But, two years before the moon landing, in January 1967, three US astronauts - including Ed White, who had become the first American to walk in space - did perish in a fireball on the launch pad ...

float freely in orbit – to space-walk. He was pilot of the Voskhod 2 mission, part of the Soviet Union’s attempt in competition with the US to reach the moon. Leonov’s walk on 18 March 1965 ...

On March 18, 1965, cosmonaut Alexei Leonov made history - and left the Americans fuming - as he floated for 12 minutes in the dark vacuum ... first American to walk in space - did perish in ...