A NASA jacket worn by Frank Borman seen at the Borman Collection exhibit at the EAA Museum, March 31, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — As NASA looks to the future with Wednesday’s Artemis II lunar loop, in Oshkosh the EAA Aviation Museum is reflecting on past American lunar missions.
The museum is home to the Borman Collection. It contains items from astronaut and EAA member Frank Borman, including some he brought to space.
One of the missions Borman flew on is Apollo 8 in 1968. That was the first mission where a human crew orbited the moon before returning to Earth, eventually leading to the moon landing. The late Wisconsin-raised Jim Lovell joined Borman on the Apollo 8 mission.
“That was the first time mankind had ever left lower Earth orbit,” said EAA Museum Director Chris Henry. “Artemis II is the first time we’re leaving lower Earth orbit in a long time. So it’s very exciting, and that’s why people are so excited about it is it is a mission very similar to Apollo 8.”
Some of the Apollo 8 items on display include Volume I of the mission’s flight plan, a flashlight Borman used during the mission, and a brass replica of a fuel cell which powered the Service Module.
“One of the items that I think is the most special is a piece of beta cloth that he had printed his wife’s picture on, Susan,” Henry said. “And he put her in his pocket. He never took her out of his pocket because he said he didn’t want her to distract him from the mission, but he just wanted to have her with him.”
Henry considers Borman to be one of America’s most influential astronauts. He says Borman visited EAA over the years for events and programs.
Artemis II is expected to launch Wednesday afternoon.
When the astronauts blast off, they will begin a 10-day mission taking them the farthest humans have been from Earth since the Apollo 17 mission.
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