Bring binoculars and cameras of their own to the base. And there is a holiday atmosphere. While normally during these launches, work goes on on the cape to keep things on schedule, but indeed, in the Vehicle Assembly building, they have already erected apollo 12. It is ready to be rolled out as soon as apollo 11 is on its way for a launch. [beeping] mr. Crum it will be rolled out to launch within two months to me still try to meet president kennedys goal of landing on the moon in this decade. If apollo 11 goes as well as planned, they will take an extra couple of months to get a good reading on the rocks and so forth that are brought back. And then send apollo 12. We have an announcement coming from Launch Control, and jack king. This is apollo seven Launch Control. We are now less than 16 minutes away from the planned liftoff of the apollo 11 space vehicle. All is going well with the countdown at this time. The astronauts aboard the spacecraft have had a little chance to rest over the last few minutes or so, at least they havent been busy with procedures with the spacecraft. In the meantime, we have been performing final checks on the tracking beacons of the instrument unit, used as the Guidance System during the flight. Once we get down to the three minute, 10 second mark, we will go on an automatic sequence. As far as the launch vehicle is concerned, all aspects from there on down will be automatic, run by the ground master computer here in the firing room. This will lead up to the 8. 9 minute mark in the countdown, when the ignition sequence will begin in the five engines of the first stage, the s1c stage of the saturn v. At the twosecond mark, we will get information and a signal that all engines are running. And at the zero mark in the countdown, once we get the commence signal, the signal that says the thrust is proper and acceptable, we will then get a commit and liftoff as the arms release the vehicle. We have some 7. 6 Million Pounds of thrust pushing the vehicle upward, a vehicle that weighs close to 6. 5 Million Pounds. We are now 14 minutes, 30 seconds and counting. This is kennedy Launch Control. Mr. Cronkite we will be hearing a great deal from jack king as the morning goes on. Youve got a good view there 60 fixed cameras around the launch site by which the National Space people in Launch Control monitor every one of the functions, the critical functions of the launch. With me here at our cbs News Space Center at Merritt Island, overlooking the launch site out there, is one of the most distinguished of the Science Fiction writers, people who have predicted long before scientists were ready to put down the final plan, just how we would go to the moon. This is arthur c. Clarke who, among his other distinguished bits of Science Fiction includes the great movie which recently came out. Incidentally, arthur, i just read that they showed it with Great Success in moscow last plauditsa film got there, as it has everywhere around the world. You first wrote of going to the moon back in 1930s. At a time when nobody dreamed we it would come this soon. Did you . Mr. Clark no, i didnt imagine it would be in my lifetime in those days. How do you feel this morning . Mr. Clarke very excited, and and i came in feeling excited yet its familiar. , now im thinking about the next thing. Mars and beyond. You are already thinking of mars and beyond we have not gotten to the moon yet, arthur. That is the nature of you Science Fiction writers, i suppose. Does this about match the way you thought we would do it . Mr. Clarke as far as the Technical Details are concerned, yes. This is precisely the way it was imagined, but what we never imagined was the scale and the cost and complexity of the enterprise. In fact, if we realized how difficult and complex it would be, we would probably be pretty discouraged back in the 1930s. We thought you could build a spaceship for a few Million Dollars . Mr. Cronkite it costs a few Million Dollars just to launch it. Theres been inflation since then. I think the figure they give now for just the launch alone is 69 million. That is no equipment, just launching. Arthur all this money will come back many times over for generations to come. This has been part of the best investment the United States has ever made. In another 20 years, people will be unable to imagine why we ever questioned this expenditure. Mr. Cronkite how do you see it coming back . Mr. Clarke the Space Industries of the next generation, it will move up to for the end of the century. There are many things on this earth we can only do with airplanes and helicopters. At one time it seemed to be of no practical importance. This is going to happen in space. Mr. Cronkite arthur, would you expect they will find any surprises out there . Mr. Clarke im sure they will. Nature is more complex and interesting that we can ever anticipate. We are going to find surprises i knowwe are going to find surprises on the moon, not necessarily on this first flight, but eventually. I do not know if we will find a large black monolith waiting for them. [laughter] mr. Cronkite a reference to 2001. Tell me what thats all about. [laughter] for those of us who have seen 2001, there is a lot of mystery about that far out closing for the picture. We all like, but we still argue in our family about. Maybe before this whole thing is over, arthur, i expect to have you sitting beside me many times over the next few days. Next few days in the flight of apollo 11, as we were so delighted to have you in previous flights. You will tell me the real secret of the monolith. Mr. Clarke ok, thats a promise. [laughter] mr. Cronkite i think ive got something there. Hold on, arthur. We will have many more talks about the moon, how we get there, in the future. And your ideas of how we will get beyond the moon. Jack king in Launch Control now. Rotational hand controllers, the controllers they use in flight, and we have now gone to the automatic system with the emergency detection system. That system that would queue the astronauts if theres trouble down below with the saturn v rocket during the powered flight. We are now coming up on the 10 minute mark, 10 minutes away from our planned liftoff. Mark t 10 minutes and counting. T 10. We are aiming for our planned liftoff at 32 minutes past the hour. This is kennedy Launch Control. Mr. Cronkite let us tell you now, some of the things you will be seeing here, because there is no time in the excitement and the reports of the launch itself. Indeed, you can scarcely be heard over the roar of the great saturn v engine, the most powerful engine as far as we know, a series of engines that has ever been used to get man off of the surface or to move them anywhere on the surface of the earth, for that matter. The russians, we believe, are developing a rocket larger than this. But we have no evidence that they have used it as yet. Now, about 40 seconds before launch, the water deluge begins. You will see some evidence of it perhaps on your picture. Then, at 8 and 9 10 seconds before the actual liftoff, ignition takes place. That is when those five f1 engine begin belting their million and a half pounds of thrust, there they are, for a total of 7. 5 Million Pounds of thrust. Great fuel loads there, grade great explosive potential, if not controlled exactly through those nozzles. Nearly nine seconds after the and ignition begins, the arms fall back and the rocket with its full Power Building up is released to begin its slow climb up towards the skies. Just a couple of seconds later, it yaws, rolls a little bit, and with the roll program complete, it is rolled over so it is on its proper azimuth, its proper launch course. At one minute, 21 seconds into the flight, you begin to see the contrails, which indicate has reached that point in the sky where the maximum dynamic pressure of its launch and piercing of the atmosphere has ofe, that aerodynamic load 460,000 pounds on the fragile skin of the spacecraft. Its one of the dangerous points of the launch. It is moving at 1800 Miles Per Hour. At two minutes and 15 seconds, the inboard engines of that first stage begin to cut off, and then, just 30 seconds later the outboard engines cut off. , by that time, the vehicle is 41 miles high, 57 miles downrange, running 6000 miles an hour. Then the first stage separates. The s2 second stage ignites. It completes its job and is jettisoned at three minutes and 11 seconds. Then the launch escape system jettisons six seconds after that. At seven minutes and 39 seconds the engine cuts off at the , second stage, the inner stage that has been jettisoned earlier. The outboard engines at 9 11. And the separation of the second stage at 9 12. Then we get the ignition, and at 11 minutes and 50 seconds the , flight is on its way and we will go 115 miles high. It is about 2. 5 liters and 1. 5 revolutions, the stage fires up again, moving to the 24,000 mile per hour escape velocity and go into a translunar trajectory. Cbs News Coverage of apollo will 11 continue in a moment. And it is five minutes to the launch of apollo 11 with all going well. Armstrong, collins, and aldrin sitting on top of the rocket in the command module getting ready for launch. Here is jack king in Launch Control. Jack we are informing the astronauts that the swing is nowhat the swing arm is coming back. The astronauts will have a few more reports. The last Business Report will be from Neil Armstrong at the 45 second mark in the account, when he gives the status of the final alignment on the system. We are now passing the 4 32 mark in the count. Still go at this time. Four minutes 15 seconds, the test supervisor informs you are cleared for launch. From this time down, carlson handles the countdown as the launch vehicle begins to build up. We are now hitting the fourminute mark four minutes , and counting, we are go for apollo 11. We will go on an automatic sequence starting at three minutes and seven seconds. Mr. Cronkite the engines that generate that thrust, the combined horsepower equal to 543 jet fighter planes. The launch vehicle weighs as much as the submarine nautilus. They burn 5,660,000 pounds of fuel, the equivalent of 98 Railroad Tank Cars and the capacity of a small towns water tank. At lift off noise reaches 102 decibels. That compares to 8 million hifi sets playingifi at once. Jack thank you very much, we know it will be a good flight. We are on the automatic sequence. We have reached the three minute mark. T minus three minutes and counting. T minus three. We are go. We are on a automatic sequence. T minus 2 45 and counting. Launch team is monitoring a number of redlined values. These are tolerances we do not want to go above and below in temperatures and pressures. They are standing by to call out any deviations from our plans. 2 30 and counting, we are still go on apollo 11 at this time. The vehicle is starting to pressurize as far as the propellant tanks are concerned, and all is still go as we monitor that status. 2 10 and counting. The target for the apollo 11 astronauts, the mood at lift off, will be at a distance of 218,096 miles away. We just passed the twominute mark and the countdown, t minus 1 54 and counting. The status board indicates that the oxidizer tanks in the second and third stages now have pressurized. We continue to build pressure in all three stages as we have a minute to prepare for liftoff. T minus 1 35 to land the first men on the moon. All indications coming into the control center at this time indicate we are go. 1 25 and counting. Status indications show that it is completely pressurized. The 87second mark has been passed. You will go through at the 52nd launch in the countdown. Internal at 17 seconds leading up to the ignition sequence of 8. 9 seconds. Marke approaching the 62nd on the apollo 11 mission. T60 seconds and counting. We passed t 55 seconds and 60. Counting. Neil armstrong has reported a smoothhas been countdown. Second passed the 50 mark. Power transformer is complete. We are now on internal power. 40 seconds away from the apollo 11 liftoff. Mr. Cronkite you can see the water down there. Jack we are still go for apollo 11. 30 seconds and counting. Astronauts report that it feels good. T minus 25 seconds. 20 seconds and counting. T minus 15 seconds, guidance is internal. 12, 11, 10, nine, ignition 61 ignition sequence start six, 5, 3, 4, 2, 1. , zero. All engines running. Lift off, we have a lift off, 42 minutes past the liftoff on hour, apollo 11. Oh boy, looks good. Jack we are clear. [rocket engines] [static] mr. Cronkite the building is shaking. We are getting that bumping that we are used to. What a moment. On the way to the moon. [jet engines roaring] mr. Cronkite looks like a good trajectory so far, doesnt it, wally . That is very good. Beautiful. Downrange one mile, at 234 Miles Per Hour. 2195 feet per second. Everything has held in place. The redline is correct. Mr. Cronkite it is beautifully on the screen here. We are through the region of maximum dynamic pressure now. Everything looks good here. 13 50 on the start box. Eight miles down range. Standby for mode one charlie. Mark. Mode one charlie. Houston, you are go for staging. [beeping] mr. Cronkite that is for dropping the first stage. Going to the second stage power. It worked out. You are hearing from the cap seal communicator, astronaut Ken Mattingly at Mission Control in houston, talking to the astronauts. Down range 35 miles high. Standing by for the outboard engine. Cutting down now. Mr. Cronkite this is jack riley reporting, the voice of Mission Control. And, ignition. Mr. Cronkite each of these events are very interesting to us. All engines are looking good. I hear you loud and clear, houston. Three minutes downrange, 70 , velocitymiles high 350 feet per second. Neil armstrong confirming engine and launch tower separation. Houston, be advised. It is go today. He did give us a window to look out. Houston, your guidance is converged, and you are looking good. Cover boost protective comes off. And the windows are not coded. Two miles velocity. Houston you are go at four minutes. Walter the second stage has millions of pounds of thrust. That is amazing. You can still see the spacecraft. At this point it is almost 93 miles high. 72 miles high, velocity 11,000 feet per second. Walter got to get to 17,500 get into orbit. We have another four minutes before the first. Booster says it is looking good at five minutes. Houston, you are go. Walter the next critical moment will be the second stage jettison and the fourth stage ignition. Velocity, 4200 feet. Apollo, you see the s4b is necessary. Everyone is reporting go. Roger 11, you are go from the ground, six minutes. We are good. My seat is jumping all around. Apollo 11, this is houston. Outboard cut off at nine plus one one. Walter what did he say was jumping around . Something like the gauges . This is a sequence that arranges the staging between the second and third stage. It uncovers a sensor starting the sequence. Walter i am sure it is nothing of major significance. 1 17. Walter we are looking at the empty launchpad and the water that is being poured over it to cool it. Eight plus 1 7, outboard at nine plus one, one. 85 miles velocity, 7058 per second. 17,358 per second. Walter it is capable of keeping the damage to a minimum and they can turn around and use the Service Stands almost instantly again. Yes, it is quite a change. Down on the ground, track is still go at 7 41. Confirm. Engines are inboard out. Walter looks like another perfect launch, what a feat after mercury and gemini. Saturns on time launches, if only we could get the american railroads to run on these schedules. We have boosters here. You are go at eight minutes. Roger. Is that all . We have thunderstorms downrange. 11, this is houston, you are a go for staging. Standby for remote port capability. Walter this would be the firing of the third stage in 15 seconds. Jack they kicked into orbit using this Service Propulsion system. Altitude is 100 miles downrange. Altitude is 100 miles. Downrange is in hundred 83 miles. And, ignition. 883 miles. And, ignition. Walter ignition right on the top. Thrusters, though 11. We have a good third stage now. Walter mr. Cronkite this lasts 2 25, and that brings the vehicle to its orbital speed. 23,000 feet per second. Downrange, 1000 miles. Altitude, 101 miles. This is our number five. 7 18. Walter this third stage is a j2 engine. At 10 minutes, you are go. Roger, 11. Go. Walter i think i misidentified the capsule communicator. The man who is communicating with the astronauts from Mission Control is bruce. Apollo 11, this is houston, predicted cut off at 14. 2. Correct. Downrange 1175 miles. Velocity, 24,090 mile feet per second, altitude, 102 nautical miles. Walter there is former president johnson. Saying goodbye to a few of his friends in the stands. Apollo 11, this is houston, you are go at 11. Walter talking with the Vice President , the official representative of resident nixon. President nixon. The Vice President is the top official in the administration. 25,254 feet per second. Walter we should get confirmation of orbital insertion in about 15 seconds. Altitude 102. 8 nautical miles. Shut down, right on time. 101. 4 by 103. 6. We copy. 101. 4 by 103. 6, that would be nautical miles of the orbit for the spacecraft, it has been confirmed. They are in earths orbit. They have made the first big jump. The Vice President is here on your screen. Houston, the booster is safe. Roger. Walter good to know that it is safe. That might be everything to us. It is the destruct system that was shut off by a command on the ground. That will not destroy the spacecraft. It was designed to abort and disperse. It is kind of nice to know it is shut off. Walter at this point, now that they are out there, their return could be a normal return to a selected landing spot by jettisoning the third stage and then going on their engine. Jack just as they were at the orbital flights. Walter this first is always dramatic, and it received attention. The dangerous launch phase is passed and apollo 11 is on the way. Looking good, over . That is a good secondary, yes it is. Walter tom is the commander on apollo 10, that paved the way for this flight. He is with the Vice President and his party. Tom has been the chief greeting officer for the vvvips the last couple of days. I have seen him coming out of the hotel there. He is possibly running off to make more notes to brief another important visitor. I think tom would probably say v cubed ip. Walter all of the foreign dignitaries, cabinet members, senators, governors, and mayors. This is the houston vanguard at 1535. 1630, over . Walter that is the loss of signal from vanguard up to one of the ships in the atlantic to the acquisition signal. Instrument unit of the third stage of saturn v. On the ground we are showing an orbit of 102. 5 by 99. 7 nautical miles. The flight dynamics officer, dave reid, wants to get some radar tracking to refine the orbit. He will report a refined orbit after more radar tracking. Nearly that is very nominal 102. 5 by 99. 7, almost 116 miles. Wally yes it is. Walter i think the figures differ because the radar data has not been smooth. The onboard data is probably more nearly correct. It really is not critical, the difference of one or two miles. As long as they have the possible second position over the pacific orbit so they can boost their speed to 25,000 miles an hour. It will put them on the way to the moon. That moon trajectory speed is just enough to escape enough of the earths gravity to be captured by the moons gravity. They will be brought around the far side of the moon, and with enough speed to come back to earth, but not go into moon orbit, nor be so fast that they would bypass the moon and go on out to the sun. Wally that is exactly it. Walter those figures translate to 118 by 120 miles. A little bit higher than they calculated. But by less than a couple of miles, and well within range. We have seen another beautiful saturn launch, but this one will never be known in history by those of us who have watched as just another saturn v launch. Not if all goes well. This is the flight in which man will first step foot on the moon. We almost glibly toss that phrase away. Man on the moon. Just think it over. But cbs coverage will continue in a moment. Apollo 11 is on theg the pillar of flame from the saturn v into the skies out there at 250,000 miles away where the moon is waiting for mans first arrival. The flight could take three days, and the spacecraft will reach there on saturday, the landing on sunday, and Neil Armstrong will step foot on the moon at 2 21 a. M. On monday morning. The first critical phase of the flight is over, the launch. They are now in orbit and over the atlantic approaching the coast of africa and will touch shortly with the canary tracking station where they will hear more from them. Then over the indian ocean and back around for the first trip across the United States. On the second trip around they will launch themselves out towards the moon itself. On the first pass around the completion of the first orbit, they are just about overhead for the first time, we have been told that we can expect a transmission from the Television Camera onboard at one hour and 29 minutes into the flight. Which will be a minute or so after 11 00. Let us look now at that beautiful launch that took place here just 23 minutes ago. By videotape, here it is. 10, nine, ignition sequence start. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Zero. All engines running. Liftoff, we have a liftoff 32 minutes past the hour. Lift off on apollo 11. The tower is cleared. Neil armstrong reporting the roll and Pitch Program that puts apollo 11 on a proper heading. Wally i must say, walter, you used our classic astronaut word, dutiful. Beautiful. Roll complete. Wally the other one is fantastic. We did use that later. Walter i probably will. One bravo. One bravo is a control mode. Walter actually, we watching on television at a much better view with the longrange camera than watching it from the beach. We also looked through our glasses. We thought the better view was by television. Wally this is spectacular, it really is. Walter it is 100 miles high. Incredible. Wally we found it was necessary to fly chase aircraft. It was reporting that it was not a real time, but we could see of if some calamity might be developing. 12 miles high. Walter i just thought it was a photographic mission. Would you have been able to communicate . Wally we were on the same loop. We were picking up the same frequency. You are go from staging. Wally this is a spectacular looming fluming. Think of how big that booster and how large the plume. Walter what does it feel like up there when the events take place. Wally each one is a milestone and we spent a tremendous amount of Time Training for these. It is agonizing to anticipate having to do that. You have to tick them off at intervals. As you pass each of these, you get one more milestone behind you and on the way to success. Walter do you actually check them off of a list or mentally . It is a mental checklist, but the Mission Commander is really critical, because he is checking these important things. 300 feet per second. Walter the escape tower jettisons and you know the flight does not need to be aborted. Tower is gone. Walter the tower is gone so the wings are clear. Tower separation. Before that, they cant see anything . Walter only one window. The visual simulation is uptodate, and they can see one thing out the window. The first flight on mercury must have been some view. Wally i will use the word fantastic. That window is interesting. We started off in the first mercury and the suborbital flight, we had windows like portholes on either side we said we need a window down the centerline like airplane drivers had. And that window becomes kind of important because you can maintain altitude. That window became worthwhile, and now we have a good view. Walter it was not just to give you a view of the outside world. We have had another fact, you will get me talking that way in a moment. And nobody will understand us. We have the first tack on the orbit. 116 by 119, miles. Mission control, 117 by 114. That is what we had come up with a little earlier. It comes up about 118 or 120. It is just what they hoped for and well within the nominal range for the destination. For a successful mission. Wally it is kind of interesting to elevate your orbit one mile it only takes two feet per second when you think of the fact they are flying around 2000 feet per second. It does not take much to change those numbers. Walter they will not worry about it. Wally this is ideal. Walter my palms are sweating. Wally you and now a member of the Mission Launch team. [laughter] walter marty was telling me that he has found that at precisely three minutes before a launch his palms become sweaty. I think i qualify for an astronaut reading, the wet palm index. Cbs news color coverage will continue in a moment. Cbs news color coverage of the epic journey of apollo 11 continues after station identification. This is cbs. This is cbs news color coverage of man on the moon. The epic journey of apollo 11. Sponsored by western electric. And, by kellogg, puts more in your morning. Here again is walter cronkite. Walter for you fellows who are more remarkably alike in many ways, two of them 38 years old, 139, all of about the same 39, all of about the same height and weight, many of them of the same physical description, three men, Neil Armstrong, United States air force colonel, buzz aldrin, and 38yearold air force Lieutenant Colonel Michael Collins, born in rome, italy. His late father a general in the United States army, as was his grandfather, and brother. They are on the way to the moon. They were launched from cape kennedy. 309a pad 39a which will forever be a historic site. The launch was at 9 32 eastern standard time. They are in orbit above the earth. They are traveling at 17,500 Miles Per Hour approaching the coast of africa on that first trip around the world. On the second trip they will fire off the third stage engine again, and they will be on the way to the moon and mans first landing there. Here with me at our cbs News Space Center is the distinguished Vice President of the United States, who is here to watch the launching. In his role as chief of the Space Council. Vice president agnew so good to , see you. This was quite a launch. Agnew each one of them is quite a launch, but i think the more you see, the more exciting you get. It is the first one i have seen from the outside. Walter did anything about the launch surprise you . Vice president agnew i think you get to learn about rings things that make you apprehensive. Like the lean out. Walter and a slow climb is frightening the first time you see. Even though you know it will be that way, you cannot believe it is really moving, you get that sense that you are waiting for something to take off quickly and it does not happen. V. P. Agnew no, that it was a beautiful sight. I am filled with a real feeling of great pride for these people, not just the three men, but the people behind the program. I just see a great future for this program. Walter out there, when it went in manyr word cheers peoples eyes. There is an emotional release as you watch the thing go up. And it must mean so much to the thousands of people out there on the cape who put everything into this mission. The unsung heroes. V. P. Agnew i have had a chance to get to know some of the astronauts, because of being down for these shots. I just wanted say to the people in the country that these are the greatest, most dedicated men i have ever run into in or out of public or military life anywhere. They have a sense of purpose, and modesty that is overwhelming. They are the greatest ambassadors we have. Walter it is the nature of the americans and the people in the Space Program particularly to constantly look beyond where we are. This is the nature of the man who wants to go to the moon. Now we are on the way to the moon, and we have high hopes for the succession of the mission. We are over the first big hurdle and we are out there in orbit. Landing has not been accomplished yet. Everybody is looking forward and everybody is saying what this administrations intentions would be. You are quoted as saying let me read the quote and let us talk about it. You said i think the united antes should undertake ambitious move in space. We should not fail to attempt something. I think we should attempt interplanetary exploration. Do you think that . Or will you plan that . V. P. Agnew the Space Council does not have the thrust to do any planning right now. We are engaged in a Task Force Effort to present recommendations to the president by september as to what happens after apollo, assuming this is successful. We have other apollo flights to follow. We feel, we and the task force, that we must articulate a broad objective for the future. There is a great amount of disagreement among the people who are participating in these discussions, and i would have to say, as i said this morning, i represent a minority viewpoint in saying that we should be a little bit forthcoming and saying where we are trying to go, even though the technology might not be as advanced as it should be to say it from a sense of scientific probability. I understand this happened once before when president kennedy made his objective the moon landing. It is very easy to forgo the optimistic longrange for these things, because you can always find 100 reasons not to do it, or why it may fail. With the way science has advanced in the past 50 years, i do not think we would be out of line in saying that we are going to put a man on mars by the end of this century. I think we should do it, because based on the rate of progress we have shown, i think it is possible that even if we do not say it, it is going to happen. I think the average man wants something to look forward to. There are objections about spending the money, but the Space Program will probably turn out to be one of our best. Walter do you see any problem, assuming that this mission is successful to follow with apollo 12, to get appropriations for nine more Apollo Missions . V. P. Agnew i do not inc. That think that will be a problem. Walter what about the next step, then moving on immediately to a mars orbiting space station . Do you think people are ready for that step . V. P. Agnew that is a step that has to come about as an intermediate move before we could think about interplanetary exploration. I believe that the public is ready to undertake this measure. All over the country and the world there is a tremendous enthusiasm about this idea of frontiers, and frontiers of such a magnitude that they make the explorations of earth explorers look rather puny. We are living in the midst of all these technical miracles that we have performed, we are already doing this space thing. Teflon is one small example and transistors. We live with them every day. I think may be that the American People might find a new inspiration for further excitement toward Space Exploration when they hear how the world reacts to this. V. P. Agnew we seem to have our attention more and more directed to the world reaction. Last night, i had a chance to talk with some staffers. We found an outpouring of sentiment in that country, an affinity with the United States. This is something that you can apply patriotism to without the war. This is a great place to be a little child in a stick. Walter the space people points out that it takes. 5 of 1 of our Gross National product to have enough of a budget for them to go on. 4 million a year. The soviets reported the start of the liftoff just four minutes after. They gave the launch and the names of the crewmembers. Moscow television did not show the liftoff live. Although, the liftoff was being shown everywhere else around the world thanks to satellite, probably. V. P. Agnew the soviet press reaction, the commander had a chance to meet with a cosmonaut who is also visiting finland. There is a real rapport between the people and these two programs. I think there are real possibilities in the future of getting cooperative ventures moving and an exchange of some information and collaboration, so that we can come to a cooperative stance with the soviet union. They will be of immeasurable assistance in disarmament talks and general diplomacy. We are ready. We have an open program. We do not hide anything. We will be as forthcoming in the future as they get more excited. Walter are there any plans to make another open offer to the soviet union for cooperation once we have reached the moon . V. P. Agnew i am not certain. That is a decision that can only be made by the president , and i know he is considering all of the factors involved. We want to do everything that we can possibly do to relieve tension in the world, whether it is in the Space Program, middle east, far east, and in whatever case. And general this armament. But, you have to be pragmatic and general disarmament. But, you have to be pragmatic enough to realize that some indication of acceptance has to come from the other side, and not just in talk, a little bit in action. Walter do you think a space station would be the way to do it . We could put up a space station that we could all launch out and then we could get to it from that point. V. P. Agnew that gives us a great chance at guacamole shall. Walter thank you very much. Cooperationhance at. Walter thank you very much. I know they are waiting for you. Thank you very much, sir. That was the Vice President here to watch this momentous occasion for apollo 11 in his capacity as chairman of the president s Space Council. He gave us some words of encouragement as to the administrations hopes and his hopes for the future of manned spaceflight. The flight of apollo 11 going very well. Some 41 minutes into the flight, they are about halfway around the world. They should be about over the indian ocean approaching perth, australia, at this time. The orbit is stabilized at 118 by 118 miles. They are in circular orbit. We are told that we are far below what was recorded on the gemini flight. They have each had one flight before. Aldrinng, collins, and all have a gemini flight, and listen to this. These are cool test pilots. As you can see on your screen, we are showing the crowds beginning to leave the area of the manned space center. Some of the crowd, some have estimated as high as one million persons jammed the roads from miles around to watch the launch. Armstrong had a heart rate at liftoff of 110. 146 on his gemini flight. Collins was down to 99, he had 125 on his first flight. Aldrin at 88, and on his first gemini flight, 110. What cool, unexcitable pilots these men are. To sit on top of the huge saturn rocket 36 stories high, on all of that explosive fuel and engines pounding out 7. 5 Million Pounds of thrust. They are taking this historic flight and their heartbeat is down. It is remarkable. I doubt that my heartbeat would be like anything like that. Cbs News Coverage will continue in a moment. Walter the flight of apollo 11, now halfway around the earth on the first orbit. It is on the second orbit. It will be preparing to fire the third stage engines and go into its trajectory toward the moon. It is approaching carnarvon, the tracking station on the west coast of australia, north of perth. All of the reports of the astronauts have been encouraging. All of the systems are functioning well. We have another successful spacecraft in earths orbit and now for the even more difficult phases of the flight ahead. We have a report from ohio, where mr. And mrs. Stephen armstrong watched the launch. Mrs. Armstrong talked to her son before the launch and he was his usual self. They told Mission Control that it is clear down there, it is like sitting in your own living room. These are cool pilots as we have said. They have not been very talkative as of yet. There is not a great deal to talk about. They are reporting out readings, and it is all going, which is all of the utmost importance to the space center as they test the systems and they are ready for the next go no go decision. That is to fire the third phase. In a way, there is an indication to those of us who are professional newsmen of the awesome nature of this flight to this morning, and the story. Down in our space center newsroom, right below me in our cbs News Space Center at Merritt Island by the launch complex, three minutes before this launch this morning, both the Associated Press and United Press International machines clattered to a stop, and not another word was transferred which carries news from all around the world on the wires. Nothing came along again until after the liftoff of apollo 11. It seemed like the whole world stopped to wait for this historic moment as man set out on the adventure escape from his own planet and set foot on a distant one. Distant in earth miles from the launch, a man when he was Vice President under president johnson had a great deal to do with our Space Program, that was Vice President humphrey. He is in moscow and is quoted as saying that all the russians have talked to, hundreds in the past week, seem to have no sense of having lost a race to the moon to the americans, but rather feeling that there has been a contribution to the understanding of the need for International Cooperation in space. A sentiment expressed to us by the current Vice President of the United States. Speaking of Vice President s of past and present, and even more than that, of former president s, i am delighted to have with us as our guest, former president , lyndon b. Johnson. Can we put a microphone on you. I greeted you before. We were able to get that patched up there. There we are. I think you are wired for sound now. You said yesterday at lunch, mr. President , that you have gone that you had flown along on every one of these missions. Those who watched at the white house, and this one you saw for the first time personally. Former pres. Johnson it was a great thrill. I had a feeling of great concern for the outcome of this flight. We have not reached the end, it is just the beginning. It has been a long time going as far as we have. The decision was made 12 or 13 years ago and made possible that awesome site this morning when president eisenhower put an extra 100 million in a tight budget back in 1958, but you never get the feeling on one of and then getting to see them in person as they took off there this morning. I thought about how fortunate we have been all of these years to have a minimum of accidents. I know all of our people will have a great concern that this flight is finished. Another reaction i had was the awesome site and as they started to lift off, it just seemed like half a Million People who had worked on this program through the years, each of them was there lifting them all, and trying to see that great power. Another thought i had was that if we can do all of that in such a short time, i wonder why we cannot put that same effort to bring good and peace to all of the world. I thought, as we went into the sky this morning, of the space act itself and its declaration. We were engaged in this endeavor to bring peace to mankind, and i do not believe there is a single thing that our country, government, or people do that has greater potential for peace then the Space Program. As i walked out from the blastoff, i saw that section of ambassadors there, all of the nations of the world, all taking such great pride in americas effort, all entertaining such great hopes in this mission. And i recall that after apollo eight, i sent leaders of the world a picture of the earth. The response was universally favorable, and hopeful. They all expressed great admiration for our people. Walter when you conducted the search for the first head of the space agency, as a leader in the senate, and you came up with james webb as the head. You put this tremendous Management Team together, marshaling all these forces and people working all over the country. The cable made in for my aunt. Country every , state contributed something. Mr. Webb has said that since then he thinks this is one of the great spinoffs of this program is the management techniques, the System Engineering that made this thing possible. He would like to see that sort of management applied to jobs like peace. Have you talked that over with him and thought how that might be done. We talk about it, we can spend money to get to the moon, we can do anything. How do we translate that . Former pres. Johnson mr. Webb just returned from a trip abroad and he talked to me about many statements about our Peace Program and potential offered in that field. I was always told to be selective when selecting a manager. Pick the best man you can, pick the implements he needs, tell him what the objective is, and get the job done. That is what president kennedy did back in 1961 when he made the commitment and asked congress to join in that commit. In that commitment. President kennedy had already appointed mr. Webb and gave him the objective, and we are on our way today to realizing the objective. We must have other objectives. This piece effort this peace effort is the principal one in the hearts of all the people in the world. All 3 billion people in the world cannot understand why we have to go on fighting and dying, why we cannot get along with each other. It may be that under the leadership of the cream of our young manhood in this space effort and the president of the United States, and the leaders of the space field that we can bring about a joint effort. Back in 1958, i encouraged president eisenhower to say let us join in an united Space Program. We have not gotten other nations to agree with other nations to agree, but president nixon will be engaged shortly with more discussions. And more may come out of this than we know now. Walter that is something we can rest our hopes and, even as we rest our hopes on the men on apollo 11. Former pres. Johnson as we walked away i thought of three things that i felt deeply, concern for the men and their safety, the great awe for what i had just seen as they took off, and something you do not hear much about these days, great pride in my country. And its ability to set aside partisanship. And to do this among its industry leaders. But these great managers of industry, all with the help of the congress, they can get together and do a job like this. There is not anything we cannot do. There is so much to do with the hungry, sickness, inequality, we must apply some of the great talent that we find in space to these problems and get them done seriously and do the greatest good for the greatest number. Walter thank you very much. I am looking forward to sunday night, and we are in the midst of our 31 hours of programming when they approach the moon and the time that they put their foot on it, and get back in the spacecraft. We will be on the air continuously until that is all done. In the course of that, we will be able to show that halfhour and i have the privilege of doing with you at the ranch about the history of our Space Program. Former pres. Johnson i think we are better than anyone that anyone suspected the openness of this program. Everything we have done, we have openness in front of the camera. Walter cronkite it has been incredible. You come out here and share this story at the pad and here come the buses rolling up with people 50 on board. Looking around the pad. It was wide open as can be. No other system is as each will. Cronkite thank you very much, mr. President. Former president johnson who has who as a senator first put the drive behind us catching up on space. And then as Vice President and chairman of the Space Council ushered through the beginnings of this program. And now, we have apollo 11 three quarters of the way around the earth moving towards the west coast of the United States. And from all accounts, everything is going quite well. They are aboard. Systems seem to be checking out so there will be in thein on the firing next hour and a half. Putting the men on their trajectory out towards the moon. We also expect in about a halfhour, a television transmission, the first from the color camera aboard the module. There is a camera aboard the course,1 and also, of on the lunar module that will land on the surface of the moon. It is black and white. We should have pictures from the moon as well for all of the over two hours of extravehicular activity them men will have outside of the module on the moon. We will be back with more on the flight of apollo 11 in a moment. Cronkite we have a report from houston where the families of collins and aldrin watched the launch and the Armstrong Family as well excepting only jan armstrong, the wife of the commander and the man scheduled to be the first to set for on the moon. She watched the launch from down here at the cape. But in houston, katie collins, the 10yearold daughter of pilot mike collins served coffee to news men on the lawn of their home. She was in yellow shorts and an orange and yellow stripe shirt we are told and carried coffee out to the large group of news men waiting out there all night long. Along with her was her brother, michael. Two youngsters that have admitted that they would like to be astronauts themselves someday. Michael said he thought it would be fine. Kate said she thought it would be fun. I like science, jack, and map. With those, that is what it takes and perhaps kate collins will get to go to the moon someday. And perhaps when she gets there, they will be running Tour Guide Services who can take her over to landing site to buy the sea of tranquility beyond the crater and show her the names of the lunar module that first set man down on the moon and there with the flag on it that her father signed and that will rest there forever as a monument to mans arrival on the moon. Also perhaps the flag, the American Flag they will plant there will still be flying when kate collins, 10, gets to make her excursion to the moon. Cbs washington reports that president nicks and watched the liftoff as expected in a Little Office next to the oval office. And the rose room. In the rose room. And plans to check back periodically on the flight of apollo 11. Dan rather, our White House Correspondent said even though the official schedule takes president nixon to the Aircraft Carrier hornet to agree to the astronauts when they return from the trip to the moon a week from today, it is being considered an alternate plan for the president to go to houston to meet them upon their return there. We do not know the reason for that. Maybe dan rather can report to us. It may just be possible, and this is purely a personal speculation, but i have been curious ever since they announced the plan for the president to land on the hornet whether the secret service in charge of the president s security are terribly keen on an aircraft landing. Thousands of them are carried out every day around the world and they all go well for anyone that has made one, we know how rough it can be. And for the president to undertake one seems maybe they are having second thoughts. Purely speculation on my part but dan is now reporting the president may go to the space station in houston. On thet guest has been beach with the thousands upon thousands of spectators that have come around the world to share this great moment. Ell, at the moment walter, when the moment came which everyone had been waiting for, it seemed to stun them into a kind of frozen disbelief. They could not quite believe that man was on his way to worlds outside of one where he began. As it rose higher, they began to finally move the eyes up. Like a tennis match, looking back and forth. Hopes going up with a rocket. And finally, the whole crowd was staring out and up and all very silent. When thea small aww rocket when up. There were concentrated gestures that people had as they reached up and up with the rocket. Seemed toed that it be flattening out but you who better knowsgraphy that is the plan. What did you think about it, sir . About it was marvelous. Very good. Towelingady has been me off from time to time and desserts to say what she thinks. I have seen 12 of them right from this beach. You really ought to get some kind of metal. How about you . I came from san francisco. Do you think the young people does it mean more to them . I think it was fantastic. I came all the way from washington, d. C. To see this. How about you, maam . It is the most beautiful thing i have ever seen. Have you been camping here overnight . We were down here. Down intoit further the youth, what did you think about it . That was groovy. [laughter] and you . I thought it was nice after the first age was shot off. The first stage was shot off. You seem knowledgeable. Do you wish you were on it . No. They have pictures right here and it was beautiful. It makes me proud. Also, of course, a lot of you went to a lot of trouble to get here. What you saw was a minute of flame, was it worth it . It sure was. And some people i think from ture i see in are not caringey that they did not get a moonshot of their own. Let me ask a couple more questions. Old, i havee asked the young and the mature about what they thought. Anyone in their 20s that might want to be and asked her not . An astronaut . It was really an experience. We came from michigan to see edge. It is like when they light the torch for the olympics. It gives you a good feeling inside. That is perhaps as good a way of saying it. And with that thought, i give it back to you, walter. 20,0 years ago, on july 1969, Neil Armstrong and buzz elder and landed the apollo 11 lunar module known as eagle on the moan while Michael Collins orbited the moon in the command module. Tv onamerican history cspan3 this weekend for special apollo 11 coverage commemorating the 50th anniversary of the launch, landing, and return of the spacecraft. Announcer coming up, we continue our look back 50 years to the apollo 11 moon landing on july 20, 1969. Joining us live earlier today from the Smithsonian National air and space museum, where apollo 11 astronaut michael logsdon, founding director of George Washington universitys space policy institute, and a space history curator at the air and space museum. Tranquility base, the eagle has landed. Going to step off now