Photo For Today
McCandless orbited at 18,000 mph (29,000km/h), using a hefty jet pack to propel himself away from, and then back towards the Space Shuttle. At a post-flight news conference back on Earth, he said he had experienced no fear of flying loose from the craft.
He gave his thoughts on the event:
"I was grossly over-trained. I was just anxious to get out there and fly. I felt very comfortable ... It got so cold my teeth were chattering and I was shivering, but that was a very minor thing. ... I’d been told of the quiet vacuum you experience in space, but with three radio links saying, ‘How’s your oxygen holding out?’, ‘Stay away from the engines!’ and ‘When’s my turn?’, it wasn’t that peaceful ... It was a wonderful feeling, a mix of personal elation and professional pride: it had taken many years to get to that point."
