Frank Borman

astronaut · space explorer · Apollo 8 · Moon

Commander of Apollo 8. Frank Borman led the mission that took the first humans to circle the Moon in 1968. He and his two crewmates, Jim Lovell and William Anders, became the first of only 28 people ever to see the Moon up close from a spacecraft.

Test pilot and engineer. Before becoming an astronaut, Borman was a brilliant test pilot and aeronautical engineer in the Air Force. These skills helped him become an expert at flying and understanding how spacecraft worked.

Honored hero. Borman's incredible achievement earned him the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, one of the highest awards a person can receive in America.

Second career ahead. After leaving NASA, Borman became a successful businessman and continued to make important contributions beyond space exploration.