Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Apollo 8 Launch

Edited footage of the Apollo 8 launch, several camera views compiled. Runs from T-00:25 through T+03:25. See the mighty Saturn V launch vehicle in action, ca...

APOLLO 8 launch: Relive! this fantastic launch on ABC," EXCEPTIONAL HISTORICAL MOMENT " Dec. 21,1968

If you liked! GO TO APOLLO-17, TERRIFIC LAUNCH LIVE, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yIvOYFOm6c also Apollo 15 launch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwMehQl0...

Apollo 8 - The Launch (Full Mission 01)

Apollo 8 - The Launch - Full Mission 01 This video details the countdown and launch of Apollo 8 on 21st December 1968. It is the first of an intended series ...

Apollo 8 - Wikipedia

First crewed space mission to orbit the Moon Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and the first to reach the Moon, orbit it, and return.[1][2][3] Its three-astronaut crew — Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders — were the first humans to fly to …

Apollo 8

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Human Exploration

Low Earth Orbit Launch Complex 39A Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Apollo 8 was the first flight of the mighty Saturn V launch vehicle key to human exploration of the moon. The three-astronaut crew — Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders. This Mission was the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon.

Saturn V

Family:
Configuration: V

The Saturn V was a human-rated expendable rocket used by NASA between 1967 and 1973. Most notably, the Saturn V took the Apollo program to the Moon. It still remains the world's tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever brought to operational status and is the only launch vehicle to take humans beyond LEO.

Specifications
  • Stages
    3
  • Length
    110.6 m
  • Diameter
    10.1 m
  • Fairing Diameter
  • Launch Mass
    2970.0 T
  • Thrust
    35100.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Saturn V
  • Family
  • Variant
    V
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Saturn V
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    140000.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Apollo CSM-103


In-active Human Rated Crew On-board: 3 Crew Capacity: 3 Payload Capacity: 1050 kg
Destination: Moon Orbit
Serial Number: CSM-103

CSM-103 was an Apollo Command & Service Module used in the Apollo 8 mission.

Apollo Command/Service Module Details

Crew


Frank Borman

Commander - configurations.Country.None - ( NASA )

Status: Deceased

Date of Birth: March 14, 1928
Date of Death: Nov. 7, 2023

Jim Lovell

Command Module Pilot - configurations.Country.None - ( NASA )

Status: Retired

Date of Birth: March 25, 1928
Age: 96

William Anders

Lunar Module Pilot - configurations.Country.None - ( NASA )

Status: Deceased

Date of Birth: Oct. 17, 1933
Date of Death: June 7, 2024

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA)

Administrator: Bill Nelson Founded: 1958 Successes: 121 Failures: 20 Pending: 6

Agency Type:

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

INFO WIKI

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Launch Complex 39A


Electron
Success
2 days, 8 hours ago
Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Launch of a yet to identified satellite to SSO for an undisclosed customer. The customer is suspected to be Low Earth Orbit communication satellite c…


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 17 hours ago
Dragon CRS-2 SpX-31
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

31st commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. The flight will be conducted under the second Commer…


Soyuz 2.1b/Fregat-M
Success
2 days, 20 hours ago
Ionosfera-M 1 & 2
Cosmodrome Site 1S - Vostochny Cosmodrome, Siberia, Russian Federation

Ionosfera is a constellation of four ionospheric and magnetospheric research satellites developed by for Roscosmos for the project Ionozond. The s…


H3-22
Success
3 days, 12 hours ago
DSN 3 (Kirameki 3)
Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2 - Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

DSN 3, also known as Kirameki 3, is a geostationary communications satellite to be used for military communications by the Japanese military.


Soyuz 2.1a
Success
1 week ago
Kosmos 2579 (Bars-M No. 6)
43/4 (43R) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identity uncertain. Bars-M is the second incarnation of the Bars project, which was started in the mid 1990ies to develop a success…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week ago
Starlink Group 10-13
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 9-9
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 20 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Shenzhou 19
Launch Area 4 (SLS-1 / 921) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Eighth crewed flight to the Chinese space station.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Starlink Group 10-8
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 22 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks ago
NROL-167
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Fourth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Office t…