March 14

Frank Borman graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and became a fighter pilot in the Air Force before joining NASA's astronaut corps in 1962. He flew on the Gemini 7 mission in 1965, setting endurance records with a nearly two-week flight. In 1968, Borman commanded Apollo 8, the first manned spacecraft to orbit the Moon, circling it ten times and transmitting live television to Earth. After leaving NASA, he served as CEO of Eastern Airlines and held various leadership roles in aerospace. His pioneering spaceflights and leadership helped pave the way for subsequent lunar missions.

Born in Chicago in 1934, Eugene Cernan became a Navy pilot before joining NASA's Astronaut Group 3 in 1963. He flew on Gemini 9A and served as lunar module pilot on Apollo 10. As commander of Apollo 17 in 1972, Cernan became the final human to leave footprints on the lunar surface. After NASA, he advocated for space exploration and appeared in media promoting STEM education. Cernan authored books recounting his space adventures and worked as a consultant for space policy. He died in 2017, remembered as a pioneering explorer who inspired future generations of astronauts.