>> capcom, we are go. shutdown. >> roger. >> standing by. >> over 300 feet or second. >> 72 95. >> we are a no go. capcom, we are a no go. no go. retro, you have a time here? plus 20. >> we will be retro firing in nine plus 20. >> retro flight. >> give me some access times in that area. >> no swells and your call sign rescue one, the destroyer. >> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, retro fire. to.ocket this was not an actual gemini mission. nobody left the ground and gemini did not abort the stuff we edited together an isolated lunch with shots of the flight controllers simulating that launch. the point was simulated from an adjacent room in control center houston unlike many other things, flight simulation is done by computers. willrimary and backup crew undergo 11 days of such simulated flights before launch day, march 16. experts sit down and analyze the flight. they know it is a three-day mission. theprimary purposes include first docking in space and a two hour spacewalk by pilot ava scott. the experts then devise proble

capcom, all the calls are going to be a tad early. >> you're looking a little hot callsmbia, your willa little early. >> columbia standby. >> market. >> mark. >> the shuttle can now continue. just continue toward main engine cutoff -- the shuttle can now continue toward main engine cutoff. >> market. >> mark. >> negative return. >> your aft is good. >> what a view. >> single-engine rotor. >> columbia, you single engine rotor. atcolumbia can land safely --right nowngine the engines are generating more than 2 million horsepower. roger. >> right on the money. nominal. >> main engine cutoff, columbia is now in space, traveling over 18,000 mph. ♪ >> we have separation. >> roger, we confirm. >> the external tank is jettisoned and is now falling away from the shuttle, back toward earth. the tank will break up over the indian ocean when it comes in contact with the atmosphere. shortly, columbia will achieve orbit. then, one of the most important tests of the mission, opening the payload bay doors. the doors must be opened before to end of the 6th orbit expose the space rated cooling system --

capcom, tell them we are going to be a tad early. >> columbia, you're looking little hot.our call to be early. >> outlook is good here. dimico.by, press >> the shuttle canal continued towards nico, the main engine cutoff. >> standby, negative return. >> columbia, standby. >> you are good. >> single-engine. >> columbia, you are single-engine. >> columbia can landed safely at the naval air station in spain, even if two of the three main engines should fail. right now, the engines are generating over 42 million horsepower. >> columbia, up, mico confirmed. >> roger, right on the money. nominal. cutoff,ain engine columbia is now in traveling over 18,000 miles per hour. ♪ >> roger, we confirm the steps columbia. >> the external tank has just been jettisoned and is now following back to the shuttle to earth. the tank will break up as planned over the indian ocean when it comes into contact with the atmosphere. thetly, by firing maneuvering system engines, columbia will achieve orbit. then, one of the most important tests in the nation will be attended, opening the payload doors.