 After the S @-@ IVB had performed its required tasks , it was jettisoned . The crew then rotated the spacecraft to take some photographs of the spent stage and then practiced flying in formation with it . As the crew rotated the spacecraft , they had their first views of the Earth as they moved away from it . This marked the first time humans could view the whole Earth at once . Borman became worried that the S @-@ IVB was staying too close to the Command / Service Module and suggested to Mission Control that the crew perform a separation maneuver . Mission Control first suggested pointing the spacecraft towards Earth and using the Reaction Control System ( RCS ) thrusters on the Service Module ( SM ) to add 3 ft / s ( 0 @.@ 91 m / s ) away from the Earth , but Borman did not want to lose sight of the S @-@ IVB . After discussion , the crew and Mission Control decided to burn in this direction , but at 9 ft / s ( 2 @.@ 7 m / s ) instead . These discussions put the crew an hour behind their flight plan . 
