12 minutes to launch
 

Neil:	Data coming on.
B-52:	12 minutes now.
Neil:	#2 APU on. Cabin pressure is good, #1 coming on. Got 3500 on #1, 3355 on #2. Generators are both reset at 200 and 200........  platform internal power, if that's OK, Butch?
Butchart:	OK.
NASA 1:	Reset, Neil.
Neil:	Rog.
NASA 1:	What's your mixing chambers?
Neil:	-44 and -45.
B-52:	11 minutes.
Neil:	MH circuit breakers on. Data coming off. Precool is off. Little bumpy!
B-52:	Worst it's ever been. real rough up here. 10 minutes to launch. B-52 heading 352, fluctuating 1/2° each side.
Neil:	Both data are on. go ahead with the ........
B-52:	OK, starting now, Neil.
	(Unable to transcribe section of tape)
NASA 1:	Jack. we're asking you to start your turn 30 seconds early.
B-52:	Roger, Joe.
NASA 1:	What was that number for the temperature. Butch?
Butchart:	8.
B-52:	Just past 8 minutes, be turning in 25 seconds.
NASA 1:	OK. Butch, memory switch to forced.
Butchart:	Memory to forced.
Neil:	........ Inertial speed is 900, altitude is 45.
B-52:	Starting the turn now.
NASA 1:	Roll back out. they want to delay that other transmission.
B-52:	RolIing out to original heading.
NASA 1:	At 6 minutes. 30 seconds. start the turn.
B-52:	Just past the 7 minute point. rough ride.
Neil:	How are you doing. Butch?
Butchart:	OK. we're up to 65.
B-52:	Starting turn now at 6 minutes and 30 seconds.
NASA 1:	Very good.
Butchart:	CompIeted test, end of test OK.
Neil:	SP coming on.
B-52:	6 minutes, verify please, Neil.
Neil:	Engine oscillograph. vibration recorders are on. Aux cabin pressure is on.
NASA 1:	#8 was only one temporary. is that right?
Butchart:	That's affirmative.
NASA 1:	They say, "in the green."
Neil:	Fire ext auto. MH engaged. ........
B-52:	5 minutes, verify please.
Neil:	........#1 BCS on........ Cine camera pulse........
B-52:	4 minutes, please verify, Neil.
Neil:	........
Butchart:	Topoff is complete.
Neil:	........
B-52:	Joe, do you want us to come a minute south or go ahead and drop on the original point?
Neil:	Data, calibrate, going to pressurize now.
NASA 1:	Did you just pass 3 minutes?
B-52:	Negative, we're about 10 seconds yet, Joe.
NASA 1:	OK, drop on the original point.
B-52:	Thank you.
Neil:	Both pressure lites are out........ Lox 50 pounds and ammonia 46.
B-52:	3 minutes, 10 seconds ago, Neil, Confirm please.
Neil:	3 minutes., OK, I'm on X-15 radio, how do you read me, Joe?
NASA 1:	Much better. Will you verify your switch-over breaker for X-15 oxygen?
Neil:	Roger, I'm on X-15 oxygen. Systems look OK.
B-52:	2 minute point.
Neil:	Roger, 2 minutes. Velocity is 900 fps, altitude is 44,500, pitch attitude is level. Wings are level and heading is 178. Alpha is reading 2°. APU bearings are reading +55 and +85. Data on, FCS data on. Push to  test ball nose. Push test and the needle moved to the right on me.
NASA 1:	Head bumper.
Neil:	Bumper is down.
B-52:	1 minute, arm switch lite checks.
Neil:	At prime, going to prime. Got igniter ready lite, ammonia coming up.
B-52:	40 seconds.
Neil:	40 seconds. Precool on, igniter idle. Lox pump bearing +8.
B-52:	10 seconds.
Neil:	10 seconds, pump idle. I got all ........ igniter idle, ready to launch on. 3, 2, 1, release. And I got a good lite, and away ........
NASA 1:	15 seconds.
Neil:	Rog. Roll.
NASA 1:	Real good on track. 35 seconds.
Neil:	Rog, pushing over.
NASA 1:	Track is still excellent.
Neil:	Rog. 50 seconds........
NASA 1:	55 seconds.
Neil:	Pulling up ........ 550 ........
NASA 1:	Seem to be just a tad steep.
Neil:	I'm keeping it........
NASA 1:	81 seconds.
Neil:	OK, I'm indicating 5800, pushing over.
NASA 1:	150.000.
Neil:	CSS, zero.
NASA 1:	170,000 and drifting slowly to the right.
Neil:	Getting no radio reception.
B-52:	170,000, drifting slowly to the right.
NASA 1:	190,000.
B-52:	190,000.
Neil:	........Top view, looking out, can see an awful long ways........ pitch attitude rolls and note that my gyro is between about 10° bank angle and 10 in pitch.
NASA 1:	207,000 peak altitude, starting down and you've maintained your drift to the right.
Neil:	OK. Rudder pulse, maintaining about 2° sideslip in yaw. There's a roll behind it.
NASA 1:	OK, 180,000 on the way down.
Neil:	OK, I'll ........ Little shudder going into alpha.
NASA 1:	20° alpha.
Neil:	Roger, I've got 21. I got a peroxide low lite with the transfer on.
NASA 1:	Rog. transfer on.
Neil:	And I get a little shake in the yaw, at 145.000. There's a roll maneuver.
NASA 1:	18 and 120,000, CSS button.
Neil:	CSS now ........ peroxide low lite out now, 110........ is coming in. 15, 16.
NASA 1:	OK, brakes out.
Neil:	Rog, and we're getting a little ........ oh, that head bumper ........
NASA 1:	OK, and a hard left turnk check the RCS off.
Neil:	RCS off, brakes are out and I have the base in site.

NASA 1:	OK, lot more left there, retract the brakesk 25° stabilizer.
Neil:	........
NASA 1:	We show you ballooning, not turning. Neil, 672, hard left turn.
Neil:	Rog. I'm reading  ........
B-52:	Hard left turn, Neil.
Chase:	He seems to be in position.
NASA 1:	OK, you have 30° stabilizer.
Neil:	........  ........
NASA 1:	Your surfaces are bottomed out.
Neil:	I agree, 300 knots, they are coming down now.
NASA 1:	You're heading towards the home base at 000.
Neil:	I have the base in site, Joe.
NASA 1:	What is your visual estimate of your location?
Neil:	Looks like I'm pretty, in pretty bad shape for the south lakebed.
NASA 1:	You're at 8° alpha.
Neil:	Affirmative. And. I'm going to jettison now.
Chase:	What altitude, Neil?
Neil:	Got 47,000.
NASA 1:	Yes, we check that. Have you decided what your landing runway is yet?
Neil:	Let me get up here a little closer. I can definitely ........ the base now.
NASA 1:	Yep.
Neil:	Chcck head bumper up. I'm 41,000.
NASA 1:	We're 26 miles to the south lake and have you at 40,000.
Neil:	OK.
NASA 1:	Stop jettison on peroxide.
Neil:	Rog. OK, the landing will be on runway 35. south lake and will be straight-in approach and I'm at 32.000, going to use some brakes to make it. OK, I'm about. approaching, pretty hard to tell from here.
Chase:	OK, I've got you now. I'm 1 o'clock to you.
Neil:	OK.
Chase:	Don't know if I will be with you. though.
Neil:	OK, going to use some brakes to get in. OK, the ventral is armed and the brakes are in. I'm landing on 35 and I'm about 15 miles out from the end now. Peroxide low lite is out, on again. source is 1600 pounds. I'm 290 knots
Chase:	Coming up on your left.
Neil:	OK, I haven't got a hold of you yet.  And, a little brakes here.  I'm back to pressurize.  Going to land in, sort of the middle of the south lakebed.  Brakes are in again, 280.
Chase:	Henry, I'll take the left side if you want me to.
Chase:	Rog.
Neil:	You want to call the ventral jettison, Harvey?
Chase:	OK.
Neil:	Little shorter than I thought.
Chase:	You can punch it off any time you want to, Neil, for drag.
Neil:	Oh, I should have done that before, shouldn't I.
Chase:	Yep. Start your flaps down now. Off. OK, you're well in, go ahead and put her down. Very nice, Neil.
NASA 1:	The posse will get there shortly.
Chase:	In about 30 minutes!
H-21:	We'll be there, Neil.