Retired Maj. Gen. William Anders, the former Apollo 8 astronaut renowned for capturing the iconic Earthrise photo in 1968, died at the age of 90 on Friday. He was piloting a plane alone when it crashed into the waters off the San Juan Islands in Washington state.
“We are devastated,” said his son, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Greg Anders, who confirmed the news to the Associated Press. “He was a great pilot and we will miss him terribly.”
William Anders considered the Earthrise photo his most significant contribution to the space program due to its ecological and philosophical impact, alongside ensuring the Apollo 8 command and service modules operated correctly.
San Juan County Sheriff
The San Juan County Sheriff, Eric Peter, reported that an older-model plane had crashed and sunk near the north end of Jones Island around 11:40 am. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that only the pilot was on board the Beech A45 airplane.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, also a retired NASA astronaut, paid tribute on the social platform X: “Bill Anders forever changed our perspective of our planet and ourselves with his famous Earthrise photo on Apollo 8. He inspired me and generations of astronauts and explorers. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”
In a 1997 NASA oral-history interview, Anders acknowledged the risks of the Apollo 8 mission but emphasized its national, patriotic, and exploratory significance. He estimated a one-in-three chance of the crew not returning, a one-in-three chance of success, and a one-in-three chance the mission wouldn’t start, comparing the odds to those faced by Christopher Columbus.
Moreover, in a BBC documentary on the mission, Anders recounted how Earth appeared fragile and physically insignificant, yet was home. After several orbits around the moon, he and the crew began taking photographs. Specifically, he described the moment they saw the first Earthrise after rolling around and seeing the Earth and sun for the first time. “That was the most impressive thing,” he said, noting how the delicate, colorful Earth contrasted with the stark, ugly lunar landscape, resembling a Christmas tree ornament rising over the moon.