Apollo 8
Mission / eventCompleted
First crewed mission to orbit the Moon
Apollo 8 was the first crewed mission to leave Earth orbit, travel to the Moon, and enter lunar orbit. Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders completed ten lunar orbits, photographed potential landing sites, tested deep-space navigation and communications, and returned safely aboard command module 103. The flight produced the Earthrise photograph and proved the basic route later used by lunar landing missions.
Mission photo archive
Reviewed photographs documenting Apollo 8. Every image links to its official NASA catalog record.
Apollo 8 Mission image, Earth over the horizon of the moon
AS08-14-2383 (24 Dec. 1968) --- The rising Earth is about five degrees above the lunar horizon in this telephoto view taken from the Apollo 8 spacecraft near 110 degrees east longitude. The horizon, about 570 kilometers (350 statute miles) from the spacecraft, is near the eastern limb of the moon as viewed from Earth. Width of the view at the horizon is about 150 kilometers (95 statute miles). On Earth 240,000 statute miles away the sunset terminator crosses Africa. The crew took the photo around 10:40 a.m. Houston time on the morning of Dec. 24, and that would make it 15:40 GMT on the same day. The South Pole is in the white area near the left end of the terminator. North and South America are under the clouds.
Launch of Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission
S68-56001 (21 Dec. 1968) --- The Apollo 8 (Spacecraft 103/Saturn 503) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, at 7:51 a.m. (EST), Dec. 21, 1968. The crew of the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission is astronauts Frank Borman, commander; James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; and William A. Anders, lunar module pilot. Apollo 8 was the first manned Saturn V launch. (Just after ignition)
U.S. Navy frogmen participate in Apollo 8 recovery
S69-15732 (27 Dec. 1968) --- A U.S. Navy frogman team participates in the Apollo 8 recovery operations. The Apollo crew, astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell Jr., and William A. Anders, were recovered by helicopter and flown to the deck of the USS Yorktown, prime recovery ship for the historic Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission. Apollo 8 splashed down at 10:51 a.m. (EST), Dec. 27, 1968, about 1,000 miles south-southwest of Hawaii.
Launch record
Explore this mission’s launch, including its vehicle, launch site, payload, and outcome.
Apollo CM-103
launch attemptDeep-space attemptcompletedNo reviewed launch image6 connectionsMission dossier
Flight profile, locations, hardware, and outcome in the same reference format used throughout the archive.
Flight profile
Places and recovery
Mission record
Trajectory profile
3 sourcesFollow the mission from departure through its flight environment, destination, and final phase. This sequence is not a scale orbital plot.
Mission locations
3 sourcesDocumented surface, test, landing, and recovery locations. Map links use the cited place name or exact coordinates; AstronautAtlas does not geocode or estimate missing positions.
Departure or test site
Launch site
Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A
Landing site
Landing site
Pacific Ocean
Assignment Manifest
The flight crew and the backup team assigned to train for this mission.
Prime crew
3 assignmentsBackup crew
Trained for the mission but did not count as flown unless reassigned to the prime crew.
Mission Purpose
3 sources- Demonstrate crewed translunar flight, lunar-, and return to Earth.
- Evaluate the command and , navigation, communications, and ground-support network in deep space.
- Photograph and visually assess prospective Apollo landing areas and lunar terrain.
- Perform a precise trans-Earth injection and high-speed from lunar distance.
Planned Flight Plan
3 sources- December 21, 1968
Depart Earth
Saturn V launches Apollo 8 and the crew commits to the translunar trajectory.
- December 24
Enter lunar orbit
The service propulsion system places CSM-103 into orbit around the Moon.
- Ten lunar orbits
Survey and navigate
The crew photographs the surface, checks landing areas, and tests operations on the Moon's far side.
- December 25–27
Return to Earth
A second major engine burn sends Apollo 8 home for Pacific recovery.
Mission Timeline
3 sources- December 21, 1968
Apollo 8 launches
The first crew to ride Saturn V began humanity's first voyage to another world.
- December 24
First crewed lunar orbit
Borman, Lovell, and Anders passed behind the Moon and completed lunar-.
- December 24
Earthrise and Christmas Eve broadcast
The crew photographed Earth above the lunar horizon and addressed a worldwide television audience.
- December 27, 1968
Pacific
The command module returned at lunar-entry speed and was recovered by USS Yorktown.