Ed White was an American astronaut and the first person to conduct a spacewalk, or extravehicular activity (EVA), during the Gemini 4 mission in June 1965. Born on June 14, 1930, in San Antonio, Texas, he was a U.S. Air Force officer and a test pilot before joining NASA. His historic spacewalk lasted about 20 minutes, during which he floated outside the spacecraft, demonstrating the feasibility of working in space. Tragically, Ed White lost his life in the Apollo 1 accident on January 27, 1967, along with fellow astronauts Gus Grissom and Roger B. Chaffee. The fire during a pre-launch test highlighted safety issues in space missions, leading to significant changes in NASA's protocols. White is remembered as a pioneer in human spaceflight and a symbol of courage in the pursuit of exploration.