What is the meaning of Apollo 8?

Apollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit, and also the first human spaceflight to reach another astronomical object, namely the Moon, which the crew orbited without landing, and then departed safely back to Earth.

Did the Apollo 8 Land on the Moon?

December 27, 1968
Apollo 8/Land dates

Why was the Apollo 8 mission so important?

Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to successfully orbit the Moon and return to Earth. The Apollo 8 crew were also the first to witness and photograph an Earthrise.

What was Apollo 8’s message to the US as they closed their broadcast on Christmas Eve?

Apollo 8’s 1968 Christmas message. Credits: “We were told that on Christmas Eve we would have the largest audience that had ever listened to a human voice,” recalled Borman during 40th anniversary celebrations in 2008. “And the only instructions that we got from NASA was to do something appropriate.”

Who created Apollo 8?

Apollo 8 launched from Cape Kennedy on Dec. 21, 1968, placing astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell Jr. and William Anders into a 114 by 118 mile parking orbit at 32.6 degrees.

How long did Apollo 8 take to orbit Earth?

Apollo 8 launched from Cape Kennedy on Dec. 21, 1968, placing astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell Jr. and William Anders into a 114 by 118 mile parking orbit at 32.6 degrees. During the second revolution, at two hours, 50 minutes ground elapsed time, the S-IVB third stage restarted for a five-minute, 17-second burn, initiating translunar coast.

What was the main objective of Apollo 8 mission?

Mission Objective. The mission objectives for Apollo 8 included a coordinated performance of the crew, the command and service module, or CSM, and the support facilities. The mission also was to demonstrate translunar injection; CSM navigation, communications and midcourse corrections; consumable assessment; and passive thermal control.

What happened to Borman and McDivitt on Apollo 8?

Astronaut Jim McDivitt ‘s crew, who were training to fly the first lunar module flight in low Earth orbit, became the crew for the Apollo 9 mission, and Borman’s crew were moved to the Apollo 8 mission.