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Edward White

By Michael

Edward White was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1930.

He went to school at the United States Military
Academy, and then went University of Michigan to get
his Masters degree in aeronautical engineering. He also
had an honorary doctorate in astronautics. He was a
test pilot in the air force and flew over 3000 hours.
White was recruited by NASA to become an astronaut
in 1962.

On June 3, 1965 Commander James A. Mc Divitt and

pilot Edward White went on the four day Gemini 4
mission. On the first day of the journey, Edward
White made the first American space walk. He was
connected to the spacecraft by a 25 foot lifeline and
used a hand held jet gun to help him move. The space
walk lasted twenty one minutes.

Edward White earned many awards during his career.

White and astronauts Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee
passed away in a flash fire while doing a launch pad
test on Apollo 1 in January 1967.