Flown Apollo 11 flight plan sheet

FLOWN Apollo 11 Flight Plan, pp 3-73/3-74, a single sheet printed recto and verso. NASA/JSC, July 1, 1969. 8 x 10 ½ inches. With a Typed Letter Signed by BUZZ ALDRIN.

It was just over 3 hours since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had made the first manned lunar landing in human history. This sheet describes a planned rest period, but actually, the mission times between 106 and 108 hours had Armstrong and Aldrin busily preparing to leave Eagle and step out onto the lunar surface. It was a fortunate move because getting the life support “back packs” and other equipment ready to use out on the lunar surface took longer than planned. Aldrin writes about his experience just after this historic event and how this sheet represents some of the most significant events during the entire flight.

Accompanied by BUZZ ALDRIN’S signed provenance letter on his personal stationery which reads: “Enclosed with this letter is a sheet numbered 3-73 and 3-74 from the Apollo 11 Flight Plan, Part No. SKB32100080-350, S/N 1001. It is part of the entire document that was carried to the Moon in Command Module Columbia during the first lunar landing mission during July 16 to 24, 1969. This sheet is from the detailed timeline section and covers hour 106 through the beginning of hour 108 in the mission.

Page 3-73 lists one of the 4 hours that was scheduled to be a rest period just about 3 hours after Man’s first landing on the lunar surface. Page 3-74 lists the next hour of that period. Needless to say, Neil and I had an abundance of energy after this historic event and starting a rest period was the last thing on our minds. At about 104 hours 30 minutes into the mission, Neil asked and received concurrence from Mission Control to start the EVA or moon walk activities about 5 hours earlier than was written in the flight plan. Thus, we were actually doing EVA Prep work during this period of the mission which consisted of strapping on our PLSS (Portable Life Support Systems) or “back packs,” then doing space suit pressure and communication checks.

The flight plan was probably the single most important document related to the success of our mission. It provided a time schedule of crew activities and spacecraft maneuvers to accomplish the first lunar landing. This page in particular from Ground Elapsed Time (GET) standpoint has some of the most significant events that occurred during the entire Apollo 11 flight.

This page has been in my private collection since 1969. I have written on page 3-73: “This page was flown to the Moon aboard Apollo XI, JUL 1969” and signed it along the top part of that page. At the top of page 3-74, I have written: “Carried to the Moon on Apollo XI” and signed that page also. Additionally, a copy of the flight plan cover is enclosed.”

Related lots: 105, 106, 110