Many people regard 1968 as one of the most turbulent years in modern history. The war in Vietnam had reached its peak, and social and political division gripped not only America, but much of the world. Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Protestors filled the streets, and the Civil Rights Movement faced violent resistance, culminating in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Amid this division, conflict and unrest, three men meeting in Huntsville made a decision that would give 1968 an ending no one would forget. At the Marshall Space Flight Center, Dr. Wernher von Braun, Gene Kranz and Deke Slayton chose to push forward with the first manned launch of the Saturn V.
Originally, the mission was intended to test the Lunar Module in Earth orbit. However, delays from Grumman Aerospace forced a bold change of plan: send astronauts directly to the Moon. It was a risk, one that relied heavily on von Braun’s assurance that the dangerous pogo oscillations, which could have been fatal on earlier flights, had been resolved.
The crew selected for this historic mission was Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders which launched aboard Apollo 8 on Dec. 21, 1968. After orbiting Earth, they performed a translunar injection, becoming the first humans to leave Earth’s orbit. Three days and 240,000 miles later, they entered lunar orbit.
On Christmas Eve, looking back at Earth, the “blue marble” suspended in darkness; the astronauts delivered a message that would be heard around the world. Reading from the Book of Genesis, they spoke words that transcended politics, conflict and division, offering a moment of unity to a fractured planet. They spoke the word of God.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, 'Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters.' And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear.' And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called the Seas. And God saw that it was good.”
That broadcast remains one of the most powerful moments in human history. In a year marked by tragedy and unrest, 1968 ended not in despair, but in hope. When Apollo 8 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 27, it carried with it a renewed sense of possibility for humanity.
Today, in 2026, the world once again feels unsettled. Political division, protests, and global conflict dominate headlines. The war in Ukraine continues, tensions in the Middle East persist and societal fractures feel increasingly familiar.
Yet, as in 1968, there is also a sense that something greater lies ahead. NASA is preparing to launch Artemis II, the first crewed mission to the Moon since 1972. Like Apollo 8, Artemis II will send astronauts beyond Earth’s orbit, carrying with it not just scientific ambition, but symbolic weight.
History does not repeat itself exactly, but it often echoes. In moments of uncertainty and division, humanity has shown an ability to look outward, to explore, and to unify something greater than itself.
In 1968, that moment came from the Moon.
Perhaps, once again, it will.
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Nathan is a senior in Aerospace Engineering.
