This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/5/2022
Featured here is a historic original Type I photograph of Ed White taken June 3, 1965, during the first ever extravehicular activity (spacewalk) by an American astronaut. Wearing a specially designed spacesuit with a gold-plated visor around his helmet to protect against the unfiltered rays of the sun, White spent 22 minutes in the gravity-free environment during the third revolution of the Gemini-4 mission. Along with Command Pilot James McDivitt, the two orbited Earth 66 times over the four days of the mission (June 3-7). Holding a zip gun (hand-held maneuvering unit) with Earth in the background, White was tied to the spacecraft by a 25-foot umbilical line and 23-ft. tether line. Reluctant to come in when his time was up, he is remembered as saying, "I'm coming back in ... and it's the saddest moment of my life."
The black-and-white image released exclusively by NASA measures approximately 8” by 9” and appears to be cut along the bottom border at a slight angle. The top border is 1¼” thick with editorial direction. The reverse is stamped by NASA and dated with a unique NASA identification number (65-H-1019). A nice caption is printed on the back as well. It comes exceptionally well-preserved with very minor surface wrinkling that is barely noticeable.
DATE/YEAR/ERA: June 3, 1965
GENERATION: First (original negative)
ISSUER: NASA
CAPTIONED: Yes
DIMS: approx. 8" x 9"
Encapsulated by PSA/DNA, Type I