Apollo 8 (December 21–27, 1968) was the first crewed spacecraft to leave Earth's gravitational sphere of influence, and the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon.

Jul 11, 2024 · On December 21, 1968, three NASA astronauts embarked on a journey that would take them “Round the moon and back.” The Apollo 8 mission proved the performance of the …

In late December 1968, the Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders became the first humans to leave Earth and journey to another world. They spent 20 hours orbiting the …

Sep 18, 2018 · NASA's Apollo 8 mission, launched in 1968, represented a vital milestone in human space exploration: carrying the first crew to beyond low Earth orbit and toward the moon.

4 days ago · See you on the other side: What Jim Lovell’s Apollo 8 mission taught a divided world by Kathleen Bangs Monday, January 5, 2026 This will be the first New Year of the Space Age …

Dec 20, 2018 · Despite the noise, the crew reported a smooth flight, and just twelve minutes later, Apollo 8 was safely orbiting the Earth. During the second orbit, the rocket’s third stage ignited …

May 31, 2025 · In December 1968, NASA’s Apollo 8 mission marked a historic moment in space exploration as the first manned mission to orbit the Moon. It was a pivotal step in the United …

Dec 23, 2025 · The success of Apollo 8 proved that humans could travel to the Moon and return safely, overcoming immense technical and psychological challenges. This mission laid the …

Although Apollo 8 had originally been envisioned as an Earth-orbit checkout mission only, NASA decided to attempt an ambitious round-trip flight to the Moon instead. Apollo 8 had been …

Apollo 8 was originally intended to be an Earth-orbital test of the Lunar Module. However, completion of the Lunar Module was behind schedule and NASA wanted to maintain its launch …