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Human Spaceflight

APOLLO 8

DecayedHuman SpaceflightHEO

Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to leave Earth's gravitational sphere of influence, and the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon. The crew orbited the Moon ten times without landing and then returned to Earth. The three astronauts—Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders—were the first humans to see and photograph the far side of the Moon and an Earthrise.

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Launch

Launch date
December 21, 1968 at 12:51 PM UTC
Launch site
Cape Canaveral SFS, USA
Launched by
Saturn V →
Operator
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission
Apollo 8
Launch record
View full launch →

Orbit

Orbit regime
HEO
Apoapsis
544,356 km
Periapsis
215 km
Inclination
30.71°
Orbital period
24399.41 min

Identity

COSPAR (Int'l)
1968-118A
NORAD catalog №
3626
Object type
Payload
Owner / operator
United StatesUnited States
Status
Decayed
Decay / reentry
December 27, 1968

End of mission

Last active / ended
December 27, 1968
Time in service
6 days
Fate
Reentered Earth's atmosphere and was destroyed.
Final status
Decayed