WASHINGTON: The US space agency has said that Frank Borman, the NASA astronaut who led the Apollo 8 mission in 1968, the first spaceflight in the human history to reach the Moon, has passed away at the age of 95. In a statement, agency’s administrator Bill Nelson said that they remembered one of NASA’s best today.
He was born on March 14, 1928 in Gary, and began his career in the American Air Force where he flew as a pilot and became an assistant professor of thermodynamics at West Point. However, Frank Borman will be remembered as a forerunner of space exploration. Frank Borman set a then-record of 14-day in space during Gemini 7 mission. The trip featured the 1st space rendezvous with the Gemini 6 spacecraft.
Read Alos: Apple Co-founder Hospitalized After Stroke: Report
Frank Borman went on to command Apollo 8 mission, where he became one of the 1st three humans, alongside crewmates William Anders and Lovell, to see and photograph the Moon.
Astronaut Who Led 1st Mission Around Moon, Dies at 95
Apollo 8 mission was also famous for producing “Earthrise” — an iconic image of the Earth and part of the lunar surface, taken by Anders on December 4, 1968. Following his profession at NASA, Frank Borman became the Chief Executive Office of Eastern Airlines.
“He knew the power exploration held in uniting humanity when Frank said, ‘Exploration is actually the essence of the human spirit,’” said Bill Nelson.
