by Acer
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
When the Saturn V lifts off from the launch pad and clears the tower, we will then see a roll program at about 11 seconds. The rocket will start to turn slightly. That is to get the spacecraft into the right azimuth.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
Then at 1 minute and 17 seconds into the flight, they will go through maximum dynamic pressure during the launch phase.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
The spacecraft’s test conductor Dick Proffitt has just completed a status check of all elements concerning the spacecraft. All reported we are a GO for launch.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
Following the status check, there were three particularly strong and loud GO’s from the three astronauts 320 feet above the base of the launch vehicle.
LIFT OFF
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
We are at T minus 5 minutes 30 seconds and our flight is still GO at this time. We just completed further status checks here in the firing room at the control center and we remain at GO coming up on the 5 minute mark.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
At this point, the access arm is moving back at the 320 foot level into its completely retracted position high atop the tower at Pad A.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
At the 4 minute mark in the countdown, the overall count will be turned over to the launch vehicle test conductor’s panel. The automatic sequence will commence at the 3 minute 6 second mark in the countdown.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
We have completed our communications checks with the Apollo 8 astronauts and all indications are GO at 3 minutes 40 seconds and counting.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
We have firing command. The firing command is IN and we are now on the automatic sequence. T-minus 3 minutes and counting.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
During this period, the various tanks within the 3 stages of the launch vehicle begin to pressurize. They all must be under pressure before we are ready to launch.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
Two minutes 32 seconds and counting. Our status board indicates that all aspects are ready. Instrument unit is ready, spacecraft is ready. Final check of the emergency detection system – that ready light is also ON.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
Two minutes 15 seconds and counting. The tanks are continuing to pressurize in the vehicle. First stage preparations are now completed
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
One minute 45 seconds and counting. We have a vehicle weighing 6.2 million pounds on the pad. Some 1,200 pounds of that is just frost on the side of the vehicle, needed to maintain the extremely low temperatures of the propellant.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
Coming up on T minus 90 seconds and counting. We now have a report that the lithium hydroxide tank in the third stage is pressurized. One minute 15 seconds and counting to launch of Apollo 8.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
All propellants are pressurized at this time as we come up on the 60 second mark and internal power transfer.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
Power transfer is now complete and we are now on the flight batteries within the launch vehicle. T minus 45 seconds and counting.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
Final reports are now coming in from Frank Borman inside the command module atop the Saturn V – a final look at the switch lists board inside the spacecraft.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
Forty seconds and counting. We will come up on mission sequence start at 8.9 seconds. As we build up the thrust from that point, it will lead up to actual lift off at zero in the countdown.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
We have just passed the 25 second mark in the count and all aspects are still GO at this time.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
T minus 15… 14… 13… 12…11…
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
9… 8… 7… we have ignition sequence start! The engines are ON!
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
4… 3… 2… zero. We have commit! We have lift off! Lift off of Apollo 8!
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
Clock is running.
Jim Lovell @JLCMPApollo8
We have cleared the tower.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Apollo 8 has cleared the tower! Looking good!
Lift off of Apollo 8
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
Oh, boy! There’s an amazing rumble in our building now. All the windows are rattling. It looks good! It’s a beautiful lift off so far. What a beautiful sight! Man on the way to the Moon!
Jim Lovell @JLCMPApollo8
Starting roll and pitch program.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
We are now listening the voice of the capsule communicator in Mission Control, Houston. Houston took over control and communications with Apollo 8 after it had cleared the launch tower.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
We are hearing Jim Lovell in Apollo 8 loud and clear. They are looking good at 1 minute into the flight.
Jim Lovell @CMPApollo8
Oh, wow! This is the best launch I’ve ever had. Here comes the Sun – it just kind of crept up on us.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
Sunrise is right on time and in accordance with the flight plan – one minute and 25 seconds after lift off.
Jack King @JKPAOKennedySC
One minute 30 seconds, and we're a little more than half a mile into the sky and about - nearly 4 miles down range. One minute 40 seconds, all looks great.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
Those giant F-1 engines were trying to keep the rocket going straight so it is being thrashed at the bottom and we are getting really thrashed at the top.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
I mean violent sideways movement and massive noise that had nowhere near been simulated properly in our simulations. For the first ten seconds (it seemed more like 40) we could not communicate with each other at all.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
Had there been a need to abort detected on my instruments I could not have relayed that to Borman.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
As chief of public affairs, I have now taken over from Jack King providing much of the live public commentary of the Apollo 8 mission. One minute 40 seconds into the flight and all looks great at this time.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Apollo 8 is GO for staging.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
In 40 seconds, the inboard engine should cut off. Then the other 4 engines and that first stage will drop away. This is what NASA mean when they refer to ‘staging’.
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
Inboard engine OUT on time.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
In 25 seconds, the other 4 engines will cut off. The rocket then will be 20 miles high and travelling at a speed of 3,000 mph.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
And there it is! A sudden flash in the sky and separation from the first stage of the Saturn rocket.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
Houston will be having their fingers crossed now - those second stage rockets have failed to ignite in previous unmanned launches of the Saturn rocket.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
Still waiting now to hear if the second stage engines have lit up or not.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Apollo 8 is coming up on 20 seconds to ignition and still looking very good.
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
7.. 6.. 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. Light ON.. IGNITION!
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
We see ignition of the second stage.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
We can now
confirm that stage two engines have ignited. Thrust looks good. All stages, all sources, performing perfectly at this time.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
It’s going off in yaw, but the DAP is fine over here. We have plus or minus 5 degrees and the tank pressures are good.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
All engines, all sources, show that the second stage is burning perfectly. Three minutes into the flight and Apollo 8 is 50 nautical miles high and 10 miles downrange.
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
Escape tower has now jettisoned. First staging was smooth and the ride is now even smoother.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Seventy miles altitude and 20 miles or more downrange. Correction… make that 200 miles downrange.
Paul Haney (1928 - 1993)
Paul Haney (on the right) in discussion with Deke Slayton
Paul Haney was known as the voice of NASA’s Mission Control for much of the 1960s providing live commentary during the Gemini and Apollo missions. He provided the public with calm and informed commentary even during difficult situations and behind the scenes conflict. He is said to have pushed NASA to provide more information to the public, often clashing with managers, engineers and astronauts who preferred to avoid disclosures that might prove embarrassing.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman is now receiving instructions from astronaut Mike Collins who would have been in the center seat himself today had it not been for an operation a few months ago. Today he is the mission’s CAPCOM (Capsule Communicator).
Mike Collins @MCCAPCOMApollo 8
I have given the Apollo 8 crew another GO on trajectory and guidance which, at this point in the flight, are the most critical elements.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Seven minutes into the flight and Apollo 8 has achieved 57% of the velocity required to make orbit. They are now 96.5 miles above the Earth and nearing the point where we will drop off the second stage and ignite the third stage.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Trajectory and guidance remain GO at this time. Downrange distance now is 400 miles. Velocity nearly 15,000 feet per second. About 60% of the velocity needed to make orbit has been achieved.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
The cut off of the second stage engine and ignition of the third stage should come 8 minutes and 40 seconds into the flight. About 3 minutes from now.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
Cabin pressure is holding up good, but we shouldn’t have that goddamn high flow up there. Three minutes to go.
Jim Lovell @CMPApollo8
We should be coming off our yaw a little bit now – should be about 8 degrees. Currently at 9.
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
I just sent down my thanks to Michael Collins. Mike would have been on this flight today had it not been for some bad luck and an operation.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
One minute to engine cut off.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Apollo 8 is looking real good. Right down the old center line. Thirty seconds to go.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
If there is any doubt about the third stage firing, that would mean the mission could not go on to the Moon. So they will be watching the third stage firing very carefully and a GO/NO GO decision will be made at that point.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
The third stage will burn for about two and a half minutes to bring the vehicle up to orbital speed and altitude. It will re-ignite later for the trans-lunar injection (TLI) burn.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
The TLI burn is intended to take Apollo 8 out of Earth orbit and on its way to the Moon.
Jim Lovell @CMPApollo8
Velocity is looking fine. Ten seconds to go… 6.. 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1..
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
Okay! We got it just about right on the money. Maybe 2 seconds late. We have second stage cut off and S-IVB ignition.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
At 9 minutes into the flight, thrust is still looking good. Apollo 8 now has 89% of the velocity required for orbit and the Flight Dynamics Officer says altitude is nominal.
INTO ORBIT
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Commander Frank Borman has confirmed separation and ignition of the S-IVB engine.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
That’s the first step in this next stage. Next will be to see if the rocket achieves the necessary velocity while maintaining the correct attitude and trajectory.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
The S-IVB rocket has now achieved 89% of the velocity required to make Earth orbit. They are now 920 miles downrange and we are 9 minutes 20 seconds into the flight.
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
Houston has advised us that engine cut off should be at 11 minutes 28 seconds flight time. We’re keeping a really close eye on the clock here.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Apollo 8 is now 30 seconds prior to separation and everything is looking good.
Jim Lovell @CMPApollo8
Coming up on 15 seconds to separation… 10 seconds… 4.. 3..2..1..SEPARATION!
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Apollo 8 is now 100 miles above the Earth. One hundred even and 625 miles downrange.
Jim Lovell @CMPApollo8
Third stage engine is now burning.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Velocity is now at an even 24,000 feet per second which is very, very close to orbital velocity – 95% of it.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
We now plan to cut off the third stage engine at 11 minutes 28 seconds into the flight. We are now at 10 minutes 10 seconds and very close to orbital velocity at this point.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
Engine cut off should be right around now.
Jim Lovell @CMPApollo8
Engine shutdown!
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
We have cut off of the third stage engine. Velocity now is 25,577 feet per second and the crew have been given a GO for orbit, to which they responded enthusiastically.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
Apollo 8 is now entering Earth orbit at an altitude of 103 miles, a few mph short of their target speed for orbit - but not significantly short at all.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
Everything seems to be going sensationally well so far. The first really dangerous part of this flight has passed and in the next two hours they will decide whether or not to go for the Moon.
Paul Haney @PHPublicAffairsNASA
Apollo 8 is now securely in Earth orbit. We show an orbital apogee of 102.6 miles a perigee of 96.8 miles and a cut off velocity of 25,560 feet per second.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
That was quite a ride! Rattling like a freight train, but better than an old freight train – it really goes! I need to do the radiator leak check.
Jim Lovell @CMPApollo8
How about we take off our gloves and helmets? Let’s get comfortable – this is going to be a long trip.
Bill Anders @LMPApollo8
Uh oh… we have a MASTER ALARM!
Mike Collins @MCCAPCOMApollo 8
The crew can ignore the MASTER ALARM. We are confident it is just a sensor anomaly.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
If they decide to go for the Moon, they will fire that engine again 2 hours and 55 minutes after lift off, or about 9.45 eastern time this morning.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews
Now we have a revolution and a half around the Earth during which the astronauts and ground control will determine if all the spacecraft machinery is functioning properly, and then they could be committed to man’s first journey to the Moon.
If everything is okay, they will commit, and the trans-lunar injection burn will begin at 10.41 Eastern Standard Time.
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
We see the Earth now almost as a complete disk the first time for anybody. Houston can tell Pete Conrad he just lost his record.
Frank Borman @CDRApollo8
We have a beautiful view of Florida and can see the Cape, just the point. And at the same time as we can see Florida, we can also see Northwest Africa. I can see Gibraltar at the same time as I can see Florida. Wow!
Jim Lovell @CMPApollo8
I can see nearly the entire Earth out of the center window. I can see Cuba, Central America and the whole northern half of South America. In fact, all the way down through Argentina.
Walter Cronkite @WCCBSNews