Mission: Apollo 8

Taken/released on: 21/12/1968

View of the Saturn V third stage from which the Apollo 8 has separated

Photograph taken from the Apollo 8 spacecraft looking back at the Saturn V third (S-IVB) stage from which the spacecraft had just separated following translunar injection. Attached to the S-IVB is the Lunar Module Test Article (LTA) which simulated the mass of a Lunar Module on the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission. Sunlight reflected from small particles shows the "firefly" phenomenon which was reported during John Glenn's first Earth orbital flight of the Mercury program. (Sourcce: JSC)

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