Anyone else watch NOVA last night? I highly recommend it if you did not.
It was facinating learning about the Apollo 8 mission and how many risks they took, the physics and engineering that went in to make it all happen, and the luck. It was the best possible end to 1968.
I was talking to my son about what could have happened when they ignited the rocket after they went behind the moon to slow the craft and enter a controlled orbit around the moon. We know it worked. It was about 30 minutes I think before they got around the other side and re-established contact with Mission Control.
There is a British band called Public Service Broadcasting with an album called Race for Space where they use original recordings and add some atmospheric music. They used the recording of Mission Control checking in with Apollo 8. The song is called “The Other Side.” I thought I it was really cool, but I didn’t realize what was happening until I watched NOVA last night.
This is a bit morbid, but I got to thinking about what the astronauts would have done if things didn’t work as planned and they ended up slipping off into space. Did they have poison with them to make a quick death, or would they have slowly died after things ran out? Anyone know?
Maybe the thought didn’t enter their minds. The astronauts were brave and they trusted the team that everything would work as planned. Except there was at least one unforseen problem when they mistakenly reset the computer. PROG 01.