Pickett800T
Pickett800T t1_j18k64n wrote
Reply to comment by The-Sturmtiger-Boi in Remembering Apollo 8 - Launched on this day, 1968. The pioneering first voyage into deep space, though overshadowed by the later Apollo missions by mahatmakg
There were 75 survivors, nearly all injured. The crash landing in the swampland is thought to have been a mixed blessing. The mud may have stopped some wounds from bleeding out, but there would also be lots of really nasty microbes entering the bloodstream through the wounds.
This is less about Apollo astronauts than the heroism of one witness, an airboat pilot who despite injuries from the spilled jet fuel, nevertheless participated in the recovery effort that night and all the following day. I'm sure Frank would have agreed that such heroism is worthy of mention.
Pickett800T t1_j13x1r1 wrote
Reply to Remembering Apollo 8 - Launched on this day, 1968. The pioneering first voyage into deep space, though overshadowed by the later Apollo missions by mahatmakg
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.
Pickett800T t1_j1j0t7i wrote
Reply to comment by -DementedAvenger- in Remembering Apollo 8 - Launched on this day, 1968. The pioneering first voyage into deep space, though overshadowed by the later Apollo missions by mahatmakg
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.