Apollo 8 William Anders 'Earthrise' Photographer Died in Crash

Retired astronaut William Anders, renowned for his pivotal role as one of the first three humans to orbit the moon and capture the iconic "Earthrise" photograph during NASA's Apollo 8 mission, tragically passed away in a plane crash in Washington state on Friday. He was 90 years old.

The incident occurred when the small plane Anders was piloting crashed off the coast of Jones Island, part of the San Juan Islands archipelago. According to reports from The Seattle Times and television station KCPQ-TV, Anders was flying a vintage Air Force single-engine T-34 Mentor that he owned at the time of the crash.

Video footage captured the plane descending rapidly from the skies before plunging into the water near the shore. The San Juan County Sheriff's Office is yet to confirm the crash.

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A distinguished graduate of the US Naval Academy and a former Air Force pilot, Anders joined NASA in 1963 as part of the third group of astronauts. However, his journey into space didn't begin until December 21, 1968, when he embarked on the historic Apollo 8 mission alongside Frank Borman and James Lovell. 

As the "rookie" astronaut on the crew, Anders played a vital role in the mission, which marked the first crewed journey beyond Earth's orbit to orbit the moon. Their voyage, initially scheduled for 1969, was expedited due to concerns about Soviet progress in their lunar exploration efforts. This left the crew with limited time to prepare for the daring mission.

During their journey, Anders captured the iconic "Earthrise" image, depicting the Earth rising above the lunar horizon, which became an enduring symbol of humanity's exploration of space. Additionally, he led the crew in a reading from the Book of Genesis on Christmas Eve, a poignant moment broadcasted back to Earth.

Upon their safe return, the Apollo 8 astronauts were hailed as national heroes and named Time magazine's "Men of the Year." Their historic mission not only paved the way for the Apollo 11 moon landing but also provided a much-needed morale boost to the United States during a tumultuous period marked by the Vietnam War, civil unrest, and political upheaval.