Bruce McCandless

Bruce McCandless was an American astronaut who was born on June 8, 1937, in Massachusetts. Before he became an astronaut, McCandless was a flight instructor for the Navy. He has flown over 5200 hours in several aircraft.

McCandless became an astronaut in 1966. He has spent over 312 hours in space on two spaceflights.

In 1984, McCandless became the first person to make a spacewalk without being linked to a space shuttle. Using a special motored backpack, McCandless flew 320 feet away from the shuttle. In 1990, McCandless made his second flight aboard STS-31. The crew put the Hubble Telescope into orbit during this mission.



You might also be interested in:

Science, Evolution, and Creationism

How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable....more

Andrew Allen

Andrew Allen is an American astronaut who was born on August 4, 1955 in Pennsylvania. Before he became an astronauts, Allen was a Navy and Marines pilot. He has flown 30 different airplanes. Allen became...more

Jay Apt

Jay Apt is an American astronaut who was born on April 28, 1949 in Massachusetts. Before he became an astronaut, Apt was a physicist who studied the solar system. In 1986, Apt became an astronaut. He...more

Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong is an American astronaut who was born in Ohio in 1930. In July of 1969, he made history by becoming the first person to walk on the moon. Before entering the space program, Armstrong was...more

Ellen Baker

Ellen Baker is an American astronaut who was born on April 27, 1953 in North Carolina. Before she became an astronaut she was a geologist and a medical doctor. Baker joined NASA as a medical officer in...more

Michael Baker

Michael Baker is an American astronaut who was born on October 27, 1953 in Tennessee. Before he became an astronaut, Baker was a Navy pilot. He flew over 5000 hours aboard 50 different types of aircraft....more

John Blaha

John Blaha is an American astronaut who was born on August 26, 1942 in Texas. Before he became an astronaut, Blaha was an Air Force pilot. He has flown over 5500 hours in 33 different types of aircraft....more

Guion Bluford

Guion Bluford is an American astronaut who was born on November 22, 1942 in Pennsylvania. Before he became an astronaut, Bluford was a pilot for the Air Force. He flew over 4800 hours on several different...more

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA