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![[Apollo 9] THE FIRST APOLLO EVA: Russell Schweickart gazing at Earth from outer space, seen from LM Spider James McDivitt, March 3-13, 1969 image 1](/_next/image.jpg?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg1.bonhams.com%2Fimage%3Fsrc%3DImages%2Flive%2F2025-03%2F24%2F25639331-174-1.jpg&w=2400&q=75)
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Lot 201
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST APOLLO EVA: Russell Schweickart gazing at Earth from outer space, seen from LM Spider James McDivitt, March 3-13, 1969
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue HocheSold for €332.80 inc. premium
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[Apollo 9] THE FIRST APOLLO EVA: Russell Schweickart gazing at Earth from outer space, seen from LM Spider
James McDivitt, March 3-13, 1969
Printed 1969.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS9-20-3094].
Numbered "NASA AS9-20-3094" in red in the top margin, with NASA caption and "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
A stunning photograph of Russell Schweickart marvelling at the beauty of space from outside LM Spider.
While photographing Schweickart's spacewalk, David Scott was also filming the EVA with a movie camera from the open hatch of CSM Gumdrop. However, when the film jammed, Schweickart was granted a rare, precious moment to simply float in space, holding with one hand onto the extravehicular transfer handrails on LM Spider and taking in the awe-inspiring view of Earth (bottom left).
James McDivitt captured this image with the Super Wide camera and its wide-angle 38mm lens from inside Spider. The reflection in Schweickart's visor reveals the entire scene—Earth, space, and the two connected spacecraft.
"I figured, 'Hey, great. This is my opportunity to really appreciate what's going on.' So, I just let go with one hand, and just sort of swung around, looked at the Earth below and the black space above and the Sun over my shoulder. And, I mean, it was this incredible, spectacular view."
—Russell Schweickart (2015 interview for the XPRIZE Foundation)
Printed 1969.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS9-20-3094].
Numbered "NASA AS9-20-3094" in red in the top margin, with NASA caption and "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
A stunning photograph of Russell Schweickart marvelling at the beauty of space from outside LM Spider.
While photographing Schweickart's spacewalk, David Scott was also filming the EVA with a movie camera from the open hatch of CSM Gumdrop. However, when the film jammed, Schweickart was granted a rare, precious moment to simply float in space, holding with one hand onto the extravehicular transfer handrails on LM Spider and taking in the awe-inspiring view of Earth (bottom left).
James McDivitt captured this image with the Super Wide camera and its wide-angle 38mm lens from inside Spider. The reflection in Schweickart's visor reveals the entire scene—Earth, space, and the two connected spacecraft.
"I figured, 'Hey, great. This is my opportunity to really appreciate what's going on.' So, I just let go with one hand, and just sort of swung around, looked at the Earth below and the black space above and the Sun over my shoulder. And, I mean, it was this incredible, spectacular view."
—Russell Schweickart (2015 interview for the XPRIZE Foundation)
Footnotes
From the mission transcript when the photograph was taken:
073:40:50 McDivitt (Spider): Rusty, I want you to evaluate those handles and when you get through with that, I want a conclusion from you on whether or not it's a practical way of doing it, like we've already said it is. [...]
073:41:14 Schweickart (PLSS): This is very good. There is no problem at all.
073:41:23 McDivitt (Spider): Good. Be right there. Smile.
073:41:28 Schweickart (PLSS): Hello, there. This is no problem at all.
073:41:33 McDivitt (Spider): Okay, Go on back down it again. Hey, Dave, did you get your movie camera running yet?
073:41:41 Scott (Gumdrop): Not yet; but I would like to try it, if you will give me a minute.
073:41:52 McDivitt (Spider): Well, you've got 4 minutes. When the 4 minutes are over, then we are going to have to come back in, with or without the movies. If we get them, fine.
073:42:00 McDivitt (Spider): Come around the window here. Can you?
073:42:02 Schweickart (PLSS): Yes. Hold on. I'll just push out a little bit. Wait, let me come up this way. How's that?
073:42:12 McDivitt (Spider): Good.
073:42:14 Schweickart (PLSS): I'm in the shade, though.
073:42:15 McDivitt (Spider): That's okay.
073:42:14 Schweickart (PLSS): Now, you got to get a good picture.
073:42:21: McDivitt (Spider)... Getting good pictures is to take a lot of them. These aren't going to be very good; you just can't - You're just not over far enough. [...]
073:42:59 McDivitt (Spider): The trouble is, I've got this glass here with all the marks on it... I'm trying to take pictures around there. I'm not sure I'm succeeding.
Literature
Apollo through the eyes of the astronauts, Jacobs, p. 42
The View from Space: American Astronaut Photography, 1962–1972, Schick and Van Haaften, p. 36