Tag #Soviet Space Program

What immediate life-threatening dangers did Alexey Leonov face during his pioneering spacewalk, and what were the near-term consequences?

On March 18, 1965, Alexey Leonov became the first human to perform a spacewalk, a 16-minute venture fraught with peril. Immediately after the 1 hour 35 minute mark following launch, while still experiencing effects from high G-forces, Leonov's spacesuit inflated, hindering his return to the spacecraft. He had to reduce his suit's pressure to 0.27 atmospheres, against regulations, to re-enter the airlock.