Alexei Leonov almost died during his stellar 1965 spacewalk. He lived another 54 years.
The Russian Air Force pilot turned cosmonaut, who was the first person to perform a space walk, died Friday in Moscow, the Russian space agency announced. Leonov was 85.
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American astronaut Edward White didn't match Leonov's feat until months later, and Leonov was determined to become the first person to go to the moon as well. He would've likely at least been the first Russian on the moon if the Soviets hadn't abandoned that goal after the U.S. achieved it. Still, Leonov did return to space in 1975, where his crafts connected with Americans' and the two groups toured each others' ships. He also drew his view of Earth from his spacewalk mission, creating what's probably the first piece of art made in outer space.
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