the image titled 'The S4B taken from Apollo 8. OFFICIAL N.A.S.A. PICTURE No. 10' signed in black felt tip James Lovall & Frank Borman, image with folding creases, image 25cm x 20.4cm

James Arthur Lovell Jr. is an American retired astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot, and mechanical engineer. Born on March 25, 1928, he achieved significant milestones in space exploration. In 1968, Lovell served as the command module pilot of Apollo 8, alongside Frank Borman and William Anders. Together, they became part of the first group of astronauts to fly to the Moon, orbit it, and return safely to Earth. Lovell later commanded the Apollo 13 lunar mission in 1970. This mission encountered a critical failure while en route, forcing the crew to abort their initial lunar landing plans. Despite the challenges, Lovell skillfully guided the spacecraft to circle the Moon and successfully brought the crew back to Earth.

Frank Frederick Borman II is a retired United States Air Force (USAF) colonel, aeronautical engineer, NASA astronaut, test pilot, and businessman. Born on March 14, 1928, Borman has an extensive background in aviation and space exploration. He served as the commander of Apollo 8, which marked the first mission to orbit the Moon. Alongside his crewmates Jim Lovell and William Anders, Borman became one of the first 24 humans to achieve this feat. In recognition of their historic achievement, Borman and his crewmates were awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. As of 2023, Borman holds the distinction of being the oldest living former American astronaut, with a birthdate that is eleven days prior to Lovell's.