:08:00
I don't know.
:08:02
Would it?
:08:04
Well, Mr. Dolan, this is certainly
a very interesting idea.
:08:08
Why don't you let us think about it.
:08:11
I've prepared a report.
:08:13
I have everything I need right here.
:08:16
Thank you for your time.
:08:21
Chances are, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous
would have ended up...
:08:24
as nothing more than a footnote
in the history of space exploration...
:08:28
if a report on the idea hadn't landed
on the desk of a NASA engineer...
:08:31
by the name of John Houbolt.
:08:33
When he first started reading
the report...
:08:35
Houbolt had the same reaction
others did:
:08:37
Lunar Orbit Rendezvous seemed like
just another farfetched scheme.
:08:41
But the more he read,
the more the idea made sense.
:08:45
By the time John Houbolt
finished the report...
:08:47
he knew this was it.
:08:50
This was how you get to the moon.
:08:56
Now, over the past few weeks
I've prepared this report...
:08:59
on Lunar Orbit Rendezvous.
:09:01
I think you'll find it interesting.
:09:04
Look at Houbolt.
:09:05
He reads the report, and he's Moses,
come down from the mountain.
:09:09
- So he's a little enthusiastic.
- A little enthusiastic?
:09:11
He's makin' a fool of himself. You hear
what happened in the Heaton Committee?
:09:14
- Yeah.
- And he even wasn't allowed...
:09:16
into the technical conference.
:09:18
Well, he'll get the hint,
and he'll give it up.
:09:21
I hear he's going to write to Seamans.
:09:24
- He doesn't report to Seamans.
- I know.
:09:26
- He could get canned.
- I know.
:09:31
Dear Dr. Seamans:
:09:33
Somewhat as a voice
in the wilderness...
:09:35
I'd like to pass on
a few thoughts on matters...
:09:37
that have been of a deep concern to me
over the recent months.
:09:40
I have tried, on numerous occasions...
:09:42
"To draw attention throughout NASA to
the concept of Lunar Orbit Rendezvous.
:09:47
Regrettably there has been
little interest shown.
:09:50
Now, do we wanna get to the moon
or not?"
:09:52
Yes, sir. Right away, sir.
:09:54
It goes on like this
for another eight pages...
:09:57
Then there's a 40-page report.
Good Lord!