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Apollo 8: First Humans to Orbit the Moon

Historic Journey Set Stage for Lunar Landing

December 21, 1968

On December 21, 1968, NASA astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders embarked on a daring mission that would take them around the Moon and back. Apollo 8, the first manned mission to orbit the Moon, proved the performance of the Saturn V rocket and the Apollo spacecraft and paved the way for the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.

The Apollo 8 mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center at 7:51 am EST on December 21, 1968. The crew spent 20 hours orbiting the Moon and captured iconic images of Earth rising over the lunar horizon. After a successful return to Earth on December 27, the Apollo 8 astronauts were hailed as heroes and their mission was celebrated as a major milestone in space exploration.

Apollo 8 is considered one of the most significant events in human spaceflight history. It demonstrated the ability of humans to travel to the Moon and paved the way for the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, which marked the first time humans set foot on another celestial body.

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