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Astronaut Ed White became the first American to spacewalk on this day in history, June 3, 1965.
White, an engineer, a lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force, a test pilot and NASA astronaut, made the spacewalk — known technically as “Extravehicular Activity” or “EVA” — while serving as a pilot on the Gemini 4 mission.
Commando pilot James McDivitt was the other member of the crew and took pictures of White outside the vehicle.
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White spent about 20 minutes hovering outside the Gemini 4 capsule, nearly double the time initially allowed by NASA for the spacewalk.
“Initially, White propelled himself three times to the end of the 8-meter tether and back to the spacecraft using the hand gun,” NASA’s website says.
White was the first person to use this type of propulsion, a portable maneuvering unit, during a spacewalk.
Astronaut Ed White, the first American to walk in space, photographed during the Gemini 4 mission. This photo was taken by fellow astronaut James McDivitt. (Getty Images)
However, the propellant gun ran out of fuel three minutes into the spacewalk, forcing White to move around by “twisting his body and pulling the tether,” NASA said.
Aside from the fuel situation, White enjoyed the experience.
“I feel like a million bucks,” White said at the start of his spacewalk, according to NASA.
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While on the spacewalk, White took pictures of Earth from 103 miles above the surface and was reportedly extremely reluctant to return to the capsule.
“This is the best experience,” said White. “It’s just great.”
Back on Earth, mission control professionals were only a hair more concerned about White’s safety, the NASA website notes.
Astronaut Ed White, seen here, checks procedures in the spacecraft prior to escape training. White was the first American to walk in space. (Getty Images)
“Gemini 4, get back inside,” Virgil “Gus” Grissom reportedly yelled at White.
Grissom, a fellow astronaut, served as “CapCom” during Gemini 4.
White initially resisted the request to end the spacewalk, saying he “did a great job” and that the experience was “fun” before giving in, NASA revealed.
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“I’m coming back in… and it’s the saddest moment of my life,” White said when he finally agreed to re-enter the pod.
In addition to the first US EVA, Gemini 4 was another landmark mission in NASA history. It was the United States’ first multi-day spaceflight, although it was shorter than any previous Soviet spaceflight.
White, a devout Methodist, carried a gold cross, a St. Christopher medal, and a Star of David on Gemini 4. (Getty Images)
It was also the first American spaceflight in which astronauts conducted experiments.
White’s EVA was significantly smoother than that of the very first EVA.
On March 18, 10 weeks before White’s spacewalk, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov made the first spacewalk as part of the Voskhod 2 mission, according to the European Space Agency’s website.
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He almost never came back.
Leonov’s spacesuit expanded in space — so much so that after his 12 minutes outside the vehicle, he couldn’t fit through the door back into the capsule.
Above, the primary and backup astronaut crews for Gemini 4, the second crewed Gemini mission. On the far left is astronaut Ed White, the first American to walk in space. Sitting directly next to him is James A. McDivitt, the command pilot on the mission. (Getty Images)
He made “a chilling decision and opened a valve on the suit to release enough air to enter the airlock,” according to the European Space Agency.
As for astronaut White, his time came to a sudden and tragic end less than two years after his historic spacewalk.
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White died along with fellow astronauts Grissom and Roger B. Chaffee on January 27, 1967, when their cabin caught fire during a launch rehearsal test of the Apollo 1 mission.
White was buried with full military honors at New York’s West Point Cemetery, the National Air and Space Museum website said.
Official NASA portrait of Ed White, the first American astronaut to do a spacewalk. (Getty Images)
During his spacewalk, White experienced something otherworldly. He later confided in his friend, Reverend Jackson Downey of First Methodist Church in Cocoa Beach, Florida, that he had felt “the presence of God” alone in the room, according to the Christian website Crosswalk.com.
In 2015, on the 50th anniversary of his spacewalk, White was posthumously awarded NASA’s Ambassador of Exploration Award.
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“In many ways, Ed’s spacewalk was the modern equivalent of Lewis and Clark’s transfer across the Gates of the Mountains during the exploration of the West. He had ventured into uncharted territory,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman in 2015. the ceremony honoring White, according to the National Air and Space Museum site.
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“That historic achievement is a big part of why Mars is now in our sights, and we will continue to drive EVA technology advancements as we continue on our journey to Mars.”
Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter at Fox News Digital.
