 On Christmas Eve of 1968, the Apollo 8 crew famously read from the Book of Genesis while orbiting the moon, live on television. What NASA probably didn't expect as a fallout from this TV broadcast was a lawsuit. And that's what we're talking about today on Vintage Space. Opinions on Apollo 8's decision to read from the Book of Genesis while orbiting the moon are mixed, but one woman was very irate by the decision. Madeleine Marie O'Hare actually sued NASA over the broadcast. She, along with her husband Richard and the Society of Separationists, brought a suit against NASA's administrator Tom Paine as the individual and as a representative of NASA. O'Hare's claim was that Apollo 8's Genesis reading and any mention of the Lord or God in any of the public affairs broadcasts or broadcasts from the crew was NASA blatantly pushing its pro-Christianity agenda, something that the government was just not allowed to do. She went so far as to say that it was NASA's attempt to establish Christianity as the official religion of the United States. She sought to prevent the agency from doing anything that could be considered religious ever again. It was, she said, her right to not have to be forced to see religious content coming from her government. And also, she said, think of the children. We don't necessarily want our children growing up thinking that the government is pushing a pro-Christian agenda. O'Hare was certain that the astronauts were actually ordered by NASA to make religious statements and read from the Book of Genesis, putting the blame squarely on the agency. And NASA, of course, fought back. The agency said that the lawsuit simply failed to state a cause of action that could bring relief to O'Hare and her fellow plaintiffs. The agency also highlighted that NASA's astronauts were free to say whatever they wanted on air. It was actually their decision, not NASA's. It was basically the equivalent of someone taking up a small Bible in a personal preference kit. O'Hare even went so far as to say that NASA launched the mission when it did just so this Genesis reading could happen in lunar orbit on Christmas Eve. Because NASA, of course, doesn't pay attention to things like trajectories based on the orbits of the Earth and the Moon. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed because it failed to state a cause of action. It wasn't exactly the result that NASA wanted from this broadcast or from Apollo 8, but really the dissenters were a minority. I'd love to hear what you guys have to say on Apollo 8's Genesis reading in the comments below, especially those of you who are there compared to those of you who were too young to see it live and just see it as a part of history. For more vintage space content every day of the week, don't forget to follow me on Twitter as AST Vintage Space. And with new episodes going up Tuesdays and Fridays, be sure to subscribe right here so you never miss an episode.