Frank Borman

Frank Borman led the first team of American astronauts to circle the moon, extending man’s horizons into space.

Quick Facts

Frank Borman was an instructor at the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Colonel Borman served as Special Presidential Ambassador to seek support for the release of American Prisoners of war held by North Vietnam.

In 1967 he served as a member of the Apollo 204 Fire Investigation Board, investigating the causes of the fire which killed three astronauts aboard the Apollo 1 spacecraft.

Astronaut Frank Borman looks over the Gemini-7 spacecraft during weight and balance tests. — S65-56205 (25 Oct. 1965) — Astronaut Frank Borman, command pilot for the Gemini-7 spaceflight, looks over the Gemini-7 spacecraft during weight and balance tests. The tests are conducted in the Pyrotechnic Installation Building, Merritt Island, Kennedy Space Center, as part of preflight preparation. Photo credit: NASA

Frank Borman at the controls in a simulator — S67-50590 (1867) — Astronaut Frank Borman, assigned duty as commander of the Apollo 8 mission, participates in a training exercise in the Apollo Mission simulator in the Mission Simulation and training Facility, Building 5, at the Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas. Photo credit: NASA

Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, William A. Anders, and James A. Lovell on the deck of the M/V Retriever prepare for their water egress test — Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, left, William A. Anders, and James A. Lovell on the deck of the M/V Retriever prepare for their water egress test

Frank Borman talks on a phone after his Apollo 8 flight — Apollo 8 Astronaut Frank Borman, commander of the first manned Saturn V space flight into Lunar orbit, accepted a phone call from the U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson prior to launch. Borman, along with astronauts William Anders, Lunar Module (LM) pilot, and James Lovell, Command Module (CM) pilot, launched aboard the Apollo 8 mission on December 21, 1968 and returned safely to Earth on December 27, 1968. The mission achieved operational experience and tested the Apollo command module systems, including communications, tracking, and life-support, in cis-lunar space and lunar orbit, and allowed evaluation of crew performance on a lunar orbiting mission. The crew photographed the lunar surface, both far side and near side, obtaining information on topography and landmarks as well as other scientific information necessary for future Apollo landings. All systems operated within allowable parameters and all objectives of the mission were achieved.

Biography

Frank Borman

Commander of the 1968 Apollo 8 Mission.

In 1967 he served as a member of the Apollo 204 Fire Investigation Board, investigating the causes of the fire which killed three astronauts aboard an Apollo spacecraft, reminiscent of the Challenger tragedy. Later he became the Apollo Program Resident Manager, heading the team that reengineered the Apollo spacecraft. He also served as Field Director of NASA’s Space Station Task Force.

Learn More About Frank Borman

(1964) Astronaut Frank Borman.

NASA

Read Frank Borman’s oral history transcript

April 13, 1999

All Crewed Missions

Gemini VII

Gemini 7 was the fourth crewed Earth-orbiting spacecraft of the Gemini series, having been launched before Gemini 6A.

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Dec 18, 1965 08:58 UTC

All Crewed Missions

Apollo 8

Apollo 8 'Round the moon and back…" The mission objectives for Apollo 8 included a coordinated performance of the crew, the command and service module, or CSM, and the support…

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Dec 27, 1968 12:27 UTC