This Day in Space History | June 5, 1966 | This Spacewalk Nearly Ended in Disaster

Just one year after America's first spacewalk, NASA attempted an even more ambitious mission. During Gemini IX-A, astronaut Eugene Cernan stepped outside his spacecraft for a planned 167-minute spacewalk. But working in the vacuum of space proved far more challenging than anyone expected. As he struggled against the forces of microgravity, Cernan became exhausted, overheated, and battled a fogging helmet visor that made it difficult to see. The spacewalk was ultimately cut short, but the lessons learned would prove invaluable. The mission revealed the dangers of working in space and helped NASA develop the procedures, restraints, and training that would later make the Apollo Moon landings possible. 🌎🚀 Subscribe to @BeyondEarthBuckleUp for more incredible moments from space history. Image Credit: NASA #NASA #GeminiIXA #EugeneCernan #Spacewalk #EVA #Astronaut #SpaceHistory #Apollo #MoonLanding #SpaceRace #NASAHistory #Science #SpaceFacts #Astronomy #SpaceExploration #BeyondEarthBuckleUp #GeminiProgram #Orbit #History #Shorts