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<v Speaker 1>Hi, this is Ashernat Charlie Duke, tenth man to walk

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<v Speaker 1>on the Moon on Apollo sixteen in April nineteen seventy two.

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<v Speaker 1>And I'll be coming to Space Fast nine in July

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<v Speaker 1>and Tucson at the Star Pass Marriott Resort. And it's

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<v Speaker 1>a great thrill of being on and listening to The

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<v Speaker 1>Doctor Sky Show.

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<v Speaker 2>And welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the exciting show

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<v Speaker 2>that you tell us you like so much, The Doctor

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<v Speaker 2>Sky Show with great guests from the realms of astronomy, space, aviation,

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<v Speaker 2>and weather and celebrity guests in the mix. Let me

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<v Speaker 2>be the first to thank our producer extraordinaire Richard Dugan.

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<v Speaker 2>Radio station AZSB that's AM twelve ninety in Santa Barbara, California,

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<v Speaker 2>and a big shout out to our flagship radio station

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<v Speaker 2>that is KTR News ninety two point three FM out

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<v Speaker 2>of Phoenix. We of course welcome all the stations around

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<v Speaker 2>the nation, you know, ladies, and it's a rare treat

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<v Speaker 2>to talk to a man who's actually walked on the moon.

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<v Speaker 2>This an amazing story about to unfold today on The

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<v Speaker 2>Doctor Sky Show. And also we're going to be promoting

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<v Speaker 2>the upcoming space Fest nine gathering that'll happen in Tucson, Arizona,

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<v Speaker 2>at the beautiful Marriotte Star Pass Resort from July the

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<v Speaker 2>fifth to the eighth. On the line today and it's

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<v Speaker 2>a tribut real tribute and a privilege, in an honor.

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<v Speaker 2>They have the tenth man to walk on the surface

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<v Speaker 2>of the Moon, Charles Duke, the Lunar module pilot of

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<v Speaker 2>Apollo sixteen. And also, ladies and gentlemen, the Capcom Neil

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<v Speaker 2>Armstrong himself had suggested that he be the Capcom for

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<v Speaker 2>Apollo eleven. Charles Duke, mister Duke, Welcome to the Doctor

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<v Speaker 2>Sky Show. Thank you, sir, Thank you very much. It's

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<v Speaker 2>really going to be with you today. Well, it's the

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<v Speaker 2>highest of honors. I kind of shake here when I talk,

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<v Speaker 2>because I've had the privilege and honor, sir, of meeting

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<v Speaker 2>five of no, actually seven of the moonwalkers. And as

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<v Speaker 2>you know, sir, today only about four astronauts that walk

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<v Speaker 2>the Moon still walking the Earth. But you were the

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<v Speaker 2>youngest is that correct? In the Antallo entire program of

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<v Speaker 2>moonwalkers to the surface of the Moon in the Apollo program,

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<v Speaker 2>Is that correct?

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<v Speaker 1>I was the youngest about four months, and since nobody

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<v Speaker 1>else has been there, I'm still the youngest.

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<v Speaker 2>Well that's a great honor, sir. And you know, as

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<v Speaker 2>a young boy, and I'm sure like a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>young men and women, I followed every one of these

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<v Speaker 2>launches on my parents black and white television when we

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<v Speaker 2>lived back in New York. But let's start all over

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<v Speaker 2>again and go and reminisce about the first, of course,

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<v Speaker 2>of the Great Moon landings, when Neil and Buzz landed

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<v Speaker 2>on the surface of Meritranquility tatas the the Sea of Tranquility.

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<v Speaker 2>I should say, as you know so well, you were

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<v Speaker 2>the capcom for that particular mission. And is it correct

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<v Speaker 2>that Neil actually wanted you to be the voice on

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<v Speaker 2>the other end of that line, if that we can

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<v Speaker 2>say it that way, is that correct?

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<v Speaker 1>I was on, Yeah, I was on the same job,

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<v Speaker 1>did the same job on Apollo ten, and it was

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<v Speaker 1>so it was decided that the whole crew, gene Clance's

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<v Speaker 1>crew or flight would roll over and do the same

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<v Speaker 1>thing on Apollo eleven. And normally the capcom changes they

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<v Speaker 1>usually have somebody from the support crew for that. But

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<v Speaker 1>Neil said, well, why don't you do that? And just

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<v Speaker 1>continue on. So since we train for the almost the

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<v Speaker 1>same mission on Apollo ten except for the landing, the

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<v Speaker 1>whole crew was ready to go, and so I was

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<v Speaker 1>fortunate to maintain stay on that gene Clance's flight and

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<v Speaker 1>participated in that first landing, which was historic and a

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<v Speaker 1>great thrill for me and humbling experience.

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely. I know those words from Neil Armstrong, of course

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<v Speaker 2>resonate in everybody's mind throughout history about being the first

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<v Speaker 2>on the moon. Your words, and I want to repeat

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<v Speaker 2>them and hopefully I get them right. And I quote

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<v Speaker 2>Roger Tranquilberte you we copy you. On the ground. You

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<v Speaker 2>got a bunch of guys about the turn. We're breathing again.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks a lot, And I remember that like it was yesterday, sir.

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<v Speaker 2>And what we're talking forty seven is years or for

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<v Speaker 2>actually longer than that. So we're coming up wat to

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<v Speaker 2>the fiftieth anniversary very soon for the Apollo eleven landing.

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<v Speaker 1>It's amazing right well, this next month forty ninth, so

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<v Speaker 1>the fiftieth will be next year. A lot of celebrations

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<v Speaker 1>game planned, and we're just excited to still have two

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<v Speaker 1>of the cruise del I've buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, sir, amazing story in history. Will concentrate for the

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<v Speaker 2>rest of this particular interview, sir, if you don't mind,

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<v Speaker 2>of course, on the epic journey of Apollo sixteen, Casper

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<v Speaker 2>and Orian on top of that massive, most impressive rock

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<v Speaker 2>at the Saturn five. I was a young boys, sir,

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<v Speaker 2>and I was brought down to Florida to witness what

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<v Speaker 2>then would have been the Apollo thirteen launch, and unfortunately

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<v Speaker 2>we were there not at the right time. We saw

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<v Speaker 2>that massive stack sitting on the launch pad on top

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<v Speaker 2>of that call. We actually watched it move out to

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<v Speaker 2>the launch pad. But sir, you're one of the few

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<v Speaker 2>people in history that can tell us, you and your

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<v Speaker 2>other two crewmates, what's it like when they fires and

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<v Speaker 2>engines of those f one engines light off. What's that

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<v Speaker 2>feeling like as you're moving out of Earth's gravity?

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<v Speaker 1>The vibration, I thought is extreme on Saturn five. List off.

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<v Speaker 1>The five engines are producing over seven and a half

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<v Speaker 1>million pounds of thrust and it's a three hundred and

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<v Speaker 1>sixty three feet long aluminum structure, if you will, so

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<v Speaker 1>as the engines move at the bottom to guide the trajectory.

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<v Speaker 1>That vibration is transmitted up to the spacecraft, and it's

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<v Speaker 1>a very significant vibration from side to side, it's from

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<v Speaker 1>shoulder to shoulder, and it was really got my attention.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, it's a first and only time I've ridden

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<v Speaker 1>a Saturn in I was suspect. I said, is it

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<v Speaker 1>really supposed to shake this hard? But John was very cool,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll go, and the mission control said we're going, so

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<v Speaker 1>I said, well, maybe this is the way it's supposed

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<v Speaker 1>to be. But it was really really vibrating, and my

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<v Speaker 1>heart I was a little excited, to say the least.

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<v Speaker 1>And I found out later from the flight surgeon it

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<v Speaker 1>lifted off. My heartbeat was like one hundred and forty four,

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<v Speaker 1>so I was really keyed up. But there was no noise,

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<v Speaker 1>you know. The only noise you could hear was the

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<v Speaker 1>oxygen through your helmet and all the communications. The engine

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<v Speaker 1>noise was almost insignificant, which was strange because if you're

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<v Speaker 1>standing away from the vehicle, the noise and the vibration

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<v Speaker 1>is intense. Anyway, it was a great ride. First stage.

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<v Speaker 1>We've burned up four and a half million pounds of

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<v Speaker 1>fuel in two minutes and forty one seconds.

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<v Speaker 2>Wow, that's incredible. And you know, folks, if you're listening

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<v Speaker 2>to this, and we know you are here and around

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<v Speaker 2>the nation, our very special guest today, we're really privileged

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<v Speaker 2>and honored to have Charles Duke, the tenth man to

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<v Speaker 2>walk on the Moon, the youngest of the moonwalkers to

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<v Speaker 2>ever go to the surface of the Moon. And again,

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<v Speaker 2>ladies and gentlemen, only twelve humans have ever set foot

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<v Speaker 2>on the surface of the Moon. We'll be talking about

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<v Speaker 2>that and so much more with our very special guest.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, mister Duke, I remember watching the Apollo twelve launch,

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<v Speaker 2>and I know that President Nixon witnessed that there in

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<v Speaker 2>kind of a stormy environment, rain and thunder and maybe lightning.

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<v Speaker 2>And what I'm understood is that Alban of course and

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<v Speaker 2>the other crew members on Apollo twelve, is it actually

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<v Speaker 2>true that they got struck by lightning or lightning actually

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<v Speaker 2>shut down a good part of their communications and electronics

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<v Speaker 2>as they're going up into space.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, it got struck by light and I think I

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<v Speaker 1>remember a comment from Pete Conrad that said, hey, maybe

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<v Speaker 1>we got hit by lightning, or somebody said something. It

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<v Speaker 1>was just a suspicion, but nobody. The whole Apollo space

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<v Speaker 1>graph electrical system went down, knocked off all the fuel cells.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, all of the data was dropped off and

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<v Speaker 1>it hadn't have been for uh uh And well, to me,

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<v Speaker 1>Pete Conrad was just the coolest commander not to abort,

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<v Speaker 1>throw the abort switch and or handle and uh and

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<v Speaker 1>ejected them off off that rocket. But he held his cool.

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<v Speaker 1>And finally they had a data switch. They put the

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<v Speaker 1>auxiliary se s to AUS and they did that and

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<v Speaker 1>the data started coming back to mission control. And then

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<v Speaker 1>they figured out, well, we didn't hit my lightning, but

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<v Speaker 1>the instrument unit in the and the Saturn was not affected.

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<v Speaker 1>So it was continuing to control the spacecraft and well

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<v Speaker 1>not the spacecraft but the Saturn five and so it

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<v Speaker 1>was going to go to and orbit regardless of what

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<v Speaker 1>the command module look like. But they got it back

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<v Speaker 1>up as they were going up. But it was really tricky,

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<v Speaker 1>I'll tell you. And one of the closest calls that

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<v Speaker 1>we had in Apollo other than Apollo thirteen.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, sir, totally amazing. Let's talk about the mission of

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<v Speaker 2>Apollo sixteen, John Young, of course, Ken Matile and yourself

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<v Speaker 2>sailing to the Moon, and this is an amazing journey, sir.

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<v Speaker 2>In your words, this is what I've always wanted to

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<v Speaker 2>ask because I've built so many spacecraft, and obviously I

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<v Speaker 2>try to read as much as I can. It's my

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<v Speaker 2>favorite subject, sir. And I'm not just kissing up here

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<v Speaker 2>to the chef as they say, this is really a

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<v Speaker 2>fascinating story. Once you're in Earth orbit, you fire that

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<v Speaker 2>particular motor, the rocket motor, onto your capsule in spacecraft,

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<v Speaker 2>describe the journey to the Moon. How many days does

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<v Speaker 2>it take? And you're still in the confines of a

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<v Speaker 2>water rather small environments, as I say, the least as

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<v Speaker 2>you head toward the Moon.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, yeah, the size of the command module inside had

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<v Speaker 1>three hundred cubic feet, but that included all the equipment panels,

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<v Speaker 1>the storage panels, the seeds, anything, and so each astronaut

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<v Speaker 1>had about sixty eight cubic feet of volume that we

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<v Speaker 1>had to operate in. But frankfully, you don't find it

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<v Speaker 1>very crowded in zero gravity. You can float out of

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<v Speaker 1>the seats, you go up into the tunnel, you can

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<v Speaker 1>float above the seats. So it was nobody, I don't

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<v Speaker 1>think felt it really cramped. We had plenty of room.

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<v Speaker 1>The other part was on the way to the Moon.

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<v Speaker 1>It took for Apollo, it took three days, about seventy

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<v Speaker 1>two hours, and that was because of the fuel budget

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<v Speaker 1>we had on the Command Service module engine. If you

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<v Speaker 1>fired direct to the Moon, you're going so fast when

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<v Speaker 1>you get there, we didn't have enough fuel and Apollo

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<v Speaker 1>to slow down and get in orbit and then get

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<v Speaker 1>back out of orbit again. So they pointed you way

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<v Speaker 1>out in front of the Moon and allowed gravity Arth's

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<v Speaker 1>gravity to slow you down. So the initial velocity like

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<v Speaker 1>twenty five thousand miles an hour, but the average velocity

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<v Speaker 1>over the trip to the Moon was probably thirty five

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<v Speaker 1>hundred miles an hour. And so when you arrived at

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<v Speaker 1>the Moon, you were still going too fast to go

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<v Speaker 1>into orbit, but you had enough fuel to slow down,

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<v Speaker 1>get in orbit, and then enough fuel left to get

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<v Speaker 1>out of orbit and bring you back home. So the

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<v Speaker 1>trip with seventy two hours tripped back with seventy two hours.

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<v Speaker 2>That's amazing, mister Douke. I'm still scratching my head because

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<v Speaker 2>thinking about this in history, it's probably an I'm saying

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<v Speaker 2>this and you're always free to comment. This is probably

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<v Speaker 2>what the greatest technological feat that the human species has

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<v Speaker 2>ever done. And it's interesting that we talk about space

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<v Speaker 2>today where we have astronauts on International Space Station, they're

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<v Speaker 2>simply in lower Earth orbit. So U twelve and the

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<v Speaker 2>other members, of course, not just those that went to

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<v Speaker 2>the surface, those that went around the Moon have literally

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<v Speaker 2>been the farthest humans ever in old time. And looking

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<v Speaker 2>we're only two quarter million miles away, so we're hoping

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<v Speaker 2>the few time brings us great space exploration to Yeah, it.

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<v Speaker 1>Was, I mean, it was incredible that in Apollo it

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<v Speaker 1>was a technological high point. I think probably a thousand

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<v Speaker 1>years from now, one of the highlights of the twentieth

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<v Speaker 1>century or human history until that point, was a leaving

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<v Speaker 1>Earth orbit and landing on the Moon. It was incredible

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<v Speaker 1>feat and that we did it in eight years and

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<v Speaker 1>two months from the time of the announcement of the

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<v Speaker 1>program was incredible. The US was just focused on the

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<v Speaker 1>space race and we were determined to win it, and

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<v Speaker 1>so it was all out, if you will, for the US,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, basically an unlimited budget, four hundred thousand

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<v Speaker 1>people working on it, great technicians and scientists, engineers, and

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<v Speaker 1>they built two great spacecraft Polo command module had a

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<v Speaker 1>serious problem in the block one, but when they got

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<v Speaker 1>and so they had to fire. But we changed it

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<v Speaker 1>all and got it back on track and we were

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<v Speaker 1>able to course, kneel and bus the land eight years

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<v Speaker 1>and two months after the announcement of the program. So

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<v Speaker 1>fantastic accomplishment.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's talk briefly about the descent of the surface of

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<v Speaker 2>the Moon. You and Commander John Young are at the

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<v Speaker 2>controls of this amazing spacecraft, the Orion, as it continues

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<v Speaker 2>to go down. About how high above the lunar surface

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<v Speaker 2>are you when you begin the descent to the de

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<v Speaker 2>cartridge and I believe on the surface of the Moon.

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<v Speaker 2>This is interesting.

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<v Speaker 1>We were about fifty thousand feet a little over eight

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<v Speaker 1>miles and I think it was like two hundred and

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<v Speaker 1>fifty miles up range, and so we started this descent.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't remember exactly, but it was nine minutes or

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<v Speaker 1>so from the start of ignition. It started the descent

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<v Speaker 1>until you actually landed, and you're the attitude of the

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<v Speaker 1>spacecraft was pointing. The windows were pointed out into space,

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<v Speaker 1>so you didn't see the Moon approaching, and you were

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<v Speaker 1>the landing radar walked on so you knew your rated descent,

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<v Speaker 1>you knew your altitude, and you had a profile made

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<v Speaker 1>sure you were on it, mission control, your go and

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<v Speaker 1>all of those things, so you had a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>confidence that you were on track. But the vehicle finally

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<v Speaker 1>about seven thousand feet above the moon, it pitches down

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<v Speaker 1>and the windows come and move such as you can

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<v Speaker 1>see the landing site for the very first time, and

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<v Speaker 1>we recognized the major craters in our landing spot. We

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<v Speaker 1>called them, had named them Lone Star and Gator, and

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<v Speaker 1>we saw those and we started maneuvering to the landing site.

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<v Speaker 1>And unfortunately, the photographs that we had to study the

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<v Speaker 1>landing site was a resolution of forty five feet, so

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<v Speaker 1>things less than forty five feet were not seen in

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<v Speaker 1>these photographs. And all of a sudden we realized there

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<v Speaker 1>are a lot of craters up here are less than

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<v Speaker 1>forty five feet, and a lot of rocks, and you

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<v Speaker 1>had to make decisions really really quickly to find a

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<v Speaker 1>level spot without a crater or boulders. And John did

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<v Speaker 1>a fantastic job picking a spot and we landed with

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<v Speaker 1>almost dead level and plenty of eight. Once we got out,

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<v Speaker 1>we found it was reasy, easy to walk or walk around,

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<v Speaker 1>but it turned out that we were about three yards

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<v Speaker 1>beyond a big crater that we had not even Seen't

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<v Speaker 1>think of that three yards backwards. We'd have had one

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<v Speaker 1>leg back in this crater, and I'm not sure we

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<v Speaker 1>would have been able to get out the experiments package,

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<v Speaker 1>which was on the back side. Anyway, we didn't.

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<v Speaker 2>This is amazing. Now, this is an amazing interview. We

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<v Speaker 2>continue here with Charles Duke, ledd As and gentlemen here

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<v Speaker 2>on the Doctor Sky Show. Of course, the tenth human

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<v Speaker 2>to walk on the surface of the Moon. Only twelve

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<v Speaker 2>have hes kind enough to spend time with us on

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<v Speaker 2>The Doctor Sky Show. And I promise you, mister Duke,

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<v Speaker 2>at the end will be of course doing a build

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<v Speaker 2>up to Spacefest nine. You'll be attending along with many

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<v Speaker 2>other dignitaries, astronauts, authors, speakers. I've spoken there a number

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<v Speaker 2>of times, and that event takes place July the fifth

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<v Speaker 2>through the eighth at this most beautiful resort. As you know, sir,

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<v Speaker 2>the Marriotte start passing Tucson. Obviously, folks go to and

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<v Speaker 2>search for the website or space Fest nine right off

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<v Speaker 2>of the Internet. But mister Duke getting on the surface

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<v Speaker 2>of the Moon. I mean, this is really amazing. I

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<v Speaker 2>love the emotion part of this, because your blood pressure

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<v Speaker 2>is probably you know, your heartbeats going. You're on the

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<v Speaker 2>surface of the moon. And what's it like, seriously to

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<v Speaker 2>come down that ladder. What were your thoughts as you

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<v Speaker 2>actually stepped foot on this most amazing place, the moon.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, I couldn't wait to come come down the ladder.

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<v Speaker 1>We were supposed I was supposed to wait ten minutes

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<v Speaker 1>until John got down and stableissed, and it was I

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<v Speaker 1>was so excited. I closed chain sides and got on

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<v Speaker 1>the sideway. I could get out the door, and I

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<v Speaker 1>started out, and I was really excited coming down the ladder.

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<v Speaker 1>And when I stepped onto the moon for the first time,

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<v Speaker 1>it felt totally natural to me. It was not tentative steps.

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<v Speaker 1>Of course. Of course, we were the fifth landing, so

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<v Speaker 1>we knew that our weight, we weren't going to sink

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<v Speaker 1>out of sight in the moon dust, and so you

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<v Speaker 1>just get excited. And there were emotions like excitement and

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<v Speaker 1>awe and wander and just almost unbelievable. I'm standing on

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<v Speaker 1>the moon. I'm standing on the moon, and there was

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<v Speaker 1>probably the most beautiful desert that I could describe, but

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<v Speaker 1>with gray in color. Very rough topography, is rolling ridges

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<v Speaker 1>and stuff, and very sharp break between the bright lunar

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<v Speaker 1>surface and the blackness of the sky. And so we

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<v Speaker 1>were excited about it, but we we had a lot

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<v Speaker 1>to do, so we were busy, but we enjoyed it,

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<v Speaker 1>and the fun of the three days never left, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>Edrew Mitchell told me I spent a lot of time

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<v Speaker 2>with Edgar, and of course you know him better than

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00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:14.559
<v Speaker 2>I do in his time of course in the astronaut core.

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<v Speaker 2>But he told me on the surface of the Moon,

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<v Speaker 2>he and Alan Shepherd were so busy they were pulling

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<v Speaker 2>that little rickshaw. Obviously didn't have the luxury of the

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00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:22.559
<v Speaker 2>lunar rover like you, gentlemen had, and of course the

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<v Speaker 2>wonders of the lunar rover. He said that on the

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<v Speaker 2>surface of the Moon he could look up at the

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<v Speaker 2>Earth and if I'm correct on this, tell us as

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<v Speaker 2>you look, he said, the Earth appears like four times

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<v Speaker 2>the size of what our full moon here is on

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<v Speaker 2>the Earth, so simply way larger than we see our

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<v Speaker 2>moon in our sky.

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<v Speaker 1>Correct, well, it is, I mean, it is actually four

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<v Speaker 1>times bigger. But it didn't look like that to me

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<v Speaker 1>in the sky, it was a tremendous view. Unfortunately, where

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<v Speaker 1>we stood on the Moon, the Earth was directly over

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<v Speaker 1>our head and so up in your Paula suit and

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00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:04.440
<v Speaker 1>you're looking at the top of your opaque helmet, so

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<v Speaker 1>you don't see it except for looking through the little

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00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:12.400
<v Speaker 1>telescope we had on the rover to get the antenna

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<v Speaker 1>pointed at the Earth. But in Earth orbit we'd come

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<v Speaker 1>around from the backside and before we landed, and there

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00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:25.119
<v Speaker 1>was this beautiful Earth rise which was very, very dramatic,

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<v Speaker 1>and I remember holding my hand out and from the

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<v Speaker 1>luar distance the Earth would fit under the puddle of

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<v Speaker 1>my hand, so totally amazing. It's incredibly beautiful blue and

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<v Speaker 1>white and little tins of brown every once in a

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<v Speaker 1>while the land was all brown.

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<v Speaker 2>You're on the Moon, as you know, for three EVAs

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<v Speaker 2>twenty hours, some fourteen minutes and change, and obviously the

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<v Speaker 2>lunar rover goes some sixteen miles in all your exploration there.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's amazing that you come across the I see

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<v Speaker 2>one part of the video or the film at the

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<v Speaker 2>time where you and of course John Young come upon

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<v Speaker 2>a very very large boulder that's that's incredible. I haven't

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<v Speaker 2>seen large boulders like that in previous Apollo landings. Tell

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<v Speaker 2>me about that. That's amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, it was on our third excursion and we'd gone

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<v Speaker 1>to an objective what was called north Way Crater, which

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<v Speaker 1>was a crater about the five hundred yards wide and

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<v Speaker 1>about one hundred yards deep. And on we landed, we

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<v Speaker 1>stopped on the it would be the southwest southeast corner

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<v Speaker 1>of the of the of the crater to start a expiration.

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<v Speaker 1>And I looked over and on the far rim was

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<v Speaker 1>a was this rock. And I said, John, let's go

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<v Speaker 1>down and inspect that rock. He I was too far away.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's don't do that. And I said, come on, John's

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<v Speaker 1>just right over there. So I talked him into it,

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<v Speaker 1>and so we started jogging. And so one of the

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<v Speaker 1>problems on the Moon you have no familiar objects to

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<v Speaker 1>judge distance and size, No telephone, poles, trees, cars, people,

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<v Speaker 1>things like that. And so we started jogging in the

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<v Speaker 1>rock getting bigger and kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger,

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<v Speaker 1>and finally we ended up down there and it was

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<v Speaker 1>like house rock, we called it. I would estimate it

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<v Speaker 1>was probably eighty to ninety feet across the base and

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<v Speaker 1>maybe thirty feet high. It was enormous and I'd be

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<v Speaker 1>willing to bet it's probably the biggest rock anybody ever

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<v Speaker 1>actually touched and got a sample of on all of Apollo.

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<v Speaker 1>That's increatably beautiful.

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<v Speaker 2>You bring back about two hundred and eleven pounds and

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<v Speaker 2>I'm reading this, sir, I mean you lived it. You

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00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:48.759
<v Speaker 2>bring it back about two hundred and eleven pounds of

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<v Speaker 2>moon rocks of the so eight hundred and fifty is

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00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:54.000
<v Speaker 2>pounds that came back through the whole mission. But this

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00:22:54.079 --> 00:22:56.119
<v Speaker 2>is amazing. This is more of the human side. You've

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<v Speaker 2>done something on the surface of the Moon, and I'm

385
00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:01.480
<v Speaker 2>sure other astronauts have two. But you do something very symbolic.

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<v Speaker 2>You leave on the moon a family portray your family,

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00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:07.680
<v Speaker 2>and you put it inside water a little piece of

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00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:10.839
<v Speaker 2>light plastic envelope enclosure. And also, if I'm correct, so

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00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:12.759
<v Speaker 2>you leave an air force metal on there for those

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00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:15.240
<v Speaker 2>that served. I mean, that's really amazing. Talk about the

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00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:16.920
<v Speaker 2>picture on the moon in the middle.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, briefly, yeah, that's the only picture, only family picture

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<v Speaker 1>on the moon in all of Apollo. And my kids

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<v Speaker 1>were when I flew was one with seven almost five,

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<v Speaker 1>the other almost five. So I wanted to get them involved.

396
00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:35.960
<v Speaker 1>And y'all would like to go to the moon with Dad. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>let's take the whole family of the Moon. And so

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<v Speaker 1>we thought of this idea of this little snapshot. Friend

399
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<v Speaker 1>took the picture, we got it developed, I got it

400
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<v Speaker 1>approved to carry, and my idea was to drop it

401
00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:52.559
<v Speaker 1>on the Moon the last eva at the end of

402
00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:55.240
<v Speaker 1>the last and that's what we did. I dropped it

403
00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:57.240
<v Speaker 1>on the Moon and took the picture of the picture

404
00:23:57.279 --> 00:24:03.759
<v Speaker 1>which has become a very iconic image now for Apollo and.

405
00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:05.720
<v Speaker 2>Was.

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00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:09.640
<v Speaker 1>I put it in a plastic bag, if you will,

407
00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:12.200
<v Speaker 1>and closed it and passed the shrink wrap I guess

408
00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:16.759
<v Speaker 1>you'd call it. And it hit the Moon and right

409
00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:19.680
<v Speaker 1>side up, and I took the picture. And then also

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<v Speaker 1>we had a medal at the Air Force had struck

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<v Speaker 1>a small like a silver dollar size. It was the

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00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:31.480
<v Speaker 1>twenty fifth anniversary of the Air Force in nineteen seventy

413
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<v Speaker 1>two and US Air Force and I was the only

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<v Speaker 1>US Air Force officer going to be on the Moon

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00:24:37.799 --> 00:24:42.400
<v Speaker 1>that year. So we struck up this idea of saying

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<v Speaker 1>happy Birthday from the Moon, and as part of that

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00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:49.960
<v Speaker 1>little ceremony, was dropping this coin on the Moon.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a beautiful story, sir. I mean that's something that

419
00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:55.960
<v Speaker 2>on the surface of the Moon, things last for billions

420
00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:58.519
<v Speaker 2>of years. I imagine the picture what is still there

421
00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:02.079
<v Speaker 2>and shining brightly correct, Well, the pictures.

422
00:25:01.640 --> 00:25:07.119
<v Speaker 1>There, but it's it's the extreme temperature of the lunar

423
00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:14.319
<v Speaker 1>surface from night to day and cosmic radiation. Everybody thinks

424
00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:19.559
<v Speaker 1>that it's all faded away now, even some people even say,

425
00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:24.400
<v Speaker 1>thank the colors of the flags have faded away. Nobody

426
00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:32.319
<v Speaker 1>knows unless we go back, so the remains of the

427
00:25:32.359 --> 00:25:34.440
<v Speaker 1>picture are still There's what I'm trying to say, But

428
00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:36.119
<v Speaker 1>I'm not sure it'd be recognizable.

429
00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:37.440
<v Speaker 2>Well, that's incredible.

430
00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:39.440
<v Speaker 1>I know exactly where I dropped it. Though. If I

431
00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:40.599
<v Speaker 1>go back, I look.

432
00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:43.920
<v Speaker 2>I hope we all get to go see that, sir,

433
00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:46.640
<v Speaker 2>And I think that's amazing. But it's amazing here. I

434
00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:48.839
<v Speaker 2>want to just end off on something else. There's another

435
00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:52.240
<v Speaker 2>person in Mattingly who's doing what the loneliest man in

436
00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:54.440
<v Speaker 2>the world job as every one of the pilots who

437
00:25:54.440 --> 00:25:57.279
<v Speaker 2>flies around the Moon. There's a lot of science going

438
00:25:57.319 --> 00:25:59.799
<v Speaker 2>on there. But can you imagine, I mean, those stories

439
00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:02.839
<v Speaker 2>are just equally important that those people are so vital

440
00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:06.680
<v Speaker 2>to your mission. Finally, I ask this, as you're ready

441
00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:09.519
<v Speaker 2>to leave the surface of the Moon, you have to

442
00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:12.240
<v Speaker 2>do a series of want buttons and switches to actually

443
00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:16.440
<v Speaker 2>get the ascent motor going. Obviously, if that had failed,

444
00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:19.480
<v Speaker 2>well then we know what would have been the likelihood

445
00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:22.559
<v Speaker 2>of survival on the Moon. But those engineers, here's a

446
00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:24.960
<v Speaker 2>big shout out, mister Douke. I'm sure like you did

447
00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:27.759
<v Speaker 2>many times that when you pressed or flipped the switch,

448
00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:31.000
<v Speaker 2>the ascent motor did its job, and thank goodness, it did.

449
00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:35.759
<v Speaker 1>Right, You're right. You're sitting there a lot of tension

450
00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:41.279
<v Speaker 1>at that point. The computer's counting down to the ignition.

451
00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:47.319
<v Speaker 1>It's a sequence that the computer initiates, you know, separates

452
00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:54.079
<v Speaker 1>the deset stage, electrical plumbing, all that stuff. Explosive boats

453
00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:57.319
<v Speaker 1>go and then the all that ripple so fast, so

454
00:26:57.519 --> 00:27:03.000
<v Speaker 1>you just almost one second and then the engine starts,

455
00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:06.640
<v Speaker 1>and it was if you listen to my comments going up,

456
00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:09.359
<v Speaker 1>what a ride? What a ride? And you're on your way.

457
00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:13.400
<v Speaker 1>If it had no lit we had some emergency procedures

458
00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:18.200
<v Speaker 1>we could go through and try to get it going.

459
00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:22.720
<v Speaker 1>If we didn't, we'd power down and make it last

460
00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:25.200
<v Speaker 1>as long as possible, and maybe somebody come up with

461
00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:29.920
<v Speaker 1>a good idea. But rocket motors are pretty simple, no

462
00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:33.279
<v Speaker 1>moving parts. You know, you need a fuel and oxidizer

463
00:27:33.319 --> 00:27:36.839
<v Speaker 1>and you need a pressurization system and so electricity to

464
00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:40.279
<v Speaker 1>open the valves and that's it. And so that it

465
00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:43.640
<v Speaker 1>was a great little engine. That Ascent engine worked perfectly

466
00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:44.519
<v Speaker 1>on every flight.

467
00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:47.319
<v Speaker 2>Well, sir, the time we have is just a few

468
00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:49.400
<v Speaker 2>more moments with you in this time, in this segment.

469
00:27:49.400 --> 00:27:51.279
<v Speaker 2>But I want to thank you, sir for your service

470
00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:54.240
<v Speaker 2>to the United States of America, your military service and all,

471
00:27:54.720 --> 00:27:57.200
<v Speaker 2>no matter what rank, the men and women the United

472
00:27:57.200 --> 00:28:00.240
<v Speaker 2>States military, that many have given their lives for freedom.

473
00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:04.680
<v Speaker 2>And again, twelve moonwalkers. Charles Duke is our very special

474
00:28:04.680 --> 00:28:06.880
<v Speaker 2>guest if you're just joining us. He's the tenth man,

475
00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:09.039
<v Speaker 2>the tenth human to walk on the surface of the Moon.

476
00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:12.160
<v Speaker 2>He and his commander John Young and Ken Mattingley go

477
00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:15.319
<v Speaker 2>into the history books with Apollo sixteen April to sixteenth

478
00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:18.599
<v Speaker 2>through April the twenty seventh, nineteen seventy two. Again, so

479
00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:20.880
<v Speaker 2>I'm reading this, some two hundred and eleven pounds of

480
00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:24.000
<v Speaker 2>precious moon rocks return to the surface of the Earth.

481
00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:26.400
<v Speaker 2>I got to ask you this, sir, what's your hope

482
00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:29.720
<v Speaker 2>and prayer for this country and maybe us to explore

483
00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:31.440
<v Speaker 2>the Moon again. I think we should have done it.

484
00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:34.799
<v Speaker 2>I'm biased we should be there already with habitation modules.

485
00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:37.240
<v Speaker 2>But what say you about the promise of the future

486
00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:37.960
<v Speaker 2>going to the Moon.

487
00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:43.680
<v Speaker 1>Well, I'm with you. I look forward to a return

488
00:28:43.799 --> 00:28:47.160
<v Speaker 1>to the Moon and with habitation modules, and so we

489
00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:52.640
<v Speaker 1>set up a space station on the Moon. I think

490
00:28:52.680 --> 00:28:58.359
<v Speaker 1>it would be a great environment to do that. And

491
00:28:58.759 --> 00:29:01.480
<v Speaker 1>you're close enough to get help if you have problems,

492
00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:08.119
<v Speaker 1>and then you cycle cruise back every three or four

493
00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:12.160
<v Speaker 1>months or whatever it turns out, and we can learn

494
00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:16.720
<v Speaker 1>some you know, manufacturing techniques. We could develop systems that

495
00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:20.079
<v Speaker 1>we have great confidence in so that when we go

496
00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:26.160
<v Speaker 1>to Mars that we can you're basically autonomous on your

497
00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:29.160
<v Speaker 1>own at Mars. So we've developed these things on the

498
00:29:29.160 --> 00:29:33.599
<v Speaker 1>Moon that are so reliable that we have great confidence

499
00:29:33.640 --> 00:29:38.599
<v Speaker 1>that we can repeat it on Mars eventually. So I

500
00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:41.559
<v Speaker 1>think we should return to the Moon as as soon

501
00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:42.240
<v Speaker 1>as possible.

502
00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:45.319
<v Speaker 2>I certainly agree, sir. And you're hearing it legends someone

503
00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:47.559
<v Speaker 2>from Man who walks the walk he talks that he's

504
00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:50.240
<v Speaker 2>been there and sir, just in case there's any doubting

505
00:29:50.279 --> 00:29:53.680
<v Speaker 2>people out there, and I hear this insanity from time

506
00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:55.400
<v Speaker 2>to time and that we never went to the Moon.

507
00:29:55.880 --> 00:29:57.880
<v Speaker 2>I'm here in Arizona, sir, and we're close to the

508
00:29:57.920 --> 00:30:03.039
<v Speaker 2>folks that have managed the the lro the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter,

509
00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:06.160
<v Speaker 2>And as you know, I'm amazed that the spacecraft has

510
00:30:06.200 --> 00:30:09.200
<v Speaker 2>given such a visual identification of all of the Apollo

511
00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:12.599
<v Speaker 2>landing sites. You and of course the Lunar rover that's

512
00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:15.119
<v Speaker 2>on the surface of the Moon. You can see the tracks.

513
00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:17.759
<v Speaker 2>And believe me, folks, that's amazing, isn't it, mister Douke,

514
00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:20.960
<v Speaker 2>to see that imaging from space to show even that

515
00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:24.519
<v Speaker 2>the scent modules sitting there. I'm as at that technology.

516
00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:29.759
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, the RO folks have been real good about sending

517
00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:35.119
<v Speaker 1>me copies of some of the unique photographs the space

518
00:30:35.160 --> 00:30:38.759
<v Speaker 1>graph is taken. And so it's hard to than that

519
00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:42.599
<v Speaker 1>when you see the vehicles all sitting and all the

520
00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:46.000
<v Speaker 1>landing sites, the fixed landing, you see the vehicles there,

521
00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:49.680
<v Speaker 1>so it's hard to say you faked it.

522
00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:52.240
<v Speaker 2>Last comment I'd like to get to you, so before

523
00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:53.720
<v Speaker 2>we go to the bottom of the hour break here

524
00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:56.640
<v Speaker 2>I'm understood from speaking to other moonwalkers and other astronauts

525
00:30:56.680 --> 00:30:59.759
<v Speaker 2>that lunar dust gets in just about everything. And those

526
00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:02.319
<v Speaker 2>just beautiful white suits that you have when you go

527
00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:04.519
<v Speaker 2>to the moon, they look and you see them in

528
00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:06.720
<v Speaker 2>the museums, they get a little bit dirtied up. And

529
00:31:07.279 --> 00:31:11.519
<v Speaker 2>let's say you inside the Orion, you're there, what trying

530
00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:13.240
<v Speaker 2>to get as much of that stuff off? It gets

531
00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:15.359
<v Speaker 2>in everything. I'm told is that car rushes all over

532
00:31:15.400 --> 00:31:15.759
<v Speaker 2>the place.

533
00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:19.519
<v Speaker 1>Well, we had brushes, but we quickly realized that the

534
00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:22.720
<v Speaker 1>moon dust was so fine that we weren't going to

535
00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:27.880
<v Speaker 1>brush much off. And we tried outside, got back inside

536
00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:33.920
<v Speaker 1>and we were a little bit more available, I mean,

537
00:31:34.440 --> 00:31:39.400
<v Speaker 1>able to wipe dust off with towels and stuff. But

538
00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:44.480
<v Speaker 1>it finally we just gave up and said what we

539
00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:47.839
<v Speaker 1>were interested in cleaning the connectors and stuff like that,

540
00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:50.079
<v Speaker 1>and just let the color of the suit go. But

541
00:31:50.119 --> 00:31:53.839
<v Speaker 1>we ended up gray. You're right, it's it just gets

542
00:31:53.839 --> 00:31:58.920
<v Speaker 1>all over you and so it's just impossible clean up.

543
00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:01.640
<v Speaker 2>I want to thank you from the bottom of my

544
00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:03.880
<v Speaker 2>heart and all the listeners who love the Apollo program.

545
00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:06.799
<v Speaker 2>It'll never be forgotten. And my mission is doctor Sky

546
00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:09.200
<v Speaker 2>among others is to go out there and help explain

547
00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:11.680
<v Speaker 2>and to promote and to share knowledge with the young

548
00:32:11.720 --> 00:32:15.400
<v Speaker 2>people today about the great stories like yourself and of

549
00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:17.839
<v Speaker 2>course John Young, Ken Mattingley and all in the Apollo

550
00:32:17.920 --> 00:32:21.039
<v Speaker 2>program and all of the astronauts. And we wish you well, sir.

551
00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:23.319
<v Speaker 2>If you stay with us, don't hang up. As we

552
00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:24.799
<v Speaker 2>go to the bottom of the break, I'd like to

553
00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:28.119
<v Speaker 2>chat with you off air. That concludes this exciting addition

554
00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:30.279
<v Speaker 2>as always of the Doctor Sky Show, a ten year

555
00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:33.240
<v Speaker 2>legacy with great guests as you know today from the

556
00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:37.319
<v Speaker 2>realms of astronomy, space aviation, and of course celebrity guests

557
00:32:37.319 --> 00:32:39.960
<v Speaker 2>in the mix Charles Duke, the tenth man on the

558
00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:42.440
<v Speaker 2>surface of the Moon. I'm honored by your presence, Sarah,

559
00:32:42.440 --> 00:32:45.400
<v Speaker 2>and I'm sure the audience is really excited to have you.

560
00:32:45.799 --> 00:32:48.839
<v Speaker 2>Doctor Sky reminds everyone, and I'm sure mister Duke would agree. Right.

561
00:32:48.920 --> 00:32:51.720
<v Speaker 2>Always remember to keep your eyes to the skyes.

562
00:32:52.119 --> 00:32:54.880
<v Speaker 1>Thank you, right, my pleasure to be with you. It'll

563
00:32:54.880 --> 00:32:56.440
<v Speaker 1>look forward to stay fast.

564
00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:58.440
<v Speaker 2>Thank you and stand by sir and stay on the

565
00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:00.279
<v Speaker 2>line with us, and thank you for that. I do.

566
00:33:00.599 --> 00:33:01.839
<v Speaker 2>We'll be back in just a moment.

567
00:33:03.720 --> 00:33:03.920
<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

568
00:33:03.960 --> 00:33:04.000
<v Speaker 2>I