While the Soviet Union was seen the clear favorite in the Space Race at the time, the Gemini program allowed the US to catch up with remarkable speed, breaking new ground for American spaceflight. On Gemini 4, Ed White became the first American to perform an extravehicular activity (EVA), making use of the experimental Handheld Maneuvering Unit (HHMU) to move around during his spacewalk. Neil Armstrong became the first person to dock with another spacecraft on Gemini 8, and on Gemini 12, Buzz Aldrin entered the record books with 5 and a half hours of EVAs.