James McDivitt

First US Spacewalk; Ed White floating in space over south California

Gemini IV, June 3-7, 1965, orbit 3, 004:39:00 GET

Large-format presentation vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper, 27.7 x 35.5cm (11 x 14in), with “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso (NASA MSC) [NASA S-65-30430], from the personal collection of Ed White
27.7 x 35.5cm (11 x 14in)

The personal collection of Ed White, Heritage Auctions, Space Exploration Signature Auction, Dallas, November 2, 2012, Sale 6082, Lot 40031.

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Lot Essay

Tethered by a looping, golden umbilical cord, Ed White moved freely 100 miles above Earth for 21 minutes. Using the guidance gun in his right hand, he maneuvered at will until its compressed oxygen ran out. He thus became the world’s first propelled space man.

Though orbiting at 17,500 miles an hour, the space walker “had little sensation of speed and no sensation of falling, only a feeling of accomplishment” (National Geographic, September 1965, p. 440).

Completely entranced by the experience, he resisted repeated calls from Houston to get back to the spacecraft.

From the mission transcript as Ed White was back into the spacecraft after the EVA:

005:14:40 White: That was something.
005:14:47 White: That was the most natural feeling, Jim.
005:14:50 McDivitt: Yeah. I know it. You looked like you were in your mother’s womb.