In a historic debut, billionaire businessman Jared Isaacman has become the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space. Olivia Palamountain reports
More than 435 miles (700km) above Earth, the crew of SpaceX‘s Polaris Dawn mission have made history as they completed the world’s first private spacewalk.
Shortly before midday on September 12, 2024, billionaire Jared Isaacman became the first ever non-professional astronaut to step out into the vacuum of space, capturing the imagination of people around the world.
Isaacman’s spacewalk was broadcast live with footage from his helmet-mounted camera. “Back home we have a lot of work to do, but from here Earth sure looks like a perfect world,” said Isaacman as he stepped out into the void.
As reported by The Daily Mail, once outside the craft, Isaacman tested the mobility of the EVA suit as he stood on the specially fitted ‘Skywalker’ platform.
This is the first time that SpaceX’s new extravehicular activity (EVA) suits have been tested outside a laboratory setting so the company was keen to see how they would stand up to the rigours of space.
Isaacman spent a little over 10 minutes outside of the vehicle running through a set of pre-planned movements designed to test the limits of the EVA suit.
The billionaire-turned-astronaut practised turning, raising himself, and reaching his arms up away from the spacecraft.
SpaceX employee and mission specialist Sarah Gillis followed shortly afterwards, also embarking on a historic spacewalk before returning safely to the spacecraft.
Isaacman is bankrolling the Polaris Dawn mission which blasted off in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship on Tuesday – they’ll return to Earth on Saturday, says the BBC.
The Polaris Dawn mission is the first of three planned Polaris Programme flights, which aim to pave the way for further advancements in private space exploration and development.
After the success of the first ever privately-funded spacewalk, what’s next for SpaceX’s Polaris mission, asks the BBC.
According to the company, “The Polaris Program will embark on three human spaceflight missions that will demonstrate new technologies, conduct extensive research and ultimately culminate in the first flight of SpaceX’s Starship with humans on board.”
Polaris Dawn – the first mission – is Jared Isaacman’s seminal experience. Mission II will build upon it, SpaceX says, “to expand the boundaries of future human spaceflight missions, in-space communications, and scientific research.”
The final mission, Mission III, will be “the first-human spaceflight on Starship — the world’s first fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond,” according to SpaceX.
When the next two missions will take place is not known, but SpaceX say they will be “launching soon”.