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Former Astronaut William Anders, Who Took Iconic Earthrise Photo, Killed In Washington Plane Crash
SEATTLE — William Anders, the former Apollo 8 astronaut who captured the iconic “Earthrise” photograph of the globe as a dark blue marble from space in 1968, died Friday when the plane he was operating alone crashed into the waters of the San Juan Islands in Washington state. He was ninety.
His son, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Greg Anders, confirmed his death to The Associated Press.
“The family is devastated,” he explained. “He was a great pilot and we will miss him terribly.”
William Anders, a former major general, stated that the photo was his most significant contribution to the space program and ensured that the Apollo 8 command and service modules operated.
Former Astronaut William Anders, Who Took Iconic Earthrise Photo, Killed In Washington Plane Crash
The shot, the first color image of Earth from space, is one of the most significant images in modern history because it altered how humanity perceived the globe. The photograph is credited with igniting the global environmental movement by demonstrating how fragile and alone Earth seemed from orbit.
NASA Administrator and former Senator Bill Nelson stated that Anders personified the teachings and purpose of exploration.
“He went to the
Nelson stated on the social media X that he helped everyone see something else: themselves.
Anders took the photo during the crew’s fourth lunar orbit, quickly switching from black-and-white to color film.
“Oh my God, look at that picture over there!” Anders stated. “The Earth is coming up. “Wow, is that beautiful!”
The Apollo 8 mission, launched in December 1968, was the first human spacecraft to depart low Earth orbit and journey to and from the moon. NASA’s most daring and potentially dangerous mission laid the groundwork for the Apollo lunar landing seven months later.
“Bill Anders forever changed our perspective of our planet and ourselves with his famous Earthrise photo on Apollo 8,” Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a veteran NASA astronaut, wrote on X. “He inspired me and subsequent generations of astronauts and explorers. “My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Around 11:40 a.m., San Juan County Sheriff Eric Peter reported that an older-model jet had fallen into the water and sank on the north end of Jones Island. Greg Anders told KING-TV that his father’s body was retrieved Friday afternoon.
According to the Federal Aviation Association, the Beech A45 only carried the pilot.
In a 1997 NASA oral history interview, William Anders stated that he did not believe the Apollo 8 mission was risk-free but that there were compelling national, patriotic, and exploration reasons for proceeding. He assessed that there was a one in three chance that the crew would not return, the mission would succeed, and the mission would not begin. He felt Christopher Columbus faced harder odds.
He described how Earth appeared weak and physically tiny, yet it was home.
Former Astronaut William Anders, Who Took Iconic Earthrise Photo, Killed In Washington Plane Crash
“We’d been going backward and upside down, didn’t really see the Earth or the Sun, and when we rolled around and came around and saw the first Earthrise,” he explained. “That was, by far, the most impressive aspect. “To see this very delicate, colorful orb, which to me looked like a Christmas tree ornament, rising above this very stark, ugly lunar landscape, really contrasted.”
In retrospect, Anders stated that he wished he had taken more images, but mission Commander Frank Borman was concerned about everyone’s rest and pushed Anders and Command Module Pilot James A. Lovell, Jr. to sleep, “which probably made sense.”
Chip Fletcher, a University of Hawaii professor who studied coastal erosion and climate change, remembers seeing the photograph as a child.
“It just opened up my brain to realize that we are alone but together,” he added, adding that it continues to influence him now.
“It’s one of those images that never leaves my mind,” he stated. “And I think that’s true of many, many people in many professions.”
In 1966, Anders was a backup crew member for Apollo 11 and Gemini XI, but he only flew to space once, on Apollo 8.
Anders was born on October 17, 1933, in Hong Kong. His father was a Navy officer at the time, serving on the USS Panay, a gunboat on China’s Yangtze River.
Anders and his wife, Valerie, established the Heritage Flight Museum in Washington State in 1996. According to the museum’s website, it is presently located at a minor airfield in Burlington and houses 15 aircraft, many historic military vehicles, a library, and numerous relics contributed by veterans. His two sons assisted him in running it.
Former Astronaut William Anders, Who Took Iconic Earthrise Photo, Killed In Washington Plane Crash
According to a biography on the museum’s website, the couple relocated to Orcas Island in the San Juan archipelago in 1993 but maintained a second house in their birthplace of San Diego. They had six children and thirteen grandchildren. Their current Washington residence was in Anacortes.
1955, Anders graduated from the Naval Academy and joined the Air Force as a fighter pilot.
He then served on the Atomic Energy Commission, as chairman of the joint US-USSR nuclear fission and fusion technology exchange program, and as ambassador to Norway. His NASA biography states that he went on to work for General Electric and General Dynamics.
SOURCE – (AP)
News
Britain Must Be Ready for War in 3 Years, Warns New Army Chief
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
News
London Heatwave Alert: High Temperatures Set to Soar to 29C Next Week
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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