When The Space Race was a Dead Heat

Commander Frank Borman (speaker), lunar module pilot Bill Anders, and command module pilot Jim Lovell address the crew of the U.S.S. Yorktown after Apollo 8’s return. Image: NASA.

On January 10, 1969, Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell, and William Anders were the most famous men in America. A ticker-tape parade was being held in their honor for being the first humans to orbit the moon.

Their mission in the final days of 1968 included maneuverability tests in lunar orbit, scouting possible landing sites for future missions, and snapping a photo of Earth from their capsule that was fast becoming an iconic image. America came one step closer to meeting President John Kennedy’s challenge to send men to the moon before the end of the decade. And with just a year to go before the 60s came to a close, that goal was within reach.

Earthrise, the photo that reminded us how fragile our world really is. Image: NASA.

But would America beat the Soviets?

It was hard to know the real status of the Soviet Union’s space program. They only ever broadcasted their successes, and the Kremlin, by its nature, was a teller of tall tales. It would take decades and the complete collapse of the communist superpower before we would ever know just how close the Russians were to sending men to the moon.

In January 1969, the Soviets were a formidable opponent in space. In fact, on the same day that the Apollo 8…