Apollo 8's successful mission paved the way for Apollo 10 and, with Apollo 11 in July 1969, the fulfillment of U.S. president John F. Kennedy 's goal of landing a man on the Moon before the end of …

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 …

Apollo 8, which launched on December 21, 1968, was the first mission to take humans to the Moon and back. While the crew did not land on the Moon's surface, the flight was an important prelude to a …

Jul 19, 2019 · Apollo 7 would be able to successfully test the new Apollo spacecraft while orbiting the earth. Then, a few months later, on Christmas Eve 1968, Apollo 8 astronauts Jim Lovell, Frank …

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, …

The crew began training for a possible lunar mission in August 1968, but the final decision to fly to the Moon was not made until November 12, less than six weeks before launch.

First manned flight to lunar orbit. Speed (10,807 m/s) and altitude (378,504 km) records. Mission resulted from audacious decision to send crew around moon to beat Soviets on only second manned …

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 17, 1988 · -- On a December day 20 years ago three American astronauts, in an unprecedented test of the world's most powerful rocket, thundered into the heavens on 'a most fantastic voyage,' an …

Dec 24, 2018 · With a successful Lunar Orbit Insertion (LOI) burn, they would become the first crewed spacecraft in lunar orbit, and Mission Control would regain the signal after 32 minutes and 37 seconds.