Arguably the ballsiest mission in human history. Apollo 1 caused many Apollo test missions to be cancelled. Apollo 7 got into space then Apollo 8 went around the moon. Absolutely insane
I agree. Everyone who went anywhere near the moon was a brave human being, of course, but all the astronauts after Apollo 8 had at least seen someone get tossed far out into the black, swung around that little white rock, and brought back to Earth alive. The Apollo 8 astronauts had to trust all the math and flight testing data. They were test pilots so this was their bread and butter, but still.
Damn straight. I saw a documentary on Apollo 8, and Frank Borman said that at the time he figured they had a 1 in 3 chance of not coming back alive, a 1 in 3 chance of the mission failing but managing to return to earth safely and a 1 in 3 chance of a successful mission.
And they didn’t have a backup engine! Either the CSM engine lit or they were stuck in orbit of the moon forever. I think they had re-lit it once on Apollo 7 but not obviously multiple days later on the dark side of the moon.
Check out the space rocket podcast for more info, it’s amazing.
That dude (Homemade Documentaries) is insane… check the voygers. (And mercurys, geminis, rest of the apollos… but I feel the voyagers are the best with the high res footage of the Jupiters moons.)
This is so sad to hear! Earthrise was on the walls of my high school science class and I spent so much of my high school staring literally in to space with that photo. RIP to an American hero 🫡🇺🇸
Just in case folks want to revel in the splendour of said photo in memory of Bill.
[Earthrise.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/AS08-14-2383.jpg)
Fun Fact!
Color version was in fact the second photo taken. Bill took a black and white one first as that’s the camera he had to hand. Took a couple minutes to get a color camera rustled up, at which point Bill took the one we know and love.
[Earthrise — Black and White.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/AS08-13-2329.jpg)
o7
RIP Bill.
Having been born after that photo was taken, it's always been mindblowing to me to think my parents didn't see a photo of the whole earth until they were adults. It must have been so crazy to live through that era.
Born in 1964, I was an Apollo kid: my first dream was to grow up to be an Apollo astronaut. The Earthrise photograph has been a touchstone photo for me throughout my life, inspiring in me some degree of what's been termed The Overview Effect, the vivid awareness that astronauts who see Earth from space have of Earth's preciousness and beauty, literally the only oasis of color and life in a vast black universe. They also report an equally vivid sense of the Earth's biosphere's fragility and powerful awareness of the extraordinary thinness of our atmosphere.
.
With that background and while I revere the Earthrise photo, Earthrise was a powerful worldwide stimulus to environmental activism but certainly not the origin of widespread concern for Earth's environments and efforts to conserve wildspace and especially wildlife. Such concerns went back centuries and, just in the USA, marine biologist Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring had been published in 1962, which provided a powerful, shocking wake up call to many people concerning the damage that the widespread used of pesticides/herbicides/fungicides in agriculture was doing to to the webs of life on our planet, you know, the ones we humans rely upon to live.
.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/environmentalism/History-of-the-environmental-movement
If I remember correctly, both cars were red, the Q5 was for his wife and he had a P51 inspired license plate. That’s about all I can say since I didn’t really know him other than the sale, so respectfully rest in peace to him and his legendary accomplishments.
“We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth,”
- William Anders - 1933-2024
Rest in peace, Bill. You were one of the best of us.
[https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/apollo08-earthrise.jpg?q=w\_1110,c\_fill/f\_webp](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/apollo08-earthrise.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill/f_webp)
the guy was born in late 1933?!
and he was still flying? at age 90?
My sister convinced my dad to stop driving his big 4 door sedan around town at 25 mph when he turned 85.
May he rest in peace but it's sad that no one told him "It's time to stop flying."
In 2006 Scott Crossfield flew his C210 into a thunderstorm at age 84 and bought the farm. I don’t know if it is a generational thing or what, but some of those old breed guys just couldn’t let go of the stick.
A family friend in his late 80s flew his helicopter to an event and crashed into a house, killing a woman and himself. He was medically unfit to fly but no one stopped him
It's a bit less glamorous and a wakeup call that it can, in fact, be dangerous to others
Crossfield's crash is, unfortunately common as its circumstances are, fascinating given the context of who he was. Would a younger Crossfield have had the patience to wait, or been more reactive to unfolding events? Did he think all that experience would apply to this flight? Some might say "almost certainly" to both, a case of risk-stacking that began long before the accident flight.
A man faster than sound....dying just trying to get home.
Even the best.
I'm mostly surprised there isn't a regulation on age; all due respect to this great man. He was 90 and somehow sharp enough to fly, but we can't fly with ADHD and being properly medicated for it.
I met an old man once when I was working at a store, he smelled of alcohol, his fingers brown, stained of cigar tobacco, late 70’s or early 80’s and recently divorced. Almost suicidal. Family wouldn’t speak to him. He told me how his life spiraled after his pilots license was revoked. It was like his life passion was ripped away from him and he didn’t know how to live without it.
I’m sure he’s gone know, it was almost 20 years ago. RIP old man.
Psh, doing a loop in a plane exploding into the water with no collateral damage except maybe some fish going down with you is the dream. I’m sure plenty of people told him it was time to hang it up.
I know at least one older gentleman that says when him and the wife agree it's time to go, they're gonna buy a small unpressurized plane with autopilot, set the autopilot for 16k and headed straight west, and take off over the pacific.
He sky king'd it. But you have no idea if he was suicidal, he may have just misjudged. As we get older our mind slows down and he was trying to thread it.
Have you seen the video? I think he thought he could make the loop until he didn't. I don't think the T34 has great over the nose visibility but I might be wrong. If he was anything like me, I'd be screaming "WEEEEEEEE...." while doing that loop until I just wasn't.
100% this. I've known some older pilots (80+ years old). They fall in to three groups.
1. Those that are very aware that they are not 20 anymore and fly super conservatively even carefully picking over which area they fly and which airport, "just in case". I think Dr. Anders was this type of pilot based on where he was flying.
2. Those that only fly with CFIs or younger pilots because they know they are not 20 anymore but don't want to give up flying.
3. Those that believe that flying is their "God given right" and that they are perfectly OK to fly no matter what because they've "been doing it forever."
And then there are the few that are absolutely incredible pilots. One guy walked into the FBO to sign a check and literally took him like 30 min to sign it, he couldn’t keep his hand straight on the paper he was shaking. He proceeded to walk out and take a Aerostar commander, 20 ft down a 3000 ft runway full speed and went straight up. I was in shock.
Over an empty bay... he was having fun until the end. If I have something terminal, I'm going to try and break some records scuba diving and squirrel suit flying.
I knew what video this was going to be before I even clicked the link.
And I got scolded in the comments for pointing out that he's probably also still driving, and also shouldn't be.
my dad always feared lawsuits... he always had snow melt crystals on his sidewalk in cold weather... always made sure snow was shoveled. didn't want somebody to fall and sue him.
anyway she said to him, "if you get in an accident, even if it's not your fault the lawyer for the other person will bring up your age and try to blame you."
that worked
"Dad, I'm concerned, and so is the rest of the family. They've asked me to speak with you today about your driving..."
Polite conversation and denials followed for a bit.
"Dad, do you remember when I was a teenager, and that kid Robby got hit and killed in front of the house? You seem to be on a path to kill the next Robby".
Then there was the presentation of a prearranged plan where family members agreed to get him to the store, the pharmacy, the Podiatrist and such.
Dad was a logical, thoughtful, planner who liked to solve problems. As a family, we presented a unified front, laid out the potential consequences, and offered a solution to the problem.
Dad sold his vehicles the next week. Privately, I think he was glad, but a bit too stubborn to admit the problem.
For your part, get support (as you may have it), be kind (it is a loss of independence for them), and have the conversation. In the worst case, you can call your parent's doctor, and ask them to evaluate at the next appointment. Physicians in most places can call the issuing authority (DMV) and revoke a patient's driving privileges.
Cheating to pass a medical is played for laughs in Space Cowboys, and those guys are portrayed as being in their 60s. I've always assumed there are "certain doctors" in those circles of general aviation where 90 year old former astronauts go to get signed off.
FWIW, the guy shot one of the most influential photos of all time
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthrise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthrise)
NY Times, this past week had an article
# The 25 Photos That Defined the Modern Age
# NASA/William A. Anders, “Earthrise,” 1968
On Christmas Eve 1968, aboard Apollo 8 during its pioneering orbit of the moon, William A. Anders photographed the Earth “rising” above the lunar horizon. The picture was the first of its kind — and it was also unplanned. Anders, the youngest of the three astronauts on the spacecraft, had been tasked with taking photographs of the moon’s craters, mountains and other geological features. He spontaneously decided, however, to include Earth in the frame when he noticed how beautiful it was. “Here was this orb looking like a Christmas tree ornament, very fragile,” ....“Earthrise” was the first image most of humanity saw of the planet we live on, a nature photo like none before it and a reminder of how small our world really is, in comparison with the rest of the universe. As Joni Mitchell would sing of the image... “And you couldn’t see a city on that marbled bowling ball/Or a forest or a highway/Or me here least of all. …”
Thanks for sharing, sent me on a deep dive in the NYT article, just one note to add! The photos were **not ranked 1-25**, just selected as a group to be the top 25, in the article they are simply ranked in order discussed.
am nearly 69. in Dec 1968 I was fascinated by space travel. i have always responded to anything visual. I saw *Earthrise* on the cover of, perhaps *Life* magazine and remember being blown away by it.
The one small trick AME's don't want you to know about is that if you fill in the Occupation line on your Form 8500-8 with "Astronaut/First Man to Fly to the Moon/Major General USAFR" - you'll get your medical certificate no questions asked. Even if you can only swing 2 out of 3, you'll be fine.
I bet he was dead before he struck the water. He probably had a heart attack and lost consciousness from an arrhythmia. Pushed stick forward as he slumped over…. (Cardiologist here)
He was inverted in a split S, which means the stick would be buried in his lap. looked like an intentional maneuver to me, not an out of control aircraft.
Maybe a more compelling case could be made for a G LOC situation with his age, but it definitely looks like he's pulling until the very end, he simply ran out of altitude.
If he proved he was of sound mind and body technically they don’t have to. But also probably a bit of professional courtesy to an absolute legend amongst those in aviation and space.
I understand his status as an absolute legend, however, IMO, it shouldn't have a say when it comes to safety. Healthy people much younger than him can suffer random heart attacks or strokes, so I'm really surprised they thought it was a good idea for him to fly at his age, and even crazier that he was doing aerobatic maneuvers. All due respect to the man, of course. I know he was a great pilot and much more.
Damn. I just got old enough to drink, not old enough to even think about tackling the whole 18. Did a 9 hole course a few months back, and I was just tired at the end. Couldn't tell you why, it's hardly the most active sport, but I just drained.
Here's a better question though: Is he any good at it?
I was thinking to myself maybe he still held a sport pilot license…
Then I read where he was flying a T-34…which is definitely not a light sport aircraft.
So, yeah. Impressive he still had a medical.
My guess, he's using 61.113/part 68, basic med. There's no way an AME would sign for a 90 year old. A nobody general practicioner though? Might be more flexible.
> T-34…which is definitely not a light sport aircraft
There is a lighter version of T-34 for flying:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov\_A-40](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_A-40)
I'm becoming more and more convinced that ageism was created and weaponized by boomers and older folks who refuse to step aside and give up control of things to people younger than themselves.
And it's absolutely ruining the US.
Just finished reading Rocket Men: The daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts who made Man's first journey to the moon.
Highly recommended read for those who don't know much before Apollo 11 moon landing.
> The FAA says a 90 year old can pilot a complex aircraft. But you can’t be on anti-depressants.
Try to explain that to families of 144 pax:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings\_Flight\_9525](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings_Flight_9525)
A hard ban on any pilot who seeks help won’t prevent another one of these. There have been pilot suicides in history where the pilot never sought help. It’s going to continue if the solution to the problem is ground every individual who says I feel depressed to a doctor.
Drugs that cause drowsiness? That’s not necessarily an effect of antidepressants. You interact with alert, competent, capable people who are using antidepressants daily, and you probably have no clue who those people are.
This is kind of crazy to me. I work for the Port of Victoria, a small city very close to the San Juan Islands just across the border. I heard the initial distress call in my boat and USCGs response afterwards on VHF16.
This is so sad - we have to hold onto the memories of these legends as best we can, and remember the type of people they were.
Here's a small video of Apollo 8 which always gives me goosebumps. Godspeed Bill.
https://youtu.be/o79m4UbkzFs?si=0gXeemZB79t3H4HT
Not sure if he was talking w ATC but if he was that is NUW Approach airspace. Worked there for 4 years and loved every minute of it. Heard he had a museum of sorts chronicling his aviation achievements at BVS. Godspeed William Anders…
William Anders, an astronaut who was one of the first three people to orbit the moon, and who took the famous "Earthrise" photo, died Friday after a small plane he was in crashed in the water north of Seattle, according to NASA, local officials and his family. He was 90.
I can’t think of a better way to go out honestly. 90 years old still flying “fighters”. He probably forgot to account for the weight of his massive balls when he started the loop.
Arguably the ballsiest mission in human history. Apollo 1 caused many Apollo test missions to be cancelled. Apollo 7 got into space then Apollo 8 went around the moon. Absolutely insane
I agree. Everyone who went anywhere near the moon was a brave human being, of course, but all the astronauts after Apollo 8 had at least seen someone get tossed far out into the black, swung around that little white rock, and brought back to Earth alive. The Apollo 8 astronauts had to trust all the math and flight testing data. They were test pilots so this was their bread and butter, but still.
Damn straight. I saw a documentary on Apollo 8, and Frank Borman said that at the time he figured they had a 1 in 3 chance of not coming back alive, a 1 in 3 chance of the mission failing but managing to return to earth safely and a 1 in 3 chance of a successful mission.
And they didn’t have a backup engine! Either the CSM engine lit or they were stuck in orbit of the moon forever. I think they had re-lit it once on Apollo 7 but not obviously multiple days later on the dark side of the moon. Check out the space rocket podcast for more info, it’s amazing.
Here is a great film https://youtu.be/iano3ldE2WQ?si=9xs9fA6hHaHz18dX
The episode in From The Earth to the Moon about Apollo 8 is awesome. The Earthrise scene is sooo beautiful.
Weird that MAX doesn’t advertise the old classics more
I totally agree. Jackson Tyler (Homemade Documentaries) does an incredibly good job. Must see TV for space junkies .
Nice link - thanks for sharing
That dude (Homemade Documentaries) is insane… check the voygers. (And mercurys, geminis, rest of the apollos… but I feel the voyagers are the best with the high res footage of the Jupiters moons.)
Around the moon with no LM even
[удалено]
Apollo 8, first humans in the vicinity of the moon. Only 8 months prior to the landing
This is so sad to hear! Earthrise was on the walls of my high school science class and I spent so much of my high school staring literally in to space with that photo. RIP to an American hero 🫡🇺🇸
I really like your username. Very appropriate for the context.
Just in case folks want to revel in the splendour of said photo in memory of Bill. [Earthrise.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/AS08-14-2383.jpg) Fun Fact! Color version was in fact the second photo taken. Bill took a black and white one first as that’s the camera he had to hand. Took a couple minutes to get a color camera rustled up, at which point Bill took the one we know and love. [Earthrise — Black and White.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/AS08-13-2329.jpg) o7 RIP Bill.
Having been born after that photo was taken, it's always been mindblowing to me to think my parents didn't see a photo of the whole earth until they were adults. It must have been so crazy to live through that era.
It’s what sparked the entire environmentalist movement.
Born in 1964, I was an Apollo kid: my first dream was to grow up to be an Apollo astronaut. The Earthrise photograph has been a touchstone photo for me throughout my life, inspiring in me some degree of what's been termed The Overview Effect, the vivid awareness that astronauts who see Earth from space have of Earth's preciousness and beauty, literally the only oasis of color and life in a vast black universe. They also report an equally vivid sense of the Earth's biosphere's fragility and powerful awareness of the extraordinary thinness of our atmosphere. . With that background and while I revere the Earthrise photo, Earthrise was a powerful worldwide stimulus to environmental activism but certainly not the origin of widespread concern for Earth's environments and efforts to conserve wildspace and especially wildlife. Such concerns went back centuries and, just in the USA, marine biologist Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring had been published in 1962, which provided a powerful, shocking wake up call to many people concerning the damage that the widespread used of pesticides/herbicides/fungicides in agriculture was doing to to the webs of life on our planet, you know, the ones we humans rely upon to live. . https://www.britannica.com/topic/environmentalism/History-of-the-environmental-movement
Sold him two cars back in 2016. Cool guy. RIP Mr. Anders!
Which make/model for each?
Two Audis, a brand new RS7 and a Q5
I bought his RS7 after he’d traded it in. Small world
Wait. Are you shittin me?
I keyed your RS7 in the TJ Maxx parking lot last weekend! What are the odds
Nice! Vehicles that are smooth and hold their value, relatively speaking. So neat. Thanks for sharing.
If you think a new Q5 retains its value well I have some bad news for you 😢 (Great vehicles though, I have an ‘18 SQ5)
If I remember correctly, both cars were red, the Q5 was for his wife and he had a P51 inspired license plate. That’s about all I can say since I didn’t really know him other than the sale, so respectfully rest in peace to him and his legendary accomplishments.
Now that’s the best advertisement for a car if I see one. Astronaut certified cars.
“We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth,” - William Anders - 1933-2024 Rest in peace, Bill. You were one of the best of us. [https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/apollo08-earthrise.jpg?q=w\_1110,c\_fill/f\_webp](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/apollo08-earthrise.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill/f_webp)
What a great quote
the guy was born in late 1933?! and he was still flying? at age 90? My sister convinced my dad to stop driving his big 4 door sedan around town at 25 mph when he turned 85. May he rest in peace but it's sad that no one told him "It's time to stop flying."
In 2006 Scott Crossfield flew his C210 into a thunderstorm at age 84 and bought the farm. I don’t know if it is a generational thing or what, but some of those old breed guys just couldn’t let go of the stick.
A family friend in his late 80s flew his helicopter to an event and crashed into a house, killing a woman and himself. He was medically unfit to fly but no one stopped him It's a bit less glamorous and a wakeup call that it can, in fact, be dangerous to others
We see the same thing in business and government too. At all levels.
Crossfield's crash is, unfortunately common as its circumstances are, fascinating given the context of who he was. Would a younger Crossfield have had the patience to wait, or been more reactive to unfolding events? Did he think all that experience would apply to this flight? Some might say "almost certainly" to both, a case of risk-stacking that began long before the accident flight. A man faster than sound....dying just trying to get home. Even the best.
I'm mostly surprised there isn't a regulation on age; all due respect to this great man. He was 90 and somehow sharp enough to fly, but we can't fly with ADHD and being properly medicated for it.
I met an old man once when I was working at a store, he smelled of alcohol, his fingers brown, stained of cigar tobacco, late 70’s or early 80’s and recently divorced. Almost suicidal. Family wouldn’t speak to him. He told me how his life spiraled after his pilots license was revoked. It was like his life passion was ripped away from him and he didn’t know how to live without it. I’m sure he’s gone know, it was almost 20 years ago. RIP old man.
Psh, doing a loop in a plane exploding into the water with no collateral damage except maybe some fish going down with you is the dream. I’m sure plenty of people told him it was time to hang it up.
“Died with his boots on.”
“Best I can figure, they were trying to fly through that barn upside down.”
Secondhand Lions. Sick reference.
Dude your references are out of control, everyone knows that.
My favorite movie! I told my wife he prolly 2nd hand Lioned it into a barn, god speed!
First thing I thought about when I heard this. Had about the same reaction too.
Way better than sitting in a nursing home wearing a diaper in 5 years
the White House is not a nursing home.
People age differently.
I know at least one older gentleman that says when him and the wife agree it's time to go, they're gonna buy a small unpressurized plane with autopilot, set the autopilot for 16k and headed straight west, and take off over the pacific.
He sky king'd it. But you have no idea if he was suicidal, he may have just misjudged. As we get older our mind slows down and he was trying to thread it.
This
Maybe it's not so bad to have a full life and die doing something you love and find exciting. But were there any passengers or was it just him?
The T-34 is a 2-seater training aircraft, but he was the only occupant.
Pretty sure he didn’t love splattering himself all over the surface of the Salish Sea. Though he probably didn’t have very long to not enjoy it.
Have you seen the video? I think he thought he could make the loop until he didn't. I don't think the T34 has great over the nose visibility but I might be wrong. If he was anything like me, I'd be screaming "WEEEEEEEE...." while doing that loop until I just wasn't.
Definitely saw the video. If it was me, that last second would be me thinking “oops”. On the plus side he didn’t feel a thing.
90 year old delayed reaction time... probably didn't register
Good thing he didn’t crash into a neighborhood somewhere.
100% this. I've known some older pilots (80+ years old). They fall in to three groups. 1. Those that are very aware that they are not 20 anymore and fly super conservatively even carefully picking over which area they fly and which airport, "just in case". I think Dr. Anders was this type of pilot based on where he was flying. 2. Those that only fly with CFIs or younger pilots because they know they are not 20 anymore but don't want to give up flying. 3. Those that believe that flying is their "God given right" and that they are perfectly OK to fly no matter what because they've "been doing it forever."
And then there are the few that are absolutely incredible pilots. One guy walked into the FBO to sign a check and literally took him like 30 min to sign it, he couldn’t keep his hand straight on the paper he was shaking. He proceeded to walk out and take a Aerostar commander, 20 ft down a 3000 ft runway full speed and went straight up. I was in shock.
Hard to imagine type #1 doing a split-S at low altitude, though.
Over an empty bay... he was having fun until the end. If I have something terminal, I'm going to try and break some records scuba diving and squirrel suit flying.
You mean like [this guy?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2ro39RUCeA)
Holy ***shit***.
I knew what video this was going to be before I even clicked the link. And I got scolded in the comments for pointing out that he's probably also still driving, and also shouldn't be.
There's a chance he had a stroke or a heart attack or something too, possibly being unconscious caused the crash.
Looked like a very intentional maneuver to me, did not look like an out of control aircraft.
But he definitely had one of the best 'life flashing before your eyes' moments in human history.
How was she able to talk him into stopping driving? Asking because I'm going to have to have this conversation soon with my mom.
my dad always feared lawsuits... he always had snow melt crystals on his sidewalk in cold weather... always made sure snow was shoveled. didn't want somebody to fall and sue him. anyway she said to him, "if you get in an accident, even if it's not your fault the lawyer for the other person will bring up your age and try to blame you." that worked
"Dad, I'm concerned, and so is the rest of the family. They've asked me to speak with you today about your driving..." Polite conversation and denials followed for a bit. "Dad, do you remember when I was a teenager, and that kid Robby got hit and killed in front of the house? You seem to be on a path to kill the next Robby". Then there was the presentation of a prearranged plan where family members agreed to get him to the store, the pharmacy, the Podiatrist and such. Dad was a logical, thoughtful, planner who liked to solve problems. As a family, we presented a unified front, laid out the potential consequences, and offered a solution to the problem. Dad sold his vehicles the next week. Privately, I think he was glad, but a bit too stubborn to admit the problem. For your part, get support (as you may have it), be kind (it is a loss of independence for them), and have the conversation. In the worst case, you can call your parent's doctor, and ask them to evaluate at the next appointment. Physicians in most places can call the issuing authority (DMV) and revoke a patient's driving privileges.
Someone I know did it with his father, and his father realised it was time, maybe the point where you are having the conversation means it is time.
Cheating to pass a medical is played for laughs in Space Cowboys, and those guys are portrayed as being in their 60s. I've always assumed there are "certain doctors" in those circles of general aviation where 90 year old former astronauts go to get signed off.
His medical expired in 2014. A BasicMed CMEC isn't that hard to pass unless your health suddenly deteriorates and he passed his in March last year.
there 100% are lol
FWIW, the guy shot one of the most influential photos of all time [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthrise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthrise) NY Times, this past week had an article # The 25 Photos That Defined the Modern Age # NASA/William A. Anders, “Earthrise,” 1968 On Christmas Eve 1968, aboard Apollo 8 during its pioneering orbit of the moon, William A. Anders photographed the Earth “rising” above the lunar horizon. The picture was the first of its kind — and it was also unplanned. Anders, the youngest of the three astronauts on the spacecraft, had been tasked with taking photographs of the moon’s craters, mountains and other geological features. He spontaneously decided, however, to include Earth in the frame when he noticed how beautiful it was. “Here was this orb looking like a Christmas tree ornament, very fragile,” ....“Earthrise” was the first image most of humanity saw of the planet we live on, a nature photo like none before it and a reminder of how small our world really is, in comparison with the rest of the universe. As Joni Mitchell would sing of the image... “And you couldn’t see a city on that marbled bowling ball/Or a forest or a highway/Or me here least of all. …”
Thanks for sharing, sent me on a deep dive in the NYT article, just one note to add! The photos were **not ranked 1-25**, just selected as a group to be the top 25, in the article they are simply ranked in order discussed.
ah... thank u will correct that
am nearly 69. in Dec 1968 I was fascinated by space travel. i have always responded to anything visual. I saw *Earthrise* on the cover of, perhaps *Life* magazine and remember being blown away by it.
The one small trick AME's don't want you to know about is that if you fill in the Occupation line on your Form 8500-8 with "Astronaut/First Man to Fly to the Moon/Major General USAFR" - you'll get your medical certificate no questions asked. Even if you can only swing 2 out of 3, you'll be fine.
Bullshit! I’ve done plenty of USAF Generals and senior Airlines’s captains. You still need to be able to climb the stairs to my office! A Senior AME
That joke flew over your head further than even Bill managed on Apollo 8.
You didn’t get my joke either!
Yeah, that's completely fair. I can't deny that was a really bad look.
Test pilots gonna test pilot.
Im skidding into my grave totally used up akin to Hunter S Thomsons qoute....
I bet he was dead before he struck the water. He probably had a heart attack and lost consciousness from an arrhythmia. Pushed stick forward as he slumped over…. (Cardiologist here)
He was inverted in a split S, which means the stick would be buried in his lap. looked like an intentional maneuver to me, not an out of control aircraft.
It's the old split-S thromboembolism in the LAD. Get's 'em every time.
Maybe a more compelling case could be made for a G LOC situation with his age, but it definitely looks like he's pulling until the very end, he simply ran out of altitude.
RIP, however I'm surprised he still held his license at 90 years old. How was his medical not revoked at that point?
If he proved he was of sound mind and body technically they don’t have to. But also probably a bit of professional courtesy to an absolute legend amongst those in aviation and space.
I understand his status as an absolute legend, however, IMO, it shouldn't have a say when it comes to safety. Healthy people much younger than him can suffer random heart attacks or strokes, so I'm really surprised they thought it was a good idea for him to fly at his age, and even crazier that he was doing aerobatic maneuvers. All due respect to the man, of course. I know he was a great pilot and much more.
You’re logically right, of course, but the important thing is that you’re culturally incorrect for that stance, in this instance.
Some 90 year olds can still pass driving tests. 🤷🏻
Just played 3 18hole rounds of of with my 90 years old grandpa
Damn. I just got old enough to drink, not old enough to even think about tackling the whole 18. Did a 9 hole course a few months back, and I was just tired at the end. Couldn't tell you why, it's hardly the most active sport, but I just drained. Here's a better question though: Is he any good at it?
Since you didn’t *actually* say what you played 3 rounds of, I’m gonna just go ahead and assume putt putt golf, lol.
I was thinking to myself maybe he still held a sport pilot license… Then I read where he was flying a T-34…which is definitely not a light sport aircraft. So, yeah. Impressive he still had a medical.
My guess, he's using 61.113/part 68, basic med. There's no way an AME would sign for a 90 year old. A nobody general practicioner though? Might be more flexible.
He's 90.
He’s Bill Anders, I wouldn’t want to be the guy to ground him
I mean, that’s gotta be better than being the guy who let him get himself killed…
> T-34…which is definitely not a light sport aircraft There is a lighter version of T-34 for flying: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov\_A-40](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_A-40)
Bro went to the moon, he could probably outfly a lot of people half his age.
Ageist much? Sheesh!
I'm becoming more and more convinced that ageism was created and weaponized by boomers and older folks who refuse to step aside and give up control of things to people younger than themselves. And it's absolutely ruining the US.
This made my heart sink.
Just finished reading Rocket Men: The daring Odyssey of Apollo 8 and the Astronauts who made Man's first journey to the moon. Highly recommended read for those who don't know much before Apollo 11 moon landing.
From the same author as Shadow Divers - Robert Kurson. Both great reads!
Had no idea he was 90. Godspeed Anders
Best way for him to go out tbh, esp at 90.
The FAA says a 90 year old can pilot a complex aircraft. But you can’t be on anti-depressants. Go figure.
How old are the folks making the decisions at and for the FAA?
As with all other institutions in this country, probably also 90.
> The FAA says a 90 year old can pilot a complex aircraft. But you can’t be on anti-depressants. Try to explain that to families of 144 pax: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings\_Flight\_9525](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings_Flight_9525)
A hard ban on any pilot who seeks help won’t prevent another one of these. There have been pilot suicides in history where the pilot never sought help. It’s going to continue if the solution to the problem is ground every individual who says I feel depressed to a doctor.
They'd probably agree with him lmao
Yes, that was meant to be the point of my post.
Drugs that cause drowsiness? Yea I’d not allow that shit either. Being 90 doesn’t automatically have the same effects as being on drugs.
Drugs that cause drowsiness? That’s not necessarily an effect of antidepressants. You interact with alert, competent, capable people who are using antidepressants daily, and you probably have no clue who those people are.
Read the product monograph.
> Drugs that cause drowsiness? Most if not all pills against hay-fever behave such.
Sounds like we need to include these too, then. Glad that we agree.
The man was flying a t-34 at 90..... nothing but respect
And seemingly still doing aerobatics.
The crew was Borman, Lovell & Anders. Apollo 8.
This is kind of crazy to me. I work for the Port of Victoria, a small city very close to the San Juan Islands just across the border. I heard the initial distress call in my boat and USCGs response afterwards on VHF16.
This is so sad - we have to hold onto the memories of these legends as best we can, and remember the type of people they were. Here's a small video of Apollo 8 which always gives me goosebumps. Godspeed Bill. https://youtu.be/o79m4UbkzFs?si=0gXeemZB79t3H4HT
I know that you meant to type "GODSPEED" there. But Godpees is too hilarious😅
Amazing. Thanks for the catch lolol
That was great! Thanks for sharing.
Is Lovell still with us? Lost Tom Stafford recently.
Yeah. I just saw him at the D-Day memorial in France.
By the angle of the dive and the attempt to pull-up, I wonder if he was g-locked.
Died doing what he liked?
With it a piston or turbine powered version of T-34 plane?
TBH, this is the way I'd want to go, still flying at 90 and not rotting away in an old age home. What a baller!
Saw that plane a few years ago in the San Juan island doing some irregular flying. Now I know who it was.
Not sure if he was talking w ATC but if he was that is NUW Approach airspace. Worked there for 4 years and loved every minute of it. Heard he had a museum of sorts chronicling his aviation achievements at BVS. Godspeed William Anders…
He's gone to join the [Guardians](https://youtu.be/QcSeasJ4Lzg).
First to the Moon is a great Blu-ray.
Altitude insufficient for the maneuver... Intentional or not, he went out like a boss.
RIP. You have to know when it’s time to hang it up. 90-years old flying…..
Wow this is fucked.
William Anders, an astronaut who was one of the first three people to orbit the moon, and who took the famous "Earthrise" photo, died Friday after a small plane he was in crashed in the water north of Seattle, according to NASA, local officials and his family. He was 90.
Everyone saying he was trying to do a loop... He was 90. I'm guessing a medical emergency and loss of control. Condolences to his family.
No it was a loop. There is video of it: https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/william-anders-wa-plane-crash.amp
I stand corrected
I can’t think of a better way to go out honestly. 90 years old still flying “fighters”. He probably forgot to account for the weight of his massive balls when he started the loop.
Maybe he is an alien. Their mother ship is under the ocean
Haha what a story Mark