Miles above the Earth, Major Edward H. White II opened the hatch of the Gemini 4 and stepped out of the capsule, becoming the first American astronaut to walk in space on #ThisDayInHistory in 1965. https://www.history.com/topics/space-exploration *Astronaut Edward White communicating with control as he floats in space above Earth during Gemini IV mission spacewalk; 1965 | HISTORY

Gemini 4 launch

In 1965, during NASA’s Gemini 4 mission, astronaut Ed White used a handheld maneuvering gun to control his movement while tethered outside the spacecraft. The simple device used compressed gas to push him gently through microgravity, proving that astronauts could actively navigate and work in open space, a critical step toward future space stations and deep-space missions. Follow @spaceeves #spacehistory #nasa #gemini4 #spacewalk | SpaceEve