In a groundbreaking achievement, Elon Musk’s SpaceX successfully completed the world’s first private spacewalk on Thursday morning.
Billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis ventured outside the Crew Dragon capsule, becoming the first non-government astronauts to conduct a spacewalk in Earth’s orbit.
The historic spacewalk, part of the Polaris Dawn mission, took place approximately 400 miles above Earth. Isaacman and Gillis spent about 30 minutes outside the spacecraft, while their crewmates Scott Poteet and Anna Menon monitored the mission from inside.
The Polaris Dawn mission is a high-stakes venture pushing the boundaries of private space travel. It tested cutting-edge technology, including SpaceX’s newly designed spacesuits and a complex depressurization process for the Crew Dragon cabin.
SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has made significant strides in commercial space exploration, becoming the only private company to routinely send humans into orbit and safely return them. The success of Polaris Dawn expands upon these capabilities, testing innovative systems and spacesuit designs under extreme conditions.
During the spacewalk, Isaacman marveled at the view, saying, “Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world.”
NASA, a long-standing partner of SpaceX, praised the mission’s success, with Administrator Bill Nelson stating, “Today’s achievement represents a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry and aligns with NASA’s long-term goal of building a vibrant U.S. space economy.”
The Polaris Dawn crew will continue their mission in orbit, conducting additional tests before returning to Earth. This mission marks a significant milestone for future private space ventures, paving the way for more ambitious goals beyond Earth’s orbit.
