Former NASA Astronaut William Anders Dies in Plane Crash

Former NASA Astronaut William Anders Dies in Plane Crash

Former NASA astronaut William Anders, known for his iconic “Earthrise” photograph taken during the Apollo 8 mission, has died in a plane crash.

Anders, 85, was a passenger on a single-engine plane that crashed shortly after takeoff from a private airfield near Aspen, Colorado, on Sunday, February 26, 2023. The plane burst into flames upon impact.

Colorado State Patrol identified Anders as one of the fatal victims. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Anders was born in Hong Kong in 1933. He joined NASA in 1963 and was selected as an astronaut for the Apollo program. In 1968, he became the first person to see the Earth from the Moon.

During his time in NASA, Anders logged over 481 hours in space. He retired from the agency in 1969.

Anders was a respected scientist and author. He continued to advocate for space exploration and environmentalism throughout his life.

Keywords:

William Anders
NASA
Apollo 8
Earthrise
Plane crash
Colorado