Posted on Dec 27, 2025
Apollo 8 returns to Earth | December 27, 1968 | HISTORY
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Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the moon, returns safely to Earth after an historic six-day journey.
On December 21, Apollo 8 was launched by a three-stage Saturn 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, Jr., and William Anders aboard. On Christmas Eve, the astronauts entered into orbit around the moon, the first manned spacecraft ever to do so.
During Apollo 8‘s 10 lunar orbits, television images were sent back home and spectacular photos were taken of the Earth and the moon from the spacecraft. In addition to being the first human beings to view firsthand their home world in its entirety, the three astronauts were also the first to see the far side of the moon. On Christmas morning, Apollo 8 left its lunar orbit and began its journey back to Earth, landing safely in the Pacific Ocean on December 27.
On July 20 of the following year, Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission, became the first men to walk on the moon.
On December 21, Apollo 8 was launched by a three-stage Saturn 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, Jr., and William Anders aboard. On Christmas Eve, the astronauts entered into orbit around the moon, the first manned spacecraft ever to do so.
During Apollo 8‘s 10 lunar orbits, television images were sent back home and spectacular photos were taken of the Earth and the moon from the spacecraft. In addition to being the first human beings to view firsthand their home world in its entirety, the three astronauts were also the first to see the far side of the moon. On Christmas morning, Apollo 8 left its lunar orbit and began its journey back to Earth, landing safely in the Pacific Ocean on December 27.
On July 20 of the following year, Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission, became the first men to walk on the moon.
Apollo 8 returns to Earth | December 27, 1968 | HISTORY
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American History
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Still one of mankind's greatest achievements. I remember that 20 minutes or so of "dead air" as we waited for them to come out from behind the moon. The relief was palpable. My girl and I, my best friend and his girl, and my entire family squeezed into the Family room (where the TV was, back then you only had one TV) . Everybody was watching. No cars drove by on the street. There was no traffic on the highways. And man, the World celebrated when they got back. As one of my friends from South America said when they got back: "You F*ckin Americans don't know what is impossible." Yep.
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