Apollo 8 transcript starting at 00 03 56 07 on Spacelog

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00 03 56 07
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, Houston. Say again.
00 03 56 09
Frank Borman (CDR): The S-IVB is really venting.
00 03 56 13
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Roger. Understand; that is supposedly a non-propulsive vent. The big blowdown maneuver, it starts maneuvering to blowdown attitude at 04:44:55, and the vent occurs at 05:07:55.
00 03 56 32
Frank Borman (CDR): 05:07:55.
00 03 56 34
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Roger.
00 03 56 35
Frank Borman (CDR): That is the nonpropulsive vent, but it's pretty spectacular. It's spewing out from all sides like a huge water sprinkler.
00 03 56 45
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Roger. Get some pictures of it.
00 03 56 48
Frank Borman (CDR): We are.
00 03 57 07
Frank Borman (CDR): Say again that big vent time, so I can write it down please, Houston.
00 03 57 11
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Roger. Big vent time 05:07:55, and it will start maneuvering to vent attitude beginning at 04:44:55. Bill has got the tape recorder back.
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00 03 57 32
Frank Borman (CDR): Thank you. Roger.
00 03 58 31
Frank Borman (CDR): We're receiving VHF music now, Houston. Thank you.
00 03 58 35
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Yes, you took the words right out of my mouth, Frank, and we would like to know also how far away from the S-IVB you are now.
00 03 58 48
Frank Borman (CDR): I guess we are between 500 to 1000 feet.
00 03 58 51
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Roger.
00 03 58 57
Frank Borman (CDR): Herb Alpert seems pretty good.
00 03 59 00
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Roger.
00 04 02 04
Frank Borman (CDR): Houston, Apollo 8.
00 04 02 06
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, Houston.
00 04 02 10
Frank Borman (CDR): Roger. I believe we are going to have to vent or thrust away from this thing; we seem to be getting closer.
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00 04 02 18
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Roger. Understand, Frank; go ahead whenever—just give us some idea of when you did it and how much.
00 04 02 24
Frank Borman (CDR): Roger.
00 04 02 32
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, Houston. Could you stand by one? We are working on something here.
00 04 02 37
Frank Borman (CDR): Okay.
00 04 05 10
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, Houston.
00 04 05 16
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over.
00 04 05 39
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over.
00 04 05 40
Frank Borman (CDR): You are loud and clear, Mike. Go ahead.
00 04 05 43
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Okay, Frank. On your additional separation maneuver, we recommend that you make a radial burn, point your plus X-axis toward the earth, and thrust minus X for 3 feet per second. Over.
00 04 05 57
Frank Borman (CDR): I don't want to do that; I'll lose sight of the S-IVB.
00 04 06 01
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Okay. The reason we want a radial burn is to increase your midcourse correction so we can use the SPS. Stand by on it.
00 04 06 33
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, Houston.
00 04 06 35
Frank Borman (CDR): Go ahead.
00 04 06 36
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): How close to a radial burn can you get without losing sight of the S-IVB, Frank?
00 04 06 41
Frank Borman (CDR): Well, I don't know because I can't see the earth now, Mike.
00 04 06 44
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Okay.
00 04 06 51
Frank Borman (CDR): We can pitch down some. Jim has the earth in the optics so we could pitch some and get pretty close to one, I guess.
00 04 07 31
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, Houston.
00 04 07 32
Frank Borman (CDR): Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.
00 04 07 34
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): We can give you a pitch gimbal angle on radial direction if that would be a help. It's 181 degrees; pitch gimbal angle would be exactly radial at 4 hours and 10 minutes. I don't know whether that solves your visibility problem or not.
00 04 07 46
Frank Borman (CDR): 181?
00 04 07 47
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): That's affirmative.
00 04 07 54
Frank Borman (CDR): Well, then zero would be just as good, wouldn't it?
00 04 08 05
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Frank, if you use zero, then make the SEP if possible in the plus X thrusters. That's the direction of the burn we'd like.
00 04 08 13
Frank Borman (CDR): Well, can't do that. I'll thrust right square into that S-IVB.
00 04 08 16
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Yes, okay. Understand.
00 04 08 22
Frank Borman (CDR): What will he maneuver to as far as the gimbal angle for his blowdown?
00 04 09 03
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Apollo 8, Houston. At blowdown, that S-IVB should be oriented to perform a retrograde blowdown along the local horizontal.
00 04 09 14
Frank Borman (CDR): Okay.
00 04 09 22
Mike Collins (CAPCOM): Is it still chasing? Does it look like it is closing on you, Frank?

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