Apollo 8
Day 1: Earth Orbit and Translunar Injection
Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 2002-2021 by W. David Woods and Frank O'Brien. All rights reserved.
Last updated 2021-02-17
000:12:19 Lovell: Houston, we're recording altitude H
A, 102.6; H
P, 96.8; RV
I, 25560.
000:12:32 Collins: Roger, Apollo 8. Understand. Apogee, 102.6; perigee, 96.8 and velocity - I understand - 25,560. Could you confirm?
000:12:44 Lovell: That's affirmative.
000:12:45 Collins: Thank you, Jim. [Long pause.]
Jim Lovell has just now read us down what he saw on his instrumentation. He's shows an apogee of 102.6 [nautical miles, 190 km], a perigee of 96.8 [nautical miles, 179.3 km] and a cut-off velocity of 25,560 feet per second [7,790.7 m/s]. That's within a hundredth of a percentage point of what we are reading on our scales here in Houston. And now the crew has been advised, we have settled on an orbit of 103 [nautical miles, 191 km] apogee by 99 [nautical] miles [183 km] perigee. We were shooting for something a little close to 100 nautical miles [185 km] circular.
Close-up photo of one of the DSKY panel onboard Apollo 13's Command Module Odyssey.
000:13:04 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. We are rewinding the tape recorder at this time. Over.
000:13:10 Borman: Roger. [Long pause.]
000:13:37 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. We have you apogee 103 [nautical miles, 191 km], perigee 99 [nautical miles, 183 km]. Over.
000:13:46 Lovell: 103, 99.
000:13:49 Collins: Roger. [Long pause.]
000:14:28 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. We have you 1 minute from LOS [Loss Of Signal] the Vanguard. We'll see you over the Canaries at 16:28.
000:14:37 Borman: Thank you, Houston; 16:28.
000:14:39 Collins: Roger.
USNS Vanguard
000:16:31 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston through the Canaries. How do you read me?
000:16:35 Borman: You are loud and clear, Houston, over the Canaries.
000:16:37 Collins: Good; you are clear, too. How is it going?
000:16:43 Borman: Fine. We seem to be going along very well. We noticed about a 10-pound Delta-P between the oxygen [and] fuel in the SPS zone.
Close-up of SPS propellant and fuel cell gauges from Panel 3 of the Main Display Console.
000:17:01 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. That is normal; that's just about what we expected. Over.
000:20:28 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston.
000:20:33 Lovell: This is 8. Go ahead.
000:20:34 Collins: Roger, Jim. When you do your P52, you can expect a torquing angle of 0.25 degrees. Over.
000:20:44 Lovell: Roger. Torquing angle of 0.25 degrees when we do P52. Thank you.
000:20:50 Collins: Roger. [Long pause.]
000:21:39 Lovell: [Inadvertent keying] Stand by for the - a - stand by. Okay. Main Reg B valve closed.
This is Apollo Control here, 21 minutes, 41 seconds into the flight and we're out over the Canary's.
000:21:49 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Say again.
000:21:53 Borman: Negative. We didn't say anything. Go ahead, Houston.
000:21:54 Collins: I think you were transmitting; Jim was transmitting and disregard.
000:21:59 Borman: Roger. No matter. [Long pause.]
The crew, which is - sounds likely strictly business. It's main spokesman during this pass in the last minute or two has been Jim Lovell and we will now begin that very anxious business of making sure that all of the systems are settled down and calibrating them, and from all appearances they certainly are. The first one of major concern, of course, is the platform alignment. Right now, we think we see something on the order of a point two-hundredths or two-tenths of a degree out of alignment, which is nothing at all, that's alignment. The communication has been nothing short of outstanding. I don't recall a time of when the communication from a simulator was this sharp and this clear as it is today from this spacecraft. Here's how the conversation is going as we proceed across the Canary Islands.
000:22:28 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston.
000:22:31 Borman: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.
000:22:33 Collins: Roger. You have 1 minute to LOS [Loss Of Signal] Canaries. Everything is looking good on board the spacecraft and the S-IVB; we will see you over Tananarive at 37 minutes. Over.
000:22:44 Borman: Roger. Thank you, Houston. Apollo 8. [Pause.]
000:22:47 Borman (onboard): Okay, going to close on A.
000:22:50 Lovell (onboard): Okay, just give it a real small flip.
000:22:54 Anders (onboard): Is that why we've got that Master Alarm?
000:22:57 Borman (onboard): Okay, I'm...
000:22:57 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. You have the tape recorder, low bit rate. Over.
000:23:02 Borman: Thank you.
000:23:04 Anders Okay, we've got it.
000:23:03 Collins: You are welcome.
000:23:06 Lovell (onboard): Okay, Emergency Cabin Pressure number 2 on the [garbled] test.
000:23:10 Anders (onboard): Hit it.
000:23:14 Borman (onboard): It's On here.
000:23:15 Anders (onboard): Got it. That's good.
000:23:17 Borman (onboard): You got it?
000:23:18 Anders (onboard): That's good.
000:23:19 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:23:20 Anders (onboard): Okay, this is a tape recorder test:.1, 2, 3, 4. 5, 6, 7. 8. 9, 10; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. And for the record, when we put the radiator to Flow, the Glycol Discharge Pressure dropped. Boy, it's way down there now; something's fishy.
000:23:40 Borman (onboard): What's wrong?
000:23:44 Anders (onboard): Apparently, we're getting the Glycol Discharge Pressure way down.
000:23:51 Borman (onboard): Oh? What was wrong?
000:23:52 Anders (onboard): Wait awhile; it's the glycol pump.
000:23:53 Borman (onboard): Huh?
000:23:58 Borman (onboard): You lost the glycol pump?
000:24:00 Anders (onboard): Guess so.
000:24:02 Borman (onboard): Well, take a look; are we in Primary?
000:24:08 Anders (onboard): Discharge pressure?
000:24:10 Borman (onboard): Not yet.
000:24:11 Lovell (onboard): Huh?
000:24:12 Anders (onboard): You were - Oh, we're in Secondary. That's okay.
000:24:14 Borman (onboard): It looks to me like it's picked up here.
000:24:16 Anders (onboard): Okay.
000:24:17 Anders (onboard): Yes.
000:24:19 Lovell (onboard): Okay, what else do you want here?
000:24:20 Anders (onboard): It's okay.
000:24:24 Anders (onboard): Okay...
000:24:26 Lovell (onboard): Secondary radiator leak check?
000:24:27 Anders (onboard): I'm ready this time [laughter]. It's secondary [garble] I'm not going over, there.
000:24:38 Lovell (onboard): Okay...
000:24:39 Anders (onboard): Okay, Jim.
000:24:40 Lovell (onboard): ...the pressure is okay?.
000:24:42 Lovell (onboard): What do you want to do? The secondary glycol radiator?
000:24:44 Anders (onboard): The second - let her flow.
000:24:45 Lovell (onboard): Well, wait a second; I'm not under the couch yet.
000:24:48 Anders (onboard): Okay, why don't you get underneath there, Jim, and give Frank a hand when you have a chance?
000:24:52 Lovell (onboard): Well, how about let's take off our gloves and helmets, huh?
000:24:54 Anders (onboard): Okay.
000:24:55 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:24:56 Lovell (onboard): I mean, let's get comfortable. This is going to be a long trip.
000:24:59 Borman (onboard): You got - have you got the bags?
000:25:01 Lovell (onboard): I'll get them.
000:25:02 Anders (onboard): I'll get them right now.
000:25:19 Anders (onboard): Okay, you want to get - Cabin Air Return [means Suit Circuit Return] valve, On.
000:25:23 Borman (onboard): Stand by; wait until I get my glove off.
000:25:32 Borman (onboard): Cabin Air Return valve is Open.
000:25:38 Borman (onboard): Okay?.
000:25:40 Anders (onboard): Okay.
000:25:41 Lovell (onboard): Gentlemen.
000:25:44 Borman (onboard): Thank you.
000:25:45 Anders (onboard): Storage.
000:25:50 Lovell (onboard): That's the gloves.
000:25:57 Borman (onboard): How's the cabin pressure, Bill?
000:25:59 Anders (onboard): Cabin pressure is holding good, Frank.
000:26:00 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:27:15 Anders (onboard): You want the other bag there, Jim?
000:27:19 Lovell (onboard): Let me see, I'm missing one bag here.
000:27:31 Lovell (onboard): Wait one.
000:27:48 Borman (onboard): Here you are.
000:27:52 Borman (onboard): Okay, you say you've got the EPS [Electrical Power System] power verifications in, Bill?
000:27:56 Anders (onboard): Yes, sir.
000:27:57 Borman (onboard): ECS monitor check?
000:27:59 Anders (onboard): Yes.
000:28:00 Lovell (onboard): There is only - Oh, here it is.
000:28:07 Anders (onboard): Hey, it's like sitting on an ice rink, isn't it?
000:28:08 Borman (onboard): Yes. SPS, Bill.
000:28:11 Anders (onboard): SPS is roughly the same as it was. Got that one?
000:28:13 Borman (onboard): [Garble] TLI.
000:28:18 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:28:32 Lovell (onboard): Okay. We can breathe a little bit, hear a little bit more, huh?
000:28:34 Borman (onboard): Yes, that 'was quite a ride, wasn't it?
000:28:36 Lovell (onboard): Yes.
000:28:37 Anders (onboard): Man, that felt like that 1-C [the Saturn first stage] was like an old freight train.
000:28:43 Lovell (onboard): It is an old freight train, pal. It really goes.
000:29:31 Borman (onboard): What's that noise?
000:29:32 Lovell (onboard): That's me; I'm into the fan area.
000:29:42 Borman (onboard): Why don't we turn those fans off? We don't need them, do we?
000:29:52 Lovell (onboard): Okay, let's continue on with the checklist.
000:29:59 Lovell (onboard): Okay, secondary radiator leak check, huh?
000:30:02 Anders (onboard): Confirmed.
000:30:04 Lovell (onboard): Let me get out my fuel.
000:30:09 Anders (onboard): Okay, we are in Power, manual 1; primary water, Auto - okay.
000:30:26 Lovell (onboard): Is she holding us in the proper attitude?
000:30:28 Borman (onboard): Yes. I don't have the ORDEAL out yet; I can't tell, but it looks real good.
Diagram explaining difference between orb-rate and stellar inertial attitude.
Photograph of FDAI-1 onboard Apollo 13's Command Module, Odyssey.
000:30:33 Lovell (onboard): Okay, notify LMP when ready to commence.
000:30:35 Anders (onboard): I'm ready.
000:30:36 Lovell (onboard): Secondary glycol to radiator valve, Normal.
000:30:40 Anders (onboard): Okay, just give me a buzz when you're - Yes, you're good.
000:30:43 Borman (onboard): You got your 278 circuit breaker 1 and 2, Open, Bill?
000:30:44 Anders (onboard): No, I'll go get it.
000:30:45 Borman (onboard): Good show.
000:30:48 Anders (onboard): [Garble] system coming up.
000:30:49 Borman (onboard): Huh?
000:30:50 Anders (onboard): They [the circuit breakers on panel 278]'re Off.
000:30:52 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:30:55 Anders (onboard): You're doing the radiator leak now, huh?
000:30:57 Lovell (onboard): Okay...
000:30:59 Anders (onboard): Have you got the radiator's talkback gray? Are you ready, Jim?
000:31:01 Lovell (onboard): All set whenever you are.
000:31:03 Anders (onboard): Okay, hit it. Everything is normal. Don't drop, you mother. Looking good. Hold it for a little while longer.
Close-up photo of dual gauges from Panel 2 of the Main Display Console.
000:31:24 Anders (onboard): Okay, let's go, Jim.
000:31:25 Lovell (onboard): Going to Bypass.
000:31:26 Anders (onboard): Go back to Bypass. Good show.
000:31:29 Lovell (onboard): Okay. Frank?
000:31:30 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:31:31 Lovell (onboard): You want the ORDEAL?
000:31:32 Borman (onboard): Yes
000:31:36 Anders (onboard): Okay, troops, I'm switching the other compressors.
000:31:39 Lovell (onboard): Here you go.
000:31:40 Anders (onboard): I'm starting the redundant component check.
000:31:45 Borman (onboard): Thank you, Bill.
000:31:46 Lovell (onboard): Bill, let me take out the wire; it's easier on it.
000:31:47 Anders (onboard): Alright.
000:31:49 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
000:31:53 Lovell (onboard): Now, do you want the - What else do you want?
000:31:57 Borman (onboard): Well, you've got to get the camera bracket out for Bill.
000:31:59 Borman (onboard): Can we - let's see, can we - What are you doing, Bill?
000:32:04 Anders (onboard): I just quit checking the compressor. I'm doing the redundant components check.
000:32:16 Anders (onboard): Okay, secondary glycol pump is On.
000:32:20 Borman (onboard): Can you get that ORDEAL wire in that thing down there, Jim?
000:32:23 Lovell (onboard): Yes.
000:32:26 Anders (onboard): Okay, secondary coolant loop's going to Evap.
000:32:32 Lovell (onboard): How's that?
000:32:37 Anders (onboard): Oh, you sweet little mother.
000:32:39 Lovell (onboard): Is that okay?
000:32:40 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:32:42 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
000:32:50 Anders (onboard): Secondary Evap has stabilized.
000:33:00 Lovell (onboard): Camera bracket.
000:33:03 Anders (onboard): Thank you. That's Frank's.
000:33:08 Borman (onboard): Huh?
000:33:10 Anders (onboard): That's the long one.
000:33:11 Borman (onboard): What are you doing?
000:33:13 Lovell (onboard): Drinking water.
000:33:14 Anders (onboard): I'm not sure, but it sure looks like the long one.
000:33:17 Borman (onboard): Just make sure we get the right one.
000:33:18 Anders (onboard): Well, we'll get the other one.
000:33:22 Borman (onboard): Jim, where's the other camera bracket?
000:33:24 Lovell (onboard): Well, there's - I only saw the one in there; I may be wrong [garble].
000:33:28 Anders (onboard): Yes, this is yours, Frank. You want to stick it here?
000:33:30 Borman (onboard): I don't want mine up here all the time.
000:33:33 Lovell (onboard): The water's Off.
000:33:35 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:33:36 Lovell (onboard): You might try the drinking water before we leave on TLI, too, by the way.
000:33:39 Anders (onboard): We can get it out over Hawaii.
000:33:40 Borman (onboard): Hey, I don't want this thing up here; it's going to just be in my way. You sure this isn't yours?
000:33:46 Anders (onboard): Just stick it up until we get another one.
000:33:48 Lovell (onboard): Should I wait for another one?
000:33:50 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:33:52 Lovell (onboard): Well, is there another camera bracket? How many camera brackets in that - that -?
000:33:55 Borman (onboard): I thought there were two in there.
000:33:57 Anders (onboard): I did, too.
000:34:00 Borman (onboard): That's the best we're going to get.
000:34:02 Anders (onboard): Okay, I'm going to secure the secondary evaporator.
000:34:05 Borman (onboard): Jim, are you - You're not using the computer now, are you?
000:34:08 Lovell (onboard): It can go.
000:34:09 Borman (onboard): Can I use a Verb 83?
Diagram explaining the angle Theta.
000:34:10 Lovell (onboard): Yes. Yes.
000:34:29 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:34:37 Lovell (onboard): Okay, I want to jettison the [optics] covers.
000:34:49 Borman (onboard): Now, I'll unstow the cameras.
000:34:51 Anders (onboard): I keep looking around here; I won't see it again. We've got a Madaga - What's this coming up? Madagascar or what?
000:34:59 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:35:03 Borman (onboard): Okay
000:35:06 Lovell (onboard): Buzz [Aldrin] has my eye patch.
000:35:13 Anders (onboard): Okay, Evap[orator]'s going Off.
000:35:14 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.
000:35:18 Anders (onboard): Secondary Pump, going Off.
000:35:19 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.
000:35:24 Anders (onboard): ECS indicator's Primary.
000:35:25 Borman (onboard): You got the redundant components checked, Bill?
000:35:27 Anders (onboard): Checked, and we passed.
000:35:31 Borman (onboard): You got the fuel cells purge check?
000:35:33 Anders (onboard): Huh?
000:35:34 Borman (onboard): Does the fuel cell purge...
000:35:35 Anders (onboard): I haven't got that yet.
000:35:39 Borman (onboard): We should be getting - getting over Tananarive.
000:35:54 Anders (onboard): You want to check me off here?
000:35:55 Borman (onboard): Yes, I'd - I'd like to.
000:35:57 Anders (onboard): Okay, I've done EPS periodic verification.
000:36:01 Borman (onboard): Good enough. Alright.
000:36:04 Anders (onboard): ECS monitoring.
000:36:06 Borman (onboard): Alright.
000:36:08 Anders (onboard): SPS monitoring.
000:36:12 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:36:13 Anders (onboard): ECS redundant components. I'm ready to go on fuel cell purge.
000:36:17 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.
000:36:18 Anders (onboard): Purge line heater has been On. Stand by for a Master Alarm. Purging fuel cell 1, H
2
000:36:30 Anders (onboard): That it?
000:36:31 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:36:32 Anders (onboard): O
2
000:36:37 Anders (onboard): Okay.
000:36:39 Borman (onboard): I didn't get a high [garble] too well...
000:36:41 Anders (onboard): Probably won't [garble] H
2, stand by.
000:36:45 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:36:46 Anders (onboard): Okay. Okay.
000:36:51 Lovell (onboard): How's Verb 83 looking?
000:36:53 Anders (onboard): That it?
000:36:54 Borman (onboard): Perfect.
000:36:55 Anders (onboard): Fuel cell 3...
000:36:56 Lovell (onboard): Ooooh! [Yawn
000:36:57 Anders (onboard): ...Stand by.
000:37:00 Anders (onboard): Okay. Okay.
000:37:06 Lovell (onboard): Drinking water supply is On.
This is Apollo Control Houston at 37 minutes into the flight. We are standing by. We expect contact to occur just momentarily through the Tananarive station. The SURGEON reports during the launch phase that Frank Borman had a peak heart rate of 130 beats per second, that's fairly early on in the mission. 130 was his max. Now we have acquired the crew. Let's cut to the crew.
000:37:06 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over. [Pause.]
000:37:09 Lovell (onboard): I'll unstow the covered cameras here, but first let me get the dust covers jettisoned. Okay?
000:37:13 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:37:14 Anders (onboard): Purge - purge check is complete, fuel cell line heaters are Off.
000:37:18 Borman: Houston, Apollo 8. How do you read?
000:37:20 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Reading you weak but clear. How me?
000:37:25 Borman: You're loud and clear, Mike. Everything seems to be going very well.
000:37:30 Collins: Okay. Everything looks real good on the ground with both vehicles [i.e. the CSM and the S-IVB]. We still have you 103 by 99 [nautical miles, 191 by 183 km] on your orbit from my low speed data, and everything is looking real good. Over.
000:37:41 Borman: Roger. Thank you.
000:37:42 Lovell (onboard): G&N Optics Power, going On.
000:37:45 Borman (onboard): Well, do you want me to get out of Verb 83?
000:37:47 Lovell (onboard): No, you are okay.
000:37:49 Borman (onboard): When are you going to unstow the camera?
000:37:51 Lovell (onboard): As soon as I get this thing done.
000:37:53 Lovell (onboard): Okay, Optics Coupling, Direct - Direct - The speed in High. Okay, here we go, gentlemen.
000:38:02 Lovell (onboard): I'm not going to look into them for a while.
000:38:12 Borman (onboard): Okay, one minute.
000:38:18 Lovell (onboard): [Garble] I still think it's still kind of chilly in here.
000:38:24 Anders (onboard): They [the optics covers] off, Jim?
000:38:29 Lovell (onboard): Yes, I guess so. Oh, I see a whole bunch of stuff - Oh, here we go.
000:38:33 Anders (onboard): They both Off?
000:38:36 Lovell (onboard): Yes, I - I guess I was just looking at the...
000:38:40 Anders (onboard): It's blacker than pitch out there, remember.
000:38:43 Lovell (onboard): Boy, every time I - Why? Is it dark out?
000:38:47 Anders (onboard): Yes, you're looking up into pretty much blackness.
000:38:49 Lovell (onboard): Every time I move the thing, I got a whole bunch of - of sparks, or you know, not sparks, but...
000:38:54 Anders (onboard): Did they go?
000:38:56 Lovell (onboard): I guess, I can't see...
000:38:57 Anders (onboard): If you can see the glitter, you got - you've got it.
000:39:03 Anders (onboard): Turn the lights down?
000:39:04 Borman (onboard): Where's the other camera bracket, I wonder?
000:39:09 Anders (onboard): I don't know; I've always expected that other one to come out of there.
000:39:13 Borman (onboard): Listen, don't we have a stowage list in the back of the checklist?
000:39:17 Anders (onboard): That's what I am looking for, but I can't find it.
000:39:23 Lovell (onboard): Okay, can I go into a [Verb] 16 [Noun] 91?
000:39:27 Borman (onboard): Yes. Go back to POO first, Jim.
000:39:29 Lovell (onboard): Yes. Yes, I'll just skip that. Proceed.
000:39:53 Anders (onboard): Do you have [radio contact with] Tananarive?
000:39:56 Borman (onboard): Yes, we had them when we took the film.
000:40:00 Anders (onboard): Did Jim doublecheck to make sure that wasn't in there?
000:40:03 Borman (onboard): What's that?
000:40:04 Anders (onboard): That other camera bracket.
000:40:05 Lovell (onboard): No, I haven't doublechecked yet.
000:40:07 Lovell (onboard): I don't see anything...
000:40:09 Anders (onboard): ...We can handle that.
000:40:11 Borman (onboard): What did you say, Jim?
000:40:12 Lovell (onboard): I don't see anything in the sextant.
000:40:15 Borman (onboard): You don't?
000:40:16 Lovell (onboard): No.
000:40:22 Lovell (onboard): Now this thing's all the way
000:40:27 Lovell (onboard): I heard something then.
000:40:30 Anders (onboard): I'm flipping switches, and...
000:40:40 Lovell (onboard): I thought I'd see something in the sextant.
000:40:50 Borman (onboard): Can you see out of the telescope?
000:40:57 Lovell (onboard): Yes, yes, yes, I sure do.
000:41:03 Anders (onboard): Why don't you see if we can get the camera stuff unstowed before you go into darkness?
000:41:08 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
000:41:12 Anders (onboard): Those cameras and that other junk.
000:41:15 Lovell (onboard): I - I see something in here. I thought maybe I could maybe get it into the sextant to see better.
000:41:21 Anders (onboard): You're going to be doing that alignment, that P52.
000:41:25 Lovell (onboard): Well, okay. I'm just doublechecking.
000:41:32 Lovell (onboard): I think I see something floating.
And this is Apollo Control. Much quieter pass than we expected, but perhaps it's understandable. The crew is quite busy, with their post-orbital insertion checklist. Frank Borman, well, all three of them, have probably by now removed their helmets and gloves. We have not heard that locally confirmed, but I think it's a fair assumption. That event could have come as early as 15 minutes into the mission, while they were still out over the Atlantic. Borman would be probably now mounting a sighting instrument [the COAS] in his window. Lovell is working his navigation equipment, he has to jettison the cover off his optics through [which] he observes stars and horizons. Anders performed a wide variety of systems tests, looks at all of his major systems, and does a quick check on the fuel cell purging operation. So it is safe to assume the crew is very busy. Again, Borman's heart rate, we had him on the biomed loop during launch, the peak rate was 130. We have confirmed to the crew that orbit we gave them shortly after insertion, 103 by 99 [nautical miles, 191 by 183 km] stacks up and defines a good and acceptable and stable orbit. As soon as Lovell is able, he will go through a detailed instrument - inertial measurement alignment through several major computer programs. Now we it are cutting back to some talk with the crew. Let's switch to that.
000:41:37 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston.
000:41:41 Borman: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.
000:41:43 Collins: Roger. We have 1 minute to LOS Tananarive; we will see you again over Carnarvon at 52:09. Over.
000:41:51 Borman: Roger. We do have the optics covers jettisoned, and everything seems to be going fine.
000:41:56 Collins: Roger. Optics cover jettisoned. Thank you.
And this is Apollo Control at 42 minutes into the flight. That will wrap up the communications from Tananarive. We will be back with them at 52, 10 minutes from now. 52 minutes into the flight, Carnarvon should acquire. This is Apollo Control Houston.
000:42:01 Lovell (onboard): Okay. B3 is what I have right here.
000:42:29 Lovell (onboard): Okay. You want the 16-millimeter camera, right?
000:42:31 Borman (onboard): Yes, here.
000:42:33 Lovell (onboard): Right now; I'll just give you all these little goodies right now.
000:42:38 Anders (onboard): Okay, if Frank can hold it and hand it up to me
000:42:42 Borman (onboard): What do you want?
000:42:44 Anders (onboard): The 16-millimeter camera and the 18-millimeter lens?
000:42:50 Borman (onboard): Okay, this is the 16-millimeter camera. You got the right kind of film in there? C-EX, ASA sixty...
000:42:54 Lovell (onboard): C-EX? That right?
000:42:55 Anders (onboard): Jim, you can head underneath and get that spotmeter.
000:42:57 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
000:42:59 Borman (onboard): 18-millimeter lens, and you need a mirror?
000:43:01 Anders (onboard): Yes, I guess.
000:43:03 Borman (onboard): Huh?
000:43:04 Anders (onboard): Yes, but I don't - I'm not sure it's going to fit on this - on this bracket here. I don't think it will.
000:43:10 Lovell (onboard): Where have we got the spotmeter located here?
000:43:12 Borman (onboard): Right in here. Can I help you with it?
000:43:15 Anders (onboard): Way under there?
000:43:26 Borman (onboard): And is this the 75-millimeter magazine camera you want here?
000:43:33 Anders (onboard): That's all I can get now.
000:43:37 Anders (onboard): Do you see it in there, Jim?
000:43:39 Lovell (onboard): No, I'll look for it. I - I might see it if I kind of look for it.
000:43:43 Anders (onboard): Can you hang on to that one for a second, Frank? Okay, we've got the...
000:43:50 Lovell (onboard): Yes, here it comes up here.
000:43:52 Anders (onboard): Alright.
000:43:53 Anders (onboard): Which way?
000:43:54 Lovell (onboard): This way; to your right. Anything else down here?
000:44:00 Borman (onboard): Nope.
000:44:01 Anders (onboard): We need that other camera bracket. Let's put this one back.
000:44:03 Borman (onboard): We sure do.
000:44:06 Lovell (onboard): How about going into your - into the stowage list and find out where it is. I haven't...
000:44:09 Anders (onboard): I can't seem to find the stowage list, either.
000:44:12 Borman (onboard): Maybe that's in your section.
000:44:14 Lovell (onboard): It's in the Flight Plan.
000:44:16 Anders (onboard): No, this one won't work. We're going to have to use the other one.
000:44:18 Borman (onboard): What one won't work?
000:44:19 Anders (onboard): This camera bracket.
000:44:20 Borman (onboard): Oh.
000:44:24 Borman (onboard): Maybe you want to put the - This is all you need right here now, isn't it, Bill? You want to put that back? Here, I'll hold your checklist.
000:44:33 Borman (onboard): I thought we had one of those stowage lists in the back of your checklist.
000:44:35 Anders (onboard): Okay. I need camera number 2 with a 80-millimeter lens and some C[olor] film in it.
000:44:40 Lovell (onboard): You've got it, haven't you?
000:44:42 Borman (onboard): Camera 2, magazine A, C film; right here.
000:44:52 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.
000:44:56 Anders (onboard): Coming up on darkness.
000:44:57 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.
000:44:59 Borman (onboard): Yes, Jim, you'd better start getting ready for the first eclipse.
000:45:02 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
000:45:13 Anders (onboard): You couldn't check that camera bracket real quick, Jim?
000:45:16 Lovell (onboard): I'll look in here.
000:45:18 Anders (onboard): Okay.
000:45:22 Borman (onboard): 70-millimeter camera; you got all that. You got the spotmeter too, please, Bill?
000:45:25 Anders (onboard): I do. I've got everything I need except that bracket. [Garbled.] This is a good enough place to keep it.
000:45:40 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.
000:45:43 Borman (onboard): Do you need your checklist, Jim? Here I'll give it back.
000:45:45 Lovell (onboard): Well, I'll be darned.
000:45:50 Borman (onboard): Wait a minute.
000:45:52 Lovell (onboard): Thank you.
000:45:53 Borman (onboard): Well, it doesn't make it that far for TLI.
000:46:12 Borman (onboard): Okay, we're right up there.
000:46:14 Lovell (onboard): How are we doing?
000:46:16 Borman (onboard): We're doing fine. We should be getting there. All we need is that other camera bracket.
000:46:26 Lovell (onboard): I'm warm now. How about you?
000:46:27 Borman (onboard): I'm hot.
000:46:28 Anders (onboard): Man, I'm cold still.
000:46:50 Anders (onboard): Boy, is this [garbled]. Hey, don't let me forget about this camera, when we light off [a reference to the TLI burn] here. It's spread all over the place.
000:46:56 Lovell (onboard): Hey, that's right.
000:47:18 Lovell (onboard): I hope I can see something out of here soon.
000:47:20 Borman (onboard): How's the cabin pressure?
000:47:22 Anders (onboard): It has kind of eased down a little bit.
000:47:27 Borman (onboard): What are you doing, Jim?
000:47:29 Lovell (onboard): I'm okay. I'm just getting this all put together here.
000:47:33 Borman (onboard): Do you want me to read off anything to you - from the checklist? From a checklist, maybe?
000:47:38 Lovell (onboard): I've got the P52 realign. You might kind of doublecheck me on it; maybe - I'm here and I'm going to turn down the floodlights and get - get my eye adapted here, because I don't see schmatz out there right now.
>View of the optics apertures at the rear of Apollo 11's Command Module.
Diagram of the Lower Equipment Bay crew station when working with spacecraft optics.
000:47:55 Borman (onboard): Hope it [the sextant] hasn't clouded up.
000:47:58 Lovell (onboard): Frank, I sure hope you're right.
000:48:06 Borman (onboard): Alright, [reading from the checklist] CM - do not key Verb 82. Do you want to go - start right from scratch with P00?
000:48:13 Lovell (onboard): Yes, okay. I'm going to bring this optics toward zero.
000:48:18 Borman (onboard): CMC, On; ISS is On; PSS is - SCS is operating; BMAG's, three, are Rate 2 - G&N Power Optics, On? Jim?
000:48:29 Lovell (onboard): G&N Power Optics are On.
000:48:31 Borman (onboard): CMC is Free [i.e. the computer will not issue commands to the attitude control thrusters]; Optics Mode, Zero.
000:48:36 Lovell (onboard): Okay, stand by. I am going to go - I'm driving it to zero [garble].
000:48:48 Lovell (onboard): Uh-oh, the trunnion won't go any farther than - 45, and...
000:48:58 Borman (onboard): Need the lights down a little bit, Jim?
000:49:03 Lovell (onboard): Now, it's just SCS. Okay, I can see. Okay, I'm going to go to zero. I don't think - It must be going to zero.
000:49:35 Lovell (onboard): Okay, that looks good. [Garbled.] Okay, I think I see something out there now.
000:49:44 Borman (onboard): You got the Optics Mode to zero?
000:49:46 Lovell (onboard): Yes.
000:49:47 Borman (onboard): Optic Mode, CMC.
000:49:48 Lovell (onboard): Optic Mode, CMC.
000:49:51 Borman (onboard): What are you doing now?
000:49:52 Lovell (onboard): Okay, I'll go - I'll go to P00 right now.
000:49:58 Lovell (onboard): That's what you get with the burn.
000:50:00 Borman (onboard): Okay.
000:50:01 Lovell (onboard): And by the way, we used Verb 66 at the end of our burn.
000:50:07 Borman (onboard): We did?
000:50:08 Lovell (onboard): That's affirmative.
000:50:12 Borman (onboard): Hey, are you going to [P]52, now?
000:50:14 Lovell (onboard): Well, are we dark or light out there?
000:50:17 Borman (onboard): Well, you ought to be able to get it even in light. It's getting dark now.
000:50:20 Lovell (onboard): Okay. Well, I want to make sure we got a good one.
000:50:22 Lovell (onboard): Okay, Verb 37, Enter; 52, Enter. You want a REFSMMAT option?
000:50:32 Lovell (onboard): Verb 22, Enter; 3, Enter...
000:50:38 Anders (onboard): There's a couple of nice stars out here.
000:50:40 Lovell (onboard): ...Enter. Okay. All set, gentlemen?
000:50:44 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:50:46 Anders (onboard): Hey, there's a bunch of stuff flying off this thing.
000:50:47 Lovell (onboard): I know; that's what I was afraid of.
000:50:50 Anders (onboard): Real bright - I wonder why they're so bright?
000:50:52 Borman (onboard): The Sun's shining.
000:50:54 Anders (onboard): Are we - We're boiling?
000:50:55 Borman (onboard): Is the sun shining, really?
000:50:56 Borman (onboard): Yes, look here, I got sun in it.
000:50:58 Anders (onboard): Oh Christ [laughter], I thought it was night time over here!
000:51:01 Anders (onboard): I can see a lot of stars over on this side.
000:51:06 Borman (onboard): What are you doing, Jim?
000:51:07 Lovell (onboard): Well, I'm getting the optics adjusted here.
000:51:09 Borman (onboard): Yes, they make you...
000:51:10 Lovell (onboard): Okay, 06; 06 is what? 06 is Acamar. Worst star in the world for me to look at! Oh, I'm getting more stars now.
000:51:22 Lovell (onboard): Okay, here we go, gentlemen.
000:51:24 Anders (onboard): You got a real bright star...
000:51:26 Lovell (onboard): Zero off, right?
000:51:27 Borman (onboard): Yes.
000:51:28 Anders (onboard): Real bright star - star like...
000:51:30 Lovell (onboard): Zero off.
000:51:31 Borman (onboard): CMC; Optic mode should be CMC.
000:51:34 Lovell (onboard): CMC? Oh, to C, huh?
000:51:49 Lovell (onboard): Holy cow!
000:51:50 Borman (onboard): Any luck?
000:51:57 Lovell (onboard): Well, it stopped by a star. The star's out, but I don't know what it is, though.
000:52:01 Borman (onboard): Can you see it through the telescope?
000:52:03 Lovell (onboard): Yes. It seems to look like - Okay, I'm going to go to Resolve - Low, and Manual.
000:52:31 Lovell (onboard): CMC; proceed; Spica's the one I want; proceed; okay; 15, that's Sirius.
000:52:41 Borman (onboard): We there yet?
000:52:43 Lovell (onboard): Yes, proceeding.
000:52:44 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston.
000:52:48 Borman: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8. You're loud and clear.
000:52:50 Collins: Roger. You're loud and clear over Carnarvon. We would like to take DSE away from you for a second.
000:52:55 Anders (onboard): Go.
000:52:56 Borman: Roger. Go ahead.
000:52:57 Collins: Thank you.
000:55:03 Borman: Lots of lights down there. [Long pause.]
This is Apollo Control, Houston here at 55 minutes into the flight. We have switched our biomed harness selector to Bill Anders and we're watching him breathe and watching his heart beat here on the scope. And we've also put in an establishing call with the crew. There's been no flood of conversation since that point but let's establish it in any case and come back when - when we have something more.
000:56:00 Anders: Houston, this is Apollo 8.
000:56:03 Collins: Houston here, Apollo 8. Go ahead.
000:56:06 Anders: Roger. The torquing angle's 00026; that's plus 00026, plus 00035, plus 00119.
000:56:25 Collins: Roger. Apollo 8, Houston. And copy plus 00026, plus 00035, plus 00119.
000:56:39 Anders: Roger. We checked on stars 6 and 15, and the error was plus 00001.
000:56:51 Collins: Sounds pretty good.
000:56:55 Anders: Pretty good for a beginner here.
000:56:57 Collins: Right. [Pause.]
000:57:05 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. We have about 1 minute to LOS Carnarvon, and everything is looking good with the spacecraft and the S-IVB. We'll see you over Honeysuckle Creek at 59:27 - just here shortly.
000:57:18 Anders: Thank you.
As the spacecraft moves across southern Australia, via Honeysuckle, we should have additional communications and we will just stand by for those.
001:00:57 Anders: Hello, Houston. Apollo 8. How do you read?
001:01:00 Collins: Loud and clear, Apollo 8. Houston here.
001:01:05 Anders: ... How do you read?
001:01:06 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Loud and clear. Over. [Pause.]
001:01:18 Anders: Houston, Apollo 8. How do you read?
001:01:20 Collins: Reading you loud and clear, Bill. How me? [Long pause.]
001:01:55 Anders: Houston, Apollo 8. Over.
001:01:57 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Loud and clear. Over. [Long pause.]
001:02:17 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over. [No answer.
001:02:25 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over. [No answer.
001:02:46 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over. [No answer.
001:03:13 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over.
001:03:17 Anders: Houston, Apollo 8 on S-band. If you read, everything is Go.
001:03:21 Collins: Roger. Understand, Apollo 8. [Long pause.]
001:04:10 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over.
001:04:13 Anders: Roger, Houston. Read you loud and clear.
001:04:15 Collins: We are reading you loud and clear also, Bill. The problem here over Honeysuckle has been on the ground. Your spacecraft equipment is all working fine. We are going to have LOS in about a minute, and we will pick you up over Guaymas at 01:28:13. Over.
001:04:32 Anders: Roger. 01:28:13; thank you.
001:04:35 Collins: Roger.
001:04:35 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.
001:04:37 Collins: We are giving the DSE back to you, Apollo 8.
001:04:40 Anders: Roger. Thank you.
This is Apollo Control Houston at an hour and 4 minutes into the flight. Over the last couple of minutes, we've been - had a little whisper of a problem through the Honeysuckle station, Australia. It has been fixed. The problem was crew was not receiving us on the relay through Honeysuckle. We could hear them loud and clear but they were not receiving us. There was a period of about 2 minutes where they advised us several times of several readings, obviously in the blind and not getting the confirming information from our CapCom Mike Collins. The problem has been cleared up, I want to emphasize. Hawaii, this morning, is receiving for the first time - received for the first time a live television picture of the launch and we understand from talking to some people out at the station at Pearl Harbor that they are quite enthusiastic about it. They plan to go out and try to watch the TLI burn which is to occur at 2 hours 50 minutes. It should occur almost directly over Hawaii, and under ideal lighting arrangements. The local time will be about 5:55 or 6 am. Darkness out on Earth and just the first streaks of dawn. So if the clouds are co-operating, they may see it. ...
001:05:00 Lovell (onboard): Okay, what I can do is put this camera bracket. How about putting it in your temporary stowage bag, Bill?
001:05:09 Anders (onboard): Whatever you want. Has anybody seen the - Oh, there it is.
001:05:38 Lovell (onboard): Okay, who's got - You got my TLI checklist, don't you, Bill? Or Frank? Oh, I got it. Now, everyone a Flight Plan out?
001:05:33 Borman (onboard): Okay, [garble].
001:05:37 Lovell (onboard): Or do you want to wait until after TLI?
001:05:40 Anders (onboard): Okay, S-band volume, down. I'm doing - I'm doing the - the - this check.
001:06:10 Lovell (onboard): That booster was quite a ride. I'm still impressed.
001:06:18 Lovell (onboard): I was a little worried at that pogo there on the second stage - something we didn't expect.
001:06:53 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.
001:07:00 Lovell (onboard): Anyone want me down here for anything else?
001:07:10 Lovell (onboard): Well, I'm going to get prepared to get back in.
001:07:20 Borman (onboard): You going to get that data up?
001:07:22 Lovell (onboard): You want the data now, or do you want to do the TLI checklist?
001:07:25 Borman (onboard): Data box.
001:07:27 Lovell (onboard): You want the data box now, or do you want to wait to TLI?
001:07:34 Borman (onboard): [Garbled] be happy. He didn't have the systems book manual.
001:07:39 Borman (onboard): We ought to get those cards, too, Jim.
001:07:45 Lovell (onboard): Well, I hate to keep all these hoses around here [garble] after TLI.
001:08:43 Borman (onboard): Okay. A 5-degree difference between...
001:09:25 Borman (onboard): [Garbled.
001:09:28 Anders (onboard): You mean you need it again?
001:09:30 Borman (onboard): Not unless you went to.
001:09:55 Lovell (onboard): Now, let me see. I don't know whether we need these lights on or not.
001:09:59 Anders (onboard): Let me have 4-B in the System Test, will you, Jim?
001:10:03 Lovell (onboard): 4-B?
001:10:04 Anders (onboard): Yes, roughly.
001:10:05 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
Diagram of Panel 101, the Systems Test Meter.
001:10:08 Anders (onboard): You can go ahead and turn it Off.
001:10:26 Borman (onboard): You want to hand me that metal box, Jim, as soon as you finish?
001:10:33 Anders (onboard): It will be a lot more convenient when we can all get [our suits] undone.
001:10:37 Lovell (onboard): Yes, you want it?
001:10:38 Borman (onboard): Not really, but [garble].
001:10:46 Lovell (onboard): Gentlemen.
001:10:47 Borman (onboard): [Garble] biomed around me. They've been looking at me all the time.
001:10:53 Lovell (onboard): Would you believe that I think I see little gullies here?
001:10:56 Anders (onboard): Huh?
001:10:59 Borman (onboard): Where do we go, to the Center [couch] or what? Must be somebody else.
001:11:01 Anders (onboard): Maybe they didn't want the - Where's the [garble].
001:11:04 Lovell (onboard): They had me for the whole preflight.
001:11:11 Anders (onboard): You're not going to be able to write on that dump list, are you?
001:11:14 Lovell (onboard): Well, we'll see.
001:11:15 Borman (onboard): Hey, you got that metal box?
001:11:17 Lovell (onboard): Coming.
001:11:18 Borman (onboard): You got a [garble] down there.
001:11:24 Lovell (onboard): Well, that's a problem, I can't help that.
001:11:44 Borman (onboard): Don't look at me on that.
001:11:48 Anders (onboard): You beginning to see a little horizon against the Moon there?
001:11:52 Lovell (onboard): (Garble.)
001:11:54 Anders (onboard): Yes, you can see that. It would be good if we had that for retro, wouldn't it? Entry, I mean. The thing is, we [garble].
001:12:06 Anders (onboard): You want to make any comments about the boost part, if you get time to do it?
001:12:12 Borman (onboard): Okay.
001:12:14 Anders (onboard): Make them good and loud and clear; make sure everything's...
001:12:15 Borman (onboard): Are we on there now?
001:12:16 Anders (onboard): Yes.
001:12:17 Borman (onboard): Alright, the boost...
001:12:19 Lovell (onboard): Metal box.
001:12:20 Borman (onboard): Stand by.
001:12:30 Borman (onboard): I can't see where this thing goes in down there. You'll have to help me, Jim. You got a flashlight?
001:12:38 Anders (onboard): Here you go.
001:12:40 Borman (onboard): I can't get it, but I think it's supposed to fit the bottom one here. Okay.
001:12:44 Lovell (onboard): Down below?
001:12:45 Borman (onboard): Yes. Down here. See? I - that thing fits in underneath here and I can't...
001:12:54 Lovell (onboard): I'll put my feet over here.
001:12:57 Borman (onboard): We'll get those little things to stick in those rings down there. You see what I mean?
001:13:05 Lovell (onboard): I can't get down there, yet. I don't know where I am.
001:13:11 Lovell (onboard): Okay, where are we?
001:13:13 Borman (onboard): Those little holes in the - those little things that - see the holes into the wall?
001:13:20 Lovell (onboard): Is it over here?
001:13:22 Borman (onboard): No, no, right...
001:13:24 Lovell (onboard): Oh, it's over here. Okay.
001:13:25 Borman (onboard): No, it should be right...
001:13:26 Lovell (onboard): I got one. Right here. Twist a little bit.
001:13:30 Borman (onboard): Okay.
001:13:32 Lovell (onboard): There's one. Now let's get the other one.
001:13:37 Lovell (onboard): Oh, shoot!
001:13:38 Borman (onboard): What was that?
001:13:40 Lovell (onboard): My life jacket.
001:13:41 Borman (onboard): [Laughter.] No kidding?
001:13:45 Lovell (onboard): It hooked on the tank here. It flicked up.
001:13:52 Borman (onboard): Is it blowing up?
001:13:53 Lovell (onboard): It's too early.
001:13:57 Anders (onboard): Why don't you take it off and give it to me, and I'll try to take it apart while you watch the panel.
001:14:05 Anders (onboard): Lovell just caught his life vest on Frank's strut.
001:14:14 Lovell (onboard): It's hard to get off, too.
001:14:17 Anders (onboard): That's CO in there?
001:14:18 Lovell (onboard): Yes, CO
2
001:14:19 Anders (onboard): CO
2
001:14:21 Lovell (onboard): Yes. I think we ought to just leave the life vest just the way it is.
001:14:23 Anders (onboard): Tell you what we'll do: we'll dump it out with the vacuum cleaner over the side there, why don't we.
001:14:28 Lovell (onboard): Put it right back here;
001:14:30 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
001:14:32 Anders (onboard): Hey, that power looks low.
001:14:40 Borman (onboard): Yes, turn it off, Jim.
001:14:47 Lovell (onboard): Okay,...
001:14:48 Anders (onboard): Why don't you put it up in the [vacuum cleaner] spout?
001:14:52 Borman (onboard): I'm afraid I'm going [garble] damage.
001:14:55 Lovell (onboard): Okay, when we get communications again, we'll ask them what to...
001:14:58 Borman (onboard): Yes, we - we can live with a little CO
2 [garble].
001:15:08 Borman (onboard): Where are you going, Jim?
001:15:10 Lovell (onboard): Well, you want me to get this box, don't you?
001:15:13 Borman (onboard): Yes.
001:15:17 Anders (onboard): Hey. Jim. When I heard that noise, I looked at the Cabin Pressure real quick!
001:15:22 Lovell (onboard): Well, I knew what was wrong as soon as it happened! [Laughter
001:15:32 Anders (onboard): I'm just kind of thankful, too.
001:15:36 Lovell (onboard): Okay, gentlemen. I think we'll - I don't know - There's one thing I'm worried about: this helmet.
001:15:41 Anders (onboard): Where is it?
001:15:43 Lovell (onboard): It's right up here.
001:15:46 Anders (onboard): Can't you stick it right here?
001:15:47 Lovell (onboard): Is there room back there?
001:15:52 Lovell (onboard): I could tie it a little bit.
001:16:01 Borman (onboard): Can you give me those [garble], Jim?
001:16:10 Borman (onboard): What's that knock?
001:16:32 Anders (onboard): The clock?
001:16:36 Borman (onboard): When I raised my head back, I hit it with this.
001:16:20 Anders (onboard): I think I heard this [garble] firing over here.
001:16:27 Borman (onboard): How are we as far as the...
001:16:30 Anders (onboard): We're in good shape. I'm standing by for the backup comm check.
001:16:33 Borman (onboard): Hey, can I put this on the tape about this launch?
001:16:36 Anders (onboard): Yes, it would be a good time to do it.
001:16:38 Borman (onboard): Okay, the launch was nominal in almost every respect. It was no difficulty determining lift-off. Vibrations noticed before the thrust came up to - up to - well, before ... commit launch - commit to launch, and then at - when the hold-down arms released, the vibration went away. There was a lot of noise initially in the cabin. It was difficult to communicate. And then as we - The noise died out, we approached Max-Q, when it built back up again. There was no pogo noticeable on the I-C stage. The stagings, to be frank, were all nominal. The only off-nominal factor the whole launch worth mentioning was the slight pogo that was recorded in real time on the S-II stage, and the loud - the audio level inside the - inside the cabin during S-IC burn.
001:17:47 Anders (onboard): Didn't you - didn't you think the thing was still rattling like a freight train before you - as you became clear of the tower? I had the feeling that it was.
001:17:58 Borman (onboard): No, I thought - when we let go...
001:18:01 Anders (onboard): Yes, you could tell it let go, but I meant I thought it kept vibrating. You might make a note that was at 1 hour and 16 minutes if you ever want to find your tape when you debrief.
001:18:14 Borman (onboard): Alright.
001:18:26 Lovell (onboard): Well, I guess I could tie it [the life vest] up - here. Let's ask him.
001:18:33 Borman (onboard): Don't tie it on that hatch thing there.
001:18:36 Lovell (onboard): Not the hatch handle. There's a hatch...
001:18:43 Lovell (onboard): Okay, what's the g; one g?
001:18:47 Anders (onboard): One (laughter) - one g; are you kidding?
001:18:48 Lovell (onboard): I mean - during the booster period.
001:18:50 Borman (onboard): Yes, a little over one g.
001:19:02 Borman (onboard): You want to hand out - Well, I guess we won't need a Flight Plan. No.
001:19:20 Anders (onboard): The camera; configured for the backup comm check; checked my two circuit breakers.
This is Apollo Control Houston, 1 hour, 19 minutes into the flight, We have had no additional contact with the crew since we left Honeysuckle Creek ...
001:19:25 Lovell (onboard): What time is it? We ought to keep track of the time.
001:19:27 Anders (onboard): Okay.
001:19:29 Lovell (onboard): I got plenty of time to get back in the couch. Okay, where are the...
001:19:33 Anders (onboard): The primary transponder's going Off for 4 seconds.
001:19:42 Lovell (onboard): Okay, where are the - the - the headpads?
001:19:46 Anders (onboard): Secondary transponder's coming On.
001:19:48 Borman (onboard): The what, Jim?
001:19:50 Lovell (onboard): You want the headpads, don't you?
001:19:53 Borman (onboard): Well, not yet. Let's wait until we.... Oh, you mean before the boost?
001:19:57 Lovell (onboard) Yes.
001:19:58 Borman (onboard): They're in that CO
2 thing.
001:20:01 Anders (onboard): They're going to be awful hard to put on; I know that.
001:20:03 Borman (onboard): I think that's them; I'm not sure.
001:20:19 Anders (onboard): And also doing a down-voice backup, and up-voice backup
001:20:33 Borman (onboard): That's down; that's down.
001:20:42 Borman (onboard): Life preserver is - just floating.
001:20:48 Lovell (onboard): Well, that's [garbled
001:21:06 Anders (onboard): I'm putting tape over these transponder switches.
001:21:31 Anders (onboard): Sunrise coming up.
001:21:51 Borman (onboard): How are the fuel cells looking?
001:21:56 Anders (onboard): Secondary looks okay. It reads a little higher than the rest of them. One, even before launch, showed a little bit lower O
2 flow than H
2. Okay.
001:22:28 Lovell (onboard): You going to put your shoulder harness on again?
001:22:32 Anders (onboard): I never took mine off. Yes, how do you take them off?
001:22:36 Anders (onboard): Well, just kind of [garble] I just kind of loosened my belt, there at the fastener.
001:22:41 Borman (onboard): I don't know what we'll do with that damn life vest. There's no way we can [garble].
001:22:55 Anders (onboard): Yes, you can...
001:22:56 Lovell (onboard): Yes, with the thing you blow it up with.
001:23:16 Borman (onboard): It sure is nice to get that helmet and gloves off.
001:23:20 Anders (onboard): It sure was.
001:23:31 Lovell (onboard): You're recording [garble].
001:23:52 Borman (onboard): Wait a minute. Before you get back to the seat, you're supposed to turn the - You're not back in your seat for good, are you? We got a long time.
001:24:02 Lovell (onboard): Before - Oh, we got 2 hours [means 1 hour] and 20 minutes now.
001:24:04 Borman (onboard): Yes.
001:24:07 Lovell (onboard): Okay, I'll go back down.
001:24:16 Lovell (onboard): Gee, this is the best flight I ever had.
001:24:26 Anders (onboard): Because you've got to get those circuit breakers before [garble] up here.
001:24:29 Lovell (onboard): Yes.
001:25:04 Lovell (onboard): You know, this is very clean.
001:25:22 Lovell (onboard): Here comes the Sun.
001:25:31 Lovell (onboard): Well, take a look. It crept up on us.
001:25:34 Anders (onboard): I think we'll feel better when we close this. See that?
001:25:39 Lovell (onboard): Yes.
001:25:44 Lovell (onboard): Although I noticed it was pretty good, whenever we were over...
001:25:53 Lovell (onboard): Sunrise at 01:25.
001:26:01 Lovell (onboard): Alright now, would you say we lifted off on time, gentlemen?
001:26:03 Anders (onboard): I'd say we did.
001:26:10 Lovell (onboard): There for a while though, when we were counting down there for the last seconds, I didn't think she was going to wait.
001:26:14 Borman (onboard): Yes.
001:26:16 Anders (onboard): Are the safety boilers still going?
001:26:17 Lovell (onboard): Yes, sir.
001:26:20 Borman (onboard): That's one thing else we should note about the launch. That we didn't hear the noise until about 3 seconds before lift-off, even though ignition commit [garble] the main [garble] came on time.
001:26:32 Lovell (onboard): And the tower jettison was quite noticeable, Although it wasn't the rumble you get in the DCPS.
001:26:48 Borman (onboard): You want to say anything else, Bill, that you're working at?
001:26:51 Borman (onboard): Bill - or Jim, how about taking the ECS check?
001:27:00 Anders (onboard): She has been a little bit lower than normal [garble].
001:27:24 Lovell (onboard): Well, we could be [garble].
001:27:29 Anders (onboard): Yes.
001:27:47 Lovell (onboard): I'm not too in favor of this attitude as far as - Hey, we've been doing an awful lot of upside down flying.
001:27:54 Anders (onboard): You can't see any other way.
001:27:57 Borman (onboard): Can't you see the horizon?
001:27:59 Lovell (onboard): Can you see the horizon?
001:28:00 Anders (onboard): Yes. I just couldn't the other way.
001:28:06 Lovell (onboard): I guess maybe this is not the - No, wait a second, all I see is [garble].
001:28:17 Lovell (onboard): Yes, there's some dust out there due to the...
001:28:23 Anders (onboard): Yes, you ought to give them a little blob on the...
001:28:25 Borman (onboard): Let's give them a window status report as far as contamination.
001:28:29 Anders (onboard): Okay. We want to keep charts from right to left here.
001:28:32 Borman (onboard): Alright. Number 1 window is clean and has lint on it, and then toward the upper part, that's plus-X on the outside pane, it looks like we're already starting to form bits of frost. There was not any evidence of contamination there during staging. Number 2 rendezvous window is good with some, again, specks of lint hanging off the...
001:28:52 Collins: Apollo 8. Houston. Over. (No answer.)
001:28:57 Lovell (onboard): Number 3 window has some dust on it, and in the lower - in the lower right-hand corner, there is a smudge on what appears to be the outside pane - I'm not too sure it's not the inside; but the visibility appears to be real good...
This is Apollo Control here, 1 hour, 29 minutes into the flight. The first call from Mike Collins to Apollo 8, as yet without response.
001:29:06 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over. (No answer.)
This will be - this pass across the States this time - should last 15 or 20 minutes - should be a major checkpoint on all systems, particularly that guidance and navigation system. Jim Lovell will be a very busy boy and so will Frank Borman and - insuring that all the checks are accurate. In the course of it, Bill Anders is to perform a backup communications check, switching to alternate channels should anything develop or go wrong in the primary communications mode. As the spacecraft moves across the Atlantic the crew then will proceed into their Translunar Injection checklist in preparation for the burn on the next rev[olution]. Again, we've put in a call, we've not heard anything, let's just open a line and stand by.
001:29:15 Anders (onboard): But you're never going to be recording there. You've got to talk real loud.
001:29:18 Borman (onboard): Oh, he can't?
001:29:20 Anders (onboard): Okay. There's a little smudge on the lower left-hand portion of the center window, and some dust on both the outside and the inside windows, but the visibility is still very good.
001:29:26 Collins: Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over. [No answer.
001:29:36 Anders (onboard): Window number - window number 4 is clear. Window number 5 appears clear, but it's in the shadow at the moment, and it's difficult to tell if there's any frost forming at this point.
001:29:52 Borman (onboard): Okay, very good.
001:29:54 Lovell (onboard): Okay, now let's check to see if we're receiving good.
001:30:10 Borman (onboard): This is backup comm check?
001:30:12 Anders (onboard): Yes, [garble].
001:30:14 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over.
001:30:17 Anders: Houston, Apollo 8. Over.
001:30:18 Collins: Roger. How do you read me? [No answer.
001:30:27 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over.
001:30:29 Anders: Roger. Houston, Apollo 8. Standing by for a Go for the backup comm check. Over.
001:30:34 Collins: Roger. Stand by one, Bill. [Pause.]
001:30:43 Lovell (onboard): [Singing.]
001:30:46 Collins: California, inhibit VHF downlink.
001:30:50 Comm Tech: California inhibited.
001:30:52 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Go ahead with backup voice check. [No answer.
001:30:56 Anders (onboard): Roger. This is Apollo 8 on backup voice: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. How do you read? Over.
001:31:05 Collins: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Go ahead with backup voice check. Over. (No answer.)
001:31:16 Anders (onboard): Down-voice backup; up-voice backup. S-band is key On.
001:31:21 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead with backup voice check. Over.
001:31:25 Anders: Roger, Mike. I gave you a count. I'll give you another one. Are you standing by?
001:31:29 Collins: Roger. Standing by.
001:31:31 Anders: Roger. This is Apollo 8 through backup voice: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Over.
001:31:42 Collins: Roger, Bill. Reading you weak but clear.
001:31:45 Anders (onboard): Roger.
001:31:46 Collins: Go ahead with normal S-band voice check.
001:31:49 Anders: Roger. [Long pause.]
001:31:52 Anders (onboard): Okay, VHF Vol, Up; [garble] S-band Aux, Off.
001:32:11 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over. [Pause.]
001:32:18 Anders: Houston, this is Apollo 8 on normal S-band: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. How do you read? Over.
001:32:25 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Reading you loud and clear normal S-band. How me? [No answer.
001:32:49 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Reading you loud and clear on normal S-band. How me? Over. [No answer.
001:33:03 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
001:33:06 Anders: Roger, Houston. This is Apollo 8. Reading you loud and clear on normal.
001:33:13 Collins: Roger. Reading you loud and clear on normal S-band. How me?
001:33:20 Anders: Clear. [Pause.]
001:33:29 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
001:33:32 Anders: Houston, this is Apollo 8. How do you read on VHF? Over.
001:33:35 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Reading you loud and clear. We are also reading you loud and clear on S-band normal. How me? Over.
001:33:43 Anders: Roger. I'm reading you loud and clear. I'll give you another count on S-band normal: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. How do you read me?
001:33:52 Collins: Roger. That's loud and clear, Bill. California, would you enable the VHF downlink, please?
001:34:07 Comm Tech: California enabled. [Long pause.]
001:34:50 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
001:34:53 Lovell: Go ahead, Houston.
001:34:55 Collins: Roger. We are going to rewind your tape recorder, and we have the TLI plus 90 and TLI plus 4-hour PADs at your convenience. Over.
Apollo TEI PAD as generated by Chuck Deiterich for Apollo 8.
001:35:11 Lovell: Roger. Ready to copy.
001:35:13 Collins: Roger. TLI plus 90, SPS/G&N, 63531; minus 1.64 plus 1.29. Are you with me so far? Over.
001:35:36 Lovell: Roger. We're with you.
001:35:38 Collins: Okay. 004:17:42.65; minus 0440.2, minus 0000.1, plus 4838.7; 178, 169, 359; not applicable, plus 0018.5; 4858.7, 6:03, 4838.3; 06, 202.7, 25.0; Earth center, 0123 - correction - down 12.3; I say again, down 12.3, right 2.2; plus 11.23 minus 030.00; 1231.3, 34494, 017:47:39, north set stars; roll, 068; pitch, 097; yaw, 356; ullage none; other: high speed procedure not required. Over.
The information that Mike Collins is passing to Jim Lovell is procedural numbers and angles should abort become necessary at two discrete periods after the Translunar Injection burn. Ninety minutes after and then 4 hours after. And we should hear quite a few numbers.
001:38:17 Lovell: Houston, this is Apollo 8. We missed a portion of that maneuver PAD. Can you start with HP and go down to boresight star? Over.
001:38:31 Collins: Roger. I say again. HP plus 0018.5. Are you with me?
001:38:41 Lovell: Roger. We're with you.
001:38:43 Collins: 4858.7, 6:03, 4838,3; 06, 202.7, 25.0; and the boresight star is Earth's center. Over.
001:39:33 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Did you copy?
Standard forms from TLI checklist in which crews copy abort PAD data.
Diagram to explain the Local Vertical/Local Horizontal frame of reference.
001:39:35 Lovell: Roger, Houston. This is a TLI plus 90 as follows: minus - the weight will be plus 63531; minus 1.64, plus 1.29; 004:17:42.65; minus 0440.2, minus 000.1, plus 4838.7; 178, 169, 359; plus 0018.5; 4858.7, 6:03, 4838.3. We will have to get the sextant information later; 123 minus 030.
001:41:18 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
001:41:19 Lovell: Houston, did you copy?
001:41:21 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. We are picking you up now over Bermuda. I did not copy your readback after Delta-V
c. That was the last quantity - I received.
001:41:32 Lovell: Roger, Houston. Could you give us the sextant information again, the sextant star information?
001:41:38 Collins: That's affirmative. The sextant star 06, shaft 202.7, trunnion 25.0. Over.
001:41:53 Lovell: Roger. Starting out with the sextant star, 06, 200.7, 25.0; Earth's center, down 12.3, right 2.2; plus 11.23, minus 030.00; 1231.3, 34494, 017:47:39; north set; roll, 068; pitch, 097; yaw, 356; no ullage.
001:42:34 Collins: Roger. Jim, on your sextant star, the shaft should be 202.7 - 202.7. Over.
001:42:44 Lovell: Roger. Copy 202.7.
001:42:51 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Would you go to P00 and Accept, please? We want to send up the state vector.
001:43:02 Lovell: We are in Accept.
001:43:05 Collins: Roger. You are in Accept?
001:43:08 Lovell: Roger. Go ahead. We are in P00 and Accept.
001:43:11 Collins: Thank you. I have your TLI plus 4-hour PAD when you are ready to copy, and your TLI PAD also.
001:43:19 Lovell: Ready to copy.
001:43:21 Collins: Okay. TLI plus 4 hours, SPS/G&N. Weight is still 63531 as printed; the pitch and yaw, minus 1.64 and plus 1.29. Are you with me so far?
001:43:43 Lovell: We are with you.
001:43:45 Collins: GETI, 006:47:27.79; minus 0159.4, plus 0000.0, plus 5288.5; 178, 155, 000; not applicable, plus 0019.2; 5290.9. Are you with me? Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
001:44:47 Lovell: This is Apollo 8. You're breaking lock on S-band, and again, you got cut off just at HP.
001:44:53 Collins: Okay. HP, plus 0019.2; 5290.9, 6:27, 5269.4. Are you with me? Over.
001:45:26 Collins: Roger. Sextant star, 12, 103.7, 21.1; Earth center, down 06.3, right 2.3; plus 10.68, minus 165.00; 1250.5, 35061, 026:42:57; north set stars; roll, 068; pitch, 097; yaw, 356; ullage none, high speed procedure not required. Over.
001:46:47 Lovell: Roger, Houston. TLI plus 4. Weight remains the same; minus 1.64, plus 1.29; 006:47:27.79; minus 0159.4, plus all balls, plus 5288.5; 178, 155, 000; N/A, plus 0019.2; 5290.9, 6:27, 5269.4; 12, 103.7, 21.1; Earth center, down 06.3, right 2.3; plus 10.68, minus 165.00; 1250.5, 35061, 026:42:57; north set; roll, 068; pitch, 097; yaw, 356; no ullage, high speed procedure not required.
And this is Apollo Control, Houston here. While we are still in communication by the Vanguard, I wanted to pass on to you some real-time telemetry we are getting on a few cabin functions. The cabin pressure has been holding at a rock steady 5.2 pounds per square inch since launch. We've switched now to the biomed, switched the biomed harness over to Jim Lovell, on the center couch. His heart has been running around 69 to 70 beats per minute. He's breathing at a steady 25, 20 to 25 respirations per minute. He's been doing a lot of talking, a lot of writing down there, trying to copy all of those numbers. The cabin temperature is a very comfortable 62 degrees. All of the other sources, the oxygen pressure is still slightly more than 100 percent, we normally launched about 105 to 106 percent, it's showing 104 percent. All other sources in the cabin the biomed area look quite good. Let's go back now and hear even more numbers as we complete this TLI onboard information.
001:48:07 Collins: Very good. That's all correct, and I have a TLI PAD for you whenever you're ready to copy it.
001:48:16 Lovell: Ready to copy.
001:48:17 Collins: Okay. Your computer PAD is in and verified. You can go to Block, and we're going to have LOS here in about 45 seconds. I'll start on the TLI PAD anyway. Time base 6 p[redict], 2:41:36; roll, 179; pitch, 045; yaw, 001; burn time, 5 plus 15; Delta V
C prime, 10519.6; V
I 35569; roll, 357; pitch, 091; yaw, 001. Comments: TLI plus 10 minutes; abort attitude is 199 degrees, and I don't believe you've got time to read that back. We'll see you over Canaries at 1:50 GET. Adios.
You heard Mike Collins. After a conversation that started at 1 hour, 25 minutes into the mission, is now 1 hour - nearly 1 hour 50 minutes, to give you some understanding of the extraordinarily long periods that we can hold the spacecraft during these Stateside passes, and Mike bobbed that conversation off with an 'Adios' and said we would pick them up in 1 minute over the Canaries. So essentially we've got, well let's say, on the order of 35 to 40 minutes of continuous communication starting with Guaymus and running through the Canary station. Let's just leave the circuit up. We'll have them back in just a very few seconds.
001:50:30 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
001:50:33 Lovell: Roger. Houston, Apollo 8. Reading you loud and clear. TLI planned 2:41:36; 179, 045, 001; 5:15 10519.6, 35569; 357, 091, 001; TLI plus 10, abort attitude 199 on the pitch.
001:51:06 Collins: Roger, Apollo 8. That is correct. We'd like to double check one number on the TLI plus 90 minutes. When you can dig that out, let me know.
001:51:18 Lovell: Roger. Go ahead.
001:51:19 Collins: Okay. It's - the sextant shaft angle should be 202.7. Over.
001:51:29 Lovell: Roger. Sextant shaft is 202.7.
001:51:35 Collins: Thank you, sir.
This is Apollo Control Houston. The Flight Director has just advised the room that the booster, the S-IVB, all consumable, every bit of data we have looked at and examined indicate we should proceed with the TLI burn. (We) go back to the crew.
001:53:09 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
001:53:12 Anders: Go ahead, Houston.
001:53:13 Collins: Roger. S-IVB looking good, both from a guidance and a consumable viewpoint; it all looks Go.
001:53:20 Anders: Roger. [Pause.]
001:53:30 Collins: The DSE is all yours, Bill.
001:53:32 Anders: Thank you. [Long pause.]
001:54:18 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. We will have LOS in 1 minute; we'll pick you up again over Tananarive at 02:09.
001:54:28 Borman: Roger, Michael. Thank you.
001:54:30 Collins: Roger. How does it feel up there?
001:54:33 Borman: Very good, very good. Everything is going rather well. It [the Earth] looks just about the same way it did 3 years ago.
001:54:42 Collins: Has Bill got time from playing with his tape recorder to look out the window?
001:54:45 Borman: Roger. We had one little incident here. Jim Lovell inadvertently popped one life raft, so we've got one full Mae West with us here.
001:55:02 Collins: Roger. Understand.
This is Apollo Control Houston. That will apparently wrap it up via Canary Islands. Tananarive, we are due to acquire at 2 hours and 9 minutes into the flight, about 15 minutes from now. You heard on the tag end of that conversation a fairly relaxed Borman commenting that it looked very much like it did three years ago when he and Jim Lovell were flying Gemini VII, and he also reported that inadvertently a Mae West had been inflated. We're not just sure whose Mae West it was, but the supposition here is that one tank or one side of the life jacket on the Command Module Pilot might have been inadvertently triggered, and we're sure it's causing no difficulty and it will be deflated and stowed at the proper time with the suits. So we will be back at Tananarive at about 10 to 12 minutes. This is Apollo Control, Houston.
002:09:49 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston through Tananarive. Over.
002:09:55 Borman: Roger. Houston, this is Apollo 8.
002:09:57 Collins: Roger, Apollo 8. We don't have anything for you; we are just standing by. You're looking good.
002:10:02 Borman: Roger. Thank you.
002:14:07 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston.
002:14:11 Borman: Gemini 8 - correction: Apollo 8.
002:14:16 Collins: Roger. Gemini 8, Houston. We would like to bring you up to date on the comm situation while we've got some quiet time here. We'll be LOS Tananarive in another 2 minutes; we'll be picking you up over Carnarvon at 2 hours, 25 minutes and 22 seconds. LOS Carnarvon will be 02:31:55; then we've got ARIA number 1 coming in about 02:37:30; and after that, we will have a hand-off to Mercury to Hawaii to Goldstone, and we should have continuous comm. Over.
002:14:28 Borman: Very good. That's very good. Thank you.
002:15:01 Collins: Roger. [Pause.]
002:15:10 Collins: Thought you were Gemini 7, not 8.
This is Apollo Control Houston, at 2 hours, 15 minutes into the flight. We have had a flight with the crew over Tananarive and among other things, Frank Borman reported that he was Gemini VIII, which caused a few smiles. Some wag finally added, 'remember you're Gemini 7, not Gemini 8.'
This is Apollo Control Houston at 2 hours, 26 minutes into the flight. We have just acquired by Carnarvon, and here is how that conversation is going.
002:26:02 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
002:26:06 Borman: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo.
002:26:08 Collins: Roger. Loud and clear. We'd like to take your tape recorder for a minute, please.
002:26:13 Borman: Can he have it, Bill?
002:26:15 Anders: Go ahead.
002:26:16 Borman: Thank you.
002:26:20 Collins: By the way, we read out the voice tape, and the quality of the voice tape is good - from the DSE.
002:26:28 Borman: Good. [Long pause.]
002:27:20 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston.
002:27:21 Borman: Go ahead, Houston.
002:27:22 Collins: Apollo 8. You are Go for TLI. Over.
002:27:27 Borman: Roger. We understand; we are Go for TLI.
This is Apollo Control Houston, running through an unusually quiet pass across Carnarvon with very little more than establishing call signs. Our orbital digitals, which we are reading out from Australian sites, show that present velocity is 25,569 feet per second [7,793 m/s], showing an apogee of 105.5 nautical miles [195.4 km]; and our Translunar Injection burn will have the effect, here's that comm going up, let's catch up with it.
002:31:26 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
002:31:29 Borman: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.
002:31:31 Collins: Roger. We will have LOS in about 30 seconds, and we'll pick you up over ARIA 1 at 02:37:30.
Apollo Control back here. The TLI burn will add 10,500 feet per second - perhaps a foot or more per second, but that is pretty close - 10,500 feet per second to the present 25,570. The duration of the burn will be slightly more than 5 minutes. It will occur 2 hours, and 50 minutes into the flight. Now, a combination of stations will be seeing it. The ship Mercury will see it, parked about a thousand miles south of Hawaii. Hawaii should also see it. In a very few minutes, as the spacecraft starts away from the Earth, the big dish in Goldstone, California, will acquire. At 2 hours, 33 minutes into the flight, this is Apollo Control Houston.
002:38:21 Borman: Houston. This is Apollo 8. How do you read?
002:38:24 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
002:38:29 Borman: Houston, Apollo 8. I hear you garbled but fairly clear.
002:38:33 Collins: Roger. Apollo 8, Houston. We're transmitting through ARIA 1, and you are also garbled.
This is Apollo Control, 2 hours and 42 minutes into the flight. We attempted to establish some conversation through one of our instrumentation aircraft. We heard them, they heard us, but it was just barely. We are now waiting, which we should have in about 2 minutes, [for communications] through the good ship Mercury. It is entirely appropriate that the ship Mercury should be the relay point for this historic burn, which is planned for in about 6 minutes. Flight Director has just advised we should standby to receive Mercury data and that's precisely what we are doing. We will be back to you in about 2 minutes. This is Apollo Control, Houston.
This is Apollo Control, Houston; 2 hours, 45 minutes into the flight. We are now getting data from the ship Mercury and everything looks good. The BOOSTER has advised that the tanks have repressurized properly and here goes the first call up to Apollo 8.
002:45:12 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
002:45:15 Borman: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.
002:45:17 Collins: Good; you're loud and clear through the Mercury, and you're looking good down here. Everything looks good.
002:45:23 Borman: Roger. Understand. Our O
2 flow is a little bit higher than I thought, but Bill says that it's just about what he expected.
002:45:31 Collins: Roger. Understand. [Pause.]
002:45:36 Collins: Your O
2 flow looks good down here.
002:45:43 Borman: Thank you.
Here in the Control Center, two big charts dominate the front of the room, and two of the walls. One of them will present the data as it climbs. It's a plot of velocity versus altitude, so we will be able to track that for you. The other plots show the angle of the burn - is following. Still another shows the ever-so-slight out of plane maneuver. Stand by one.
Diagram of the Auxiliary Propulsion System.
002:49:17 Anders (onboard): Okay. Start your watch [garble] see what time it says.
002:49:28 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. You're looking good.
002:49:31 Borman: Roger. [Long pause.]
Immediately following the burn, we should get a detailed report on it from Frank Borman. Meanwhile, Bill Anders, during the course of the burn, will operate the onboard flight recorder and on which any various comments from the various crewmembers will be recorded. We will undoubtedly hear some comments from them during the course of the burn. Immediately following the burn, Jim Lovell is to start stowing the many items of camera gear, lenses, mirrors, cables, all that matter of camera equipment, including a spotmeter. The Apollo 8 has been advised once again that they look good for the burn. About every minute, the Flight Director is pulsing the BOOSTER man in this Control Center to get his status.
002:49:50 Lovell (onboard): Huh?
002:49:52 Anders (onboard): Call out the time, Frank.
002:49:54 Borman (onboard): 59:17, 18.
002:49:56 Anders (onboard): Okay, 42 is S-II Sep light, Off.
002:50:01 Borman (onboard): 42?
002:50:03 Anders (onboard): Okay, you're in EMS Mode, Auto?
002:50:04 Borman (onboard): Yes.
002:50:05 Anders (onboard): Okay.
Thirty seconds to TLI.
002:50:13 Collins: Apollo 8, coming up on 20 seconds to ignition. Mark it, and you're looking very good.
002:50:19 Anders (onboard): Okay.
002:50:20 Borman: Roger. [Long pause.]
And Mike Collins gives them the mark 20 seconds to ignition.
002:50:21 Anders (onboard): Call 42.
002:50:24 Borman (onboard): We're past 42. That was when our light...
002:50:26 Anders (onboard): That's 58:42 or - 59...
002:50:28 Borman (onboard): 59...
Borman (onboard, continued): ...9, 8, 7...
Borman (onboard, continued): ...4 - 3, 2, [S-II Sep] light On. Ignition.
Now he [probably Flight Director] is counting, 4, 3, 2, we see ignition.
002:50:40 Lovell: Ignition.
002:50:41 Collins: Roger. Ignition. [Long pause.]
Lovell confirms ignition and the thrust is okay, BOOSTER says.
002:50:45 Borman (onboard): Go ahead. Boy, it's going off in yaw.
002:50:53 Lovell (onboard): What's your attitude at [garble]?
002:50:54 Borman (onboard): Fine, 45 [garble].
002:50:55 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
002:50:56 Anders (onboard): Okay, align yourself in attitude, we got plus or minus 5 degrees.
002:51:01 Anders (onboard): And the tank pressures?
002:51:03 Borman (onboard): Tank pressures are good.
002:51:04 Anders (onboard): Okay.
002:51:08 Borman (onboard): Are you watching the Delta-P [garble]?
002:51:10 Anders (onboard): Yes.
002:51:11 Lovell (onboard): 30 seconds.
002:51:12 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. You're looking good. [Long pause.]
002:51:14 Lovell (onboard): You got 18 hours to...
002:51:16 Anders (onboard): Don't worry about that.
002:51:28 Borman (onboard): Everything alright?
002:51:14 Lovell (onboard): 60 seconds.
002:51:44 Lovell (onboard): 20 seconds off.
Flight Dynamics says we look good, Flight - watching the thrust build, TRAJECTORY, GUIDANCE, FLIGHT DYNAMICS, everybody in the front, what's called the front trench of this Control Center, says they are happy. That includes the BOOSTER. Comm says 'You are looking good.'
Two hours, 51 minutes and 30 seconds, that would put us about 1 minute into the burn. Apogee now 800 [nautical] miles [1,500 km] and climbing.
002:51:58 Anders (onboard): Things are looking good over here.
002:51:58 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. Trajectory and guidance look good. Over.
002:52:02 Borman: Roger. Apollo 8, looks good here. [Long pause.]
Hawaii confirmed that they got a very solid lock and Borman almost nonchalantly says 'Roger, we look good here,' at 2 hours, 52 minutes.
002:52:06 Lovell (onboard): Okay, cut-off at 02:55:51. Okay, we're coming up on 28,000 (fps).
002:52:19 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. We're predicting cut-off, 02:55:58, and it looks exactly nominal here.
002:52:27 Borman: Roger. [Pause.]
002:52:28 Anders (onboard): 02:55:58?
002:52:29 Borman (onboard): Right.
002:52:34 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. That predicted cut-off, 02:55:52, 52, and that's exactly as it should be.
002:52:40 Borman: 02:55:52.
002:52:42 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
002:52:43 Anders (onboard): Shouldn't have that goddamn high flow rate up there.
002:52:52 Lovell (onboard): Coming up on 29,000 [fps, 8,840 m/s]. Okay, our yaw should be coming off now a little bit.
002:52:58 Anders (onboard): 3 minutes to go.
002:53:03 Lovell (onboard): You should have about 8 degrees of yaw yet, compared to what - 35? A weak 35, now 37. Alright, it was what - 9 degrees?
002:53:16 Borman (onboard): Hey, that O
2 is pegged high, Bill.
002:53:18 Anders (onboard): Yes, I know. It's just a little warmer up here. I'd - I'm looking at the Delta-P here. The surge tank in the tank 1 [garble] nothing else to worry about.
002:53:31 Lovell (onboard): 30,000.
002:53:42 Collins: Apollo 8, Houston. You are looking good here, right down the center line.
002:53:45 Borman: Roger. Apollo 8.
002:53:52 Lovell (onboard): Coming up on 31,000.
002:54:03 Borman (onboard): How's the cabin pressure, Bill?
002:54:05 Anders (onboard): Holding good.
002:54:16 Lovell (onboard): Coming up on 31,5. [31,500 fps, 9,600 m/s
002:54:21 Lovell (onboard): 02:54.
002:54:22 Borman (onboard): What time [garble, probably asking for the cut-off time]?
002:54:24 Lovell (onboard): 02:54:56.
002:54:32 Lovell (onboard): 02:55:52.
002:54:52 Anders (onboard): One minute to go.
Flight Dynamics says we are exactly nominal. Cut-off is now predicted, 2 hours, 55 minutes and 58 seconds. The crew has been advised that they look - all values look exactly nominal or just exactly what we hoped they would be. Their present altitude is now about 3,000 miles and we are Go and these three crewmembers are traveling faster than man has ever flown before. There is very little conversation with the crew, but let's cut now to the crew and see what we can pick up.
002:54:54 Collins: Apollo 8. Houston. You are looking good, right down the old center line.
002:54:58 Borman: Roger. Apollo 8. [Long pause.]
Their velocity is now about 32,000 feet per second, 32,000 feet per second. Velocity is now 33,000 feet per second. From Hawaii we are getting a visual report that people in Hawaii are observing the burn from on the ground.
002:54:58 Borman (onboard): Apollo 8...
002:55:05 Lovell (onboard): [Garbled.
002:55:19 Lovell (onboard): Stand by.
We are about 40 seconds from cut-off here. The spacecraft is moving at nearly 35,000 feet per second. Cut-off is 30 seconds.
002:55:22 Lovell (onboard): 30 seconds to go. 34,000 [fps, 10,360 m/s]. You got the card?
002:55:27 Borman (onboard): Yes.
002:55:29 Lovell (onboard): Did you see the card, Bill?
002:55:30 Anders (onboard): I got it.
002:55:33 Lovell (onboard): Okay.
002:55:36 Lovell (onboard): 35,000. We should have good [garble].
Present altitude [means apogee], 35,000 [nautical] miles [55,500 km]. 60,000 [nautical] miles [111,000 km] we are approaching. We have passed the 60,000 miles and we are very nearly.
002:55:38 Borman (onboard): Alright, 15 coming up here.
002:55:42 Lovell (onboard): Real fine. 10 seconds.
002:55:47 Lovell (onboard): 35[,000] - 35,1[00 fps, 10,700 m/s].
002:55:48 Anders (onboard): How's your inertial velocity?
002:55:50 Lovell (onboard): Velocity's looking fine.
002:55:53 Lovell (onboard): 5, 4...
002:55:57 Borman: Okay. We got SECO right on the money.
002:55:58 Collins: Roger. Understand; SECO.
Borman says we got SECO. Cut-off was right on the second.
002:56:02 Lovell (onboard): I got a [garble] light; 2 seconds late on SECO. [Garble] got the tape recorder.
002:56:10 Unidentified Speaker (onboard): [Garble] SECO [garble] gimbal [garble].
002:56:15 Borman (onboard): Jim. Go ahead, Bill.
002:56:16 Anders (onboard): SECO plus 10 seconds, light Off. S-IVB goes to attitude hold 20 seconds and begin venting.
002:56:21 Borman (onboard): Okay.
Graph displaying how acceleration or g-force rises throughout the TLI burn from 0.7g to over 1.5g.