Date of Birth: March 14, 1928
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Biography
Frank Borman is a retired American astronaut, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and United States Air Force colonel. He is best known as the commander of Apollo 8, the first mission to fly around the Moon, making him one of the first humans to witness the far side of the Moon and Earthrise. Born on March 14, 1928, in Gary, Indiana, Borman had a distinguished career that intertwined military service with pioneering space exploration. Borman graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1950, and later earned a Master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1957. His military career saw him flying fighter jets and serving as a test pilot before joining NASA in 1962. His first spaceflight was Gemini 7 in 1965, where he and Jim Lovell spent nearly 14 days in space, setting a record for the longest manned spaceflight at the time. His second and most famous mission was Apollo 8 in December 1968, where alongside James Lovell and William Anders, he orbited the Moon ten times. After retiring from NASA and the Air Force, Borman served as a senior executive at Eastern Airlines from 1970 to 1986. He has received numerous awards, including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
5 Interesting Facts about Frank Borman
1. Frank Borman and his crew were the first humans to see Earthrise from the Moon.
2. He was the CEO of Eastern Airlines from 1975 to 1986.
3. Borman holds the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, awarded in 1978.
4. He co-authored the book “Countdown: An Autobiography”.
5. Frank Borman was part of the Gemini 7 mission, which performed the first space rendezvous with Gemini 6A.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Frank Borman
1. “Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.”
2. “A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations which require the use of his superior skill.”
3. “The view of the Earth from the Moon fascinated me—a small disk, 240,000 miles away.”
4. “Houston, please be informed, there is a Santa Claus.”
5. “I think the one overwhelming emotion that we had was when we saw the Earth rising in the distance over the lunar landscape.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
At the peak of his career, Frank Borman’s net worth was estimated to be around $10 million.
Children
Frank Borman has two sons, Frederick and Edwin.
Relevant Links
3. [Apollo 8 Mission](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/missions/apollo8.html
5. [Eastern Airlines History](https://www.easternairlines.com/history
