Retired astronaut William Anders, famed for capturing the ‘Earthrise’ photo during the Apollo 8 mission, dies in a plane crash at 90.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
William Anders, the Apollo 8 astronaut renowned for capturing the iconic “Earthrise” photograph, died on Friday in a plane crash in Washington state. He was 90.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson paid tribute to Anders, stating on social media that he provided humanity with one of the most profound gifts an astronaut can give. The Heritage Flight Museum near Burlington, Washington, which Anders co-founded, confirmed his death in the aircraft accident.
Anders was piloting a vintage Air Force single-engine T-34 Mentor when it crashed off the coast of Jones Island, part of the San Juan Islands archipelago, north of Seattle. His son, Greg, confirmed the details to The Seattle Times.
Video footage broadcast by KCPQ-TV showed the plane plunging steeply before crashing into the water. Anders, a resident of San Juan County, was alone in the aircraft.
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a former Air Force pilot, Anders joined NASA in 1963 as part of the third group of astronauts. He didn’t go into space until December 21, 1968, when Apollo 8 launched on the first crewed mission to leave Earth orbit and travel to the moon.
Apollo 8’s mission, initially scheduled for 1969, was advanced due to concerns over the Soviet Union’s plans for a lunar mission by the end of 1968. This left the crew with only a few months to prepare for the historic and risky mission.
The mission’s highlight was the “Earthrise” photo, which Anders took using a long lens and color film. The image, showcasing Earth’s beauty against the barren lunar surface, has been credited with inspiring the environmental movement.
Reflecting on the mission 40 years later, Anders acknowledged the risks, estimating a one-third chance of not returning safely. Despite the dangers, Apollo 8 successfully orbited the moon, transmitting the first images of its surface on Christmas Eve to a global audience of over a billion people.
On the same mission, the crew read from the Book of Genesis while transmitting lunar surface images, a moment that left a lasting impression on many.
After returning to Earth, the Apollo 8 astronauts were celebrated as national heroes and named Time magazine’s “Men of the Year.” Their mission paved the way for the Apollo 11 moon landing, contributing to the U.S. victory in the space race against the Soviet Union.
William Alison Anders was born on October 17, 1933, in Hong Kong. His family moved to Annapolis, Maryland, shortly after his birth, but he later returned to China, fleeing to the Philippines with his mother during the Japanese assault on Nanking.
After earning a degree in electrical engineering from the Naval Academy, Anders served in Air Force interceptor squadrons. He joined NASA in 1963, but after Apollo 8, he never flew in space again. Instead, he served on the National Aeronautics and Space Council and was appointed by President Gerald Ford as the first chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He later became the U.S. ambassador to Norway.
In his corporate career, Anders held executive positions at General Electric and Textron, and served as chairman and CEO of General Dynamics in the early 1990s. In later years, he focused on philanthropic efforts related to education and the environment.
Anders is survived by his wife, Valerie, whom he married in 1955, and their six children. He remained active in commemorating the Apollo 8 mission, joining his crewmates at anniversary celebrations.
Reflecting on future space exploration, Anders expressed hope that humanity would approach Mars exploration as a collective endeavor, rather than a national competition.
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