Apollo 11 put humans on the moon for the first time ever, while Apollo 13 almost ended in disaster before eventually returning the astronauts safely to Earth.
These two missions are perhaps the most well known in the Apollo space program, but few people realize what an incredible feat Apollo 8 was as well. For the first time, humans orbited the moon, propelling the United States ahead of the Soviet Union in the Space Race. Even more impressively, the mission was put together in just four months.
But perhaps most notably, the mission produced one of the most iconic photographs of all time.
Our precious planet, fragile and beautiful
Due to the small windows on the spacecraft and the way it rotated, the Apollo 8 astronauts were rarely afforded great views. But as they orbited the moon, Earth suddenly emerged in the window of Bill Anders.
He quickly grabbed his camera and shot one of the most famous and influential photographs of all time: Earthrise.
Against the vast blackness of space, our home looked fragile and infinitely precious – a tiny blue gemlike globe. The astronauts were struck by how unique Earth is, and how strong the bonds that connect all humanity are, regardless of borders.
People on Earth obviously agreed: the stunning image played a pivotal role in launching the environmental movement.
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