Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, known for the ‘Earthrise’ photo, dies in plane crash

The sad news of the death of retired Air Force pilot and former Apollo 8 astronaut, William Anders, was confirmed by ⁢his son. Anders, most well-known for capturing the iconic “Earthrise” photo‍ of‌ Earth from space, was 90 years old. The photo‌ not‌ only inspired awe in its viewers, but it also had a significant impact on the environmental movement. ‌Senator Mark Kelly, also⁣ a retired NASA astronaut, paid tribute to Anders and his impact on future generations of explorers. The cause of the crash is still being investigated by the⁤ National Transportation Safety Board‍ and the Federal Aviation Administration. Anders, in an interview, acknowledged the​ risks of ‌the Apollo 8 mission but believed it was ‍a necessary​ step in American history.

On Friday, the death‌ of retired Air Force​ pilot and former Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders was confirmed by ⁣his son. ⁢Anders is best known for taking ​the iconic “Earthrise” photo from space in 1968.⁣ This photo not only captured the beauty of Earth, but also sparked a ​global environmental movement. Senator Mark ⁣Kelly paid tribute to Anders and his impact on future generations​ of explorers. The ‌cause of Anders’ death, a ​plane crash, is still being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal‍ Aviation Administration. In a past interview,​ Anders ​acknowledged‍ the risks of the mission but​ believed it ‍was an⁣ important part of American history.


Retired Maj. Gen. William Anders, the former Apollo 8 astronaut who took the iconic “Earthrise” photo showing the planet as a shadowed blue marble from space in 1968, was killed Friday when the plane he was piloting alone plummeted into the waters off the San Juan Islands in Washington state. He was 90.

His son, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Greg Anders, confirmed the death to the Associated Press.

“The family is devastated,” Greg Anders said. “He was a great pilot and we will miss him terribly.”
William Anders has said the photo was his most significant contribution to the space program given the ecological philosophical impact it had, along with making sure the Apollo 8 command module and service module worked.

The photograph, the first color image of Earth from space, is one of the most important photos in modern history for the way it changed how humans viewed the planet. The photo is credited with sparking the global environmental movement for showing how delicate and isolated Earth appeared from space.

FILE – This Dec. 24, 1968, file photo made available by NASA shows the Earth behind the surface of the moon during the Apollo 8 mission. (William Anders/NASA via AP, File)

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who is also a retired NASA astronaut, wrote on the social platform X, “Bill Anders forever changed our perspective of our planet and ourselves with his famous Earthrise photo on Apollo 8. He inspired me and generations of astronauts and explorers. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Bill Anders forever changed our perspective of our planet and ourselves with his famous Earthrise photo on Apollo 8. He inspired me and generations of astronauts and explorers. My thoughts are with his family and friends. https://t.co/duYdSbSZ0C

— Senator Mark Kelly (@SenMarkKelly) June 8, 2024

A report came in around 11:40 a.m. that an older-model plane crashed into the water and sank near the north end of Jones Island, San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter said.

Only the pilot was on board the Beech A45 airplane at the time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating the crash.

William Anders said in a 1997 NASA oral history interview that he didn’t think the Apollo 8 mission was risk-free but there were important national, patriotic, and exploration reasons for going ahead. He estimated there was about 1-in-3 chance that the crew wouldn’t make it back and the same chance the mission would be a success and the same chance that the mission wouldn’t start to begin with. He said he suspected Christopher Columbus sailed with worse odds.

FILE – From left to right, Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, William Anders, and James Lovell Jr. gather near their spacecraft at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, where the astronauts celebrated the 25th anniversary of their six-day mission to enter the lunar atmosphere and orbit the moon, Dec. 10, 1993. (AP Photo/John Swart, File)

He recounted how Earth looked fragile and seemingly physically insignificant yet was home.

“We’d been going backwards and upside down, didn’t really see the Earth or the Sun, and when we rolled around and came around and saw the first Earthrise,” he said. “That certainly was, by far, the most impressive thing. To see this very delicate, colorful orb, which to me looked like a Christmas tree ornament coming up over this very stark, ugly lunar landscape, really contrasted.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

William Anders and his wife, Valerie, founded the Heritage Flight Museum in Washington state in 1996. It is now based at a regional airport in Burlington and features 15 aircraft, several antique military vehicles, a library, and many artifacts donated by veterans, according to the museum’s website. Two of his sons helped him run it.

The couple moved to Orcas Island, in the San Juan archipelago, in 1993 and kept a second home in their hometown of San Diego, according to a biography on the museum’s website. They had six children and 13 grandchildren.



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