Phase 5: Towards earth

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Houston, Apollo 8. Over.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Hello, Apollo 8. Loud and clear.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Roger. Please be informed there is a Santa Claus.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

That's affirmative. You are the best ones to know.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

That burn status report: it burned on time; burn time 2 minutes 23 seconds, seven-tenths VGX. Attitude nominal, residuals minus five-tenths VGX plus four-tenths VGX—of minus O VGZ. DELTA-VC minus 26.4.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, reconfirm your burn time, please.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Roger. We had 2 minutes 23 seconds. Our—wait one. Change that to read 3 minutes 23 seconds.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

This gives the sensation that you are climbing, Ken.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Say again, Apollo 8.

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Spoken on Dec. 25, 1968, 6:27 a.m. UTC (55 years, 9 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Jim Lovell (CMP)

I say that this gives the sensation that you are climbing.

Frank Borman (CDR)

What's next on the docket?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, at the first convenient moment, we'd like to have the high-gain antenna.

Frank Borman (CDR)

You've got it; you're on the high gain.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. We do not have any data on the ground yet; the voice is very good.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. We'd like to try to have you manually acquire on the high gain.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

This will take a wide beam width.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Wide beam width. Roger.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Houston, Apollo 8. We've manually acquired in wide beam.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger. Reading you loud and clear. Initial tracking indicates a 4 foot per second at 8 hours will put you on target.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Four foot per second at 8 hours.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Correction, that's 15 hours.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, we have data; we'd like to have the tape recorder.

Jim Lovell (CMP)

Roger. Do you wish me to reinitialize the W-matrix at this time?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, Apollo 8. Which battery do you want us to start charging?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. We'd like to start on battery Alfa.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, would you go to NARROW BEAM on the high gain?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger. Sounds real good now.