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Michael Collins—who was bumped from Apollo 8 due to a medical issue and of course ended up flying Apollo 11 instead—became increasingly convinced with time that

Michael Collins—who was bumped from Apollo 8 due to a medical issue and of course ended up flying Apollo 11 instead—became increasingly convinced with time that it was Apollo 8, more so than 11, that represented the true landmark in human history. Apollo 11 was when we first arrived somewhere new, yes, but it was Apollo 8 when we first dared to venture out into the dark. For the first time we surrendered the ability to quickly return to Earth in a matter of minutes or low-single-digit hours. Collins’ autobiography Carrying the Fire is easily the best of the astronaut memoirs, and is written purely by Collins without a ghostwriter. It wasn’t one of the talents NASA was looking for, but I’m glad they sent an excellent writer to the moon.

ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
Can't more emphatically recommend Collins' book. Having read my fair share of Apollo stuff, this, and the Blye Cox Apollo books are easily the best. Also, I'll add that apparently Charles Lindbergh spoke with Jim Lovell at the 11 launch and also expressed that, in his mind, the most significant leap was also 8, which I have sympathy for. There's something about being on that spacecraft for the first TLI, having nothing but the math to trust, that is deeply exhilerating, incredibly scary, and awe-inspiring.
cobbaut 3y ago
Collins’ autobiography Carrying the Fire is also an excellent book to get a feel of the 1960ies. Like four (out of twelve?) people dying during training because, well it's a really hard training. In 2023 if so much as one person gets an injury then the project is suspended for years until a committee decides it is safe again.
jmk123 3y ago
Michael Collins was also CAPCOM (capsule communicator - the one who was actually talking to the astronauts) when they initiated TLI (translunar injection - leaving earth's orbit for the first time). He was the one who said "Apollo 8, go for TLI".
- ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
  ... and in the book hilariously laments how, for something so momentous, he should've thought of something more profound to say haha.
  - bryananderson 3y ago
    I get what he means, but I have a hard time thinking of three words that give me more chills than “go for TLI”!

ChicagoBoy11 3y ago

Can't more emphatically recommend Collins' book. Having read my fair share of Apollo stuff, this, and the Blye Cox Apollo books are easily the best. Also, I'll add that apparently Charles Lindbergh spoke with Jim Lovell at the 11 launch and also expressed that, in his mind, the most significant leap was also 8, which I have sympathy for. There's something about being on that spacecraft for the first TLI, having nothing but the math to trust, that is deeply exhilerating, incredibly scary, and awe-inspiring.

cobbaut 3y ago

Collins’ autobiography Carrying the Fire is also an excellent book to get a feel of the 1960ies. Like four (out of twelve?) people dying during training because, well it's a really hard training. In 2023 if so much as one person gets an injury then the project is suspended for years until a committee decides it is safe again.

jmk123 3y ago

Michael Collins was also CAPCOM (capsule communicator - the one who was actually talking to the astronauts) when they initiated TLI (translunar injection - leaving earth's orbit for the first time). He was the one who said "Apollo 8, go for TLI".

ChicagoBoy11 3y ago
... and in the book hilariously laments how, for something so momentous, he should've thought of something more profound to say haha.
- bryananderson 3y ago
  I get what he means, but I have a hard time thinking of three words that give me more chills than “go for TLI”!