Today in Tech History (December 24th, 1968): Apollo 8's Crew Becomes First Humans to Orbit the Moon!
Jay B
On December 21st, 1968, Apollo 8 launched as the second crewed spaceflight mission flown in the United States under the Apollo program. On December 24th, 1968, the three astronauts - Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders - were the first humans to reach the Moon AND photograph the far side of the Moon and an Earthrise. Apollo 8 never landed on the Moon, though. Instead, the astronauts orbited the Moon ten times before returning to Earth. Astronaut James Lovell later became the commander for the ill-fated Apollo 13 Moon mission, which, after a critical failure with the spacecraft, looped around the Moon and returned safely to Earth.