Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Apollo 15 Launch Transcript

Here I have a fragment of the Apollo 15 launch transcript, made by the NASA Public Affairs Officer on 26 July 1971.

"Mark: T-minus 2 minutes and counting. Still going well. Propellants stable onboard the vehicle. The crew here in the firing room monitoring more than 300 redline values, watching temperatures and pressures to ensure they do not go above nominal. In the case that it did, any one of these key people could call in to hold the countdown. 1 minute, 36 seconds and counting; still going well."

"The pressurization sequence is still continuing in the vehicle. We're now 90 seconds away from lift-off. All still going well. We'll go on internal power with the vehicle at the 50 second mark in the count. We now get indications from our status board that all is still going well, and the third stage is now completely pressurized. Coming up shortly on the 1 minute mark, we're now 70 seconds and counting."

"Second stage tanks are pressurized as our countdown continues. Mark: T-minus 60 seconds and counting on Apollo 15. The Astronauts are Go. Launch vehicle and spacecraft components all Go as our countdown proceeds."

"Now 50 seconds; we have the power transfer. The vehicle now on the battery power on the vehicle and all is still going well. Lunar Module Pilot, Jim Irwin, making some final checks now."

"Passing the 40 second mark. Spacecraft Commander Dave Scott now has made his final check; that is, aligning the guidance system."

"30 seconds and counting. The guidance system will go internal at the 17 second mark."

"Now 25 seconds. We have complete clearance to launch. We are Go. 20."

"15 seconds, guidance internal, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, ignition sequence start."

"Engines On. 5, 4..."

"...3,..."

"...2, 1, all engines running."

"Launch commit."

"Lift-off. We have lift-off at 9:34 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time."

Corrected Transcript and Commentary © 1998 by W. David Woods and Frank O'Brien. Fair use claimed here.

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