July 21, 2025 • 22 mins
Spinning out. Systems failing. Russia closing in. With fuel running low, trust and instinct are all that remain in the race to land on the Moon.
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Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Buzz, an audio drama for iHeart Podcasts starring John Lithgow
and Jeffrey Aaron as buzz Aldron. This series is based
on real events. However, certain characters, names, incidents, locations, and
dialogue have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Chapter seven, Colombia, This is flight.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Are you reading me?
Speaker 4 (00:31):
As if we needed it? The explosion that followed separation
of the command and lunar modules was proof that if
anything could go wrong with Apollo eleven, it would Colombia.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
This is flight. If you can read me? Switch to
high gain Columbia. Do you have a visual with Eagle?
Pete Colombia? Do you have a visual with Eagle?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
That is a negative?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
We have no visual, Mike. We need you to make
a full rotation and pitch or yaw.
Speaker 5 (01:19):
Houston, I'm beginning. Pitch over now any degrees.
Speaker 6 (01:25):
One, ten, one, thirty, Jesus.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Still no visual on Eagle? Over Eagle?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
This is flight? Are you reading me? And what is
your status? Capcom Switch to high hot Colombia, hell of
(01:56):
a rotati?
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Columbia.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Has Eagle maintained structural integrity? Colombia? Can you assess eagle structure?
Speaker 5 (02:07):
A negative?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Eagle's rotation is too rapid for.
Speaker 7 (02:11):
That kind of assessment.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Over, Eagle, this is flight. Can you read me if affirmative?
We need you to null your rate of rotations in Colombia.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Eagle's rotation is continuing.
Speaker 7 (02:35):
Give anything. It's getting faster.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Eagle, this is flight. Come in, Eagle, do you read
fdo is Eagle still on course?
Speaker 8 (02:57):
Give me a minute to pull into lemtsy I.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
Repeat, we can hear you, Houston.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Eagle, do you read us over? We're reading you, Eagle.
What's your status?
Speaker 9 (03:15):
Uncle?
Speaker 7 (03:16):
We've been thrown forward?
Speaker 9 (03:20):
Position it flight. I have telemetry on Eagle. It's rolling
too much to engage the aboard guidance system Eagle.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Houston attempt to stabilize with manual RCS.
Speaker 7 (03:32):
Roger Houston, manual RCS RS engaged FDL.
Speaker 9 (03:38):
You're reading engagement. Rotation is slowing, Eagle.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Houston. We're with you on a slowing of rotation, Columbia.
What are you seeing?
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Slowing rotation?
Speaker 10 (03:51):
Houston?
Speaker 7 (03:52):
Eagle, rotation still slowing.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
R CS back.
Speaker 11 (03:57):
So we're seeing here, Roger, Eagle, thank you, I'm seeing
encouraging numbers.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Copy that deck A never a dull moment, Houston. Mike
can you get a look at Eagle's docking assembly?
Speaker 5 (04:10):
What are you looking for?
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Houston, Neil, we're checking to see if the explosion did
any damage to your docking port.
Speaker 7 (04:17):
Houston, Columbium.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
There's definitely some buckling, okay, But is Eagle's docking port intact?
Speaker 6 (04:26):
We won't know for sure until we attempt to READOC.
Speaker 7 (04:29):
If Neil and Buzz have to spacewalk back to the
command module they're close enough.
Speaker 9 (04:34):
Then now for time.
Speaker 7 (04:37):
And we serve breakfast a low nine.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Hundred shrimp cocktail Mike, first come, first served post.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I'm Buzz Aldrin and this is the story you think
you know, but you don't.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
It makes them frequent.
Speaker 10 (04:55):
Five five four, Hey, you with the quality Dave here
the Eagle.
Speaker 7 (05:07):
Plant one all pervan.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Part diapl.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
You're listening to Buzz. This is the story of my
greatest achievement.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
Chapter seven, Houston, are we go for lunar descent?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
We don't have the data to order a goal with
maximum confidence. FDO is working on the dynamics impact of
the compression explosion.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Houston. Maximum confidence is a luxury.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
I could tell Neil was ready to exert some authority,
which in my opinion fell on the category of better
late than never.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
As Commander I suggest we begin lunar descent.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
I suggested we first assess the position of the Russian craft.
Did I do it because it really worried me? Or
because if Neil said black, I'd say white? Absolutely?
Speaker 11 (06:21):
Gene this print out from Sir Bernard in England. The
Russian craft is still in orbit and descending. If we
order a gopher descent now, we might slip past them.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
For all we know, they could be targeting us when
we land. Fdo do we have telemetry? Not yet, Eagle.
I'm not ordering descent until we have a full assessment
of flight dynamics and the position of the Russian craft. Repeat,
we are no go for descent as of this time.
(06:52):
And that's what the separation of the two modules looks like,
a procedure that was successfully completed a few moments ago.
Speaker 12 (07:09):
Going to drink this one, Oh, I uh.
Speaker 6 (07:18):
No, Look, Joan, we're all in the same situation.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
We need to support each other.
Speaker 12 (07:29):
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
We may have had our arguments and our husbands may
not get on as well as everyone and NASA hoped,
but whatever our differences, we're still astronauts wives a rare breed.
Speaker 8 (07:48):
Yeah, the compression explosion was the equivalent of a three
second SPSS burn in the wrong direction.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Are you sure?
Speaker 8 (08:03):
We're waiting on two more CIS lunar navigation sightings. But
Eagle will overshoot the target area by eleven degrees of longitude.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Our landing data, the practice on acknowledged terrain means nothing.
Speaker 8 (08:18):
It's eleven degrees if the rate of dissent fuel consumption
remains constant.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
Meaning it could get worse.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Eagle, we're showing you on a course variation of at
least eleven degrees that'd take you from a secure landing
environment at Apollo Site two to one.
Speaker 7 (08:37):
That's unknown, Houston. We could activate the thrusters to get
us closer to course.
Speaker 10 (08:47):
A negative on that buzz.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
There's not enough shue to cover that kind of cross
range and still run even like Dorcius will get you
there and back.
Speaker 7 (08:56):
Yes they will, they won't.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Neil's gonna have to fly it in manually. He'll be okay,
change in course emergency landing.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
You could give it the buzz.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
I don't even want to consider that, Neil. If we
can't rely on the dissent program in the computer. Are
you prepared to disable programmed descent and designate the landing
site manually? Repeat? Neil, are you prepared to disable the
(09:33):
landing program and fly Eagle yourself? I am not you, buzz.
The question was addressed to the mission commander, Neil, are
you prepared to deactivate programmed landing and descend on manual control?
Speaker 8 (09:51):
I am prepared.
Speaker 7 (09:51):
You've got a visual contact with what could be the Russian.
Speaker 13 (09:54):
Craft Eagles behind the moon in two minutes thirty Gene,
Sir Bernard's online three.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Eagle standby Sir Bernard Gene Krantz.
Speaker 10 (10:07):
Gene, we've had a bit of a course change on
the Russian craft. It had been maintaining a five degree variance,
but in the last orbit it's three degrees closer to Eagle.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Is that an intentional path change or a gravitational anomaly?
Speaker 10 (10:21):
All I can say is the odds of a collision
have increased, and I wouldn't put anything past the Russians,
especially since you're about to go behind the moon, which
would provide them with cover.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Thank you, sus.
Speaker 11 (10:33):
Werd behind the moon in forty five seconds? What's it
going to be, Gene?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
I want to keep our options for to scent aboard
and trans Earth injection alive as long as we can.
Speaker 11 (10:47):
That options disappearing fast.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
Recommend we begin lunar descent before another orbit.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
For a second, I thought of disagreeing with Neil, because
well just because, but in the interest of the mission,
and to prove that even I could show an occasional
sign of maturity, descend immediately.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Wait a second, did I hear you guys agree?
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Better be careful or it'll look like we're on the
same team.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Complete orbit, Eagle. When you come out from behind the Moon,
we'll have a final go or no go on lunar
discent the readership for you. I heard that Eagle.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
You were meant to Houston.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
We disappeared behind the moon with no idea where the
Russian craft would be. When we emerged. We were out
of communication with Houston, and they with us. Neil and
I just might have been the two loneliest guys in
the universe.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
Russian still there, gotta be. I just don't see them.
Speaker 5 (12:01):
Wow, they're out there somewhere.
Speaker 7 (12:05):
I remember in Korea they were always sneaking up behind you,
and I still shut the bastards down.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
Can we talk about something else.
Speaker 8 (12:15):
Like what.
Speaker 12 (12:18):
I need some coffee? I can't, I am I'm shaking
too much. It's okay. Here, there you go. I'm not
(12:42):
jen I'm not sure I can do this. Joe, I'm here.
Pat's here. We'll make it.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
We will.
Speaker 7 (13:00):
Neil there out the window eleven o'clock. Is that the
Russian lunar?
Speaker 5 (13:10):
I think it could be.
Speaker 7 (13:14):
Dynamics are steady. Want me to take over. I can
execute evasive maneuvers.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
You're not the only one who flew in Korea.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
A two second burn of the descent engine at fifty
percent will put us low enough to advance our landing
window by one full orbit. That's all we need to do.
What to get to the surface?
Speaker 5 (13:36):
First, you said the dynamics are steady.
Speaker 14 (13:42):
If the Russians are trying to keep their distance, a
course change now increases the odds of a collision.
Speaker 7 (13:47):
I'll accept the odds if it gets us on the ground.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
We can't reach Houston for another three minutes.
Speaker 7 (13:52):
Forget Houston and forget the steady dynamics. Neil, whatever that
thing is out there, it's gaining on us.
Speaker 13 (14:14):
Eagle should be emerging from behind the Moon in five
four three two. Eagle Houston.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Here Eagle, this is Flight.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
Eagle. Are you reading us?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Do we have telemetry and BioMed?
Speaker 13 (14:35):
Columbia Houston, We've lost data with Eagle. Are you still
receiving I.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Can't read the wire, Columbia, this is Flight Try low frequency.
I'm trying every day.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
Of God, I'm out of touch with the linking entering
a wire.
Speaker 9 (14:53):
What are the possibilities e comm radical alignment change from
the explosive endings, structural failure from decompressed loss of visual
acuity by the CMP.
Speaker 11 (15:03):
If the Russians hit him, they wouldn't have time to
activate the aboord and guidance system.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
If the Russians hit him, deek, They're dead.
Speaker 8 (15:09):
Columbia Houston.
Speaker 13 (15:11):
If you can't read, you'll switch to OMNE.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
I read you, Houston, but I'm getting static over the
Omni two.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
It's still no visual.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
It makes no sense that he can't see anything. If
eagles hull pressure failed or if it was hit by
the Russians, there'd be visible.
Speaker 13 (15:33):
Debris unless the sun was at twelve o'clock. The solar
glare would make it impossible for.
Speaker 7 (15:46):
Houston. This is Eagle, come in. Why the hell can't
they hear us?
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Columbia.
Speaker 7 (16:00):
Wo we get real fand the middlemen.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
We've getting to select AFT omni. Eagle.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
This is Columbia. Used to need you to select aft.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
Omni now, Roger, Columbia aft omni Houston.
Speaker 5 (16:16):
Are you reading Eagle on AFT omni negative?
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Columbia.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I think they're in tennis blocked.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
Eagle.
Speaker 13 (16:26):
Produce your yaw about ten degrees so the omni has
line of sight.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
Okay, Columbia ten degrees y'all? How's that now? Houston? You're
reading us.
Speaker 9 (16:38):
We're worrying you.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Eagle.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
Any sign of the Russians we did cite it. It
appeared to be on our path, but it's not there now.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
Jeane, we've used thirty of ours fuel a deal.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
We're not showing a fourteen degree.
Speaker 8 (16:55):
Variants on landing longitude?
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Houston. Are we go for descent?
Speaker 7 (17:01):
Houston? We didn't come a quarter of a million miles
for nothing.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
The silence from mission control lasted maybe five seconds. It
seemed like an hour.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
Flight. If you were up here, what would you do?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Eagle?
Speaker 8 (17:20):
We are go for lunar descent.
Speaker 13 (17:23):
Arm the descent engine.
Speaker 14 (17:24):
Eagle entering commands, descent guidance enabled, proceed to fire descent.
Speaker 7 (17:31):
Engine proceeding engines firing. There's no change of motion.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
I don't show engine firing.
Speaker 10 (17:42):
What's going on up there, Eagle?
Speaker 13 (17:44):
Can you confirm descent engine firing?
Speaker 10 (17:47):
Uh?
Speaker 14 (17:48):
We've got all our buttons pushed, thrust translation, balanced couple
on TTC, A throttle, minimum prop.
Speaker 7 (17:56):
Button reset, att control, three of them to mode control, Eagles.
Speaker 9 (18:01):
Houston, we are not showing.
Speaker 13 (18:03):
Descent engine firing.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Neither are we, and AGS is reading four hundred plus
one music to my ears.
Speaker 14 (18:13):
Houston confirming descent firing at sixty thousand feet.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Don't copy that, Eagle.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
One thing about spaceflight. You can't pull up to a
gas station and say, filler up, e.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Camm, what's our RCS fuel situation?
Speaker 8 (18:26):
Not good? We've used up the thrust reserves we were
saving for a potential overshoot.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
If Neil runs long, he's going to have to compensate
with the descent engine, and he'll need every drop to
find somewhere flat enough to land. Is he going to
be dry during final descent?
Speaker 13 (18:39):
If he overshoots, he'll be sucking fumes?
Speaker 5 (18:44):
Houston confirming computerized.
Speaker 7 (18:46):
Descent altitude fifty eight thousand.
Speaker 13 (18:49):
Copy altitude now forty two five hundred.
Speaker 14 (18:54):
Roger Houston, Our position checks down range show us to
be seventeen degrees long.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Can you confirm that Eagle?
Speaker 13 (19:02):
That's confirmed? You think you can make the secondary landing site.
Speaker 14 (19:07):
Negative.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Looks like we'll be pushing up on the western edge
of the landing ellipse near Hypatia Ridge Gene. That's like
landing in the Grand Canyon. Neil isn't prepared for it.
He hasn't practiced for that kind of terrain.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Get out the charts. He'll need all the help he
can get.
Speaker 9 (19:39):
The latest orbit of the Russian craft sir declination to
equate a plane eighty seven degrees counted from zero meridian
two hundred.
Speaker 10 (19:48):
What's the altitude and eccentricity of.
Speaker 9 (19:50):
Eagle twenty eight thousand and descending eccentricity zero point zero
one With.
Speaker 10 (19:56):
The possibility of a new landing site at rym h Rymi,
Hypatia is also one of the potential landing sites for
the Russians, which rather stretches coincidence.
Speaker 12 (20:07):
Don't you think I'm not sure?
Speaker 9 (20:09):
I follow you?
Speaker 10 (20:10):
So these are ground controlled adjustments made by the Russians
virtually in conjunction with the descent of Eagle It was
almost as if they'd predicted it.
Speaker 9 (20:19):
You don't believe the Soviets have some way of knowing
what's happening inside mission control. You think that is harboring
a spy.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Back at mission control, Crans and other engineers were examining
every lunar map they had.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
We see areas on the western and northern fringes of
the landing ellipse that may be smooth enough for touchdown,
but we're not sure you'll have the fuel to reach them.
The capacities at.
Speaker 7 (20:48):
Two nine Houston target touchdown time at seventeen to twenty hours.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
E Calm, let's get a confirmation.
Speaker 7 (20:55):
I don't need a confirmation. I worked it out. Time
is now fifteen fifty three eight in less than eighteen
minutes were dry.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
We need to activate landing radar Houston.
Speaker 7 (21:07):
Roger on that activation Eagle, given everything else that's gone wrong,
one hundred says that radar is a dude.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
I don't gamble buys.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
CO firm landing radar.
Speaker 7 (21:18):
Are you doing, Neil? Thanks for saving me. One hundred
Houston Landing radar confirmed altitude twenty four thousand.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
That's when Lovell's information about the Russians guessing our landing
site got to mission control.
Speaker 11 (21:34):
Sir Bernard just sent this by wire?
Speaker 5 (21:36):
How old is this?
Speaker 11 (21:37):
No more than thirty minutes? Levell double checked it, and
he says the last correction before this one was an
hour ago.
Speaker 7 (21:42):
They need a full hour and a half just to
update numbers on their last correction. Even with the guidance computer,
our guys couldn't do thrust to burns that fast.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
We don't know where we're going, how could they?
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Buzz, starring John Lithgow and Jeffrey Errand, is created by
Stephen Cronish and directed by John Scott Dryden.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Chapter seven is written by Stephen Cronish.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Original music is by Sasha Putnam, editing and sound design
by Elouise Whitmore.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
The producer is Emma Hearn. The executive producers.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
Are Jeremy Fox, John Scott Dryden, Stephen Cronish, Howard Stringer
and Jason English. Buzz is a production of Thoroughbred Studios,
gold Hawk Productions and iHeart Podcasts.
Buzz, an audio drama for iHeart Podcasts starring John Lithgow
and Jeffrey Aaron as buzz Aldron. This series is based
on real events. However, certain characters, names, incidents, locations, and
dialogue have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Chapter seven, Colombia, This is flight.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Are you reading me?
Speaker 4 (00:31):
As if we needed it? The explosion that followed separation
of the command and lunar modules was proof that if
anything could go wrong with Apollo eleven, it would Colombia.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
This is flight. If you can read me? Switch to
high gain Columbia. Do you have a visual with Eagle?
Pete Colombia? Do you have a visual with Eagle?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
That is a negative?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
We have no visual, Mike. We need you to make
a full rotation and pitch or yaw.
Speaker 5 (01:19):
Houston, I'm beginning. Pitch over now any degrees.
Speaker 6 (01:25):
One, ten, one, thirty, Jesus.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Still no visual on Eagle? Over Eagle?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
This is flight? Are you reading me? And what is
your status? Capcom Switch to high hot Colombia, hell of
(01:56):
a rotati?
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Columbia.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Has Eagle maintained structural integrity? Colombia? Can you assess eagle structure?
Speaker 5 (02:07):
A negative?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Eagle's rotation is too rapid for.
Speaker 7 (02:11):
That kind of assessment.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Over, Eagle, this is flight. Can you read me if affirmative?
We need you to null your rate of rotations in Colombia.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Eagle's rotation is continuing.
Speaker 7 (02:35):
Give anything. It's getting faster.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Eagle, this is flight. Come in, Eagle, do you read
fdo is Eagle still on course?
Speaker 8 (02:57):
Give me a minute to pull into lemtsy I.
Speaker 7 (03:04):
Repeat, we can hear you, Houston.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Eagle, do you read us over? We're reading you, Eagle.
What's your status?
Speaker 9 (03:15):
Uncle?
Speaker 7 (03:16):
We've been thrown forward?
Speaker 9 (03:20):
Position it flight. I have telemetry on Eagle. It's rolling
too much to engage the aboard guidance system Eagle.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Houston attempt to stabilize with manual RCS.
Speaker 7 (03:32):
Roger Houston, manual RCS RS engaged FDL.
Speaker 9 (03:38):
You're reading engagement. Rotation is slowing, Eagle.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Houston. We're with you on a slowing of rotation, Columbia.
What are you seeing?
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Slowing rotation?
Speaker 10 (03:51):
Houston?
Speaker 7 (03:52):
Eagle, rotation still slowing.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
R CS back.
Speaker 11 (03:57):
So we're seeing here, Roger, Eagle, thank you, I'm seeing
encouraging numbers.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Copy that deck A never a dull moment, Houston. Mike
can you get a look at Eagle's docking assembly?
Speaker 5 (04:10):
What are you looking for?
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Houston, Neil, we're checking to see if the explosion did
any damage to your docking port.
Speaker 7 (04:17):
Houston, Columbium.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
There's definitely some buckling, okay, But is Eagle's docking port intact?
Speaker 6 (04:26):
We won't know for sure until we attempt to READOC.
Speaker 7 (04:29):
If Neil and Buzz have to spacewalk back to the
command module they're close enough.
Speaker 9 (04:34):
Then now for time.
Speaker 7 (04:37):
And we serve breakfast a low nine.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Hundred shrimp cocktail Mike, first come, first served post.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I'm Buzz Aldrin and this is the story you think
you know, but you don't.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
It makes them frequent.
Speaker 10 (04:55):
Five five four, Hey, you with the quality Dave here
the Eagle.
Speaker 7 (05:07):
Plant one all pervan.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Part diapl.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
You're listening to Buzz. This is the story of my
greatest achievement.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
Chapter seven, Houston, are we go for lunar descent?
Speaker 3 (05:42):
We don't have the data to order a goal with
maximum confidence. FDO is working on the dynamics impact of
the compression explosion.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Houston. Maximum confidence is a luxury.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
I could tell Neil was ready to exert some authority,
which in my opinion fell on the category of better
late than never.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
As Commander I suggest we begin lunar descent.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
I suggested we first assess the position of the Russian craft.
Did I do it because it really worried me? Or
because if Neil said black, I'd say white? Absolutely?
Speaker 11 (06:21):
Gene this print out from Sir Bernard in England. The
Russian craft is still in orbit and descending. If we
order a gopher descent now, we might slip past them.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
For all we know, they could be targeting us when
we land. Fdo do we have telemetry? Not yet, Eagle.
I'm not ordering descent until we have a full assessment
of flight dynamics and the position of the Russian craft. Repeat,
we are no go for descent as of this time.
(06:52):
And that's what the separation of the two modules looks like,
a procedure that was successfully completed a few moments ago.
Speaker 12 (07:09):
Going to drink this one, Oh, I uh.
Speaker 6 (07:18):
No, Look, Joan, we're all in the same situation.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
We need to support each other.
Speaker 12 (07:29):
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Speaker 6 (07:32):
We may have had our arguments and our husbands may
not get on as well as everyone and NASA hoped,
but whatever our differences, we're still astronauts wives a rare breed.
Speaker 8 (07:48):
Yeah, the compression explosion was the equivalent of a three
second SPSS burn in the wrong direction.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Are you sure?
Speaker 8 (08:03):
We're waiting on two more CIS lunar navigation sightings. But
Eagle will overshoot the target area by eleven degrees of longitude.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Our landing data, the practice on acknowledged terrain means nothing.
Speaker 8 (08:18):
It's eleven degrees if the rate of dissent fuel consumption
remains constant.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
Meaning it could get worse.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Eagle, we're showing you on a course variation of at
least eleven degrees that'd take you from a secure landing
environment at Apollo Site two to one.
Speaker 7 (08:37):
That's unknown, Houston. We could activate the thrusters to get
us closer to course.
Speaker 10 (08:47):
A negative on that buzz.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
There's not enough shue to cover that kind of cross
range and still run even like Dorcius will get you
there and back.
Speaker 7 (08:56):
Yes they will, they won't.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Neil's gonna have to fly it in manually. He'll be okay,
change in course emergency landing.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
You could give it the buzz.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
I don't even want to consider that, Neil. If we
can't rely on the dissent program in the computer. Are
you prepared to disable programmed descent and designate the landing
site manually? Repeat? Neil, are you prepared to disable the
(09:33):
landing program and fly Eagle yourself? I am not you, buzz.
The question was addressed to the mission commander, Neil, are
you prepared to deactivate programmed landing and descend on manual control?
Speaker 8 (09:51):
I am prepared.
Speaker 7 (09:51):
You've got a visual contact with what could be the Russian.
Speaker 13 (09:54):
Craft Eagles behind the moon in two minutes thirty Gene,
Sir Bernard's online three.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Eagle standby Sir Bernard Gene Krantz.
Speaker 10 (10:07):
Gene, we've had a bit of a course change on
the Russian craft. It had been maintaining a five degree variance,
but in the last orbit it's three degrees closer to Eagle.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Is that an intentional path change or a gravitational anomaly?
Speaker 10 (10:21):
All I can say is the odds of a collision
have increased, and I wouldn't put anything past the Russians,
especially since you're about to go behind the moon, which
would provide them with cover.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Thank you, sus.
Speaker 11 (10:33):
Werd behind the moon in forty five seconds? What's it
going to be, Gene?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
I want to keep our options for to scent aboard
and trans Earth injection alive as long as we can.
Speaker 11 (10:47):
That options disappearing fast.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
Recommend we begin lunar descent before another orbit.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
For a second, I thought of disagreeing with Neil, because
well just because, but in the interest of the mission,
and to prove that even I could show an occasional
sign of maturity, descend immediately.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Wait a second, did I hear you guys agree?
Speaker 5 (11:14):
Better be careful or it'll look like we're on the
same team.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Complete orbit, Eagle. When you come out from behind the Moon,
we'll have a final go or no go on lunar
discent the readership for you. I heard that Eagle.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
You were meant to Houston.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
We disappeared behind the moon with no idea where the
Russian craft would be. When we emerged. We were out
of communication with Houston, and they with us. Neil and
I just might have been the two loneliest guys in
the universe.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
Russian still there, gotta be. I just don't see them.
Speaker 5 (12:01):
Wow, they're out there somewhere.
Speaker 7 (12:05):
I remember in Korea they were always sneaking up behind you,
and I still shut the bastards down.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
Can we talk about something else.
Speaker 8 (12:15):
Like what.
Speaker 12 (12:18):
I need some coffee? I can't, I am I'm shaking
too much. It's okay. Here, there you go. I'm not
(12:42):
jen I'm not sure I can do this. Joe, I'm here.
Pat's here. We'll make it.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
We will.
Speaker 7 (13:00):
Neil there out the window eleven o'clock. Is that the
Russian lunar?
Speaker 5 (13:10):
I think it could be.
Speaker 7 (13:14):
Dynamics are steady. Want me to take over. I can
execute evasive maneuvers.
Speaker 5 (13:21):
You're not the only one who flew in Korea.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
A two second burn of the descent engine at fifty
percent will put us low enough to advance our landing
window by one full orbit. That's all we need to do.
What to get to the surface?
Speaker 5 (13:36):
First, you said the dynamics are steady.
Speaker 14 (13:42):
If the Russians are trying to keep their distance, a
course change now increases the odds of a collision.
Speaker 7 (13:47):
I'll accept the odds if it gets us on the ground.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
We can't reach Houston for another three minutes.
Speaker 7 (13:52):
Forget Houston and forget the steady dynamics. Neil, whatever that
thing is out there, it's gaining on us.
Speaker 13 (14:14):
Eagle should be emerging from behind the Moon in five
four three two. Eagle Houston.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Here Eagle, this is Flight.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
Eagle. Are you reading us?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Do we have telemetry and BioMed?
Speaker 13 (14:35):
Columbia Houston, We've lost data with Eagle. Are you still
receiving I.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Can't read the wire, Columbia, this is Flight Try low frequency.
I'm trying every day.
Speaker 5 (14:49):
Of God, I'm out of touch with the linking entering
a wire.
Speaker 9 (14:53):
What are the possibilities e comm radical alignment change from
the explosive endings, structural failure from decompressed loss of visual
acuity by the CMP.
Speaker 11 (15:03):
If the Russians hit him, they wouldn't have time to
activate the aboord and guidance system.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
If the Russians hit him, deek, They're dead.
Speaker 8 (15:09):
Columbia Houston.
Speaker 13 (15:11):
If you can't read, you'll switch to OMNE.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
I read you, Houston, but I'm getting static over the
Omni two.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
It's still no visual.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
It makes no sense that he can't see anything. If
eagles hull pressure failed or if it was hit by
the Russians, there'd be visible.
Speaker 13 (15:33):
Debris unless the sun was at twelve o'clock. The solar
glare would make it impossible for.
Speaker 7 (15:46):
Houston. This is Eagle, come in. Why the hell can't
they hear us?
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Columbia.
Speaker 7 (16:00):
Wo we get real fand the middlemen.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
We've getting to select AFT omni. Eagle.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
This is Columbia. Used to need you to select aft.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
Omni now, Roger, Columbia aft omni Houston.
Speaker 5 (16:16):
Are you reading Eagle on AFT omni negative?
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Columbia.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I think they're in tennis blocked.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
Eagle.
Speaker 13 (16:26):
Produce your yaw about ten degrees so the omni has
line of sight.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
Okay, Columbia ten degrees y'all? How's that now? Houston? You're
reading us.
Speaker 9 (16:38):
We're worrying you.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Eagle.
Speaker 7 (16:41):
Any sign of the Russians we did cite it. It
appeared to be on our path, but it's not there now.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
Jeane, we've used thirty of ours fuel a deal.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
We're not showing a fourteen degree.
Speaker 8 (16:55):
Variants on landing longitude?
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Houston. Are we go for descent?
Speaker 7 (17:01):
Houston? We didn't come a quarter of a million miles
for nothing.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
The silence from mission control lasted maybe five seconds. It
seemed like an hour.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
Flight. If you were up here, what would you do?
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Eagle?
Speaker 8 (17:20):
We are go for lunar descent.
Speaker 13 (17:23):
Arm the descent engine.
Speaker 14 (17:24):
Eagle entering commands, descent guidance enabled, proceed to fire descent.
Speaker 7 (17:31):
Engine proceeding engines firing. There's no change of motion.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
I don't show engine firing.
Speaker 10 (17:42):
What's going on up there, Eagle?
Speaker 13 (17:44):
Can you confirm descent engine firing?
Speaker 10 (17:47):
Uh?
Speaker 14 (17:48):
We've got all our buttons pushed, thrust translation, balanced couple
on TTC, A throttle, minimum prop.
Speaker 7 (17:56):
Button reset, att control, three of them to mode control, Eagles.
Speaker 9 (18:01):
Houston, we are not showing.
Speaker 13 (18:03):
Descent engine firing.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Neither are we, and AGS is reading four hundred plus
one music to my ears.
Speaker 14 (18:13):
Houston confirming descent firing at sixty thousand feet.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Don't copy that, Eagle.
Speaker 4 (18:19):
One thing about spaceflight. You can't pull up to a
gas station and say, filler up, e.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Camm, what's our RCS fuel situation?
Speaker 8 (18:26):
Not good? We've used up the thrust reserves we were
saving for a potential overshoot.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
If Neil runs long, he's going to have to compensate
with the descent engine, and he'll need every drop to
find somewhere flat enough to land. Is he going to
be dry during final descent?
Speaker 13 (18:39):
If he overshoots, he'll be sucking fumes?
Speaker 5 (18:44):
Houston confirming computerized.
Speaker 7 (18:46):
Descent altitude fifty eight thousand.
Speaker 13 (18:49):
Copy altitude now forty two five hundred.
Speaker 14 (18:54):
Roger Houston, Our position checks down range show us to
be seventeen degrees long.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Can you confirm that Eagle?
Speaker 13 (19:02):
That's confirmed? You think you can make the secondary landing site.
Speaker 14 (19:07):
Negative.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Looks like we'll be pushing up on the western edge
of the landing ellipse near Hypatia Ridge Gene. That's like
landing in the Grand Canyon. Neil isn't prepared for it.
He hasn't practiced for that kind of terrain.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Get out the charts. He'll need all the help he
can get.
Speaker 9 (19:39):
The latest orbit of the Russian craft sir declination to
equate a plane eighty seven degrees counted from zero meridian
two hundred.
Speaker 10 (19:48):
What's the altitude and eccentricity of.
Speaker 9 (19:50):
Eagle twenty eight thousand and descending eccentricity zero point zero
one With.
Speaker 10 (19:56):
The possibility of a new landing site at rym h Rymi,
Hypatia is also one of the potential landing sites for
the Russians, which rather stretches coincidence.
Speaker 12 (20:07):
Don't you think I'm not sure?
Speaker 9 (20:09):
I follow you?
Speaker 10 (20:10):
So these are ground controlled adjustments made by the Russians
virtually in conjunction with the descent of Eagle It was
almost as if they'd predicted it.
Speaker 9 (20:19):
You don't believe the Soviets have some way of knowing
what's happening inside mission control. You think that is harboring
a spy.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Back at mission control, Crans and other engineers were examining
every lunar map they had.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
We see areas on the western and northern fringes of
the landing ellipse that may be smooth enough for touchdown,
but we're not sure you'll have the fuel to reach them.
The capacities at.
Speaker 7 (20:48):
Two nine Houston target touchdown time at seventeen to twenty hours.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
E Calm, let's get a confirmation.
Speaker 7 (20:55):
I don't need a confirmation. I worked it out. Time
is now fifteen fifty three eight in less than eighteen
minutes were dry.
Speaker 5 (21:04):
We need to activate landing radar Houston.
Speaker 7 (21:07):
Roger on that activation Eagle, given everything else that's gone wrong,
one hundred says that radar is a dude.
Speaker 5 (21:14):
I don't gamble buys.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
CO firm landing radar.
Speaker 7 (21:18):
Are you doing, Neil? Thanks for saving me. One hundred
Houston Landing radar confirmed altitude twenty four thousand.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
That's when Lovell's information about the Russians guessing our landing
site got to mission control.
Speaker 11 (21:34):
Sir Bernard just sent this by wire?
Speaker 5 (21:36):
How old is this?
Speaker 11 (21:37):
No more than thirty minutes? Levell double checked it, and
he says the last correction before this one was an
hour ago.
Speaker 7 (21:42):
They need a full hour and a half just to
update numbers on their last correction. Even with the guidance computer,
our guys couldn't do thrust to burns that fast.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
We don't know where we're going, how could they?
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Buzz, starring John Lithgow and Jeffrey Errand, is created by
Stephen Cronish and directed by John Scott Dryden.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Chapter seven is written by Stephen Cronish.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Original music is by Sasha Putnam, editing and sound design
by Elouise Whitmore.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
The producer is Emma Hearn. The executive producers.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
Are Jeremy Fox, John Scott Dryden, Stephen Cronish, Howard Stringer
and Jason English. Buzz is a production of Thoroughbred Studios,
gold Hawk Productions and iHeart Podcasts.
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