Anders was 90 years old.
According to reports, he was flying alone in a small plane when it went down off the coast of Washington state. Officials have started investigating the cause of the accident.
During the Apollo 8 mission, Anders took the famous Earthrise photograph which shows the Moon "rising" into space with the Earth in the background. The image has been credited with changing human perception of the planet and has become a symbol of Earth's fragility. Some people also consider it to be the origin of today's environmental movements.
NASA chief Bill Nelson wrote on X, "Anders gave humanity one of the most profound gifts ever given by an astronaut."
"He traveled to the threshold of the moon and helped us all see something else: ourselves. He embodied the lessons and the purpose of exploration. We will miss him."
Following his NASA career, Anders served as an advisor to the US President and as US Ambassador. He also worked for various nuclear energy and aviation companies, among others.
Most recently, Anders lived on the San Juan Islands near Washington state on the northwest coast of the United States. He was married and had six children.
dan/
According to reports, he was flying alone in a small plane when it went down off the coast of Washington state. Officials have started investigating the cause of the accident.
During the Apollo 8 mission, Anders took the famous Earthrise photograph which shows the Moon "rising" into space with the Earth in the background. The image has been credited with changing human perception of the planet and has become a symbol of Earth's fragility. Some people also consider it to be the origin of today's environmental movements.
NASA chief Bill Nelson wrote on X, "Anders gave humanity one of the most profound gifts ever given by an astronaut."
"He traveled to the threshold of the moon and helped us all see something else: ourselves. He embodied the lessons and the purpose of exploration. We will miss him."
Following his NASA career, Anders served as an advisor to the US President and as US Ambassador. He also worked for various nuclear energy and aviation companies, among others.
Most recently, Anders lived on the San Juan Islands near Washington state on the northwest coast of the United States. He was married and had six children.
dan/
