Key Points
- Jared Isaacman and SpaceX’s Sarah Gillis aim to perform the first private spacewalk aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission.
- The mission will reach 870 miles, surpassing records set by NASA’s Gemini program.
- The spacewalk will test new spacesuits developed by SpaceX, which were shared between Isaacman and SpaceX.
- The spacewalk is scheduled for Thursday, with the mission concluding with a splashdown off Florida.
Billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman launched into space early Tuesday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, marking the start of a groundbreaking mission to perform the first private spacewalk. Isaacman, two SpaceX engineers, and a former Air Force Thunderbirds pilot aim to venture further than anyone has since NASA’s Apollo missions. This five-day mission, known as Polaris Dawn, will reach an altitude of 870 miles (1,400 kilometers), setting a new Earth-lapping record that surpasses NASA’s Project Gemini in 1966.
Isaacman and SpaceX’s Sarah Gillis plan to conduct the spacewalk on Thursday, testing newly developed spacesuits designed in collaboration between Isaacman and SpaceX. These suits are crucial for the mission, as the entire Dragon capsule will be depressurized during the two-hour spacewalk. While outside, Isaacman and Gillis will always stay connected to the capsule, avoiding risky maneuvers like jetpack use, which is reserved for NASA missions. The duo will briefly exit the hatch, performing basic movements to evaluate the suits’ performance.
This mission is part of a series of three flights that Isaacman has purchased from SpaceX. Unlike his previous privately funded spaceflight in 2021, Isaacman partnered with SpaceX to share the costs, including developing the new spacesuits. The mission builds on SpaceX’s ongoing collaboration with private sector initiatives to push the boundaries of human space exploration.
Polaris Dawn’s trajectory will take the crew far beyond the International Space Station and even the Hubble Space Telescope. The crew will initially orbit at a high altitude, then descend to a lower orbit of 435 miles (700 kilometers). Following the spacewalk, the mission will conclude with a splashdown off the Florida coast.
Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4, did not disclose the financial investment behind the mission but emphasized the importance of private sector involvement in space exploration. This flight marks another step toward venturing to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
