Expert Voices

Astronaut Relives 'Spectacular View' of First Apollo Spacewalk (VIDEO)

Live HD Earth Viewing from the Space Station
NASA tweeted this image of live HD Earth viewing from the space station on May 2, 2014. (Image credit: NASA (via Twitter as @NASA))

Eric Desatnik, senior director for public relations at XPrize, contributed this video to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Apollo 9's Russell "Rusty" Schweickart was the first of the Apollo astronauts to go outside the spacecraft. In an exclusive interview with XPrize, he recalls that as Dave Scott began filming his spacewalk, the movie camera jammed, leaving Schweickart five glorious minutes with nothing to do but take in the incredible view. Schweickart describes the silence, the feeling of floating inside his spacesuit "as if naked in space," and the realization that he was part of humanity beginning its journey out from the Earth. 

Apollo 9 Crew (Image credit: NASA Kennedy)

For more interviews with thought leaders discussing some of the most vexing issues facing humanity, check out the XPrize Insights series.

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