SPECIAL live coverage of the Apollo 8 spaceflight's tour of the moon with astronauts James Lovell, Frank Borman, and William Anders aboard.
Frank McGee and David Brinkley anchor this live broadcast as astronauts Frank Borman, William Anders and James Lovell describe the surface of the moon as they orbit the moon for the ninth time during their Apollo 8 mission, prior to preparing for their return to Earth the following morning.
NASA space information officer, since 1958, Paul Haney, reports.
All three astronauts give their impressions as they transmit live from the moon back to Earth aboard their space capsule. Described is a lunar vast lonely vista, a forbidding environment not one where people would want to live and work. Clouds of pumice stone are seen, craters and mountains...an environment devoid of color. James Lovell states that he only appreciates all the more what we have on planet Earth.
Additional descriptions by the astronauts include the Lunar sunrise, and sunsets, the moon's physical features including a horizon revealing a bright moon and a black sky.
The astronauts pass over the "Sea of Crisis," amazingly smooth. There is a description of the curvature of the moon..."Sea of Tranquility," is observed, and a stark sunrise just coming up on the moon casting long shadows, as well as a revealing landing site that is smooth for future landings.
This special broadcast concludes with each of the three astronauts reading from the biblical Book of Genesis.
William Anders:
"For all the people on Earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you".
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness."
Jim Lovell:
"And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."
Frank Borman:
"And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good."
Borman then added, "And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you - all of you on the good Earth."
