Apollo Astronaut and American Hero Col. Frank Borman Dies at 95
CNN reports that Col. Frank Borman, the astronaut who commanded the first mission to orbit the moon, has died at the age of 95 in Billings, Montana, NASA announced. Borman was a true American hero and is remembered for his groundbreaking achievements in space exploration.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson paid tribute to Borman, stating, “Today we remember one of NASA’s best. Astronaut Frank Borman was a true American hero.” Borman served as the commander of the Apollo 8 mission, which marked humanity’s first mission around the Moon in 1968. He was also a Gemini 7 veteran, spending 14 days in low Earth orbit and leading the first rendezvous in space by coming within a few feet of the Gemini 6 spacecraft.
Borman passed away on November 7, leaving behind a legacy of significant contributions to space exploration. In 1967, he was a member of the Apollo 204 review board, which investigated a fire that killed three astronauts on Apollo I. Borman later led the team that redesigned the Apollo spacecraft. After his career at NASA, Borman continued his work in aviation as the CEO of Eastern Airlines.
Borman’s dedication to space exploration and his enduring impact on aviation and astronautics will be remembered for generations to come.