Small Spacewalk for Isaacman, Giant Leap for Us!

Jewish-American tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman became the first civilian to conduct a private spacewalk, venturing outside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule. The capsule landed near Florida’s Dry Tortugas at 3:37 Eastern time, finishing the five-day mission to orbit. The capsule was carrying two SpaceX engineers and a former U.S. Air Force Thunderbird pilot. Isaacman radioed, “We are mission complete,” as the capsule floated in the water following its splashdown and waited for the recover team.

The daring feat came after Isaacman and his three crewmembers reached an altitude of nearly 874 miles (1,400 kilometers) above Earth’s surface, surpassing the Earth-orbiting record set during NASA’s Project Gemini in 1966. Only the Apollo mission astronauts who traveled to the moon have ventured further into space. Isaacman’s spacewalk lasted approximately 15 minutes before SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis replaced him. The other two crewmembers, engineer Anna Menon and former U.S. Air Force pilot Scott “Kidd” Poteet, also participated in the extravehicular activity (EVA).

The entire spacewalk procedure, including preparation and completion, took about two hours. SpaceX streamed the event live on its website, allowing viewers worldwide to witness this historic moment in commercial spaceflight.

The mission, dubbed Polaris Dawn, is part of a series of three trips Isaacman purchased from SpaceX in 2022. While the cost of these expeditions has not been publicly disclosed, they represent a significant step forward in private space exploration.

Isaacman and his crew launched from Florida on Tuesday September 10, 2024 for their five-day journey. They wore newly designed SpaceX suits that Isaacman helped develop, which were crucial for protection against the vacuum of space during the spacewalk. The spacewalk’s success was not guaranteed, as SpaceX unexpectedly delayed its start by a few hours.

This achievement builds upon Isaacman’s previous space endeavor in 2021, when he became the first space tourist to orbit Earth without a professional astronaut onboard.

As private citizens continue to push the boundaries of space exploration, Isaacman’s successful spacewalk opens new possibilities for civilian involvement in extraterrestrial activities and highlights the growing role of commercial enterprises in advancing space technology and exploration.

The five-day mission included Isaacman and fellow astronaut Sarah Gillis exiting the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, testing advanced spacesuits, and enjoying the view of Earth, surpassing previous records.

The crew conducted over 40 experiments to understand the physiological impacts of space travel and tested new communication technologies between the Dragon spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.

The Polaris Program, funded by Isaacman, includes three planned missions under the Polaris Program. The mission advanced commercial spaceflight and set the stage for future explorations, including potential missions to the Moon and Mars. Isaacman expressed his enthusiasm for the mission’s achievements and the importance of making space more accessible for future generations…