Apollo 12's Really Close Call

Sidedoor

Smithsonian Institution

Zoo, National Museum, Postal Museum, Smithsonian, Society & Culture, Art19, National Zoo, Tony Cohn, Natural History, Dc, Exhibits, Museum, American History, Exhibit, History Of The World, African American History And Culture, History, Washington, Air And Space, Pop Culture, The Smithsonian, Sidedoor, Science

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2020

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On November 14, 1969, just four months after Apollo 11’s “giant leap for mankind,” the Apollo 12 Saturn V rocket took off for the moon. Seconds later, a burst of static plunged the three-man crew into complete darkness while speeding toward space in a nearly dead spacecraft. For the 50th anniversary, we tell the often-overlooked story of Apollo 12, one full of danger, discovery, and the power of friendship.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Hey there, Side Door listeners. This week, Justin and I are off investigating more stories to bring you in the coming weeks.
0:05.9	But in the meantime, I wanted to leave you with one of my favorite episodes from long, long ago, a time we barely remember called Last November.
0:15.6	I love this story because, yes, it is about space, and it involves science and danger and discovery, but it's really about friendship.
0:24.8	Hallmark, eat your heart out.
0:26.8	We'll be back in two weeks with a new story for you.
0:29.2	In the meantime, be safe, stay cool, and enjoy Apollo 12's really close call.
0:34.7	Music really close call.
0:48.7	This is Side Door, a podcast from the Smithsonian with support from PRX.
0:49.7	I'm Lizzie Peabody. Thank you. This is Apollo Saturn Launch Control.
1:01.0	We are now at T-minus eight hours, 58 minutes and counting.
1:06.0	We have a new weather forecast just came in.
1:10.0	There will be a 30% chance of light showers at launch time.
1:14.6	Conditions on the morning of November 14, 1969 were not ideal for a rocket launch.
1:22.6	It was a dark and stormy day, which I know, it feels like kind of a cliched way to start a story, but it was a very
1:30.9	important part of this story.
1:32.5	This story is about Apollo 12, America's second manned mission to the moon.
1:37.8	Nick Partridge, a spokesperson for the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, popped
1:42.5	over to help me kick it off.
1:48.0	Music The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum popped over to help me kick it off. The front which began passing through here late yesterday is not expected to now move through by launch time.
1:58.0	However, this is not going to be a constraint to launch, as presently viewed.
2:02.2	You know, it's still kind of gloomy, still kind of raining. But the lightning strikes were
2:06.6	far enough away. They weren't within the zone where you would worry about it hitting the rocket
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Smithsonian Institution, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Smithsonian Institution and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.