By D.W.G. Kalani Tharanga, JadeTimes News
Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, renowned for capturing one of the most iconic photographs in space history, has tragically died in a plane crash at the age of 90. Anders, who was piloting a small aircraft, crashed into the sea off the coast of Washington state. His son, Greg Anders, confirmed that his father’s body was recovered on Friday afternoon. The family expressed their grief in a statement, saying, "The family is devastated. He was a great pilot. He will be missed."
A Pioneering Astronaut and Iconic Photographer
Bill Anders served as the lunar module pilot on the historic Apollo 8 mission, the first crewed spaceflight to leave Earth and orbit the Moon. During this mission, on Christmas Eve 1968, Anders took the famous Earthrise photograph. This image, showing Earth rising over the barren lunar horizon, has become one of the most memorable and inspirational photos of our planet from space. Anders later regarded this photograph as his most significant contribution to the space program. The Earthrise image is credited with inspiring the global environmental movement and leading to the establishment of Earth Day, an annual event promoting environmental awareness and activism. Reflecting on the moment, Anders once said, "We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing that we discovered was the Earth."
Tragic Plane Crash and Reactions
The crash occurred at around 11:40 PDT (19:40 BST) when Anders was flying a Beechcraft A A 45, also known as a T-34. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that the plane crashed about 80 feet (25 meters) from the coast of Jones Island. Eyewitness Philip Person described seeing the plane attempt a loop before becoming inverted and crashing into the water. Footage purportedly capturing the crash shows an effort to pull up at the last moment before the plane hit the water and burst into flames.
In addition to his accomplishments in space, Anders served as the backup pilot for the Apollo 11 mission, which led to the first Moon landing on July 20, 1969. After retiring from NASA in 1969, Anders had a lengthy career in the aerospace industry and served as the US Ambassador to Norway in the 1970s. However, he is best remembered for the Apollo 8 mission and the iconic Earthrise photograph.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson honored Anders, stating, "In 1968, during Apollo 8, Bill Anders offered to humanity among the deepest of gifts an astronaut can give. He traveled to the threshold of the Moon and helped all of us see something else, ourselves." Fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon, also paid tribute, calling Anders "an inspiration."
Anders's remarkable career and contributions to space exploration and environmental awareness have left an indelible mark on history, and he will be remembered as a pioneer who helped humanity gain a new perspective on our planet.