Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. I guess we should start off with a little dialogue about sleep. How much did you have?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Well, let's see; whenever it was I told you I went to bed last night till now. Just a second and let me check the flight plan.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Have you got it logged in when it was I asked for that last Seconal?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. I guess we can figure that out for ourselves, can't we?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Yes. Why don't you let me know. I have kind of lost track of time it was when I went to bed. But it was about—I went to sleep about 15 minutes after that and woke up about 10 minutes ago. Good sleep.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. So I see it is now 142 hours.

Bill Anders (LMP)

What do you think I am, Rip van Winkle?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Just trying to find out how soundly you really slept. I guess you are not that sleepy.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. It's really about 4 hours, Bill.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Have you got somebody under the left couch, or could you get down to the water control panel?

Bill Anders (LMP)

I can get down there. Frank hasn't quite gone to sleep yet.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Well, what we were thinking about doing was boiling a little out of the secondary evaporator to check it out, just as a component check, something we need to do; but if there's somebody down there in the way, why, we can do that some other time.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Well, if it boils, we are going to know it before—it won't take long to find out it won't boil. There's not a heck of a lot we can do about it, so why don't we wait until someone else wakes up here, Frank wakes up again. How will that be?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Yes. That would be fine. There is something you can do; you can reservice it. And it is kind of a tedious process, and that's the reason why we just want to kind of keep our eyes on it so we will have some idea prior to entry if we can count on having two loops or one. Which kind of leads us into another question we are trying to pin down, two questions, in fact. Number one, we would like to verify that you do plan to use both primary and secondary boilers during the actual entry, and we are also looking for a way of checking the primary boiler to make sure it isn't dried out prior to entry. And that is turning into a little more of a challenge than you might suspect. If you have any thoughts on that subject, we can go over that.

Bill Anders (LMP)

The answer to the question is yes, we do plan to use both. Before we get into the water boiler pump though, CDR would like to take a Seconal also; make sure he can get off to sleep here.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. On the water boiler: it's interesting that I get my own—I was going to say anytime you have our mike keyed, I can hear myself talk with about a 2-second time delay. With respect to the primary and secondary boiler checks, I think that is a good idea to make sure we got them both prior to entry and have the reservicing procedures handy.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger, Bill. You know the secondary—well, in fact, both reservicing procedures are available in a malfunction book, and sort of the problem with checking out the primary boiler is finding a way to make it boil on the way in.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Yes. Just a second, I got another little chore going here.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. It looks like the only way we'll be able to do it would be to shut off the radiators.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

We were looking for a little more docile way to do that.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. That way would be agreeable to me too, a little more docile way, but they shouldn't freeze up if we did it quickly.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger. We are talking over several things, you know, like putting the ten-pin valve to MANUAL or partially closing it or some of these different ideas, and something you can think about while you are laying there with nothing else to do.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Yes. We noticed that it had gotten warmer in the cockpit coming back than it was going out. And I remember going out when we manually positioned the ten-pin valve, but we had pretty good control over the glycol evap outlet temperature. So possibly that would be the thing to attack first rather than the radiators.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. We've got the back room boys looking at it.

Bill Anders (LMP)

I guess if we do pick a time, though, we ought to pick a time that if something did go haywire, we could afford to boil . . . the rest of the way in, but still leave us enough time to fix—rig up the evap service if it didn't work.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

That's affirm, and we're factoring in things like trajectory considerations and all that sort of thing, too.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Right. I think that the second derivative of the water boiler versus time plot will give us the optimum time to do it.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

There's also speculation you have a chart on board that gives that information.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Well, if I don't, I'm sure those guys can ship one up. They've shipped up some other pretty good ones.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

It's also been suggested that if you don't have the chart it's on the tape recorder.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Well, if I don't have a chart, I'll put it on the tape recorder.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. I think, unless you guys got some more comments along these lines, maybe we ought to give these guys a chance to get to sleep, and I'll recline here for a while. If you've got something to brief me on, well, go ahead; but I'd like to keep my answers to yes's and no's and whatever else you think you really need.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. Fine, Bill, and I'll check with you like every 30 minutes, just to make sure we still have voice contact.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. I've got some log writing to do and whatnot. So keep an eye on the systems and the gimbal angles, and we'll be all right.

Bill Anders (LMP)

And, Ken, if your EECOM man wants to play the OMNI-switch game, we're on Dog—Bravo at this time, actually on Bravo but also configured for D's—correction, we are on D and also configured for Bravo. If you want to switch, we'll go ahead.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay, we'll give that a try, and we are cranking up some Background music for you.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. The last time they did that, it sounded like they were running at the wrong speed on the tape, but we're a little closer now. Maybe it'll be a little better.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Might be another way to range.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Probably it was Doppler shift; we're heading back out again,

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Looks like we can use your humming for backup ranging in case everything else fails.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. You don't need to answer this transmission, but doctors observe that it looks like your—some of your sensors may be working loose, so you might just kind of push on them and see if they are in place.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Looks like it is one of your sternals, Bill.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8. We can't handle the OMNI switching for about thirty more minutes, till we get back to an 85-foot dish, so you will have to watch the antenna store for a few more minutes.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. I don't see any loose sensor—the upper, upper …

Bill Anders (LMP)

Are you trying to call, Houston?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

No, I didn't. It sounded like you were getting an echo, and I checked, and I hadn't held the key down at the time either.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. I don't see any loose sensors, but the upper sternal is beginning to irritate a little bit, but not badly; and possibly there is something going on there.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. And did you copy about the antenna?

Bill Anders (LMP)

They really disappoint me, but I'll keep that in mind.

(Start music)

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. I'd like to make a voice check with you.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Radio check.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Radio check.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Radio check.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Radio check.

(End music)

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Radio check.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston in the blind now. We're not receiving down-voice. We have data, and it appears it's probably a ground problem.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger, Houston. Read you loud and clear.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. I got you that time. I take it you were able to copy us with the music? Is that affirm?

Bill Anders (LMP)

I was able to copy you all the time, Ken, but I could only hear the music when you were trying to transmit. And I wondered if you noticed cycling on my suit power switch when you—when you called me. I am hearing an echo now.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Roger. I copy your echo. And what switch were you cycling?

Bill Anders (LMP)

I was cycling the suit power which turns off the BIOMED periodically. I figured that would wake the doctors up.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

It appears that we have more than one communications problem.

Bill Anders (LMP)

You are cutting out, Houston.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Oh, that was an inadvertent cut-in.

Bill Anders (LMP)

You need the high gain, Houston, or will the OMNI's be okay?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

8, Houston. That's negative. The OMNI is okay.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Be advised that about 50—I am hearing these echos quite a bit of the time, and if you are trying to play music, I am not hearing it.

Milt Windler (FLIGHT)

Roger. We understand, and we are not trying to play music right now.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. Who is this, COMM TECH?

Milt Windler (FLIGHT)

Ken is only human. This is his substitute; this is Flight Director.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Oh, I didn't recognize your voice there.

Milt Windler (FLIGHT)

I don't get to talk often.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Who is substituting for you now, Flight?

Milt Windler (FLIGHT)

DFD.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. Things are looking pretty good from here. How about down there?

Milt Windler (FLIGHT)

It couldn't be better.

Bill Anders (LMP)

You guys are doing a great job. I really appreciate it.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Going to be handling over sites at 25. I will make a voice check with you when we come up on the new site, and the ground says thank you for your kind words.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. We will be standing by.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston through Honeysuckle.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger, Houston. Loud and clear.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay, Bill, and our BIOMED data still looks a little bit squirrelly. How about checking the blue signal conditioner on your BIOMED harness. You have one connector, should be the center package, has a blue connector on it. You kind of check that, and I don't know if you have changed the BIOMED harness leads recently; if you have, this might have caused our problem.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. I was just cracking open some acorns here for breakfast. Let me put them down, and I will check my BIOMED leads.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Everything seems shipshape.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay, Bill. We're ready to try this music on a different kind of lash-up this time. What I'd like to do in order to make sure that we maintain voice COMM is when you get it if you would, give us a call and tell us you have the music and any comment about its relative volume or anything like that. And if I get your call, then I'll call you back and tell you. And what will happen is when I go to talk to you we'll drop the music link. And we can go ahead and take over the switching of the antennas if you like.

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Spoken on Dec. 26, 1968, 8:44 a.m. UTC (55 years, 9 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Bill Anders (LMP)

okay. I'm in Bravo Dog switch configuration, and go ahead with the music. Be advised last time the fidelity was low, and the volume was too high.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. And if you'll give us the same kind of comment, hopefully not the same comment but the same type of evaluation when you pick it up this time.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Play it a little bit, and we'll talk about it.

(Begin music)

Bill Anders (LMP)

I can barely, barely hear it.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Needs to be just a hair louder.

Bill Anders (LMP)

That will keep me awake.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Maybe you ought to crank it back down a little bit.

(End music)

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. How was that?

Bill Anders (LMP)

That's real good for background level type, Ken. Maybe you can do some logging in here so that's real nice at that level; maybe for anything else it could be a little bit louder, but that's good for now.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. That's about the MAX volume we can take down here; so if you want to talk to us, you may have to call us once or twice. You're just barely equaling it.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. Try it again, and I'll give you a little louder call; I've been trying to keep it quiet.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Oh, yes, that's all right. Don't—I was aware you were calling; I just didn't make out what you said. And from now on, any time you call, we'll drop the music, and I'll talk to you.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Roger. Don't hesitate for me a bit.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

And, Bill, we're going to have to wait until we get around to Bravo before we start switching. Our margin is still a little bit low.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Okay. I'll just go ahead and switch it and save you all that trouble.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. Thank you. Our midnight DVA show's back on the air.

(Begin music)

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Apollo 8, Houston. Check your yaw gimbal angle.

(End music)

Bill Anders (LMP)

You must have been reading my mind.

Bill Anders (LMP)

When you go to high gain, would you tell me?

Bill Anders (LMP)

Ken, do you want me to use the high gain when we come around, or is the OMNI sufficient? It doesn't matter to me.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. The OMNI is doing fine. I was just watching your middle gimbal angle there; it was getting a little far out.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Oh, okay. I thought you—I was, too. I thought you said check the DSKY, and I thought you were talking about the high gain antenna.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

No, I'm sorry. I was just watching your middle gimbal.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Yes, this thing really slops around in deadband, but it's really nice flying otherwise.

Bill Anders (LMP)

All I have used the while trip is pulse.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

You just woke the doctor up. You said pulse, and he came alive. And he'd like to know if you did in fact, check out the BIOMED harness.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Yes, I tightened down all the plugs and checked all the leads, and everything looked in order. And when the other fellows wake up, if you remind me, why, I'll give it a more thorough going over.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay, Bill. It's been suggested that they would like to see you try switching the two leads, you know, a yellow and a blue one, and just go ahead and switch them, and they'll sacrifice their pneumogram because they'd rather have the EKG.

Bill Anders (LMP)

Do they need it now, or can they wait until somebody else wakes up?

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

I guess we can wait, Bill. Is that a hard thing to get to?

Bill Anders (LMP)

You have to take your pants off and about everything else—stand by.

Ken Mattingly (CAPCOM)

Okay. Stand by, Bill. We'll take a look at it.