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Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders dies in plane crash at 90

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2 months ago

June 9, 2024

Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders dies in plane crash at 90

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Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, who took the enduring “Earthrise” {photograph} whereas in lunar orbit that confirmed the Earth from the moon’s floor, has died, NASA administrator Invoice Nelson stated Friday. He was 90.

Anders was piloting a Beechcraft aircraft that plummeted into the waters off the San Juan Islands in Washington state on Friday morning, authorities stated. He was the one individual onboard the plane and his physique has since been recovered, in accordance with the Coast Guard.

Anders’ well-known “Earthrise” picture was taken on Christmas Eve in 1968 in the course of the Apollo 8 mission.

Earthrise – Apollo 8, December 24, 1968. This view of the rising Earth greeted the Apollo 8 astronauts as they got here from behind the Moon after the fourth nearside orbit. The picture, by astronaut William Anders, is displayed right here in its unique orientation, although it’s extra generally considered with the lunar floor on the backside of the picture.

Heritage Photographs through Getty Photographs

“Invoice Anders provided to humanity among the many deepest of items an astronaut may give. He traveled to the brink of the Moon and helped all of us see one thing else: ourselves. He embodied the teachings and the aim of exploration. We are going to miss him,” Nelson stated in an announcement.

The Apollo 8 crew was composed of Commander Frank Borman, Lunar Module Pilot Anders and Command Module Pilot James Lovell. The three served because the crew for the primary manned Apollo mission launched aboard the Saturn V and the crewmembers grew to become the primary people to enter lunar orbit and journey to the far facet of the moon.

PHOTO: Portrait of the crew of NASA's Apollo 8, Florida, December 1968. Pictured are, from left, command module pilot James Lovell, lunar module pilot William Anders, and Commander Frank Borman. — Portrait of the crew of NASA’s Apollo 8, Florida, December 1968. Pictured are, from left, command module pilot James Lovell, lunar module pilot William Anders, and Commander Frank Borman.

NASA/Interim Archives/Getty Photographs

Anders was born in Hong Kong and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1955. He went on to obtain a fee within the U.S. Air Pressure and acquire a grasp’s diploma in nuclear engineering from the Air Pressure Institute of Know-how at Wright-Patterson Air Pressure Base in 1962.

PHOTO: Astronaut William Anders, of NASA's Apollo 8 mission, during a panel interview held at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Illinois, April 5, 2018. — Astronaut William Anders, of NASA’s Apollo 8 mission, throughout a panel interview held on the Museum of Science and Business, Chicago, Illinois, April 5, 2018.

J.B. Spector/Museum of Science and Business Chicago/Getty Photographs

In late 1963, Anders “was amongst simply 14 males chosen by NASA from a pool of 1000’s of candidates” for the Astronaut Corps, in accordance with the Heritage Flight Museum.

Anders based the Heritage Flight Museum in 1996 along with his spouse, Valerie Anders, in Bellingham, Washington.

President Richard Nixon appointed Anders to turn out to be government secretary of the Nationwide Aeronautics and Area Council in 1969.

Apollo 8 was Anders’ solely house flight.

Nelson added in an announcement Saturday, “The voyage Invoice took in 1968 was solely one of many many exceptional chapters in Invoice’s life and repair to humanity. In his 26 years of service to our nation, Invoice was many issues – U.S. Air Pressure officer, astronaut, engineer, ambassador, advisor, and rather more.

The Nationwide Transportation Security Board is investigating Friday’s crash.

Anders is survived by his spouse Valerie, 4 sons and two daughters.