The Other Side

Apollo Control, Houston, 2 minutes 50 seconds from time of L.O.S. now
Our distance away from the Moon: 460 nautical miles
Velocity: 74-17 feet per second
Here in Mission Control were standing by
Theres uh certainly a great deal of anxiety at this moment
We acquire at 36 minutes, so
So at 68 hours 55 minutes, continuing to monitor
This is Apollo Control
So at this time were gonna stand by and continue to monitor the loops here in Mission Control
For our go/no-go decision
1 minute 30 seconds away now from Loss Of Signal
Our distance away from the Moon now 401 nautical miles
Velocity reading: 75-35
As we continue with this flight of Apollo 8
Apollo 8, Houston, 1 minute to L.O.S., all systems go
Our flight control team in Mission Control here has examined the data and it looks good
So we have a combined crew-ground decision
We are go for lunar orbit insertion 1
Apollo 8, 10 seconds to go, youre go all the way
[Transmission from Apollo 8 crew]
Weve had, uh, Loss Of Signal with Apollo 8
At 68 hours 58 minutes 45 seconds
We will watch with continuing interest the A.O.S. clock here in Mission Control
Theyre travelling over the back side of the Moon now
Our velocity reading here: 7-7-7-7 feet per second
Now were in the [?] of the longest wait
Continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control, Houston
Apollo Control, Houston, weve acquired signal but no voice contact yet
Were standing by
Were looking at engine data and it looks good
Tank pressures looking good
Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston, Houston over
[Transmission from Apollo 8 crew]
Right, weve got it, weve got it
Apollo 8 now in lunar orbit, theres a cheer in this room
This is Apollo Control, Houston, switching now to the voice of Jim Lovell
[Transmission from Apollo 8 crew]
The unmanned lunar spacecraft traversed the moon perhaps over 10,000 times
But this is the first that a man aboard reported to his compatriots here on Earth