 This was followed by a Trans @-@ Lunar Injection ( TLI ) burn of the S @-@ IVB third stage for 318 seconds , accelerating the 63 @,@ 531 lb ( 28 @,@ 817 kg ) spacecraft from an orbital velocity of 25 @,@ 567 feet per second ( 7 @,@ 793 m / s ) to the injection velocity of 35 @,@ 505 ft / s ( 10 @,@ 822 m / s ) , which set a record for the highest speed , relative to Earth , that humans had ever traveled . This speed was slightly less than the Earth 's escape velocity of 36 @,@ 747 feet per second ( 11 @,@ 200 m / s ) , but put Apollo 8 into an elongated elliptical Earth orbit , to a point where the Moon 's gravity would capture it . 
