Netizens react to this Nasa’s ‘most terrifying space photograph’

The iconic photograph was taken in February 1984.

Bruce McCandless II, NASA first space walk picture, astronaut walks in space untethered, viral astronaut image, Indian Express

The historic photo was clicked when McCandless II stepped out of the Challenger space shuttle to rehearse for a satellite-repair mission.

For some people, the thought of floating in space can be liberating, for others, it can be unnerving. A photograph that evokes both these feelings has been going viral on social media.

The photo of astronaut Bruce McCandless II, in which he can be seen floating in the dark void of space as the blue surface of Earth looms under him, has enchanted netizens. The photo, taken almost four decades ago in February 1984, was clicked when McCandless II stepped out of the Challenger space shuttle to rehearse for a satellite-repair mission.

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This was the first time an astronaut had walked in space while being untethered from the spacecraft.

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According to a 1984 New York Times article, McCandless II was 170 mile (273.5 kilometre) above Earth’s surface when this photo was taken. The article says that McCandless II was orbiting Earth alongside his space shuttle at the speed of 17,500 mile an hour but due to the “virtual vacuum of space, he sensed nothing of his speed.”

The photo of McCandless II’s spacewalk was shared on Twitter by a popular science page that goes by the handle @Sciencenature14. While tweeting the photo, the Twitter page described it as “Perhaps the most-terrifying space photograph to date”. The tweet soon got over 1.5 lakh likes in just one day.

Perhaps the most-terrifying space photograph to date. Astronaut Bruce McCandless II floats completely untethered, away from the safety of the space shuttle, with nothing but his Manned Maneuvering Unit keeping him alive. The first person in history to do so.
Credit: NASA pic.twitter.com/uapVOFwS2u

— Curiosity (@Sciencenature14) June 20, 2022

This represents a level of trust in people and technology that I will never have.

— Overeducated Woman TessaLights💛💙 (@TheRoselleWay) June 20, 2022

Somehow this photo seems as fake as the US landing first on moon in 1969.

— Baji Please (@BajiPlease) June 21, 2022

This one has always given me the chills. Taken by Michael Collins, it contains every human being that has ever existed, except him. pic.twitter.com/8B3oWI3GIb

— Spa Foot (@SpaFoot2) June 20, 2022

Awesome, no neighbors, tv, politics, pandemic, high prices or anything to bother you. This is as far away from people anyone could ever get. pic.twitter.com/ad36IZyFrY

— STEVE JET CITY (@stevejetcity) June 20, 2022

Imagine deciding to be the first person in history to do this, but forgetting to unhook the tether, so you accidentally pull the whole spaceship with you into the sun.

— Colin Troy 🇺🇦 (@feetsby) June 20, 2022

Moisturized, unbothered, in my orbital lane, thriving https://t.co/HZ3SSMVnQI

— Megan Fox 🏳️‍⚧️ (@glassbottommeg) June 21, 2022

If I was an astronaut I would do stuff like this for the sole purpose of taking photos for Instagram and captioning them like “In My Own Lane Fr 🤧🌍” https://t.co/JRG1xkXvu1

— ^_^ (@Bruhsepheus) June 21, 2022

looks mega fail to me lol, do you really believe that photo is real?

— Inti | cryptointi.sol (@KryptoInti) June 20, 2022

Swap the word terrifying for ‘fake’ and I’d agree

— Rudi (@Rudi16910728) June 20, 2022

Commenting on it a Twitter user wrote, “If I was an astronaut I would do stuff like this for the sole purpose of taking photos for Instagram and captioning them like “In My Own Lane ”.

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