Echoes Among the Stars: The Original Website
The First Era in Space, 1957-1975
Apollo 8
December 21 - December 27, 1968
A Brief Recess
Jim Lovell, Bill Anders, and Frank Borman (l. to r.) -- take a break from their studies while preparing for their December, 1968 Apollo 8 mission. The plan for their trip changed dramatically when the Soviets sent an unmanned spacecraft to the moon and back. Originally set for earth orbit, Apollo 8 was instead given a go-ahead for a trip around the moon. NASA photo.
Ready to Go to the Moon
Coming as it did at Christmas time of 1968, at the end of a year marred by unprecedented civil unrest, violence, assassinations and other unexpected changes in the nation’s social and political landscape, the decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon was a daring -- and potentially diastrous -- decision. Fortunately, the flight went well, and resulted in a memorably happy holiday. NASA photo.
The Lunar Surface
In addition to taking the famous photograph of the Earth ‘rising’ above the lunar horizon (which incidentally can be seen on the cover of the book Echoes Among the Stars: A Short History of the U.S. Space Program), the Apollo 8 astronauts also returned from their sojourn in lunar orbit with remarkably close-up views of the moon’s desolate, cratered surface. NASA photo.
