Apollo 8

NASA

Advancing Earth Observation at NASA Since Release of Earthrise Photo

When NASA’s Apollo 8 crew rounded the far side of the Moon in 1968 and astronaut Bill Anders snapped a picture of Earth peeking above the gray horizon, the image became a symbol of hope in challenging times. The photograph, Earthrise, as it came to be called, helped inspire the first Earth Day celebration two years later. This year, the…

NASA

Apollo 8: Christmas on the Moon

NASA

Acting NASA Administrator Reflects on Legacy of Astronaut Jim Lovell

The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy on the passing of famed Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell. He passed away Aug. 7, in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was 97 years old. “NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades. Jim’s character and steadfast…

NASA

Celebrating Earth as Only NASA Can

Lee esta historia en español aquí. From the iconic image of Earthrise taken by Apollo 8 crew, to the famous Pale Blue Dot image of Earth snapped by Voyager I spacecraft, to state-of-the-art observations of our planet by new satellites such as PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem), NASA has given us novel ways to see our home. This Earth Day, NASA is sharing how…

NASA

NASA’s Most Iconic Photo Ever, “Earthrise” by NASA Astronaut Bill Anders

NASA astronaut Bill Anders took this iconic image of Earth rising over the Moon’s horizon on Dec. 24, 1968. Anders, lunar module pilot on the Apollo 8 mission, and fellow astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell became the first humans to orbit the Moon and the first to witness the sight pictured. After becoming a fighter pilot in the Air Force, Anders was selected…

NASA

NASA Administrator Remembers Apollo Astronaut William Anders

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on the passing of Apollo astronaut Maj. Gen. (ret.) William “Bill” Anders, who passed away June 7, in San Juan Islands, Washington state, at the age of 90. “In 1968, as a member of the Apollo 8 crew, as one of the first three people to travel beyond the reach…

NASA

55 Years Ago: Five Months Until the Moon Landing

Following the success of the Apollo 8 circumlunar mission, NASA believed that it could achieve a Moon landing by the summer of 1969 and meet President John F. Kennedy’s goal. Much work remained to accomplish that objective. Three crews and their backups trained for the next three Apollo missions while workers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida prepared…

NASA

An Apollo 8 Christmas Dinner Surprise: Turkey and Gravy Make Space History

On Christmas Day in 1968, the three-man Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders found a surprise in their food locker: a specially packed Christmas dinner wrapped in foil and decorated with red and green ribbons. Something as simple as a “home-cooked meal,” or as close as NASA could get for a spaceflight at the time,…

NASA

NASA Administrator Honors Life of Apollo Astronaut Frank Borman 

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on the passing of former NASA astronaut Col. (ret.) Frank Borman, who passed away Nov. 7, in Billings, Montana, at the age of 95.  “Today we remember one of NASA’s best. Astronaut Frank Borman was a true American hero. Among his many accomplishments, he served as the commander of the…

NASA

Apollo 8: Christmas On The Moon