Astronaut Profile
Frank Borman
Command Pilot
Frank Borman commanded Gemini 7's 14-day endurance flight and later commanded Apollo 8, the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Command Pilot • Deceased
Biography
The person behind the mission
Frank Borman was a U.S. Air Force pilot and one of NASA's second group of astronauts. He commanded Gemini 7 in December 1965, a grueling 14-day flight that tested whether astronauts could endure a mission as long as a round trip to the Moon, while also serving as the rendezvous target for Gemini 6A. Borman commanded Apollo 8 in December 1968, becoming one of the first three humans to leave Earth orbit, orbit the Moon, and see the famous Earthrise, a mission whose success cleared the path for the Apollo 11 landing seven months later.
Astronaut Details
Born
March 14, 1928
Died
November 7, 2023
Birthplace
Gary, Indiana, USA
Role
Command Pilot
Program
Gemini
Time in Space
19 days, 21 hours, 35 minutes
Missions
Gemini 7, Apollo 8
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- Congressional Space Medal of Honor
- Presidential Medal of Freedom
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal