Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 41 2014 /201 5 69 Imagine the tension of crawling into the command module of Apollo 8 on launch day. You're over 35 stories off the ground, ready to blast off into space to do something no one has ever done before. The Saturn V rocket you're attached to is the most powerful vehicle ever created by man, capable of generating 7.5 million pounds of thrust on lift off that will blast you to a world-record speed of 24,200 miles per hour. Your pulse hammers in your ears as engines start burning millions of pounds of fuel, and the entire rocket shakes as the countdown approaches zero. Since it's only the late 1960s, the overall processing power of your entire command module is far less advanced than a basic cell phone—and you need to trust that technology to send you deep into space, around the moon ten times, and back home safely. It seems unbelievable, but that's exactly what three brave men did in the winter of 1968. With the entire world watching, Jim Lovell, Frank Borman, and William Anders successfully made the first manned flight to orbit the moon. During their six-day journey, they made history. They became the first humans to see the far side of the moon. When the astronauts took turns reading the first passages of Genesis during Christmas Eve live, one in three people on the planet—over one billion total—listened in on the radio and televisions around the globe. And Anders shot of the Earth off the Moon's horizon has become one of the most iconic photos ever captured: the famous "Earthrise." Apollo 8 is widely regarded as the most historically significant of all the Apollo missions, largely because orbiting the moon ten times was more than just a challenge—it was a patriotic honor. Deeply entrenched in both the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, America was deeply divided and needed heroes to rally behind. The success of the mission created a lasting sense of pride and hope for the future. By Dave Reuss Honoring in bronze Apollo 8 Apollo 8 Saturn V Rocket Badge designed by Jim Lovell S P O N S O R E D S T O R Y B Y D A V E R E U S S Badge designed by Jim Lovell Launching From Bozeman h o n o r i n g A P o L L O 8 i n b ro n z e I magine the tension of crawling into the command module of Apollo 8 on launch day. You're over 35 stories off the ground, ready to blast off into space to do something no one has ever done before. The Saturn V rocket you're attached to is the most powerful vehicle ever created by man, capable of generating 7.5 million pounds of thrust on lift off that will blast you to a world-record speed of 24,200 miles per hour. Your pulse hammers in your ears as engines start burning millions of pounds of fuel, and the entire rocket shakes as the countdown approaches zero. Since it's only the late 1960's, the overall processing power of your entire com- mand module is far less advanced than a basic cell phone—and you need to trust that technology to send you deep into space, around the moon ten times, and back home safely. It seems unbelievable, but that's exactly what three brave men did in the winter of 1968. With the entire world watching, Jim Lovell, Frank Borman, and William Anders successfully made the first manned flight to orbit the moon. During their six-day journey, they made history. They became the first humans to see the far side of the moon. When the astronauts took turns reading the first passages of Genesis during Christmas Eve live, one in three people on the planet—over one billion total—listened in on the radio and televisions around the globe. And Anders photo of the Earth off the Moon's horizon has become one of the most iconic images ever captured: the famous Earthrise. Apollo 8 is widely regarded as the most historically significant of all the Apollo missions, largely because orbiting the moon ten times was more than just a challenge—it was a patriotic honor. Sadly entrenched in both the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, America was deeply divided and needed heroes to rally behind. The success of the mission created a lasting sense of pride and hope for the future.

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