Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston, We'd like to go back to high bit rate in order to get this P23 data recorded. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Our checklist says low bit rate, Houston. If you want high, you can have it.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger. We're going high bit rate.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Do you want us to turn off your DSE for you? It's probably about half full. We're getting good high bit rate down.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Do you want to get the rest of this data?

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

We're getting good high bit rate down.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Okay. And, also, we're—your state vector is now based on about 5 hours of tracking. We have you on a pericynthian of 69.7 miles with a free return. Your entry flight path angle looks like about minus 14. You will need only a few feet per second to get you back on a nominal entry angle.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Did you get the words on the state vector?

Frank Borman (CDR)

Houston, did you read? Apollo 8. We got a lot of noise.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston reading you fairly weak. I'll repeat the state vector information. Your state vector is now based on 5 hours, more than 5 hours of tracking. We show you on a pericynthian of 69.7 miles with a free return with entry path flight angle of minus 14 degrees. Will only need a few feet per second at the lunar distance to get you back on a nominal entry angle. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go. Reading you weak, but clear.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. Our sighting schedule is complete, and I'm maneuvering to PTC attitude.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Houston, Apollo 8. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. I'm at the PTC maneuver now. Like a distance status from you—how the battery looks and how the fuel cells look and et cetera. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. We figure battery B will be charged in about 2 to 3 hours. All your systems look GO; your RCS usage so far is about 60 pounds, six-zero pounds over nominal. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. How about fuel cell 2; is that looking all right now?

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger. Fuel cells are all looking good.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. We're going to have two of us hit the hay now and one man minding the store so you might have everybody keep an extra sharp eye on …

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger, Bill. You think you're going to be able to sleep okay?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Yes. I think we kinda warmed up to a good sleep here by now.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Onboard navigation indicates a pericynthian altitude of 38.4 miles.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Understand; 38.4 miles.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

That's affirmative. It's on the DSKY right now, if you're reading it.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Be advised your downlink now is getting very noisy.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston with some comments on navigation.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Good morning, Frank. Apollo 8, this is Houston. We're wondering about your GDC backup align; we'd like your opinion on the possibility of doing this align using Sirius and Rigel rather than Navi, as it's in the north set at this time. Over.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Houston, this is Apollo 8. We concur. Sirius and Rigel would be two stars that would be much better than Navi and Polaris. However, I did Cassiopeia after I became adapted, but I'm afraid that the time required to do that type of alignment would be extensive if we ever had to go to that alignment.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger, Jim. We understand. We'll go ahead and work in that direction, and we'll quit bothering you. Good night.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. At 19 GET, we're due for another cycle through on the cryo fans. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger. Give us a call when you're complete.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Give me a call when it is time to quit charging the battery, will you? I can't watch it very well over there.

Frank Borman (CDR)

And I'm starting with the fans now.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay, Houston. We cycled through the fans 2 minutes each, and we'll stand by for the call for battery charges.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. The battery charge will be complete around 21 hours.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay. Just give me a call.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, Houston. Go.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. Go ahead.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger, Houston. Crew status report here. We're behind on water and food, and we don't seem to have too much of an appetite. We're trying to stay up with the water, but the food is—not that there's anything wrong with the food, but we're just not very hungry.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger. Understand, Frank.

Frank Borman (CDR)

The CDR got 5 hours of fitful sleep and rest, and the other two people are trying to sleep now.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger.

No contact for 1:24:10
Frank Borman (CDR)

Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. At 21 hours, we'd like you to terminate the battery B charge and start battery A charge and then begin an O2 purge. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. Understand; terminate battery B, start battery A, and an O2 purge.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger. O2 fuel cell purge.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Houston, Apollo 8. We are now charging battery A, and say again about the purge.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Roger. Copy your battery charge setup; now begin a fuel cell O2 purge. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Fuel cell O2 purge. Roger.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Houston, the fuel cells are all purged.

Frank Borman (CDR)

How's the tracking going, Jerry?

Frank Borman (CDR)

How's the tracking looking?

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

It's looking good, Frank. We just took in another batch of data, and we are processing it. It looks initially like we won't even need a midcourse number 2. As soon as we process this data, we will have some confirmation for you. It should take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes to finish the job.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. We are showing your pericynthian 64 nautical miles. Your next midcourse at 28 will be less than 1 foot per second. We will have a firm confirmation on this in about 2 hours.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Reading you loud and clear, Frank. Good morning. How are you doing?

Frank Borman (CDR)

Just fine. We just broke lock for a minute, and I wondered why.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Your break lock is due to the fact we switched our antennas over from Honeysuckle to Madrid. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. Thank you.

No contact for 1:28:20
Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger, Frank. We would like to bring you up to date on your trajectory. This midcourse coming up at 28 hours GET turns out to be very small, 0.7 feet per second, and we would like not to do it. Our data is looking extremely good and extrapolating it forward; it shows the midcourse number 4 at LOI minus 8 hours would be about 4 feet per second. In the meantime, the free return trajectory is looking very good with a water splash point off the coast of Africa. So it looks like you are right down the old center line, and we propose not to do the next midcourse. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. And in regard to your timeline here, we suggest that you let Bill and Jim sleep for an extra period of time and don't wake them up until 26:30 GET, and that would cause deletion of P52 and P23 at 26 hours GET. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. Understand. Delete P52 and P23.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Affirmative. Delete those at 26 hours, wake the other two guys up at 26:30 at which time they can eat, and then chlorinate the water supply after they have eaten.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

That would put us back on our nominal flight plan at 28 hours GET. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

How's all that grab you?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston, Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger, we're switching antennas again at 23:40 GET. You can expect a momentary break lock, and also we would like to bring you up to date on the passive thermal control. We expect to keep the same PTC attitude until 28 hours GET. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Fine; thank you. How is the thermal control working?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Working good, Frank. I can give you some details if you want it.

Frank Borman (CDR)

I am all ears, Houston. Go ahead with the details.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. Stand by one until we switch our antennas, Frank. We'll be right with you.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

On your PTC, quads A, C, and D seem to be just about identical. Quad B is running slightly cooler, but only very slightly so. The temperature readouts in all respects are normal, so apparently the PTC is working well from a thermal viewpoint. And as far as the fuel consumption goes, it's minimal, just about like we expected. Have you got any comments about PTC? How does it seem to you?

Frank Borman (CDR)

Seems fine. Seems to be working all right, just like you said. I was just wondering how the readouts from the SPS were, too.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. The SPS temperature is normal. If anything, it's slightly warmer than we expected, so you are in real good shape in that respect.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Frank, the PU valve temperature is running about 72 degrees, which is better control than we got here in this room.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. It is time to do a cryo fan cycle, Frank, on all four fans, a short burst from each of them as you did before.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Understand, 2 minutes each on all cryo fans.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Cryo fans OFF and cycled, Houston.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

I said the cryo fans are OFF and completed the cycle.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Just a COMM check, Frank. Do you read me all right?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. Go.

Frank Borman (CDR)

How've you been reading our tape dumps?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Stand by one, Frank. We noticed that you've got your PTC attitude peaked up a bit, and I'll check on your tape dump.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. The quality of the tape dump has been very good. We have about 15 minutes to dump, which we will do the next time we get high gain. Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

How's the voice quality been?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

It's been very good, Frank.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay. We'll send you something down here shortly.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Frank, on this tape recorder, we have the tape motion stopped right now. If you would like to record some, we will give you the tape in motion so that you may do so. Is that what you would like? Over.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. Houston, why don't you just give us salvo so we can control the switches here.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

You should have it now. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, Apollo 8. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Are you capable of taking a high-bit FM dump for voice on the OMNI's?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

That is negative, Bill. Not quite, on the OMNI's.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. We will catch you next time around then.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Good morning, Mike. How are things going down there?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Hi, Jim. Things are going real fine. How are you doing up there? Did you get a good night's sleep?

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Oh, you know. The first night in space all the time; it's a little slow.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

The old man woke you up earlier than he needed to.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Well, we just couldn't sleep any longer.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. The next time you are locked up on the high gain, give us a call, and we will configure for a dump. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. We would like an evaluation of the voice comments. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Understand. So far, it's been very good. We will evaluate this one as soon as we can.

Bill Anders (LMP)

How are the systems looking down there, Houston?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Go ahead.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. I've been in the sack. How do the systems look?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Everything is looking real good, Bill.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. How much longer do you expect on charging battery A?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Stand by, Bill. We will get you an exact number on it.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Just a rough estimate. And also, have you seen any more hints on that sensor problem on fuel cell 2?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Stand by one. I'll get the latest scoop on it for you, Bill.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Bill, there is nothing new on fuel cell number 2. We don't think there is anything at all wrong with the fuel cell. It's some sort of a sensor problem, but we don't have any new information on it.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. They all look pretty good from here, Mike.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

I've got some updates for you whenever you are ready to copy.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Well, I've got a TLI plus 35 hour update, and then I have an update to Jim's checklist.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Let's have the TLI plus 30 before we get the checklist update.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

They never give up on the checklist, do they?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. This—when you get your maneuver PAD book out—the last maneuver PAD we gave you for the flyby PAD still remains valid. We would just like to remark that the entry angle, the Gamma, is slightly steeper than we consider ideal, but it's within our—sort of the noise level of our ability to predict at this time. So that flyby maneuver PAD remains valid. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. Now on that page with the flyby maneuver, under your north set of stars, I have some new numbers for you because we've changed those stars from Navi and Polaris. As you recall, we changed to Sirius and Rigel, so—And that also, by the way, is the checklist update which I will give you later—but on that maneuver PAD, I have got three new angles for you using Sirius and Rigel when you are ready to copy those.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. How do you read? Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, Apollo 8. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger, Apollo 8. Houston. You are loud and clear now. We had a lot of background noise there for a few minutes. How are you reading me?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. I'm reading you okay, Mike, and I read you the last time you asked me that, so I guess maybe I wasn't getting through to you.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. Well, did you copy on this flyby maneuver PAD? We've got three new angles. Are you ready to copy those?

Bill Anders (LMP)

I'm ready to copy the flyby angles.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. Roll 137. pitch 310, yaw 340. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Roll 137, pitch 310, yaw 340.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

That's affirmative, and I have the TLI plus 35 hour PAD when you are ready for it.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Ready for the TLI plus 35.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. TLI plus 35 hours, SPS/G&N, 63023 minus 162 plus 129. Are you with me so far?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Good. 037:56:51.38, plus 00068, plus 00000, plus 46420 178 134 001, not applicable, plus 00202 46420 547 46211. Are you with me? Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Loud and clear.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Good. 12 1383 327 023 up 172 left 22, plus 1293, minus 16500, 12905 36180 074:11:16. Comments: on your stars Sirius and Rigel, roll 010, pitch 294, yaw 320, no ullage. Other: one, fast return P37, DELTA-V equals 7821, for mid-Pacific landing for MTL; two, high speed procedures not required. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Are you ready for the readback?

Bill Anders (LMP)

TLI plus 35, SPS/G&N 63023, minus 162, plus 129 037:56:51.38, plus 00068, plus 00000, plus 46420 178 134 000, NA. Are you with me?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Yes, I'm with you, Bill. That last one should be 001.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Y 001, NA, plus 00202 46420 547 46211 12 1383 327 023 up 172 left 22, plus 1293, minus 16500, plus 12905, plus 36180 074:11:16, Sirius, Rigel: 010 294 320, no ullage, fast return P37, 7821 mid-PAC; high speed not required. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

That's about the size of it. You're getting pretty good at this thing, Bill, for a rookie.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Not bad. I just learned to read about a year ago.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. Hey, I've got a flight plan update for Jim. It's on page G, George, 82 Able of his checklist. Over.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Roger. I've got it open. Go ahead, Mike.

Expand selection down Contract selection up

Spoken on Dec. 22, 1968, 7:41 a.m. UTC (55 years, 10 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. It's simply changing these north set of stars around. For Navi substitute Sirius, which is number 15, and for Rigel—correction—for Polaris substitute Rigel, number 12.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Roger. Substitute Rigel for Polaris and Sirius for Navi. How about shaft and trunnion; remain the same?

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Your shaft and trunnions remain the same. Sirius remains on the 50-degree line just like Navi used to be. Rigel is down 1.3 degrees from your horizontal, from your M-line. Over.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. And let me know when it gets to be breakfast time. I've got a newspaper to read up to you and a few other things.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Okay. I've got a Haney special here for you. The Interstellar Times latest edition says the flight to the moon is occupying prime space on both paper and television; it's THE news story. The headlines of the Post says “Moon, here they come”. We understand that Bill Anders will be in private conversation or communication today with an old man who wears a red suit and lives at the North Pole. A suspect in the Miami kidnapping was captured late yesterday, and the 11 GI's that have been detained 5 months in Cambodia were released yesterday and will make it home in time for Christmas.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. With reference to the first, we saw him earlier this morning, and he was heading your way.

Mike Collins (CAPCOM)

Roger. We'll pass the word along. David Eisenhower and Julie Nixon were married yesterday in New York. He was described as “nervous”.