Bring binoculars and cameras of their own to the base. And there is a holiday atmosphere. While normally during these launches, work goes on on the cape to keep things on schedule, but indeed, in the Vehicle Assembly building, they have already erected apollo 12. It is ready to be rolled out as soon as apollo 11 is on its way for a launch. [beeping] mr. Crum it will be rolled out to launch within two months to me still try to meet president kennedys goal of landing on the moon in this decade. If apollo 11 goes as well as planned, they will take an extra couple of months to get a good reading on the rocks and so forth that are brought back. And then send apollo 12. We have an announcement coming from Launch Control, and jack king. This is apollo seven Launch Control. We are now less than 16 minutes away from the planned liftoff of the apollo 11 space vehicle. All is going well with the countdown at this time. The astronauts aboard the spacecraft have had a little chance to rest over the last few minutes or so, at least they havent been busy with procedures with the spacecraft. In the meantime, we have been performing final checks on the tracking beacons of the instrument unit, used as the Guidance System during the flight. Once we get down to the three minute, 10 second mark, we will go on an automatic sequence. As far as the launch vehicle is concerned, all aspects from there on down will be automatic, run by the ground master computer here in the firing room. This will lead up to the 8. 9 minute mark in the countdown, when the ignition sequence will begin in the five engines of the first stage, the s1c stage of the saturn v. At the twosecond mark, we will get information and a signal that all engines are running. And at the zero mark in the countdown, once we get the commence signal, the signal that says the thrust is proper and acceptable, we will then get a commit and liftoff as the arms release the vehicle. We have some 7. 6 Million Pounds of thrust pushing the vehicle upward, a vehicle that weighs close to 6. 5 Million Pounds. We are now 14 minutes, 30 seconds and counting. This is kennedy Launch Control. Mr. Cronkite we will be hearing a great deal from jack king as the morning goes on. Youve got a good view there 60 fixed cameras around the launch site by which the National Space people in Launch Control monitor every one of the functions, the critical functions of the launch. With me here at our cbs News Space Center at Merritt Island, overlooking the launch site out there, is one of the most distinguished of the Science Fiction writers, people who have predicted long before scientists were ready to put down the final plan, just how we would go to the moon. This is arthur c. Clarke who, among his other distinguished bits of Science Fiction includes the great movie which recently came out. Incidentally, arthur, i just read that they showed it with Great Success in moscow last plauditsa film got there, as it has everywhere around the world. You first wrote of going to the moon back in 1930s. At a time when nobody dreamed we it would come this soon. Did you . Mr. Clark no, i didnt imagine it would be in my lifetime in those days. How do you feel this morning . Mr. Clarke very excited, and and i came in feeling excited yet its familiar. , now im thinking about the next thing. Mars and beyond. You are already thinking of mars and beyond we have not gotten to the moon yet, arthur. That is the nature of you Science Fiction writers, i suppose. Does this about match the way you thought we would do it . Mr. Clarke as far as the Technical Details are concerned, yes. This is precisely the way it was imagined, but what we never imagined was the scale and the cost and complexity of the enterprise. In fact, if we realized how difficult and complex it would be, we would probably be pretty discouraged back in the 1930s. We thought you could build a spaceship for a few Million Dollars . Mr. Cronkite it costs a few Million Dollars just to launch it. Theres been inflation since then. I think the figure they give now for just the launch alone is 69 million. That is no equipment, just launching. Arthur all this money will come back many times over for generations to come. This has been part of the best investment the United States has ever made. In another 20 years, people will be unable to imagine why we ever questioned this expenditure. Mr. Cronkite how do you see it coming back . Mr. Clarke the Space Industries of the next generation, it will move up to for the end of the century. There are many things on this earth we can only do with airplanes and helicopters. At one time it seemed to be of no practical importance. This is going to happen in space. Mr. Cronkite arthur, would you expect they will find any surprises out there . Mr. Clarke im sure they will. Nature is more complex and interesting that we can ever anticipate. We are going to find surprises i knowwe are going to find surprises on the moon, not necessarily on this first flight, but eventually. I do not know if we will find a large black monolith waiting for them. [laughter] mr. Cronkite a reference to 2001. Tell me what thats all about. [laughter] for those of us who have seen 2001, there is a lot of mystery about that far out closing for the picture. We all like, but we still argue in our family about. Maybe before this whole thing is over, arthur, i expect to have you sitting beside me many times over the next few days. Next few days in the flight of apollo 11, as we were so delighted to have you in previous flights. You will tell me the real secret of the monolith. Mr. Clarke ok, thats a promise. [laughter] mr. Cronkite i think ive got something there. Hold on, arthur. We will have many more talks about the moon, how we get there, in the future. And your ideas of how we will get beyond the moon. Jack king in Launch Control now. Rotational hand controllers, the controllers they use in flight, and we have now gone to the automatic system with the emergency detection system. That system that would queue the astronauts if theres trouble down below with the saturn v rocket during the powered flight. We are now coming up on the 10 minute mark, 10 minutes away from our planned liftoff. Mark t 10 minutes and counting. T 10. We are aiming for our planned liftoff at 32 minutes past the hour. This is kennedy Launch Control. Mr. Cronkite let us tell you now, some of the things you will be seeing here, because there is no time in the excitement and the reports of the launch itself. Indeed, you can scarcely be heard over the roar of the great saturn v engine, the most powerful engine as far as we know, a series of engines that has ever been used to get man off of the surface or to move them anywhere on the surface of the earth, for that matter. The russians, we believe, are developing a rocket larger than this. But we have no evidence that they have used it as yet. Now, about 40 seconds before launch, the water deluge begins. You will see some evidence of it perhaps on your picture. Then, at 8 and 9 10 seconds before the actual liftoff, ignition takes place. That is when those five f1 engine begin belting their million and a half pounds of thrust, there they are, for a total of 7. 5 Million Pounds of thrust. Great fuel loads there, grade great explosive potential, if not controlled exactly through those nozzles. Nearly nine seconds after the and ignition begins, the arms fall back and the rocket with its full Power Building up is released to begin its slow climb up towards the skies. Just a couple of seconds later, it yaws, rolls a little bit, and with the roll program complete, it is rolled over so it is on its proper azimuth, its proper launch course. At one minute, 21 seconds into the flight, you begin to see the contrails, which indicate has reached that point in the sky where the maximum dynamic pressure of its launch and piercing of the atmosphere has ofe, that aerodynamic load 460,000 pounds on the fragile skin of the spacecraft. Its one of the dangerous points of the launch. It is moving at 1800 Miles Per Hour. At two minutes and 15 seconds, the inboard engines of that first stage begin to cut off, and then, just 30 seconds later the outboard engines cut off. , by that time, the vehicle is 41 miles high, 57 miles downrange, running 6000 miles an hour. Then the first stage separates. The s2 second stage ignites. It completes its job and is jettisoned at three minutes and 11 seconds. Then the launch escape system jettisons six seconds after that. At seven minutes and 39 seconds the engine cuts off at the , second stage, the inner stage that has been jettisoned earlier. The outboard engines at 9 11. And the separation of the second stage at 9 12. Then we get the ignition, and at 11 minutes and 50 seconds the , flight is on its way and we will go 115 miles high. It is about 2. 5 liters and 1. 5 revolutions, the stage fires up again, moving to the 24,000 mile per hour escape velocity and go into a translunar trajectory. Cbs News Coverage of apollo will 11 continue in a moment. And it is five minutes to the launch of apollo 11 with all going well. Armstrong, collins, and aldrin sitting on top of the rocket in the command module getting ready for launch. Here is jack king in Launch Control. Jack we are informing the astronauts that the swing is nowhat the swing arm is coming back. The astronauts will have a few more reports. The last Business Report will be from Neil Armstrong at the 45 second mark in the account, when he gives the status of the final alignment on the system. We are now passing the 4 32 mark in the count. Still go at this time. Four minutes 15 seconds, the test supervisor informs you are cleared for launch. From this time down, carlson handles the countdown as the launch vehicle begins to build up. We are now hitting the fourminute mark four minutes , and counting, we are go for apollo 11. We will go on an automatic sequence starting at three minutes and seven seconds. Mr. Cronkite the engines that generate that thrust, the combined horsepower equal to 543 jet fighter planes. The launch vehicle weighs as much as the submarine nautilus. They burn 5,660,000 pounds of fuel, the equivalent of 98 Railroad Tank Cars and the capacity of a small towns water tank. At lift off noise reaches 102 decibels. That compares to 8 million hifi sets playingifi at once. Jack thank you very much, we know it will be a good flight. We are on the automatic sequence. We have reached the three minute mark. T minus three minutes and counting. T minus three. We are go. We are on a automatic sequence. T minus 2 45 and counting. Launch team is monitoring a number of redlined values. These are tolerances we do not want to go above and below in temperatures and pressures. They are standing by to call out any deviations from our plans. 2 30 and counting, we are still go on apollo 11 at this time. The vehicle is starting to pressurize as far as the propellant tanks are concerned, and all is still go as we monitor that status. 2 10 and counting. The target for the apollo 11 astronauts, the mood at lift off, will be at a distance of 218,096 miles away. We just passed the twominute mark and the countdown, t minus 1 54 and counting. The status board indicates that the oxidizer tanks in the second and third stages now have pressurized. We continue to build pressure in all three stages as we have a minute to prepare for liftoff. T minus 1 35 to land the first men on the moon. All indications coming into the control center at this time indicate we are go. 1 25 and counting. Status indications show that it is completely pressurized. The 87second mark has been passed. You will go through at the 52nd launch in the countdown. Internal at 17 seconds leading up to the ignition sequence of 8. 9 seconds. Marke approaching the 62nd on the apollo 11 mission. T60 seconds and counting. We passed t 55 seconds and 60. Counting. Neil armstrong has reported a smoothhas been countdown. Second passed the 50 mark. Power transformer is complete. We are now on internal power. 40 seconds away from the apollo 11 liftoff. Mr. Cronkite you can see the water down there. Jack we are still go for apollo 11. 30 seconds and counting. Astronauts report that it feels good. T minus 25 seconds. 20 seconds and counting. T minus 15 seconds, guidance is internal. 12, 11, 10, nine, ignition 61 ignition sequence start six, 5, 3, 4, 2, 1. , zero. All engines running. Lift off, we have a lift off, 42 minutes past the liftoff on hour, apollo 11. Oh boy, looks good. Jack we are clear. [rocket engines] [static] mr. Cronkite the building is shaking. We are getting that bumping that we are used to. What a moment. On the way to the moon. [jet engines roaring] mr. Cronkite looks like a good trajectory so far, doesnt it, wally . That is very good. Beautiful. Downrange one mile, at 234 Miles Per Hour. 2195 feet per second. Everything has held in place. The redline is correct. Mr. Cronkite it is beautifully on the screen here. We are through the region of maximum dynamic pressure now. Everything looks good here. 13 50 on the start box. Eight miles down range. Standby for mode one charlie. Mark. Mode one charlie. Houston, you are go for staging. [beeping] mr. Cronkite that is for dropping the first stage. Going to the second stage power. It worked out. You are hearing from the cap seal communicator, astronaut Ken Mattingly at Mission Control in houston, talking to the astronauts. Down range 35 miles high. Standing by for the outboard engine. Cutting down now. Mr. Cronkite this is jack riley reporting, the voice of Mission Control. And, ignition. Mr. Cronkite each of these events are very interesting to us. All engines are looking good. I hear you loud and clear, houston. Three minutes downrange, 70 , velocitymiles high 350 feet per second. Neil armstrong confirming engine and launch tower separation. Houston, be advised. It is go today. He did give us a window to look out. Houston, your guidance is converged, and you are looking good. Cover boost protective comes off. And the windows are not coded. Two miles velocity. Houston you are go at four minutes. Walter the second stage has millions of pounds of thrust. That is amazing. You can still see the spacecraft. At this point it is almost 93 miles high. 72 miles high, velocity 11,000 feet per second. Walter got to get to 17,500 get into orbit. We have another four minutes before the first. Booster says it is looking good at five minutes. Houston, you are go. Walter the next critical moment will be the second stage jettison and the fourth stage ignition. Velocity, 4200 feet. Apollo, you see the s4b is necessary. Everyone is reporting go. Roger 11, you are go from the ground, six minutes. We are good. My seat is jumping all around. Apollo 11, this is houston. Outboard cut off at nine plus one one. Walter what did he say was jumping around . Something like the gauges . This is a sequence that arranges the staging between the second and third stage. It uncovers a sensor starting the sequence. Walter i am sure it is nothing of major significance. 1 17. Walter we are looking at the empty launchpad and the water that is being poured over it to cool it. Eight plus 1 7, outboard at nine plus one, one. 85 miles velocity, 7058 per second. 17,358 per second. Walter it is capable of keeping the damage to a minimum and they can turn around and use the Service Stands almost instantly again. Yes, it is quite a change. Down on the ground, track is still go at 7 41. Confirm. Engines are inboard out. Walter looks like another perfect launch, what a feat after mercury and gemini. Saturns on time launches, if only we could get the american railroads to run on these schedules. We have boosters here. You are go at eight minutes. Roger. Is that all . We have thunderstorms downrange. 11, this is houston, you are a go for staging. Standby for remote port capability. Walter this would be the firing of the third stage in 15 seconds. Jack they kicked into orbit using this Service Propulsion system. Altitude is 100 miles downrange. Altitude is 100 miles. Downrange is in hundred 83 miles. And, ignition. 883 miles. And, ignition. Walter ignition right on the top. Thrusters, though 11. We have a good third stage now. Walter mr. Cronkite this lasts 2 25, and that brings the vehicle to its orbital speed. 23,000 feet per second. Downrange, 1000 miles. Altitude, 101 miles. This is our number five. 7 18. Walter this third stage is a j2 engine. At 10 minutes, you are go. Roger, 11. Go. Walter i think i misidentified the capsule communicator. The man who is communicating with the astronauts from Mission Control is bruce. Apollo 11, this is houston, predicted cut off at 14. 2. Correct. Downrange 1175 miles. Velocity, 24,090 mile feet per second, altitude, 102 nautical miles. Walter there is former president johnson. Saying goodbye to a few of his friends in the stands. Apollo 11, this is houston, you are go at 11. Walter talking with the Vice President , the official representative of resident nixon. President nixon. The Vice President is the top official in the administration. 25,254 feet per second. Walter we should get confirmation of orbital insertion in about 15 seconds. Altitude 102. 8 nautical miles. Shut down, right on time. 101. 4 by 103. 6. We copy. 101. 4 by 103. 6, that would be nautical miles of the orbit for the spacecraft, it has been confirmed. They are in earths orbit. They have made the first big jump. The Vice President is here on your screen. Houston, the booster is safe. Roger. Walter good to know that it is safe. That might be everything to us. It is the destruct system that was shut off by a com