SpaceX Completes First Private Spacewalk with Jared Isaacman

On Thursday, SpaceX made history by completing the first-ever private spacewalk, a landmark achievement that underscores the company’s commitment to revolutionizing space travel. This milestone was reached during the Polaris Dawn mission, an ambitious all-civilian spaceflight that highlights SpaceX’s progress in the commercialization of space. The mission marks a significant leap forward for both private space exploration and human spaceflight.

The spacewalk was conducted by tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, who is funding the Polaris Dawn mission, and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis. Isaacman, aged 41, stepped out of SpaceX’s Dragon capsule just before 7 a.m. EDT. His departure from the spacecraft was followed closely by Gillis, who also exited the capsule in a meticulously planned sequence. The spacewalk occurred as the Dragon capsule flew over a vast expanse of Earth, including Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Ocean. Isaacman and Gillis spent approximately ten minutes each outside the Dragon capsule, performing their activities while tethered to the spacecraft. The successful completion of this spacewalk at around 8 a.m. EDT was a testament to the advanced technology and rigorous training that SpaceX has invested in.

The Polaris Dawn mission, which also includes crew members Scott Poteet and Anna Menon—who remained inside the Dragon capsule—was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This mission is notable not only for its commercial spacewalk but also for reaching an altitude of approximately 870 miles, making it the furthest crewed space mission since NASA’s Apollo moon landings in the 1970s. The altitude achieved by Polaris Dawn offers a unique vantage point for scientific observations and adds to the mission’s significance in the history of space exploration.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson lauded the mission, emphasizing that it represents a “giant leap forward for the commercial space industry.” He highlighted the mission’s alignment with NASA’s broader goals of fostering a robust and vibrant U.S. space economy. This endorsement from NASA underscores the importance of private sector involvement in advancing human spaceflight and commercializing space travel. The Polaris Dawn mission is seen as a key step in realizing the vision of a thriving commercial space sector.

An intriguing aspect of the Polaris Dawn mission is the crew’s experience of sunrise approximately every 106 minutes. This rapid cycle of sunrises is a result of the spacecraft’s high orbital altitude, providing the crew with a unique perspective of Earth and the cosmos. This phenomenon not only adds to the mission’s scientific value but also enhances the crew’s experience of spaceflight.

The Polaris Dawn mission has several objectives beyond the historic spacewalk. It serves as a comprehensive test of SpaceX’s spacecraft and spacesuit systems, providing critical data to improve future space missions. Additionally, the mission is designed to test SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communication network by sending data from various experiments conducted aboard the spacecraft. These experiments include studies on the effects of space radiation on the human body, which are crucial for understanding the health impacts of long-duration spaceflight.

Jared Isaacman, the mission’s primary funder and a prominent figure in the space tourism industry, has ambitious plans for future space endeavors. Isaacman revealed that SpaceX aims to conduct two additional Polaris missions, which may include a journey to the Hubble Space Telescope. These upcoming missions are expected to further support SpaceX’s long-term goal of human exploration of the Moon and Mars. Isaacman’s vision aligns with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ambitious goals of establishing a human presence on Mars and advancing humanity’s exploration of the solar system.

Isaacman’s involvement in space exploration reflects his significant influence in both the financial and technological sectors. As the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, a major payment processing company, Isaacman holds approximately 38% of the company’s shares. Shift4 Payments processes transactions for about a third of America’s restaurants and hotels, underscoring Isaacman’s impact on the financial industry. His participation in the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission in 2021, the first orbital spaceflight solely featuring private citizens, further highlights his commitment to advancing space travel.

The success of the Polaris Dawn mission and the historic spacewalk represent a major milestone in the field of commercial space exploration. This achievement demonstrates the feasibility of private space missions and sets the stage for future developments in space tourism and human spaceflight. As private companies like SpaceX continue to push the boundaries of technology and explore new frontiers, the vision of expanding human presence in space becomes increasingly achievable.