SpaceX has made history with the first-ever spacewalks conducted by private citizens. The Polaris Dawn mission, led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, saw two crew members successfully venture outside their spacecraft during a historic mission. NASA hailed the event as a “giant leap forward” for the commercial space industry.
SpaceX has made history by completing the first-ever spacewalks conducted by private citizens. On September 12, 2024, the SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission, led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, allowed civilians to step outside their spacecraft and float in space. This marks a major achievement for the commercial space industry.
This marks another major achievement for SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk in 2002. It has since become a leader in space exploration, including providing NASA with transportation to the International Space Station. NASA chief Bill Nelson praised the mission, calling it “a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry.”
The mission was launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It took the crew farther into space than anyone has travelled in the last 50 years, reaching a height of 430 miles. As the crew’s Dragon spacecraft orbited Earth, Isaacman opened the hatch and ventured out. He also holds onto a structure called “Skywalker.” Moreover, he admired the stunning view of Earth from space.
The spacewalk lasted an hour and 46 minutes, marking a historic first for the private sector. However, it differed from earlier space feats when astronauts floated freely using jetpacks. Since Dragon lacks an airlock, the entire crew was exposed to the vacuum of space, with two remaining inside to monitor support systems.
Isaacman and his team have trained for over two years. They prepare for this moment with simulations, skydiving, and other rigorous activities. The mission will continue with important tests, including new spacesuit designs and experiments that could help future space exploration.
This is the first of three planned missions under the Polaris program. It is a partnership between Isaacman and SpaceX, which aims to push the boundaries of space travel even further. The final mission in the series hopes to use SpaceX’s Starship rocket for a crewed flight, bringing humanity closer to exploring Mars.
