The commander of the legendary Apollo 8 mission, Frank Borman, died of a stroke this week at the age of 95.
Borman’s career began when he graduated from West Point in 1950 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. In 1960, Frank was selected to be a test pilot. Only 2 years later, Borman was selected, along with 8 of his colleagues, to become the next NASA astronaut.
Frank’s first mission as an astronaut was Gemini 7, which was a troubleshooting mission. During this mission, the astronauts aimed to identify and address potential issues related to waste disposal, food and water, and uniforms.
During his next mission, the legendary Apollo 8, Borman became one of the first three humans to orbit the Moon. It was on this trip that the crew held a live television Christmas broadcast, during which they described the surface of the Moon and read Bible verses.
Borman ended the broadcast with “And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas and God bless all of you—all of you on the good Earth.”
Frank went on to serve as the White House liaison during the Apollo 11 mission and later retired from NASA and the Air Force shortly after the Moon landing.
Shortly after being named CEO of Eastern Airlines in 1976, he successfully turned around a company that was on the brink of bankruptcy and brought it back to profitability.
When, in 1986, Eastern Airlines was purchased by Texas Air.
Later in life, Borman owned and operated a cattle ranch in Montana. He published the autobiography “Countdown” in 1996.
After the death of John Glenn (1921–2016), he was the oldest living former NASA astronaut, just 11 days older than his two-time crewmate Lovell.
Borman was widely honored, including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, induction into several halls of fame such as the International Space Hall of Fame, 10 honorary doctorate degrees, the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal, and many more.
Rest in peace!
This article is a repost by Rare: Legendary Astronaut Dead at 95
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