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Pickett800T t1_j13x1r1 wrote

What I remember most is that heart-stopping first human lunar orbit, where the crew of Apollo 8 were alone in deep space, hidden behind the moon. We waited, breathless with dread, until their voices came to us again. During that hiatus, the craft made a lunar orbit insertion burn to slow it down to enter lunar orbit, so ground control themselves didn't know whether it was successful until telemetry resumed and Lovell's voice came over the radio: "Houston, Apollo 8. Burn complete." It was Christmas Eve, and for the first time humans were orbiting another world.

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-DementedAvenger- t1_j144zfd wrote

That gives me goosebumps just reading that…

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Pickett800T t1_j1j0t7i wrote

No kidding, I still remember that first lunar orbit and the real fear that a simple engine failure or miscalculation could potentially launch the craft on a wide earth orbit that the crew could not survive with their few provisions.

They survived, thanks to orbital mechanics derived from the work of Isaac Newton and many others. Tomorrow is Newton's 280th birthday (he was a Christmas child). Happy birthday, Isaac.

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