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William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

Tech 2024-08-22 02:34:20 Source: Network

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William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASAWilliam Anders, Apollo 8 astronaut who passed away on June 7th at the age of 90, was a pioneer in human space exploration. He not only captured the iconic "Earthrise" photograph, which remains a powerful symbol of our home planet, but also left a lasting impression on the world with his profound insights into space exploration

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

William Anders, Apollo 8 astronaut who passed away on June 7th at the age of 90, was a pioneer in human space exploration. He not only captured the iconic "Earthrise" photograph, which remains a powerful symbol of our home planet, but also left a lasting impression on the world with his profound insights into space exploration.

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

On December 21, 1968, Anders, along with Frank Borman and James Lovell, embarked on the first-ever human orbital flight around the moon aboard Apollo 8. While the mission did not involve a lunar landing, it successfully completed ten orbits and safely returned to Earth on December 27th. Anders and his crewmates conducted a live television broadcast from lunar orbit, breaking viewership records at the time and delivering a Christmas message to Earth: "Good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas and God bless all of youall of you on the good Earth."

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

On December 24th, Anders captured the world-renowned "Earthrise" photograph, the first ever color picture of Earth taken from space. In the image, Earth appears like a "blue and white marble," a jewel radiating a glow in the quiet expanse of space. Anders himself exclaimed, "Oh my god, look at that picture there! Isn't that something? The Earth coming up. Wow, that's beautiful!"

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

The "Earthrise" image, conveying a sense of both "fragility" and "loneliness," has widely been used as a symbol for global environmental movements, raising awareness among people worldwide. In 2022, the original "Earthrise" photograph was sold for 1.18 million at an auction in Copenhagen, further demonstrating its unique historical value.

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

Anders, born on October 17, 1933, in Hong Kong, China, was the son of a U.S. Navy lieutenant. Inspired by his father, Anders graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1955 and became a fighter pilot. He later pursued a master's degree in nuclear engineering, eventually becoming an astronaut.

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

Reflecting on the Apollo 8 mission, Anders admitted that the undertaking was filled with risks. "The odds were about one out of three that the crew would not return, and the odds were about the same that the mission would not even start." Despite these odds, Anders and his fellow astronauts bravely embarked on their journey.

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

Regarding the experience of photographing "Earthrise," Anders mused, "We were flying backward, and we couldn't see the Earth and sun. We had been going around the moon, and then we turned around, and there was the Earth coming up." In that moment, the beauty of Earth contrasted sharply with the desolate landscape of the moon, leaving a lasting impression on Anders.

William Anders, Apollo 8 Astronaut: From Capturing "Earthrise" to Criticizing NASA

Anders only participated in one space mission, serving as a backup crew member for Apollo 11 and Gemini 11, but never ventured into space again. After retiring from his astronaut post, Anders held various positions including the first chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Ambassador to Norway, and chairman of General Dynamics. In 1993, the Anders family moved to Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands, where they resided until his retirement.

In 2018, at the age of 85, Anders candidly criticized NASA's manned mission to Mars in a media interview, labeling it "ridiculous" and "stupid." He argued that the agency should focus on unmanned exploration, which is more cost-effective and avoids potential harm to astronauts. In his view, NASA had become too rigid, no longer focused on space exploration but instead prioritizing busywork, paying salaries, and securing re-election for its congressional sponsors.

For Anders, NASA had forgotten its original purpose - space exploration. He expressed disappointment in his former employer, hoping that the agency would rediscover its initial mission and return to the essence of space exploration.

Anders' life was filled with legendary achievements. He was not only an exceptional astronaut who bravely embarked on humanity's journey to explore the cosmos but also offered unique insights into the future of space exploration. His passing marks a significant loss for the history of human space exploration and prompts deeper contemplation about the future of cosmic exploration.

Humanity's exploration of space is unending, just like our exploration of ourselves. We hope that by gaining knowledge of space, we can better understand ourselves and live in harmony with Earth.

It is worth noting that since the Apollo 17 mission landed on the moon on December 19, 1972, the United States has not achieved another lunar landing. In 2023, China successfully launched the Chang'e 6 mission, completing intelligent rapid sampling on the lunar south pole-Aitken basin, significantly contributing to human space exploration.

The path of human space exploration is fraught with challenges, but as Qu Yuan said, "The road ahead is long and arduous, but I will seek knowledge from both the heavens and the earth." We believe that humanity will continue to explore space and unveil more of the universe's mysteries in the future.

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