William Anders

October 17, 1933 — June 7, 2024 — Hong Kong

William Anders was an American astronaut, Air Force major general, and engineer best remembered as a member of the Apollo 8 crew, the first mission to send humans beyond low Earth orbit to the Moon. During that historic December 1968 flight, he captured the iconic 'Earthrise' photograph, one of the most influential images of the 20th century. Anders later served as a government official and business executive before his death in a plane crash in 2024.

Early Life and Education

William Alison Anders was born on October 17, 1933, in Hong Kong, where his father served as a U.S. Navy officer. His family's naval background shaped his early ambitions, and he pursued a rigorous technical and military education. Anders graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1955 with a degree in electrical engineering, then chose to serve in the Air Force rather than the Navy. He became a fighter pilot, flying all-weather interceptors, and continued his education while on active duty. In 1962, he earned a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, a credential that reflected the growing importance of technical expertise in the Cold War-era military. His combination of piloting skill and scientific training made him an ideal candidate when NASA began recruiting scientist-astronauts for its expanding space program. In 1963, Anders was selected as part of NASA's third group of astronauts, joining a cohort that included future Apollo-era spaceflight pioneers. This selection set the stage for his defining contribution to human space exploration just five years later.

Apollo 8 and the Earthrise Photograph

In December 1968, Anders served as lunar module pilot on Apollo 8, alongside commander Frank Borman and command module pilot Jim Lovell. The mission marked the first time humans left low Earth orbit, journeying to the Moon and orbiting it ten times before returning safely to Earth. The crew's live broadcasts captivated a global audience, culminating in a Christmas Eve reading from the Book of Genesis that remains one of the most watched television broadcasts in history. During one of the lunar orbits, Anders photographed Earth rising above the Moon's horizon, an image that became known as 'Earthrise.' The photograph offered humanity a transformative view of its home planet as a fragile, isolated sphere suspended in the vastness of space, and it became a defining symbol of the emerging environmental movement. Anders later reflected that the mission's most important discovery was not the Moon itself but the Earth, seen anew from a quarter-million miles away. Apollo 8 proved critical systems and techniques that paved the way for the Apollo 11 Moon landing just seven months later.

Later Career and Legacy

After Apollo 8, Anders served as backup command module pilot for Apollo 11 before retiring from active astronaut duty. He held senior positions within NASA and the National Aeronautics and Space Council, then transitioned to government service, serving as U.S. Ambassador to Norway from 1976 to 1977. Anders subsequently built a successful business career, holding executive roles at General Electric and eventually becoming chairman and CEO of General Dynamics, a major aerospace and defense contractor. He retired from the Air Force Reserve as a major general. In later years, Anders and his wife established the Anders Foundation and founded the Heritage Flight Museum in Washington State to preserve historic military aircraft. He remained an active pilot well into his ninth decade. Anders died on June 7, 2024, at age 90, when the vintage aircraft he was piloting crashed near San Juan Island, Washington. His Earthrise photograph endures as one of history's most reproduced and influential images, credited with helping inspire the modern environmental movement and reshaping humanity's perception of its place in the cosmos.