{"id":168466,"date":"2018-12-27T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-27T19:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-437819"},"modified":"2023-12-21T11:48:21","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T16:48:21","slug":"dec-27-1968-apollo-8-returns-from-the-moon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/dec-27-1968-apollo-8-returns-from-the-moon\/","title":{"rendered":"Dec. 27, 1968: Apollo 8 Returns from the Moon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>It was Christmas Day 1968, and after spending 20 hours orbiting the Moon, the Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders was on its way back to Earth. The Trans Earth Injection burn by the Service Propulsion System (SPS) engine was very precise, and only one midcourse correction was needed during the trip home. Initially speeding at more than 6,000 miles per hour, the spacecraft began slowing down as the Moon\u2019s gravity exerted its force upon it. At about 100 hours and 48 minutes into the mission, Apollo 8 crossed back into the Earth\u2019s sphere of influence, where the home planet exerted the greatest force on the spacecraft, and began gradually speeding up. Meanwhile, the pace of activities aboard the spacecraft decreased significantly and the crewmembers were able to get some much needed rest, having slept only about two hours each during their lunar orbit time. They placed their spacecraft back into Passive Thermal Contol or barbecue mode to even out the extreme temperatures in space. During this time, astronaut Borman\u2019s wife Susan, accompanied their two children and Borman\u2019s parents paid a visit to the Visitors Gallery in Mission Control.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_tv6.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"621\" height=\"223\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_tv6.jpg?w=621\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA History\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_tv6.jpg 621w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_tv6.jpg?resize=300,108 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_tv6.jpg?resize=400,144 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_tv6.jpg?resize=600,215 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Left: Still image from the fifth TV broadcast of the mission. Right: Still image of the Earth from the mission\u2019s final TV transmission.<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The astronauts carried out the only required midcourse maneuver at 104 hours into the mission, a 14-sec burn to adjust the spacecraft\u2019s trajectory for the proper entry corridor into Earth\u2019s atmosphere. Shortly thereafter, they began a 10-minute TV broadcast. The internal cabin scenes included Lovell exercising, the spacecraft\u2019s computer and navigation device, and the trio enjoying a Christmas dinner. The final TV broadcast of the mission occurred the next day and included spectacular views of the Earth out the spacecraft\u2019s window. Lovell\u2019s wife Marilyn and two of their four children were in the Mission Control Visitors Gallery for this last TV pass. After their last sleep period in space, the astronauts turned their attention to the entry back into Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_missioncontrol.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"619\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_missioncontrol.jpg?w=619\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA History\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_missioncontrol.jpg 619w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_missioncontrol.jpg?resize=300,124 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_missioncontrol.jpg?resize=400,165 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_missioncontrol.jpg?resize=600,248 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 619px) 100vw, 619px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Left: Marilyn Lovell (center) accompanied by astronaut Alan B. Shepard (left) in the Mission Control Visitors Gallery.<br>Right: Apollo 8 reentry into Earth\u2019s atmosphere, photographed from a support aircraft flying at 40,000 feet.<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>About 15 minutes before Entry Interface, a point 400,000 feet (about 75 miles) in altitude where the spacecraft began to encounter the outermost fringes of the Earth\u2019s atmosphere, the crew jettisoned the Service Module and turned the Command Module (CM) around so its heat shield was facing in the direction of flight. At that point, there were traveling at 24,695 miles per hour, the highest velocity ever achieved by humans. As they traveled into ever denser layers of the atmosphere, their velocity decreased dramatically, with the deceleration imparting forces up to 7 Gs, or seven times Earth\u2019s gravity. Temperatures outside the spacecraft reached 5,000 degrees but the crewmembers inside the spacecraft remained at room temperature thanks to the protection of the heat shield. A sheath of ionozed gases formed around the capsule during reentry prevented communications between the spacecraft and Mission Contorl, resulting in a brief three-minute blackout period. At about 35 miles altitude, using the vehicle\u2019s aerodynamic lift properties to minimize heating, the spacecraft actually raised its altitude back up to about 40 miles before resuming its descent, but it did not leave the atmosphere as in a true skip-reentry profile. Coming out of the blackout, Borman radioed about the reentry, \u201cThis is a real fireball!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_crewarrival.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"619\" height=\"248\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_crewarrival.jpg?w=619\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA History\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_crewarrival.jpg 619w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_crewarrival.jpg?resize=300,120 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_crewarrival.jpg?resize=400,160 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_crewarrival.jpg?resize=600,240 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 619px) 100vw, 619px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Left: Apollo 8 capsule floating in the Pacific Ocean after splashdown, with one of the crewmembers being hoisted aboard<br>the recovery helicopter.Right: Apollo 8 astronauts step off the recovery helicopter onto the deck of the USS Yorktown.<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Following entry, a rapid sequence of events slowed the spacecraft all the way to splashdown. With Apollo 8 at 23,000 feet altitude, two drogue parachutes opened to slow the spacecraft to about 200 miles per hour, followed at 10,000 feet by the three main parachutes.  Apollo 8 spalshed down at a mere 21 miles per hour, within 5,000 yards of the prime recovery ship the aircraft carrier USS <em>Yorktown<\/em>. Landing occurred at 165 degrees west longitude and 8 degrees and 8 minuted north latitude, 600 miles northwest of Christmas Island and 900 miles southwest of Hawaii. Borman, Lovell, and Anders were in excellent health after a flight of 147 hours that took humanity to lunar orbit for the first time. Of the 6.5 million pounds at liftoff, less than 11,000 pounds comprising the CM came back to Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_splashdownmc.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"621\" height=\"207\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_splashdownmc.jpg?w=621\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA History\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_splashdownmc.jpg 621w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_splashdownmc.jpg?resize=300,100 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_splashdownmc.jpg?resize=400,133 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_splashdownmc.jpg?resize=600,200 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Left: Celebration in Mission Control following the successful splashdown of Apollo 8 \u2013 shaking hands are Director of Flight<br>Operations Christopher C. Kraft (left) and Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager George M. Low (right).<br>Right: Apollo 8 astronauts (left to right) Anders, Borman, and Lovell are welcomed home at Houston\u2019s Ellington AFB.<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Within 90 minutes, a helicopter picked up the astronauts from the water and brought them onto the deck of the <em>Yorktown<\/em>, where the ship\u2019s captain and crew greeted them with cheers. In Mission Control, controllers unfurled a 10-foot-by-15-foot American flag, displayed smaller flags at every console, and managers passed around cigars to celebrate the success of Apollo 8. Back on the recovery ship, after a quick shower and medical checkup, the astronauts took a call from President Lyndon B. Johnson who congratulated them on an outstanding mission. The next day, they took a helicopter to Hickam Air Force Base (AFB) in Hawaii and then boarded a transport plane back to Houston\u2019s Ellington AFB where they were met by their families and cheering well-wishers. No one seemed to mind that it was 2 AM. Although much work still remained in the Apollo program, including testing the Lunar Module in space, the likelihood of meeting President John F. Kennedy\u2019s goal of a Moon landing before the end of the decade seemed much higher after the success of Apollo 8.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_museum.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"607\" height=\"257\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_museum.jpg?w=607\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA History\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_museum.jpg 607w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_museum.jpg?resize=300,127 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_museum.jpg?resize=400,169 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/apollo8_museum.jpg?resize=600,254 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Left: Apollo 8 Commander Frank Borman addresses a joint session of Congress. Right: Apollo 8 Command Module at<br>the Chicago Museum of Science+Industry.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credits: Chicago Museum of Science+Industry.<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Apollo 8 astronauts received many accolades for their successful mission. The trio spoke before a joint session of Congress on Jan. 9, 1969.  Two presidents honored the Apollo 8 crew at the White House for its outstanding achievement \u2013 outgoing President Johnson on Jan. 10, and newly inaugurated President Richard M. Nixon on Feb. 3. TIME magazine designated them Men of the Year for 1968.  For their historic TV broadcasts, the Apollo 8 astronauts, like their predecessors on Apollo 7, were awarded Emmy Awards, the highest honor paid by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Apollo 8 spacecraft also received postflight attention.  In January 1970, the United States delivered the CM for display at the Osaka World\u2019s Fair. The capsule is now on display at the Chicago Museum of Science+ Industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apollo 8\u2019s legacy went beyond just taking a huge step toward the Moon landing. Both in the United States and around the world, 1968 was a turbulent year, and the flight around the Moon gave people hope for the future. A telegram from an unknown well-wisher to Frank Borman perhaps summed it up best: \u201cThank you Apollo 8.  You saved 1968.\u201d And the famous Earthrise photo taken during the mission is often credited with giving impetus to the environmental movement and inspiring the first Earth Day in 1970. <\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/flag-day-2024-one-small-flags-incredible-journey\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=900,675 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">7 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Flag Day 2024 \u2013 One Small Flag\u2019s Incredible Journey<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1 day ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-manned-orbiting-laboratory-cancellation\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg 424w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=300,212 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=400,283 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">10 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Manned Orbiting Laboratory Cancellation<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-star-trek-final-episode-airs-relationship-with-nasa-endures\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=300,217 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=768,555 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=400,289 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=600,434 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">15 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Star Trek Final Episode Airs, Relationship with NASA Endures<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1 week ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It was Christmas Day 1968, and after spending 20 hours orbiting the Moon, the Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders was on its way back to Earth. The Trans Earth Injection burn by the Service Propulsion System (SPS) engine was very precise, and only one midcourse correction was needed during [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":294311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2671,2713,2934],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12664],"coauthors":[11996],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Dec. 27, 1968: Apollo 8 Returns from the Moon","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/dec-27-1968-apollo-8-returns-from-the-moon\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/dec-27-1968-apollo-8-returns-from-the-moon\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-56532\/S68-56532~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1338&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-56532\/S68-56532~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1338&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint"},"articleSection":"NASA History","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"John Uri"}],"creator":["John Uri"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Missions","Apollo","Apollo 8","NASA History"],"dateCreated":"2018-12-27T19:30:00Z","datePublished":"2018-12-27T19:30:00Z","dateModified":"2023-12-21T16:48:21Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Dec. 27, 1968: Apollo 8 Returns from the Moon\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/dec-27-1968-apollo-8-returns-from-the-moon\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-56532\/S68-56532~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1338&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2018-12-27T19:30:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Missions,Apollo,Apollo 8,NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"John Uri\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":6,"time_ago":"5 years","featured_image":{"id":294311,"file":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/S68-56532\/S68-56532~large.jpg","title":"Inflight – Apollo VIII (Crew Activities)","alt":"Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders in the Command Module","caption":"S68-56532 (21-27 Dec. 1968) --- Astronaut William A. Anders, lunar module pilot, is shown during intravehicular activity (IVA) on the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission. This still print was made from movie film taken by an onboard 16mm motion picture camera."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168466"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=168466"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168466\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":583832,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/168466\/revisions\/583832"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=168466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=168466"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=168466"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=168466"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=168466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}