Astronaut Bruce McCandless floated 320 feet away from the Space Shuttle Challeng

1984 Event

Astronauts Fly Free: First Untethered Spacewalk

Astronaut Bruce McCandless floated 320 feet away from the Space Shuttle Challenger on February 7, 1984, farther from any spacecraft than any human had ever ventured, propelled only by the nitrogen-powered Manned Maneuvering Unit strapped to his back. If the jetpack failed, he would have become an unrecoverable satellite orbiting Earth alone until his oxygen ran out. The MMU worked flawlessly. McCandless maneuvered through space without any physical connection to the shuttle, proving that astronauts could fly independently to service satellites, retrieve space debris, or perform construction tasks. The photograph of McCandless floating against the black void of space with Earth curving below became one of the most iconic images in NASA history. Despite its success, the MMU was retired after the Challenger disaster two years later because NASA's newly cautious safety culture could not accept the risk of an untethered astronaut.

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February 7, 1984

42 years ago

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