NASA Administrator Remembers Apollo Astronaut William Anders

WASHINGTON, June 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The next is a press release from NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson on the passing of Apollo astronaut Maj. Gen. (ret.) William “Invoice” Anders, who handed away June 7, in San Juan Islands, Washington state, on the age of 90.

“In 1968, as a member of the Apollo 8 crew, as one of many first three folks to journey past the attain of our Earth and orbit the Moon, Invoice Anders gave to humanity among the many deepest of presents an explorer and an astronaut can provide. Together with the Apollo 8 crew, Invoice was the primary to indicate us, by way of wanting again on the Earth from the brink of the Moon, that gorgeous picture – the primary of its type – of the Earth suspended in house, illuminated in mild and hidden in darkness: the Earthrise.

“As Invoice put it so effectively after the conclusion of the Apollo 8 mission, ‘We got here all this technique to discover the Moon, and an important factor is that we found the Earth.’

“That’s what Invoice embodied – the notion that we go to house to be taught the secrets and techniques of the universe but within the course of study one thing else: ourselves. He embodied the teachings and the aim of exploration.

“The voyage Invoice took in 1968 was solely one of many many outstanding chapters in Invoice’s life and repair to humanity. In his 26 years of service to our nation, Invoice was many issues – U.S. Air Drive officer, astronaut, engineer, ambassador, advisor, and far more.

“Invoice started his profession as an Air Drive pilot and, in 1964, was chosen to affix NASA’s astronaut corps, serving as backup pilot for the Gemini XI and Apollo 11 flights, and lunar module pilot for Apollo 8.

“He not solely noticed new issues however impressed technology upon technology to see new potentialities and new goals – to voyage on Earth, in house, and within the skies. When America returns astronauts to the Moon beneath the Artemis marketing campaign, and in the end ventures onward to Mars, we are going to carry the reminiscence and legacy of Invoice with us.

“At each step of Invoice’s life was the iron will of a pioneer, the grand ardour of a visionary, the cool ability of a pilot, and the center of an adventurer who explored on behalf of all of us. His impression will dwell on by way of the generations. All of NASA, and all of those that lookup into the twinkling heavens and see grand new potentialities of dazzling new goals, will miss a fantastic hero who has handed on: Invoice Anders.”

For extra details about Anders’ NASA profession, and his company biography, go to:

https://www.nasa.gov/former-astronaut-william-a-anders/

SOURCE NASA