Frank Borman (CDR)

Houston, this is Apollo 8. Are you getting high bit rate all right?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

That is affirmative, Apollo 8. We are getting a good high bit rate.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. I've got some more talking to do about the TV any time it's convenient for you.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. First thing, we've made no provisions in these instructions for taking pictures of the moon. If you get some moon shots after it's all over by looking out a different window or by making some small maneuver, of course, we would be happy to have them, but the show as scheduled is just out the window at the earth only. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

The second point is, of course, when you stop your passive thermal control, you are about 90 degrees to the earth line, so when you make that yaw left, you are going to have to yaw left until your middle gimbal angle is in the vicinity of 60 degrees. You will get the additional 30 degrees by offset between where the camera is pointed and your plus X axis. But the two together are going to total up around 90. We just wanted to make sure that you understood you were going to be working with a large middle gimbal angle. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. We understand that. We also are looking at the earth right now, and there is a spectacular long thin band of clouds. Looks like it may be a jet stream. It's absolutely spectacular—going almost all the way—or half way around the earth.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Well, you might want to repeat that during the TV narrative, and we would like you, if possible, to go into as much of a detailed description as you poets can on the various colors and sizes of those things and how the earth appears to you, in as much detail as you can possibly muster. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. I figure we will have to do that because I bet you—I won't bet—but I bet the TV doesn't work.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Well, we won't take that bet, but anyway, we are standing by for a nice lurid description, and we would suggest that you talk a little bit slower than you did yesterday. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

And the only other thing on this TV is that the experts tell us that—do not point—with the wide angle lens on the camera, do not point at either the earth or the moon. It comes close to damaging interior of the instrument due to the fact that it's too bright. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, Apollo 8. We're going to have to switch to an OMNI.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Just checking the voice COMM, Frank.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. We'll be switching antennas from Madrid to Goldstone in another 3 minutes. You can expect a glitch on your COMM.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Houston, how do you read? Apollo 8.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. We're reading you loud and clear through Goldstone. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay. We have the television ON now, and we're trying to maneuver to the—to the earth.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Roger. We're maneuvering to position now for the TV. Bill's got it set up in Frank's left rendezvous window, and I'm over in Bill's spot looking out the right rendezvous window, and the earth is now passing through my window. It's about as big as the end of my thumb.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

About as big as the end of your thumb at arm's length, huh?

Jim Lovell (CMP)

That's right. I think what we see now is South America down below us.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Is the TV camera pointed about 30 degrees yaw left from the plus X axis?

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Stand by a moment. We're checking it. We think we've got it in the right position. We're going into position now.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, are you getting any sort of a picture?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Negative; not yet.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. Houston, Apollo 8. We should have —

Frank Borman (CDR)

Key moment TV broadcast 2: views of the earth: Hello, Houston; this is Apollo 8. We have the television camera pointed directly at the earth now and have followed the instructions you gave us.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger, Frank. We're picking something up on our TV. It's not very good so far, but let it sit for a second, and we'll have more instructions for you.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. It's coming into view now, Frank.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Yes. We have it in the corner of our screen. You're slightly off on your pointing, but we're getting a darn good look at the corner of it.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

It's moving off, Frank. It's moving off our—3 o'clock on our TV screen. I have no idea what to tell you about which way to point.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

It's moving further away. We've lost it now.