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089:32:50 Mattingly: Apollo 8, Houston. [No answer.]
089:33:38 Mattingly: Apollo 8, Houston.
089:34:16 Lovell: Houston, Apollo 8, over.
089:34:19 Mattingly: Hello, Apollo 8. Loud and clear.
089:34:25 Lovell: Roger. Please be informed there is a Santa Claus.
089:34:31 Mattingly: That’s affirmative. You’re the best ones to know. -NASA

Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the Moon, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. The three astronauts aboard, Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders, made a live television broadcast in which they sent Christmas greetings back to the Earth. Above, an image of the Earth taken near the moon during Apollo 8 (www.space.com)

The world is an awfully big place now. Santa’s job has to be tougher than its ever been before, with more and more people relying on his deliveries each year. From Australia to Scandinavia to Queens, NY, Santa is undoubtedly the hero of the holiday season…….
Read more: scienceblogs.com