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Bernard Harris: The First African American to Perform a Spacewalk

Bernard Harris
Twenty-five years ago in Feb. 1995, astronaut Bernard Harris became the first African American to perform a spacewalk.

Twenty-five years ago in Feb. 1995, astronaut Bernard Harris (right) became the first African American to perform a spacewalk. In this image, he and fellow STS-63 astronaut Michael Foale, prepare to exit space shuttle Discovery’s airlock to began their spacewalk. The pair would test new insulation to protect astronauts from the cold, but the Mission Control cut their spacewalk short after the men reported feeling very cold in their suits.

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Image Credit NASA