William Anders, a former Apollo 8 astronaut known for capturing the iconic “Earthrise” photo in 1968, died aged 90 in a plane crash off the San Juan Islands in Washington state, Associated Press reports.
Anders, a retired Air Force major general, was piloting a plane alone when it crashed and sank, with his body recovered later that day. His son, retired Lt. Col. Greg Anders, confirmed his death. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and other figures praised Anders for his contributions to space exploration and his impact on global perspectives of Earth.
The Apollo 8 mission in 1968 was NASA’s first mission to leave low-Earth orbit and circle the moon before returning to Earth, the mission set the stage for the subsequent moon landing in 1969. During the crew’s fourth orbit of the moon, Anders took the iconic “Earthrise” photo, the first color image of Earth from space, which he regarded as his most significant contribution to the space program.
