Anders became a household name for taking the iconic 'Earthrise' photograph during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968.
Anders graduated from the Naval Academy in 1955 and later served as an astronaut for NASA.
Anders was piloting an older-model Beechcraft T-34 Mentor at the time of the crash and was alone in the aircraft.
Born in Hong Kong, Anders joined NASA after serving as a fighter pilot in the Air Force. He later worked for General Electric and General Dynamics before founding the Heritage Flight Museum.
Former NASA astronaut William Anders tragically died in a plane crash on June 7, 2024 off the coast of Jones Island in Washington state.
Former NASA astronaut William Anders, who became a household name for taking the iconic 'Earthrise' photograph during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968, tragically lost his life in a plane crash on June 7, 2024. The incident occurred off the coast of Jones Island in Washington state.
Anders was piloting an older-model Beechcraft T-34 Mentor when it plummeted into the waters. He was alone in the aircraft at the time of the crash, leaving his family and friends devastated by his sudden demise.
Born in Hong Kong in 1933, Anders joined NASA after serving as a fighter pilot in the Air Force. He later worked for General Electric and General Dynamics before founding the Heritage Flight Museum in Washington state. In December 1968, he was part of the team that orbited around the moon onboard Apollo 8 and took an iconic photograph of Earth rising beyond the lunar landscape.
Anders' 'Earthrise' photo became a symbol for environmental awareness and inspired many. He estimated there was about a one in three chance that the Apollo 8 crew wouldn't make it back from their mission, but they succeeded in making history. Anders graduated from the Naval Academy in 1955 and later served as an astronaut for NASA.
The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are currently investigating the cause of the plane crash. This is a developing story.
Anders took color photographs and motion pictures of the lunar surface in preparation for Apollo 11
His photograph 'Earthrise' inspired the modern environmental movement and was reproduced on a postage stamp and in Life magazine’s ‘100 Photographs That Changed the World'
Anders oversaw his spacecraft’s electronic and communications systems during Apollo 8
He expressed awe over Earthrise with his fellow astronauts before taking the photo
Anders was piloting an older-model Beech A45 airplane alone when it plummeted into the waters off the San Juan Islands in Washington state.
He estimated there was about a one in three chance that the Apollo 8 crew wouldn’t make it back and the same chance that the mission would be a success.
Anders graduated from the Naval Academy in 1955 and served as a fighter pilot in the Air Force. He later worked for General Electric and General Dynamics.
He was born in Hong Kong in 1933 when his father was a Navy lieutenant aboard the USS Panay, and later founded the Heritage Flight Museum in Washington state.
Accuracy
He was born in Hong Kong in 1933 when his father was a Navy lieutenant aboard the USS Panay,
The photograph, taken during their fourth orbit of the moon, is one of the most important photos in modern history for changing how humans viewed Earth.
Anders served as backup crew for Apollo 11 and Gemini XI but only flew to space on Apollo 8.
He later founded the Heritage Flight Museum in Washington state.
The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA are investigating the crash.
