James C. McDivitt

James C. McDivitt was an American astronaut and engineer who flew into space as part of NASA's Apollo program. He served as the Commander of the Gemini 4 mission in 1965, performing the first American spacewalk, and later commanded the Apollo 9 mission in 1969, which tested the spacecraft and lunar module in Earth orbit. McDivitt's work was crucial in developing the technology and skills needed for humans to travel to the Moon. After his NASA career, he contributed to aerospace engineering and management, helping advance space exploration efforts.