Apollo 8 - The Launch (Full Mission 01)

Apollo 8 - The Launch - Full Mission 01 This video details the countdown and launch of Apollo 8 on 21st December 1968. It is the first of an intended series which will cover the entire mission from countdown to splashdown. A lot of the countdown video sequences are not available at present and I have pooled TV coverage and some documentary footage to fill in the gaps. From about T-6 minutes the launch is as seen that day through LET and Skirt Jettison when I have used Orbiter to simulate the sequences through to orbit. The video is presented in 16:9 to allow use of photos and captions on the right of the screen. Apollo Guidence Computer programme DSKY is used once the sppacecraft is in orbit to show Mission Elapsed Time. The video ends with a replay of the launch followed by the first crew ccommunications out over the Canary Island station on orbit 1. NOTE - Some sequences are silent during the countdown so I could include “live“ footage in the correct order and timeline. During the launch of Apollo 8 the astronauts communications with the Capcom were not broadcast - these are heard on the replay of the launch later in the video. All Video and audio is courtesy of NASA. My thanks to Jim Lovell for providing technical assistance during this Full Mission series.