All language subtitles for Destination.Moon.1950.1080p.BluRay.x264.AAC.en

There it is, General. It's your
vindication. I'm glad you're here today

Profit without honor, aye?

Well, at least I'm
still alive to see this.

They'll break their necks to
get you back, and raise your rank

when they see what this can do!

21... 20... 19...

18... 17... 16... 15...

14... 13... 12... 11...

10... 9... 8...7

6... 5... 4... 3...

2... 1... Fire!

Sweeney!

Stay in here! There
may be more explosions!

What happened,
Charles? What went wrong?

I don't know. I don't know!

There couldn't have been anything
wrong withe the design aeronautically.

No, it was the motor.

But why? Why after 4
years of development tests?

It seems impossible,

-but I can figure only one thing...
-What?

-Somebody tampered.
-Sabotage?

That's for intelligence to find
out while we build another.

-I'm afraid you won't, Charles.
-Of course we will!

Do you think this failure's going to
make it easier to get new appropriations?

Things like this mean
military cuts, boy.

Research is going
back to the laboratories.

Then I will too.

I'm not quiting!

First, I want to re-introduce
myself to my wife and kids.

Mow lawns, fix leaky
faucets, paint fences and...

read a few detective
stories in the bathtub.

Then get on with the
problem, and a few others

I've had to neglect
these past few years.

A satellite to circle the Earth
forever, 12,000 miles above sea level.

What did I call it a while
back, just before it was fired?

Your vindication, General?

I'm sorry. I'm sorrier about
that than anything else.

After your years of
crusading, all I've given you is...

the most expensive
pile of junk in history.

-General Thayer is here, Mr. Barnes.
-Fine. Send him in.

Don't forget to wash
behind your ears!

-How was the trip, General?
-Very smooth.

I flew in on one of your Skyliners.
Nice ship, Jimmy. Very nice.

Uh-oh, whenever you start with a
compliment, you're after something.

That's hardly civil, Jim. I
haven't seen you for 2 years.

Did I ask you for something
the last time I saw you?

Hmm, you certainly did!

You wanted a shoulder to cry on
because Cargraves' rocket fizzled.

Glad to see you anyway.

I'm not wasting my time
crying about that anymore.

After the way you sold me...

Quote: "The rocket is
an absolute necessity."

"If any other power gets
one into space before we do...

we'll no longer be the United
States, we'll be the Disunited World,

etc... etc... unquote.

That's twice as true today.

Look, you proved that a
satellite rocket isn't practical.

It blew up, didn't it?

Did it blow up, Jimmy?

Or was it blown up?

Blown up?

Why ask me?

Army Intelligence might know.

They know.

What's your pitch, General?

-I'll tell you!
-Wait a minute...

I think I can put
this together myself!

You're a satellite rocket man...

You crusaded yourself
right out of the service,

then you kept on crusading.

Finally they took up the
Cargraves project... it fizzled.

Now, following the course
of old established habit...

you'd like to drop it in my lap!

Well, I love you General...

but I'm just a
plain manufacturer,

not the Dept. of Defense!

The answer is no! N-O no.

Don't light that cigar,
we're going to lunch!

Who said you were
anything but a manufacturer?

-That's why I came to you.
-Look, General

Building rocket
satellites is big stuff.

I couldn't begin
to finance one...

I'm not asking you
to rebuild the satellite.

Cargraves spent 4
years on that project!

That rocket could have and should
have done everything we anticipated.

There's no time nor need
to repeat that experiment.

Then what are
you driving at now?

The moon.

Okay, I'll listen. Tell me.

I did tell you.

The next rocket we
build is going to the moon.

-Let's go to lunch.
-I'm serious, Jim.

No, you can't be! It's too
fantastic! The Moon? Impossible!

Even with an atomic
energy engine?

Exhaust velocity
potential of 30,000 ft/sec?

-What?
-A thrust of 3,000,000 pounds?

Why, even Gesputly's
atomic engine has only

limited use. He hasn't come
close to designing a mobile unit.

Cargrave's has spent
the last 2 years on it.

He's not only designed
it, he's tested it.

His scale model ran for an hour
and 23 minutes before it blew up!

-That's incredible!
-I saw it, Jim.

Good grief, man! And the
government hasn't taken that over?

It's peacetime, Jim. The government
isn't making that kind of appropriations.

Oh, they'll need to
rocket one of these days,

and if it's not ready, the
government will do the job,

and they'll turn to you!

To private industry to do it.

Government always does that
when it gets in a jam! It has to.

This time, I figured we might
be ready for the government!

Preparedness
isn't all military, Jim.

-What about the money?
-That's not the problem!

It's production. That's why I came
to you. You're a production man.

The problem right
now is one of research.

Designing, special materials...

the pooling of resources,
specialized skills, engineering brains...

industrial capacity.

No single company
could possibly do it.

But combined American
industry, sparked by Jim Barnes...

could put a rocket on
the moon within a year.

What do you say, Jim?

Do we go to lunch?

Or do we go to the moon?

The moon, huh?

Here's the control room.

All this space below carries the
working fluid, the reaction mass.

It's water heated to dry
steam by the atomic pile

and expelled through this jet.

Here we have the shielding to
protect the crew from radioactivity.

Here are the gyros
behind the water tanks,

and they can be used to turn
the ship to any desired attitude.

I admit, gentlemen, this
enterprise appeals to me!

I've always been
attracted by, shall I say,

progressive forms
of transportation!

I'm not been noted as a
"horse and buggy" man!

Now, I'd rather like to have
a finger in this new go devil.

Though nothing in the world
would tempt me to ride in it.

But... can we afford it?

Well, I've been told
you can, Mr. La Porte!

Do you mind?

Now listen, fella, I've
known you from way back...

Two engine planes weren't fast
enough; you had to go in for four.

Then props weren't fast
enough; you had to go in for jets.

Now, you've got ahold
of something else.

Something that'll
go higher and faster

than anything that
ever existed before it.

You can't swing it alone,

so you're trying
to rope us in on it.

Well, before we
go along with you,

you'll have to tell
us... what's the payoff?

Dollars and cents? I don't know.

I want to do this job
because it's never been done,

because I don't know.

It's research, it's pioneering!

What's the moon? Another
North or South Pole?

Our only satellite. Our
nearest neighbor in the sky!

But why go there, Jim?

We'll know when we get there.
We'll tell you when we get back.

It's a venture I don't
want to be left out of.

I like our viewpoint, Jim.

But there are a good many
men here who won't see it.

They don't even understand it!

I got a first reader lesson
all drawn up for 'em.

Sit down, will you, fellows.

Gentlemen!

Gentlemen, may I have
your attention please?

If you'll be seated,

I'd like to show you a motion picture
we had prepared for this meeting.

We have one of Hollywood's
best known actors to play for you!

All right, Sam!

I'm a busy man.

Dragging me all the way down here
to talk about a rocket to the moon!

It's ridiculous!

Comic book stuff!

Comic book stuff, eh?

Life Magazine doesn't think so!

Nor Look, nor
Pic, nor Collier's...

nor your biggest
daily newspapers!

It'll never get off the ground!

No propeller!

Rockets do not employ
propellers. They use jets.

So do gas stoves, but
they don't fly to the moon.

Obviously, you know
nothing about rockets.

Now, let's pretend that
umbrella of yours is a shotgun.

Shoot it!

-Who pushed me?
-The gun, Woody.

The charged not only
fired out of the muzzle,

it kicked back with equal
force against the barrel.

Aw, It wouldn't happen
again in a hundred times!

Shoot it at the ground a few times in
rapid sucession and see what happens.

That same principle
applies to rockets.

It is the same shotgun
kick of the explosives...

that throws the rocket forward.

That kick, incidentally, is quite
independent of the air around the rocket.

It works just as well in a vacuum or
in outer space, which is a vacuum.

The moon is a great deal
easier to reach than you realize.

Oh sure, it's a cinch!

Only 240,000 miles!

Paved highway all the way and
a gas station at every intersection!

Fuel is no problem, Woody.

The engines do not
have to blast all the time.

Just long enough to get you away
from the gravitational pull of the Earth.

Following which, you fall
wherever you're headed for.

Get in and I'll demonstrate!

Hey, let me outta
here! Help! Help!

At the start, the jets
blast powerfully enough...

to counteract the
gravitational pull of the Earth.

Once out of the Earth's atmosphere,
the rocket just keeps on going...

encountering no
resistance to slow it up.

The rocket does not
appear to be traveling...

but the high speed, or
escape velocity as we call it...

is about 7 miles a second.

It keeps falling in outer space in
the direction in which it was started.

Now as it nears the moon,

that planet's gravitational
field begins to pull it toward it.

Can't hear you, Woody!
No air, remember.

Turn on your aerial!

Hey, no brakes on this
thing! I'm gonna crash!

How do I land?

Very simple. Just
reverse the takeoff.

Yeah, but what about the wings?

Can't use them.
The moon has no air.

Now he tells me!

Turn the ship around.

Use the shotgun kick of the
exhaust to break the speed...

and set her gently on her tail.

So we made it!

But how do we get home
from this piece of cheese?

Shooting a rocket from
the moon to the Earth...

is a great deal easier than
shooting from the Earth to the moon...

because it's downhill,
almost all the way.

The V2 rocket could do it today.

On the return trip, we
use the wings to glide in.

And for economy's sake,
finish the landing like this.

Sensational!

I'm sold!

I'll back it to the hilt!

Here's my 2 bucks!

Well, when do we start building?

Well gentlemen,

when do we start building?

You've examined our model;
you've seen our little picture.

I hope by now we've succeeded in dispelling
some of your original skepticism.

Mr. Barnes, can you imagine me going
before a meeting of my stockholders...

and reporting that I'd put
millions into a trip to the moon?

Why some would lynch me!

I doubt it, even in Texas,
when you tell them why.

It just happens
we have no choice.

If we want to stay in business,
we have to build this ship!

Did you say "have"
to build it, Jim?

That's what I said.

If it's that important a project, why
doesn't the government undertake it?

Now, here's the reason.

The vast amount of brains, talent,
special skills, and research facilities...

necessary for this project
are not in the government!

Nor can they be mobilized by the
gov't in peacetime without fatal delay.

Only American
industry can do this job!

And American industry
must get to work, now!

Just as we did in the last war!

Yes, but the government
footed the bill!

And they'll foot this bill too if
we're successful. You know that.

If we fail, we'll take a colossal
beating, so we can't fail!

Not only is this the greatest
adventure awaiting mankind...

but it's the greatest challenge
ever hurled at American industry!

And General Thayer
is going to tell you why!

The reason is quite simple...

we are not the only ones who
know that the moon can be reached.

We are not the only ones
who are planning to go there.

The race is on!

And we'd better
win it, because...

there is absolutely no way to
stop an attack from outer space!

The first country that can use the
moon for the launching of missiles...

will control the Earth!

That gentlemen, is the most
important military fact of this century!

Gentlemen!

I see no need for
further discussion!

It's our job!

Well, all I got to say is
we'd better build it in Texas.

It's the only state
big enough to hold it.

If you can increase the initial velocity
only 600ths of a mile per second...

you can make the trip
in 2 days instead of four.

We'll have to compute what
that means in reaction mass.

Too heavy!

This is a case where pounds of ship
cost many pounds of reaction mass.

Try titanium.

That's exactly right as
far as appearance goes.

All that remains
now is to test it.

It goes for it's atmosphere
chamber test this afternoon.

I've added one detail, Charles.

What in thunder is that for?

The chaffing suits we wear over our
pressure suits I've had made up in colors.

-Why?
-For identification.

We'll use these 4 colors
for the 4 crew members,

then nobody can get
lost from the others.

The moonscape's
pretty drab, you told me.

Well, these bright colors
will give us high visibility.

Maybe you're right, if

nobody minds looking a
little bit like a carnival balloon!

Hey, Brownie!

What do you want?

Have you taken a
look down from here?

No, I never liked
high places. Why?

You're halfway to
the moon already.

It's the other
half that's tough!

I wouldn't worry about that.

How come?

Who do you think you're kiddin'?

This thing is as close to
the moon as it'll ever get!

I never felt so silly in my life
as I have since you sent for me!

You show me all your nice plans for
instruments to navigate a ship to the moon.

I help you build
'em. We install 'em.

You teach me how they work.

I say yes, I understand,
and take my word, I do.

But nobody tells me
how the ship works!

This thing is built like the
Washington Monument!

You could stick an atom
bomb under it and it wouldn't go!

What's the matter, Brownie?

It's nothing.

Just a bellyache.

It comes and goes.

You been eating green apples?

I haven't been
able to eat anything.

How are ya, Doc?
Hello, Jim... General.

I tried to get you before
you left Washington.

You look worried.
Is anything wrong?

Hey, it's not the engine,
is it? Have you tested it?

Not yet. Doesn't look like
we're going to. Listen to this.

"I'm directed to inform
you that your petition to test

an atomic energy reaction engine

at the scene of the construction of
your rocket ship is regretfully denied."

Denied?

"It is our opinion of the commision
that a possible danger exists,

should the engine
fail structurally."

"And the resultant
dispersal of radioactive

materials around the
neighborhood of the test area."

We've told them a dozen times we've
cleared the area out for 10 miles around.

"While it is admitted that no real
danger of atomic explosion exists...

a belief in such danger
does exist in the public mind."

-"It is the policy of the Commission..."
-Policy, my foot!

-Somebody's throwing a monkey wrench!
-Wait, there's more.

"The test is authorized at the Special
Weapons Testing Center in the S. Pacific.

South Pacific?

Well, that's doggone
nice of them.

What's the matter with the
North Pole or Little America?

What's a few months
delay, one way or the other?

They're merely trying to
protect their own necks.

You can't buck public
opinion, I've tried.

Have you seen this?

That isn't public opinion,

it's a job of propaganda!

Your almighty right it is.

Manufactured and organized,
with money and brains!

Somebody's out to get us.

Stops us in our tracks, anyway.

We'll have to reschedule.

With what?

What do you mean?

What are we going
to use for money?

We've pushed our
resources to the limits!

Every day of delay costs!

Say, Doc...

The ship's about ready
to take off, isn't she?

Except for tests and
minor adjustments.

What's the next favorable time?

-About a month from now.
-I don't mean that.

What's the next
favorable time this month?

The only favorable time this
month is about 17 hours from now.

All right, that's it then.

-We take off in 17 hours.
-Are you out of your mind?

I will be if we run into
any more red tape.

Now look, there's no law
against taking off a spaceship.

It's never been done, so they
haven't gotten around to prohibiting it.

If we ask for permission,
they'll find a way to block us.

So we go now! As soon as we can!

In an untested ship?

How do you test a thing of this
kind? It either works or it doesn't!

It's a one time deal!

Doc, have you any
worries about the engine?

Well none, but we
haven't trained a crew!

So we don't. The
takeoff is fully automatic.

The General and
I will run the ship.

You'll be the Engineer.

Brown has known from the beginning
that he'll handle the radio and radar.

What about ballistics?

That's where we're stuck.

The takeoff wasn't
planned for this month.

It's a week's work!

You think Dr. Hastings
is pretty good, don't you?

-The best in the world!
-Give him the job!

A pot of black coffee and
all the assistants he can use!

-You all set, General?
-All set!

Great, then it's settled.

We'll all be heroes or
angels, so what can we lose?

We'll takeoff tomorrow
morning before dawn.

I've got a lot to
do in 17 hours!

Get me my home.

I'd like to talk to
Mrs. Cargraves.

All roads have been blocked.

Because of the danger of radioactivity,
the area is being cleared of spectators.

Do not attempt to approach
the site of the spaceship!

The public is
asked to stay away.

I shall repeat this warning...

Do not attempt to approach
the site of the spaceship!

452.6

22.78

Correction: 22.79

22.79

32.1

Yes?

Mr. Brown still cannot
be located, Mr. Barnes.

Check with the main gate, the store,
everywhere. Keep calling me back.

-What was the last one?
-32.1

Check.

219.9

Check.

404.05

404.05

Yes?

Mr. Sweeney is here
to see General Thayer.

Send him in.

-4040.5... ah, .5
-All right.

214.9

-What's up, Joe?
-It's Brown, sir.

-They've taken him to the hospital.
-The hospital? Is he all right?

He will be after they
cut out his appendix.

Oh, no...

Now what do we do?

Say, Joe... Joe!

You can handle the ship's radio
and radar equipment, can't you?

Yeah.

You know as much
about it as Brown.

Will you take his place?

-To the moon?
-Yes.

What's the moon got
that this desert ain't?

-Besides...
-Besides what, Joe?

Well, I got a date with a
nice little chick tomorrow.

No thanks!

Joe!

Unless you come
with us, we're sunk!

You're the only man left who
knows how to handle the equipment.

Mr. Barnes, mind
if I sound off a little?

What do you mean?

You're pretty smart men...

you and Dr. Cargraves
and the General.

I don't set myself up to know
as much as you do, but well...

What's on your mind?

-You're all wet!
-In what way?

The thing won't work.

It can't!

It's crazy!

Figure all that weight.

It won't budge an inch.

And what do I see 'em
putting in the fuel tanks?

Water!

You're all gonna look
like a bunch of dummies!

If you believed that,
you'd come along.

Yeah, but I don't want
to look like a dummy.

You wouldn't.

We're entirely responsible
for the whole thing.

You don't think
it could blow up?

We'd never get in
it if we thought that.

Joe...

You have confidence in
Dr. Cargraves, me, the General...

we wouldn't ask you to do
anything we didn't believe in.

Would you like to go?

Okay.

I'll sit up there with you
and twiddle the knobs,

just for laughs.

Fine, Joe.

-It'll never budge.
-Be sure you twiddle the right knobs!

Okay then.

Hey, you guys are
really serious, ain't ya?

Dead serious.

Hey, wait a minute!
I've got to get through!

Sorry, nobody passes here.

But I tell you, you
have to take me through!

I've got a court order here
forbidding them to take off!

I'm sorry you couldn't
bring the boys, Emily.

I couldn't, darling, you
gave me so little time.

They'll be all right.

Like to go in my
place, Mrs. Cargraves?

Who me? Oh, dear no.

Don't worry ma'am.
We won't get very far.

-Comin', Doc?
-In a moment.

It's about time, Charles.

Goodbye, Mrs. Cargraves.

We'll take good care of your
husband, Mrs. Cargraves.

Try not to worry.

Mr Barnes, there's a joker back
there trying to crash the gate!

He has a court order and
it says you can't take off!

Darling!

Come back to me, Charles.

Doc, come on!

Hastings!

I wish you had room
for me in the ship!

You've gotta stay here
and see we get back home!

Goodbye... good luck.

All right, take it away!

Barnes!

Cargraves!

Stop!

Come back here!

Can't hear a word you say!

All right, Jim. You're
the skipper, take over.

First time I
outranked a general.

First time I've heard you admit
you were outrank by anybody.

Am I the only one who's
scared? This thing might work!

We're all scared.

All right, gentlemen.
Takeoff stations.

Communications?

I'll have it all
cooking in a minute.

As soon as the TV screen is operating,
check clearance at base of ship.

Then phone check the
Tracking Center at Dry Wells.

Cut in the boys
at the traffic shack.

-Calling traffic shack, over.
-Traffic to ship, over.

Official designation of ship
is Luna. L-U-N-A. Luna, over.

-Luna, roger.
-Tell them to clear for firing.

Clear firing area in
preparation for departure, over.

Roger.

Spaceship Luna calling
Dry Wells Airfield, over.

Dry Wells to Luna, over.

Making preparations
for firing, over.

Dry Wells is ready
for tracking, over.

Dry Wells reported.
Traffic reported.

-Power Station report.
-Power Station ready for firing.

Communications?

Everything's just
dandy, Skipper.

Co-pilot?

Instruments okay.
Automatic pilot tracking.

Give warning signal.

I need time from the
integrating computer.

03:47:58

Two minutes to go.

Traffic to Luna.
All clear, over.

Roger.

Tell them to stand by
to count off for firing.

-Stand by for count off and firing.
-Roger.

Check. 34840

Check.

-Pickup count off at 3:49:30.
-Count off at 3:49:30

-Check Dry Wells.
-Dry Wells, roger.

Count off 3:49:30, over.

30 seconds coming up.

Standby.

30 seconds.

29... 28... 27...

26... 25... 24...

23... 22... 21...

20... 19... 18...

17... 16... 15...

14... 13..12...

11... 10... 9...

8... 7... 6...

5... 4... 3...

2... fire!

What's happening?

What's the matter?

Nothing's the matter.

Just passed the speed of sound.

Joe...

switch on view aft.

I can't move a muscle.

I'm froze solid.

Do it!

We're falling.

It's all right, Joe. We're
weightless, in free orbit that's all.

Weightless?

Free orbit?

Just where are we?

You mean this thing is
working? We're... no, sir! Not me!

Nobody ever told
me this was practical!

Turn this thing
around! Take me back!

I ain't going to no moon!
That's just to look at!

I'm sick.

Grab hold.

Hang on.

What happened to me?

You're all right.

In free orbit, everything is
falling at the same speed.

Everything unfastened just
floats. There's no up or down.

Tell that to my stomach! It
says there's nothing but up!

Oh, boy! Am I seasick!

You're not seasick,
you're space sick!

I'm sick of that too!

Take one of these pills.
It'll settle your stomach.

I can't swallow.
It won't go down!

It'll take practice without
gravity to help. You'll manage.

General, how are you feeling?

-You got another one of those pills?
-Here's a whole box full.

Let's see if I can swallow
better than Sweeney.

Unless these pills work, space
travel isn't going to be popular.

Don't!

Think of the condition
of my stomach!

-Shoes, General?
-Thank you.

Let's get these on you.
They've got magnets in the soles.

How do you feel now?

The way I did when
I tried my first smoke.

You'll be all right in a minute. Put
that one on and try to get Dry Wells.

Spaceship Luna calling Dry Wells.
Spaceship Luna calling Dry Wells, over.

Dry Wells to Spaceship Luna.
Man alive, I can't believe it!

Your takeoff checked
out according to flight plan.

We are now
tracking you by radar.

You are in your
calculated orbit.

We will continue to track you as
long as we can. Good luck, over.

Thank you, Dry Wells and roger.

Doc, General.
You've got to see this.

Gosh, ain't that something!

I thought I'd seen everything.

Just look at those cities!

-Is that Los Angeles?
-And San Francisco.

Sure! That's Los Angeles.

That's New York!

Can you see Brooklyn?

Sure there's Brooklyn.

I wonder who's pitching?

Joe!

I want to test the radar. The
antenna seems to be stuck.

Stuck?

I don't understand it. I was
particularly careful when I greased it.

Greased it? No
wonder it's stuck!

It's exposed to outer space! It's frozen
solid! You should know better than that!

I'm no scientist!

Didn't you bother to read
the engineering instructions?

Arguing won't get us anywhere.

The radar has to be fixed.

To try to land blind
would be our finish.

How do we fix it, Doc?

-Somebody has to go outside and free it.
-Outside?

-You mean go outside the ship?
-It can't be done any other way.

-We'd be swept off!
-No, you can't fall.

Outside, you'll be in the same
orbit and trajectory as the ship.

The worst that could happen is
that you'd drift away from the side.

We avoid that by
using safety lines.

Let's do it!

No Jim, I'll go.

I want to inspect the rocket jet anyway
to see how it stood up on the takeoff.

-I'll tag along.
-Me too.

I fouled us up and if
you guys go out, so do I.

-Coming, General.
-No.

I'm not curious. You
boys go have your fun.

I'll stay and write up the log.

Green is just the
color for you, Sweeney.

Ready to put on the helmets?

I won't be able
to breathe in here!

You won't be able to breathe
without it. Hook up your air hose.

Don't forget there's
no air outside.

There's plenty of room for it!

Check radios.

Check instruments. Check air.

Let's go!

I'm going to get another line!

Now it will open.

Close it, Skipper!
We'll fall out!

Get this through your
head, Joe. You can't fall.

Let's go!

Hey, we're stuck up
here! We ain't moving!

It only seems that way. We're really
traveling thousands of miles per hour.

Here in space, all
comparisons are lost.

Take a look behind you.

Wow!

The geography books are right.

How do you feel now, Joe?

Weird.

Thousands of miles an
hour and not a breeze.

It's more beautiful
than I ever dreamed.

We will never be able
to describe it to anyone.

I'm going aft. See you shortly.

Wait until we finish
this. I'll go with you.

You stay here and take care
of the radar. Give me a rope.

Help yourself.

I'll be back in a minute.

Skip! Joe! Help! I'm adrift!

I can't get back!

-Tie it off to the ship.
-Where?

Off the stern. Come on!

Jim! Joe! Help!

Can you hear me? I'm adrift!

Coming, Doc!

Holy Christmas, if we can't
get him, he will float forever!

Get a rope to him!

Back here, Jim, off the stern!

We're working towards
you, Doc. We can see you.

Jim, Joe! Is he all right?
Can you get him?

-We've go to get him!
-I'm coming out!

Steady, Doc. We're
going to get a rope to you.

Steady, Doc! Here it comes!

Catch!

I can't reach it!

We'll try again.

General! Can you hear me?

Bring out an
oxygen bottle! Hurry!

Hurry, Jim! Joe, help!

General! That
oxygen tank, hurry!

Where is he?

Way out there.

What are you going to do?

Get him!

I hope it's got enough kick!

General, grab him!
We'll lose him too!

We almost didn't make it.

Can we get back?

If we don't, we'll tour the
universe together! Hang on.

Pray there's enough
gas to get us back.

He's got him!

Give me the rope!

-You okay, Doc?
-I didn't think we'd make it!

Come on, boys. Let's go inside.

-We're getting close.
-Standing by, ready to fire.

Here goes the turn.

We're going backwards!

Yes, we're going to
use the firing as brakes.

Stand by for acceleration.

Tracking as predicted.

Good. Radar report?

Altitude 108000.

-Closing as predicted.
-Power?

Plant okay.

That didn't slow us!

-We're going faster than ever!
-No we're not!

It seems that way because
we're close and heading in.

Look.

I just decided I don't want to go
through with this thing. Let's go home!

Cut it out, Joe.
Give me the view aft.

View aft.

-Power plant?
-On manual.

Ready now...

Holy smoke! We can't land
on that, we'll be splattered!

Quit worrying. We're landing in
the smooth plain short of there.

I'm going to kill our
forward speed. Stand by.

Acceleration!

-You missed, Jim!
-I know it! Emergency!

Pick her up, Jim!
Give us some lateral!

Too late! Too much firing
and we can't get home.

I'll have to use
the drift we've got.

-You going to chance it, Jim?
-Have to!

-Automatic landing!
-Automatic, it is.

Co-pilot! Tracking
in on automatic.

Tracking now.

Cover me at 830 feet.

-Covered at 830.
-Correction... cover at 870.

-870, right. Can you miss those peaks?
-Got a prayer in your pocket?

-Correction... 860!
-860!

Tracking steady.

All hands brace for crash!

Touchdown.

We're down.

Cut out your gyros.

Okay.

Fine landing, Jim.

That was a terrible
landing and you know it!

I mean for a first one.

I wasted reaction mass we'll
need to get back. If we get back.

Worry about that
later, we just got here.

Here...

On the moon!

Jim, Doc...

We're on the moon!

And we're alive!

Holy cow! The next time you tell me
you can get to the moon, I'll believe you.

-You waited a long time for this, Doc.
-All my life.

Sweeney, how about
trying to raise Washington?

You bet! Wait
until I tell them...

First race: Spaceship Luna
in the lead, way out in front!

Doc, Jim. You two go down
and set foot on the surface.

That's something I
want to enter in my log.

-No, I think we should all go together.
-Nonsense, you made this trip possible.

Spaceship Luna
calling Washington.

Come on then, Doc.
This is your moment.

Let's get into our spacesuits.

Let's go.

Come on.

Claim it, Doc. I'm your
witness. Claim it officially.

By the grace of God, and in the
name of the United States of America...

I take possession of this planet
on behalf of, and for the benefit of...

all mankind.

Dr. Cargraves! Mr. Barnes!

Yes?

I'm in contact with Washington.
There's terrific excitement on Earth!

We're hooked up to all the networks.
They just interviewed the General.

They want to interview you two. I've
patched your radio into the transmitter.

I hooked up our receiver too. You can
have a two-way conversation with them.

Okay, go ahead Earth!

Hello! Hello on the moon!

This is Carl Zurski,
greeting you from the Earth.

The people of the world congratulate
you for your epoch-making achievement!

Thank you.

I must explain to the
listeners of the lag between...

my voice and those from the
moon is due to the vastness of space.

It takes 3 seconds even at the speed
of light, for radio waves to travel...

between the Earth and moon.
Can you tell us where you landed?

The astronomers at Palomar say they
could see you if they knew where to look

We landed in the
crater Harpalus...

which is in the upper NW quadrant of
the moon as seen from North America.

-Is Dr. Cargraves hooked in?
-Yes.

Can you give us your first
impressions of the moon, Dr. Cargraves?

Well, I'll try.

The first impression is...

one of utter barrenness
and desolation.

Then the silence...

As there is not air, the only sound
we hear comes through our radios.

The sky is...

black.

Velvet black and pierced
by the most intensely...

brilliant stars anyone
ever dreamed of.

Hanging over the mountains in the
distance, I can see our own planet Earth

many times larger
than the harvest moon.

I see most of the
Western Hemisphere...

and I can also see it's about
sunrise in San Francisco.

It's afternoon here...

and will be for a
couple of more days.

Now perhaps, Jim
Barnes can add something.

As a matter of record...

may I report that the moment
he sat foot on the moon...

Dr. Cargraves claimed possession
in the name of the United States...

for the benefit of all mankind!

This is great and wonderful news
for the people of the Earth! Thank you!

The Naval Station in Washington
will stand by 24 hours a day for...

further signals from you.
Goodbye and good luck!

Roger.

Doc, I'll never get use to this.

This must weigh
500 or 600 pounds!

On Earth it does. Gravity
here is about 1/6 as much.

That means things
weigh 1/6 as much.

I know it, but I
can't believe it.

General, look!

Sweeney, cut that out!

What's the matter? If I could do
that back home, I'd be an acrobat!

We've got too much to do and
too little time for any more clowning.

Let's get on with our schedule!

I'm suppose to help you with
the astronomical photos, Doc.

I can't for a bit. I've got to Earth
and get Hastings to give us...

revised figures
for our trip back.

-Well, I'll just have to wait for you.
-Joe, you help him.

I can handle the radio.

Joe was going to help me
with the mineralogical survey!

You can get along without him.
You've only got one Geiger Counter.

But don't lose sight of the
ship! That's a rule for everybody!

Okay, Skipper.

I'll help you later, General. I'm
for seeing what there is to see!

I don't figure on staying here too
long anyway. Do you know why?

-No beer, no babes, no baseball!
-You got it!

Well Doc, I'll pack
this little gadget.

I'll join you after
I talk to Hastings.

Say Doc, there is one thing
I'd like as a souvenir of the trip.

How about taking a picture of
me up here alongside the camera?

Sure Joe, that's not too much
to ask. Give me the little camera.

Move a little closer!

That's it!

Wait a minute, I
have a better idea.

Come over here.

Now turn around...

Now hold your arm up.

Bend your elbow as though
you were holding a heavy weight.

Now your hand...

That's it. Hold it!

Okay. That'll be
something to show!

-What is it Doc?
-You and the Earth.

You're holding it up
like a modern Atlas.

Hey, that's something Doc.

-There's only one thing...
-What's that?

Nobody will know it's
me in this diving suit!

Hey, Doc!

Joe!

Over here!

Behind you!

Charles, I picked up clicks.

Here, hold this.

I picked them up a few yards back.
They are stronger in this direction.

Listen to this.

-There's a trace, eh?
-What is it, Doc?

I'm not sure.
-These mountains may have a real deposit.

-Uranium?
-It's possible.

Then you could blow up the
moon too. Ain't that dandy!

Check your reaction mass.

Point 8672.

What? Repeat that.

Yes, point 8672.

I wasted power making
a very bad landing.

I'll have to compute
it, but it looks bad.

We have to get you
back. Jettison every ounce.

All your forward tanks are
empty. Can you rip them out?

Not without tearing the ship
apart. She wasn't built for it.

I'll call at the same time 24 hours
from now. I'll give you the answers.

Be able to tell me how
much you lightened the ship...

and I'll tell you if
you can make it.

I'll stand by 24 hours from now.

Just get us back
home. That's all I ask.

Hello, Jim!

-We've got news for you!
-I have for you too. All of you.

-This is right up your alley, Jim.
-Hold it, General.

Sit down the camera, Joe
and Doc. It's no use to us.

I haven't shot more than
a half a dozen plates.

-That's all you'll be able to shoot.
-What's the matter?

I just talked to
Dr. Hastings at Dry Wells.

I gave our instrument readings.
Reaction mass, mass ratio...

checked our time.

-Well?
-Our time is okay.

Nothing else is.

What are you talking about, Skipper?
Everything on the board is ticking.

I checked every
instrument. All alive.

So are we. For awhile.

I don't get it.

We have to lighten the ship!

Our job for the next 24 hours is
to get rid of everything we can.

Or stay here ourselves.

Hastings will give me the
answers at 07:30 tomorrow.

Well, let's not panic until
we've talked to him again.

Meanwhile...

We go back to the ship and
strip off everything we can!

Acceleration couch pad 4.
Serial number 706. Schedule B.

706 Schedule B, check.

And the schedule itself!

That's everything
that you can get out?

3 of our spacesuits will
be dropped before takeoff.

One will be used in the
airlock to dump the others.

Skipper, I'll dump the stuff.

It'll take me 15 minutes to check
again. I'll give you the answer asap.

Here's the wash!

36 hours.

36 hours, what?

Until takeoff time.

It's then or a month from then.

That means never.

Spaceship Luna, Spaceship Luna.

Spaceship Luna, Barnes speaking.

Here's the total: you've
taken out almost 2 tons.

Before takeoff, drop all the oxygen
except what you need to get back on.

Before takeoff, you can
drop your remaining food.

You can hold yourselves
to a pint of water a day...

and throw the rest of your
drinking water into the reaction tank.

-Have you got it?
-Right!

You'll have to get out
another 1,000 pounds.

Another 1,000? Of
what? We're stripped!

Don't make me say this...

you have to or...

You don't have to
say it. We know...

or we don't get back!

I'm standing by.

You've got to work it out!

Hey, Sweeney...

is this thing bolted or welded?

Bolted.

Let's get to work.
Give me a wrench!

I guess we used this one up.

Doc, we'll be able
to takeoff, won't we?

Probably. Takeoff, at least.

What do you mean, "at least"?

If we're too heavy, we'll crash or
fall into an orbit around the moon.

Just keep on going around?

That's it.

-Hey, Skipper! That's my radar!
-We won't need it to land on Earth.

You don't know how much
work I did putting this together!

Now, anybody with
anything in your pockets?

-This too?
-Everything!

The 3 spacesuits then come back.

How much time we got?

27 minutes.

-Another 110 pounds.
-What?

Another 110 pounds
and you can coast home!

We're stripped. We'll have
to take a chance as we are.

That's suicide!

You haven't enough power
to pull free of the moon.

You could be
wrong, couldn't you?

I could.

I don't think the
computer could.

Ask Dr. Cargraves.

We'll let you know, roger.

Well Charles, is he right?

I'm afraid so.

We're stuck here!

Who got me here? I
didn't want to come!

You can blame me, Joe.
You didn't think it would work.

Well, in a way, you were right.

What a sucker! What a
dumb, stupid blockhead I am!

I could have blown my brains
out or gone over Niagara Falls...

or found some other
decent way to die!

All right, Joe. We're
all in this together.

It's as simple as
that. One of us stays.

Of course.

-I weight 180. More than enough.
-Now look here...

-I'm the oldest. I've done my job.
-I'm the Skipper of this ship!

I give the orders on this
ship! I'm giving the orders now!

-Jim, nobody gives orders.
-Yes, they do. This is the order...

Doc is the engineer.
He goes back to his work.

The General pilots the ship when
you reach the Earth's atmosphere.

I can be spared on this trip. I have no
family. My job gets along without me.

Jim, listen to me. This is not a
ship at sea and this is not a plane.

This has been a joint undertaking.
The 3 of us did it together.

It is no ones duty more
than the others to give his life.

I've had my day. A great one!
I've shown that this could be done!

It's enough to make me glad
I lived and content to stay.

It's very noble, Doc,
but it's philosophy.

Skip philosophy! I'm the one who
stays. Why? Because I'm the oldest.

You two can tell them back home
what we've seen much better than I could.

Tell them how we looked
up and saw the Earth...

vulnerable and exposed forever.

Never setting in this lunar sky.

You know what you
just proved, General?

You're the one man
that must go back!

Are we going to end this in futility
because we can't make a simple decision?

I've reached my
decision! I'm standing by it!

-Skipper, look here...
-Stay out of this, Sweeney.

Don't worry, you'll get back.

Right now it looks
like nobody gets back!

If you brains can't make up your
minds, why don't you do what kids do?

Match for it. You
know, draw lots.

-All right!
-No!

-Jim, two against one.
-What do we use?

-Anyone have paper, matches, coins?
-No, everything's overboard.

You've got buttons on
your coveralls. Match them.

Spaceship Luna...
Spaceship Luna.

Dry Wells calling
Spaceship Luna.

Spaceship Luna to Dry Wells.

We're are working it out. One of us
will stay behind We're drawing lots.

Only 110 pounds! There
must be something more!

Check time!

9:31:50.18 minutes to zero hour.

Check.

We'll take off with three men.

Where's Joe? He's gone!

What's wrong?
You're not coming in!

It won't open!

-He's not in there!
-Then he... he can't do that!

Spaceship Luna, Spaceship Luna!

-He's left the ship!
-Stand by, something's happened.

Sweeney's left the ship! His
helmet's gone! I can't see him!

There he is! He's dragging
something! Sweeney!

Sweeney! Sweeney,
can you hear me?

Sure, I hear you.

Come back, Joe!

And die in that
steel death trap?

You won't die, Joe. Not
you. You're going home!

Not a chance. Goodbye, fellows.
Remember me to the gals. Any gals!

Spaceship Luna,
you're not coming in!

Here's Doc. Talk to him.

Something's happened! Joe's left the ship!
-Are you taking off?

-I don't know! We got to do something!
-Joe, we can't let you do this!

What do you mean let
me? You can't stop me.

I lightened your ship.

I gave you your chance, now get
going. Don't make a monkey out of me.

Come back, Joe! We're in this
together. If you don't, we can't takeoff.

You've got to or you'll
be killing me for nothing.

Nobody's asking you
to, you're killing yourself!

Takeoff, will you?
I want to see it.

A ship going back from
the moon to the Earth!

Joe, I just thought of a way...

-A way to what?
-Takeoff. All of us! Hurry!

What do you mean "all of us"?

Do just as I tell you. I
think we can make it!

-You wouldn't kid me?
-Don't be a fool!

It's our lives too. We've
less than 15 minutes!

-What's the deal?
-Get back to the airlock fast.

Bring a screwdriver, knife and a
file. And a weight, an oxygen tank.

Tie the tank to the
end of your safety line.

I'll tell you the rest
when you're in the airlock!

-Is he coming?
-He's picking up the things!

-He's heading towards us!
-What's your plan?

Sweeney's spacesuit weighs 70 pounds,
the radios 50. There's over 110 pounds!

We can't open the door to the
airlock without his spacesuit.

We won't open it when
he gets his spacesuit off!

He can drill a small hole in the
door big enough for a safety line.

He ties the tank to the
line and it hangs outside...

The line passes
through the small hole...

There's a slow leak. He takes off his
suit, ties it to the line and comes here.

We decompress the airlock, the
door opens, the suit is dragged out.

General, watch for him.

-He must be in the airlock. It's cycling.
-He's in there.

Pressure's up. I can open it.

Let me have a screwdriver.

General, unscrew the radio!

Sweeney, listen carefully...

Hastings! We're
coming home! All of us!

You won't hear from us again until
you see us. I'm ripping out the radio!

Sweeney, listen carefully.

Put on the helmet, go to the airlock,
decompress it and open the outer door.

Takeoff stations!

Sweeney, as soon as your
strap's fast, television view aft.

Strap's okay here.

Power plant?

All ready to go.

No time for count off, standby!

Fire!

We're going home.