On Thursday (September 12), the Polaris Dawn mission crew made space history by stepping outside their SpaceX Dragon capsule while floating 435 miles above the earth.
For the first time ever, a private space crew has done something that was only done by government astronauts before: they went on a spacewalk in orbit.
Historic Spacewalk by Polaris Dawn Crew
The Polaris Dawn crew put on special SpaceX suits designed to protect them in space on early Thursday morning. Tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, who helped fund the mission, and Sarah Gillis, a SpaceX worker, became the first commercial astronauts to leave their spacecraft.
While Isaacman and Gillis floated in space, their teammates, Anna Menon and Scott "Kidd" Poteet, stayed inside the capsule as it didn't have an airlock, according to USA Today.
The exciting spacewalk happened on the third day of the five-day Polaris Dawn mission. Isaacman is leading the mission to test new technology that could help people travel to Mars in the future, a goal set by SpaceX's founder, Elon Musk,
The SpaceX Dragon capsule reached its orbit, the pressure inside began to decrease and oxygen levels went up. The process helped remove nitrogen from the astronauts' blood, making it safer for them to step outside.
Around 6 am on Thursday, Isaacman was the first to leave the Dragon capsule and experience space. He floated out, enjoying the stunning view of Earth below. Gillis followed soon after, using a ladder to join Isaacman in space. Gillis, who trains astronauts as SpaceX, also gained valuable experience for her future work.
The spacewalk was much shorter than those done by NASA astronauts, lasting just under two hours. Unlike NASA's long spacewalks, which can last up to eight hours, this one was quick and efficient. The astronauts used tethers but didn't stretch them out completely as they moved around.
Future Missions in Private Space Travel
The mission shows how private space travel is becoming more advanced. More people are willing to pay a lot of money to experience space, though spacewalking is one of the most risky and thrilling parts of space travel.
Despite some technical problems, like Isaacman having to open the airlock manually and Gillis noticing issues with the hatch, the spacewalk was a success. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson called the achievement a major step forward to commercial space travel, said The Strait Times. Isaacman, who funded the mission, has not revealed how much it cost.
The spacewalk is the first of three missions planned under Isaacman's Polaris program, following his previous private SpaceX flight in 2021.
Currently, only 263 people from 12 countries have done spacewalk. The first spacewalk was done by Alexei Leonov of the Soviet Union in 1965, and NASA's Ed White a few months later. The Polaris Dawn mission marks a new chapter in space exploration, showing how private space travel is making big strides.
