Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. We will do that. When you get in the PTC attitude, we will let you know when we take the command on the antenna switching.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay. Just be careful what you do with the tape recorder. Bill's a little sensitive about that.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger. We were listening to the tape dumps, and it looks like Bill gets a happy new year after all.

Frank Borman (CDR)

A happy new year? How come, Jack—an, in a joke?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

No, we got that off of his tape dump; he and Jim were discussing that one.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Oh, yes. That's right.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Houston, are you getting all this data from P23?

Frank Borman (CDR)

I wanted to know if you're getting the data from P23?

Frank Borman (CDR)

Ken, we've about run out of gas here on this next set of stars. Would you ask your people to be especially alert there watching the systems tonight?

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay. It's maneuver to pitch 10 and yaw 45.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger. I have—let's see, we've got a hydrogen purge line here that ought to come on about 91:40 and an oxygen-hydrogen fuel cell purge for 92 hours.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Okay. Will you call us about those, please?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

I sure will. And, let's see, we just wanted to let you know we've got a real good battery charge going here this time. Looks like—it looks just like the ones in the book, and I'd like to get a battery C voltage before you shut down, and a sleep report on what you did in —

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

— lunar orbit and your plans for the next couple of hours.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Thirty-seven volts on battery C.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger. Thirty-seven volts.

Frank Borman (CDR)

We all only got about 2 hours sleep today MAX, Ken. We're going now—Bill's going to stay up awhile, and Jim and I are going to sack out, and we're going to try to rotate short sleep cycles till we can get back to the normal one.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger, sounds like a good idea. And EECOM on the ground tells us that the flying EECOM is to go ahead and put his hydrogen purge line heater on, and we'll get ready for a fuel cell.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Thank you. He can't turn on his radio. There he goes.

Frank Borman (CDR)

I hope it won't disappoint anybody too much if we knock off those last two stars, but Jim is just in a daze, and so am I.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8. One of the things we'd like to have before you shut down also is VERB 64 so we can watch the pointing angles.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Hey, Frank, you might be interested; they are having some trouble with the medics' P-2.

Bill Anders (LMP)

The medics can't clean out their P-2.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Oh, is that right? It's been so busy.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Oh, yeah. It's worn the thing out at the bearings. (Laughter)

Frank Borman (CDR)

Hey, Ken, tell the people if you see anything getting close to the gimbal lock to be sure and whistle, too, will you?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

We sure will, Frank. You will want to make sure one of you keeps your COMM carrier on.

Frank Borman (CDR)

We'll keep one man with a headset on.

Frank Borman (CDR)

That's right. We'll keep one man with a COMM carrier on.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8. You have got some big yaw angle there.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, Houston.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Copy that you are now in PTC attitude, and we're watching your gimbal angle. We apparently do not have a downlink voice, but the data is good.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, Apollo 8. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. We're establishing PTC. We took one last look at the moon and on our way back.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. In order for us to handle the antenna switching, I guess we'd like to have the AUX tape switched to OFF, and the tape FORWARD switch OFF; and we'll be switching between OMNI's Bravo and Delta.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Between what and what?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. We are going to be switching between OMNI's Bravo and Delta.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Alright. And I'm gonna—you bug me when you get over 50 degrees of yaw, so I'll probably be watching that number pretty closely. We'd like to have the BIOMED switched to the right position. Okay. And for your own information: the fuel we show in the different quads I have here if you would like to copy it.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. I'll give you the percentage on Alfa 60, Bravo 57, Charlie …

Bill Anders (LMP)

Wait a minute. It asks for present time, and I can't plot that fast, Ken.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. I'm sorry. Alfa is 60.

Bill Anders (LMP)

That's a coincidence. That's just what I worked out on Lovell's slide rule.

Bill Anders (LMP)

How are we doing on the cryos?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Oh, you've got some pretty good numbers on that that I sent up yesterday, and you had about 160 hours. Well, I'll check that out, but you were fat on cryo. I've got some SPS DELTA-V. You've got 33:20. You fly the service module RCS through the DAP. You have 142; and through SCS, it's 121.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. We can't monitor on low bit rate whether you started your fuel cell purge. If you haven't, we can still go ahead and start now; and if you can, keep us posted as you go through it.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. You want an O2 and an H2 purge, Ken?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

It looks like you may be in OMNI Alfa. Can you confirm that we're set up to switch between Bravo and Delta?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. Thank you very much. And you are in the fuel cell purge?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. Understand the purge is complete. Thank you. And in reference to your cryo, it looks like we'll have 180 pounds in each oxygen tank at SEP and 11 pounds in each hydrogen tank. And you're well above the single tank capability.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston in the blind. Select OMNI Charlie. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Apollo 8, Houston in the blind. We've lost all data on you and request you select us a good OMNI antenna; try Charlie. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston in the blind. Your yaw is 42 degrees. Recommend you set pitch and yaw to ATTITUDE HOLD for PTC. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston in the blind. Switch to antenna Alfa. Over. Antenna Alfa.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, Houston in the blind. Select antenna Alfa, antenna Alfa. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, Houston, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. How do you read?

Bill Anders (LMP)

I read you loud and clear; my COMM here must have come unconnected.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger, Bill. We lost data on you for 15 minutes and voice COMM for about 45 and were beginning to get a little itchy. Is your PTC set up for rate command attitude hold?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Pitch and roll is in PTC.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Set up OMNI Charlie. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. We're showing yaw 54.5. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. It's been deadband right around there the whole time.

Bill Anders (LMP)

You can take command P00, also, if you want to. You might have to use it again.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Say again.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, Houston. Say again.

Bill Anders (LMP)

You can take over command P00; you might have to use it again.

Bill Anders (LMP)

I'm trying to be quiet so the other guys can sleep, Jerry.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Switch to OMNI Bravo, and we'll try the Bravo-Delta switching again. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

We're on OMNI E now, Houston.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Looks like B couldn't quite hack it; I'll put it back there in a minute.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, if your EECOM's need any more help, just tell them to give me a call.

Bill Anders (LMP)

We're going on OMNI Bravo now, Houston.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Say again.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Looks like we're getting pretty far off in both pitch and yaw. Showing about 50 degrees in pitch; and about 25 in yaw.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. All systems looking good. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Over.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. Your systems are all looking good. Got a flight plan update for you: at time 96, you can delete P52. Your drift rates are real small.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. And I'd like to do the chlorination at about 95:30 if I could.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger. Understand; chlorination: 95:30. Okay?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, we're on OMNI C and going to Bravo now—correction, Dog.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger. Understand; going Delta.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger. Understand you're on Charlie. Break. Verify your UP TLM switch at COMMAND RESET is at NORMAL. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. It's in NORMAL. I've had the COMMAND RESET since we broke lock there, and I have to get back and control the OMNI's, so why don't you go command it over to Dog. Then give it back, and I'll set the other one on Bravo.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. We have you on Delta; you can go to Bravo. Break. Give us a call when you've finished your chlorination. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. Everybody seems to be stirring around now, so we'll probably do it on time.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Houston, and the other two space aces are up now, and LMP's going to hit the pad and like to take a Seconal prior.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Roger. Permission granted, Bill. Have a good sleep.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Looks like you need about 3 more hours on that battery A charging. Over.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. Well, my cohorts can handle it.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Can we get a crew status report on Bill before he goes to sleep?

Bill Anders (LMP)

He's feeling fine; a little sleepy.

Bill Anders (LMP)

And had a meal about—had a meal about 2 hours ago; drinking lots of water.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Good night. Wish everybody a Merry Christmas for me.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Sure will, Bill. Same to you.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Make sure Bill hangs up his stocking before he goes to bed.

Bill Anders (LMP)

I've got it right next to my teddy bear.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Roger. We're up on all the jobs; Bill's going to sleep; he's already down.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger, Frank. Good morning.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, this is Houston. I have a little feature news and sports news for you if you'd like to hear it.

Frank Borman (CDR)

Go ahead, Houston. Apollo 8.

Jerry Carr (CAPCOM)

Roger, Frank. I have some feature page and sports page news if you'd like it.

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Spoken on Dec. 25, 1968, 8:04 a.m. UTC (55 years, 10 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet