On this historic day, June 3, 1965, Ed White becomes the first American to walk in space: “Just wonderful”

Astronaut Ed White became the first American to walk in space on this day in history, June 3, 1965.

White, an engineer, US Air Force lieutenant colonel, test pilot and NASA astronaut, performed the spacewalk – technically known as “extravehicular activity” or “EVA” – so that he was pilot of the Gemini 4 mission.

Command Pilot James McDivitt was the other crew member and took photos of White outside the vehicle.

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White spent about 20 minutes floating outside the Gemini 4 capsule, nearly double the time originally granted by NASA for the spacewalk.

“Initially, White propelled himself to the end of the 8-meter lanyard and returned three times towards the spacecraft using the hand gun,” the NASA website says.

White was the first person to use this type of propulsion, a portable maneuvering unit, during a spacewalk.

However, fuel from the propulsion gun ran out three minutes into the spacewalk, forcing White to move by “twisting his body and pulling the tether,” NASA said.

The pit situation aside, White relished the experience.

“I feel like a million dollars,” White said at the start of his spacewalk, according to NASA.

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During the spacewalk, White took pictures of Earth 103 miles above its surface and was reportedly extremely reluctant to return to the capsule.

“It’s the greatest experience,” White said. “It’s just great.”

Back on Earth, mission control professionals were only a tad more concerned about White’s safety, the NASA website notes.

Astronaut Ed White, seen here checking out procedures in the spacecraft before evacuation training. White was the first American to walk in space. (Getty Images)

“Gemini 4, come in,” Virgil “Gus” Grissom reportedly shouted at White.

Grissom, a fellow astronaut, served as “CapCom” during Gemini 4.

White initially rebuffed the request to end the spacewalk, saying he was “doing great” and the experience was “fun” before relenting, NASA revealed.

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“I’m coming back…and this is the saddest moment of my life,” White said when he finally agreed to re-enter the pod.

In addition to the first American EVA, Gemini 4 was another landmark mission in NASA history. It was the first multi-day spaceflight by the United States, although it was shorter than a previous Soviet spaceflight.

A devout Methodist, White wore a gold cross, a St. Christopher Medal and a Star of David with him on Gemini 4. (Getty Images)

It was also the first American spaceflight in which astronauts performed experiments.

White’s EVA was considerably smoother than that of the very first EVA.

On March 18, 10 weeks before White’s spacewalk, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov performed the first spacewalk as part of the Voskhod 2 mission, according to the European Space Agency’s website.

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He almost didn’t come back.

Leonov’s spacesuit expanded in space – so much that he was unable to fit through the door into the capsule after his 12 minutes outside the vehicle.

Above are the primary and backup astronaut crews for Gemini 4, the second manned Gemini mission. At far left is astronaut Ed White, the first American to walk in space. Right next to him is James A. McDivitt, the mission command pilot. (Getty Images)

Making “a chilling decision, he opened a valve on the suit to let out enough air for him to enter the airlock,” the European Space Agency said.

As for astronaut White, his time came to a sudden and tragic end less than two years after his historic spacewalk.

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White, along with fellow astronauts Grissom and Roger B. Chaffee, died on January 27, 1967, when their cabin caught fire during a launch rehearsal test for the Apollo 1 mission.

White was interred at West Point Cemetery in New York with full military honors, the National Air and Space Museum website said.

Official NASA portrait of Ed White, America’s first spacewalker. (Getty Images)

During his spacewalk, White experienced something otherworldly. He later confided to his friend, Reverend Jackson Downey of First Methodist Church in Cocoa Beach, Florida, that there, alone in space, he felt “the presence of God”, according to the Christian website. Crosswalk.com.

In 2015, on the 50th anniversary of his spacewalk, White was posthumously awarded the NASA Exploration Ambassador Award.

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“In many ways, Ed’s spacewalk was the modern equivalent of Lewis and Clark’s portage through mountain gates when exploring the West. He had ventured into uncharted territory “, NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman said in 2015 at the ceremony honoring Blanc, according to the National Air and Space Museum website.

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“This historic achievement is a big part of why Mars is now in our sights, and we will continue to push EVA technology advancements as we move forward on our journey to Mars.”