"40 Years On: The Iconic Untethered Spacewalk Photo and Its True Story"

The iconic NASA photo of astronaut Bruce McCandless floating in space was captured 40 years ago, with the sun's glare causing him to appear faceless, allowing anyone to imagine themselves in the suit. Fellow astronaut Robert "Hoot" Gibson preserved the moment using a Hasselblad camera, showcasing Earth's horizon and matching the Space Shuttle Challenger's orbit. McCandless, serving as CAPCOM on the Apollo 11 mission, was debuting the hand-controlled Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) backpack, which allowed him to fly freely in space without a lifeline, showcasing the advancements in space technology and the challenges faced by astronauts.