Gemini XII audio recorded at Carnarvon

Gemini XII audio – recorded at Carnarvon

11-15 November 1966.

The Last mission in the Gemini series.

Command Pilot – James A. Lovell, Jr
Pilot – Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr
Carnarvon Capcom – Jim Fucci

Buzz Aldrin and Jim Lovell onboard the carrier U.S.S. Wasp, after their Gemini 12 mission. NASA Photo.

Gemini 12 audio as recorded at Carnarvon
A 1/4 inch open reel tape of air/ground audio recorded at Carnarvon was deposited with the National Archives of Australia some time after the mission. A record indicating the existence of the tape (which had not been examined) was found in 2014 by Brian Larwood, who requested a copy of the audio from the NAA. The tape was digitised by Pro Copy in Perth for the NAA in late 2015. The recordings of each pass were separated and GETs determined by Colin Mackellar in November 2016. On some passes, the timeline is compressed where periods of silence were edited out by whoever compiled the tape at Carnarvon. Most of each pass was on the tape. To hear each segment, click on the underlined file name (File 1, etc.).
File	GET (hhh:mm:ss)	Comments
File 1 1.3MB	000:49:50	Rev 1, Pass 1.
File 2 1.3MB	002:24:49	Rev 2, Pass 2.
File 3 2MB	016:54:50	Rev 11, Pass 3.
File 4 460kb	018:28:00	Rev 12, Pass 4. No exchanges in this pass were recorded.
File 5 1.8MB	020:02:52	Rev 13, Pass 5.
File 6 2.4MB	021:37:40	Rev 14, Pass 6. Towards the end of Buzz’s first EVA. (The standup EVA lasted 2 hours and 29 minutes.)
File 7 2.6MB	023:13:04	Rev 15, Pass 7.
File 8 1.4MB	024:48:25	Rev 16, Pass 8.
File 9 643kb	026:25:32	Rev 17, Pass 9.
File 10 1.1MB	040:54:25	Rev 26, Pass 10.
File 11 1.5MB	042:28:34	Rev 27, Pass 11. Preparation for Buzz’s second EVA, using a 9 metre umbilical cord. Hatch opening was 20 minutes after the start of this segment.
File 12 3.2MB	044:04:40	Rev 28, Pass 12. EVA in progress. (The EVA lasted 2 hours and 6 minutes.)
File 13 2MB	045:38:22	Rev 29, Pass 13.
File 14 1.1MB	047:13:32	Rev 30, Pass 14. Preparing to undock from the Gemini Agena Target Vehicle (GATV).
File 15 1.6MB	48:49:15	Rev 31, Pass 15. Straight above the Agena.
File 16 1.4MB	64:52:22	Rev 41, Pass 16. EVA preparation. Primary Landing Area Updates.
File 17 3.2MB	66:26:38	Rev 42, Pass 17. Buzz’s EVA in progress.
File 18 950kb	68:02:17	Rev 43, Pass 18. Thruster Number 8 is out.
File 19 720kb	69:37:42	Rev 44, Pass 19. Only beginning and end of pass recorded.
File 20 520kb	71:12:40	Rev 45, Pass 20. Only a short exchange.
File 21 580kb	72:48:49	Rev 46, Pass 21.
File 22 850kb	87:18:18	Rev 55, Pass 22. Discussion re water.
File 23 1.6MB	88:52:25	Rev 56, Pass 23. Another fuel cell purge. Thrusters 2 and 8 dead completely.
File 24 978kb	90:25:58	Rev 57, Pass 24.
File 25 2.6MB	92:02:14	Rev 58, Pass 25. Pre-Retro Update, including weather report for landing area and altimeter settings. The carrier will be The U.S.S. Wasp.
File 26 2MB	93:36:33	Rev 59, Pass 26. Last pass of Gemini 12 over Carnarvon. Aldrin reports Pre-Retro Checklist is complete. Fucci: “1 minute to LOS. It’s been a pleasure working with you guys. We’ll see you back in Houston.”
File 27 7MB	93:59:23	Re-entry sequence. The recording has many brief breaks. Retrofire 33 seconds into the clip. Recorded from the Network, the voice of Flight Director Chris Kraft calls 30 seconds to retrofire, through Canton Island Tracking Station. Canton is linked into the Network via HF radio circuit to Hawaii. Hawaii is the next station, from 01:59 into the clip. Hawaii reports C-band radar track, but no telemetry at first. Hawaii Capcom Keith Kundel is heard from 02:25. LOS at Hawaii at 04:55. 05:13, California instructed to go Remote. FD Chris Kraft calls. 94:12:37 GET. 05:43 continuity break. Texas instructed to go Remote. 07:08 Chris Kraft, “Have a good ride.” Continuity break. 07:13, 94:27:30 GET, Chris Kraft calls towards the end of blackout. 08:55 Recovery reports visual contact. 10:25 Splashdown has occurred. Photo One reports frogmen are now around the spacecraft. Astronauts OK.

Buzz Aldrin during the Gemini 12 mission.
Note the slide rule floating in front of him.

Photo S66-62983 G12-S by James Lovell, courtesy March to the Moon Image Gallery. Image enhanced.