![]() ![]() That was the most impressive sight for me of the entire flight," Borman remembered. Everything else was black and white but the earth was beautiful blue and white and brownish continents. "The Earth was the only thing in the world in the universe that had any color. What surprised Borman during the mission was not looking down at the moon. The world watched in awe during live TV broadcasts that showed the cratered and forbidding lunar landscape and listened in as the astronauts read a passage from the book of Genesis. The crew of Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders arrived on Christmas Eve 1968 and circled the moon 10 times. It was daring - the first time humans left low-Earth orbit and went to the moon, almost a quarter-million miles away. So when it was time for NASA's boldest mission - Apollo 8 - there was little doubt that Borman would command it. They became the first people to circle the moon on Christmas Eve. Instead of selecting another astronaut with space experience, NASA chose Borman to serve as the mission commander.įrank Borman (L), commander of 3-man Apollo 8 crew, along with Jim Lovell (C) and Bill Anders (R), on Dec. He first flew in space in 1965 aboard Gemini 7, a grueling 14-day mission to prove that humans could survive in weightless conditions (in the cramped two-person capsule). His discipline and attention to detail are two reasons why NASA selected him to be an astronaut in 1962. Learn about his life and career with this article. ![]() On four spaceflights, Bluford served as a mission specialist and spent more than 28 days in space. Then it took until 1992 to fly the first female African-American astronaut, Mae Jemison, and until 2022 for Jessica Watkins to be the first Black woman on a long-duration mission. Guion Bluford, astronaut who was the first African American launched into space, on the STS-8 mission in 1983. NASA's oldest living astronaut, Borman was best known for his no-nonsense demeanor and said he cared more about beating the Soviet Union in the space race than personal glory. Black male astronaut Guion 'Guy Bluford' was first to fly at NASA in 1983, 22 years after the first agency white male. His death comes a week after fellow Apollo astronaut, Ken Mattingly, died. In a statement, NASA said Borman died Nov. The former astronauts participated in a discussion on the 1968 lunar orbital mission and how the success of Apollo 8 contributed to the overall moon landing effort.įrank Borman, who commanded two early NASA missions including the first to orbit the moon, has died at age 95. Apollo 8 crew member Frank Borman speaks during a 2008 NASA TV program at the Newseum in Washington, DC.
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