APOLLO 8 MISSION
Mission Overview
The overall objective of the mission was to demonstrate command and service module performance in a cislunar (between the Earth and Moon) and lunar-orbit environment, to evaluate crew performance in a lunar-orbit mission, to demonstrate communications and tracking at lunar distances, and to return high-resolution photography of proposed Apollo landing areas and other locations of scientific interest.
Mission Plan
The Apollo 8 mission was the eighth in a series of flights using Apollo-specification hardware, the second manned flight of a block II spacecraft, and the first manned flight using a Saturn launch vehicle. The mission was also the first to the vicinity of the Moon and was the continuation of a program to develop manned lunar landing capability.
Mission Event List and Timeline
EVENT DATE & TIME (EST) MISSION TIME Launch December 21 07:51:00 am 00:00:00 Earth orbit insertion 08:32:35 am 00:11:35 Translunar injection 10:41:37 am 02:50:37 Lunar orbit insertion December 24 04:59:20 am 69:08:20 Transearth injection December 25 01:10:16 am 89:19:16 Splashdown December 27 10:51:42 am 147:00:42
Launch
The space vehicle was launched at 7:51:00 a.m. EST on December 21, 1968, and was inserted into a 103 by 98 nautical mile parking orbit. The launch vehicle was a three-stage Saturn V and the spacecraft was a standard block II command and service module configuration. A lunar module test article was mounted in the spacecraft/launch vehicle adapter for mass loading purposes.
Spacecraft
The Apollo 8 spacecraft was similar in configuration to the Apollo 7 spacecraft. The most significant change was the replacement of the forward pressure and ablative hatches with the combined forward hatch, which was required for intravehicle transfer to the lunar module on later missions. Also, to provide more free space for activity, foldable crew couches were installed.
More on the Apollo 8 Spacecraft
Crew
The crew for this mission were
- Frank Borman, Mission Commander
- James A. Lovell Jr., Command Module Pilot
- William A. Anders, Lunar Module Pilot
Back-up crew for this mission were Neil A. Armstrong (back-up commander), Edwin E. Aldrin (back-up command module pilot), and Fred W. Haise Jr. (back-up lunar module pilot).
Splash Down
Command module/service module separation was performed at 146:28:48, and subsequent command module entry occurred approximately 17 minutes later. The spacecraft followed a guided entry profile and landed in the Pacific Ocean at 8°8'N latitude and 165°1'W longitude. The crew were retrieved and were taken aboard the USS Yorktown at 17:20 GMT, and the spacecraft was taken aboard approximately 1 hour later.
The Apollo 8 mission took 7 days and included 10 orbits around the Moon. Almost without exception, spacecraft systems operated as intended. All temperatures varied in a predictable manner within acceptable limits, and consumables usage was always maintained at safe levels. Communications quality was exceptionally good, and live television was transmitted on six occasions. The crew superbly performed the planned mission.
Mission Activities
No formal scientific experiments were planned, but recommendations were solicited from scientists regarding tasks and observations that could be accomplished within the equipment and schedule constraints. Principal recommendations were for modifications to initial photographic plans and equipment.
Midcourse Navigation
The intent of this objective was to demonstrate onboard star-Earth landmark optical navigation.Landmark Tracking
The intent of this objective was to establish that an onboard capability existed to compute relative position data for a lunar landing mission.Portions of these test objectives were not met. However, in the case of the Midcourse Navigation Test, the accuracy of other navigation modes was sufficient to preclude the necessity of using star-Earth landmarks for midcourse navigation. In the case of the Landmark Tracking Test, sufficient data were obtained to determine that no constraints existed for subsequent missions.
Mission Photography
Principal photographic objectives were to obtain vertical and oblique overlapping photographs during at least two revolutions, photographs of specific targets of opportunity, and photographs of a potential landing site through the spacecraft sextant.
Apollo 8 Photography
Approximately 90% of the photographic objectives of the mission were accomplished. Approximately 60% of the additional lunar photographs requested as targets of opportunity were also taken despite early curtailment of crew photographic activities.
Mission Summary
Apollo 8, the first flight to take men to the vicinity of the Moon, was a bold step forward in the development of a lunar landing capability. With only minor problems, all spacecraft systems operated as intended, and all primary mission objectives were successfully accomplished. Crew performance was admirable throughout the mission. The navigation techniques developed for translunar and lunar orbital flight proved to be more than adequate to maintain required accuracies for lunar orbit insertion and trans-Earth injection. Communications and tracking at lunar distances were excellent in all modes.
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