Frank Borman (1928–2023,) fully Frank Frederick Borman II, was an American astronaut, U.S. Air Force colonel, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and businessman, best known as commander of Apollo 8—the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon.
Born in Gary, Indiana, Borman graduated eighth in his class from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1950, commissioning into the Air Force. He served as a fighter pilot in the Philippines before earning a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1957. He then taught thermodynamics and fluid mechanics at West Point and trained as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, qualifying for advanced aerospace research programs.
Selected as part of NASA’s “Next Nine” in 1962, Borman flew as commander of Gemini 7 (1965,) setting a 14-day endurance record and performing the first space rendezvous with Gemini 6. He later served on the Apollo 1 fire investigation board. His most historic mission was Apollo 8 (1968,) the first crewed flight around the Moon, alongside James Lovell and William Anders. The mission produced the iconic “Earthrise” photograph and included the televised Christmas Eve reading from Genesis, inspiring millions worldwide.
After retiring from NASA and the Air Force in 1970, Borman joined Eastern Air Lines, becoming CEO in 1975 and chairman in 1976. He steered the company through turbulent years until 1986. His memoir, Countdown: An Autobiography (1988,) co-written with journalist Robert J. Serling, recounts his career in space and aviation.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Frank Borman
When you’re finally up on the moon, looking back at the earth, all these differences and nationalistic traits are pretty well going to blend and you’re going to get a concept that maybe this is really one world and why the hell can’t we learn to live together like decent people?
—Frank Borman
Topics: Peace
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