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