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Ed White Begins Historic Spacewalk

Ed White egresses from Gemini 4.
Astronaut Ed White, pilot on the Gemini-Titan 4 spacecraft, is shown during his egress from the spacecraft.

Astronaut Ed White, pilot on the Gemini-Titan 4 spacecraft, is shown during his egress from the spacecraft. His face is covered by a shaded visor to protect him from the unfiltered rays of the sun. White became the first American astronaut to walk in space. He remained outside the spacecraft for 21 minutes during the third revolution of the Gemini4 mission. He wears a specially designed spacesuit for the extravehicular activity (EVA). In his right hand, he carries a Hand-Held Self-Maneuvering Unit (HHSMU) with which he controlled his movements while in space. He was attached to the spacecraft by a 25-feet umbilical line and a 23-feet tether line, both wrapped together with gold tape to form one cord. He wears an emergency oxygen supply chest pack.