Jim Lovell (CMP)

Houston, we are going to have to hold up on the cislunar navigation until after this next little maneuver.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger, Jim. We understand.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Can you give us an updated readout of your gimbal angles. When your plus X-axis is pointed toward the booster, please?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Could you give us those gimbal angles, Frank, when you have a chance?

Frank Borman (CDR)

I'm getting the COAS right on it now so it will be accurate.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay. With the COAS right on the S-IVB, the roll reads 105, the pitch is 275, and the yaw is about 325.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Copy roll 105, pitch 275, and yaw 325.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. That should be 115 for the roll.

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Spoken on Dec. 21, 1968, 5:25 p.m. UTC (56 years ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, Apollo 8. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. If it will help you any, Mike, the earth is plus Y about 45 degrees in a minus X. I can see it out my side window, and it's a beautiful view with numerous cloud vortex.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger, Bill. Thank you. Understand; plus X 45 degrees halfway between plus Y and plus Z and slightly minus X.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Negative. It's 45 degrees in the plus Y, in the XY plane towards minus X. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Understand in the XY plane, toward X 45 degrees.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Forty-five degrees from plus Y to minus X.

Bill Anders (LMP)

It's behind us to the right, if that will help.

Frank Borman (CDR)

I can still see the Cape and isthmus of Central America.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Understand. Frank, what we want on this burn is 8 feet per second now, 8 feet per second. We want it radially upward, and we want you to use whatever thrusters are required to burn radially upward at 8 feet per second.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Why do you want to use—do so much, Mike?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Because of the separation distance we would like to achieve between now and the time of S-IVB blowdown.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Mike, do you want me to go ahead and try to do this, or are you going to give me some gimbal angles?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead and do it without gimbal angles, if you can do that. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay. I don't understand why you want so many feet per second on it, but I think I can—with just a little maneuvering, I can get away from it a lot simpler than that.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Well, we would like the radial upward for trajectory reasons, and the magnitude we'd like because of the separation distance which we're predicting you will have at S-IVB blowdown.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Understand; OMNI B Baker.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. About 12 minutes before your big blowdown, there is a small continuous vent which opens at a GET of 04:55:55. You may notice that on the booster, 12- or 15-pound thrust.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

And, Apollo 8, could you give us your burn information whenever you have it?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. We are maneuvering to the attitude now.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay, Houston. I understand you want 8 feet per second burn, is that right?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Right. Eight feet per second, radially upward.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Well, we are as close to being radially upward as we can determine.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Are you going to use P47 to monitor the burn?

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Yes, Jim, that's Roger. We are putting it in right now.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Thank you.