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                           Astronomy Picture of the Day   
      
       Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our   
         fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation   
                       written by a professional astronomer.   
      
                                 2026 February 15   
       An astronaut is seen hovering over the Earth. In the top part of the   
        image, the astronaut is seen against the darkness of space. In the   
       lower part of the image, the Earth is bright blue with white clouds.   
             Please see the explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                               To Fly Free in Space   
                            Image Credit: NASA, STS-41B   
      
      Explanation: What would it be like to fly free in space? About 100   
      meters from the cargo bay of a space shuttle, Bruce McCandless II was   
      living the dream -- floating farther out than anyone had ever been   
      before. Guided by a Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), astronaut   
      McCandless, pictured, was floating free in space. During Space Shuttle   
      mission 41-B in 1984, McCandless and fellow NASA astronaut Robert   
      Stewart were the first to experience such an "untethered space walk".   
      The MMU worked by shooting jets of nitrogen and was used to help deploy   
      and retrieve satellites. With a mass over 140 kilograms, an MMU is   
      heavy on Earth, but, like everything, is weightless when drifting in   
      orbit. The MMU was later replaced with the SAFER backpack propulsion   
      unit.   
      
                      Tomorrow's picture: unexplained shocks   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
   --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-7   
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