First to the Moon: The Story of Apollo 8

First to the Moon: The Story of Apollo 8
Directed byPaul Hildebrandt
Produced byPaul Hildebrandt
Jon Martin
Geoffrey Notkin
Music byAlexander Bornstein
Release date
  • December 2018 (2018-12)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

First to the Moon: The Story of Apollo 8 is a 2018 documentary film about the second crewed spaceflight mission in the United States Apollo space program, which launched on December 21, 1968. Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit, reach the Moon, orbit it, and return safely to Earth.[1] The film was released in December 2018 and has been screened at The Explorers Club in New York City,[2] the Kansas Cosmosphere,[3] and Arizona State University.[4]

Synopsis

The film follows the Apollo 8 mission and its crew, featuring archival material from NASA, the National Archives, and the astronauts' own personal collections. In a revelation, the documentary discloses that the famed Earthrise photograph captured by Bill Anders was unplanned.[5]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, First to the Moon scored a 100% on based on 8 reviews.[6]

Participants

References

  1. ^ "50th Anniversary of the Apollo Program". Smithsonian Affiliations. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  2. ^ "Space Stories 2018". The Explorers Club. October 4, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  3. ^ "Things to do this weekend - First to the Moon: The Journey of Apollo 8 Screening". The Hutchinson News. November 29, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  4. ^ "Apollo 8 Mission 50th Anniversary Celebration". Arizona State University. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  5. ^ Retherford, Bill (March 7, 2018). "New Doc Focuses on Earthrise Photo, Apollo 8 Flight". Forbes. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  6. ^ "First to the Moon: The Journey of Apollo 8". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved June 8, 2024.