A Pioneering Space Explorer

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut Who Orbited the Moon, Dies at 90

A Pioneering Space Explorer

William Anders, a NASA astronaut who made history as part of the Apollo 8 crew that became the first humans to orbit the moon, has died at the age of 90.

Anders' death was confirmed by his son, Greg Anders, who told CBS News that the plane that crashed on June 7, 2024, belonged to his father.

Born William Alison Anders on October 17, 1933, Anders was an accomplished pilot and engineer before joining NASA. He joined the Apollo program in 1968 and was selected to be part of the Apollo 8 mission alongside Commander Frank Borman and Lunar Module Pilot Jim Lovell.