Apollo 8

Mission overview

Apollo 8 was the first crewed mission to leave Earth orbit and orbit the Moon, returning the famous 'Earthrise' photograph.

Outcome & discoveries

The crew became the first humans to orbit the Moon, completing ten orbits on Christmas Eve 1968.

Mission profile

Crew

Knowledge connections

• Operated byNASA
• Part of programApollo program
• Launched bySaturn V
• Launched fromKennedy Space Center
• Mission targetThe Moon
• Mission includesFrank Borman
• Mission includesJim Lovell
• Mission includesWilliam Anders
• CapturedEarthrise
• Associated withApollo 8 Orbits the Moon

Related missions

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

• NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

  Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.