1966-03-16, 6:00 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. We are now T-275 minutes and counting on this morning's Gemini 8 launch. Our countdown is on time, we are still aiming toward a 10:00 am lift off for the Atlas-Agena at Launch Complex 14 and the planned Gemini 8 launching some 101 Free thereafter. Our countdown has proceeded satisfactorily this morning, we have had no holds up to this time. Because of several problems as a result of the mid-count we were a little late in starting our propellant loading of the Gemini Launch Vehicle but this was done in rapid time and the loading was completed and resulted in no effect on the countdown itself. One problem that we still have with us is the communications problem that Gemini 8 spacecraft. We have discovered that in the inter-communications circuits. Between the two astronauts in the spacecraft, the astronauts can hear each other even though they do not push the so-called "Push To Talk Button." This is in the voice control circuit within the spacecraft. We do not know the cause of this problem, but we have determined to proceed with the situation as it is. That is, if one of the astronauts talks either to the blockhouse or to the ground once they are in orbit the other astronaut can hear the conversation. The second astronaut should not hear the conversation unless a "Pust To Talk Button" is pressed by the first astronaut. As a result, both astronauts can hear what the other is saying even though they are not talking to each other. This is not considered to be a severe problem: the question was why it happened in order to determine as some extensive checks of the spacecraft would have to be made, After lengthy discussions and studies of the matter, the determination has been made to proceed with this communications - this minor communications difficulty. We are now T-272 minutes and counting. This is Gemini Launch Control

1966-03-16, 6:20 am. Account of astronauts and fuel loading. This is Gemini Launch Control at the Cape. We are T-255 minutes and counting this morning on this Gemini 8 mierion. The pilots for the mission, Neil Armstrong and David Scott were awakened as planned in the crewquarters at the Kennedy Spacecraft Center Operations Bullding at 7 am. Eastern Standard Time. The pilots are now up and they will be making preparations for their final physical and breakfast at the Crew Quarters, before departing to the ready room later in the countdown. All systems looking good at the present time. Some twenty minutes ago, we started loading the fuel aboard the Agena spacecraft at Launch Complex 14. A little later in the count we will add the oxidizer to the Agena also with our still aiming toward a 10 am Eastern Standard Time lift-off with the Atlas-Agena vehicle to be followed some 101 minutes later by the Gemini 8 Launch Complex 19. All systems looking good. Now -254 minutes and counting. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 6:30 am. [Garble] announcing simultaneous countdown of both vehicles. This is Gemini Launch Control, and our T-245 minutes in counting on this morning's Gemini 8 mission. All systems looking good in the countdown at present. Some 5 minutes from now the Gemini launch vehicle will join the final phase of the countdown, the Gemini launch vehicle comes into the count, and the G-240 minute mark, and this will at that point complete simultaneous countdown with some 9 different functions all participating at the same time in a simultaneous count. We have completed loading the fuel aboard the spacecraft and in a matter of some 5 or 10 seconds will be ready to roll the tower back at Launch Complex 14 to proceed with our further tests at the pad with the Atlas-Agena launch vehicle. All systems working good, our reports on weather both in the launch area and around the tracking network all look acceptable. T-244 minutes and counting, this is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 6:45 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. We're now at T-230 minutes and counting on the Gemini 8 mission. All systems looking good. The report on the prime pilots for the mission astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott - they were awakened as planned at 7 am EST. Some 22 minutes later they took their physicals, taking some 15 minutes in each case, for astronauts Scott and Armstrong. They were declared physically fit by their doctors, Dr. Fred Kelly and Dr. Norman Pencott. The physicals were followed by breakfast. The breakfast consisted of the following menu: filet mignon, eggs, toast with butter and jelly, coffee and milk. The guests at the breakfast with astronauts Armstrong and Scott were four of their astronaut oolleaguee, They were Dr. Kurt Michel, one of the scientist astronsuts; astronaut Walter Cunningham, who is Stoney, the blockhouse communicator for the Gemini 8 mission; astronauts Roger Chaffee and Alan B. Shepard, who is Chief of the Astronaut Office at the Manned Spacecraft Center. All systems still looking good at the present time. To cover our communications problem once again perhaps in a little more depth, it was discovered during the mid-count last evening that we had a communications problem. The problem is concerned with ther intercom in Gemini 8 spacecraft, that is the intercommunication between the two astronauts. In the spacecraft itself, the astronauts have a so-called push-to-talk switch. This is within their voice communications circuit. Now there are modes within the voice communications circuit. The three modes are: (1) push-to-talk, (2) continuous, this means anything either astronaut would say would be heard by the other, and (3) VOX record, this is when they record internally in the spacecraft. The problem is concerned with the following: In the first mode, the push-to-talk mode, it was discovered that if an astronaut was talking in that mode, the second astronaut, the other pilot, could hear the conversation of the first astronaut. In other words, the button should be pushed so that the second astronaut could hear it. This was not the case, the second astronaut was hearing it without the button being pushed, In other words, it was continually in a continuous mode. After studies of this situation, both here and with checks with the McDonnell plant In St. Louis, it was determined that despite the fact that this occurred, it will have no effect on the mission, either on the checkout during the countdown or on any of the operations in orbit of the Gemini 8 spacecraft. It simply means that when the astronaut does not push the button, the second astronaut can hear the firat astronaut talking. There is not even any problem with any interference in the situation whatsoever. One other thing that the project officials took a close look at was could this minor problem sort of be a forebear of perhaps other problems to follow. And a checkout of the system has indicated that this is not the case. This does not indicate any other problems in the system. So, we basically, at this point, have a very minor problem in the communications, which we feel we can continue the countdown and successfully complete the mission without any difficulty. It's strictly a minor problem simply in the intercommunications. We're now at T-226 minutes and counting. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 7:01 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. We are at T-214 minutes and counting: T-214 on this morning's Gemini 8 mission. We are still aiming for a Atlas-Agena lift-off at about 10 am Eastern Standard Time followed by a Gemini 8 lift-off some 101 minutes later. All systems are Go at the present time. We have a minor communications problem in the spacecraft. It's basically that when either of the astronauts talk over the intercommunications system the other astronaut can hear his partner talking. It is nothing considered to be a major problem. We've looked into the overall situation. We feel that there will be no problem whatsoever, either during the countdown or during the actual Gemini 8 mission to include, of course the extravehicular activity. This problem is not expected to affect any part of the mission whatsoever. The flying pilots for the mission, astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott were awakened at 7 am. They have taken their physical and have set down to breakfast with four astronaut guests. The breakfast menu consisted of filet mignon, eggs, toast and coffee. Their guests were Dr. Curt Michel, one of the new scientist astronauts, astronaut Walter Cunningham, the blockhouse communicator for this morning's flight, Roger Chaffee and the Chief of the Astronaut Office Alan Shepard. At Launch Complex 14 the tower is being rolled back as we continue through the count. They have already loaded the fuel aboard the Agena spacecraft and after we get the gantry back into place at Launch Complex 14, we will proceed with loading the nitric acid oxidizer into the Agena. All systems looklng good at the present time. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 7:11 am. This is Gemini Launch Control, we are at T-204 minutes and counting on the Gemini 8 mission. All systems looking good. The gantry removal at Launch Complex 14, pulling the tower back during the lunar phases of the Atlas-Agena count are just about completed. That is about a 30-minute operation removing the tower and leaving the Atlas-Agena alone on the launch pad. When the gantry is completely removed and some 10 minutes from now, we will start loading the nitric acid oxidizer aboard the Agena spacecraft. The fuel for the Agena was loaded aboard a matter of 30 minutes ago. As far as the Atlas launch vehicle is concerned, itself its fuel, the rocket propellant 1 or kerosene-type fuel that is used in the Atlas booster, was loaded aboard yesterday. Later in the count after the T-140 minute:mark we will load the liquid oxygen aboard the Atlas. This will complete our fuel and propellant loading of the complete Atlas vehicle. The astronauts are continuing their breakfast at the space center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. They were both pronounced physically fit by their two doctors who gave them the 15 or 20 minute physical this morning. Doctors were Dr. Fred Kelly, and Dr. Norman Pencott. Dr. Kelly reported following the physical the astronauts were in excellent shape. He described them as bright-eyed and in good spirit. All systems looking good, now T-202 minutes and 30 seconds in counting. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 7:21 am. This is Gemini Launch Control, now T-194 minutes on this morning's Gemini 8 mission. The countdown proceeds to go smoothly at this time. There was a report that just several minutes ago, some 4 minutes ago to be exact, or 17 minutes after the hour, the flying pilots for the mission, astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott, departed their crew quarters at Kennedy Space Center’s Manned Spacecraft Operations Building and are now on their way to the ready room at Launch Complex 16 nearby the launch pad where the Gemini 8 spacecraft is sitting, at of course Launch Complex 19. They will put on their suits in the ready room at pad 16 snd get ready for the call to go to the pad at about T-125 minutes, or some 60 or 70 minutes from this time. All systems are looking good. The weather men also give a good report. In the Cape Kennedy area we have some scattered clouds, winds from the northwest at ahout 12 knots, and we expect a temperature later this morning within the times of the two launches of about 78 or 73 degrees. Scattered clouds, but the area appears to be quite clear at the present time. In the rest of the tracking network the weather is also acceptable, acceptable around the world as a matter of fact. In the mid-Pacific landing zone the weather is partly cloudy, winds southaast and 15 knots with a sea condition of 4 feet. Western Pacific partly cloudy also, winds north at 10 knots, sea to 3 or 4 feet. East Atlantic with partly cloudy conditions, winds from the northeast at 15 knots and with a sea of 4 feet. Western Atlantic, the landing zone, the weather conditions there are partly cloudy with winds of 5 to 15 knots and with a sea condition of 4 feet. All weather conditions looking well, and with all the conditions of the countdown looking good at the present time. At Launch Complex 14, several minutes from now we will be ready to load the oxidizer of nitric acid aboard the Agena spacecraft to complete the loading of the Agena. The service structure is now back at the complex 14. We have completed our checks at pad 19 as far as the backup pilots are concerned. Astronauts Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon have been in the spacecraft for several hours. They checked out that communications problem while they were in the spacecraft and they feel, as well as the project officials that there will not be difficulty either in the countdown or in the actual flight itself. We understand, also that Pete Conrad has reported the condition to both Neil Armstrong and David Scott. We are now at T-191 minutes and 10 seconds. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 7:31 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. We are now at T-184 minutes and counting on this morning's Gemini 8 mission. All systems still looking good as the countdown proceeds at the present time. We are just a little less than an hour and a half away from the Atlas-Agena lift-off scheduled for 10:00 am Eastern Standard time. At Launch Complex 14, we have the gantry service tower removed and we are continuing to load the nitric acid oxidizer aboard the Agena spacecraft. The Agena is powered by hypergolic propellants, that is, a fuel and a oxidizer that ignite when they come in contact with each other. That is a type of hydrazine as the fuel and the inhibited red fuming nitric acid as the oxidizer. We wanted to have the tower back before loading that oxidizer aboard. At the moment, Launch Complex 16 where the prime pilots, astronauts Armstrong, and Dave Scott arrived a short while ago - they are now going through a mission briefing. The backup pilots are there. Astronauts Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon and they are briefing the prime pilots of the status of the mission at this time and they are telling them we are in good shape at this phase in the countdown. All systems looking good. It is T-182 minutes and 40 seconds. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 7:41 am. This is Gemini Launch Control; we're at T-174 minutes and counting. T-174 on the Gemini 8 mission. All systems looking good. At this time at complex 16 in the ready room, prime pilots Neil Armstrong and David Scott continue to get their briefing on the status of the mission. Some 8 minutes from this time they will be donning their space suits in final preparations before going to Launch Complex 19 to board their spacecraft. At Launch Complex 14 we are completing the loading of the acid oxidizer aboard the Agena spacecraft. We had to put some 10,000 pounds of the oxidizer aboard the Agena. This is fed into a pressurized system and we have reports that the loading is going well. We have some 5 or 10 minutes to go and verification of the acid loading at 14. Rack at Launch Complex 19 the White Room where the Gemini 8 spacecraft is located has now been evacuated in preparations for the Gemini launch vehicle pressurization. That is, pressurizing the fuel tanks... Those stages of the Gemini, the fuel and oxidizer tanks. We have to evacuate the area for about a 10 or 15 minute period while a pressurization occurs. This is due some 15 minutes from now. About 1 hour and 17 minutes from the planned Atlas-Agena liftoff at 10:00 am Eastern Standard Time. To cover some of the highlights of the count from last evening and today - we completed our mid-count at about 9:00 pm Eastern Standard Time last night. We had three difficulties to contend with as a result of the mid-count. Two of them appeared to be problems last evening but turned out to be minor and correctable. The first was concerned with the activation of the fuel cells on the Gemini 8 spacecraft - we had questioned last evening whether they activated correctly. It turned out that the problem was strictly ground support equipment problem, had plugged and gave the wrong reading. The fuel cells were activated well. All is going well with the fuel cells. The second is a heater circuit concerned with conditioning the spacecraft propellants - Orbit Attitude and Maneuvering System propellants in the Gemini 8 spacecraft. We had a short circuit. It was discovered that a wire had actually been cut by one of the shingles off the spacecraft. This wire was fixed and the heater circuit condition is acceptable. The one prob&em that is remaining, but we do not consider it to be a major one, is the intercommunications within the spacecraft itself between the two astronauts. It is expected to have no affect on the countdown or on the complete mission including the extravehicular activity. Generally, that is our status at the present time. All looks good at T-171 minutes and counting. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 7:50 am. This is Gemini Launch Control now at T-164 minutes and counting. T-164 on the Gemini 8 mission. Countdown contimes to proceed excellently, the complete simultaneous countdown - actually 9 countdowns in one simultaneous operation. All proceeding excellently at the present time. At the ready room at Launch Complex 16, astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott are now donning their space suits. They were supposed to do it right at the T-165-minute mark in the count. At Launch Complex 19, we are starting to bring the Gemini launch vehicle to flight pressures, that is pressurising the fuel and oxidizer tanks in both stages to bring them up to flight pressure. We have completed loading the propellants aboard the Agena spacecraft at Launch Complex 14 and are getting verifications of the effects of the fuel loading and the propellant loading of the oxidizer loading at this time. The next highlight at Launch Complex 14 will be some twenty minutes from this time when we start loading the liquid oxygen aboard the Atlas first stage. All conditions looking good now at T-162 minutes and 45 seconds. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 8:01 am. Good morning, this is Gemini Control, Houston. At -153 minutes in the spacecraft countdown, we are 58 minutes away from the Agena launch. Here in Houston, we are ready to rupport the mission. John Hodge, the Flight Director, has taken his position at the Center Console, and let's have a look at the world range. At Merritt Island, the radar has been acting up this morning, it's touch and go whether it will be ready to support the mission. It is not critical to the mission support. Similarly some difficulties have been encountered with the radar at Patrick, just south of the Cape. Over at Canarvon, Australia, radar has given the ground crew trouble there, but they indicate now they are confidant they will be able to support the mission. Similarly at Carnarvon, they are having some trouble with their teletype link back here to Houston. Canton Island station is reporting that their acquisition A beacon is not functioning and will probably not be functioning at the start of the mission. Other than that, the weather around tbs world, from all reports, has never been better for a manned space flight. Gene Kranz said in his experience, which goes back to the first manned Mercury-Redstone launch, he's never seen better weather around the world. The one exception to that remark would be in Houston here where a heavy blanket of ground fog is completely swabbing at least this part of the City this morning, but expected to burn off later in the morning. Among the representatives viewing this flight from Houston are Mr Mauricio Obregon, who is President of the Federation Aeronautique International, an organization which maintains world flight records and certifies them. Also here is Mr. Ed Sweeney of Washington, D.C. who is President of the National Aeronautics Association. This is Gemini Control, Houston, we'll now switch for an update at Cape Kennedy.

1966-03-16, 8:01 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. We are Go et T-151 minutes and 37 seconds in the simultaneous countdown with the launch vehicles at Launch Complex 14 aud 19. At pad 19 where we have the Gemini launch vehicle and spacecraft, we have completed our pressurisation of the propellant tanks in both stages and the backup pilots in the mission, astronauts Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon have returned to the Gemini 8 spacecraft to make some final checks in preparation for the arrival of the flying pilots Armstrong and Scott, some twenty minutes from this time. At Launch Complex 14, control of the clock - this is the countdown clock - a critical item since we have nine different countdowns coming into one simultaneous count. The control of the clock is now with the Chief Test Conductor at Complex 14. This appeared some 30 minutes ago and the Test Conductor at 14 will maintain control of this clock through the T-90-minute mark in the count, that is until after the Atlas-Agena liftoff. Any holds that will be declared anywhere, either et Cape Kennedy or Mission Control Center at Houston, or a hold for any reason in the World Wide Tracking Network, the hold would be made by the Test Conductor at 14. Also at 14, we are making some preparations for one of the final highlights in the Atlas-Agena count, and that is the loading of the liquid oxygen aboard the Atlas vehicle. This is due some 5 minutes from this time. All is looking well, coming up on T-150 minutes. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 8:11 am. This is Gemini Launch Control and now at T-144 minutes and counting. T-144 and counting - some 49 minutes away from the planned Atlas-Agena lift-off. All systems still looking good and our simultaneous countdown at the present time. At Launch Complex 14, where we have the Atlas-Agena going through its final checkout, we are just finishing our preliminary checks prior to loading the liquid oxygen aboard the Atlas vehicle. We will load some 18,400 gallons of liquid oxygen aboard in a process that will take 20 minutes. After we complete our loading of this liquid oxygen which has to be maintained at a temperature of 297 degrees below zero [Fahrenheit, -183°C]. It will continue to boil on through the remainder of the count. That is because of its extremely low temperature. We will cmtinue to top it off, feeding in more liquid oxygen and as the count continues down until we close the vents some 2 minutes, 10 seconds before the lift-off. We will be picking up the liquid oxygen loading shortly. At Complex 19 the backup pilots, Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon continue their checks in the spacecraft, awaiting the arrival of the prime pilots some 17 minutes from this time. We had one addition to the breakfast list which was reported earlier. Astronaut Donald K. Slayton who is Assitant Director for Flight Crew Operations has also joined the prime pilot Neil Armstrong, and pilot David Scott at the breakfast at the Kennedy Space Center, Operations Building, this morning. Now at T-142 minutes and 16 seconds and counting. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 8:21 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. Now at T-134 minutes and counting on the Gemini 8 launch. All systems looking good. We are some 39 minutes away from the Atlas-Agena lift-off. If all goes well that will be at 10:00 am Eastern Standard Time. If we have a nominal performance of the Agena we will expect a Gemini 8 lift-off some 101 minutes after the Atlas-Agena lift-off. That is, the Atlas-Agena ignition and lift-off comes at the T-95 mark in the count. We will proceed down the remainder of the Gemini countdown. We will have a plan to hold at the T-3-minute mark. If the performance is completely nominal that full time would last some 5 minutes and 47 seconds. Of course, it will be adjusted during the whole period to the exact time to fit into the Agena parameters for the Agena that time in orbit. That would give us a complete time of some 101 minutes between the Atlas-Agena and Gemini 8 lift-off. At this time in the countdown in the Launch Complex 14, we are starting to load the liquid oxygen aboard the Atlas. This is the final phase of the important, unimportant propellant loading of both the Agena spacecraft and the Atlas at Pad 14. At Launch Complex 19, the backup pilots Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon continue their final checks in the Gemini 8 Spacecraft awaiting the arrival of the prime pilots, Neil Armstrong and David Scott who are expected to depart from the ready room. As far as the countdown is concerned it is some 7 minutes from this time. Now in T-132 minutes and 17 seconds and counting, this is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 8:31 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. We are now T-124 minutes and counting. Some 29 minutes away from the Atlas-Agena lift-off. At this point in the countdown it appears that astronauts Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott are just about ready or have left the ready room at Launch Complex 16 to proceed to Launch Complex 19 and their Gemini 8 spacecraft. They are due to be inserted into the spacecraft at the T-15 minute mark. And the hatches will be closed some 15 minutes later or T-100 in the countdown and that is 5 minutes before the planned Atlas-Agena lift-off. At Launch Complex 14 at this time we are going through some final command destruct tests. That is a key test between the range and the Atlas launch vehicle to make final checks on the destruct system. That system would be designated in flight in the event we would get a bad trajectory. The checks are going through now. We are completing our liquid oxygen, and astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott are now on their way to Launch Complex 19. All systems looking good at the present time. When the astronauts are in their spacecraft they will be able to observe the Atlas-Agena lift-off by looking through the windows of the Gemini 8 spacecraft at a television monitor mounted right above the hatches, of course, outside the spacecraft. All systems looking good at the present time. T-24 seconds and counting, this is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 8:35 am. This is Gemini Launch Control, now some T-120 minutes and counting, 25 minutes from the Atlas-Agena liftoff. Astronauts Neil Armmtrong and David Scott have boarded the elevator at Launch Complex 19 and have now stopped in the White Room. They will be boarding the spacecraft in four minutes from this time or at the T-115-minute mark in the countdown. It looks like they are going to lean against the wall and now they're sitting down, they will proceed to get a briefing from the pad crew in the White Room and, of course, the backup pilots, Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon, who have spent some three hours in their Gemini 8 spacecraft this morning and will give them a complete briefing on the status of the mission. The status of the overall mission is very good at the present time. We still have that communications problem that was discussed earlier with the intercom for the pilots in the spacecraft. It is considered to be a minor problan that will have no effect on the countdown or the actual Gemini 8 mission, including the EVA, the Extravehicular Activity. Astronauts Armstrong and Scott now seated, getting a briefing from the technicians and the backup pilots ln the White Room. They will board the spacecraft at T-115, some three minutes or four minutes from this period. All systems looking good. We will now switch you to the Mission Control Center in Houston.
And this is Gemini Control in Houston. During the Atlas-Agena liftoff this morning here is some of the critical events that we will be watching for, and hopefully be in a position to verify for you. First, the liftoff in an indication of a 2-inch motion switch that is actuated when the booster lifts 2 inches from the pad. The booster engine cut-off will occur at 2 minutes and 11 seconds into the flight. The booster engines themselves drop off immediately 2 minutes, 11 seconds. At 4 minutes, 34.9 seconds we should have sustainer engine cut-off. Of course, in the Atlas all three engines, the two outboard booster engines and the inboard sustainer engine, continue to light off on the pad and they continue to burn throughout. At 5 minutes and - and even into the flight, we have vernier engine cut-off. These are the small engines at the base of the bird, which control the steering of the Atlas. And about three seconds later; 5 minutes, 3 seconds; we have the separation of the Agena from the Atlas. Ohserving on our monitors here as the two pilots enter the spacecraft. They will observe the Agena liftoff from a monitor above their windows. The hatches will probably be closed at that time. Continuing at 5 minutes and 53 seconds or about 50 seconds after separation, we will have ignition of the secondary propulsion system on the Agena. These are 16-pound thrusts, the 16-pound thrusts part of the secondary propulsion systems to provide ullage or to ensure that fuel is in the thrust chamber area. At 6 minutes and 11 seconds into the flight we should have primary propulsion thrust from that Agena, that big engine on the Agena. It was at that point in the October 25 attempt when everything went to worms. At 6 minutes and 13 seconds into the Atlas-Agena mission, we will have the 16-pound thrusters will shut down, at 6 minutes and 21 seconds the nose shroud, shrouding the target docking adapter will be jettisoned. At 9 minutes and 16 seconds into the flight, the primary propulsion system on the Agena is to cut off and hopefully we will be in a suitable orbit. This is Gemini Control, Houston.

1966-03-16, 8:41 am. This is Gemini Launch Control at T-114 minutes and counting. T-ll4,ans we're 19 minutes away from the Atlas-Agena liftoff. Prime pilots for the mission, astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott, were over the hatch and into the Gemini 8 spacecraft at 38 minutes past the hour. They are now hooking up. One of the first checks will be some blood pressure checks with the pilots, and of course, communications checks, once they get settled in their Gemini 8 spacecraft. The hatch will be closed at about the T-100 minute and as reported earlier, both pilots will have an opportunity to observe the Atlas-Agena liftoff. Meanwhile at Launch Complex 14, we are reaching the terminal phases of our countdown. The major checks going on. We have completed the range destruct, that is the destruct system within the launch vehicle and are going through a series of final telemetry checks of both the Agena spacecraft and the Atlas launch vehicle. These checks are between the Air Force Eastern Test Range and Launch Complex 14 to make sure that we are getting good quality telemetry readings, good signals from both the Agena and the Atlas. All conditions looking good, now some 17 minutes and 44 seconds away from the Atlas-Agena liftoff. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 8:46 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. We are at T-109 minutes in counting. T-129 some 14 minutes away from the Atlas-Agena lift-off. All systems still showing well in the simultaneous countdown. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott checking out their communications in the Gemini 8 spacecraft and making their checks with the blockhouse. And also in the blockhouse, the capsule communicator astronaut Walter Cunningham, who is designated Stoney in the countdown. Meanwhile at Launch Complex 14, we are reaching the final phases of the count. We are now some 13 minutes away from lift-off. Over the final phase of the Atlas-Agena count we have some highlights and they go as follows: The Agena spacecraft goes on internal power at the 8-minute mark. Back at Complex 19 we close the hatches at 5 minutes, at T-3 minutes and 30 seconds the Atlas vehicle telemetry goes on internal power that is within the vehicle itself. It has been controlled from the blockhouse until that time. We have a final verification of all systems in the launch vehicle at 2 minutes and 30 seconds. The boom, the umbilical line that connects between the tower and the Agena spacecraft is checked to insure that it will come out at liftoff. We secure our liquid oxygen tanking, that is we close the vents in 10 minutes and 10 seconds. The Atlas goes on internal power, that is the batteries within the vehicle itself. One minute and 40 seconds before lift-off. At one minute and 40 seconds before lift-off and at 1 minute and 30 seconds we turn the water on at the launch pad. This is some 30,000 gallons per minute in to cool the pad during the ignition and lift-off. Between actual final phases we go on an automatic sequence with the Atlas at the 18-second mark in the countdown. An ignition button is pushed at that point. There will be a brief hold that lasts 20 seconds between 19 and 18 seconds during the final phases of the count. The count will then be resumed and we will go down automatically to ignition at about the 4 second mark. That will be 95 minutes and 4 seconds in the overall simultaneous countdown. The vernier engines ignite first, those two small engines on the aide of the vehicle. When they reach the proper pressure, we get the full ignition snd buildup of thrust of the two boosters and the sustainer engine, those three engines at the base of the launch vehicle which build up a total of 395,000 pounds of thrust. We will get lift-off some 3 to 4 seconds after the start of ignition or at just about the T-95-minute mark in the count. Now 11 minutes and 10 eeconde away from the Atlas-Agena launch. This is Gemini Control.

1966-03-16, 8:51 am. This is Gemini Launch Control. We are now at T-104 minutes and counting. Nine minutes away from the Gemini - correction, from the Atlas-Agena liftoff. All systems looking good. Coming up in about 50 seconds, the Agena spacecraft will go on internal power, one of the final series of highlights over the last 10 minutes of the countdown. As far as the Launch Vehicle Test Conductor is concerned in the blockhouse at Launch Complex 14, he will be watching a special monitor that has a series of lights on it. There are some 20 lights in all. They are go from the color yellow to green as the various events referred to moments ago in our previous announcement occur. That is, all these final events as we go on our sequencer - these lights will flash from yellow to green. When we get down to the 18-second mark, that last green light to come on will be the ignition signal. We will then click on down automatically to the four-second mark when we expect ignition. All systems looking good, we now have confirmation that the Agena is on internal. This is Gemini Launch Control, T-102 minutes and 50 seconds and oounting.

1966-03-16, 8:56 am.This is Gemini Launch Control. On T-4 minutes and counting on the Atlas-Agena launch. All situations looking good at Complexes 14 and 19. At Pad 19 we are in the final process of preparing the astronauts in the Gemini 8 spacecraft. The hatches are expected to be closed shortly. At Launch Complex 14, we have just completed some final guidance tests. We are now at T-3 minutes and 33 seconds and counting. All systems still looking good. This is Gemini Launch Control.

1966-03-16, 8:58 am. This is Gemini Launch Control at T-2 minutes and counting on the Atlas-Agena launch and at Launch Complex 19 they are just closing the hatches on - the Gemini 8 spacecraft with astronauts Neil Armstrong and David Scott aboard. They have now closed the liquid oxygen vent on the Atlas launch vehicle as we reach down into the final phases of the count. Coming up at the 140-mark will be the launch vehicle going on to the internal power of its own batteries, of course its been on external power controlled by the blockhouse power up to this time. Now one minute and 26 seconds and counting. All systems still looking good; our final status check going on at Launch Complex 14 at the present time. All appears still to be Go. T-1 minute and 15 seconds. At Launch Complex 19, the crewmen are still working to secure the hatches on the spacecraft. Now 1 minute and 5 seconds and counting. T-60 seconds and counting on the Atlas-Agena at Launch Complex 14. Our final check still looking good at this point. We have now armed the range safety destruct system in the Atlas vehicle. To repeat, when we get down to the final seconds of the count we will have a momentary hold, at about the T-18-second mark as we go on an automatic sequence from that time. Now one minute and 35 seconds and counting. We will get the ignition of the Atlas vehicle at about four seconds and expected liftoff at 0, or the 95-minute mark in the simultaneous count. Now T-20 seconds and counting. T-18 holding momentarily, now resuming the count. T-15, T-11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, we have ignition...

1966-03-16, 8:58 am. Paul Haney in Houston. And we've got a liftoff. It looked like right on the hour. Fifteen seconds into the flight. Our network controller advises that liftoff was three seconds after the hour, three seconds after the hour. Agena says he looks good and he's go. The Atlas beginning its program. Coming up on 60 seconds, the area of maximum pressure; mark, 60 seconds. Flight Dynamics advises we look good. Booster engine cut-off is planned for 2 minutes, 11 seconds into the flight; we are now at 1 minute, 35 seconds into the flight. Both the Flight Dynamics Officer and the Agena advise they look good and they are go. The Canary Station is being advised of all the parameters to date; it's a very healthy report. Mark, BECO. BECO did occur on the prograrmned time at 2 minutes, 11 seconds. The Atlas now about 50 miles away from the Cape, altitude about 40 milee; Our next major event comes at 4 minutes and 37 seconds into the flight when a sequence timer is to be tripped. We are 100 miles downrange and almost 60 miles in altitude at the 3-minute mark into the flight.

1966-03-16, 8:58 am. Paul Haney in Houston (continued). 3 minutes and 20 seconds, and the flight dynamics plot looks very good; earlier in the first minute or two it was somewhat low, a percentage point or two, but now it's following the program value very carefully. We are 175 miles downrange, 80 miles high, and both Agena and Flight Dynamics advises the Flight Director that they are go. Four minutes into the flight, four minutes; and a very smooth ride to this point. Four minutes 20 seconds into the flight, we are 275 miles downrange, our altitude 100 miles. Mark SECO, the Agena advises. That would be at four minutes, 40 seconds. The sustainer has shut down. And the Agena Controller advises we have VECO or the vernier engines, steering engines, also have shut down. As yet he has not confirmed separation. Now Agena controller confirms that we do have separation, that confirmation came at 5 minutes and 35 seconds into the flight. At 5:53, 5 minutes, 53 seconds we should have SPS 16 pounds thrusters lighting off, and about 20 seconds later, the primary propulsion system. Coming up on 6 minutes, 6 minutes into the flight; and we do have SPS start. Six minutes, 10 seconds. And we have primary propulsion system has ignited, and it is operating. And Agena says it looks good. It was at that point on the primary propulsion system cuts in on the Agena that we lost the bird on October 25th. We are now 650 miles downrange, we are 120 miles in altitude and we are aiming here for 161-mile orbit; Agena confirms the shroud has separated, the shroud which encloses the target docking adapter into which Neil Armstrong and David Scott will dock with this bird. Seven minutes, 25 seconds into the flight, and everything has happened, if not right on time, very close to the time, close enough to be acceptable all the way. Next major event to come up at 9 minutes and 16 seconds at which time the primary propulsion system is to shut down. Our trajectory plot now shows as nearing the 160-mile altitude and the bird would be programming over nicely, ready to assume its orbital flight position. All stations report the reception as good, clean telemetry this morning. We are 900 miles downrange.

1966-03-16, 9:08 am. Paul Haney in Houston (continued). The Agena velocity chart here shows up in the Control Center as a green line and it is an overlay over the programned path and velocity readings this morning, just an exact match. Fits over the white programned line. Agena said they had a momentary loss of data but it all came right back in. Coming up on nine minutes into the flight, Mark, nine minutes. Nine minutes, 20 seconds into the flight and we are standing by for some word on the primary propulsion system cut-off, we've not yet received it. Agena now confirms we have had cut-off. He said the telemetry was somewhat intermittent at the cut-off, but he is able to confirm cut-off, that confirmation came at nine minutes, 40 seconds into the flight. Cut-off should have occurred at approximately nine minutes and 16 seconds. Ten minutes into the flight and Flight Dynamics says we look very close to nominal, and he'll have the information off the computer very shortly. Our plot here would indicate we are very, very close to a 161-nautical-mile circular orbit which is precisely what we were asking for. While we are checking for that information, let's now switch to the Cape and find out what's going on at Pad 19.