The astronaut opened up about the incredible expedition before his death
The astronaut behind one of the “most terrifying photos” ever captured in space shared insights into why it was so eerie.
The late Bruce McCandless II recounted his groundbreaking mission prior to his passing, which involved taking a notably haunting image.
For many, the concept of space is frightening, especially considering it represents the furthest distance from our home planet, not to mention the ‘space debris’ or potential alien megastructures lurking in the void, along with the strange formations around the International Space Station.
Nonetheless, one of the most unnerving occurrences in space was preserved on film.
In 1984, the then 47-year-old astronaut participated in a Space Shuttle mission aimed at deploying two communication satellites for the first time.
It was not just a notable NASA first, as the Boston-born astronaut became the subject of the “most frightening space photo” at the time while executing the first untethered “spacewalk.”
McCandless along with fellow astronaut Bob Stewart donned Manned Maneuvering Units (MMUs) and ventured out of the safety of their spacecraft.
The MMUs enabled them to navigate in open space, free from the spacecraft, at roughly 28,900 kilometers per hour.
This enabled McCandless to be “space walking” for nearly seven hours.
