Astronaut Relives 'Spectacular View' of First Apollo Spacewalk (VIDEO)

Eric Desatnik, senior director for public relations at XPrize, contributed this video to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Apollo 9's Russell "Rusty" Schweickart was the first of the Apollo astronauts to go outside the spacecraft. In an exclusive interview with XPrize, he recalls that as Dave Scott began filming his spacewalk, the movie camera jammed, leaving Schweickart five glorious minutes with nothing to do but take in the incredible view. Schweickart describes the silence, the feeling of floating inside his spacesuit "as if naked in space," and the realization that he was part of humanity beginning its journey out from the Earth. 

For more interviews with thought leaders discussing some of the most vexing issues facing humanity, check out the XPrize Insights series.

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