Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, known for his iconic "Earthrise" photograph, has passed away.
Anders played an integral role in the Apollo-8 mission - a historic flight that marked the first time people saw and documented the moon's backside.while taking the "Earthrise" photo in '68, which captured the Earth as a crescent against the lunar landscape.
The Apollo-8 expedition set off in December 1968, with Anders, Frank Borman, and James Lovell astronauts at the helm. Tragically, Borman passed away in November, aged 95. Anders previously served as a fighter pilot in the US Army before joining the space program.
Bill Nelson, head of the US space agency, shared his condolences and recounted Anders' significance on social media network X. "Anders bestowed a priceless gift upon humanity. He Broadened our perspective on what it means to be human by showing us a different angle: our home planet," underscored Nelson. "His passing is deeply felt."
