Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders Dies in Plane Crash at 90

William Anders, the former US astronaut renowned for capturing the iconic "Earthrise" photo during NASA's Apollo 8 mission in 1968, tragically died in a plane crash on Friday at the age of 90. Anders was piloting a small plane that crashed off the coast of Washington state, his son confirmed to US media. He was the sole occupant of the aircraft.

Sheriff Eric Peter reported that search teams were scouring the area but had not yet recovered a body. Anders, a member of the historic Apollo 8 mission in December 1968, was one of the first humans to reach the Moon, alongside fellow astronauts Frank Borman and James Lovell. The crew orbited the Moon ten times without landing before safely returning to Earth on December 27, 1968.

Why This Matters: During one of the lunar orbits, Anders captured the famous "Earthrise" photo, depicting the bright blue Earth against the vast darkness of space with the Moon's cratered surface in the foreground. This image is frequently cited as one of the most significant photographs in history and was included in Life Magazine's book "100 Photographs that Changed The World." An original print of the photo sold for 11,800 euros at a Copenhagen auction in 2022.

"In 1968, during Apollo 8, Bill Anders offered to humanity among the deepest of gifts an astronaut can give," NASA chief Bill Nelson wrote on social media platform X. "He traveled to the threshold of the Moon and helped all of us see something else: ourselves. He embodied the lessons and the purpose of exploration. We will miss him," Nelson added.

Born on October 17, 1933, in Hong Kong, Anders graduated from the US Naval Academy and later earned a master's degree in nuclear engineering. After his astronaut career, he held various technology-related government positions, including serving as the first chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and as the US ambassador to Norway. In the early 1990s, he led the US defense and aerospace company General Dynamics as CEO and chairman before retiring.

Of the Apollo 8 crew, only James Lovell, 96, remains alive. Frank Borman passed away in November 2023 at the age of 95. Lovell also participated in the Apollo 13 mission, which faced a near-catastrophe that was later dramatized in a Hollywood film. The last human mission to the Moon was Apollo 17 in 1972, but NASA plans to send new astronauts, including the first woman and person of color, in the coming years.

Key Takeaways:

• William Anders, Apollo 8 astronaut, dies in a plane crash at 90.
• Anders captured the iconic "Earthrise" photo during Apollo 8 mission.
• Search teams have not yet recovered Anders' body after the crash.
• Anders held significant government and corporate positions post-astronaut career.
• James Lovell is the last surviving member of the Apollo 8 crew.