Apollo 8 was the first mission to be launched on a fully loaded mighty Saturn V rocket on December 21, 1968. Apollo 8's crew included Frank Borman, James Vavell, and William Anders. The crews mission was to orbit and take pictures of the moon for future landing sites. The crew was also to test moon flight equipment.

The 7.5 million pounds of thrust that the Saturn V rocket produced sent Apollo 8 hurtling towards the moon at 24,200 miles per hour. Apollo 8's crew were the first human s to see and orbit the moon at close range. 

The three stages of the Saturn 5 rocket boosted Apollo 8 towards the moon. Apollo 8's crew was the first humans to see the moon at close range and orbit it 10 times. Although the command module was working well, some of the astronauts became sick, but soon the sickness wore off. The astronauts were then able to finish there tasks. 

Soon the astronauts took pictures of earth and sent them to mission control where they were soon put across televisions around the world. On December 24th, 1968 the command/service module went around the backside of the moon  were they went into orbit around the moon. The crew took pictures of the moons surface for landing sites in the future. After taking pictures lunar maps were updated. A prayer was said to wish a merry Christmas. 

Soon on Christmas morning the command/service module went around the dark side of the moon and blasted out of orbit. Apollo8 was on it's way home . Apollo 8 reached Earth on December 27, 1968. Apollo 8 had orbited the moon 10 times in 20 hours.