Book Title: Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 8: Perilous Return: Navigation Glitch, Double Skip, and Ocean Landing
Update: 2025-09-07
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Book Title: Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman
Segment 8: Perilous Return: Navigation Glitch, Double Skip, and Ocean Landing
Following the Christmas broadcast, the critical Trans Earth Injection (TEI) burn occurred behind the moon, relying solely on the SPS engine for their return. Jim Lovell famously announced, "I want to report that there is a Santa Claus," confirming the successful burn. However, Lovell later accidentally "cleared the gimbal," resetting the navigation. He expertly used a sextant and stars like Rigel and Sirius to reorient the craft, showcasing the astronauts' remarkable ability to correct errors. The return also involved a risky "double skip trajectory" re-entry into Earth's atmosphere at 25,000 mph, a maneuver only successfully performed twice before. They landed within three miles of recovery ships, though the capsule was top-heavy and flipped upside down upon splashdown. The mission was a testament to the risks taken, with NASA having been chastened by the Apollo 1 fire that killed Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee in 1967, and the Soviets by Vladimir Komarov's death on Soyuz 1.
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