He was 80. NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless, the first person to fly freely and untethered in space, has died, the AP reports. HOUSTON (AP) – NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless, the first person to fly freely and untethered in space, has died. "It was a wonderful feeling," he added, "a mix of personal elation and professional pride: It had taken many years to get to that point.". Bruce McCandless II was born June 8, 1937, in Boston and graduated from high school in Long Beach, Calif. His father was a Navy rear admiral who received the Medal of Honor during World War II. News Brief: Retired astronaut Bruce McCandless II, the first astronaut to fly untethered from his spacecraft, has died at the age of 80.NASA said McCandless passed away on Thursday in … Mr. McCandless was later part of the 1990 shuttle crew that delivered the Hubble Space Telescope to orbit. His recreational interests included electronics, photography, scuba diving, and flying. [3], McCandless was married to Bernice Doyle McCandless (1937–2014)[16] for 53 years, and the couple had two children: Bruce III (born August 15, 1961) and Tracy (born July 13, 1963). He was 80. He was 80. [3], In an August 2005 Smithsonian magazine article about the MMU photo, McCandless is quoted as saying that the subject's anonymity is its best feature. He also enjoyed cross-country skiing. In 1984, during the first of his two Space Shuttle missions, he completed the first untethered spacewalk by using the Manned Maneuvering Unit. HOUSTON (AP) — NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless, the first person to fly freely and untethered in space, has died. [10], Challenger launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on February 3, 1984. "I have the sun visor down, so you can't see my face, and that means it could be anybody in there. He was 80. McCandless was born on June 8, 1937, in Boston, Massachusetts. Nasa’s Johnson space center said on Friday that McCandless died on Thursday in California. [3], At the age of 28, McCandless was selected as the youngest member of NASA Astronaut Group 5 (labelled the "Original Nineteen" by John W. Young) in April 1966. Bruce McCandless II, a NASA astronaut who was the first person to fly freely and untethered in space during a 1984 space-shuttle mission, died Dec. 21 in California. After leaving NASA, he worked for Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Colorado. Bruce McCandless I (August 12, 1911 – January 24, 1968) was an officer of United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor during World War II for his heroism on board USS San Francisco, during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, November 13, 1942.He retired with the rank of Rear Admiral. NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless, the first person to fly freely and untethered in space, has died. Former NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless II, mission specialist on the STS-41B and STS-31 missions, passed away on Dec. 21, 2017. He was the first astronaut to ever fly untethered to his spacecraft, traveling over 300 feet away. HOUSTON — NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless, the first person to fly freely and untethered in space, has died. . This mission marked the first checkout of the MMU and Manipulator Foot Restraint (MFR). No cause of death was given. [3], On this five-day Discovery flight, launched on April 24, 1990, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the crew deployed the Hubble Space Telescope from their record-setting altitude of 380 miles (610 km). ... No cause of death was given. McCandless made the first untethered free flight on each of the two MMUs carried on board, thereby becoming the first person to make an untethered spacewalk. Naval Academy. [12], Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on April 29, 1990. He was 80. He was 80. Capitol Police officer who faced down pro-Trump mob escorts Harris at inauguration, Astronaut Bruce McCandless II during a spacewalk in 1984. [4] According to space historian Matthew Hersch, McCandless and Group 5 colleague Don L. Lind were "effectively treated ... as scientist-astronauts" (akin to those selected in the fourth and sixth groups) by NASA due to their substantial scientific experience, an implicit reflection of their lack of the test pilot experience highly valued by Deke Slayton and other NASA managers at the time; this would ultimately delay their progression in the flight rotation. It got so cold my teeth were chattering and I was shivering, but that was a very minor thing.". [21], McCandless wrote the foreword to the book Live TV from Orbit by Dwight Steven-Boniecki. He was famously … Former NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless II, mission specialist on the STS-41B and STS-31 missions, died Dec. 21, 2017, at the age of 80. While ground controllers searched for a way to command HST to unreel the solar array, Mission Specialists McCandless and Sullivan began preparing for a contingency spacewalk in the event that the array could not be deployed through ground control. Bruce McCandless II, a NASA astronaut who was the first person to fly freely and untethered in space during a 1984 space-shuttle mission has, died in California aged 80. Stewart became the second person to fly untethered two hours after Mr. McCandless. It's sort of a representation not of Bruce McCandless, but mankind. 'Stay away from the engines!' That loosened the tension a bit.". Meet Eugene Goodman. [2], During Naval service he gained flying proficiency in the Lockheed T-33B Shooting Star, Northrop T-38A Talon, McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II, Douglas F4D Skyray, Grumman F11F Tiger, Grumman F9F Cougar, Lockheed T-1 Seastar, and Beechcraft T-34B Mentor, and the Bell 47G helicopter. To you become apparent and different domain names site. I felt very comfortable . "[17], On September 30, 2010, McCandless launched a lawsuit against British singer Dido for unauthorized use of a photo of his 1984 space flight for the album art of her 2008 album Safe Trip Home, which showed McCandless “free flying” about 320 feet away from the Space Shuttle Challenger. [11], American aviator, electrical engineer, and astronaut (1937–2017), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal, "The first human to make an untethered, free flight spacewalk", "BRUCE MCCANDLESS, CAPCOM FOR APOLLO 11, VISITS KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, DISCUSSES HISTORIC MISSION", "Bruce McCandless, First Astronaut to Fly Freely in Space, Dies at 80", "UNTETHERED: HUMANITY'S FIRST FREE FLYING ASTRONAUT, BRUCE MCCANDLESS, PASSES AWAY AGED 80", "NASA Remembers Astronaut Bruce McCandless II", "Astronaut Bruce McCandless, the first person to fly freely in space, dies", "Hubble Servicing Challenges Drive Innovation of Shuttle Rendezvous Techniques", "Hall of Fame Inducts McCandless, 1st Untethered Astronaut", "Astronaut McCandless sues singer Dido over free flying photo", "Astronaut McCandless Sues Singer Dido Over 'Free Flying' Photo", "Bruce McCandless, First Astronaut to Fly Untethered in Space, Has Died", "Bruce McCandless, 80, first person to fly untethered in space", Astronautix biography of Bruce McCandless, NASA Astronaut Group 5, "The Original 19", 1966, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bruce_McCandless_II&oldid=996031180, United States Astronaut Hall of Fame inductees, Recipients of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Burials at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Bernice Doyle McCandless, Ellen Shields McCandless, This page was last edited on 24 December 2020, at 04:03. Mr. McCandless was selected for astronaut training in 1966 during the Gemini program and was a backup pilot for the first manned Skylab mission in 1973. [22], McCandless died on December 21, 2017, at age 80. NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless, the first person to fly freely and untethered in space, has died. The 80-year-old was a long-time resident of Colorado with deep family ties to … This 1982 photo shows astronaut Bruce McCandless II, wearing a Shuttle Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Suit with Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) in Houston Rear Adm. Bruce McCandless, Byron McCandless and Willis Winter Bradley were all graduates of the U.S. Bruce McCandless II (June 8, 1937 – December 21, 2017) was a United States Navy officer and aviator, electrical engineer, and NASA astronaut. He was 80. [2], He logged more than 5,200 hours flying time, including 5,000 hours in jet aircraft. 'When's my turn?' McCandless said he wasn’t nervous about the historic spacewalk. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson Senior High School, Long Beach, California, in 1954. "I'd been told of the quiet vacuum you experience in space, but with three radio links saying, 'How's your oxygen holding out?' [3], McCandless logged over 312 hours in space, including four hours of MMU flight time. [19][20] The action was settled amicably on January 14, 2011. Naval Academy. NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless II performs EVA (extra-vehicular activity) with a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) during the STS-41-B mission, February 1984. McCandless said he wasn't nervous about the historic spacewalk. Open in Our App. With a jetpack, McCandless … (AP), Astronaut Bruce McCandless II in 1982. I wanted to say something similar to Neil when he landed on the moon, so I said, 'It may have been a small step for Neil, but it's a heck of a big leap for me.' 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