Just say the word and Apollo 8 will throw a lasso around it and pull it down:
The clocks in mission control crept toward a Mission Elapsed Time of 89 hours, 28 minutes, and 39 seconds, and the tension was palpable. If the Transearth Injection burn went as planned, Apollo 8 would reemerge at that time, 19 minutes past midnight on Christmas Day. If the engine didn’t fire, contact would come as much as 8 minutes later.
The mission clock read 89:28:39. Seconds passed in silence. Suddenly a cheer went up from the flight controllers: Telemetry from Apollo 8 began to register on their screens. It took a few more minutes for earthbound antennas to lock onto the signal, and finally, they heard Jim Lovell’s voice:
“Houston, Apollo 8. Over.”
“Hello, Apollo 8,” Mattingly replied. “Loud and clear.”
“Please be informed there is a Santa Claus.”
“That’s affirmative,” Mattingly responded gratefully. “You are the best ones to know.”
If I'm a good boy next year, I sure hope somebody - Santa, NASA, George Bailey - gets me a shiny new circumlunar mission. Regardless, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!
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