Billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman embarked on the first private spacewalk in history on Sept. 12, exiting SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule while orbiting Earth. Isaacman, 41, ventured out during the Polaris Dawn mission, which launched from Florida on Tuesday after a delay of several hours for unexplained reasons.
As a pilot and founder of an electronic payment company, Isaacman is also helping fund the mission. “Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman remarked after stepping out of the craft. Following his spacewalk, SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, 30, also had her turn in space, both astronauts remaining tethered to the capsule.
The spacewalk was part of testing new SpaceX spacesuits, including evaluating their ability to hold positions and move in all directions. These suits are crucial for future missions as SpaceX aims to build a base on the Moon and a city on Mars. The crew on Dragon, which includes SpaceX’s Anna Menon, 38, and retired Air Force pilot Scott Poteet, 50, conducted additional research during the five-day mission, gathering data on radiation.
Before the spacewalk, various checks and procedures were completed to ensure the crew’s safety. All four members were exposed to the vacuum of space during the walk. The crew underwent extensive training with SpaceX simulations and experiential learning to prepare for the mission.
The Polaris Dawn mission marked a significant milestone in space exploration, with Isaacman and Gillis becoming the first private individuals to perform a spacewalk. The crew’s achievements contribute to the advancement of spacesuit technology and pave the way for future long-duration missions beyond Earth.
