Alexey Arkhipovich Leonov (Russian: Алексе́й Архи́пович Лео́нов; IPA: [ɐlʲɪˈksʲej ɐˈrxʲipəvʲɪtɕ lʲɪˈonəf]; born 30 May 1934 in Listvyanka, West Siberian Krai, Soviet Union) is a retired Soviet/Russian cosmonaut and Air Force Major General. On 18 March 1965, he became the first human to conduct extra-vehicular activity (EVA), exiting the capsule during the Voskhod 2 mission for a 12-minute spacewalk.  Read more..

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On March 18, 1965, Soviet cosmonaut Alexey Leonov (born in 1934) was the first human to conduct extra-vehicular activity, exiting the capsule during the "Voskhod 2" mission for a 12-minute spacewalk. Leonov was then the 18th man to be sent in space (the 11th Soviet cosmonaut). During this mission, Leonov was accompanied by Commander Pavel Belyayev and after numerous incidents when returning to earth, the two men were awarded "Hero of the Soviet Union". During the Cold War, the objective of the USSR was then to perform this spacewalk before the American. Read more..