Apollo 8

Frank Borman

• Birthday: 03/14/1928
• Role: Commander
• Nationality: United States of America
• First Flight: 12/04/1965
• Last Flight: 12/21/1968

Frank Frederick Borman II was a United States Air Force pilot, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut, best re...

Jim Lovell

• Birthday: 03/25/1928
• Role: Command Module Pilot
• Nationality: United States of America
• First Flight: 12/04/1965
• Last Flight: 04/11/1970

James Arthur Lovell Jr. is a former NASA astronaut, Naval Aviator, and retired Navy captain. Lovell is known for being the co...

William Anders

• Birthday: 10/17/1933
• Role: Lunar Module Pilot
• Nationality: United States of America
• First Flight: 12/21/1968
• Last Flight: 12/21/1968

William Alison "Bill" Anders was a United States Air Force Major general, electrical engineer, nuclear engineer, NA...

Mission

Apollo 8

• Type: Human Exploration
• Orbit: Low Earth Orbit

Apollo 8 was the first flight of the mighty Saturn V launch vehicle key to human exploration of the moon. The three-astronaut crew — Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders. This Mission was the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon.

Location

Launch Complex 39A

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Find the best place to watch the launch from Florida

Launch Complex 39A has witnessed the launch of 208 rockets, including 207 orbital launch attempts. While Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA, has been the site for 266 rocket launches.

The John F. Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of NASA's ten field centers. Since 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary launch center of American spaceflight, research, and technology. Launch operations for the Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs were carried out from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 and managed by KSC. Located on the east coast of Florida, KSC is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).

Rocket

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Saturn V

The Saturn V was a human-rated expendable rocket used by NASA between 1967 and 1973. Most notably, the Saturn V took the Apollo program to the Moon. It still remains the world's tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever brought to operational status and is the only launch vehicle to take humans beyond LEO.

Learn more about the Saturn V

Agency

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.