Putting on the Dish Page #2

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- Raring to go.

- The American settling in?

- I think so.

Came in yesterday,

wanting pretzels.

Pretzels?

Yep, it's a world event.

The prime minister.

Better get a jiggle-on.

- See you later.

- See ya.

The countdown at the Cape

is proceeding to schedule.

Now back to Cape Kennedy and

correspondent Fred Turner.

What impresses me is we've

got excellent weather.

It was predicted we'd

have some overcast...

and now we'll see the launch.

The launch is going ahead tonight.

The ball is Friday night.

Can we get back to...?

Yeah. It got another surge.

I could rumba right now.

- I hope we have slow numbers.

- Yes, Mrs. Spiers.

And a new song.

Who's it by?

James Hendrix.

Let's hear a couple of bars.

There's a slower version.

- That's not to go above three.

- Yes, Mrs. Spiers.

- You learned the American anthem?

- The what?

Are you saying you've not

prepared the American anthem?

How does it go?

You've got 48 hours.

I knew it when he came.

NASA's renting the Dish.

But, how about some respect?

- I wouldn't worry about it.

- We're a professional unit.

You right?

Sorry, mate.

Still not flat enough.

I'll give it a tweak.

Drop it a couple of clicks.

Probably on NASA settings.

We're of the radio physics

department, not mugs at this game.

He asked me if we have

a dress standard.

That's hard to believe.

Wish he'd gone home with the

others. What's his problem?

He's just feeling the pressure.

The pressure.

He's got to learn to relax.

I'll tell you a little secret.

He's not the only one.

We got word from Houston.

It's go for launch.

Now the party can start.

Come on in.

Pick up the phone, and I yell

"Yeah, what?"

- You know who it was?

- The science minister.

Another devil on horseback?

- They've got families.

- It's extraordinary.

- I wouldn't let Don go to the moon.

- I understand.

How do you reckon they

go to the...

up there?

- I suppose they hold on.

- Four days?

- They're expecting the dance.

- It's a ball.

They don't eat meals, just pills.

You can't hold on for 4 days.

One of these would block

them up for a week.

All is still go as we

monitor our status board.

How's it looking?

It's full of liquid hydrogen.

- Can they fix that?

- No, that's go for launch.

Oh, hydrogen.

- About the prime minister.

- He'll be here on Monday.

- Would they lunch?

- In Melbourne.

Man on the moon, eh?

Yep, and we're a part of it, Dad.

But we're slap bang

in the middle of it.

There could be an announcement.

It's not official yet...

Bob's got the nomination

for Parkes.

- We're not telling anyone.

- What?

Bob's got the nomination

for Parkes.

Congratulations on

the nomination.

Bob, the nomination, well done.

May!

Dad, they're talking about Parkes.

Crikey!

The signal from the radio

telescope at Parkes...

will come over the postmaster

general's video system.

We building a new

antenna in Australia.

- Who's that?

- Wilson Hunter.

Bigwig from NASA.

Dad looked after him. He's

the scientific representative.

That's what it's all about.

Sucking up the bigwigs.

No, that's not it.

All indications to the control

center indicate we are go.

Our board indicates the

third stage pressurized.

Tminus 60 and counting.

The passed Tminus 60.

55 seconds and counting.

All still go at this time.

Neil Armstrong replied

when receiving good wishes:

''Thank you. We know it

will be a good flight.

Good luck and Godspeed.

40 seconds to Apollo 11 liftoff.

All second stage tanks

pressurized.

35 seconds and counting.

We're still go with Apollo 11.

30 seconds and counting.

Astronauts reported,

"Feels good."

Tminus 25 seconds.

20 seconds and counting.

Guidance is internal.

Guidance is internal.

Yep, guidance is internal.

- Ignition sequence starts.

- Ignition sequence starts.

6, 5, 4, 3....

2, 1, 0.

All engines running.

Liftoff! We have a liftoff.

32 minutes past the hour.

Liftoff on Apollo 11.

Tower cleared.

Neil Armstrong reportng.

Apollo 11's on proper heading.

Roll is complete and

pitch is programmed.

Plus 30 seconds.

Downrange one mile,

altitude 3, 4 miles an hour.

Godspeed.

Velocity 2,195 feet per second.

Apollo 11 is now over

the Indian Ocean...

approaching the western

shore of Australia.

As you perhaps know....

the crew will make one and

1/2 revolutions of the Earth.

The Apollo 11 has had a perfect

launch on itsjourney.

The Saturn rocket rose on a

pillar of flame from Cape Kennedy

at 11:
32 at night,

eastern Australian time.

The spaceship and rocket are

now orbiting the Earth...

Morning, Marie.

Visitor entering compound.

Awaiting identification.

You're being stupid, Rudi.

- Visitor offering resistance.

- You've got a gun.

Official NASA requirement.

Armed security.

Does Mum know?

No, and don't tell her.

She'll come and take it.

- This is getting cold.

- I've got to sign you in.

Entry authorized.

- And a bikkie too.

- Hello, everyone.

Morning, Mr. Buxton.

If it isn't the most

beautiful girl in Parkes!

- Morning, Mr. Burnett.

- Thank you, Janine.

Morning, Mitch.

- Hello, Glenn.

- Hi, Janine.

I put extra cheese in yours.

- Thanks, Janine.

- You tiger.

- How's Mum?

- Getting ready for the ball.

The whole town's over the moon.

It's so exciting.

The ambassador arrives tomorrow.

Over the moon.

The prime minister on Monday.

On the news they showed Parkes.

- They saw the Dish?

- Everyone's proud.

PKS, Houston Flight Control.

GNC awaiting downlink.

PKS. Roger, Houston.

Was that Armstrong?

No, we're not on-line now.

Sorry?

There's two tracking stations,

us and Goldstone.

- Goldstone?

- California.

If the moon's on our side of

the world, Parkes is on-line.

If it's on the other,

it's Goldstone.

Right, but...

Explain it, Glenn.

Imagine the Earth

is a basketball.

- This'll be good.

- And on top is a...

What do you put the pump into?

- The hole.

- But it's got a name.

The valve.

Say the valve's Goldstone.

- On the other side, another valve.

- Only have one.

What has two valves?

- Tuba?

- It must be round.

- Tambourine.

- That has no valves.

Coconut.

Let's just say the

basketball's got two valves.

When the Goldstone can't see

Apollo 11, Parkes can.

- That's it.

- Good work, Glenn.

How do you know where

Apollo 11 is?

Computer.

In seconds, it does what used to

tame me hours with a slide rule.

And a basketball.

Does the computer move the Dish?

- Mitch does that...

- We have to get back to work.

Thanks for the refreshments.

It was a pleasure.

- Thanks, Janine.

- See you, love.

She's a lovely girl.

Yeah. Not much of a driver though.

You must ask her out.

Ask Janine out?

I don't know, Cliff.

At the cricket club everyone

wants to talk to her.

Gary Kenny's always calling.

They may be dating.

Do you reckon?

Yeah, I reckon.

What if she said no?

Sometimes you got to take a risk.

Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins

started 19 hours ago.

Where are they now?

The astronauts are

93,250 miles from Earth.

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