Frank Borman, the astronaut who commanded Apollo 8’s historic flight, died at 95 on Tuesday in Billings, Montana.
On Thursday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated, “Today, we remember one of NASA’s best. Astronaut Frank Borman was a true American hero. His lifelong love for aviation and exploration was only surpassed by his love for his wife, Susan.”
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Here’s everything you need to know about Frank Borman.
Frank Borman’s Early Life & Education
Frank Borman was born in Gary, Indiana, in 1928 but grew up in Tucson, Arizona. He earned a bachelor of science degree in 1950 from the US Military Academy at West Point. After graduation, Borman worked as a US Air Force fighter pilot and instructor at West Point. In 1956, he moved to Pasadena, California, to earn a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the California Institute of Technology. Borman was one of the nine pilots selected by NASA for the astronaut programme in 1962.
Frank Borman Career
Frank Borman is best known for his contribution to the Apollo 8 mission at NASA. He and his crew, James Lovell and William Anders, were on the first Apollo mission to fly to the Moon.
In December 1968, the Apollo 8 trio spent three days travelling to the Moon. They entered the lunar orbit on Christmas Eve and headed home on December 27 after circling the Moon ten times. They transmitted television pictures back to the Earth. After three years, Borman and Lovell made the Gemini 7 endurance flight in which they remained in space for 330 hours 35 minutes. In his book, Countdown: An Autobiography, Borman wrote Apollo 8 was supposed to orbit Earth. He also wrote about how the Earth looked from afar.
He received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor from President Jimmy Carter.
In 1970, Borman resigned from NASA and joined Eastern Air Lines. He was the CEO of Eastern Air Lines from 1975 to 1986. Borman was also on the board of the laser company Patlex from 1988 to 1996. Two years later, he started a cattle ranch in Bighorn, Montana.
Frank Borman Family
In 1950, Frank married his high school sweetheart, Susan Bugbee, who passed away in 2021. He is survived by his two sons, Fred and Edwin, and their families.
(With inputs from agencies)
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