Apollo PART 3 @NASA

Apollo 8 was the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon. Launched by NASA in December 1968, it carried astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders. The mission marked a significant milestone in space exploration, providing valuable data and paving the way for subsequent lunar missions. During their orbit around the Moon, the crew captured the iconic "Earthrise" photograph and conducted observations that contributed to our understanding of lunar geology and space travel. The success of Apollo 8 laid the foundation for the Apollo 11 mission, which achieved the first successful Moon landing in 1969.