James A. McDivitt

views updated

James A. McDivitt

1929-

American astronaut who photographed the first American spacewalk. After high school, McDivitt joined the U.S. Air Force, serving in Korea. He earned an aeronautical engineering degree from the University of Michigan and completed test pilot school. McDivitt piloted the 1965 Gemini 4 flight, documenting Edward White's historic spacewalk. In 1969 McDivitt commanded Apollo 9, testing the lunar module for the moon landing. Afterwards, he served as manager of lunar landing operations and the Apollo spacecraft program. McDivitt then became an industrial executive.