Which Apollo mission crew first orbited the Moon and photographed the unseen landscape?
Answer
Apollo 8
The crew of Apollo 8 holds the distinction of being the first humans to witness the far side of the Moon firsthand. This historic achievement occurred in December 1968, when the mission successfully entered lunar orbit. During this transit, the astronauts observed and photographed the previously unseen lunar landscape. This experience was pivotal, providing the first direct visual confirmation of the terrain hidden from Earth-based telescopes, preceding any crewed landings which took place later on the near side.
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