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William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut, Dies at 89
A Trailblazing Space Explorer
William Alison Anders, an astronaut who made history as part of the Apollo 8 crew, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 89. Anders and his fellow crewmates, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell, became the first humans to orbit the moon in December 1968, capturing the iconic "Earthrise" photograph that changed our perspective of our planet.
An Early Life and Passion for Aviation
William Anders was born in Hong Kong in 1933. His father was a U.S. Navy lieutenant, and his family lived there while his father was stationed in China. From a young age, Anders had a passion for aviation. He earned his bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and later a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
After serving as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, Anders was selected to join NASA's astronaut program in 1963. He had a remarkable career, being assigned to several space missions before becoming part of the historic Apollo 8 crew. Anders was known for his exceptional technical skills and his dedication to space exploration.
Heritage Flight Museum
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