This article is about Apollo 8’s mission and the three heroic astronauts who took on the challenge of humanity’s historic first journey around the Moon.
The Russians were going to put a man into orbit on the Moon by the end of 1968.
In August, it was arranged that Apollo 8 should get around the Moon first, giving the astronauts and ground team only sixteen weeks to figure out how to make it happen.
Honoring Bill Anders
We mourn the loss of Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, who passed away at 90. Bill captured the iconic “Earthrise” photo, reminding us of Earth’s beauty from the Moon. He died piloting a small plane off the Washington coast. His legacy continues to inspire us all. 🌙✨
William Anders, a former Apollo 8 astronaut, tragically passed away in a plane crash on June 7, 2024, in the San Juan Islands, Washington. Anders, who was 90 years old, is renowned for his significant contributions to space exploration, particularly during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968, where he captured the iconic “Earthrise” photograph. This image, showing Earth rising over the lunar horizon, has become one of the most famous photographs in the history of space exploration.
Born on October 17, 1933, in Hong Kong, William Anders graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1955 and later earned a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering. He joined NASA in 1964 and was part of the historic Apollo 8 mission alongside Frank Borman and James Lovell. This mission marked the first time humans orbited the Moon, a crucial step toward the eventual Moon landing.
After his NASA career, Anders continued to serve in various significant roles, including as the U.S. Ambassador to Norway from 1976 to 1977. He also held positions in the energy sector and contributed to several technological advancements.
Anders’s passing marks the end of an era for those who were inspired by his pioneering work in space exploration and his dedication to science and engineering​ (Encyclopedia Britannica)​​ (Wikipedia)​.
Nobody had any illusions about how dicey a project that was. Only the year before, the Apollo 1 spacecraft had killed the crew of Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee in a fire before it had even made its first flight.
Apollo 8’s historic orbit around the moon was a milestone in space exploration, and it paved the way for the use of advanced navigation systems like the Apollo Guidance Computer in subsequent missions.
Apollo 8 Mission
The Apollo 8 mission objectives included the astronauts’ coordinated performance, the CSM or the command and service module, and the support facilities.
The flight demonstrated translunar injection, command and service module navigation, communications, midcourse corrections—consumable evaluation, and passive thermal control.
The detailed test objectives were to improve the systems and procedures for future Apollo lunar operations.
Furthermore, all primary mission objectives and detailed test objectives were achieved. Saturn V rocket and spacecraft systems were performed according to plan.
Engineering achievements included using the ground network with onboard navigational techniques to hone the accuracy of lunar orbit determination and the successful use of the Apollo 8 high-gain antenna – a four-dish unified S-band antenna deployed from the SM or the service module, after separation from the third stage.
The Crew
- Frank Borman, Commander
- William A. Anders, Lunar Module Pilot
- James A. Lovell Jr., Command Module Pilot
According to Frank, Jim (Lovell) and Bill (Anders) were of different sorts.
Bill was interested in geology, and Jim had always been interested in space and rockets.
Frank Borman was more interested in airplanes than spacecraft.
Backup Crew
- Neil Armstrong, Commander
- Fred W. Haise Jr., Lunar Module Pilot
- Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Command Module Pilot
Launch
Apollo 8 took off on December 21, 1968, and was the second human-crewed flight mission flown in the United States Apollo Program after Apollo 7, which stayed in Earth orbit.
It was the third spaceflight and the first human-crewed launch of the Saturn V rocket.
It was the first human flight from the Kennedy Space Center, located next to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
Facts From Their Journey Round the Moon
Apollo 8 lifted off Cape Kennedy on December 21, 1968, placing the crew of Frank Borman, James Lovell Jr., and William Anders into a 114 by 118-mile orbit at 32.6 degrees.
Following the second revolution, at two hours, 50 minutes of ground elapsed time, the S-IVB, the third rocket stage, restarted for a five-minute, 17-second burn, starting translunar coast.
Following S-IVB/CSM separation at three hours and 21 minutes, a 1.5 feet per second radial burn of the Service Module reaction control engines was started to establish sufficient distance for S-IVB propellant dumping.
So, after the fuel dumping, which sent the stage into the diverging trajectory and solar orbit, the separation distance still was considered inadequate.
A second Service Module reaction control burn of 7.7 feet per second was conducted.
Lunar Orbit Insertion
The first midcourse change occurred at about 10 hours, 55 minutes into the mission, and gave the first check on SPS or the service propulsion system engine before committing the spacecraft to lunar orbit insertion.
The second and final midcourse correction before Moon orbit insertion happened at 61 hours, 8 minutes, and 54 seconds.
Loss of signal started at 68 hours, 58 minutes, and 45 seconds when Apollo 8 flew behind the Moon.
And at that moment, NASA’s three crew members became the first humans to see the Moon’s far side.
The first lunar orbit insertion burns at 69 hours, 8 minutes, 52 seconds, lasts four minutes two seconds, and decreases the spacecraft’s 8,400 feet per second velocity by 2,994 feet per second, finishing in an initial lunar orbit of 70 by 193 miles.
The lunar orbit is circularized at 70 miles by the second orbit insertion burn of 135 feet per second, done at the start of the third revolution, again on the lunar’s backside, at 73 hours, 35 minutes, and five seconds.
Throughout the 20-hour lunar orbit, the astronauts conducted a full, sleepless schedule of tasks, including landmark and landing site tracking, stereo navigation photography, vertical stereo photography, and sextant navigation.
At the end of the 10th Moon orbit, at 89 hours, 19 minutes, and 16 seconds, a three-minute, 23-second trans-Earth injection burn was carried out, adding 3,522 feet per second.
One midcourse correction, a burn of five feet per second conducted at 104 hours, was required instead of the three listed.
Television Broadcast
Six telecasts were performed during the mission: two during the translunar coast, two during lunar orbit, and two during the trans-Earth coast.
Those transmissions were telecast worldwide and in real-time to all five continents.
Through a telecast on Christmas Eve, the Apollo 8 crew read verses from the first chapter of Genesis and wished viewers, “Good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.”
All television broadcasts were of excellent quality, and voice communications also were excellent throughout the mission.
Landing Site
The separation of CM or the command module from the SM occurred at 146 hours and 31 minutes.
A double-skip maneuver during the reentry steering phase resulted in 25,000 to 30,000 feet of altitude gain.
The reentry velocity was 24,696 mph, with heatshield temperatures reaching 5,000 degrees F.
Parachute deployment and other reentry events were nominal. Apollo 8 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at 10:51 a.m. EST on December 27.
The splashdown was about 5,100 yards from the recovery ship USS Yorktown, 147 hours after launch and precisely on time.
According to prior planning, helicopters and aircraft hovered over the spacecraft, and pararescue personnel were not deployed until local sunrise, 50 minutes after splashdown.
The crew reached the recovery ship at 12:20 p.m. EST.
Credit: NASA.
Apollo 8 Book
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FAQ
- What Was the Main Objective of the Apollo 8 Mission?
The primary goal of Apollo 8 was to orbit the Moon. This mission acted as a precursor for the subsequent lunar landing missions, testing vital systems and gathering data. - Who Were the Crew Members of Apollo 8?
The Apollo 8 mission was crewed by astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders. They became the first humans to leave Earth’s orbit and orbit another celestial body. - How Long Did the Apollo 8 Mission Last?
The mission duration was approximately 6 days, 3 hours, and 42 seconds. The spacecraft was launched on December 21, 1968, and returned to Earth on December 27, 1968. - Did Apollo 8 Land on the Moon?
No, Apollo 8 did not land on the Moon. The mission was focused on orbiting the Moon and gathering data for the upcoming Apollo 11 mission, which aimed for a Moon landing. - What Was the Significance of the ‘Earthrise’ Photo?
The ‘Earthrise’ photo, captured by astronaut William Anders, provided a profound new perspective on our planet. It has since become an iconic image representing the fragility and unity of Earth.