Marooned Page #4

very remote possibility.

Charles, can I talk to you as a friend?

Well, yes, sir, of course.

You're right,

and for the right reasons.

But if we do it your way, 200 million

people are going to start raising hell.

Well, Mr. President, it's not my way.

There is data...

...and there are certain facts

that we have to deal with.

Charles, just put away your slide rule

for a minute and listen.

There's more going on here

than logic.

The world is watching us

and what we do...

... about rescuing these men.

To say that there's nothing

we can do...

... is going to be disaster for me,

for you and for your program.

We have to take a crack at it

with the very best we've got.

Now, what do you say, Charles?

Mr. President, it'll be a dangerous

gamble, but we'll go if you say so.

You let me know how you're

doing and what you need.

Whatever you want, you've got it.

- confirmed tonight that

the SPS engine failed to fire...

... leaving America's three astronauts

in orbit...

... some 285 miles above the Earth,

circling the globe every 94 minutes.

They are now approaching

the west coast of Africa.

No word has been issued

as to the cause of the malfunction...

... beyond the statement made by

Dr. Keith at the news conference...

... held this morning in...

- that contingency plans

have been developed...

... to meet every conceivable

emergency.

It has been reported from

mission control in Houston...

... that the three astronauts are...

Okay, Buzz, you're right.

To hell with waiting for a bunch

of slide-rule jockeys.

We used to fix the airplanes we flew

with paper clips.

Let's get into our hard suits

and fix this bird.

- Okay, Jimmy.

- You watch the store, will you, Stoney?

Yeah, go.

- Ironman One this is Houston Flight.

- Go, Houston.

We're coming up to get you, Ironman.

Say again.

We're coming to get you.

We're launching a rescue mission

from the Cape.

We're using a Titan 3C with an XRV

lifting body modified to hold four men.

The pilot is Ted Dougherty.

Do you read, Ironman ?

Yeah, yeah, we read you.

Houston, when do you estimate

launch?

Just over 40 hours, Stoney.

Forty hours? Who are they kidding?

Do you read, Ironman?

We've decided to make

a move up here.

Go EVA and eyeball the engines.

The fuel valves could be frozen.

We'll pull the insulating hatches.

If they are...

... we'll get in the sun

and get some heat on them.

That's an interesting thought,

but we have no indication...

... of that here or anything else

you could correct.

We're all agreed

the rescue mission is it.

We're agreed we have to take

affirmative action to repair our vehicle.

Ironman, stand by one.

Tell them negative, Jimmy, negative.

Jim, we appreciate your desire

to take affirmative action...

... and we need your affirmative action

if the mission is to succeed.

The most critical factor

is your oxygen supply.

To get 15 minutes of activity

outside the spacecraft...

... to eyeball the engine,

you have to trade off...

... three or four hours

of passive breathing.

From where we sit you don't have

that oxygen to spare.

Therefore, we'd like to suggest

that you go into low-tide mode...

... lower your oxygen pressure to 3.5...

... execute a full emergency

power down...

...and take your pills.

They want us to buy it

while we're sleeping.

Do you copy, Ironman?

Yeah. We're thinking about it.

Tell them negative, Jim, negative.

Pruett, now, this is Keith.

I'm down here at the Cape

with Sadler...

...and we're getting this rescue shot

ready to go.

Don't do anything foolish.

Don't climb into your hard suits.

Don't get out your tools...

...and don't try to fix the engine.

Just take your pills and go to sleep.

Can you get us down, boss?

We've got a better chance

than you do.

- We'll be back at you.

- Roger.

Yeah, he's lying.

Buzz, you eat up 25 percent more

oxygen every time you lose your cool.

Houston, Ironman, preparing

for power down.

Roger, Ironman.

What are the numbers, Stoney?

Well, with nominal oxygen usage,

I make it 36 hours left.

Take out the pad, 40 hours,

more or less.

How you figuring the residual

amounts in the tanks?

How would you?

Yeah, you'd have to breathe

them dry to find out.

No one's ever done that.

Yeah, well, I got the feeling

we just may be the first.

Royce Fitzgerald, call 10-993.

Resume count-off,

my mark at minus 240.

Mark.

Pull the GNN circuit breakers

and the IMU heater breakers.

Circuit breakers off.

Shut down the attitude

control system.

SCS secured.

Shut down number two

and three fuel cells.

We'll leave one on the line in

case we have to charge.

Two and three off.

What about the comm?

No, we'll leave it on.

Flood lights off.

EL off.

Buzz, are the lower equipment

bays dark?

The B lights are off.

Then why isn't that off?

I don't know why.

Houston, Ironman.

- We're cranked down.

- Copy, Jim.

We'll check in when you come

over the hill at Guaymas.

We're gonna keep you informed

every step of the way.

Get some sleep now.

- In a while.

- Jim, this is Courtney.

I want you to take one tablet

of Stryzene after every meal...

... and one when you

complete power down.

You can drink as much water

as you want.

Every word, every emotion

costs oxygen...

... so the more relaxed you are,

the better.

All right, you bums,

take your pills and go to sleep.

Hey! Hello, big brother.

- Hey, Ted.

- Hi, Stoney.

Hey, where are you?

What's all the racket?

Well, I'm in Huntsville,

kluging up a simulator to the XRV.

Say again?

A simulator to the XRV.

I'm gonna do a little pressure

up here before I take it to the Cape.

This is a great time to start learning

how to fly it.

All you guys gotta worry about is

where you want me to set you down...

...after I make the transfer.

Go on, pick your spot.

Edwards, Vegas,

how about the beach in Malibu?

Why not?

All right, take your pills, go to sleep

and leave the driving to us.

I'll see you in 39 hours

and 16 minutes.

Simulation will begin in 10 minutes.

Maintain RF silence

until further notice.

How does it look to you?

The XRV will leave in two hours,

be on the pad in five.

That gives you nine hours.

You're not gonna make it.

We've got eight separate systems

to verify.

- I don't know how to do it any faster...

- Here.

That's how you're gonna do it.

Colonel, you've got automatic backups

designed into all your systems.

Now you're gonna find out

if they work.

Range 6-5, range 2-4.

A little under.

Three-point-four second vert.

Range 6-3, range 2- 1.

Missed his target by 20 miles.

Col. Dougherty, you've overshot.

Yeah, I know.

I missed it by 20 miles.

Is it possible to break down

the program into segments...

... to repeat DPI to rendezvous?

No, we don't have the time

to break up the tapes.

Okay.

Can we recycle fast time

from launch to first Delta V...

... and real time from then?

Okay, will do.

All right, let's go again.

The tape is ready.

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