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 7417 feet per second
Here in Mission Control, we're standing by
There's uh certainly a great deal of anxiety at this moment
We acquire at 36 minutes
So at 68 hours 55 minutes, continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control

So at this time we're 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 7535, 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', repeat 'go', for lunar orbit insertion 1

Apollo 8, 10 seconds to go, you're 'go' all the way

Roger
Thanks a lot, troops
We'll see you on the other side

We've 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

They're travelling over the back side of the Moon now
Our velocity reading here 7777 feet per second

Now we are in our period of the longest wait
Continuing to monitor, this is Apollo Control, Houston

Apollo Control, Houston, we've acquired signal but no voice contact yet, we're standing by

We're looking at engine data and it looks good; tank pressure's looking good

Apollo 8, Apollo 8, this is Houston, Houston over?

Roger, Houston
We read you loud and clear
How do you read us?

Right, we've got it, we've got it
Apollo 8 now in lunar orbit; there's a cheer in this room
This is Apollo Control, Houston, switching now to the voice of Jim Lovell

By 60.5. Good to hear your voice

The unmanned Lunar Orbiter 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