Astronaut Bill Anders – the author of the most iconic photograph of the Earth – dies as a result of the plane crash
American Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, who took one of the most widely shared pictures of Earth from space, has died in a plane crash at the age of 90.
Officials said the small plane crashed into the sea off Washington.
Anders’ son, Greg, has confirmed the discovery of his father’s body.
“The family is sad. He was a fantastic pilot. We will miss him”, the family statement said.
Anders – pilot on the Apollo 8 mission to reach the moon – has taken an iconic photograph of planet Earth, which is recognized as one of the most inspiring views of Earth from space.
The photo was taken at Christmas time, 1968.
Anders later described photography as his greatest contribution to the space program.
After returning, he said: “We have come all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing we have discovered has been the Earth.”
Anders also served as a backup pilot on the Apollo 11 mission, which resulted in the first man landing on the moon, on July 24, 1969.
After retiring from the space program, Anders worked for a long time in the space industry.
He was also the American ambassador to Norway in the 70s./REL
