Apollo 8
Day 2: The Black Team
Corrected Transcript and Commentary Copyright © 2003-2021 by W. David Woods and Frank O'Brien. All rights reserved.
Last updated 2021-02-27
039:38:02 Borman: Houston, Apollo 8. How do you read?
039:38:06 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Reading you weak but clear.
039:38:11 Borman: Okay. Thank you, Jerry.
This is Apollo Control, Houston; 39 hours, 43 minutes, 15 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. The Apollo 8 spacecraft at the present time is at an altitude of 143,023 nautical miles [264,878 kilometres]; our current velocity reading - 4,019.1 feet per second [1,225 m/s]. As had been previously reported, we ... have a change of shift here in Mission Control, I should say, we have done that. The Glynn Lunney team, or black team of controllers is now on duty. Glynn's first action as he took over was to bring up each member of his flight control team with an amber light, and had them give to him a status report on how we look. And at the present time we look very good. The spacecraft systems all look good at this time. Our current spacecraft weight reading is 62,970 pounds [28,563 kilograms]. The communications problem briefly that developed toward the later part of the earlier shift of flight controllers had been isolated to be in the control monitor panel in the Honeysuckle tracking station, and was further isolated to be a relay in that panel. We had one brief transmission with the crew since the black team has been aboard...
040:02:15 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
040:02:20 Borman: Go ahead, Houston, Apollo 8.
040:02:22 Carr: Roger, Frank. I've got a little news and some ball scores if you want them.
040:02:28 Borman: Go ahead.
040:02:29 Carr: Okay. The big news right now, on the wires, is that all 82 crewmen of the Pueblo have been returned. They walked across the Bridge of Freedom, Monday night.
040:02:42 Borman: Wonderful!
040:02:48 Carr: Said it took about 30 minutes for all 82 men to come across the Bridge of No Return and that's the one separating North and South Korea. They started across about 11:30 a.m. and were over by about noon, and they brought the body of the crewman who was killed, also.
040:03:17 Carr: Okay, Frank. On ball scores, did you get the word on the Baltimore/Minnesota game today?
040:03:24 Borman: Not the final one.
040:03:26 Carr: Okay. Final score was the [Baltimore] Colts 24, [Minnesota] Vikings 14. That gives them the western conference, so it looks like, for the NFL title, it's gonna be the Browns versus the Colts on the 29th.
040:03:44 Carr: Roger. Slow return - you'll get it.
040:03:49 Borman: Say again.
040:03:53 Carr: Roger. Come back slow return and we'll get it.
040:03:58 Borman: I'd rather come back fast and watch it on television.
040:04:02 Carr: Atta boy! Let's see, for the AFL: the big game today was Oakland [Raiders] and Kansas City [Chiefs] and Oakland dumped them 41 to 6, so it's looks the AFL [American Football League] title game will be the Raiders and [New York] Jets.
040:04:17 Borman: Righto! That's hard to believe, that score.
040:04:20 Carr: Amen! Okay. In yesterday's game, I don't know if you got the score on that. The Cleveland Browns and the [Dallas] Cowboys. The Browns dumped the Cowboys 31 to 20.
040:04:34 Borman: Yes, we heard that.
040:04:36 Carr: Yes, they're crying in Dallas. Basketball scores: Houston [University of Houston] didn't do so good this weekend. Illinois beat Houston 97 to 84. And North Carolina took the Owls [Rice University]. The score was 85 to 77. [Long pause.] We had a couple of words in the paper, Frank, on the Oilers [Houston's pro football team]. The Oilers voted George Webster their most valuable player and - although Houston didn't make anybody on the All-AFL Offensive Team this year, they put Walt Suggs and Hoyle Granger on the second team.
040:05:40 Borman: Very good. [Pause.]
040:05:48 Carr: But although the [Houston] Oilers didn't do so well out on the field, they did great in the box office. Bud Adams, Don Klausterman and Wally Lemm were all - real pleased with it. By the way, they were at the Cape to watch the show. Houston, in 11 games - the Oilers attracted 460,628 people.
040:06:12 Borman: That must be a record? For them? I don't believe they ever got that many in Rice [University] Stadium.
040:06:23 Carr: I think so. Let's see, the regular season attendance was about half of that. This includes all the exhibition games. The paper says they averaged about 40,480 for the league games.
040:06:38 Borman: Great! [Pause.]
040:06:45 Carr: Well, that's about it for now, Frank. We got some more news that they promised they would bring over as soon as it comes off the wire. The only thing of real interests were the - particularly was the Pueblo release. I think you've already been told about the - [Julie] Nixon-[David] Eisenhower wedding. And about the only other thing is the weather which is pretty clear around here. We've got high overcasts. But it is cold and good visibility, and it's beginning to feel like winter again.
040:07:20 Borman: Good time for Christmas, good weather for Christmas. [Long pause.]
040:07:37 Carr: Who have you got up now, Frank?
040:07:41 Borman: The other two guys are pretty sleepy. They sacked out again. So I am holding the fort down for a while.
040:07:48 Carr: Okay. Thanks.
040:07:52 Borman: Rog. Thank you. [Pause.]
040:08:00 Carr: Frank, we had a little eggnog over at Charlie Duke's tonight.
040:08:03 Borman: Say again.
040:08:04 Carr: We had a little eggnog at Charlie Duke's tonight. Val Anders dropped by. She's looking fine. Tell Bill she's doing real well.
040:08:14 Borman: Fine. [Long pause.]
040:08:43 Borman: How do you like shift work, Jerry?
040:08:51 Carr: It's great, Frank. You've got the black watch watching you tonight.
040:08:56 Borman: Yeah, that's what I figured.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 40 hours, 11 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 8. The Apollo 8 spacecraft is now 144,094 nautical miles [266,862 km] in altitude. Our current velocity is 3,991.2 feet per second [1,216.5 m/s]. Jerry Carr, the capsule communicator here in Mission Control, has just had a rather long chatty conversation with spacecraft commander Frank Borman, in which, among other things, he passed on a bit of news and some ball scores and told Colonel Borman of the release of the 82 crewmen from the Pueblo today. As a matter of fact, they're still talking a bit here and we'll pick up that conversation now.
040:11:17 Borman: Boy, Jerry. That old Earth is sure looking small.
040:11:25 Carr: Roger. I guess it'll get smaller, too.
040:11:33 Borman: Yeah, we're getting along pretty good, though, now.
040:11:36 Carr: Real good. It looks like you're approaching 150,000 miles.
040:11:42 Borman: Roger. [Pause.]
040:11:48 Carr: How does the Moon look, Frank?
040:11:52 Borman: Say again.
040:11:53 Carr: Have you looked at the Moon lately?
040:11:57 Borman: No. [Long pause.] I saw it yesterday, but we haven't seen it today. [Long pause.]
040:12:51 Carr: Frank, you've probably already been told this, but you looked great on TV today. One little homey item, though. In the El Lago area you were upstaged by Santa Claus. He came around on a fire engine just about the time you guys came on. So most of the little critters were all outside.
040:13:10 Borman: That's good. I wish we could have got that one lens working. I'd like to share the view we have here of Earth.
040:13:20 Carr: Frank, we've got some guys looking at it. We might be able to find a way to make it work for you. Hopefully, by a couple of hours before TV time tomorrow, we'll have an answer.
040:13:31 Borman: Very good.
040:13:32 Carr: Jack Schmitt is working with us, too. [Pause.]
040:13:39 Borman: Very good. That's Typhoid Jack.
040:13:44 Carr: [Laughter.] [Long pause.]
040:14:06 Borman: This comm is so good we don't figure we'll have much to debrief.
040:14:13 Carr: Roger. [Pause.] Probably the biggest part of the debrief will be the medical part.
040:14:26 Borman: Roger. You're sure right. [Long pause.] Oh, we're all in fine shape.
040:14:45 Carr: Real fine, Frank.
Apollo Control, Houston. As you heard Colonel Frank Borman, he is up at the present time by himself minding the store in Apollo 8 while the other two crewmembers, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders are taking a rest period. As to condition, he described the crew as all in fine shape, acknowledging certainly that the medical debriefing would be a significant one. As you heard, the conversation arranged a wide gamut of subjects but I guess when you're 144,548 nautical miles [267,702 km] away from home it is perhaps stimulating to occasionally have what would seem to be at least in a large measure a fireside chat. So, at 40 hours, 23 minutes, 18 seconds into the flight of Apollo 8, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
040:48:42 Borman: Houston, Apollo 8. We just completed the canister change.
040:48:47 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Roger. Copy.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. At 41 hours, 31 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 8. The Apollo 8 spacecraft at this time is at an altitude of 147,151.4 nautical miles [272,523.9 km]. It is currently traveling at a rate of speed, or velocity of 3,912.4 feet per second [1,192.5 m/s]. It's been a period of relative quiet here in Mission Control Center. Our Flight Director [maybe means Flight Surgeon], now monitoring the Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell, reports [that] he appears to be sleeping restfully. Meanwhile, we are looking, at the present time, at a clock identified as the digital clock - identified as the LOS clock, which is counting down to that time when we will have a Loss Of Signal as the spacecraft, Apollo 8, travels behind the Moon just prior to its Lunar Orbit Insertion burn. Clock reading at this time - mark - is 27 hours, 24 minutes, 39 seconds away, just a little more than a day away at this time. Since our last report we have had just - only one brief conversation with the spacecraft commander, Frank Borman. It involved a canister change. ...
041:37:31 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
041:37:36 Borman: Go ahead.
041:37:37 Carr: Apollo 8, this is Houston. We have a handover coming up in 2½ minutes to Guam. Over.
041:37:44 Borman: Okay, Jerry. Thank you. Hey, Jerry?
041:37:52 Carr: Go ahead.
041:37:55 Borman: How about a long-range guess on what the weather is going to be like in the recovery area on Friday.
041:38:03 Carr: Rog, Frank.
041:44:52 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston, with a weather watch. [Pause.]
041:45:02 Borman: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.
041:45:04 Carr: Roger, Frank. For 7 degrees, 38 minutes north; 165 west landing area, we are showing 2,000 scattered, 12,000 broken, high over at 10; with the wind's from the east at 12, 4-foot swells, about an 82 degree temperature. There will be some rain showers in about 10 to 30 percent of the area with ceilings around 2,000. If there is - turns out to be a thunderstorm in the area, it will probably have a ceiling around 500 feet.
041:47:02 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Did you copy that weather okay?
041:47:05 Borman: Roger. I said thank you. Do you read me now?
041:47:07 Carr: Roger. Reading you much better. We got the voice coming down through Honeysuckle now.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. 41 hours, 52 minutes, 35 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. Our current altitude on Apollo 8 now 147,956.7 nautical miles [274,015.3 km]. Our current velocity on Apollo 8; 3,892 feet per second [1,186 m/s]. We've had a bit of conversation with spacecraft Commander, Frank Borman, ... As you heard, spacecraft Commander Frank Borman did request the weather advisory for his time of return to Earth and you certainly can't fault the spacecraft Commander for not planning his mission in advance. At the present time, our communications were uplinking from Guam and downlinking voice [and] data through Honeysuckle. At 41 hours, 55 minutes, 46 seconds into the flight of Apollo 8, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
041:58:23 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
041:58:27 Borman: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.
041:58:29 Carr: Roger, Frank. Can you cycle the H
2 and O
2 cryo fans now for us?
041:58:38 Borman: Rog. Will start her [on] now, the H
2. Manual for 2 minutes.
041:58:55 Borman: You may need to call us now and then. Everybody is a little drowsy.
041:59:01 Carr: Okay, Frank.
042:07:07 Borman: That completes it, Jerry. They're all cycled through.
042:07:11 Carr: Roger, Frank. [Pause.]
042:07:21 Borman: Houston, Apollo 8.
042:07:23 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Roger.
042:07:28 Borman: Did you get my message about the fans?
042:07:31 Carr: Sure did, Frank. Thanks.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. 42 hours, 21 minutes, 32 seconds into the flight of Apollo 8. At the present time, Apollo 8 now 149,041.4 nautical miles [276,024.1 km] in altitude. Our - meanwhile our spacecraft velocity continuing to slow down. Our current velocity reading 3,864.7 feet per second [1,178.0 m/s]. Since our last announcement, we've had only one conversation with the Apollo 8, ... a procedural one. And at 42 hours, 23 minutes, 15 seconds into the flight, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
042:44:47 Borman: Houston. Apollo 8.
042:44:52 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go. [No answer.]
042:45:00 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go.
042:45:04 Borman: Roger. The cabin temperature is down to 60[degrees Fahrenheit, 16°C], and it's getting pretty chilly. Have you got any approved solutions on how to bring it up without screwing up this nice thermal balance we've had?
042:45:15 Carr: Roger. Stand by. [Long pause.]
042:46:01 Carr: Frank, do you have your cabin fans on?
042:46:05 Borman: Negative.
042:46:08 Borman: We haven't had them on since we separated.
042:56:22 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
042:56:26 Borman: Go ahead.
042:56:28 Carr: Roger, Frank. Midcourse number 3 looks like just a shade more than 1 foot per second, so we don't recommend that you do it. That leads us off into a midcourse 4 of only about 3 feet per second right now. Your trajectory is looking real good. Your height at pericynthion is 70 miles.
042:56:53 Borman: Roger. Understand. Thank you.
042:56:55 Carr: Roger. Roger, Frank. Little few thoughts on what's coming up now. The star sightings when Jim gets up; looks right now like we've had enough of the Earth horizon, and everything looks real good; and we are ready to start on some lunar horizon sightings. So when Jim gets up, we will pass the Flight Plan update to him for a set of stars with the Moon. Also, around 48, or after the star sightings is when we would like to see your next water dump come up. So, if you can, I recommend you get a little shut-eye.
042:57:36 Borman: Rog. You got any answers on warming this place up a little bit?
042:57:40 Carr: Roger. They are still cranking around. They are talking about cabin fans, but that sounds like sort of a noisy proposition.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. 43 hours, 4 minutes and 22 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. The Apollo 8 spacecraft is now past the altitude mark of 150,000 nautical miles. Our current reading here on the display is 150,634.6 nautical miles [278,974.7 km]. Our velocity is shown as 3,825.2 feet per second [1,165.9 m/s], continuing its slow-down process. We've had a conversation with spacecraft Commander Frank Borman, which began at the onset with Colonel Borman remarking about the chilly temperature inside the spacecraft. Our current temperature reading being 60 degrees. ... This conversation ... includes a number of aspects relative to the mission - sort of a verbal update of the Flight Plan. ...
043:05:17 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
043:05:21 Lovell: Go ahead, Houston.
043:05:23 Carr: Apollo 8, this is Houston. [I have] got two methods for you to warm up the cabin there. The first one is a one-man job - about the best way would be to put one or both cabin fans on, and go full hot on the cabin heat exchanger. It'll be a fairly slow process of warming up, and you won't get a whole lot of heating. Your second method would be to adjust, with the mixing valve, your radiator Out temperatures. This, again, is a two-man job and you have to be pretty careful.
043:06:03 Lovell: Rog. Well, Frank just went to bed, and Bill isn't up yet. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll put on the fans and we'll - I'll go High on the cabin temperature and see what that does.
043:06:16 Carr: Okay, Jim. Remember, if you use just one fan, cover the other. [Pause.]
Apollo Control, Houston. As you no doubt surmized, Frank Borman did take Jerry Carr's advice and decided to grab some shut-eye. Jim Lovell, now awake, took the last part of that transmission. In our verbal update on the Flight Plan, as you had heard, our next set of star sightings we will use the Moon horizon as a reference rather than the Earth, this being for program 23. Also our Flight Dynamics Officer, who was closely scrutinizing midcourse trade-offs, looking over 1.1 foot per second Delta-V versus something on the order of 3 feet per second is strongly inclined toward recommending a midcourse at 61-hour GET mark rather than 47 hours. Initial factor there, the water dump which would occur after the 47-hour mark could very possibly negate part of a very minimal midcourse anyway. The recommendation that it appears very likely that the crew will go with, with regard to the cabin temperature, is one whereby one of the cabin fans would be turned on and the heat exchanger put to full hot. There is some possibility that there would be an increase in noise level, but, this again becomes a trade-off. At 43 hours, 10 minutes, 45 seconds into the flight of Apollo 8, continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
043:10:22 Lovell: Houston, Apollo 8.
043:10:25 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go.
043:10:30 Lovell: Roger. If I use just one fan - You mentioned about covering the other one - are you sure that's true in this spacecraft?
043:10:43 Carr: Roger. That's affirmative.
043:10:49 Lovell: I thought that was a Block I problem. [Pause.]
043:11:01 Carr: Stand by. Jim. We'll recheck on that one. [Long pause.]
043:11:16 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Did you get the word from Frank on the star-sighting plans?
043:11:25 Lovell: Rog. I'll get out the Flight Plan if you have an update to it now, though, then we can update it right now.
043:28:42 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. [No answer.]
043:29:07 Carr: Apollo 8. Houston.
043:29:11 Lovell: Go ahead, Houston.
043:29:14 Carr: Roger. Are you ready for that Flight Plan update?
043:29:21 Lovell: Roger. Go ahead.
043:29:23 Carr: Okay. At time 47:15, delete the P23 sightings you're showing there; and at 45 minutes - correction, 45 hours, add one additional set of sightings to each star. [Long pause.]
043:29:52 Lovell: Okay. You say at 45 hours we're going to add one set of sightings to each of the three stars. Is that correct?
043:29:58 Carr: That's affirmative. Everybody's real pleased with the Earth horizon work; and as far as we're concerned, you can knock that off, and just add one set to each one of your lunar horizon stars at about 45. This 45-hour time also is not hard. You can shift it as your - as you desire.
043:30:25 Lovell: Roger. As I see things coming up now, Jerry, we're going to get the block data around 44, and we'll do alignment around 44:30 and then we'll go into cislunar navigation.
043:30:39 Carr: Okay. Fine, Jim. Then remember after you do the sightings, we'll want you to go back to the PTC mode again. And a little curiosity, how's the water tasting, and how did you sleep?
043:30:57 Lovell: Water's tasting okay; no problems. And the sleep is getting better: We find it better to sleep underneath the couch now. I was up here with Frank, and I was dozing off periodically over the last several hours. Frank's now down below and Bill's below, too.
043:31:17 Carr: Okay, Jim; thanks.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. 43 hours, 33 minutes, 8 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. Apollo 8's current altitude - per our displays; 151,686.2 nautical miles [280,922.3 km]. Current velocity; 3,700.92 feet per second [1,128.04 m/s]. Capsule communicator Jerry Carr has just passed along some Flight Plan update numbers with regard to the program 23 star sightings to Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell. ...
043:37:27 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
043:37:31 Lovell: Go ahead, Houston.
043:37:32 Carr: Apollo 8, we've got a command handover from Guam to Honeysuckle coming up in about 2½ minutes.
Apollo Control, Houston. As you heard, the star sighting results have been indeed well accepted on the ground. So we'll have here for the first time the lunar horizon becoming the prime reference - point for these navigation exercises. At 43 hours, 37 minutes, 6 seconds into the flight, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
043:39:22 Lovell: Houston, Apollo 8.
043:39:27 Lunney: Go ahead, Apollo 8. This is Flight...
043:39:33 Lovell: I might add that at this distance...
043:39:38 Lunney: Say again, Apollo 8.
043:39:39 Lovell: I might add that at this distance, there is no problem - there is no problem in seeing stars in the daylight at this distance.
043:39:53 Lunney: Roger. Copy. [Long pause.]
043:40:23 Lunney: Apollo 8, Flight.
043:40:27 Lovell: This is 8; go ahead.
043:40:29 Lunney: Jim, are you talking about out the window or out any of the - or out the telescope?
043:40:36 Lovell: I'm looking out the window right now. I have the lights out in the spacecraft, the window covered where the Sun is, and I can see the stars very well out the left rendezvous window.
043:40:49 Lunney: Okay. I guess that window is still pretty good for you then, huh?
043:40:55 Lovell: That's right. It is one of the few that is. The center window, unfortunately, is all fogged over; it looks like a coating of ice or coating of heavy fog. Bill claims it's something else, though.
043:41:12 Lunney: Roger. By the way. I am just getting OJT (On Job Training) on this CapCom job while Jerry is out of the room.
043:41:25 Lovell: Well, we all have to learn sometime.
043:41:31 Lunney: Yes sir. [Long pause.]
043:41:47 Lovell: You picked a midnight shift, I see.
043:41:50 Lunney: Yes. Turning out to be kind of quiet, too.
043:41:57 Lovell: We like it that way.
043:42:00 Lunney: Well, things will pick up here by tomorrow night, I think.
043:42:05 Lovell: I believe you're right. [Pause.]
043:42:14 Lunney: We're starting to show cabin temperature at 70, so it may be warming up for you.
043:42:21 Lovell: Well, we can feel it warm up. I have both fans on and the - our gauges indicate about 70.
043:42:28 Lunney: Okay. And I have got a real CapCom back now.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 43 hours, 45 minutes, 15 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. Our current altitude on Apollo 8; 152,125.2 nautical miles [281,735.3 km]. Current velocity reads 3,788.4 feet per second [1,154.7 m/s]. We just had an interesting conversation with Jim Lovell who called with regard to seeing stars in daylight. Glynn Lunney, incidentally, got on the line, Jerry Carr, the Capsule Communicator, was out of the room briefly. ... Glynn Lunney's reference of course, to tomorrow night dealt with the Lunar Orbit Insertion times. We are just over a day away, as a matter of fact. Approximately an hour from this time tomorrow would be the time that we would traverse over the back side of the Moon. At 43 hours, 49 minutes into the flight of Apollo 8, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
043:53:47 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
043:53:52 Lovell: Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8 here.
043:53:55 Carr: Apollo 8. This is Houston, with a flyby, and a PC, pericynthion plus 2 hours maneuver PAD, when you are ready to copy. [Long pause.]
043:54:16 Lovell: Roger. Ready to copy.
043:54:18 Carr: Roger. Your TLI plus 44 maneuver PAD is good, requires no update.
Carr (continued): Flyby maneuver PAD follows: SPS/G&N; 62954; minus 1.62, plus 1.29. Copy?
043:54:55 Lovell: I am copying.
043:54:57 Carr: Roger. 060:59:48.08; plus 0095.3, plus 0057.8, minus 0207.6; 000, 000, 000. Copy?
043:55:46 Lovell: I'm copying. Stand by. I'm going to switch Omni antenna.
043:55:50 Carr: Roger. Standing by. [Pause.]
043:56:03 Lovell: Okay. Go ahead.
043:56:05 Carr: Roger. H
A is not applicable, plus 0020.2; 0235.6, 022, 0228.0; 03, 039.3, 31.0; 013, up 04.8, right ze - 3.5 - I repeat, right 3.5. Copy?
043:57:11 Carr: Roger. Plus 14.18, minus 165.05; 1290.4, 36160, 146:29:11; GDC align with your Sirius, Rigel set stars; 137, 311, 339; no ullage. Copy?
043:58:14 Lovell: We are copying.
043:58:16 Carr: Roger. I have two comments. Number one; requires realignment to preferred REFSMMAT; two, raises perilune to 554 miles. Over.
043:58:42 Lovell: Roger. I have it. Stand by for readback.
043:58:46 Carr: Roger. Standing by.
043:58:51 Lovell: Flyby maneuver SPS/G&N; 62954; minus 1.62, plus 1.29; 060:59:48.08; 953, 578 - those are 0095.3 and plus 0057.8, minus 0207.6; 000, 000, 000; not applicable, plus 0020.2; 0235.6, 0:22, 0228.0; 03, 039.3, 31.0; 013, up 04.8, right 3.5; plus 14.18, minus 165.05; 1290.4, 36160, 146:29:11; Sirius, Rigel; 137, 311, 339; no ullage, requires realignment to preferred REFSMMAT, raises perilune to 554 nautical miles.
044:00:25 Carr: Roger. Jim, that is correct. Let me know when you are ready for your PC plus 2. [Pause.]
044:00:37 Lovell: Okay. Let's go on PC plus 2.
044:00:40 Carr: Roger. Pericynthion plus 2, fast return, SPS/G&N; 61503; minus 1.58, plus 1.31; 071:36:12.44; plus 5957.8, minus 0008.6, minus 0528.7. Copy?
044:01:39 Lovell: I am copying.
044:01:41 Carr: Roger. 012, 080, 018; not applicable, plus 0020.3; 5981.3, 6:50, 5956.6; 11, 216.0, 33.2. Copy?
044:02:31 Lovell: Copying.
044:02:33 Carr: Roger. Earth, up 00.5, right 2.7; plus 03.98, plus 065.00; 1321.5, 36961, 106:19.11; Sirius, Rigel; 137, 311, 339; no ullage. Copy?
044:03:39 Carr: Roger. I have five remarks. Number one, assumes execution of flyby maneuver; number two, use same alignment as for flyby; number three, time of midcourse number 5 for GERU determination GET of 83:38. Copy?
044:03:31 Carr: Roger. Two remarks to go. Number four [Pause.] stand by [Pause.] number four: use P37 NC dash 4, steps 1 through 10 and NC-8, steps 3 and 4. Remark number five: average V 400K for corridor control chart equals 36531. Over.
044:05:41 Lovell: Roger, Houston. PC plus 2, maneuver plan as follows: SPS/G&N; 61503; minus 1.58, plus 1.31; 071:36:12.44. Copy?
044:06:06 Carr: Roger. Copy.
044:06:10 Lovell: Plus 5957.8, minus 0008.6, minus 0528.7; 012, 080, 018; not applicable, plus 0020.3; 5981.3, 6:50, 5956.6; 11, 216.0, 33.2; Earth, up 00.5, right 2.7; plus 03.98, plus 065.00; 1321.5, 36961, 106:19:11; Sirius, Rigel; 137, 311, 339; no ullage, assumes execution of flyby maneuver, uses same alignment as for flyby; time of MCC-5 for GERU determination is 83 plus 38; use P37 NC-4 steps 1 through 10, NC-8 steps 3 and 4. Average V 400K for corridor control chart 36531.
044:07:46 Carr: Roger, Jim. That's all correct. [Long pause.]
044:08:00 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. That PC plus 2 is a fast return.
044:08:08 Lovell: Roger. Understand. Fast return.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 44 hours, 11 minutes into the flight of Apollo 8. At this time, Apollo 8 153,100.2 - 153,100.2 nautical miles [283,541 km] in altitude. Our current velocity reading; 3,764.7 feet per second [1,147.5 m/s]. Capsule Communicator Jerry Carr, has just passed along a - passed along block data information to Jim Lovell aboard the spacecraft. These come out as a long stream of numbers meaningful to the onboard computer. The numbers, by the way, are not part of the ongoing Flight Plan. These are for a contingency situation only. A means of assuring proper return data for the crew should we have a problem with the communications or lose communications. ... For the past several minutes we've been monitoring the bioenvironmental display here in Mission Control and the cabin temperature is holding steady at a comfortable 70 degrees. It would appear that the - ground solution involving the cabin fan and heat exchanger has worked satisfactorily. So at 44 hours, 26 minutes, 43 seconds into the flight, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 45 hours, 1 minute, 24 seconds now into the flight. The Apollo 8 spacecraft at this time 154,847.7 nautical miles [286,777.4 km] in altitude. Its slowing velocity now reading 3,722.7 feet per second [1,134.7 m/s]. We've had no conversational contact with Apollo 8 since our last announcement. Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell apparently continuing with his navigation task. At 45 hours, 2 minutes into the flight of Apollo 8 this is Apollo Control, Houston.
045:14:50 Lovell: Houston, Apollo 8.
045:14:55 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go.
045:15:00 Lovell: Roger. Just some interesting things on the - just done a NAV with the Moon; the Sun is practically right in the way. I managed to get one set on Antares and was working on the second set, and the rim of the Moon just disappeared completely. The view through the sextant is a milky white, whether you're looking at black sky or the Moon. The tint of the Moon is practically washed out by the brightness of the Sun. I'll try the next star and see what I can do with it.
045:15:35 Carr: Roger, Jim. [Long pause.]
045:15:56 Anders: Good morning, Houston. How are the systems looking here lately?
045:16:02 Carr: Mornin', sleepy head. Systems are looking Go.
045:16:11 Anders: Thank you. [Long pause.]
045:16:34 Carr: How'd you sleep, Bill?
045:16:41 Anders: Oh, off and on, Jerry. There was quite a bit of noise in here, and anytime somebody responds to a transmission, why, it tends to wake you up. But it was a reasonably good rest.
045:16:54 Carr: Real fine. We got a little work scheduled for you here. We've got an ECS redundant component check to run and some fuel cell purging to do.
045:17:06 Anders: Okay. How about if we wait until this nav[igation] exercise is over with?
045:18:23 Carr: Bill, what we have planned for you right after Jim gets finished is a waste water dump, a cryo fan cycle, redundant component check, and a fuel cell purge.
045:18:40 Carr: We'll be wanting an O
2 and H
2 fuel cell purge; we'll give you a 20-minute hack on the heater.
045:18:51 Anders: Okay. Want me to turn them on now or when you give me a hack?
045:18:56 Carr: You better wait about 20 minutes.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. 45 hours, 20 minutes, 40 seconds now into the flight Apollo 8. Apollo 8's current altitude at this time of 155,579.3 nautical miles [288,132.3 km] above the Earth. The velocity of the spacecraft now reading 3,705.1 feet per second [1,129.3 m/s]. We've had contact in the past few minutes with both Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders who has just awakened. ... You heard how the Sun, with its close relative proximity, tended to wash out the last of nav[igation] sightings for Jim Lovell. We expect we'll hear from him in a short while regarding his next sighting. Meanwhile, Bill Anders, now awake and in fairly short order will start his sequence of work with the systems. So, at 45 hours, 24 minutes, 14 seconds into the flight, continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
045:25:13 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Bill, are you still eating?
045:25:21 Anders: Doing what?
045:25:25 Carr: Are you busy eating?
045:25:26 Anders: Negative. I'm watching the store while Jim does his Nav sighting and then recording the data for him.
045:25:33 Carr: Okay. We have a correction to make to your TLI plus 44-hour PAD. If you've got a chance there, we'd like to fire it on up to you.
045:25:47 Anders: Stand by.
045:25:50 Carr: Roger. [Long pause.]
045:26:17 Anders: Okay. Ready to copy the correction to TLI plus 44.
045:26:24 Carr: Roger. The correction is in the remarks at the end. Delete the reference to high speed procedure minus MA.
045:26:42 Anders: Roger. Delete minus MA slash NC-1, Charlie.
045:26:49 Carr: That's affirmative, and copy the following. This comment should read, "use P37 NC-4, step 1 through 11." Over. [Pause.]
045:27:15 Anders: Roger. Use P37 NC-4, steps 1 through 11.
045:27:22 Carr: Roger. Then proceed to longitude control for no comm procedure, page NC-7. [Pause.]
045:27:46 Anders: You went a little fast. Say again the page.
045:27:49 Carr: Roger, That page is NC-7. I'll read that again. Then proceed to longitude control for no comm procedure, page NC-7. Average 400K - V 400K, for corridor control charts is 36253. I repeat, average V 400K for corridor control charts is 36253. Over.
045:28:42 Anders: Roger. Say again. That's average G as in George.
045:28:47 Carr: Negative. Average Victor 400K for corridor control chart is 36253. [Pause.]
045:29:03 Anders: Roger. Average V 400K for corridor control chart is 36253.
045:29:11 Carr: Roger. The minus MA procedure is okay after abort when the GERU is less than 07990. [Long pause.]
045:30:08 Anders: Roger. Minus MA procedure okay for abort when GERU less than 07990.
045:30:20 Carr: Roger. I'll read back the entire remarks now just to make sure we got it straight. Use P37 NC-4, steps 1 through 11; then proceed to longitude control for no comm procedure on page NC-7; average Victor 400K for corridor control chart is 36253; Minus MA procedure is okay after abort when GERU is less than 07990.
045:31:14 Anders: Roger. Copy.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. 45 hours, 39 minutes, 25 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. Apollo 8's current altitude 156,242.7 nautical miles [289,360.9 km]. Our velocity now reading 3,689.4 feet per second [1,124.5 m/s]. Here on the ground we passed along on a correction to the TLI plus 44-hour PAD already with the crew. ... Taking down all that navigator talk was Systems Engineer Bill Anders. Here in Mission Control Center, our LOS clock now reading 23 hours, 12 minutes, indicating we are now less than a day away from that time the Apollo 8 spacecraft passes - starts its pass over the backside of the Moon out of communications range with Mission Control Center. It's relatively quiet here in the Mission Control Center now. However, we don't expect this to be representative of what it will be like in this room this time tomorrow. At 45 hours, 45 minutes, 40 seconds into the flight of Apollo 8, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
045:42:24 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
045:42:29 Anders: Go ahead.
045:42:31 Carr: Bill, you can turn on the H
2 purge line heater now.
045:47:41 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
045:47:47 Lovell: Go ahead, Houston.
045:47:49 Carr: Jim, when you get a chance, either you or Bill, would you give us a crew status report on you and Bill?
045:47:57 Lovell: Rog. We're going to finish up this one set of stars for you, then we'll do that.
045:48:01 Carr: Okay. [Pause.]
045:48:11 Lovell: Have you been getting this data down there in Houston?
045:48:15 Carr: That's affirmative, Apollo 8. [Long pause.]
045:48:38 Carr: Jim, so far we've only missed one point; we'll ask you to read it back a little bit later.
045:48:49 Anders: Which one do you need?
045:48:56 Carr: Stand by. [Long pause.]
045:50:03 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. What, we need is the third mark on the first set, star 33, trunnion only. Over. [Pause.]
045:50:25 Anders: Roger. That's the only one we're in doubt of. We think it was 12020.
045:50:31 Carr: Roger. Copy.
045:52:01 Lovell: Twenty three for this time, Houston. Are you satisfied? [Pause.]
045:52:10 Carr: Roger, Jim. [Long pause.]
045:52:30 Lovell: Houston, for information, the last two stars, 34 and 40, were shot at the very tip of the thin rim, and you practically have to imagine the rim continuing on past where it goes into the darkness.
045:52:53 Carr: Roger. I understand they were shot at the tip of the lit rim.
045:53:00 Lovell: That's affirmative, and the area around the entire Moon now, both the sky and the Moon itself, are all milky white because of the nearness of the Sun.
045:53:13 Carr: Roger. Copying. [Long pause.]
045:53:42 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. You can reestablish PTC, same attitude, [pitch] 224 and [yaw] 20.
045:53:53 Anders: Roger, Houston. I'm heading that way now.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 45 hours, 58 minutes, 20 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. We read Apollo 8's altitude at this time at 156,917.4 nautical miles [290,610.4 km]. The velocity reading shows 3,673.5 feet per second [1,119.7 m/s]. Jim Lovell has completed his program 23 navigation sightings and at this time the Apollo 8's spacecraft is being returned to a Passive Thermal Control attitude. ...
046:01:33 Carr: Apollo 8; Houston.
046:01:37 Anders: Go ahead, Houston.
046:01:39 Carr: We'd like to have you start your waste water dump...
046:01:41 Anders: Go ahead, Houston.
046:01:43 Carr: We'd like to have you start your waste water dump as soon as you can; dump to 20 percent. We're doing this in order to get 71 percent at LOI. Over.
046:01:55 Anders: Understand; 20 percent.
046:14:32 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
046:14:36 Lovell: Go ahead, Houston.
046:14:38 Carr: Roger. We see waste water coming down now. While it's on its way down, how about a cryo fan cycle?
046:14:48 Lovell: Okay. Cryo fan cycle; I'll cycle H
2 and O
2 fans, one at a time, 2 minutes each.
046:21:56 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. We're showing you at 20.0 percent now [left in the waste water tank].
046:22:07 Anders: Roger. We're showing about 25. We'll shut it [the dump valve] off now.
046:22:12 Carr: Roger. Next on deck is the fuel cell H
2, O
2 purge.
046:22:21 Anders: Stand by.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 46 hours, 25 minutes, 22 seconds now into the flight of Apollo 8. We now read an altitude of 157,868.9 nautical miles [292,372.6 km] for Apollo 8. Velocity now reading 3,651.2 feet per second [1,112.9 m/s]. The waste water dump has been completed by the Apollo 8 crew ...
046:30:34 Anders: Okay. Houston, we're ready to start the purge.
046:30:38 Carr: Roger, Bill. While you're purging, can you give us a crew status report? [Pause.]
046:30:49 Anders: That's going to be O
2 and H
2. Is that correct?
046:30:52 Carr: Affirmative. [Pause.]
046:31:00 Anders: Roger. H
2 first, okay? [Pause.]
046:31:07 Carr: Roger. That's okay.
046:32:13 Anders: We're getting H
2 flow, Jerry, but we don't have any of the - any vapor particles anywhere. Some are starting now.
046:32:33 Carr: Roger. We confirm your flow and understand you're seeing particles now.
046:32:42 Anders: Not much, though. Okay. Now going to [fuel cell] number 2.
046:32:45 Carr: Roger. [Long pause.]
046:33:08 Anders: You know, it's really too bad the side windows are fogged up because we never see any Sun in the rendezvous windows, and we can't get very good pictures through these foggy ones.
046:34:36 Anders: Okay. Start number 3, H
2.
046:36:21 Anders: Okay. Start number 3, O
2.
046:36:28 Carr: Roger, Apollo 8. Apollo 8, this is Houston. Would you set for Accept for a P27 update, state vector to your LM side, and we'd like you to...
046:36:46 Anders: Say again.
046:36:48 Carr: Roger, Bill. Would you set up to Accept a state vector update? We'll be putting it in the LM slot, and do not unzap. Over.
046:37:02 Anders: Roger. Normal, Accept. [Long pause.]
046:37:17 Anders: We're going to put the word "zap" back in the dictionary.
046:37:20 Carr: Roger, Batman. [Long pause.]
046:38:19 Lovell: Houston, Apollo 8.
046:38:22 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go.
046:38:27 Lovell: It might be interesting to note that after nav sightings, we ran out P21, and we get a pericynthion of 66.8 [nautical] miles.
046:38:38 Carr: Roger, 8. We copy.
046:38:45 Anders: I knew if he did it long enough, he'd finally get one that was close. [Long pause.]
046:39:13 Anders: Okay. Starting [purging] fuel cell 2.
046:39:18 Carr: Roger. [Long pause.]
046:39:54 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Your state vector update is complete and verified. You can have the computer back in Block. Over.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 46 hours, 40 minutes, 20 seconds now in the flight of Apollo 8. Present altitude - 158,396.4 nautical miles [293,349.6 km]. Present velocity - 3,639 feet per second, 3,639 feet per second [1,109 m/s]. ... We find the crew undergoing one of the systems procedures - that of a fuel cell purge. ...
046:41:20 Anders: Okay. Going to number 1, O
2.
046:41:25 Carr: Roger, Bill.
046:41:28 Anders: Old Helmut Kuehnel's kitchen timer is pretty nice. [Long pause.]
046:41:58 Carr: Roger, Bill. You can turn off your H
2 heaters now.
046:42:06 Anders: Wilco. [Long pause.]
046:43:01 Carr: Bill, we show you 168,000 [means 158,000 nautical miles, 293,000 km] out, and we're getting - still getting pretty good high bit rate off the 30-foot dishes.
046:43:13 Anders: Okay. I'm in Narrow Beam High Gain now. [Pause.] Were you getting good high bit rate on the Omni?
046:43:26 Carr: That's affirmative. We're back on High Gain now. [Pause.]
046:43:39 Anders: Okay, number 1 O
2 is off, and will you clarify your previous statement. Were you getting good high bit rate while we were on the Omnis about 10 minutes ago? Over.
046:43:50 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. That's affirmative. We were getting fairly good high bit rate with a little bit of noise.
046:43:59 Anders: Okay. Thank you.
046:44:02 Carr: Roger. We only got two things left to do now. We need your crew status report and a redundant component check.
046:44:13 Anders: Okay. Jim will give you the latter - former, and I'll give you the latter.
046:44:20 Carr: Okay. [Long pause.]
046:44:42 Carr: Bill, EECOM says thanks for the good job of keeping the Omnis moving.
046:44:54 Anders: Roger. We'll make any sacrifice as long as they keep an eye on the systems. [Pause.]
046:45:03 Carr: Wilco. [Pause.]
046:45:10 Anders: Who's on the watch with you?
046:45:15 Carr: It's just me right now.
046:45:20 Anders: How about EECOM?
046:45:22 Carr: Well, we have Clint. [Pause.] The Black Watch is watching.
046:45:32 Anders: Okay. Stay alert.
046:45:34 Carr: Roger. The Black Watch is watching.
046:45:36 Anders: Roger. I'll stay - Roger. I'll stay alert. [Long pause.]
Apollo Control, Houston. As you heard, we sent a load to the onboard computer to update this state vector. This was sent and verified. Also, that was Jim Lovell along with Bill Anders. Jim indicating that they had narrowed their pericynthion through additional NAV sightings down to 66.8 nautical miles [123.7 km]. Bill Anders in obviously very good spirits as you heard through the course of that conversation. At 46 hours, 45 minutes, 5 seconds into the flight, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
046:46:35 Lovell: Okay, Houston. Here comes the status report.
046:46:42 Carr: Roger. We're ready to copy.
046:46:46 Lovell: Roger. For sleep, each of us has had two sleep periods; Frank's in his third one right now. Bill's had 6 hours the last time; I had 4 hours the last time. Good to fair, both of us. Frank had 5 hours the last time, of fair [sleep]. And Frank, of course, is sleeping now. [Pause.]
046:47:18 Carr: Roger, Jim. How are the three of you feeling?
046:47:24 Lovell: We're all feeling pretty good now; no problems. We've all had about between 40 and 60 ounces of - or clicks of water so far today.
046:47:43 Lovell: The food: we're up to - we've eaten day 2, meal 2 so far. [Pause.] And both of us have eaten the rehydratables and the juices and about half of the solids.
046:48:07 Carr: Roger. Copy. [Pause.]
046:48:15 Lovell: The cabin's running slightly cold. We do have one cabin fan on, and we're in full heat, and it's running just slightly under 70. Might be a design note for future spacecraft.
046:48:31 Carr: Roger, Jim. That fan pretty noisy?
046:48:37 Lovell: It's not as noisy as both fans when they're running; we cut it down to one fan.
046:48:43 Carr: Roger. We keep thinking we hear it when you're talking to us.
046:48:50 Lovell: I wouldn't be a bit surprised.
046:48:56 Anders: Houston, we're showing a glycol Evap[orator] Out Temp around 44 [degrees Fahrenheit, 7°C], and a Rad[iator] Out Temp of about 28 [degrees Fahrenheit, -2°C]. I wonder if we might try some manual mixing here to raise the glycol Evap Temp Out a little bit? [Long pause.]
046:49:26 Carr: Roger, Bill. Stand by.
Port side of the Apollo 10 Command Module, Charlie Brown, showing the location of the steam duct.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 46 hours, 53 minutes, 58 seconds into the flight. Our current altitude of Apollo 8 is 158,873.2 nautical miles [294,232.6 km]. The current velocity - 3,627.9 feet per second [1,105.8 m/s]. We've received a status report from the crew. ...
046:54:15 Anders: Okay. Houston, secondary loop is coming up.
046:54:19 Carr: Roger, Bill. [Long pause.]
046:55:16 Anders: Okay. We're boiling the secondary Evap, and the temperature's stabilized, and so we're gonna close up the Evap pressure valve.
046:55:25 Carr: Roger. Copy.
046:56:33 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
046:56:37 Anders: Go ahead, Houston.
046:56:39 Carr: Roger, Bill. Before you try the manual mixing, we'd like you to give it a whirl at the manual and increase on the cabin temp. Over. [Pause.]
046:56:52 Anders: We've done that. [Pause.] We're in full hot, and what is your - what's the lowest Rad Out - individual Rad Out Temp you seen here during our PTC?
046:57:10 Carr: Roger. Stand by. [Long pause.]
046:57:36 Carr: Apollo 8, this is Houston. We saw 26[°F, -3°C] one time.
046:57:45 Anders: Roger. Understand; plus 26.
046:57:50 Carr: Affirmative. [Long pause.]
046:58:22 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead with your manual mixing. Suggest you set your Evap Out at about 55. Over.
046:58:33 Anders: Okay. We'll give that a try, and let us know if the Rad Out Temps get too low.
046:58:38 Carr: Roger. We're monitoring.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. We now read Ground Elapsed Time of 47 hours. Perhaps it's good to point out again that as we examined the data in the early hours of this morning, we chose not to do the midcourse correction burn at ground elapsed time of 47 hours. The reason we chose not to do this - the data indicated that the burn would be in the magnitude of about one foot per second, This would be followed by a water dump which would have some perturbation on the trajectory and it appeared wise to pass this one by. So at 47 hours, 1 minute now, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
047:10:18 Anders: Houston, Apollo 8.
047:10:21 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go.
047:10:26 Anders: Roger. We have it stabilized about 53° [F, 12°C], and we will leave it there, but we'll go back Auto if you start having any concern about the radiators.
047:10:39 Carr: Roger, Bill. We are showing 51.4 [°F] here.
047:23:00 Carr: Apollo 8, this is Houston. We are going to have a command changeover to [means from] Honeysuckle in about 2 minutes. Over.
047:23:08 Lovell: Roger, Houston. Standing by.
047:23:13 Carr: [Correcting himself.] Apollo 8, Houston. That was Honeysuckle to Madrid.
047:23:21 Lovell: Si, Señor. [Pause.]
047:23:27 Anders: [To Honeysuckle team.] Goodbye, you chaps.
047:24:34 Lovell: Houston, Apollo 8.
047:24:36 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go.
047:24:40 Lovell: Roger. Did you delete the cislunar nav exercise at 47:15?
047:24:46 Carr: That's affirmative, and we added the extra star sightings to the one at 45.
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 47 hours, 25 minutes now into the flight of Apollo 8. Apollo 8 now showing a velocity of 3,603.1 feet per second [1,098.2 m/s]. Current altitude just under 160,000 nautical miles. 159,968.9 nautical miles [296,261.8 m/s]. ...
047:27:43 Anders: Houston, Apollo 8. How do you read?
047:27:48 Carr: Apollo 8, this is Houston. Buenas dias, muchachos.
047:27:53 Anders: Buenas dias. We're going to be answering your calls pretty quietly for a little while here to let the CDR [commander] get to sleep. If you can't hear us, why, just tell us so.
Apollo Control, Houston. That concludes our latest conversation with the crew. At the present time in Mission Control Center, some members of the Green Team are beginning to arrive. ... And during the Green Team's time aboard, we will cross that great divide in space; at 55 hours, 30 minutes - about 8 hours from now - where, for the first time in manned spaceflight, the Earth's sphere of influence will be secondary to another celestial body. Apollo 8 will enter the Moon's sphere at about 55 hours, 30 minutes, At this time the attraction of the Moon becomes greater than the attraction of the Earth. Our display references here in Mission Control will also have the capability of following suit. We will probably show such things as altitude and velocity relative to the Moon. At 47 hours, 28 minutes, 25 seconds into the flight, this is Apollo Control, Houston.
047:33:07 Anders: Houston, Apollo 8.
047:33:10 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go. [No answer.]
047:33:19 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go.
047:33:24 Anders: Roger. My two cohorts are going to try and get some sleep here, so y'all might keep a good eye on the systems. I'm going to move over to the other side [of the cabin, to the left seat].
047:33:35 Carr: Roger. [Long pause.]
047:34:24 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. We're getting low bit rate now. We could do better with a High Gain Antenna [HGA] before you move over to the other side. Over.
047:40:49 Anders: Houston, Apollo 8.
047:40:52 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Go.
047:40:57 Anders: You might give me a call every now and then, Jerry, just to let me know you're still there, as we're switching antennas, or play some music or something.
047:41:10 Carr: Say again, Bill. You're kind of garbled.
047:41:15 Anders: I say you might just give me a call every now and then as we switch antennas, just to let me know you're still there, or play some music or something, just to make sure we haven't lost comm.
047:41:29 Carr: Okay, Bill. Your antennas are looking good now. [Long pause.]
047:42:03 Carr: Hey, Bill. If you want music, I'll have Mike [Collins] sing.
047:42:11 Anders: Ask him to sing "Anchors Aweigh" will you?
This is Apollo Control, Houston at 47 hours, 43 minutes, 53 seconds into the flight of Apollo 8. Our current altitude reading 160,614 nautical miles [297,457 km]. Current velocity in feet per second; 3,588 feet per second [1,094 m/s]. ...
048:07:45 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston.
048:07:53 Carr: On your secondary coolant loop, looks like your back-pressure valve might be slightly open. I suggest you go to secondary coolant loop Evap switch to the Reset position for 58 seconds. Over.
048:08:12 Anders: Roger. I did that again; I'll try it a third time.
048:10:04 Anders: That didn't do it any good, Houston.
048:10:07 Carr: Roger, Bill. [Pause.]
048:10:18 Anders: Keep an eye on it, in case it starts dropping. It stabilized there right after I shut the evaporator off.
048:10:24 Carr: Roger. We will watch it. [Long pause.]
048:11:06 Anders: What might have happened [is that] Jim might have gotten the water control valve off before we completely had the back-pressure valve closed.
048:11:20 Carr: Roger. Understand Jim turned the water control valve off.
048:11:28 Anders: Roger. We have the secondary water Evap control valve off, but he might have gotten it off on that return pump chart check prior to the time the evaporator back-pressure valve had completely closed, which might explain its lower-than-nominal state pressure.
048:11:46 Carr: Roger. Understand.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. 48 hours, 30 minutes into the flight. The Green team, the Green launch team has come to work here in the Control Center, and Flight Director Cliff Charlesworth is going around the room, console to console, getting a status report. The only little minor problem we have uncovered here, in this round robin - and from discussions from the previous shift - is the suspicion cast that the secondary coolant loop, it may not be closing properly and a procedure was passed to the crew to take a look at that. All else seems to be quite normal. ...
048:30:17 Carr: Apollo 8, Houston. Over.
048:30:23 Anders: Go ahead.
048:30:24 Carr: Roger, Bill. We see your secondary steam pressure coming back up slowly, and we would like to just sit and watch it for a while before doing anything else.
This is Apollo Control, Houston. ... We did hear an analysis of - from the Surgeon's console, and they said while they felt the crew was doing better with their little medical problems of yesterday, they didn't feel like they were completely out of the woods yet. They note that they are behind on water and they are apparently behind on sleep. They are also don't - not eating as much as they planned. But generally they are pleased that the situation is an improvement over yesterday morning. At 48 hours, 33 minutes; and 162,320 [nautical] miles [300,616 km] from Earth, this is Apollo Control, Houston.