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 command …

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 Moon, and …

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.

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 again, …

Another first achieved during Apollo 8 was the first capsule splashdown in darkness. The S-IVB third stage and Apollo 8 spacecraft were launched into a low-Earth parking orbit to checkout on-board and …

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 States’ …

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 groundwork for …

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 schedule with the …

Jul 8, 2009 · 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.