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Ed White

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description Ed White Overview

Edward H. White II was an American engineer, United States Air Force officer, and NASA astronaut. During the Gemini 4 mission in June 1965, he became the first American to perform an extravehicular activity, remaining outside the spacecraft for about 23 minutes while using a handheld maneuvering device. White later joined the first crew assigned to the Apollo program and died with Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee in the Apollo 1 cabin fire in 1967.

help Ed White FAQ

Who performed the first American spacewalk and on which mission?

Edward H. White II became the first American to perform a spacewalk during NASA's Gemini 4 mission in June 1965. He spent about 23 minutes outside the Gemini spacecraft, maneuvering with a hand-held propulsion unit while tethered to the capsule.

Was Ed White the first person ever to do a spacewalk?

No, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov completed the world's first spacewalk in March 1965, roughly three months before White's Gemini 4 EVA. White's achievement made him the first American—but not the first person—to venture outside a spacecraft in orbit.

How did astronaut Ed White die?

Ed White died on January 27, 1967, in the Apollo 1 launch-pad fire alongside crewmates Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee. The three astronauts were trapped inside the command module during a routine preflight test when the oxygen-rich cabin ignited.

What military and educational background did Ed White have before NASA?

White was a United States Air Force officer and test pilot who graduated from West Point. He later earned a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Michigan before being selected as part of NASA's second astronaut group in 1962.

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