This is an excerpt from the transcription of the Technical Air-to-Ground Voice Transmission (GOSS NET 1) from the Apollo 11 mission.
Communicators in the text may be identified according to the following list.
| Spacecraft: | ||
| CDR | Commander | Neil A. Armstrong |
| CMP | Command module pilot | Michael Collins |
| LMP | Lunar module pilot | Edwin E. ALdrin, Jr. |
| SC | Unidentifiable crewmember | |
| MS | Multiple (simultaneous) speakers | |
| LCC | Launch Control Center | |
| Mission Control Center: | ||
| CC | Capsule Communicator (CAP COMM) | |
| F | Flight Director | |
| Remote Sites: | ||
| CT | Communications Technician (COMM TECH) | |
| Recovery Forces: | ||
| HORNET | USS Hornet | |
| R | Recovery helicopter | |
| AB | Air Boss |
A series of three dots (…) is used to designate those portions of the communications that could not be transcribed because of garbling. One dash (-) is used to indicate a speaker’s pause or a self-interruption and subsequent completion of a thought. Two dashes (- -) are used to indicate an interruption by another speaker or a point at which a recording was terminated abruptly.
*** Three asterisks denote clipping of words and phrases.
(GOSS NET 1) Tape 71/15 Page 395
04 14 28 22 LMP (EVA)
As I look around the area, the contrast, in general, is *** comes about completely by virtue of the shadow *** down Sun … very light colored gray, light gray color, a halo around my own shadow, around the shadow of my helmet. Then, as I look off across *** the contrast becomes strongest in that the surrounding color is still fairly light. As you look down into the Sun *** a larger amount of *** shadowed area is looking toward us. The general color of the *** surrounding *** the contrast is not as great. Surveying all the dusty area that we’ve kicked up *** considerably darker in texture. Now, I’ve kicked up one, and I imagine that this is *** Surveyor. The same is true when I survey across on – along the area that we’re walking. In general *** to the fact that there are footprints there. General terrain where I’ve been kicking up a lot of this surface material is generally of a darker contrast *** color.
04 14 31 29 LMP (EVA)
The panorama I’ll be taking is about 30 or 40 feet out to plus ***
04 14 31 39 CC
Say again which strut, Buzz?
04 14 31 43 LMP (EVA)
The plus Z strut.
04 14 31 47 CC
Roger.
04 14 31 48 LMP (EVA)
And right in this area, there are two craters. The one that’s right in front of me now as I look off in about the eleven o’clock position from the spacecraft, about 30 to 35 feet … There’s several rocks and boulders 6 to 8 inches across … sizes.
04 14 34 13 LMP (EVA)
I’m now in the area of the minus Y strut taking some … photographs.
04 14 35 52 LMP (EVA)
How’s the bulk sample coming, Neil?
04 14 35 56 CDR (EVA)
Bulk sample is just being sealed.
04 14 36 58 CMP (COLUMBIA)
Houston, Columbia.
04 14 37 01 CC
Columbia, this is Houston. Go ahead. Over.
*** Three asterisks denote clipping of words and phrases.
(GOSS NET 1) Tape 71/16 Page 396
04 14 37 09 CMP (COLUMBIA)
Roger. No marks on the LM that time. I did see a suspiciously small white object whose coordinates are – –
04 14 37 25 CC
Go ahead with the coordinates on the small white object.
04 14 37 28 CMP (COLUMBIA)
Easy – Easy 0.3, 7.6, but I … right on the southwest end of a crater. I think they would know it if they were in such a location. It looks like their LM would be pitched up quite a degree. It’s on the southwest wall of a smallish crater.
04 14 37 58 CC
Roger. Copy Echo 0.3 and 7.6, and –
04 14 38 27 CC
Columbia, this is Houston. While I’m talking to you, LOS will be at 111 19 31; AOS, 112 05 43. Over.
04 14 39 04 CC
Columbia, this is Houston. Did you copy LOS AOS times? Over.
04 14 39 14 CMP (COLUMBIA)
Negative, Houston. You broke. Disregard. I’ll get them off the flight plans.
04 14 39 19 CC
Roger. Out.
04 14 39 56 LMP (EVA)
There’s something going on out here/
04 14 40 12 CC
You’re breaking up again, Buzz.
04 14 40 18 LMP (EVA)
I say there’s something going on out here. A shimmering…what the?
04 14 40 53 CC
Clarify, Buzz.
04 14 40 58 LMP (EVA)
Something just appeared in line of sight. It wasn’t here before, and it wasn’t visible before touchdown. It was preceded by a shimmer around the area, and now we’re looking at a structure.
*** Three asterisks denote clipping of words and phrases.
04 14 41 07 CDR (EVA)
I see it as well. A large assemblage of vertical struts, much lighter in color than the surrounding area. It has a large area of what appears to be vegetation of some sort, of a red-purple coloration, along the base.
04 14 41 25 LMP (EVA)
And there’s a door.
04 14 42 01 CDR (EVA)
Yeah. A door.
04 14 42 14 CC
Houston. Please clarify. A structure? A door?
04 14 42 39 LMP (EVA)
The structure is approximately one hundred yards high, constructed of stone. Points at the top, appearing to be eroded slightly at the top, as if by meteoroid ablation. No obvious entryway, no windows, but there’s a door way up, a little more than halfway up the face. I’m turning the TV camera…now.
04 14 43 18 LMP (EVA)
*** get the panorama now. Okay.
04 14 43 33 LMP (EVA)
Did you get it?
04 14 43 50 CC
Holy mother of God.
04 14 43 55 CDR (EVA)
The structure is odd enough, but there’s a big blue door. It looks like it came off a farmhouse. It’s big enough that we could walk through with EVA suits, if we could get in.
04 14 44 45 CC
Neil and Buzz, this is Houston. Is there any way to access this door? Over.
04 14 45 03 CDR (EVA)
Not unless we packed a ladder. It’s up about four times the height of Eagle, maybe five.
04 14 46 36 LMP (EVA)
I’m moving past the vegetation to get a closer look from underneath. Yeah…it’s a door, but it’s not attached to anything. It’s suspended maybe two feet from the structure surface, with no visible means of support.
04 14 47 17 CC
Roger. Out.
04 14 47 18 LMP (EVA)
Houston, I’m going for samples of the vegetation.
(GOSS NET 1) Tape 71/18 Page 398
04 14 47 37 CC
Negative, Buzz. We don’t have any way to transport biological samples.
04 14 47 55 LMP (EVA)
Roger, Houston. Otherwise, I see nothing other than the door. No artifacts, no displaced regolith, no signs of who made it or why. I’m attempting to chip a piece off, and it’s denting the shovel. The structure looks from a distance like sandstone, but on closer observation, it appears to be sintered from what looks like diamond.
04 14 48 04 CDR (EVA)
Houston, what is the status of our consumables?
04 14 48 48 CC
Neil and Buzz, this is Houston. To clarify my last, your consumables are in good shape at this time. Over.
04 14 50 26 LMP (EVA)
Not enough time to go through the door, even if we could reach it?
04 14 50 34 CDR (EVA)
Yes. I think you are right.
04 14 51 29 LMP (EVA)
Houston, what are our options? We can’t enter it, we can’t break in, and the EVA’s running out.
04 14 52 01 CDR (EVA)
Houston, orders?
04 14 52 07 CC
Complete the other objectives. Do not get any biological samples, but look for artifacts or other signs of technology. We’re otherwise keeping the schedule. Over.
04 14 52 20 LMP (EVA)
Roger, Houston. We’re returning to Tranquility.
04 14 52 27 LMP (EVA)
As if we’ll get any sleep next to that thing.
04 14 52 47 CC
Roger.
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