60 Years Ago, Edward White Went For A Walk.....

[lastlib]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/society-culture-and-history/history/60-years-ago-ed-white-went-out-for-walk-space-photo-of-the-day-for-june-3-2025/ar-AA1G26vt?ocid=BingNewsSerp

On June 3, 1965, 60 years ago, a NASA astronaut stepped outside his Gemini spacecraft and made history as the first American to perform an extavehicular activity (EVA), or spacewalk.

NASA astronaut Edward H. White II left his Gemini 4 capsule and crew mate James McDivitt for a 20-minute spacewalk on June 3, 1965. It was only the second extravehicular activity (EVA) ever made (the first was by Soviet-era cosmonaut Alexei Leonov a few months earlier) and the first by an American.

White brought with him a camera and a small jet pack; the latter did not work very well. He was connected to his spacecraft by an umbilical.

I remember watching it, even though I was only 7.

[Biophilic]

1. I can't believe that was 60 years ago.

I’m a few years older than you, well quite a few, and I remember watching also. It was both scary and amazing.

[twodogsbarking]

2. I have a fear of heights, or to be more specific, falling.

[erronis]

3. Guess you wouldn't really need to worry about falling from way out there.....

Perhaps very slowly at first and then re-entry!

[twodogsbarking]

5. Nope, nope, nope.

[SCantiGOP]

4. That would have to induce

One serious case of vertigo

[twodogsbarking]

6. First time in a helicopter. Holy shit. Second time in a helicopter. Holy shit.

Every time after that. Holy shit.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

7. Two tidbits

1. When cosmonaut Alexei Leonov exited his spacecraft he found that his spacesuit had unexpectedly inflated and he could not get back through the airlock. To solve this, Leonov manually released oxygen from his suit, risking decompression sickness. He managed to shrink the suit enough to squeeze back inside.

2. On the American side, Ed White got to be the first astronaut to leave the safety of the two person Gemini capsule and "fly" freely with the aid of a hand-held maneuvering unit, aka "zip gun." He was having so much fun Mission Control had to tell him repeatedly to get back inside the capsule. After he was seated the astronauts had difficulty closing the hatch, but finally got it done.

There was a contingency plan if White wasn't able to return to the Gemini capsule. He was to be cut loose and his crewmate, James McDivitt, would return solo. Fortunately that wasn't necessary.