming back. 936 00:52:10,360 --> 00:52:13,964 And we right now have a number of extremely serious situations, 937 00:52:13,997 --> 00:52:15,465 but we also believe we know 938 00:52:15,499 --> 00:52:16,733 that we can overcome them and fly. 939 00:52:16,766 --> 00:52:18,401 They are no more difficult 940 00:52:18,435 --> 00:52:20,604 than those we've faced over the last five or six years. 941 00:52:20,637 --> 00:52:22,005 Maybe less difficult. 942 00:52:22,038 --> 00:52:24,374 And the problems of, of this week 943 00:52:24,407 --> 00:52:26,076 are never the problems of next week. 944 00:52:26,109 --> 00:52:28,345 It's a constant series of a large number of problems 945 00:52:28,378 --> 00:52:31,081 with each one being solved, and another one emerges. 946 00:52:31,114 --> 00:52:32,749 And in the end, you get to the point 947 00:52:32,782 --> 00:52:35,886 that you have enough confidence to launch the equipment. 948 00:52:39,122 --> 00:52:41,992 BORMAN: I testified for both the House and the Senate. 949 00:52:42,025 --> 00:52:45,061 When you sit up before this committee, 950 00:52:45,095 --> 00:52:49,766 and you got reporters handing these guys questions to ask you, 951 00:52:49,799 --> 00:52:51,134 because the people there, 952 00:52:51,168 --> 00:52:54,037 they don't know their butt from third base. 953 00:52:54,070 --> 00:52:57,073 Basically, I think I said, "Why don't you stop this witch hunt 954 00:52:57,107 --> 00:53:00,043 and let us get on with the job?" 955 00:53:00,076 --> 00:53:04,214 ♪ 956 00:53:04,247 --> 00:53:07,517 ANDERS: Frank Borman, he led the review, 957 00:53:07,551 --> 00:53:12,489 and many changes resulted in a lot better spacecraft. 958 00:53:12,522 --> 00:53:14,858 The first hatches were designed 959 00:53:14,891 --> 00:53:17,894 as any sensible hatch guy would do, you know, 960 00:53:17,928 --> 00:53:20,697 so it wouldn't blow out in space. 961 00:53:20,730 --> 00:53:23,900 And it turned out, in retrospect, 962 00:53:23,934 --> 00:53:26,803 that it was just one of a series of mistakes. 963 00:53:26,836 --> 00:53:29,005 ♪ 964 00:53:29,039 --> 00:53:31,875 The replacement hatch, 965 00:53:31,908 --> 00:53:35,245 I mean, it looked like a hatch engineer's wet dream, 966 00:53:35,278 --> 00:53:38,114 with all these gears and latches and whatnot. 967 00:53:38,148 --> 00:53:41,551 I kept looking at it, thinking, "Jeez, don't touch it." 968 00:53:41,585 --> 00:53:45,622 BORMAN: The subsequent actions 969 00:53:45,655 --> 00:53:50,160 instituted some very, very sweeping changes. 970 00:53:50,193 --> 00:53:53,563 Management changes, technical changes were made, 971 00:53:53,597 --> 00:53:55,765 that gave us a vehicle 972 00:53:55,799 --> 00:53:58,635 that was far superior to the one that they died in. 973 00:53:58,668 --> 00:54:03,340 ♪ 974 00:54:03,373 --> 00:54:06,810 The lunar module, it was also lagging behind. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 975 00:54:03,373 --> 00:54:06,810 The lunar module, it was also lagging behind. 976 00:54:06,843 --> 00:54:09,212 It had never flown. 977 00:54:09,246 --> 00:54:11,181 They realized that there were all kinds of problems 978 00:54:11,214 --> 00:54:15,452 in that, too. 979 00:54:15,485 --> 00:54:17,821 ♪ 980 00:54:17,854 --> 00:54:20,890 REPORTER: It looks like the world's fanciest cocoon. 981 00:54:20,924 --> 00:54:25,762 Inside is a lunar module, one of the series of spacecraft 982 00:54:25,795 --> 00:54:30,066 designed to land Americans on the moon before 1970. 983 00:54:30,100 --> 00:54:34,170 But the elaborate cocoon hides a troubled butterfly-- 984 00:54:34,204 --> 00:54:37,874 an Apollo program substantially over budget 985 00:54:37,907 --> 00:54:40,477 and so drastically behind schedule 986 00:54:40,510 --> 00:54:43,880 that the goal of a manned lunar landing in the 1960s 987 00:54:43,913 --> 00:54:45,682 may already be lost. 988 00:54:46,850 --> 00:54:50,353 BORMAN: The fire shook the confidence, 989 00:54:50,387 --> 00:54:53,356 the public confidence, in NASA. 990 00:54:53,390 --> 00:54:56,626 I think NASA had a really almost golden image, 991 00:54:56,660 --> 00:54:59,095 and then all of a sudden, that was shattered. 992 00:55:02,932 --> 00:55:06,536 The space program, up to now, has been a crash program. 993 00:55:06,569 --> 00:55:08,371 In other words, we've said, "We're going to the moon 994 00:55:08,405 --> 00:55:10,640 no matter what." 995 00:55:10,674 --> 00:55:15,378 Well, I think that we've got to abandon that emphasis. 996 00:55:15,412 --> 00:55:17,280 This doesn't mean we abandon space-- 997 00:55:17,314 --> 00:55:19,983 we can't, we're not likely to. 998 00:55:20,016 --> 00:55:23,253 Man has reached this threshold, he's not going to back off. 999 00:55:23,286 --> 00:55:25,422 And so we're going to continue our effort 1000 00:55:25,455 --> 00:55:26,956 to probe ever deeper in space, 1001 00:55:26,990 --> 00:55:28,858 but it's got to be at... in accordance 1002 00:55:28,892 --> 00:55:30,527 with a different order of priorities. 1003 00:55:30,560 --> 00:55:33,196 There are some things here on Earth that we should now do, 1004 00:55:33,229 --> 00:55:34,864 no matter what. 1005 00:55:34,898 --> 00:55:37,133 ♪ 1006 00:55:37,167 --> 00:55:40,036 ROGER LAUNIUS: Everybody at NASA 1007 00:55:40,070 --> 00:55:41,938 who worked on the Apollo program will tell you, 1008 00:55:41,971 --> 00:55:43,907 is that in 1961, when they got the mission to go to the moon, 1009 00:55:43,940 --> 00:55:46,509 they sort of put their heads down to work on this problem. 1010 00:55:46,543 --> 00:55:51,981 So the, the desperation of the civil rights crusade, 1011 00:55:52,015 --> 00:55:54,017 the desire to have more inclusiveness-- 1012 00:55:54,050 --> 00:55:55,885 women's rights and so on-- 1013 00:55:55,919 --> 00:56:01,591 all of the issues that were transformed during that era-- 1014 00:56:01,624 --> 00:56:03,193 they sort of got left behind, 1015 00:56:03,226 --> 00:56:07,263 and these guys sort of missed the '60s. 1016 00:56:09,899 --> 00:56:12,502 (explosion roaring) 1017 00:56:12,535 --> 00:56:15,605 (gunfire, more explosions echo) 1018 00:56:15,638 --> 00:56:18,641 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: If our nation can spend 1019 00:56:18,675 --> 00:56:22,979 $35 billion a year 1020 00:56:23,012 --> 00:56:27,050 to fight an unjust evil war in Vietnam, 1021 00:56:27,083 --> 00:56:31,054 and $20 billion to put a man on the moon, 1022 00:56:31,087 --> 00:56:33,456 it can spend billions of dollars 1023 00:56:33,490 --> 00:56:35,525 to put God's children on their own two feet, 1024 00:56:35,558 --> 00:56:39,028 right here on Earth. 1025 00:56:39,062 --> 00:56:41,264 ♪ 1026 00:56:41,297 --> 00:56:45,235 BORMAN: You know, 1968 wasn't a very good year 1027 00:56:45,268 --> 00:56:46,836 from the standpoint of Americans, 1028 00:56:46,870 --> 00:56:51,174 with the assassinations and, and the war in Vietnam. 1029 00:56:51,207 --> 00:56:53,843 (crowd clamoring) 1030 00:56:53,877 --> 00:56:59,282 I, I was aware of what was going on... 1031 00:56:59,315 --> 00:57:04,187 (gun firing, whistle blowing, crowd clamoring) WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1032 00:57:07,290 --> 00:57:09,559 (gun fires) 1033 00:57:09,592 --> 00:57:13,129 ...but I was not part of that scene. 1034 00:57:13,163 --> 00:57:14,597 I was totally engrossed 1035 00:57:14,631 --> 00:57:17,801 in trying to get to the moon and back. 1036 00:57:17,834 --> 00:57:21,304 So it was almost as if 1037 00:57:21,337 --> 00:57:25,074 I was living on another planet then. 1038 00:57:25,108 --> 00:57:31,114 ♪ 1039 00:57:31,147 --> 00:57:34,584 WERNHER VON BRAUN: There are many other things competing for public interest. 1040 00:57:34,617 --> 00:57:36,753 There's an election coming up, 1041 00:57:36,786 --> 00:57:40,190 and there's a war going on in Vietnam, 1042 00:57:40,223 --> 00:57:42,792 and there are problems in the cities, 1043 00:57:42,826 --> 00:57:45,962 and... 1044 00:57:45,995 --> 00:57:47,530 Quite a few people seem to believe 1045 00:57:47,564 --> 00:57:51,501 that we have taken money away from the public purse. 1046 00:57:51,534 --> 00:57:54,804 We prefer to see our space program 1047 00:57:54,838 --> 00:57:56,439 in a somewhat different light. 1048 00:57:56,473 --> 00:57:58,942 We believe that we are actually producing values 1049 00:57:58,975 --> 00:58:00,944 and we are producing values at a faster rate 1050 00:58:00,977 --> 00:58:04,714 than we are taking money out of the Treasury. 1051 00:58:09,819 --> 00:58:12,722 ANDERS: Early on, we were all trotted around 1052 00:58:12,755 --> 00:58:15,492 to Huntsville and other places 1053 00:58:15,525 --> 00:58:18,561 where they were building parts of the Saturn V. 1054 00:58:21,364 --> 00:58:25,134 The Saturn V is taller than the Statue of Liberty. 1055 00:58:25,168 --> 00:58:29,339 It can carry a payload of 280,000 pounds 1056 00:58:29,372 --> 00:58:31,341 into a low-Earth orbit, 1057 00:58:31,374 --> 00:58:34,944 which is the equivalent of about 35 Gemini spacecraft. 1058 00:58:34,978 --> 00:58:37,680 With this vehicle, 1059 00:58:37,714 --> 00:58:40,783 the flight to the moon will be accomplished. 1060 00:58:43,186 --> 00:58:46,422 ANDERS: It was basically an analog rocket. 1061 00:58:46,456 --> 00:58:49,993 We had less intelligence in its guidance system 1062 00:58:50,026 --> 00:58:54,364 than I have in a Casio watch. 1063 00:58:54,397 --> 00:58:59,369 It probably was the most complicated pile of technology 1064 00:58:59,402 --> 00:59:01,204 that anybody had built. 1065 00:59:03,940 --> 00:59:08,378 (rockets firing) 1066 00:59:09,779 --> 00:59:12,181 BUCKBEE: Von Braun believed in testing. 1067 00:59:12,215 --> 00:59:16,452 I cannot emphasize that term enough. 1068 00:59:16,486 --> 00:59:18,288 (rockets fire) 1069 00:59:18,321 --> 00:59:19,923 Test, test, test. 1070 00:59:19,956 --> 00:59:21,791 Test to the point it breaks. 1071 00:59:21,824 --> 00:59:24,527 (thrusters roaring) 1072 00:59:24,561 --> 00:59:26,529 His idea was, you test the first booster. 1073 00:59:26,563 --> 00:59:28,731 Once you're satisfied that the first stage is successful, 1074 00:59:28,765 --> 00:59:30,900 then you put the live second stage on, 1075 00:59:30,934 --> 00:59:32,769 you test that until you're satisfied 1076 00:59:32,802 --> 00:59:34,237 that those two stages are correct, 1077 00:59:34,270 --> 00:59:35,638 and finally, you put the third stage on, 1078 00:59:35,672 --> 00:59:39,475 and you test it. 1079 00:59:39,509 --> 00:59:42,979 We ground-tested all of those stages 1080 00:59:43,012 --> 00:59:45,715 before they were ever shipped to the Cape for launch. 1081 00:59:45,748 --> 00:59:48,585 (rumbling loudly, hissing) 1082 00:59:48,618 --> 00:59:51,888 Well, that was the concept. 1083 00:59:54,724 --> 00:59:58,361 When George Mueller became involved-- 1084 00:59:58,394 --> 01:00:01,030 he was Von Braun's boss-- you know, Mueller says, 1085 01:00:01,064 --> 01:00:02,832 "If we're going to beat the Russians, 1086 01:00:02,865 --> 01:00:05,168 "and we're going to do it within this decade, 1087 01:00:05,201 --> 01:00:07,403 "we've got to jump-start this program. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1088 01:00:05,201 --> 01:00:07,403 "we've got to jump-start this program. 1089 01:00:07,437 --> 01:00:10,306 "So why not go all-up, unmanned, 1090 01:00:10,340 --> 01:00:13,876 "with all three stages hot, 1091 01:00:13,910 --> 01:00:15,178 and look at everything carefully?" 1092 01:00:15,211 --> 01:00:19,148 He came up with the idea of the all-up test. 1093 01:00:19,182 --> 01:00:21,985 ♪ 1094 01:00:22,018 --> 01:00:25,555 Von Braun did not believe in all-up. 1095 01:00:25,588 --> 01:00:28,925 He was not comfortable with that at all, 1096 01:00:28,958 --> 01:00:32,762 because they had never followed that process. 1097 01:00:32,795 --> 01:00:39,102 BLOOM: This was the first unmanned test of the Saturn V, 1098 01:00:39,135 --> 01:00:42,138 the rocket that was going to take men to the moon. 1099 01:00:42,171 --> 01:00:44,907 So everyone was there. 1100 01:00:46,976 --> 01:00:50,780 And it was the first launching after the Apollo fire. 1101 01:00:50,813 --> 01:00:52,782 If that failed, 1102 01:00:52,815 --> 01:00:56,285 then NASA was not going to get to the moon 1103 01:00:56,319 --> 01:00:58,054 during the decade. 1104 01:00:58,087 --> 01:01:02,592 ♪ 1105 01:01:02,625 --> 01:01:07,063 ALEXANDER: Just this enormous, enormous structure, 1106 01:01:07,096 --> 01:01:09,599 and you knew that once it was filled 1107 01:01:09,632 --> 01:01:12,301 with kerosene and liquid oxygen, 1108 01:01:12,335 --> 01:01:15,705 you were dealing with a very massive, 1109 01:01:15,738 --> 01:01:17,840 tremendous amount of energy-- 1110 01:01:17,874 --> 01:01:21,077 just mind-boggling. 1111 01:01:23,146 --> 01:01:24,814 BLOOM: I mean, it was, everybody was... 1112 01:01:24,847 --> 01:01:28,284 There's seven-and-a-half million pounds of thrust 1113 01:01:28,317 --> 01:01:31,387 in the first stage, and what does that mean, really? 1114 01:01:31,421 --> 01:01:33,022 I mean, it sounds impressive, 1115 01:01:33,056 --> 01:01:36,192 but what would it really mean when it launched? 1116 01:01:36,225 --> 01:01:41,130 ♪ 1117 01:01:45,968 --> 01:01:47,637 (talking in background) 1118 01:01:47,670 --> 01:01:51,507 BLOOM: By that time, the networks had all built trailers at the Cape, 1119 01:01:51,541 --> 01:01:55,611 and they had large windows that looked out on the launch site, 1120 01:01:55,645 --> 01:01:57,447 three-and-a-half miles away. 1121 01:01:57,480 --> 01:01:59,582 MAN (on radio): Check the generators for power transfer. 1122 01:01:59,615 --> 01:02:02,919 BLOOM: And nobody quite knew what the Saturn V was going to do. 1123 01:02:02,952 --> 01:02:08,891 (people talking on radio) 1124 01:02:08,925 --> 01:02:12,462 KING (archival): One, two, three, four... 1125 01:02:12,495 --> 01:02:14,130 KING (voiceover): On the first Saturn V launch, 1126 01:02:14,163 --> 01:02:17,600 you know when I say, "Ignition sequence start"... 1127 01:02:17,633 --> 01:02:19,902 KING (archival): ...nine, ignition sequence start. 1128 01:02:19,936 --> 01:02:22,071 KING: You've got those five giant engines, 1129 01:02:22,105 --> 01:02:23,673 and they ignite. 1130 01:02:23,706 --> 01:02:27,043 (engines ignite) 1131 01:02:27,076 --> 01:02:28,945 And it takes the remainder of the countdown 1132 01:02:28,978 --> 01:02:31,380 for them build up that seven-and-a-half million pounds 1133 01:02:31,414 --> 01:02:32,882 of thrust. 1134 01:02:32,915 --> 01:02:37,286 KING (archival): Five, four, we have ignition. 1135 01:02:37,320 --> 01:02:41,023 All engines are running. 1136 01:02:41,057 --> 01:02:44,961 ♪ 1137 01:02:44,994 --> 01:02:48,731 (engines roaring) 1138 01:02:52,201 --> 01:02:56,105 KING: And there it was, sitting in a bed of flames. 1139 01:02:56,139 --> 01:02:57,874 It seemed like an eternity. 1140 01:02:57,907 --> 01:03:01,778 ♪ 1141 01:03:05,114 --> 01:03:09,152 And there were still five giant swing arms WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1142 01:03:05,114 --> 01:03:09,152 And there were still five giant swing arms 1143 01:03:09,185 --> 01:03:12,421 attached to that rocket. 1144 01:03:12,455 --> 01:03:15,525 And then all of a sudden, it would slowly lift off. 1145 01:03:15,558 --> 01:03:19,228 KING (archival): We have liftoff, we have liftoff at 7:00 a.m. 1146 01:03:19,262 --> 01:03:22,064 (rocket roaring) 1147 01:03:23,833 --> 01:03:28,004 ♪ 1148 01:03:33,509 --> 01:03:37,180 (rocket roaring) 1149 01:03:47,156 --> 01:03:49,091 BLOOM: We were three-and-a-half miles away, 1150 01:03:49,125 --> 01:03:50,793 so you can see it, 1151 01:03:50,827 --> 01:03:53,196 but the sound and shock wave took several seconds 1152 01:03:53,229 --> 01:03:54,230 to get to us. 1153 01:03:54,263 --> 01:03:59,402 (sound booms, rocket roaring) 1154 01:04:11,347 --> 01:04:13,783 ♪ 1155 01:04:13,816 --> 01:04:16,619 KING: I thought the whole damn roof was going to come down 1156 01:04:16,652 --> 01:04:18,221 on top of us. 1157 01:04:18,254 --> 01:04:20,189 Walter Cronkite was knocked off his chair 1158 01:04:20,223 --> 01:04:22,491 in his trailer over at the press site. 1159 01:04:22,525 --> 01:04:23,926 CRONKITE: Oh, it's terrific! 1160 01:04:23,960 --> 01:04:25,795 The building's shaking! 1161 01:04:28,464 --> 01:04:30,366 This big glass window was shaking 1162 01:04:30,399 --> 01:04:32,602 and we're holding it with our hands. 1163 01:04:32,635 --> 01:04:34,737 Look at that rocket go! 1164 01:04:34,770 --> 01:04:39,942 ♪ 1165 01:04:46,382 --> 01:04:50,119 (people talking on radio) 1166 01:04:50,152 --> 01:04:53,456 ♪ 1167 01:04:53,489 --> 01:04:54,690 MAN (on radio): How's it looking? 1168 01:04:54,724 --> 01:04:55,992 MAN 2 (on radio): Pretty good. 1169 01:04:56,025 --> 01:05:00,296 ♪ 1170 01:05:01,998 --> 01:05:03,633 BUCKBEE: Everyone just looked around and said, you know, 1171 01:05:03,666 --> 01:05:05,735 "It really did work, I mean, it's fantastic. 1172 01:05:05,768 --> 01:05:07,036 It's working, working!" 1173 01:05:07,069 --> 01:05:08,771 (people applauding) 1174 01:05:10,106 --> 01:05:13,109 (cheering, whistling) 1175 01:05:15,211 --> 01:05:16,612 REPORTER: Dr. von Braun, 1176 01:05:16,646 --> 01:05:18,047 whenever there's a space accomplishment, 1177 01:05:18,080 --> 01:05:20,316 the question inevitably arises: 1178 01:05:20,349 --> 01:05:22,485 "Are we ahead, or are we behind?" 1179 01:05:22,518 --> 01:05:25,087 How about this? Well, I would say 1180 01:05:25,121 --> 01:05:27,723 the Soviet program has definitely more momentum 1181 01:05:27,757 --> 01:05:29,392 than ours. 1182 01:05:29,425 --> 01:05:32,194 Their relative commitment as a nation 1183 01:05:32,228 --> 01:05:34,196 to the space program 1184 01:05:34,230 --> 01:05:37,166 is estimated to be about twice as high as ours. 1185 01:05:37,199 --> 01:05:39,168 REPORTER: There's a lot of talk again 1186 01:05:39,201 --> 01:05:42,805 about what the Russians may be doing or about to do. 1187 01:05:42,838 --> 01:05:44,440 Could you please give us your assessment 1188 01:05:44,473 --> 01:05:49,812 of the talk about their big booster, about Zond 5, 1189 01:05:49,845 --> 01:05:51,614 and when they may try circumlunar flights 1190 01:05:51,647 --> 01:05:54,216 or lunar landings? 1191 01:05:54,250 --> 01:05:57,420 VON BRAUN: Well, my assessment of Zond 5, 1192 01:05:57,453 --> 01:06:02,258 that was the Soviet spacecraft that looped the moon 1193 01:06:02,291 --> 01:06:05,828 and re-entered over the Indian Ocean WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1194 01:06:02,291 --> 01:06:05,828 and re-entered over the Indian Ocean 1195 01:06:05,861 --> 01:06:09,332 and was successfully recovered by Soviet ships 1196 01:06:09,365 --> 01:06:11,133 in the Indian Ocean, 1197 01:06:11,167 --> 01:06:14,737 was a dress rehearsal 1198 01:06:14,770 --> 01:06:19,141 for a manned flight. 1199 01:06:22,745 --> 01:06:24,847 BORMAN: I was out at Downey, California, 1200 01:06:24,880 --> 01:06:28,017 doing a test on the Apollo 8 spacecraft. 1201 01:06:28,050 --> 01:06:30,152 I got a call from Deke Slayton, 1202 01:06:30,186 --> 01:06:33,723 said, "Get back here right away, I need to talk to you." 1203 01:06:33,756 --> 01:06:35,691 So I got in an airplane and went back, 1204 01:06:35,725 --> 01:06:38,361 and I walked in the door. 1205 01:06:38,394 --> 01:06:40,162 (chuckles): I remember Deke said, "Close the door." 1206 01:06:40,196 --> 01:06:43,532 And he said that the C.I.A. had information 1207 01:06:43,566 --> 01:06:45,668 that the Russians were going to try to go to the moon, 1208 01:06:45,701 --> 01:06:47,937 and that they... he wanted to know 1209 01:06:47,970 --> 01:06:49,638 if we could move our mission 1210 01:06:49,672 --> 01:06:52,775 from a, a February or March launch 1211 01:06:52,808 --> 01:06:55,077 to a December launch and go to the moon, 1212 01:06:55,111 --> 01:06:58,514 if we could retrain ourselves-- this was in August. 1213 01:06:58,547 --> 01:07:00,716 And I said yes, we could. 1214 01:07:00,750 --> 01:07:02,685 ♪ 1215 01:07:02,718 --> 01:07:06,789 ANDERS: We had been told that the Soviets were going to try 1216 01:07:06,822 --> 01:07:09,992 to launch the first manned flight 1217 01:07:10,026 --> 01:07:11,894 up and around the moon. 1218 01:07:11,927 --> 01:07:17,199 It was proven that they, indeed, tried it unmanned, 1219 01:07:17,233 --> 01:07:20,936 they had selected a crew to fly a manned flight. 1220 01:07:20,970 --> 01:07:23,339 (rocket firing) 1221 01:07:23,372 --> 01:07:25,808 Many of the earlier flights were unsuccessful 1222 01:07:25,841 --> 01:07:30,246 for various reasons. 1223 01:07:30,279 --> 01:07:33,182 (explosion echoes) 1224 01:07:36,385 --> 01:07:41,991 So unbeknownst to us, the Russians got cold feet. 1225 01:07:45,928 --> 01:07:47,430 But NASA, under the threat 1226 01:07:47,463 --> 01:07:49,999 of having the Soviets scoop them yet again, 1227 01:07:50,032 --> 01:07:54,837 decided to shuffle the Apollo flights, 1228 01:07:54,870 --> 01:07:57,073 take Apollo 8, 1229 01:07:57,106 --> 01:07:59,708 whose lunar module was behind schedule anyway, 1230 01:07:59,742 --> 01:08:02,845 give us the first Saturn V, 1231 01:08:02,878 --> 01:08:05,781 and on that, we would just go around the moon 1232 01:08:05,815 --> 01:08:08,717 without a lunar module. 1233 01:08:08,751 --> 01:08:12,955 ♪ 1234 01:08:12,988 --> 01:08:17,526 BORMAN: My odds for mission success were 100%. 1235 01:08:17,560 --> 01:08:20,830 If I didn't think I was coming back, 1236 01:08:20,863 --> 01:08:23,999 I wasn't going to go. 1237 01:08:24,033 --> 01:08:25,901 Bill Anders, I think, had figured out, 1238 01:08:25,935 --> 01:08:30,739 think he said, 30% for mission success. 1239 01:08:30,773 --> 01:08:33,509 But he was more analytical than I am. 1240 01:08:33,542 --> 01:08:37,680 ♪ 1241 01:08:37,713 --> 01:08:40,749 ANDERS: Well, it was a big rocket, 1242 01:08:40,783 --> 01:08:43,919 full of very explosive stuff. 1243 01:08:43,953 --> 01:08:47,590 We went through the drill of escaping, 1244 01:08:47,623 --> 01:08:53,662 which was riding a wire and then jumping down to a chute, 1245 01:08:53,696 --> 01:08:55,264 and then jumping down there 1246 01:08:55,297 --> 01:08:57,933 and landing in a room on springs and padded chairs, 1247 01:08:57,967 --> 01:09:01,837 and I thought, "We'll never get that far." 1248 01:09:01,871 --> 01:09:08,344 ♪ WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1249 01:09:01,871 --> 01:09:08,344 ♪ 1250 01:09:08,377 --> 01:09:10,713 And so the chance of beating the Russians 1251 01:09:10,746 --> 01:09:15,551 with this mere threat of the Saturn V blowing up 1252 01:09:15,584 --> 01:09:19,989 was not a big factor, at least in my concern. 1253 01:09:20,022 --> 01:09:22,558 The last thing we want to do is screw up. 1254 01:09:22,591 --> 01:09:25,561 We'd rather die than screw up in public. 1255 01:09:25,594 --> 01:09:28,297 Standard fighter pilot view. 1256 01:09:31,800 --> 01:09:34,503 ♪ 1257 01:09:34,537 --> 01:09:38,374 POPPY NORTHCUTT: They accelerated the schedule on Apollo 8 so much, 1258 01:09:38,407 --> 01:09:42,645 the, the flight controllers had not had time to train 1259 01:09:42,678 --> 01:09:44,580 on the return-to-Earth capability, 1260 01:09:44,613 --> 01:09:47,516 which was really the big new thing 1261 01:09:47,550 --> 01:09:49,785 on that mission. 1262 01:09:51,587 --> 01:09:54,857 Well, I was on the return-to-Earth program. 1263 01:09:54,890 --> 01:09:56,358 I was a return-to-Earth specialist, 1264 01:09:56,392 --> 01:09:58,627 by the time we were flying Apollo 8. 1265 01:09:58,661 --> 01:10:01,864 So we went in to help them learn 1266 01:10:01,897 --> 01:10:06,602 how to use the return-to-Earth program. 1267 01:10:06,635 --> 01:10:08,571 Poppy, what do you actually do 1268 01:10:08,604 --> 01:10:12,775 during space flights here in Mission Control? 1269 01:10:12,808 --> 01:10:14,843 Well, my job is to get the astronauts safely 1270 01:10:14,877 --> 01:10:16,745 back to Earth from the moon. 1271 01:10:16,779 --> 01:10:19,915 What does that mean, exactly? 1272 01:10:19,949 --> 01:10:22,785 Well, it means determining what their position is, 1273 01:10:22,818 --> 01:10:24,253 the present position, 1274 01:10:24,286 --> 01:10:27,089 feeding the information into a computer program, 1275 01:10:27,122 --> 01:10:29,558 and getting back their maneuver angles 1276 01:10:29,592 --> 01:10:31,260 and how much thrust they have to have 1277 01:10:31,293 --> 01:10:33,996 to get back to the Earth. So you're computing 1278 01:10:34,029 --> 01:10:36,031 their trajectory for the return to Earth? 1279 01:10:36,065 --> 01:10:37,967 That's right. 1280 01:10:38,000 --> 01:10:40,169 NORTHCUTT: It was a complete peculiarity 1281 01:10:40,202 --> 01:10:42,171 to have a woman in an operational role 1282 01:10:42,204 --> 01:10:43,405 in Mission Control. 1283 01:10:43,439 --> 01:10:44,974 I was the first one. 1284 01:10:45,007 --> 01:10:48,611 For quite a while, I was the only woman 1285 01:10:48,644 --> 01:10:51,313 in a technical role in Houston. 1286 01:10:51,347 --> 01:10:53,249 There were some computer programmers, 1287 01:10:53,282 --> 01:10:54,650 a few of those, 1288 01:10:54,683 --> 01:10:56,819 but in terms of working on the engineering side, 1289 01:10:56,852 --> 01:10:58,287 I was the only one. 1290 01:10:58,320 --> 01:11:01,590 So I did interviews with all kinds of people. 1291 01:11:01,624 --> 01:11:02,891 REPORTER: But how did a girl 1292 01:11:02,925 --> 01:11:05,661 of only 25 get into this job 1293 01:11:05,694 --> 01:11:07,363 at such an early age? 1294 01:11:07,396 --> 01:11:09,331 Well, I studied mathematics in college, 1295 01:11:09,365 --> 01:11:12,167 and I came to work here right out of school. 1296 01:11:12,201 --> 01:11:14,436 I've been working on this particular project 1297 01:11:14,470 --> 01:11:16,405 ever since I came to work here. 1298 01:11:16,438 --> 01:11:19,041 Aren't the men jealous of you? 1299 01:11:19,074 --> 01:11:21,143 No, I don't think so. 1300 01:11:21,176 --> 01:11:25,414 NORTHCUTT: It was a very sexist society at that time, 1301 01:11:25,447 --> 01:11:28,984 which informed my becoming a feminist. 1302 01:11:29,018 --> 01:11:30,753 (typewriter keys clacking) 1303 01:11:30,786 --> 01:11:33,722 I started off working as a computress. 1304 01:11:33,756 --> 01:11:36,058 I don't know why they called them computresses. 1305 01:11:36,091 --> 01:11:41,063 We weren't necessarily doing computer work. 1306 01:11:41,096 --> 01:11:44,133 It was sort of like "Mad Men." 1307 01:11:44,166 --> 01:11:46,468 That was a fairly accurate depiction 1308 01:11:46,502 --> 01:11:48,771 of the world for women. 1309 01:11:48,804 --> 01:11:51,307 But I was really fascinated. 1310 01:11:51,340 --> 01:11:53,776 I wanted to know what I was doing 1311 01:11:53,809 --> 01:11:55,711 and why I was doing it. 1312 01:11:55,744 --> 01:11:57,446 And I had a math degree, 1313 01:11:57,479 --> 01:12:00,983 and I'd taken a celestial mechanics course, 1314 01:12:01,016 --> 01:12:03,786 so I just worked my butt off. 1315 01:12:03,819 --> 01:12:05,120 The guys that I was working around 1316 01:12:05,154 --> 01:12:07,022 could tell that I was working really hard. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1317 01:12:05,154 --> 01:12:07,022 could tell that I was working really hard. 1318 01:12:07,056 --> 01:12:08,891 I was working as hard as they were. 1319 01:12:08,924 --> 01:12:11,593 Or even harder, to be honest. 1320 01:12:11,627 --> 01:12:15,931 I mean, it was a boys' club, no doubt about it. 1321 01:12:15,964 --> 01:12:19,335 I was sort of the trophy. 1322 01:12:19,368 --> 01:12:22,137 I was blonde, I was young, I was thin. 1323 01:12:22,171 --> 01:12:25,941 I wore, you know, the latest fashion clothes. 1324 01:12:25,974 --> 01:12:29,011 ♪ 1325 01:12:29,044 --> 01:12:32,414 How much attention do men in Mission Control pay 1326 01:12:32,448 --> 01:12:35,250 to a pretty girl wearing miniskirts? 1327 01:12:35,284 --> 01:12:36,885 Well, I think the first time 1328 01:12:36,919 --> 01:12:38,354 a girl in a miniskirt comes into the MOCR, 1329 01:12:38,387 --> 01:12:40,456 they pay you quite a lot of attention, 1330 01:12:40,489 --> 01:12:41,490 but after a while, they become 1331 01:12:41,523 --> 01:12:43,158 a little bit more accustomed to you 1332 01:12:43,192 --> 01:12:45,361 and pay more attention to the consoles. 1333 01:12:45,394 --> 01:12:46,862 It's been charged that when you walk 1334 01:12:46,895 --> 01:12:48,831 into the Mission Operations Control Room, 1335 01:12:48,864 --> 01:12:51,166 the mission grinds to a screeching halt. 1336 01:12:51,200 --> 01:12:54,703 (chuckling): That's not true. 1337 01:12:54,737 --> 01:12:56,605 NORTHCUTT: Well, of course I was being used. 1338 01:12:56,638 --> 01:13:01,977 My feeling was, "You can play this both ways." 1339 01:13:03,946 --> 01:13:06,382 The mere fact that a lot of women found out 1340 01:13:06,415 --> 01:13:07,783 for the first time 1341 01:13:07,816 --> 01:13:09,518 that there was a woman in Mission Control 1342 01:13:09,551 --> 01:13:12,454 was a very big deal. 1343 01:13:12,488 --> 01:13:15,591 ♪ 1344 01:13:17,793 --> 01:13:20,462 I thought it was important that people understand 1345 01:13:20,496 --> 01:13:22,631 that women can do these jobs-- 1346 01:13:22,664 --> 01:13:25,134 going into science, going into technology, 1347 01:13:25,167 --> 01:13:26,535 going into... 1348 01:13:26,568 --> 01:13:33,008 You know, doing something that's not stereotypical. 1349 01:13:33,041 --> 01:13:36,912 (dramatic theme music playing) 1350 01:13:46,388 --> 01:13:49,258 ANNOUNCER: Coverage of the Apollo 8 mission, 1351 01:13:49,291 --> 01:13:50,692 a presentation of ABC News, 1352 01:13:50,726 --> 01:13:52,694 is brought to you by Tang, 1353 01:13:52,728 --> 01:13:54,730 the instant breakfast drink. 1354 01:13:54,763 --> 01:13:57,666 FRANK REYNOLDS: Apollo 8 is the next necessary step 1355 01:13:57,699 --> 01:14:02,237 in realizing the goal outlined by President Kennedy in 1961. 1356 01:14:02,271 --> 01:14:04,640 No astronaut will set foot on the surface of the... 1357 01:14:04,673 --> 01:14:07,176 BORMAN: NASA wanted me to allow a film crew 1358 01:14:07,209 --> 01:14:08,811 to come into the house 1359 01:14:08,844 --> 01:14:10,479 while we were up on our way to the moon. 1360 01:14:10,512 --> 01:14:13,048 JULES BERGMAN: They are in their command module. 1361 01:14:13,081 --> 01:14:17,019 BORMAN: I mentioned this to Susan, and she was opposed to it. 1362 01:14:17,052 --> 01:14:19,455 (beeping) 1363 01:14:19,488 --> 01:14:21,390 She didn't want it, but I said, "Susan, look, 1364 01:14:21,423 --> 01:14:23,692 this is going to be important for the space program." 1365 01:14:23,725 --> 01:14:27,129 BERGMAN: And there on Pad 39 we can see liquid oxygen fumes 1366 01:14:27,162 --> 01:14:28,897 coming from the first stage... 1367 01:14:28,931 --> 01:14:30,132 VALERIE ANDERS: When there was a flight, 1368 01:14:30,165 --> 01:14:32,835 all the wives would usually go 1369 01:14:32,868 --> 01:14:35,304 to the home of the wife whose husband was up there, 1370 01:14:35,337 --> 01:14:37,573 and bring food and take care of children 1371 01:14:37,606 --> 01:14:41,477 and do whatever was necessary-- run errands. 1372 01:14:41,510 --> 01:14:43,946 And so there was a support there 1373 01:14:43,979 --> 01:14:47,249 that, that was interconnected, 1374 01:14:47,282 --> 01:14:48,917 and the children felt that, too. 1375 01:14:48,951 --> 01:14:51,487 You know, it was, "Oh whose dad is going up next?" 1376 01:14:51,520 --> 01:14:53,555 BERGMAN: 22 minutes and 38 seconds before liftoff, 1377 01:14:53,589 --> 01:14:55,290 all still going well. 1378 01:14:55,324 --> 01:14:56,758 Colonel Frank Borman, 1379 01:14:56,792 --> 01:14:58,794 the 40-year-old command pilot of Apollo 8, 1380 01:14:58,827 --> 01:15:02,097 is a veteran astronaut for these past six years. 1381 01:15:02,130 --> 01:15:05,200 How risky is this flight compared to Gemini 7, 1382 01:15:05,234 --> 01:15:06,535 your 14-day flight? WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1383 01:15:05,234 --> 01:15:06,535 your 14-day flight? 1384 01:15:06,568 --> 01:15:09,338 BORMAN (archival): It's more risky than Gemini 7, 1385 01:15:09,371 --> 01:15:10,772 there's no question about that. 1386 01:15:10,806 --> 01:15:12,708 We have the... 1387 01:15:12,741 --> 01:15:15,878 BORMAN: The fire shattered my wife's confidence 1388 01:15:15,911 --> 01:15:19,915 in, in NASA and in the Apollo program. 1389 01:15:19,948 --> 01:15:22,651 She had always thought that the... 1390 01:15:22,684 --> 01:15:25,754 somehow that it, it always happens to the other guy. 1391 01:15:25,787 --> 01:15:28,090 Well, when it happened to Ed White, 1392 01:15:28,123 --> 01:15:33,729 that resonated with Susan, and she began to, to fantasize 1393 01:15:33,762 --> 01:15:36,598 that I might be in the same situation. 1394 01:15:36,632 --> 01:15:39,167 ♪ 1395 01:15:39,201 --> 01:15:41,603 And the subsequent interaction with Pat White 1396 01:15:41,637 --> 01:15:47,676 had left Susan shaken and drinking too much. 1397 01:15:47,709 --> 01:15:50,279 REYNOLDS: Well, all seems to be going very well at Cape Kennedy. 1398 01:15:50,312 --> 01:15:54,850 We are 12 minutes and 48 seconds away from launch time. 1399 01:15:54,883 --> 01:15:57,920 CRONKITE: Man is about to leave his planet for the first time. 1400 01:15:57,953 --> 01:15:59,955 Odds are against a major systems failure, 1401 01:15:59,988 --> 01:16:02,758 but if one occurred, the men could be lost. 1402 01:16:02,791 --> 01:16:04,760 ♪ 1403 01:16:04,793 --> 01:16:09,097 NORTHCUTT: We were fixing errors very close to flight time, 1404 01:16:09,131 --> 01:16:10,799 which you're not supposed to be doing. 1405 01:16:10,832 --> 01:16:13,802 You're supposed to have, you know, sealed the system, 1406 01:16:13,835 --> 01:16:16,672 and we were still fixing errors. 1407 01:16:16,705 --> 01:16:19,408 My feeling was they were flying with baling wire 1408 01:16:19,441 --> 01:16:22,277 and rubber bands. 1409 01:16:22,311 --> 01:16:24,479 Everybody here at Cape Kennedy knows 1410 01:16:24,513 --> 01:16:26,648 how much is riding on this one. 1411 01:16:26,682 --> 01:16:29,451 And here's how the mission will be flown. 1412 01:16:29,484 --> 01:16:30,719 This is the Earth; 1413 01:16:30,752 --> 01:16:31,954 the launch takes place 1414 01:16:31,987 --> 01:16:33,689 from the Cape here, 1415 01:16:33,722 --> 01:16:35,591 goes into orbit, Earth orbit, 1416 01:16:35,624 --> 01:16:37,926 makes two loops around the Earth 1417 01:16:37,960 --> 01:16:41,863 as the spacecraft systems are being checked out by the pilots. 1418 01:16:41,897 --> 01:16:45,500 When they decide they are going to commit to lunar flight, 1419 01:16:45,534 --> 01:16:48,604 they will fire off their third-stage engine, 1420 01:16:48,637 --> 01:16:51,106 200,000 pounds of it, here, 1421 01:16:51,139 --> 01:16:52,674 and that will take them out 1422 01:16:52,708 --> 01:16:55,444 into what's called the trans-lunar trajectory. 1423 01:16:55,477 --> 01:16:58,380 They will drop that third stage and then be on their own 1424 01:16:58,413 --> 01:17:00,148 for the two-and-a-half-day flight to the moon. 1425 01:17:00,182 --> 01:17:02,584 KING: T minus 50 seconds and counting, 1426 01:17:02,618 --> 01:17:03,952 we have the power transfer, 1427 01:17:03,986 --> 01:17:06,655 and we're now on the flight batteries 1428 01:17:06,688 --> 01:17:07,889 within the launch vehicle. 1429 01:17:07,923 --> 01:17:09,758 45 seconds, final reports coming 1430 01:17:09,791 --> 01:17:11,627 from Frank Borman at this time, 1431 01:17:11,660 --> 01:17:16,031 final look at the switch list aboard the spacecraft. 1432 01:17:16,064 --> 01:17:17,599 35 seconds and counting. 1433 01:17:17,633 --> 01:17:20,002 We'll lead up to an, an ignition sequence start 1434 01:17:20,035 --> 01:17:22,137 at 8.9 seconds. 1435 01:17:22,170 --> 01:17:23,472 This will lead up, 1436 01:17:23,505 --> 01:17:25,540 as we build up the thrust to a liftoff, 1437 01:17:25,574 --> 01:17:27,643 if all goes well, at zero. 1438 01:17:27,676 --> 01:17:31,780 We just passed the 25-second mark in the count. 1439 01:17:31,813 --> 01:17:35,484 20 seconds, all aspects, we are still go at this time. 1440 01:17:35,517 --> 01:17:43,525 T minus 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, ten, nine-- 1441 01:17:43,558 --> 01:17:46,695 we have ignition sequence start, the engines are armed. 1442 01:17:46,728 --> 01:17:51,700 Four, three, two, one, zero. 1443 01:17:51,733 --> 01:17:55,871 We have commit, we have... we have liftoff. 1444 01:17:55,904 --> 01:17:59,741 Liftoff at 7:51 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. 1445 01:17:59,775 --> 01:18:02,611 (rocket roaring) 1446 01:18:02,644 --> 01:18:05,380 We have cleared the tower. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1447 01:18:11,887 --> 01:18:17,659 (rocket continues roaring) 1448 01:18:17,693 --> 01:18:20,128 ♪ 1449 01:18:31,773 --> 01:18:37,546 ANDERS: We trained for almost everything for an Apollo flight. 1450 01:18:37,579 --> 01:18:41,650 Emergencies after emergencies in the simulators. 1451 01:18:41,683 --> 01:18:44,219 The one thing that we didn't train for 1452 01:18:44,252 --> 01:18:48,390 was the dynamics of the Saturn V liftoff. 1453 01:18:48,423 --> 01:18:51,927 ♪ 1454 01:18:51,960 --> 01:18:53,995 The first 20 seconds were violent. 1455 01:18:54,029 --> 01:18:57,899 We were literally slammed back and forth in the seats. 1456 01:18:57,933 --> 01:19:01,136 I felt like a rat in the jaws of a giant terrier. 1457 01:19:01,169 --> 01:19:02,771 You couldn't hear yourself think. 1458 01:19:02,804 --> 01:19:05,107 BERGMAN: Now from 22,000 feet, 1459 01:19:05,140 --> 01:19:07,609 a speed of almost 2,000 miles an hour 1460 01:19:07,642 --> 01:19:09,111 at this instant. 1461 01:19:09,144 --> 01:19:13,415 ♪ 1462 01:19:13,448 --> 01:19:15,751 (people talking on radio) 1463 01:19:15,784 --> 01:19:19,888 ♪ 1464 01:19:19,921 --> 01:19:23,258 There's that majestic plume of flame behind the Saturn V 1465 01:19:23,291 --> 01:19:26,361 as she thunders into the sky, gathering speed. 1466 01:19:26,394 --> 01:19:28,997 HANEY (on P.A.): ...to the mission, 1467 01:19:29,030 --> 01:19:30,899 and Frank Borman has confirmed 1468 01:19:30,932 --> 01:19:32,501 each event has been passed through 1469 01:19:32,534 --> 01:19:35,170 by Mike Collins at this point. 1470 01:19:35,203 --> 01:19:37,773 (people talking on radio) 1471 01:19:37,806 --> 01:19:40,275 BERGMAN: There it is, staging and the burnout 1472 01:19:40,308 --> 01:19:42,310 of the first-stage engines, right on the money. 1473 01:19:42,344 --> 01:19:44,746 HANEY: We can see the first-stage cutoff. 1474 01:19:44,780 --> 01:19:46,782 BERGMAN: 6,000 miles an hour. 1475 01:19:46,815 --> 01:19:50,051 More than 225,000 feet high, burning beautifully, 1476 01:19:50,085 --> 01:19:53,889 Borman, Lovell, and Anders off perfectly. 1477 01:19:53,922 --> 01:19:57,526 HANEY: ...has been relieved at the Cape. 1478 01:19:57,559 --> 01:20:01,296 Three minutes into the flight, we're 50 miles high. 1479 01:20:01,329 --> 01:20:03,098 BERGMAN: There's the escape tower separating. 1480 01:20:03,131 --> 01:20:05,300 HANEY: And about ten miles downrange. 1481 01:20:05,333 --> 01:20:09,671 ♪ 1482 01:20:09,704 --> 01:20:12,340 "We have SECO," says Frank Borman. 1483 01:20:12,374 --> 01:20:14,776 SECO, and I would call it 11 minutes, 30 seconds. 1484 01:20:14,810 --> 01:20:17,045 BERGMAN: And they are in orbit, 1485 01:20:17,078 --> 01:20:18,880 that's Frank Borman's voice in the background, 1486 01:20:18,914 --> 01:20:20,582 saying we have SECO. 1487 01:20:20,615 --> 01:20:24,319 In two hours and 33 minutes from now, over Australia, 1488 01:20:24,352 --> 01:20:27,889 Borman, Lovell, and Anders will fire up that S-IVB engine again, 1489 01:20:27,923 --> 01:20:29,791 or attempt to fire it up again, 1490 01:20:29,825 --> 01:20:33,295 to propel themselves to escape velocity, 1491 01:20:33,328 --> 01:20:34,863 25,000 miles an hour. 1492 01:20:34,896 --> 01:20:36,298 The first men in history 1493 01:20:36,331 --> 01:20:38,466 to leave the gravitational field of the Earth 1494 01:20:38,500 --> 01:20:41,403 and head out toward another planet, the moon. 1495 01:20:41,436 --> 01:20:44,406 ♪ 1496 01:20:44,439 --> 01:20:48,877 ANDERS: We only had an orbit and a half to make sure it was working, 1497 01:20:48,910 --> 01:20:51,279 because once you lit that third stage, 1498 01:20:51,313 --> 01:20:53,481 there wasn't any coming back. 1499 01:20:53,515 --> 01:20:56,184 COLLINS (on radio): Apollo 8, Houston. 1500 01:20:56,218 --> 01:20:57,819 BORMAN (on radio): Go ahead, Houston. 1501 01:20:57,853 --> 01:21:02,057 COLLINS: Apollo 8, you are a go for TLI, over. 1502 01:21:02,090 --> 01:21:03,825 BORMAN: Roger, understand, we're a go for TLI. 1503 01:21:03,859 --> 01:21:06,928 ♪ WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1504 01:21:03,859 --> 01:21:06,928 ♪ 1505 01:21:06,962 --> 01:21:10,298 BUCKBEE: Mission Control told the astronauts, 1506 01:21:10,332 --> 01:21:12,634 "You are go for TLI." 1507 01:21:12,667 --> 01:21:17,172 Everybody in the press room, "What is TLI?" 1508 01:21:17,205 --> 01:21:19,174 COLLINS: You got a situation 1509 01:21:19,207 --> 01:21:23,712 where a guy with a radio transmitter in his hand 1510 01:21:23,745 --> 01:21:27,949 is going to tell the first three human beings 1511 01:21:27,983 --> 01:21:32,053 they can leave the gravitational field of Earth. 1512 01:21:32,087 --> 01:21:34,623 I can remember at the time thinking, "Jesus, you know, 1513 01:21:34,656 --> 01:21:36,191 there's got to be a better way of saying this," 1514 01:21:36,224 --> 01:21:38,960 but we had our technical jargon. 1515 01:21:38,994 --> 01:21:45,634 And so I said, you know, "Apollo 8, you're go for TLI." 1516 01:21:45,667 --> 01:21:49,104 BUCKBEE: Trans-Lunar Insertion. 1517 01:21:49,137 --> 01:21:50,472 That's the first time 1518 01:21:50,505 --> 01:21:54,276 we'd ever heard that call to the crew. 1519 01:21:54,309 --> 01:21:57,646 It means, "You're going to launch out of Earth orbit 1520 01:21:57,679 --> 01:22:00,282 on an escape velocity, 25,000 miles an hour." 1521 01:22:00,315 --> 01:22:02,550 ♪ 1522 01:22:02,584 --> 01:22:06,021 COLLINS: Apollo 8, coming up on 20 seconds to ignition, 1523 01:22:06,054 --> 01:22:08,456 mark it, and you're looking very good. 1524 01:22:08,490 --> 01:22:11,092 BORMAN: Roger. 1525 01:22:11,126 --> 01:22:13,461 ANDERS: I mean, we'd trained, and "Go for TLI," 1526 01:22:13,495 --> 01:22:16,398 we'd heard it 30 times in the simulator. 1527 01:22:16,431 --> 01:22:18,600 And, yeah, it was a little different. 1528 01:22:18,633 --> 01:22:19,868 BORMAN: Ignition. 1529 01:22:19,901 --> 01:22:22,604 COLLINS: Roger, ignition. 1530 01:22:22,637 --> 01:22:28,076 ♪ 1531 01:22:28,109 --> 01:22:30,345 ANDERS: Particularly when that rocket cut in, 1532 01:22:30,378 --> 01:22:33,782 and unlike the simulator, you could feel this push 1533 01:22:33,815 --> 01:22:36,151 for quite a few minutes. 1534 01:22:36,184 --> 01:22:39,688 ♪ 1535 01:22:39,721 --> 01:22:40,989 COLLINS: Apollo 8, Houston, 1536 01:22:41,022 --> 01:22:43,591 trajectory and guidance look good, over. 1537 01:22:43,625 --> 01:22:46,861 BORMAN: Roger, Apollo 8, good here. 1538 01:22:46,895 --> 01:22:49,130 ANDERS: So we knew we were going like scalded dogs there 1539 01:22:49,164 --> 01:22:51,199 by the time that engine cut out, 1540 01:22:51,232 --> 01:22:53,601 and that's when we set the world speed record. 1541 01:22:53,635 --> 01:22:57,505 Seven miles a second, 25,000 miles an hour. 1542 01:22:57,539 --> 01:23:02,711 ♪ 1543 01:23:08,216 --> 01:23:11,119 (talking in background, dog barking) 1544 01:23:11,152 --> 01:23:12,354 REPORTER: Mrs. Borman, 1545 01:23:12,387 --> 01:23:13,855 what did your husband have to say 1546 01:23:13,888 --> 01:23:15,857 when you last saw him? 1547 01:23:17,959 --> 01:23:20,695 You mean when we said goodbye? 1548 01:23:20,729 --> 01:23:22,297 Yes, ma'am. 1549 01:23:22,330 --> 01:23:25,767 Now, that's very personal, you know that. 1550 01:23:25,800 --> 01:23:26,735 Sorry. 1551 01:23:26,768 --> 01:23:31,606 But he... all through the week... 1552 01:23:31,639 --> 01:23:33,575 VALERIE ANDERS: It was daunting to go outside, 1553 01:23:33,608 --> 01:23:36,411 because the reporters never left. 1554 01:23:36,444 --> 01:23:38,546 I didn't go out there myself, 1555 01:23:38,580 --> 01:23:41,416 because it was, it was too overwhelming. 1556 01:23:41,449 --> 01:23:43,351 MAN: Come on, say it for the picture. 1557 01:23:43,385 --> 01:23:44,786 SUSAN BORMAN: Really, I'd love... 1558 01:23:44,819 --> 01:23:46,388 I'd love nothing better 1559 01:23:46,421 --> 01:23:49,190 than to make a beautiful, profound statement for you 1560 01:23:49,224 --> 01:23:51,059 that would be earth-shaking for everyone, 1561 01:23:51,092 --> 01:23:53,628 but I'm, I'm just speechless. 1562 01:23:53,661 --> 01:23:56,197 I... this hasn't sunk in yet. 1563 01:23:56,231 --> 01:23:59,367 REPORTER 2: Which stage was most... 1564 01:23:59,401 --> 01:24:02,070 did you feel the most... intense about? 1565 01:24:02,103 --> 01:24:05,373 SUSAN BORMAN: Well, I think both the launch, 1566 01:24:05,407 --> 01:24:09,177 and, uh... then the burn into... WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1567 01:24:05,407 --> 01:24:09,177 and, uh... then the burn into... 1568 01:24:09,210 --> 01:24:11,079 What do they call it? 1569 01:24:11,112 --> 01:24:12,447 The... MAN: TLI? 1570 01:24:12,480 --> 01:24:14,249 TLI, thank you very much. 1571 01:24:14,282 --> 01:24:18,219 I think both of those would pretty much go hand-in-hand 1572 01:24:18,253 --> 01:24:20,755 emotionally. 1573 01:24:23,525 --> 01:24:25,860 ANNOUNCER: This is a typical meal served to astronauts 1574 01:24:25,894 --> 01:24:28,396 aboard Apollo space flights. 1575 01:24:28,430 --> 01:24:34,836 Oatmeal, sausage, toast, applesauce, 1576 01:24:34,869 --> 01:24:37,872 and in a special zero-gravity pouch, Tang-- 1577 01:24:37,906 --> 01:24:40,341 the energy breakfast drink. 1578 01:24:40,375 --> 01:24:41,609 Tang, with rich... 1579 01:24:41,643 --> 01:24:43,411 BILL ANDERS: Before flight, they wanted us 1580 01:24:43,445 --> 01:24:46,281 to basically try the personal items, like the food. 1581 01:24:46,314 --> 01:24:50,018 They wanted to make sure we weren't allergic. 1582 01:24:52,220 --> 01:24:56,024 One of the things was the Fecal Containment Device. 1583 01:24:56,057 --> 01:25:01,162 Sounds pretty high-faluting, Fecal Containment Device. 1584 01:25:01,196 --> 01:25:02,497 The Fecal Containment Device looked 1585 01:25:02,530 --> 01:25:06,434 like a, a plastic top hat, 1586 01:25:06,468 --> 01:25:09,737 with a sticky rim, stick it to your bottom, 1587 01:25:09,771 --> 01:25:13,675 and it had a built-in glove. 1588 01:25:13,708 --> 01:25:15,610 So I tested this thing and resolved 1589 01:25:15,643 --> 01:25:18,546 that I would see if I could avoid using it. 1590 01:25:18,580 --> 01:25:23,418 I went the whole flight without taking a crap. 1591 01:25:28,223 --> 01:25:32,794 ♪ 1592 01:25:32,827 --> 01:25:36,931 COLLINS: Apollo 8, this is Houston, over. 1593 01:25:36,965 --> 01:25:38,733 BORMAN: Go ahead, Houston, how do you read? 1594 01:25:38,766 --> 01:25:41,269 COLLINS: Roger, we're reading you loud and clear. 1595 01:25:41,302 --> 01:25:44,005 We're on a private loop now, and we'd like to get 1596 01:25:44,038 --> 01:25:46,474 some amplifying details on your medical problem. 1597 01:25:46,508 --> 01:25:47,842 Could you go back to the beginning 1598 01:25:47,876 --> 01:25:51,079 and give us a brief recap, please? 1599 01:25:51,112 --> 01:25:53,148 ANDERS: Poor Frank got sick. 1600 01:25:53,181 --> 01:25:56,451 Frank had thrown up, and not only threw up, 1601 01:25:56,484 --> 01:26:01,022 but he was what us engineers call a balanced couple-- 1602 01:26:01,055 --> 01:26:03,958 both ends, you know? 1603 01:26:03,992 --> 01:26:06,694 It was a mess. 1604 01:26:06,728 --> 01:26:10,665 Just imagine a bunch of diarrhea and vomit 1605 01:26:10,698 --> 01:26:13,935 floating around right in front of you. 1606 01:26:13,968 --> 01:26:16,204 I grabbed a, an oxygen mask 1607 01:26:16,237 --> 01:26:18,806 that was only supposed to be worn during fire. 1608 01:26:18,840 --> 01:26:22,343 I put the mask on, because it didn't smell good at all. 1609 01:26:22,377 --> 01:26:26,981 We didn't announce that to the Earth, 1610 01:26:27,015 --> 01:26:28,650 and because we had a special channel 1611 01:26:28,683 --> 01:26:31,886 that I knew about, being a communications guy, 1612 01:26:31,920 --> 01:26:33,755 where we could put it on tape, 1613 01:26:33,788 --> 01:26:38,660 that didn't go through NASA Public Affairs. 1614 01:26:38,693 --> 01:26:41,262 BORMAN (on radio): Mike, this is Frank, I'm feeling a lot better now. 1615 01:26:41,296 --> 01:26:45,934 I think I got a case of the 24-hour flu, intestinal flu. 1616 01:26:45,967 --> 01:26:47,235 COLLINS: Roger, understand. 1617 01:26:47,268 --> 01:26:48,736 And when did you first notice it? 1618 01:26:48,770 --> 01:26:51,906 Or could you go back to P00 and start us out 1619 01:26:51,940 --> 01:26:53,608 with the beginning of your problem? 1620 01:26:53,641 --> 01:26:55,410 ANDERS: Wasn't much they could do about it anyway. 1621 01:26:55,443 --> 01:26:59,647 We certainly weren't coming back. 1622 01:26:59,681 --> 01:27:01,316 We finally got the place cleaned up, 1623 01:27:01,349 --> 01:27:04,219 but it, it's amazing 1624 01:27:04,252 --> 01:27:09,123 how you can learn to live in a filthy environment. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1625 01:27:04,252 --> 01:27:09,123 how you can learn to live in a filthy environment. 1626 01:27:09,157 --> 01:27:11,259 After a while, you kind of get used to it. 1627 01:27:11,292 --> 01:27:15,230 (rumbling) 1628 01:27:22,737 --> 01:27:24,739 If all those great big antennas 1629 01:27:24,772 --> 01:27:27,675 and that little four-and-a-half- pound camera works 1630 01:27:27,709 --> 01:27:29,377 as everybody expects it to, 1631 01:27:29,410 --> 01:27:31,779 we're due for some very exciting pictures-- 1632 01:27:31,813 --> 01:27:33,781 possibly even more exciting 1633 01:27:33,815 --> 01:27:35,083 than the ones that were sent back 1634 01:27:35,116 --> 01:27:36,351 by the crew of Apollo 7. 1635 01:27:36,384 --> 01:27:38,786 BORMAN (on radio): Do you have a picture now? 1636 01:27:38,820 --> 01:27:40,321 KEN MATTINGLY: That's a negative. 1637 01:27:40,355 --> 01:27:41,990 EECOM, are you the television expert? 1638 01:27:42,023 --> 01:27:44,125 Or F.A.O., who knows the most about that camera? 1639 01:27:44,158 --> 01:27:45,460 Got any suggestions? 1640 01:27:45,493 --> 01:27:46,894 BORMAN (on radio): Do you have anything, Houston? 1641 01:27:46,928 --> 01:27:48,296 We have it on the Earth. 1642 01:27:48,329 --> 01:27:49,797 MAN: I don't have anything. 1643 01:27:49,831 --> 01:27:52,400 MATTINGLY: Okay, we're having no joy. 1644 01:27:52,433 --> 01:27:54,669 BORMAN: What I wanted to do more than anything else 1645 01:27:54,702 --> 01:27:56,704 was to go to the moon and come back, 1646 01:27:56,738 --> 01:28:00,241 and I didn't want anything that might deter that mission. 1647 01:28:00,275 --> 01:28:04,379 And somehow I figured that the television might do that. 1648 01:28:04,412 --> 01:28:08,583 MATTINGLY (on radio): Apollo 8, we have a picture now. 1649 01:28:08,616 --> 01:28:12,186 ANDERS (on radio): He's on "Candid Camera." 1650 01:28:12,220 --> 01:28:16,557 ANDERS: Frank was strictly mission-oriented. 1651 01:28:16,591 --> 01:28:18,793 He didn't want to have anything 1652 01:28:18,826 --> 01:28:21,896 that would detract from the success of the mission. 1653 01:28:21,929 --> 01:28:25,133 So he balked at the TV camera. 1654 01:28:25,166 --> 01:28:26,834 We didn't need it. 1655 01:28:26,868 --> 01:28:29,003 We were there to show that we could go around the moon, 1656 01:28:29,037 --> 01:28:32,173 and we'd beat the Russians in going around the moon, 1657 01:28:32,206 --> 01:28:36,511 and so who needed a TV camera? 1658 01:28:36,544 --> 01:28:37,912 Well, I thought we ought to have it, 1659 01:28:37,945 --> 01:28:39,814 just to be able to show the people on Earth, 1660 01:28:39,847 --> 01:28:43,217 you know, what we were doing. 1661 01:28:43,251 --> 01:28:45,520 ♪ 1662 01:28:45,553 --> 01:28:46,921 BORMAN: I was overruled, rightfully so, 1663 01:28:46,954 --> 01:28:49,857 because after all, 1664 01:28:49,891 --> 01:28:51,392 the American people deserved to see 1665 01:28:51,426 --> 01:28:54,228 what they were getting for their money. 1666 01:28:54,262 --> 01:28:59,801 BORMAN (on radio): We're rolling around to a good view of the Earth, 1667 01:28:59,834 --> 01:29:04,105 and as soon as we get to the good view of the Earth, 1668 01:29:04,138 --> 01:29:05,673 we'll stop and let you look out the window 1669 01:29:05,707 --> 01:29:07,575 at the scene we see. 1670 01:29:07,608 --> 01:29:10,678 ♪ 1671 01:29:14,015 --> 01:29:16,351 CRONKITE: I assume that shortly we'll get some explanation 1672 01:29:16,384 --> 01:29:18,653 of the picture we're seeing. 1673 01:29:18,686 --> 01:29:21,022 Doesn't make a great deal of sense to me, 1674 01:29:21,055 --> 01:29:22,957 here at the moment. 1675 01:29:22,990 --> 01:29:25,760 HANEY: We're theorizing here, 1676 01:29:25,793 --> 01:29:28,696 that bright spot in the top left center of your picture 1677 01:29:28,730 --> 01:29:30,732 is the Earth. 1678 01:29:30,765 --> 01:29:33,434 That's the best centering we've had, Apollo 8, 1679 01:29:33,468 --> 01:29:36,838 if you could just hold that, that's perfect. 1680 01:29:36,871 --> 01:29:38,506 BORMAN: Well, I hope that everyone enjoys the picture 1681 01:29:38,539 --> 01:29:41,743 that we're taking of themselves. 1682 01:29:41,776 --> 01:29:43,177 How far away from Earth, now, Jim, about? 1683 01:29:43,211 --> 01:29:46,180 COLLINS: We have you about 180,000. 1684 01:29:46,214 --> 01:29:47,682 BORMAN: Thank you, well, you're all looking at yourselves 1685 01:29:47,715 --> 01:29:51,052 as seen from 180,000 miles. 1686 01:29:51,085 --> 01:29:57,125 ♪ 1687 01:29:59,560 --> 01:30:00,928 (car horn honks) WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1688 01:30:06,467 --> 01:30:09,804 ANDERS: You know, Jules Verne would portray astronaut, cosmonauts 1689 01:30:09,837 --> 01:30:11,272 as peering out the window, 1690 01:30:11,305 --> 01:30:14,175 watching the moon get bigger and bigger. 1691 01:30:14,208 --> 01:30:16,411 As a matter of fact, we never saw the moon 1692 01:30:16,444 --> 01:30:19,080 until we got there. 1693 01:30:19,113 --> 01:30:22,183 One of the reasons why is that NASA, rightly, was worried 1694 01:30:22,216 --> 01:30:25,620 that since we went during a very new moon, 1695 01:30:25,653 --> 01:30:31,259 that meant that the sun was almost behind the moon. 1696 01:30:31,292 --> 01:30:32,693 So anybody looking at it 1697 01:30:32,727 --> 01:30:34,962 would be looking right at an unfiltered sun, 1698 01:30:34,996 --> 01:30:37,865 and they worried that it would hurt our eyes. 1699 01:30:37,899 --> 01:30:41,903 JERRY CARR (on radio): Apollo 8, Houston, one minute to L.O.S., 1700 01:30:41,936 --> 01:30:45,506 all systems go. 1701 01:30:45,540 --> 01:30:46,974 BORMAN (on radio): Roger, 1702 01:30:47,008 --> 01:30:49,343 going to begin reset, tape recorder forward, 1703 01:30:49,377 --> 01:30:53,114 low bit rate. 1704 01:30:53,147 --> 01:30:58,386 CARR: Roger, safe journey, guys. 1705 01:30:58,419 --> 01:31:00,621 ANDERS: Thanks a lot, troops. 1706 01:31:00,655 --> 01:31:02,790 LOVELL: We'll see you on the other side. 1707 01:31:02,824 --> 01:31:05,960 ♪ 1708 01:31:05,993 --> 01:31:08,996 ANDERS: It wasn't until we actually were getting ready 1709 01:31:09,030 --> 01:31:11,732 to go into lunar orbit, 1710 01:31:11,766 --> 01:31:14,802 when we turned the spacecraft backwards 1711 01:31:14,836 --> 01:31:20,741 and were preparing to reignite the service propulsion engine 1712 01:31:20,775 --> 01:31:24,612 to slow us down. 1713 01:31:24,645 --> 01:31:29,417 And we went into the shadow of the moon. 1714 01:31:31,452 --> 01:31:36,757 There was this huge black void, and that was the moon. 1715 01:31:39,227 --> 01:31:41,662 And I must say that the hair went up 1716 01:31:41,696 --> 01:31:43,731 on the back of my neck 1717 01:31:43,764 --> 01:31:47,969 when I saw that. 1718 01:31:48,002 --> 01:31:53,174 ♪ 1719 01:31:59,380 --> 01:32:04,452 CARR (on radio): Apollo 8, Houston, over. 1720 01:32:04,485 --> 01:32:07,288 NORTHCUTT: When they went behind the moon the first time, 1721 01:32:07,321 --> 01:32:10,358 we had what you call loss of signal. 1722 01:32:10,391 --> 01:32:13,528 So no radio contact. 1723 01:32:13,561 --> 01:32:16,731 And then you have a predicted time for acquisition of signal 1724 01:32:16,764 --> 01:32:18,299 as they come back around. 1725 01:32:18,332 --> 01:32:20,301 But they do their maneuver 1726 01:32:20,334 --> 01:32:23,771 on the back side of the moon. 1727 01:32:23,804 --> 01:32:25,606 That maneuver behind the moon is very critical, 1728 01:32:25,640 --> 01:32:28,442 because if they come out too early, it's not good. 1729 01:32:28,476 --> 01:32:30,945 If they come out too late, it's not good. 1730 01:32:30,978 --> 01:32:32,547 They really need to be coming out 1731 01:32:32,580 --> 01:32:34,916 when you think they're going to come out, 1732 01:32:34,949 --> 01:32:36,751 or they may be running into the moon. 1733 01:32:36,784 --> 01:32:40,421 CARR (on radio): Apollo 8, Houston, over. 1734 01:32:40,454 --> 01:32:45,126 Apollo Control, Houston, we've heard nothing yet, 1735 01:32:45,159 --> 01:32:47,762 but we're standing by. 1736 01:32:47,795 --> 01:32:51,465 NORTHCUTT: Well, they didn't come out on time. 1737 01:32:51,499 --> 01:32:55,136 CARR: Apollo 8, Houston, over. 1738 01:32:55,169 --> 01:32:57,872 NORTHCUTT: During the mission itself, 1739 01:32:57,905 --> 01:33:00,141 I sat in the staff support room, 1740 01:33:00,174 --> 01:33:02,009 not the room that you, you would see on TV at that time. 1741 01:33:02,043 --> 01:33:03,778 In the room where I was, 1742 01:33:03,811 --> 01:33:05,813 I don't think anybody was breathing the whole time. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1743 01:33:03,811 --> 01:33:05,813 I don't think anybody was breathing the whole time. 1744 01:33:05,846 --> 01:33:09,650 I mean, you were just watching that clock, 1745 01:33:09,684 --> 01:33:11,719 and you were hearing the CapCom calling out, 1746 01:33:11,752 --> 01:33:13,254 and nobody was answering. 1747 01:33:13,287 --> 01:33:15,222 CARR: Apollo 8, Houston, over. 1748 01:33:15,256 --> 01:33:18,960 And I've never had such a small amount of time 1749 01:33:18,993 --> 01:33:21,395 seem so long. 1750 01:33:21,429 --> 01:33:22,964 CARR (on radio): Apollo 8, Apollo 8, 1751 01:33:22,997 --> 01:33:25,933 this is Houston, Houston, over. 1752 01:33:28,169 --> 01:33:29,971 BORMAN (on radio): Roger, Houston, we read you loud and clear. 1753 01:33:30,004 --> 01:33:31,706 How do you read us? 1754 01:33:31,739 --> 01:33:33,107 CARR: Apollo 8, this is Houston, 1755 01:33:33,140 --> 01:33:36,711 reading you loud and clear now. 1756 01:33:36,744 --> 01:33:38,179 We've got it, we've got it. 1757 01:33:38,212 --> 01:33:43,417 Apollo 8 now in, in lunar orbit, 1758 01:33:43,451 --> 01:33:44,785 there's a cheer in this room. 1759 01:33:44,819 --> 01:33:46,554 This is Apollo Control Houston, 1760 01:33:46,587 --> 01:33:48,990 switching now to the voice of Jim Lovell. 1761 01:33:49,023 --> 01:33:50,858 VALERIE ANDERS: The three wives had a squawk box in the house, 1762 01:33:50,891 --> 01:33:55,396 to see what was going on on the flight. 1763 01:33:55,429 --> 01:34:02,203 LOVELL (on radio): 169.1 by 60.5. 1764 01:34:02,236 --> 01:34:06,574 CARR: Apollo 8, this is Houston, roger, 169.1 by 60.5. 1765 01:34:06,607 --> 01:34:09,110 Good to hear your voice. 1766 01:34:09,143 --> 01:34:11,512 VALERIE ANDERS: When they came out from behind the moon, 1767 01:34:11,545 --> 01:34:13,648 Marilyn and, and Susan and I got together, 1768 01:34:13,681 --> 01:34:15,149 at, at Susan Borman's house, 1769 01:34:15,182 --> 01:34:17,785 and we all just rejoiced. 1770 01:34:17,818 --> 01:34:20,588 It was one of those things where 1771 01:34:20,621 --> 01:34:25,326 there were so many untried, unknown parts of that flight, 1772 01:34:25,359 --> 01:34:27,128 that each step, you'd think, 1773 01:34:27,161 --> 01:34:31,832 "Well, can we, can this be successful again?" 1774 01:34:31,866 --> 01:34:34,335 CARR (on radio): Roger. 1775 01:34:34,368 --> 01:34:39,073 LOVELL: We don't know whether you can see it from the TV screen, 1776 01:34:39,106 --> 01:34:41,642 but the moon is nothing but a milky white, 1777 01:34:41,676 --> 01:34:45,746 completely void. 1778 01:34:45,780 --> 01:34:49,417 We're changing the cameras to the other window now. 1779 01:34:49,450 --> 01:34:50,818 CRONKITE: They've got two windows 1780 01:34:50,851 --> 01:34:52,319 from which they can get good, clear pictures 1781 01:34:52,353 --> 01:34:54,989 uh, from the spacecraft. 1782 01:34:55,022 --> 01:34:57,558 BORMAN (on radio): We're switching so that we can show you the moon 1783 01:34:57,591 --> 01:35:02,029 that we've been flying over at 60 miles altitude 1784 01:35:02,063 --> 01:35:04,832 for the last 16 hours. 1785 01:35:04,865 --> 01:35:08,602 Bill Anders, Jim Lovell, and myself 1786 01:35:08,636 --> 01:35:12,840 have spent the, the day before Christmas up here, 1787 01:35:12,873 --> 01:35:16,043 doing experiments, taking pictures, 1788 01:35:16,077 --> 01:35:18,946 and firing our spacecraft engines 1789 01:35:18,979 --> 01:35:21,015 to maneuver around. 1790 01:35:21,048 --> 01:35:23,851 What we'll do now is follow the trail 1791 01:35:23,884 --> 01:35:27,121 that we've been following all day 1792 01:35:27,154 --> 01:35:31,025 and take you on to, to a lunar sunset. 1793 01:35:31,058 --> 01:35:32,560 ANDERS: Backside of the moon, 1794 01:35:32,593 --> 01:35:34,261 for reasons that still are in debate, 1795 01:35:34,295 --> 01:35:39,333 is much rougher, no mare, a lot of craters-- 1796 01:35:39,366 --> 01:35:42,203 uh... looked like a battlefield. 1797 01:35:44,472 --> 01:35:46,874 All torn up. 1798 01:35:46,907 --> 01:35:50,478 BORMAN (on radio): I know my own impression is that 1799 01:35:50,511 --> 01:35:57,151 it's a, a vast, lonely, forbidding-type existence, 1800 01:35:57,184 --> 01:35:59,453 or expanse of nothing. 1801 01:35:59,487 --> 01:36:03,958 It looks really like clouds and clouds of pumice stone, 1802 01:36:03,991 --> 01:36:07,828 and it certainly would not appear to be WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1803 01:36:03,991 --> 01:36:07,828 and it certainly would not appear to be 1804 01:36:07,862 --> 01:36:11,899 a very inviting place to, to live or work. 1805 01:36:11,932 --> 01:36:14,902 Jim, what have you thought? 1806 01:36:14,935 --> 01:36:16,904 ANDERS: We were busy, you know, looking at the surface, 1807 01:36:16,937 --> 01:36:18,205 and curious, 1808 01:36:18,239 --> 01:36:19,974 but I must say, it got boring fast. 1809 01:36:20,007 --> 01:36:22,977 I mean, you look at a crater, and they all look alike. 1810 01:36:23,010 --> 01:36:25,946 BORMAN (on radio): There is a fresh, bright, impact crater... 1811 01:36:25,980 --> 01:36:27,815 ANDERS: And Lovell had the same reaction 1812 01:36:27,848 --> 01:36:30,551 through the navigation telescope. 1813 01:36:30,584 --> 01:36:32,052 It all looked the same. 1814 01:36:32,086 --> 01:36:33,988 The closer you looked, the more holes there were. 1815 01:36:35,856 --> 01:36:37,291 BORMAN (on radio): I hope that all of you back on Earth 1816 01:36:37,324 --> 01:36:38,893 can see what we mean when we say 1817 01:36:38,926 --> 01:36:41,829 it's a rather foreboding horizon, 1818 01:36:41,862 --> 01:36:47,701 a very, rather, sort of dark and unappetizing. 1819 01:36:47,735 --> 01:36:49,336 Is this our landing site a little bit over there? 1820 01:36:49,370 --> 01:36:51,205 LOVELL: Yeah, this is our landing site, right down here. 1821 01:36:51,238 --> 01:36:52,740 BORMAN: We're now going over... 1822 01:36:52,773 --> 01:36:54,375 LOVELL: Approaching a landing site. 1823 01:36:54,408 --> 01:36:57,111 BORMAN: Approaching one of our future landing sites, 1824 01:36:57,144 --> 01:36:59,847 selected in this smooth region to... 1825 01:36:59,880 --> 01:37:01,415 LOVELL: The Sea of Tranquility. 1826 01:37:01,448 --> 01:37:03,384 BORMAN: It's called the Sea of Tranquility, 1827 01:37:03,417 --> 01:37:05,052 smooth in order to make it easy 1828 01:37:05,085 --> 01:37:07,521 for the initial landing attempt, 1829 01:37:07,555 --> 01:37:12,493 in order to preclude having to dodge mountains. 1830 01:37:12,526 --> 01:37:16,630 ♪ 1831 01:37:18,632 --> 01:37:23,237 ANDERS: So by the time we got around the third revolution, 1832 01:37:23,270 --> 01:37:27,241 by this time, we'd sort of saturated on the moon. 1833 01:37:27,274 --> 01:37:30,444 ♪ 1834 01:37:35,916 --> 01:37:38,485 ANDERS (on radio): Oh, my God, look at that picture over there. 1835 01:37:38,519 --> 01:37:39,820 That is the Earth coming up. 1836 01:37:39,854 --> 01:37:43,023 Wow, isn't that pretty? 1837 01:37:43,057 --> 01:37:45,392 BORMAN: Hey, don't take that, it's not scheduled. 1838 01:37:45,426 --> 01:37:47,094 (chuckles) 1839 01:37:47,127 --> 01:37:49,330 ♪ 1840 01:37:49,363 --> 01:37:51,732 ANDERS: You got a color film, Jim? 1841 01:37:51,765 --> 01:37:53,234 Hand me a roll of color quick, would you? 1842 01:37:53,267 --> 01:37:54,668 Oh, man, that's great-- where is it? 1843 01:37:54,702 --> 01:37:56,904 ANDERS: Quick! 1844 01:37:56,937 --> 01:37:59,306 ANDERS: And so here was something that was different. 1845 01:37:59,340 --> 01:38:00,708 Absolutely not briefed on. 1846 01:38:00,741 --> 01:38:02,243 Nobody had told us on the ground 1847 01:38:02,276 --> 01:38:03,811 that the Earth was going to come up. 1848 01:38:03,844 --> 01:38:07,882 We had no photographic instructions, 1849 01:38:07,915 --> 01:38:09,817 no light meter. 1850 01:38:09,850 --> 01:38:11,318 LOVELL: Down here? 1851 01:38:11,352 --> 01:38:15,022 ANDERS: Just grab me a color, a color exterior. 1852 01:38:15,055 --> 01:38:16,390 LOVELL: Exterior? 1853 01:38:16,423 --> 01:38:18,993 ANDERS: Anything, quick. 1854 01:38:19,026 --> 01:38:23,931 Here. Okay. 1855 01:38:23,964 --> 01:38:26,133 (inaudible) Here, give it to me. 1856 01:38:26,166 --> 01:38:27,768 Just let me get the right setting. 1857 01:38:27,801 --> 01:38:29,370 Calm down, Lovell. 1858 01:38:29,403 --> 01:38:30,771 Oh, I got it, right. 1859 01:38:30,804 --> 01:38:33,040 Oh, that's a beautiful shot. 1860 01:38:33,073 --> 01:38:34,842 You're sure we got it now? 1861 01:38:34,875 --> 01:38:37,111 Yeah, it'll come up again, I think. 1862 01:38:37,144 --> 01:38:41,015 ANDERS: And suddenly, here was this beautiful shot, 1863 01:38:41,048 --> 01:38:43,083 only color in the universe. 1864 01:38:43,117 --> 01:38:48,255 ♪ 1865 01:39:05,306 --> 01:39:07,141 (shutter clicks) WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1866 01:39:05,306 --> 01:39:07,141 (shutter clicks) 1867 01:39:07,174 --> 01:39:09,710 It would become the top-ten photograph 1868 01:39:09,743 --> 01:39:11,145 of the 20th century. 1869 01:39:11,178 --> 01:39:13,614 ♪ 1870 01:39:13,647 --> 01:39:15,482 But, of course, I'm the guy that took it. 1871 01:39:15,516 --> 01:39:16,650 What else would I say? 1872 01:39:16,684 --> 01:39:21,855 ♪ 1873 01:39:35,502 --> 01:39:38,906 BORMAN (on radio): Well, let's talk about that, that's what I want to... 1874 01:39:38,939 --> 01:39:40,507 Why don't we do this? 1875 01:39:40,541 --> 01:39:43,277 Why don't you hold it out the window like you did, 1876 01:39:43,310 --> 01:39:44,511 and I'll say a couple of words, 1877 01:39:44,545 --> 01:39:46,213 and then we'll say something about 1878 01:39:46,246 --> 01:39:49,917 how this kind of reminds you about how it might have started. 1879 01:39:49,950 --> 01:39:51,552 Hey, wait, we got to do it up right, 1880 01:39:51,585 --> 01:39:53,320 because there'll be more people listening to this 1881 01:39:53,354 --> 01:39:55,990 than ever listened to any other single person in history. 1882 01:39:56,023 --> 01:39:58,659 BORMAN: We'd been told before the flight, 1883 01:39:58,692 --> 01:40:03,297 "When you're televising from the moon on Christmas Eve, 1884 01:40:03,330 --> 01:40:04,832 "you'll have the largest audience 1885 01:40:04,865 --> 01:40:06,967 that's ever listened to a human voice." 1886 01:40:07,001 --> 01:40:09,703 I said, "Well, that's nice-- what do you want us to do?" 1887 01:40:09,737 --> 01:40:11,372 "Do something appropriate." 1888 01:40:11,405 --> 01:40:15,309 We thought, "What's appropriate?" 1889 01:40:15,342 --> 01:40:20,381 ANDERS: Frank Borman went and asked a friend of his, 1890 01:40:20,414 --> 01:40:22,516 who asked his wife. 1891 01:40:22,549 --> 01:40:25,719 And she said, 1892 01:40:25,753 --> 01:40:27,554 "Well, why don't you tell them just to read 1893 01:40:27,588 --> 01:40:29,323 from the first book of Genesis?" 1894 01:40:29,356 --> 01:40:31,291 Which, you know, the creation myth, 1895 01:40:31,325 --> 01:40:34,628 or the creation story, is pretty fundamental. 1896 01:40:34,661 --> 01:40:38,599 ♪ 1897 01:40:42,236 --> 01:40:43,771 BORMAN: And then we looked at it, 1898 01:40:43,804 --> 01:40:48,075 and we, like, all of us, "This is perfect." 1899 01:40:48,108 --> 01:40:53,247 ♪ 1900 01:40:53,280 --> 01:40:57,251 ANDERS (on radio): And for all the people back on Earth, 1901 01:40:57,284 --> 01:41:00,054 the crew of Apollo 8 has a message 1902 01:41:00,087 --> 01:41:02,990 that we would like to send to you. 1903 01:41:03,023 --> 01:41:06,960 "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. 1904 01:41:06,994 --> 01:41:11,031 "And the earth was without form, and void, 1905 01:41:11,065 --> 01:41:14,568 "and darkness was upon the face of the deep, 1906 01:41:14,601 --> 01:41:19,840 "and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 1907 01:41:19,873 --> 01:41:22,376 "And God said, 'Let there be light,' 1908 01:41:22,409 --> 01:41:24,545 "and there was light. 1909 01:41:24,578 --> 01:41:27,681 "And God saw the light, that it was good. 1910 01:41:27,714 --> 01:41:32,419 And God divided the light from the darkness." 1911 01:41:32,453 --> 01:41:33,921 ANDERS: I can't speak for the other guys, 1912 01:41:33,954 --> 01:41:37,958 but to me, it was not a religious thing. 1913 01:41:37,991 --> 01:41:42,329 So much of it was a kind of a hard hit 1914 01:41:42,362 --> 01:41:44,998 to the psychological solar plexus 1915 01:41:45,032 --> 01:41:49,870 that would help mark to humankind 1916 01:41:49,903 --> 01:41:51,839 the gravity, so to speak, 1917 01:41:51,872 --> 01:41:57,211 of man's first departure from his home planet. 1918 01:41:57,244 --> 01:42:02,716 BORMAN (on radio): "And the gathering together of the waters called He seas; 1919 01:42:02,749 --> 01:42:05,352 And God saw that it was good." 1920 01:42:05,385 --> 01:42:08,188 And from the crew of Apollo 8, WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1921 01:42:05,385 --> 01:42:08,188 And from the crew of Apollo 8, 1922 01:42:08,222 --> 01:42:11,458 we close with good night, good luck, 1923 01:42:11,492 --> 01:42:15,129 a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you, 1924 01:42:15,162 --> 01:42:17,631 all of you on the good Earth. 1925 01:42:17,664 --> 01:42:23,103 ♪ 1926 01:42:29,176 --> 01:42:31,745 (static hisses) 1927 01:42:32,746 --> 01:42:36,383 (rain falling, wind gusting) 1928 01:42:43,290 --> 01:42:44,725 Merry Christmas. 1929 01:42:44,758 --> 01:42:46,393 REPORTER: How's your day been? 1930 01:42:46,426 --> 01:42:48,128 The day's been hectic. 1931 01:42:48,162 --> 01:42:49,997 We tried to sleep in, because we'd been up so late. 1932 01:42:50,030 --> 01:42:52,733 Christmas got a little bit late this morning. 1933 01:42:52,766 --> 01:42:54,234 So I think we're late to church. 1934 01:42:54,268 --> 01:42:55,702 Thank you. 1935 01:42:59,239 --> 01:43:05,379 (people talking in background) 1936 01:43:05,412 --> 01:43:07,481 (chuckles) 1937 01:43:07,514 --> 01:43:09,650 Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. 1938 01:43:09,683 --> 01:43:13,587 Thanks for being so patient. 1939 01:43:13,620 --> 01:43:17,257 How was this morning? 1940 01:43:17,291 --> 01:43:20,961 It's been... actually a very lonesome Christmas this morning. 1941 01:43:20,994 --> 01:43:24,464 I miss Jim, but... 1942 01:43:24,498 --> 01:43:25,866 It's one of the happiest Christmases 1943 01:43:25,899 --> 01:43:28,435 I think I'll ever have. 1944 01:43:35,909 --> 01:43:37,878 ANDERS: All religions are based on the fact 1945 01:43:37,911 --> 01:43:42,849 that the Earth is the focus of the universe, 1946 01:43:42,883 --> 01:43:45,052 and God sits up there with His supercomputer 1947 01:43:45,085 --> 01:43:50,190 and keeps track of all the rights and wrongs. 1948 01:43:50,224 --> 01:43:54,428 Orbiting Earth and then going to the moon, 1949 01:43:54,461 --> 01:43:58,565 it's given me a different outlook. 1950 01:43:58,599 --> 01:44:01,368 The Earth is really nowhere near as special 1951 01:44:01,401 --> 01:44:04,071 as we'd like to think it is. 1952 01:44:04,104 --> 01:44:07,040 Though it is our home planet, for humans, 1953 01:44:07,074 --> 01:44:10,244 and it's the only one we got right now, 1954 01:44:10,277 --> 01:44:14,014 and there's none in, you know, in easy sight to get to, 1955 01:44:14,047 --> 01:44:16,216 so therefore we ought to take care of it. 1956 01:44:16,250 --> 01:44:18,051 But we shouldn't think 1957 01:44:18,085 --> 01:44:22,723 that this is the designated center of everything. 1958 01:44:22,756 --> 01:44:26,727 ♪ 1959 01:44:35,002 --> 01:44:36,870 (device beeps) 1960 01:44:36,903 --> 01:44:38,905 LOVELL (on radio): Well, did you guys ever think that one Christmas Eve, 1961 01:44:38,939 --> 01:44:41,174 you'd be orbiting the moon? 1962 01:44:41,208 --> 01:44:44,778 ANDERS: Let's hope we're not doing it on New Year's. 1963 01:44:44,811 --> 01:44:46,380 LOVELL: Hey, hey, don't talk like that, Bill. 1964 01:44:46,413 --> 01:44:48,515 Think positive. 1965 01:44:48,548 --> 01:44:53,687 MISSION CONTROL: We show a loss of signal with the spacecraft. 1966 01:44:53,720 --> 01:44:55,422 We are now about 28 minutes prior 1967 01:44:55,455 --> 01:44:59,793 to our Trans-Earth Injection maneuver. 1968 01:44:59,826 --> 01:45:01,862 (device beeps) 1969 01:45:01,895 --> 01:45:04,898 NORTHCUTT: You're going to fire your engine basically one time, 1970 01:45:04,931 --> 01:45:08,302 and that's got to take you all the way home. WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 1971 01:45:04,931 --> 01:45:08,302 and that's got to take you all the way home. 1972 01:45:08,335 --> 01:45:13,307 A small miss, at the beginning, when you fire the engine, 1973 01:45:13,340 --> 01:45:16,310 can represent a heck of a large miss at the end, 1974 01:45:16,343 --> 01:45:20,681 like missing the whole planet. 1975 01:45:20,714 --> 01:45:24,017 LOVELL (on radio): Houston, Apollo 8, over. 1976 01:45:24,051 --> 01:45:26,253 MATTINGLY: Hello, Apollo 8. 1977 01:45:26,286 --> 01:45:29,489 Loud and clear. 1978 01:45:29,523 --> 01:45:35,195 LOVELL: Roger, please be informed, there is a Santa Claus. 1979 01:45:35,228 --> 01:45:37,497 MATTINGLY: Apollo 8, can you confirm your burn time, please? 1980 01:45:37,531 --> 01:45:41,768 LOVELL: Roger, we have three minutes, 23 seconds. 1981 01:45:41,802 --> 01:45:43,236 Thank you. 1982 01:45:45,372 --> 01:45:49,443 ANDERS: We were much faster on the way home. 1983 01:45:49,476 --> 01:45:52,112 And we came in at night. 1984 01:45:55,082 --> 01:45:56,950 (helicopter rotors droning) 1985 01:45:56,983 --> 01:45:58,985 We were in pitch darkness, 1986 01:45:59,019 --> 01:46:02,522 and the parachutes, all we could feel was the jerk. 1987 01:46:02,556 --> 01:46:04,758 (water splashes) 1988 01:46:08,528 --> 01:46:11,031 When the sun finally came up, 1989 01:46:11,064 --> 01:46:13,266 I remember getting out of the carrier 1990 01:46:13,300 --> 01:46:14,768 and walking across the deck, 1991 01:46:14,801 --> 01:46:17,571 thinking, "If I don't get to a toilet, 1992 01:46:17,604 --> 01:46:21,108 I'm going to be embarrassed right in front of everybody." 1993 01:46:21,141 --> 01:46:25,412 That's my unrecorded world record, 1994 01:46:25,445 --> 01:46:26,880 three quarters of a million miles 1995 01:46:26,913 --> 01:46:28,982 without taking a crap. 1996 01:46:29,015 --> 01:46:33,153 ♪ 1997 01:46:33,186 --> 01:46:37,290 (people talking in background) 1998 01:46:41,128 --> 01:46:42,896 REPORTER: Come right up here. 1999 01:46:42,929 --> 01:46:44,731 CAMERA OPERATOR: Right there. 2000 01:46:44,765 --> 01:46:47,067 I'm still speechless. 2001 01:46:48,368 --> 01:46:49,803 Just tremendous relief. 2002 01:46:49,836 --> 01:46:51,605 I... just truly the happiest day. 2003 01:46:51,638 --> 01:46:53,140 I, I just can't explain. 2004 01:46:53,173 --> 01:46:55,342 I couldn't believe it was going so perfectly, 2005 01:46:55,375 --> 01:46:57,577 and I couldn't believe that they actually sighted that thing 2006 01:46:57,611 --> 01:46:58,979 from the ship in the dark. 2007 01:46:59,012 --> 01:47:00,347 And I am so proud for our country 2008 01:47:00,380 --> 01:47:01,782 that we could accomplish, 2009 01:47:01,815 --> 01:47:03,950 our husbands could accomplish this mission. 2010 01:47:03,984 --> 01:47:07,888 JOHNSON (on phone): There's just no other comparison that we can make 2011 01:47:07,921 --> 01:47:12,993 that's equal to what you've done or to what we feel. 2012 01:47:13,026 --> 01:47:16,563 Because you've seen 2013 01:47:16,596 --> 01:47:21,101 what man has really never seen before. 2014 01:47:21,134 --> 01:47:23,036 You've taken us, taken all of us. 2015 01:47:23,069 --> 01:47:27,073 all over the world, into a new era. 2016 01:47:27,107 --> 01:47:28,942 And my thoughts this morning went back 2017 01:47:28,975 --> 01:47:31,845 to more than ten years ago, in the Pedernales Valley, 2018 01:47:31,878 --> 01:47:35,449 when we saw Sputnik racing through the skies, 2019 01:47:35,482 --> 01:47:39,319 and we realized that America had a big job ahead of it. 2020 01:47:39,352 --> 01:47:41,455 It gave me so much pleasure to know 2021 01:47:41,488 --> 01:47:47,194 that you men have done a large part of that job. 2022 01:47:47,227 --> 01:47:50,197 So we rejoice that you're well, 2023 01:47:50,230 --> 01:47:52,666 and we send you congratulations 2024 01:47:52,699 --> 01:47:55,936 from all of your fellow countrymen, 2025 01:47:55,969 --> 01:48:02,342 and from all peace-loving people in the world. 2026 01:48:02,375 --> 01:48:04,211 Well done. 2027 01:48:04,244 --> 01:48:08,448 (marching band playing) WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 2028 01:48:04,244 --> 01:48:08,448 (marching band playing) 2029 01:48:08,482 --> 01:48:10,584 CRONKITE: Today, a great new chapter has been added 2030 01:48:10,617 --> 01:48:13,854 to the story of creation and of growth. 2031 01:48:13,887 --> 01:48:16,289 Man literally has wrenched himself away 2032 01:48:16,323 --> 01:48:19,526 from the Earth that bound him down through the millennia. 2033 01:48:19,559 --> 01:48:21,962 A year of trouble and turbulence, 2034 01:48:21,995 --> 01:48:24,965 anger and assassination, is now coming to an end 2035 01:48:24,998 --> 01:48:27,367 in incandescent triumph. 2036 01:48:27,400 --> 01:48:30,670 (cheers and applause) 2037 01:48:30,704 --> 01:48:33,740 VALERIE ANDERS: I don't know that I was prepared for that. 2038 01:48:33,773 --> 01:48:36,476 My mother kept saying, "Do you only have one dress?" 2039 01:48:36,510 --> 01:48:38,979 (chuckling): But, you know, 2040 01:48:39,012 --> 01:48:42,148 we didn't have any money, so I only did have one dress. 2041 01:48:42,182 --> 01:48:43,483 So we went to New York, 2042 01:48:43,517 --> 01:48:44,951 and New York was the ticker-tape parade. 2043 01:48:44,985 --> 01:48:46,486 And then we went to Houston, 2044 01:48:46,520 --> 01:48:49,956 and, and all, all of the children were with us 2045 01:48:49,990 --> 01:48:51,791 in the Houston parade. 2046 01:48:51,825 --> 01:48:53,093 It was... 2047 01:48:53,126 --> 01:48:56,930 It was an interesting time. 2048 01:48:56,963 --> 01:49:01,535 NORTHCUTT: Afterwards, I got letters from all around the world. 2049 01:49:01,568 --> 01:49:05,772 I got tons of letters from African countries, 2050 01:49:05,805 --> 01:49:09,976 all over the world, addressed to "Poppy, Space Program, U.S.A." 2051 01:49:10,010 --> 01:49:13,947 I got marriage proposals. 2052 01:49:13,980 --> 01:49:17,784 I got letters from little girls all around the world, too. 2053 01:49:19,452 --> 01:49:22,355 You know, I got tons of recognition 2054 01:49:22,389 --> 01:49:25,592 that women could do a job that they never had thought before. 2055 01:49:25,625 --> 01:49:27,861 So was it sexist? 2056 01:49:27,894 --> 01:49:29,329 Yes. 2057 01:49:29,362 --> 01:49:34,134 But you got to start somewhere. 2058 01:49:34,167 --> 01:49:40,006 (crowd cheering and applauding) 2059 01:49:40,040 --> 01:49:44,578 BORMAN: We had thousands of letters and telegrams and so on, 2060 01:49:44,611 --> 01:49:47,280 after we got back from Apollo 8. 2061 01:49:47,314 --> 01:49:48,982 But the one that really caught my attention 2062 01:49:49,015 --> 01:49:52,919 was a lady that said, "Thank you, you saved 1968." 2063 01:49:52,953 --> 01:49:54,387 (jet engines roaring overhead) 2064 01:49:58,258 --> 01:50:03,430 ♪ 2065 01:50:06,533 --> 01:50:08,501 ALEXANDER: Well, now that you're back on Earth, 2066 01:50:08,535 --> 01:50:10,837 and you had a sample of these receptions and parades, 2067 01:50:10,870 --> 01:50:12,772 I guess you're aware of the fact 2068 01:50:12,806 --> 01:50:14,941 that your lives will, will never be free again 2069 01:50:14,975 --> 01:50:16,309 of the moon's influence. 2070 01:50:16,343 --> 01:50:18,979 Were you prepared to, to deal with this before the flight, 2071 01:50:19,012 --> 01:50:20,280 and how do you feel about it now? 2072 01:50:20,313 --> 01:50:21,481 I feel that, 2073 01:50:21,514 --> 01:50:24,050 right now, that we are merely 2074 01:50:24,084 --> 01:50:25,852 symbols of a program 2075 01:50:25,885 --> 01:50:29,089 of which I think all Americans should be proud. 2076 01:50:29,122 --> 01:50:32,058 But shortly, we are going to have more flights, 2077 01:50:32,092 --> 01:50:34,661 and shortly, we're going to have people who actually land 2078 01:50:34,694 --> 01:50:37,397 and walk and explore on the lunar surface. 2079 01:50:37,430 --> 01:50:40,667 And I think these new symbols will far overshadow, 2080 01:50:40,700 --> 01:50:42,135 perhaps, what we've done. 2081 01:50:42,168 --> 01:50:44,504 Colonel Borman, that old master of rocketry, 2082 01:50:44,537 --> 01:50:46,406 Wernher von Braun, has said that a circumlunar-- 2083 01:50:46,439 --> 01:50:49,709 a flight around the moon-- gives you 80% of the credit 2084 01:50:49,743 --> 01:50:52,012 with only 20% of the risk. 2085 01:50:52,045 --> 01:50:55,281 Does that mean that 80% of the risk of landing on the moon 2086 01:50:55,315 --> 01:50:57,517 is still ahead of you all? 2087 01:50:57,550 --> 01:51:00,587 I haven't tried to assess it in percentage points, 2088 01:51:00,620 --> 01:51:02,088 but I would say definitely 2089 01:51:02,122 --> 01:51:06,292 that the extremely risky part of the flight WEBVTT X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=MPEGTS:187507, LOCAL:00:00:00.000 2090 01:51:02,122 --> 01:51:06,292 that the extremely risky part of the flight 2091 01:51:06,326 --> 01:51:09,929 will be the actual touchdown on the lunar surface. 2092 01:51:09,963 --> 01:51:20,006 ♪ 2093 01:51:20,006 --> 01:51:28,148 ♪ 2094 01:51:28,948 --> 01:51:29,916 ANNOUNCER: Next time... 2095 01:51:29,949 --> 01:51:31,785 REPORTER: They have 70 seconds 2096 01:51:31,818 --> 01:51:33,787 in which to redesignate the landing site. 2097 01:51:33,820 --> 01:51:35,822 THEO KAMECKE: That's the first time I understood 2098 01:51:35,855 --> 01:51:36,756 what it meant to smell fear. 2099 01:51:36,790 --> 01:51:38,324 Capcom, we're go for landing. 2100 01:51:38,358 --> 01:51:40,660 ♪ 2101 01:51:40,694 --> 01:51:44,531 CHARLIE DUKE: Okay, Neil, we can see you coming down the ladder now. 2102 01:51:44,564 --> 01:51:47,133 MICHAEL COLLINS: By golly, we, mankind, did this thing, 2103 01:51:47,167 --> 01:51:48,968 and we're all brothers together. 2104 01:51:49,002 --> 01:51:50,837 ANNOUNCER: The conclusion of "Chasing the Moon," 2105 01:51:50,870 --> 01:51:53,440 next time, on "American Experience." 2106 01:51:53,473 --> 01:51:55,508 Made possible in part by Liberty Mutual Insurance.