ANDERS, WILLIAM A(LISON)

born , Oct. 17, 1933, Hong Kong U.S. astronaut who participated in the Apollo 8 flight (Dec. 2127, 1968), in which the first manned voyage around the Moon was made. The astronauts, including Anders, Frank Borman, and James Lovell, remained in an orbit about 70 miles (112 km) above the surface of the Moon for about 20 hours, transmitting television pictures back to Earth and verifying that lunar landmarks could be used for navigation to lunar landing sites. Anders resigned from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Air Force in 1969 to become executive secretary of the National Aeronautics and Space Council. He served as a member of the Atomic Energy Commission (197374) and of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (197476); as U.S. ambassador to Norway (197677); and as general manager of the Nuclear Products Division of General Electric Company (from 1977).