On Thursday, tech billionaire Jared Isaacman marked a historic milestone by launching the first private spacewalk from a SpaceX capsule, venturing hundreds of miles above Earth.
The spacewalk, part of the Polaris Dawn mission, represents a significant leap in civilian space exploration.
Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4 Payments, and his crew began their spacewalk following the depressurization of their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.Isaacman was the first to exit, aiming to join an exclusive group of spacewalkers that previously included only professional astronauts from various countries. The spacewalk involved exiting the capsule while remaining tethered to it, with Isaacman flexing his limbs to test the new SpaceX spacesuits designed for such activities.
The Polaris Dawn mission, which launched from Florida on Tuesday, is notable for its high orbit, which was reduced to 458 miles for this spacewalk. The mission, expected to last five days, also serves as a test for future space endeavors aimed at exploring Mars and other celestial bodies.
Isaacman’s spacewalk was primarily a test of the new suits and equipment, rather than a full-fledged exploration mission. The spacewalk, planned to last about two hours, included a brief period outside the capsule before SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis took her turn. Both astronauts were equipped with 12-foot tethers for safety but did not plan to use them in the same manner as astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
The mission, which is the first of three under Isaacman’s Polaris program, follows a tradition of private space travel where wealthy individuals fund their space journeys. The Polaris Dawn flight is particularly risky due to the Crew Dragon capsule’s lack of an airlock and the exposure to the vacuum of space during the spacewalk.
Scott Poteet, a former Air Force pilot, and SpaceX engineer Anna Menon remained inside the capsule to oversee the operation. All four crew members underwent extensive training in preparation for the mission.
Isaacman, who has not disclosed the financial details of the Polaris Dawn mission, is continuing his investment in private space exploration with this endeavor.
With input from the Associated Press and New Scientist.
