Launch of Apollo 8 (CBS)

[@witness2history]

I was there, that morning. It was the most dazzling thing I have ever witnessed. I was on the bank of the Banana River in Titusville...14 miles away. And even there, the titanic roar (which took 30 seconds to reach us) was absolutely staggering. It was essentially like watching a 36 story building mount up into the sky on a thousand foot long pillar of fire. We had driven all the way from Illinois just to see it, and we were not disappointed. In fact, we returned to see Apollo 13.

[@russells9687]

On my way from NY to see relatives in Miami for Xmas. Slept in my VW van on the banks of the Indian River the night before. (Great view of the Saturn V in the giant xenon floodlights.) Watched the ship lift off on a lovely morning along with nearly one million of my closest friends. As one wag put it... Titusville was Woodstock with rockets. Lifetime memory. Probably saw Mr. Witness 2 History in the throng somewhere. : ]

[@mimsnshine]

166 million horsepower is amazing to witness in person...you are quite lucky...

[@WrathMania32]

What a privilege. Wish I had been alive back then to witness it myself

[@hoedemakerbart]

The f1 engines are still the most powerful single combustion chamber rocket engines to this day

[@colty7764]

it's like a round steel skyscraper lifting off from a dead start. Really amazing.

[@mightymac63]

Nothing like hearing the voice of the late Jack King at NASA when he did the countdown. Always gives me the chills.

[@tperk]

With so much riding on this launch, this was Jack King's most calm and relaxed countdown call of all the Apollo-Saturn launches he did. It's almost like he was doing a well-rehearsed test flight.

[@Chatta-Ortega]

I couldn't agree more. Listening to a SpaceX launch is like attending a high school pep rally.

[@thehaughtcorner]

Jack King and Paul Haney were just brilliant.

[@LordZontar]

Uncle Walt didn't care about being seen with his back to the camera, he had his binoculars glued to that rocket and was not going to miss a single second of that launch.

[@leftcoaster67]

That's why I miss Cronkite, because he was just as big of a fan and didn't want to miss a single second. He knew he was watching history being made.

[@IronMan-tk8uc]

Oh yes, Cronkite had a very special way of presenting news, he wasn't shy to show his excitement to the public, a true space fan. I respect Julius Bergman a lot, but Cronkite...another level!

[@Zoomer30]

He was the Chuck Norris of science reporters. The "science" reporters we have now are mostly idiots, they're confused as to why you can't see the stars during the daytime. Walter Cronkite knew this stuff cold. He didn't dumb it down.

[@KRL30107]

R.I.P BILL ANDERS

[@stevekyhos8358]

What a Xmas gift for humanity!! Love Apollo 8!

[@mightymac63]

Remember the telegram that the crew received when they were returning home.."You Saved 1968"

[@stevemastnick5034]

My favorite space mission of all time. Most beautiful Christmas Eve ever.

[@jamesvalenti9288]

While I am not old enough to have been there in person, I was at Kennedy Space Center in March 2020...right before everything got locked down. They have a building with a full size Saturn V rocket. Before going into that building, you get to go through the room where they have the actual consoles launch control used. In this room, they have a re-enactment of the launch of Apollo 8. The whole thing really gives you chills. I will never forget though...right as the final countdown for launch happened, a stupid baby started crying...then the clock hit 0, and the deafening roar of a Saturn V rocket blasted through the speakers. Drowned that brat right out.....and brought tears of joy to my eyes.

[@peacefrog0521]

I’m also not old enough to have witnessed an Apollo launch in person, but I visited Kennedy Space Center in 2001/2002, and it was very much as you described. My family and I spent most of the week at DisneyWorld; I enjoyed the one day at KSC more than the 4 days at Disney.

[@bobcole612]

Artemis/SLS might be a more powerful rocket, but nothing will ever match the sheer MAGNIFICENCE of the Saturn V.

[@johnmauro8759]

Absolutely

[@johnkennedy3867]

Amen

[@hoedemakerbart]

More powerful in total thrust, not single engine thrust... F1 is still unmatched

[@EdwardSWessonJr]

Bring back the Saturn 5. PLEASE!😊

[@bradwooldidge6979]

December, 1968 was the best month of my life! I turned 10 on the 4th, and got to follow this around Christmas!

[@StatsJedi]

The one spectacle I longed to see in person and never did. Grateful to see it on TV at the time, and on here.

[@YDDES]

Apollo 8 is my favorite. First time EVER humans came in the influence of another celestial bodys gravity field, instead of Earth's. First time we actually LEFT Earth...

[@danielgregory3295]

First crew to ride the BIG one...!

[@rm1133]

Totally agree. Obviously 11 gets all the glory, and rightly so, but Apollo 8 is my personal favorite. First humans to leave low earth orbit. Incredible.

[@mikeprevost8650]

First humans to ever view the dark side with their own eyes

[@Matt0]

First humans who could fit all of humanity (besides themselves) in their field of view

[@jimmy2k4o]

Apollo 12 was my favourite because they were like clowns.

[@eddiestardust]

I remember that morning as it was the day after my 12th birthday:)

[@JMChladek]

That was probably the best coverage of all the manned Apollo launches IMHO. No talking initially, just Walter and the cameras waiting for it to go like everyone else while the Saturn commands all the attention. Great views too.

[@altfactor]

The visibility was so good that you could even clearly see the launch escape tower jettisoned.

[@Robertonnz]

Jack King voice of Apollo launches - just great

[@JBM425]

Too bad he isn’t around to teach the current PAO staff how it’s done. They try to make every launch something dramatic and try to make a profound statement. SpaceX commentators generally say less than the NASA and “Launch America” crews.

[@andrelebaron]

this is the mission that will have mythological status hundreds of years from now, if we're still around.

[@lunarmodule5]

still around MM. .still contemplating whether to continue...regards LM5

[@johnquest3102]

Why would we not be around?

[@reporter461]

​@@johnquest3102 ww3 perhaps 😂

[@wfat]

This is before my time, but I can still feel the hair standing on my arms watching this. I can imagine being a kid or a parent at home ironing some clothes and watching my regular TV show. Then the show is interrupted by this very tense and very serious broadcast. "...and the pressure is still building"; "...one minute and forty-five seconds and counting, we have a vehicle weight 6.2 million pounds on the pad...", "...propellants are pressurized as we come up to the sixty second mark on a flight to the moon." I can feel the mounting, anxious anticipation.

[@Vector_Ze]

I much prefer the factual commentary we heard from NASA, over the bubbly, giddy fanboi commentary we get from SpaceX.

[@RM-we7px]

Amen

[@dsfddsgh]

Ain't that a fact? I feel like NASA was made up of professionals who acted like professionals while SpaceX is made up of giddy high schoolers who worship and fanboy their lord and savior Elon Musk while acting like they are at a Taylor Swift concert. Give me those old guys in their white shirts and buzzcuts anytime.

[@Ed-eq8ui]

Yep, there's something dignified about it.

[@simonwoolgrove8773]

God yes - I couldn't agree more with you!

[@JBM425]

SpaceX isn’t anywhere as bad as the NASA PAOs and “Launch America” team. They try to say something profound every time a rocket launches. They need more adults like Jack King and Hugh Harris on the mic.

[@ovalhunter488]

I went to an event at the NASM in Dec, 2008 with the Apollo 8 crew, moderated by John Glenn. Frank Borman said it was a very chilly day and when they arrived at launch pad, the Saturn was fueled and groaning like a race horse chomping at the bit to get out and running. He realized then that it had the explosive equivalent of a small atom bomb.

[@ovalhunter488]

I was there too. It was AWESOME!

[@jokergame]

For me Apollo 8 was the exciting mission as it was man leaving Earth orbit for the Moon and going out of communications round the Moon. Christmas 1968 is the Christmas I remember

[@APW_Manbow]

At that time, I was three years old. I still didn't understand what the moon was, even though the people around me were talking passionately about it.

[@professorshermanpeabody1237]

Frank Borman - RIP 11/10/2023

[@spacerazer]

Saturday December 21 st. School was out for Christmas break. It was my favoite Chistmas and Apollo 8 was a part of it. Almost 24 hour coverage and for the first time a Christmas with family only. The year before there had been 20 people in the house or we were at the relatives for the holidays. Mid night mass followed by a gathering at my dad's mess. They handed me a coke and put me in front of a color TV. What I remember the most was the astronauts were going to have a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Then we went back home to open presents. I recommend the book Apollo 8 by Jeffrey Kluger.

[@mikeprevost8650]

I remember walking to midnight Mass with my parents, after the reading from Genesis from lunar orbit, under a full or nearly full moon, and having the reality of 3 guys in a spacecraft being in orbit around it sink in.

[@darrellwmitchell]

In 2 minutes they went from about a half mile in altitude to 50 miles, and that is with the roll program, which sent it down range. Incredible. Apollo convinced me to become an engineer.

[@asa0207]

Just had to watch this incredible launch this morning in on it's 43 anniversary Dec.21,1968.

[@Shadowkey392]

Fun fact: this was the first time the Saturn 5 launched astronauts into space. The only previous manned Apollo flight, Apollo 7, was launched using a Saturn Block 1-B, and all other prior Apollo flights were unmanned.

[@Buzzbox3rd]

Beautiful.

[@rcdogmanduh4440]

Those where the days my friend, I thought they would never end!

[@bradstewart7007]

The delayed continuation is happening now. Keep an eye on Starship development in Texas. 2X the thrust of Saturn V. Rapid, iterative development.

[@sierrapundit]

I remember Apollo 8 as being more awesome than the actual moon landing. I believe this was the first time astronauts launched on a Saturn 5. Cronkite's mention of the building shaking is a reference to the first unmanned Saturn 5 test where the broadcast facility actually fell apart Also note that in violation of Anchorman 101 he has his back to the camera the whole time.

[@lunarmodule5]

I think if that was happening behind me I would have turned my back to the camera too lol. I remember watching shuttle launches where the reporter reported live as the shuttle lifted off behind - I would Never have been able not to look!

[@laserfloyd]

+John Reece I can't say I blame him for having his back to the camera. He probably figured that no one would be looking at him anyway. :)

[@IronMan-tk8uc]

Anchorman 101, I'm dying here!

[@marcsonnenberg623]

Apollo 7 was the first manned Saturn 5 mission. This was the 2nd.

[@Codeman68]

@@marcsonnenberg623 Apollo 7 was the smaller Saturn I-B

[@TheTechOwl]

Returning here after witnessing the Artemis 1 launch! Its amazing how far we've come. We will return the moon in a few years!!

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

The vibration was so intense that Borman couldn't read the dials! Years later Borman and Lovell told the tale. They launched expecting odds of 30% success, 70% failure -- so let's go! The Moon rocket was THAT iffy.

[@edwardgiugliano4925]

This is the equivalent of watching Ferdinand Magellan set sail for the first trip around the world.

[@jmajette2]

I remember this well. I was 8 years old at the time 😊

[@paulsarna5066]

I remember as a kid being shocked by this launch because I had been use to the relatively timid Gemini launches.

[@RM-we7px]

Bwoop! Gemini!

[@nohrtillman8734]

Fun question: How is it that CBS came to use a countdown/mission clock that goes to :99? Every time it crosses the top of the minute someone manually skips the 40 seconds to bring it back to :59 clock time. Or manually advanced it 40 seconds for MET. NBC didn’t seem to have that problem with their screen overlay clock. I can’t come up with an application where a “:” counter needs to go to :99. Normally minutes/seconds only need to go to :59.

[@michaelboyd5319]

As of today 6-2-21, all three are still with us

[@JBM425]

In 2024, only Lovell remains. ☹️

[@MichiganRocker]

Jack King, the undisputable voice of NASA!!

[@joekiddone]

44 years ago today: The launch of Apollo 8!

[@TaffEdwards1971]

Apollo 14 is my favourite mission of the Apollo Programme

[@GavinDoesObjectShows]

I love when he just like Pressuri.. uh pressurize 0:26

[@markmeade478]

they have taken footage of the lunar landing sites by satilite, so I rest my case, had they been a hoax USSR would have said it was totally rubbish.

[@infinitecanadian]

How do they overlay a live timer over the view?

[@borntoclimb7116]

Great old footage

[@markmeade478]

just wondrous to see the footage, Apollo 8 was an outstanding mission, NASA was so brave at going for the moon shot. to me it's engineering at its best, what man can do when it wants. Frank Boreman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders one of the all time best crews. And for me the reading of Genesis from the King James Bible was moving. Humanity at its best, those who say this is all rubbish wake up and tell me this how the hell can you drop a hammer and eagle feather and they fall at the same time, other than being on the moon, I rest my case period. it's wonderful to be born in 1967 and knowing that these events happened. 😊

[@GeertDelmulle]

Mark Meade on the day they reached the Moon for the first time and flew around it, I was born. And proud of it.

[@donstrickland4347]

On the banks of the Indian River in Titusville at the bridge to the north gate.

[@John-cf5im]

RIP Frank Borman

[@chriswright8333]

1200lbs of frost lol Fucking awesome!

[@Zoomer30]

Looks like that lower swing arm on the first stage (the one the swings back early) did not get a good seal, leaking liquid oxygen (big white cloud).

[@russells9687]

Yup. Looks like the after pullback begins, the O2 plume is coming from the pipes and/or a ground source. Obviously the vehicle sealed properly.

[@Zoomer30]

Russell S Well yes, meant the "ground plate" was leaking. If the stage were leaking it would trigger an instant scrub.

[@russells9687]

: ]

[@joevignolor4u949]

There was one "repluggable" swing arm in the entire Saturn V stack that plugged into the middle of the first stage. It could be unplugged and swung out of the way before engine start and could be swung back and replugged in case of a launch abort. I believe the repluggable swing arm provides the LOX feed to the LOX tank on the first stage so what you are seeing just before engine start is LOX escaping from the unplugged swing arm.

[@allgood6760]

Awesome.. I recently got a book about Apollo 8 👍

[@thomthumbe]

I was told that a person standing outside at the launch pad would be killed because of the very high level of sound. Even if the person were to protect him/herself from the fire and blast…..the incredible level of loud sound would physically shake a human body into mush.

[@lunarmodule5]

coming up to the 45th anniversary of Apollo 8

[@IronMan-tk8uc]

And then next year, 50 YEARS OF APOLLO 8! What a mark.

[@oscarin13]

49th as of 2017. :^)

[@74bshs]

And 50 years today, 12/21/18! I saw it on TV, on CBS, I was in 7th grade.

[@altfactor]

I thought that Apollo 8 would've been the LM test in low earth orbit, Jim McDivett would have commanded; Frank Borman's crew would have flown Apollo 9 as a high-earth orbit (up to 10,000 miles altitude) of the LM, Apollo 10 would have been the lunar landing rehearsal in lunar orbit, and that Apollo 11 would have been the landing. Had Apollo 1 not burned, its crew of Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee and Ed White probably would've been flown the first landing, with Grissom and Chafee first on the moon.

[@Philipwaltho]

The good old days only

[@dq1275]

The remaining Saturn Vs after the moon landing were proposed to be used for a manned Venus flyby mission, Apollo 8 style. Provisions for a year long trip would have been carried in lieu of a lander and the Saturn V would serve as a Skylab type living module. Congress balked on the idea and put all the apples on the shuttle. Skylab is essentially the Apollo Venus flyby concept watered down. I can imagine that Pete Conrad, Jim Lovell, or John Young would have been high on the list to command.

[@anguscovoflyer95]

not Jim lovell he intended for Apollo 13 to be his last mission.

[@robyuille]

50 years ago TODAY!

[@MightySaturn5]

looks like I see ol Walter jump when the sound hits at the 3:28-29 area

[@ratratrat59]

This is how we did it kids.

[@Just_passing260]

Rest in peace Bill Anders.

[@MightySaturn5]

@witness2history awesome story

[@PhilipMReeder]

@observer9670 I know its been 5 months since you posted, but you (and anyone else that cares) do realize that had the LEM actually been ready for Apollo 8, the mission would have been an earth orbit test of the LEM, Apollo 9 would have been the first lunar orbit mission (with its LEM), and Apollo 10 would have been the fist lunar landing with CDR Tom Stafford the first man to walk on the moon and LEM pilot Gene Cernan the second!

[@reporter461]

Rip😞

[@MightySaturn5]

@lunarmodule5 ...keep trying LM -if anyone can get it, its you. Thanks and have a great day.

[@mangletip]

classic,I understand the approval requirement due to the conspiracy idiots,but was this recorded at the time on a home video unit?

[@alitlweird]

ian broadbent no. I believe CBS used actual video tape, not film, for recording a lot of live news broadcasts. Betamax, if I'm not mistaken. someone fact check this.

[@EricIrl]

Home video units were still in the process of being developed in 1968 so there were no real products people could buy for domestic use. From the early 1960s, most TV networks were able to record on professional standard video tape their broadcasts. I'm sure that is the source for these recordings. Betamax didn't really exist in 1968. That was developed later by Sony for domestic use. Betamax was based on the Sony U-Matic studio standard tape they had been using for a number of years but even that only came into use late in 1969. Video recorders in the late 50s and into the 60s were reel to reel machines - a bit like sound tape recorders of the era.

[@nolancain8792]

Bill Anders has passed from a plane crash. 6/7/2024

[@glp53]

I double dog dare NASA to do this again.

[@lox_5017]

Today's Nasa could learn a thing or to from the late Jack King on how to narrate a launch.

[@jameshowland7393]

Rocketdyne F-1. Accept no substitutes.

[@PTpredsfan]

niiiiiine

[@Mike-01234]

The Saturn V was safter then the Space Shuttle it has an abort system where the shuttle never did.

[@setituptoblowitup]

🇺🇲🗽⚖️

[@user-vp5hu8om9b]

Величайшая ракета!

[@deathrooster14]

Didn't Borman puke the whole way? lol

[@anguscovoflyer95]

Soon we will witness and even bigger and more powerful rocket go into space but this time it will be in texas.