⏰ when
When Was the First Spacewalk Performed?
spacehistory
Quick Answer
Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov performed the first spacewalk on 18 March 1965.
The Full Story
On 18 March 1965, Alexei Leonov exited the Voskhod 2 capsule and floated in space for about 12 minutes, connected by a 5.35-metre tether. His spacesuit ballooned in the vacuum, making it extremely difficult to re-enter the airlock — he had to partially deflate his suit, risking decompression sickness. American Ed White performed the first US spacewalk on 3 June 1965 during Gemini 4. Today spacewalks (EVAs) are routine; ISS astronauts have logged thousands of hours outside the station for maintenance and experiments.
Key Facts
1.Leonov's suit expanded so much he could barely move his fingers.
2.Ed White enjoyed his spacewalk so much that Mission Control had to order him back inside.
3.The longest single spacewalk lasted 8 hours and 56 minutes, by Susan Helms and Jim Voss in 2001.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Floating Free — Alexei Leonov's Terrifying First Spacewalk"