Buzz Aldrin recalls: closing the hatch door
while on moon could have been fatal
After Neil had been on the surface for about 20 minutes, it was time for me to join him. I arched my back to clear the bulkhead and continued to the edge of the porch to position my feet on the ladder.
I remembered the checklist said: "Do not leave the hatch wide open."
For some reason we never completely figured out, the checklist instructed me to partially close the hatch. My gloved hand on the hatch door, I attempted a touch of humour to ease the tense moment.
"OK, now I want to back up and partially close the hatch," I said, "making sure not to lock it on my way out."
Watching me from the surface, Neil cracked up laughing.
"A particularly good thought," he quipped. With no handle on the outside to unlatch the hatch, it would take only a trace of cabin pressure to make it nearly impossible to open.
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