posted 12-22-2017 02:15 PM               

Bruce McCandless, astronaut who donned jetpack on first tetherless spacewalk, dies

The first astronaut to become his own spacecraft, strapping on a jet-powered backpack and flying tether free during a historic spacewalk, has died.

Bruce McCandless II, who also served as Neil Armstrong's contact in Mission Control when the Apollo 11 moonwalker took "one small step" onto the lunar surface in 1969, died on Thursday (Dec. 21), NASA confirmed. He was 80.

posted 12-22-2017 09:52 PM               

RIP Bruce McCandless. His iconic image of the first untethered spacewalk will no doubt continue to inspire! — Michael Lopez-Alegria

One of my spacewalking heroes has passed to a higher orbit, the legendary Bruce McCandless. RIP, EV-1... — Scott Parazynski

What makes astronauts jealous of other astronauts? This particular accomplishment is one we all envy — maybe second only behind a Moonflight. Bruce McCandless got to fly off in space untethered from his mothership. He left an impression on every space explorer and dreamer. — Kevin Ford

Saddened to hear that a personal hero of mine, Bruce McCandless, has passed away. Thank you for pushing the boundaries of what is possible & inspiring others to follow in your footsteps. — Tim Peake

A loss for our community. — Ellen Ochoa

Saddened by this world's loss of Bruce McCandless. — Nicole Stott

RIP friend and colleague Bruce McCandless. NASA Astronauts stand on the shoulders of giants, he was one of them. Our condolences to family. — Drew Feustel

Rest easy, Bruce. Your contributions to our space program will not be forgotten. — Rick Mastracchio

We have lost an American hero, Bruce McCandless. He was on the Hubble deploy mission and helped me and my crewmates prepare for our missions. Godspeed my friend, you will be missed. — Mike Massimino

The man had courage indeed! — Clay Anderson

RIP Bruce McCandless II - the first untethered spacewalker. — Soichi Noguchi

posted 12-22-2017 02:15 PM               

Statement by Senator John McCain on the Passing of Bruce McCandless

U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) released the following statement today on the passing of Bruce McCandless:

“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Bruce McCandless, a brilliant aviator and astronaut who dedicated his life to serving the country he loved. Bruce and I were both members of the Class of 1958 at the United States Naval Academy. As an undistinguished graduate of that class, I always looked up to Bruce – not only for his incredible intellect, but also for his character and integrity, which embodied the highest values of the United States Navy.
 
“The son of a Medal of Honor recipient, Bruce excelled at everything he set out to do and spent his life serving a cause greater than himself. After finishing second in our class at the Naval Academy, he saw duty aboard the USS Forrestal as well as the USS Enterprise during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was later selected as the youngest member of NASA Astronaut Group 5 and served as a mission control communicator when Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the moon. Bruce is perhaps best known for carrying out the first untethered spacewalk. The iconic photo of Bruce soaring effortlessly in space has inspired generations of Americans to believe that there is no limit to the human potential.
 
“Bruce served his country with humility and dignity, and encouraged all of us to reach new heights. Cindy and I send our deepest condolences to Bruce’s wife, Ellen, their beloved children, and the entire McCandless family as they mourn the loss of an extraordinary man.”