William Anders
William Alison Anders (October 17, 1933 – June 7, 2024) was a United States Air Force officer, NASA astronaut, businessman, and engineer. He was a member of the Apollo 8 space mission. Anders, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell were the first astronauts to leave the orbit of the Earth and go to the Moon.
Bill Anders | |
---|---|
Born | William Alison Anders October 17, 1933 |
Died | June 7, 2024 San Juan County, Washington, U.S. | (aged 90)
Alma mater | |
Awards | |
Space career | |
NASA astronaut | |
Rank | Major General, USAFR |
Time in space | 6d 3h |
Selection | NASA Group 3 (1963) |
Missions | Apollo 8 |
Mission insignia | |
Retirement | September 1, 1969 |
United States Ambassador to Norway | |
In office May 11, 1976 – June 18, 1977 | |
President | |
Preceded by | Thomas Byrne |
Succeeded by | Louis A. Lerner |
The crew took the first pictures taken of the earth from the Moon.[1][2]
The Anders crater on the Moon was named in his honor.
He was married to Valerie E. Hoard. He had six children, Alan, Glen, Gregory, Eric, Gayle and Daina.[3]
He was a fighter pilot and an air defence commander. He received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering. He graduated from Naval Academy. In 1964, NASA selected him as an astronaut with important responsibilities.[3]
Anders was the U.S. Ambassador of Norway from 1976 until 1977.
Anders died on June 7, 2024, at the age of 90, when his plane crashed into Puget Sound between Jones Island and Orcas Island.[4][5][6][7]
William Anders Media
Anders (right) with fellow Apollo 8 crewmates Jim Lovell (center) and Frank Borman (left)
The Apollo 8 1968 Christmas Eve broadcast and reading from the Book of Genesis while in lunar orbit
Earthrise, taken by Anders on 24 December 1968
Anders sprayed with a fire hose by his son Greg at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in 2008
Anders taxiing a North American P-51 Mustang at Bergen Air Show in 2005
Icelandic geologist Sigurður Þórarinsson, Bill Anders, and Dr. Ted H. Foss during geology training in Iceland in 1967
References
- ↑ "Remarks by the President at the National Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting (2009)". Archived from the original on 2015-06-03. Retrieved 2012-10-20.
- ↑ International Space Hall of Fame Archived 2012-03-13 at the Wayback Machine - New Mexico Museum of Space History
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Astronaut Bio: William Anders". jsc.nasa.gov. 2001-05-23. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- ↑ Fox 13 News Staff (7 June 2024). "Video shows fiery small plane crash into WA waters near Orcas Island". FOX 13 (Seattle). https://www.ktvu.com/news/san-juan-islands-plane-crash. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ↑ Lewis, Russell (7 July 2024). "NASA astronaut Bill Anders, who took famous photo of Earth during Apollo, dies at 90". NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/06/07/401128365/nasa-astronaut-bill-anders-apollo-8-dead. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ↑ Goldstein, Richard. "William A. Anders, Who Flew on First Manned Orbit of the Moon, Dies at 90". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/07/science/william-a-anders-dead.html. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ↑ Price, Stepheny (7 June 2024). "Apollo 8 astronaut, William Anders, who took famous picture of Earth, killed in small plane crash". Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/apollo-8-astronaut-william-anders-famous-picture-earth-killed-small-plane-crash. Retrieved 8 June 2024.