APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4-11-70, 11:43 am CST 1/1 This is Apollo/Saturn launch ...

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by  Travis Shelton

APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4-11-70, 11:43 a.m. CST 1/1
This is Apollo/Saturn launch control we're T minus
1 hour 29 minutes 57 seconds and counting. Finishing up
at this time is the checks of the emergency detection
system. Skip Shovan the test supervisor now also making
some ... he's spacecraft test supervisor, making some checks
with the various members of the launch crew inside the space-
craft. The boost protective cover has now come closed. This
is the cover which will protect the spacecraft hatch both
from the jettisoning of the launch escape system and also
as it develops some friction as it goes up through the heavy
earth atmosphere. The crew now as they prepare the boost
protective cover will also be going around the white room
doing what's called breaking up the white room or generally
preparing it for retraction. Once the close-out crew departs
the white room area that white room will be retracted to a
stand-by position. It will remain in that stand-by position
down through the countdown to the T minus 5 minute mark,
at which time it will come back to the fully retracted
position. Now T minus 1 hour 28 minutes 52 seconds and
counting, this is Kennedy Launch Control.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4/11/69 11:54 AM CST 2/1
PAO This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control, T minus
1 hour, 19 minutes, 58 seconds and counting. At this time
the closeout crew has reported from the white room that they
are in the last stages of clearing out the white room and
making it ready for its retracted position. Also going on
at this time are some computer checks with the launch vehicle,
these computer checks will be run continuously throughout
the final portion of the countdown to insure that the ground
computers are communicating properly with the corputers aboard
the space vehicle. The launch crew has been having some
problems with a vent valve in the first stage of the liquid
oxygen tank as mentioned earlier, the liquid oxygen as it
does boil off, is vented to the atmosphere. One of these
vent valves appeared to be sticking; that problem now does
appear to be solved and it has been brought closed. Now at
T minus 1 hour, 19 minutes, 8 seconds and counting, this is
Kennedy Launch Control.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4-11-70, 12:02 CST 3/1
PAO This is Apollo/Saturn Launch Control T minus
1 hour 9 minutes 59 seconds and counting. At this time in
the command module, Odyssey, the three crewmen, spacecraft
commander Jim Lovell, command module pilot Jack Swigert, and
lunar module pilot Fred Haise are very busy. The spacecraft
commander and command module pilot are configuring the stabila-
zation and control system for liftoff and alining that system
with the guidance platform aboard the spacecraft. Also going
on at this time is a check of the large propulsion system
engine below the service module. This engine can be gimbaled
in response to commands. This is done in two ways and these
systems are being checked out at this time. There is a
thumb-wheel control which can set the engine to a preset position
for certain maneuvers and also a rotational hand controller
which can be used for the actual flight of a maneuver. These
checks _ are being made now, the engine being gimbaled as space-
craft commander Jim Lovell indicating the position that he is
putting these to and readouts are being made to insure that
the engine is gimbaling a proper response. Also at this time
a final checkout by the crew of the entry monitoring system,
also a final setting of this system. Our countdown proceeding
well at this time, T minus 1 hour 8 minutes 40 seconds, this
is Kennedy Launch Control.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 STATUS REPORT, 4/11/70, 12:13 PM, CST MC 4
This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control. We're just passing
the 1 hour mark in our countdown. Now in the final hour
of the countdown toward the launch of Apollo 13. The close-
out crew has now left the white room area. They'll be standing
by for the retraction to the 12 degree position of swingarm
number 9. We've received word from the distinguished guest
site that the stands over there are near capacity with some
4500 guests in the area. The Vice President of the United
States, Spiro Agnew and Chancellor Willie Brandt, his special
guest, have arrived in the area, although they are not at
the stands yet. Out on the causeway, on a guest site, we
have 7000. This is the largest guest number that we have
ever had on our causeway site. To recap our countdown,
which has gone - preceded very well today - we resumed the
count after a 9 hour and 13 minute hold at 4:13 A.M. this
morning. At that time the cryogentic loading began. This
is loading aboard the extremely cold liquid oxygen and liquid
hydrogen. Liquid hydrogen is a fuel for the second and third
stage, liquid oxygen the oxidizer used on all 3 stages. RP
or rocket perpellant number 1 is the fuel used in the first
stage. It is a kerosene type fuel and was loaded before the
countdown demonstration test back in mid March. The cryogenic
loading went well. There is over 800 000 gallons of cryogenics
loaded aboard the Saturn V vehicle at this time. We entered
a 1 hour build in hold, this is a planned hold at the T-minus
3 hour and 30 minute mark. The crew was alerted this morning
shortly before 9:00 A.M. by Colonel Tom Stafford, Chief of
the Astronaut office. They then proceeded for a short but
brief medical examination by Dr. John Teegen and Dr. Alan
Harter. They were pronounced in good shape and ready for
their flight. They then had the traditional breakfast of
steak and eggs, tenderloin steak, eggs, orange juice, coffee,
jelly and toast. After a brief mission briefing, they donned
their space suits and took the 8 mile trip in a transfer van
to the pad area. They have now been in the spacecraft going
through a variety of tests and checks, going over all their
switch lists and so on. Our weather at this time is better
than had been predicted earlier. We're still looking for some
clouds to move into the area and will be expecting a temperature
of approximately 80 degrees at our launch time. We continue
counting down toward a launch time of 2:13 P.M. EST. Now at
T-minus 57 minutes 15 seconds and counting this is Kennedy
Launch Control.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4-11-70, 12:17 AM CST 5/1
PAO This is Apollo/Saturn Launch Control T minus
55 minutes and counting, T minus 55 minutes and counting and the
countdown continues to go well here at the Kennedy Space Center.
The closeout crew has now left the white room, we are standing
by for the retraction of the swing arm, swing arm number 9.
That's actually scheduled to come at the 43 minute mark in the
countdown. However, the closeout crew did leave somewhat early
so that event could come a little bit earlier than scheduled.
Now we'll go to the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas
for a status.
MCC This is Mission Control, Houston. At the present
time the flight controllers here in Mission Control are monitoring
the countdown and the status of the crew, the launch vehicle,
and the spacecraft. The world-wide manned space flight network
is up ad ready to supportthe launch. We do have a problem with
the Vanguard tracking ship down in the Mid-Atlantic. A tracking
data processor, we understand, is down on the Vanguard and we
will not get high speed radar tracking unless this problem is
cleared up. The Vanguard is a desirable element of the tracking
network, but is not essential, and we ar GO to continue the
launch with that problem. Just a few minutes ago, Ken Mattingly,
who until a few days ago was the prime command module pilot for
Apollo 13, arrived in Mission Control and Ken will be assisting
at the CAPCOM console and he's joined astronaut John Young and
astronaut Joe Kerwin on the CAPCOM console. As he arrived in
Mission Control, Flight Director Milton Windler greeted him and
said, "Sorry to see you here, Ken." This is Mission Control,
Houston, at T minus 53 minutes and 20 seconds.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4-11-70, 12:23 p.m. CST 6/1
This is Apollo/Saturn launch control. T minus 49 min-
utes 58 seconds and counting. At this time we're making
some preparations for rain safety command system checks.
The checks of the system aboard the launch vehicle which
could be used by the rain safety officers to destroy the
vehicle should it stray off it's intended course. The
destruct actions of course would not be taken until the
astronaut crew had been advised and were safely away from
the vehicle. We're also standing by to wait for swing arm
9 to retract. That should be happening within the next
5 or 10 minutes. The countdown continuing to move along
nicely in the last hour now T minus 49 minutes 20 seconds
and counting. This is Kennedy Launch Control.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4-11-70, 12:28 PM CST 7/1
PAO This is Apollo/Saturn Launch Control T minus
45 minutes and counting, T minus 45 minutes and counting. Steps
are now underway for moving the swing arm back to the 12 degree
or park position. Launch site recovery forces have called in
at this point and have indicated they are on station and ready to
support the launch of Apollo 13. The prime crew inside the
spacecraft at this time, left the Manned Spacecraft Operations
Building at Kennedy Space Center at 11:07 AM EST this morning
on their way out to the pad. They took the 8 mile trip in the
transfer van, went up to the white room level where spacecraft
commander Jim Lovell was the first one to board the spacecraft
at 11:32 AM. He was followed by the lunar module pilot who
moved in, Fred Haise moved into the right-hand seat at 11:32.
The command module pilot stood by in the elevator with a suit
technician, was the last one to come aboard. He came aboard at
11:44 AM EST. We are now standing by for retraction of the white
room. That should occur in approximately 47 seconds. When it
comes back, it will come back in a 12 degree or standby position.
From this position it cam be quickly brought back to the command
module if there is a need for the crew to egress or if we need
to get a team in to the crew. At the T minus 5 minute mark in
the countdown, the swing arm number 9 will come back to the fully
retract position and it will then stay in the fully retract
position throughout the launch. Once the white room has been
moved back to the 12 degree position, the launch escape tower
above the command module will be armed. Now standing by for
the movement of the swing arm 9, some 5 seconds from this time.
T minus 43 minutes and counting, and swing arm 9 should be
coming back. Swing arm 9 moving back now to the 12 degree position
is about some 10 feet now from the spacecraft. We now have word
that the Vice-President, Spiro Agnew, and the Chancellor of
West Germany, Willy Brandt, have arrived at the distinguished
guest site. At T minus 42 minutes 31 seconds and counting,
this is Kennedy Launch Control.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4/11/70, 12:33 AM CST 8/1
PAO This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control at T
minus 39 minutes, 57 seconds and counting. At this time the
command destruct system tests are now underway with the launch
vehicle team. The launch escape system above the command module
has now been armed and that escape system now would be capable
of lifting the command module free of the launch vehicle should
a problem arise. A correction to the last announcement - the
Lunar Moudle Pilot Fred Haise entered the spacecraft at 11:38
AM Eastern Standard Time this morning. Our countdown proceeding
at this time, T minus 39 minutes, 24 seconds and counting. This
is Kennedy Launch Control.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 STATUS REPORT, 4/11/70, 12:30 PM MC 9
This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control at T-minus 34 minutes
58 seconds and counting. At this time the rain safety command
checks have just been completed. Preparations are now under
way for the power transfer tests. This is a critical test to
insure that the power 'can be transferred from the external
source, which we have been using to conserve on batteries,
to insure that the power can be successfully transferred to
the batteries aboard the space vehicle and that the systems
are go on the space vehicle batteries. Now at T-minus 34
minutes 30 seconds and counting, this is Kennedy Launch Control.
END OF TAPE
APOLLO 13 MISSION COMMENTARY, 4/11/70 12:43 PM CST 10/1
PAO This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control as we
move into the final half hour of our countdown - T minus 29
minutes, 56 seconds and counting. The Brevard Sheriff's
Department of Brevard County, Florida has reported that along
route 1, the closest major highway to Kennedy Space Center,
there are some 100 000 people and some 25 000 cars parked
watching for the launch of Apollo 13. Along the Indian and
Banana Rivers it is reported that the - both rivers are literally
filled with boats and spectators standing by to watch the
launch. A private airport in Brevard County also reports some
500 private planes have landed and are parked at the airport.
Our countdown continuing now, the power transfer test under-
way, T minus 29 minutes, 13 seconds and counting - this is
Kennedy Launch Control.
END OF TAPE