Apollo 8 and their Christmas Message

Raymond Potter in Sydney Australia sent me an e-mail which reminded me
of the InsideKSC talk about Apollo 8 and the Christmas Message that was
sent to Earth from their orbit around the Moon.

Christmas is already gone but you can listen to the Apollo 8 message.
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo8_xmas.html
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/history/apollo-8/apollo-8-xmas.html
http://www.ittc.ku.edu/~evans/aviation/apollo8/

The folks at Honeysuckle Creek in Australia recorded a lot of the Apollo
8 mission when their Deep Space Network antennas had a view period for
the mission going around the Moon.
http://www.honeysucklecreek.net/index1.html

Apollo 8 - The Mission To The Moon Is Won
http://www.honeysucklecreek.net/msfn_missions/Apollo_8_mission/index.html

Apollo 8 Audio recorded at Honeysuckle.
http://www.honeysucklecreek.net/msfn_missions/Apollo_8_mission/apollo8_audio.html

Many thanks to Hamish Lindsay and those folks that were a part of this
mission there Down Under.
http://www.honeysucklecreek.net/msfn_missions/Apollo_8_mission/hl_apollo8.html
http://www.honeysucklecreek.net/people/lindsay.html

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
The New Year is almost here and I have missed checking the calendar too
many times.
You must wake me up when you see something interesting. - LRK -
--------------------------------------------------------------
http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/
JPL Space Calendar

*Welcome to the Space Calendar!*

The Space Calendar covers space-related activities and anniversaries for
the coming year. Included are over 1,700 links to related home pages.
This Calendar is compiled and maintained by Ron Baalke. Please send any
updates or corrections to ron@jpl.nasa.gov
Snip

# Dec 26 - Asteroid 1737 Severny Occults HIP 111710 (5.0 Magnitude Star)
# Dec 26 - Asteroid 2005 HB4 Near-Mars Flyby (0.031 AU)
# Dec 27 - Asteroid 1672 Gezelle Occults HIP 106199 (6.6 Magnitude Star)
# Dec 27 - Asteroid 15000 CCD Closest Approach To Earth (1.955 AU)
# Dec 28 - Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #141 (OTM-141)
# Dec 28 - Asteroid 2007 VY7 Near-Earth Flyby (0.068 AU)
# Dec 28 - Asteroid 2003 YT70 Near-Earth Flyby (0.075 AU)
# Dec 28 - Asteroid 2007 DD Near-Earth Flyby (0.095 AU)
# Dec 28 - Asteroid 2007 WE55 Near-Earth Flyby (0.097 AU)
# Dec 28 - Asteroid 6030 Zolensky Closest Approach To Earth (2.135 AU)
# Dec 28 - Asteroid 6487 Tonyspear Closest Approach To Earth (2.187 AU)
# Dec 28 - Arthur Eddington's 125th Birthday (1882)
Snip
==============================================================
http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2001-000009.html
NASA Center:     Headquarters
Image # :     68-HC-870
Date :     12/29/1968

Title
Earthrise - Apollo 8

Full Description
This view of the rising Earth greeted the Apollo 8 astronauts as they
came from behind the Moon after the lunar orbit insertion burn. The
photo is displayed here in its original orientation, though it is more
commonly viewed with the lunar surface at the bottom of the photo. Earth
is about five degrees left of the horizon in the photo. The unnamed
surface features on the left are near the eastern limb of the Moon as
viewed from Earth. The lunar horizon is approximately 780 kilometers
from the spacecraft. Height of the photographed area at the lunar
horizon is about 175 kilometers.

Image Information ( Copyright Notification )
Resolution    Format    Width (Pixels)    Height (Pixels)    Size(KBytes)
Thumbnail <http://dayton.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/THUMB/GPN-2001-000009.jpg>
.jpg     90     72     4
Small <http://dayton.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/SMALL/GPN-2001-000009.jpg> 
 .jpg     640     512     59
Medium <http://dayton.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/MEDIUM/GPN-2001-000009.jpg>
.jpg     1500     1200     230
Large <http://dayton.hq.nasa.gov/IMAGES/LARGE/GPN-2001-000009.jpg>
      .jpg     1     2400     972
Snip
==============================================================
http://www.amazon.com/Tracking-Apollo-Moon-Hamish-Lindsay/dp/1852332123
Tracking Apollo to the Moon (Hardcover)
by Hamish Lindsay (Author) "We know the last step of our journey along
the track to the Moon's surface down to a second, but who can isolate
the first...

Snip
*Review*
"Hamish Lindsay has done a marvellous job of telling the story of manned
space flight   He has given his readers a sort of encyclopedia of the
beginning of man's quest for flight into space. This is followed with a
splendid description of the real time operations of all of the major
missions. As one who lived through the Camelot period of space in the
60s and knows the trauma we all endured, I am greatly impressed with the
detail and authenticity of the stories that Hamish so vividly tells. For
example, as I read Hamish's account of the Apollo 11 and 13 missions, I
could again imagine myself back in mission control reliving some of the
finest moments of my life...Those of you who are fortunate to read
Hamish Lindsay's account will be much richer for it."
- FROM THE FOREWORD BY CHRISTOPHER C. KRAFT, JR.,
NASA's First Flight Director and Retired Director of the NASA Johnson
Space Center

Snip
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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Planetary Society - The year 2007 - A rich and rewarding one.

Received an e-mail from Louis Friedman, that he sent
to the Planetary Society members.
You probably got it didn't you?
hmmmm, maybe not a Planetary Society member, well I copied it below. :-)
- LRK -

We have been waiting for spacecraft to go back to the Moon, and now we
have some there.

We have a lot of activity at Mars on the ground and in orbit.  Watch and
see if they get visited by an asteroid.

People are still wondering about the Pioneer Anomaly.
The Voyagers are still on their way through space.

Take a look at the list of SPACE MISSIONS at the Planetary link.
http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/groups/

More news at
http://www.planetary.org/news/

Next Year Should Be Even Better, Yes.
[Make sure your representatives will be supporting your interest in space.]

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
As a member of the Planetary Society, received the e-mail below from
Louis Friedman. - LRK -
http://planetary.org/about/founders/louis_friedman.html
--------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Planetary Society Member,

*The year 2007 has been a rich and rewarding one* for us space
explorers. It is breathtaking to consider the pace of solar system
exploration -- 20 spacecraft are now beyond Earth orbit sending back
data from all over the solar system.

*You, as a member of The Planetary Society,* are part of humanity's move
off Earth and out into the solar system. Right now, the names of
Planetary Society members are flying around the rings of Saturn on
/Cassini/, on the Red Planet with /Spirit/ and /Opportunity/, traveling
to the asteroid belt with /Dawn/, cruising around the Moon on /Kaguya/,
heading toward the north pole of Mars on /Phoenix/, and journeying to
Pluto on /New Horizons/.

*The past year we took an important new step:* We added the Earth to our
mission. Our mission statement now reads: /"To inspire the people of
Earth to explore other worlds, understand our own, and seek life
elsewhere."/

*Consider this: *Earth sits between two examples of planets gone bad --
at least, as far as life is concerned. Venus was overtaken by a runaway
greenhouse effect, which boiled away its oceans and raised the surface
temperature to the point it would melt lead. Mars lost its once thick
and protective atmosphere, and now it's a world where any liquid water
that happened to appear on its surface would immediately transform to a
gas.

*Planetary science has taught us these lessons,* but we have much more
to learn. We explore other worlds to understand this one. Only by seeing
Earth as one planet among many can we truly understand our own pale blue
dot of a world.

*Philosophically and scientifically,* we always treated Earth as a
planet, but we didn't trumpet that fact, out of concern that some people
might think The Planetary Society was weakening our stance that
exploring other worlds is a human imperative. But after more than a
quarter-century of being the world's largest and most effective space
advocacy group, surely no one can now seriously believe we're backing down.

*We've added to our mission statement,* while taking nothing away. We'll
be doing all this while continuing to campaign to keep planetary
exploration robust. While we advance the Search for Extraterrestrial
Intelligence. While we support research into the threat posed by
near-Earth comets and asteroids. And while we lead the International
Lunar Decade to maximize the scientific return from the many missions
now targeting Earth's Moon.

*This means that, in the coming year, *we're going to need your help and
support even more. You know how active The Planetary Society is.

*You are part of everything we do.* I look forward to exploring the
future in space -- and on Earth -- with you.

With best wishes for the coming year,

Louis Friedman

Louis Friedman
Executive Director

P.S. We land on Mars this coming May 25 -- and I mean "we" literally.
The Planetary Society's "/Visions of Mars/" is riding on the /Phoenix/
spacecraft, carrying the first library to another planet. It's just one
more thing we've accomplished together.

Thank you.

Snip
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http://www.planetary.org/news/2007/1226_The_Year_in_Pictures_2007.html
The Year in Pictures: 2007
*By Emily Lakdawalla *
December 26, 2007

The year 2007 certainly has been one of the most active in planetary
exploration. Of the 20 robotic spacecraft in operation, 11 returned
images to Earth from four planets plus numerous moons, including our own
recently neglected natural satellite.
Snip
[Go to the web site to see images and links to more. - LRK -]
==============================================================
http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/groups/
Space Topics
All Space Topics by Group

EXPLORE
Snip
[I won't include all the links this time, you will just have to go to
the web site. :-) - LRK -]
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Asteroid Threatens to Hit Mars

A rock is headed Mars way having already passed us.
JPL Animation.
http://www.nasa.gov/mov/206962main_Mars_Asteroid_Animation.mov

Orbit.
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2007%20WD5&orb=1

Would be interesting if one of the Rovers could track it.  If it hits
maybe one of the current satellites will be able to image the result of
the hit.  That should make the six o'clock news and give folks something
to think about.

For today, Nah, Nah, missed me.

Interesting game of dodge ball we are playing.
Especially when you only see the ball after it just missed you.
Discovered November 20, but closest pass was on November 1 at 7.5 million kilometers.
What team are you betting on?
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
Asteroid Threatens to Hit Mars
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/21dec_2007wd5.htm?list965414

*Dec. 21, 2007:* Astronomers funded by NASA are monitoring the
trajectory of an asteroid named 2007 WD5
<http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2007%20WD5&orb=1> that is
expected to cross the orbital path of Mars early next year. Calculations
by NASA's Near-Earth Object Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
indicate that the 164-ft wide asteroid may pass within 30,000 miles of
Mars at about 6 a.m. EST on Jan. 30, 2008.

"Right now asteroid 2007 WD5 is about half-way between the Earth and
Mars and closing the distance [to Mars] at a speed of about 27,900 miles
per hour," said Don Yeomans, manager of the Near Earth Object Office at JPL.

There is a 1-in-75 chance of 2007 WD5 hitting Mars; researchers can't be
more confident than that because of uncertainties in the asteroid's
orbit. If this unlikely event were to occur, however, the strike would
happen somewhere within a broad swath across the planet north of where
the Opportunity rover is.
Snip
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http://planetary.org/news/2007/1221_Asteroid_Misses_Earth_Threatens_Mars.html
Asteroid Misses Earth, Threatens Mars.
by Amir Alexander
December 21, 2007

Designated 2007 WD5, the asteroid was discovered on November 20 by
NASA-funded observers searching for possible Earth-impactors. At that
time of its detection the asteroid had already made its closest pass of
the Earth, closing to within 7.5 million kilometers (4.7 million miles)
on November 1, and was moving towards Mars. The original detection was
made using the 1.5 meter telescope on Mount Lemmon, near Tucson,
Arizona, and was followed up with observations at Kitt Peak, Arizona,
and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico. Taken together, the
observations indicated that although Earth was safe from 2007 WD5, our
smaller neighbor Mars may not be.

Snip
==============================================================
Ominous Asteroid Threatens Mars
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/12/21/asteroid-mars-nasa.html
Alicia Chang, Associated Press
*Dec. 21, 2007 -- Mars could be in for an asteroid hit.

A newly discovered hunk of space rock has a one in 75 chance of slamming
into the Red Planet on Jan. 30, scientists said Thursday.

"These odds are extremely unusual. We frequently work with really long
odds when we track ... threatening asteroids," said Steve Chesley, an
astronomer with the Near Earth Object Program at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory.

The asteroid, known as 2007 WD5, was discovered in late November and is
similar in size to an object that hit remote central Siberia in 1908,
unleashing energy equivalent to a 15-megaton nuclear bomb and wiping out
60 million trees.
*
Snip
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http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-152
Astronomers Monitor Asteroid to Pass Near Mars
December 21, 2007

WASHINGTON - Astronomers funded by NASA are monitoring the trajectory of
an asteroid estimated to be 50 meters (164 feet) wide that is expected
to cross Mars' orbital path early next year. Observations provided by
the astronomers and analyzed by NASA's Near-Earth Object Office at the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., indicate the object may
pass within 30,000 miles of Mars at about 6 a.m. EST (3 a.m. PST) on
Jan. 30, 2008.

"Right now asteroid 2007 WD5 is about half-way between Earth and Mars
and closing the distance at a speed of about 27,900 miles per hour,"
said Don Yeomans, manager of the Near Earth Object Office at JPL. "Over
the next five weeks, we hope to gather more information from
observatories so we can further refine the asteroid's trajectory."

NASA detects and tracks asteroids and comets passing close to Earth. The
Near Earth Object Observation Program, commonly called "Spaceguard,"
plots the orbits of these objects to determine if any could be
potentially hazardous to our planet.

Snip
[See image links at web site. - LRK -]
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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