Space exploration · 1969
Apollo 11 Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription: the landing
Excerpt · Powered descent and landing · GOSS NET 1 · 20 July 1969
- Source
- archive.org
- Retrieved
- 27 September 2026
- License
- Public domain (U.S. Government work)
- Rights holder
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1969
- Language
- English
About this edition and its rights
Edition
Scan of “Apollo 11 Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transcription (GOSS NET 1)”, NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, July 1969 (626 pages, file AS11_TEC.pdf), in the item Apollo11Audio of the Internet Archive, uploaded in 2010 by the Houston Audio Control Room of the NASA Johnson Space Center (uploader john.l.stoll@nasa.gov). Excerpt: the Introduction (page 2 of the scan) and the whole of tape 66/4 to 66/12 from the first entry after the ignition of the descent engine, 04 06 33 09, to the end of page 317, 04 06 47 20, that is transcript pages 309 (last entry) to 317. The text was taken from the retyped edition of the transcript kept by the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal (https://apollojournals.org/alsj/a11/a11transcript_tec.pdf, 2005) and checked word by word against the page images of the scan, which is followed where they differ; the scan was preferred to the retype in ten places: “Stand by.” (retype “Stand by,”), “real good. ... about on.” (“. . . real good . . . . about on.”), “Our position” (“Our. position”), “Stand by.” (“Stand by.,”), “that alarm.” (no period), “DELTA-H” twice (“DELTA H”), “Roger. We copy” (“Roger, We”), “- - ...” (“--”) and the speaker of 04 06 35 54, which the scan gives on one line as for CC, faintly, where the retype has LMP (EAGLE); the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal also gives these words to the capsule communicator. Parts of the scan are faint; the words and times that cannot be read on it are those of the retype: in 04 06 35 54 “good to us” and the 3 of “3 minutes”, in 04 06 41 51 the 9 of “9 minutes”, and the times 04 06 36 36, 04 06 38 59, 04 06 42 22, 04 06 43 32, 04 06 43 51, 04 06 44 45, 04 06 45 08, 04 06 45 52 and 04 06 46 06, in part. Ellipses, typed “...” on the scan and “. . .” in the retype, are set “...”; the typewriter’s hyphens used as dashes (“- -”) are kept; straight quotes are set as typographic quotes. Running heads (GOSS NET 1, tape and page numbers) are dropped and the heading “Tapes 66/4 to 66/12” is added; the speaker’s station, in parentheses under the speaker on the scan, is set in italic after it. A handwritten note in the margin of page 317, “4:18 pm EDT” with an arrow to 04 06 45 59, is not reproduced. The communicator list of the Introduction is set as a table.
Rights
In the United States, a work of the federal government (17 U.S.C. 105): the transcription was prepared by NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center for its Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, and the words transcribed are those of NASA astronauts and flight controllers in their official duties. In France, the rule of the shorter term (article L. 123-12 of the Code de la propriété intellectuelle, after article 7(8) of the Berne Convention): for a work whose country of origin is outside the European Union and whose author is not a national of a member state, the protection lasts as long as in the country of origin, which grants none.
The Internet Archive item Apollo11Audio, uploaded by NASA’s Johnson Space Center, carries the Public Domain Mark 1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/). NASA’s images and media usage guidelines (https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-brand-center/images-and-media/): “NASA content [...] generally are not subject to copyright in the United States.” The retyped edition of the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal served only as a base for the transcription, checked against the scan.
Introduction#
This is the transcription of the Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transmission (GOSS NET 1) from the Apollo 11 mission.
Communicators in the text may be identified according to the following list.
| Spacecraft: | ||
|---|---|---|
| CDR | Commander | Neil A. Armstrong |
| CMP | Command module pilot | Michael Collins |
| LMP | Lunar module pilot | Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. |
| SC | Unidentifiable crewmember | |
| MS | Multiple (simultaneous) speakers | |
| LCC | Launch Control Center | |
| Mission Control Center: | ||
| CC | Capsule Communicator (CAP COMM) | |
| F | Flight Director | |
| Remote Sites: | ||
| CT | Communications Technician (COMM TECH) | |
| Recovery Forces: | ||
| HORNET | USS Hornet | |
| R | Recovery helicopter | |
| AB | Air Boss | |
A series of three dots (...) is used to designate those portions of the communications that could not be transcribed because of garbling. One dash (-) is used to indicate a speaker’s pause or a self-interruption and subsequent completion of a thought. Two dashes (- -) are used to indicate an interruption by another speaker or a point at which a recording was terminated abruptly.
Tapes 66/4 to 66/12#
04 06 33 09LMPEAGLE... 10 ... 10 percent ...
04 06 33 41CCColumbia, Houston. We’ve lost them. Tell them to go aft OMNI. Over.
04 06 33 51CMPCOLUMBIAThey’ve lost you. Use the OMNI’s again.
04 06 34 01LMPEAGLE...
04 06 34 05CMPCOLUMBIASay again, Neil?
04 06 34 07LMPEAGLEI’ll leave it in SLEW. Relay to us. See if they have got me now. I’ve got good signal strength in SLEW.
04 06 34 13CMPCOLUMBIAOkay. You should have him now, Houston.
04 06 34 16CCEagle, we’ve got you now. It’s looking good. Over.
04 06 34 23CCEagle - -
04 06 34 24LMPEAGLE- - descent looks good.
04 06 34 25CCEagle, Houston. Everything is looking good here. Over.
04 06 34 29LMPEAGLERoger. Copy.
04 06 34 34CCEagle, Houston. After yaw around, angles: S-band pitch, minus 9, yaw plus 18.
04 06 34 46LMPEAGLECopy.
04 06 34 59LMPEAGLEAGS and PNGS agree very closely.
04 06 35 01CCRoger.
04 06 35 14LMPEAGLEBeta ARM. Altitudes are a little high.
04 06 35 45LMPEAGLEHouston. I’m getting a little fluctuation in the AC voltage now.
04 06 35 51CCRoger.
04 06 35 52LMPEAGLECould be our meter, maybe, huh?
04 06 35 54CCStand by. Looking good to us. You’re still looking good at 3, coming up 3 minutes.
04 06 36 13LMPEAGLE... real good. ... about on.
04 06 36 18CDREAGLEOur position checks downrange show us to be a little long.
04 06 36 21CCRoger. Copy.
04 06 36 24LMPEAGLEAGS has gone about 2 feet per second greater ...
04 06 36 36CDREAGLE... ought to be ... Stand by.
04 06 36 43LMPEAGLEAltitude ...
04 06 37 00LMPEAGLE... it’s going to stop.
04 06 37 18CCEagle, Houston. You are GO to continue - -
04 06 37 19LMPEAGLE... closed ... GO ... at 4 minutes.
04 06 37 22CCRoger. You are GO - You are GO to continue powered descent. You are GO to continue powered descent.
04 06 37 30LMPEAGLERoger.
04 06 37 35CCAnd, Eagle, Houston. We’ve got data dropout. You’re still looking good.
04 06 38 04LMPEAGLE... PGNS. We got good lock-on. Altitude lights OUT. DELTA-H is minus 2 900.
04 06 38 18CCRoger. We copy.
04 06 38 20LMPEAGLEGot the Earth right out our front window.
04 06 38 23CDREAGLEHouston, you’re looking at our DELTA-H?
04 06 38 25CCThat’s affirmative.
04 06 38 26CDREAGLEPROGRAM ALARM.
04 06 38 28CCIt’s looking good to us. Over.
04 06 38 30CDREAGLEIt’s a 1202.
04 06 38 32LMPEAGLE1202.
04 06 38 48CDREAGLEGive us a reading on the 1202 PROGRAM ALARM.
04 06 38 53CCRoger. We got - We’re GO on that alarm.
04 06 38 59CDREAGLERoger. P30.
04 06 39 01CC6 plus 25, throttle down - -
04 06 39 02LMPEAGLELooks like about 820 -
04 06 39 03CC- - 6 plus 25, throttle down.
04 06 39 06CDREAGLERoger. Copy. 6 plus 25.
04 06 39 14LMPEAGLESame alarm, and it appears to come up when we have a 1668 up.
04 06 39 17CCRoger. Copy.
04 06 39 23CCEagle, Houston. We’ll monitor your DELTA-H.
04 06 39 24LMPEAGLE... worked out beautifully.
04 06 39 28CCDELTA-H - -
04 06 39 29LMPEAGLE... looks good now.
04 06 39 30CCRoger. DELTA-H is looking good to us.
04 06 39 34LMPEAGLEAh! Throttle down - -
04 06 39 35CDREAGLEThrottle down on time!
04 06 39 36CCRoger. We copy throttle down - -
04 06 39 37LMPEAGLE- - ... throttles down. Better than the simulator.
04 06 39 42CCRoger.
04 06 39 48LMPEAGLEAGS and PGNS look real close.
04 06 40 08CCAt 7 minutes, you’re looking great to us, Eagle.
04 06 40 13LMPEAGLEOkay. I’m still on SLEW so we may tend to lose as we gradually pitch over. Let me try AUTO again now and see what happens.
04 06 40 21CCRoger.
04 06 40 23LMPEAGLEOkay. Looks like it’s holding.
04 06 40 24CCRoger. We got good data.
04 06 40 49CCEagle, Houston. It’s descent 2 fuel to MONITOR. Over.
04 06 40 55CDREAGLEGoing to 2.
04 06 41 01LMPEAGLEGive us an estimated switchover time please, Houston.
04 06 41 05CCRoger. Stand by. You’re looking great at 8 minutes.
04 06 41 10LMPEAGLEAt 7000 -
04 06 41 12CCEagle, you’ve got 30 seconds to P64.
04 06 41 15LMPEAGLE... Roger.
04 06 41 27CCEagle, Houston. Coming up 8 30; you’re looking great.
04 06 41 35LMPEAGLEP64.
04 06 41 37CCWe copy.
04 06 41 51CCEagle, you’re looking great. Coming up 9 minutes.
04 06 42 05CDREAGLEManual attitude control is good.
04 06 42 08CCRoger. Copy.
04 06 42 10CCEagle, Houston. You’re GO for landing. Over.
04 06 42 17LMPEAGLERoger. Understand. GO for landing. 3000 feet. PROGRAM ALARM.
04 06 42 19CCCopy.
04 06 42 22LMPEAGLE1201
04 06 42 24CDREAGLE1201.
04 06 42 25CCRoger. 1201 alarm. We’re GO. Same type. We’re GO.
04 06 42 31LMPEAGLE2000 feet. 2000 feet. Into the AGS, 47 degrees.
04 06 42 35CCRoger.
04 06 42 36LMPEAGLE47 degrees.
04 06 42 41CCEagle, looking great. You’re GO.
04 06 42 58CCRoger. 1202. We copy it.
04 06 43 01LMPEAGLE35 degrees. 35 degrees. 750. Coming down to 23.
04 06 43 07LMPEAGLE700 feet, 21 down, 33 degrees.
04 06 43 11LMPEAGLE600 feet, down at 19.
04 06 43 15LMPEAGLE540 feet, down at - 30. Down at 15.
04 06 43 26LMPEAGLEAt 400 feet, down at 9.
04 06 43 29LMPEAGLE... forward.
04 06 43 32LMPEAGLE350 feet, down at 4.
04 06 43 35LMPEAGLE30, ... one-half down.
04 06 43 42LMPEAGLEWe’re pegged on horizontal velocity.
04 06 43 46LMPEAGLE300 feet, down 3 1/2, 47 forward.
04 06 43 51LMPEAGLE... up.
04 06 43 52LMPEAGLEOn 1 a minute, 1 1/2 down.
04 06 43 57CDREAGLE70.
04 06 44 04LMPEAGLEWatch your shadow out there.
04 06 44 07LMPEAGLE50, down at 2 1/2, 19 forward.
04 06 44 13LMPEAGLEAltitude-velocity light.
04 06 44 16LMPEAGLE3 1/2 down, 220 feet, 13 forward.
04 06 44 23LMPEAGLE11 forward. Coming down nicely.
04 06 44 24LMPEAGLE200 feet, 4 1/2 down.
04 06 44 26LMPEAGLE5 1/2 down.
04 06 44 31LMPEAGLE160, 6 - 6 1/2 down.
04 06 44 33LMPEAGLE5 1/2 down, 9 forward. That’s good.
04 06 44 40LMPEAGLE120 feet.
04 06 44 45LMPEAGLE100 feet, 3 1/2 down, 9 forward. Five percent.
04 06 44 51LMPEAGLE...
04 06 44 54LMPEAGLEOkay. 75 feet. There’s looking good. Down a half, 6 forward.
04 06 45 02CC60 seconds.
04 06 45 04LMPEAGLELights on. ...
04 06 45 08LMPEAGLEDown 2 1/2. Forward. Forward. Good.
04 06 45 17LMPEAGLE40 feet, down 2 1/2. Kicking up some dust.
04 06 45 21LMPEAGLE30 feet, 2 1/2 down. Faint shadow.
04 06 45 25LMPEAGLE4 forward. 4 forward. Drifting to the right a little. Okay. Down a half.
04 06 45 31CC30 seconds.
04 06 45 32CDREAGLEForward drift?
04 06 45 33LMPEAGLEYes.
04 06 45 34LMPEAGLEOkay.
04 06 45 40LMPEAGLECONTACT LIGHT.
04 06 45 43LMPEAGLEOkay. ENGINE STOP.
04 06 45 45LMPEAGLEACA - out of DETENT.
04 06 45 46CDREAGLEOut of DETENT.
04 06 45 47LMPEAGLEMODE CONTROL - both AUTO. DESCENT ENGINE COMMAND OVERRIDE - OFF. ENGINE ARM - OFF.
04 06 45 52LMPEAGLE413 is in.
04 06 45 57CCWe copy you down, Eagle.
04 06 45 59CDRTRANQHouston, Tranquility Base here.
04 06 46 04CDRTRANQTHE EAGLE HAS LANDED.
04 06 46 06CCRoger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We’re breathing again. Thanks a lot.
04 06 46 16CDRTRANQThank you.
04 06 46 18CCYou’re looking good here.
04 06 46 23CDRTRANQOkay. We’re going to be busy for a minute.
04 06 46 25LMPTRANQMASTER ARM, ON. Take care of the ... I’ll get this ...
04 06 46 38LMPTRANQVery smooth touchdown.
04 06 46 52LMPTRANQ...
04 06 47 03LMPTRANQOkay. It looks like we’re venting the oxidizer now.
04 06 47 06CCRoger, Eagle. And you are STAY for - -
04 06 47 08LMPTRANQ...
04 06 47 09CC- - T1. Over. Eagle, you are STAY for T1.
04 06 47 12CDRTRANQRoger. Understand, STAY for T1.
04 06 47 15CCRoger. And we see you venting the OX.
04 06 47 20LMPTRANQRoger.