How the "scariest photo" in space was taken: a video has appeared online

Realizing how small the Earth is compared to the scale of the Universe makes us realize that humans are a tiny grain of sand in the vastness of space. The era of astronautics, which began in the middle of the last century, brought many discoveries.

One of the most famous images taken in zero gravity is the photo of astronaut Bruce McCandless II, dating back to 1984. McCandless was the first to venture into outer space without any safety tether or other mechanical connection to the ship. A video showing this historic moment has been posted online.

On February 7, 1984, during the STS-41B Challenger mission, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless II made the first free flight into space in a manned maneuvering vehicle. The astronaut performed two spacewalks: one lasted 5 hours and 55 minutes; the other - 6 hours and 2 minutes. McCandless was testing an individual propulsion system.

The astronaut resorted to a risky experiment known as a "space walk", walking about 100 meters in zero gravity from the Challenger.

In April 1966, McCandless was one of 19 astronauts to be included in NASA's fifth set. During the Apollo 10 and Apollo 11 lunar expeditions in 1969, McCandless worked as a communications operator with the crew. He then participated in the development of an individual propulsion system used on the shuttle. During the preparation of the Space Shuttle Challenger STS-41B, McCandless joined the team as a flight specialist.

NASA describes McCandless as a "two spaceflight veteran" who spent more than 312 hours in space.

McCandless died in 2017. He was immortalized in an iconic photograph that has been called the "most terrifying shot" in human history.

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