NASA. LARGE FORMAT. HISTORIC MISSION STS-41-B. Bruce McCandl - Lot 157

NASA. LARGE FORMAT. HISTORIC MISSION STS-41-B. Bruce McCandless, the first man to float freely in space. February 1984. One of the most extraordinary photographs in the entire history of space exploration. It shows astronaut Bruce McCandless II moving freely through the vacuum of space using the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), the first autonomous space vehicle to allow a person to move without any tether. Taken from the aft deck of the Challenger shuttle, this image captures the moment McCandless is returning to the vehicle, so close that the shuttle’s silhouette is reflected in the golden visor of his helmet. With his hands on the MMU’s controls, he steers his movements with remarkable precision, suspended between Earth and infinity. Of exceptional aesthetic power, this photograph has become one of the great icons of the space race and celebrates one of the most daring feats ever accomplished by an astronaut. Chromogenic print. Numbered on the front. Caption on a label on the back. 40.6 x 40.6 cm with margins.