Apollo 8

Apollo 8 was the second crewed spaceflight mission in the Apollo program and the first to leave low Earth orbit, reach the Moon, orbit it, and return safely to Earth. Launched on December 21, 1968, it was the first human spaceflight to leave Earth's gravitational influence and the first to see the far side of the Moon. The mission was a major milestone in the Space Race and paved the way for the subsequent Apollo 11 mission, which achieved the first human landing on the Moon.

Mission Objectives

The primary objectives of Apollo 8 were to demonstrate the performance of the Saturn V rocket, the Command/Service Module (CSM), and the crew's ability to navigate and communicate in lunar orbit. The mission also aimed to test the procedures for entering and exiting lunar orbit, which were critical for future lunar landing missions.

Crew

The crew of Apollo 8 consisted of three astronauts:

• Frank Borman (Commander)
• James Lovell (Command Module Pilot)
• William Anders (Lunar Module Pilot)

Mission Highlights

Apollo 8 was launched from Kennedy Space Center on December 21, 1968, atop a Saturn V rocket. After a successful translunar injection, the spacecraft traveled for three days to reach the Moon. On December 24, the crew performed a lunar orbit insertion burn, placing Apollo 8 into a stable orbit around the Moon.

During their time in lunar orbit, the crew conducted a live television broadcast, showing images of the lunar surface and Earth, and famously reading from the Book of Genesis. This broadcast was watched by millions of people around the world.

The mission also captured the iconic "Earthrise" photograph, showing Earth rising above the lunar horizon, which became one of the most famous images of the 20th century.

After ten orbits around the Moon, the crew performed a trans-Earth injection burn to return to Earth. Apollo 8 safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on December 27, 1968.

Legacy

Apollo 8 was a critical success for NASA and demonstrated the feasibility of human lunar exploration. It provided valuable data and experience that were essential for the success of subsequent Apollo missions, particularly Apollo 11, which achieved the first human landing on the Moon in July 1969.

Also see

• Apollo program
• Apollo 11
• Saturn V
• Space Race
• Earthrise