Neil Armstrong: A Life of Flight (34 page)

Those in Launch Control take to the windows. (NASA)

But Max-Q’s uncomfortable shaking would only be momentary, while back on the Cape the record-setting crowd saw a fire river eight hundred feet long trailing the
Apollo 11
train. They watched it pass the large flag standing before them with a ghostly ring of contrail dancing around the joints of Saturn V’s stages.

They were at an altitude of 12 miles moving about 2,800 miles per hour, and CapCom told them, “Stand by for mode one Charlie.”

Mode one Charlie meant flight controllers were checking the status of the upcoming first-stage burnout and its separation from the second stage.

“One Charlie,” Neil confirmed.

“This is Houston, you are
Go
for staging.”

“Inboard cutoff,” Neil reported.

“We confirm inboard cutoff.”

Neil, Mike, and Buzz braced for the “train wreck.” Their G loads had them weighing four times what they did at launch and their first stage’s five big rocket engines had compressed the Saturn’s three stages like an accordion.

Apollo 11
waves good-bye to the flag. (NASA)

The moment those engines stopped burning,
Apollo 11
’s train lost its push and the astronauts were thrown back and forth against their straps. Neil wasn’t at all sure they hadn’t been thrown into the command module’s bulkhead as he told CapCom, “Staging.” The astronauts then heard metallic bangs and a mixture of clunks and clangs as explosive bolts blew away the now empty stage.

Apollo 11
’s Saturn V leaving on flames two-and-a-half times its length. (NASA)

They were 40 miles high and 60 miles downrange, climbing faster than 6,000 miles per hour, and they heard more bangs and clangs from the second stage below as ullage rockets fired to settle the propellants. Then, the second stage lit off, kicking the astronauts back in their seats with renewed acceleration, and Neil sensed immediately the flight was much smoother and quieter—no more vibration with all sound left in their wake.

“
11,
Houston. Thrust is Go, all engines. You’re looking good.”

“Roger. You’re loud and clear, Houston,” Neil told CapCom, quickly adding, “We’ve got skirt SEP.”

Apollo 11
losing one-half of its rocket train. We see the first stage burning out as the second stage ignites to push Neil and his crew toward Earth orbit. (NASA)

“Roger, we confirm skirt SEP.”

The engine skirt was gone and a new sound slammed through the crew cabin. The escape tower’s rocket had ignited automatically snatching away the no-longer-needed tower and the protective shield, uncovering their windows for the first time.

“Houston, be advised the visual is Go today,” Neil reported.

“This is Houston, Roger. Out,” said CapCom.

“Yes, we finally have windows to look out.”

Neil was aware he was being ignored. The pleasure of having the ability to see beyond their spacecraft even though they could only see the black sky of space was not a priority for the busy team on the ground and he and Mike and Buzz were now enjoying the ride. Saturn V’s upper stages had turned into gentle giants. They were now beyond the last particles of atmosphere and their ride was quiet and serene as smooth as glass and just a short distance away Neil suddenly saw tongues of flame lash briefly. Solid rockets on the Saturn V–discarded first stage were igniting to push away the stage from Apollo. No one wanted a “highway in the sky” collision at this point.

“Your guidance has converged; you’re looking good,” CapCom told Neil.

“Roger.”

“
11
, Houston. You are Go at four minutes.”

“Roger.”

Apollo 11
parked in Earth orbit over a cloud-laden eastern Atlantic. (NASA)

Apollo 11
was now 190 miles downrange, 72 miles high, moving at 7,400 miles per hour and Neil told McCandless, “You sure sound clear down there, Bruce. Sounds like you’re sitting in your living room.”

Bruce came back. “You all are coming through beautifully, too.”

“We’re doing six minutes—starting to gimbal motors,” said Neil.

“Roger,
11
,” CapCom acknowledged. “You are Go from the ground at six minutes.”

The second stage continued to burn and the
Apollo 11
train climbed faster and faster for another three minutes until it had emptied its tanks. Again the astronauts were snapped forward in their harnesses; again they were pushed back as the third stage lit off. They were moving along at 15,500 miles per hour, not quite Earth orbital speed, but the third stage would take care of that.

“Staging, and ignition,” Neil told the ground.

“Ignition confirmed, thrust is Go,
11
. At ten minutes, you are Go.”

Neil smiled. “Roger,
11
is Go.”

Still heavily loaded with fuel needed to boost
Apollo 11
to the moon following an S4B (third-stage) burn to push them into Earth orbit
Apollo 11
was suddenly circling its home planet at a speed of 17,400 miles per hour.

This was the beginning of their planned holding orbit and Neil knew its purpose was twofold. First it gave the launch team a longer launch window and second it gave Mission Control and the crew two-and-a-half hours orbiting Earth to make sure astronaut and machine were ready to function far, far away.

They were entering orbit over the Canary Islands tracking station off the coast of Africa and Neil exchanged broad grins with Mike and Buzz. He released his harness and floated freely as if he were a feather with invisible wings. It was the feel-good feeling of weightlessness he had learned to love aboard
Gemini 8
and the treat alone made the trip worthwhile.

From Earth orbit, the astronauts’ destination looms before them. (NASA)

EIGHTEEN

OUTBOUND

Apollo 11
sped around Earth for nearly two full orbits. Mission Control checked and rechecked its hardware. Flight controllers had to be absolutely sure the command ship and lunar module could carry the astronauts safely to the moon and back. Then CapCom told them, “
Apollo 11
, this is Houston. You are Go for TLI.”

Neil Armstrong held up a gloved fist. “We thank you.”

TLI (Trans Lunar Insertion) was the second major flight maneuver needed for
Apollo 11
’s crew to reach the lunar surface. Neil locked eyes with Mike and Buzz. They were smiling. No question they were ready. Each rechecked their seat harness, shifted and settled their weight, and waited.

“
Apollo 11
, this is Houston,
stand by
!”

“Roger,” Neil acknowledged and the crew braced itself.

WHOMP!

“Ignition,” he told Mission Control.

The powerful S4B third stage pinned them deep into their seats as every ounce of the big rocket’s quarter-of-a-million pounds of thrust was burning. It was needed. They were reaching for the speed that would break them free of Earth’s gravity. They were moving over the Pacific at 17,300 miles per hour. Their rocket would need to burn without stop, without even a hiccup for almost six minutes to reach 24,500 miles per hour—escape velocity.

They took comfort knowing what they needed was locked in their computers by
Apollo 8
and
Apollo 10
. Both previous flights were saying to
Apollo 11
follow us. They were, and Neil heard Houston telling him their Saturn V’s third stage had been burning for one minute, “Trajectory and guidance looks good. The stage is good.”

“Roger.” Neil welcomed the news.

In the vacuum leading from Earth, the S4B’s J-2 hydrogen fuel engine was burning a magnificent plume of pink and violet flame. Neil and crew felt its continuing power, felt its smooth and powerful ride. Their job was to monitor their instruments. CapCom told them, “Thrust is good. Everything’s is good.”

Neil returned a pleased “Roger.”

They sat and rode and waited. They sensed they were leaving their home planet. Time seemed to have slowed and Neil wanted to pinch himself to be sure he was where he was—doing what he had so long dreamed of doing. Then there were only seconds to go in the long rocket burn, and CapCom was back: “
Apollo 11
, this is Houston. You’re still looking good. Your predicted cutoff is right on the nominal.”