NATION : Man-in-Space Astronaut Retires
Bruce McCandless II, the astronaut in one of the most famous space photographs--a man floating free against the backdrop of a blue Earth--has retired from NASA and the Navy.
McCandless, 53, helped develop the space agency’s Manned Maneuvering Unit, a jet-powered backpack, and was the first to wear it in space on a flight in February, 1984.
He was the first human to move in space untethered, looking like a helpless teddy bear swaddled in white.
“That may have been one small step for Neil, but it’s a heck of a big leap for me,” said McCandless as he floated out of the cargo of space shuttle Challenger. He was parodying Neil Armstrong’s first words when he stepped on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
McCandless flew in space for a second time this year, helping deploy the Hubble Space Telescope in April.
NASA said he did not announce his plans.
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