Astronomy Picture of the Day · January 1, 2012

To Fly Free in Space

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for January 1, 2012 is “To Fly Free in Space,” an image. It is credited to STS-41B , NASA. The original explanation runs about 137 words.

From the explanation

“At about 100 meters from the cargo bay of the space shuttle Challenger, Bruce McCandless II was farther out than anyone had ever been before. Guided by a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), astronaut McCandless, pictured above , was floating free in space.”

— APOD editors, January 1, 2012

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: January 1, 2012
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: STS-41B , NASA
Copyright: No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 137 words

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On this day: January 1 in other years

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Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, January 1, 2012 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2012-january-1-to-fly-free-in-space

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.