Two amazing and highly important double-sided checklist pages carried to the lunar surface on board Apollo 11’s lunar module Eagle, 5.5 x 8, pages PGNS-15 and 16, and PGNS-17 and 18. Signed in blue ballpoint on pages 15 and 17, “Flown to the lunar surface on Apollo XI used for ascent, Buzz Aldrin,” and signed on pages 16 and 18, “Buzz Aldrin.” Page PGNS-15 lists the procedures for “Powered Ascent,” while page 18 begins the procedures for the Lunar Module’s rendezvous with the orbiting command module. In fine condition.
Accompanied by a very detailed two-page letter of provenance and explanation signed by Aldrin, which reads, in part: “Enclosed with this letter are two sheets numbered PGNS-15/16 and PGNS-17/18 from the Apollo 11 LM G and N Dictionary, Part No. SKB32100074-361, S/N 1001. It is part of the entire checklist that was carried to the lunar surface in the Lunar Module Eagle on the first lunar landing…These sheets are from the Primary Guidance and Navigation Section (PGNS) and have computer procedures to perform the lunar lift-off to enable Neil Armstrong and I to leave the Moon. These are some of the most significant pages from the entire dictionary. Page PGNS-15 has the P06 or PGNS Power Down Program steps to put the flight computer into a standby mode. The most important steps are the ones listed under P12 Powered Ascent. This was the program to enable lift-off from the moon. Neil Armstrong and I were ready to implement these steps immediately after our lunar landing on July 20 if an emergency arose. We also had this page available during predetermined abort periods throughout the lunar stay if an early lift-off was needed…The steps from page PGNS-15 were used to properly set up our computer for the P 12 Powered Ascent Program. The steps on PGNS-16 are exactly the same as the last minute of the countdown from our Lunar Surface Checklist. While that checklist ended at ‘Eng Start—Push’ to start lift-off, page PGNS-16 has all the expected events and steps during our actual flight profile from the lunar surface. This page as well as PGNS-17 was a reassuring guide to have as we made our way to lunar orbit. The next phase was the complicated rendezvous sequence listed on page PGNS-18 which was the start of the P 20 Rendz Nav or rendezvous navigation. Almost 4 hours after lunar lift-off, we finally joined up and docked with Mike Collins in Columbia. Along the side of page PGNS-15 I have written: ‘Flown to the lunar surface on Apollo XI. Used for Ascent.’ I have signed that page plus signed page PGNS-16. On page PGNS-17 I have written: ‘Flown to the lunar surface on Apollo XI. Used for Ascent.’ I have signed that page and signed page PGNS-18.”
Aldrin provides a detailed description of the first lunar landing and Armstrong’s expert piloting during the descent including: “Neil's flying tasks suddenly became more complicated because the computer was sending us into a large crater containing and surrounded by boulders…Neil asked me about our fuel status and I indicated we had 8 percent remaining. I was then able to glance outside and began to understand why the landing sequence was taking longer than planned—the craters, rocks, and boulders seemed to be everywhere. Mission Control radioed we had '60 seconds' of fuel remaining…then '30 seconds' rang in our headsets. Neil was almost to the surface when a haze of dust was kicked up by engine exhaust. He could not see the surface and had to locate something just above the dust cloud. Finally, Neil was able to see a rock that appeared fixed in the stream of dust. This gave him a surface reference and he expertly nulled out a slight backward drifting motion and corrected for a small sideways drift. Just as Neil placed Eagle gently on the lunar surface, I spoke the first words from the Moon: 'CONTACT LIGHT!' This was the indicator light on our control panel that told us that Eagle had touched the lunar surface. We only had about 20 seconds of fuel remaining onboard.” Aldrin also describes the steps that he and Armstrong performed to become the first men to walk on the moon and provides his personal observations from his lunar surface experience.
