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Feb. 9, 1995, Bernard Harris and Michael Foale Ready For a Spacewalk

Two astronauts in spacesuits in airlock aboard shuttle Discovery
STS-63 astronauts Bernard A. Harris, Jr., payload commander (right), and C. Michael Foale, mission specialist (left), are ready to exit space shuttle Discovery's airlock for a spacewalk on Feb. 9, 1995. On this extravehicular activity (EVA), which lasted 4 hours and 38 minutes, Bernard Harris became the first African-American to walk in space.

STS-63 astronauts Bernard A. Harris, Jr., payload commander (right), and C. Michael Foale, mission specialist (left), are ready to exit space shuttle Discovery’s airlock for a spacewalk on Feb. 9, 1995. The pair would test modifications to their spacesuits to keep spacewalkers warmer in the extreme cold of space. The astronauts were also scheduled to practice handling the approximately 2,500-pound (1,134-kilogram) SPARTAN spacecraft to rehearse space station assembly techniques, but this task was cut short by Mission Control after the men reported feeling very cold in their suits.

On this extravehicular activity (EVA), which lasted 4 hours and 38 minutes, Bernard Harris became the first African-American to walk in space.

Image Credit: NASA