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Astronauts and Cosmonauts

Bruce McCandless II

United States

Bruce McCandless II was an American NASA astronaut and United States Navy officer best known for making the first untethered spacewalk in history in February 1984, using a jet-propelled backpack called the Manned Maneuvering Unit to fly freely away from the Space Shuttle Challenger. The photograph of McCandless drifting alone against the black of space, with no tether or umbilical connecting him to the spacecraft, became one of the most iconic images of the Space Shuttle era. He flew two Shuttle missions during his career.

Facts
Birth Date
1937-06-08 1
Birth Year
1937 1
Death Date
2017-12-21 1
Nationality
American 1
Defining Contribution
First untethered spacewalk, using the Manned Maneuvering Unit 1
Notable Mission
STS-41-B 1
Classification
Astronaut Role
Mission Specialist 1
Dating
Selection Year
1966 2
Connections

Associated With

NASA, Space Agencies and Companies
Source Bruce McCandless II - Wikipedia

Operated By

NASA, Space Agencies and Companies
Source Bruce McCandless II - Wikipedia
In the Other Atlases

Nationality

United States

Also in Geography Atlas: the nationality of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Bruce McCandless II
Sources
1. Bruce McCandless II - Wikipedia
  • Infobox, birth_date
    1937-06-08
  • Early life and education
    was born on June 8, 1937
  • Infobox, death_date
    2017-12-21
  • Lead, sentence 1
    was an American Navy officer
  • STS-41-B
    This mission marked the first checkout of the MMU
  • Lead, sentence 1 [defining-contribution]
    completed the first untethered spacewalk
  • Article text, astronaut role
    Shuttle pilot until 1983, McCandless ultimately chose to work on the MMU as a mission specialist due to the prestige of the program (which ensured a flight
  • Operated By: NASA, Lead paragraph, operated-by
    Bruce McCandless II (born Byron Willis McCandless; June 8, 1937, December 21, 2017) was an American Navy officer and aviator, electrical engineer, and NASA astronaut.
  • Associated With: NASA, Lead paragraph, associated-with
    Bruce McCandless II (born Byron Willis McCandless; June 8, 1937, December 21, 2017) was an American Navy officer and aviator, electrical engineer, and NASA astronaut.
  • In Group: Space Shuttle Astronauts, Lead sentence
    In 1984, during the first of his two Space Shuttle missions, he completed the first untethered spacewalk by using the Manned Maneuvering Unit.
View the Source
2. Bruce McCandless II (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia Bruce McCandless II lead section infobox, selection field (w-bbfill-edspace5-0927)View the Source
Wikidata: Bruce McCandless II
Wikidata Q433608, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
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